Author: Kalashian Nyrie

CELL PHONE THIRD OPERATOR KNOWN IN 90 DAYS

Panorama.am
16:41 16/07/2008

Public Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia held a discussion
on affirming the package of providing license to the cell phone third
operator and radio frequency access. According to Gevorg Gevorgyan the
head of electronic communication department, the minimal sum to get
the license is 10mln euros. Those who can not meet the early stage
will get back the sum.

After discussing the questions marked by the agenda the committee has
affirmed the package to announce the tender of providing license to
the cell phone third operator and frequency access.

Note that the tender will be announced on July 17-18 in "The Wall
Street Journal" and "Financial Times" magazines. After 90 days the
winner of the tender will be announced.

JOURNALISTS MEET WITH CHINESE AND IRANIAN DIRECTORS WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF GOLDEN APRICOT

NOYAN TAPAN

JU LY 16

Within the framework of the Golden Apricot (Voske Tsiran) 5th
International Film Festival, on July 15, Armenian journalists met with
Chinese director S. Cai, the author of The Red Awn film, and Iranian
director Abolfazl Saffary taking part in the contest of fiction films.

According to Mikayel Stamboltsian, the director of festival’s programs,
a cinema critic, 25 years ago Iranian and Chinese cinematography
developed rapidly. He said that Armenian film spectators already
thanks to the previous festivals had a possibility to deal with
Iranian cinematography classics but had not dealt with the Chinese
ones yet. In his opinion, it will be especially interesting to see
films by new generation’s representatives, thanks to which "we will
receive the new word of those countries’ cinematography."

"Iranian cinematography classics spoke about simple truths and
the young people have started doubting these thruths. Saffary’s
film, for instance, shows that simple thruths are not so simple,"
M. Stamboltsian said.

The Iranian director has happily brought his film End of the Earth
to Armenia, as its showing had been prohibited in Iran for two years
and only this year it has received a right of showing. This is the
director’s first fiction film. Before that he shot documentary,
feature, and short films.

According to him, however, "in this case also documentary’s influence
is seen."

According to Chinese director S. Cai, The Rad Awn film is about people
who have lost their place and are between a city and a village. "1
million people move to Chinese cities every year. The reason is that
they have lost their lands or strive for a happy life, but they do
not become city dwellers, either, and lose their identity," the artist
said. The Red Awn’s hero, nevertheless, choses the city. The director
conditions this by the fact that the youth has no other way. "Maybe
it is cruel, but it is reality," he said.

According to S. Cai, he is very happy to visit Armenia: "I am here for
the first time, but I have the impression that I have known Armenia
for already a long time."

USELESS TRIVIA I COULDN’T FIT INTO A REVIEW!

J. Kelly Nestruck

Globe and Mail
July 16 2008
Canada

Can you connect the 1940 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama with
Alvin and the Chipmunks and the reality TV show The Girls of the
Playboy Mansion?

1) The 1940 Pulitzer went to William Saroyan for The Time of Your Life
(which was revived last summer in a great production at Soulpepper
in Toronto).

2) Armenian-American playwright Saroyan had a songwriter cousin
named Rostom Bagdasarian; he is better known by his stage name David
Seville. Yes, the fellow who created Alvin and the Chipmunks.

3) Bagdasarian’s first novelty hit was the Armenian-themed song called
Come on-a My House, co-written with his cousin William Saroyan. It
was a number one for Rosemary Clooney, but then faded into obscurity…

4) Until resurfacing in a dance remix as the theme song for The
Girls Next Door, a reality TV show about the lives of three of Hugh
Hefner’s girlfriends.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONER MEETS WITH NA SPEAKER

ARMENPRESS
JULY 15

Armenian National Assembly Speaker Tigran Torosian received today
Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg. At the
meeting present were special representative of the Council of Europe
secretary general Bojana Urumova, and Swedish expert Yohan Hirshfeldt.

Public relations department of the National Assembly told Armenpress
that T. Torosian greeted the guests and gave a short outline of the
conducted work underscoring the changes made in the law on marches,
meetings, rallies, demonstrations. He said Armenia is resolute in
going forward with the path expected by the new resolution of PACE.

Referring to September 11 report, Thomas Hammarberg pointed out three
issues to which it will refer – conduction of meetings, marches and
demonstrations, investigation of the March 1-2 events, and issues on
the arrested people.

Th. Hammarberg noted that in the PACE resolution as well the changes
in the law are assessed positively. During the meeting with the
representatives of the opposition Hammarberg heard complaints not
about the law but how it is commented and put into effect which almost
makes it impossible to get permission for conducting meetings.

Th. Hammarberg said that with the chief prosecutor of Armenia they
discussed a number of issues relating to the arrested people and in
this respect referred to the activity of the parliamentary ad hoc
commission which is dealing with the inquiry into March 1-2 events
and the causes which brought to them. He said that the work of the
commission must be transparent and inspire trust.

The Council of Europe human rights commissioner suggested that the
commission separates the fact-finding mission for forming an unbiased
chronology of the events after which the political assessment will
be given to it.

He expressed concern that the activity of the commission became hostage
of the political factors and that the opposition is not participating
in its works.

Tigran Torosian said that the opposition just do not want to cooperate
and stated from the beginning that the commission cannot inspire trust
and forwarded ultimatums which do not promote the establishment of
dialogue or revealing of what happened.

The speaker underscored the necessity of involvement of international
experts in the work of the commission which will ensure objectiveness
and inspire trust.

Referring to the other suggestion of Hammarberg connected with the
creation of separate fact finding mission he said that the suggestion
will be discussed.

PRESS RELEASE
Date: July 15, 2008
Armenian National Committee of America
Eastern Region
122 W. 27th St. Floor 12, New York, NY 10001
Contact: Ani Hagopian
Tel: 313-655-2067

ANCA EASTERN REGION ENCOURAGING VOTER REGISTRATION FOR NOVEMBER
ELECTION
–Hundreds of candidates called upon to answer ANCA
Congressional Questionnaire
New York, NY – With the 55th Presidential and 111th Congressional
elections quickly approaching this November, the Armenian National
Committee of America, Eastern Region (ANCA-ER) is working to
promote voter registration outreach, and online and in- person
education to help strengthen Armenian American voices on issues of
concern to the community.

"Armenian Americans can play a powerful part in making their vote
count. With regular participation in local and national elections,
the strength and voice behind the Armenian cause can only continue
to grow," commented Ani Hagopian, outreach coordinator for the
Armenian National Committee of America, Eastern Region.

Encompassing thirty-three states, the ANCA Eastern Region embodies
a significant number of Armenian Americans and draws attention
towards efforts being made to enhance the Armenian voice. Zori
Eurdekian, 2008 ANCA Leo Sarkisian Intern, recently sent out ANCA
congressional questionnaires to hundreds of potential
congressional candidates and incumbents in hopes of establishing a
strong database to demonstrate how each candidate stands on issues
important to the Armenian American community. The ANCA
questionnaire is a tool for activists that allow each community to
help determine ANCA endorsements and support for particular races.
Drawing attention to Armenian Genocide recognition, foreign aid to
Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, and the genocide in Darfur, the
questionnaire responses are shared with ANCA activists and will be
available through the ANCA website this coming fall.

Sources indicate the 2008 presidential and congressional elections
are said to be the election in which technology will play the
biggest role yet. Knowing the importance of the internet in this
election, the ANCA provided opportunities on its website for people
to register to vote, allow access to past meetings and events
activists have had with representatives and senators, and even
review Congressional "Report Cards" of their human rights and
Armenian related activity over the last two years.

"First time voters will be an imperative part of this election; we
want to make sure that they know they have the opportunity to learn
where candidates stand on important issues and be able to have the
ability to register to vote at their fingertips," Hagopian says.

In addition to Internet accessibility, the ANCA will also have
tables set up at the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) 75th Annual
Senior Olympics, which takes place in Detroit, Michigan from August
30 to September 2, 2008.

Registering to vote is a privilege for every American citizen. For
further information about voter registration, please visit
form&state=. Please
note you will have to print, sign, and mail in your form.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest
and most influential Armenian American grassroots political
organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices,
chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the
concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of
issues.

s/x390626495/Editorial-Finding-solutions
The Marshfield Mariner
Marshfield, MA
Editorial — Finding solutions
Wed Jul 09, 2008

Maybe Marshfield’s efforts to stamp out hate in town could be better
served by working with a program other than the Anti-Defamation
League’s No Place for Hate. Perhaps the ADL’s stance on the Armenian
Genocide has compromised it so much that it is not credible as an
organization that fights racism.

That will be up to the selectmen to decide, and while withdrawal
from No Place for Hate might be the option they choose – and that
would certainly be a defensible position for them to take – any racial
problems that may exist in Marshfield will require solutions that have
nothing to do with what anyone calls the mass killings of Armenians by
the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1918.

It could be that the alleged racially motivated beating of an
African-American teenager from Jamaica Plain in Marshfield last month
was an isolated incident, and we obviously hope that it was, if
that was indeed what happened. But any steps the town takes going
forward will have to be about education and, as was written in this
space in the June 18 issue, getting people to realize that this is
the year 2008 and it’s about time old attitudes on race get tossed
into the trash where they belong. (By the way, an acknowledgement of
an error in that editorial is due here, as the last two
U.S. secretaries of state have been black.)

If No Place for Hate is the best way to accomplish that objective,
that’s what the town should do.

If it’s not – either because of the Armenian Genocide issue or some
other reason – then the town should do something else.

And while we’re at it, a little more education on the Armenian
Genocide wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

SERGE SMESSOV: BAKU’S BELLICOSE STATEMENTS HAMPER TALKS

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.07.2008 18:22 GMT+04:00

Azerbaijan’s bellicose statements can’t help the peace process on the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict peaceful resolution, French Ambassador to
Armenia Serge Smessov told a news conference in Yerevan today.

"Baku’s warlike statements prevent the sides from coming to
compromise. It’s the position of all OSCE MG co-chair countries. The
mediators direct their energies at a peaceful resolution of the
conflict," the Ambassador said.

TURKISH COURT BEGINS FIRST OPEN HEARING OF ARMENIAN JOURNALIST’S MURDER CASE

Anatolia News Agency
July 7, 2008

ISTANBUL (A.A) -07.07.2008 -A Turkish court in Istanbul began on
Monday the first open hearing of Turkish-Armenian journalist’s
assassination case.

This is the sixth hearing at the Istanbul Criminal Court regarding
the case of assassination of Hrant Dink, the editor-in-chief of
Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos.

Monday’s hearing is the first one to be open to the press and other
people who want to observe it. The former five sessions were closed
to the press since suspect O.S. was a juvenile.

Nineteen suspects, eight of whom are in prison, are tried in the case.

A member of European Parliament of Turkish origin said before the
hearing that those who were countering racism and discrimination were
standing beside each other today.

"The democratic, secular, bright and European Turkey case, backed by
Hrant, is not over yet," parliamentarian Cem Ozdemir said.

Ozdemir also said that those who killed Hrant Dink were those who
did not want such a Turkey.

Dink was shot dead outside the offices of his Agos newspaper in
Istanbul in January, 2007. Police arrested the gunman and a suspected
associate who was identified as Yasin Hayal.

The trial began in July 2007. Prosecutors have asked for a prison
term of 18 years up to 24 years for Dink’s assassin, and lifetime
sentences for two key suspects, Erhan Tuncel and Yasin Hayal, for
inciting to the murder.

TER-PETROSIAN SAYS WOULD LIKE TO BECOME ARMENIAN PRESIDENT AGAIN

Interfax News Agency
July 1 2008

Armenian opposition leader and former President Levon Ter-Petrosian
wants to run for president again, if early presidential elections
are held.

"I want to become Armenia’s fourth president, if early elections are
held, because talking about a regular election would be redundant,"
Ter-Petrosian said at a news conference on Tuesday.

He noted, however, that an alternative candidate might be nominated by
the pan-national movement, which he heads. "Our movement is powerful
and we have good leaders, among them at least ten who could claim
the presidential chair," Ter-Petrosian said.

Over 30 Companies Participating in Woman’s World International Expo in
Yerevan

YEREVAN, July 4. /ARKA/. The Woman’s World International Expo opened
today in Yerevan, with over 30 companies participating in it.

`The purpose of the expo is to present modern business ladies in a new
light with the help of appliances that improve their everyday life, let
them show their business achievements and help them come together,’
Director of EXPOMEDIA Anna Hakobyan said at the opening of the event.

This is the seventh time the expo has been organized in Armenia.

Perfumery, cosmetics, medicines, centers of plastic and esthetic
surgery, costume jewelry, clothes, shoes and baby goods are exhibited
till July 6.

The organizer of the expo is the EXPOMEDIA Center. `0–