Author: Chilingarian Babken

GAZPROMS DELEGATION VISITS ARMENIA

RIA Oreanda
May 20 2008
Russia

Yerevan. ">OREANDA-NEWS . May 20, 2008. Today a Gazprom delegation
headed by Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Management Committee, paid
a working visit to the Republic of Armenia and held a meeting with
Serzh Sarkisyan, Armenian President and Tigran Sarkisyan, Armenian
Prime Minister.

In the course of the meeting the parties noted that the cooperation in
the gas area was very successful and the ArmRosgazprom joint venture
was expanding its operations and was starting to prepare for the
entry into the financial market for the IPO purposes.

The parties discussed matters related to the signing of a new contract
for gas supply to Armenia and reached the accords that the contract
would be a midterm arrangement with a price formula and the switch
to European prices would be implemented just like in Russia in 2011.

At the same time, the gas price will be changed gradually given the
high level of the strategic cooperation and the reinforcement of
Gazproms positions in Armenia due to a bigger stake in ArmRosgazprom.

FIRST SEMI-FINAL: THE QUALIFIERS!
by Marco Brey

EuroVision Song Contest
e-2008?id=1039
May 20 2008

The First Semi-Final of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest has
just finished, and the ten countries qualifying for the Final are
known. Read more about the magnificient show and the outcome here
on Eurovision.tv!

The representatives of nineteen countries have presented their
songs tonight in the First Semi-Final of the 2008 Eurovision Song
Contest. The theme of the show, presented by Jovana JankoviÄ~G and
Željko JoksimoviÄ~G, was "City", whereas the theme of the Second
Semi-Final will be "Water". After all songs had been presented,
televoting started in all the participating countries as well as
in Spain and Germany, who are already qualified for the Final, but
were drawn to vote in the First Semi-Final, while the other directly
qualified finalists – France, The United Kingdom and Serbia – get
to vote in the Second Semi-Final. Nine of the qualifying countries
were decided by televoting. Furthermore, the highest placed song in
the result of the national backup juries which was not yet qualified
through televoting got a place in the Final as well. However, the
TV public will only find out which country it was after the Final of
the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday.

The qualifiersThe following countries have qualified for the Final
of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest (in order of announcement):

Greece Romania Bosnia and Herzegovina Finland Russia Israel Azerbaijan
Armenia Poland Norway

–Boundary_(ID_fkOC+7nUJIeHZbDKRvROhg)–

ARFD BELIEVES IN KARABAKH CONFLICT PEACEFUL RESOLUTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.05.2008 17:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ ARF Dashnaktsutyun believes that the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict will be resolved through talks, an ARFD member said.

"However, we have the right to demand peace guarantees from the
international communities," Hrant Markarian said in his address to
the ARF Dashnaktsutyun General Meeting.

"West-sponsored defeatist moods of Azerbaijan can lead to weakening
of Armenia’s positions. We do stand for talks which would guarantee
our security," he underscored.

ARMENIA’S PREMIER TO TAKE PART IN CIS PRIME MINISTERS’ MEETING IN MINSK

ARKA
May 21, 2008

YEREVAN, May 21. /ARKA/. Armenian delegation led by RA Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsian leaves for Minsk on May 22 to participate in the May
23 regular meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers.

The delegation consists of Head of the RA Government Staff David
Sargsyan, RA deputy Foreign Minister Gegham Gharibjanyan, Permanent
Representative of Armenia in the CIS Oleg Yesayan, Armenia’s
Representative to the CIS Economic Council Artak Vardanyan and other
officials.

The participants to the meeting will discuss a number of cooperation
issues.

They will also touch upon the project of the CIS Economic Strategy
2020, as well as transport policy issues.

The CIS Council of Ministers plans to discuss the performance of the
CIS food safety mission.

Drafts of the CIS conventions on frontier cooperation and the
legal status of migrant workers and their families, as well as on
hydrometeorology specialists training are on the agenda.

The Prime Ministers will also discuss the concept of maintainability of
bridges in the CIS in 2008-2015, as well as financial and humanitarian
cooperation issues.

The draft project on the organization of the 65th anniversary of
Victory will also be on the agenda of the meeting. The Ministers
will also discuss the draft decision of the unified jubilee medal
on the 65th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War
(1941-1945).

VARDAN HAKOBIAN-60

Azat Artsakh Daily
Published on May 19, 2008
NKR Republic

Vardan Hakobian (a poet, scientist and dramatist) was born on May
21, 1948 in a teacher’s family in Arpaghetuk village, Hadrut region
of Artsakh.

He left secondary school of Hin Tagher village. Graduating from the
Baku Pedagogical institute he began to work for "Soviet Karabakh"
daily in Stepanakert a literature worker and later became deputy of
editor-in-chief heading the literature and art department. From 1983,
he is the chairman of the Union of Writers. He is also a member of
the union of writers of Armenia. Over 30 of his scientific and art
books were published in many countries in different languages. His
literature, scientific and public activity is highly appreciated
by outstanding Armenian writers, scientists and art figures. V.
Hakobian’s dramatics were staged in different theatres in Artsakh and
Armenia. He defended both his thesis ("The poetry of Vahagn Davtian:
the poet and history") and doctoral dissertation ("Main directions
of development of the latest Armenian poetry") in Yerevan Institute
of literature named after Abeghian in 1985 and 1998 respectively.
Hakobian began teaching in the department of Armenian language of
the Artsakh State University (1983-1996). He is a founder of the
"Grigor Narekatsi" university. Vardan Hakobian was awarded with
a special prize "Grakan tert" and Armenian union of writers’ prize
of Avetik Isahakian for his book "With the eyes of tomorrow". The
union of intellectuals of Armenia recognized his work "Poetry and
space motion" as the best scientific work of 1998. In 2003, his
collection "Phantoms of Reflection" gained the "Vahagn" all-Armenian
award. Hakobian is awarded with the medals of "Vachagan Barepasht",
"Artsakhi kajordinerin", as well as international medal of Nansen and
diplomas of the NKR Government. He is the honored worcer of art of AR.
He is one of leaders of the Artsakh national movement. He headed
the Artsakh delegation of intellectuals to Moscow for unification of
Artsakh with Armenia. (January 1988). He was initiator and author
of the well-known letter on the unification. He is married and has
got two sons.

GURGEN ARSENIAN IS SURE THAT RA AUTHORITIES WILL FULFIL DEMANDS OF PACE RESOLUTION

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 15, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. In the conviction of United Labour Party
Chairman Gurgen Arsenian, the April 17 resolution of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe will, no doubt, be implemented by
the authorities. As Gurgen Arsenian mentioned at the press conference,
which was held on May 15, he has no doubts concerning that as he is
well acquainted with the policy of the RA authorities. In addition
to this, in his words, the RA authorities cannot avoid a number of
obligations Armenia has assumed when becoming a member of the Council
of Europe, grounding that "you know, we do not like those rules."

Touching upon the demand of the opposition on holding
extra-parliamentary elections, the leader of the United Labour
Party stated that the latter considers as inadmissible "any extra
phenomenon". "Even taking into consideration the circumstance that in
case of extra-parliamentary elections we will gain an opportunity to
appear in the National Assembly, we do not welcome any extra process,"
Gurgen Arsenian clarified. He mentioned that not receiving necessary
number of votes in the latest NA elections, the United Labour Party,
according to the laws of democracy, accepted the fact of not entering
the National Assembly.

G. Arsenian reminded that the United Labour Party "assisted" the
pre-electoral program of current President Serge Sargsian in the
presidential elections. He stressed that they have chosen not between
persons but programs.

PARLIAMENT DECIDED TO SET UP WORKING GROUP FOR ANALYTICAL AND INFORMATION AFFAIRS

KarabakhOpen
15-05-2008 11:10:28

The chair of the NKR National Assembly Committee of Foreign Relations
Vahram Atanesyan presented the conclusion of the three parliament
factions on the primary steps toward the international recognition
of NKR in the meeting of parliament yesterday.

The conclusion holds that the factions of Democracy, Hayrenik and ARF
Dashnaktsutyun-Movement 88 proceeding form the parliamentary hearings
of April 21, 2005 on the settlement of the Karabakh issue and the
statement passed during the meeting of the Committee of Foreign
Relations on April 2, 2008, propose the president and government
of NKR to take steps toward the legal regulation of the interstate
relations with Armenia in order to strengthen the present relations
and outline the new priorities stemming from the regional development.

It is also proposed to set forward the participation of NKR in the
talks as a precondition of effectiveness of the talks, work out and
present to the National Assembly the doctrine of national security
of NKR.

Before that it is necessary to set up a working group on analytical
and information affairs which will be charged with organization and
coordination of propaganda and preventive anti-propaganda, using
effectively the representations of NKR abroad, and the potential
of the Diaspora, to bring into being efforts for the international
recognition of NKR with involvement of the parliamentary potential.

ARMENPRESS

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES VETERANS OF GREAT
PATRIOTIC WAR

YEREVAN, MAY 7, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President
Serzh Sargsian received today a group of members of
the Committee of Veterans of the Great Patriotic War
and Veterans Council.
Presidential press service told Armenpress that
addressing the veterans the president said, `First of
all I want to heartedly congratulate you, and those
who participated in erection of the victory, on the
occasion of Victory Holiday.
Of course, in such cases we first of all address to
those who were soldiers, officers and generals,
managed to fight against the evil and bring victory to
all us and of course to those who helped the soldier
and officer to reach victory with work, hope and
warmth.
We have met many times and you know my opinion, I
am always saying that if not your example during the
Great Patriotic War, the example of our grandfathers,
more probably we would not be able in our new history
defend our homeland, independence and territorial
integrity.
So, I am very thankful to you for your service and
the work you have been carrying out after the war and
until now for educating and upbringing our young
generation. Your personal example is very important
for their patriotic upbringing’.
During the conversation the veterans discussed with
the leader of the country their social issues and
noted that the attention and care of the state during
the recent years has notably increased. Serzh Sargsian
said that the raised issues will also be quickly
regulated.
The veterans also underscored national unity and
reconciliation and said that they are firmly standing
by the authorities and find that the country is
developing in the right direction and are fully
supporting the policy of the president.

RA Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss the political situation
in Armenia

armradio.am
08.05.2008 17:22

On May 8 RA Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosyan received the
Special Representative of the European Union for the South Caucasus
Peter Semneby.

The interlocutors discussed the internal political situation in
Armenia.

The parties noted that it is necessary to undertake all necessary steps
to ensure public concord, underlining that the establishment of
stability in Armenia is the guarantee of the country’s development.

The parties turned to the perspectives of the Karabakh conflict
resolution and the Armenian-Turkish relations.

LABOR FAIRS TO BE HELD IN KOTAYK AND SYUNIK MARZES AND YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 7, NOYAN TAPAN. A labor fair will be held in Kotayk marz
on May 24, the head of the Employment Service of the RA of the ministry
of labor and social issues Sona Harutyunian announced on May 7.

According to her, similar events will be organized in Syunik marz and
Yerevan. A labor fair was already held in October 2007, and the results
exceeded all expectations in terms of the number of those who found
jobs and the increased level of information on demand and supply of
workforce.