Author: Ekmekjian Janet

A1+

NA TO DISCUSS OMBUDSMAN’S REPORT
[05:14 pm] 30 May, 2008

The National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia
holds parliamentary hearings on the special public
report of Armenia’s Human Rights Defender on the
presidential elections of February 19 and the
post-election developments on June 5. The decision was
taken during today’s joint sitting of the National
Assembly’s Standing Committees on Human Rights Defense
and European Integration.

The main speakers will include Human Rights Defender
Armen Harutiunian, Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepian
and Minister of Justice Gevorg Danielian.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Not studied properly, Karabakh is one of most
complicated post-conflict areas
31.05.2008 13:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Lecturers and students of French
universities Îxford brookes and Paris 12 arrived in
Nagorno Karabakh to study the problems of
post-conflict states.

Head of the group Brigitte Piquard, who pays her third
visit Karabakh, said that their research is not only
theoretical and the Karabakhi authorities may use it
if they want. -Not studied properly, Karabakh is one
of the most complicated post-conflict areas,- Ms
Piquard said.

The purpose of the visit is to establish partner
relations and open an office for studying
possibilities of peaceful building and reconstruction.
The research is conducted in Shushi, the town that was
most of all damaged in Karabakh war. -Our surveys
fixed some progress against the data we had three
years ago. People do welcome these achievements,
specifically reconstruction of historical facilities,-
Ms Piquard said.

Residents of Shushi link development of the town with
tourism, according to the students. However, having
studied the experience of a number of post-conflict
states, the young scientists warned that tourism can
transform into global aggression and offered to
develop the social sector first of all, the Caucasian
Knot reports.

ARF Bureau representative speaks about party’s congress

27.05.2008 17:08

Yerevan (Yerkir) – Delegates from more than 30 countries participated
in the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, held on May 21-26 in Armenia.
The delegates discussed the party’s activities for the past four years,
and adopted resolutions for the four years to come. ARF Bureau
representative Hrant Margarian spoke at a news conference held at the
Christapor Mikayelian center on May 27.

He said the congress discussed thoroughly all the strategic Armenian
issues. The congress elected the ARF Bureau, comprising 11 members:
Hrant Margarian, Vahan Hovhannisian, Aghvan Vardanian, Davit Lokian,
Levon Mkrtchian, Vigen Baghumian, Mkrtich Mkrtchian, Hakob
Ter-Khachatrian, Vigen Hovsepian, Hayk Ohsakan, Mario Nalbandian.

"By electing the cabinet ministers to the Bureau, the congress
surprised us," Margarian said, adding that the ministers will soon
resign, and new ministers will be appointed. He said this was the
ministers’ decision. "Being a Bureau member is a higher position than
that of a minister’s, and they decided to resign to be able to fulfill
their tasks in the Bureau," Margarian said.

Speaking about the media reports about the congress, Margarian said:
"The ANM press published many reports that I don’t want to speak about.
We said the truth without disrespect to anybody. We will not get so low
to respond them."

Margarian said that the congress wrapped up by pointing to the need of
a stronger organization, fair Armenia and national unity.

Margarian then read out the statement by the congress and answered the
questions by journalists.

SHAREHOLDERS OF FORD DISCUSS SELLING SHARES TO KIRK KERKORIAN

47

WASHINGTON, MAY 27, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN.

Ford shareholders are weighing billionaire Kirk Kerkorian’s offer to
buy their shares at $8.50 a piece after the company’s shares dropped
under .

Ford shareholder Russ Stallard of Shelby Township owns 5,000 shares and
is ready to sell at Kerkorian’s prices. He had thought Ford was a good
investment. However, now with the gas prices, I’m not sure," he said.
Still, he was considering selling his shares, which he purchased for
about .50 a piece, to Kerkorian.

PanARMENIAN.Net

RA PM: we mustn’t forget May victories of national unity
28.05.2008 13:33 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Prime MinisterTigran
Sargsyan issued a congratulatory address to the nation
on occasion of the First Republic Day, the RA
government’s press office reported.

The address says in part,

-Dear Compatriots,

I congratulate you all on Day of the First Republic.
On May 28, 1918, after a 600-year break, restoration
of the independent Armenian state system was the
result of heroic battles the Armenian people won in
Sardarapat, Aparan and Gharakilis. We must never
forget the May victories scored due to national unity
and freedom-loving spirit which underlay new
historical exploits in the struggle for Artaskh’s
independence. These victories fill is with will and
resoluteness to cement our state system, resist
challenges and build worthy future.

I wish you good health, peace and belief in the bright
future of the Republic of Armenia.-

Jam! Showbiz, Canada
May 24 2008

Mixed emotions over Egoyan film

By BRUCE KIRKLAND – Sun Media

CANNES — Atom Egoyan and his contingent of actors from Adoration are
getting a bittersweet taste of the Cannes Film Festival.

The reaction at the press screening Thursday was mixed and Egoyan said
yesterday that, for him, "It was a weird day," because he was trying
to gauge the reaction. Among others, the influential trade magazine
Variety gave the film a downer review and predicted bad box office.

"But last night was wonderful," Egoyan said of the official gala
screening, which inspired a prolonged standing ovation. "It was an
amazing screening."

Meanwhile, the British-born, Canadian-raised, Los Angeles-based Scott
Speedman has one of the most complex and serious roles of his career
in Adoration. So he is soaking all of Cannes in — staying up to 6
a.m. — because none of his previous flicks gave him this opportunity.

After the gala and 90 minutes at the official party, Speedman hailed a
cab and took off for the fabled Hotel du Cap, a former Russian
prince’s winter home and now the most exclusive hotel on the French
Riviera. It is also where the real stars go to play — but Speedman
found it low-key early yesterday.

"It seemed pretty tame to what I would have imagined," he said with a
chuckle.

"It’s crazy-wild but it’s not overwhelming to me at all."

L.A., he said, is far more intense in the party scene.

Speedman did, however, find the Hotel du Cap to be beautiful, like a
fantasy version of a hotel. "I can’t believe people actually get to
stay there. It’s very strange. Maybe next time."

Egoyan_Atom/2008/05/24/5657961-sun.html

RUSSIA WILL HAVE HARD CHOICE IF BATTLE ACTIONS START IN NAGORNYY KARABAKH, RUSSIAN POLITICAL EXPERT THINKS

arminfo
2008-05-23 15:50:00

ArmInfo. Russia will have hard choice if battle actions start in
Nagornyy Karabakh, Russian political expert Sergey Markedonov told
ArmInfo correspondent.

He also added that there is possibility of the battle actions
restart because of an active unfreezing process of all the post-Soviet
conflicts, to which the Kosovo precedent, domestic political situation
and election in Azerbaijan promote

ARMENIA TO DOUBLE ITS PEACEKEEPERS’ CONTINGENT IN KOSOVO

PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung)
May 22 2008
Austria

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) – Armenia’s defense minister says the ex-Soviet
nation will double the number of peacekeepers deployed in Kosovo.

Seiran Oganesian said Thursday the contingent serving as part of a
U.N. mission will be increased to 68.

Around 17,000 NATO-led peacekeepers are deployed in Kosovo, which has
been administered by the U.N. and NATO since 1999, when a U.S.-led
air war put an end to attacks by Serb forces against the province’s
ethnic Albanian majority.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February.

CHANGES MADE IN STAFF OF ARMENIAN DELEGATION IN PACE

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 20, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. Vahe Hovhannisian, the representative
of the Bargavach Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia) faction, has been
substituded by Naira Zohrabian, a member of the same faction, in
the staff of the Armenian delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe. This information was provided to a Noyan
Tapan correspondent by the faction. The change is conditioned by the
preterm stopping of the deputy competences of Vahe Hovhannisian.

The representative of the Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) faction has
also been substituded in the staff of the delegation. Mher Shahgeldian,
who has been appointed Minister, has been substituded by given faction
member Artashes Avoyan.

NEYCHO VELICHKOV APPOINTED DIRECTOR GENERAL OF ARMENTEL CJSC

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 20, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. VimplelCom OJSC has announced the
appointment of Neycho Velichkov as director general of ArmenTEl CJSC
– VimpelCom’s subsidiary providing communication services under the
Beeline brand in the territory of Armenia.

"ArmenTel is an important component of our business and a decisive
element in VimpelCom’s development strategy in other countries,"
VimpelCom’s deputy executive chairman for business development
in CIS countries Dmitry Pleskonos stated. According to him, they
have licences for all types of communication in Armenia, and in the
selection of a director general, "the comprehensive and successful
managerial experience of Neycho Velichkov" was taken into account. "I
am sure that his knowledge will help the company to efficiently
deal with its problems on the introduction of advanced communication
technologies and ensure a leading position in the sector of services,"
D. Pleskonos said.

Commenting on his appointment, N. Velichkov said: "Our major goal
today is to develop the Beeline brand in Armenia, provide services
based on the 3rd generation network and convergent services, as well
as to improve the quality of communication and services. By achieving
success in these directions, we will win popularity with Armenia’s
population and become a leading servicing company in the country".

Neycho Velichkov was born on September 27, 1961, in Sofia
(Bulgaria). He received higher education in Russia where he graduated
from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1990. In
2001 he earned a MBA degree of Seattle University, in 2007 he received
a management and leadership diploma of the Massachusetts Technological
Institute. He has worked in the telecommunication sphere since 2000. He
was a person in charge of corporate sale at Bulgaria’s biggest GSM
operator – MobilTel and was responsible for the company’s marketing
and sale of complex solutions that combine fixed, mobile and IP phone
communication possibilities. In the past 3 years, he headed sales
and marketing of Bulgaria’s biggest fixed communication operator –
Bulgarian Telecommunication Company (BTC) where he participated in the
launching and promotion of BTC’s subsidiary – a mobile communication
operator in the Bulgarian market.

Prior to entering the telecommunication business, N. Velichkov had
his own company providing advisory services on business creation and
development in Russia and EU countries.

Among his achievements is successful introduction of new communication
services in the market (convergent services and solution, GSM Gateway,
VoIP solutions, GSM POS terminals, and mobile VNP).