Month: August 2008

ANGRY SWEDE THROWS DOWN MEDAL, QUITS
By Douglas Hamilton

Reuters
Thursday August 14 2008

BEIJING, Aug 14 (Reuters) – Swedish wrestler Ara Abrahamian threw
down his 84kg greco-roman bronze medal in protest on Thursday after
his shot at Olympic wrestling gold was ended by a decision denounced
by the Swedish coach as "politics".

Abrahamian took the bronze from around his neck during the medal
ceremony, stepped from the podium and dropped it in the middle of
the wrestling ring then walked off.

The Swedish wrestler had to be restrained by team mates earlier as a
row erupted with judges over the decision in a semi-final bout at the
Chinese Agricultural University Gym with Andrea Minguzzi of Italy,
who went on the take gold.

Abrhamian, who won silver at the Athens 2004 Games, shouted at the
referee and judges then went over to their row of chairs to speak to
them up close.

He angrily threw off the restraining arm of a team official then
turned and left.

Swedish fans booed loudly as the judges filed out of the
arena. Abrahamian said nothing to waiting reporters but whacked an
aluminium barricade with his fist as he left the hall.

"It’s all politics," said Swedish wrestling coach Leo Myllari.

Myllari did not say if he intended to lodge a formal protest over the
decision by referee Jean-Marc Petoud of Switzerland, judge Lee Ronald
Mackay of Canada, and mat chairman Guillermo Orestes Molina of Cuba.

Other favourites went out in the semi-finals or earlier.

Athens 96kg gold medallist Karam Gaber of Egypt failed to make it to
the quarter-finals. Aleksey Mishin of Russia, who took Athens gold in
the 84kg class, was beaten by Minguzzi. Ramaz Nozazde of Georgia, who
took silver in Athens, succumbed to Marek Svec of the Czech Republic,
still fighting at age 35. Svec then lost to Russia’s European champion
Aslanbek Kushtov, who caught him with a spectacular fall.

In the heavyweight 120kg class, Armenia’s Yuri Patrikeev and Dremiel
Byers of the United States, both favoured as finalists, failed to
go through.

S. OHANYAN RECEIVED THE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF GEORGIA TO ARMENIA

p;p=0&id=620&y=2008&m=08&d=14
12.0 8.08

On August 12, 2008 Armenian Defence Minister S.Ohanyan received the
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to Armenia
Revaz Gachechiladze, to represent the newly appointed military
Attaché, Colonel Murtaz Gujegiani.

At the beginning of the meeting S.Ohanyan extended deep condolences
on the death of innocent people due to the recent events.

During the meeting the parties referred to the 3-rd and the 4-th
phases of the military exercises "Rubezh 2008" to be held in Armenia
within the framework of CSTO from August 18 to 22, 2008, where Georgian
Military Attaché could participate as an observer.

Ambassador R.Gachechiladze stated once again that the information on
the alleged attack on Georgia by Russian aircrafts based in Armenia
recently spread by Georgian and Azerbaijani Mass Media, doesn’t
correspond to the reality.

In his turn S.Ohanyan assured the Ambassador that Armenian territory
will not be used as a bridge-head for launching operations against
Georgia, expressing hope, that ways will be found towards the
regulation of situation in Georgia.

–Boundary_(ID_ITsR52xVEIoOrPGcmqM1ew)–

FOUR CANDIDATES NOMINATED FOR SEPTEMBER 7 ELECTIONS OF ARABKIR DISTRICT HEAD

Noyan Tapan

Au g 13, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, NOYAN TAPAN. By the established deadline: 6 pm
August 13th, 4 candidates were nominated to run in the elections
of the head of Yerevan’s Arabkir community to be held on September
7. 65 candidates were nominated for elections of a 15-seat council
of aldermen in this community.

NT correspondent was informed by spokesperson for the RA Central
Electoral Commission Tatev Ohanian that the following persons: the
current head of the district, member of the Republican Party of Armenia
Hovhannes Shirinian, the owner of Yeritsian & Sons company, non-party
man Albert Yeritsian, member of "Heritage" party, former member of
the Central Electoral Commission Zoya Tadevosian, and representative
of the Progressive Party of Armenia Ashot Mnatsakanian submitted
bids by the self-nomination order for running in the elections of
the district head.

The deadline for registering the candidates is August 18th, 6 pm.

CBA ISSUES SILVER COMMEMORATIVE COIN DEDICATED TO 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF FOUNDATION OF SPENDIARIAN STATE ACADEMIC THEATRE OF OPERA AND BALLET

Noyan Tapan

Au g 13, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) has
issued a silver commemorative coin dedicated to the 75th anniversary
of Alexander Spendiarian State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet.

According to the CBA PR Service, the obverse features an image of
Monument to A. Spendiarian against the background of Spendiarian
State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet. The nominal value "1000
DRAMS" is inscribed in embossed letters on the monument. All this
is encircled. "Central Bank of Armenia 2008" is engraved between the
circle and the edge.

Two ballet dancers are depicted on the upper right of the
reverse. Various musical instruments are depicted on the remaining part
of the reverse. The lower left part has an inscription in two lines:
"75" and "Anniversary".

There is an inscription "Spendiarian Opera and Ballet Theatre" in a
circle at the edge.

The designers are Harutyun Samuelian (obverse) and Edward Kurghinian
(reverse). The coin was minted at the Mint of the Czech Republic.

Its nominal value is 1,000 drams, it is made of silver (925 hallmark),
its weight is 33.6 grams, diameter – 40 mm. The number of issued
coins is 500.

CBA PUTS INTO CIRCULATION GOLD COMMEMORATIVE COIN "CENTENNIAL OF WILLIAM SAROYAN"

Noyan Tapan

Au g 13, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA)
has put into circulation a gold commemorative coin on the occasion
of the centennial of William Saroyan.

According to the CBA PR Service, the obverse design features mountains
and the sun. Below these images, the coin’s nominal value is insribed
in two lines: "10000" and "DRAMS". There is an insription "My
Heart’s In the Highlands" above the images. All this is encircled. An
insription "Central Bank of Armenia 2008" appears along the edge.

The background of the reverse is formed by an inscription "William
1908 1981 Saroyan" in the form of repeating horizontal lines. There
is an image of William Saroyan against this background. The designer
is Edward Kurghinian.

The coin was minted at the Mint of the Czech Republic.

The nominal value of the coin is 10,000 drams, it is made of gold
(900 hallmark), its weight is 8.6 drams, diameter is 22 mm, the number
of issued coins is 1,000.

SERZH SARGSYAN EXPRESSES CONDOLENCE TO RUSSIAN PRESIDENT IN CONNECTION WITH TRAGIC EVENTS IN SOUTH OSSETIA

Noyan Tapan

Au g 13, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 14, NOYAN TAPAN. During his phone conversation with
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on August 13, Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan on behalf of the Armenian people and himself expressed
condolence in connection with numerous deaths of civilians, including
Russian citizens, and Russian peacekeepers as a result of the recent
tragic events in South Ossetia.

During the conversation, D. Medvedev informed S. Sargsyan about the
process of negotiations aimed at finding a way out of the current
situation.

According to the RA president’s press service, the presidents of
the two countries agreed to hold, in case of necessity, additional
consultations on further developments.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RUSSIAN PARTY ASSESSES ACTIONS OF GEORGIAN LEADERSHIP AS TREACHEROUS

arminfo
2008-08-14 15:43:00

ArmInfo. The Russian party assesses actions of Georgian leadership
as treacherous, the leader of the Russian unit of the Mixed control
commission on settlement of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, ambassador
at large, Yuri Popov, said at today’s press-conference in Yerevan.

He also added that earlier the actions of the Georgian party were
characterized like "inability to make an arrangement", this time they
may be defined like the treacherous ones.

Asked if such actions of the Georgian party suppose resignation of
Georgia’s President Mikheil Saakashvili, Y.Popov replied: ‘This is
not the question for me to answer. I don’t have a right to recommend
foreign presidents what to do in specific circumstances… But if I
am the culprit of the people’s death, I could not but act according
to my conscience".

RF AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA: NEITHER RF NOR PROGRESSIVE MANKIND SUPPORTS FORCE SETTLEMENT OF CONFLICTS

arminfo
2008-08-14 15:35:00

ArmInfo. ‘Neither RF nor progressive mankind supports force settlement
of conflicts. Conflicts must be settled at a negotiating table’,
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of RF to Armenia Nikolay
Pavlov said at a press conference Thursday.

As regards the settlement of Karbakh conflict, OSCE Minsk Group
is the most successful format. No other format is necessary, the
Ambassador said. ‘The most important is that negotiations are in
process, foreign ministers and presidents meet. It inspires us with
hope that the problem will be settled by peace methods’, the Russian
diplomat said. The Ambassador said that the attempt of Georgian
authorities to settle territorial conflict by force will become a
lesson for other politicians who were thinking of force settlement
of territorial issues.

FOR THE RECORD

Los Angeles Times
August 14, 2008
CA

Armenian band: An article in Saturday’s Calendar section about the
Armenian Navy Band, making its U.S. debut Friday at Walt Disney Concert
Hall, said "Armenians carry in their collective DNA the memory of what
they consider a genocide by the Turks in the early 20th century." The
statement should not have qualified the term "genocide"; historical
evidence and research support the accuracy of the term. Also, the phone
number for tickets was wrong. The correct number is (818) 808-8222.

ART NEWS IN BRIEF

Tehran Times
August 14, 2008
Iran

Iran’s "Lost Share" to compete in Italian festival

TEHRAN — Hassan Najafi’s "Lost Share" will be screened at the
Religion Today Film Festival, to be held from October 17 through 31
in Trentino, Italy.

A joint production of Iran and Azerbaijan, the film is the story of
an Azerbaijani couple whose child suffers from an incurable disease
and they seek help from an Imamzadeh (a Persian word that refers to
an immediate descendant of a Shia Imam) in Iran.

Shams band to tour U.S.

TEHRAN — Shams band will perform "Songs of Rumi and Peace" concerts
in four cities in the United States in September and October.

Conducted by Keikhosro Purnazeri, the band features Farshad Jamali as
vocalist and some Turkish and Armenian virtuosos. Dervishes from Konya
would also be performing the ritual Sama dance during the concert.

Sahar TV spotlights Turkish Shia

TEHRAN — "The Porch of Thought", a documentary series directed by
Mojtaba Rezaeieh Azadi, will be aired from Sahar, Iranian TV station
available on satellite.

The documentary spotlights the social position and activities of
Turkish Shia who reside in Turkey’s cities such as Ankara and Ezmir.

It also features their rituals performed during religious ceremonies
and days of mourning in various mosques and religious sites in
the Turkey.

Iranian illustrator to participate at Berlin Literature Festival

TEHRAN — Iranian illustrator Farshid Shafiei will participate at
the 9th International Literature Festival in Berlin from September
24 to October 4.

He will recite stories from his books and teach illustration of
literature for the children’s and young people’s section of the
festival.

Bairami’s "Sabalan Stories" published in U.S.

TEHRAN – The Mazda Publisher in the U.S has recently released an
English version of "Sabalan Stories", a collection of Persian stories
by Mohammadreza Bairami.

The U.S.-based Iranian scholar Mohammadreza Ghanoonparvar has
translated the book into English..