Author: Tambiyan Samvel

CALOUSTE GULBENKIAN AU SERVICE DU PATRIMOINE

Le Figaro, France
02 juillet 2007

ARMENIEN de Turquie, Calouste Gulbenkian (1869-1955) a bâti une immense
fortune dans les petroles du Proche-Orient en meme temps qu’il se
prenait de passion pour l’art sous toutes ses formes, avec un goût
très sûr. Il crea une fondation ayant pour but l’art, la science et
la bienfaisance, qui dispose aujourd’hui d’un patrimoine financier
s’elevant a 3 milliards d’euros et dispose d’un budget annuel de 110
millions d’euros. Toutes ses collections, 6 000 pièces qui comptent
parmi les oeuvres majeures, sont desormais reunies dans le Musee
Gulbenkian, a Lisbonne, où 1 500 d’entre elles sont exposees.

Elles ratissent très large, de la numismatique a l’egyptologie,
en passant par les tapis persans, l’art chinois et japonais, les
enluminures et, bien entendu, la peinture, depuis les primitifs
italiens jusqu’a Manet, Renoir, Monet, Degas. Quant aux generations
suivantes, il ne les aimait pas ! Si le Centre Gulbenkian, a Paris,
demeure, malgre ses nombreuses activites, un lieu peu frequente
par les Francais, son nouveau directeur, João Pedro Garcia, a bien
l’intention de booster la vieille institution et d’en faire " un
pont entre la culture portugaise et l’Europe ". Il a ouvert dans ses
locaux du 51, avenue d’Iena, une grande retrospective Maria Elena
Vieira da Silva, qui aurait eu 99 ans cette annee. Comme toutes les
manifestations de cette fondation privee (notamment des concerts),
elle est d’accès gratuit.

–Boundary_(ID_yrBwGdlZz2i7GboNbYt/dQ)–

ARARAT DOES NOT MANAGE TO REACH SECOND STAGE OF INTERTOTO CUP TOURNAMENT

Noyan Tapan
Jul 2, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The second leg of the first stage of
the Intertoto Cup Tournament between Yerevan Ararat and Soligorsk
Shakhtior took place in the Republican sports ground of Yerevan on
July 1. Though the footballers of Ararat won with a record of 2:0,
the Shakhtior team passed to the following stage with the result of
the two meetings. It had defeated Ararat with an account of 4:1 at
the first game.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Elif Shafak prosecuted for `insulting Turkishness’ receives Freedom of
Speech award
30.06.2007 16:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Turkish Union of Publishers has handed the
Freedom of Speck award to writer Elif Shafak, the author of `The
Bastard of Istanbul’, which once caused prosecution against her. When
speaking during the ceremony Ms. Shafak said this award is very
important for her and fills her with strength.

Besides, the Turkish Union of Publishers has issued a report which
rates 2006 as the most negative year as regards freedom of speech. In
2006-2007 legal proceeding were launched against 43 writers and 24
publishing houses, the report says, Turkish media reports.

Arizona University professor, renowned Turkish writer and Zaman
columnist Elif Shafak stood trial under article 301 of the Turkish
Criminal Code, which provides for imprisonment up to 3 years. The
novel of the 35-year-old writer tells about the events in 1915 in the
Ottoman Empire.

Charges against her were, however, dropped. The Beyoglu (Supreme)
Court in Istanbul decided that there was not sufficient evidence for
the crime, so Shafak could not be prosecuted.

GOLDEN GUITAR – 2007 REPUBLICAN FESTIVAL OF SINGER-SONGWRITING BEING HELD IN YEREVAN AND DILIJAN

Noyan Tapan
Jun 28, 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The Golden Guitar 2007 republic
festival of singer-songwriting is being held on June 21-30 in Yerevan
and Dilijan on the initiative of the RA Ministry of Culture, the
Ovation producer center, and the Culture Development Charity Fund. As
Samvel Mesropian, the festival’s Director, reported at the June 28
press conference, the obligatory condition for participation in the
festival is the songs’ performance only in Armenian and to the sole
accompaniment of a guitar.

Karine Khodikian, the RA Deputy Minister of Culture, said that
the genre of singer-songwriting has been ignored in recent years
in Armenia. In her words, the Ministry is trying to contribute to
the popularization of that genre by assisting in the festival’s
organisation. It was mentioned that 1.5m drams was allocated from
the state budget for the holding of the first festival in 2006,
while 2.5m drams (nearly 7 thousand USD) has been allocated this year.

In the words of Eduard Zorikian, a song writer, the festival’s goal
is to sum up the latest achievements in the genre of art of singing,
to reveal new musicians performing their own songs, and to contribute
to the activization of creative contacts among them.

It was also mentioned that festival’s gala concerts will take place
on June 29-30 at the Yerevan H. Paronian Theater of Comedy.

ACTION PROGRAM OF ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT FOR 2008-2012 TO SOLVE PRIORITY PROBLEMS

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
June 26 2007

YEREVAN, June 26. /ARKA/. The action program of the Armenian Government
for 2008-2012 is aimed at solving the priority problems, Armenian
Prime-Minister Serge Sargsian said in presenting the government action
program for 2008-2012 in the National Assembly of the country.

Due to scanty means available in Armenia the government cannot afford
itself using them inefficiently, Sargsian said.

The government program is of targeted nature and is aimed at solving
priority problems, which, in their turn, will ensure sustained
progressive development," the Prime-Minister said.

Among the priorities Sargsian pointed out the provision of national
security and sustainable development. He also added that the executive
authorities should continue the policy of maintaining macroeconomic
stability and reducing the poverty.

"Our efforts aimed at military construction have already produced
certain results, but still there are problems to be solved," the
Prime-Minister said.

According to Sargsian, the second priority is to form an efficient
management system at all the levels, including the state, local
governments and private sector. "Corruption, "shadow" economy,
unequal competition conditions – the solving of these problems means
providing efficient management and requires changing the technologies,
means and methods of management," Sargsian said.

According to him, the government should encourage introduction of
corporate management system in the real sector of economy.

"This process needs to be started with the state enterprises and
enterprises with state involvement: those enterprises should introduce
corporate management standards on a mandatory basis," he said.

He also pointed out the necessity to apply the concept of partnership
between the state and private sectors to ensure development and
implementation of important national and local programs.

Sargsian pointed out that the state should not interfere in the
sphere where the private sector is able to provide development on
its own. The state system should also refrain from functions that
may lead to market deviations.

FIRST LADIES OF ARMENIA AND GREECE VISITED "ZATIK" CHILDREN’S HOME

ArmRadio.am
27.06.2007 17:36

The First Ladies of Armenia and Greece visited "Zatik" children’s
home today. 101 children aged 6-18 live in the children’s home.

One of the children presented a marine to the First Lady of Greece. "I
shall post in my office and will often remember you," May Papoulia
said.

"I’m very impressed with the atmosphere. Armenian and Greek children
are very alike, they simply speak different languages," May Papoulia
said. She gifted musical instruments to the children’s home.

About 10 children from "Zatik" children’s home received houses under
the "State support for children’s homes" program. "The children’s
home has a very kind name. Many girls have married from here.

Seven families have already been formed and I have many grandchildren,"
said Ashot Mnatsakanyan, the Director of the children’s home.

50th ANNIVERSARY OF TEHRAN’S ARMENIAN SCHOOL "ARARAT" CELEBRATED

Noyan Tapan
Jun 27, 2007

TEHRAN, JUNE 27, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The 50th anniversary
of foundation of the "Ararat" Armenian school in Tehran was celebrated
on June 25. The event held at the Vachik Gharabegian Hall of the school
was attended by the head of Tehran’s Armenian diocese Archbishop Sepuh
Sargsian, members of the Diocesan Council, national bodies and unions,
and numerous guests. A photo exhibition presenting the 50-year history
of the school was organized at the hall entrance.

The "Ararat" school was founded in 1956. Initially it had only 80
pupils and was called "Shirvanzade", while in the following year it was
renamed "Ararat". The land plot of the school was bought by a group
of benefactors and a Persian Armenian benefactor, and the school’s
foundation was laid with efforts of the trustees, while its building
was constructed with financial and moral support of Armenians of the
Zeytun (Majidie) district.

"Aliq" newspaper reported that the event had a rich artistic program,
after which the head of Tehran’s Armenian diocese delivered a speech
of blessing.

Congratulating the school on its 50th anniversary, Archbishop Sepuh
Sargsian said: "Ararat" school does not belong only to the parental
council, teachers, inspection and national authorities. The national
school is the home of all of us and it is our moral duty to take care
of the Armenian school." Then Archbishop Sepuh Sargsian presented
letters of thanks to all those who have at least a 5-year contribution
to the 50-year history of "Ararat" school.

ARMENIA MIGHT TERMINATE RADIO LIBERTY REBROADCASTS

Arminfo
27 Jun 07

Yerevan, 27 June: Representatives of a number of opposition parties
have harshly criticized the possible termination of rebroadcasts of
the Armenian Service of Radio Liberty on Armenian Public Radio.

"The Armenian government is taking another anti-democratic step,
which is prompted, and it is not difficult to suppose, by the upcoming
presidential election in the country. They probably want to eliminate
the free zone which is not controlled by them and which is used
by opposition politicians to freely express their positions," the
secretary of the parliamentary faction of the [opposition] Heritage
Party, Stepan Safaryan, said.

The opposition parties not represented in parliament also tend to
view a bill submitted by the government to parliament "on changes to
the law of the Republic of Armenia ‘on TV and radio’" as the desire
of the authorities to deprive the Armenian Service of Radio Liberty
of its airtime for political reasons.

"The case should not be viewed as a legal or judicial matter. This is
a political step ahead of the presidential election in February next
year. The bill proposed by the government is aimed at depriving the
people of the opportunity to receive objective information through
the only electronic medium not controlled by the authorities,"
the secretary of the People’s Party of Armenia, Grigor Harutyunyan,
stressed, expressing the official position of the party.

Representative of the Armenian Pan-National Movement Aram Manukyan
believes that the authorities have never liked the media that show
their weak points in governing the republic, and the forthcoming
presidential election only served as a reason to embark on new and
specific steps to suppress freedom of speech. "Radio Liberty has not
bowed to the authorities, and they want to deprive a wide audience
of the opportunity to receive objective information about the events
in the republic," Manukyan said.

The head of the Alternative public and political movement and
editor-in-chief of Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper, Nikol Pashinyan, was
even more categorical. He described the initiative of the government
as another step directed at establishing an army of unrestrained
dictatorship in Armenia. "When they speak of the necessity not to
provide foreign TV and radio stations with local frequencies, they
should first vacate the two local VHF frequencies used for broadcasting
Russian government TV channels.

The Armenian Service of Radio Liberty, unlike them [the Russian
channels], is broadcast in Armenian. Mostly Armenians work there,
who report on events in our country," Pashinyan said.

During an emergency session today, the National Assembly will discuss
the bill proposed by the government "on changes to the law of the
Republic of Armenia ‘on TV and radio’". It says the reason is that
"the status of the Public TV and Radio Company and its tasks are,
in fact, incompatible with the right to give consent to provide
frequencies to other broadcasters".

LARGE-SCALE CONSTRUCTION TO BE LAUNCHED AT TEKHUT DEPOSIT AT THE END OF THIS YEAR

ArmInfo
2007-06-26 16:31:00

The construction of a mining and processing factory will be launched at
Tekhut copper-molybdenum deposit in the next 6-7 months, the president
of Vallex Group Valery Mejlumyan says in an interview to ArmInfo.

He says that presently the company is working to change the
status of the land and to obtain the permission of the ecological
inspection. This work will be finished within the next few months. By
that time the company will have completed its negotiations with
Russian Vneshtorgbank for receiving a loan and involving the bank in
the project. Mejlumyan says that the bank will lend more than Vallex
Group will invest. It is quite possible that after the launch of the
project the group’s Alaverdi Copper Factory will be stopped. "If we
find a way to employ the factory’s workers at Tekhut, we will stop
the wasteful production of blister copper and will start exporting
concentrate," Mejlumyan says.

Commenting on the possibility of Vallex Group’s purchasing Sotq
gold field, Mejlumyan says: "We are not considering this possibility
yet. This is quite an interesting project: Sotq is situated between
our deposits in Drmbon and Lori; but I have yet no information that
Vedanta is going to sell that deposit." To remind, Vallex Group is
planning to borrow $200mln from Vneshtorgbank to be able to annually
mine and process 7,000,000 tons of ore at Tekhut. One of the group’s
company, Armenian Copper Programme, has got a 25-year license for
Tekhut. The approved reserves of the deposit total 1,600,000 tons of
copper and 99,000 tons of molybdenum.

Meanwhile, the Tekhut project has received an extremely negative
response from ecological organizations. It was for the same reason
that EBRD refused to take part in the project. As regards Sotq, the
Armenian Government is dissatisfied with the work of its operator,
AGRC, a company belonging to Vedanta Group (India), and is forcing
them to leave Armenia. The gold reserves of Sotq are estimated at 80
tons (2,600,000 ounces), of Meghradzor – less than 1 ton.

PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
31 Moscovian Street
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 53.69.13
Fax: (+374 – 10) 53.26.97
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website:

June 25, 2007

Heritage Demands Delegate to Council of Europe

Yerevan–Today Heritage Party parliamentary leader Raffi K. Hovannisian sent
a letter to National Assembly Chairman Tigran Torosyan asking and expecting
him immediately to dispatch a Heritage representative to Strasbourg for the
current session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Torosyan told the press on June 22 that he was sending two pro-government
MPs from the previous National Assembly on the justification that the
parliament’s new delegation has not been fully and finally constituted.
"This rationale neither diminishes nor discharges the commitment of the
Republic of Armenia to ensure opposition participation at all deliberations
of the Council of Europe," Hovannisian said.

Founded in 2002, Heritage has regional divisions throughout the land. Its
central office is located at 31 Moscovian Street, Yerevan 0002, Armenia,
with telephone contact at (374-10) 536.913, fax at (374-10) 532.697, email
at [email protected] or [email protected], and website at