Author: Vasilian Manouk

EUROVISION 2008 ALL FINALISTS KNOWN

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.05.2008 12:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The second semi-final of the Eurovision 2008 Song
Contest is over.

Ukraine, Croatia, Albania, Iceland, Georgia, Denmark, Sweden, Latvia,
Turkey, Portugal joined the qualifiers of the first semi-final –
Greece, Romania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Finland, Russia, Armenia,
Israel, Azerbaijan, Poland and Norway as well as Spain, Germany, UK,
France and Serbia, which go to final without competition.

The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest takes place this
Saturday, May 24.

Dima Bilan, the Russian runner-up in Belgrade, is the main favorite,
according to bookmakers, who take bets with coefficient 3,2. Serbia
and Armenia share the second place with 6,0 coefficient.

UAF’S 147TH AIRLIFT DELIVERS MILLION OF AID TO ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 22, 2008

GLENDALE, MAY 22, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The United Armenian
Fund’s 147th airlift arrived in Yerevan on May 17, delivering over
million of humanitarian assistance.

The UAF itself collected .9 million of medicines and medical supplies
for this flight, donated by the Catholic Medical Mission Board (.4
million); AmeriCares (.4 million) and Direct Relief International
(,000).

Other organizations which contributed goods for this airlift were: Dr.

Stephen Kashian (,000); Foundation Semra Plus of Switzerland (,000);
Orthopedic Technique & Rehabilitation of Switzerland (,000); Gregory
H.J Park (,000); Harut Chantikian (,000) and Howard Karagheusian
Commemorative Corp. (,000).

Also contributing supplies to this airlift were: Armenian Relief
Society (,000); Fund for Armenian Relief (,000) and Armenian General
Benevolent Union (,000).

Since its inception in 1989, the UAF has sent 6 million of humanitarian
assistance to Armenia on board 147 airlifts and 1,575 sea containers.

PRESS RELEASE
Radio Sevan
Karakol Al-Druze, Beirut
Contact: Michael Vayejian
Tel: 961 1 37 30 04
[email protected]

May 16, 2008

Radio Sevan Targetted during Recent clashes in Beirut

One week ago, the newly inaugurated `Radio Sevan’ broadcasting station
was set on fire, at the Beirut MAR ELIAS neighborhood.

In this respect, we deeply thank all the organizations establishments
and individuals, who felt, regretted, sympathized, and expressed their
moral support.

Nevertheless, at this stage, it is necessary to make certain adjusting
verifications related to this regretful evidence in order to clarify
once and for all the picture of this regretful incident and overcome
the confusion.

A) On 08/05/2008 at about 5:00 PM the Director of `Radio Sevan’ was
duly notified by the Security Sources that HEZBOLLAH armed elements
were planning to invade the locals of Radio Sevan broadcasting
station.

Upon the decision reached by the administrator, the personnel members
came out of the station, without even taking their personal belongings
with them.

B) A few hours later, a rocket was fired towards `Radio Sevan’ by
HEZBOLLAH armed elements who invaded the premises and set fire to the
station.

According to the conclusion reached by specialists, the fire had
started from the far-edge room, and then progressed towards the
entrance.

The neighboring `Radio Orient’ broadcasting radio station, annexed to
`Radio Sevan’ was not subjected to the same assault. Their damages
were by far lesser than those of `Radio Sevan’.

Consequently, we can easily conclude that, the main target of the
attack was `Radio Sevan’.

C) `Radio Sevan’ is not located within the Building of the Central
News Media Reporting Offices of the `Moustaqbal’ Movement (Future
Movement led by the son of assassinated PM Rafiq Hariri).

D) `Radio Sevan’ is not located in the same Building as the Central
News Media Reporting Offices of the `Moustaqbal’ (Future) Movement as
some media had misinformed.

E) `Radio Sevan’ is an Armenian Station.

Within the context of the Lebanese Law, the station follows its
projected policy line, and its own principles, within which the most
fundamental aim is the defense of the most basic rights.

`Radio Sevan’ believes in the freedom of speech, transparency,
democracy, freedom of opinion, and tolerance.

Furthermore, it believes in the coexistence of communities, and in the
National solidarity, based on the mutual respect.

Those, who projected and ordered this regretful event, very clearly,
are miles away from the above principles.

E) It was possible to save only few types of equipment from the
devastated and burned offices of `Radio Sevan’.

All the remaining machines, equipment and furniture became totally
useless.

F) `Radio Sevan’ has already resumed its activities, and very shortly
shall return to the Armenian public, with its projects programs.

Once again, we express our thanks, to all those individuals who called
by phone, E-mail, fax and through the Media and News Press channels to
condemn this action and showed support to `Radio Sevan’.

VIVACELL BECAME GENERAL SPONSOR OF NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAMS OF ARMENIA

RIA Oreanda
May 20 2008
Russia

Yerevan. ">OREANDA-NEWS . May 20, 2008. During a joint press conference
held in the office of the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA),
VivaCell General Manager Ralph Yirikian and the FFA President Ruben
Hayrapetyan signed a bilateral agreement of cooperation. According to
the agreement, VivaCell became the general sponsor of national football
teams of Armenia. Committed to its Corporate Social Responsibility
agenda, VivaCell warmly cares for the promotion and development of
football, the top popular sport in Armenia. This is the major factor
that has driven VivaCell to extend its hand to FFA. Like in the past,
the company will continue on supporting all the events and projects
aiming at the promotion of Armenias image as a country having football
traditions. VivaCell has been an active part of the Armenian society,
and has been always responsive to calls for support from respective
public organizations and individuals, concerned about active promotion
of sports in Armenia and healthy lifestyles among Armenian youth.

79 LOST ARE DEAD

Panorama.am
17:45 21/05/2008

"79 lost Armenian soldiers, who were fighting against the enemy
in Hasan-Ghaya village in the war for the independence of Artsakh,
are announced to be murdered," said Manvel Eghiazaryan, the head of
"Arabo" NGO in the press conference today.

According to him they have got a video clip (he refused to mention how)
where Azeri side shows the soldiers murdered and buried in trench. "The
boys died with like real heroes. They could leave border line and
stay alive but they decided to stay and to fight till the end,"
said Eghiazaryan.

Rima Arakelyan the president of "lost soldiers" committee whose son
is in the list of those 79 was present at the meeting. She said that
the Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan has invited a meeting in this
regard. "All the mothers of those murdered soldiers and me demand to
award them as national heroes and to bring their bodies to burry in
Erablur together with their brothers," said Rima Arakelyan and added
that the minister said the point of awarding the soldiers should be
discussed thoroughly.

The minister Seyran Ohanyan said that negotiations should be conducted
to get the bodies of Armenian soldiers and Red Cross representatives
will also be present at the negotiating process.

DAY OF VOTE TO RECTOR OF ARTSAKH STATE UNIVERSITY HAS NOT BEEN APPOINTED YET

KarabakhOpen
21-05-2008 11:44:49

During the recent meeting of government the regulations of Artsakh
State University State Non-Profit Organization were affirmed by
the government.

The founder of the university is NKR in the person of the government.

According to the regulations, the university is entitled to several
types of entrepreneurship.

The board of the University which has 28 members elects rector,
according to the regulations. The minister of education Vladik
Khachatryan said soon the staff of the members of the board will be
presented to the prime minister, the president and secretary will be
elected who will hold election of rector.

RA MINISTRY OF LABOR AND SOCIAL ISSUES TO IMPLEMENT 46 BUDGET PROGRAMS OF 41.6BN DRAMS IN 2008

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 20, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Ministry of Labor and Social
Issues is working out a document under the title Strategy of Stable
Development of Labor Social Protection Sphere. As Aghvan Vardanian,
the RA Minister of Labor and Social Issues, said at the May 20 press
conference, that document in an all-embracing way will present the
state policy carried on in the sphere. He said that sphere working
groups have been created. The document will be submitted for public
discussions at the end of the year.

According to the Minister, it is no secret that Armenia has serious
demographic problems. Therefore, according to him, planned policy
need to be implemented. A state conception of demographic policy has
been worked out for that purpose. It will be adopted this year.

It was also mentioned that 41.6bn drams (nearly 135m USD) has been
allocated to the Ministry from the 2008 state budget for implementation
of 46 concrete programs.

A. Vardanian also considered introduction of the institution of social
partnership, state-trade union-employer, in Armenia as one of the
most important problems of the Ministry.

S. ASTOURIAN TO DELIVER SPEECH ON FIRST REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA IN CANADA

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 19, 2008

OTTAWA, MAY 20, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. Professor S. Astourian
from the Berkeley University of California will give a lecture entitled
"The first Republic of Armenia" on May 26 in the Sourp Hagop School
of Canada. The lectures will continue on May 27, 28, 29, 30.

The lecture series is organized by the literary committee of
Hamazkayin-Sanahin.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS IS HELD IN YEREVAN

arminfo
2008-05-20 13:15:00

ArmInfo. An international conference, dedicated to the problem of the
Armenian-Turkish relations "Global Challenges and Threats: Whether
Joint Efforts of Armenia and Turkey are Possible" is held in Yerevan
in the "Congress" hotel. The conference has been organized by USAID,
the "Eurasia" Partnership Fund and the "Global" International public
organization.

Armenian and Turkish experts, representatives of foreign diplomatic
missions, accredited in Armenia, political scientists, economists
and lawyers take part in the conference. The conference is aimed at
clarifying whether the European aspirations of Armenia and Turkey
are really able to mitigate the available historical and political
discrepancies. The importance of the Armenian and Turkish expert
Centers in the afore- mentioned process is discussed among other issues
at the conference. For this purpose, employee of the Analytical Center
of Globalization and Regional Cooperation Diba Nigar Goksel, being
also an editor of the "Turkish Policy Quarterly" periodic edition,
takes part in the conference.

In his opening speech, US Charge dAffaires to Armenia Joseph
Pennington emphasized the significance of public organizations able
to establish even a diplomatic dialogue under absence of any official
relations. Such conferences promote improvement of relations, cerate
conditions for joint business, strengthen the regional cooperation,
which is also assisted by the USA, officer of the USA Embassy in
Armenia Steve Banks said introducing J. Pennington’s opening speech,
who failed to be personally present at the conference because of
illness.

Head of the Armenian branch of the Analytical Center of Globalization
and Regional Cooperation, a political expert Stepan Grigoryan, RA
parliamentarian, member of the Republican party faction Ashot Ashotyan
and Head of the Caucasian Institute of Mass Media, a political expert
Alexander Iskandaryan also made a speech at the conference.

MIKA-CEMENT SIGNS AGREEMENT ON SUPPLY OF 200 THOUSAND TONS OF CEMENT TO SOCHI

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 19, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 19, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenian company Mika-Cement has signed
an agreement on supply of 200 thousand tons of M-400 and M-500 cement
for the construction of Olympic facilities for the 2014 Olympic
Games in Sochi. The supply will be done based on bids of construction
organizations, NT correspondent was informed by the director general
of Mika-Cement Naira Martirosian.

According to her, the supply will not be limited to the indicated
amount as it is envisaged building a large number of facilities
in Sochi, in particular, an Olympic district, with thousands of
organizations to be involved in their construction and the supply of
building materials, particularly, cement.

N. Martirosian considered it possible that orders for other types of
cement will be placed by Sochi, adding that Mika-Cement is ready to
perform these orders. "The company has launched an investment program
on operation of a second technological line, and orders for part of
the necessary materials have already been placed," she said, finding it
difficult to tell the time of the program’s completion. N. Martirosian
explained that considerable investments are needed for the investment
program of a second new modern line. Besides, it will be necessary
to involve a lot of contractors, especially organizations operating
mines of raw materials. In her words, Mika-Cements will have the
opportunity to produce 800 thousand tons of cement annually instead
of the current 400 thousand tons after the second technological line
is put into operation.

She said that about 30% of the plant’s production is exported to
Russia, Georgia and Iran. Clinker, a half-finished product of cement,
is also exported to Georgia. Mika-Cement currently employs 935 people
and the number of employees will not considerably grow after the second
technological line’s operation as the current groups of workers will
service the second line as well.