Author: Toganian Liana

ARTHUR BAGHDASARIAN MEETS WITH PACE CO-RAPPORTEURS

ARMENPRESS

ARMENPRESS
JUNE 17

Secretary of the Armenian National Security Service Arthur Baghdasarian
received delegation headed by the co-rapparteur of the PACE Monitoring
Commission George Columbien.

Presidential press service told Armenpress that during the meeting
the sides referred to the works carried out towards the implementation
of PACE 1609 resolution by the Armenian authorities.

Arthur Baghdasarian presented the steps carried out by the authorities
noting that concrete steps have been carried out towards 20 points
of the resolution.

George Columbien noted that they underscore the steps carried out by
the Armenian authorities and expect greater determination in carrying
out the reforms

THE DELEGATION HEADED BY RA DEFENSE MINISTER S. OHANYAN WILL LEAVE FOR MOSCOW

;p=0&id=535&y=2008&m=06&d=16
14.06 .08

In compliance with the 2008 program of military cooperation between the
Ministries of Defense of Armenia and Russia, the delegation headed by
RA Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan will visit the Russian Federation
from June 16-18.

In the framework of the visit RA Defense Minister will have meetings
with the Defense Minister of Russia Anatoly Serdyukov, Chief of
the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,
Colonel-General Nikolay Makarov, as well as the Secretary General of
eth collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Nikolay Bordyuzha
and the leadership of the CSTO Joint Headquarters.

Minister Ohanyan will meet with representatives of the Armenian
community of Russia and the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Armenia,
who study in military educational establishments of Russia.

ISAHAK MALKHASSIAN PUT ON PROBATION

A1+
[05:18 pm] 16 June, 2008

Today the Court of General Jurisdiction of Shengavit district put
the brother of NA MP Myasnik Malkhassian, Isahak Malkhassian, on a
one-year probation period.

The latter was released from the courtroom.

Isahak Malkhassian is charged with Article 316 of the RoA Criminal
Code /violation against an official.

Note, prosecutor Koryun Piloyan had asked the Court to sentence
Malkhassian to a three-year imprisonment.

Isahak Malkhassian finds the court verdict rough and is going to appeal
it in the European Court of Human Rights. Moreover, Malkhassian is
going to attend all opposition rallies.

A1+

VENICE COMMISSION TO DISCUSS RECENT AMENDMENTS ON ARMENIA ON JUNE 14
[06:52 pm] 13 June, 2008

On June 14 the Venice Commission is due to discuss
the amendments to the RoA Law on -Marches, rallies,
meetings and demonstrations- proposed on March 17,
2008. The Commission is invited to hold an exchange of
views with Mr Tigran Torossian, Speaker of the
Parliament of Armenia and to examine and endorse the
draft joint opinion by the Venice Commission and
OSCE/ODIHR on the amendments of 17 March 2008 to the
law on conducting meetings in Armenia (CDL(2008)036
and 037), the draft joint opinion (CDL(2008)050) on
the draft law of April 2008 amending and supplementing
that same law (CDL(2008)049 and 051), and the joint
draft opinion (CDL(2008)079) on new draft amendments
to the latter draft law (CDL(2008)078).

In addition, the Commission is invited to examine and
endorse the comments by Mr Hamilton (CDL(2008)045) on
the amendments to the Criminal Code of Armenia
(CDL(2008)063) relating to the law on conducting
meetings in Armenia.

Chessbase News, Germany
June 14 2008

Peter Leko leads Karen Asrian Memorial in Yerevan

14.06.2008 – It started as the "Chess Giants Yerevan 2008", but after
the sudden and tragic death of top Armenian GM Karen Asrian at the age
of 28, the Armenian Chess Federation decided to interrupt the event
for a few days, and then rename it to the "Karen Asrian Memorial".
This will be the name it will bear in the future. The tournament ends
tomorrow.

Round twelve report.

The "Chess Giants Yerevan 2008" rapid chess tournament was originally
scheduled to be held in Yerevan, Armenia, from June 9th to 15th,
2008. Due to the sudden and tragic death of top Armenian GM Karen
Asrian on June 9th, 2008, at the age of 28, the Armenian Chess
Federation decided to interrupt the event for a few days, and then
rename it to the "Karen Asrian Memorial". This will be the name it
will bear in the future. In addition, the rapid open scheduled to have
been played in parallel to the main tournament from June 12-15, was
cancelled.

The decision was signed by President of the Republic of Armenia, and
President of the Armenian Chess Federation Serzh Sargsyan. He said:

With deep regret I learned about the passing of one of the leading
chess players of Armenia – Karen Asrian. The death of the gold medal
world Olympiad champion, three time champion of Armenia, grandmaster
Karen Asrian is truly a great loss for Armenian chess.

The pain multiplies when we realize what great heights the young chess
player could have reached, but did not have time to. Many a time have
I witnessed how Karen Asrian devotedly upheld the honor of our
country, how willingly he was helping his colleagues and friends, how
dedicated he was in developing Armenian chess.

At this moment of grief I extend my heartfelt condolences to Karen
Asrian’s family and friends, and to the entire chess community of
Armenia.

President of RA Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister of RA Tigran Sargsyan,
Chairman of Parliament of RA Tigran Torosyan, participants of the GM
tournament held in Yerevan, thousands of chess lovers were present at
the funeral service conducted in the T. Petrosian Chess House.

Report after round 12
Of the 14 rounds required in this eight-player double round robin
twelve have been completed on Saturday night. The final games will be
played on Sunday, June 15 at 18:00h local Yerevan time (which is GMT+4
or 15:00h CEST). You can follow the games of the Arsian Memorial on
the official website or on Playchess.com. The links are given at the
end of this report.

Photos at
4699

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT VOTES TO ELECT ARTHUR JAVADIAN CHAIRMAN OF CENTRAL BANK

ARMENPRESS
June 11, 2008

By a vote of 92 to 3 the Armenian parliament voted today to elect
Arthur Javadian chairman of Armenian Central Bank for a term of 6
years. Overall 98 lawmakers took part in the voting. Three ballots
were recognized invalid.

Arthur Javadian’s candidacy was submitted to the parliament’s approval
by the president, as set by the Constitution.

Arthur Javadian thanked the parliament promising to implement all
programs that won its approval.

Arthur Javadian is 44. He has been working in the banking system
since 1989. He was deputy chairman of the Central Bank since 2003.

DISCUSSION OF THE 2008 MCC INDICATOR SCORECARD FOR ARMENIA HELD AT THE US EMBASSY

armradio.am
11.06.2008 17:32

In response to a request from the MCA-Armenia Stakeholders’ Committee,
a presentation and discussion of the 2008 MCC Indicator Scorecard for
Armenia took place at the Embassy of the United States of America. The
Indicator Scorecard was presented by Alex Russin, MCC-Armenia Resident
Country Director. Following the presentation, a question & answer
forum was held between the MCA-Armenia Stakeholders’ Committee and
Mr. Joseph Pennington, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, wherein Stakeholders’
Committee members asked questions regarding Armenia’s current political
status and how it may impact further MCC funding.

MCA-Armenia Stakeholders’ Committee is a consultative body composed
of 15 elected volunteer members representing Armenian civil society
and relevant program beneficiaries, with the mandate of ensuring broad
participation in program implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

–Boundary_(ID_IDYum9F6cgsQkAJjuVGuRA )–

FAMILY PAYS TRIBUTE TO ROOF FALL TEENAGER

Tameside Advertiser, Uk
JUNE 11 2008

A Heartbroken Family Has Paid Tribute To A 14-Year-Old Boy Who Died
After Falling Through The Roof Of A Derelict Shop.

Daniel Sookasian, 14, suffered a serious head injury after falling from
the third-storey roof of the derelict united carpets store in openshaw.

a pupil at egerton park arts college, denton, he was a keen amateur
rugby player for the under-14s team at aldwinians rufc.

dad hamlet sookasian, 50, said: "he was with friends and they were
just being kids, messing about and climbing in the building.

"We’ve all done it when we were growing up, daring each other to do
things like this.

"He was such a caring boy and his time was cut short. He had really
turned a corner recently and was becoming a man.

"He was one of the kindest lads — he really thought about others
and made people smile.

"My son went to a rough school and had to have an aura of being a
tough guy. He’d been in bits of trouble but he had settled down and
since Christmas had really improved.

"All his teachers said he had improved and he wanted to win the prize
for most improved pupil."

Friends and family have left tributes to ‘Danny’ at the scene of the
tragic accident on Ashton Old Road.

As well as flowers and cards, there are Manchester United shirts,
flags and scarves signed by his friends.

Another teenage boy also fell from the roof of the building, which
is being demolished, in the same incident and suffered a suspected
broken wrist.

Daniel, who lived with his mum Susan Sale, 51, on Maple Avenue, Denton
had ambitions to be a pilot and attended St Gregory’s Orthodox Church
with his dad.

He had picked up basic Dutch while living in Holland and Armenian
through his father.

Susan said: "He always had a kiss for me when he left in the morning.

"I can’t believe this has happened.

"It’s difficult to find the words."

He has an older brother, Peter, 26, and his two sisters, Anoush, 27,
and Hannah, 23.

Anoush and Hannah said in a statement: "Daniel was a great brother."

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN MEETS WITH RADION SHCHEDRIN AND MAYA PLISETSKAYA

armradio.am
11.06.2008 10:03

President Serzh Sargsyan received Radion Shchedrin, a celebrated
composer, Maya Plisetskaya, his spouse and a legendary ballet dancer,
and David Geringas, a world famous musician.

They arrived to Armenia to participate in the Days of Shchedrin
which are being conducted in the framework of the "Perspectives of
the 21st" festival.

Welcoming the famed artists, the President of Armenia said that
because of their exceptional talent they are immensely popular in
Armenia. Serzh Sargsyan assessed the Days of Shchedrin in Armenia as
a great event in our cultural life and noted that it would provide
the Armenian art lovers with the opportunity to once again enjoy the
works of the great composer.

Radion Shchedrin and Maya Plisetskaya spoke with great enthusiasm
about their Armenian experience, noting that Armenia is a part of their
lives, full of deep and sincere emotions and warm recollections. They
recalled with affection their friends Aram Khachaturian, Arno
Babajanian, noted that they saw Babajanian’s memorial in Yerevan and
were deeply impressed.

Radion Shchedrin hailed the Armenian President’s great attention toward
culture. According to President Sargsyan, culture is a powerful tool
for the proper introduction and presentation of small Armenia to
the world.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN EXTENDS CONDOLENCES TO KAREN ASRYAN’S FAMILY

armradio.am
11.06.2008 13:05

"It was with deep sorrow that I learnt about the death of one
of the leading Armenian chess players Karen Asryan. World Olympic
Champion, triple Champion of Armenia, Grand Master Karen Asryan’s
death was a great loss for Armenian chess. The pain doubles, when we
realize what achievements he could have, but did not manage. I have
witnessed many times the devotion with which Karen Asryan defended
the sports reputation of our country, the willingness with which he
helped his friends.

At this moment of grief I extend my condolences to Karen Asryan’s
family, relatives and the whole chess society of Armenia.