Month: September 2008

ACCORDING TO SERZH SARGSYAN, NEWLY ELECTED SPEAKER OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO RAISE EFFICIENCY OF PARLIAMENTRAY ACTIVITIES

Noyan Tapan

Se p 29, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. In connection with the election
of Hovik Abrahamian as the speaker of the RA National Assembly,
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan sent a message of congratulation
to H. Arahamian. The message reads:

"Dear Mr. Abrahamian.

I congratulate you on your election as the speaker of the National
Assembly.

Since now you will use your abilities and work experience of many
years to raise the efficiency of the activities of our parliament. I
am convinced that your activity as the speaker of the National Assembly
will be aimed at deepening the reforms in Armenia.

I congratulate you once again on your assumption of the post of the
National Assembly speaker and I wish you successful activities."

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES CATHOLICOS KAREKIN II AND PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW I

Noyan Tapan

Se p 29, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. On September 29 Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan received Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, the
diocesan heads of the Armenian Apostolic Church, His All-Holiness,
the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I who arrived
in Armenia to participate in the Blessing of the Holy Muron, and
the representatives of the sister churches of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, NT was informed by the RA presidential press service.

S. Sargsyan underlined the importance of the role that clergy play in
the preservation of peace and moral values and in the struggle against
disillusionment, demoralization and temptations as there are a lot
of temptations in modern world. In his words, extreme fanaticism on
the one hand and denial of God on the other hand are dangerous to the
world, and these dangers are ruinous first of all for small nations.

His Holiness thanked the representatives of the sister churches for
their participation in the Blessing of the Holy Muron.

The head of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Oriental Churches
Leonardo Cardinal Sandri on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI wished the
Armenian people peace and prosperity. He said that the enthusiasm
with which people attended the Blessing of the Holy Muron shows the
Armenian people’s exceptional devotion to church.

ISSUE OF JOINING ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS TO BE DISCUSSED AT NZ CONGRESS

Noyan Tapan

Se p 29, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The congress of the Nor Zhamanakner
(New Times) party, which was envisaged to be held in September, will
be held in October. As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by
NZ Spokesperson Emanuel Margarian, the congress has been postponed,
as they were waiting for the outcome of the home political situation
in Armenia. He did not render it more clear to which processes the
outcome refers.

E. Margarian also said that issues of joining the Armenian National
Congress, as well as of the further party status of NZ Board member
Hrachya Sargsian will be on congress’ agenda. It should be mentioned
that H. Sargsian’s membership to NZ Board was stopped after he had
made a personal decision to join the Armenian National Congress.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HOVIK ABRAHAMIAN ELECTED RA NA SPEAKER

Noyan Tapan

Se p 29, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. Hovik Abrahamian, a member of
the RPA Executive Body and Board, was elected RA National Assembly
Speaker by secret ballot on September 29.

According to Samvel Nikoyan, the Chairman of the NA Ad Hoc Calculation
Commission, the Secretary of the RPA faction, 115 out of 131 NA
deputies took part in the voting. 110 deputies voted for H. Abrahamian,
5 deputies voted for Larisa Alaverdian, a non-partisan member of the
Zharangutiun (Heritage) faction.

H. Abrahamian was born on January 24, 1958 in the town of Mkhchian,
Ararat region. He graduated from Yerevan Institute of People’s
Economy. In 1995-1999 he was a NA deputy, in 1995-1996 the Chairman of
Executive Committee of Artashat Town Council, in 1996-1998 Artashat
Mayor, in 1998-2000 Ararat Regional Governor. He was RA Minister of
Territorial Administration from 2000 to 2008 April 21, in 2007-2008 he
was also Vice-Prime Minister. H. Abrahamian was Head of RA President’s
Administration from April 21, 2008 to September 5, 2008. He has been
awarded a number of medals and commemorative medals. He is married
and has three children.

PEACE AND STABILITY ARE IMPORTANT VALUES FOR ARMENIA, RA DEFENCE MINISTER SAYS

Noyan Tapan

Se p 29, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The format and the wide geography
of the present participants of the Cooperative Longbow/Cooperative
Lancer exercises held in Yerevan are evidence of the significance
and contemporaneity of the exercises. RA Defence Minister Seyran
Ohanian said this on September 29, at the solemn opening ceremony
of the exercises. "In this relation, I could only express my regret
that our neighboring countries, participants of EAPC, due to different
reasons do not participate. Unfortunately, once again it demonstrates
to us that the security situation in the South Caucasus is fragile,"
he said. S. Ohanian assured that peace and stability are important
values for Armenia, and the Armenian side views these exercises as
an important confidence building measure in the region.

According to the Minister, Armenia hosts any international exercise
such as within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization, Partnership for Peace or the U.S. European Command with
great willingness.

According to him, the exercises pursue a single goal, to raise
interoperability capabilities in the peacekeeping sphere, to improve
their realization mechanisms, to gain experience and train units,
which are engaged in exercises. "This goal is reiterated by the
Republic of Armenia, as a full member of international community,
through readiness to fulfil its commitments in ensuring international
security," S. Ohanian said.

A NUMBER OF APPLICATION-COMPLAINTS WITH DEMAND OF RECOUNTING VOTING RESULTS OF SEPTEMBER 28 LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS RECEIVED IN KENTRON AND NOR NORK COMMUNITIES

Noyan Tapan

Se p 29, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. District electoral commission N
10 received 12 applications on local self-government elections held
on September 28 in Kentron Yerevan community from proxies of candidate
for prefect, current Kentron prefect, RPA member Gagik Beglarian with
the demand to recount votes at 12 out of 54 polling stations. NT
correspondent was informed about it by commission chairwoman Silva
Markosian. According to her, one candidate, member of the Union of
National Democrats Karen Vardanian has applied in connection with
elections of councillor members with the demand to recount voting
results of councillor members elections at all 54 polling stations.

According to Gurgen Khachatrian, the chairman of district electoral
commission N 2, one of the candidates for councillor members has
applied with the demand of recounting voting results at two polling
stations, and the proxy of unemployed Melik Gasparian, a candidate for
prefect’s post, a RPA member has applied with the demand of recounting
voting resutls at one polling station in the Nor Nork community.

HOVIK ABRAHAMIAN’S AND LARISA ALAVERDIAN’S CANDIDATURES NOMINATED FOR NA SPEAKER’S POST

Noyan Tapan

Se p 29, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. RA National Assembly regular
four-day session started on September 29. The election of a new RA
NA Speaker was also on the agenda. According to Hrayr Karapetian, the
RA NA Vice-Speaker, a member of the ARFD faction, in a period set by
the NA Regulations Tigran Torosian again submitted his application on
resigning NA Speaker’s post, therefore the resignation is considered
accepted.

The candidatures of newly elected deputy, RPA member, former head of
President’s Administration Hovik Abrahamian and non-partisan member of
the Zharangutiun (Heritage) faction Larisa Alaverdian were nominated
for NA Speaker’s post. RPA faction head Karen Karapetian nominating
H. Abrahamian presented the latter as a common candidate of the
political coalition. L. Alaverdian nominated her own candidature.

Both candidates presented their approaches to the increase of NA’s
role and significance. "Many negative rumors are spread about my
personality," H. Abrahamian stated. According to him, it is the
result of his "few public speeches," as when he started working in
the government, fulfilling the tasks, the errands and not his image or
public speeches were primary for him. He assured that if he manages to
receive deputies’ votes, it will enable him to publicly communicate
with the people from the NA tribune, as well and to contribute to
liquidation of the current rumors in a short period.

L. Alaverdian said in her speech that "no matter who is elected,
though practice shows who will be elected," she hopes that the program
provisions submitted by her will become primary tasks for the newly
elected NA Speaker.

ROBERT KOCHARIAN AFFIRMS THAT HE IS NOT GOING TO RETURN TO POLITICS YET

Noyan Tapan

Se p 29, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. Former RA President Robert
Kocharian, on September 29, refuted the rumors on his returning to
politics. During the ceremony of putting into operation Saralanj
highway in Yerevan he stated to journalists that it is "the main
subject of gossips." According to him, he has not got bored yet of
the freedom he has at last received. "I will also confess that it
is the second time within 6 months that I wear a tie: first I wore a
tie on May 28, during the event dedicated to Sardarapat heroic fight,
I do not wish to have a dresscode yet, when I have such willingness,
such striving, without fail you will first hear it from me and not
from rumors," the second RA President said.

Commenting upon the assertion that "in order to correct the home
political situation we should get rid of Kocharian’s heritage," the
former RA President said: "It is impossible to get rid of my heritage,
as it is first of all the fully-established Republic of Armenia, it is
the developed Yereven, the restored Gyumri, Northern Avenue, the road
we are standing on, the civil service system, which mostly skilfully
carries out its duties. "I do not know how to get rid of all this,
in order to get rid one should destroy all this," R. Kocharian said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF SEPTEMBER 28 ELECTIONS OF HEAD OF YEREVAN’S NOR NORK COMMUNITY, CURRENT PREFECT HAS RECEIVED MAXIMUM VOTES

Noyan Tapan

Se p 29, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the preliminary
results of the September 28 elections of head of Yerevan’s Nor Nork
community, current prefect, RPA member David Petrosian has received
maximum votes. 16 913 voters have voted for him. The other candidate,
RPA member, currently unemployed Melik Gasparian has received 10
982 votes.

As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by district electoral
commission N 2, 29 395 out of 91 668 voters of the community took
part in the elections.

479 ballot-papers were invalidated. The number of inaccuracies is 56.

As of 10:40, September 29, district electoral commission N 2 had
received one application-complaint on the process of voting. The
deadline for submitting application-complaints was 14:00.

ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF PREFECT ELECTIONS IN KENTRON COMMUNITY, CURRENT PREFECT RECEIVES MAXIMUM VOTES

Noyan Tapan

Se p 29, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the preliminary
results of the September 28 elections of head of Yerevan’s Kentron
community, current prefect, RPA member Gagik Beglarian has received
maximum votes. 22 369 voters have voted for him. The other candidate
for prefect’s post, ANM Board Chairman, former prefect Ararat Zurabian
has received 8 085 votes.

As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by Silva Markosian, the
chairwoman of district electoral commission N 10, 31 691 out of 89 612
voters of the community took part in the voting. 1117 ballot-papers
were invalidated. The number of inaccuracies is 315.

As of 11:00, September 29, district electoral commission N 10 had
received 12 application-complaints on recounting voting results
at 12 out of 54 polling stations. The deadline for submitting
application-complaints was 14:00.