Month: May 2008

Armenia Foundation programs in Martakert and Hadrut continue

09-05-2008 11:35:15 – KarabakhOpen

Currently Armenia Foundation is financing the program of water pipeline
of the village of Vank in the region of Martakert. The director of
Artsakh programs of the Foundation Michel Tancrez said the value of the
project is 550 thousand dollars.

Michel Tancrez said in an interview with Karabakh-Open.com the school
of the village of Verin Horatagh in Martakert will be dedicated on May
30 the construction of which was financed by the Foundation. With
regard to the dropping rate of the dollar, he said the estimated costs
of the construction were 160 thousand dollars but now 400 thousand
dollars is necessary to finish the construction.

A nursery school is being built in Vaghuhas, the renovation of the
school in the village of Togh in Hadrut is underway (the value of the
project is 480 thousand dollars). The director of Artsakh programs said
work will finish by August. In the village of Aknaghbyur four
classrooms of the school are being repaired. Work will finish by June.

By the end of August the gas pipeline Togh-Hadrut will be laid out, the
value of the project is 1 million 440 thousand dollars. By the end of
July the regional hospital of Hadrut will be operated, the renovation
of which costs 826 thousand dollars.

As part of the program of the Foundation 4 ambulances were provided to
the region of Hadrut. Besides, an agricultural machinery station will
be set up in the region.

President Serzh Sargsyan’s congratulation on the Victory and Peace Day

armradio.am
09.05.2008 11:38

Dear veterans,
Dear compatriots,

I congratulate you on the Day of Victory and Peace.
The triumphant end of the Great Patriotic War was an exceptional event
in the life of our people. All parts of the Armenian nation had their
contribution to bringing this victory closer, participating in the army
of the allies, the resistance movements and especially in the ranks of
the Soviet Army. The victory achieved at the cost of great sacrifices
opened new horizons not only for curing the wounds but also developing
our country. Contemporary Armenia is the continuation of the republic
that was saved and prospered due to the feats of those who shaped this
victory.

From 1992 May 9 acquired a dual meaning for us. The liberation of
Shoushi proved to the new generation that it is the worthy successor of
the heroic past of the predecessors. Shoushi became the symbol of
freedom-loving and strong will of our people.

On this festive with day we remember those who sacrificed their life
for the motherland with great pain, but also with pride. We shall
always keep bright the memory of our heroes.

Congratulating on this double May holiday, I wish all of us a peaceful
sky and deeds worthy of our historical victories.

US Secretary of State congratulates FM Edward Nalbandian

armradio.am
09.05.2008 12:16

Congratulations continue coming in on the occasion of Edward
Nalbandian’s appointment to the post of Prime Minister of the Republic
of Armenia.

RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian received a congratulatory message
form US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The message states, in
part: `I congratulate you on your appointment as Foreign Minister of
Armenia. I’m looking forward to meeting with you and I hope that due to
joint work we shall reinforce the friendship between our countries. We
have a lot of work to do in the direction of the final shaping of the
basic principle so the Karabakh conflict resolution, as well as
assisting Armenia in the normalization of diplomatic and economic
relations with neighbor countries. We hope that Armenia will take
decisive steps to give new momentum to the implementation of democratic
reforms and restoring political freedoms, which are universal values
which lay in the basis of the relations between our countries.

Russian President Dmirty Medvedev congratulates RA President Serzh
Sargsyan on Victory Day

armradio.am
09.05.2008 15:00

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sent congratulatory messages to the
Heads of State of CIS member countries on the occasion of the 63rd
anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War.

Kremlin’s Press Service reported that the congratulatory message
addressed to RA President Serzh Sargsyan Dmitry Medvedev stated, in
part:

`I’m confident that the Armenian-Russian friendship that passed the
test of time will continue serving as a basis for the consistent
deepening of strategic partnership and multifaceted cooperation between
our countries.’

Robert Kocharyan’s activity in the memory of his neighbors in Stepanakert
09.05.2008 16:06

Gita Elibekyan
"Radiolur"

When the Artsakhi war started, many got involved in it. Robert
Kocharyan, the second President of the Republic of Armenia, rarely
stayed home. He was one of the leaders of the Artsakhi Movement, one of
the first volunteers of the liberation war. His neighbor, Mrs. Elmira,
67, remembers: `He was driving around the city in a `Zaporozhec’ to see
what was happening. He was organizing our movement, while many young
people had fled.’

Elmira Karapetyan worked at the same agro-chemical laboratory with Emma
Kocharyan, where they both received apartments in a two-storey building
in Stepanakert: `We were good neighbors,’ Mrs. Elmira says. `We gave
advices to each other, we were dining and drinking coffee together.
Mrs., Elmira says that they rarely saw Robert Kocharyan after the war
started, but every time they saw him, they would get convinced we would
win. `Every time we saw Robert Kocharyan, he would convince with a
smile peculiar to him that everything was going to be all right, that
we would win, that our struggle was just. He would inspire us, and we
would believe.’

Mrs. Elmira recalls also that in the basement Kocharyan’s wife and
mother were also giving hope to the neighbors. `On New Year day, when
the enemy was bombarding, Bella was decorating a New Year tree. She was
always saying everything would be all right, we would once decorate the
New Year tree at home, not in the basement. Their hopes really came
true: today we decorate the New Year tree in our homes.’

Mrs. Elmir says many were convincing Bella Kocharyan to leave the city
with her children, but she refused. All the neighbors lived in
basements. The small windows of the basements were closed with bags of
sand. It was dark. When the enemy was attacking from Shoushi, they
moved to Kocharyans’ basement. When the attacks came from Aghdam, they
all would move to Karapetyans’ basement.

Today Mrs. Elmira lives in the same apartment. The building has been
reconstructed: the war had left traces everywhere. Mrs. Elmira and her
family live on the ground floor, the first floor belongs to Kocharyan
family. According to the neighbor, they often come to Stepanakert. They
entrust the keys to Mrs. Elmira. From time to time she airs the
apartment and every time members of the ex-President visit Stepanakert,
they meet Mrs. Elmira.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CBA PUTS INTO CIRCULATION NEW 10 000-DRAM BANKNOTE

YEREVAN, MAY 9, NOYAN TAPAN. The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) put into
circulation a new banknote of the nominal value of 10 000 drams (2008
issue). NT was informed by the CBA press service that new 10 000-dram
banknotes are legal means of payment in the territory of the Republic
of Armenia and shall be accepted without reserve at their nominal value
against all monetary liabilities, without a time limit. Banknotes of
the same nominal value which were issued in 2003 and 2006 remain in
circulation without any restriction and change in the conditions of
their use.

"CONSTRUCTION AND INTERIOR" EXHIBITION OPENS IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 9, NOYAN TAPAN. The exhibition "Construction and Interior"
with the participation of 40 Armenian and foreign companies opened at
the Hall of Sittings of the Armenian government on May 8. The event was
organized by Prom Expo company. More than 200 products, as well as the
sector’s services are presented at 10 sections of the exhibition.

At the opening ceremony the RA deputy minister of urban development
Karlen Gevorgian expressed a hope that companies participating in the
exhibition will find serious partners during the event, which is being
held on May 8-10. According to him, construction is currently one of
the most rapidly developing branches of the Armenian economy. He
underlined that such exhibitions help to organize efficiently work in
the sector and present new projects, materials and technologies.

Commercial director of Prom Expo Vahagn Mirijanian said that a wide
range of items of construction and adjacent sectors are displayed at
the exhibition. The availability of new materials and structures
necessary for designing the interior was pointed out. In the words of
V. Mirijanian, the exhibition will be successful as a lot of companies
showed great interest in it.

The minister of economy Nerses Yeritsian, the minister of energy and
natural resources Armen Movsisian, and the deputy chairman of the
Central Bank of Armenia Arthur Javadian familiarized themselves with
products and services on display.

The exhibition was organized with the assistance of the RA ministry of
economy, the RA ministry of urban development, Yerevan mayor’s office
and the RA Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

ARMENIAN TENNIS PLAYERS BEAT ANDORRA SPORTSMEN IN SECOND TOUR OF DAVIS
CUP TOURNAMENT

YEREVAN, MAY 9, NOYAN TAPAN. The 3rd group men’s tournament of Davis
Cup Tournament Eurafrican Zone continues in Yerevan. Armenia’s national
team competed with sportsmen of Andorra in the second tour on May 8.
Hovhannes Davtian lost and Haroutiun Sofian won mono games. In pair
games the Haroutiun Sofian – Hayk Zohranian pair beat their competitors.

LEVON ARONIAN TAKES PART IN SOFIA INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT

SOFIA, MAY 9, NOYAN TAPAN. Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria), Levon Aronian
(Armenia), Teymur Rajabov (Azerbaijan), Vasily Ivanchuk (the Ukraine),
Bu Syan Chzhi (China), and Ivan Cheparinov take part in the highest,
20th-class International Chess Tournament being held on May 8-18 in
Sofia.

In the first tour L. Aronian’s competitor is V. Topalov. The tournament
will be held by two tours.
From: Baghdasarian

WAC AND UAR-ORGANIZED INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION AIMS TO PROMOTE
PARTICIPANTS’ KNOWLEDGE ABOUT PAST OF ARMENIAN PEOPLE

YEREVAN, MAY 9, NOYAN TAPAN. It is the 4th year that the World Armenian
Congress (WAC) and the Union of Armenians in Russia (UAR) are holding
"We Were, We Are, We Will Be" writing competition for pupils of the
senior school and students. The theme of this year’s competition is "We
are Strong When We are Together". Pupils and students from Armenia,
Artsakh and the Diaspora can participate in it. The deadline for bids
is late May, while the results will be summarized in June. The
award-giving ceremony will take place in October, during Days of the
WAC and the UAR in Armenia. 6 award winners will receive computers.

The head of the WAC Armenian branch, vice president of the UAR Vladimir
Aghayan said at the May 8 press conference that the main purpose of
this annual competition of the best literary work is promote knowledge
of pupils and students of Armenia, Artskah and Diaspora about the
historical past of the Armenian people and to instill faith in the
future into them. Besides, the competition contributes to the further
development of Armenia-Diaspora relations and the formation of national
unity, promotes the preservation of the national identity and the
dissemination of the Armenian culture, language and literature.

According to V. Aghayan, the implementation of another initiative will
continue this year. It is the initiative "pedagogical readings as a
methodological help to Diasporan Armenian teachers" which was launched
last year. The best works of pedagogical readings were published in a
separate collection in late 2007 and distributed to Diasporan
educational institutions. V. Aghayan said that the number of Armenian
Sunday schools is growing in the Diaspora year by year. Prior to the
foundation of the UAR, there were 30 Sunday Armenian schools in Russia,
whereas last academic year their number made 350.