Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

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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ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF VIRGINIA TO BE ACTIVE WITH ARMENIAN CAUSE

DeFacto Agency
May 14 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 14.05.08. DE FACTO. On April 20, 2008, Armenian National
Committee of America, Eastern Region (ANCA-ER) Executive Director,
Karine Birazian, traveled to Richmond, Virginia, where she spoke to
the Armenian community on ANCA objectives and initiatives, as well
as how to become more active with the Armenian Cause.

"The excitement to have the ANCA ER Director come to Richmond was
amazing," commented Melanie Kerneklian, chairperson of the ANC of
Richmond. Kerneklian also served as the former chair of National
Organization of Republican Armenians (NORA) and currently serves
as the vice chair of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) "Hooys"
chapter. A dinner party was held that evening by Dr. & Mrs. Murad
and Melanie Kerneklian to give an opportunity for community members
to have a more in-depth exchange with Birazian. There, Birazian also
gained insight as to genocide education initiatives undertaken by
the Armenian Education Center, a grassroots organization founded to
help teachers in the Commonwealth of Virginia gain access to Armenian
Genocide curricula. The Armenian Genocide is included in the Virginia
Department of Education’s revised Curriculum Framework as the first
major example of genocide in the 20th century and a precursor to the
Jewish Holocaust.

The following day, Birazian visited Thomas Dale High School where
she spoke to a class of students on 20th century genocide and the
ongoing genocide in Darfur.

On Wednesday, April 23rd, nearly 40 Richmond activists, among whom
close to a dozen were young teenagers, traveled to Washington,
DC, and participated in the 93rd Commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide on Capitol Hill. Activists also had an opportunity to meet
with and speak to Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA-7) to discuss foreign aid
and genocide recognition. To note, while serving in the Virginia
House of Delegates, Rep. Cantor cosponsored the Armenian Genocide
Resolution. Against tremendous Turkish opposition, the ANCA, coupled
with Rep. Cantor’s leadership, helped pass the resolution. As a
result, Virginia also introduced the Armenian Genocide curriculum
for Virginia schools.

UK GOVERNMENT MEMBER USES TERM ARMENIAN GENOCIDE FOR THE FIRST TIME

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.05.2008 14:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The UK government has strongly condemned the
desecration of the Armenian Genocide Monument in Cardiff, Wales, which
occurred on Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27, 2008, independent
French journalist Jean Eckian told PanARMENIAN.Net.

In a reply to MP David Burrowes, (who had taken up a complaint by
B. Nazarian of Armenia Solidarity about the act of vandalism), the
Secretary of State for Wales, the Rt Hon Paul Murphy, replying for
the UK government specifically referred to "the desecration of The
Armenian Genocide Memorial in Cardiff in January 2008."

"I wholeheartedly condemn this violent act of desecration. It is
distressing that this is yet another example of how we must all
continue to be vigilant against such acts of racism, violence and
hatred; and that we all need to stand united against them," he said.

"This attack, like many similar crimes, is often unprovoked and
undertaken under the cover of darkness.

I hope that when the vandals are caught and prosecuted for this crime,
this will go some way to easing the pain and distress that has been
caused by this terrible act", he said.

"This is a most significant development" said a spokesman for Armenia
Solidarity. "In the past government ministers have made strenuous
efforts to avoid using the phrase the Armenian Genocide.

Panorama.am

17:18 09/05/2008

TURKISH SINGER INVITED ARTO TUNCBOYAJYAN TO TURKEY

Famous singer of Eastern show business Sezen Aksu
invited Arto Tuncboyajyan and Armenian Navy Band to
Turkey to instrument her new CD in Turkey. In early
70th the singer was the queen of pop music in Turkey.
She wants to include Arto’s several songs which she
liked the most.

Note that Arto Tuncboyajyan will leave for Los Angeles
after Turkey.

Source: Panorama.am

ARMENPRESS

PAYING TRIBUTE IN `YERABLUR’ PANTHEON

YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS: On the sixteenth
anniversary of the heroic liberation of Shushi and on
the Day of Victory and Peace Armenian high-ranked
officials paid tribute to the memory of those who died
in the Artsakh war.
Armenian National Assembly Speaker Tigran Torosian,
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian, representatives of
legislative and executive bodies, high-ranked officer
staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, clergyman,
representatives of the diplomatic corpus, political
officials came to `Yerablur’ pantheon to put flowers
to the tomb of Armenian Chief Commander Vazgen
Sargsian, Andranik Ozanian.
`Today is a day when we on one hand pay tribute to
the memory of those who were killed and on the other
we are proud for our victory and hope that we can
unite on resolute moments for reaching victory,’
Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian said after
paying tribute.
He also noted that steps are being carried out for
increase of honor payments of the participants of the
Second World War. On May 8 the Armenian government
decided to double them from July 1.
`The second step which must be carried out is to
work out a complex program – large social package
which during the 2009 budget discussions will be
presented to the public. It will include what the
state can do additionally within the limits of its
financial abilities, to help unsecured class, war
handicapped people, participants of the war,
parentless children,’ T. Sargsian said.
Mothers of killed and missed freedom fighters asked
the prime minister to receive them for presenting
their social issues. Tigran Sargsian promised to meet
with them in near future and hear all the issues.
The leadership of the country and high-ranked
officer staff of the Armenian Armed Forces put wreath
on the memory of the Unknown Soldier.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsian will participate
today in Nagorno Karabakh celebrations dedicated to
the Day of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army, 16th
anniversary of liberation of Shushi and Day of
Victory.

TALENTED MOSCOW-BASED MUSICIAN SONA ARSHAKIAN GIVES FIRST SOLO CONCERT
IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 8, NOYAN TAPAN. The 21-year-old Sona Arshakian from Moscow
gave her first important and responsible concert at Yerevan’s Chamber
Music House. The program of the first solo concert of the Moscow State
Conservatory student was a complex and rich one. On that evening the
young pianist performed works of almost all European composers:
Scarlatti, Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann and Rakhmaninov.

According to Sona, the program was complex but she was well-prepared,
and she expressed a hope that the audience will like her performance.
"My professor is very strict and demanding. We have prepared well for
the concert but the program was difficult," she said.

"I starting playing the piano quite unexpectedly. In our family, I am
the first to practice music, for which I am obliged to a childhood
friend. Following her suit, I started to attend a music school and soon
I realized that I was to play and become a famous pianist," Sona
recalls. Shortly afterwards the gifted girl continued her education at
Yerevan music school after P. Tchaykowsky, and three years later she
left for Moscow to study in Moscow, a city famous for its music
traditions.

The talented and hard-working girl not only studied music in a foreign
city but also improved her music skills and graduated from the
Tchaykowsky music shools with an honors diploma. With the same success
Sona Arshakian entered the Moscow State Conservatory, studying in the
class of famous Professor Yuri Hayrapetian of Armenian descent. "At his
classes, I began to perceive music differently. It is a different
feeling that I can express only on the keyboard of a piano. This
perception is peculiar to my world, in which nothing but nature and
music exists: they are as much in harmony as the air and breath," Sona
said.

In response to the question about why there are no works of Armenian
composers in her concert program, Sona replied that it is a matter of
time, and the next time she will certainly perform works of Armenian
authors.

In addition to playing the piano, Sona likes to sing, paint and dance.
"I like Armenian folk songs above all and I sing them with pleasure. I
often sing in church," she noted.

Sona’s greatest wish to become a great and well-known pianist, for
which she stidies hard. After this solo concert, the young pianist will
give a performance in Moscow. She plans to participate in an
international competition of pianists in Geneva in October.

In 2006 Sona took part in the Citta di Sulmona competition in Italy and
won the second prize, while at another international contest of
pianists in Italy in 2007 she was awarded the 3rd prize and the Special
Prize.

Panorama.am

16:26 07/05/2008

NALBANDYAN MET MAMEDIAROV. AGREEMENT REACHED

On 6 May Edvard Nalbandian, the Foreign Affairs
Minister of Armenia, had a meeting with his Azeri
counterpart Elmar Mamediarov. The meeting took place
in Council of Europe France permanent representation
and the OSCE Minsk group co-chairmen Bernard Fussier
(France), Mattiew Bryza (USA), Yuri Merzliakov
(Russia), and OSCE ongoing president special
representative Anjey Kasprchik were also present at
the meeting.

According to the press and public relations department
of the FAM, after minister Nalbandian said that the
meeting has held more cognitive mission. The two
ministers have shared their opinions on Karabakh
question current activities; they have presented the
attitude and perspectives of their countries and made
arrangements to keep the negotiations. The minister
should present the discussion results and the future
blueprints should be arranged by the presidents.

Before the meeting with the Foreign Affairs Minister
of Azerbaijan, Mr Nalbandian had a meeting with the
OSCE Minsk group co-chairmen and the special
representative of the OSCE ongoing president. The
Minister said that Armenian authorities highly
evaluate the activities and efforts conducted by the
co-chairmen and are ready to continue the negotiations
by the support of the Minsk group representatives.

Source: Panorama.am