US FIRST DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE ARRIVES IN YEREVAN
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
10.07.2009 19:40 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ First deputy secretary of state James Steinberg
arrives in Yerevan on July 11. During his short-term visit the
U.S. diplomat will hold talks with the leaders of Armenia, will
discuss topical issues of bilateral cooperation, as well as regional
and international issues.
FRANCE WALKED ON AIR AND THEN WENT OVER THE MOON
Irish Times
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Tom Humphries was in Paris to witness a historic French victory in
the World Cup final with a 3-0 win over Brazil that was a product of
a performance full of passion and determination LA METAMORPHOSE! One
glance at St Denis tells you how hard pressed it is. Grey boxes strewn
on a concrete wilderness as the train shuttles by from wonderful
Paris to the cool halls of the airport. Last night it was the centre
of the world. The surreal, beautiful stadium which has been set down
here shook, quaked and rocked.
Tricolours rippled the sky. Songs raided the roof. Men cried. Women
danced.
Fireworks crackled. People got kissed who’d never been kissed
before. France became Champions of the World.
"This group of players was born for the World Cup," said Youri
Djorkaeff, the French midfielder of Armenian stock. That was just
the point, though. They weren’t born for it. They grafted. Brazilians
are born for it.
It must have been like this when the men in the Bible stepped from
the boat onto the surface of the water, when the first plane stayed
up in the air for breathless seconds, when Armstrong got moondust on
his earthly feet. Achievement which defied comprehension.
In Saint Denis they danced on air, walked on water, went over the
moon. France won the World Cup and men in blue shirts mounted the
steps and lifted the gold.
What a sensational night. The outsiders with nothing to offer except
their nation’s hospitality and their extraordinary defence beat the
Brazilians, brand leaders in the romance business. Beat them well,
with three goals, two of them functionally crafted, one of them the
crowning moment , a thing of beauty.
And they didn’t even have a striker. They didn’t have Laurent
Blanc. And in the end they didn’t have Marcel Desailly: but they had
the World Cup trophy hoisted into the Parisian sky.
Seldom has sport presented such a dramatic consummation of hope
and achievement. This was an evening when France was subconsciously
prepared to celebrate gallant defeat, to wonder at the journey their
largely workaday team had taken. Instead men grew into giants before
their eyes. Their goals came from midfielders. Two from Zidane and
the final one deep in injury time from the superlative Petit.
It was an extraordinary night.
Zinedine Zidane, a child of hard streets in Marseille, knew
the feeling of having his name chanted in every corner of the
republic. Zizou! Zizou! Zizou!
The little man with the bald patch and the snake’s smile was
everywhere. Every blade, every screen, every mouth, every
keyboard. Zizou! Zizou! Zizou!
Two matching goals both from near post headers in the first half
elevated Zidane to the pantheon. The son of a poverty-strained
family of Algerian immigrants, Zizou was the story of the evening,
the story of the World Cup, the story of France. Work, integration,
achievement. Zidane missed two games earlier in this World Cup having
copped a suspension for a silly foul. Last night he added atonement
to the list of his credits.
He was overshadowed in midfield, perhaps, by Emmanuel Petit, the
pony-tailed Arsenal midfielder who filled in at centre half when
Desailly was sent off and still found time to charge up field and
score the goal which finished the tournament and laid the Brazilians
in the ground.
Brazil were never what we had expected them to be. For a few mad
minutes before the kick-off, indeed, they were something else entirely,
sending out a team sheet without the name of Ronaldo on it. Another
appeared minutes later and Edmundo’s name had been erased and Ronaldo’s
name included.
Stories ran like bushfire around the stands of the Brazilians having
taken Ronaldo to hospital within an hour of the start of the game,
of dissent and turmoil beyond the dressingroom door. On the pitch the
reality looked depressingly prosaic. Ronaldo unfit. Dunga tired. Bebeto
uninspired.
"Everybody was very upset and very down about Ronaldo," said Brazil’s
coach Mario Zagallo afterwards at a bad-tempered press conference
which left more questions unanswered, "and the team played to less
than their full potential. It was indicative of the major problem
with Ronaldo. We were very inhibited."
What happened to Ronaldo is a little yarn for today or tomorrow. Last
night the Brazilian defence was the tale. More anaemic than their
history entitled them to be they seemed shaken by the vigour of the
French support and the ambition of the French attacks and the defiant
panache of the French defending.
Brazil’s defence had been rickety throughout this tournament and last
night it fell to dust. Junior Baiano was awful. Aldair slightly less
awful. The French knew they were on to something early on when they
drummed out three scoring chances in the first 10 minutes.
They pushed and pushed and felt the door scraping open. Youri Djorkaeff
missed two.
Stephane Guivarch began a chain of misses which on less charitable
occasions would have had him guillotined. Instead he’s moving to
Newcastle.
A couple of goals up at half-time, with a million tricolours fluttering
in front of their eyes and the words Allez. Allez. Allez buzzing
their ears. They hadn’t dared to have dreams of this.
The second half was a metaphor for the tournament France have
had. Defiance and defence. Resistance!
The Brazilians, treated to an interval with the smelling salts,
had come to.
The French defended with passion. Adversity mounted before
them. Brazilian near misses drew the breath from French lungs. For
the second successive game France had a centre half dismissed. The
perfection of Marcel Desailly’s tournament performances was marred
by a slightly harsh sending off for a second bookable defence.
It was the sort of setback the French have learned to deal with,
though. Petit dropped back. His clubmate Patrick Vieira arrived in
with regal coolness. The ship steadied.
There will be those curmudgeons who will say that the best team in
the tournament didn’t win. Perhaps, but it was splendid nonetheless.
France defended with such passion and cunning, went forward with such
naive enthusiasm, and sang the song of football like it is meant to
be sung. Last night the French won the best World Cup final in years.
Great occasions can do nothing for the terminally mean-spirited and
this was a great occasion, a great story, beautifully climaxed.
WB FINDS ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT’S BAILOUT PROGRAM VERY EFFECTIVE
/ARKA/
July 8, 2009
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, July 8. /ARKA/. On Tuesday, Asad Alam, the WB regional
director in South Caucasus, answering the question ARKA News Agency
put to him at a news conference, said he found Armenian Government’s
bailout program very effective.
He said that the program limits probability of job cuts and even
creates favorable environment for new jobs.
Besides, the program implies certain steps for protecting low-income
families and lays ground for economic growth.
Along with that, Alam pointed out the necessity to discuss these
steps constantly.
He singled out procurement of financial sector’s stability and new
jobs among the most important measures.
The WB representative also stressed the importance of social programs
aimed at mitigating adverse impact of the global crisis on poor people.
Strategic Analysis Department of Russian FBK audit and consulting
company found Armenian and Kazakh bailout programs best-thought-out
and most comprehensive among CIS governments’ programs.
The FBK experts singled out these two countries’ programs for their
special emphasis on implementation of infrastructural projects and
support for small-scale business.
RA DEPUTY MINISTER OF DIASPORA EXPRESSES WILLINGNESS TO SUPPORT BOURG-LES-VALENCE ARMENIAN SCHOOL IN GIVING NECESSARY TEXTBOOKS
Noyan Tapan
July 7, 2009
YEREVAN, JULY 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Deputy Minister of
Diaspora Stepan Petrosian received Deputy Chairman of the French Senate
France-Armenia parliamentary friendship group, Bourg-les-Valence city’s
Mayor Bernard Piras on July 6. Elder of Bourg-les-Valence Arshaluys
Nadar and head of the European Armenian Communities’ Department of
the RA Ministry of Diaspora Hrach Aslanian were present at the meeting.
According to the RA Ministry of Diaspora, Deputy Minister Stepan
Petrosian acquainted the guests with the programs of the Ministry
and underlined the great contribution which the France-Armenia
parliamentary friendship group made in strenghtening of two countries’
relations.
Senator Piras, in his turn, told about the cooperation between the city
of Bourg-les-Valence and Armenian Talin city, as a result of which
the French side presented the city 5 buses for students and pupils,
writing materials to the four schools with a French bias and at the
expense of the sister cities’ committee the problem of paying the
salaries of Talin’s teachers of French was solved.
Senator Piras also told about the work carried out to adopt the law
on Armenian Genocide Denial by the Senate.
Deputy Minister Stepan Petrosian, welcoming the guest’s pro-Armenian
activity, expressed willingness to support Bourg-les-Valence
Armenian school in giving the necessary textbooks, as well as in
widely including the local Armenian community in the RA Ministry of
Diaspora’s programs.
Forum of Writers’ Union of Armenia starts with a big scandal: Levon
Ananyan offers journalists to sue him
2009-07-04 13:52:00
ArmInfo. The forum of the Writers’ Union of Armenia (WUA) has started
with a big scandal. By the decision of WUA Board, the doors were closed
before the journalists which were undesirable for Levon Ananyan. As a
result, representatives of not only a number of newspapers and news
agencies, but also TV companies "AR", "ALM", "MIR", "Yerevan" and
"Shant" stayed outside. The indignant journalists were told that they
should have been accredited in advance to cover the forum. Putting
aside the fact that only several media, mostly pro-governmental, were
aware of the accreditation process, it should be noted that WUA is a
public organization, and according to the Armenian legislation, only
state bodies are to demand accreditation of mass media. However, this
fact didn’t worry the police, who forced out the most active
journalists, thereby violating another law "On mass media". Only 1.5
hour after the beginning of the forum, WUA Chairman Levon Ananyan put
to a vote the question whether to let the unaccredited journalists in
or not. As it was expected, no more than 15 out of about 300 people
voted "for". Ananyan himself is quite well aware of the fact that the
doors were closed before the journalists illegally. "If they are
discontent, let them sue me",- he said at the forum.
To note, the issue on election of the new WUA chairman will be put to a
vote after 3 pm, Saturday. Only Levon Ananyan and Razmik Davoyan
advanced their nominees.
DIRECTOR OF ELITE GROUP CJSC FORECASTS 5-10% GROWTH IN CONSTRUCTION SECTOR FOR 2009
ArmInfo
2009-07-01 20:08:00
ArmInfo. Director of ELITE GROUP cjsc, one of the largest construction
companies in Armenia, Armen Mkoyan forecasted a 5-10% growth in the
construction sector till the end of 2009. A.Mkoyan made such forecast
at the official ceremony of signing an agreement with the EBRD for
provision of a $5.5 midterm loan to the company. A. Mkoyan said the
company has overcome the crisis and will make new contacts already
in September 2009.
He said 38 million drams of the $5.5 million loan will be invested
to complete the project . He said the company has developed 3 new
construction projects. Thus, the construction of a new housing complex
in Demirchyan Street will be completed till the end of the year. Elite
Group will be focusing on completion of construction of new elite
buildings for a total of 180,000 sq.m. "Elite Group" is the only
construction company in Armenia, which has received an international
quality certificate ISO 9001-2000. General activity of the company
is top-management in the sphere of construction, interior design
and service of elite residential and public complexes. It provides
Construction Planning and Organizing; Construction: Buildings; Design
Engineering; Finishing Work; Installation Services: Metal Structures;
Marketing: Construction; Painting and Decorating; Tiling Services;
as well as Interior Design of Residential Premises.
CE FORUM FOR FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY EXPECTED IN ARMENIA NEXT YEAR
ARKA
June 30, 2009
YEREVAN, June 30. /ARKA/. The annual Forum for the Future of Democracy
organized by the Council of Europe (CE) is expected to be held in
Armenia next year.
Head of the Armenian delegation to the CE Parliamentary Assembly
(PACE), Chairman of the Standing Committee of State and Legal Affairs,
RA Parliament, David Harutyunyan reported that the initiative of the
forum was advanced by a number of countries, including Armenia.
"The forum has been one the best instruments for the CE over the
last few years and is held yearly ion one of the CE member-states,"
Harutyunyan said.
The topic of the forum, Referendum as means of displaying people’s
will, was proposed by Armenia as well.
AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:
PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
New York-Yerevan Videoconference Connects Armenian University Students
on Many Levels
On March 14, over 40 Armenian university students from five universities
in Armenia and six universities in the greater New York area took part
in the first-ever New York-Yerevan student video conference, organized
by AGBU’s Armenian Students Forum (ASF) and the AGBU Young Professionals
of Yerevan.
Representing various college levels and majors, participants came from
Yerevan State University, the French University, the Russian-Armenian
(Slavonic) University, Yerevan State Pedagogical University and the
Yerevan State University of Economics in Armenia, and Columbia
University, Hofstra University, Hunter College, Nassau Community
College, Queens College, and Rutgers University in the United States.
The discussion of issues concerned Armenian students today, with
emphasis placed on the differences between student life in Armenia and
the US.
After a brief introduction, the American students were able to
familiarize themselves with the practices of higher education in Armenia
directly from their peers and to relay to them their experiences of
college learning. Apart from the structure of education, the students
also discussed less formal subjects such as gender perceptions, family
roles, job prospects, the global economic crisis as well as the
elections in Armenia and America and their implications for Armenian
students. Topics such as stereotypes of diasporan Armenians and
"Hayastantsis" (Armenians from Armenia) and cultural differences were
made evident at some points and created some enlightening moments.
Shant Dosttur, a sophomore at Nassau Community College in Garden City,
NY, said, "As we began to speak about things related to school and
leisure time, the awkwardness began to dissolve, and I started to see
that both our groups relate." The students also discussed perspectives
and views regarding Armenian Genocide recognition and its importance on
a global scale, highlighting the difference in the consequences of the
outcome for those living across the border from Turkey, as opposed to
those living an ocean away. The relations between diasporan Armenians
and natives of Armenia weighed heavily in the discussion, and great hope
was expressed for increased collaboration between the two. "Bonds
created among students in different parts of the world will encourage
Armenians throughout the world, especially the young generation, to go
visit their homeland," expressed Nane Ghazarian, a junior at Hunter
College in New York City.
Not surprisingly, after some time, both groups of students soon saw
their discussion proceed along a more lighthearted, humorous vein, and
inevitably the forum was punctuated by a number of witty jokes and
anecdotes. The atmosphere of what evolved into a three-hour cultural
exchange was well described by Henry Dumanian, a sophomore at Hunter
College, who said, "I constantly hear about ‘the people of Armenia’ as
if they were some distant people. This conference put a face to them and
gave them voices. It also helped us see that even though we live an
ocean and two continents away, we share the same concerns and hopes for
our nation."
This unique event proved to be an excellent opportunity for many of the
students to feel more connected to their peers living on the other side
of the Atlantic and to feel more strongly the bond that is shared by all
students, no matter where they are in the world. "It was a very
interesting experience, a chance to get to know better the Armenian
young people in the U.S. We are willing to participate in another
meeting if there is a chance," Yerevan students Lusine Iskandaryan and
Ani Nargizyan expressed collaboratively.
Formed under the guidance of the University Outreach division of AGBU’s
Education Department, the Armenian Students’ Forum (ASF) fosters
cooperation among the various university student groups in an effort to
establish a united front of Armenian student organizations. While
helping to raise awareness of Armenian issues, it provides a platform
for future collaborative opportunities. To date, the ASF has drawn
support from the Armenian student groups of seven universities in the
NY/NJ area, having encouraged the creation of two of those groups
(Fordham University and Hunter College). The group meets monthly with
the hopes of creating a viable platform for interaction, communication,
information-sharing, and joint planning of educational, professional and
social events between the constituent groups.
Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian programs, annually serving some
400,000 Armenians on six continents.
SYUNIK REGION TO ENROLL IN ARMENIA-IRAN ENERGY PROJECTS
ARKA
June 29, 2009
YEREVAN, June 29. /ARKA/. Syunik region will enroll in energy
projects between Armenia and Iran, RA Deputy Minister of Territorial
Administration Vache Terteryan was quoted as sating during the RA
Government’s meeting in Kapan (Syunik region).
A number of large-scale international programs, including the
construction of the Armenia-Iran third power transmission line
(400 kWh) and the pipeline linking the two countries, the deputy
minister added.
With Syunik getting involved in most of these projects, this will
enhance the macroeconomic situation in the region, according to
Terteryan.
He stressed that new midget power plants were being constructed in
the region.
The deputy minister expressed a hope the energy sector in the region
would help attract new investments.
Hurriyet, Turkey
June 28 2009
Turkey to reopen Orthodox school shut 38 years ago: report
ANKARA – Turkey is planning to re-open a Greek Orthodox seminary that
was shut down nearly four decades ago, Turkeys culture minister was
quoted as saying Sunday.
The European Union, which Turkey is seeking to join, and the United
States have long pressed Ankara to re-open the theology school on the
island of Halki, off Istanbul, to prove respect for the rights of its
tiny Christian minority.
Culture Minister Ertugrul Gunay said the government was inclined to
re-open the school, even though a final decision was not yet made, the
mass-selling Milliyet daily reported.
"Both my personal conviction and the general inclination I see is that
the school will be opened," Gunay was quoted as saying.
"The school does not currently fit into our university system, but
another formula will be worked out… There is no political problem,"
he said.
The minister explained the authorities were grappling with "the
technical problem" on whether the seminary should have the status of a
university or a vocational high school.
The century-old seminary was closed down in 1971, depriving the
Eastern Orthodox Church, seated in Istanbul since Byzantine times, of
its only facility to train clergy in Turkey.
The closure was the result of legislation bringing institutions of
higher education under state control, an arrangement into which the
seminary did not fit.
Gunay conceded that Turkish-Greek tensions over the island of Cyprus
at the time were also a prominent factor behind the move.
"What happened in the past is left behind… We need to say new things
now," he said.
Keen to boost its struggling EU membership bid, Ankara has in recent
years moved to improve the rights of its tiny non-Muslim minorities,
mainly Greeks, Armenians and Jews.