Author: Emil Lazarian

CHIEF PROSECUTOR DECLINES INTENTIONS TO ENGAGE IN POLITICS
Armenpress
Nov 08 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS: Armenia’s chief prosecutor Aghvan
Hovsepian declined today persistent media speculations that he was
going to engage in active politics. The prosecutor, Aghvan Hovsepian,
argued that some political forces were trying to drag the office of
prosecutor general’s into what he called ‘settling of scores.”
He said prosecutor general’s office was not going to respond to
ungrounded political statement. Speaking to reporters after a recurrent
session of the prosecutor’s office’s council, he said as long as he
remained the country’s prosecutor general none of his subordinates
would be dragged into political activity.
“So far I have been successful in keeping my subordinates away from
politics. Not a party has chapters in our office and none of my
subordinates boats membership with a political party,” Hovsepian said.
Hovsepian also denied rumors about his soonest resignation saying
he had no intention to take up any other job. “I shall work as
a prosecutor even if I am sent to the remotest region in Syunik
province,” he said.
He also said he was against his brother’s decision to run for the
position of prefect of a Yerevan district. “Though being a brother of
prosecutor general is not a special status, the brother of prosecutor
general is eligible to hold any position and do any job,” he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DEMOCRATS SEEM TO SCORE VICTORY IN U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.11.2006 14:51 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The outcomes of the election to the U.S Congress will
not change the U.S. policy towards Armenia, U.S. Charge d’Affaires
Anthony Godfrey told reporters on Wednesday. “I do not think that
the policy will change after the election,” he said.
At the same time Mr Godfrey said changes are expected in the
U.S. policy on Iraq, since it was the key factor during the election
campaign.
The year-off election was held in the United States November 7. All
435 members of House, 33 Senate members and Governors of 36 States
were elected.
According to preliminary data, the democrats are likely to win majority
in the House of Representatives, reports newsarmenia.ru.

FYODOR LUKYANOV: EU HAS NO POLITICAL WILL
Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 7 2006
Russian political scientist, editor-in-chief of the “Russian Global
Policy” Fyodor Lukyanov considers that the prospects of development
of Armenia-EU relations depends on the fate of Turkey’s accession.
“If Ankara continues its successful progress toward the EU, Yerevan
will be able to assert that Armenia has even more bases to aspire for
EU membership. However, despite the great efforts of Ankara, it seems
that no one is going to let Turkey into the EU, which means that the
South Caucasus is also loosing the prospects,” Fyodor Lukyanov said
in an interview with Mediamax agency.
The Russian political scientist considers that signing of the Action
Plans with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in the framework of the
European Neighborhood Policy will not lead to the increase of EU’s
influence in the South Caucasus.
“EU’s presence in the South Caucasus will find expression in a number
of symbolic gestures, but in the rest of the questions the European
Union has no proper tools and resources of influence in this complex
region. For a long time the EU will be engaged in the resolution of
its domestic issues, and prospects of common foreign policy seem very
suspicious,” said Fyodor Lukyanov.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GAZPROM PIPE DEAL POINTS TO ALLIANCE WITH IRAN
by Julian Evans in Moscow
The Times (London)
November 8, 2006, Wednesday
GAZPROM has bought control of a gas pipeline being constructed between
Iran and Armenia, in what analysts say is an attempt to protect the
European gas market from an unwanted competitor.
Last year Gazprom signed an agreement with the Armenian Government,
under which Armenia would have to pay only $110 (£ 58) per cubic
metre of gas -about half the market price -in return for Gazprom
taking a 45 per cent stake in a joint venture called ArmRosGaz, which
controls both Armenia’s domestic gas distribution business and the
soon-to-be-completed gas pipeline from Iran.
Last weekend, during the visit of President Kocharian of Armenia
to Moscow, Gazprom raised its stake in ArmRosGaz to 58 per cent by
buying an additional $119 million of shares in the company.
Gazprom now has control over the Iran-Armenian pipeline, which would
be the first to supply Iranian gas to Europe and could have become
a rival source of gas for Western Europe, which is increasingly
dependent on Gazprom.
Alexander Medvedev, deputy chairman of Gazprom, told The Times:
“It’s a profitable project for us. We hope to use the joint venture
to become involved in extraction and development , and possibly help
supply gas through the joint venture to Western Europe, as well as
Pakistan and India.”
Mr Medvedev’s remarks seem to indicate the desire in the Kremlin to
make Iran an energy ally and partner, rather than a competitor, in
the gas sector. Last week Valeri Yazev, the chairman of the state
Duma committee on energy, also called for a gas alliance between
Russia and Iran.
Iran has 27,000 billion cubic metres of gas -18 per cent of the
world’s supplies -making it the second-biggest supplier of gas in
the world after Russia. Analysts believe that 62 per cent of Iran’s
potential gas reserves remain undeveloped.
Valeri Nesterov, oil and gas analyst at Troika Dialog, said: “If
Gazprom didn’t have a controlling stake in the Iran-Armenia project,
it would be much easier for Iran to use it to compete with Gazprom’s
supplies to Western Europe. But Gazprom tries to avoid competition
as much as possible.”
European countries increasingly are considering Iran as an alternative
supplier to Gazprom. Another possible pipeline under consideration
for Iranian gas is the Nabucco project, which was approved by the
European Union this year. Nabucco, which will cost an estimated £
3 billion, will take gas from the Caspian region and bring it to
Western Europe. OMV, of Austria, is the main backer of the project,
construction of which is scheduled to finish in 2011.
The pipeline initially will take gas from Azerbaijan, but several
European energy ministers have called for it also to take Iranian
gas. The project was originally designed to take Iranian gas,
though the focus switched to Azeri gas when Iran clashed with the
International Atomic Energy Agency over its nuclear research programme.
FROM RUSSIA BY PIPELINE
Gazprom produces half the gas used in the European Union; four fifths
of that gas passes through pipelines crossing Ukraine. The relationship
of Gazprom and its former Soviet bloc customers has been rocky.
January 2006
Russia and Ukraine in dispute over gas prices and fail to agree a
pricing deal.
Russia cuts gas supply to Ukraine. Ukrainians steal gas in transit
to other European countries, which affects supplies to Germany and
Hungary as well as about 25 per cent of the EU’s gas supply. Russia
threatens to raise the price of natural gas supplies to Georgia.
May 2006
Russia and Ukraine seek agreement on pricing, trying to do a deal
in Brussels
July 2006
Belarus told that it, too, must pay market price for gas. Supply cut
off Belarus siphons gas from supply.
October 2006
Nordpipe pipeline plan unveiled. Europe clamours to be still more
reliant on Russian gas. The pipe is to run from near St Petersburg and
along the Baltic seabed to Germany. It will bypass Ukraine and Belarus.
November 2006
Russia and Ukraine agree gas supply deal for 2007
–Boundary_(ID_9yqznRzudBhZGE5Y9NPiWA)–

CONCERTS OF STATE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA OF ARMENIA IN GERMANY, SLOVAKIA AND CZECH REPUBLIC ARE BRILLIANT:
TOURS OF KOMITAS STRING QUARTET FOLLOW THEM
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 8 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The State
Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia (SPOA) as well for the first time
participated in the annual authoritative festivals of classic music
held in September and October in Germany, Slovakia and the Czech
Republic. As SPOA Director Ruzan Sirunian stated at the November 7
press conference, the orchestra concerts were held brilliantly and
enjoyed the spectators’ warm reception. During the festivals the
orchestra performed Aram Khachaturian’s Concert for Violin, pieces
from the Spartak ballet, Tchaikovsky’s “Pathetic” Symphony No6,
Shostakovich’s Symphony No6 and other works.
R.Sirunian mentioned that after the successes having had in Germany,
the SPOA was involved in the Meistersingerhallen concert season
of Nuremberg, and the Bratislava and Prague festivals organizations
proposed the SPOA to cooperate in future as well and to be continuously
involved in their festival programs. “We have high-quality orchestra,
but it is very difficult to perform with orchestras like the BBC,
Czech philharmonic orchestras. But, performances of our orchestra were
received with “bravos” and “encores.” We again proved the world that
the SPOA has high professional readiness and may perform in any country
where they like and estimate classic music” R.Sirunian mentioned.
As Ashot Grigorian, the head of the Armenian community of Slovakia,
the main organizer of the Armenian Culture Days in Slovakia, informed
Noyan Tapan, they got a great number of phone calls from the concert
spectators who expressed words of admiration concerning the exclusive
high professional performance of the Philharmonic Orchestra of
Armenia and especially concerning chief conductor Eduard Topchian’s
skillfulness. And now, in A.Grigorian’s words, lovers of the classic
music in Bratislava wait impatiently for the next concert: performance
of their favourite quartet after Komitas. The quartet will go on
tours to Slovakia and the Czech Republic on November 13.
As the Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by Eduard Tadevosian,
the artistic head of the quartet, the quartet received the invitation
to perform concerts from Ashot Grigorian, the Chairman of the Armenian
community of Slovakia. The concerts being organized in Slovakia will
be held within the framework of the Days of Armenian Culture. Works
of Tchaikovksy, Shostakovich as well as Arno Babajanian’s quartet
dedicated to the memory of Shostakovich will be performed at the
concerts.
Ashot Grigorian mentioned in his turn that the quartet’s concerts
in Prague will give special brilliance to the music festival, and in
this issue, he is too grateful to Aleksan Sargsian, the Chairman of
the Armenian Union of the city of Jihlava, the Czech Republic, who
undertook organization of the quartet’s concerts in Prague (November
16) and Jihlava (November 17).
It also became known that after the concerts in the Czech Republic
and Slovakia, the quartet will leave for Moscow to take part in the
jubilee concert dedicated to Arno Babajanian’s 85th anniversary.
Conductor Konstantin Orbelian will head the concert to take place at
the Music House hall of Moscow on November 28. Armenian and Russian
pop singers will also participate in the concert.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SERGE SARGSYAN RECEIVED UK SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO THE SOUTH CAUCASUS
Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 8 2006
November 8 Secretary of the Presidnetial Counil on National Security,
RA Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan received the delegation headed
by Sir Brian Fall, Speacial Envoy of the United Kingtom to the South
Caucasus. The meering was attended by the Ambassador Extraordianary
and Plenipotentiiary of Great Britain to Armenia Anthony Cantor.
After mutual greetings Brian Fall turned to the Wilton Park conference
and emphasized the fact that Armenia was the first among the countries
of the South Caucasus to host the conference.
Welcoming Armenia’s policy of resolving the Karabakh conflict in a
peaceful way, Brian Fall stressed the readiness of the United Kingdom
to assist the OSCE Minsk Group.
Emphasizing the importance of mutual meetings for the maintenance
of the cease-fire regime, the parties turned to the recent meeting
of the Defense Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan at Ijevan-Ghazakh
part of the contact line.
Turning to the current state of Armenian-British military cooperation,
the parties stressed he importance of continuity of English courses
for Armenian servicemen.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

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
Thursday, November 9, 2006
AGBU Silicon Valley Launches Kids Club
In May 2006, AGBU Silicon Valley launched its new Kids Club as part of
the Chapter’s Centennial activities. The AGBU Kids Club is a dedicated
program for Armenian children aged 6-12 that focuses on connecting
Armenian youth to their heritage and culture through activities that
are both educational and enjoyable.
Kids Club activities consist of monthly gatherings, learning games,
field trips and pen pal communication with children of the same age in
Armenia. The organizing committee, appointed by the Executive Board of
the Silicon Valley Chapter, consists of parents of the Chapter’s
Students Committee. The Kids Club has already grown to include more
than 30 children.
For the kickoff event and first monthly gathering, a group of children
along with their parents and Club leaders visited Stanford University
in Palo Alto, California. Members of Stanford’s Armenian Students
Association (ASA) provided an interactive tour of the campus and spoke
to the children about college admission processes and campus life.
Another highlight of the Kids Club activities thus far was a trip to
St. Andrew Armenian Apostolic Church in Cupertino, California that
took place on September 16, 2006. During this event, AGBU youth
participated in interactive science experiments with Anahit Yeramian,
a leading scientist at Stanford.
Following the science experiments, high school student Aline Zorian
from the AGBU Students Committee gave a presentation about her summer
visit to the SOS Village in Kotayk, Armenia, where the idea to arrange
a Pen Pal exchange was born. The Kids Club members are now
establishing ties with Armenian children in the village through
letters.
Other Kids Club activities include a visit to the Exploratorium Museum
of Science and Art in San Francisco and a tour of the Stanford
Accelerator facility and museum.
For information on AGBU Silicon Valley and other AGBU worldwide
chapters, please visit
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MOVIE FEATURING SYSTEM OF A DOWN: DETAILS REVEALED
Ultimate-Guitar
Nov 8 2006
artist: system of a down date: 11/08/2006 category: general music news
System Of A Down have lent their voice, music, and support to a
ground-breaking new film called “Screamers”, which had its acclaimed
world debut on November 2, 2006 in Los Angeles, CA as part of the
prestigious AFI Film Festival.
Directed by the award-winning, humanitarian activist Carla Garapedian,
“Screamers” is an internationally produced documentary that covers the
history of modern-day genocide and genocide denial, beginning with
the Armenian Genocide in 1915, and how the world’s inaction lead to
other massacres.
System Of A Down have always worked to spread the message about
official Armenian genocide recognition within the U.S. and other
world powers that have yet to formally acknowledge that it took
place. The band felt compelled to work with this unique project
that hauntingly illustrates how the denial of those crimes lead to
more genocides of the 20th Century – from the Holocaust to Cambodia,
Bosnia, Rwanda…and all the way to present-day Darfur.
Using SOAD’s music as the backdrop to historical footage and current
accounts from genocide survivors, “Screamers” presents some of the
great questions of our time: Can we stop genocide? Do we really mean
“never again?” And how can we take action to prevent atrocities of
this magnitude from happening in the future?
Beginning Friday, January 12, 2006, “Screamers” will be hitting
theaters in markets such as: New York City, Detroit, Washington D.C.,
San Francisco, Fresno and Boston.
al_music_news/movie_featuring_system_of_a_down_det ails_revealed.html?200611081101

ALIYEV: INTEGRATION TO NATO ONE OF THE MAIN DIRECTIONS OF AZERBAIJAN POLICY
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 8 2006
President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Belgium continues, APA reports
quoting to AzerTaj. The president met with NATO Secretary General
Yaap de Hoop Scheffer in North Atlantic headquarters.
The president said that Azerbaijan cooperates with NATO successfully
and Action Plan on Individual Cooperation is an example of it.
“One of the main directions of Azerbaijani policy is to integrate to
NATO, EU and other Atlantic bodies. Azerbaijani peacekeeping forces
actively participates peacemaking processes with NATO servicemen in
Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo. My visit is of great importance for
expansion of Azerbaijan -NATO cooperation,” the president said.
NATO Secretary General highly estimated the cooperation with Azerbaijan
in the frame work of Action Plan on Individual Partnership. They also
talked about Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Garabagh conflict. Giving
information about the talks within Prague process, Ilham Aliyev noted
that inviolability of conflict boarders can be solved on the principle
of territorial integrity. Azerbaijan -EU partnership, energy security,
regional problems and others were discussed at the meeting. After the
meeting Ilham Aliyev made speech in council of North Atlantic, later
he made discussions with ambassadors and standing representatives of
NATO member countries.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SERGE SMESSOV WAS APPOINTED AMBASSADOR OF FRANCE TO ARMENIA
TREND, Azerbaijan
Nov 8 2006
(a1plus.am) – Newly appointed Ambassador extraordinary and
plenipotentiary of France to Armenia Serge Smessov handed the copy
of his credentials to RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan. Smessov
replaced Henry Cuny who has finished his diplomatic mission.
Welcoming the guest, Minister Oskanyan wished him good luck in the
fulfillment of his high mission, reports Trend.
During the meeting the Ambassador mentioned that he is already
acquainted with the CIS region. He also informed that prior to arriving
in Armenia he has had meetings with the Armenian community in France.
Serge Smessov was born in 1947. He graduated from the London Royal
college of defense issues. He has held high offices in a number of
countries including Romania, Moldova, Kazakhstan, and others. Smessov
has the diplomatic rank of plenipotentiary minister of second degree.
He has also been awarded a national medal “For merits”. The Ambassador
can speak English, German, Spanish, Russian and Romanian.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress