Author: Zargarian Hambik

ANNUAL SESSION OF DEPUTY COUNCIL OF TEHRAN ARMENIAN DIOCESE FINISHES

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 18 2007

TEHRAN, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Works of the annual
session of the Deputy Council of the Tehran Armenian Diocese were
held on May 10-16.

The Deputy Council discussed the two-year references presented by
the Religious and Diocesan Councils and Accounting-Examination Body
of the diocese and gave its estimation to the done works.

According to the Alik daily, the Deputy Council touched upon the
national-church problems the community life is interested in,
especially, issues of teaching the Armenian language and religion,
emigration and Diaspora-Armenia, diocese-Armenia relations.

The session formed as a result of the elections a newly-formed
Religious, Diocesan Councils and Accounting-Examination Council.

Archbishop Sepuh Sargsian, the primate of the Tehran diocese made
the final speech. He appreciated the work done by the deputies and
emphasized the main directions of the executive body of the diocese
in the educational, charity, cultural and economic spheres during
the coming two years.

Archbishop Sepuh Sargsian touched upon the emigration. The emigration
is a tragedy, and its organizers are great criminals," he said, "our
community has taken roots on the holly Iranian land with history of
thousands of years and I believe that our community will continue
its life here for a long, very long time. We are a happy colony as
we live in direct neighborhood with our historic Fatherland and the
most important thing is that good relations of the past, present
and surely, future of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Armenia are
a great power and also possibility for strengthening and lasting of
the Iranian Armenian community," Archbishop Sepuh Sargsian said.

HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: RAMIL SAFAROV’S EXTRADITION CAN BE DEBATED ONLY AFTER THE TRIAL IS OVER

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 18 2007

"We had throughout discussions on all spheres of relations between
Azerbaijan and Hungary," Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
told a press conference following the meeting with Hungarian Foreign
Minister Kinga Goncz, APA reports.

Mentioning that there Azerbaijani embassy is operating in Budapest
the Minister said Hungary intends to open its Embassy in Baku.

Minister Mammadyarov said he informed his his Hungarian counterpart
about the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and expressed his gratitude to
Hungary for its support for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and
sovereignty.

Ms. Goncz said she invited Elmar Mammadyarov to Hungary and will be
very pleased to see him in Budapest.

Noting that Hungary has been the member of the European Union for three
years the Minister said the organization is enlarged and approaches
to Azerbaijan. Ms. Goncz said economic growth in Azerbaijan will
give impetus to the development of bilateral relations. She said
the presidents of Hungarian oil company is also in the delegation,
and Hungary is willing to cooperate with Azerbaijan in this field.

Elmar Mammadyarov also stated that they debated on Azerbaijani officer
Ramil Safarov arrested in Budapest. Azerbaijani Minister expressed
his position on this case and asked for a fair approach to the case.

Kinga Goncz said the extradition can be debated only after the trial
is over. She said Azerbaijani Justice Minister is scheduled to visit
Hungary, and this problem will be debated during the visit.

Underlining that Hungary has problems in gas supply the Hungarian
Minister said transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Europe will play
a great role in the solution of this problem.

WARHOL’S GREEN CAR CRASH SELLS FOR RECORD $72M US

CBC Manitoba, Canada
May 17 2007

Confident art market snaps up modern works

Andy Warhol’s green image of a fatal car crash sold for a record $72
million US Wednesday at Christie’s auction of postwar and contemporary
art in New York.

It was the second record-setting day in sales of postwar art,
with a Mark Rothko selling for close to $73 million US on Tuesday
at Sotheby’s.

Andy Warhol’s Lemon Marilyn, an acrylic and silkscreen on linen,
sold Wednesday for $28 million US.

(Christies Images/Associated Press) An anonymous buyer bought Warhol’s
Green Car Crash (Green Burning Car I) for $71.7 million, more than
quadruple the previous top auction price for a Warhol.

Last November, Warhol’s Mao sold for $17.4 million US, setting the
previous record for the pop artist.

Green Car Crash uses a news photograph of a grisly car crash,
silkscreened in green. It was part of a series Warhol printed based
on deadly crashes.

Another Warhol, Lemon Marilyn, an iconic image of Marilyn Monroe,
sold for $28 million US.

Christies reported several records were set for individual artists
during the Wednesday auction.

A canvas by American contemporary artist Jasper Johns, Figure 4,
sold for $17.4 million US; Khorkom by Armenian-American expressionist
painter Arshile Gorky sold for about $4.2 million US; and a photograph
by Cindy Sherman, Untitled No. 92, sold for $2.1 million US.

The auction itself took in a total of nearly $385 million US, making
it the second most lucrative art auction ever held.

Marc Porter, president of Christie’s Americas, said the phenomenal
results of the past two weeks reflect confidence in the art market
and the economy.

"The art market is strong at all levels, whether it’s a $20,000 or
a $5-million work," he told Reuters.

"Buying and consumption are based on wealth, and people just feel
very confident."

SERGE SARGSIAN INTRODUCED NEW CHIEF OF RA ARMED FORCES GENERAL HEADQUARTERS TO SUPREME OFFICER STAFF

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
May 16 2007

May 15 RA PM Serge Sargsian introduced new chief of RA Armed Forces
General Headquarters, RA first deputy Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian
to supreme officer staff. DE FACTO received the information at RA
MOD Press Office.

To remind, Lt. General Seyran Ohanyan was appointed as RA General
Headquarters’ Chief and RA first deputy Defense Minister May 11,
2007, by RA President’s decree.

"ALBERT AND TOVE BOYAJIAN" MUSEUM OPENS IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
May 16 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The museum "Albert and Tove Boyajian"
opened in Yerevan on May 15. Rector of the Academy of Art Aram
Isabekian said at the opening ceremony that over 30 works of Zhasmen,
Garzu, Hakob Hakobian and other artists will be on constant display
at this museum built with financial assistance of American Armenian
philanthropist A. Boyajian. Besides, the museum will regularly present
paintings and graphic works of academy students to the public.

According to Ishkhan Zakharian, Chairman of the State Committee of
Physical Culture and Sports adjunct to the RA government, A. Boyajian
supports not only culture but also sports. A sport complex is being
constructed in Tsakhkadzor with the assistance of the American
Armenian philanthropist.

"I am proud to be able to help Armenia. It is the duty of Diasporan
Armenians to make their contribution to the development of Armenia’s
economy, culture and sports," A. Boyajian said.

It is noteworthy that the picture gallery "Albert and Tove Boyajian"
operates as well near the Academy of Art. Exhibitions of famous
artists and academy students are often held there.

RECURRENT MONITORING AT THE CONTACT LINE

ArmRadio.am
16.05.2007 16:16

According to an earlier agreement with the NKR authorities, the
OSCE Mission carried out planned monitoring of the contact line of
the Armed Forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan near Chemenli
settlement in Aghdam region.

Armenpress was told from the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs that from
the positions of the NKR Defense Army the monitoring was carried out
by the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej
Kasprzyk. The monitoring group included the Personal Representative’s
Field Assistants Gunter Folk (Germany), Jaslan Nurtazin (Kazakhstan),
as well as the Head of the OSCE high-level planning group, Colonel
Santiago Rodriguez Santafe (Spain).

The monitoring was held according to the preset schedule. However,
the Azeri side did not lead the OSCE Mission to its front positions,
as a result members of the Mission were to carry out the monitoring
at a greater distance. No breaches of the cease-fire regime were
registered. From he Karabakhi side the monitoring group was accompanied
by representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense.

COMMUNIST PARTY LEADER IS NOT GOING TO RESIGN

Noyan Tapan
May 15 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. Ruben Tovmasian, First Secretary of
Central Committee of Communist Party of Armenia, categorically
refuted rumors about his resignation. In his interview to Noyan
Tapan correspondent he stated that these rumors are false and do
not correspond to reality. At the same time, R. Tovmasian found it
difficult to mention the aim of their spreading and their possible
source.

The First Secretary of Central Committee of Communist Party who
received less than 1% votes in the May 12 elections, said that in the
future the party will analyse its results and will decide what to
do. In the elections of 2003 the Communist Party received a little
more than 2% votes and after those elections Communist Party leader
of that time, Vladimir Darbinian resigned.

In R. Tovmasian’s words, "no elections were held in Armenia, just
drawing of results took place" and the fact that the parliamentary
elections will be falsified by 100% was forecast by him as early as
in January. In his words, no ideological dispute took place among
parties during the election campaign, instead of it they competed for
"who and where should give out money."

And the people, as R. Tovmasian affirmed, could not but vote for the
party, which promised it free medical service, education and social
justice. At the same time he said that especially in rural areas the
people has been brought to abject poverty and electoral bribe of 5-10
thousand drams before spring sowing seemed a "salvation" to them.

In R. Tovmasian’s words, at first the opposition was united and it
was difficult to say why it was splitted. At the same time he said
that the Communist Party of Armenia could not unite with opposition
forces due to lack of ideological communities.

AZERBAIJANI ARMED FORCES AND US EUROPEAN COMMAND TO CONCLUDE ACTION PLAN

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 14 2007

Azerbaijani Armed Forces and US European Command will conclude an
action plan on military cooperation, Azerbaijani Defense Minister,
General Colonel Safar Abiyev addressing the event on the anniversary
of the US Armed Forces said, APA reports.

Mr.Abiyev saying that Azerbaijani soldiers are participating in
counterterrorism and peacekeeping operations in Iraq, Afghanistan,
and Kosovo together with US soldiers, reminded the visit of European
Command’s senior officials to Baku every year. The minister stressed
the existence of Section 907 to the Freedom Support Act puts serious
restrictions to the development of cooperation in a number of spheres,
including military sphere between the two countries.

"President George Bush regular decisions to restrict Section 907 every
year have positive impact on the development of military cooperation,"
he said.

Mr.Abiyev underlined there exists many-sided military cooperation
between the two countries. He said Azerbaijan is cooperating with US
military forces in improvement of Air forces’ aerodrome, Sergeant
School, Partnership for Peace Center as well as establishment of
Stimulation and Model Center and qualification of peacekeepers.

"Moreover, we are cooperating in ensure of strategic interests in
the Caspian Sea and preventing of transnational threats. We are also
cooperating in modernization of Azerbaijani naval forces’ ships. Task
forces from two countries hold joint training several times a year,"
he said.

Azerbaijani Defense Minister also noted that training of medical
personnel of both countries will be held in Azerbaijan in several
days later in the framework of cooperation with Oklahoma State.

The Minister focused the attention on Armenians’ aggressive policy in
his speech. He accessed Armenia’s demonstrating its military equipment
in the occupied regions of Azerbaijan as breach of the Conventional
Armed Forces in Europe Treaty (SFE).

"This proves that Armenia seriously violates security in Europe.

International community is indifferent to the just solution of this
conflict, double standards are put. There exists passive approach
towards Armenia’s aggressive policy which provides an opportunity to
the activity of terroristic organizations, transit of narcotics and
weapons in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan," he stressed.

FITCH REVISES VTB BANK (ARMENIA)’S OUTLOOK TO POSITIVE

The Asian Banker , Singapore
May 14 2007

Fitch Ratings has revised the Outlook on VTB Bank (Armenia)’s ("VTBA")
Foreign and Local Currency Issuer Default ratings ("IDR") to Positive
from Stable. Its ratings are affirmed at Foreign and Local Currency
IDR ‘BB’, Short-term Foreign and Local Currency ‘B’, Individual ‘D/E’
and Support ‘3’.

The revised Outlook reflects the recent change in the Outlooks of
Armenia’s Foreign and Local Currency IDRs to Positive from Stable.

The IDRs were affirmed at ‘BB-‘ (BB minus). Were the sovereign
ratings to be upgraded, this would be likely to signal a reduction
in Armenian country risks, in particular transfer and convertibility
risks, which at present constrain VTBA’s ratings.

VTBA is one of the largest banks in Armenia with about 10% of the
banking system’s loans and retail deposits at end-2006. VTBA (formerly
known as Armsberbank) has a long history of operations in Armenia
and traces its origin to a branch of Sberbank of the former USSR,
established in 1923. The bank services both corporate and retail
clients, supported by an extensive branch network consisting of 100
branches located all over the country. The bank is majority-controlled
by Russia’s VTB (IDR ‘BBB+’).

Re-disseminated by The Asian Banker

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SOCIOLOGIST SAYS TSARUKYAN MAY HAVE BEEN CHEATED

Panorama.am
22:47 14/05/2007

"Either Mr. Tsarukyan is cheated that Prosperous Armenia (BHK) has
370,000 members or people were listed as members without being asked
whether they will vote for BHK," sociologist Aharon Adibekyan said
speaking about the fact the BHK received fewer votes than the number
of its members.

Adibekyan believes BHK has maximum 100,000 members. He also said
in October people believed that BHK could win the majority in the
parliament whereas already in May his rating went down.

Speaking about the post-election rallies organized by Impeachment
block, Republic Party and New Times Party, also joined by Armenian
People’s Party (HJK) later yesterday, Aharonyan said, "It is the
last device of the wrecking." He also said the last hope of Arthur
Baghdasaryan also vanished when the international observers reported
a step forward.