Month: October 2008

PRIME MINISTER AWARDED TEACHERS

Panorama.am
20:04 07/10/2008

Today a ceremony devoted to the Day of Teachers was organized in
Philharmonic hall named after A. Babadjanyan. The Prime Minister
of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan, the Minister of Education and Science
Spartak Seyranyan, high ranking officials, representatives of civil
society were also present at the event.

Congratulating the guests, the Prime Minister mentioned that in order
to make the future of Armenia visible we should look at the pupils,
who are being grown up and educated by our teachers. "This is the
7th year the Teacher’s Day is being celebrated by the decision of
Government. This holiday gives chance to signify the role and the
mission of the teachers. The teachers’ problems are always under
Government’s special attention. We’ve decided to increase the salaries
of teachers up to 120 thousands drams," he said.

The Minister of Education and Science Spartak Seyranyan congratulated
the teachers and said that in those hard years of Armenia, teachers
took the responsibility to educate our future and they have met that
challenge with honor.

During the event the results of state annual competition have been
summarized and the winners of "Best teacher of 2008", "Best director
2008", and "Best tutor 2008" nominations have been announced and
awarded. Anush Mehrabyan, teacher of biology of school N1 in Idjevan
and Arpik Hovakimyan, educator of kindergarten N7 in Gavar have
received "VAZ 21-07" cars and Armen Margaryan, director of school N1
in Malishka received a computer.

SIBERIAN VIOLINIST MIKHAIL SIMONYAN PLAYS WITH PIANIST JULIA ZILBERQUIT AT LONDON DEBUT AT WIGMORE HALL

AZG Armenian Daily
08/10/2008

Culture

"breadth, lyricism and fleet technique"

– The New York Times

"the poise, perfection, and inner-burning fire of a master like
David Oistrakh"

– The Miami Herald

Violinist Mikhail Simonyan, hailed as having "a flawless, liquid
line and ravishing tone," by The Washington Post, will present his
London debut at Wigmore Hall with pianist Julia Zilberquit on Tuesday,
14 October, 2008 at 7:30 pm (36 Wigmore Street).

The concert program includes Bach’s Violin Sonatas Nos. 3 and
4 and Prokofiev’s Violin Sonatas Nos. 1 and 2. In January 2009,
Mr. Simonyan’s much-anticipated debut CD – a recording of both
Prokofiev Sonatas with pianist Alexei Podkorytov – will be released
by Delos (DE 3385). The album was recorded with Grammy Award-winning
producer Adam Abeshouse. Review copies are now available.

At just 22 years of age, Mikhail Simonyan is already recognized as
one of the most celebrated talents of his generation. Performing
and recording both Prokofiev Violin Sonatas is an undertaking near
and dear to his heart. He worked intensely on this repertoire with
his mentor, violinist Victor Danchenko, a student of the great David
Oistrakh for whom both sonatas were written.

Of this process, Mr. Simonyan remarks, "Mr. Danchenko was in the
Soviet Union during the war, so he passed along the ideas. He told me
a lot about living in the Soviet Union during the war years, and that
helped me to understand all the details of the music, to understand
how sad this music is. Emotionally, it’s the hardest pieces for me
to play on stage, because as soon as I play the first note, my mind
immediately goes there…"

Mr. Simonyan, who hails from Novosibirsk (the same city that Vadim
Repin and Maxim Vengerov call home), began to study the violin at
the age of five. As part of the first generation of artists to forge
careers in an era with substantially decreased government support,
he has blazed a trail for young musicians in Russia. In 1999, at 13,
Mr. Simonyan made his acclaimed New York debut at Lincoln Center with
the American Russian Young Artists Orchestra (ARYO) and his debut in
St. Petersburg, Russia at the Mariinsky (Kirov) Theatre in ARYO’s joint
concert with the Mariinsky Youth Orchestra, performing the Szymanowski
Violin Concerto No. 1 (which he had just learned for the occasion).

In addition to Mr. Simonyan’s upcoming Wigmore Hall debut, current
and upcoming concert season highlights include a debut at the
Berlin Philharmonie; his debut at the Teatro Municipal in Santiago,
Chile, performing the Bruch Violin Concerto; a recital during the
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Musikfestival in Germany as part of the "Junge
Elite" concert series.

HANDBOOK FOR BUSINESSMEN PUBLISHED

Panorama.am
20:30 07/10/2008

The Minister of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan presented to the journalists
the handbook published for the businessmen with the support of OSCE
Yerevan office. The Minister said that the handbook is published in
the frames of Development Activities for Small and Average Business
in 2008-09.

The head of OSCE Yerevan office Sergey Kapinos has signified any
activity to reduce the shortcomings and to simplify the laws. He
mentioned that the current handbook could be useful for the
representatives of business, as it gives clarifications to the
provisions of the laws.

CONSULTATION-MEETING AT PRESIDENT OF NAGORNO KARABAKH

Panorama.am
20:32 07/10/2008

A consultation-meeting has been conducted at the President of Nagorno
Karabakh summarizing the outputs of hypothec credit state support
project. Karen Yesayan, the director of the investment foundation
of Artsakh made a report, reported the information department of the
President’s Administration.

According to the source the President of NKR evaluated the
organizational and analytical parts of the activities of the foundation
successful, at the same time the President recommended to pay much
attention on promotion campaign.

Bako Sahakyan mentioned that the process of providing credit should
be simplified and the specter of the project should be broadened.

ARMENIAN AMERICANS WANT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THEIR VIEWS AND VALUES

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.10.2008 14:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "We had hoped that, during the course of the
campaign, Senator McCain’s outreach to Armenian American voters would
have evolved beyond the respectful but substantially non-policy
oriented letter he sent to us earlier this year, by outlining his
positions on our community’s core issues," ANCA Executive Director
Aram Hamparian told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"Armenian Americans are issue voters, and look to the candidates
seeking their support to be clear about their views and values –
particularly on issues related to the Armenian Genocide, Nagorno
Karabakh, the strengthening of Armenia, and the growth of U.S.-Armenia
relations," he said.

BLIND WANT TO READ

Panorama.am
19:01 07/10/2008

In the last 15 years literature for the blind people has not been
published, and the new published books are not accessible for them,
says Yuri Avetisyan, the executive director of "Culture House" named
after Sokrat Shahnazaryan of Union of Blind of Armenia. Currently
there are 2500 issue books and 350 recorded books for the blind.

According to the executive director, by the support of the state new
books are being published. 12 thousands AMD have been disposed by
the state for its implementation.

Besides, the staff of the culture house does everything to make the
conditions in the library more comfortable. "We’d like to see our
readers sitting comfortable in the library and reading the books
there, as the books sometimes are so thick that it is difficult to
carry them," he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

LIBRARIANS ARE IGNORED: DAY OF LIBRARIANS

Panorama.am
19:02 07/10/2008

"Librarians are ignored, but people should understand that the library
should be powerful. Library has a mission to educate teachers and if
20 teachers are awarded, then 200 librarians should be awarded too,"
said David Sargsyan, the director of National Library to Panorama.am.

According to him the work of librarians is ignored, which
becomes obvious when looking at the salaries of teachers and
librarians. Talking about the librarians working in the National
Library, Mr. Sargsyan said that the average salary is 35-40 thousands.

"I guess, this is enough to say anything. I just can not force me to
speak about the librarians of the regional communities," he said.

Note that the National Library has organized a party devoted to the
Day of Librarians and the director of the Library D. Sargsyan awarded
the employees certificates and the best 10 librarians received 15
thousands drams.

"2009 STATE BUDGET IS SOCIAL ORIENTED"

Panorama.am
20:00 07/10/2008

The Chairman of standing committee on financial-credit and budgetary
affairs of National Assembly Gagik Minasyan presented in a press
conference the principles of 2009 state budget.

Note that 2009 state budget has been affirmed by the Government and
presented to National Assembly, where it will be discussed until
the middles of November. The drafting of the project of the law
on budget has been based on 2008-2012 projects of the Government,
the poverty reduction strategy paper, macroeconomic previsions, the
studies made by the experts of the Ministry of Finance and Central
Bank, the assessment of Currency international foundation.

G. Minasyan presented the revenues, expenses and shortage of 2009
budget. "The state budget of 2009 is socially oriented," said
G. Minasyan.

OSCE MONITORING ON CONTACT FRONT LINE OF AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES RECORDS NO INCIDENTS

Today.Az
08 October 2008 [14:46]
Azerbaijan

OSCE held a monitoring on the contact front line of Azerbaijani and
Armenian armed forces on October 8, said spokesman for Azerbaijani
Defense Ministry Eldar Sabiroghlu.

The monitoring, held near Garakhanbeyli village of the Fizuli region
of Azerbaijan on the basis of a mandate of personal representative
of the OSCE chairman-in-office, recorded no incidents.

Azerbaijani side was represented by field assistants of the
representative of the OSCE chairman Peter Ki and Vladimir Chountulov.

The Azerbaijani lands, occupied by Armenia, were represented by field
assistants of the representative of the OSCE chairman Imre Palatinus,
Antal Herdich and Irchi Aberle.

INSTC MEETING OPENS IN BAKU

Tehran Times Economic Desk
October 8, 2008

TEHRAN – Railway officials from Iran, Russia, and Azerbaijan held a
meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Tuesday to discuss ways for expediting
the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) plan.

Iran, Russia, India, and Oman signed a memorandum of understanding in
September 2000 for the establishment of the INSTC that is considered
as one of the important trade routes linking Southeast Asian counties
to Russia, Central Asian states, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe,
IRNA reported.

Establishing some eight kilometers of railroad in Azerbaijan mainland
and linking it to Iran’s national railway network will also be
discussed in the meeting.

Based on the plan, some 300 kilometers of railroads will be established
inside Iran.

Iran, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Oman, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan,
Armenia, Syria, Ukraine, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, and Bulgaria constitute
the 14 members of the INSTC plan.

Mohammadreza Keimanesh, the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways deputy