Author: Torosian Aram

YOUNG PEOPLE FROM KARABAKH VISITED NORTH CAUCASUS

KarabakhOpen
10-07-2007 10:40:40

The representatives of Armenian youth organizations visited North
Caucasus June 23 to 30. The group included 25 members of the Defender
of Homeland NGO and 5 representatives of the Armenia-based organization
Eagles of Syunik.

The aim of the visit was to learn about the life of Armenians living
in the North Caucasus, set up links with the local organizations,
the Defender of Homeland told us. The benefactor Samvel Hakobyan,
the chair of the Union of Azatamartiks of Artsakh Samvel Karapetyan
and Artem Arzumanyan, head of the Armenian community of Stavropol,
supported this useful initiative.

Within a week the young people visited Minvodi, Pyatigorsk,
Jeleznovodsk, Kislovodsk, Georgievsk, Yessentuki, Zelenokumsk and
Budyonovsk with support from the local communities. Everywhere the
young people from Armenia and Karabakh got a warm welcome.

During the visit it became known that there are lots of obstacles
to the preservation of the Armenian identity in the North Caucasus,
especially among young people. Agreement on cooperation and further
promotion of links between Armenia and the Diaspora was reached.

The young people of the North Caucasus said they are willing to visit
their homeland, and 30 people will visit Karabakh in August.

OSCE PLANS ANOTHER MONITORING OF KARABAKH-AZERI POSITIONS

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
July 6, 2007 Friday 02:58 PM EST

The office of the OSCE chairman-in-office’s representative in
Stepanakert has asked the authorities of the unrecognized Karabakh
republic to assist another monitoring of the contact line between
Karabakh and Azerbaijani forces, a source at the Karabakh Foreign
Ministry press service told Itar-Tass on Friday.

The monitoring near the Marzili town is planned for July 10.

The Karabakh administration voiced the readiness to assist the OSCE
monitoring of the positions and provide for security guarantees.

Representatives of the Karabakh foreign and defense ministries will
be accompanying the monitoring team.

Monitoring is a mechanism of control over the ceasefire established
in May 1994. Back then the sides signed the Bishkek protocol with
the mediation of Russia and the CIS Parliamentary Assembly. Observers
stressed that the truce is being observed without interference of a
third party.

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by Russia, France and the United
States is assisting Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations on fundamentals
of the Karabakh settlement.

As soon as fundamental agreements are reached, the sides will start
negotiations on the comprehensive settlement of the conflict.

YEREVAN BANDY COMPANY INTENDS TO MAINTAIN LEVEL OF GRAPES PROVISIONS OF 2006 AT 28,000 TONS IN 2007

arminfo
2007-07-06 12:41:00

The "Yerevan Brandy Company" intends to maintain the level of grapes
provisions of 2006 at 28,000 tons in 2007, Director General of YBC
Herve Caroff told ArmInfo.

He said that the final decision regarding the volume of grapes
provisions, 2007 and the price of purchases will be made in the
beginning of September after assessment of the harvest in July and
August. H. Caroff noted that the Company schedules no revolution in
the purchase price policy.

However, if there are some changes, they will be
insufficient. "Everything should be done for the farmers to be
profitable to grow the grapes in Armenia", H. Caroff said. He added
that the plan for the grapes purchase is developed 10-15 years in
advance, therefore, YBC is presently gathering information about its
traditional markets. Besides 28,000 tons of grapes in 2006, YBC also
purchased 2,2 thsd l of brandy alcohol from its partners in Armenia
and Karabakh, E. Caroff said. He added that the grapes provisions over
the last 3-4 years have grown twice and this tendency will continue. In
view of this, he added, the Company considers possibility of building
a workshop in YBC’s Tavush branch for production of brandy alcohol.

FIRE-FIGHTING GOES ON IN THE NKR

A1+
[12:08 pm] 06 July, 2007

Since the end of May of 2007, there have been periodical fires along
the line of contact of the NKR and Azerbaijani armed forces. The NKR
Rescue Service is engaged in localization and fire extinguishing. In
case of necessity the servicemen of the NKR Defence Army, as well as
the civilians come to assist the Rescue Service.

According to head of the NKR Rescue Service’s operative department
Ashot Verdyan, 24-hour duty has been established in the corresponding
zones in all the districts, the number of field fire-rescue points
(with a fire-mashine and a fire fighters brigade ) increases 5 times
compared with last year (there were 18 points in 2006, and 23 –
in 2007).

"We react operatively to the alarms of fires and undertake
corresponding measures immediately. Under the conditions of techniques
lack the fire brigade makes heroism. Last year’s experience of
fire-fighting now helps the successful localization and prevention
of fires. In case of large-scale fires several cars are enabled
simultaneously, servicemen and civilians come to assist. Besides
the regular points, there are movable posts – by driving around on
"UAZes" we control the corresponding territories", Ashot Verdyan noted.

According to head of the NKR Rescue Service fire- rescue department
Samvel Hayrumyan, due to the preventive measures the number of fires
has been significantly reduced in comparison with last year.

According to the data of July 4, 13 hectares of planted areas were
burnt in the Hadrut district, 6 hectares in Martouni and 10 hectares
in Martakert.

Head of the NKR Rescue Service’s Hadrut fire station Roman Mayilyan
informed that most frequently fires occur in the districts of Horadiz
station, between the posts of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijani
armed forces.

"We don’t have any access there, that’s why we can’t surely speak on
the reasons of inflammation. When the fire spreads to our side, we
undertake every effort for localization and fire extinguishing. Our
fire brigade is on an intensified duty. Servicemen and civilians give
help as well", R.Mayilyan noted.

According to head of the NKR Rescue Service’s Martakert fire station
Karen Grigoryan, 4 cases of fire were fixed on the territory over the
reporting period and the fire came out from the Azerbaijani side. Fire
fighters and rescuers located in the region undertook corresponding
measures on localization and fire extinguishing. Prophylactic measures
on their prevention have also been taken. Head of the NKR Rescue
Service’s Askeran fire station Artur Daniyelian told that according
to the data of July 4, planted areas did not catch fire, however,
there was a fire which occurred on the territory, controlled by the
Azerbaijani troops, and spread to the front lines of the NKR Defense
Army, then under the influence of wind changed its direction and did
not achieve the posts.

On the whole, the fire enveloped 15 km of areas. The fire fighters
and rescuers managed to put out the fire.

"Evidently the fire came out from the Azerbaijani side. Most probably
having gathered their harvest, in the lowlands it ripens earlier,
the Azerbaijanis burnt down the field. We are ready just now to hold
a joint monitoring with the Azerbaijanis to become convinced of the
real state of affairs", – Artur Daniyelian noted.

In addition, a Republican headquarters, headed by the NKR Minister
of Agriculture Vahram Baghdassaryan, was formed. It aims to ensure
cropping without losses.

Representatives of interested structures including the NKR Rescue
Service are the members of the headquarters.

Earlier the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a note to the
Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office
expressing concern over numerous cases of fires from Azerbaijani
side across the Line of Contact between armed forces of NKR and
Azerbaijan and urged to conduct a crisis monitoring of the borderline
area. The NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed hope that the
timely interference of the Office of Personal Representative of the
OSCE Chairman-in-Office would allow avoiding a repeat of the summer
2006 situation, which had been used by Azerbaijani authorities,
in particular, for propaganda and became an additional factor
destabilizing the peace process.

In the other note, the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs called upon the
Office of Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities
to take a principled and consistent stand in realisation of the
OSCE Mission’s recommendations, which, as it was noted in the note,
"will allow achieving the goals set in the report and creating an
efficient mechanism for fire prevention along the line of contact,
which may become one of the elements of confidence building measures".

La Nouvelle République du Centre Ouest
05 juillet 2007 jeudi
Edition CHER

Voyage musical en Arménie; Thétre Saint-Bonnet

par lcaillaud

Dans le cadre des échanges franco-arméniens, le Thétre Saint-Bonnet,
à Bourges, présente, vendredi, un concert d’exception, avec Varduhi
Yeritsyan, pianiste, et Saténik Khourdoian, violoniste.

Ce concert exceptionnel réunira deux jeunes interprètes, parmi les
plus talentueuses de leur génération, dans un programme exceptionnel,
dont la sonate du compositeur Bbabdjanian, qu’elles ont fait
découvrir dans le monde entier.

Varduhi Yeritsyan, pianiste, et Saténik Khourdoian, violoniste, se
sont rencontrées en 2002, au Conservatoire national supérieur de
Paris, où elles suivent respectivement l’enseignement de la célèbre
pianiste Brigitte Engerer et de l’illustre violoniste Jean-Jacques
Kantorow. Les deux musiciennes arméniennes constituent, depuis, un
duo habituel piano-violon et se produisent dans les plus grandes
salles de musique du monde.
Lauréate de la Fondation Tarazzi et de la Fondation Nadia et Lili
Boulanger, Varduhi Yeritsyan est nommée « Révélation Classique 2007 »
de l’Adami. Brigitte Engerer l’encourage, disant d’elle : « C’est une
pianiste de grand talent, une vraie musicienne dotée de grandes
facilités techniques, d’une personnalité affirmée, brillante,
talentueuse, intelligente– »
A 18 ans, Saténik Khourdoian avait déjà remporté le Concours Ufam et
le Concours des jeunes interprètes de Cannet-en-Roussillon (1999), un
prix d’honneur au Concours Renata Molinari (2000), le Grand Prix
d’interprétation musicale au Concours Lions-Club International (2001)
et le premier prix du Concours des Jeunes interprètes de Wattrelos
(2001). En 2003, elle a reçu un prix au Concours international de
Markneurkirchen (Allemagne), et la Fondation Yamaha lui a attribué
une bourse pour l’année. En mai 2005, elle a remporté le premier prix
et le prix de virtuosité du Concours international Aram
Khatchatourian, à Erevan (Arménie).

Concert, vendredi 6 juillet, à 21 h, au Thétre Saint-Bonnet, avec,
au programme, Debussy, Prokofiev, Babadjanian et Khatchaturian.
Prix des places : 35 .
Réservations : 02.48.65.61.76.

MIDI LIBRE, France
3 juillet 2007 mardi

Encore deux concerts à Vénéjan

Musique classique Les 24e Soirées musicales deVénéjan se poursuivent
aujourd’hui mardi, dans le superbe décor de la chapelle romane
Saint-Jean Baptiste. A 21 h 30, Vahan Mardirossian, pianiste, donne
deux pièces de Mozart (Fantaisie en ut mineur K.475 et la Sonate en
ut mineur K.457) et Les Trois nocturnes (Rêve d’amour) et la Sonate
en si mineur, de Franz Liszt. Cette soirée constitue une sorte de
clin d’oeil à l’"Année de l’Arménie" et ce, grce au grand talent
d’un artiste qui a fait ses premières études pianistiques à Erevan.

Vahan Mardirossian a ensuite fréquenté le conservatoire national
supérieur de musique de Paris dont il a été l’un des lauréats, en
1996. Il a notamment travaillé avec l’immense Rostropovitch et
collabore avec des compositeurs contemporains tel Yves Tanguy. Les
Soirées musicales organisées par l’association éponyme s’achèveront
jeudi 5 juillet. Elles accueilleront, à 21 h 30, Svetlin Roussev
(violon), François Salque (violoncelle) et Elena Rozanova (piano). En
première partie, le trio jouera Félix Mendelssohn (Trio pour piano,
violon et violoncelle, en ré mineur, opus 49), Sergeï Rachmaninov
(Trio élégiaque n°1 pour piano, violon et violoncelle) et Maurice
Ravel (Deux mélodies hébraïques). En seconde partie sera donné le
Trio pour piano, violon et violoncelle n°4 "Dumky", d’Antonin Dvorak.
Pour mémoire, Elena Rozanova a fondé le trio Rachmaninov piano.
François Salque se produit notamment avec Jean-Claude Pennetier alors
que Svetlin Roussev est violoniste super soliste au sein de
l’Orchestre philarmonique de Radio France. Concerts les 3 et 5
juillet, à 21 h 30 ; entrée générale : 20 euros. Réservations :
tél.04 66 79 94 35. Dans la superbe chapelle romane Saint-Jean
Baptiste.

AMERICAN-ARMENIAN STUDENTS IMPLEMENT CHARITY PROGRAMS IN ARMENIA WITH
THEIR OWN RESOURCES

YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. It is already the second year the
organization of American-Armenian students has been implementing a
charity program in the town of Armavir. Elmen Tsarukian, a student of
the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA), said at the July 3
press conference that last year the organization purchased furniture,
consumer electronics, and stationery amounting to 5 thousand dollars
for one of Armavir’s kindergartens. This year aid of 12 thousand
dollars has been given to another two kindergartens, at that, the
necessary things were bought or ordered in Armenia. It was mentioned
that next year it is envisaged to implement charity programs in another
region of Armenia.

The student organization’s name, Alfa-Epsilon-Omega, is comprised of
the initial letters of the Greek name for the Armenian National
Organization. The organization, founded in 2000, currently has branches
in seven Universities of California, where many Armenian students
study. The initial goal of the organization was to unite Armenian
youths from different parts of the Diaspora, to inform American
students about the Armenian Genocide, Armenian history, and culture. In
E. Tsarukian’s words, many programs of the kind are being implemented
at UCLA, where renowned historian Richard Hovhannisian works as a
lecturer. Their organization also takes part in these programs.

The youth union’s programs are mainly financed at the expense of their
own resources and membership fees. However, the students hope that
donations from another sources will also increase parallel with the
expansion of the charity programs.

ARMENIAN-AMERICAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC HNCHAKIAN PARTY CALLS
U.S. STATE SECRETARY TO INTERFERE IN SITUATION CREATED AROUND AZATUTIUN
IN ARMENIA

NEW YORK, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Armenian-American
council operating under the patronage of the Social Democratic
Hnchakian Party sent a message to Condoleezza Rice, the State Secretary
of the United States, claiming that the American government should
interfere in order to prevent the danger threatening the Azatutiun
(Liberty) radio station.

The message runs as follows: "We are sure that the main goal of the
Armenian authorities is, in fact, to close the "Free Europe-Azatutiun
Radio Station", which is currently the only source of truly independent
news."

"We are also sure that the government of the United States and other
western organizations, as well as OSCE, have their share of
responsibility in this development of events, as they have ratified the
parliamentary elections, which are very vulnerable, where opposition is
represented by less than 12%."

Finally, with this letter the Armenian-American Council called the U.S.
State Secretary on behalf of the Armenians in America that she should
take all necessary measures in order to prevent "this tragedy" and
persuade the Armenian authorities to keep away from all the steps taken
to leave the Azatutiun (Liberty) radio station out of the Armenian
ether.

INTERCHURCH MEETING ORGANIZED IN HRODOS

HRODOS, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The preparatory meeting
of the Third Ecumenical Pan-European Conference to be held in the city
of Sibiu in Romania form September 4 to 9 took place on the Hrodos
island of Greece at the invitation of the Cosmic Patriarchate of
Constantinople from June 24 to 28. About 35 representatives of the
Orthodox Churches, which are members of the Conference of the European
Churches, took part in this meeting. Archbishop Yeznik Petrosian, who
is responsible for the Interchurch relations, and Archmandrite Hovakim
Manukian, the Supervisor of the Interchurch relations’ Office of the
Mother See, representing the Armenian Apostilic Church took part in the
meeting with the blessing of the Catholicos of All Armenians. This
information was provided to Noyan Tapan by the Information Services of
the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Issues concerning the Third Ecumenical Pan-European Conference, the
role of churches in the formation process of a new European society
were discussed during the meeting. They also exchanged viewpoints
concerning the productive participation and united evidence of the
Orthodox Churches during the Third Ecumenical pan-European Conference.
The participants of the meeting were divided into three groups, taking
the following important subjects for discussion: "Christ’s Light and
Church," "Christ’s Light and Europe," and "Christ’s Light and the
World."

The participants also visited the sanctuaries of Hrodos, met with
Kirilos Metropolitan of Hrodos, as well as became acquainted with the
life of the metropolia and the city.

ITV.com, UK
July 5 2007

‘Raging Bull’ eyes another quick night

He is 5ft 5ins of pure flyweight ferocity, and on Saturday night in
Connecticut Vic Darchinyan intends to extend an unbeaten 28-fight
record which has not seen him taken the full distance since August
2003.

The Australian’s concussive punching power has him emerge as a major
worldwide star in a division usually associated with fast-limbed
tacticians who pursue their careers on the undercards of bigger men.

Darchinyan will defend his IBF title against Nonito Donaire in his
first fight since his final-round stoppage of Victor Burgos in Carson
City in March which left his opponent hospitalised with serious head
injuries for over a month.

But the 31-year-old insists the chilling experience of seeing Burgos
fighting for his life will not affect his ability to pursue more of
the knockout victories he has come to crave.

"My mindset is all about a knockout," said Darchinyan.

"When I am punching a person, I can feel it. If I am punching a
human, I can knock him out. When I am punching I become stronger and
stronger.

"It is all part of my mentality. I am ready for it. I would love to be
a heavyweight. I know I am going to destroy everyone. All my power,
all my knockouts, are because I believe I can punch harder and knock
out everyone." Darchinyan is a restless fighter. He has talked
audaciously, and a touch ridiculously, of moving up to face
middleweight Jermain Taylor, but the reality is a future of
unification bouts at the super-fly and bantamweight limits.

It is that kind of attitude which has earned him a lucrative contract
with the US Showtime network, which will broadcast his fight as the
co-feature alongside Travis Simms’ defence of his WBA
light-middleweight title.

Darchinyan added: "Everyone is going to remember me. I have stayed as
a flyweight because I wanted to unify. Now I believe it is not going
to happen so I want to move up to super-flyweight and unify there.

"I have two belts and everyone who thinks they are stronger than me
or can beat me, come on. I don’t just want to hide and defend against
small opponents. I want to fight bigger fighters because I am getting more
powerful."

Darchinyan cemented his reputation as a future hard-punching star
during an amateur career in Armenia, the country of his birth, where
he compiled a 158-18 record with 105 knockouts.

After moving to Australia and becoming an Australian citizen in 2004,
Darchinyan claimed his IBF title in December of the same year with an
11th- round stoppage of Colombian Irene Pacheco.

Coincidentally the only one of Darchinyan’s six title defences which
did not end because of his blurring fists occurred against Donaire’s
brother Glenn, whom he stopped via a sixth-round technical decision
in October last year.

Donaire was struggling to cope with Darchinyan’s power but referee
Tony Weeks deemed that the Filipino’s broken jaw had come from an
accidental head-butt, rather than a punch. Darchinyan took the
decision on the scorecards.

Darchinyan maintains it will be the same story against Nonito,
Glenn’s younger brother by three years, who is 17-1 with 10 stoppage
wins but has never mixed in anything approaching Darchinyan’s class.

The champion also has the extra incentive of proving a point against
Donaire, with many maintaining his brother was denied a rightful shot
at the title when Darchinyan resorted to foul means.

"I think everyone will agree with me that it was as knockout, it was
not a head butt or an elbow," Darchinyan added.

"I broke his jaw and he screeched and put his hands up. I am very
upset and it is still in my mind."

Darchinyan’s explosive style and his desire to push his physical
boundaries could make the lighter weights their most fashionable
since the mid-1990s light-flyweight wars between Michael Carbajal and
Humberto Gonzalez.

It takes a special kind of fighter to rise above the weight issues
which ensure the welterweights’ mixture of speed and power, or the
heavyweights’ sheer knockout ability, will usually grab the
headlines.

Since the halcyon days of Carbajal and Gonzalez’s Tex-Mex wars,
arguably only the magnificent Mexican straw-weight Ricardo Lopez has
gained credibility to match that currently afforded to Darchinyan.

It is not difficult to get to the root of the popularity of the man
who goes by the nickname of ‘Raging Bull’.

"The first time I came to Australia for my first pro fight they told
me I looked like a raging bull," said Darchinyan.

"The Armenians explained to me what Raging Bull means because you are
so like a bull coming forward and you want to destroy your opponent.
I loved it because I feel like it is me. I am going to find my
opponent and destroy him."

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