MANY ART LOVERS ENJOY UNSEEN FRAMES OF SERGEY PARAJANOV’S
“COLOR OF POMEGRANATES” AT YEREVAN STATE PICTURE GALLERY
AZG Armenian Daily #140, 27/07/2006
Culture
The unseen working materials of Sergey Parajanov’s “The Colour of
Pomegranates” were shown to a large number of art lovers, today. “The
manuscripts do not burn. The same thing concerns the films,” Levon
Grigorian, film director, author of the film, said this at today’s
film session at the State Picture Gallery of Armenia. The new film
comprises of the unseen working materials of Parajanov’s film that
excluded by the Soviet censors. The famous film by Parajanov had quite
a tragic fate. The script to the film was approved in 1966, but later,
the CC of the Communist party accused Parajanov of the existence of
many mystical and erotic scenes in the film. The edited version of film
was given the IV category, which meant that the film crew were totally
deprived of their emoluments. The film was renamed from “Sayat Nova”
into “The Coulor of Pomegranates” and was issued in five copies. The
original version of the film existed for only 20 days, while the frames
excluded by the censors were considered lost till 1995. Only then
L.Grigorian learnt that a part of the working materials on the film
is kept in Armenia. “This is a genuine miracle! Till now I don’t know
who I shall be grateful to for that,” Grigorian said, explaining that
he found the lost frames quite accidentally. The film by Girgorian
lasts 26 minutes and consists of 6 stories based on the original
script by Parajanov. After the film session. Grigorian said that he
is currently working on the next film based on the same materials.
By Melania Badalian

ARMENIA REACTS TO A REQUEST OF ASSISTANCE BY LEBANON
Panorama.am
15:57 26/07/06
The Armenian government held a meeting today to discuss possibilities
of rendering humanitarian aid to Lebanon. Hovik Abrahamyan, Armenian
territorial administration minister, chaired the meeting.
Government press office told Panorama.am that the meeting discussed
coordination of assistance to be rendered to Lebanon upon her request
addressed to world states and the United Nations. The public officials
decided to provide Lebanon with medicine, equipment and tents. The
ministry of finance and economy will draft a decision to submit for
the approval of government session tomorrow. The humanitarian aid may
be transported to Aleppo as soon as late tomorrow on a special flight
if the government approves the draft decision tomorrow./Panorama.am/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

40 YOUNG PEOPLE FROM ARMENIAN PROVINCES VISIT COUNCIL OF EUROPE
INFORMATION OFFICE AS PART OF “YEREVAN IN 5 DAYS” PROGRAM
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JULY 26, ARMENPRESS: As part of “Yerevan in 5 Days: Youth
Civil Education” program, carried out by the USAID and Academy for
Educational Development (AED), 40 young people from the Armenian
provinces were hosted today in the Council of Europe Information
Office.
Boyana Urumova, Special Representative of the Council of Europe
Secretary General, presented to the young people the activity of the
organization, talked about its priorities and also referred to the
relations between Armenia and the Council of Europe.
The young people also got acquainted with the web site of the Council
of Europe Information Office and watched a film telling about Armenia
and the Council of Europe.
Within the framework of the program on July 25 the young people met
with the Armenian National Assembly Speaker Tigran Torosian.

ARMENIAN TOURISM TO RISE BY 25 PERCENT
Panorama.am
15:45 26/07/06
The first quarter of the year show that tourism has gone up by 15,3
percent. Some 46 023 tourists visited the country in the reporting
year, Karen Chshmarityan, minister of trade and economic development,
told a press conference today. Monitoring forecasts say the rise will
go up to 25 percent by the end of the year. Chshmarityan also said
that 42 675 tourists left Armenia in the first quarter of 2006.
Chshmarityan indicated that infrastructure development and a
number of other programs must be accomplished for the development
of tourism in Armenia. In his words, steps are taken to that
aim. Particularly, a video film picturing Armenia will be broadcast
by CNN soon. /Panorama.am/

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT TO SEND MEDICINES, TENTS AND EQUIPMENT TO LEBANON
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JULY 26, ARMENPRESS: A cohort of top government officials
met today to consider Armenia’s possibilities to send humanitarian
assistance to the war-stricken Lebanon. The government press office
said in response to the government of Lebanon’s appeal to the UN and
international community asking for emergency assistance the government
of Armenia considered the list of emergency aid asked by Lebanon and
ways to transport it from Armenia to Lebanon.
The government has decided to send medicines, tents and some equipment,
asked by Lebanon. The government session slated for tomorrow is
expected to adopt a relevant decision. To date 550 Armenian citizens
and Lebanese Armenians have been evacuated through Syrian Aleppo to
Armenia and also 54 Armenians from Israel.
Some 120 more are expected to arrive on July 27. Also 51 foreigners
have arrived here and have asked Armenian authorities for a temporary
asylum.
In a related development Armenian ambassador to Lebanon, Vahan
Ter-Ghevondian, told Armenpress by phone that the decision of the
government of Armenia to send humanitarian assistance to Lebanon was
welcomed in Beirut as a move on part of the friendly Armenian nation.
He said the embassy in Beirut is preparing to transport the medicines
and other assistance which are expected to arrive tomorrow in Aleppo
from Yerevan to Lebanon as quickly as possible.
The ambassador said the embassy continues registration of those
Armenians who wish to be evacuated to Armenia.

Armenian Presidential Advisor Calls on MP
Fars News Agency, Iran
June 26 2006
TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Armenian President’s Security Advisor met
with the member of the presiding board of Iran’s Islamic Consultative
Assembly here on Tuesday.
During the meeting the Iranian MP censured international bodies and
circles, the UN Security Council in particular, for their inaction
in the face of the Zionist regime’s invasion of Lebanon and stressed
that the UNSC has lost its status among the world nations.
“Recent conflicts proved that Israel is no longer the invincible
power of the region, while passage of time is detrimental to the
Zionist regime,” he said.
The parliament deputy reminded that Hezbollah’s resistance against the
Israeli regime is in fact defending all regional countries, because it
discourages the Zionist regime and the US from invading other states.
Elsewhere, Haji Baba’ee criticized United States’ unilateralism
policy, stressing that turning the globe into a unilateral world is
the greatest threat to the international community.
Noting the deployment of foreign troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, he
reminded that whenever alien forces have been deployed in the region,
they have endangered the security of regional nations.
The MP underlined that regional nations inherit ancient and rich
cultures and they are, thus, able to solve their problems.
In another part, he expressed pleasure with the developing trend of
the two countries’ relations and said that despite the expansion and
development of the existing ties, there are still abundant untouched
possibilities and potentials, specially in economic grounds, which
should be utilized for the sake of the promotion of the existing ties.
The member of the parliament’s presiding board viewed North-South
axis as significant for the regional countries and, noting Armenia’s
important role in the reinvigoration of the said axis, he stressed
that more attention should be paid to this issue.
Referring to Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities and programs, he said,
“As the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Secretary-General
has confirmed, there exists no diversion in Iran’s peaceful nuclear
plans and Tehran has complied with all the rules and regulations
stipulated in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).”
The legislative official underscored that the United Nations Security
Council cannot force Iran to ignore its national interests.
For his part, Armenian President’s Security Advisor Ghoulian stressed
his country’s enthusiasm for developing all-out ties with the Islamic
Republic of Iran and stated that Armenia is delighted to see a

NKR PRESIDENT GREETS ARFD GREEK YOUTH UNION’S DECISION TO INCLUDE ARTSAKH IN ITS ANNUAL TRAVELS
STEPANAKERT, JULY 26, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On July 26,
NKR President Arkady Ghukasian received the delegation of ARF
Dashnaktsutiun Greek Youth Union that had arrived in Artsakh on a
cognitive visit.
Arkady Ghukasian greeted the Union’s decision to include Artsakh in
its annual travels and said that such visits if paid frequently will
continue the goo d traditions among Diasporan youth and will strengthen
the contacts of the inhabitants of Artsakh with the Greek community.
As NT was informed by NKR President’s Acting Spokesperson, at the
request of those present, the head of the country touched upon the
sources of the Nagorno Karabakh movement and answered a number of
questions regarding the past and the future.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IMF REPRESENTATIVE HIGHLY ESTIMATES COOPERATION WITH RA GOVERNMENT
YEREVAN, JULY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. James McHugh, Resident Representative
of IMF finishing his mission in Armenia, highly estimated cooperation
with RA government at the July 26 meeting with RA Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian. He said that many joint programs have been realized
and gave results in these years.
James McHugh presented the Minister new Resident Representative
of IMF to Armenia, Nienke A. Oomes. Congratulating on the occasion
of his appointment, RA Foreign Minister wished him success in his
responsible mission.
According to the report provided to NT from RA Foreign Ministry Press
and Information Department, at the guests’ request V.Oskanian briefly
presented the process of Nagorno Karabakh settlement.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT GIVEN FOREIGN AND HOME CURRENCY Ba2 RATINGS
YEREVAN, JULY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The Moody’s Investor Service
international rating organization gave the Armenian government foreign
and home currency Ba2 ratings. This was said at the July 25 joint press
conference of RA Minister of Finance and Economy Vardan Khachatrian
and CBA Chairman Tigran Sargsian. The Moody’s Investor Service for
the first time estimates the reliability of the Armenian government
as a debtor.
According to T.Sargsian, the above mentioned rating is higher than the
same rating given to many CIS countries. When calculating the Armenian
rating they took into account the country’s progress since 1995 when
the 7-year period of economic recession caused by the collapse of the
Soviet Union came to the end. It was also taken into consideration
that starting 2001, 10% and more growth of GDP was registered in the
country. At the same time, the inflation was low, dram appreciated
in conditions of cautious monetary-credit and tax-budget policy. The
low index of foreign debt/GDP ratio contributed to receiving a high
rating. This ratio in 2005 made 23%. At that, 90% of the debt was given
by preferential terms, is long-term and has minimum expenditures of
debt service.
According to the sectors of the financial market, in the total
rating of Armenia the possible highest ratings were given for the
reliability of medium-term and long-term bonds, debt in local currency,
bank deposits in local currency. The reliability of bank deposits in
foreign currency in Armenia was also highly appreciated. According to
the conclusions of Moody’s, Armenia has stable development prospect
on the line of all above mentioned ratings.
At the same time, it was mentioned at the press conference that
the unstable regional geopolitical situation, insufficient level of
development of the Armenian securities market, high level of Armenian
economy’s dollarization had a negative impact on the rating given to
Armenia by Moody’s.
To recap, this year Armenia for the first time has received a rating
of reliability as a debtor by the Fitch organization as well.

ARMENIAN STOCK EXCHANGE TO BE INCLUDED IN OMX STRUCTURES BY END OF 2006
YEREVAN, JULY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. It is planned that by the end of the
year the Armenian stock exchange will be included in the structures
of Swedish-Finnish OMX AB company of financial services. CBA Chairman
Tigran Sargsian reported this at the July 25 press conference. In
his words, at present OMX is studying the potential of Armenian
securities market.
According to CBA Chairman, cooperation with OMX pursues the goal
to establish contacts with Armenian and international financial,
in particular, securities markets.
To recap, stock exchanges of Sweden, Finland, Copenhagen, Vilnius,
Tallin and Riga make part of OMX structures.