Author: Takmazian

IRAN, ARMENIA EMPHASIZE BANKING CO-OP

Mehr News Agency
May 28 2008
Iran

TEHRAN, May 28 (MNA) – Armenian Minister of Finance Tigran Davtian
met Iran’s Central Bank Vice Governor for Foreign Exchange Affairs
Reza Raei on Tuesday.

In the meeting, Davtian emphasized on stronger bilateral economic ties
between Yerevan and Tehran and clarified the investment opportunities
in his country, ISNA reported.

Meanwhile, Raei referred to the economic developments in Armenia
and underlined the expansion of banking relations between the two
countries.

PUBLIC FORUM TO BE HELD ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES FOR ARMENIA’S FUTURE

armradio.am
27.05.2008 15:25

According to studies by international forestry experts, Armenia is
one of the vulnerable countries with a forest cover of less than 10
percent. As a result, Armenia faces challenges caused by erosion,
landslides, water management, climate change, and desertification. A
number of factors have contributed to this crisis, some of which are
related to geopolitics, poverty, corruption, and poor land management
practices.

Since 1994, Armenia Tree Project (ATP) has been working to implement
solutions to these problems by planting trees at hundreds of urban and
rural areas around the country. To highlight the next phase of this
work, ATP and a number of cosponsoring organizations will be hosting
a public forum on Thursday, June 19 titled "Sustainable Development
Strategies for Armenia’s Future."

The program will begin with the screening of a recent documentary
film by Vem Media Arts of Yerevan, followed by a presentation by
ATP Executive Director Jeff Masarjian and Zachary Parisa of the Yale
University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

Mr. Parisa has done field work in the forests of northern Armenia,
near ATP’s 15-acre Mirak Family Reforestation Nursery in Margahovit
Village, and he is drafting a sustainable forestry manual for Armenia.

This event is cosponsored by Armenia Tree Project, Armenian Assembly,
Armenian Cultural Foundation, Armenian Environmental Network,
Armenian National Committee, and Vem Media Arts. "We are very excited
to be collaborating with these organizations, all which have recently
partnered with ATP to spread the message about sustainable development
and the threat of deforestation," added Masarjian. "It is our sincere
hope that the list of organizations grows in the coming years as we
advance our reforestation programs in Armenia."

Panorama.am

20:27 24/05/2008

MONTE MELKONYAN – 58 GRADUATES

Today -Monte Melkonyan- military educational college
celebrates the graduation party of its 58 graduate
soldiers. The Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan was
present at the graduation ceremony which was blessed
by Saint Vrtanes priest Abrahamyan.

Afterwards minister Ohanyan made a speech and wished
the graduates success and welfare. He reminded them,
that Monte Melkonyan was a real National hero. The
officers of the military college also congratulated
and made speech.

Source: Panorama.am

BAKU OPPOSES ANNOUNCEMENT OF ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON CONDUCTION OF ANTI-ARMENIAN PROPAGANDA BY AZERBAIJAN

Today.Az
tics/45180.html
May 23 2008
Azerbaijan

The announcement of Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan
about conduction of anti-Armenian propaganda in Azerbaijan is quite
unfounded, said spokesman for Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry Khazar
Ibrahim.

"No anti-Armenian propaganda is conducted in Azerbaijan. In fact,
the Azerbaijani leadership and mass medias react to the really tough
anti-Azerbaijani propaganda, conducted by Armenia and the Armenian
diaspora", Kh.Ibrahim told Interfax-Azerbaijan.

Touching upon the concerns of the Armenian Foreign Minister about
the rise of the supporters of forced way of the conflict resolution
in Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani diplomat recommended to Nalbandyan to
pay attention to the main point of the conflict.

"Mister Nalbandyan should pay attention to the main point of the
problem. Nowhere else in the world there is such a country which
occupies a significant part of the territory of a neighbor state. This
is the main cause of the adequate attitude to Armenian aggression
of those people, who fell victim of it, who was subjected to ethnic
cleansing and lose their relatives and even do not have a chance to
visit their graves", said Ibrahim.

According to the spokesman, in this connection Baku "will continue
calling things with their names and undertake steps for finding way
out of the situation, established following occupation of a part of
Azerbaijani lands by Armenia".

ATOM EGOYAN’S ‘ADORATION’ – OVERAMBITIOUS?
By Arnab Banerjee

France24
0523-atom-egoyan-adoration-cannes-film-review
May 23 2008
France

With a complicated chronology and provocative ideas, "Adoration"
by Canada’s Atom Egoyan is an intriguing film. But does it work?

Canadian director Atom Egoyan presented his latest film, "Adoration,"
at the Cannes Film Festival Thursday night. This is Egoyan’s fifth go
at the Cannes competition, and his latest offering left the audience
divided.

"Adoration" is the story of an orphaned adolescent who is encouraged
by his teacher to invent a convoluted story about his parents. He
concocts a fictional account of his father planting a bomb in his
mother’s suitcase to perpertrate a terrorist attack, then takes the
story onto the internet – and fiction turns into reality.

Egoyan’s film moves in two narrative streams – the first being the
real story of the adolescent, whose parents were killed in a car
accident. The second is the invented story about the planted bomb.

Complicated? Yes – probably the only element on which the audience
agreed upon. Although "Adoration" is a compelling document on modern
society – technology breaking up traditional human ties, solitude in
a world where religious intolerance is increasing – the film fails
to flow smoothly.

Nevertheless, the script is well constructed, and may even get the
Best Screenplay prize for Egoyan.

Unless, of course, a dark horse comes along.

"TEGHUT PROTECTION GROUP" STAGES YET ANOTHER PROTEST

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 23, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. Members of "Teghut Protection Group"
organization staged yet another protest against the operation of Teghut
mine outside the Armenian government’s building on May 22. The citizens
carrying placards "Put an End to the Country’s Plundering", "Teghut
is a Crime against Generations", "Teghut is Biggest Taling Dump in the
World" demanded that the operation of the mine be immediately stopped.

The group member, National Assembly deputy Zaruhi Postanjian said
that a week ago the indicated organization and she as an MP applied
in writing to the government with the demand to stop the work on the
mine’s operation, to revise the government decisions on the mine’s
operation and to make an international expert examination of the
project on operation of Teghut mine.

According to her, no answer has been received so far. Besides, a
number of questions have been put, in particular: "Who is behind the
Liechtenstein-based organization that owns 81% shares of ACP company
holding a licence for operation of Teghut mines". Z. Postanjian
stated that they will take all possible steps in order to prevent the
implementation of this decision of the government: they will apply
to court and international environmental protection organizations.

In her words, ACP company cannot be trusted as it has not fulfilled
its obligations on relaunching of Alaverdi copper foundry.

DIAMOND DELIVERY FROM RUSSIA STARTS IN SUMMER

Panorama.am
20:07 21/05/2008

It is quite possible that in this summer the delivery of diamond raw
materials from Russia will be implemented to Armenia, said Nerses
Yeritsyan the minister of economics in a press conference today. The
Minister explained why the delivery has been stopped: there were some
problems in the customs service.

The minister notified that on February 6 when the Prime Ministers
of Armenia and Russia met the chairman of the Russian Government
authorized the minister of Finance to organize the meeting between
the customs representatives of Armenia and Russia to solve the
problem. Whereas the presidential elections implemented in the both
countries have stopped the cooperation in this regard.

Remind: On August 6 Armenian Government and "ALROSA" company signed
a contract according to which Russian diamonds will be processed
in Armenia.

DASHNAKTSUTYUN MEMBER ELECTED ARMENIAN DEPUTY SPEAKER

Interfax News Agency
May 20 2008
Russia

Grair Karapetian, a member the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Dashnaktsutyun was elected as deputy speaker of the Armenian
parliament.

There was only Karapetian on the ballot, and he was elected by the
majority of votes.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun, Orinats Yerkir
and Prosperous Armenia are the members of the ruling coalition.

Karapetian was born in Yerevan on August 11, 1963. He joined
Dashnaktsutyun in 1989. He was elected to the parliament in 2003 and
2007. He was a leader of the Dashnaktsutyun’s parliamentary faction.

Panorama.am

18:54 17/05/2008

ARMENIAN CHESS PLAYERS – SECOND HORIZONTAL

Armenian GM Karen Movsisyan who takes part in chess
open international championship in Spain occupied the
second place. He managed to gain 6.5 scores from
possible 9 ones and only by 0.5 scores follows the
leader of the championship.

The champion of the competition became Azeri chess
player Azer Azimov. Note that the championship
consisted of 9 rounds and 102 chess players took part
in it.

Another Armenian international master Arthur
Gabrielyan who takes part in Moscow championship
shares 1-2 horizontals. He managed to gain 3.5 scores
from the possible 5 ones. Russian Sergey Vorobiov has
the same amount of scores on his account.

Armenian chess player Irina Gevorgyan participating in
Uzbekistan Women Championship occupied the second
horizontal. She managed to gain 8 scores from possible
11 ones.

Source: Panorama.am

DAVID V. ABRAHAMIAN JOINS CAPITAL GATEWAY PROGRAM

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 16, 2008

WASHINGTON, MAY 16, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. David Vahe
Abrahamian of Burbank, became the latest to join the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA) Capital Gateway Program. This program is
designed to open career doors for young Armenian Americans seeking
to make their mark in American politics, the media. Abrahamian’s
participation in the program was made possible through the Hovig Apo
Saghdejian Memorial Fellowship, a special fund established for young
Armenians seeking opportunities in politics and public service.