Author: Boshkezenian Garik

ALL FINALISTS OF EUROVISION 2008 KNOWN

armradio.am
23.05.2008 11:25

The Second Semi-Final of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest was held
at the Belgrade Arena on May 22. Representatives of 19 countries
participated in the Semi-Final, 10 of which qualified for the
final. Thus, the finalists include Ukraine, Croatia, Albania, Iceland,
Georgia, Denmark, Sweden, Latvia, Turkey, Portugal, Greece, Romania,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Russia, Israel, Azerbaijan, Poland,
Norway and Armenia, as well as the founders of the competition
Germany, Spain, France, Great Britain and Serbia – winner of the
Eurovision-2007.

U.S.-KURDISTAN FRIENDSHIP GROUP CAN BE FORMED IN CONGRESS

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.05.2008 16:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, met with
Nechirvan Barzani, visiting prime minister of the Kurdish regional
government (KRG), to discuss recent developments in war-torn Iraq,
including matters relating to the presence of the outlawed Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK) in northern Iraq Monday.

Neither Rice nor Barzani made a statement before or after their
talks, but U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack confirmed
that countering the northern Iraq-based PKK was on the agenda for
the meeting.

During a meeting with Congressmen, Mr Barzani advanced an idea of
formation of a U.S.-Kurdistan friendship group, Turtsia.ru reports.

Kurdistan PM also met with the Defense Secretary Robert Gates and
CIA chief, general Michael Hayden.

"Jointly with Turkey, we are trying to find practicable solutions to
many problems, including the PKK," Barzani said

CHILDHOOD WORLD EXPO – 2008 INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON MAY 30 – JUNE 1

ARKA
May 22, 2008

YEREVAN, May 22. /ARKA/. Childhood World EXPO – 2008 international
specialized exhibition is to be held from May 30 to June 1 in the
cultural and business center "Dom Moskvi" (House of Moscow) in Yerevan.

The main sections of the display will be Goods for children, food
for children, medical services for children, children’s education,
financial services for children and children’s recreation and tourism.

A photo contest, painting and sculpturing contests, children’s fashion
shows and other events are to be held in the scope of the exhibition.

The exhibitions is organized with assistance of Armenian Ministry of
Economy, the Ministry of Labor and Social Issues and the Parliament
Standing Exhibition on Science, Education, Culture and Youth Issues.

LOGOS EXPO Center is the first company organizing exhibitions in
Armenia since 1999. It is the leader in organizing diversified,
production, national and international exhibitions and congresses
both in Armenia and abroad.

LOGOS EXPO holds 10-12 specialized exhibitions reflecting dynamic
development of the economy every year.

THE COLOROSO CONTROVERSY, CONTINUED

Quillblog
blog/?p=2027&akst_action=share-this
May 22 2008
Canada

There’s more reaction to the Toronto District School Board’s decision
to pull Barbara Coloroso’s Extraordinary Evil from a Grade 11 course
(see Quillblog past). The Board was bowing to pressure from the
local Turkish community over references to the Armenian genocide
in Coloroso’s book, a characterization Turkey has always vehemently
denied.

Now The Writers’ Union of Canada chair Susan Swan has posted a
statement about the case on its website. It reads, in part:

It is completely unacceptable for those responsible for educating the
citizens of tomorrow to remove valuable titles every time an interest
group brings forth a complaint. If so, your library shelves would be
bare indeed.

Swan adds that she’ll also be lobbying TDSB executive Gerry Connelly
directly. At the time of this post, still no official statement from
Coloroso’s publisher, Penguin Canada.

LOSS OF NORASHEN TO RESULT IN LOSS OF ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF TBILISI

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.05.2008 19:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgian leadership’s encroachment on another
Armenian church, Norashen, once gain proved Tbilisi’s hostility not
only toward the Armenian state but also toward the Armenian nation and
its ethno-cultural and religious monuments, an Armenian expert said.

"These moves record a long history, amid Armenian Apostolic Church’s
absolute inactivity and Armenian Catholicosate’s neglect of the
problems of Armenians in Tbilisi and Samtskhe Javakheti," Hrant
Melik-Shahnazaryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"During the 10-year confrontation, the AAC is ceding its positions
within the Armenian society of Georgia, while the GOC is putting
down roots among the Armenians in Tbilisi and Samtskhe Javakheti and,
furthermore, launched expansion over Lori," he said.

Loss of Norashen will inevitably result in loss of the Armenian
community of Tbilisi, what will be followed by final degradation and
de-ethnization of Samtskhe Javakheti. We are hopeful that His Holiness
Garegin II will manifest as true Catholicos and will not leave the
Tbilisian Armenians in this severe struggle. The more so because,
it’s the Catholicos who will be responsible for the loss of Norashen,"
Melik-Shahnazaryan said.

EXTENDED SESSION OF A COUNCIL SUPPORTING BUSINESSMEN CONDUCTED TODAY

ARMENPRESS
May 15, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 15, ARMENPRESS: An extended session of a council of
support to businessmen affiliated to the Armenian prime minister
took place today chaired by the head of the council, Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsian.

Governmental press service told Armenpress that besides the members
of the council leadership of customs and tax committees, chairman
of the Protection of Armenian Competitiveness Commission, heads of
non-governmental and other organizations participated in the session
which discussed issues on strategy of the council stemming from the
Armenia’s government’s program and its further activity.

Opening the session Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian said that
the newly formed government underscores the activity of the council
the main issue of which is to create such a business environment in
the country which will not only be considered the best one in the
region but will compete on an international level.

Referring to the main aim of the meeting, the prime minister said
that they are three – first to discuss the approaches the newly
formed government has adopted and which are put in the basis of the
program of the government, second, to discuss with the businessmen
the existing issues and what organizational approaches are necessary
for the council to work more effectively, and the third to discuss
the program of the council for 2008-2009.

Tigran Sargsian presented in details his viewpoints connected with the
implementation of the goals of the council, implementation of reforms,
establishment of state-private sector cooperation.

The representatives of business environment underscored in their
speeches the necessity of constructive dialogue, ensuring participation
of the private sector in the implementation of the government’s
program, consolidation of trust towards each other for reaching real
reforms in the country.

They positively assessed the open discussions conducted over important
issues with unprecedented bravery, publicity and suggestions. The
businessmen said that the reforms inspire hope that the fight against
corruption, shadow economy, sponsorship and other bad phenomena will
be more effective.

After the exchange of opinions, prime minister assigned to present
all remarks and suggestions over the strategy of the council to its
secretariat in two weeks. He said after their discussion in smaller
membership the document will be presented at an extended session.

Panorama.am

18:53 17/05/2008

MUSEUMS AS AGENTS

Today -Museum Night 2008- started in the frames of the
event all the participant museums are open from 18:00
till 01:00 to the art lovers audience said Gagik
Gyurjyan deputy minister of culture.

-Museums Night 2008 is organized under -Museums as
social reforms and development agent- project. During
the project the museums will present not only the main
and usual works of art but those kept in the restore
and which do not correspond to the direction of the
certain museum,- said the deputy minister.

According to Anahit Galstyan the head of the museums
and library department of the culture ministry
approximately all Armenian museums take part in the
project. Note that Armenia is a part of the current
initiative since 2005.

Source: Panorama.am

MEMORY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS COMMEMORATED IN KUWAIT

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 15, 2008

EL KUWEIT, MAY 15, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The memory of the
victims of the Armenian Genocide was commemorated in Kuwait on April
24. For the purpose of attending the commemoration events Kiro Manoyan,
Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office Director, was in Kuwait.

He visited the national college of the colony, where he took part in
other April 24 events. College director Manuk Manukian introduced a
report to the students of the college on the proceedings of Hay Dat.

A great number of young people commemorated the memory of the victims
of the Armenian Genocide in the St. Vardanants church on April 23. The
control evening held under the sponsorship of Archbishop Koryun
Papian was organized by the ARF Kuwait "Christapor" youth union and
"Hrayr Hell" youthful union.

PEOPLE ARE COMPELLED TO HUNGER-STRIKE

A1+
[07:55 pm] 15 May, 2008

Today at 17.30 member of the "New Times" Party Hrachya Sargssian
went on a hunger-strike at the Prosecutor’s Office. He demands that
Chairman of the "New Times" Party Aram Karapetian be released and
his case be annulled.

Hrachya Sargssian decided to take extreme measures when he learnt
that the Chairman was in a dreadful health state. "The authorities
compel me to a hunger-strike. They are trying to prolong the detention
term putting Karapetian’s life at stake. As it turns out it has been
useless to convince the authorities that an innocent, decent person,
a political leader and a Doctor of Science mustn’t be kept under
arrest for his political views", complains Hrachya Sargssian.

While Sargssian arranged to inform the Prosecutor about his
hunger-strike in writing, a group of women staged a protest action
in defense of Aram Karapetian.

Today Hrant Khachatrian, Chairman of the "Constitutional Rights Union"
was also at the Prosecutor’s Office with the same demand.

"Aram Karapetian was detained even before March 1. As far as I know
they have not even started the investigation process. The authorities
do their best to keep intelligent people in isolation. It is quite
obvious that Aram Karapetian is a political prisoner."

AZERI SOLDIERS CHARGED WITH HIGH TREASON GET LONG PRISON TERMS

Azeri Press Agency
May 15 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku, 15 May: The Military Court for Serious Crimes has issued its
verdict on five soldiers from a Fuzuli [district partly-occupied by
Armenia]-based military unit of the Defence Ministry who have been
charged with cooperating with the Armenian secret services.

Mubariz Sixaliyev and Seyran Ismiyev were sentenced to 14 years, Nofal
Babayev, Samaddin Quliyev and Famil Agayev were sentenced to 13 years
in prison respectively under the ruling issued by judge Islam Nematov
who presided over the trial. The defendants were charged under Articles
274 (high treason) and 338.1 (violation of military service rules)
[of the Criminal Code].