OSKANIAN: ONE MAY NOT DEPRIVE PEOPLES OF SELF-DETERMINATION RIGHT, SIMPLY COMING OUT OF POLITICAL APPROPRIATENESS
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 25 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
participated on September 22-23 in the 10th Bertelsmann forum held
in Berlin.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Prime
Minister of France Dominique de Villepin, EU Commission Chairman Jose
Manuel Barroso and Prime Minister of Belgium Guy Verhofstadt made
opening speeches as the “Europe’s Strategic Responses” international
conference. The conference at which more that 100 politicians were
present, including former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany
Hans-Dietrich Genscher and former U.S. Secretary of State Henry
Kissinger, was dedicated to prospects of the “Europe’s Strategic
Responses.”
Minister Oskanian participated in a discussion on the theme
“The Balkans – The Black Sea: Litmus Test for Europe”, in which
the Presidents of Bulgaria, Romania and Azerbaijan and the Prime
Minister of Montenegro participated as well. During the discussion
Minister Oskanian affirmed that an effective implementation of the
EU New Neighborhood Policy, practical approach to conflicts and
completeness and functioning of the Black Sea region are a litmus
test of the region for Europe.
During an active discussion on the Kosovo issue, Minister Oskanian
warned that one may not deprive people of the self-determination
right, simply coming out of political appropriateness. “If the world
was led by a fear of creating new precedents, a half of the world
states would not exist. At the same time clear standards must be the
main principles of which the issue will be if the state has a moral
authority of existence,” V.Oskanian mentioned.

WE WILL NOT HAVE DEVELOPED AGRICULTURE WITHOUT A DEVELOPED VILLAGE, ADVISOR TO ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER SAYS
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 25 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The second international
Armagroforum allowed Armenian agricultural organizations to reach
numerous agreements with foreign businessmen and organizations. The
Armenian Minister of Agriculture Davit Lokian stated this at the
concluding plenary sitting of the forum on September 23. He announced
that the next Armagroforum will be held in 2008.
According to the minister, the forum participants discussed a number of
issues, particularly those related to agrarian reforms, agricultural
processing, food safety, export of agricultural products, etc. In his
words, these problems will be solved only if the legislative field on
agriculture will be regulated in Armenia. It was noted that a draft
law on foodstuffs safety is now in circulation in the RA National
Assembly, and the Armenian government will submit the draft law on
corporation by December of this year.
Advisor to the Armenian Prime Minister Vladimir Movsisiab said that
although some progress has been made in the Armenian agriculture
there are still many problems that cannot be solved in one or three
years. In his words, the sphere of agriculture is in urgent need of
capital investments that should be aimed at developing the agrarian
sector. V. Movsisian underlined that there is no point in speaking
about development of the Armenian agriculture if these investments
are not used efficiently. “The state must do everything to develop
the agricultural sphere, becuse if we do not have a developed village,
we’ll not have developed agriculture,” V. Movsisian said.

ALINA RUBINIAN TAKES SECOND PLACE AT KARATE SHITO-RYU STYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 25 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian national
team of karate shito-ryu style returned to Yerevan on September
25. It participated in the 5th World Championship in Tokyo. As NT
correspondent was informed by team coach Armen Gasparian, delegates of
40 countries took part in the championship. Armenia was represented by
4 sportsmen. Only Alina Rubinian (Maralik) among them took the second
place in the competition among 15-16-year-old participants. The other
3 sportsmen did not receive any medals.

EXHIBITION OF ARMENIAN WINES AND SOUVENIRS TO BE HELD IN BRATISLAVA ON SEPTEMBER 26
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 25 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. An exhibition of Armenian wines
and articraft articles will be held on September 26 in Bratislava, the
capital of Slovakia. Mushegh Sargsian, Director for Export Promotion of
the Armenian Development Agency (ADA), told NT correspondent about it.
According to him, in particular the wine “Areni” will be on display
at the exhibition, as there are no wines of this type on the market
of Slovakia, a wine making country. “If we are able to enter this
market with several types of “Areni”, we’ll consider our attempt as
successful,” M. Sargsian noted.
He added that the studies in Slovakia showed that Armenian articraft
articles and souvenirs (items made of wood, metal, carpets) are quite
popular in this country.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“PSYCHOSIS 4.48” PERFORMANCE OF SUNDUKIAN THEATER AWARDED “BEST DIRECTOR” PRIZE AT CAIRO INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 25 2006
CAIRO, SEPTEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On participation
of the G.Sundukian Academic Theater in the Cairo International Festival
of Theater
By the invitation of the Ministry of Culture of Egypt, the National
Academic Theater after G.Sundukian participated on September 10-20
at the International Festival of Experimental Theater taken place
in Cairo.
According to the information submitted to Noyan Tapan by the RA Foreign
Ministry’s Press and Information Department, 9-person group arrived
from Armenia which was headed by producer-director Suren Shahverdian,
performed “Psychosis 4.48” work during the festival and was awarded
the “Best Director” prize.
Farouk Hosni, the Minister of Culture of Egypt, himself handed the
prize to S.Shahverdian at the solemn closing ceremony of the festival.

EVENTS OF YEAR OF ARMENIA START IN LOIRE
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 25 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. After the press
conference held in the Foreign Ministry of France on September 12,
where the program of the Year of Armenia in France was officially
presented, different French regions announce at the local level
start of the Year of Armenia which involves about 500 events in 125
French cities.
As they inform from the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information
Department, RA Ambassador to France Edvard Nalbandian’s and Mayor,
Senator Michel Thiolliere’s press conference dedicated to start
of the Year of Armenia in the region of Loire took place in Saint
Etienne on September 18. Few dozens of events envisaged in Saint
Etienne and neighboring cities within the framework of the year were
presented during the press conference, then the RA Ambassador and
Mayor responded journalists’ questions.
Few hundreds of journalists, deputies, heads of local self-government
bodies, state and political figures, representatives of the Armenian
community were present at the press conference.
Start of the Year of Armenia in other regions of France is expected
during the coming days.

GURGEN DALIBALTAYAN’S MONUMENT TO BE ERECTED IN AKHALKALAK
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 25 2006
AKHALKALAK, SEPTEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Works of
erecting a monument to Gurgen Dalibaltayan, a famous Armenian of
Javakhk, person having great contribution in the Karabakh war, Colonel
General of the Soviet Army started in Akhalkalak. The General’s 80th
birthday anniversary is marked this year.
According to the “A-Info” agency, the height of the monument is 8
meters: it will face Western Armenia.
“We hope that works will be completedc in time to be able to erect
the monument, bad weather may become the only circumstance laying
obstacles,” monument authir Levon Mkrtchian said.

ARMENIAN YOUTH IS UNITED
Norair Hovsepian
Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Sept 25 2006
On September 16 and 17, on the eve of the third Armenia-Diaspora
forum the founding meeting of the Association of Youth Organizations
of the World Armenian Congress took place in Yerevan. The chair of
the World Armenian Congress Ara Abrahamian, other persons in charge,
the president of the Academy Radik Martirossian were also present
in the meeting, which was held at the Armenian National Academy
of Sciences. The representatives of 11 organizations forming the
association, 59 out of the invited 63 delegates were present. These
are youth NGOs of Yerevan and the regions of Armenia, Artsakh and the
Armenian community of Georgia. There were two NGOs from Artsakh, Haik’s
Generation and Unity. The president of the World Armenian Congress
Ara Abrahamian pointed out the importance of this initiative and
assured that today’s challenges are equally important. The president
of the WAC believes that the idea of uniting the youth is highly
important. He also called for considering pros and cons before taking
a step. The second part of the meeting was full of heated debates
and discussions. The array of challenges the new association faces
requires flexibility of organizing the work of the association.
Every structural problem was discussed separately. A board of 11
members was elected, one from each NGO. The board elected Atom
Mkhitarian president of the association. It was decided that the
president with his two assistants and the secretary will carry
out the leadership of the association for the time being, later
structural changes are possible. The draft bylaws of the Association
were presented to the members of the association to come up with
proposals within 10 days. The association is open to everyone and
calls the Armenian young people all over the world for cooperation.

ARMENIAN SERVICEMAN DEAD IN THE RESULT OF THE CEASE-FIRE VIOLATION
Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 25 2006
A ceasefire violation by the Azeri armed forces was fixed September
23 at 1.30 p.m. local time. “Armenpress” was told at the PR and
Information Department of the Ministry of Defense that in the result
of the fire opened in the direction of Ijevan serviceman Garnik Melyan
aged 42 was wounded in the chest and died.

DISCUSSION ON MEDIA SELF-REGULATION HELD IN YEREVAN
Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 25 2006
Media accountability, best practices regarding self-regulation
mechanisms, particularly for public broadcasters were discussed at
a meeting that took place in Yerevan over the weekend.
It brought together journalists and managers of the Public TV and Radio
Company of Armenia (PTRC) and other Armenian media, representatives
of international and non-governmental organizations.
They discussed the possibility of introducing an internal
ombudsperson’s institution for the public broadcaster, professional
ethics and the need to develop a professional Code of Conduct in
the PTRC.
“Journalistic ethics and self-regulation plays a significant role
in the development of a professional, independent and accountable
media,” said Blanka Hancilova, Democratization Programme Officer at
the OSCE Office in Yerevan. “We hope that this meeting helped to
identify mechanisms for institutionalizing media self-regulation,
which will enhance compliance with professional ethics.”
Boris Navasardian, President of the Yerevan Press Club, added: “Media
self-regulation in Armenia will not only raise accountability of the
different news outlets, but will also strengthen their independence.”
The two-day event, “Introduction of self-regulatory mechanisms in
Armenian media,” was organized by the OSCE Office, the Yerevan Press
Club, PTRC, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization’s Office in Moscow.
Jeffrey Dvorkin, the first ombudsman of the US National Public Radio
and executive director of the Committee of Concerned Journalists,
and Ian Mayes, president of the international Organization of News
Ombudsmen and the Guardian newspaper ombudsman shared their experience.