Author: Talalian Arpi

ARMENIAN CHURCH MOVES FORWARD WITH PLANS TO BUILD NEW BUILDING

The Desert Sun
April 15 2008
CA

They couldn’t afford to build a church, so members of the Armenian
Apostolic Church of the Desert spent several years worshipping in a
parish hall.

But thanks to a $1 million contribution last year, officials decided
to move forward with plans to build an official church on Vista Dunes
Road with enough pews to fit 170 people.

On Monday, the city’s Architectural Review Board voted 5-0 to recommend
the Planning Commission discuss the nearly $2million project at a
date to be determined.

"To get over the first hurdle is huge," church building committee
member Gary Funtas said.

The 3,540-square-foot church has been in the works for years
and previously was approved by city officials in 2001, church
representatives said.

A cash shortage forced the project to the back burner, and building
permits expired in 2005 before work could continue.

"The decision, which was a good move, was to build the hall first,"
Funtas said.

About 50 people worship in a 500-square-foot room at the parish hall
on a regular basis, and even more show up on holidays.

Other events, such as last October’s Armenian Cultural Festival,
also took place there.

"We finished the hall and thought we could utilize it for more,"
Parish Council Chairwoman Carolon Nigosian said.

Church officials have since raised about $600,000 for the project in
addition to the $1 million contribution.

They have declined to identify the benefactor.

ARB commissioners complimented church officials on the building’s
design.

"I really think it’s a very classic church," Commissioner Bill
Johnson said after the meeting. "You don’t know if it’s a night club
or church nowadays."

REPORT ON PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OBSERVATION IN ARMENIA PRESENTED AT PACE SESSION

arminfo
2008-04-14 18:46:00

ArmInfo. A report on the presidential election observation in Armenia
has been presented at a PACE session. The author of the report is John
Prescott, the PACE rapporteur on election in Armenia and rapporteur
of the Ad-Hoc of PACE Bureau.

The report says that according to the election assessment presented
by international election observation mission the next day after the
presidential election, the 19 February presidential election in the
Republic of Armenia was administered mostly in line with OSCE and
Council of Europe commitments and standards. The mission included
delegations of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, European parliament,
OSCE/ODIHR. According to this assessment, the Armenian authorities made
genuine efforts to address shortcomings noted in previous elections,
including the legal framework, however, further improvements and
commensurate political will are required to guarantee absolute
implementation of legislation’s items. In this connection, the Ad-Hoc
Committee calls on Armenian authorities to solve the problems mentioned
in the document, particularly, the lack of public confidence in the
electoral process and its results. The Constitution’s restrictions
with respect to the rights of citizens having dual citizenship run
counter to the CoE standards and should be abolished.

The Ad-hoc Committee expresses deep concern with the lack of public
confidence in the electoral process and its results. The lack of
confidence is one of the main obstacles for consolidation of the
society and deepening of democracy in Armenia. Unfortunately, unequal
conditions of election campaign, shortcomings and violations fixed on
the election day, as well as the ways to deal with complaints fail to
contribute to growth of public confidence in the electoral process, the
report notes. The Ad-Hoc Committee expresses pity over the fact that
election bodies, particularly, the CEC considered the complaints, this
undermined the public confidence in objectivity of election bodies. The
report points out that a number of persons interested in the election
campaign displayed a low level of confidence in judicial bodies.

The report stresses the significance of observance of the law and
order by all presidential candidates, at the same time the issue
of independence of the judicial system is raised. This must cause
the Assembly’s special concern, the report says. The lack of formal
sessions of the CEC undermined the transparency of the election bodies’
work, it says. According to the authors, the Feb 19 election distinctly
showed the restrictions in efficiency of putting stamps in documents
to avoid repeat voting. It is pointed out that this measure was taken
to avoid fraud. In this connection, the Ad-Hoc Committee appeals to
Armenia’s authorities to use ink for marking fingers, this method was
efficiently used in a number of other European countries. The report
doesn’t cover the analysis of the March 1 events followed by the
announcement of a state of emergency. According to the authors, it is
obvious that the state of emergency was caused by the lack of public
confidence in the electoral process and legitimacy of its results.

The authors of the report also point out that the legislative field
of Armenia should be reformed urgently. These reforms should be held
in a dialogue between the authorities and the opposition and aimed at
elimination of any control or prevalence of interests of a political
force or party over the election bodies or electoral process, the
report notes. Yet, the international observers think that further
work should be done for commensurate political will to be displayed to
address remaining challenges such as: the absence of a clear separation
between State and party functions, the lack of public confidence in the
electoral process and ensuring equal treatment of election contestants.

WB EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CONGRATULATES TIGRAN SARGSIAN

ARMENPRESS
April 14, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 14, ARMENPRESS: The Executive Director of World Bank’s
Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Montenegro, Moldova, Netherlands, Romania and Ukraine
Office Herman Wijffels sent a congratulatory message to the Armenian
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian.

Governmental press service told Armenpress that in his message he
particularly said, "I have an honor to direct my true congratulations
to You on being appointed prime minister of the Republic of
Armenia. You have assumed very important duty and I am full of hope
that during the work You will receive necessary support and assistance.

It is a time of crucial developments both for You and Armenia, and I
am happy to be able to offer my personal support and cooperation on
the moment when You are assuming the office of the prime minister.

I am convinced that the present excellent cooperation with the
government of the Republic of Armenia will continue under Your
leadership as well".

PanARMENIAN.Net

OSCE MG announces possibility of Sargsyan-Aliyev meeting
12.04.2008 16:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Presidents Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia and Ilham
Aliyev of Azerbaijan can meet in near future for peaceful talks on the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict, said OSCE Minsk Group U.S. Co-chair.

`During the NATO summit in Bucharest the Presidents told the Co-chairs
that they can meet in near future,’ Matt Bryza said, omitting details,
Trend Azeri news agency reports.

YSU AND VIRAGE LOGIC SIGN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

Noyan Tapan
April 11, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. Yerevan State University (YSU) and
Virage Logic Corporation, a market leader in providing advanced
embedded memory intellectual property (IP) signed on April 7 a
Memorandum of Understanding, intended to establish legal relations
for further cooperation. The memorandum was signed by Aram Simonian,
YSU rector and Alex Shubat, Virage Logic Corporation vice president
of research and development, chief technical officer and director.

At the April 10 press conference, A. Shubat said that the sides created
a working group with the aim of specifying the details of cooperation,
in particular, the issue of founding an interdepartmental chair at YSU.

According to him, until now the preparation of staff for Virage Logic’s
Armenian susidiary has been done under target training programs in
cooperation with higher educational institutions.

It was mentioned that Virage Logic has an intention to ensure the
appropraiate research work conditions for YSU students, by which
the corporation pursues long-term goals. Long-term investments will
be made.

With this aim, YSU educational programs of interest to Virage Logic
have to be brought into line with the requirements of the corporation.

In the words of Varuzhan Masarajian, director of the Armenian
subsidiary of Virage Logic, it is envisaged organizing Virage Logic’s
training courses at YSE. The courses will be held starting from
July 1st.

KOCHARIAN OFFERED GAZPROM VICE PRESIDENT POST?

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.04.2008 17:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’s ex-President Robert Kocharian may be
offered the post of Gazprom’s Vice President. As a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter came to know from a source in Moscow, the situation will
clear up in the near future. "Response has not come yet. The proposal
itself is uncertain," the source said.

Gazprom’s branch, ArmRosgazprom holds the monopoly in gasification
of Armenia. Gazprom Bank has opened in Yerevan recently. The concern
also owns the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline.

WINNER OF DISPUTED ELECTION IN ARMENIA IS SWORN IN

New York Times
April 10 2008
NY

Serge Sargsyan, a former prime minister, was sworn in as president,
nearly two months after an election that opposition groups criticized
as rigged. Opposition activists staged mass protests in the capital,
Yerevan, and clashes later broke out with the police, prompting the
authorities to declare a 20-day state of emergency, which was lifted
last month. Shortly after his inauguration, Mr. Sargsyan signed a
decree appointing the central bank chief, Tigran Sarkisian, as the
country’s new prime minister.

ARMENIA’S CENTRAL BANK CHIEF APPOINTED PM

RIA Novosti
April 9 2008
Russia

YEREVAN, April 9 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia’s president appointed on
Wednesday Central Bank chief Tigran Sarkisyan as the Caucasus state’s
prime minister, the presidential press office said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Serzh Sarkisyan was sworn in as Armenian
president as the former Soviet republic looked to put recent electoral
violence behind it.

At a meeting on Tuesday, the Council of Armenia’s ruling Republican
Party voted unanimously in favor of Tigran Sarkisyan as premier. He
is not related to the new president.

In line with Armenia’s constitution, the new government should
be formed within 20 days once a premier has been appointed. The
government then should within 20 days present its program to the
National Assembly – Armenia’s parliament.

Tigran Sarkisyan is an economist by education. He was appointed head
of Armenia’s Central Bank in 1998, and reappointed to the post for
7 years in 2005.

ARMENIA INAUGURATES NEW PRESIDENT

Voice of America News
April 9, 2008

Armenia’s new president, Serzh Sarkisyan, has pledged to heal rifts
with opponents who criticized his election as fraudulent.

The former prime minister made the pledge as he took his oath of
office Wednesday at a televised ceremony in the opera house of
Armenia’s capital, Yerevan.

Following the ceremony, the president appointed central bank chief
Tigran Sarkisyan as the country’s new prime minister. The two men
are not related.

In central Yerevan, about 1,000 opposition supporters gathered to
commemorate those killed in clashes between security forces and
protesters following the February 19 elections. The violence left at
least eight people dead and hundreds injured.

Rights groups have called on Mr. Sarkisyan to act quickly to address
what they describe as a human rights crisis in the country.

Human Rights Watch and the International Crisis Group also have urged
him to launch a probe into the election and the subsequent crackdown
on the opposition.

Outgoing President Robert Kocharian delivered his farewell address
to the nation Tuesday, thanking the Armenian people for contributing
to the country’s development in the past decade. He also expressed
confidence in Armenia’s future under the leadership of Mr. Sarkisyan,
his hand-picked successor.

Mr. Sarkisyan says he plans to form a coalition government that
guarantees freedoms and the supremacy of law. He also has pledged to
fight unemployment and corruption.

CATHOLICOS ARAM I AS WELL TO TAKE PART IN INTERRELIGIOUS CONGRESS TO BE CONVENED IN BARCELONA

Noyan Tapan
April 10, 2008

ANTILIAS, APRIL 10, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. Aram I, the
Catholicos of the Great Cilician House, as well will take part in the
interreligious international congress to be held in Barcelona in the
coming days. His Holiness will be accompanied by Grigor Chiftchian, the
Supervisor of the Information Department of the Catholicosate, and Teny
Piri-Simonian, the Chairman of the Committee on Interchurch Relations.

The congress will also be attended by high-ranking executives
representing different religions, including Mohammed Khatemi, the
former President of the Islamic Republic, Kofi Annan, the former
Secretary General of the United Nations Organization, the Head of
UNESCO and others. At the end of the congress a statement with a call
for peace and justice on the role of the religion in the world will
be made public.