Author: Karakhanian Suren

Stepanakert hosted a discussion on NKR socioeconomic situation
20.06.2009 17:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On 20 June NKR President Bako Sahakyan met RA
governmental delegation headed by Premier Tigran Sargsyan. The
delegation arrived in Artsakh on the same day to partake at `Bridge
Artsakh’ economic forum.
The interlocutors considered important holding such an event in
Artsakh and enlarging cooperation within these frameworks. Issues
related to NKR socioeconomic situation and prospects of its
development were discussed too. NKR premier Ara Haroutyunyan and
finance minister Spartak Tevosyan participated at the meeting, Central
Information Department at NKR President’s Office reported.

ARMENIA’S ECONOMY SHRUNK BY 15.7 PER CENT OVER JANUARY-MAY THIS YEAR

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
19.06.2009 19:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’s GDP reduced by 15.7 per cent in January-May
this year compared to the same period of previous year and amounted
839 billion 356.6 million AMD. The reduction was only 9.7 per cent for
the first 4 month of 2009, the RA National Statistical Service reports.

The sharpest decline, equial to 56.1 per cent was recoded in the
construction industry, the industrial production decreased by 10.5 per
cent, agriculture deceased by 2.9 percent, services reduced by 1.7 per
cent. Simultaneousely, retail trade increased by 0.2 per cent. 2.5 per
cent inflation was recorded in January – May in Armenia as compared
to the same period of previous year. Consumer prices grew by 5.5 per
cent over January- May as compared to December, 2008 level.

ARMENIAN MUSIC LESSONS TO RESUME IN SEPTEMBER AT THORNTON SCHOOL OF MUSIC OF UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Noyan Tapan
June 19, 2009

LOS ANGELES, JUNE 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Thanks to
efforts of the teachers of the subject "Armenian music tradition"
of University of Southern California and "Armenian Music Friends"
group of the same university, Armenian music lessons will resume
at the university’s Thornton School of Music in September of this
year. According to Asparez, the subject will be taught by Prof. Lusina
Aghbabian. The course is intended not only for students.

The newpaper also reported that on the initiative of "Armenian Music
Friends", 10th and 11th graders of six colleges in Los Angeles had an
occasion to enjoy Armenian music at the Newman Hall of the university
on March 2.

MEMBERS OF TURKEY’S RULING PARTY VISIT "GENOCIDE" MONUMENT IN ARMENIA

APA
June 18 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku – APA. Yashar Kisa, financial director of Igdir region of
Turkey, which borders on Armenia, and a group of members of the
ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) visited Armenia, APA
reports quoting Dogan news agency.

The visit took place at the invitation of Ismayil Shek, cousin of
one of the leaders of AKP Igdir organization Mahmut Shek and lasted
for three days. The delegation members said they visited historical
places and tourism facilities of Armenia, everywhere said they were
Turks and did not meet a negative reaction anywhere. Mahmut Shek said
they visited "genocide" monument and wanted Armenia-Turkey border to
be opened.

"The great majority of the products sold in Armenia are made in
Turkey. But Igdir, the nearest place to Armenia, can not get its
share from this trade. Borders should be opened for this."

ARMENIA, SYRIA CREATE FAVORABLE LEGISLATIVE FIELD FOR DEVELOPING TRADE, ECONOMIC RELATIONS – PRESIDENT

ARKA
June 18, 2009

YEREVAN, June 18. /ARKA/. Due to joint efforts of the Governments of
Armenia and Syria a favorable legislative field for the development
of bilateral trade and economic relations, said President of Armenia
Serzh Sargsyan on Thursday opening the Armenian-Syrian business-forum
in Yerevan with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Asad.

"Unfortunately the level of bilateral trade and economic relations
does not correspond to the level of friendly relations between our
nations as well as of political relations," said President of Armenia.

According to him, the sides have signed an Agreement on Mutual Spurring
and Protection of Investments which is another step towards boosting
the bilateral trade and economic relations between Armenia and Syria.

Sargsyan noted the forum is a good opportunity for getting acquainted
with bilateral achievements in trade and economic sectors as well as
for making new contacts.

"I am sure there is a great potential in the sectors of science
and technologies, agriculture, energy, urban construction, trade,
financial and banking sectors and your task is to ser real goals aimed
at implementation of this potential," stressed Sargsyan addressing
to the President of Syria.

President of Armenia noted Armenian-Syrian friendship has firm bases
and amid these political and economic conditions bot h sides bring
the warm and dynamic relations to a new level where political and
economic cooperation should tend to balance.

According to Sargsyan this aim is not only a warm wish but a
reachable goal as well, especially when Armenian entrepreneurs are
well introduced in business circles of Syria.

"I believe activation of cooperation between business entities of
the two countries and will for creating more favorable conditions
for businesses will contribute to realization of the mentioned goal,"
said the President.

In this context he stressed the role of the Armenians living in Syria.

"I want to ask you to contribute to revealing of the trade and economic
potential between our countries and introducing products of the two
countries using your business contacts. I am assuring you that every
new initiative, every project aimed at activating economic relations
will receive our support," Sargsyan said.

SEVRUGIANS’ PHOTO AND PAINTING EXHIBITION WORKS IN GERMANY

Noyan Tapan
June 17, 2009

FRANKFURT, JUNE 17, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Classical
photographer Antoine Sevrugian’s and his son, painter Andre Sevrugian’s
(Darvish) works have been shown at the Museum of World Culture in
Frankfurt for several months. The exhibition titled Sevrugian. Images
of the Orient in Photography and Painting, 1880 to 1980, which was
launched on December 6, 2008, will be open till July 7, 2009.

According to the Marmara daily, besides Antoine Sevrugian’s photography
glasses, there are also Andre Sevrugian’s 90 paintings on the subject
of Iran at the exhibition. The models, which are shown, belong to
Antoine Sevrugian’s grandson Emanuel Sevrugian.

Antoine Sevrugian (1840-1933) was one of the leading photographers
of the 20th century in Iran. 2000 photographical glasses from his
works have been retained, but, unfortunately, 7000 were distroyed
in the years of the Constitutional Movement of Iran. His son’s,
painter Andre Sevrugian’s (1894-1996) works also present Armenian and
Iranian themes. The considerable part of Andre’s Persion miniatures
are retained in India, and "Sayat Nova" series are very popular among
candle paintings on Armenian themes.

CSTO FORMALIZES PLANS TO CREATE PERMANENT MILITARY FORCES

malizes-plans-to-create-permanent-military-forces/
June 15th, 2009

MOSCOW (Combined Sources)-Heads of State from the Collective Security
Treaty Organization (CSTO) have signed an agreement to establish a
permanent military force for the post-soviet alliance. The Presidents
of Armenia and Russia announced on Sunday in a press conference
following a CSTO summit in Moscow.

The official agreement to form the military force came three months
after it was announced that the CSTO would hold military exercises
for the new military units in Kazakhstan this September.

"The document that has been signed includes an agreement on collective
forces and a decision by the Collective Security Council on the
rapid-reaction force structure," Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
was quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency as saying.

"I think a great work has been done," said Armenian President Serzh
Sarkisian, commenting on the end of his country’s one year presidency
of the CSTO. "The creation of the rapid-reaction forces and the
coordination of [CSTO] member states’ foreign policies are evidence
that serious work has been done over the past year."

The forces, which Medvedev said "will be just as good as comparable
NATO forces," are expected to counter such threats as military
aggression, terrorist activities, trans-border crimes and drug
trafficking.

More importantly, it will add a military dimension to the alliance,
which so far has served mostly as a forum for consultations.

The CSTO, a security group comprising Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, agreed in early February
to form rapid reaction forces.

The new forces will consist of large military units from Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, RIA Novosti said. Those
military units will be armed with modern compatible weapons and
military hardware, said the Itar-Tass news agency.

The document also includes a number of action plans for CSTO members
to implement until 2012.

Two CSTO member states, Belarus and Uzbekistan, however, did not sign
the document. Uzbekistan cited "some doubts" and Belarus, which was to
assume the rotating CSTO presidency from Armenia did not attend the
summit over Russia’s banning of dairy products from the country. The
alliance’s presidency was transferred to Russia temporarily.

Medvedev said he believes the two countries will eventually sign
the agreement.

In related news, Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian met
with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov Sunday on the sidelines of
the CSTO conference. The two met in "a warm and sincere atmosphere"
after the conference for talks on deepening their bilateral relations,
the Russian Foreign Ministry said, adding that they also discussed a
"wide range of regional and international issues."

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS STAND FOR AMNESTY ANNOUNCING AND HOPE THIS ISSUE WILL BE DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT TILL PACE SUMMER SESSION

ArmInfo
2009-06-12 21:07:00

ArmInfo. ‘I think the president of Armenia will appeal to the
Parliament concerning the issue of amnesty till PACE summer session’,
MP from Prosperous Armenia party Naira Zohrabyan said during the
parliamentary briefings today. She also expressed hope that Armenia
will succeed to go out of this situation honourably.

For his part, Head of the faction of the Republican party of Armenia
Galust Sahakyan said the issue of amnesty will be discussed in the
Parliament either at late June or early July.

To note, the extraordinary session of the Armenian Parliament will
probably be held on June 18, during which the issue of amnesty will
be discussed.

JANSEM’S PAINTINGS EXHIBITION OPENED IN PARIS

Noyan Tapan
June 11, 2009

PARIS, JUNE 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On June 3,
Armenian-French distinguished painter Jansem’s (Hovhannes Semerjian)
landscape painting exhibition opened at one of Paris famous galleries,
Matignon, which is close to the building of government. According
to the Azg daily, which refers to the Ashxarh (World) newspaper,
the ceremony took place on June 3 evening.

The exhibition will work till September 30.

"THE COURT BEHAVES CYNICALLY"

A1+
08:50 pm | June 11, 2009

Politics

The Armenian National Congress (HAK) today released a statement which
says in part:

After the Central Election Commission rejected HAK’s decision to
invalidate the results of the Yerevan municipal election, the HAK
appealed the CEC decision in the RoA Administrative Court. The Congress
also demanded that the election results be nullified.

HAK submitted to the Court 397-page documents and 4 DVDs depicting
the general picture of the election day.

After finding the claim groundless the Administrative Court returned
it on June 10.

The Court’s was supposed to behave cynically as it had numerous proofs
and undeniable evidence at hand. Once again the judicial system turned
out to be frustrated in Armenia like all other state structures. It
has turned into a selfish marionette serving the interests of the
bandit regime and ready to execute any illegal order."