Author: Tamamian Anna

OSCE READY TO HELP ARMENIA IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – MORATINOS

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
June 5, 2007

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
is ready to do its best to assist Armenia to hold the next year’s
presidential elections at the top level in compliance with the European
standards, OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel
Angel Moratinos said on Tuesday at his meeting with Armenian Prime
Minister Serzh Sarkisyan.

The OSCE high-skilled observers highly appreciated results of the
recent parliamentary elections in Armenia, which laid a good basis for
the next year’s presidential elections and steps to improve electoral
procedures, Moratinos said, completing his official visit to Yerevan.

Armenian elections should be improved in order to meet the
international standards, Sarkisyan said, in turn.

He voiced the hope that the upcoming work of all political forces
in 2008 will help to hold more successful elections than those held
this year.

Armenia is going to settle the Karabakh conflict on the basis of
compromise and solely with peaceful efforts, the prime minister said,
adding, "Statements of the Azerbaijani president do not inspire
optimism."

However, he is hopeful that the forthcoming meeting between the
Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents in St. Petersburg will be fruitful.

Moratinos is also optimistic pertaining to that meeting, and expects
that the two presidents will lay down a good political basis for
further talks.

Sarkisyan, in turn, confirmed Armenia’s readiness to continue
cooperation with the OSCE mission in Yerevan. Several joint programs
have been implemented and there is more to do in the future.

FORMER CAPTIVE ADMITS ACCUSATIONS

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 1 2007

Court examinations on the case of Eldaniz Nuriyev, accused of
parricide started today at Azerbaijan’s Grievous Crimes Court under
Judge Isgandar Hajiyev. Public prosecutor announced the indictment
in the process, APA reports.

According to the indictment, Eldaniz Nuriyev was captured by Armenians
on December 31 last year and was freed on January this year.

Law enforcement bodies arrested him after the investigations on charge
of parricide (Article 274). Eldaniz Nuriyev admitted the accusations
in his speech during the court examination. The court process will
last on June 7 to hear witnesses.

CONSTRUCTION OF KAJARAN-ARARAT NEW GAS PIPELINE TO ENABLE TO INCREASE CAPACITY OF GAS TRANSPORTATION

Noyan Tapan
May 31 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 31, NOYAN TAPAN. Chairman, Director General of
ArmRusgazprom CJSC Karen Karapetian accompanied by experts has recently
paid a regular working visit to the building site of Kajaran-Ararat
section of the new gas pipeleine in order to familiarize himself with
the work process.

Construction of the 40-km Meghri-Kajaran gas pipeline, as well as
of new 197.4-km Kajaran-Sisian-Angeghakot-Jermuk-Ararat gas pipeline
with the diameter of 720 mm will enable to increase the capacity of
Armenia’s gas transportation system and to ensure the transportation
of agreement-envisaged amounts of Iranian gas via Iran-Armenia gas
pipeline to thermal power plants.

According to the investment program of ArmRusgazprom CJSC, which
was approved by the RA Public Services Regulatory Commission, the
preliminary cost of the project makes 52 bln drams, with investments
for 2007 only amounting to 33 bln drams.

The customer of the gas pipeline’s construction is ArmRusgazprom
company.

The work is being done by the company’s Transgasstroy LLC and 5
contractor organizations, which have much experience and skills
in this field. More than 250 experts and about 50 units of modern
construction equipment are engaged in the work.

The work is proceeding in quite hard conditions from the geographical
point of view, in some places – at 2,600-3,000 meters above sea
level. In addition to unfavorable relief and climate conditions, the
absence of adequate roads poses a great difficulty for construction
work.

In high mountanous sections, the preparation of tench passes and
landings is often accompanied by explosions.

NT was informed from ARmRusgazprom that the working group and experts
discussed the difficulties related to construction of some sections,
particularly the technical issues of laying the pipeline over the
Shamb River, the possibilities of pipe transportation in impassable
places, etc.

Based on the results of the visit, instructions were given to develop
the schedule of work.

IS ARMENIA LEFT OUT FROM REGIONAL PROGRAMS OR NOT?

A1+
[06:04 pm] 31 May, 2007

The "Republican Party of Armenia" and the "Heritage" party presented
models of foreign affairs of the mentioned parties. "The position
of "Heritage" party has not altered and will not alter", insured
Stepan Safaryan, director of Armenian Center for National and
International Studies and added: "The RA external policy has no
scientific motivation and does not reflect the country’s interests,
thus resulting in Armenian’s isolation. Armenia stays out of regional
programs". Safaryan pointed out three main processes omitted from the
RA foreign policy: "Conflict resolution processes, energetic programs
of the region and problems on Iran nuclear issues on which Armenia does
not have any definite position". Reflecting on the recent statements
of Azerbaijani authorities, Stepan Safaryan noted: "Azerbaijan tries
to shift Nagorno-Karabakh issue into pro-Azerbaijani context".

Confirming Safaryan’s point that the RA foreign policy should be
amended, the RA NA deputy and "Republican Party of Armenian" party
member Armen Ashotyan stated: "Tactical methods should be altered
in our policy but not strategic. Armenia’s balanced foreign policy,
called complementary, should become multi-vector. The RA should
co-operate with all the powers which solve two main problems: they
can solve Armenia’s problems and may have vital influence on Armenia".

Armen Ashotyan finds that the RA is not left out from regional
programs: "We do not participate since their price is Karabakh". As
to the energetic issues, he noted that the greatest project in the
region would be the construction of second nuclear plant in Armenia by
which Armenia would reinforce its role as an energy exporting country.

The debating parties did not agree upon a number of issues, but
stated that the "Republican Party of Armenian" and the "Heritage"
party may collaborate in future. The parties also confessed that
they were incompatible in a common coalition for the absence of
mutual confidence.

ARMENIAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM OFF TO KAZAKHSTAN

ArmRadio.am
01.06.2007 17:19

The Armenian national football team left for Almati today to hold
the recurrent match of the Euro-2008 qualification round with the
national team of Kazakhstan.

For the first time the Armenian team will be trained by the couple
of British trainers Yan Porterfield and Tom Johns.

Trainers say the tem is well-prepared and the players will aspire to
play successfully.

Considering the fact that the match will be held in Almati, the
international sport press gives preference to the team of Kazakhstan.

VARDATON DEDICATED TO MEMORY OF SAYAT NOVA HELD ON MAY 27 IN TBILISI

Noyan Tapan
May 31 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 31, NOYAN TAPAN. An annual Vardaton (holiday of roses)
dedicated to memory of Sayat Nova took place on May 27 at the Surb
Gevorg Armenian church of Tbilisi. Officials of Georgia and Armenia,
Armenian and Georgian art figures participated in the holiday. RA
People’s Artist Zhenia Avetisian, Dudukner (Armenian national pipe)
quartet, Sayat Nova bard and Nazani folk ensembles of goosans’
(Armenian national poet-singer) song left Armenia for Georgia. 1 mln
600 thousand drams (about 4.6 thousand U.S. dollars) were allocated
for organization of the celebration from the RA state budget.

As Karine Khodikian, the RA Deputy Minister of Culture and Youth Issues
stated at the May 30 press conference, Vardaton is held in Yerevan as
well, starting from 2006. In her words, the RA Government envisages
to every year allocate money from the state budget for organization
of Vardaton.

The holiday has arisen since 1913 when the 200th birthday anniversary
of Sayat-Nova was celebrated in Tbilisi on the initiative of Hovhannes
Tumanian. A celebration, Vardaton, is organized in the yard of the
Surb Gevorg church of Tbilisi every year, on the last Sunday of May,
starting from that day. During the celebration lovers of Sayat Nova’s
songs lay red roses to the goosan’s grave.

TERRITORIAL GAMBLING IS A MORTAL THREAT FOR FUTURE OF ARMENIAN STATEHOOD

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.05.2007 14:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Any attempts of political gambling or speculations
to surrender the liberated territories by no means provide a sensible
solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. On the contrary, they
represent a mortal threat not only to the future of Artsakh but also
to the integrity of the Armenian statehood," says the statement of
Armenian Internet resources entitled "Against the Surrender of the
Liberated Territories".

In particular, the document reads as follows, "Trapped in the swamp
of "constructive negotiations" Armenian politicians do nothing
but endanger the very existence of the Armenian nation and make us
involuntarily witnesses to what can be described as a modern "Munich
Agreement", which could leave us in a strategic deadlock and most
surely contribute to an unleashing of a new aggressions against both
the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and the Republic of Armenia.

Today, on May 28th, when Armenians all over the world proudly celebrate
the creation of the first Armenian Republic of 1918, we would also like
to remind of the disgraceful end of that very same republic in 1920.

Because of the "courtesy" of "constructive compromises" and "diplomatic
maneuvers" by then Armenian government, Kars, Igdyr, the holy Mount
Ararat and the ancient capital Ani were surrendered without firing
a single shot. And as a result tens of thousands lives had perished
in vain.

We demand and urge the current government and political leaders
call an immediate halt to any discussions or negotiations regarding
the possible surrender of the liberated regions of Artsakh. We also
insist on complete declassification of the information for the ongoing
negotiations in view of the fact that concealment of any information
vital for the future of the Armenian nation is utterly unacceptable.

Any politician or public officer, regardless of his/her previous honors
for serving the nation, who should openly declare or demonstrate a
willingness to surrender Armenian lands, will be regarded a national
traitor and a blatant enemy of the state."

Petrossian Inc., United Food Technologies AG et
AquaOrbis AG concluent une entente

Excellentes prévisions pour le caviar issu des fermes
aquacoles

PRNewswire
25/05/07

WEINHEIM, Allemagne, May 25 /PRNewswire/ — Le caviar
produit dans les fermes aquacoles est devenu un
complément important et idéal au caviar sauvage en
raison de la réduction des stocks naturels. Armen
Petrossian, PDG de Petrossian Inc., a rappelé cette
réalité tout en signant une entente avec United Food
Technologies AG et AquaOrbis AG.

Petrossian est très satisfait de ce partenariat qui
lui assure de grandes quantités de cette délicatesse
recherchée qu’il distribuera à l’échelle mondiale. <<
Le futur appartient au caviar issu d’installations
aquacoles agissant à titre de complément stratégique à
la réduction de stocks sauvages, mais ce produit
contribuera aussi à la restauration des ressources
sauvages. La coopération stratégique avec United Food
Technologies et AquaOrbis assure une qualité élevée à
long terme, et nous pouvons, par conséquent, être
satisfaits du fait que nous pourrons répondre dans le
futur à la demande de nos clients dans le monde entier
>>, a poursuivi Armen Petrossian.

Les trois partenaires ont mis au point une solution
complète et unique : l’appétissante chair d’esturgeon
et le caviar recherché issus d’installations
construites par United Food Technologies, qui ont été
commandées par les investisseurs, seront
commercialisés dans le futur à l’échelle mondiale par
Petrossian et AquaOrbis AG et ce, de façon conjointe.

Depuis des décennies, le nom Petrossian est synonyme
de luxe et de qualité supérieure. La société
familiale, leader mondial dans la commercialisation du
caviar et d’autres délicatesses, exerce ses activités
essentiellement en Amérique du Nord et en Europe.
Leurs clients les plus importants comptent les
meilleurs milieux de la gastronomie, l’industrie
hôtelière, les transporteurs aériens, les
croisiéristes, ainsi que les gourmets de partout dans
le monde.

<< Avec un distributeur de caviar aussi réputé et
traditionnel que Petrossian, nous avons passé un
contrat avec l’un des fournisseurs les plus réputés au
monde en matière de distribution internationale. Nous
pouvons offrir aux investisseurs ayant mandaté la
construction des installations un concept complet et
concluant, lequel couvre la construction et les
activités aussi bien que la distribution, une fois
celle-ci établie >>, a expliqué Christoph Hartung,
président du conseil d’administration de UFT AG. << Il
s’agit d’une marque d’approbation de la qualité des
produits aquacoles fabriqués dans nos installations.
>>

De plus amples renseignements sont disponibles au
et au

Contact pour la presse : Oliver Schoenfeld,
+49-170-3284569, [email protected],
[email protected]

http://www .sys-con.com/read/381194.htm

Le Monde, France
25 mai 2007 vendredi

EXPOSITION;
L’Arménie et la mode

Dans le cadre de l’année de l’Arménie en France, le Musée de la mode
de Marseille a donné carte blanche à la styliste Karine Arabian. Elle
expose ses créations vestimentaires de 1993 à 2007, ainsi que les
ouvrages des émigrés arméniens qui ont travaillé, à Marseille, dans
la maroquinerie, la chaussure, la mode.

Karine Arabian et les Arméniens de la mode, XVIIe-XXIe siècles,
jusqu’au 30 septembre. Musée de la mode de Marseille. Tél. :
04-96-17-06-00.

Yahoo! Sports
May 26 2007

Throwing foes for a loss

By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports
May 25, 2007

LAS VEGAS – Karo Parisyan fights with a chip on his shoulder, but
it’s hardly a surprise. The Armenian-born welterweight lives his life
that way.

Parisyan’s father got him into fighting as a way to keep him from
beating up on his sisters. By the time he was 14, he traveled to
Mexico to make his professional mixed martial arts debut against a
23-year-old.

High school freshmen tend to be intimidated by sophomores, let alone
by professional fighters, but Parisyan scoffed at the thought he was
worried.

"If I was worried, it was about him," he says of that nonsanctioned
bout against Daniel Lopez.

Parisyan faces a much tougher test Saturday in UFC 71 when he meets
Josh Burkman in a key welterweight bout here at the MGM Grand Garden.

The judo expert hopes to parlay a win over Burkman into a shot at
welterweight champion Matt Serra. Parisyan is the last man to have
beaten Serra and can’t understand UFC president Dana White’s
reluctance to make the rematch.

Serra will meet former champion Matt Hughes later this year after he
and Hughes serve as coaches for the next season of "The Ultimate
Fighter," the UFC’s reality show that airs on Spike TV.

Parisyan said he can’t understand why White would have chosen Hughes
over him. Hughes already has served as a coach on the reality show,
Parisyan noted.

"You’re giving Matt Hughes a title shot – I can’t stand Matt,"
Parisyan said. "He’s a new coach, but I don’t want to see Matt Hughes
as a coach. I saw him the first time. He was (expletive). Two, I’m
not saying I’m great, but I’m not a baloney sandwich either, though.

"I think I should be a coach on the show to build up my title fight
with Matt Serra. I was his last loss, and it makes more sense. I
should get that title shot before Matt Hughes. But they gave it to
Hughes. There are so many things that are out of your hands; you just
have to roll with it."

White, who is one of the few in the UFC more blunt than Parisyan,
wasn’t particularly interested in getting into a feud with one of his
top young stars.

He noted there will be many opportunities for Parisyan to coach on
the reality show. But White also took a subtle dig at Parisyan, who
is 16-4 and has significant wins over Serra, Nick Diaz, Drew Fickett,
Shonie Carter and Chris Lytle.

White compared Parisyan to former welterweight boxing contender Oba
Carr, who was 54-6-1 in a career that ended in 2002 but was most
notable for losing every time he got a big shot. Carr was beaten by
Felix Trinidad, Ike Quartey and Oscar De La Hoya at a time when all
three were unbeaten and a win would have vaulted Carr to stardom.

Parisyan has won his share, though, and he’s been one of the sport’s
most entertaining fighters in the process. There are few judo experts
who have become as proficient in MMA as Parisyan, who competed in the
2004 Olympic Trials in judo.

Pawel Nastula (1996) and Hidehiko Yoshida (1992) won gold medals in
judo and became MMA fighters, but neither uses his judo as much in
his fights as Parisyan.

"I love dumping guys on their heads," he said.

The unified MMA rules, which the UFC uses, do not permit a gi to be
worn in competition, as is the case in judo. Being able to grab the
gi is a critical element in making throws, and few use that strategy
in MMA.

But Parisyan has been able to adapt his judo to MMA. One of the most
memorable fights of 2006 was his close loss to Diego Sanchez in Las
Vegas, when Parisyan twice sent Sanchez shooting through the air like
a pass from Peyton Manning.

"I did judo without a gi every now and then to try to incorporate the
throws off the punches and the clinches, and somehow it works for
me," Parisyan said. "I’ve been given this question maybe a thousand
times, and I answer it the same way: I don’t know how I do it."

Burkman has worked with light heavyweight Thierry Sokodjou, who has a
judo background, but Parisyan has an advantage in many of his fights
because it’s difficult to prepare to be thrown because so few can do
it.

Frequently, a throw is a fight-ender.

"Judo has its own art, and it’s very hard to adapt without a gi,"
Parisyan said. "I need to grip you to throw you, but somehow it comes
down to feel. When I have a clinch with my opponents, I’m so accurate
with the throws most of the time, and I’m so fast that they don’t
know where I’m coming from.

"Somehow I launch them. It’s a lot of leverage and movement."

Parisyan, though, bristles at being pigeonholed. He’s not a
one-dimensional fighter, he says, and though he’s proud of his
ability to throw an opponent, he gruffly points out it’s only one of
his skills.

Anyone who doubts his overall game should pay attention to his fight
with Burkman, he said.

Burkman is a wrestler and says his slams are the antidote to
Parisyan’s throws.

"If I slam him, he probably won’t be throwing anybody," Burkman said,
grinning.

Parisyan doesn’t smile, at least when he’s talking about fighting.
And he called out a group of photographers to make certain they don’t
miss the moment on Saturday.

"Have your cameras ready," Parisyan said. "I want you to get it when
I dump him on his head. You always get the picture after the guy’s on
his back, but I’m telling you I’m going to throw him and I want you
to have the camera ready to get that picture when I dump him on his
head."

Kevin Iole covers boxing and mixed martial arts for Yahoo! Sports.
Send Kevin a question or comment for potential use in a future column
or webcast.