Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

ARMENIAN YOUNG MAN KILLS HIS COMPATRIOT DURING FIGHT IN GLENDALE

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 23, 2008

GLENDALE, MAY 23, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. Hayk Torosyan,
20, an Armenian man, was stabbed during a fight in Glendale in the
night of May 17. He was taken by ambulance to hospital, where he was
pronounced dead.

Police spokesman John Balian of the Glendale Police Department said
that Torosyan had been involved in an argument with his girlfriend’s
ex-boyfriend on May 16. Later that day, Torosyan and a friend, Brian
Herbert, 38, went looking for the ex-boyfriend, Avetis Barnasyan, 23,
also Armenian. The two men found Barnasyann early Saturday. Balian
said Torosyan and Barnasyan fought and during the fight, Torosyan
was stabbed once in the chest with a knife. Balian said the knife
punctured his heart.

Police arrested Herbert and Barnasyan on suspicion of murder. Balian
said the two men were released by the court on May 20, because Torosyan
had initiated the fight and Barasyan was simply defending himself.

MATTHEW BRYZA: EARLY TO EXPECT ANY RESULTS FROM THE MEETING OF AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS

Azeri Press Agency
May 22 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Tamara Grigoryeva-APA. OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs Mathew Bryza,
Bernard Fassier and Yuri Merzlyakov will have next talks in Moscow on
June 3. They also plan to meet with Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia
Grigory Karasin, US co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza told
APA about it.

He said that the co-chairs and Grigory Karasin would discuss the
continuation of the cooperation for completing the core principles
of the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

"Later Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents will have the opportunity
to get acquainted with each other within the framework of the 12th
St. Petersburg international energy forum. It is early to expect any
results from the meeting, it will be a meeting of familiarization,"
he said.

Matthew Bryza said the co-chairs would later meet with OSCE
Chairman-in-Office Alexander Stubb in Helsinki. The American diplomat
noted that it was early to speak about the steps to be taken after
the meeting of the presidents.

"Everything will depend on the meeting," he said.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY APPROVES 2007 STATE BUDGET

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 22, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA National Assembly on May 22
approved the annual report on execution of the 2007 state budget with
84 votes for and 4 votes against. In accordance with a previously
expressed position, the members of "Heritage" faction voted against
the report’s approval.

The National Assembly adopted in the first reading the bill on property
of members of an apartment cooperative society with invalid foundation
documents and the bill on status of private residential houses in
Yerevan with no documents confirming their right. The latter bill,
in particular, solves the issue of further status of 15-20 thousand
residential houses and annexes, which were registered as of May 15,
2001 and the documents confirming the right of these houses and
annexes are either not retained or absent.

630 FAMILY DOCTORS, NURSES NEEDED FOR OPTIMAL MEDICAL SERVICES TO POPULATION IN YEREVAN

ARKA
May 20, 2008

YEREVAN, May 20. /ARKA/. 630 family doctors and nurses are enough
to ensure optimal outpatient medical services to the population in
Yerevan, the Chief of Healthcare and Social Security Department of
the Yerevan Municipality Armen Soghoyan said. The Municipality expects
the family doctor institution to be completely introduced by 2009.

Training of out-patient doctors and nurses to form family medical
staff started three years ago: now there are 344 family doctors and
205 nurses in Yerevan, Soghoyan said.

Currently 42 doctors and 43 nurses are attending the training. 427
family doctors and 255 nurses are to be available in Yerevan by the
end of 2008; they will work both through independent groups of family
doctors and individual medical practice.

The family doctors institute is being introduced in Yerevan under
the World Bank loan program ($20mln). Two hospitals of Yerevan –
"Surb Grigor Lusavorich" and "Surb Astvatsamayr" are to be modernized
under the same project.

FIRST WEST COAST "ARMENIANS AND PROGRESSIVE POLITICS" CONFERENCE ON JUNE 6-7

armradio.am
21.05.2008 10:25

The first West Coast "Armenians and Progressive Politics" Conference
is coming on June 6 and 7, 2008. The conference will be a critical
examination of subjects pertinent to Armenians’ political, social,
and economic situation within a global context.

Featuring distinguished speakers from academia, labor unions, community
organizing, the arts, and media, this series of five panels breaks
new ground. Particularly lively presentations and public discussion is
anticipated for the plenary session scheduled for Friday night, June 6.

Avedik Izmirlian, a member of the organizing committee noted, "We’re
excited to bring this program to the Greater Los Angeles community. Our
colleagues on the East Coast are hosting their conference a week
before ours and another has taken place in Argentina."

The panels’ topics are Raising Social Consciousness Through Art and
Music, Women’s Issues/Feminism, Social and Democracy Issues in Armenia,
Labor and Related Social Issues, and Media Democracy and Reform.

COUPLE AWARDED MEDAL OF EXCELLENCE
by Peter Corbett

The Arizona Republic
08/05/20/20080520sr-asuhonors0521-ON.html
May 20 2008
AZ

A Valley couple who founded the Armenian Church and Cultural Center in
Scottsdale was honored earlier this month by Arizona State University.

ASU President Michael Crow presented Gregory and Emma Melikian with
the University Medal of Excellence for their leadership and civic
engagement.

The Melikians have supported ASU for more than three decades,
including an endowment of the Melikian Center and its Critical
Languages Institute.

They have also invested in historic preservation of more than a dozen
properties in Scottsdale, Tucson and Phoenix, including the San Carlos
Hotel, downtown landmark since 1928.

The Melikians were presented their medals at the ASU graduation
ceremonies May 8.

The University Medal of Excellence honors innovative leaders who have
advanced awareness and action on issues that affect the well-being
and positive development of their communities.

DIOCESE OF ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH IN GEORGIA ESTABLISHES FACT OF INFRINGEMENT OF SAINT NORASHEN CHURCH

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 19, 2008

TBILISI, MAY 19, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The Diocese of the
Armenian Apostolic Saint Church in Georgia expresses concern and
indignation "in connection with the act of infringement of the Saint
Norashen church and the territory near the church organized by Father
Tariel Sikinchelashvili, a clergyman of the Georgian Orthodox Church."

According to the report provided to Noyan Tapan by the Diocese, the
Saint Norashen church was built in the middle of XV century as an
Armenian Apostolic Saint Church and has been included in the Armenian
Diocese in Georgia since the day of its foundation. In the 30-s of XX
century the church along with other religious constructions was closed
for religious activity and was used as a book storehouse. After the
restoration of state independence the Georgian government did not
return the church to its legal historic owner.

Now Father Tariel and a group of workers working under his guidance are
building an iron fence including religious elements characteristic of
the Georgian Orthodox Church for the purpose of enclosing the Saint
Norashen church building and the territory near it. The Armenian
Diocese considers that act as Georgian side’s violating the agreement
reached between the Armenian Apostolic Saint Church and the Georgian
Orthodox Church on civilized solution of the issue of belonging of
the Saint Norashen church and the other four churches in the town
of Tbilisi.

Father Tariel said that soon he is going to start "restoration"
work inside the church building, after which divine service will be
conducted by clergymen of the Georgian Orthodox Church there.

In connection with the above mentioned, the Diocese of the Armenian
Apostolic Saint Church in Georgia officially, in a written form
applied to the Patriarchate of the Georgian Orthodox Church, as well
as to the proper state structures, which, according to the report,
have not undertaken any active steps yet to prevent the aggressive
act, which caused bewilderment and discontent among the parish of
the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, considering that circumstance as a
violation of their constitutional rights for religious freedom and
equality of religious rights.

"The Armenian Diocese reminds the Georgian side about the agreement
reached, strongly demands its observance, otherwise the development
of events can result in unpredictable consequences," the report of
the Diocese read.

EU-ARMENIA COOPERATION DISCUSSED AT RA GOVERNMENT

armradio.am
20.05.2008 17:17

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan today received the Head of the
European Commission delegation to Armenia Raul de Luzenberger. At
the beginning of the meeting he congratulated Tigran Sargsyan on
his appointment and wished him success and invited to Brussels to
thoroughly discuss issues related to cooperation.

The interlocutors discussed the EU-Armenia cooperation, including
a broad framework of issues related to the reforms envisaged by the
Action Plan of the European Neighborhood Policy. The Prime Minister
assured that the newly formed Government of Armenia is resolute and
interested in accomplishing the measures envisaged by the Action
Plan, which are in line with the logic of reforms foreseen by the
Government. The parties attached importance to the continuous work
in the direction of economic integration, which envisages formation
of a market system in Armenia corresponding to European standards
and deeper trade-economic cooperation with the European Union.

Tigran Sargsyan noted that Armenia aspires to get a market economy
status from the European Union, which is important in the context of
expansion and development of cooperation.

ARMENIA INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING COOPERATION WITH GREAT BRITAIN

armradio.am
16.05.2008 14:47

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan today received the newly appointed
Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
to Armenia Charles Lonsdale.

Congratulating the Ambassador on starting his diplomatic mission in our
country, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that his activity will
contribute to the progress in the Armenian-British relations. Tigran
Sargsyan attached importance to promoting the economic cooperation
parallel to the development of political relations between Armenia
and the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister noted that the Armenian
Government has rather ambitions programs, and it’s not accidental that
it prioritizes the solution of social and economic problems. Thanking
for the implementation of programs implemented by the UK Ministry of
International Development targeted at the development of rural regions
of Armenia and reformation of the public sector, Tigran Sargsyan said
Armenia is interested in continuing the cooperation with Great Britain.

Ambassador Lonsdale also assured that the British side is interested
in continuing the implementation of programs in Armenia in different
spheres.

Noting that the United Kingdom is not going to reduce the framework of
its involvement in Armenia, the diplomat noted that much depends on the
internal political developments in Armenia and economic achievements.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan assured that the Armenian Government
attaches importance to promoting the democratic processes in the
country and envisages serious steps and programs targeted at the
solution of existing problems.

Regional issues were also discussed during the meeting. In particular,
reference was made to the Armenian-Turkish relations. Confirming
the position of the Armenian side to establish diplomatic relations
with Turkey without any preconditions, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
expressed the opinion that the United Kingdom can play an important
role in the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations.

CORNET-AM LAUNCHES SERVICE ON DOMAIN NAME REGISTRATION IN .AM ZONE

ARKA
May 16, 2008

YEREVAN, May 16. /ARKA/. "Cornet-AM" closed joint stock company,
a daughter company of "COMSTAR-Obyedinenniye TeleSystems" (Comstar
United Telesystems) in Armenia launched services on registration of
domain names in Armenia’s .am national zone, the Press Service of
"COMSTAR-Obyedinenniye TeleSystems" reported.

"Cornet-AM" signed a contract with AMNIC registrator (Armenia Network
Information Centre) entitling the Armenian operator to independently
register top-level country domain names in .am zone, says the press
release.

"Today most of our users are corporate clients who attach importance
to high-quality service and a set pf additional interesting services,"
the General Director of "Cornet-AM" Boris Demirkhanian said.

According to him, modern companies often need to have a webpage. "We,
being one of the biggest Internet operators in the country, can offer
this service now," Demirkhanian said.

Domain.am is the official domain of Armenia established in August 1994.

According to AMNIC, over 1,000 websites are currently registered in
the .am zone.

"COMSTAR-Obyedinenniye TeleSystems" (COMSTAR-OTS, LSE: CMST) is the
biggest operator of united telecommunication services in Russia and
the Commonwealth of Independent States.