Author: Karagyozian Lena

Reuters , UK
March 4 2007

Darchinyan batters Burgos to retain IBF flyweight title
Sun Mar 4, 2007 3:02AM EST

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Vic Darchinyan retained his International
Boxing Federation flyweight title by stopping game challenger Victor
Burgos of Mexico in the 12th round.

The Armenian-born Darchinyan, who is now an Australian citizen,
overwhelmed former IBF junior flyweight champion Burgos from the
start, using his crushing left hand to the body and head to dominate
the scheduled 12-rounder.

Burgos, who took a crunching punch to his body in the second round,
fought bravely but the accumulation of blows took its toll.

In the last round, Burgos, who had a big welt under his right eye and
an abrasion on his forehead, went down after a flurry of punches and
a push that was ruled a slip.

After reassuring the referee he was all right, the Mexican became to
stumble backwards as he was chased by Darchinyan, who hit him with
two more lefts before the referee stopped the bout at 1:27 of the
round.

Burgos slumped to the canvas and had to be helped on to his stool.
The 32-year-old Burgos was carried off on a stretcher and was
slipping in and out of consciousness, according to ring doctor Paul
Wallace.

Darchinyan, 31, improved to 28-0 in making his sixth defense of the
IBF crown. Burgos dropped to 39-15-3.

"I give him good credit, he’s very tough," Darchinyan told reporters.
"I hope he’s all right."

ANCA TEAMS UP WITH GENOCIDE INTERVENTION NETWORK TO HELP "END THE CYCLE OF GENOCIDE"

armradio.am
28.02.2007 10:52

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has teamed up with
the Genocide Intervention Network (GI-Net) for an intensive two-day
advocacy campaign on Capitol Hill on March 22nd and 23rd to encourage
decisive Congressional action to help end the cycle of genocide.

The program, titled "End the Cycle of Genocide: Grassroots Capitol
Campaign," will begin with a special breakfast briefing on the morning
of March 22nd followed by two full days of Congressional visits to
encourage US action to stop the Genocide in Darfur, the adoption of
the Armenian Genocide resolution (H.Res.106), and the strengthening
of US resolve to act against all instances of genocide.

Activists will be able to share their experiences, exchange ideas,
communicate with Members of Congress, and add new connections to the
growing national anti-genocide coalition at a special Capitol Hill
reception on the evening of Thursday, March 22nd.

"The Grassroots Capitol Campaign is a great opportunity for genocide
prevention activists to demand decisive US action in ending forever
the cycle of genocide," said Genocide Intervention Network Executive
Director Mark Hanis. "Together we will take our powerful anti-genocide
message to the halls of Congress and make a real difference."

"We are looking forward to cooperating with our friends at the
Genocide Intervention Network in helping to empower activists – from
all backgrounds – to build the anti-genocide constituency into a
powerful force that demands and delivers moral clarity and decisive
action by our government against all genocides – past and present,"
said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

ARMENIA STRESSES DEVELOPMENT OF TIES WITH IRAN

Fars News Agency, Iran
Feb 28 2007

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Armenia’s Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan
in a meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki
here in Tehran on Tuesday underlined the need for the development
and consolidation of ties between the two countries.

During the meeting, Mottaki described relations between the two
countries and nations as age-old and historical, reminding that Iran
and Armenia enjoy many intact potentials which could be utilized to
expand ties, a statement released by the Foreign Ministry’s Information
and Press Bureau said.

He further stated that bolstering of cooperation between the two states
in the energy, gas and power sectors can help promote Iran-Armenia
relations.

Mottaki also described participation of the two countries’ private
sectors in the sphere of trade and the two sides’ cooperation
in grounds of small-size industries as necessary for boosting of
exchanges, and voiced preparedness of Iranian companies for running
activity in the said regards.

For his part, Armenian energy minister said that his country attaches
much significance to relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran,
and also reiterated development and consolidation of relations between
the two countries.

Armen Movsisyan further voiced Armenia’s readiness to cooperate with
the Islamic Republic of Iran in the different industrial, agricultural
and trade areas, and viewed promotion of the two countries’ exchanges
as necessary.

CAPITALIZATION OF ARMENIAN STOCK EXCHANGE POSSIBLE TO MAKE $5BLN IN FIVE YEARS

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Feb 28 2007

YEREVAN, February 27. /ARKA/. The capitalization of the Armenian Stock
Exchange is possible to make $5bln in five years’ time, the Chairman
of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) Tigran Sargsyan told journalists.

"It is expected that the annual turnover will go up to $500mln, then
to $1.5bln, with a further sharp increase up to $5bln," Sargsyan
said. He pointed out that the process will be facilitated if the
Scandinavian OMX Stock Exchange becomes a shareholder of the Armenian
Stock Exchange, which is a possibility.

"Armenia’s Government considers the option of refusing the old model
of self-regulating stock exchange and depository," Sargsyan said. He
reported that in view of the new concept negotiations were started
with the OMX having some experience in the transition period countries.

"The instruments and approaches that OMX suggests will harmonize with
the development of securities’ market in Armenia," Sargsyan said
adding that 45 Armenian enterprises can become participants of the
stock exchange at the first stage.

The Armenian Stock Exchange (Armex) is a self-regulating organization
that was registered in Armenia on February 13, 2001, based on the
voluntary integration of 21 broker (dealer) companies. Operations on
corporate shares have been carried out since July 6, 2001.

37 securities were registered and underwent listing by January 31,
2007. The capitalization of Armex made AMD21.9bln by January 31, 2007.

The OMX Scandinavian stock operator unites the stock exchanges of
the Northern European capitals and also runs the stock exchanges in
Lithuania and Latvia. ($1 = AMD353.21).

KARABAKH PRESIDENT HOSTS ARMENIAN EDUCATION MINISTER

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Feb 26 2007

YEREVAN, February 26. /ARKA/. Karabakh President Arkady Ghukasyan
received Armenian Education Minister Levon Lazarian on Friday.

Nagorno-Karabakh presidential press office reports that issues related
to cooperation between the two Armenian countries’ education ministries
were discussed at the meeting.

Special emphasis was put on the necessity of Artsakh State University
Development and education development in Karabakh as a whole.

Karabakh Education minister Kamo Atayan was present at the meeting.

PREPARATORY WORK DONE IN ARMENIA TO INTRODUCE 5-VALENT VACCINE IN IMMUNO PREVENTION

Noyan Tapan
Feb 26 2007

YEREVAN, FERUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Although the vaccination level is
quite high in Armenia – 92%, the problem of carrying out vaccinations
on time exists. Head of the RA Immuno Prevention National Program
Gayane Sahakian told NT correspondent that in accordance with the
national vaccination program, during the first 12 months of life,
a child must be vaccinated against tuberculosis, diphteria, whooping
cough, tetanus, measles, German measles, mumps, hepatitis B, as well
as receive a polio vaccination. G. Sahakian said that in early 2007,
a new system of reports on timely vaccination of children up to one
year was introduced: now analyses and monitoring will be implemented
each quarter, which will enable to reveal the reasons of not doing
vacciantion on time. According to G. Sahakian, work is being done to
introduce in Armenia a 5-valent vaccine of the GAVI (Global Alliance
for Vaccines and Immunization) international fund – a vaccine against
diphteria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B and hib (haemophilus
influenza, type B). Hib is a pathogene causing pneumonia, and it is for
the first time that vaccination against it will be done in Armenia. The
national program head said that cases of children’s pneumonia were
reduced by over 50% in the countries where the 5-valent vaccine of
GAVI has been used. She noted that RA state budgetary allocations
for obtaining vaccines are increasing year by year. In 2006, 45
mln drams (about 125 thousand USD) was allocated for this purpose,
while in 2007 – 72 mln drams. At present, the polio vaccine and the
3-valent vaccine against diphteria, whooping cough and tetanus are
purchased with state budgetary resources, while the other vaccines –
with co-financing of a number of international organizations.

Midnight attack on "Iravunk"

ArmRadio.am
23.02.2007 11:35

At about 24:30 last night the windows of the computer room of
`Iravunk’ newspaper were broken. The employees of the newspaper fixed
the number of the ` Vaz-2106′ car trying to escape. `Radiolur’ was
told from `Iravunk’ that they recognized the person and informed the
Police.

The attack occurred when the recurrent issue of `Iraunk’ was ready to
be published. These events were preceded by midnight phone calls from
Hayk Babukhanyan to the new editor-in-chief of the newspaper Piruza
Meliksetyan. The latter, however, did not pick up the receiver to
avoid incitement or coarse words.

Let us remind that the recent events connected with the Constitutional
Right Union were concluded with the verdict of RA Court of Appeal,
which recognized invalid the elections of leadership of the 17th
meeting of the Party, i.e. Hrant Khachatryan was recognized the
President of the Constitutional Right Union. The former
editor-in-chief of `Iravunk’ Hovhannes Galajyan was replaced by
journalist of the same newspaper Piruza Meliksetyan.

La Tribune.france
21 février 2007

Trésors d’Arménie

Le Musée du Louvre expose des objets d’art sacré arménien qui
témoignent de la spécificité de cette culture dotée d’un alphabet
propre.

Consécration de l’année de l’Arménie en France, qui organise cinq
cents manifestations mettant en valeur le patrimoine et la scène
artistique contemporaine arménienne jusqu’au 14 juillet 2007,
l’exposition "Armenia sacra" rassemble au Musée du Louvre 200 oeuvres
venues de ce pays. Elles rendent compte de la spécificité et de
l’éclat de l’art chrétien en Arménie, première nation à s’être
convertie au christianisme au IVe siècle. Riche en objets
monumentaux, l’exposition bénéficie de prêts exceptionnels du musée
et du trésor du Saint-Siège de l’église Echtmiadzine, du musée
d’Histoire de l’Arménie et de l’institut des manuscrits anciens
"Matenadaran" à Erevan.

L’exposition se déroule en deux temps. Dans les fossés du Louvre
médiéval, au pied des murs de pierre, sont rassemblés une trentaine
de khatchkars, grandes dalles de pierre ornées de croix, dressées à
la verticale, si caractéristiques de l’art religieux arménien, la
plus ancienne remontant au IXè siècle. Et au rez de chaussée du
musée, la galerie de Melpomène, espace de forme basilicale adaptée
aux objets religieux qui sont exposés, montre des chapiteaux de
pierre, stèles, manuscrits, évangiles, habits sacerdotaux qui
jalonnent jusqu’au XVIIIème cette civilisation riche en histoire mais
aux frontières fluctuantes, voire parfois inexistantes.

Indépendante des églises grecque et latine au VIème siècle, l’église
arménienne est "autocéphale" avec son propre chef : le catholicos, et
développe un art spécifique dans l’architecture des sanctuaires et
leur décor. La mise au point de l’alphabet arménien, reçu comme un
don de Dieu au moine Mesrop Machtots au début du Vème siècle,
contribue pour beaucoup à la perennité de cette culture qui a survécu
aux persécutions et qui a laissé de nombreux manuscrits richement
enluminés, dotées de reliures de métal précieux et de pierreries.

En marge de cette exposition, l’artiste contemporain Sarkis, parisien
d’origine arménienne, intervient par le biais de la vidéo et de la
photo sur quatre oeuvres qui l’ont le plus marqué.

Renseignements pratiques
Musée du Louvre jusqu’au 21 mai, 01 40 20 53 17,
A lire : Spécial Arménie de "Connaissance des arts", février 2007

CRU EXTRAORDINARY CONFERENCE PLANNED FEB 24

Panorama.am
17:10 20/02/2007

The Constitutional Right Union (CRU) will hold its 19th extraordinary
conference on February 24. CRU statement says that whatever happened
to the party excludes the possibility of any legal election and is
a precondition for forming a parliament that has nothing to do with
the will of the public.

"Under such conditions, the party will continue its activities and will
respond to the transgressions of oligarchic-criminal administration
with any means that is not prohibited by law," the statement says.

SARGSYAN: ARMENIA’S EDUCATION SYSTEM SHOULD TEACH STUDENTS TO THINK, NOT ONLY GIVE THEM KNOWLEDGE

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Feb 21 2007

YEREVAN, February 21. /ARKA/. Armenia’s education system should teach
students to think, not only give them knowledge, Tigran Sargsyan,
chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia, said at a round-table
discussion held last weekend in Tsakhkadzor, Armenia, as part of
Bridge 2007 international business forum.

He said education system should prepare professionals. "We need
professionals, not people merely possessing knowledge. Such a situation
will lead to chaos", Sargsyan said.

He is convinced that if education reformation fails in Armenia,
all other reforms will be senseless.