Author: Kafian Jirair

ARMENIAN CAPTURES TITLE
Rich Brown

Joplin Globe
July 20 2008
MO

Florida State netter fails to win second straight Futures

On a morning when youngsters in Sunday school could have been listening
to a story about David and Goliath, there was a David and Goliath tale
of its own taking place elsewhere in Joplin. However, the characters’
roles were reversed.

The 10-day USTA Freeman Men’s $10,000 Futures tournament came to a
close Sunday at Millennium Tennis and Fitness Club. And the singles
final seemed to share a few comparisons with that famous biblical
story in the book of First Samuel.

David or, in this case, Jean-Yves Aubone was doing battle with a
Goliath from Armenia, Tigran Martirosyan. But here’s where the Joplin
story differs from that one in the land of Judah.

On this day it was going to take more than a slingshot for the
20-year-old college student from Florida State to topple the powerful
bearded Armenian.

Even though Aubone put up a valiant fight, coming back from a 6-3
loss in the first set to win 7-5 in the second, Martirosyan’s booming
serves, pinpoint volleys and exacting strokes took their toll in
the third and deciding set, which Martirosyan won in Goliath-like
fashion, 6-0.

Martirosyan started off breaking Aubone in his first time to serve
in the opening set and going up 4-2 before the Floridian could
get on track. The crucial point came when Aubone was down 4-3 and
serving. Martirosyan won the game on a sharp volley at the net that
went untouched and then closed out the set on his serve.

"My game plan was to start off strong and not to miss many balls," said
Martirosyan, who was making his second straight Futures appearance
at Millennium, having lost in the quarterfinals last year. "I was
determined to not give him any free points and look for my opportunity
to attack."

After both players held serve to open the second set, the third
game proved to be the longest of the match, lasting 15 minutes and
going through five deuces. The scrappy Aubone, who will be a junior
next year at Florida State after playing No. 1 for the Seminoles his
sophomore year, finally won to hold serve and then went on to break
Martirosyan’s serve in the next game.

That proved to be the momentum that Aubone needed, as he jumped
out to a 4-1 lead. Martirosyan came back to break Aubone’s serve
and hold his own to put the score at 4-all. After Aubone took a 6-5
lead on his serve, he broke the Armenian’s serve to give him the 7-5
second-set victory.

"In the second set he started playing a little more accurate,
not making so many mistakes anymore, and things went his way,"
said Martirosyan, who earned his master’s degree recently while on
a student visa in America. "I had so many opportunities and break
points in the second set. Twice I had two long games with many break
points and I couldn’t convert them and in the next game right away
I just lot my serve."

There was no doubt from the beginning that the third set was going
Martirosyan’s way. He only allowed Aubone one point on the Floridia
student’s serve in the opening game and kept up the pressure the rest
of the way.

"I thought I need to really mentally hang in there and I was able to
turn things around," said Martirosyan, who lives in Boston where he
teaches tennis at the Westboro Tennis and Swim Club.

The 25-year-old Armenian won his second love set in as many days. On
Saturday, in the semifinals, he came back from an opening-set loss to
defeat Travis Helgeson 6-0 in the second before winning the third-set
tiebreaker 7-4.

VIVA CELL FINANCES PROGRAMME FOR IMPROVEMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN GEGHARKUNIK REGION

ArmInfo
2008-07-21 15:10:00

ViVa Cell financed a programme for improvement of the infrastructure
in Gegharkunik region. As the Public Relations Department of Viva
Cell told ArmInfo, a 1,200 meters long gas pipeline is laid in Lichk
village within the frames of the programme that allowed to provide 80
families with gas. VivaCell also extended its all-reaching hand to help
address the problem of the lack of reliable irrigation infrastructure
in the village of Madina and other villages nearby. Here the company
allocated AMD 9 million for the complete renovation of a 20 km long
irrigation water supply network thanks to which the water passing
through Madina now reaches Verin Getashen and Lichk villages to
irrigate 15 hectares of productive lands. The total sum of Viva Cell
investments made up 17 mln drams.

‘As a socially-responsible company, VivaCell continues on implementing
its large-scale programs having long-term positive impact on the
Armenian society, with special focus on improving the quality of
life of people living in the regions of Armenia’, the Company’s
message says.

VivaCell (K-Telecom CJSC) is the leading Armenian mobile operator. It
enters the group of companies of one of the biggest mobile operators
in the territory of Russia and CIS – MTS company.

Public Opinion (Chambersburg, Pennsylvania)
July 18, 2008 Friday

Wilson to offer scholarships to women of Armenian descent

Women of Armenian descent will be able to apply for full-tuition
scholarships at Wilson College through the new Hagop Bogigian
Scholarship.

The scholarship, which is being finalized, will be available to two
women for as many as four years, provided they meet the college’s
standards for satisfactory academic progress.

After four years, the scholarships would become available to new
students.

Those eligible to receive the scholarship must meet all Wilson College
entrance qualifications and be accepted for admission.

Recipients will be responsible for paying for room and board and all
other fees and expenses.

For students with greater financial need, additional funds may be
obtained from the college through the Varter Bogigian Deranian
Scholarship Assistance Fund.

Additional federal or state aid also may be available for eligible
students.

Hagop Bogigian was an Armenian immigrant who made his fortune in
America as an importer of Oriental rugs.

After a visit to Wilson College more than 80 years ago, he chose to
leave most of his estate to the college and to endow the Hagop
Bogigian Fund to offer financial help to young women of Armenian
origin.

Wilson’s art gallery, the Hagop Bogigian Gallery, honors his memory.

"For many decades, Wilson College has benefited from the vision and
generosity of Hagop Bogigian," said Wilson President Lorna Duphiney
Edmundson. "Today, as we launch Wilson’s Global Citizenship
Initiative, it is especially fitting that these scholarships be made
available to students of Armenian descent in Hagop Bogigian’s name."

For more information about the Hagop Bogigian Scholarship, contact the
Wilson College Office of Admissions at 1-800-421-8402 or
[email protected] .

TURKISH OFFICIALS DO NOT RULE OUT POSSIBILITY OF ACCEPTANCE OF ARMENIAN PRESIDENT’S INVITATION BY THE TURKISH PRESIDENT

ArmInfo
2008-07-18 17:52:00

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan confirms direct talks with
Armenian officials to boost dialogue between two neighboring countries

As Turkish ‘Hurriyet’ daily reported, Turkish and Armenian officials
had met in Switzerland on July 8.

"Turkey is a country which recognizes Armenia. We hold meetings
and consultations with our Armenian interlocutors from time to
time," Ali Babacan told in a joint news conference with his Iranian
counterpart. Turkey and Armenia held a series of secret meetings
in the capital of Switzerland on July 8. A high-level official
from the Foreign Ministry headed the Turkish delegation during the
talks which led to a positive atmosphere between the two countries,
according to a report in Hurriyet daily. This meeting came after
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s proposal for "a fresh start"
with the goal of normalizing relations with Turkey and opening the
border. Sargsyan also invited Turkish President Abdullah Gul to watch
a football match between the two country’s national teams on Sept 6 to
mark "a new symbolic start in the two countries’ relations". Turkish
officials told Hurriyet the invitation has been evaluated and did
not rule out accepting it since it would not be an official visit.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT MEETS WITH HEADS OF EXAMINATION COMMISSIONS

ARMENPRESS
JULY 18

President Serzh Sargsian conducted today a meeting with the heads of
subject examination commissions of the 2008 entrance exams to higher
state educational establishments.

Governmental press service told Armenpress that during the meeting
the leader of the country was interested in the issues the heads of
the commissions have and what support they expect for conducting fair,
organized and high level examination process.

Serzh Sargsian underscored the necessity of ensuring publicity and
transparency of the whole examination process.

"The whole process of examination must coincide with the policy we
have adopted," the president pointed out and warned that any other
manifestation will be strictly punished.

The president also spoke about the serious reforms which are expected
to be carried out in the education sphere.

The heads of commissions noted that they clearly understand the
responsibility they have assumed and assured that they will do
everything for the conduction of the examination process on a high
level.

COMPANIES TO PAY EURO 10,000 FOR TENDER PACKAGE OF THIRD MOBILE OPERATOR IN ARMENIA

ARKA
July 16

RA Public Services Regulatory Commission has approved the tender
document kit for the third mobile operator on Armenian market.

The commission also approved the license for the communication for
the third mobile operator, the license for getting codes and numbers,
as well as the documents for providing radio frequencies.

The Commission’s Telecommunication Department Gevorg Gevorgyan said the
tender announcement will be published in Financial Times. Interested
companies must get registered within ten days.

Within 25 days after the announcement is published, companies must
pay 10,000 EUR to get the tender package and pass the pre-qualifying
round. This sum is refundable in case they fail to pass the
pre-qualifying round.

Only then they can submit a bid. In fact the lowest required bid sum
is 10mln EUR.

"The tender commission will publicize all the bids within three days
after they are received," Gevorgyan said.

The winning company must get registered in Armenia and obtain a
license within ten days.

The winner will be granted a fifteen-year license to operate a number
of radio frequencies and two telephone codes – 374 (0) 55, and 374
(0) 95.

Earlier Deputy Minister of Transport and Communication Vruyr Arakelyan
said some of the candidates are known. According to him, they are
from Russia, European countries and Iran.

Two companies are currently operating on Armenian mobile communication
market – ArmenTel, totally owned by Russian VimpelCom, and VivaCell
with the controlling shares owned by Russian MTC Company.

NALBANDIAN, RICE REITERATED NECESSITY OF PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO KARABAKH PROBLEM

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.07.2008 12:34 GMT+04:00

Currently in Washington, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbanidan
met Monday U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

The top officials noted that historical and traditional
Armenian-American ties as well as the current legal field and political
will offer a possibility to expand ad deepen cooperation.

"Armenia attaches importance to development of multilateral relations
with the United States," the Minister said, RA MFA media relations
division head Tigran Balayan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Minister Nalbandian appreciated highly the U.S. economic assistance to
Armenia that has amounted to $1,9 billion since the republic announced
independence and implementation of programs in various fields.

Touching on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement process,
Nalbandian and Rice reiterated the necessity of peaceful talks in
the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group and on the basis of Madrid
proposals which will secure progress in the process.

As to normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, Minister
Nalbandian said Armenia is willing to establish diplomatic ties
without preconditions. He also briefed Secretary Rice on the steps
Armenia’s undertakes in this direction.

U.S., ARMENIA SIGN NON-PROLIFERATION DEAL

Middle East Times
July 15 2008
Egypt

WASHINGTON, July 15 (UPI) — The United States and Armenia have
signed an agreement to increase cooperation on combating nuclear
proliferation.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Armenian Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian on Monday signed the agreement that would enhance
Armenia’s abilities to prevent the smuggling of nuclear or radioactive
materials through detection and more effective response capabilities,
the State Department reported.

The agreement, which marks the fifth cooperative initiative signed
between the two countries, is part of the U.S. nuclear smuggling
outreach program. Officials say there are 28 steps Armenia has promised
to carry out to further non-proliferation efforts.

"With this agreement, the U.S. and Armenian governments are
significantly enhancing their collaborative efforts to combat
the threat that nuclear or highly radioactive materials could be
acquired by terrorists or others who would use them to harm us,"
the release said.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
July 15, 2008
Contact: Michael A Zachariades
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA AND LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
TO LAUNCH NGO COALITION BUILDING PROJECT

Washington, DC – Washington, DC – The League of Women Voters (LWV) and
the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) are launching a project in
Armenia that will provide local NGOs with the skills necessary to
successfully build and maintain coalitions.

Nearly 5,000 registered NGOs exist in Armenia, working in a variety of
sectors and working on issues such as those facing children, youth,
women, as well as on issues such as the environment, human rights,
conflict resolution, anti-corruption, and more.

Speaking at a conference in Armenia last year, Zaida Arguedas, LWV
Deputy Director stated that "working in coalitions is not easy, it
requires a lot of discipline and clear internal rules and if successful,
coalitions are the most effective tool to effective advocacy."

This concept builds on the work the Assembly’s NGO Center program
(launched in 1994) has done to strengthen Armenian NGOs. Assembly
Country Director for Armenia and Karabakh Arpi Vartanian said, "The NGO
sector in Armenia has become a lively and vital part of Armenian
society. Imagine the synergy that would develop if these NGOs united in
coalitions, or even cross-sector coalitions, to address some of the
issues which are important to the people they represent!"

"Both organizations have a strong commitment to help advance and
strengthen democratic principles and the rule of law, said co-funder
Charles Talanian. "I am confident that this new initiative will help
foster and build upon existing structures already in place," Talanian
added.

Co-funder and Assembly Board of Trustees Member Peter Vosbikian stated,
"The Armenian Assembly is committed to ensuring a secure, prosperous and
democratic Armenia, and by partnering with the League of Women Voters,
we have taken another important step forward. I am excited about this
project and commend the League of Women Voters for their enthusiasm and
commitment to making this a great success," added Vosbikian.

Peter Vosbikian and Charles Talanian are Armenian Assembly members and
private donors to this project. The program will provide educational
opportunities for NGOs to learn and practice coalition building
techniques, skills necessary for successful NGO and coalition
management, networking opportunities and more. It is expected that the
initial phase of the project will take place in southern Armenia,
inviting five to seven NGOs to participate.

"We’ve met with many people in Armenia representing local and
international NGOs and structures. All welcomed this initiative,
agreeing that coalition building would benefit the NGO sector, and
offered their assistance to help it succeed. The Armenian Assembly looks
forward to working with the League of Women Voters, benefiting from its
decades of experience, to further strengthen Armenia’s NGO sector,"
concluded Arpi Vartanian.

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization,
encourages informed and active participation in government, works to
increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences
public policy through education and advocacy. Membership in the League
is open to men and women of all ages. With more than 88 years of
experience and 850 local and state affiliates, the League is one of
America’s most trusted grassroots organizations.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
membership organization.

###

NR#2008-058

Photograph can be viewed on the Assembly’s Website at the following
link:

Caption: (L-R) Zaida Arguedas, League of Women Voters Deputy Director
and Arpi Vartanian, Armenian Assembly Country Director for Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh
< c/images/PR_-_2008/June-July/AAA-a
nd-LoWV.jpg>

Sirak Sarhatian’s `My Memoirs’ book to be presented on July 15

armradio.am
14.07.2008 12:22

On July 15th of 2008, the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute will host
the congratulatory event dedicated to Sirak Sarhatian’s `My Memoirs’
book. This event will take place in the Komitas Hall of the Institute.
The first publication of the `My Memoirs’ had been conducted by the
author himself and had taken place in Tehran, of 1942. This recent
publication has materialized due to the extensive efforts of the
Research on Armenian Architecture (RAA) center.

Born in the Aikesdan region of Van, Sirak Sarhatian’s `My Memoirs’
provides us with a unique, extensive and explicate perspective on the
heroic resistance of the Armenians of Van and the human struggle for
survival during the genocidal periods of 1915-1918. Furthermore, the
book provides us with, a broad overlook on the struggles of the
survivors and a microscopic view of the specific fortunes of certain
individuals who lived through the genocide.

The second edition is dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the
independence of the First Vaspouragan Armenian Republic (January 6th,
1918).