Author: Varosian Antranik

HEAD OF TIGRANAKERT EXCAVATIONS EXPEDITION HOPES THAT THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WHO WILL ASSIST IMPLEMENTATION OF THEIR PROGRAMS

Noyan Tapan
April 15, 2008

STEPANAKERT, APRIL 15, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. A film under
the title "Armenian Odyssey of Tigranakert" was shown in the Youth
Palace of Stepanakert. It presents the first year’s work of Tigranakert
excavations.

"A number of U.S. newspapers compared discovery of Tigranakert
with discovery of Troya," archeologist Hamlet Petrosian, the head of
Tigranakert excavations expedition, said mentioning that it is not only
a scientific, an academic research, but also a research "containing
some elements of adventure." "Tigranakert’s greatest success will be
that each of us create, build a new Tigranakert inside us, which can
unite all of us," the archeologist said.

The expedition head thanked the NKR authorities for providing
financial assistance and expressed the hope that there will be people
who will assist ideas of implementation of other programs connected
with Tigranakert.

Interfax News Agency, Russia
April 12 2008

NEW GOVT TO IMPLEMENT PRESIDENT SARGSYAN’S ELECTION PROGRAM

The election program of Armenia’s new President Serzh Sargsyan is
ambitious, but needs to be fulfilled, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan said at a meeting with students in Yerevan on Friday.

Sargsyan said the program, which focuses on the development of
economics, science and education, has serious political content,
without which no economic reforms are possible.

The only way to make the people of Armenia richer is through
knowledge, not impudence and insolence. And you should be demanding
and prevent people who are ignorant and badly raised from running the
country, Sargsyan told the students.

Sargsyan refused to answer the students’ questions on the composition
and structure of the future government of the country.

In the meantime, a diplomatic source in Yerevan told Interfax on
Friday that Armenian Ambassador to France Edward Nalbandyan is one of
the candidates to the post of Armenia’s new foreign minister.

Acting foreign minister Vardan Oskanyan said earlier he is not
planning to be a member of the new government. During his farewell
meeting with Foreign Ministry officials, he said: I intend to work in
the country and help the next foreign minister achieve success on the
international scene.

He also said he intends to take part in the development of a new
political structure, whose work will be aimed at removing barriers
between society and the current political forces in Armenia and
looking for ideas of uniting them. Nalbandyan was born in Armenia in
1959. He graduated from the Moscow State Institute of Foreign
Relations in 1978 and received a graduate degree from the Oriental
Studies Institute of the Soviet Academy of Sciences in 1988. He
worked in the Soviet foreign policy system for a long time. In 1999,
he was appointed Armenia’s ambassador to France.

On April 9. Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree
dismissing the government and appointed Tigran Sargsyan the
republic’s prime minister.

Under the Armenian Constitution, the new government is to be formed
within 20 days following the appointment of the prime minister.

ACCORDING TO RAFIK PETROSIAN, APPOINTMENT OF TIGRAN SARGSIAN ON POST OF PRIME MINISTER "IS ADVANTAGEOUS FOR ARMENIA"

Noyan Tapan
April 11, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. "Tigran Sargsian is able to lead the
government, as all the international financial organizations have
mentioned and mention that the bank system in Armenia is really well
formed, in differnce to other branches and that has been done under the
10-year leadership of Tigran Sargsian," this opinion was expressed by
Rafik Petrosian, a member of the Republican Party of Armenia faction
of the RA National Assembly, at the briefing, which was held on April
11. He also mentioned that he has come to a conclusion from the first
speech of Tigran Sargsian, which took place on the eve, on the post
of the Prime Minister that the latter really understands what issues
the government should mainly be involved in.

In response to the question of a journalist, Rafik Petrosian affirmed
that the Republicans thought that a Republican should be given the
post of the Prime Minister. "However, as a result of the discussions
it became clear that they may also appoint a non-Republican and a
non-party, in general, taking into consideration the principle of
professionalism," he said.

According to the Republican MP, his party fellows are convinced that
the appointment of Tigran Sargsian "is advantageous for Armenia"
taking into consideration the positive opinion of international
financial organization, from which Armenia receives a considerable
financial assistance.

NATO DEMANDS EXPLANATION FROM LAVROV

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.04.2008 18:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ NATO demands explanations from Sergei Lavrov, Foreign
Minister of Russia, regarding his statement about Georgia and Ukraine.

NATO Spokesman James Appathurai told a news conference that the Russian
side had not furnish any explanation about its intention to undertake
"all possible measures" to prevent Ukraine’s and Georgia’s further
integration into NATO.

According to him, Georgia and Ukraine will be members of the alliance
and the decision will be taken by all NATO member countries.

Sergei Lavrov, Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, stated
in his interview with Echo Moskvy that Moscow will take action to
prevent Georgia and Ukraine’s accession to NATO, Prime News reports.

ROBERT KOCHARYAN BELIEVES IN ARMENIA’S FUTURE

ARKA
April 8, 2008

YEREVAN, April 8. /ARKA/. Armenian outgoing President Robert Kocharyan
believes in the country’s future.

"I believe in the power of potential of our people and I believe in the
capacity of our new president to rule the country effectively. People
need more optimism, energy, trust and patience to proceed with
successes," the president said in a televised farewell address to
the people.

Kocharyan expressed gratitude to all those people with whom he worked
and who assisted him in implementing numerous programs.

"I am thankful to any citizen who has had even a small share of
contribution into the country’s development. I am also grateful to
the Diaspora for their assistance in all my initiatives. I apologize
to all those people whose lives did not improve, who fell short of
their expectations and dreams in those years," Kocharyan added.

The outgoing president said he has done his utmost to work on rigid
schedules and spared no efforts trying to keep all the promises he
had given to the voters. The president noted that "our country is not
rich in natural resources and human resource is the greatest wealth
of Armenia.

"Dear compatriots, it is due to your everyday work that our country
could struggle to feet and goes on prospering. It is due to your
diligence and initiative-taking spirit that our country continues to
develop promising to reach new heights in the near future. I believe
that stable and prosperous Armenia is not far away, because it is
you in whom I believe," Kocharyan said.

Serge Sargssyan who won the February 19 presidential elections will
be inaugurated at an April 9 special RA Parliament meeting. -0-

ROBERT KOCHARIAN: I BELIEVE THAT STABLE, SAFE AND PROSPEROUS ARMENIA IS NOT FAR AWAY

Noyan Tapan
April 8, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian president Robert Kocharian
on April 8 made his farewell speech on the Public Television of
Armenia. Below is the full text of his speech:

"Dear compatriots,

Today it is for the last time that I am adressing you as president
of the Republic of Armenia. Of course, the temptation to report about
the passed way is great.

However, I will not list the achievements of the past ten years. The
process of the country’s modernization is obvious, the life of
citizens has notably improved. There are few countries in the world
whose development rates are comparable with those of Armenia.

At the same time it is obvious that there is still much to be
done. The quality of our life is still far from being at the desirable
level. However, I will not speak about future problems either. This
is the work of the next president and the next government.

These ten years were one moment to me. The job of the country’s
president is a hard and responsible one but it is also extremely
interesting, creative and requires constant self-perfection.

I am grateful to the Armenian people for its trust, thanks to which I
have been responsible for our country for ten years. I am grateful to
all those with whom I had an occasion to work and jointly implement
numerous programs.

I am grateful to every citizen who has made even a small contribution
to the country’s development. I am grateful to the Diaspora for
support to all my initiatives.

I apologize to those whose life has not improved over these years,
whose expectations have not been justified and whose dreams have not
come true.

When leaving a post, each man asks himself whether it was possible
to do more. Maybe it was possible but I did my best. I had a busy
schedule and I did not spare effort. In any case, I have kept the
promises I made to my voters.

I believe in Armenia’s fuiture, in great potential of our people. I
believe in the new president’s capacity to efficiently govern the
country. In order to continue its success, the society needs more
optimism, energy, confidence and tolerance.

We always say that our country is not rich in natural resources,
and people are our greatest wealth.

Dear compatriots, these people are you who set the country on its feet
by your daily work and now continue making it prosperous. These people
are you who develop our economy by your diligence and enterprise. It
is thanks to you that Armenia will have new achievements in the coming
years. I belive that a stable, safe and prosperous Armenia is not
far away because I believe in you.

Thank you".

BREAKING: STATE GROUP SEVERS TIES WITH "NO PLACE FOR HATE" PROGRAM
by Chris Helms

Wicked Local
ing-state-group-severs-ties-with-no-place-for-hate -program/
April 8 2008
MA

Thanks to a tip from Newton’s David Boyajian, I just confirmed that
the Massachusetts Municipal Association has severed ties with the
"No Place for Hate" anti-bias program.

We’ll have more details later…

This is big news because the Municipal Association was co-sponsor
of the anti-bigotry program with the Anti-Defamation League. Twelve
cities and towns had already cut ties with "No Place for Hate" over
the ADL’s stance toward the Armenian Genocide – namely refusing to
forthrightly call it a genocide. Residents and politicians had called
on the MMA to distance itself from "No Place for Hate."

KOCHARIAN: I THANK ARMENIAN PEOPLE FOR CONFIDENCE AND BELIEVE IN ARMENIA’S WELLBEING

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.04.2008 17:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’s outgoing President Robert Kocharian
delivered his last television address to the nation, the leader’s
press office reported.

"Dear Compatriots, I last address you as the President of the Republic
of Armenia. I will not enumerate the achievements of the past 10
years. The progress of our republic is obvious. There are not many
countries in the world developing as rapidly as Armenia.

Nevertheless, there is still a great deal of work to do. But I will
not speak of problems either. It’s the task of the next President
and government.

The past ten years passed in a flash for me. The President’s work
s responsible and hard and at the same time it is very interesting,
creative and demands constant self-perfection.

I am thankful to the Armenian people for the confidence. I am thankful
to all those people who worked side by side with me. I am thankful
to each Armenian citizen who made a contribution to the development
of our country. I am thankful to the Armenian Diaspora for assistance
in implementation of my initiatives.

And I do apologize to those whose living conditions did not improve
during these 10 years, whose expectations and wishes did not come true.

Leaving a post, each person asks himself whether he could do
more. Maybe. But I did all in my power and spared no effort to fulfill
my pledges.

I believe in the future of Armenia, in potential of our nation. I
believe in capability of the new President to govern the republic
efficiently.

We have always said that our republic is not reach in natural
resources. Our richness is our citizens.

Dear compatriots, you gave Armenia a start in life and you continue
to develop it. With diligence and enterprise, you encourage
the development of our economy. I do believe that a stable and
successful Armenia will be formed soon because I do believe in you,"
the president’s address says.

ALL ARMENIAN LIBRARIES TO BE REPAIRED WITHIN NEXT TWO YEARS

YEREVAN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Armenian library
system, which collapsed after the breakup of the Soviet Union, is now
beginning to develop. According to the head of the cultural policy
department of the RA ministry of culture Karo Vardanian, all the
libraries will be repaired in 2008-2009, with library stock being
replenished with new books and publications, and new technologies being
introduced.

Major repairs of the National Library of Armenia will start this year,
while the two other libraries under the jurisdiction of the ministry of
culture – the republican musicological library and the children’s
library after Khnko Aper will undergo repair later. There are currently
730 libraries in Armenia, whereas in the past every village used to
have its own library. Besides, the law on legal deposit copy has not
been adopted so far, and the libraries cannot obtain even literture
published by state order.

K. Vardanian said that during Armenia’s independence years, many
libraries were closed, and the whole bookselling system of the country
collapsed. "There are only 5 bookshops in Yerevan now, while their
number in marzes makes three".

He also spoke about the program on development of marz (regional)
cultural life, under which some well-known theatrical companies from
Yerevan went on tour to marzes last year. In the words of K. Vardanian,
the program gave good results, thanks to which 28 mln drams has been
allocated for this purpose this year instead of 17 mln drams in 2007.

HRANT MARGARIAN ANSWERS QUESTION BY RADIO AYB-FE IN PARIS

Yerkir
03.04.2008 16:08

Yerevan (Yerkir) – Hrant Margarian answers question by Radio Ayb-Fe
in Paris.

Question: Let’s begin from the election campaign and see why there
were no programs, and if there were, why we didn’t hear them, and
what happened that we had a campaign of such quality and was the
Dashnaktsutyun able to make its words heard by the people?

Hrant Margarian: Thank you for the opportunity given to me. I am sure
all the Armenians are following the events in Armenia with concerns
and pain. I have to say that all the presidential elections were held
in tense environment in Armenia. We have a country where significant
changes have been made in the past 18 years, a transition from the
Soviet rule to free economic system was made that caused corruption,
poverty and injustice. We are overcoming those problems but we still
are far from a desirable situation and it is natural that there are
serious complaints about socio-economic conditions. There is a general
discontent about the injustice in the country.

I should say that compared to other similar countries, Armenia is in
a relatively better situation, there is an apparent progress and the
life has been improved.

I consider the tension in the presidential election natural, but
in the past, all the political forces had restrained their actions,
realizing there were limits one should not pass. We clearly realize
that in the past 18 years, our victory in Karabakh was not only due
to our liberation soldiers, the sacrifices of our army and people,
but also due to Azerbaijan being non-organized and the situation in
Azerbaijan: the unstable political situation, army deterioration. We
realize that most of our success was also due to the country’s
stability, the well-organized situation in the country, and this
understanding was the reason that we have always avoid moves that
could destabilize the country and result in turmoil.

This presidential election was different: there were no ideological
struggle, competition, it was not the programs of the candidates that
were clashing, the competition was not between the programs.