‘HAYFEST’ THEATRICAL FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN FOR FOURTH TIME
By Susana Margarian
AZG Armenian Daily
29/09/2006
In 2003 most of the Armenian spectators weren’t encouraged with
the foreign performances included in “Hayfest” first international
theatrical festival.
This year, the forth festival will represent a larger perspective of
the contemporary theatre to the Armenian spectators. The organizers
of “Hayfest ” theatrical festival stated about this at the press
conference at the Yerevan State Puppet Theatre. They added that the
festival is sponsored by RA prime minister and RA defense minister. The
organizers of the festival would also like to get the financial
assistance form RA Culture Ministry, as well, and they expect that to
happen next year. Meanwhile, from October 4, 50 theatre troops from
the world will represent their performances at the Yerevan theatres.
Within the framework of “Hayfest,” they envisage to hold also the
international festival of youth and puppet theatres. Arthur Ghukasian,
head of the Yerevan State Puppet Theatre stated in response to the
question of Azg, that they paid more attention to genres of the plays,
to the structure of the troops and to the prices of the performances,
rather than to their content. He added that the festival has no
nominations or awards. The festival is directed to contribute to
the development of the cultural policy and art management spheres
in Armenia. The organizers have also included master classes in the
course of the festival for the Armenian students.
It’s worth mentioning that only 20 local theatrical troops will
participate in the festival.

THE STRUCTURE OF CRIMINAL WORLD
A1+
[07:50 pm] 28 September, 2006
Today fifteen oppositional forces issued a statement which says,
“RA citizens are in peril in their homeland. Innocent people became
victims of recent murders and intimidations. The couple Robert
Kocharyan and Serge Sargsyan is the direct stimulant of these crimes
and violence. They do their best to maintain their posts in the
coming elections”.
Though the initiators of the anti-criminal act promised not to
mention any names, the names of Robert Kocharyan and Serge Sargsyan
were underlined in the whole text. “Robert Kocharyan sponsors Serge
Sargsyan’s criminal grouping. The latter, under the veil of the Party
“Republican” gave bribes to the state workers, intimidated the public,
Mass Media representatives and political figures and created conditions
for state revolution”. The authors of the statement also referred to
Yaponchik’s visit to Armenia. They are convinced that people know the
enumerated criminals rather well but they don’t have enough evidence
in this connection.
By the way, the rumors about the intention of the Party “Prosperous
Armenia” to join anti-criminal action were refuted today.
Mher Shahgeldyan, member of Orinats Yerkir, called Aram Karapetyan,
leader of New Times and expressed the readiness of their party members
to join the statement.

UNPRECEDENTED CONDITIONS FOR UNPRECEDENTED CONCERT
A1+
[07:37 pm] 28 September, 2006
There will be two thousand seats for the guests of the concert “Charles
Aznavour and His Freinds” which is to be held in republic Square on
September 30. The most striking is that the most expensive tickets
(150 thousand AMD) had a great demand among the buyers. The front
and central viewers mainly bought tickets at this cost and they are
eager to see the great chansonnier closer.
The central streets of the city leading to Republic Square –
Nalbandyan, Abovyan, Buzand and Melik-Adamyan, will be closed on that
day. But those who cannot afford tickets for the concert can watch
it by three large screens located at the square. The entrance is
free for all those who want to listen to the great chansonnier. The
initiators of the concert warn the people not to come to the concert
by bicycles or not to take heavy bags or packets with them.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE NEVER FORGETS ITS DEMANDS
A1+
[08:15 pm] 28 September, 2006
“Though the role of the parliament has significantly increased due
to the constitutional amendments, there is a threat that the next
parliament will be made up from oligarchs,” says Stepan Demirchyan,
leader of “Justice” faction and adds that the representatives of the
PACE monitoring group share his concern in this respect.
During the meeting with the journalists the representatives of
“Justice” bloc said that they approve of proportional election
system as, “majoritarian elections are a source of bribe taking in
our country.”
The deputies of the bloc repeated the same words they used to
say for many years, “We assume that there is no alternative for
Euro-integration. But it mustn’t have imitational essence. Democracy
must be driven from the interests of our people and our state. In
fact, we face a regress in the country,” say the representatives of
the Opposition.
In Grigor Haroutyunyan’s words, they have informed the PACE
representatives once more that freedom of expression and principle of
diversity are violated in Armenia. “The authorities mainly ignore the
demand of CoE, thus ignoring the demand to return A1+ again to air.”
The representatives of the PACE monitoring group have also met with
other factions today and naturally the general picture presented by
them quite different.
Reminder: the PACE representatives are to present their report in 2007.

PURSUIT OF OYP OR ECONOMY OF THREE MILLION AMD?
A1+
[08:37 pm] 28 September, 2006
Forty state workers of the National Assembly will be dismissed starting
from October 2.
Souren Mamikonyan, member of Orinats Yerkir Party, head of the NA
legal service, told the journalists today that the mass reductions
are accompanied by breeches of constitutional rights.
“It is noteworthy that the main cause is kept secret.
They announce that they will economize three million AMD by dismissing
40 workers. They also say that the institutions opened during the
office of Arthur Baghdasaryan, former NA Speaker will be liquidated,”
announced Souren Mamikonyan.
Mr. Mamikonyan sees elements of political pursuit in the
dismissals. Court of First Instance of Kentron and Nork-Marash will
find the respondent of this mess during the court trial on October 11.

OYP IS DEPRIVED OF A HALL
A1+
[09:15 pm] 28 September, 2006
According to the data of Orinats Yerkir Party, Arthur Bagdasaryan
and other members of the party turned to the mayor of Ashtarak with
a request to give them a hall for meeting with Ashtarak residents.
An hour later the city mayor said that he couldn’t do their request
even if they paid the correspondent sum of money as the Party Orinats
Yerkir presents the Opposition.
The statement of the OYP Press Service says, “We condemn this mean act
of the authorities and urge them not to breech the Constitution and
laws and to give the OYP and other oppositional parties an opportunity
to hold meetings with people.”

NIKOLAY PAVLOV: CAUCASUS ONE OF GANGLIONS OF WORLD POLITICS
PanARMENIAN.Net
29.09.2006 12:56 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia stands for the development of
inter-civilization and inter-cultural dialogue in the Caucasus, Russian
Ambassador to Armenia Nikolay Pavlov said Friday in Yerevan. “Located
at the turn of the geographical platforms of Europe and Asia, the CIS
and the Middle East as well as in the center of the Caspian and Black
Sea region, the Caucasus remains one of the ganglions of the world
politics,” he underscored addressing a scientific conference titled
“Media and new political relations in the Caucasus.”
According to the Ambassador, a number of regional and international
factors immediately influence on the unstable situation in the
Transcaucasus.
“Proceeding from the goals of a line targeted at multipolar and
demographic world structure and global stability Russia stands
for the development of inter-civilization, inter-cultural and
inter-constitutional dialogue as well as prevention of conflict
escalation,” Pavlov said. In his words, not only the official diplomacy
but also the activities of public forces of the non-governmental sector
and the information field can play a significant role in the resolution
of these tasks. “I am convinced that not only the authorities but
also the publics of the states of the region are responsible for
maintenance of peace,” the Ambassador said, reported newsarmenia.ru.

SERGEY IVANOV: GANGSTERISM IN GEORGIA ACQUIRED STATE COLORING
PanARMENIAN.Net
29.09.2006 13:07 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Gangsterism in Georgia has acquired a state coloring,
said Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov. “We have warned the
military and their families not to go leave homes if it’s not extremely
necessary,” he added.
The Russian Defense Minister accused “some new NATO member states of
selling to Georgia the armament that they purchased from the USSR with
a veto on re-export.” “This is a grave violation of the agreement on
the control of armament and nothing else but piracy,” said Ivanov,
who will take part in the Russia-NATO Council sitting in Slovenia.
As it was reported earlier, since September 27 evening the
Georgian police have detained 6 Russian military on accusation
of espionage. Presently officers Alexander Sava, Dmitry Kazantsev,
Alexander Barantsev, Alexander Zavgotodtsev and first sergeant Ruslan
Skrylnikov are kept in custody. The Georgian side asserts that another
serviceman Konstantin Pichugin is hiding in the Russian Embassy,
reports RIA Novosti.

GEORGIAN AUTHORITIES” ACTIONS CAN LEAD TO WAR, SERGEY MIRONOV SAYS
PanARMENIAN.Net
29.09.2006 13:12 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The actions of the Georgian authorities can lead to
war, said Speaker of the Russian Federation Council Sergey Mironov. In
his words, in history similar attacks of espionage-mania have served
as a start for launching military operations. Meanwhile, according to
the latest data, Georgia produced formal accusation to four Russian
military, who were detained earlier, reports Lenta.ru.
To remind, on September 27 evening in Tbilisi and Batumi four Russian
military were detained. Two other officers were arrested later. One
of them, first sergeant Ruslan Skrylnikov was released on September
29 night. According to Shota Khizanishvili, the administration
head at the Georgian Ministry of Interior, Skrylnikov is a Georgian
citizen. Another prisoner, Amir Aslanyan, is a Georgian citizen too and
“he is not ranked among the detained Russian officers.” Khizanashvili
confirmed that lieutenant colonel Alexander Sava, lieutenant colonel
Dmitry Kazantsev, lieutenant colonel Alexander Baranov and captain
Alexander Zavgorodnev have been accused of espionage. Besides,
similar accusations were brought against 11 Georgian citizens,
who are Armenians, said Chief of the RA Armed Forces General Staff
Mikael Harutyunyan.

ARMENIA POSITIVELY ASSESSES EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION ON TURKEY
PanARMENIAN.Net
29.09.2006 13:50 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia positively assesses the outcomes of the
European Parliament vote on the issue of Turkey’s recognition of the
Armenian Genocide, RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said in Yerevan
today. In his words, the withdrawal of the precondition does not
reflect the general tendency on the issue among the EU member states.
“The decision of the European Parliament is a serious political
document. It’s important not only for Turkey but also for any
other state. As a matter of fact Turkey is obliged to acknowledge
the Armenian Genocide and open the Armenian-Turkish border. The
political consequences of this decision are positive for Armenia,”
the RA FM said.