Author: Emil Lazarian

UKRAINE’S BRITNEY VS. TURKEY’S KYLIE
by Wall Street Journal

National Post, (Canada)
May 25, 2006 Thursday
National Edition

This editorial appeared in Tuesday’s edition of the Wall Street
Journal.

Forget bureaucratic Brussels, seat of the European Union. The real
face of European unity was on display Saturday night in Athens,
this year’s host of the Eurovision Song Contest.

It’s the EU through a looking glass. For starters, Eurovision is
relaxed about who gets in. No need to prove democratic or regulatory
bona fides or meet geographic litmus tests. Armenia and Belarus take
part, as does Turkey, which won in 2003. Morocco once competed, and
Israel does every year, this year fielding a gospel group fronted by
Eddie Butler, the Israel-born son of black Jews from Chicago.

Unlike Brussels, the song contest is also a model of democracy and
transparency. Winners are chosen by country-by-country call-in votes,
in which listeners may cast their preference with any nation’s
band except their own. Ukrainian voters gave their highest rating
to Russia, having apparently forgiven the Kremlin’s gas-pricing
policy that threatened to leave millions of Ukrainians without heat
in January. Russian voters returned the affection, giving their
second-highest rating to Tina Karol, Ukraine’s answer to Britney
Spears.

The Turks, remarkably, gave their second-highest score to a historical
antagonist, Armenia. The countries have no diplomatic relations. But
what goes around evidently comes around: Turkey won top marks from both
France and the Netherlands, whose “no” votes to the EU constitution
last year were partly motivated by fears of future Turkish membership
in the bloc. While most bands chose to sing in English, Sibel Tuzun
belted out disco in her native tongue. Call her Turkey’s Kylie Minogue.

Europeans united in particular behind the winning Finnish band Lordi,
which performed, as it always does, in elaborately gruesome monster
costumes. Europeans may not be able to agree on much these days,
but horns and scales, a lead singer with a sonic growl, and lyrics
announcing the “arockalypse” have brought a troubled Continent
together.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FIRST ECHELON WITH RUSSIAN MATERIAL SENT FROM BATUMI TO ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2006 18:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The first echelon with property of 12th Russian
military base was sent from Batumi to Armenia on the night of
Thursday. According to a representative of the base command, The
echelon will deliver staff armored car and over 50 units of rear
equipment to 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri.

The next echelon will depart from Batumi to the 102nd military base
June 1, 2006. A total of 7 echelons with equipment and other property
of the 12th base of the Russian Defense Ministry are planned to be sent
to Armenia. This is the third echelon with armament and material of
the Russian military. Two previous ones transported the base property
to Akhalkalaki, reports Lenta.ru.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

JACQUES CHIRAC INTENDS TO VISIT ARMENIA IN SEPTEMBER

AZG Armenian Daily
26/05/2006

Haraj newspaper of Paris informs that President Jacques Chirac of
France told Nerses-Petros the 19th, Patriarch of Catholic Armenians,
that he intends to visit Armenia.

The meeting took place May 15 in Paris where the Eastern Church leaders
had gathered to celebrate 150th anniversary of Oeuvre d’Orient. Seven
patriarchs took part in the get-together.

President Chirac said that Eastern Christians “have always been a
bridge to Europe and have contributed to the dialogue of cultures,
long before there was a major focus on international relations. In this
connection, they have more than ever their place in the Middle East.”

Patriarch Nerses-Petros the 19th reminded the French president of the
Nagorno Karabakh issue and expressed assurance that Nagorno Karabakh
will live in peace thanks to the president’s efforts. Jacques Chirac
said on his part that he has made every effort for that purpose and
that he intends to visit Armenia in September.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

‘THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE OF 1915′ SHOWN AT BOSTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
By Ruzan Poghosian

AZG Armenian Daily
26/05/2006

According to the press release of “Archive of Genocide Materials’
Project”, “The Armenian Genocide of 1915” 32-minute documentary was
shown at the Boston Jewish Film Festival. The film includes testimonies
of the genocide survivors. There are three of them, namely Armine
Dedekian, born in Bandirma, Peter Bilezekian from Marash and John
Gasparian from Van. They gave interview to the Boston Globe daily in
2005. The producer of the project is David Davidian and Franko Lyubin
is its director. They tried hard to contribute to the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

“Archive of Genocide Materials’ Project” is a non-profit
organization. Its main goal is to increase the awareness of the
society about the Genocide materials.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTION IS ASTONISHED BY THE RA FM

A1+
[09:28 pm] 25 May, 2006

Today the annual review of the company “Human Rights Watch” was
the key issue of discussions in Armenia which mainly relates to the
Armenian problems.

Judging by the answer to the RA Foreign Ministry to the company “Human
Rights Watch” Armenia doesn’t “counter any problems especially in
connection with speech and press freedom. The letter of the Foreign
Ministry says that the company made a mistake speaking about the
national Commission on Television and Radio (NCTR) and broadcast
tendencies.

In answer to this accusation, Rachel Denver, representative of “Human
Rights Watch” replied on the telephone. According to the news of
“Radio Free,” the content of the reply is as follows, “The Foreign
Ministry presented the mistakes of our company in connection with the
tendency contest rather thoroughly in its reply but it didn’t answer
an important question; why there is not an independent electron media
in Armenia so far?” Mrs. Denver said that she was surprised by the
RA Foreign Minister’s answer, as for the first time in her practice
she counters a case when the government of any country responds to
the annual review of “Human Rights Watch” in this way.

By the way, let us remind you that it was mentioned in the letter
of Foreign Ministry addressed to the company “Human Rights Watch”
that the contest of tendencies is already announced but “A1+’ doesn’t
participate in it.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GEORGIAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER SAYS ARMENIA AND GEORGIA MUST SUPPORT EACH OTHER

Armenpress
May 25 2006

DUSHANBE, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS: Georgian deputy prime minister Georgi
Baramidze discussed a wide range of issues during a friendly meeting
with Armenian prime minister Andranik Margarian on the sidelines of a
meeting of heads of governments of CIS member countries in Tajikistan’s
capital Dushanbe.

“Armenia and Georgia are moving in the same direction and this is
why we should support each other. Georgia enjoys good relations
with Azerbaijan as well and we shall continue our efforts that all
disputes in the South Caucasian and Black Sea areas be solved in a
peaceful way,” Baramidze said to Armenpress. He also underscored the
anticipated resumption of the railway that connects Russia, Georgia
and Armenia, saying it will be of great importance for Armenia. “We,
naturally, support the program because we hope that it will promote
the peaceful regulation of the Abkhazian conflict,” he said.

Baramidze also said first the focus should be on fostering
bilateral economic ties. “We are proud that we have been able to
create conditions for free movement of Armenian citizens through
our territory,” he said adding that they have managed to eliminate
corruption in the police and the Armenian motorists are not forced
into extortion any more by Georgian road police officers. “As a result
of all this thousands of Armenians spend their holidays in Georgia,
particularly in Ajaria,” said Georgian deputy prime minister.

According to him, the third forces are trying to spoil the
relations between the two peoples and create some artificial
problems. “Particularly, some anti-Armenian leaflets were disseminated
in Akhalkalaki which, of course, is the work of the enemies of Armenia
and Georgia,” he said adding that Armenian and Georgian leaderships
and peoples as well as the population of the region are smart enough
not to give way to such provocations.

He said Armenian and Georgian leaders always use the opportunity to
meet and discuss issues of reciprocal interest.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FESTIVAL DEDICATED TO ARMENIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY TO BE HELD IN HOLLYWOOD

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.05.2006 16:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Cultural Foundation and Armenian
Youth Federation – Western Region (AYF-WR) have organized a festival
celebrating Armenian Independence Day to be held on Sunday, May 28,
in the heart of Little Armenia. This year, Hollywood Blvd.

will be blocked off between Vermont and Alexandria just for the
event. A variety of vendors, diverse entertainers, live performers,
writers and organizations will be on hand from 10 AM to 6 PM to
celebrate Armenian culture, reported Asbarez.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PAN-ARMENIAN FESTIVAL IN GYUMRI

A1+
[01:06 pm] 26 May, 2006

The 7th pan-Armenian festival of intellectual games took place in
the cultural house after gousan Ashot.

The participants of the festival came from different regions of
Armenia – Tavoush, Shirak, Lori, Syunik, Yerevan and Artsakh.

The festival was held with groups. The groups included doctors,
lecturers and people of other professions.

The team of Goris was represented by the professors of the Goris State
University. The team of Gyumri took the first place, Goris was the
second, and the third place was shared between Artsakh and Noyemberyan.

TV Company “Last” of Goris.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NEW PHASE OF FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN MOSCOW AND YEREVAN

A1+
[03:47 pm] 26 May, 2006

Head of the Yerevan Kentron community Gagik Beglaryan and head of
the Central administrative part of Moscow Sergey Boydakov signed an
agreement today.

Moscow is the first city Yerevan has started to cooperate
with. According to the agreement the two cities will cooperate in the
local governing field, culture, sport and ecology fields. Cooperation
started in 2004 when the delegation of the Yerevan municipality went
to Moscow at the invitation of Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov. Gagik
Beglaryan was in the delegation too. On his own initiative by the
Armenian project and the financing of the Moscow side the Moscow
park was constructed opposite the Drama Theater. By this agreement
a Yerevanian park will be constructed in Moscow.

“The cooperation of these years yielded good results.

The ratification of this agreement marks the beginning of the new
phase. This year a number of events will be organized, including
housing issues. In autumn days of Yerevan will be organized in
Moscow. They too will have a good effect on our relations”, Sergey
Boydakov said.

At the end of the ceremony the sides exchanged souvenirs in token
of friendship.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE MONTENEGRIAN INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM IS COMMENTED ON IN KARABAKH

A1+
[04:20 pm] 25 May, 2006

“The fact of holding a Montenegrin independence referendum and the
readiness of the international community to recognize its results
is a positive step on the whole. We are convinced that the respect
of national self determination expressed through national spirit
serves as a cornerstone for the regulation of such situations and is
a real means to enhance political stability in any conflict region,”
this is a quotation from the speech of the NKR Foreign Minister.

The Ministry deems it appropriate to remind that the violation of
the rights of the Karabakh residents who voted for the independence
on December 10, 1991 made a ground for the exertion of the Azeri
further military aggression towards the NKR residents which resulted
in a multiple human losses and ruins.

The announcement of the MKR Foreign Minister said, “The
self-determination and political independence of the NKR population,
the further neglect of the right on economic and military guarantees
delay the prospect of mutually admissible solutions and stable peace
in the region.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress