Author: Emil Lazarian

NA SPECIAL SITTING TO BE CONVENED ON MAY 31, ELECTIONS OF NA SPEAKER AND CHAIRMEN OF TWO STANDING COMMITTEES ARE ON AGENDA
Noyan Tapan
May 30 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. RA NA Vice-Speaker Tigran Torosian,
who is acting as NA Speaker according to the 2nd clause of Article
19 of RA NA Regulations, signed a decision, according to which, in
accordance with Article 70 of RA Constitution and Article 41 of NA
Regulations, on the initiative of RA MPs, a special NA sitting will
be convened at 12:00 on May 31. As Noyan Tapan was informed from NA
Public Relations Department, the elections of RA NA Speaker and the
Chairmen of NA Standing Committee on Defence, National Security and
Internal Affairs and Standing Committee on Social, Healthcare and
Nature Protection Issues and discussion of a number of bills are on
the agenda.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ROBERT AMIRKHANIAN’S “MY HOMELAND” TO BE PRESENTED AT COMPETITION FOR ARMENIAN ANTHEM
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 30 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The State Chamber
Chorus of Armenia presented on May 30 the work “My Homeland”
of Chairman of the Union of Composers of Armenia, composer
Robert Amirkhanian at Yerevan State University. “My Homeland” will
participate in the competition to choose a new anthem of the Republic
of Armenia. “This piece of music is the result of many years’ work. The
1.5-min anthem is undergoing continuous improvement. Before applying
to a well-known poet, I made an attempt to write a text myself. I am
sure that after this song, if someone does not raise his hand to his
heart, he at least will take it out of his pocket,” R. Amirkhanian
noted. Nevertherless, according to the composer, he has no ambitions
in terms of selecting his song.
According to him, Tigran Mansurian, Artur Shahnazarian and other
composers also have songs for the Armenian anthem. “All works should
be presented for competition so that the people will be able to make
a choice,” he said. Robert Amirkhanian considered the “return” of the
anthem written by Aram Khachatrian as unacceptable. In his opinion,
it is the symbol of the second republic of Armenia and cannot reflect
today’s life. “We took the anthem of our first republic 15 years
ago and made a wrong choice. If we take Aram Khachatrian’s anthem,
we will make a mistake again. The third republic should have its
symbol,” he underlined.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

LEVON ANANIAN: SILVA KAPUTIKIAN’S POEMS CONTINUE TO INSPIRE GENERATIONS WITH TRUE PATRIOTISM
Noyan Tapan
May 30 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. “Silva Kaputikian is one of those
exclusive writers whose works were appreciated in all times,” Levon
Ananian, the Chairman of the Writers’ Union of Armenia characterized
the poet in this way at the May 29 presentation of her “The Last Bell”
book. Poems written by S.Kaputikian during the recent few years are
involved in the book, the row of poems dedicated to Aram Khachatrian
and Avetik Isahakian is especially notable.
Articles, memoirs published in press during different years are also
involved in the book. According to L.Ananian, S.Kaputikian’s poems
have inspired and will continue to inspire generations with soul,
true patriotism. “The poet was the one to respond her people’s pains
and has seen many thorns during her life,” he mentioned. However,
according to the WUA Chairman, the highest award for a writer is
people’s love. The poet was rewarded on the same day with golden
medal of the Writers’ Union of Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN ARMENIA IRREVERSIBLE
Noyan Tapan
May 30 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Over the last seven years, sustainable
growth has been registered in the Armenian tourism sector: in 2000,
only 40 thousand tourists visited Armenia, in 2005 their number
reached 318 thousand, and 370 thousand are forecast to visit Armenia
this year. Deputy Minister of Trade and Economic Development Ara
Petrosian stated this on May 25. In his words, the further development
of tourism in Armenia is irreversible, which in its turn will promote
development of the whole economy. The deputy minister said that each
tourist who stays 4-5 days on average in Armenia spends 800-1,000 USD,
including the price of a plane ticket. In 2006 alone, five 400-room
hotels were built in Armenia, there are currently about 50 hotels
in line with international standards and a great number of tourist
facilities with a total of 4,000 rooms. He underlined that 5-6 years
ago tourist services were much more expensive in Armenia than now,
which is the result of an increase in delivery of tourist services
under conditions of introduction of market mechanisms.
According to him, those visiting Armenia by plane will find themselves
in more comfortable surroundings when a new arrival hall of Zvartnots
Airport is put into operation in late 2006. A. Petrosian considered
decentralization of service delivery from Yerevan to Armenian marzes
as a priority for tourism development in the next 6-7 years.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ANCIENT CROSSES SMASHED WITH SLEDGEHAMMERS
Independent
New Zealand Herald, New Zealand
May 31 2006
BRUSSELS – Fears that Azerbaijan has systematically destroyed hundreds
of 500-year-old Christian artefacts have exploded into a diplomatic
row, after European Union MPs were barred from inspecting an ancient
Armenian burial site.
The predominantly Muslim country’s Government has been accused by the
International Council on Monuments and Sites of vandalism similar to
the Taleban’s demolition of the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan.
The claims centre on the fate of rare “khachkars”, stone crosses
carved with intricate floral designs, at the burial ground of Djulfa
in the Nakhichevan region of Azerbaijan, an enclave separated from
the rest of the country by Armenia.
The works – some of the most important examples of Armenian heritage
– are said to have been smashed with sledgehammers last December as
the site was concreted over.
The Azerbaijan Government, which denies the claims, is now at the
centre of a row with MEPs, some of whom it accused of a “biased and
hysterical approach”. Its ambassador to the EU also says the European
Parliament has ignored damage to Muslim sites in Armenia.
Azerbaijan refused to allow a delegation of MEPs permission to visit
the 1500-year-old Djulfa cemetery during their trip to the region
last month.
Most of original 10,000 khachkars, which date from the 15th and 16th
century, were destroyed by the early 20th century.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WHAT DID YOU FOR DARFUR?
By Jennifer Chestnut
Akron Jewish News
May 30 2006
In 15 years when your kids are working on school history projects
and ask what you did for the situation in Darfur, what will you tell
them? This question bubbles in my mind and has since Sunday, April 30.
In our house, as with most families with two working parents and two
small kids, Sunday is dedicated to housework, tag-team early morning
childcare, a little outside time and, if we’re lucky, getting everyone
to nap at the same time. But on April 30 we dedicated it to something
else. We-yes, all four of us, including 4-year old Seth is 4 and
9-month old Martha-loaded in the minivan and headed for Washington,
D.C. to attend the Save Darfur Rally to Stop Genocide.
The rally was moving, powerful, energizing, depressing, embarrassing
and rewarding. By now you may have read the reports about the day’s
speakers. They all made the event powerful and energizing, along with
the 15,000 people in attendance. But it was depressing to realize
the magnitude of what’s really going on in the Darfur region of
Sudan. It was depressing to see the photos of the abysmal situation
and of Sudanese people in attendance that have family there right
now. It also shamed me to realize how little I did for the atrocities
and genocides that have happened “on my watch.” What did we do about
Rwanda? Not the US, but us, me, you; did you do anything? I didn’t. I
was a thinking college student able to do something. But I did nothing.
It’s easier for me now. I work at a college and have the student
manpower and the environment to do a little more than normal. But we
owe it to ourselves, to the people of Sudan, to the memories of those
who were killed in previous genocides that we may feel connected to
(the Holocaust, Armenia, Rwanda,etc.) to do something. If nothing
else, just learn more about the situation and talk about it with
friends so they too are more aware.
Maybe we did nothing more than make ourselves feel better by attending
the Save Darfur rally. I hope not. I hope that we were counted among
the tens of thousands, so the Bush administration knows that the world
is watching. I hope that you take three minutes to do something, too.
Chestnut is the director of Hillel at Kent State University.
t.cfm?article_id=1067&cat=6
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri expert slams foreign NGO for mine clearing in Karabakh
Trend news agency
18 May 06

Baku, 18 May: The activity of the HALO Trust is illegal and the
organization is violating international law by clearing mines on
occupied Azerbaijani territories, Nazim Ismayilov, director of the
Azerbaijani National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA), has told
reporters.
In accordance with international practice, munitions found and defused
are not calculated in tonnes or kilograms. “Every landmine, every
shell poses a hazard and it is inappropriate to talk about tonnes of
them,” Ismayilov said, adding that the HALO Trust’s information was
off the mark.
“It is not possible to control the organization’s work. They are
working in Nagornyy Karabakh, Abkhazia and also in some African
countries which are inaccessible for international monitoring. It is
not known what the organization is actually doing,” he stressed. He
went on to say that the organization was deliberately choosing areas
which are difficult to control.
He said that the UK and the Netherlands were supporting the HALO
Trust’s activity. “Both states are funding the HALO Trust. To its
protest, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry was told that the
organization was allegedly carrying out humanitarian activity and its
work was legitimate,” he said.
He added that Azerbaijan was seriously displeased with the
organization’s work.

Session of the CoE Congress of Local and Regional Authorities to start
in Strasburg

ArmRadio.am
30.05.2006 10:30
The state of local and regional democracy in Turkey and South
Caucasian countries will be discussed today at the session of the
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe to
start today in Strasburg.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Second Azeri Embassy opened in Paris

ArmRadio.am
30.05.2006 12:52
Azeri President Ilham Aliev opened the second Embassy of his country
in Paris.
President Aliev had a meeting with the businessmen of the Union of
Entrepreneurs of France, ITAR-TASS informs.
This evening the President of France Jacques Chirak will receive Ilham
Aliev at the Elisée Palace.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Armenian delegation will not participate in the sitting of the CIS
Council of Defense Ministers

ArmRadio.am
30.05.2006 12:26
RA Ministry of Defense issued a statement today, which says that in
case of lack of security guarantees the Armenian delegation will not
leave for Baku to participate in th esitting of the CIS Council of
Defense Ministers.
`Considering that the Secretariat of the CIS Council of Ministers did
not manage to get guarantees for the security of the members of the
Armenian delegation, the decision was taken not to participate in the
sitting to be held May 31 in Baku.
This fact evidences once again that Azerbaijan is not able to
accomplish its duties ` to guarantee the security of the participants
of an international event on its territory. In its turn, the
Secretariat of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers is obliged to
provide for conditions for participation for all CIS countries. We
anticipate the official position of the CIS Council of Minister in
this regard,’ the statement says.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress