Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

BAD TRADITION

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 24, 2008
Armenia

Member of ARFD parliamentary faction Ara Nranyan expressed an opinion
yesterday saying that the works implemented and previewed in the
legislative sphere testify to the fact that Armenia has fulfilled all
the commitments to the Council of Europe.

The MP also underscored that there are many unsolved issues in the
political and social-economic spheres of the country; `After the
re-independence a very bad tradition has been formed in our reality,
certain political powers make use of the support of foreign powers to
extend their opportunities.

It is regrettable that these forces link the formation of the
atmosphere of social solidarity not with the policy of the state but
rather the pressure of the international organizations on the state.

Whereas Armenia must be invulnerable towards various international
pressures and interferences. We must try to solve our problems in the
condition of mutual social understanding.’

ARMENIAN SPECIALISTS FROM 15 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES SUBMIT BIDS FOR TAKING PART IN CONFERENCE OF FORUM OF ARMENIAN ASSOCIATIONS OF EUROPE, REGISTRATION OF PARTICIPANTS CONTINUES

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 23, 2008

BRATISLAVA, MAY 23, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. Armenian
political and cultural figures, businessmen, media representatives,
scientists, and lawyers from more than 15 European countries have
expressed willingness to participate in the conference of the
Forum of Armenian Associations of Europe to be held on May 29-30
in Bratislava (Slovakia). France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland,
Hungary, Czech Republic, Belarus, Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh are among
these countries. The United States will be also represented at the
conference.

As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by Ashot Grigorian, the
Chairman of the Forum of Armenian Associations of Europe, the goals
of this conference dedicated to the 90th anniversary of proclamation
of the First Republic of Armenia and the 10th anniversary of creation
of the Forum of Armenian Associations of Europe are discussion of
measures undertaken against Turkish-Azeri anti-Armenian lobbying that
has become active, and information war, putting forward the issue of
recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic parallel with the issue
of recognition of the Armenian Genocide, elaboration of lobbying in
the issue of Nagorno Karabakh settlement and general approaches over
it, support to spreading of Armenian culture in European countries,
coordination of programs aimed at preservation of the Armenian nation
in the Diaspora.

According to him, the conference will also pursue consolidation
of the huge potential of Armenian businessmen acting in various
countries of the world, creation and strengthening of business
contacts between them. One of the goals of the conference to be
held in Bratislava will be also creation of FAAE four permanently
acting departments, juridical, business, information, as well as
science-education-culture-sport.

The conference is envisaged to make amendments to the FAAE Regulations
and programs, elections of FAAE Board of Trustees will be held. FAAE
Declaration will be adopted by the results of the conference.

ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF CYPRUS TO CELEBRATE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRSAT REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 22, 2008

NICOSIA, MAY 22, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The ARF Dashnaktsoutiun
Cyprus Gomideh has announced a May 28 Grand Fiesta on the occasion of
the rebirth of the Armenian nation by marking the 90th anniversary of
Armenian independence with the participation of ARF Dashgnaktsutiun
Bureau representative Vahan Hovhannessian and singers Karnig
Sarkissian and his band, as well as Sahag Sahagian. The celebrations
will begin at PASYDY on 8 June and will continue with a Banquet with
the participation of the popular singers from Armenia. The raffle of
The Armenian National Committee of Cyprus – giving out three major
prizes will take place during the Banquet. The two events on the same
day are being organised by the ARF Dashnaktsoutiun Cyprus Gomideh,
Hamazkayin "Oshagan" Cyprus Chapter and The Armenian Relief Society
(HOM) "Sosse" Cyprus Chapter.

MR. AND MS. WEIDEMANN SUPPORT HAYASTAN ALL-ARMENIAN FUND PROJECTS

KarabakhOpen
21-05-2008 18:00:38

Yerevan, May 21, 2008 – The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund is pleased to
announce that a reception was hold in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Weidemann
at the Embassy of Armenia in Germany on April 25, 2008. The reception
was hosted by Her Excellency Ms.Karine Ghazinian, Ambassador to
Armenia in Germany.

The ambassador thanked Mr. and Mrs. Weidemann for their continuous
support to Armenia over the last couple of years. The donations,
implemented through the German Affiliate of the Hayastan All-Armenian
Fund, are mainly directed to support education and health spheres in
Armenia and Artsakh.

Ms.Ghazinian recognized the valuable contribution made by Mr. and Ms.

Weidemann and thanked the couple on behalf of Vartan Oskanian,
minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Armenia and a trustee
of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund.

Mr. Gilbert Moumdjian, chairman of the the Hayastan All-Armenian
Fund German Affiliate was pleased about the occasion and used the
opportunity to thank Mr. and Mrs. Weidemann one more time for their
commitment to Armenia’s well being. As a token of appreciation and
gratitude, on behalf of the Fund German Affiliate, Mr. Moumdjian
presented Mr. and Mrs. Weidemann with a silver plate.

Representatives of the Armenia Fund German Affiliate and the Armenian
community in Germany attended the occasion.

"The kind donation made by Mr. and Ms. Weidemann to the Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund, is a source of great pride for us; as in the
past, these funds will be directed to support the vital needs of the
education and healthcare spheres," says Vahe Aghabegians, executive
director of the Fund.

The Armenia Fund

IS THIS THE RIGHT TIME?

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published On May 20, 2008
Armenia

Leader of "Heritage" party Raffi Hovhannisyan invited the leaders
of the coalition parties – Serge Sargsyan, Gagik Tsarukyan, Arthur
Baghdasaryan, Armen Rustamyan and Levon Ter-Petrosyan for a "very
important discussion".

"Based on the imperative of Armenia’s endangered authority, its
democratic progressive future, the freedom and dignity of each citizen,
I invite you for a late but still indispensable discussion," Raffi
Hovhannisyan underscored in his letter.

The leader of "Heritage" party proposes to organize the discussion
in Armenian Center of Strategic and National Research.

MONUMENT TO DEPORTATION VICTIMS ERECTED IN SEVASTOPOL

PanARMENIAN.Net
19.05.2008 17:37 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Events dedicated to the 64th anniversary of
deportation of nations from Crimea were held in Sevastopol. A monument
to Deportation Victims was unveiled.

The monument erected in front of the bus terminal corresponds a
pentahedral 7-meter high obelisk divided into black and white, the
colors symbolizing the life of peoples before and after deportation.

An inscription "Your sufferings will never be forgotten in the name
of life and justice" in the languages of five nations subjected to
deportation – Crimean Tatars, Armenians, Bulgarians, Greeks and Germans
– will be made at the foot of the obelisk, analitika.at.ua reports.

HAYASTAN FUND BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING SCHEDULED FOR MAY 27 IN YEREVAN

ARMENPRESS
May 16, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 16, ARMENPRESS: The 17-th meeting of the Board of Trustees
of the pan-Armenian Hayastan Fund will be held in Yerevan on May 27.

The press office of the Fund told Armenpress that the meeting will be
chaired by president Serzh Sarkisian. President of Nagorno-Karabakh
Bako Sahakian, Armenian and Nagorno-Karabakh prime ministers Tigran
Sarkisian and Araik Harutyunian, Armenian foreign minister Edward
Nalbandian and finance minister Tigran Davtian, who are members of
the Board of Trustees, will also participate in it.

Hayastan Fund executive director Vahe Aghabekiants will present to
the members of the Board of Trustees and representatives of local
branches the ongoing projects, including the rural development project,
in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

The meeting will discuss and make decisions on the long-term goals
of the Fund, short-term projects, urgent issues. It will also specify
the details of the next fund-raising telethon.

Before the meeting on May 26 a special ceremony for handing of
Presidential Awards will be held at the presidential palace. Winners
in 13 categories will be announced. The president of the country will
personally hand all prizes.

UNESCO DIRECTOR EMPHASIZES PROTECTION OF MONUMENTS IN KARABAKH

AZG Armenian Daily
16/05/2008

International, Culture

According to APA, UNESCO Director General Koishiro Matsuura said on a
press conference in Baku that the protection of historical monuments
in Karabakh is a very important cultural issue.

Matsuura stressed that UNESCO will be unable to provide necessary
protection for the monuments until the Karabakh conflict is
settled. He said that UNESCO is a non-governmental and a non-political
organization, and cannot interfere at this moment. However, UNESCO,
as an international structure, keeps an attentive eye at Karabakh.

TO MAKE THE CITIZENS TO TAKE PART IN THE STATE PROGRAMS

Azat Artsakh Daily
Published on May 15, 2008
NKR Republic

At today’s NKR government’s session, after the discussion of some
questions having a relation to power system, the NKR Prime Minister
Ara Harutyunyan met with the journalists. The Prime Minister informed,
that the aim of re-forming "Artsakh HEPS" CJSC into OJSC was not
only to enlarge a number of investors in that system, but to make the
representatives of the most different layer of society to take part in
that investments. To the question, that really would be compensation
for gas price, the NKR Premier answered, that concrete compensations
wouldn’t be, but taking into account the rise in price of the gas,
from 2009 they would try to enlarge the sizes of social payments. A
part of the journalists’ questions refered to the policy of hypothec
crediting, and displeasures in different layers of society connected
with it.The Prime Minister answered that and other questions.

Earthtimes (press release), UK
May 13 2008

World Bank Co-sponsored Conference Tackles Issues on Armenia’s Global
Competitiveness,
Offers Directions for Future Reforms

Posted : Tue, 13 May 2008 18:12:30 GMT
Author : National Press Club – Catering

WASHINGTON, May 12 AIPRG-Armenia-conf-DC

WASHINGTON, May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The following is being
issued by the Armenian International Policy Research Group:

WHAT: Looking Forward: Global Competitiveness of the Armenian Economy
AIPRG Annual Conference
WHEN: May 17-18, 2008
WHERE:1818 Pennsylvania Avenue,
World Bank, Washington, DC. 20433

SYNPOSIS:After more than a decade of transition from a planned to
market-based economy, Armenia undertook important reforms and
experienced high rates of economic growth in recent years. In order to
sustain this growth and ensure further economic development, the
country will need to design and implement second-generation reforms
based on lessons learned during this transition and aimed at: (i)
solidifying the achievements of the transition period; (ii) ensuring a
fair and level playing field for private sector development; (iii)
choosing strategic directions for the country’s export-oriented
branches of the economy; and (iv) laying foundations for future
development by strengthening institutions and modernizing social
sectors, especially public education.

TOPICS:Strength of the Armenian Currency – "Dram": trends in
productivity; market structure and competition; the role of foreign
aid; tourism and IT sectors; market reforms; the role of the Diaspora;
and education.

To register for the conference and for the full agenda, please, visit:

The official language of the conference is English. The conference is
supported by the Government of Armenia and sponsored by the World
Bank, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the US Agency for
International Development (USAID). Any questions regarding the
conference may be directed to [email protected].

CONTACT:

In Washington, D.C.:
Sona Panajyan,
(202) 365-6415,
[email protected]

In Yerevan:
Mher Baghramyan
Phone/Fax: (+374 10) 528 723
[email protected]

SOURCE Armenian International Policy Research Group

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