Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION: ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT ALLOCATES NECESSARY FUNDS TO PUBLISH TENDER FOR THIRD MOBILE OPERATOR IN ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2008-06-23 12:49:00

Armenian Government allocates necessary funds to publish tender
for third mobile operator in Armenia, Minister of Transport and
Communication of Armenia Gurgen Sargsyan told media Monday.

He said the funds will be provided to one of the subjects that will
announce the tender. Afterwards, applications will be admitted within
10 days. The necessary packages of documents are to be prepared
within 90 days and submitted to the tender commission. The documents
are to be published in October. The minister said that both European
and Asian companies take interest in the tender including Iranian
companies. G. Sargsyan is sure that the tender will be transparent and
meeting international standards. ‘No one will be disappointed with
the selection of the third operator that will offer good quality,
good price and good image’, he said.

At present there are two mobile operators in the Armenian cellular
communication market: ArmenTel (trade mark Beeline) and VivaCell,
the subsidiary of the Russian Mobile TeleSystems (MTS). Earlier,
Russian Megafon Company representative told ArmInfo the company might
participate in the tender.

Los Angeles Times, CA
June 22 2008

BEAUTY
Facials pioneer Aida Thibiant, 80, is retiring

The aesthetician who made the deep-cleaning regimen popular now sees
medi-spas as the future.

By Emili Vesilind, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
June 22, 2008

AT ONCE homey and luxurious — boasting a staff of mostly European and
Russian aestheticians who will tell you straight-up when it’s time to
wax that cheek fuzz — Thibiant Beverly Hills has been an institution
for 33 years, having deep-cleaned the pores of almost every major
star, including Deborah Harry, Jodie Foster, Rod Stewart and Hayden
Panettiere.

But even well-moisturized eras must end. Now 80, Aida Thibiant is
retiring and selling her business to plastic surgeon Harry Glassman
and his business partner, Herminio Llevat. Though Thibiant will stay
on for a year as a consultant, the new owners will be converting the
business into a medical spa by September, delegating a suite of
treatment rooms for Botox, Restylane and lasers.

The change-over is a sign of the times, as more spas morph into
medical facilities. Facials can delay aging, but injections can erase
time — if only temporarily.

Thibiant is part of a generation of beauty pioneers (think Estée
Lauder and Georgette Klinger) who took the concept of skin care from
at-home, waxy cold creams to professionally administered regimens. But
with the rise of filler injections, that epoch is also ending.

"I wasn’t going toward the medi-spa, but that’s the future," said
Thibiant, who speaks with a lilting Armenian accent and is usually
clad in a neat tweed Chanel or Escada. "I have to follow the flow."

Glassman, who will be at the spa two days a week, said the facility
and its staff will otherwise remain unchanged.

Thibiant, who was raised in France and studied to be an aesthetician
in Paris in the 1950s, immigrated to L.A. with her late husband Michel
Thibiant and her two teenage sons in 1970. Back then, few Americans
knew what an aesthetician was.

But they soon learned. While she was working at the Sanctuary, a
trendy fitness center in Beverly Hills in the early ’70s, Thibiant’s
facials became a favorite of Ali McGraw and other celebrities,
garnering glowing reviews in Vogue and beauty journals that coined her
the "face saver to the stars." Her philosophy was to "always nurture,
build up and protect the skin," or to let the skin do what it’s able
to do naturally. Not exactly a medi-spa doctrine.

She launched her first spa in Beverly Hills in 1972. Her tough-love
facial became the industry standard: It emphasized deep cleaning over
easy massage, meaning extractions to the nth degree.

In the 1980s, she developed the still-popular skin-care line Principal
Secret with Victoria Principal. Her TV spots helped solidify the
current mode of celebrity-paired-with-expert format in beauty
infomercials.

Even though Thibiant is retiring, her products are not. Llevat will
work with Thibiant in the coming year to create a new skin care line,
the first to be distributed outside the spa. The beauty maven has lots
of practice, having launched her first products in 1978 via Thibiant
International Inc., a beauty manufacturing factory in Chatsworth that
Michel Thibiant spearheaded in the ’70s. It now manufactures Guinot
Paris skin care products in the U.S. and others for big-name beauty
conglomerates.

"I always dreamed of having my skin-care line everywhere," she
said. "I didn’t have time to do it before. You actually can do
everything, but you can’t do everything perfectly. And now it’s going
to happen after I retire." Thibiant smiles and shakes her head. "It’s
unbelievable."

http://www.latimes .com/features/printedition/image/la-ig-beauty22-20 08jun22,0,122047.story

LEADER OF OPPOSITION LEVON TER-PETROSYAN DOESN’T RULE OUT POSSIBLE ANNOUNCING NAGORNO-KARABAKH PRESIDENT A PERSONA NON GRATA IN ARMENIA

arminfo
2008-06-20 21:55:00

ArmInfo. ‘If it is found out as a result of investigation that the
so- called special task force of Karabakh was really involved in
the March 1 operation against Armenian people, Nagorno-Karabakh
President Bako Sahakyan should be announced a persona non grata in
Armenia’, the first president of Armenia Levon Ter- Petrosyan said
at a multi-thousand strong rally in the center of Yerevan, Friday.

According to him, dampening of the domestic political tension in
Armenia is possible only in case of thorough investigation of the
criminal actions of law-enforcers and officials on March 1 and the
release of all the political prisoners. ‘A total of 130 supporters
of the Nationwide Movement were arrested, however, non of them is
accused of using arms or participating in pogroms. 4 participants
in robberies of shops were detained, one of them turned out to be a
friend of Robert Kocharyan’s son, the other three were Serzh Sargsyan’s
election agents. I call on the present authorities to arrest all the
robbers without doubting they will find not a single supporter of
opposition among them’, Ter-Petrosyan said. He also expressed his
indignation at the fact that the relatives of the tragic events’
victims have not been acknowledged the assignees of the victims so
far. He called on the authorities ‘to award a title of the national
hero of Armenia to all those who died during the massacre initiated
by Robert Kocharyan’. ‘This concerns military men, too, as they are
also victims of the criminal regime’, Ter-Petrosyan stressed.

HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE GRILLS ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRIED ON ARMENIA BLOCKADE; U.S. COMPLICITY IN GENOCIDE DENIAL

armradio.am
19.06.2008 10:39

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA) led
a two hour hearing yesterday that included over a dozen members of
Congress questioning Assistant Secretary Dan Fried on the U.S. policy
of complicity in Armenian Genocide denial, Turkey’s blockade, and
Azerbaijan’s escalating threats of war, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).

"We want to thank Chairman Berman for this excellent opportunity for
members of the Foreign Affairs Committee to exercise oversight over a
deeply flawed set of U.S. policies toward Armenia and Armenian American
issues – most notably the Administration’s policy of complicity in
Turkey’s denial of the Armenian Genocide, its lack of any meaningful
steps to lift Turkey’s blockade of Armenia, and its effective silence
in the face of escalating threats of war by an increasingly well
armed Azerbaijan against the people of Nagorno Karabakh."

Berman opened the hearing stating, "I’d like to start with one of
the most puzzling and problematic matters: the Turkish blockade of
Armenia, in place since 1993. It’s a punishing policy that holds the
Armenian economy back and enormously increases the cost of much of
Armenia’s trade with other nations." He continued noting that "It’s
baffling why Ankara would want to pursue this land blockade, which
also harms the economy of eastern Turkey, and is therefore clearly
contrary to its own interests."

The Chairman’s statement and questions were followed by powerful
remarks and in-depth inquiries by Armenian Genocide Resolution lead
author Adam Schiff (D-CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs
Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) as well as Committee
members Brad Sherman (D-CA), Diane Watson (D-CA), Ed Royce (R-CA),
and Jim Costa (D-CA), among others.

AARHUS CONVENTION: MAKING ENVIRONMENTAL DECISIONS

Panorama.am
15:29 18/06/2008

Aarhus convention is a link between human rights and protection
of environment as access to information and public participation,
while making environmental decisions, is a significant point for the
society and development of country’s democracy, said Sergey Kapinos,
in an environmental conference devoted to the 10th anniversary of
Aarhus Convention.

According to him, in these ten years the public participation in
the environmental protection in Armenia expends. "It is of great
importance that the Ministry of Environmental Protection is able to
involve the society in making solutions for the environmental issues,
as based on the convention public participation should have major
role. But I should add that there are still problems in implementing
the points of the convention," said the Ambassador.

The Ambassador said that such discussions which are held among the
interested sides of the convention – UNDP, OSCE Yerevan and Ministry
of Environmental Protection could have their positive impact on
the further implementation of the norms. According to Simon Papyan,
the conference will give an opportunity to the representatives of
the convention in Armenian regions to share with their experience
and managing problem.

ARMENIA SCORING SUCCESS IN FULFILLING ORHUS CONVENTION

ARKA
June 18
YEREVAN

Chief of the OSCE Yerevan Office, Ambassador Sergey Kapinos says
Armenia has recorded success in fulfilling the provisions of the Orhus
Convention. "The central idea of this document is public involvement
in solution of environmental problems which is successfully carried
out by Armenia," Kapinos said at a conference dedicated to discussion
of Armenia’s fulfilment of the Orhus Convention.

According to him, it is with the help of the seminars and discussions
that people usually get involved in the solution of environmental
problems. Such events reveal the most urgent problems of the
region. "People must both participate in such discussions and suggest
ways of solution. They must also get involved in decision-making
processes," he said.

However, Kapinos said, the steps that Armenia has taken so far, are
not sufficient to combat the existing problems. Though Armenia has
scored a certain success here, the problems still exist, moreover,
they are tending to grow," the Ambassador said.

The UN European Economic Commission’s convention on information
availability, public involvement in decision-making processes and
access to justice in environmental issues is widely known as the
Orhus convention. It was signed by 38 countries on June 25, 1998.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I RECEIVES THE REPRESENTATIVE
OF PRESIDENT SULEIMAN

His Holiness Aram I received the personal representative of the President
General Michel Suleiman in Antelias on June 17. Former Member of Parliament,
Dr. Nazem Khoury invited the Armenian Pontiff to the meeting and luncheon of
spiritual leaders to be held next week in the presidential palace.

His Holiness and Dr. Khoury met for over an hour, discussing the various
challenges facing the country.

##
View the photo here:
tos/Photos278.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARKISIAN RECEIVES IMF MISSION

armenpress
June 17

Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian Received today Martha Castello-Branco,
head Of A Visiting Imf Mission, Imf Resident Representative Ninke
Umes and other officials of the IMF Armenia Office.

The IMF mission has arrived in Armenia to discuss the government’s
macro-economic policies and structural reforms. The delegation
presented to the prime minister the IMF’s report on Armenian tax
reforms.

These discussions with IMF will serve as a basis for fresh negotiations
between the government and IMF on new cooperation programs. Today’s
meeting was also attended by a presidential aide on economic issues,
finance and economy ministers, chief of the state taxation service,
chairman of the Central Bank and chairman of the parliament committee
on economic affairs.

According to government public relations department, the IMF mission
head said IMF is encouraged by the reforms which the government wants
to enforce in taxation sector, saying they are in compliance with
IMF principles.

According to IMF officials, the Armenian government tax reform program
is comprehensive aimed to reduce poverty, maintain growth rates and
reduce corruption level. The only remaining thing is to materialize
it having into account some proposals and suggestions present in the
IMF report.

By thanking the IMF for preparing the report Prime Minister Tigran
Sarkisian described it as very interesting saying that it creates a

1 MARCH VICTIMS RECOGNIZED UNINJURED

A1+
[08:11 pm] 17 June, 2008

The RA Prosecutor’s Office officially declares: "None of the victims
of 1 March events have been recognized injured, consequently there
are no legal successors included in the case."

The declaration refers to 1 March events and the criminal case
No 62202608 that is currently under inquisition in the Special
Investigation Service.

The Prosecutor’s Office made the statement in the official letter
directed to the Chairman of the Helsinki Association Michael
Danielian in reply to the latter’s 11 May application. "I put a
query to the Prosecutor how many people were sued on the occasion of
1 March events, how many were recognized injured and how many legal
successors there were."

Michael Danielian was unable to explain the answer of the Prosecutor’s
Office. To be more exact, his power of imagination was not great
enough to fancy that a dead person can be recognized uninjured. "I
have been a lawyer for more than 10 years but it’s the first time
I have received such an answer. It means the authorities are quite
unwilling to unveil the 1 March occurrences."

To prove the truthfulness of his words, Michael Danielian handed
the Prosecutor’s reply to the co-repporteurs. He also noted that if
the co-repporteurs were really eager to see Armenia on the track of
democracy they had to impose sanctions on her and take care that the
PACE Resolution 1609 is thoroughly completed. Otherwise Armenia will
remain a military country.

RUSSIAN PHILANTHROPIST TO PROMOTE SHOUSHI’S RECOVERY

DeFacto Agency
June 13 2008
Armenia

STEPANAKERT, 12.06.08 DE FACTO. On June 11 the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic President Bako Sahakian and a famous Russian philanthropist
Levon Hayrapetian visited Shoushi to familiarize themselves with the
course of construction works on a number of objects on the spot.

A meeting was held in Shoushi with the participation of Archbishop
Pargev Martirosian, the leader of the Artsakh Eparchy of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, Ara Harutyunian, the NKR PM, and other officials. The
issues referring to recovery and development of the town of Shoushi
were discussed at the meeting.

"We must recover Shoushi maintaining the town’s historical
image. Shoushi must become Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s second capital
city the same way as St. Petersburg for Russia", Levon Hayrapetian
noted and added he would spare no means to turn Shoushi in a modern
cultural and tourist center. "The most important is to create normal
living conditions in Artsakh", the philanthropist added.