Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

RECEPTION AT PRESIDENT’S ADMINISTRATION

Panorama.am
20:05 09/04/2008

Today a reception ceremony was held in the president’s administration
to congratulate the new president of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan. Guests
from international organizations and abroad were invited to the
reception ceremony. The information is provided by the president’s
public relations department.

President Serzh Sargsyan particularly mentioned in his speech:
"We solve the problems continually but they are not cutting down,
but they can be changed by their sense. Today we have many problems
to solve. We should work on them everyday as we know what our people
do expect from us. Their expectations and wish are justified as they
long to have fair society, to live in fair country.

We should overcome the poverty, we should overcome the evil, and we
should overcome the indifference."

TIGRAN SARGSIAN APPOINTED PRIME MINISTER OF ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
April 9, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 9, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian president Serge Sargsian
on April 9 signed a decree on appointing Tigran Sargsian the prime
minister of the Republic of Armenia, NT was informed by the RA
president’s press service, which also provided the biography of the
newly appointed prime minister.

Tigran Sargsian was born on January 29, 1960, in the city of
Kirovakan (currently Vanadzor). He studied at Yerevan school No
8 after Pushkin in 1967-1977, at Yerevan technical school No 14 in
1977-1978 and at Yerevan Institute of National Economy, Department of
Planning and Economy in 1978-1980. T. Sargsian studied at Leningrad
Financial-Economic Institute in 1980-1983, graduating from it with an
honors degree. In 1983-1987, he attended the post-graduate courses
of this institute, after which he defended a Ph.D. thesis entitled
"The Planning of the Socioeconomic Development of the Region by the
Example of Armenia" and received a scientific degree of Candidate of
Economic Sciences.

A title of Honorary Doctor of Yerevan State University of Economics
was conferred on T. Sargsian on December 2, 2005.

In 1987-1990, T. Sargsian worked as a seniour researcher at the
Research Institute of Economics and Planning, in 1988-1993 he was
the chairman of the Republican Council of Young Specialists and
Scientists. In 1993-1994, he taught at Yerevan State University,
was a deputy of the Supreme Council of the RA, served as chairman
of the Supreme Council’s Standing Committee on Financial, Credit
and Budgetary Issues. In 1995-1998, he was the chairman of the
Association of Armenian Banks, in 1995-2008 he worked as director of
the Institute for Research of Transitional Society. T. Sargsian was
appointed the chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia on March 3,
1998, while in 2005 he was re-appointed to that post. In 2005-2007,
he was the chairman of the Interstate Bank’s board.

T. Sargsian is married and has a daughter and a son.

He is the author of over 20 scientific articles.

He is a non-party man.

He has the miliary rank of reserve officer.

NKR GOVERNMENT NEED NOT AGREE WITH ARMENIA ON EVERY MOVE IT MAKES

KarabakhOpen
08-04-2008 11:57:34

"I don’t think the NKR government should agree with Armenia on every
move it makes aimed at the recognition of NKR. Independence is the
expression of the will of the people of Karabakh expressed through the
referendum and passage of the Constitution on December 10, 2006. And we
must fulfill the will of our people. Since it is compatible with the
stance of Armenia, other countries and international organizations,
it is already the job of the diplomats and negotiators. As to the
National Assembly, it must observe the provisions of the Constitution,"
said Vahram Atanesyan, chair of the NKR National Assembly Committee
of Foreign Relations.

The NKR minister of foreign affairs Georgy Petrosyan thinks Azerbaijan
is aspiring to maximum benefit from the talks. "Azerbaijan has made
its stance tougher. And it means that the Armenian sides should draw
conclusions and take adequate moves," the minister said.

"The Karabakh side never stated to endorse the principles of Madrid. We
rejected those principles from the beginning," Vahram Atanesyan stated.

The independence and freedom of NKR cannot be an issue of discussion,
the foreign minister added.

AZG Armenian Daily #065, 05/04/2008

Armenian Genocide

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEW
BOARD APPROVES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MUSEUM OF AMERICA
PROPOSAL

Planners complimented on imaginative use of historic
building

In a public hearing convened on March 27, the Historic
Preservation Review Board (HPRB), which is charged
with responsibility for the protection, enhancement
and perpetuation of properties of historical, cultural
and aesthetic merit in the District of Columbia, in a
unanimous vote gave concept approval for the Armenian
Genocide Museum of America (AGMA). The plans call for
restoring the exterior of the historical bank
building, modifying the interior to accommodate the
museum exhibits, and building a new glass structure
next to the historic bank, which will be surfaced with
native Armenian stone to complement the bank building.

HPRB Chairman Tersh Boasberg complimented AGMA and its
team for their care in developing a project, "that’s
what historic preservation is all about," adding that
AGMA’s plans for the structure to deal with the
Armenian Genocide were "exciting."

Van Krikorian, chairman of the museum building and
operations committee, opened by thanking HPRB members
for the interest they have taken in the project. He
stated that AGMA is excited about the project, and is
moving forward with special "sensitivity to the
history of the building," and stressed that AGMA
wanted to preserve the historical building in which it
will be housed, especially considering our experience
from the Genocide and Armenians’ own sensitivity to
preserving important historical structures. He thanked
the HPRB and those who had contributed for their
involvement and assistance.

Upon hearing principal architect Gary Martinez present
in detail the proposed museum and the restoration
plans for the former bank building located two blocks
from the White House, HPRB also commended AGMA for the
team assembled to create what it described as a
"highly imaginative project." HPRB described the
museum plans as "dramatic" use of the
historically-designated building. Details of some
sensitive interior issues remain to be worked out as
the development progresses, and AGMA indicated its
flexibility in working with the HPRB in that process.
HPRB Commission members and staff had several
questions and constructive comments.

Earlier in the week, the AGMA planning team made
presentations to the DC Preservation League and the
Advisory Neighborhood Committee’s Community
Development Committee (ANC-CDC). The DC Preservation
League, a community-based organization, strongly
endorsed the project and its representative Patrick
Burkhardt called the proposal to locate a museum in
the historic building a "textbook marriage." The
ANC-CDC also endorsed the project.

Following the unanimous vote, Krikorian again thanked
the HPRB, the AGMA staff, architects, exhibit
planners, and project managers, adding "this is a
great day for all of us committed to opening a first
class Armenian Genocide Museum in Washington." HPRB
Chairman Boasberg closed the hearing by saying that
the Armenian Genocide Museum project will "add to the
kind of vitality that historic preservation can
provide" in the heart of downtown Washington, with a
benefit for the District of Columbia as well as
national and international audiences.

The former National Bank of Washington has interior
and exterior designations on the National Register of
Historic Places. Only a dozen privately-owned
structures in the capital city have such a high level
of historic designation. The bank building is slated
for complete restoration and renovation, as well as
application as the exhibit space for AGMA. HPRB
concept approval and enlistment of local community
support registered two certified milestones in opening
the museum on schedule.

HPRB commissioners are appointed by the mayor of the
District of Columbia. The presentation they heard was
prepared by the firm of Martinez & Johnson
Architecture, whose talents and experience in
rehabilitating especially ornate historic buildings
was noted. The architectural team was supported by
representatives from Gallagher & Associates contracted
by AGMA as its exhibit design firm, the Armenian
National Institute serving as the research arm of the
museum project, and by the project management firm of
Regan Associates.

Martinez & Johnson Architecture and Gallagher &
Associates have been working on the development of the
museum project since mid-2007. Regan Associates joined
the planning team in February of this year. Among
several museum and other projects led by the firm,
most recently Regan Associates completed the
Orientation Center, Education Center, and Museum at
Mount Vernon Estates, the home of President George
Washington.

Armenian Genocide Museum of America

FROM MARCH 31 TO APRIL 2 POLICE APPLY TO ADMINISTRATIVE COURT WITH DEMAND TO CALL 10 PERSONS TO ADMINISTRATIVE LIABILITY

Noyan Tapan
April 3, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 3, NOYAN TAPAN. From March 31 to April 2 2008, 10 suits
of RA Police with the demand to call 10 people to administrative
liability on the basis of Article 180.1, RA Criminal Code (On
Violating the Order of Holding Rallies, Meetings, Processions,
and Demonstrations) for administrative offences were accepted for
examination by the RA Administrative Court.

According to Alina Yengoyan, the Spokesperson of the RA Cassation
Court, the Police have introduced suits on the demand to call to
administrative liability Artur Hovhannisian, Mikayel Martirosian,
Hamazasp Grigorian, Hunan Arakelian, Vachagan Simonian, Lavrent
Khachatrian, Artak Silikian, Tigran Movsisian, Artak Ghazarian,
Karen Ghalumian.

It should be mentioned that from March 24 to 31 the Administrative
Court had quashed the following cases: on the demand to call to
administrative liability Mkrtich Gimishian, Aram Karapetian, and
Hovhannes Hovhannisian, about which the RA Police had also introduced
suits.

KOCHARIAN REITERATES POSSIBILITY OF NKR RECOGNITION

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.04.2008 15:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ If Baku puts forth efforts to use domestic situation
in Armenia in order to realize its goals in the Nagorno Karabakh
process, Yerevan will have to toughen its position, Armenia’s
President said.

"The Armenian side will be more resolute and will make no concessions,"
Robert Kocharian told reporters.

"The best guarantee of firm positions in the Karabakh process is
sustainable development of the country. As I have already said, I do
not rule out recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic by Armenia if
Azerbaijan leads the talks to a deadlock," the outgoing President said.

KOCHARIAN PROMOTES LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

ARMENPRESS
April 4, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS: President Robert Kocharian decreed
on April 3 to promote Police Colonel Boris Asriyan to the rank of
Maj.-Gen.. Boris Asriyan is head of a bureau that coordinates fight
against organized and other grave crimes in the CIS.

Kocharian’s press office said the president decreed also to grant
third grade state justice councilor rank to Hakob Babayan, who is a
prosecutor for Erebuni and Nubarashen districts of Yerevan.

Gevork Yeremian, a deputy head of a department of the office of
the prosecutor general dealing with economic crimes and Gevork
Hambardzumian, a military prosecutor, were also granted the same title.

HRAZDAN STADIUM UNDERGOING LARGE-SCALE REPAIR

ARMENPRESS
April 3, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 3, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian Hrazdan Holding has hired
a German construction firm to help carry out a large-scale repair of
Hrazdan stadium.

Tamara Sarkisian, a spokeswoman for the holding, told Armenpress
that after the repair the stadium will conform with UEFA standards
and will accommodate 50,000 people.

She said although the stadium undergoes annual routine maintenance
but it was built 37 years ago and without a roof it was not immune
from corrosion.

Under the takeover contract the owner of the stadium has to offer
free services for all sporting and other events to be held at the
stadium in the next 10 years. It has also to invest $2 million to
upgrade the facility until 2010.

The stadium was privatized in 2005.

MANVEL GRIGORYAN DISMISSED

armradio.am
02.04.2008 10:40

On April 2 RA President Robert Kocharyan signed a decree on dismissing
Manvel Grigoryan from the position of the Deputy Minister of Defense
of the Republic of Armenia, President’s Press Office reported.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DELEGATION TO PARTAKE IN THE SITTING OF THE CIS IPA

armradio.am
02.04.2008 14:27

The delegation headed by the Speaker of the National Assembly Tigran
Torosyan will be visiting Saint Petersburg April 2-5 to participate
in the 30th plenary sitting of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly.

The delegation comprises the Vice-Speaker of eth national Assembly
Arevik Petrosyan, member of the Standing Committee on Science,
Education, Youth and Sports Affairs Karen Karapetyan, member of the
Standing Committee on Economic Issues Hermine Naghdalyan.