Author: Kalashian Nyrie

MHER MESROPIAN TAKES 5TH PLACE IN YURMALA INTERNATIONAL SONG CONTEST: GEORGIAN DUET "GEORGIA" BECOMES WINNER OF CONTEST

NOYAN TAPAN

JULY 29

In the seventh international contest of young performers of popular
music New Wave – 2008, which was being held in Latvian resort city of
Yurmala, Mher (Mher Mesropian) took the fifth place. The Georgian duet
"Georgia" became the winner of the contest.

Rati Durglishvili and Maka Zambakhidze gained 352 points as a result
of the three contest days and took the first place, surpassing the
other 16 participants from different countries.

The international contest of toung performers New Wave was being held
in Yurmala from July 23. Round 5 thousand claimants took part in the
selective stages, out of which the jury selected 17 performers from
14 countries of the world: from Italy, Canada, Macedonia, Russia (3
participants), Armenia, Belarus, Germany, Israel, Latvia, Georgia,
Finland, the Ukraine (2 participants), Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.

Russia’s representative Iris took the second place, Italian Alessandro
Ristori took the third place. Latvia’s representative Dons took the
fourth place.

On Monday July 28 the awarding ceremony and the final gala-concert
took place. This year the organizers of the New Wave have enlarged the
prize fund of the contest: now it is 0 thousand. Besides the first,
second, and third prizes, there are also the audience’s sympathy
prize and Alla Pugachova’s prize of thousand.

The international contest of young performers of popular music has
been held in Yurmala since 2002. It’s a completely new international
project which continues the traditions of the contest-festival Yurmala
which has a history of many years and is greatly loved by everyone.

The idea of organizing a new contest not resembling any other held
before in the territory of Russia and CIS countries belongs to
composers Igor Krutoy and Raymond Pauls. The winners of the New Wave
are awarded Crystal Wave prize which represents three uprising waves
of white crystal crowning keys of black crystal.

NATO MILITARY EXERCISES FROM SEPTEMBER

Panorama.am
20:56 28/07/2008

In these days NATO announced that Cooperative Longbow/Lancer 2008
military exercises are to be held in Armenia from 29 September to 21
October in the frames of NATO’s Partnership for Peace Program. More
than 1100 military soldiers will take part in the exercises from 21
countries 7 of which are NATO member countries.

The main direction of the current activities is based on responding
crisis the initiative taken by NATO authorized by the UN. The mission
of the exercises is to guarantee a balance among the military exercises
implemented in NATO member countries and cooperating countries.

QUITE INCOMPARABLE THINGS

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on July 29, 2008
Armenia

"In the past, there was a tradition in the Mechitarist Congregation
not to engrave the name of a dead person on his gravestone right
after his death. Only 50 years later, if society remembered him/her,
was his name engraved there. So, time will show who has done what.

Both in 1988 and in 2003, the Republican Party supported
Robert Kocharyan, and as a result of cooperation with Andranik
Margaryan, there was a permanent growth in our economy during those
years. Although there were certain flaws, I stick to my opinion that
that the Armenia which was ruled by Mr. Ter-Petrosyan and the Armenia
which was ruled by Mr. Kocharyan are absolutely incomparable with
each other" EDWARD SHARMAZANOV says.

ANOTHER BIGGER MONETARY TRANSFER SYSTEM MONEYGRAM SUPPORTS SEPARATISTS OF NAGORNO KARABAKH – PHOTO

Today.Az
July 28 2008
Azerbaijan

Two banks, illegally functioning in Khankendi – Artsakhbank and
ArmEconomBank are cooperating with the world’s bigger monetary transfer
system MoneyGram, according to the website of the system.

The second bank (ArmEconomBank) is an Armenian bank and can open
its illegal "affiliate" in the occupied land without any prior
notification, while ArtsakhBank was founded in Karabakh on the basis
of the "Central Bank of Karabakh" and former Savings Bank, which
means that it has been illegally occupied:

ArtsakhBank cooperates with Western Union, LEADER, MoneyGram and
Migom. Moreover, it is also a member of MasterCard Internations.

Notably, MoneyGram International, Inc is an American financial
company, dealing with operations on the international financial
markets, offering international monetary transfer services. It is
headquartered in Minneapolis. The company was founded in 1940. It is
one of Western Union’s rivals on the market of international monetary
transfers. MoneyGram currently functions in 182 countries of the world.

We call on the Foreign Ministry, Finance Ministry, National Bank of
Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers, Banking Association of
Azerbaijan and directors’ board of all Azerbaijani banks to interfere
with the situation and give the worthy response to all monetary
systems, conducting illegal transfer of money to Nagorno Karabakh
and take in all details, connected with ArtsakhBank and "shutdown"
of VTB affiliate in Nagorno Karabakh.

‘LEFTIST MAGAZINE SERVED AS NETWORK’S RENDEZVOUS POINT’

Today’s Zaman
July 29 2008
Turkey

The magazine Turksolu (Turkish Left), known for its anti-European
Union and anti-American stance, was a meeting point of coup planners,
a convict has stated during an interrogation.

Semih Tufan Gulaltay, currently serving 14 years in prison for his
involvement in organized crime, stated in an interrogation by a
prosecutor that he met frequently with three Ergenekon suspects,
namely retired Capt. Muzaffer Tekin, Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate
spokesperson Sevgi Erenerol and ultranationalist lawyer Kemal
Kerincsiz, at the Taksim office of Turksolu magazine.

Ergenekon is a political crime gang that is believed to have been
preparing for an overthrow of the government. Scores of suspects
have so far been either detained or arrested as part of an ongoing
investigation into the gang.

"I frequently met with these three in meetings held by the
magazine. Kerincsiz regularly participated in Turksolu’s meetings,"
Gulaltay reportedly said.

Turksolu magazine first gained prominence with its ultranationalist
coverage and rallies held in 2003. Participants in these rallies
frequently called for a military coup, carrying banners that read
"Army to duty." It is also known for its opposition to reforms recently
made by the government to introduce broader cultural rights for Kurds
in the country. Banners that read "There is no Kurdish problem,
there is a Kurdish invasion" and "Turkish boys and girls, protect
your Turkishness" were also frequently observed at demonstrations
organized by the magazine.

The magazine also expressed satisfaction over the assassination
of Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink by an ultranationalist
youth. "Dink was an enemy of Turks. His murder did not plunge us
into grief," read a statement released by the magazine soon after
the shooting.

Dink was shot dead in broad daylight in January 2007 in front of the
office of his bilingual newspaper Agos.

PanARMENIAN.Net

WSP assists leaders of Asian states in meeting with
U.S. administration for good fee
25.07.2008 16:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Worldwide Strategic Partners consulting corporation
founded by well-known U.S. lobbyist Stephen Payne assists leaders of
Asian states in meeting with the U.S. administration for good fee, The
Sunday Times reports.

`Houston-based Worldwide Strategic Partners Inc. arranged for the
president of Azerbaijan to visit the United States and meet with
President Bush … (and) arranged a private phone call between the
vice president of the United States and the president of
Azerbaijan. It also states that he "developed" and placed a series of
op-ed pieces written by influential U.S. officials to boost positive
U.S. public perception about Azerbaijan," the report says.

WSP also `worked’ with members of the Helsinki Committee to smooth the
wording in the American press regarding the outcomes of the 2006
presidential election in Azerbaijan and helped a media campaign to
discredit the Azeri opposition.

A series of editorials and comments by famous U.S. politicians was
published to create a positive image of Azerbaijan.

From: "Katia M. Peltekian" <[email protected]>
Subject: Vagabonds: Sculpture by Mamikon Yengibarian, Photography by Antonucci

Caboodle.hu, Hungary
July 26 2008

Vagabonds – Sculpture by Mamikon Yengibarian, Photography by Roberto
Prina Antonucci

When: from Thursday, 31 July 2008 until Thursday, 28 August 2008
Where: Art Factory Gallery II
What: Exhibitions (museums/galleries)

"Ten bronze alley cats will prowl across the floor of Art Factory II
from July 31 – August 28. These are the ‘Vagabonds’ by renowned
sculptor Mamikon Yengibarian.

The exhibition will open on July 31 at 7 p.m. as part of the famous
Falk Miksa Collectors’ Night during which area galleries will feature
many special events throughout the evening. Art Factory II is located
at Markó u. 4, near the corner of Falk Miksa.

The ‘Vagabond’ sculptures appeared in the Arsenale of the Venice
Biennale in 1999. Each has their own personality, conveying emotions
ranging from playfulness to haunted loneliness.

Armenian-born Mamikon Yengibarian has been a member of the Hungarian
art community for nearly 20 years. The Derkovits scholarship is
amongst the many awards he has received. Yengibarian has gained an
international reputation for his popular ‘Tumbling Dolls’ sculptures
in the Four Seasons Hotel Budapest Gresham Palace.

The sculpture installation is complemented by a photography series by
Italian photographer Roberto Prina Antonucci. Using a single black and
white photo as a base, Prina has digitally overlaid text referring to
the traditional saying "cats have nine lives." A former resident of
Budapest, Prina is known for his candid street shots of the faces of
Europe.

The exhibition also includes ‘Babylon’ by abstract, minimalist painter
Halmi-Horváth István. The small black-on-black diptych reflects on the
military operations and rape of art treasures in Iraq. The piece
features a cat-shaped pattern from the ancient Mesopotamian Gate of
Istar. According to Iraqi folklore animals are guardian beings."

Italian photographer Roberto Prina Antonucci last exhibited his work
at the Art Factory Gallery two years ago.

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PACE CHAIRMAN: "PACE IS READY TO ASSIST TO RESOLUTION OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT IN THE FRAMEWORK OF ITS MISSION"

Today.Az
July 25 2008
Azerbaijan

PACE is ready to assist to resolution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict
in the framework of its mission and activity principles, said PACE
chairman Luis Maria de Puig at the meeting with Armenian parliament
speaker Tigran Torosyan.

"Though PACE has not played a special role in the conflict resolution,
it is ready to assist in this issue in the framework of its mission
and activity principles and fully supports the approaches of the OSCE
MG co-chairs", a source from the public relations department of the
Armenian Parliament reports with reference to de Puig.

The PACE chairman confirmed the position of the organization,
in line with which the conflict should be settled on the basis of
two regulations of the Helsinki Final Act- right of nations for
self-determination and principle of territorial integrity, by way of
peaceful negotiations in line with international law with any armed
settlement ruled out.

According to de Puig, he spoke of the said approach in Baku as well. He
confirmed that the demand to execute resolution 1416 which also fixes
these principles is still in force.

Speaker Torosyan voiced concerns around Nagorno Karabakh issue. Taking
into account that as the PACE chairman must voice his position
based on PACE’s opinion, Torosyan stressed the commitments, which
Armenia and Azerbaijan undertook in 2001 while joininf the Council
of Europe, whose execution must be controlled by the rapporteurs of
the monitoring group.

"PACE resolution 1416 notes that any territory can separate from the
state lawfully on the basis of people’s will, that is the national
right for self-determination. At the same time, it is noted that
no Assembly member-states can not join any country, which is the
principle of territorial integrity of the country", reminded Torosyan.

The speaker also noted that the CE Committee of Ministers, which
released the document, directly referring to paragraphs 4 anf
8 of the Helsinki Final Act regarding the right of nations for
self-determination and territorial integrity of the states, also
responded to the said resolution in 2005.

The parliament chairman reminded that PACE resolution 1316 contained
appeal to stop propaganda of hatred, hold joint meetings for discussion
of problems.

"However, the resolution was not effective by some unknown reasons. In
the result, the PACE rapporteurs, who were too engaged and not familiar
with all details and peculiarities of the problem included regulations,
going beyond the previous PACE resolution, to the recent resolution on
Azerbaijan", reminded Torosyan stressing importance of the execution
of resolution 1416 for the conflict settlement.

GORAN LENNMARKER TO BE APPOINTED OSCE PA SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR KARABAKH

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.07.2008 14:55 GMT+04:00

Former President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Mr Goran
Lennmarker will be appointed as the Assembly’s Special Representative
on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Director of Communications at
the International Secretariat of the OSCE, Klas Bergman told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

The decision was taken by President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly,
Mr Joao Soares.

Earlier, Mr Lennmarker served as OSCE co-rapproteur on Nagorno
Karabakh.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AND PACE PRESIDENT DISCUSS IMPLEMENTATION OF 1609 AND 1620 RESOLUTIONS BY ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
JULY 24

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met today with the
President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE) Luis Maria de Puig.

Foreign Ministry press service told Armenpress that during the meeting
the sides referred to the pace of implementation of PACE resolutions
1609 and 1620 by Armenia.

Reconfirming that democratic development is a sensible and indivertible
choice of Armenia and the country’s leadership is resolute in carrying
out necessary steps in that direction, foreign minister underscored
the activity of the Council of Europe establishments, including the
Parliamentary Assembly in supporting Armenia in that direction.

E. Nalbandian also presented to the PACE chairman the latest
developments over Nagorno Karabakh conflict regulation and reconfirmed
Armenia’s readiness to continue the negotiation process.