Author: Taslakhchian Andranik

UNCHECKED INFORMATION FROM DIPLOMATIC SOURCES

armradio.am
05.05.2009 18:18

Interfax agency learnt from diplomatic sources that Armenia has refused
to participate in the NATO military exercises o start in Georgia on
May 6.

Armenian Defense Ministry Press Secretary Colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan
has not confirmed this information to Interfax, but noted that one
should wait for an official statement of the Armenian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.

"Radiolur" did not manage to check the information, since sources
at the Press and Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs said only the acting Press Secretary of the MFA, Tigran
Balayan was entitled to comment on the issue.

Tigran Balayan is currently on a visit to Washington with Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian.

ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS ‘ANC’ CONDEMNS BEATING UP OF ARMENIAN JOURNALIST

ArmInfo
2009-05-01 13:31:00

ArmInfo. ANC has condemned beating up of the editor of ‘Armenia Today’
Argishti Kiviryan.

ANC does not hope that this as well as other cases of violation
towards journalists in Armenia will be solved, but is sure that
criminals will be answerable against the law sooner or later.

To recall, the incident happened at about 5:00 AM of April 30 in
the entrance of the house in Nalbandyan Street where Kiviryans’
family lives.

Appearingly, three unknown men were on the watch for Argishti
Kiviryan. The criminals beat the victim with clubs and then put forth
the handgun.

Fortunately, Kiviryan managed to the avert the gunpoint, and the
bullets did nit catch him. Kiviryans’ family heard three shots in
the entrance of their house. Currently, Argishti Kiviryan is in the
intensive care unit of ‘Erebuni’ hospital. He has got numerous bodily
injuries, especially in the area of the head. The doctors say his
life is out of danger.

The Police press-service reported that forensic testing is underway.

SPOKESMAN FOR DEFENSE MINISTRY: ARMENIA WILL NOT INTIMIDATE US BY DEMONSTRATING ITS MILITARY FORCE IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

Today.Az
itics/51934.html
May 1 2009
Azerbaijan

The Armenian side is trying to demonstrate its military power in
the occupied territories of Azerbaijan in vain, said spokesman for
Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry Eldar Sabiroghlu, commenting on the
military exercise, held by Armenian military units in the occupied
lands of Azerbaijan.

"In last March, Armenian troops were trying to show their strength and
got a decent response from us. Then, moving to a massive attack, the
Armenians were trying to capture the Azerbaijani military positions.

As a result, the Armenian side has suffered a loss of 12 dead and 15
injured", he said, adding that this fact has been sounded from the
podium of the United Nations.

ORTHODOX SPIRITUAL MUSIC WILL BE PERFORMED IN RA NATIONAL GALLERY

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.04.2009 20:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Spiritual music of the world is based on Armenian
spiritual music. As we’ve given numerous Armenian spiritual music
concerts, it was our decision to introduce Russian spiritual music
at 5th National Gallery Festival," State Camera Chorus Art Director
and Chief Conductor Rober Mlkeyan told a news conference.

Works of Igor Stravinski, Alfred Shnitke, Georgi Sviridov and Arvo
Pyte will be featured at Russian Spiritual Music Evening due on
Apr. 30 in RA National Picture Gallery’s fresco hall,

The concert will be broadcast live on Ararat Cultural TV Channel.

GOVERNMENT OF ARMENIA DISCUSSES THE WAYS TO RESIST SWINE FLU
Karen Ghazaryan

"Radiolur"
30.04.2009 16:20

The Government today discussed the ways of resisting swine
flu. Minister of Health Harutyun Kushkyan said the republic possesses
enough resources to fight the disease.

"Quarantine has already been instituted at all checkpoints,"
the Minister of Health reported to the Prime Minister. According
to him, all goods imported from different countries undergo
disinfection. Starting from April 26 the imports from countries,
where cases of swine flu have already been registered, has
been restricted. These include the United States, some European
countries. Despite the preventive measures taken, some risk persists,
since the swine flu passes to birds, while Armenia imports a great
quantity of poultry.

The Minister of Health noted that Armenia will have no problems with
poultry or pork connected with the restriction of imports, i.e. the
local production of the products is quite sufficient.

Minister of Emergency Situations Mher Shahgeldyan suggested to
implement preventive measures not only at the airport, but also in
planes with the support of the civil aviation.

SECOND ANNUAL ARMENIAN FILM FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN BOSTON

NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY
APRIL 29, 2009
BOSTON

The Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance organizes the Second Annual
Armenian Film Festival at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

The film The Blue Hour by filmmaker Eric Nazarian will be shown on May
1. The film We Drank the Same Water by Serge Avedikian will be shown on
May 2. The film is about the 1988 destructive Spitak earthquake. The
Mermaid by Ana Melikian will be also shown the same day. Filmmaker
Hrach Titizian’s film Float will be shown on May 3.

COMMISSION ON STUDYING THE MAIN PROBLEMS OF LAKE SEVAN HOLDS A SITTING

ArmInfo
2009-04-29 16:15:00

The Commission on studying the main problems of Lake Sevan held a
sitting in Gavar, Gegharkunik region of Armenia, with participation
of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. The Commission was set up in
December 2008.

As Chairman of the Commission, Executive Director of the Armenian
Fund for Development and Restoration of Forests Vladimir Movsisyan
told journalists, the sitting covered issues related to the work done
over the last 4 months. Additional instructions were given at the
sitting. One of the main problems is raise the level of Lake Sevan and
restore the wrecked section of the Arpa-Sevan tunnel. "In 2009 it is
envisaged to carry out work worth 1 bln 100 mln AMD",- Movsisyan said
and added that the specified work will be completed within the next 5
years. The sitting also covered issues related to carrying out clearing
of the lake shore. The lake level is planned to rise up to 1905 meters,
i.e. numerous building areas will remain under the water. First and
foremost, these are timberlands with an area of 2700 ha, 600 ha of
them are to be prepared already in 2009. The project is financed by
the state budget. It is necessary to build a new motor highway with
the length of 2.1 km in the area of Chkalovka village. Another task
is to displace 19 km electric power transmission lines and 18 km gas
pipelines, Movsisyan said. According to him, the Armenian president
stressed the significance of settlement of the main problems of Lake
Sevan and assured that funds will be found to implement the specified
programs no matter how difficult Armenia’s financial situation is.

SOUTH CAUCASUS RAILWAYS LAUNCHES CARRIAGE REPAIR

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.04.2009 13:39 GMT+04:00

According to an agreement of 06.02.2009, South Caucasus Railways CJSC
and Vagonremash OJSC have launched repair of carriages.

Some 20 carriages in Poti will be transported railroad carriage repair
plants in Voronezh and Tambov.

According to SCR press office, the repaired carriages will be operated
for Yerevan-Tbilisi-Yerevan and Yerevan-Batumi-Yerevan routes.

TURKISH CABINET RESHUFFLE EXPECTED ON THURSDAY

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.04.2009 10:55 GMT+04:00

Turkish cabinet reshuffle expected on Thursday

The appointments were not expected to bring major policy changes
in Turkey, which is under pressure to sign a deal with the IMF to
weather the global economic crisis and speed up reforms to shore up
its troubled European Union accession bid.

But the replacements would reinvigorate Erdogan’s Islamist rooted
Justice and Development Party, or AKP, government, which was punished
with a reduced share of the vote in local elections last month amid
record unemployment and a perception it has become out of touch.

Erdogan was expected to present his new list to President Abdullah
Gul during their weekly meeting on Thursday, the source said on Sunday.

Turkish media have speculated Economy Minister Mehmet Simsek may lose
his post, after the government came under fire from business groups
for failing to reach an agreement with the IMF after several months
of talks.

Foreign Minster Ali Babacan, who as economy minister between 2002-2007
led Turkey’s successful recovery from a deep crisis in 2001, has been
tipped as Simsek’s replacement.

"Babacan has good knowledge of dealing with the IMF, so this might
signal that Erdogan wants a trusted point man to coordinate the
looming IMF standby agreement," Tim Ash from Royal Bank of Scotland
said in a research note on Friday.

Newspapers have speculated that Ahmet Davutoglu, Erdogan’s chief
foreign policy advisor, may be next foreign minister.

EuroNews – English
April 24, 2009 Friday

Armenia remembers WW1 "Genocide"

After nearly a century of hostility, Turkey and Armenia have agreed a
road map to normalise ties.

The deal was made on the eve of the commemoration of the alleged 1915
mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks. It is thought to include
the opening of their mutual border, something which would boost
Turkey’s relations with the EU.

Protesters in Armenia hold annual demonstrations against Turkey,
describing the World War One killings as quot;genocide.quot; While
Ankara accepts many Christian Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks,
it denies that up to 1.5 million died. But the 1915 killings remain a
defining element in Armenian identity and thousands lay flowers each
year at the Genocide Memorial in the Armenian capital, Yerevan.

The years of stand-off have isolated impoverished Armenia and
obstructed Turkey’s efforts to join the European Union. While a
minority in Armenia is likely to oppose any reconciliation, the
majority are said to want better relations with their neighbour.