Author: Kajoyan Gevork

ARMENIAN ARTIST CREATED TWO FRESNO SCULPTURES
By Paula Lloyd

Fresno Bee
Feb 16 2009
CA

Question: What happened to Varaz Samuelian’s artworks? — Lesley
Purewal, Clovis

Answer: The late sculptor and artist Varaz Samuelian was born in
Yerevan, Armenia, and came to Fresno in 1957.

He created two well-known sculptures on display in downtown Fresno —
the 18-foot-tall copper-plate David of Sassoon statue beside the Hall
of Records and a bust of William Saroyan in front of Saroyan Theatre
at the Convention Center.

By his own count, Samuelian created about 1,000 works during his 40
years in Fresno, some of which were displayed at his Varaz Modern
Art Museum which once stood near Community Regional Medical Center.

Samuelian gave the David of Sassoon statue to Fresno County, and it
was installed in 1971. The statue depicts the warrior astride his
horse, Jalai, wielding a huge sword, as legend says he did to drive
invaders from Armenia around the 7th century.

Samuelian made a concrete working model of the David of Sassoon statue,
which sits in a backyard near L and Monterey street. It can be glimpsed
from northbound Highway 41.

Samuelian made a second statue of his friend Saroyan. The 30-foot
metal and wood structure — a bust of Saroyan atop 4-foot models
of some of his books — once sat at Samuelian’s museum. The work is
owned by California State University, Fresno, and is being restored
by the school’s sculpture department.

Some of Samuelian’s artwork belongs to the Armenian Studies program at
Fresno state. Many other pieces of his work are stored in a northwest
Fresno warehouse.

Samuelian died in 1995 at 78.

Hurriyet / Turkish Daily News
Feb 13 2009

ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN LOAN FINALIZED

Armenia and Russia have finalized an accord for the release of a $500
million Russian loan that aims to assist the Armenian government in
alleviating the impacts of the global economic crisis felt by the
country, the Finance Ministry in Yerevan said.

Russian Finance Minister Aleksey Kudrin announced Tuesday his
governments decision to distribute stabilization credit on Feb. 4
after weeks of Russian-Armenian negotiations, reported Armenia Liberty
on its Web site. Yerevan reportedly sought up to $1 billion in Russian
assistance during the talks.

Armenia will repay the Russian loan over 15 years, with a four-year
grace period, the Armenian Finance Ministry said in a statement. The
finalized accord does not require any non-financial obligations from
the Armenian side, according to the statement, assuring Yerevan will
not repay the loan with industrial assets.

Large-scale external assistance is essential for the success of the
governments efforts to lessen the global downturns impact on the
Armenian economy, said Armenia Liberty. The World Bank announced last
week that it would provide Armenia with up to $800 million in loans
for the upcoming four-year period.

The government aspires to use these promised funds to undertake
infrastructure projects in rural areas of the country and provide
credit to local small- and medium-size enterprises. These measures
will at least partly help to counteract the loss of many jobs in
export oriented industries and pave the way for an anticipated drop in
large scale remittances from Armenians working abroad, according to
officials

Vartan Bostanjian, deputy chairman of the Armenian parliaments
economic committee, evaluated the governments anti-crisis plan as
almost faultless, however, he also said its implementation would be a
grueling task. "Every person, including myself, wonders if we will
manage to implement the program in full," he said

Meanwhile, Bagrat Asatrian, a former governor of the Armenian Central
Bank who is deeply critical of the government, said authorities still
lacked a clear-cut strategy to deal with the global
recession. Asatrian also strongly disparaged the governments ongoing
crackdown on tax evasion, stating this move had deteriorated the
financial status of many small businesses and self-employed Armenians
and forced them into bankruptcy

"The world would not collapse if they delayed their tax crackdown by a
year," Asatrian said during a public debate with Bostanjian. "Up to
5,000 people would keep their jobs."

GORAN LENNMARKER: "IF THERE IS A POLITICAL WILL SOLUTION TO NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT IS POSSIBLE"

APA
Feb 12 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Viktoria Dementieva – APA. "Solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict
is possible this year, because it has big advantages for Azerbaijan and
Armenia," Goran Lennmarker, OSCE PA President’s Special Representative
for the South Caucasus and Nagorno Karabakh conflict told journalists
at the airport in Azerbaijan, APA reports.

To him if there is a political will solution is possible.

"It is very important for your country. Your country has thousands
of refugees and IDPs, who wish to go back. For them it is extremely
important to reach the solution to the conflict," he said.

Goran Lennmarker said balance should be found between the two
principles – territorial integrity and self-determination of peoples
for the settlement of the conflict.

"I think presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia will find the solution
to the problem," he said.

Goran Lennmarker will have meetings with Azerbaijani President,
Foreign Minister and speaker of parliament in Baku.

LOKOMOTIV RESERVE FORWARD GOHARYAN WON’T PLAY FOR BELARUSIAN BATE

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.02.2009 12:52 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Belarusian BATE football club did not invite
Lokomotiv reserve forward Hovhannes Goharyan, the club’s website said.

"The information is untrue," said Mikhail Dementsev, BATE general
manager.

Meanwhile, Goharyan said he is going to change his club to gain
practice this year.

"I will play for another team. This is for certain. I receive many
offers but I prefer to play in the first division to gain practice
because I risk remaining on the bench if I play for a prime league
team. Then, I will return to Lokomotiv," he said.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN’S WORKING MEETING WITH ARMAVIR MARZPET

armradio.am
09.02.2009 16:53

President Serzh Sargsyan today had a working meeting with Armavir
Marzpet Ashot Ghahramanyan, President’s Press Office reported.

The Marzpet presented to the President the work done in 2008 and
the programs for 2009. He also reported on the process of the work
in the direction of solving issues envisaged by President Sargsyan’s
pre-election platform and the issues raised by residents of Armavir
marz during the election campaign.

President Sargsyan directed to pay special attention and take steps
to ensure irrigation water and sale of agricultural products.

Ashot Ghahramanyan informed he will soon visit Sverdlovsk region
to sign a corresponding agreement on the export of agricultural
products. The Marzpet informed also that the delegation of the same
region is going to visit Armavir marz to sign corresponding agreements
with producers.

Mr. Ghahramanyan informed that negotiations are underway on opening
the branch of Sverdlovsk tractor factory in Armavir.

GORAN LENNMARKER: GOOD POSSIBILITY FOR SOLUTION ON NAGORNO KARABAKH

armradio.am
06.02.2009 14:50

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Special Representative on
Nagorno-Karabakh and Special Envoy for Georgia, Goran Lennmarker,
said that there is a "good possibility" for the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict to be solved this year, but "time is scarce" and it is now
"critically important to seize the opportunity."

Mr. Lennmarker, President Emeritus of the OSCE PA, will visit all three
countries in the South Caucasus next week. He made the statement in
an interview for the OSCE PA web site.

His trip to the region includes visits to Armenia 9-10 February,
Georgia 10-12 February, and Azerbaijan 12-14 February, where he
will hold talks with the leaders in the parliaments, governments,
and with NGOs.

Goran Lennmarker said the purpose of the visit is to meet with the
leadership of the three countries of the Southern Caucasus – the
Parliaments, the Governments, the Presidents, as well as with NGOs,
and to discuss the situation in general in the three countries in the
Southern Caucasus, and particularly the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
with the Armenians and Azerbaijanis, and the conflicts in South
Ossetia and Abkhazia with the Georgians. "I hope the result will be
positive signals that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is on its way to a
peaceful resolution, where the two countries, Armenia and Aze rbaijan,
are prepared to agree on a solution that is mutually beneficial for
both of them, particularly for the peoples of the two countries,
especially the refugees and the internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Asked whether he believes the Nagorno Karabakh conflict will be slved
in 2009, Mr. Lenmarker said he thinks there is a good possibility
for that.

"It is very much up to the leadership of the two countries to take
responsibility for resolving it. We from the outside can support
and help and also give support after a solution. But it’s the
responsibility of the two countries, particularly the leadership and
also the two parliaments to actually reach a peaceful solution."

"But I would like to add something about time. Time is a scarce
commodity. I think it’s important that solutions are reached early-on
because dragging on and on, the situation on the ground deteriorates
and people have less and less hope. There is a feeling that you
negotiate and you negotiate and nothing happens – a lot of talk,
delegations come, but nothing is delivered. And this reflects not only
on us from the international side, but also on the national leadership
at the political level. And I think that is critically important now to
seize the opportunity. Time is not unlimited," Goran Lenmarker stated.

The OSCE PA Special Envoy said the settlement of the conflict would
give an enormous imp etus to the two countries in all aspects of
societal life. Besides, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution would
have an enormous impact on the whole region of the Southern Caucasus,
he said. "The two countries that are affected, but also Georgia,
would benefit from closer co-operation and the possibility of more
positive economic developments."

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Friday, February 6, 2009

AGBU Study Abroad Program in Armenia: Summer 2009 Applications Available
Now

The Study Abroad Program (SAP) in Armenia has been developed as one of
AGBU’s newest initiatives to address the broader educational needs of
Armenian youth in the Diaspora. Blending accredited academic coursework
with the benefit of cultural immersion in Armenia, the program aims at
providing in-depth knowledge of topics in a variety of academic
disciplines placed in a regional context, helping participants gain a
new perspective on the Caucasus.

A collaborative effort with the American University of Armenia (AUA), an
affiliate of the University of California, the AGBU Study Abroad Program
in Armenia is a unique four-week summer study program which allows
students to take up to two 4-credit courses offered by top universities
in Armenia. These English-instructed courses are designed to offer
undergraduate juniors and seniors in good academic standing academic
enhancement in a broad spectrum of subject areas, specifically human
rights and civic development in the Caucasus, health-care systems in
transforming economies, current issues in global security, women and
human rights, and information technology.

Academic credit is granted through AUA, which is accredited by the
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Accrediting
Commission for Schools, one of seven regional bodies recognized by the
United States Department of Education. Collaborating universities for
the 2009 session include Yerevan State University, the State Engineering
University of Armenia, and the Yerevan State Medical University. The
faculty is comprised of top experts in their fields from both the
Diaspora and Armenia.

Academic studies are supplemented with a cultural enrichment program.
While in Armenia, students live in an AGBU residence along with
participants of the AGBU Yerevan Summer Intern Program (YSIP). Together,
they partake in a variety of social, cultural, educational, and
recreational activities that allow participants to explore the land,
heritage, history, and people of Armenia and Karabakh. Participants have
the opportunity to tour AGBU projects in Armenia and meet with
government officials. In addition to sightseeing tours and excursions,
evening and weekend activities in Yerevan include Armenian dance
lessons, Armenian language courses, cooking classes and Armenian history
lectures presented by a wide range of professionals.

While similar to its cohort AGBU intern programs in New York, Paris, and
Yerevan, which offer college-age students a complete mix of professional
and cultural, as well as personal, experiences, leading to lifelong
friendships, the Study Abroad Program is unique in that it gives young
Armenians studying in different educational institutions all over the
world a chance to enhance their academic experience while directly
reconnecting them to their heritage.

The 2009 summer session will take place from June 29 to July 24. To help
defray the cost of this valuable experience, AGBU is awarding
scholarships to 15 eligible applicants of Armenian descent.

For further information and to obtain an application for the 2009 Study
Abroad Program in Armenia, please email [email protected] or visit
Please note, while course enrollment is
administered through AUA, the reciprocity of credits is to be cleared by
participants with their home institution. The submission of a separate
Study Abroad Application (available at )
to AUA is required. The deadline for both applications is April 1, 2009.

The American University of Armenia (AUA) was established in 1991 as an
independent graduate university based on American educational models.
AUA offers master’s level programs in business, engineering, computer
science, political science and international affairs, law, public
health, and teaching of English as a foreign language. To learn more,
visit

Yerevan State University (YSU) was established in 1920 as Armenia’s
first public institution of higher learning. YSU has over 90,000 alumni.
Currently, 13,000 students are enrolled in 22 departments covering a
wide range of disciplines in letters, arts, and sciences. To learn more,
visit

The State Engineering University of Armenia (SEUA) is the leader in
national technological education. Since its foundation in 1933, SEUA has
graduated over 100,000 students. Today, the University has over 11,000
students and 1,000 full-time faculty members. SEUA offers undergraduate
and graduate degrees in over 100 engineering specialties. To learn more,
visit

The Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU) trains medical staff not
only for Armenia and the neighboring countries of Iran, Syria, Lebanon,
and Georgia, but also for many other countries throughout the world. A
large number of foreign students from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the USA,
and the Russian Federation study together with Armenian students. To
learn more, visit

For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit

NATURAL GAS AND ELECTRICITY TARIFFS TO RISE IN ARMENIA FROM APRIL 1

Noyan Tapan

Feb 5, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Starting from April 1, the natural
gas and electricity tariffs will rise in Armenia due to an increase
in the price of gas supplied by Russia. Based on it, the drinking
water tariff will also grow, the chairman of the RA Public Services
Regulatory Commission Robert Nazarian stated at the February 5 sitting
of the National Assembly when he presented the 2009 program of the
commission’s activities.

He said that the commission must approve the new tariffs of natural
gas and electricity and will inform the public about it by late
February. R. Nazarian avoided making forecasts about the the size
of the new gas tariff as the negotiations between Russian side and
ArmRusgazprom have not finished yet. In his words, "the gas price may
be not so much noticeable for households, the price will increase
to some extent for other subscribers, and, of course, it will also
cause some problems in energy sector".

ARREST OF JAVAKHETI ARMENIANS REGULAR PROVOCATION OF GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.02.2009 15:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The recent arrest of Javakheti Armenians and
accusation of spying for Russia is nothing but a regular provocation
of Georgian leadership, Russia’s Ambassador to Armenia said.

Meanwhile, Nikolay Pavlov refrained from commenting on the actions
of the Georgian authorities as regards the Armenian organizations
in Javakhk.

Asked about the difference between the right to self-determination
of Nagorno Karabakh and that of Abkhazia and Ossetia, recognized by
Russia, Ambassador Pavlov said that "as the Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk
Group, Russia will support decisions taken within this structure."

He also refuted hearsay on construction of second Russian military
base in Armenia.

As to formation of CSTO rapid reaction force, the Ambassador said
that the agreement was signed yesterday and any discussion would be
premature yet.

LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS NEEDED IN ARMENIA TO MAKE BIG BUSINESS PAY FULL AMOUNT OF TAXES

Noyan Tapan

Feb 5, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Although the State Revenue Committee
adjunct to the RA government performed its major tasks in 2008, some
problems and shortcomings still exist in the system, the committee
chairman Gagik Khachatrian said when presenting the annual report on
February 4.

In his words, the taxation of importers and producers has not yet
been brought to a satisfactory level. There is some work to be done
in terms of regulating the tax registration and the circulation of
documents, and the introduction of cash registers is aimed at that. He
underlined the necessity to make big business pay the full amount of
taxes, which requires some legislative amendments.

Speaking about the customs sector, he said that the issue of
determining customs values of imported goods is urgent, and it is
necessary to establish closer cooperation with a number of structures
in order to solve this problem. "The process of receiving information
from several countries considered risky is still imperfect and
steps must be taken so as to make the fight against smuggled and
faked goods primary under conditions of the global economic crisis,"
G. Khachatrian stated.

In 2008, tax revenues of more than 615 billion drams were collected
by the Committee. The exporters were refunded 24.4 bln drams,
which exceeds the 2007 index by 10.1 bln drams. The actual growth of
revenues made 119.3 bln drams as compared with 2007, including 76.8 bln
drams collected by customs bodies and 42.5 bln drams collected by tax
bodies. The main growth of revenues was ensured at the expense of VAT –
69 bln drams, profit tax – 10.7 bln drams, income tax – 6.9 bln drams,
fixed payments – 18.1 bln drams, and customs duty – 13 bln drams.