Author: Talalian Arpi

PRESIDENT CONFIRMS THE STATUTE OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

armradio.am
27.05.2008 16:59

On May 26 RA President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree on ratifying the
Statute of the National Security Council. According to the decree,
the National Security Council shall reveal the problems existing in
the domestic, foreign, military, political, social, food, energy,
ecological, informational, demographic, scientific-technical and other
spheres referring to security and protection of national interests,
organize, coordinate and control the works carried out in the direction
of implementing the doctrines and state programs envisaged by the
National Security Strategy Program.

The National Security Council coordinates the activity of state bodies
and assesses their effectiveness in the direction of implementing the
decisions adopted in the sphere of ensuring national security, sets
the main directions of the state’s strategic development, national
security and raising national competitiveness, takes decisions in the
direction of their implementation. In compliance with the National
Security Strategy, it implements the strategic reforms of the armed
forces, the law-enforcement bodies, the tax and customs systems and
assesses their effectiveness.

The President of the Republic of Armenia heads the Council ex
officio. The President of the Council confirms the Council’s annual
program, ratifies the Council’s decisions. The responsibilities of
the Council’s Secretary are also set by the decree.

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA: FINANCIAL SYSTEM OF ARMENIA HAS REAL POTENTIAL FOR BECOMING FINANCIAL CENTER OF THE REGION

arminfo
2008-05-26 08:31:00

ArmInfo. The financial system of Armenia has real potential for
becoming the financial center of the region, President of Armenia Serzh
Sargsyan said during the 1st financial-banking conference in Dilijan.

"I believe that this is possible and we must do out best to make
this true".

"We are well aware of our capacities and our problems. So, we must
work to develop our capacities and to solve our problems. We must
actively adopt the best international experience and form stable
traditions on our financial market," Sargsyan said.

In this light, he welcomed the entry of OMX in Armenia and said that
this tendency had to be continued.

Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan, Vice Chairman of the
Central Bank of Armenia Artur Javadyan and the heads of the key
financial institutions of Armenia took part in the conference.

The objective of the conference is to specify the key priorities of
the financial-banking system of Armenia and its role in the country’s
development programs.

GOVERNMENT FIXES LIFE PENSION FOR ROBERT KOCHARIAN

A1+
[07:14 pm] 22 May, 2008

In compliance with RA President Serzh Sargssian’s decree of April 9,
the Armenian Government made a decision to fix a life pension for the
second President of the Republic of Armenia Robert Kocharian equal
to 80% of the President’s salary, namely 325.000 AMD.

On the Government session Head of the State Property Management
Department Karine Kirakosian noticed the necessity to allocate
financial means for the construction of a house for the second
President with further property rights.

The Government also instructed the Yerevan City Hall to provide area
for the office of the second President and allocate necessary means
for its reconstruction.

PRESS RELEASE
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ATG Farmer Recognized with Anania Shiragatsi Medal

The Armenian Technology Group (ATG) is proud to announce that the
Presidency of Armenia has honored an ATG farmer with the Anania
Shiragatsi Gold Medal for the highest achievement in agricultural
development. Albert Ayvazyan of Shirak marz is the third ATG farmer to
receive the government’s recognition.

Ayvazyan was born in the village of Arapi west of Gyumri in 1957,
studied agronomy in Yerevan, and has returned to his birthplace where
he is now the village mayor. He joined the Seed Producers’ Support
Association (SPSA) in 1998, the same year that ATG founded it. As an
SPSA farmer Ayvazyan produces around 60 tons a year of certified seed
for winter wheat, barley and other crops; he grows over 300 tons a
years of potatoes and other vegetables as well.

ATG transfers farming and seed technology and applied science to SPSA
farmers such as Ayvazyan and trains them in their use. As mayor of
Arapi, Ayvazyan now extends this same knowledge to the farmers of his
village and works with them to improve their productivity. Ayvazyan
also tests new varieties of seed to selects those best suited to his
region, and organizes the production of elite and super elite seeds of
these varieties.

"Every acknowledgement of an Armenian farmer’s achievements is an
encouragement to us and the other farmers in Armenia" said ATG
Executive Director Varoujan Der Simonian. "Their success is a step
toward ATG’s goal of empowering the people with knowledge to develop
their capabilities and improve their quality of life." Ayvazyan’s
success with ATG over the last ten years provides a shining example of
how ATG’s cooperation with the farmers of Armenia enables them not
only to increase their productivity but also to fulfill the dream of
feeding their country.

Rural Armenia News Service

Brought to you by ATG, Inc. (Armenian Technology Group)

For more information about how you can help rural Armenia, contact ATG
at [email protected]

If you no longer want to receive news articles from RuralArmenia,
please notify us at [email protected]

ERVAND GHAZANCHYAN AND GALYA NOVENC AWARDED

Panorama.am
18:27 19/05/2008

In these days famous Armenian actors of cinema and theatre Ervand
Ghazanchyan and Galya Novenc were awarded by "St. Sahak-St. Mesrop"
medals in the Holy Cathedral Echmiacin.

In the official message directed to Ervand Ghazanchyan it is
particularly stated: "Your investment is important especially in the
theatre named after Paronyan. You are still working in the theatre
creating new things and bringing your effective investment. You are
open to the new generation and young actors by sharing with them your
experience and skills they do need."

"It is a joy for the Patriarch to notify that You, the great actress of
our cinema will leave her rich heritage and experience to the future
generation and that You have developed Armenian theatre by your
talent. You have kept faithful to your teachers’ Armen Gulakyan’s
and Vardan Achemyan’s heritage and did your best to see our theatre
prosperous. ..," says the official message of the Patriarch sent to
Galya Novenc.

ARRESTED LEADER OF ‘NEW TIMES’ OPPOSITIONAL PARTY TRANSFERRED FROM PRE-TRIAL DETENTION CENTER TO HOSPITAL

Arminfo
2008-05-16 09:11:00

ArmInfo. By order of RA Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan, arrested
leader of the "New Times" oppositional party Aram Karapetyan has
been transferred to "Erebuni" Medical Center from the "Center"
criminal-executive establishment yesterday night, for examination and
clarification of his health state, A. Karapetyan’s advocate Harutyun
Baghdasaryan told ArmInfo.

To recall, on May 15, cardiologist, docent of "Erebuni" Medical Center
Armen Gasparyan said that Aram Karapetyan should be immediately placed
in a specialized clinic, as his state is health condition is grave –
Karapetyan may have heart attack or blood-stroke. The same day, "New
Times" member Hrachya Sarkisyan started a termless hunger-strike at
the building of RA Prosecutor General’s Office demanding to immediately
place A. Karapetyan in a specialized cardiological medical institution
and discharge him from custody after examination.

To also recall, Aram Karapetyan was arrested on February 24 by
employees of the National Security Service of Armenia. He is accused
of false denouncement (Art.333 of RA CC) on ex- President of Armenia
Robert Kocharyan and incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan.

ARMENIAN EMBASSY IN LABANON HELPS CITIZENS OF RA TO MOVE FROM LABANON TO ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 16, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian community of Lebanon has
no problems related to the strained situation in that country, the
Armenian foreign minister Edward Nalbandian stated in the RA National
Assembly on May 15. In his words, the large Armenian community of
Lebanon is in the center of attention of the RA embassy there, and
help will be given to the Armenian community in case of necessity.

E. Nalbandian announced that with the assistance of the embassy, a
number of Armenian citizens were moved from Lebanon to the neighboring
country (NT: Syria) from where they can come to homeland.

The Daily Herald-Tribune (Grande Prairie, Alberta)
May 16, 2008 Friday
FINAL EDITION

Coloroso book pulled

TORONTO

A book about genocide has been pulled from the recommended reading
list of a new Toronto public school course because of objections from
the Turkish-Canadian community, the author says.

Barbara Coloroso’s ”Extraordinary Evil: A Brief History of Genocide”
was originally part of a resource list for a Grade 11 history course
set to launch across the Toronto District School Board this fall.

The book examines the Holocaust, which exterminated six million Jews
in the Second World War; the Rwandan slaughter of nearly one million
Tutsis and moderate Hutus in 1994, and the massacres of more than a
million Armenians in 1895, 1909 and 1915. But a committee struck to
review the course decided in late April to remove the book because ”a
concern was raised regarding (its) appropriateness.”

Coloroso, who will be appearing in Grande Prairie May 27 at the
Crystal Centre, said she wasn’t surprised her work was removed. given
that ”ever since the book came out, the Turks have mounted a
worldwide campaign objecting to it."

ARMED CLASHES STOPPED IN BEIRUT, CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE REMAINS

Yerkir
13.05.2008 15:29

Yerevan (Yerkir) – Shahan Gantaharian, the chief editor of the Azdak
newspaper published in Beirut, has told Yerkir that the situation in
Lebanon is relatively calm.

He, however, added that while armed clashes have stopped, there still
are signs of civil disobedience. "The army continues to be placed in
mountainous Lebanon and northern Lebanon," Gantaharian said. "This
situation continues to be tense, there are political statements from
both camps and abroad. The statements by US President George Bush are
remarkable where he called for backing the Lebanese government and
that maintaining democracy in Lebanon is in the interests Israel. The
Saudi Arabia embassy has also shut down."

He said that Amr Musa, the secretary general of the Arab League,
is expected to visit tomorrow.

As for the mood in the Armenian community, he said that the situation
in the Christian districts is relatively normal. "Schools continue to
operate, stores are open. The situation is normal in Armenian Anchar
too though some events have happened on the roads leading to Anchar,"
Gantaharian added.

He also said that there are some 40 casualties and about a 100 wounded
according to the Interior Ministry.

CANNES FESTIVAL KICKS OFF TONIGHT

armradio.am
14.05.2008 18:03

The Cannes Film Festival is starting today. The premiere of thriller
Blindness, starring Julianne Moore, will kick off the world’s top
film festival later.

In addition to films selected for competition this year, major
Hollywood productions such as Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the
Crystal Skull and Kung Fu Panda will have its world premiere at
the festival.

Some 22 films are in competition for the festival’s top prize, the
Palme d’Or, including Blindness and Changeling.

Blindness is directed by Brazilian Fernando Mereilles, whose previous
credits include City Of God and The Constant Gardener.

Other films in competition include the directorial debut of Being
John Malkovich screenwriter Charlie Kaufman.

Kaufman’s film, Synecdoche New York, is a typically idiosyncratic
tale of a theatre director – played by Philip Seymour Hoffman –
who tries to build a scale model of New York City in his attic.

Also showing out of competition at the festival are Jack Black’s animal
animation Kung Fu Panda as well as Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of
the Crystal Skull.

Three film directors of Armenian origin – Atom Egoyan of Canada, Diana
Lazarian of Russia and Arman Tadevosyan of Armenia – will participate
in the Cannes Festival to be held from 14 to 23 May. The official
webpage of the Festival informs that Atom Egoyan will participate with
his "Adoration" film, which is a drama about young people who try to
communicate with each other via Internet and SMS messages. The film
stars Arsine Khanjyan, the director’s wife.

Diana Lazarian’s 33-minute film titled "GATA" is presented in the
documentaries. Arman Tadevosyan’s film is presented in the short
films program. The 10-minute documentary was shot in Kars. The film
tells about the cultural and civil transfiguration in Kars.