Author: Andres-Papazian

ISSUES ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE “CANDLE” PROJECT DISCUSSED

ARMENPRESS
AUGUST 18, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS: Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, who
is also the head of the Council coordinating the implementation of the
“Candle” project, chaired today the session of the council to discuss
a number of agenda issues.

Governmental press office told Armenpress that with the first issue
of the agenda the members were informed about the opportunities and
results of international cooperation for the implementation of the
“Candle” project.

The session also discussed the suggestions presented by the
international scientific organizations and experts for financing the
implementation of the project.

From: A. Papazian

SERZH SARGSYAN RECEIVES CSTO SECRETARY GENERAL NIKOLAY BORDYUZHA

ARMENPRESS
AUGUST 18, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
received today Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO) Nikolay Bordyuzha. Presidential Press Office
told Armenpress that issues on cooperation within the framework of
the CSTO and on the coming unofficial summit to be held in Armenia
August 20-22 were discussed.

The interlocutors also highlighted the necessity of maintaining the
dynamics of the process of formation of the CSTO institutions and
accomplishing the legal-agreement filed relating to them.

From: A. Papazian

TIGRAN SARGSYAN RECEIVES DAMTEW DESSALEGNE

ARMENPRESS
AUGUST 18, 2010
YEREVAN

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan received today Representative
of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in
Armenia Damtew Dessalegne.

Governmental Press Office told Armenpress that welcoming the guest the
prime minister highly praised the cooperation established between the
UN agencies and Armenia. On behalf of the Armenian government Tigran
Sargsyan congratulated Mr Dessalegne on the appointment and wished
success in his activity, expressing assurance that it will also be
Armenia’s success in the solution of issues of refugees.

Mr Dessalegne thanked the prime minister for the warm reception and
the high assessment of the activity of the UN Armenia office.

Tigran Sargsyan noted that though with the efforts of the Armenian
government and the UNHCR the apartment issues of the refugees are
being solved still 3 300 refugee families need apartments. In that
pre-context the interlocutors also referred to the issues of refugees
in the NKR.

During the meeting the parties rated high the partnership between
the Armenian government and UNHCR.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA FUND USA FORGES STRATEGIC HEALTHCARE PARTNERSHIPS AIMED AT REVOLUTIONIZING HEALTHCARE DELIVERY IN ARMENIA AND KARABAKH

Noyan Tapan
18.08.2010

By introducing the newly branded HyeBridge Telehealth© program in
2004 Armenia Fund USA significantly enhanced and modernized healthcare
and medical education in Armenia and Karabakh.

Within its framework valuable specialty equipment and technology
were donated directly to the designated recipients. This year alone,
22 computers, 2 Polycom videoconferencing units and other critical
surgical supplies (a total value of ,500) have been airlifted to
HyeBridge sites through the generosity of United Armenian Fund, an
indispensable player in bringing valuable specialty equipment and
technology directly to the designated recipients.

Since 2004, Karabakh Telecom has been generously providing free,
high-speed Internet access to the newly built Polyclinic in
Stepanakert, connecting the biggest healthcare hub in Karabakh to
the international medical community.

Telemedicine as a field is relatively new to the healthcare community.

The tool has been widely utilized to overcome challenges of time
and distance when it comes to prompt and precise medical diagnosis
and information exchange. Through high-speed Internet access and
a centrally controlled electronic communications database, medical
and healthcare professionals are able to diagnose and treat critical
conditions that sometimes require highly specialized experiential
knowledge or expertise that is otherwise unavailable at a given place
and point in time.

Having already invested in Karabakh’s healthcare system, Armenia
Fund came up with the ambitious plan of making the Armine Pagoumian
Polyclinic part of what is to become a nationwide network of electronic
diagnosis and information sharing platform. An initial HyeBridge
Telehealth center was established in Karabakh in 2005.

In 2009, Armenia Fund USA arranged for computers and additional
equipment installation that would allow, via electronic
telecommunications, the exchange of medical information between
Armenia’s Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU) and medical
professionals practicing in remote regions of Armenia and Karabakh.

This past summer, Vanadzor Hospital #2 joined the HyeBridge Telehealth
international community, becoming the fourth project site.

The undeniable success of the pilot session has convinced us that
“telemedicine is an effective and cost-efficient driver of improved
medical outcomes in Armenia,” as Irina Lazarian, Armenia Fund USA
Executive Director, describes it.

This summer, videoconferencing equipment was installed at the Armenia
Fund USA headquarters in lower Manhattan in preparation for a series
of the telemedicine sessions and live consultations with Armenia from
the Fund’s office to be transmitted in real time via the high-speed
Internet connection.

“A number of Armenian-American medical specialists from the tri-state
area have expressed interest in consulting on difficult-to-diagnose
cases from remote areas of Armenia and Karabakh,” explains Ms.

Lazarian. “We are very happy to facilitate this groundbreaking exchange
between Armenian specialists here and abroad. It sets a good example
of how professional counterparts from different perspectives can
successfully collaborate.”

Under the HyeBridge Telehealth banner, a demonstration was presented
in July 2009 at the 10th Annual Armenian Medical World Congress in New
York City. Professional attendees gathered for a real-time telemedicine
session transmitted from Hilton, New York. Four difficult patient cases
were consulted with the use of the electronic technology and over 400
doctors and nurses from YSMU participated in the conference remotely.

The principal collaboration between the Armenia Fund USA Eastern
region affiliate with YSMU and AAHPO doctors, dentists, nurses and
pharmacists practicing in NY, NJ and CT, combines the world-class
expertise of medical specialists in the U.S. with the vast field
experience that Armenia Fund USA possesses in program implementation
for Armenia and Karabakh.

“By forging strategic partnerships between medical professionals in
the diaspora and Armenia, supported by technologies that facilitate
the instant exchange of up-to-date information, Armenia Fund USA has
solidified its role in helping to bring Armenian medical practices
up to world-class standards,” stated Raffi Festekjian, chairman of
Armenia Fund USA.

From: A. Papazian

GEORGIAN DIPLOMACY SHOULD BE CAUTIOUS

NOYAN TAPAN
AUGUST 18, 2010
TBILISI

Baku and Ankara have signed an agreement on strategic alliance and
mutual assistance. Russian president plans to visit Armenia one of
these days.

Political expert Soso Tsintsadze believes that these events are linked
with Russia stirring up its military activities in the region. The
expert told AKHALI TAOBA that under the circumstances Turkey can find
itself an “outsider”, which conflicts with Ankara’s aspirations for
regional leadership.

The situation can lead to escalation of tension in Nagorno Karabakh,
so Georgian diplomacy must display extraordinary caution and keep
neutrality.

At the same time, he said that Tbilisi will hardly benefit from
passive neutrality for all regional events affect Georgia’s interests.

Hence, Georgian diplomacy will have to take certain steps, but they
should be thoroughly weighed and analyzed, reported “CAUCASUS PRESS”.

From: A. Papazian

BAKO SAHAKYAN VISITED MILITARY-PATRIOTIC CAMP OF THE “DEFENDER OF MOTHERLAND” YOUTH ORGANIZATION

Noyan Tapan
18.08.2010

On 17 August President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan
visited military-patriotic camp of the “Defender of Motherland”
youth organization located in the vicinities of the Aygestan village
in the Askeran region.

The Head of the State noted the importance of organizing such camps
especially under the auspices of the Defense Army considering it among
the pivotal means of physical training and patriotic upbringing of
the young generation.

Primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, Premier Ara Haroutyunyan and other
officials accompanied the President.

From: A. Papazian

EXPERT: ARMENIA SHOULD HAVE MULTI-COMPONENT SECURITY SYSTEM

/ARKA/
August 18, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, August 18. /ARKA/. Armenia should secure its multi-component
defence system, Stepan Grigoryan, the head of the Analysis Center
for Globalization and Regional Cooperation, said on Wednesday.

He told journalists that now several components, such as the alliance
with Russia, membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization
as well as cooperation with NATO and the United States, ensure security
for Armenia.

“We can’t tie our security only to the CSTO,” Grigoryan said though
adding that thanks to its membership in this organization Armenia
can buy ammunition at preferential prices.

The political analyst also said that one provision in the CSTO charter
states that assaults on any member of the organization are viewed as
aggression against other members.

Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan are members of the CSTO.

The organization was established in May 1992.

From: A. Papazian

SARGSYAN, BORDUZHA DISCUSS CSTO-RELATED ISSUES

/ARKA/
August 18, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, August 18. /ARKA/. On Wednesday, Serzh Sargsyan, the
president of Armenia, and Nikolay Borduzha, the secretary general of
the Collective Security Treaty Organization, discussed the issues
related to the CSTO informal summit scheduled for August 20 to 22,
the presidential press office reports.

They stressed the necessity to retain the current dynamic process of
forming the CSTO institutions and ensure an integral legislative base
for them.

The summit to be held in Yerevan will be focused on regional security
and joint efforts of CSTO member countries to resist challenges and
threats.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA HOSTS MANY TOURISTS FROM RUSSIA

/ARKA/
August 18, 2010
YEREVAN

Many Russians, not only Russia’s citizens of Armenian descent, travel
to Armenia, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan said in an
interview with Russia 24 TV Channel.

According to Armenian National Statistical Service, Armenia hosted
230,154 tourists in the first half of this year.

This number is 11.2% greater than the result of the same period a
year earlier.

“Tourism in Armenia is increasingly gaining momentum now and new
infrastructures are being created. This attracts more and more people
here,” the minister said in his interview.

Nalbandyan stressed that Armenian community in Russia, the largest
community in the world, constitutes a bridge that connects Armenia
and Russia.

He said that Armenia is attractive for its winter, summer and even
ecotourism.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN RELATIONS ARE EXEMPLARY MODEL IN POST-SOVIET TERRITORY

/ARKA/
August 18, 2010
YEREVAN

Russian-Armenian relations are the most successful and effective
exemplary model in post-soviet territory, said Armenian Minister of
Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandyan.

“Armenian-Russian relations are not only friendly. We are getting
prepared to the visit of Russian President Dmitri Medvedev to Armenia.

It means that our relations are on a high level”, said Nalbandyan in
his interview to Russian TV channel “Russia 24”.

Dmitri Medvedev and his wife Svetlana Medvedeva will visit Armenia
on August 19 by the invitation of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

“During centuries our ancestors have fought together in many wars,
including World War II”, said Nalbandyan.

Duiring the visit, Dmitri Medvedev and Serzh Sargsyan will participate
in the opening of the monument devoted to the memory of Russian
soldiers who died in Russian-Turkish wars of 19th century.

Opening of reconstructed memorial “Hill of Honor” in the place of
burial of 156 officers of Russian army will take place on August 20
in the Armenian city Gyumri.

From: A. Papazian