EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO NKR INDEPENDENCE 15th ANNIVERSARY OPENS AT RA NATIONAL LIBRARY
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The exhibition that opened on
September 4 at RA National Library is dedicated to the 15th anniversary
of NKR independence. Literature, magazines, publications dedicated to
Artsakh history are presented at the exhibition. Separate departments
are dedicated to struggle for Artsakh liberation, in particular, to
its heroes, to Shoushi liberation. As Levon Shirinian, candidate of
philosophical sciences, said, no issue has been and will be solved
in Armenian-Turkish relations without using force. In his words,
Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s becoming democratic countries is an illusion.
In L.Shirinian’s opinion, one of solutions to the Nagorno Karabakh
problem is Armenian side’s continuing military, economic pressures
and forcing Azerbaijan to sign a reconciliation agreement. “The other
variant is status quo. We should preserve the current frozen state,
status quo and this idea will become fixed in the consciousness of
the world community and Azerbaijani people,” L.Shirinian said.

SYRIAN MUFTI LAYS WREATH TO MONUMENT OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 04 2006
ECHMIADZIN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On September 3,
Sheikh Ahmed Badr-Eddine Hassoun, the Grand Mufti of the Arab Republic
of Syria, and his delegation visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial
Complex dedicated to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims. As
Noyan Tapan was informed from the Information Services of the Mother
See of Holy Echmiadzin, Sheikh Hassoun visited the Genocide Museum
where he made notes at the museum memory book.
Then the Syrian Mufti laid a wreath to the memorial to the Armenian
Genocide victims and paid the tribute of his respect to the memory
of Genocide victims.
“…If the peoples had really followed their religions… these
massacres would not have taken place. The Armenian people should
recover from this pain and build Armenia in peace,” Sheikh Ahmed
Badr-Eddine Hassoun, in particular, said expressing confidence that
the Armenian people, wherever it be in the Diaspora, should extend
a helping hand to help to restore the Mother Armenia.
“Our pains did not teach us hatred but guided our people to follow
the divine way,” the Syrian Mufti emphasized.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA FOREIGN MINISTER TO MEET WITH CULTURAL FIGURES IN CONNECTION WITH FORTHCOMING ARMENIA-DIASPORA FORUM
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. In connection
with the Armenia-Diaspora forum to be held on September 18-20, RA
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian will meet with representatives of
Armenian creative unions and cultural figures on September 5. Noyan
Tapan was informed about it from RA Foreign Ministry Press and
Information Department.

FOOD COMMODITY PRICES GROW BY 2.2% IN ARMENIA IN AUGUST 2006 ON DECEMBER 2005
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. A 2.2% price growth was registered
in the Armenian food commodity market in August 2006 compared
with December 2005, and a 8.9% price growth – compared with August
2005. According to the RA National Statistical Service, a 2% decline in
the prices of food commodities was registered in Armenia in August 2006
on July 2006, which is by 0.5% lower than the price fall index (2.5%)
of the same months of 2005. The prices of vegetables and potato grew
by 49.2% in August 2006 on the same month of 2005, those of cabbage –
2.3fold, of carrot – 1.8fold, beet – 1.8fold, cucumber – by 40.9%,
garlic – 30.4%, onion – 22.7%, tomato – 16.7% and the prices of green
pepper grew by 3.6%. The 25.2% price growth registered in the fruit
commodity group in August 2006 on August 2005 was due to an increase
in the prices of strawberry (42.1%), apple (50.3%), pear (52%), peach
(61.8%), apricot (2.4fold), melon (74.5%), banana (28.4%) and orange
(30.8%). The prices of fish products grew by 30.8% in August 2006 on
the same month of last year. The increase in the price of granulated
sugar made 35.2% over the same period, and 30.7% in August 2006 on
December 2005. The prices of meat products grew by 2.6% in August
2006 on December 2005 and by 4.7% on August 2005. The average price
of eggs grew by 14.4% in August 2006 on the same month of last year.

YEREVAN MAYOR’S OFFICE TAKES ALL MEASURES TO REGULATE STREET TRADE
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Yerevan Mayor’s Office is taking
all measures aimed at street trade regulation. Karen Gevorgian, head
of the Trade and Service Department of Yerevan’s Mayor Office, stated
this at the September 4 press conference. According to him, citizens
should be aware that foodstuffs and fast food sold in the streets
are harmful to health because their preparation and sale is done in
conditions not in line with sanitary and hygiene norms. K. Gevorgian
said that ckeck-ups are now being conducted at various trade and
service facilities of Yerevan. Stock taking of all trade and service
kiosks and pavilions of the city will be completed by 2008. In
his words, 48 trade kiosks in Komitas Avenue have been dismantled,
and another 70 will be modernized. The regulaion process is under
way in Kochinian, Baghramian, Sundukian, Isakov, Abovian, Koryun and
Acharian Streets. The department head underlined that this work will
help regulate street trade. On the instructions of Yerevan Mayor,
the state of the city’s undercrossings was studied as well, which,
according to K. Gevorgian, are in poor condition and it is time for
all these underground crossings to undergo repair. K. Gevorgian said
that Yerevan Mayor’s Office recently received a lot of complaints from
citizens regarding various bakeries, chemical cleaning points and night
clubs functioning in the basements of residential buildings. According
to him, these complaints are reasonable, as no proper control is
implemented by the mayor’s office in this respect. It was noted
that from now on these facilities will be under control of Yerevan
Mayor’s Office.

ONLY EDGAR YENOKIAN OUT OF 8 ARMENIAN WRESTLERS MANAGES TO STAND ON PEDESTAL OF HONOR AT WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
GUATEMALA, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The participants of the free-style
wrestling world youth championship completed their competition on
September 4 in Guatemala. Edgar Yenokian (84 kg, Yerevan) peformed
successfully among 4 representatives of Armenia. He gained 3 victories,
was defeated once and took 3rd place winning a bronze medal. So,
only 1 among 8 Armenian representatives of Greco-Roman and free-style
wrestling managed to stand on the pedestal of honor at the world
championship.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN FIGURE SKATER YOUNGEST AT WORLD CUP TOURNAMENT
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
COURCHEVEL, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. A regular tour of world cup
tournament of young figure skaters ended in the French city of
Courchevel.
Representative of Armenia, pupil of Yerevan Shengavit prefecture figure
skating school Armine Stamboltsian took 20th place in individual
skating among 33 participants. 14-year-old Armine was the youngest
among the figure skaters in the competition.

VARTAN OSKANIAN EMPHASIZES TOPICALITY OF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OF RURAL COMMUNITIES
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “The third
Armenia-Diaspora forum coincides with the celebration of the 15th
anniversary of Armenian independence and this is an occasion to
cast a retrospective look and to estimate the way passed, as well as
to try to determine our mistakes and to outline our future steps,”
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian declared at the September
4 meeting with scientists at the National Academy of Sciences of
Armenia. He presented the forum agenda and explained that this year it
is planned to pay much attention to discussion of general issues and
first of all to implementation of concrete programs. In particular,
the minister pointed to the topicality of the development program of
rural communities, within the framework of implementation of which it
is planned to provide assistance to 50 villages. In response to the
question of one of the scientists, why the problems of the Georgian
region of Samtskhe-Javakheti populated with Armenians are ignored at
such forums, the minister said that, of course, this problem concerns
Georgia, but Armenia cannot remain indifferent to the fate of its
compatriots and much is being done in this direction. “But subtlety
should be shown here. We cannot take unanimous steps. After all,
there are interstate relations and in consideration of the current
geopolitical situation in our country, including the Nagorno Karabakh
problem, we should show extreme caution in our relations with Georgia,”
Vartan Oskanian declared. Issues relating to dual citizenship were
also paid a special attention at the meeting. In the minister’s words,
the law “On Dual Citizenship” should never contain provisions that
can have a negative impact on the state security of Armenia. “It is
good that the forum will be held soon and this will enable to discuss
the issue at the forum and to hear the voice of the Diaspora.” Vartan
Oskanian said that the number of registered participants of the forum
has reached one and a half thousand, but this is not the final number
yet. He did not exclude that this number can reach two thousand.

SEVEN LEGISLATIVE PACKAGES ON MOTOR TRANSPORT TO BE SUBMITTED TO NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR DISCUSION
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. With the aim of regulating the
motor transport sector, seven legislative packages will be submitted
to the National Assembly for discussion at the upcoming session. Karlen
Sahakian, member of the Transport and Communication Ministry’s working
group developing these legislative packages, stated this during
a round table at the Club of Economic Reporters on September 4. He
attached special importance to the draft law on motor transport. Arshak
Petrosian, Deputy Head of the ministry’s Transport Inspection, said
that there are currently 210 bus routes and 110 minibus routes in the
Armenian marzes, except Yerevan. 976 buses and minibuses run on these
routes. 120 buses and 3,300 minibuses operate each day in Yerevan.

OVER 50 PARTIES AND NGOs EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR ORINATS YERKIR’S INITIATIVE
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Heads and representtaives of 14
parties, including ARF Dashnaktsutyun, People’s Party of Armenia,
United Labor Party, National Self-Determination Union, National
Democratic Union, and the Republic Party, as well as of various NGOs
took part in a discussion organized by the RA National Assembly Orinats
Yerkir faction on September 4 within the framework of the initiative
“Political Process in the Name of Legal Elections”.
The main directions of the initiative are amendments to the Electoral
Code to bring it in line with international standards, and a wide
consensus amond parties in support of reforms in the parliament
and ouside it; an efficiently functioning system of training of
election commissions’ members to ensure fair treatment of all parties;
transparency of the election process, efficient mechanisms of public
control; free activities of the mass media, civil society and other
institutions in the election process, which presupposes a number of
legislative amendments. According to the press service of the Orinats
Yerkir Party, over 50 parties, including the Constitutional Law Union,
the Democratic Path Party, the Dashink (Alliance) Party, and several
NGOs, have expressed their support for the initiative. However, not
all those intending to participate in the discussion succeeded in
doing so because the National Assembly did not allocate a hall for the
discussion to be held. According to the same source, presenting their
positions, the discussion participants attached special importance to
measures to ensure the legality of elections, approved the Initiative
in the Name of Legal Elections and discussed the mechanisms of their
possible cooperation in the future.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress