Month: May 2008

PM Tigran Sargsyan’s congratulation on the Day of Victory and Peace

armradio.am
09.05.2008 11:28

Dear compatriots,
I sincerely congratulate you on the Day of Victory and Peace.

Together with many nations of the world today we celebrate the
anniversary of the victory over fascism, which became ours thanks to
the devotion, patriotism and courage of the sons of our people.

The meaning of victory is doubled by another glorious event ` the
liberation of Shoushi. Sixteen years ago our contemporary heroic
history was being written in the trenches. Our nation won its right for
freedom and peaceful life in the imposed war.

Today I render my most sincere congratulations to the veterans of war,
the soldiers of the liberation war and pay tribute to the memory of
those who fell for the sake of these victories.

Dear compatriots,

I wish you festive spirit, peaceful sky and wellbeing.

EXPLOSIVE ASSEMBLY FOUND ON PAVEMENT NEAR HOUSE NO 24 IN MASHTOTS AVENUE

YEREVAN, MAY 9, NOYAN TAPAN. Policemen found and rendered harmless a
self-made explosive assembly in a Samsung mobile phone box on the
pavement in front of house # 24 in Mashtots Avenue. An investigation is
underway. NT was informed by the RA Police PR and Information
Department that the Central police station received the alarm call
about a suspicious device at 9:40 am on May 9.

Cher inspired Turner to leave abusive husband
May 9th, 2008 – 1:52 pm ICT

London, May 9 (IANS) Singer Tina Turner reveals that it was singer-actress
Cher who inspired her to leave her abusive husband Ike because she looked very
happy as a single woman. Turner left Ike in 1976, which was after a year
Cher’s marriage to Sonny Bone ended. The two were very close fiends and Turner
was impressed the way Cher enjoyed being a single woman. Turner was speaking
on a TV show where she performed with Cher, contactmusic.com reports.
Turner said: `I just remember she was so free. I admired her freedom.’
But Turner confessed that initially she found it very difficult to cope with
the divorce.
She said: `I called it Tina’s Operation Oops, because I made so many oops,
but I slowly learned.’

Putin congratulates CIS Prime Ministerss on Victory Day

armradio.am
09.05.2008 13:17

Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin congratulated the Heads of
Government of the CIS member states on the occasion of the Victory Day,
Press Service of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Russian Federation
informed.

The message addressed to RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan states, in
part: `On these days we again remember the heroic efforts at the front
and the rear, which helped to smash fascism and those who shaped this
Great Victory.

We are obliged to preserve the memory of common victories that befell
our peoples in their struggle against fascism, draw lessons in order to
pass this invaluable experience of unity and concord to the coming
generations of our compatriots.’

ARMENPRESS

MONITORING CONDUCTED IN CONTACT ZONE OF NAGORNO
KARABAKH AND AZERBAIJANI ARMED FORCES

STEPANAKERT, MAY 7, ARMENPRESS: The OSCE mission
has conducted today a monitoring in the Aghdam sector
of the contact zone of Nagorno Karabakh and
Azerbaijani armed forces.
Karabakh Foreign Ministry press service told
Armenpress that the monitoring has been conducted by
coordinator of the OSCE office, Colonel Imre Palatinus
(Hungary), field assistant of the personal
representative of the OSCE chairman in office Irzhi
Aberle (Czechia).
The monitoring has been conducted according to the
schedule, no violation of cease-fire regime has been
registered.
From the Karabakh side the monitoring group has
been accompanied by the representatives of country’s
foreign and defense ministries.

ARMENPRESS

NA SPEAKER RECEIVES EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO THE
SOUTH CAUCASUS

YEREVAN, MAY 7, ARMENPRESS: Armenian National
Assembly Chairman Tigran Torosian received today EU
Special Representative to the South Caucasus,
Ambassador Peter Semneby. At the meeting present was
French ambassador to Armenia Serzh Smesov.
Armenian NA press service told Armenpress that at
the beginning of the meeting, the NA speaker referred
to the steps carried out after March 1 unrest: it was
noted that with the instruction of the Armenian
president a task group has been set up which will
study the issues different international
establishments registered in Armenia, for finding
solutions to them.
The parliament speaker also said that another task
group has been set up in the NA to study the
suggestions of international institutions for
improving the Electoral code and processes in Armenia.
Torosian expressed hope that until midst of June
the presented proposals will be summed up and from
September it will be possible to discuss the
suggestions with international experts.
The EU special representative said that EU
continues having under the limelight the electoral and
pre-electoral processes taking place in Armenia and
underscores the release of people arrested for their
political views and elimination of restrictions for
conducting rallies, as well as loosening polarization
in the country and establishing dialogue. For
establishing political debate, Semneby said it is
necessary to create grounds. He said the NA may have a
great role not only in that issue but also in
establishing dialogue.
Semneby said that he has met with the former
presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian and noted
that he got impression that there have been certain
changes – there is readiness to be involved in
political processes.
During the meeting the sides discuss other issues
of mutual interest.

ARMENPRESS

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES VETERANS OF GREAT
PATRIOTIC WAR

YEREVAN, MAY 7, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President
Serzh Sargsian received today a group of members of
the Committee of Veterans of the Great Patriotic War
and Veterans Council.
Presidential press service told Armenpress that
addressing the veterans the president said, `First of
all I want to heartedly congratulate you, and those
who participated in erection of the victory, on the
occasion of Victory Holiday.
Of course, in such cases we first of all address to
those who were soldiers, officers and generals,
managed to fight against the evil and bring victory to
all us and of course to those who helped the soldier
and officer to reach victory with work, hope and
warmth.
We have met many times and you know my opinion, I
am always saying that if not your example during the
Great Patriotic War, the example of our grandfathers,
more probably we would not be able in our new history
defend our homeland, independence and territorial
integrity.
So, I am very thankful to you for your service and
the work you have been carrying out after the war and
until now for educating and upbringing our young
generation. Your personal example is very important
for their patriotic upbringing’.
During the conversation the veterans discussed with
the leader of the country their social issues and
noted that the attention and care of the state during
the recent years has notably increased. Serzh Sargsian
said that the raised issues will also be quickly
regulated.
The veterans also underscored national unity and
reconciliation and said that they are firmly standing
by the authorities and find that the country is
developing in the right direction and are fully
supporting the policy of the president.

ZHIRAYR SEFILIAN DEPRIVED OF OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY TO APPROPRIATE BODIES
TO RECEIVE CITIZENSHIP

YEREVAN, MAY 7, NOYAN TAPAN. In order to be granted citizenship of the
Republic of Armenia, one should apply to the RA Passport and Visa
Department in person and fill in an application-questionnaire and a
test on knowledge of the Constitution, whereas Zhirayr Sefilian has no
such opportunity as he is in prison. The head of the RA Police Passport
and Visa Department, Colonel Alvina Zakarian said this in response to a
reporter’s question. The commander of the Shoushi special battalion Z.
Sefilian recently applied through his plenipotentiary to the department
with the request to be granted citizenship, but his application has
been rejected.

In the words of A. Zakarian, Z. Sefilian’s earlier application with the
same request was also rejected because "his activities here disturb
public order".

CHANGES MADE IN ORDER OF CHECKING 3 TASKS OF FINALS AND UNITED
EXAMINATION IN MATHEMATICS

YEREVAN, MAY 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The comprehensive school finals and united
university entrance examinations will be held on June 2-17. This year
comprehensive school leavers will take united examinations in "Armenian
Language and Literature", "Mathematics" and "Foreign Languages". Those
who fail to take examinations for good reasons will be allowed to take
them on July 2-10.

The director of the Evaluation and Test Center Manuk Mkrtchian said at
the May 7 press conference that everything possible will be done to
ensure transparency of examinations: the examination process will be
filmed and shown on a monitor, as well as special devices will be used
to prevent the use of mobile phones.

Speaking about the changes in the tasks of math examination, M.
Mkrtchian said that the previous model, by which 1 point instead of 0
was subtracted from the school leaver’s score in case of a wrong
answer, will no longer be used: this applies to the test tasks 17, 18
and 19 which require long answers. They will be multiple-choice: one
answer shall be chosen from 4 versions. No calculators will be allowed
during the examination. "The tasks have been prepared in such a way
that no calculators are needed to solve these problems," he assured
those present.

According to M. Mkrtchian, no changes were made in the other
examinations. The test papers of the united examinations have already
been printed in the UK and will be brought to Armenia in late May,
while the school finals’ tasks have been printed in Yerevan.

No guidebook has been developed for Spanish examination – out of all
the foreign language examinations, so the examination in Spanish will
be conducted based on the principles developed for the tests of the
other languages.

The deadline for changing the application for taking examinations ends
on May 30. This year about 15 thousand people will take exam in
Armenian language and literature, about 9 thousand – math exam, and
about 10 thousand – exam in a foreign language.

The results of the united examinations will be checked by computer at
the Evaluation and Test Center (ETC), while the results of the school
finals – at schools based on the correct answers to be put on the ETC’s
website on the following day.

The director of the center announced that it is envisaged to conduct
some pilot examinations in 4 Armenian marzes in mid May with the aim of
organizing united examinations in the remaining subjects as well next
year. "Pilot exams in natural sciences and other subjects to be held on
May 10-15 will allow us to make decisions related to compilation of
guides and test papers on these subjects. School leavers will be
supplied with these guides at the beginning of next academic year," he
said.

Minister Nalbandian addresses t 118th session

armradio.am
08.05.2008 10:29

On May 7 RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian addressed the 118th
session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

Noting that today Armenia faces the issue of deepening democracy, which
is the reasonable choice of the people, and the Armenian Government is
resolute to make necessary steps in this direction, the Armenian
Foreign Minister praised the support of the Council of Europe, the
Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly and the Human Rights
Commissioner.

`We have passed a certain way, but we realize that there is still much
to do and believe that making necessary efforts, we shall overcome all
the difficulties, will continue the reforms more resolutely not only
because we have assumed responsibility or because our friends want so,
but also because it is the reasonable choice of eth government and
people of Armenia,’ Edward Nalbandian declared. He continued that for
this purpose the new President of Armenia has expressed willingness to
ensure greater involvement of the society in the process of economic
reforms, inviting all forces and the public to join their efforts.

Turning to the Nagorno Karabakh issue, Minister Nalbandian reconfirmed
the willingness of the Armenian side to continue the current process
with the Minsk Group mediation. The mInister noted that the proposals
submitted by the Co-Chairs in Madrid provide opportunities to find
solutions.