Author: Nahapetian Zhanna

CELEBRATIONS DEDICATED TO THE PROCLAMATION OF THE FIRST REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA

armradio.am
28.05.2008 16:42

On the occasion of the Republic Day, the 90th anniversary of
proclamation of the first Republic of Armenia, a celebration was
organized at the Sardarapat Memorial Complex.

RA Presidnet Serzh Sargsyan, NKR President Bako Sahakyan, Speaker
of the National Assembly Tigran Torosyan, Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan, President of the Constitutional Court Gagik Harutyunyan,
representatives of the executive and legislative bodies, the senior
Officer staff of the Armed Forces, heads of local self-government
bodies, other officials, heads of foreign diplomatic missions
accredited in Armenia came to pay homage to the memory of the soldiers
that fell in the Sardarapat battle. Following the tradition, the
second President of the Republic of Armenia, Mr. Robert Kocharyan,
also visited the memorial. Residents of the marzes and the capital,
Diaspora Armenians and foreigners participated in the celebration.

The leadership of the Republic was greeted with a military parade. The
leaders of the country laid a wreath of flowers at the memorial to
the victims of the heroic battle. His Holiness Gargein II, Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, offered a requiem service.

Led by RA President, the guests visited the State Museum of Ethnography
and National Liberation Struggle, where a new exhibition entitled
"The May victories and the proclamation of the Republic of Armenia
was opened."

RA President, President of the Chess Federation of Armenia Serzh
Sargsyan also watched Grand Master Vladimir Hakobyan’s game with the
best chess players of the marz.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT HANDS MEDALS AND HONORARY TITLES TO SCIENTIFIC, CULTURAL, HEALTH AND EDUCATION FIGURES

ARMENPRESS
May 28, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 28, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President Serzh Sargsian
personally handed today medals and honorary titles to cultural,
scientific, health and education figures. The decree was signed by
the president on May 26 on the occasion of the First Republic holiday.

Honorary title of People’s Artist was awarded to Robert Sahakian,
a cartoon director. Robert Elibakian was awarded the title of the
People’s Painter. The titles of Honored Artists were awarded to
Marine Abrahamian, a pianist, Armen Babakhanian, a pianist, Norayr
Davtian, art director and chief conductor of the Armenian folk musical
instruments ensemble, Artyom Khachatrian, head of the instruments
section of Sayat Nova bard ensemble, Asatur Karapetian, chief dance
teacher of Armenian state dance ensemble, Alexander Kosemian, viola
player of Komitas state quartet and Anna Mailian, singer. The title
of Honorary Painter was awarded to Hrant Tadevosian.

The title of Honored Teacher was awarded to Daniel Tadevosian, military
instruction teacher of number 158 secondary school of Yerevan named
after M. Gorgisian.

Titles of Honorary Workers of Art were awarded to Karen Aghamian-
painter, head of the Union of Armenian Painters, Ararat Aghasian,
director of Institute of Art of the National Academy of Sciences,
Armen Tutunjian, art director of Chico and Friends jazz group, Araks
Sarian, a musical critic, professor.

Titles of Honorary Workers of Culture were awarded to Levon Ananian,
chairman of the Union of Armenian Writers, Karen Gevorkian, chief dance
teacher of Berd ensemble, Murad Hakobian, art director of Sardarapat
dance ensemble of the House of Officers of the Defense Ministry, Armen
Manukian, a pianist, art director of One Nation-One Culture Foundation,
Gevork Chakmanian, art director of Taron children bard ensemble.

Tigran Liloyan, correspondent for Itar-Tass news agency, was awarded
the title of Honored Journalist.

With the decree of the president St. Mesrop Mashtots medals were
awarded to academician of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences
Sergey Mergelian, chief surgeon of the "Nork-Marash" medical center
Hakob Hovakimian. Armenian deputy culture minister Gagik Gyurjian
was awarded Anania Shirakatsi medal.

Mkhitar Heratsi medals were awarded to doctor-oncologist of the Gyumri
oncological dispenser of Alexan Grigorian, pediatrician of the Martuni
hospital Atom Manukian, doctor-cardiologist of Noyemberian medical
center Susanna Sahakian, director of Agarak hospital Tsaghik Vardanian.

Rector of the Vanadzor Tumanian State Pedagogical Institute,
professor Gurgen Khachatrian, trumpeter of A. Merangulian folk musical
instruments ensemble of Armenian public radio Seryozha Karapetian and
art critic, deputy director of the Armenian National Gallery Hasmik
Harutyunian were awarded Movses Khorenatsi medals.

"Today we award those people who have notable contribution to the
development of science, education, culture and health in our country. I
am convinced that this is a very responsible moment as not all succeed
in reaching such creative, professional achievements," Serzh Sargsian
said congratulating them.

He noted that it is necessary to have not only talent and bright
skills but also ability to work hard, high civil responsibility and
love towards the homeland.

"Your personal victories are assessed by the state and the public and
your way will be an example for many those who devoted themselves to
creative work and helping the people. With your work you help to raise
the image of Armenia, and give new quality to the spiritual, mental and
humanitarian potential of our state. I wish that the cultural figures
create more valuable works to bring up more prepared and patriotic
generation and that the doctors cure our compatriots with more love. If
it is so no one can win us, our country will be flourishing. I warmly
congratulate you on receiving high state awards, and I am sure that
we are united towards the general goal of development and progress
of Armenia," the Armenian president pointed out.

Activists demand decisive action on stopping genocide in Darfur

armradio.am
28.05.2008 13:58

Hundreds of activists gathered in front of the U.S. Mission at the
United Nations in New York City with Darfur advocacy leaders to deliver
thousands of handprints and messages from all over the country
demanding decisive U.S. action to end genocide in Darfur and promote
peace for Sudan, reported the Armenian National Committee of America,
Eastern Region (ANCA ER).

"The Armenian National Committee of America will continue to work to
make sure that action is taken in Darfur. Whether making sure that
peacekeepers are sent, divestment is taking place amongst the various
states, or overall awareness is brought about, we must do all we can to
stop this genocide," commented Karine Birazian, Eastern Region
Executive Director for the ANCA.

Speakers included: Gerald LeMelle, Executive Director, Africa Action;
Eric Gioia, New York City Council Member; Yahya Mohammad Osman, Vice
President, Darfur Rehabilitation Project; Motasim Adam, President,
Darfur People’s Association of New York; Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian,
Pastor, St. Illuminator’s Armenian Apostolic Church; Mohamed Yahya,
Executive Director, Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy; Rev.
Herbert Daughtry, Pastor, House of the Lord Church in Brooklyn and head
of the National Religious Leaders of African Ancestry Concerned about
Darfur, and Michael Perlman and Jodie Manross who provided an
inspirational performance.

Eric Gioia, New York City councilman, commented "our children will say
to us in 10 years, in 20 years, when you found out, what did you do?
And how can any of us look them in the eye and say I did nothing. Good
people, when good people say they stand for something, the question you
have to ask them is what are we willing to do about it, and if the
answer is I am not willing to do anything that the sad truth is you
don’t stand firm."

Father Mesrob Lakissian, Pastor of St. Illuminator’s Armenian Apostolic
Church, stated: "we the children and grandchildren of the survivors of
the Armenian Genocide of 1915 remember that it was the kindness of
strangers and aid that came from all over the world especially from the
United States that saved our ancestors. Today, we thank God for his
deliverance and pledge to make our voices heard in the face of evil and
injustice¦"

Cosponsoring the event along with Africa Action were, African Services
Committee, American Jewish World Service, Armenian National Committee
of America, Chadian Association of North America, Damanga Coalition for
Freedom and Democracy, DarfurMetro, Darfur Rehabilitation Project,
Darfur People’s Association of New York, Darfur Vigilers, the ENOUGH
Project, Genocide Intervention Network, Making a Difference (MAD), NY
City Coalition for Darfur, Rock to Save Darfur, Shine a Ray of Hope,
STAND and TransAfrica Forum.

The U.N. Security Council has primary responsibility to maintain
international peace and security. The Presidency of the Council rotates
monthly, according to the English alphabetical listing of its member
States, and on June 1, 2008, the United States will take over the
presidency. Over 450,000 people have lost their lives and millions have
been displaced in the ongoing genocide in Darfur. Although the U.S.
government has acknowledged this genocide, it has failed to take the
necessary action to protect the people of Darfur. Africa Action, the
ANCA, and rally supporters are calling on President Bush to assert U.S.
leadership in support of a multinational intervention to stop the
ongoing genocide in Darfur.

GENERAL SECRETARY OF CSTO NIKOLAI BORDYUZHA: WE ARE A UNITED SECURITY SPACE
by Oleg Gorupai

DEFENSE and SECURITY
May 26, 2008 Monday
Russia

GENERAL SECRETARY OF CSTO SPEAKS ON ACTIVITIES OF THE ORGANIZATION
IN PROVISION OF SECURITY IN EURASIA; Due to the fifth anniversary
of the establishment of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO) marked in 2008, Krasnaya Zvezda turned to General Secretary of
the organization, Nikolai Bordyuzha, with a request to say that these
years meant for the organization and to speak about its achievements
in the provision of security in Eurasia.

Due to the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) marked in 2008, Krasnaya Zvezda
turned to General Secretary of the organization, Nikolai Bordyuzha,
with a request to say that these years meant for the organization
and to speak about its achievements in the provision of security
in Eurasia.

Question: Is the entrance of new countries into the CSTO planned?

Bordyuzha: We do not speak about a need for the entrance of new member
states into the CSTO now. If any country wants to participate in the
collective security system and submits an application, the Collective
Security Council will consider it. There is no need to accelerate
the attraction of new members to CSTO now.

Question: You have announced recently that "There are new attempts
to weaken interaction of the post-Soviet states with Russia and to
cut it from its historic partners and current allies." Do these plans
have any chance for success?

Bordyuzha: It is impossible to speak about the success of these plans
although we see growing activeness of some ex-regional structures
and the third countries in their attempts to hinder integration in
the post-Soviet space. Various well-tested methods are used for this
purpose for the insertion of proposals regarding projects which are
alternatives to the projects already implemented by CSTO to use of
the practice of ignoring of these or those CSTO member states in
solving certain security problems.

Question: How do you think the CSTO and Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) can cooperate?

Bordyuzha: First of all, CSTO and SCO should not create duplicating
structures. For example, a mechanism of counteraction to drug
trafficking has been well tested and is working successfully in the
CSTO. In this aspect we can cooperate with colleagues from the SCO.

In the interests of security CSTO and SCO can also cooperate in the
political field coordinating foreign policy efforts, for instance,
in UN in promotion of their initiatives.

The third line of cooperation is the combating of terrorism, political
and religious extremism.

The next line of cooperation is combating illegal trafficking of
weapons, radioactive materials, their transportation and transnational
organized criminal groups.

I will say that the CSTO has many things that the SCO does not
have. For example, this is the agreement on the status of collective
forces in accordance with which we can settle issues regarding the
transportation of military units from one member states to the other
quickly.

Besides, there is a system of preferences in the CSTO format. For
example, member states can buy armament at domestic prices of the
manufacturing country. There is also an agreement on free of charge
and the privileged training of military staff.

Question: Is the organization of joint exercises of the armed forces
of member states of CSTO and SCO possible?

Bordyuzha: Yes, of course. Everything depends on political will of the
member states. I am convinced that it is necessary to organize such
exercises under two flags: the CSTO and SCO. First, this will have
very special political repercussions in the world. Second, the list
of participants having common approaches to security will be fuller
and this is really so. The potential of China will be added to CSTO
and potential of Armenia and Belarus will be added to potential of SCO.

Question: The West will criticize large-scale exercises of the CSTO
and SCO.

Bordyuzha: Honestly speaking, I am not interested in the West’s
reaction.

Question: Will the CSTO become a political pole of the world in the
future offering a path to security to the states being alternative to
NATO, a kind of alternative to NATO and the "order" that the alliance
has brought to peoples of Serbia and Iraq?

Bordyuzha: The CSTO advocates cooperation with NATO and not
counteraction to it. CSTO like SCO is not a counterpart of the Warsaw
pact of the "cold war" period. Not a single document of the CSTO and
SCO contains a paragraph on opposition to NATO. The military factor
is not the main factor in the activities of CSTO. That is why I would
not say that the CSTO is an alternative to NATO.

In any case, we register the wish of this military political bloc
to work with CSTO member states individually. This position shows
that Brussels obviously does not wish to "legalize" the CSTO by
establishment of formal relations with it and sees nearly a rally in
it in implementation of the course of NATO at "development" of the
post-Soviet space according to its standards.

Question: You proposed the organization of a meeting of five
top-ranking officials of CIS, Eurasian Economic Union, CSTO, OSCE
and SCO in 2008. Is there a response to this proposal?

Bordyuzha: All these organizations act in the post-Soviet space very
actively. We receive positive answers to our proposal from everyone
except for the UN Secretary General. We are waiting…

UN agencies carry out $19 mln worth programs in Armenia in 2008

YEREVAN, May 23. /ARKA/. Twelve specialized UN agencies carried out
19mln worth grant programs in Armenia this year, UNDP Program
Coordinator in Armenia Consuelo Vidal said during her meeting with RA
Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan.
She assured the Foreign Minister UN-Armenia cooperation is
constructive. Armenia greatly contributes to UN activities, according
to Vidal.

She expressed readiness to continue cooperation with the new Armenian
government. In his turn, Minister Nalbandyan approved of bilateral
cooperation, saying Armenia is ready to strengthen bilateral relations
in view of further negotiations over UNDP Program 2010-2014. -0–

PanARMENIAN.Net

Turkey’s MFA ready to establish relations with Armenia, Turkish
professor says
23.05.2008 16:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey’s policy toward the South
Caucasus states bases on two principles: territorial
integrity and neighborly relations with all states of
the region, a Turkish expert said.

-The Turkish government is willing to enjoy neighborly
relations not only with Georgia and Azerbaijan but
also with Armenia,- head of the department of
international relations at University of Economic and
Technology, prof. Mustafa Aydin said in his remarks
during Caucasus 2007 international conference in
Yerevan.

The February 19 presidential election in Armenia
inspires hope for gradual normalization of the
Armenian-Turkish relations, according to him.

-The Turkish Foreign Ministry eyes the Armenian
diplomacy as `very soviet’, old-fashioned and clumsy.
Our diplomacy, on the contrary, is west-oriented and
supposes joint efforts for normalization of relations.
Reconstruction of Holy Church in Akhtamar is a serious
step on the part of the Turkish government. It’s
Armenia’s turn now,- prof. Aydin said.

-One of such steps could be softening of position on
Nagorno Karabakh. Ankara understands that much should
be done for resolution of the conflict but initially
Armenia could withdraw troops from 7 Azerbaijani
regions. In this case, Turkey could open the border,
which was closed in 1993. Actually, Turkey’s MFA is
ready to establish relations with Armenia but pressure
is too strong. Anyway, I think that normalization of
the Armenian-Turkish relations is not far away,- he
said.

ARMENIAN SCHOOL TO BE BUILT IN GLENDALE

oNoyan Tapan

Ma y 22, 2008

GLENDALE, MAY 22, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. An Armenian High
School will be built in Glendale in the near future.

Armenian Benefactor Raffi Manoukian has committed six million dollars
to this end, the Gybrahayer internet periodical reports.

ICRC: "OUR REPRESENTATIVES WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SEE THE ARMENIAN CITIZENS, DETAINED IN AZERBAIJAN"

Today.Az
s/politics/45145.html
May 21 2008
Azerbaijan

Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross have
not yet been allowed to see four Armenian citizens, detained in the
Nakhchivan direction of the front line.

According to the Yerevan delegation of the Red Cross, the committee
was informed about detainment of four Armenian citizens in Nakhchivan
on the night of April 29 from their families.

"After getting this information, in line with usual practice, the
Red Cross made efforts to see these persons to assess their detention
conditions and ensure possible exchange of family news with relations.

Unfortunately, they have not yet been allowed to see these persons,
but attempts to organize such visits continue", said the Yerevan
delegation of the Red Cross.

HRAYR KARAPETYAN ELECTED NA VICE-SPEAKER

armradio.am
20.05.2008 17:32

Hrayr Karapetyan was elected Vice-Speaker of the National Assembly
today.

101 Deputies participated in the secret ballot. He received 97 pro
and 1 con vote, 2 ballots were considered invalid.

Hrayr Karapetyan thanked his colleagues for trust. He noted that he
would use every opportunity for the benefit of the activity of the
National Assembly and the benefit of the Motherland.

He was born on August 11, 1963 in Yerevan.

In 1980 he finished Yerevan secondary school #135.

1980-1981 he was a worker at Yerevan Lamp Factory.

In 1985 he studied and graduated from Yerevan Kh. Abovian Armenian
State Pedagogical Institute, later he continued his postgraduate
studies. He defended his thesis on the theme "The Problem of the
Learners’ Civil Upbringing in the System of National Education."

He is a candidate of pedagogical sciences, an author of a number of
scientific manuals and works.

985-1990 he worked at school in the village of Nor Geghi, later at
Yerevan # 181 school as a teacher.

985-1987 he joined Zangakatun organization.

987-1989 he was a member of Unity organization, editor of Zangakatun
periodical.

In 1989 he joined the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.

990-1995 he was elected a member of the ARF Central Committee of
Armenia.

990-1992 he participated in the organization of self-defense battles
of Getashen, Shahumian, Berdadzor, Mardakert with Tatul Krpeyan,
Shahen Mgheryan and other freedom fighters.

996-1998 he was elected a member of the ARF Supreme Body of Armenia.

998-2003 – governor of RA Aragatsotn marz.

2003-2007 – NA deputy (proportional list, ARF). He was head of ARF
faction of the National Assembly.

On May 12, 2007 he was elected a deputy of the National Assembly by
the proportional electoral system from the ARF Party. He is head of
the Armenian Revolutionary Faction.

He is the author of dozens of laws and legislative initiatives.

He is head of the group of ‘Parliamentary Cooperation of the Protection
of the Consumers’ Interests’ of the National Assembly. He made queries
and statements on the tariffs of gas, water, telecommunication and
power concerning the protection of the consumers’ interests in the
National Assembly.

He was awarded medals and orders by the RA Defense Minister, Prime
Minister and the Chairman of the Federal Council of the Russian
Federation.

He is married and has three children.

REBIRTH’ PARTY LEADER ALBERT BAZEYAN: ONLY ORGANIZATIONAL PROBLEMS SHOULD BE RESOLVED OVER THE PROCESS OF THE THREE PARTIES FUSION – ‘NATIONAL REBIRTH’, ‘DASHINK’ AND RAMKAVAR-AZATAKAN

arminfo
2008-05-19 16:31:00

‘National ArmInfo. All the legal and technical problems have been
already settled and only some organizational problems should be
resolved over the process of the three parties fusion – "National
rebirth", "Dashink" and Ramkavar-Azatakan, in particular, to choose
the name of the new political force, the leader of the National
rebirth party Albert Bazeyan said at the press-conference in Urbat
club, Monday.

He recalled that fusion process of the three above mentioned parties
started in 2007 and at present Dashink and National Rebirth have
stopped existing as legal bodies. As for the problem who will lead
the new party and who will enter its board, it will be discussed at
the autumn congress of the new united political force.