Author: Jagharian Tania

SERGE SARGSIAN: MAY 9 HAS BECOME DOUBLE SYMBOL FOR US

YEREVAN, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian president Serge Sargsian
sent a congratulatory message to the war veterans on the occasion of
Victory and Peace Day. The message, which was submitted to NT by the RA
president’s press service, reads:

"Dear veterans,

Dear compatriots,

I congratulate you on Victory and Peace Day.

The victorious end of the Great Patriotic war was an event of
exceptional importance in the life of our people as well. The Armenians
played a considerable role in this victory by their involvement in the
armies of the allies, in the resistance movements and especially in the
Soviet army. The peace was achieved at the cost of enormous sacrifices
and opened new prospects for our people not only to heal the wounds but
also to develop our country. Today’s Armenia is the continuation of the
republic which was rescued and prospered thanks to the feats of those
who achieved this victory.

Since 1992, May 9 has become a double symbol for us. By liberating
Shoushi, the new generation proved that it is a worthy successor of the
heroic past of its ancestors. Shoushi has become a symbol of Armenians’
love of freedom, inflexible will-power and their ability to overcome
ordeals with honor.

On this holiday we remember with pride all those who died for
Fatherland. The memory of our heroes will live on.

Congratulating you on the occasion of this double holiday, I wish all
of us a peaceful sky and deeds worthy of our historical victories".

Galust Sahakyan: Levon Ter-Petrosyan had a certain task but he did not
manage to fulfill it fully and now he will leave the political field

2008-05-08 16:03:00

ArmInfo. Deputy Chairman of the RPA Galust Sahakyan assessed Levon
Ter-Petrosyan’s speech at the second Congress of Armenian pan-national
movement as a "step-back", he said at the press-conference in Pastarq
club.

He also added that "step-back" is when a person takes a part of blame.
Sahakyan thinks that in future the opposition will start new actions as
an artificial protest cannot last long. He also said that Ter-Petrosyan
is going to leave. ‘Levon Ter-Petrosyan had a certain task but he did
not manage to fulfill it fully and now he will leave the political
field’, – he said and added that at the moment strategy of the first
president has changed.

RA FM meet CE Commissioner for human rights and Chairman of European
court for human rights

2008-05-08 16:00:00

ArmInfo. RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan met CE Commissioner for
human rights Tomas Hammerberg and Chairman of the European Court for
Human Rights Jean-Paul Costa in trasbourg yesterday.

As RA FM press service reports, during the meeting with T. Hammerberg,
E. Nalbandyan noted, with satisfaction, the level of cooperation with
CE Commissioner for human rights. The minister said that RA government
attentively treats the proposals made upon the results of his visit to
Armenia on March 14-16. The minister said about creation of a working
group for fulfillment of proposals contained in PACE Resolution 1609.
During the meeting with Chairman if the European Court, RA FM confirmed
Armenia’s readiness for deepening of the cooperation.

EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO 60th ANNIVERSARY OF RA HONORED PAINTER VALMAR
OPENS AT NATIONAL GALLERY OF ARMENIA

YEREVAN, MAY 8, NOYAN TAPAN. An exhibition dedicated to the 60th
anniversary of RA honored painter Valmar (Vladimir Margarian) opened on
May 2 at the National Gallery of Armenia, where more than 80 works by
the painter were presented.

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian, Minister of Culture Hasmik
Poghosian, other high-ranking officials, as well as fans of Valmar’s
art were present at the official opening of the exhibition.

Congratulating the painter on the occasion of his jubilee, RA Minister
of Culture awarded Valmar Ministry’s gold medal.

T. Sargsian said that the RA government will undertake steps for
Armenia to become a cultural center in the region. "I think Valmar will
be the soldier of culture, who will prove with his biography that we
have realistic ambitions. I am sure that we will be able to become a
cultural center with Valmar and many talented artists like him," the
Prime Minister said. At the same time he said that to make Armenia a
cultural center we should first of all change society’s attitude to
art, as well as create all possible conditions for artists.

As art critic Saro Sarukhanian evaluated, Valmar is one of the unique
artists, thanks to whose creations the Armenian people became known in
different countries of the world. And, according to him, it is not
accidental that Valmar is considered a painter of Great Armenian World.
According to S. Sarukhanian, with his obstinacy and devotion Valmar was
able to overcome many difficulties and today he is considered one of
the most renowned painters in the world.

"The art loving society in my canvases is able to find and appreciate
everything, which is close to it and seems unique. I try to speak with
people through my paintings, which proceed just from my heart and
essence," Valmar said.

AZG Armenian Daily #088, 09/05/2008

Armenia-Turkey

"TURKEY HAS TWO PRECONDITIONS FOR ARMENIA"

Hulusi Kilic, the Ambassador of Turkey in Azerbaijan
stated, "As there has been no progress in the peace
process on Karabakh, it is untimely to speak about
cooperation between the two states". He stressed that
Turkey will establish diplomatic relations with
Armenia only after Armenia insures the settlement of
the Karabakh conflict and gives up efforts to achieve
worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

According to the bulletin of Armenian Research Center
of Ankara, reported by AzeriPress news agency, the
statement was made on the day of the meeting of the
Armenian and Azeri Foreign Ministers in Strasbourg.

By H. Chaqrian, translated by A.M

FIRST CAREER FAIR OF TOURISM SECTOR HELD IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The first career fair of the tourism
sector with the participation of 25 companies of the tourism sector and
higher educational institutions was held at the European Regional
Academy in Yerevan on May 7. The fair was organized by the
USAID-financed Competitive Armenian Private Sector (CAPS) Project in
cooperation with the Armenian-Greek State College of Tourism, Services
and Food Industry, the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University, the
Armenian Institute of Tourism and the State Linguistic University after
V. Bryusov.

In his speech the RA deputy minister of education and science Ara
Avetisian attached special importance to such events – in terms of
forming the standards of "education quality" for higher educational
institutions by the business sector.

The head of the Employment Service of the RA of the ministry of labor
and social issues Sona Harutyunian said that career fairs are also
important from the viewpoint of enabling to collect information about
demand and supply of workforce.

The CAPS director Hayley Alexander expressed his satisfaction at the
large number of fair participants. He stated that CAPS will continue
assisting with the organization of career fairs in Armenia (in 2007 the
CAPS organized a career fair of the IT sector, another fair will be
held this year).

Prior to the career fair, the CAPS held a seminar on resume preparation
for students and alumni of higher educational institutions. It is also
envisaged organizing an information seminar and courses on efficient
methods of staff recruitment for the companies that have participated
in the fair.

PanARMENIAN.Net

RA FM discusses Karabakh process with OSCE MG Co-chairs
07.05.2008 14:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Currently in Strasbourg for
participation in the 118th session of the Council of
Europe Committee of Ministers, Armenia’s Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian met Tuesday with Co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassadors Bernard Fassier
of France, Yuri Merzlyakov of Russia and Matt Bryza of
the U.S. as well as with Personal Representative of
the OSCE CiO, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, the RA MFA
press office reported.

The parties discussed continuation of Karabakh talks
on the basis of OSCE MG proposals.

Edward Nalbandian appreciated highly the mediators’
activities and confirmed Armenia’s willingness to
continue talks for resolution of the Karabakh problem.

NESTLE ISSUED A FORMAL APOLOGY TO AZERBAIJAN

Trend News Agency
May 4 2008
Azerbaijan

The Swiss-based multinational food company, Nestle, has apologised
to Azerbaijan after a gift attached to a breakfast cereal backfired,
BBC reported.

The CD-ROM featured information about countries around the world but
the data on Azerbaijan caused outrage there.

It said that Azerbaijan had started a war against neighbouring Armenia
and that the hotly disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh belonged
to Armenia.

Nestle has withdrawn the cereal and promised to seize the offending
CDs.

Conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the early 1990s over
Nagorno-Karabakh killed an estimated 30,000 people.

Hundreds of thousands of refugees were created on both sides.

And despite a peace deal in 1994, the situation remains tense and
volatile.

Nestle inadvertently stumbled into a minefield.

The Azeri government vowed to take action, and there has been
widespread talk of a public boycott.

Nestle has now issued a formal apology but some Azeris are still
not happy.

They accuse Nestle of playing Armenia’s hand, and are demanding more
than just an apology to chew on.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SIGNS A DECREE ON APPOINTING ARTUR BAGHDASARYAN SECRETARY OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

arminfo
2008-05-04 21:10:00

ArmInfo. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree on
appointing Artur Baghdasaryan the Secretary of the National Security
Council, the Armenian presidential press-service told ArmInfo.

Note: Artur Baghdasaryan was born on November 8, 1968. In 1985-1992 he
studied at the law faculty of the Yerevan State University. In 1989-
1993 he worked for the "Avangard" newspaper as a journalist, then as
a head of a department and finally as a deputy editor. In 1994-1997
Baghdasaryan studied at the Russian Academy of State Service. In July
1995 he was elected a deputy of the Armenian parliament, in March
1998 he was elected chairman of the Armenian parliamentary standing
commission for state and legal affairs. In June 1998 Baghdasaryan was
elected chairman of the Law-Governed Country Party (Orinats Yerkir). In
May 1999 Baghdasaryan was elected an Armenian MP. In 2001-2003 he was
a member of the Armenian parliamentary standing commission for foreign
affairs. In 2003-2007 he was an Armenian MP, from June 12, 2003 till
May 29, 2006 he held the post of the Speaker of the Armenian National
Assembly. On May 12, 2007, he was elected an MP from the Law-Governed
Country Party. Baghdasaryan is married and has three children.

THE WEST IS SERIOUS ABOUT AZERBAIJAN
VARDAN GRIGORYAN

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 03, 2008
Armenia

On May 1 touching upon the forthcoming, October 15 presidential
elections in our neighbor country, the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Ann
Darcy, proposed merely unsolvable issues to Azerbaijani authorities.

In her view their future cooperation with Azerbaijani government and
the civil society will be directed to `holding the first free and fair
elections in the history of that country’. It is quite comprehensible
that the United States is trying to solve quite different issues, by
placing similar inaccessible plank in front of Azerbaijanis
authorities.

To have the preliminary picture of the goals of the United States,
let’s familiarize ourselves with the list of the organizations, which
are going to get 3 million dollars from the US government, for
assisting the process of the elections in Azerbaijan ` examining the
complaints, conducting parallel counting of the votes, organizing
pre-election debates, training the law enforcers, etc. They are ` the
US National Democratic Institute, the Republicans’ International
Institute, International Fund of the Electoral System, the American
Lawyers’ Association, the International Council of Investigation, and
Exchange, which includes the whole `assortment’ of the American
structures skilled in `colored revolutions’.

Meanwhile the Committee dealing with small grants under the US State
Department will start the funding of Azerbaijani non-governmental
organizations and social groups.

Before the publication of the names of this rather outstanding
organizations, the not less famous `Ago’ group was dealing with
Azerbaijan, which in its April 22 report attached great importance to
making amendments in Azerbaijan’s Electoral Code and emphasized the
significance of the adoption of the amended version of the law on `the
Freedom of Rallies’ with the participation of Venice Committee. The
task of ensuring the independence of the national council of the TV and
Radio has also been advanced.

So, it turns out that all the American and European structures that
used to deal with Georgia and Armenia in winter are sending their
`landing forces’ to Azerbaijan.

It’s worth mentioning that Azerbaijan’s governing elite is seriously
concerned about the steps taken by western structures before the
presidential elections in Azerbaijan on October 15, trying to confront
their proposals, reports, and suggestions regarding the organization of
democratic elections. Meanwhile they are trying to create an impression
that allegedly there are no objective or subjective preconditions for
the repetition of the events that took place in Georgia and Armenia.

But it is evident that despite the impression of the stability and
economic development of Azerbaijan created by Ilham Aliev and his
administration, the problems existing in this country are far more
complicated than the ones in Georgia and Armenia. Particularly the
stressed difference in the development of the capital city Baku and the
suburbs, or the dissimilarity of the income of different layers of
society, is greater than in any other country in South Caucasus
deprived of oil and gas resources.

Unlike Armenia there is also an emphasized dissatisfaction towards the
policy of the past years, regarding Karabakh issue, which the
pro-oppositional radical powers will definitely speculate during the
pre-election campaign.

However the profound motives of the US and European organizations are
still not clear. But one thing is evident, that they will over again
pursue their double standard policy here, the USA will try to `liven
up’ the pro-oppositional powers, by giving hopes of victory, on the one
hand, and will `work’ with Ilham Aliev, trying to extort concessions of
geopolitical nature from him, one the other hand.

In our opinion by October 15 the Unites State and all the international
structures acting under its patronage, as well as the EU countries will
do their best to apply the formula `weak authorities ` strong foreign
players’ in Azerbaijan, the same way as they did in Georgia and
Armenia. The thing is, whether or not Azerbaijani pro-oppositional
powers will succeed in using all this in strengthening their positions.

In any case the electoral hullabaloo, in store for Azerbaijan, promises
to turn into a short but indispensable period for the re-establishment
of the internal unity for our people and making Armenia’s foreign
policy more active.’