Author: Taslakhchian Andranik

We have a problem with third children in family

26-12-2007 12:25:44 – KarabakhOpen

The government has passed a number of decisions yesterday. In
particular, on the birth of the third child the government provides 500
thousand drams to parents and deposits 500 thousand drams in a bank.
The sum for the fourth child is 700 thousand drams.

During the meeting of government the minister of development of economy
Benik Babayan said young families with one or two children also need
government assistance. However, the minister said the program for
raising birth rate is meant to encourage families to have more than two
children. `Survey shows that recently families tend to have two
children, which has a negative impact on the demography. Therefore, we
think it is necessary to encourage families have the third child,’ said
Prime Minister Ara Harutiunyan. He also informed that in Karabakh there
are 10 thousand women of reproductive age and the government hopes that
the new program will allow these women consider having their third
child.

The minister of security Narine Azatyan says big families will get an
allowance for electricity (1200 drams per child), and a house will be
built for families which have 6 adolescent children.

LIMIT OF FAMILY INSECURITY EVALUATION LOWERED

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 27, NOYAN TAPAN. At the December 27 sitting the RA
government made a decision On Determining the Amounts of 2008 State
Benefits. As Artem Asatrian, the RA Deputy Minister of Labor and Social
Issues, informed journalists after the sitting, by the decision, the
limit of family insecurity has been lowered from 33 points to 30
points. The higher insecurity points are the higher is the amount of
benefit provided.

A. Asatrian said that the amount of basic benefit has been determined
in the amount of 8 thousand drams (nearly 26 dollars) instead of
current 7 thousand drams. On the occasion of death of one of family
members 50 thousand drams will be given next year instead of the former
25 thousand drams. The benefit provided for child’s birth, 35 thousand
drams, has been kept unchanged.

PanARMENIAN.Net

RA MFA: Nagorno Karabakh status key issue in talks
26.12.2007 15:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The haste of the OSCE Minsk Group
mediators is conditioned by the possible shift of
characters in the negotiation process after the
presidential elections in Armenia and Azerbaijan, RA
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said.

`A new president can disagree with the package, that
is why the mediators press for a soonest bargain,’ he
said. `Armenia’s positions are firm but disagreement
with the package at the table will provide new chances
for Azerbaijan. Anyway, the international community
will not allow to bring the achievements to naught.’

`The status of Nagorno Karabakh is the key issue in
the talks. The Co-chairs and international
organization know this. However, we are still at the
beginning of a long process,’ he said.

`The document under discussion refers to the
settlement principles which should be submitted to
lawyers if approved by the sides. Most items have been
already coordinated and the mediators suppose that it
can be brought to a final shape. However, there are a
number of problems which require serious talk,’ the
Minister told Shant TV channel.

GAS PRICES TO REMAIN UNCHANGED IN EVENT OF MILD WINTER IN ARMENIA

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Dec 24 2007

YEREVAN, December 24. /ARKA/. Gas prices will remain unchanged in
Armenia if the winter is mild, Armenia’s Minister of Energy Armen
Movsisian reported.

He reminded that the issue of private financing of the prices occurred
due to sudden increase in gas prices that made it necessary to give
the population and the economy enough time to adapt themselves to
the expected prise increase.

"The main consumption occurs in the winter period, and everything
will depend on the winter consumption", the Minister said.

He pointed out the limited nature of the means to subsidize the
prices and said that, yet, if the current temperature is maintained,
the possibility of keeping the current gas prices will be possible for
a quite long period of time. At the same time, the Minister reported
that preliminary estimates have been already made on possible options
for price increase.

On April 6 2006 "Gasprom" open joint stock company and the Government
of Armenia signed an agreement setting strategic principles of
cooperation in gas and energy projects on the territory of Armenia
for 25 years. Under the agreement, the price for Russian natural gas
supplied to Armenia is to rise from $56 to $110 for every 1,000 cubic
meters, but "Gasprom" undertook obligation not to increase the price
before 2009.

Under the agreement, the Armenian Government is to sell the fifth
energy unit of Hrazdan thermal power plant (Hrazdan-5) and the
country’s gas infrastructures to "ArmRosgasprom".

Part of the funds from the sale is to be allocated as subsidies to the
population and enterprises of Armenia. The government subsidizes 25,000
Drams for 1,000 cubic meters for citizens with monthly consumption
of up to 10,000 cubic meters and $52.01 of the $146.51 price for
industrial enterprises consuming over 10,000 cubic meters of gas
monthly.

GARZU IN NATIONAL GALLERY
By Melanya Badalian

AZG Armenian Daily
22/12/2007

On December 20, in National Gallery opened an exhibition dedicated
to well-known French Armenian artist Garzou. Garzou is one of the
most famous Diaspora artists in Armenia. His 305 pictures are in our
National Gallery.

Garzu is a member of French Academy of the Fine Arts.

He is awarded with several international prizes, in 1956 – Medal of
Honor Legion, in 1980 – Medal of Martiros Sarian, he was granted the
title of Knight of Arts and Literature.

The exhibition is divided into two parts; the first part represents
Garzou’s about 50 works of different periods – "Apocalypses",
"Eskales", "Heavenly Paradise", "Provence", "New glance", etc. In
Garzou’s world of imagination people and nature are hazy and dim. Air
and water have a specific context in his paintings.

Garzou is also a graphic artist and scene-painter.

Jean Paul Ramo "Delicate Indians" opera-ballet, Adan "Giselle",
etc. were performed by his designs.

Garzou’s book illustrations are also very interesting.

He illustrated books of Shakespeare, Hemingway, Morua, Camus, Edgar
Po and others.

This exhibition is the first one to present the whole Armenian
collection of Garzu’s book illustrations.

Literary and art critic Yuri Khachatrian informed that on December 3
in Paris took place Garzu’s works auction, where his paintings were
sold rapidly. It testifies about growing interest in Garzu’s art.

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN HAD A FAREWELL MEETING WITH THE AMBASSADOR OF IRAN

armradio.am
22.12.2007 11:03

President Robert Kocharyan had a farewell meeting with the Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Iran to Armenia Alireza Haqiqian.

Robert Kocharyan said the Armenian-Iranian cooperation has
been especially productive over the past years due to the calm,
consistent and constructive work, and appreciated the contribution
of the Ambassador.

The President expressed confidence that the new cooperation programs
will also be accomplished with the same success.

The Ambassador said he is leaving Armenia with the sense of
satisfaction, since all the programs discussed during the first
meeting with Robert Kocharyan have been realized.

Robert Kocharyan wished success to Mr. Haqiqian in his future activity
and asked to convey his greetings to the President of the Islamic
Republic of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

`Dashnaktsutiun’ believes that the presidential elections in Armenia
will be held in two rounds

December 21, 2007
Yerevan /Mediamax/

In the nearest future the pre-election program of the candidate for the
position of the President from `Dashnaktsutiun’ party Vahan
Hovhannissian will be published.

Mediamax reports that the Head of parliamentary faction of
`Dashnaktsutiun’ Hrayr Karapetian stated today, that despite the fact
that the pre-election campaign has not yet started, some candidates are
already actively using dirty techniques.

He recalled that the candidate from `Dashnaktsutiun’ urged all the
politicians not to cross the limits of correctness and struggle only in
the political area. Hrayr Karapetian assured that in the course of the
pre-election campaign their candidate and his team will keep to this
very form of behavior.

The pre-election staff of the candidate for the position of the
President from `Dashnaktsutiun’ will be headed by the representative of
the party’s Supreme Body Armen Rustamian.

Hrayr Karapetian expressed opinion that two rounds will be necessary to
reveal the winner of the elections.

ARMENIA NOT BUDGING IN RIFT WITH TURKEY – SPEAKER

Russia & CIS General Newswire
December 19, 2007 Wednesday 9:26 PM MSK

Armenia will not budge from principles that prevent it from normalizing
its relations with Turkey, Armenian parliament speaker Tigran Torosian
said on Wednesday.

Turkey objects to massacres of ethnic Armenians in the Ottoman Empire
in 1915 being qualified as an act of genocide and sides with Azerbaijan
in the Armenian-Azeri conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

These are obstacles to normalizing Armenian-Turkish relations, he said.

"Turkey moves problems involving a third state, Azerbaijan, into
the realm of Armenian-Turkish relations and cannot overcome its
own psychological complexes concerning the recognition of the [1915
massacres as an act of] genocide, and continues to blockade Armenia,"
Torosian said at a meeting with the European Union special envoy for
the South Caucasus, Peter Semneby.

"These steps in no way fit in with the European system of values,
Armenia cannot accept those conditions," the speaker said.

Speaking of the 1915 massacres, Torosian rejected a Turkish demand
for setting up a commission of historians to explore the issue.

Semneby argued that the findings of the proposed commission should
not be allowed lead to any conditions being laid for Turkish-Armenian
talks and said Turkey’s proposed entry to the EU would offer wide
opportunities for more predictable relations between the two countries.

Semneby is on a two-day visit to Yerevan to attend a parliamentary
hearing on Armenian-Turkish relations.

ARMENIA INTERESTED IN HOLDING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ON LEVEL WITH HIGHEST STANDARDS

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.12.2007 14:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Outcomes of the presidential elections are important
for further development of the republic, Armenian Prime Minister
Serzh Sargsyan said at a meeting with EU Envoy for the South Caucasus
Peter Semneby.

"The May 12 parliamentary elections are still taken as exception rather
than rule. We should everything in our power to hold the presidential
elections on a level with highest standards. I also attach important
to conduction of exit-polls," the PM said.

When commenting on complaints about biased work of the media, he said:
"If a European structure is interested in true information it can
hire a special-purpose organization to monitor the media."

"Like the European organizations, the Armenian leadership is confident
that the outcomes of the presidential elections are important for
further development of the republic," he added, the RA government’s
press office reported.

THE ART OF GIVING BACK: DIA HONORS SUPPORTER RICHARD A. MANOOGIAN
By K. Michelle Moran, Arts & Entertainment Editor

C&G Newspapers, MI
Dec 19 2007

GROSSE POINTE PARK – Although they couldn’t personally make it to
the Detroit Institute of Arts, President George W. Bush and his wife,
first lady Laura Bush, wanted to offer their congratulations to Richard
A. Manoogian, for whom the museum named its American Art Wing Dec. 11.

So Laura Bush sent a message via video, in which she heartily thanked
the Masco Corporation executive chair for his contributions to the
DIA, the National Gallery and even the White House, where the Bush
family can admire some of the fine works Manoogian has acquired over
the years.

True to form, the modest business leader blushed as the first lady
sang his praises.

When it comes to tooting his own horn, Manoogian of Grosse Pointe Park
is basically Donald Trump’s antithesis. But the philanthropist, former
DIA board chair and current chair emeritus accepted the accolades –
albeit reluctantly – as hundreds of friends and members of the art
community gathered to celebrate the opening of the Manoogian Wing.

"I am humbled and even a bit embarrassed (by all of the praise),"
Manoogian said. "I normally shy away from being an honorary guest
… but my love for this institution overshadowed the reservations
I may have had."

The son of an Armenian immigrant who came to America in the 1920s,
Manoogian calls his family the "classic immigrant success story." His
father, Alex, founded the auto parts business Masco in 1929, after
working on the line at Ford Motor Company for several years. Richard
Manoogian, who earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Yale
University, started working for Masco in 1958.

>>From his family’s humble beginnings, Manoogian learned the importance
of generosity.

"We’ve always believed that if you’re lucky enough to do well, you
should give back to the community and support others," he said.

Manoogian said he became involved with the DIA as a board member
in the 1960s because of a sense of civic responsibility. He wasn’t
an art collector then, but credits his work with the museum and its
curators with inspiring him to buy art.

"It was meeting collectors that got me excited about collecting,"
he said.

Since then, he and his wife, Jane, have assembled a remarkable
American art collection, which they regularly loan to institutions
around the country. Manoogian has a hard time selecting a favorite
artist, but does admit that Albert Bierstadt’s 1878 oil, "The Shore
of the Turquoise Sea," is one of his favorite paintings.

Manoogian’s longtime support of the museum made him a good choice
for the honor, said Kenneth Myers, curator of American Art at the DIA.

For the wing’s current installation, Manoogian loaned more than 20
paintings dating from 1650-1900, helping to tell the story of American
art from that period, Myers said.

Besides his staunch support, "he’s just a sweetheart," said DIA COO
Nettie Seabrooks.

"Richard has done so much for so many people, so many museums,"
Seabrooks said. "He’s got (artworks) all over the country."

Current DIA Board Chair Gene Gargaro of Grosse Pointe Shores, a Masco
vice president, said Manoogian is the reason he became involved with
the museum.

"We’re fortunate to have a number of important supporters, but he’d
be right there at the top," Gargaro said of his friend and colleague –
a sentiment echoed by DIA Director Graham Beal.

He may not relish the attention, but Manoogian hopes the publicity
encourages others to give to the museum, as well.

"I think institutions like the DIA are important to the community,
important to schoolchildren, important to our businesses and the
economic well-being of the area," he said.

Manoogian has three grown children who live in California, none of
whom followed their father into the family business or even into the
arts. He does have a 7-year-old grandson who may be taking a few cues
from him, though: Manoogian said the boy is already an avid collector,
albeit only of things he cuts out of magazines and frames.

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