ARMENIA PRESENTED AT TEHRAN INTERNATIONAL BOOK EXHIBITION WITH
SEPARATE PAVILION
TEHRAN, MAY 7, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. This year Armenia is
taking part in Tehran 21st International Book Exhibition. As Alik daily
reports, the Armenian pavilion is paid much attention by the visitors.
The exhibition, the opening of which took place on April 30, will work
till May 13.
ARPA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN OCTOBER IN HOLLYWOOD
LOS ANGELES, MAY 7, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The Arpa 11th annual
international film festival will be held on October 24-26 in the
Egyptian Theater of Hollywood. Film-makers and prominent people will
take part in it. A dinner will take place at the end of the festival,
during which prizes will be given.
Film director Atom Egoyan and his wife, actress Arsine Khanjian, singer
and author of songs Serge Tangian and Alanis Morisset, film directors
Artur Sargsian, Robert Papazian, doctor Michael J. Hakobian, actors Ken
Davitian, Tippy Hedren, and others took part in the previous festival.
At present the festival is waiting for registration bids from Armenian
film-makers. Bids for participation are accepted until July.
Armenia, Iran Need to Promote Investments, Intensify Business Contacts
YEREVAN, May 7. /ARKA/. At their meeting Armenian Premier Tigran
Sarsgian and Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Seyed Ali Saghaeyan stated
that the two countries attach importance of promoting investment,
intensifying business and creating favorable environment for
businessmen, expanding direct contact between the regions.
The Public Relations Department, RA Government staff, reports that
sides discussed the bilateral economic relations. They pointed out that
the current level of bilateral annual trade turnover (about $200mln) is
not in harmony with the level of bilateral political relations.
Ambassador Saghaeyan stressed the importance of cooperation in dealing
with the consequences of a global price rises for developing countries
or transitional economies. In particular, Armenia and Iran can expand
cooperation in agriculture, the Ambassador said.
Premier Sargsian agreed with the necessity of developing agricultural
cooperation and expressed the RA Government’s willingness to start
negotiations between the relevant agencies in the near future.
Bringing Armenia-Iran economic cooperation to a new level will
strengthen the countries’ security and promote economic progress,
Armenian Premier said. `0′
Energy Ministry: No Request Sent to Russia for Managing Armenian
Nuclear Power Plant
YEREVAN, May 7. /ARKA/. Armenia has not asked INTER RAO UES (Russia),
which is financial manager of the Armenian nuclear power plant (NPP),
to prolong the previously signed financial management agreement.
Lusine Harutyunyan, Press Secretary, RA Ministry of Energy and Natural
Resources, reported that five-year term of the NPP’s financial
management by the Russian company expires this September.
Earlier, RA Minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan did not rule out the
possibility of the prolongation.
He expressed appreciation of the Russian company’s activity under the
agreement.
The Minister pointed out that the Armenian NPP was constructed with the
application of Russian technologies, and its operation implies
immediate contacts with Russia.
The Armenian NPP was put into operation in 1976.
Specialists say the NPP can operate until 2016. –0–
World Bank, OSIAF Award Grants to Six Armenian Non-Profit Organizations
YEREVAN, May 7. /ARKA/. The World Bank (WB) and the Open Society
Institute Assistance Foundation (OSIAF) have granted $70,000 to six
Armenian NGOs under a Small Grants Program jointly implemented by the
WB office in Armenia and the OSI-AF.
The results of the grant allocation competition were made public on May
5, said Vigen Sargsian, External Affairs Officer, WB Country Office in
Yerevan.
According to him, 49 NGOs participated in the competition. Among the
winners are Menk Plus (We+), Krtutyan Asparez (Education Field), the
Armenian-French Development Fund, the Sustainable Aquatic Environment
NGO, SKARP Health Centre and the Lawyers for Human Rights NGO.
Sargsian said that the WB and OSI-AF Yerevan offices will monitor the
program implementation in Armenia. Depending on the success of the
programs, WB plans to cooperate with Armenian non-profit organizations
in developing the fields involved.
Fifty-three local NGOs have received $491,000 grants under the Small
Grants Program, with $303,000 allocated by the WB Country Office in
Yerevan and $188,000 by OSI-AF. `0′
A1+
BUS FARE WENT UP
[06:27 pm] 05 May, 2008
Prices of freight services were expected to go up
after the recent rise in price of natural gas.
A new 400-dram fee has been fixed for a
Noyemberian-Bagratashen route instead of the former
350 drams.
`Kamut’ TV, Noyemberian
A1+
TIGRAN KARAPETIAN DOES NOT WORRY
[05:37 pm] 06 May, 2008
The date of licensing TV channels approaches.
According to the `Law on TV and Radio’ tenders for
granting license to different TV frequencies are to be
held in autumn. The tender for the frequency of TV
channel `ALM’ will be the first to be announced. Its
license expires in April 2009.
Tigran Karapetian, Director of `ALM’ Holding,
declares: `I have little hope we shall be able to
renew the license but I do not worry. Television is
not the only way to be in touch with people. I can go
to the countryside on foot and no one can hold me
back. TV is not the only means of communication.’
`I have nothing to worry about. TV channel `ALM’ is
not a financial source for me. My family and I will
not starve’, Tigran Karapetian informed `A1+’.
A1+
DETAINED WITHOUT EXPLANATION
[07:10 pm] 06 May, 2008
Yesterday RA citizen 31 year-old Gegham Harutyunian
was taken to Malatia-Sebastia Police station with no
explanation.
`At about 8.30 three people, one of which was in a
police uniform, came to our place and took my son. My
wife was at home but they didn’t tell her anything’,
Misha Harutyunian, detained Gegham Harutyunian’s
father informed `A1+’.
Learning about the incident Misha Harutyunian went to
Malatia-Sebastia police station, where he was told his
son would be set free in 2 hours. `I have been waiting
by now. My son is still there. Can’t I know why my son
is arrested? What a country it is!’
Today Misha Harutyunian had to turn to the `Heritage’
Party members with a request to find out where his son
is and why he was taken into custody.
Member of the `Heritage’ Party Zaruhi Postanjian
informs: `It is evidently an illegal act. I had a talk
with Harutyunian, Deputy Chief Officer of
Malatia-Sebastia police station, and according to him
Gegham Harutyunian was taken to the police department
only this morning. He was inquired as a witness and
was taken to the Department of Special Investigations
for further inquiry.’
`Why shouldn’t he be in freedom if he is only a
witness? Why can’t he hire a lawyer? Why aren’t his
parents informed where he is?’, notices Zaruhi
Postanjian.
In reply to the journalist’s question if his son had
taken part in the opposition rallies, Misha
Harutyunian answered: `Is there anyone who has not?’
Panorama.am
16:28 07/05/2008
T. MANASERYAN: `NO DYNAMIC OPPOSITION’
`Since the beginning of the year the political
developments were based on the elements of social
dissatisfaction and not establishing social justice,’
said economist Tatul Manaseryan in a press conference,
today. According to him all those have had their
impact on the political activities. He stated that
March 1 incidents and the previous ones were
instigated by social complaints. `What was expected to
see was ignored and that’s why it was boiled and
burst, finally,’ said T. Manaseryan.
According to him the opposition has much to do, as it
is not only the governing bodies to take care of those
problems. `There is no dynamic opposition which has
perspectives, no opposition which cooperates with
other forces,’ he said and added that we need to have
such an opposition which could foresee the demands of
the time and could prompt governing bodies about those
needs.
Source: Panorama.am
Local elections in 11 communities
05-05-2008 10:36:34 – KarabakhOpen
On May 18 early or recurrent local elections will be held in 11
communities in Karabakh. Elections will be held in the community of
Hovsepavan, Askeran region, Kusapat, Nor Karmiravan, Chapar in
Martakert region, Ashan, Chartar, Djivani, Kert in Martuni region,
Kovsakan, Mirik, Kashunik in Kashatagh region.
Early elections in Kashatagh were appointed after the mayor of Kovsakan
for ten years Khachatur Adamyan resigned.