Author: Andres-Papazian

MANVEL SARGSYAN: POSITION OF INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY STEMS FROM THE INTERESTS OF NAGORNO KARABAKH

ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 1, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: The position of the international
community stems from the interests of the Nagorno Karabakh, expert,
political analyst Manvel Sargsyan said today at a meeting with
journalists, adding that this positive position is conditioned by
intolerant attitude toward application of force.

“I think the general aspects of regulation of the NK issue will be
pointed out in Astana, too, but no concrete agreements will be gained,”
the political analyst said, adding that it is not secret for anybody
who unleashed the war and who is the true aggressor.

Mr. Sargsyan said that the OSCE, which has been set up after the
world war, solving its main issue, which is – to provide security
in the Eurasian territory, has lost its influence lately; that is
why Russian President Dmitry Medvedev states today that there is a
need to restore the former influence of the OSCE. “There is certain
negative attitude in Armenian public opinion toward the concept of
OSCE summit, which is mainly conditioned by the associations with
the 1993 summit in Lisbon,” Mr. Sargsyan pointed out.

“Director of “Public Civil institute” NGO Hovhannes Nikoghosyan said
that the OSCE remains the guarantor of security area from Vancouver
to Vladivostok.

“If a comprehensive document concerning the European security is
adopted in Astana, then it will have a big influence on further
strengthening of regional security,” Mr. Nikoghosyan stressed,
attaching importance to the statement of the Russian President in
Astana, according to which the rights of the civilians living in
conflict regions must be respected.

From: A. Papazian

HAMLET PETROSYAN: EXCAVATIONS CONFIRM THAT TIGRANAKERT WAS SPACIOUS SETTLEMENT WITH ADVANCED ARCHITECTURAL PLAN AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUE

ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 30, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS: Excavations of Tigranakert are
being carried out from 2006 in Artsakh. To sum up their results
“Armenpress” has interviewed Hamlet Petrosyan, head of the Artsakh
archeological expedition group, head of the Chair of Culture of
Yerevan State University.

-Summing up the results of the excavations carried out within 5 years,
what can we register?

-Our expedition group has specified in 2005 the concrete site of
Tigranakert, Artsakh, and in 2006-2008 we have carried out excavations
in different parts of the city and in its neighborhood, as a result of
which the structures of Mijnaberd, Basilica Church, etc have emerged.

The structures found out as a result of excavations conform that
Tigranakert was a spacious settlement with advanced architectural
plan and construction technique. Tigranakert, founded in the first
century B.C., was a white city rich in gardens.

-Mr. Petrosyan, Tigranakert, situated at the foot of a mountain,
has quite uncomfortable geographical position. How it happened that
till the 14th century it was considered one of the biggest cities of
the region, how did it attract people?

– Tigranakert was unequivocally a powerful building, and many found
items prove that. It is conditioned by fresh springs that the very
site was chosen for construction of the city, which had population
of at least several thousands.

-How are this year’s excavations noteworthy?

-As a result of this year’s excavations we have found out a district,
the approximate territory of which is 6-7 hectares. This year we have
also excavated one of the ancient graveyards of Tigranakert. Those
times property was buried with bodies. During excavations we have
found not only complete items, but Drams as well. We also managed to
clarify the Christian life of Tigranakert. Still in early Middle Age
Tigranakert kept its reputation of a big city. We have some sources
about that, but these excavations confirmed it.

-You described Tigranakert quite in detail. And why the model of the
city has not been designed up to now?

-There was a goal to design a model, but the results of the excavations
are not enough as of today. But some attempts have been made. Recently
a film has been screened about Tigranakert, where there is such an
experience, but they are not very scientific, and we cannot design
such a model. Instead, we have organized a number of exhibitions and
delivered lectures on the theme of Tigranakert abroad.

We have organized 3 exhibitions in Yerevan, 2 in Stepanakert, and have
come forth with a number of lectures and reports in the USA and Egypt.

We have been mainly invited by Armenian communities of the given
countries.

-Mr. Petrosyan, when will it be possible to get the distinct image
of the city, and how long will the excavations last?

-It is inadmissible to use larger tempo in excavations of Tigranakert.

The archeological material in Tigranakert is very rich, and
the expedition group must have time to work out those materials,
to restore and understand. Our goal is the research, and from that
viewpoint the expedition group works quite speedy. If we continue
the excavations of Tigranakert with this tempo, it will take 15-20
years to understand the main image of the city.

-What was the biggest revelation during the excavations, and where
do you keep the found items?

-The biggest revelation during the excavations was the basilic church.

A special reserve-museum is under construction in Stepanakert. Its
inner furnishing works will soon wrap up, and we will manage to keep
the found items there in special conditions. Now they are kept in the
laboratory of archeology of Yerevan State University. The artifacts,
for preservation of which no special conditions are necessary, are
exhibited at Tigranakert museum. From 300 to 800 items are found
every year as a result of excavations, and currently we have over
3000 exhibits.

-Is it only the NKR government that supports the excavations?

-Yes, and by the way, this year less money has been provided than
in the previous years -25 million AMD overall. The government funds
concrete excavations and a small sum of money is provided for the
needs of the expedition group, no money is extended for equipment
of corresponding engineering for implementation of excavations. The
majority of the engineering is obtained by private means.

From: A. Papazian

HRACHYA BAYRAMYAN: IF ARMENIAN SCHOOLS CLOSE IN GEORGIA, WE -ARMENIANS, WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT EITHER

ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 1, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: The Center for Georgian Studies
working from 2007 at Yerevan State University aims to restore the
scientific-educational ties between the State Universities of Yerevan
and Tbilisi. To get thorough information about the achievements,
issues and programs of the center Armenpress interviewed head of the
center, Candidate of Doctoral Sciences, Docent Hrachya Bayramyan.

-Mr. Bayramyan, what achievements has the center registered since
its foundation?

-We have already signed agreements with big higher educational
establishments of Georgia – State Universities of Akhaltskha, Tbilisi
and Batumi. We also have an agreement on exchange of students and
aspirants. It is not only a studying process, but also acquaintance
with the country’s culture and history. I can also point out 25 books
as achievements of the center – textbooks, translations, 65 scientific
works, etc.

-Does the Armenology Center still work at Tbilisi State University? Is
there cooperation between the two centers?

-There have been Armenoloigical subjects at the university since the
day of its foundation – 1918. The university had the privilege of right
of organizing defense of doctoral thesis on Armenology. No country
in the world had that privilege. By the way, not all the lecturers
of Armenological subjects are Armenians. Armenology Center has been
working in the university from 1992. Our centers are in close ties.

-Is the center supported by the Georgian Embassy in Armenia?

-The Embassy does not support us, for, as they say, they are in
difficult material situation.

-Was the existence of the center necessary only for us – Armenians?

-Yes, because if anti-Armenian materials are written in Georgia,
only 1-2 patriotic persons fight against it. Like in Turkey and
Azerbaijan, their textbooks, too, contain surprising anti-Armenian
materials. That is why we need specialists – specialists of Georgian
and Armenian studies. We need them not only in the sphere of science,
but in state apparatus as well.

-Is there concern that the Armenian schools in Georgia face the risk
of annihilation?

-Of course, the Georgian state diplomatically does its best that
not only Armenian, but other nations as well do not stay there, but
now the target is the Armenians. If Armenian schools close, then
we -Armenians, will be responsible for it either. I cannot blame,
it is a fighting for a piece of bread. Only with learning Armenian,
nothing will be changed in Tbilisi, in the best case one can become
a handicraftsman, while there are people who desire to get higher
education, so it is profitable for them to get Georgian diploma.

From: A. Papazian

SAAKASHVILI-MEDVEDEV MEETING IN ASTANA WILL NOT TAKE PLACE

ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 30, 2010
TBILISI

Georgian and Russian presidents Michael Saakashvili and Dmitry Medvedev
will not have a meeting during OSCE summit in Astana. Correspondent of
“Armenpress” reports from Tbilisi that Spokesperson for the President
of Georgia Manana Manjgaladze stated about this, adding that the
information circulated by the Georgian mass media that the presidents
will meet, does not correspond to reality.

The delegation headed by the Georgian president today leaves for
Astana to participate in the OSCE summit taking place December 1-2.

From: A. Papazian

BYURAKAN OBSERVATORY TO PARTICIPATE IN STUDY OF FRAGMENTS AND ASTEROIDS HINDERING SATELLITES

ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 1, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: Byurakan Observatory after Victor
Hambardzumyan will participate in an international program within
the framework of the cooperation between Keldysh Institute of Applied
Mathematics and “Roskosmos”. It suggests study of fragments hindering
satellites in the neighboring territory of our planet, and of asteroids
posing danger for the earth.

Director of Byurakan Observatory Hayk Harutyunyan said today that
the Russian diplomats, who visited Armenia, discussed the cooperation
between the two countries in different spheres.

According to Mr. Harutyunyan, the observations will be implemented
from Byuarakan Observatory, but there is an issue of updating of
telescopes. The speaker said that this issue will possibly be disused
in near future at the highest level.

Byurakan Observatory submitted application to International Astronomic
Union for becoming a regional center. Mr. Harutyunyan said that there
is no other center in the region to take such a role. The director
of the observatory expressed hope that the Armenian government will
support in establishment of the center by equipping it technically.

From: A. Papazian

USU ARMENIAN STUDENTS GIVE BACK

The Statesman
Dec 2 2010
Utah

Group has organized more than 20 service projects By JESSICA BLACK

While some students are busy figuring out next semester’s class
schedules and how they’re going to manage all their finals, the
Armenian Student Association (ASA) has been working hard on more
than 20 different humanitarian service projects for the community
and throughout the world.

Gagik Melikyan, senior in political science and economics, is the
president and founder of the Armenian Student Association and said
the main goals of the club are to do service and make the world,
both local, and non-local, a better place to live for everyone.

This year they have already sent more than 65 shirts and 16 blankets
to Zatik Orphanage in Armenia. The shirts were donated by the USU
bookstore while 28 blankets were bought and given to the group by
Dr. Vijay Cannon. The bookstore donated a total of 440 game day
T-shirts to the club so that they could be sent to people who needed
them in other countries.

“The T-shirts were the game-day shirts from 2008 and 2009 that we just
weren’t using anymore,” said Celestyn Hollingshead, the marketing
manager for the USU Bookstore, “so because we couldn’t sell them
anymore we gave them to Gagik.”

The other 370 shirts along with the remaining 12 blankets were recently
given to the Red Cross Armenian Organization to be given out and
disturbed among other orphanages and places where they were needed.

Heidi Harris, costumer service representative, said Melikyan had
been working for her and when he found out about the extra T-shirts
that the book store couldn’t get rid of, offered to take them off
her hands by finding places where they were needed. Harris said she
thought this sounded like a good idea and started looking into ways
the bookstore could make this happen for the club.

Harris said she’s been impressed with the organization and said, “Every
one of these students are on time, hard workers, and fun to work with.”

The group has a special tie with the Zatik Orphanage because this last
summer, 12 of their members went there to do service at the orphanage
along with several other service-oriented clubs from schools all
across the nation.

Mher Petrosyan, senior in business administration and the club’s vice
president said, “We went there and renovated the orphanage, played
with the kids, and it was a really great group project because we
got to work with so many other groups.”

The group is currently associated with the Huntsman School of Business,
and 26 of their members are Huntsman scholars. John Huntsman is a
well-known name in Armenia, Harris said. Melikyan said Huntsman has
built a hospital, a high school and apartments in Armenia and has
worked in Armenia to help people gain a better way of life. Petrosyan
said Huntsman’s interested in Armenia was sparked after an earthquake
which devastated many Armenians.

The group is currently planning an anti-genocide day for April 24.

Their goal, according to Petrosyan, is to raise awareness so people
can see the harm it did in the past, and therefore prevent it from
happening in the future.

Though the club does special service projects for the people in
Armenia, Melikyan said the majority of their projects and activities
are services that provide for the local community.

“The whole idea was to have our own Armenian Student Association that
could help support and promote service,” Petrosyan said. “That’s the
majority of what we do, helping the community and creating a better
place to live.”

From: A. Papazian

MEMORIAL EVENING DEDICATED TO LIFE AND ACTIVITY OF MHER MKRTCHYAN

ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 1, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: A memorial evening, dedicated to
the life and activity of Mher Lazarian, was held today at the Mher
Lazarian Artistic Center. ‘Luseghen Mi Kyanq (A Life Full of Light)’
documentary on life and activity of the great Armenian actor was shown
during the event. Shushanik Sahakyan, scriptwriter of the documentary,
said that they came to the idea of shooting a film, when collecting
the unique audio records of Mher Lazarian.

‘We collected so many materials and started studying them for 5
months. We did not endeavor to reveal the artistic image of Mher
Lazarian, we already knew him as an actor from films. Our aim
was to understand what he wanted to say to people, as well as the
formula of Mher Lazarian’s way of thinking,’ Shushanik Sahakyan
said. She added that shooting a film about the famous artist was a
great responsibility, ‘as the spectators would be too strong about
a film on their favorite actor’.

She informed that the film was first presented at ‘October’ Cinema of
Gyumri. ‘The actor liked his films being first presented in Gyumri,’
she said. Albert Lazarian, director of the Mher Lazarian Artistic
Center, said Mher Lazarian and everything, connected with the actor,
is sacred for him. ‘For me, the fact that such a film was shot is
touching,’ he said.

From: A. Papazian

TATEV INTERESTS AMERICAN REPORTERS

ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 1, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: Since the opening of ~STatev Wings~T
till now the rope way had 7 thousand visitors, manager of the rope
way Tigran Ghazaryan said today at a news conference, adding that
1500 of the visitors were the residents of the nearby villages.

~SThe interest toward the rope way particularly grows on the rest days.

We are having tourists not only from abroad but from the Armenian
provinces as well,~T he said.

Tigran Ghazaryan noted that technical works bringing the cable way to
the winter regime have been implemented and now the world~Rs longest
cable way can serve several hundreds of visitors a day. He noted that
it works everyday from 9.30 am till 7 pm.

~SPreviously for reaching to Halidzor from Tatev we needed 3-4 times
more time, now the passengers have an opportunity to save their
time,~T he said.

Head of the National Competitiveness Foundation~Rs tourism department
Suzanna Azoyan said in 2009 over 3000 tourists visited Tatev and from
October of the running year over 7000. ~SI think the growth is obvious.

We have spent huge means for advertising the rope way,~T he said,
adding that the government has provided 28 million AMD to the
Foundation for international coverage about the cable way. ~SIt has
never been so much spoken and written about Armenia as a tourism
center. The publications about the ~STatev Wings~T found place in
Financial Times and Sunday Times,~T he said, adding that December
9-18 a large group of US reporters will visit Tatev.

From: A. Papazian

“TATEV WINGS” READY FOR WINTER

ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 1, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: “Tatev wings” rope way has passed to
the winter regime, the manager of the rope way Tigran Ghazaryan said
today at a news conference. “Usually passing from one side to another
lasts for 11 minutes but in case of strong wind, the region is quite
windy, the rope way’s mechanism slows down and the time of passing to
the opposite part may last longer,” Ghazaryan said, adding that with
its security system the rope way does not concede to Boing airplanes.

He said the rope way was constructed by the Swiss Garaventa-Doppelmayer
company which annually builds various rope ways throughout the
world. “I can say for sure that the “Tatev wings” are the most secure
transport in the whole Armenia,” he said, adding that the rope way
serves 150-200 people daily.

From: A. Papazian

YOUTH REPUBLICAN RECITATION COMPETITION-FESTIVAL HOSTED IN ARARAT MARZ

National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia
parliament.am
Dec 1 2010

The Children-Youth Republican Recitation Contest-Festival is held under
the patronage of the NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan within the framework
of Open Doors for the second time, which this year is dedicated to
the 125th birth anniversary of the Armenian well-known poet Vahan
Terian. First time the Recitation Contest-Festival was held in 2009.

On November 30 the next stage of the Recitation Contest-Festival in
the marzes was held in Ararat Marz, which attended the NA Speaker
Hovik Abrahamyan, the Governor of Ararat Edik Barseghyan, the Mayor
of Artashat Gagik Muradyan, teachers, residents of Ararat Marz and
others. In Artashat Amo Kharazyan Drama Theatre 22 schoolchildren,
who passed the first phase of the festival of Ararat 112 schools
during the second phase in the Marz introduced in a special way Vahan
Terian’s poetry. 1200 schoolchildren took part in the first phase.

In the review of the Children-Youth Republican Recitation the Speaker
of the National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan encouraged the young masters
of recitation and wished them success. He emphasized the fact that
compared with 2009, when 6000 schoolchildren took part in the festival,
this year more than 20000 are expected to take par theret.

According to Hovik Abrahamyan, this achievement is the result of
everybody’s work. As the NA Speaker assessed, the contest-festival
became a tradition in all marzes, in Artsakh and in Javakhk. Hovik
Abrahamyan expressed conviction that a big number of schoolchildren
would be involved from now on. In his opinion, thanks to the
contest-festival, the youth get acquainted with the Armenian literature
and poetry. Mr Abrahamyan noted that several years ago coldness
towards literature and poetry by the schoolchildren and youth was
noticed. In this context the NA Speaker especially emphasized the role
and importance of recitation being organized within the framework of
NA Open Doors programme.

The NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan thanked the governors, the directors
and teachers of the schools for active participation. Emphasizing
the unbiased work of the jury Hovik Abrahamyan underlined that during
the last year’s contest-festival the breadth of the justice had been
permanently felt: the schoolchildren understood that they were fairly
assessed. “I would like to wish everybody success. I am sure that
this festival had a success. And I should ask to be brave and active,
as I am next to you,” the NA Speaker ended his speech with the words
of encouragement.

As a result of unbiased assessment, 6 participants of 11-14 and 15-17
age groups were recognized winners. Vahan Terian’s grandson Grigor
Emin-Terian handed awards to the winners and all participants.

We’ll also say that the gifted schoolchildren of Gegharkunik, Lori,
Aragatsotn, Tavush, Kotayk, Shirak, Syunik and Vayots Dzor marzes and
Artsakh have already taken part in this unique festivity of recitation.

From: A. Papazian