Author: Jilavian Emma

FUNERAL OF RUDOLF KHACHATRIAN TO TAKE PLACE AT CITY PANTHEON OF YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Aug 22, 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The governmental commission set up
in connection with the death of People’s Artist of the ASSR Rudolf
Khachatrian issued on August 20 a press release which reads:

"The Armenian painting art suffered a heavy loss: the prominent
Armenian graphic artist, People’s Artist of the Armenian Soviet
Socialist Republic Rudold Khachatrian passed away at the age of 71
in Germany, in a Berlin hospital.

Rudolf Khachatrian was born in Yerevan in 1937. His exceptional
painting abilities became apparent in early childhood, and as far back
as 1955 graphic works of the gifted young man were displayed at various
republican exhibitions where they received special attention. The
inborn artistic gift of the painter developed and improved in the
studio of Yervand Kochar, under Master’s direct supervision. Later,
when studying history of the world and Armenian art and mastering the
experience of old and new painters, R. Khachatrian started developing
gradually his unique style and his own technical manner.

On the whole, the painter’s art formed in the 1960s but it
matured, reached perfection and won wide recogition after 1971 when
R. Khachatrian moved to Moscow. The portraits and still lives of a
small size painted with black or reddish-yellow pencils during this
period are notable for their high-quality technical performance and
the immaculate, classic purity of lines.

Since 1978, certain, although not sharp, changes occured in Rudolf
Khachatrian’s art: the size of his graphic papers increased, along
with pencil, he started to use sepia (light brown ink) and sangina
(reddish crayon), as well as pen and brush. Not only paper but
also white or colored thick cardboard now served as a basis for his
images – something which gave his works a peculiar artistic lustre,
elegance and purity. The painter often dressed his models in old
national costumes, exotic splendid clothes and headgear which give
these images a fine appearance and evoke various histrorical and
literary-artistic associations of viewers.

In 1990, Rudold Khachatrian made a unique attempt to develop the
"space painting" principles of his teacher Yervand Kochar by creating
"objects" from laminated wood or tin which either join each other
orthogonally or revolve on various axes.

R. Khachatrian is also the author of a number of highly artistic
pictures.

His works have been dispalyed in many countries where they have won
prizes and awards. The painter’s personal exhibitions in Moscow (1978,
1984), Liningrad (1979), Odessa (1979) and Yerevan (1980, 1983, 1997)
were held with great success.

The image of the untimely deceased painter who occupies his worthy
place in the history of modern Armenian art will remain in memory of
numerous admirers of his art."

The governmental commission for organization of the funeral of
People’s Artist of the ASSR Rudolf Khachatrian informs that the
body of Rudolf Khachatrian will be brought from Moscow to Yerevan
on August 22. The civil funeral rites are scheduled for August 23,
12 am – 2 pm at Yerevan ‘s Komitas Chamber Music House. The funeral
will take place on the same day at the Yerevan City Pantheon.

IRAN SUPPORTS AZERBAIJAN’S POSITION ON ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT: PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN

Trend News Agency
Aug 21 2007
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend A.Ismaylova / Iran supports position
of Azerbaijan on the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
said the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, on 21 August in Baku
at the press-conference as a result of talks with the President of
Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

He said that an article on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was included
in the joint declaration of the Presidents which was signed on 21
August in Baku. The State Head of Azerbaijan said that he discussed
with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the joint projects, as well as measures to
ensure stability in the region. Aliyev added that the results of the
talks showed that the two countries are near each other. Touching upon
the regional conflicts, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that all problems
should be resolved via talks.

"Those who create conflicts and apply force for regulating conflicts
do not hold the position of peace and justice," Ahmadinejad said.

According to him, Iran supports peace, stability and respect for the
rights of all peoples. He said that all peoples have equal rights.

"Iran is against any violence worldwide. The peoples should resolve
conflicts peacefully," Iranian President highlighted.

The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in 1988
due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia has
occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and its seven surrounding Districts. Since 1992, these
territories have been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time
the active hostilities ended. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group
(Russia, France and USA) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.

NO MIRACLES OCCUR IN POLITICS
Lilit Poghosyan

Hayots Ashkharh Daily Newspaper
21 Aug 2007
Armenia

In response to our questions, GAGIK MINASYAN, member of the RPA
faction and Head of the NA Committee, touches upon the pre-election
"winds" blowing on the political arena prior to the heated autumn
and the predictions of the native fortune-tellers.

"I don’t think the process developing on the political arena contains
any extraordinary elements. The Presidential elections are in store
and it is natural that more active discussions were to take place in
that connection.

On the other hand, the political process becomes somewhat active due
to the fact that the Opposition did not actually manage to seriously
prepare for the Parliamentary elections, and the factions that didn’t
manage to cross the 5 per cent barrier reduced the votes of their
electorate to dust in the aftermath of such a short-sighted policy. In
fact, 25 per cent of voters were thus deprived of the opportunity to
see their elected activists and parties in the National Assembly. And
a 25 per cent electorate is really a considerable resource. I think
those factions could have been elected to the National Assembly had
they oriented themselves properly; and their electorate would have
its representatives in the Parliament.

Consequently, life itself forces our colleagues belonging to the
Opposition to find possible solutions and be able to stand for the
coming presidential elections in a more proper manner. And what
you characterize as a "prelude" of the heated autumn, it is quite a
regular and predictable process, at least in my estimation."

"And isn’t there something extraordinary in the fact that some
pro-Opposition parties ‘fearing’ the Armenian pan-National Movement are
currently negotiating with the former activists without any complex.

Even the issue of running for Presidency with a united candidate is
under discussion."

"I don’t see anything extraordinary there either. The political
factions currently operating inside the pro-Opposition camp were
naturally expected to be in new political formats and in search of
new unions, considering that they did not manage to orient themselves
properly during the previous elections. It is logical that such
search should also have led to cooperation among other factions
including the Armenian pan-National Movement. That’s to say, the
Armenian pan-National Movement does not seem to stand out from other
factions. Therefore, I consider such consultations quite natural.

However, we have, perhaps, to wait a little more and see whether those
developments will finally make them unite their efforts. Either that
will happen or the things will remain unchanged."

"It is possible to infer from your words that the Republican is
interested in the in the triumphant end of the negotiations, under-way
on the pro-Opposition front. While the pro-Opposition leaders insist
that the RPA leaders are doing their best to prevent the process of
the Opposition’s unification."

"I cannot agree in any way that the Republican leaders are doing
their best to prevent the Opposition from uniting. If you remember,
even before the Parliamentary elections a lot of political figures
including me announced many times that in terms of the accomplishment
of the country and the political arena it will be more favorable for
the Opposition to act in a united front and for the political mosaic to
contain capable and strong political factions and activists. From this
point of view, I still share the opinion that should the RPA candidate
have a serious political rival in the person of the Opposition’s
united candidate, the elections will be more interesting.

Anyway, I think that the election results are clear, regardless
whether or not the Opposition will unite. Out Candidate will run for
Presidency based on the reserve’ stored in the sphere of political
practice and state building, and it does not simply give others any
chance to succeed during the Presidential elections.

But I repeat, the election campaign will be more interesting if the
pro-Opposition front manages to put aside the pretensions discussed not
only by society, but also by the pro-Opposition leaders themselves and
unite their efforts on some political, ideological or common economic
basis. I believe, this will become a very important stage for the
recovery of the political mosaic, and I consider it extremely important
for the regular development of our further political processes."

"If some miracle occurs and the Opposition stands for election with a
united team, can Mr. Ter-Petrosyan become the center of unification
around which the traditional, i.e. the pro-Opposition parties not
belonging to the Armenian pan-National Movement and not pursuing their
views, can reach an agreement. Can this essentially change the logic
of the pre-election game?"

"Let’s not talk about miracles. I think, in case Levon Ter-Petrosyan
appears on the political arena and is proposed as a candidate, it
will be impossible for the political processes to undergo serious
changes even if some part of the Opposition supports his candidacy.

No miracles occur in politics. What a man sows, so shall he reap. As
to the Armenian pan-National Movement, very few positive things are
possible to say about it both for the period of its active political
work and after the party’s departing from active politics. The people’s
memory is not short enough to be obliterated by some miracle and
make it possible to persuade the public that the opinion they have
formed about the Armenian pan-National Movement should be changed
for certain reasons."

"While some people hope that in case Mr. Ter-Petorsyan is proposed
as a candidate, even the pro-Government coalition will ‘split’, and
‘some factions’, habitually called rats, will be able to move to the
camp of the Armenian pan-National Movement."

"No essential changes may occur in this camp either, because
the political factions included in the ruling coalition, i.e. the
Republican and ‘Prosperous Armenia’, have quite good reasons not to
change their attitude towards the Armenian pan-National Movement and
its candidate, considering the party’s behavior both during the period
when it represented the authority and after it left it.

As far as L. Ter-Petrosyan is particularly concerned, when a political
figure is not engaged in politics for a long time, his return is
a rather problematic issue. On the other hand, I don’t find it
quite appropriate for the present moment to touch upon the issue,
because Mr. Ter-Petrosyan himself has not yet made any statement in
this regard."

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT AMENDS TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS TO MEAT AND MEAT PRODUCTS

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Aug 16 2007

YEREVAN, August 16. /ARKA/. Armenian government amended technical
requirements to meat and meat products, making them up to European
standards.

Grisha Baghyan, chief of Armenian Agriculture Ministry’s unit on
veterinary and food safety, told journalists on Thursday that these
amendments will make it possible to offer higher-quality products
to consumers.

"Besides, up-to European-standards products will be exported and
imported", he said.

Baghyan said that amended regulations will contain tables with
standards set by taking into account European experience.

The first table, he said, will contain permissible norms of poisonous
substances, antibiotics and vitamins presence in foodstuffs. The second
table will point out pathogenic germs and mold-forming substances. In
the third table proteins and carbohydrates will be listed and in the
fourth technical requirements to processing enterprises indicated.

Baghyan also said that the new regulations will also make it possible
to conduct more effective monitoring of all products offered to
consumers.

"Ten properly equipped laboratories are functioning now in Yerevan.

These laboratories are ready to examine examples of foodstuffs offered
by State Control Agency", he said.

The requirements to meat and meat products were upheld by Armenian
government on October 19, 2006.

LEVON ARONYAN IN FINALS

Panorama.am
20:52 16/08/2007

Today Armenian Grand Master Levon Aronyan and Indian Vishvanatan Anand
battle for the title in the 960th world chess championship. As informed
by the chess federation, Aronyan defeated the Uzbek Kasimjanov,
while no one played Anand and Frenchmen Etieni.

In this stage, the Armenian chess master obtained 4.5 out of a possible
6 points, Anand had 4, Bakron had 2, and Kasimjanov 1.5. Today Aronyan
will play the final against Anand, in four matches. In case of a tie,
one match will determine the winner.

We remind that the Armenian sportsmen come to the 960th championship
as trophy winners. Levon Aronyan stands to be the chess king for the
current year.

DOLLAR VS. DRAM – FACT VS. FICTION
By Harut Sassounian, Publisher, The California Courier

AZG Armenian Daily
15/08/2007

In the last couple of years, the U.S. dollar has lost more than 40%
of its value against the Armenian currency, the dram.

This devaluation has had a major impact on Armenia’s economy on
several fronts:

– On-going projects in Armenia, funded in dollars from overseas, have
considerably exceeded their allotted budgets, forcing investors and
donors either to curtail their projects in order to remain on budget
or substantially increase their planned expenditures.

– The stronger dram has reduced Armenia’s exports, as Armenian products
have become more expensive for foreign buyers.

– A large number of Armenians, who have been surviving on funds
sent to them from their families overseas, have had their incomes
reduced drastically, as the dollars they receive are worth much less
than before.

– On the positive side, imports from overseas have become cheaper,
as the dram now buys much more in dollars.

The devaluation of the dollar has given rise to speculations as to
the true reasons for the reduction in the value of the dollar vs. the
dram. Some have alleged that by lowering the value of the dollar,
the local oligarchs are able to import cheaper goods.

Unfortunately, most of those who have written about this issue in the
press have had no professional training on the subject of currency
exchange, leading them to make uninformed judgments.

Recently, when an acquaintance asked this writer for his opinion on
the alarming rate of the devaluation of the dollar in Armenia, he
advised this individual to contact an expert in financial matters so
that facts are separated from fiction. In response to his queries,
Vache Gabrielyan, a Board Member of the Central Bank of Armenia,
wrote a brief analysis, providing his reasons for the devaluation of
the dollar vs. the dram.

Gabrielian explained that in the past 5 years, except for rising
investment and trade flows, the inflow of dollars sent to citizens
(not businesses) through the banking system alone has increased from
$420 million in 2002 to $1.2 billion in 2006. These large amounts of
transfers or remittances from overseas, along with other factors, such
as productivity improvements, have lowered the value of the dollar. He
said that "due to a high share of migrant workers in the workforce,
as well as a widespread Diaspora, banking transfers (remittances)
are among the most important."

Gabrielyan pointed out that "Armenia’s GDP last year was about $6
billion — i.e., the transfers through the banking sector alone are
about one-fifth of the economy, and the net inflow of banking system
transfers to private citizens — $450 million, is roughly equal to all
the printed cash money in circulation. In such conditions, the Central
Bank, under constraints of not allowing too much of local currency
inflation has absorbed about one-third of the net inflow. You may
have noticed that exchange rate volatility is less this year. Still,
even after Central Bank intervention the amount of inflow is so large
that it cannot not have an impact on the exchange rate."

He concluded by saying that "the exchange rate appreciation is going
to continue, and this is not caused by domestic factors. Indeed,
US weak dollar policy, growing oil prices and our regional economic
relationships all have an impact on it. We hope, that appreciation will
proceed at a slower pace, and we are trying to mitigate it the best way
we can. Fixing the exchange rate is not a sustainable policy option,
and none of our professional international counterparts (the IMF,
World Bank, etc.) recommends such an action."

Not being an expert in the field of currency fluctuations, this writer
cannot give a definitive assessment of the above analysis. It is hoped
that the level of discourse on this and all other subjects would be
taken out of the domain of gossip and speculation and turned over to
those who are experts in their respective fields.

Just because the dollar’s value is falling in Armenia, one should not
automatically jump to the conclusion that this is due to fraudulent
activity. The Central Bank official provided a seemingly reasonable
explanation for the devaluation of the dollar. If other experts are
willing to present their analyses, this writer will publish them too,
providing an opportunity for the public to have a more comprehensive
understanding of the financial situation in the Armenia.

Unsubstantiated accusations, offered by those who have no expertise
in currency fluctuations, only serve to blame the wrong parties
and mislead a nervous Armenian public that is already under great
financial stress.

ARMENIA’S MINISTER OF EDUCATION, DIASPORAN TEACHERS DISCUSS PROBLEMS OF ARMENIAN COMMUNITIES ABROAD

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Aug 13 2007

YEREVAN, August 13. /ARKA/. RA Minister for Education Levon Mkrtchian
met today with teachers from the Armenian Diaspora who pass annual
training courses in Yerevan.

During the meeting, the Minister introduced educational reforms in
Armenia to 30 teachers from 11 different countries, the press service
of the RA Ministry for Education reports.

Participants to the meeting discussed issues of establishing
Armenian-Diasporan bilateral relations in the educational sphere,
as well as problems of Armenian communities abroad.

Mkrtchian was concerned about the decrease of Armenian students in
Diasporan schools. Therefore, he attached importance to the patriotic
mission of Armenian teachers abroad.

In their turn, the teachers were concerned about the issues of
teaching Armenian as a foreign language, providing handbooks and
teaching materials, establishing departments of Armenian Studies
in higher educational institutions abroad, as well as the possible
financing of those programs from the RA state budget.

Participants to the meeting also discussed prospects of training
specialist for Armenian communities abroad, as well as organizational
issues connected with visits of Diasporan students to Armenia.

OHIO MAYORS RALLY IN SUPPORT OF GENOCIDE RECOGNITION

armradio.am
13.08.2007 16:04

Shortly after becoming the 40th US State to recognize the Armenian
Genocide by proclamation of Governor Ted Strickland, Mayors Michael
Coleman, Frank Jackson, and Mark Mallory issued proclamations in
remembrance of the Armenian Genocide reported the Armenian National
Committee of Ohio.

The strongly worded proclamations all note the importance of genocide
recognition and the significant role that Ohioan Armenians play
throughout the state. ANC of Ohio’s David Krikorian an Ohio activist
has been instrumental in working on having the various Mayors issue
proclamations remembering this historical fact

Earlier this year, while at a bookstore in Oakley, Ohio, Krikorian
found a book called Martyred Armenia and the Story of My Life,
1920, written by Krikor Gayjinkian, an Armenian priest who fled
to Cincinnati, Ohio during the Armenian Genocide, and recounted
his stories of the massacres that took place towards the Christian
Armenians by the Muslim Turks. "With their proclamations, the fine
mayors of Ohio’s largest cities have set an example for all Ohioans to
recognize genocide where and when it happens no matter the political
fallout. It is this kind of leadership that can end the cycle of
genocide which started with the Armenian Genocide and continues to
this day with the genocide in Darfur," commented Krikorian.

In his proclamation, Mayor Cleveland dedicated the week of July 22-28th
in honoring and remembering the genocide of the Armenians, coinciding
with ANCA’s second "Call for Justice" campaign in which thousands
of activists from across the nation participated in calling their
member of Congress urging support of the legislation. The success of
the two call in days added tremendously to the support and awareness
of the resolution.

Ohio’s Congressional delegation has a strong record of support for
Armenian Genocide legislation with Representatives Dennis Kucinich
(D-10), Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-11), Betty Sutton (D-13), Steve
LaTourette (R-14), Tim Ryan (D-17), and Zack Space (D-18) having
already cosponsored H. Res 106. Newly elected Senator Sherrod Brown
(D) is a cosponsor of the Senate version of the initiative, S.Res.106.

Currently over 225 U.S Representatives are signed on to H. Res. 106,
and over 30 Senators signed on to S. Res. 106.

Agency WPS
What the Papers Say Part A (Russia)
August 10, 2007 Friday

CASPIAN PIPELINES MEET IN KAZAKHSTAN;
Nursultan Nazarbayev and Ilkham Aliyev divide interests

by Arkady Dubnov

Kazkhstan busy with gas pipeline negotiations; A cooperation
memorandum for the Trans-Caspian Pipeline project was among the
bilateral documents signed during Azeri President Ilham Aliyev’s
two-day visit to Kazakhstan. The TCP project is supported by the USA
and the European Union. Naturally, Moscow disapproves of it.

Both of Kazakhstan’s capital cities – Almaty and Astana – have become
centers for preparations and decision-making in relation to new
transport projects within the East-West corridor. Talks under way in
Almaty are aimed at preparing agreements on building a gas pipeline
along the Caspian coast and reconstructing the gas transport system
between Central Asia and Russia. Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan
are supposed to sign these agreements by September 1; this was
decided at a trilateral heads of state meeting. According to Turkmen
official media, some experts from Uzbekistan are attending the Almaty
talks, along with specialists from Russia, Turkmenistan, and
Kazakhstan.

In Astana, Kazakhstan’s new capital, a cooperation memorandum for the
Trans-Caspian Pipeline (TCP) project was among the bilateral
documents signed during Azeri President Ilham Aliyev’s two-day visit
to Kazakhstan. The TCP project is supported by the USA and the
European Union; it involves laying a pipeline across the Caspian Sea
floor to deliver gas from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan to Europe
across Azerbaijan and Georgia, bypassing Russia. Naturally, Moscow
disapproves of the TCP project. After the trilateral agreements were
signed on May 12, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov of
Turkmenistan announced that the Caspian coast pipeline agreements
don’t mean that Ashgabat is no longer interested in the TCP. In late
June, Berdymuhammedov also assured a visiting US State Department
official that he still supports this project.

The memorandum signed by Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in Astana on
August 7 is further evidence that writing off the TCP project would
be premature – although some analysts came to that conclusion after
the three heads of state met on May 12. On the other hand, according
to a high-ranking source in Kazakhstan, "this memorandum is nothing
more than a declaration of intent so far." And it was only signed
because two important and controversial points were deleted at the
last moment.

As Ilkham Aliyev said in Astana, "Azerbaijan is prepared to make
every effort to ensure free, unhindered access for energy and cargo
transport" from Kazakhstan. And President Nursultan Nazarbayev of
Kazakhstan emphasized: "We are very interested in Azerbaijan as
transit territory – as agreed earlier, we are involved in the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) project, and we shall participate in gas
projects and a rail link across Azerbaijan and Georgia to the Black
Sea."

Note the words "as agreed earlier": Nazarbayev reminding Aliyev of
Kazakhstan’s participation in the BTC. According to an Astana source,
this could hardly be a casual reference, since those agreements are
now in question. Firstly, Astana and Baku still haven’t reached
agreement on acceptable tariffs for transporting Kazakhstan’s oil via
the BTC. Secondly, Baku recently started saying that Azerbaijan would
have enough oil of its own to fill the BTC pipeline; this would
deprive Kazakhstan of any prospect of full-scale participation in the
BTC. At present, Kazakhstan’s oil is transported by tanker from Aktau
to Baku, in volumes too small to be taken seriously.

A source close to the Azeri-Kazakh negotiations told us: "The guests
from Baku invited us to participate in a transport corridor across
Azerbaijan. We replied that we are prepared to do so, if they offer
us good terms." For example, President Nazarbayev noted that
Kazakhstan "is interested in expanding transport infrastructure at
sea ports around the Caspian."

According to our sources, Astana is concerned about Baku’s
protectionism with regard to its Caspian shipping – to the detriment
of Kazakhstan’s shipping. Nazarbayev has even proposed a bilateral
agreement on Caspian shipping. Reportedly, Aliyev promised to think
it over.

As for everything else, Nazarbayev said that "there are no problems
between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan – neither economic nor political
problems." The two leaders are resolved to raise bilateral trade
turnover from $300 million to $1 billion "in the near future."
Nazarbayev said: "Kazakhstan is grateful to Azerbaijan for supporting
its application to chair the OSCE in 2009, and Kazakhstan supports
all of Azerbaijan’s international initiatives." Clearly, this applies
to Aliyev’s calls for the international community to condemn Armenia
as an aggressor state which continues to occupy Azeri territory.
However, Aliyev made no mention of Armenia during his visit to
Kazakhstan. It wouldn’t have been polite; after all, Kazakhstan is
regarded as a close ally of Armenia within the CIS Collective
Security Treaty Organization.

Source: Vremya Novostei, August 9, 2007, p. 5

Translated by Elena Leonova

ARMENIA’S MAIN PRIORITY IN FOREIGN AGENDA IS ESTABLISHMENT OF RELATIONS WITH ALL COUNTRIES OF REGION

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.08.2007 14:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’s main priority in foreign agenda is
establishment of good-neighbor relations with all countries of the
region, as well as strengthening and deepening country’s active role in
the region and the world," Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
stated. "There are the following priorities included in the agenda:
to ensure a deserving place for Armenia in the conditions of new
geopolitical changes proceeding from the necessity to guarantee
security and economic development for the country; Armenia’s
participation in programs of global importance, particularly in the
straggle against international terrorism; Armenia’s active involvement
in important international organization," Oskanian stressed. The FM
also underlined that it is necessary for the country to participate
in Euro-Atlantic and post-Soviet structures, integrate in European
processes, develop relations with Russia the United States and European
Union, which are involved in regional processes.

"In regional respect Armenia must develop good-neighbor relations
with Georgia and Iran, establish relations with Turkey, settle the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict and normalize relations with Azerbaijan. We
must strengthen the regional stability and cooperate in mutually
beneficial conditions, provide Armenia’s participation in the on-going
regional international programs," Oskanian told in an interview to
the Iranian-based Armenian newspaper "Huys".