THEATRICAL FIGURES MARK TIGRAN LEVONIAN’S 70th BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY
Noyan Tapan
Oct 24 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The jubilee memorial event held
on October 23 at the Union of Theatrical Figures of Armenia was
dedicated to the 70th birthday anniversary of Tigran Levonian, a RA
People’s Artist, leading soloist and producer of the opera theater,
professor. In theatrical critic Haykaz Yeranosian’s words, the famous
artist was first on the stage with the part of Cavaradossi (Puccini
“Floria Tosca”) and charmed extremely pedantic Armenian spectators
and his partners. Then Levonian’s art became crystallized role by
role, became clear and joined famous singers’ voice. Having been
the leading tenor for many years, he personified with great success
the best parts of the national and world repertoire: Saro, Tirith,
Herman, Edgar, Don Carlos, Othello, etc. “The prominent singer was
gifted also with an actor’s exclusive talent: emotional inner world,
pleasant appearance, clear speech articulation and, added to all these,
astonishing diligence,” the speaker of the day emphasized. With all
these, however, a keen producer lived in T.Levonian’s deep essence what
is proved by about a dozen and a half of performances which he staged
at the Al.Spendiarian National Opera and Ballet State Academic Theater.
“Basis of Levonian’s producer work is music. Starting point of
the stage actions created by him and interpretation of characters
is music,” H.Yeranosian emphasized. Performances of Donizetti’s
“Poliuto” and Tigranian’s “Anush” operas were among the greatest
creative achievements of the artist.

FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF RA CONSULATE’S ACTIVITY MARKED IN INDIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Oct 24 2006
MUMBAI, OCTOBER 24, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A number of events
dedicated to the first anniversary of the RA Consulate’s activity
took place on October 18 and 19 in the city of Mumbai, India. Noyan
Tapan was informed about it by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department. During the main event held in the hall of the
“Taj President” hotel, Armen Bayburdian, the RA Deputy Minister of
Foreign Affairs, and Ashot Kocharian, the RA Ambassador to India,
expressed their high estimation on the occasion of the activity of
Harshad Mehta, the RA Honourary Consul in Mumbai, after what the
present level of the Armenian-Indian relations, mutual visits of
delegations of high-ranking officials and businessmen, possibilities
of implementation of envisaged programs and initiatives were touched
upon. Importance of works done during the year in the affair of
future promotion and widening of commercial-economic relations
was emphasized. Heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Mumbai,
diplomates, state officials, businessmen and entreprenuers participated
in the events. RA Deputy Foreign Minister A.Bayburdian and Ambassador
A.Kocharian had separate meetings with representatives of financial
and business circles of the state of Maharashtra. Details of possible
programs to be implemented with Armenia were discussed during the
meetings.

IT IS ENVISAGED BY DRAFT TO RA 2007 STATE BUDGET TO ALLOCATE ABOUT 27 BLN DRAMS FOR PAYMENT OF FAMILY BENEFIT AND ONE-OFF FINANCIAL AID
Noyan Tapan
Oct 24 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, NOYAN TAPAN. It is envisaged by the draft to the
RA 2007 state budget to allocate about 27 bln drams (about 70 mln
U.S. dollars) for financing payments of family benefit and one-off
financial aid. It is 9.2% more compared with the previous year. The
Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed about it by Astghik Minasian,
the Chief of the Social Assistance Department of the RA Ministry
of Labour and Social Issues. She also mentioned that the number of
families getting benefit reduced year by year: so, if 139 thousand
families got benefit during the last year, 132 thousand 400 people
got benefit this year, and according to the draft number, 125 thousand
families to get benefit are envisaged for 2007. In A.Minasian’s words,
the average number of family benefit makes at present 15 thousand
drams, and it will probably make 16.7 thousand drams in 2007. She
stated that it is envisaged to raise sizes of one-off financial aids
as well.

MEMORANDUM CONCERNING COOPERATION BETWEEN JUDICIAL SYSTEMS OF ARMENIA AND BELARUS SIGNED
Noyan Tapan
Oct 24 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The heads of upper judicial
instances of the Republics of Armenia and Belarus signed on October
24 a memorandum concerning cooperation and exchange of legal
information. A memorandum was signed on cooperation between the two
countries’ economic courts as well. In words of Hovhannes Manukian,
the Chairman of the RA Court of Cassation, the cooperation is not new,
the two countries cooperated within the framework of international
structures, particularly, the chairmen’s council of CIS economic,
arbitration and other courts. And by the mentioned memorandum, in his
words, cooperation of the two countries’ courts of common competence,
judicial systems is started. Valentin Sukalo, the Chairman of the
Supreme Court of Belarus, in his turn, estimated signing of the
memorandum as a new spur for bilateral cooperation. In his words,
approach of the two countries’ judicial systems and corresponding
legislation is important for development of effective cooperation.

KAREKIN II CATHOLICOS: “OUR PEOPLE IS OBLIGED WITH ITS EXISTENCE TO ARMENIAN TEACHER”
Noyan Tapan
Oct 24 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Secondary school teachers’
awarding took place on October 23 in the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin. According to the information submitted to Noyan Tapan
by the Information Services of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin,
this is the third competition of secondary school teachers being
held in Armenia by the RA Ministry of Education and Science, under
the patronage of Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians. According to the tradition, His Holiness himself gives
certificates and monetary prizes to the competition winners. Narine
Hovhannisian, the Comprehensive Department Chief of the RA Ministry of
Education and Science presented the “Best Teacher of Year” competition
program and done works. Then, the Catholicos of All Armenians and
Minister of Education and Science Levon Mkrtchian gave certificates and
encouraging prizes to 44 teachers of the “History of Armenian People,”
“History of Armenian Church,” “Armenian Language and Literature”
and natural sciences subjects. Irma and Silva Ter-Stepanians sisters
(U.S.), the sponsors of the “Best Teacher” competition were present at
the event. The methodological handbook to the “History of Armenian
Church” text-books was also published owing to the their honest
charity. Attaching importance to the close cooperation between the
Armenian Apostolic Surb Church and the RA Ministry of Education and
Science, L.Mkrtchian expressed deep gratitude to His Holiness for
the attention shown by him towards the educational sphere.
Addressing at the end of the ceremony his speech and commandment
to those present, Karekin II Catholicos said: “Being a teacher is
a great honour and responsibility: it means to bear responsibility
for the nation’s existence, quality of its existence. Our people is
obliged with its existence to the Armenian teacher. And thank God,
the history and culture of which our nation is proud, was created
owing to the Armenian people’s soul and idea, is a result of his
education and bringing up.” His Holiness expressed confidence
that the Armenian teacher must be able to create honest citizens,
an Armenian’s soul, must be able to nourish Armenian children from
the cleanest source of the Armenian people’s duration and identity,
characteristic and essence, from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
from where an Armenian’s soul and belief have got food for centuries.

NEW AGREEMENT TO BE SIGNED CONCERNING RA AND NKR COOPERATION IN EDUCATION SPHERE
Noyan Tapan
Oct 24 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Serious reforms take place today
in the educational field of Armenia, and their consonant responnse
in Nagorno Karabakh, where the system change is also a primary task,
is also important. It was mentioned at the October 23 meeting of Levon
Mkrtchian, the RA Minister of Education and Science, and Karo Atayan,
the NKR Minister of Education, Culture and Youth Issues. According
to the information submitted to Noyan Tapan by the RA Ministry of
Education and Science, programs of the two countries’ cooperation
in the education sphere during the coming years were discussed
at the meeting. The first program on the Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh cooperation in the sphere of education was signed still
in 1999. Summing up steps taken within its framework, the sides
discussed new programs to be implemented in the spheres of both
secondary education and higher one. An agreement was reached between
the Ministers to meet in Nagorno Karabakh during the second ten days
of November to fix the discussion results by a new document and adopt
the clear schedule of implementation of the programs.

BRITISH JOURNALIST CHARACTERIZES THE EVENTS OF 1915 AS “ARMENIAN HOLOCAUST”
ArmRadio.am
24.10.2006 13:27
During an event organized in the Kensington district of London
correspondent of the “Independent” newspaper in the Middle East Robert
Fisk came forward with a speech dedicated to the “Armenian Holocaust,”
as he characterized it.
The recent book by Robert Fisk titled “Great War for Civilization”
includes a chapter on the Armenian Genocide titled “The First
Holocaust.” The author presented his own activity for gathering facts
about the Armenian Genocide.
Fisk told how he found an Armenian common grave in Syria. For this
activity he was exiled from Turkey in early 1990s. Fisk attached great
importance to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, considering
it as a precondition for Turkey’s accession to the European Union. The
book will soon be published in Turkey, and the author has already been
cautioned that he may be called to responsibility in compliance with
Article 301 of the Penal Code. The journalist declared it will be a
great honor for his to defend his correctness before the Turkish Court.

ARMENIAN AND AZERI FMS TO HOLD NEXT ROUND OF TALKS TODAY
PanARMENIAN.Net
24.10.2006 12:44 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian and Azeri FMs Vartan Oskanian and Elmar
Mammadyarov will have another meeting in Paris today. The meeting is
within the settlement process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
The two Ministers will hold a tete-a-tete meeting, then they will be
joined by the OSCE MG co-chairs.
Besides, Armenian FM was scheduled to meet with his French counterpart
Philippe Douste-Blazy before the talks with Mammadyarov. The French
and Azeri FMs had met on October 23.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO PAY WORKING VISIT TO RUSSIA OCTOBER 30-31
PanARMENIAN.Net
24.10.2006 13:31 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian will pay a
working visit to Russia October 30-31, reports the Press Office of
the Russian Embassy to Armenia. The recurrent visit of the Armenian
leader is to enhance Russian-Armenian relations of complex partnership.
2005 was marked by the Year of Russia in Armenia, while 2006 is the
Year of Armenia in Russia. The Embassy noted that implementation
of large-scale events and actions promoted activation of relations
and cooperation. Urgent matters of bilateral cooperation will be
discussed during the visit of the Armenian leader. The implementation
of agreements at the highest levels for further building of the
Russian-Armenian interaction, specifically in energy, fuel and
transport will also be under consideration.
Exchange of views is planned to strengthen cooperation within the
CSTO. The meeting will also focus on CIS issues, specifically matters
of coordination of efforts to make situation in the Caucasus healthier,
build confidence to arrange cooperation in the region and conflict
settlement.
The solution of the Karabakh issue will be specially accentuated during
the talks in Moscow. “Welcoming the Armenian-Azeri dialogue at various
levels, first of all between the Presidents, Russia proceeds from
the conflict parties themselves should find a mutually acceptable
solution to the conflict. Russia is ready to actively assist it –
both bilaterally and as an OSCE MG co-chair,” the release says.

MOSCOW GEORGIANS CHANGE THEIR NAMES TO RUSSIAN ONES
Armenpress
Oct 24 2006
MOSCOW, OCTOBER 24, ARMENPRESS: Ethnic Georgians who have lived
in Russia’s capital city Moscow for decades are turning in mass to
registrars in a bid to change their Georgian first and second names
to Slavonic ones.
According to Ekho Moskvy radio station, every second registrar in
Moscow has received applications from Georgians wanting to change
their names. For example, a Georgian surname Gedechkori was changed
to the Russian Govorov, Turashvili to Turakov. This is not the whole
list of transformed surnames, but this ‘privilege’ is granted only
to Georgians living in Moscow, according to the Russian radio.
The renegade drive was strictly condemned by the Union of Georgian
Organizations of Moscow. “The hysteria will pass but the disgrace will
remain,” a source in the Union was quoted by Ekho Moskvy as saying.