Author: Nahapetian Samvel

ARMENIAN STATE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA TO MARK 10th ANNIVERSARY OF ITS REORGANIZATION WITH A JUBILEE CONCERT

Noyan Tapan
Apr 03 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 3, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian State Chamber Orchestra
will have a jubilee concert dedicated to the 10th anniversary of its
reorganization on April 5 at Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University’s
concert hall. Italian saxophonist Federico Mondelci, American Armenian
dancer Aida Amirkhanian will take part in the concert at Orchestra’s
invitation. As Aram Gharabekian, Orchestra’s Art Director and Principal
Conductor, reported at the April 3 press conference, after the concert
a photoexhibition will open at University’s lobby, as well as the
video tape of the open-air concert held in 2006 in Zvartnots will
be shown. The premiere of that film will take place on April 8 on
Public Television. A. Gharabekian said that ten years ago he assumed
the commissions of Orchestra’s Principal Conductor and did everything
to present a high-class music to art-lovers. "We have passed a huge
way. The Orchestra is fully-fledged and today is not inferior to
any ochestra in the sphere of chamber music," he said. During these
years the Orchestra has been on tours abroad for many times and has
performed at the best concert halls. Besides, charity concerts were
organized in Armenian regions in each concert season. It was mentioned
that more than 40 works of 10 composers were composed and performed
by Orchestra’s order. A. Gharabekian said that the day following the
jubilee concert the Orchestra will leave for France to take part in
the events organized within the framework of Year of Armenia. The
Orchestra will have four concerts in various French cities. It was
also mentioned that the the Chamber Orchestra will take part in the
Saint Petersburg Palaces international festival in July.

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY EXTENDS CONDOLENCES

ArmRadio.am
03.04.2007 13:42

The Council of the Republican Party of Armenia condoles with the
families and friends of the victims killed as a result of murderous
assault against the Mayor of Gyumri Vardan Ghukasyan.

In its statement disseminated today the Party denounces the crime and
demands from law-enforcement bodies to disclose it as soon as possible
and to call the criminals to responsibility. "We are sure that any
assault against the stability of social life is destined to fail,"
the statement says.

Let us remind that On April 2 three were killed as a result of a
murderous assault on the Mayor of Gyumri on his way back from Yerevan
to Gyumri after the Sitting of the Republican Party Council.

"ARMENIA IN PANTURKISM BLOCKADE"

A1+
[06:14 pm] 02 April, 2007

SEFILYAN’S LETTER TO THE ARMENIANS OF JAVAKHQ

"Unfortunately, RA Government couldn’t see the matter thoroughly. They
opposed to the construction of Kars-Akhalqalaq railway to initiate
that of Gyumri-Kars instead. The RA high-ranking officials think that
RA budget can benefit from the "Panturkism" communication," Zhirayr
Sefilyan, commander of the Shushi special regiment, sent this letter
to the Javakhq Armenians from the National Security Service.

In Sefilyan’s opinion the RA Government doesn’t realize that the matter
is purely political and it may lead the whole region to Turkism, i.e.,
they want to turn us Turks economically, culturally and politically.

"Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia plan to carry out the Kars-Akhalqalaq
railway construction this year.

Armenians are against the project as it implies Armenia’s blockade
which is the core objective of Panturkism. The target of this
anti-Armenian project becomes Javakhq. The project is aimed at
displacing Armenians and inhabiting the territories with foreign
elements who will settle there as constructors and railway workers,"
says Sefilyan.

At the end of the letter, Sefilyan voices hope that our compatriots
living in Javakhq fully realize the menace and will do their utmost
to frustrate the above-mentioned anti-Armenian project.

I am convinced that the Armenians spread world-wide will render their
assistance in the decisive moment.

Nobody and nothing can break the will -power of Armenians. Let’s stand
firm and protect our country from the Turkish threats," urges Sefilyan.

Report on Armenia-NATO IPAP accomplishment to be presented in Brussels

ArmRadio.am
02.04.2007 16:55

April 3-4 the delegation headed by the Sectary of the Presidential
Council on national Security, RA Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan will
leave for Brussels to participate in the Armenia- NATO sitting of the
North-Atlantic Council in 26+1 format, during which the report on the
progress in the process of accomplishment of the Armenia-NATO
Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) will be presented, Press
Secretary of the Ministry of Defense, Colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan
informs.

In the framework of the visit Serge Sargsyan will meet with NATO
Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the Special Representative of
the NATO Secretary General for the South Caucasus Robert Simmons and
European Commissioner for External Relations and Neighborhood Policy
Mrs. Benita Ferrero-Waldner

On April 5 the delegation will be back to Yerevan.

US SENATE PANEL CONDEMNS DINK MURDER

The New Anatolian, Turkey
March 30 2007

A U.S. Senate panel condemned on Wednesday the murder earlier this
year of a prominent Turkish-Armenian editor, Hrant Dink, who had been
charged with "insulting Turkishness," a crime under controversial
penal code Article 301.

The resolution approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
reopened the question of whether Congress should weigh in on the
debate over Armenian genocide claims — a sensitive issue in Turkey.

Turkey strongly opposes the claims that its predecessor state, the
Ottoman government, caused the Armenian deaths in a planned genocide.

The Turkish government has said the toll is wildly inflated and that
Armenians were killed or displaced in civil unrest during the empire’s
collapse and conditions of World War I. Ankara’s proposal to Yerevan to
set up a joint commission of historians to study the disputed events
is still awaiting a positive response from the Armenian side. After
French lawmakers voted last October to make it a crime to deny that the
claims were genocide, Turkey said it would suspend military relations
with France.

The Senate resolution that passed the committee with a voice vote does
not explicitly refer to the killings as genocide, but says that Dink,
before his death, was subjected to legal action in Turkey for doing so.

It condemns Dink’s murder and urges the people of Turkey to "honor
his legacy of tolerance." Dink was murdered by a Turkish nationalist
gunman outside his Istanbul office in January. His funeral drew
100,000 mourners.

Turkish diplomats do not look favorably on the Senate proposal,
which can now go to the floor for a vote. "We don’t see the benefit
of such a resolution," said a Turkish diplomatic source.

The author of the Senate resolution, Foreign Relations Committee
Chairman Joseph Biden, a Delaware Democrat, said he was not deterred
by Turkish sensitivities.

Turkish officials, as well as members of the Bush administration, have
expressed more concern about other resolutions pending in Congress,
but it is unclear how quickly they may advance.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan warned last month that Congress
would harm bilateral ties if it backs a House resolution recognizing
the 1915 mass killings of Armenians by Turks as genocide.

The Bush administration supported the view that the term "Armenian
genocide" must be removed from the House text.

That resolution was introduced by Rep. Adam Schiff, a California
Democrat, and in the Senate by Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin,
an Illinois Democrat. Schiff told Reuters that with Democrats now in
charge of Congress, he believed his resolution had its "best chance
in a decade" of being passed.

ARMINCO FINED IN THE AMOUNT OF $5.5 THOUSAND

Panorama.am
21:02 30/03/2007

Internet provider "Arminco" was fined in the amount of 2 million
Armenian drams or $5.5 thousand. Public Services Regulatory Committee
reached the decision today. Having no respective license, Arminco
provided international telephone services. ArmenTel CJSC also supported
the happening. Arminco is assigned to stop international telephone
service provision based on the decision of the committee. The fine
will be paid to the Armenian state budget in the course of 2 weeks.

WILL TURKISH AUTHORITIES ALLOW PLACING A CROSS ON AKHTAMAR CHURCH?

ArmRadio.am
29.03.2007 14:30

Foreign Ministry spokesman Levent Bilman yesterday confirmed earlier
news reports that the Culture and Tourism Ministry has solicited the
views of the Foreign Ministry on the appropriateness of installing a
cross on the steeple of Akhtamar Church, which will be reopened today,
Turkish "Zaman" informs.

Levent Bilman noted it’s not compulsory to place the cross during the
opening ceremony. "Our ministry is still studying the issue before
offering our viewpoint. As you know, the restoration of historical
buildings is a long-term process," Bilman said. "By its very nature,
the issue will be evaluated in detail and then the Culture and Tourism
Ministry will be notified of our opinion."

The paper reminds that Turkish Armenians Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan
called on the Turkish Foreign Ministry three days ago to return the
cross to its original place. The letter of the Armenian Patriarch
has been submitted to the consideration of the Turkish Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.

The newspaper reminds that an official delegation from Yerevan, as
well as representatives of the Armenian Diaspora will participate in
the opening ceremony.

AKHTAMAR CHURCH OPENED IN TURKEY

ArmRadio.am
29.03.2007 16:10

The Church of the Holy Cross on Akhtamar Island in Lake Van was
opened in Turkey today. The opening ceremony was attended by the
Armenian delegation headed by RA Deputy Minister of Culture and Youth
Affairs Gagik Gyurjyan. Also present was the Armenian Patriarch of
Constantinople Mesrop Archbishop Mutafyan.

>From the Turkish side the ceremony was attended by Culture Minister
Atilla Koch.

It’s worth mentioning that no cross has been placed on the
church. However, Atilla Koch declared yesterday that the cross would
be placed and religious masses would be organized in the church at
least once a year.

Let us remind that the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin refused to
participate in the opening ceremony, considering that the reconstructed
church will turn into a museum and the ceremony will not be held in
compliance with religious rituals of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

OSCE MISSION SAYS THE FIRES IN THE BORDER LINE AFFECTED THE REGION’S ECOSYSTEM

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
March 28 2007

"The monitoring group was not able to review firefighting equipment
in the eastern part of the contact line. Azerbaijani representatives
stated many times that their equipment and technical devices meet
modern standards and can be used in firefighting. They said that the
only obstacle to the work in the regions near the contact line is
mined areas, unexploded military equipment and fire from the opposite
side. The group visited firefighting departments in Nagorno Karabakh.

They found out that firefighting services are equipped with out-of-date
equipment used for 20-25 years. At the same time Nagorno Karabakh’s
relief prevents taking efficient measures against fires.

There is lack of equipment to extinguish fire manually in the
places where cars can not reach. There is also shortage of water,
it is connected with lack of irrigation system, artesian wells, and
lack of agreement and mutual activity between the two sides of the
contact line to use all water resources," says the report drawn up
by OSCE mission which monitored the fire-hit places, Bernard Snoy,
Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities told the
APA. According to the report, the fires caused damage of greenery and
economic losses. Economic losses in Nagorno Karabakh are estimated
to amount to 3.5 million Armenian drams ($9m).

"The head of Tartar region executive power said 10,548 families
suffered from the fires. Azerbaijani press writes that the damage is
estimated to amount to AZN7.5m ($8.6m). Economic losses to be caused by
the degradation of ecosystem have not been estimated yet. Some local
residents say that smoke started as a result of fire were dangerous
for the health of sick people. The head of Agjabadi executive power
said that smoke had a negative influence on the people suffering from
asthma and cardiovascular diseases as well as the elderly. There are
bullet holes on fire engines in Nagorno Karabakh and Tartar. Heads of
Tartar and Agjabadi executive powers said that the number of people
bitten by snakes increased. About 48 appealed to hospitals. It is
connected with migration of snakes and rodents from the fire-hit
places. The discussion over the influence of fires on environment
underlined several times that fires influence atmosphere and cause
climate change."

PRESIDENT, VP CONDOLE ARMENIAN LEADER

Emirates News Agency
March 27, 2007 Tuesday 10:02 AM EST

President, VP condole Armenian leader Abu Dhabi, March 27th, 2007
(WAM)–President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a
cable of condolences to Robert Kocharian, President of the Republic of
Armenia on the death of the Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margrayan.

H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime
Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has sent a similar cable to the Armenian
President.