Author: Nahapetian Zhanna

TIGRAN BALAYAN: THERE IS OBJECTIVE COLORING IN REPORT

Panorama.am
12:26 06/03/2009

"There are some justified elements in the report but it is more than
obvious that it is based on conclusions of one-sided sources. The
report does not cover the dynamics of the processes and the positive
tendencies in the country," said the head of Foreign Ministry press
department Tigran Balayan answering to the question of Panarmenian.net.

"We have been stressing many times that irrespective of the reports
and their content the authorities of Armenia are decisive in making
reforms in the country, since it is a choice made by the people of
Armenia," said T. Balayan.

FINANCIAL CRISIS HAS NOT AFFECTED THE ACTIVITY OF UCO NORVIK

ArmInfo
2009-03-05 20:01:00

ArmInfo. Norvik Universal Credit Organization, which has been operating
in Armenian market for 2 years and ensuring high profitability,
states its positive tendencies consolidated by considerable growth
in assets and total capital.

Executive Director of Norvik UCO Tigran Bostanjyan presented the
independent assessment of KPMG Armenia auditors, according to which
the net profit of Norvik for 2008 amounted to $4.8 mln, which is
twice as much as in 2007. According to him, this means that the crisis
phenomena have not affected the organization’s activity.

According to experts, the organization continues holding the leading
position among the credit companies of Armenia. As Bostanjyan said,
the company’s professionalism and introduction of new financial
services are the pledge of such success. He added that Norvik UCO’s
success is also conditioned by active launch of the special system
of client servicing "My Norvik" created at the website My.Norvik.am,
as well as by possible repayment of loans via internet.

According to the Ranking of Credit Companies of Armenia prepared by
the Agency of Rating Marketing Information (ArmInfo), as of Jan 1,
2009, the total capital of Norvik UCO amounted to about $10 mln,
assets – about $64 mln, provision of crediting exceeded $59 mln. The
annual growth of the total capital amounted to 66,4%, assets – 45,2%,
provision of crediting – 37,6%. By the main indices Norvik UCO holds
the leading position and ensures stable growth.

To recall, Norvik UCO founded in July 2006 by the Latvian-Icelandic
JSC Norvik Bank was registered as an UCO and licensed by the Central
Bank of Armenia early in July 2006.

RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN RECEIVED A DELEGATION HEADED BY SERGEY VYBORNOV, THE PRESIDENT OF ALROS, WHICH IS A LEADING RUSSIAN DIAMOND MINING COMPANY

Wedn esday, 4 March 2009

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan received a delegation headed by
Sergey Vybornov, the President of ALROS, which is a leading Russian
diamond mining company.

The parties discussed the cooperation prospects amidst the global
financial and economic crisis, as well as the possibilities for
supporting key Armenian diamond processing companies.

The President of ALROSA suggested providing Armenia with a sizeable
credit line which will enable our country to get as much rough diamond
from this Russian company as is necessary to meet Armenian entities’
requirements in raw materials for a few years ahead.

The two sides agreed to hold an extra discussion concerning the details
of this mutually beneficial facility allowing for any eventual risks
as seen from the Lender’s and the Borrower’s perspective, as well as
considering the possible impact of the global financial and economic
crisis.

GAGIK BEGLARYAN REPLACES YERVARD ZAKHARYAN AS MAYOR OF YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.03.2009 21:37 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today, according to presidential decree, Yervand
Zakharyan was discharged from the position of Yerevan Mayor and
appointed RA President Counselor, RA President press office reported
to PanARMENIAN.Net.

By another decree Kentron Community Head Gagik Beglaryan is appointed
to be Yerevan Mayor.

Gagik Beglaryan was nominated for headship in Kentron community in
2002 and re-elected in 2005 and 2008. He has been a member of the
ruling Republican Party since 2006.

The information on the appointment of Gagik Beglaryan has been
circulating in press since March 2.

"The reports are not true, although Gagik Beglaryan can be appointed
to the post in May," Beglaryan’s assistant Aram Arutyunyan told
PanARMENIAN.Net.

Yerevan Mayor’s office PR division asserted the city administration
did not possess information of the kind.

THE RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN MUSEUM OF ART PRESENTS TWO EXHIBITIONS

Art Daily
amp;int_new=29356
March 2 2009

PROVIDENCE, RI.- The RISD Museum of Art presents two complementary
exhibitions which highlight portraits of artists. Yousuf Karsh:
Portraits of Artists and Facing Artists: Twentieth Century Portraits
from the Collection will showcase the work of the photographer Yousuf
Karsh and other artists such as Andy Warhol, Lucien Freud, and Pablo
Picasso. The two exhibitions are presented in adjoining galleries
and offer the visitor the opportunity to make connections between
the various artists.

The Karsh exhibition celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth
of Yousuf Karsh (Canadian, born Armenia, 1908-2002) as part of a
nationwide celebration. Karsh is one of the most celebrated portrait
photographers of the twentieth century. More than 15,000 people
sat in front of Karsh’s camera–from ordinary citizens to such
influential figures as Winston Churchill and Albert Einstein. Karsh
made a concerted effort to record the century’s most accomplished
individuals, especially those in the arts. A selection of twenty-seven
photographs of visual artists and designers comprise this exhibition;
all are promised gifts to The RISD Museum from the artist’s estate
administered by his wife, Estrellita Karsh.

Karsh’s portraits are collaborations. His charming manner and ability
to connect with his sitters come through in the images, which reveal
as much about his admiration for his subjects as they do about the
subjects themselves. As fastidious as he was spontaneous, Karsh
researched his subjects and planned his shots before every sitting,
but he was always alert to the opportunity of the moment and eschewed
choosing any single portrait convention. When he photographed Jasper
Johns, for example, he changed his initial plan to show him with one
of his paintings, instead tightly framing the artist’s penetrating
gaze to better capture his cerebral nature. For his portrait of Josef
Albers, Karsh posed the artist seated in profile, creating geometry
within the frame that echoes Albers’s celebrated Homage to the Square
painting behind him. In the nearly full-length portrait of Russell
Wright, the designer gazes out a window in a domestic setting that
perfectly suits his dishware and furniture.

Karsh wrote about his sittings in a diary. Several of his entries
are included with the portraits on view, offering insight into his
experience of his collaborations.

The exhibition of portraits drawn from the Museum’s collection consists
of portraits of literary, performing, and visual artists by a broad
range of twentieth-century artists associated with the genre. It
is intended to give context to the Yousuf Karsh’s photographs in the
adjacent gallery by grouping the works by portrait type so that viewers
will see how artists have embraced the conventions of portraiture and
how they have expanded its parameters. Some of the portraits on view
include Marlene Dietrich by Cecil Beaton; Stephen Spender by Lucien
Freud; Brassaï by Pablo Picasso; and Mick Jagger by Andy Warhol.

ARMENIR RESTAURANT

Pattaya People
lder=16&IdArticle=16259
March 2 2009
Thailand

For a change this week we were invited to try the unique cuisine from
the South West Asian Republic of Armenia at one of the growing number
of this country’s restaurants that are now popping up in Pattaya.

We ventured out to the Armenir Restaurant, which is located on Pattaya
Naklua Road. Armenir is a spacious, clean and well lit restaurant
with a smoking zone open front terrace area; it is run by its friendly
restaurateur and managing director, Vitali Muradyan. Opened for just
over one and a half years, Armenir has become a big hit with the
many Russian tourists that now come to Pattaya especially in the high
season. Then when the low season appears, Armenian tourists take over
and head for this authentic ‘Real McCoy’ ethnic Armenian restaurant.

Actually, the menu (with pictures of all the dishes in both English
and Russian) has a splattering of Russian recipes as well, but who’s
complaining, they all sound very tempting!

Armenian cuisine is as ancient as the country’s history which over
the centuries has been highly influenced by cultures from most
Mediterranean countries, the Middle East and Eastern Europe; with
Lamb, Aubergines and Yoghurt dominant ingredients in the range of
many dishes available, plus Armenian stable bread known as Lavash;
all available here at Armenir.

There is a fine selection of fresh Salads and Soups around 100-150
baht. For main meat dishes expect to pay around 185 for a fine Pork
BBQ dish to a Lamb Shank dish at 360 baht. Fish and seafood dishes
range from 220 baht for Red Fish with Cheese Sauce to 370 baht for a
plate of Large BBQ Shrimps. There are a small number of Thai dishes
available on the menu such as 125 baht for the popular fragrant Tom
Yum Khung (Spicy Shrimp Soup).

Not being acquainted with the food from Armenia we asked our expert
Vitali to choose some of the popular Armenian national dishes and
Russian favourites for us to try.

First off we were given two house specialty drinks: Kefir and Kvas
(70 baht). Kefir is quite a light and refreshing fermented milk drink
akin to the Indian Lassi yoghurt drink. Kvas on the other hand is a
very ancient drink that one needs quite getting used to; after a few
sips it grows on one. It is literally made of fermented rye bread;
it is sweet tasting and mildly alcoholic and apparently good for
the digestion.

Then we sampled one of the colourful Salads called "Fur Coat" (105
baht) which is a delicious mixture of Tuna, Carrot, Potato, Beetroot,
Mayonnaise and Egg topping. This was followed by two excellent
homemade soups, Armenian Soup (145 baht), a hefty ‘meal in itself’
soup made with Lamb, Potatoes, Tomatoes and Peppers. The other was a
first class Borsh (150 baht) made with Beetroot, Beef, Pepper, Carrot
and Potatoes and topped with Sour Cream. Delicious! We then tried
another delicacy, a plate of Dolmas (230 baht) ground Beef wrapped
and cooked in Vine Leaves, before the main course arrived which was
the Lamb Shank; a tender piece of braised meat that literally fell
off the bone and served with Aubergine (Eggplant) and Fried Rice.

So if you wish to try something different, why not try authentic
Armenian cuisine, especially the excellent Borsh served up at the
friendly Armenir Restaurant. Located at 159/38-39 M5, Naklua Road
(about 150 yards from Dolphin Roundabout on right hand side).

Armenir is open every day from 2pm until midnight. Telephone: 038
370 340.

HOVHANNES DAVTYAN WINS JUDO WORLD CUP SILVER

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.03.2009 15:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian judoists returned back to Yerevan after
the second round of World Cup that was held in Warsaw from February
28 to March 1.

Two Armenian judoists, namely Hovhannes Davtyan and Artur Srapyan
(both in 60 kg weight class) were a success, ranking 2 nd place and
5th respectively, the Armenian Judo Federation told PanARMENIAN.Net.

"That was a preparation for the European Championship to be held in
Tbilisi on April 23-26 and the team tournament due in Russia on May
25-29," chief coach Arthur Gevorgyan said.

In Warsaw, Armenia was represented by 5 sportsmen: Hovhannes Davtyan,
(European silver medalist) (weight class 60 kg), Arthur Srapyan
(weight class 60 kg), Armen Nazaryan (2003 European champion)
(weight class 66 kg), Hambardzum Tonoyan (weight class 66 kg) and
Artem Baghdasaryan (weight class 73 kg).

Daily Georgian Times, Georgia
March 1 2009

Tbilisi-Moscow flight via Yerevan cancelled till March 10.

InterpressNews was informed about it by representative of Armenian
avocation company `Armavia’ to Moscow Garik Sarksyan. According to
their information, Tbilisi-Yerevan-Moscow flight was planned to be
carried out by the avication company today, though due to lack of time
the flight was cancelled till March 10. Flight will be carried out
twice a day. Tickets are already sold.

Aviation Company `Armavia’ made statement about implementation of
Tbilisi-Yerevan flights to Georgian united transportation
administration on February 27.

Head of Georgian-Russian joint public commission Malkhaz Gulashvili
made announcement that Tbilisi-Moscow flight via Yereven would start
from March 1.

Interpressnews
2009.03.01 18:34

Russia to give $500 mln stabilizing credit with LIBOR+3% rate to Armenia

2009-02-28 19:08:00

ArmInfo. Russia will give $500 mln stabilizing credit with LIBOR+3%
rate to Armenia, Armenian Prime Minister, Tigran Sarkisyan, said when
replying to ArmInfo correspondent’s question.

He also added the credit will be given to Armenia on easy terms, in
particular, for 14 years with an easy term period for 4 years. "This is
a state credit – financial duties of the Armenian government against
the Russian government. We have a right to decide independently how to
spend the funds and are only financially responsible for the credit", –
Sarkisyan said. He also added that the credit is of the great
significance for Armenia in the matter of fulfillment of effective
anti-crisis measures. He also said that the credit funds will be spent
for the programmes that will provide creation of new job places.
Sarkisyan said that the relevant contract on this credit will be signed
by finance ministers of the two states.

To recall, preliminary agreement on giving Armenia the stabilizing
credit $500 mln was signed between Armenia and Russia on 9 February
2009.