NEW LAW ON TV AND RADIO
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
21.05.2009 20:35 GMT+04:00
President Serzh Sargsyan has ratified National Assembly’s bill on
introducing amendments to RA Laws "On Television and Radio", "On
State Duties" and "On Regulations of Television and Radio Commission,"
RA President’s Press Service reports.
TOMAS KNOTCHE: EASTERN PARTNERSHIP ENRICHES THE EUROPEAN NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY
Nvard Davtyan
"Radiolur"
20.05.2009 14:04
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Poland to
Armenia Tomas Knotche told a press conference today that the Eastern
Partnership Program enriches the European Neighborhood Policy and
becomes its continuation.
"It is called to reinforce and expand the opportunities of cooperation
between partner countries, especially in the field of economy," the
Ambassador said. One of the objectives of the program is to prepare
the member countries for the signing of the agreement, which means
entering a more serious stage of reforms.
According to Ambassador Knotche, the European Union is interested
in the successful implementation of the program, because it wants to
see security and safety around.
Speaking about the role of Armenia in the program, Tomas Knotche said:
"Although the program demonstrates an equal approach to all the
countries involved, everything depends on Armenia. The more active
Armenia is, the greater it’s role will be."
HAY ART CULTURE CENTER TO HOST "YEREVAN, MY LOVE" EXHIBITION
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
19.05.2009 21:42 GMT+04:00
On May 20 Hay Art Culture Center will host "Yerevan, my love"
exhibition.
The exhibition will feature works of modern Armenian artisis including
those of Hakob Hakobyan, Varuzhan Vardanyan, Arkadi Baghdasaryan,
Hrant Tadevosyan, Harutyun Harutyunyan, Mary Hakobyan, Samvel Sevada
and many others.
"We used the art as a means to express our love for Yerevan," Hay Art
Culture Center Director, Rita Sharoyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.
The opening ceremony will feature performances of Yerevan Chamber
Choir and Mihr Theater of Dance Plastics.
POLICE WERE OVERSEEING PA MEETING
A1+
09:11 pm | May 19, 2009
The "Prosperous Armenia" party held a meeting with residents of the
Kanaker-Zeytun district today on the sidelines of the campaign for
the Council of Elders elections.
Serious precautions were taken before the meeting at the Davit Anhaght
square by the party and police.
The Republican and "Prosperous Armenia" parties have gotten into many
disputes recently and one of them took place in the Kanaker-Zeytun
district. The square was surrounded by police officers and they were
headed by well-known police officer Robert Melkonyan.
But this time Melkonyan was not asking people to walk on the sidewalks
or leave. He was simply following-up on the work of the police.
The "Prosperous Armenia" party had also gathered a group of young
trained men who were coming to the Davit Anhaght square.
An all-star lineup was trying to cheer up residents of the district
before the meeting, but the concert ended immediately at 7 p.m. and
the party’s anthem began as Gagik Tsarukyan approached the square.
The party leader was welcomed with salt and bread and pigeons were
released in the air. Dozens of women surrounded Tsarukyan and started
handing him letters. Some of them even managed to tell Tsarukyan
about their issues. Tsarukyan heard them and sometimes ordered his
bodyguards to register their phone numbers to contact later. Tsarukyan
finally made it to the stage to join the top candidates on the list,
NA Deputies and intellectuals.
The members’ speeches were the same. NA Deputy Aram Safaryan reminded
those present that their party has been in politics for two years
running and asked the people to get acquainted with their programs.
Hasmik Gasparyan, who is one of the residents of the Kanaker-Zeytun
districts and one of the founders of the party, did not consider the
site by chance and reminded her fellow residents that the square was
remodeled and opened thanks to the efforts of Gagik Tsarukyan.
ARMENIAN, AZERBAIJANI TENSIONS SPILL OVER TO EUROVISION
RIA Novosti
20:4618/05/2009
YEREVAN, May 18 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia has lodged a complaint against
its neighbor Azerbaijan over what it calls a "gross violation" of
Eurovision regulations, regional media said on Monday.
Armenian Public Television (APT) has alleged that the part of the
screen with the number for viewers in Azerbaijan to call and vote for
the Armenian entry, Jan, Jan by Anush and Inga Arshakyan, was obscured.
The panarmenian.net news portal said that APT had "submitted a
complaint to the Eurovision organizing committee" over "the illegal
behavior of the Azerbaijani side."
Armenia, which received no points from Azerbaijan, gave one point
to the Azerbaijani representatives, Aysel and Arash, who took third
place in the glittering Moscow event. Armenia came 10th.
Relations have been tense for more than two decades between Armenia and
Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh, a disputed region in Azerbaijan with
a largely Armenian population. Over 35,000 people died in fighting
over the area in the early 1990s before a ceasefire was signed in
1994. Nagorny Karabakh remains technically remains part of Azerbaijan,
but has its own de facto government.
The glitzy Eurovision final took place in Moscow on May 16. Norway
and the song Fairytale, performed by Alexander Rybak, proved to be
the runaway winner. Outsider Yohanna from Iceland was second with
her song Is it True?
Russia’s Anastasia Prikhodko finished 11th.
A total of 100,000 people visited Moscow’s Olympiysky Arena during
the rehearsals, two semifinals and the final on May 3-16, said Valery
Vinogradov, a Moscow deputy mayor and a member of the Eurovision 2009
organizing committee.
ARARATBANK PRESIDENT TO SPEAK AT EBRD ANNUAL MEETING
ARKA
May 15, 2009
YEREVAN, May 15. /ARKA/. President of Araratbank Ashot Osipyan
will speak at the May 16 annual meeting of the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development that kicked off today in London.
In his report entitled Araratbank aims at Society, Osipyan will
focus on the past achievements of Armenia’s banking system and the
challenges it faces.
He will also sum up the results of the three-year activities of the
banks, its short-term objectives and Araratbank-EBRD cooperation.
Official delegates, ministers and leading businessmen from 60 countries
are participating in the 18th annual meeting of EBRD and a business
forum in London.
Anti-crisis measure in the Central and Eastern Europe will be in
the spotlight of the discussions. EBRD shareholders will make their
assessments to the aftermath of the global financial crisis on Europe
and will discuss long-term cooperation.
Araratbank, the legal successor of Haykap (Armenian Communication
Bank), was established in 1991. EBRD holds 25% of the bank’s shares,
with an Armenian resident holding the rest of the 74.1% of the
shares.
‘ADORATION’ AN INTRIGUING HUMAN MOSAIC
By: Anita Katz
San Francisco Examiner
doration-an-intriguing-human-mosaic-45048077.html
May 15 2009
Complex issues: From left, Scott Speedman, Arsinée Khanjian and
Devon Bostick appear in "Adoration," a personal and political
drama. (Courtesy Photo)
Atom Egoyan probably never met a story he didn’t deem fit for
the jigsaw, and his films often play like remixes of familiar
themes on his comedy-scarce palette — among them trauma, loss,
abandonment, international terror, devastating lies, alienation in
a technology-connected world, and horrible accidents.
But he delivers so many interesting ideas and presents them so uniquely
that even when off target, he’s a reason to go to the movies.
"Adoration," the Canadian-Armenian writer-director’s latest journey
through the aftershocks, affirms that distinction.
Echoing Egoyan’s acclaimed "The Sweet Hereafter" and underrated
"Ararat" with its combination of private and global horror, the
Toronto-set drama centers on a car crash that killed violinist Rachel
(Rachel Blanchard) and violin maker Sami (Noam Jenkins) years ago.
The two had a son, Simon (Devon Bostick), who now is a teen and lives
with his uncle (Scott Speedman).
Having grown up around a venomously bigoted grandfather (Kenneth
Welsh), who constantly slurred the Middle Eastern Sami, Simon wonders
if his father intentionally caused the "accident."
This fear takes center stage when French-language teacher Sabine
(Arsinée Khanjian) assigns students to translate a news story about
a Jordanian who unsuccessfully tried to blow up an Israel-bound plane
by placing a bomb in the carry-on bag of his unaware pregnant fiancée.
Simon reimagines the story as that of his parents: Sami becomes the
terrorist, Rachel the fiancée, and Simon himself the unborn son.
Simon takes his fiction to an online chat site, presents it as
fact, and receives feedback from a medley of people who buy his
deception. Navigating a bog of conflicting perceptions, Simon journeys
toward the truth, and others reveal secrets that allow a full picture
to emerge.
Egoyan isn’t the silkiest filmmaker, and compared to his above-cited
fare, this is shallow stuff. The nonlinear storytelling adds nothing.
As in many of Egoyan’s films, the themes sometimes upstage the
story. Sabine’s actions get too bizarre for credibility. The religious
symbolism is excessive.
Yet as Egoyan delivers everything from victimhood to a violin subplot
to a malignant deathbed statement, the pieces cohere into a vital
mosaic of human hurt and need.
The film also succeeds as a stirring look at how nearly impossible
it is to uncover truth in, of all things, an "information age."
Among the cast, Speedman stands out as the overwhelmed uncle.
Khanjian, who has a face that seems made for the art-house closeup,
goes intriguing places with her problematic character.
MOVIE REVIEW
Adoration 3 Stars Starring Devon Bostick, Arsinee Khanjian, Scott
Speedman, Rachel Blanchard Written and directed by Atom Egoyan Rated:
R Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA
ARMENPRESS
May 15, 2009
YEREVAN, MAY 15, ARMENPRESS: President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan
received today Iranian ambassador to Armenia Seyed Ali Saghayan.
Presidential press service told Armenpress that during the meeting
the sides discussed a wide-range of issues on the Armenian-Iranian
cooperation. They particularly referred to the pace of implementation
of arrangements reached during the Armenian president’s official
visit to Iran in April.
PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA MEETS UK SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE SOUTH CAUCASUS
armradio.am
15.05.2009 10:53
President Serzh Sargsyan received the Special Representative of
the United Kingdom to Armenia, Bran Fall. The President ranked
high the assistance of Great Britain to the process of reforms in
our country. President Sargsyan said he discussed the perspectives
of development of the Armenian-British relations with the Foreign
Secretary of Great Britain David Miliband in Prague.
Serzh Sargsyan assessed the proposal of the British side to hold
periodic consultations between the Foreign Ministries of the
two countries as very positive and useful, which will provide an
opportunity to get to know each other’s positions on different issues.
The interlocutors dwelt on the process of normalization of the
Armenian-Turkish relations. At the request of the guest, President
Sargsyan presented his opinion about statements made by different
Turkish officials.
According to the President, it has been declared many times that
Turkey’s any attempt to interfere with the resolution of the Karabakh
conflict could only harm the process. "If Turkey wishes to help resolve
the conflict, it had better refrain from interfering in the process,"
Serzh Sargsyan said.
President Sargsyan and Brian Fall exchanged views on the settlement
of the Karabakh conflict. The UK Special Representative for the South
Caucasus said Great20Britain supports the efforts of the OSCE Minsk
Group and attaches importance to the settlement of the issue based
on principles and norms of international law.
ARMENIAN TEENAGER KILLED AFTER ONLINE CLASH
Associated Press
May 13, 2009 11:03 AM ET
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) – Police say an Armenian teenager was killed
after a dispute on a popular social networking Web site.
Interior Ministry spokesman Sayat Shirinian said Wednesday that
17-year-old Tigran Tadevosian died in a hospital shortly after being
assaulted by four teenagers on April 26.
He said Tadevosian was attacked after he insulted a young woman in
a chat room on Odnoklassniki.ru, a widely popular Russian version
of Facebook.
Police have arrested one suspect in the attack in the western city
of Gyumri.
Odnoklassniki.ru claims to have more than 35 million users in Russia
and other former Soviet republics.