Author: Tamamian Anna

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT SAYS FUTURE OF CIS COUNTRIES DEPENDS ON DEVELOPMENT OF THE ESTABLISHMENT

ARMENPRESS
Feb 22 2007

MOSCOW, FEBRUARY 22, ARMENPRESS: Non-official summit of the heads
of the CIS member countries kicked off today in Moscow with the
participation of presidents from 12 countries.

Speaking in the summit President of Russia Vladimir Putin said that
the CIS suggested that Cooperation Development Program be adopted
for the period until 2020.

"It is necessary to develop a strategy until 2020 which will be
directed towards innovations, new economy," Vladimir Putin said.

According to him, from the development of CIS depends the future of
all the member countries.

"I want to express gratitude and say that one of the candidates in
Russian presidential elections is the first vice president Dmitri
Medvedev and it is not a secret that I considered it possible to
support him actively," Putin said.

The Russian president also stated that in case of victory Medvedev
the foreign policy of Moscow in the CIS territory will not change.

Dmitri Medvedev who also delivered speech in the non-official summit
stated that CIS was and is one of the main political and economic
priorities of Russia.

"There is no alternative to the good neighborly relations established
between our peoples and development of long-term cooperation,"
he noted.

Referring to the current issues of CIS, Medvedev pointed out to
the migration issues saying that the year of 2007 was dedicated to
it. The year of 2008 in CIS is passing under the slogan of transport
cooperation and according to Medvedev works are carried out in that
direction according to the concept of transport policy adopted by
the CIS member countries in 2004.

Medvedev said that the cooperation in humanitarian sphere is also
being underscored. He also noted that events are being conducted for
promoting cultural and scientific-educational cooperation. He also
spoke about the cooperation in new technology sphere for which a
great potential exists.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH PRESIDENT: COUNTRY, WHICH HAS SUCH AN ARMY, IS UNCONQUERABLE

DE FACTO
Feb 22, 2008

YEREVAN, 22.02.08. DE FACTO. "The events, which developed into a
nation-wide movement, took place on this square 20 years ago. The
Armenians of the whole world rallied into a united fist and rose
in defense of their right to live in their own land freely and
independently. We have made the impossible possible, as our cause was
right, the will unbending and the soul firm. That is the secret of
our victories and successes", stated the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
President Bako Sahakian in his salutatory address at the central
Revival square in connection with the 20th anniversary of the Karabakh
national liberation movement.

"For years we had been trying to resist the policy based on
violence, persecutions and illegality pursued by Azerbaijan’s
authorities. Human rights and national dignity were violated. In this
situation resistance was inevitable. We raised our voice in the name
of historical justice. Our request was legal, resolute and firm –
to reunite with mother Armenia, in response to which Azerbaijan
committed cruel atrocities – the blood of thousands of peaceful
people ran before everyone’s eyes in Soumgait, Baku and Kirovabad",
Bako Sahakian noted adding that the Azerbaijani leadership had planned
to realize analogous events in the Nagorno-Karabakh.

"Our country proved to be in a complete blockade. The enemy intended
to oppress the people’s freedom-loving spirit. However, they have
become unable to force Artsakh to its knees. At the cost of numerous
privations our people not only resisted, but also gained a convincing
victory in the war imposed by Azerbaijan. For the past 20 years we
have built a free and independent country, which is developing stably
and harmonically. Due to Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora triple unity we
have managed to overcome both the disasters of war and difficult
post-war period, restore destroyed economy and commence its further
development", Bako Sahakian said.

"The amendments having one goal – to ensure normal conditions for
all our citizens – are being implemented in various spheres", Bako
Sahakian said. He noted that nowadays the army was the main guarantor
of NKR’s security.

"Our army is mighty, because it is national. And the country, which
has such an army, is really unconquerable", the President noted.

According to the Karabakh state’s head, "1988 opened a new page in
our history, and the Armenian nation’s reestablished statehood has
become the most important achievement of Artsakh movement".

"We again state before the whole world that Artsakh will never deny its
freedom and independence gained at a high cost. The Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic’s security must never become a subject of any speculations. We
see Artsakh’s future only bright and comfortable, strong and Armenian",
Bako Sahakian said, the NKR MFA Press Office reports.

ODIHR DIRECTOR: CONDUCT OF COUNT WAS ORGANIZED BY 85% GOOD

arminfo
2008-02-20 18:11:00

ArmInfo. OSCE ODIHR Director, Ambassador Christian Strohal told ArmInfo
that the organization has laways tried to make genuine efforts to
ensure successful activity of observation mission.

He said that a good team of long-term and short-term observers has
gathered in Armenia. We expressed the situation well and strictly
expressed our assessment in preliminary conclusions, he said.

Christian Strohal also added that in some cases the evaluation of the
counting process was misled by about 15-16%. However, about 85% of the
count was evaluated as good, he said. He also added that the danger is
in the individual experiences of ordinary citizens. Several hundres
of short-term observers worked on the data to publish a statisically
viable result, ODIHR Director said.

CIS OBSERVATION MISSION DESCRIBED THE ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA AS "FREE AND OPEN"

Mediamax
February 20, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. The CIS Observation Mission stated in Yerevan
today that the presidential elections in Armenia were "free and open".

Mediamax reports that the statement of the CIS Observation Mission
reads that "the elections are conducted in accordance with the norms
of the current electoral legislation of the republic".

The Mission noted that "the given elections became an important factor
of further democratization of the social life in Armenia".

The CIS Observation Mission includes 193 international observers. In
the whole period of the monitoring, starting from January 22, the
members of the Mission visited 1232 polling stations, including 1052
polling stations on the day of voting.

Armenian Presidential candidate from "Dashnaktsutiun" "plans to win"

February 19, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Armenian presidential candidate, member of
"Dashnaktsutiun" party Bureau Vahan Hovhannissian stated in Yerevan
today that he "plans to win".

Mediamax reports that the candidate said this, answering the questions
of the journalists in a polling station.

Vahan Hovhannissian refrained from answering the question on how
many percents of votes he plans to gain. "I am not a prophet and I
will gain the votes, which the people decides to give me", Armenian
presidential candidate stated.

Vahan Hovhannissian noted that his greatest expectation from today’s
elections is their free and fair implementation.

Answering the questions on the actions of "Dashnaktsutiun" in case
there are violations revealed in the process of voting, the candidate
stated that all the violations should be documented and sent to courts.

Answering the question on who he will support in case there is the
second round of elections, Vahan Hovhannissian said: "I repeatedly
stated that I will support myself in the second round of elections".

TREND News Agency, Azerbaijan
Feb 18 2008

Recognition of Kosovo’s Independence Cannot be a Precedent for
Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Settlement – political scientist
18.02.08 11:08

Azerbaijan, Baku, 18 February / Trend News corr E. Huseynli /
According to the political scientist Aydin Mirzazade, a member of the
Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE), recognition of Kosovo’s independence cannot be a
precedent for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
`Regardless of statements made by Serj Sarkisian and other Armenian
officials, the international community does not recognize
Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state,’ Mirzazade said to Trend on
17 February.

Prime Minister Serj Sarkisian, a presidential candidate in Armenia,
welcomes the self-determination of Kosovo and believes that it can be
a precedent for the settling of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

`If the international community recognizes Kosovo’s independence and
does not recognize the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh, that
will prove that the international community applies double
standards,’ Sarkisian said to Reuters. `But that does not mean at all
that the day after self-determination of Kosovo Armenia will
recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh,’ he said.

According to Mirzazade, the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenia
is confirmed in enough documents by international organizations and
the world confirms the occupation of the Azerbaijani territory. From
this standpoint it is illogical to draw a parallel between Kosovo and
Nagorno-Karabakh problems.

`It is still unknown whether Kosovo will be recognized as an
independent sate,’ Mirzazade said.

LADY JANE

Variety
out=festivals&jump=review&id=2478&revi ewid=VE1117936207
Feb 14 2008
CA

An Agat Films & Cie, France 3 Cinema co-production, with the
participation of Canal Plus, Cinecinema, with the support of La Region
Provence Alpes Cote D’Azur, in association with Le Centre National
de la Cinematographie, Poste Image, Soficinema 3.

(International sales: Films Distribution, Paris.) Produced, directed
by Robert Guediguian. Screenplay, Jean-Louis Milesi, Guediguian.

With: Ariane Ascaride, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Gerard Meylan, Yann
Tregouet, Frederique Bonnal, Jacques Boudet.

By RUSSELL EDWARDS

Violence begets violence and pat homilies in crimer-cum-morality
tale "Lady Jane," from earthy French helmer Robert Guediguian. After
previous efforts "The Journey to Armenia" and "The Last Mitterand,"
which took him onto a broader canvas, helmer returns to the gritty
Marseilles milieu that informed much of his earlier work. Thriller
aspect will likely alienate his fan base outside Gaul, and
international crime buffs will find the yarn too convenient and
unconvincing. Within France, however, combination of esteemed helmer
and noirish flavor is likely to find wide acceptance on April 2008
release.

Pic begins with three masked figures passing out free fur coats
in a Marseilles whorehouse while the soundtrack pumps rebelliously
jaunty electronic-blues music. Story then jumps to shopkeeper Muriel
(Ariane Ascaride) tending to a customer in a perfumerie whose moniker,
Lady Jane, matches a cannabis-leafed tattoo on her wrist. Mid-sale,
Muriel receives a distressing phone call in which, due to cell-phone
technology, she can see that her teenage son is being held at gunpoint.

Upset but outwardly cool, Muriel gets together with her old pals,
shipwright Francois (Jean-Pierre Darroussin) and strip-club owner Rene
(Gerard Meylan), who agree to help her raise the requested ransom.

Gradually, both Francois and Rene show evidence of a criminal past,
and a flashback confirms the three middle-aged protags were the masked
Robin Hoods in the film’s opening. Flashback climaxes with Muriel
revealing her tattoo to their victim, who was obviously chosen to
settle a score, before spitefully executing him.

Link between the killing and the kidnapping is not apparent at
first, but when the exchange of Muriel’s son for the ransom goes
startlingly awry, the connection becomes prematurely obvious. Earlier
taut narrative becomes blatantly schematic, and pic morphs into a
tut-tutting riposte to the sadistic (and more convincing) fatalism
of Michael Haneke’s "Cache". Matched with a ham-fisted resentment of
modern technology, the lecturing tone underlines the suspicion that
Guediguian’s film is too narrowly partisan in all its arguments.

Perfs by helmer’s regular ensemble players Ascaride, Darroussin
and Meylan impress in their emotional scenes and their onscreen
familiarity perfectly projects longtime camaraderie. However, only
the crumple-faced Darroussin is successfully reborn an aging survivor
from a Jean-Pierre Melville crimer.

For a director unaccustomed to thrillers, the action sequences are
well helmed. Fuzzy lensing gives pic a semi-romanticized, somewhat
amateurish hue. Soundtrack eclectically swings from blues to classical
and contempo French pop, but is smartly placed. All other tech credits
are pro.

Camera (color), Pierre Milon; editor, Bernard Sasia; production
designer, Michel Vandestien; sound (Dolby), Laurent Lafran. Reviewed at
Berlin Film Festival (competing), Feb. 12, 2008. Running time: 102 MIN.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Feb 15 2008

Prompt legal assistance cars to operate in presidential election in
Armenia

YEREVAN, February 15. /ARKA/. Forty legal assistance cars will be
operating in all Armenian regions for voters in the presidential
election on February 19.

At the roundtable `Effective means of right protection under RA
Election Code’, Chairman of the Institute of Civil Society NGO Artak
Kirakosyan reported that the legal assistance teams are supposed to
prevent possible escalation of the situation.

According to him, the crews include political activists, lawyers, who
are involved in the program on a voluntary basis, observers, who will
have access to the counting of votes.

The cars belong to the `Presidential Election 2008′ legal initiative,
which unites 52 organizations from all Armenian regions. Fifteen of
the cars were operating in Armenia in the parliamentary elections on
May 12, 2007.

The roundtable `Effective means of right protection under RA Election
Code’ was organized in association with the Bar Chamber of Armenia,
American Bar Association (ABA/CEELI) and US Agency for International
Development (USAID). -0 –

Glendale News Press, CA
Feb 15 2008

The constellation prize

Mobile planetarium comes to Chamlian Armenian School, teaching a
variety of astronomical facts.

By Angela Hokanson

Mario Tomic of Mobile Ed Productions points out constellations
Thursday to third-graders at Chamlian Armenian School in a portable
planetarium. The astronomy lesson marked the first time the school
had used a mobile planetarium. (Tammy Abbott/News-Press)

Students gazed up at a starry sky from the inside of the auditorium
at Chamlian Armenian School on Thursday, picking out constellations
and locating the North Star.

The children learned about the solar system and the Milky Way galaxy
while ensconced under a billowing tarp known as the Sky Dome
Planetarium. The mobile planetarium, which is a program run by Mobile
Ed Productions, a Michigan-based educational programming company, was
spending the day at the school for the first time to teach students
about astronomy, said Rita Kaprielian, the school’s vice principal.

`We don’t see the stars as much as we used to,’ Kaprielian said.

Students sat in the belly of the 15-foot-high, 36-foot-wide
planetarium, which was set up in the school’s auditorium, and
listened to Mario Tomic, a presenter from Mobile Ed, explain some
basic concepts of astronomy.

In the darkened planetarium, Tomic showed the students bright photos
of planets like Mars and Venus, and explained how it took each planet
a different amount of time to circle the sun, so that each planet’s
years were different lengths.

While on Earth, the third-graders in the planetarium were 8 years
old, on Mars – which has years that are 687 days long – the students
would be half as old.

`So now, you’re 4 years old, something like that,’ Tomic said.

He talked about the Big Bang Theory, the Hubble Space Telescope and
black holes, but the students’ gasps of excitement really began when
Tomic illuminated the ceiling and walls of the planetarium with
stars.

He explained how different cultures invented different characters out
of the patterns of stars they saw in the sky.

`They created all kinds of images to find some kind of order in the
overwhelming chaos of the night sky,’ Tomic said.

He showed the students how to recognize constellations such as the
Great Bear, the Little Bear, Orion and particular stars like the
North Star and the Dog Star.

`We are facing north,’ Tomic said after showing the students the
North Star. `We are not lost anymore.’

At Tomic’s invitation, Nicco Hartounian, 8, stood up and used a laser
pointer to show his classmates the constellations that Tomic had
taught them.

As the school’s third-graders emerged from the darkened dome, shading
their eyes from the sunny day, they said they loved seeing the stars
projected on the ceiling and walls of the dome, and they had picked
up some new facts, too.

`I didn’t know that there were gas planets,’ said Edwin Daneelian, 8.

Despite this new knowledge, Earth remained his favorite planet, Edwin
said.

`I never knew that Pluto wasn’t a planet anymore,’ said Shant
Hambarchian, 8, referring to the fact that Pluto has been relabeled a
`dwarf planet’ by astronomers.

Third-grade teacher Jennifer Shamoyan said her students would be
starting a unit on the solar system next week so the assembly was a
good preview.

`He covered a lot of things that we are going to cover,’ Shamoyan
said.

PRESS TV, Iran
Feb 14 2008

Belarusian plane on fire in Armenia
Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:11:00

A Belarusian airplane catches fire in Yerevan’s airport while trying
to take off, taking no lives but injuring 21 people on board.

The incident occurred when the small CRG airplane bound for Minsk hit
its left wing on the runway during takeoff and erupted into flames,
the state civil aviation agency reported.

The agency’s spokeswoman Gayan Davtian said the airplane– owned by
Belarusian Belavia airline– was carrying 18 passengers, including 16
Armenian nationals, and three crew who were immediately evacuated.

"No one died, but all of them suffered burns, some of them severe
burns," Davitan said, adding that all were hospitalized.

All flights were cancelled at Yerevan’s airport following the
incident, according to AFP.