ARMENIAN MINISTER OF JUSTICE HAS NO PLANS TO BECOME A PRESIDENT
Panorama.am
14:46 25/07/06
Armenian minister of justice David Harutunyan shared his political
plans with reporters today, saying he does not intend to become the
president of Armenia.
Harutunyan said there are a number of newly establishing parties
which he may think to team up with when asked if he may join Gagik
Tsarukyan’s new party “Prosperous Armenia.” However, he also said
there are a number of other parties he will definitely not join.
The minister refrained to share his political priorities promising
to inform reporters about it when he decides on his next step. “If I
decide to stay in politics, I will definitely team up with a party,” he
said, also saying he has already made up his mind to stay in politics.
Harutunyan informed the reporters that he is not going to create
his own political movement, saying “this notion has lost its value
in Armenia.”/Panorama.am/
From: Baghdasarian

RPA ELECTS PARTY BOARD HEADED BY SERGE SARGSIAN
YEREVAN, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. “Today the Republican Party of Armenia
has 30 thousand members, the party has 61 territorial organizations
and more than 800 primary ones,” RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian,
Chairman of RPA, declared on July 22, at the opening of the 10th
special congress of RPA.
According to him, the convocation of the party’s special congress
is conditioned by two main reasons. The first is connected with the
necessity to make changes in the party program, in particular, to make
some provisions more harmonious with the main ideological directions
accepted in the world today. And the second citcumstance is to make
changes to the regulations, in particular, to restore the status
of Chairman of party Board, which, according to Andranik Margarian,
will enable to involve wider layers of party members in the system
of party’s horizontal government.
The congress held with participation of 723 delegates adopted changes
to the party regulations and elected 15 people to the party Board,
the Chairman of which became Serge Sargsian, RA Defence Minister,
Chairman of the National Security Council under RA President. Among
newly elected members of the Board are MPs Haroutiun Pambukian,
Ruben Hayrapetian, Sasun Mikayelian, RA Minister of Economy and
Finance Vardan Khachatrian, Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharian, Prefect
of Yerevan Kentron community Gagik Beglarian and others.

JEWELS OF 1 MLN USD SOLD MONTHLY IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Though jewels of about 1 mln USD are
sold monthly in Armenia, local production of precious stones falls
into decay. As Gagik Abrahamian, Chairman of Board of Directors of DCA
company, informed at the July 21 press conference, reduction of diamond
production is conditioned by the crisis on the international market. It
resulted in decrease of Shoghakn’s and DCA’s production volumes,
the concrete amounts of which G.Abrahamian did not want to publicize.
He expressed the hope that this crisis is temporary. It was also
mentioned that DCA tries to fill in this gap by increasing volumes
of production of jewelry wares.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SMOLENSKIYE BRILIANTY SHOP OPENS IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Smolenskiye Brilianty jewelry shop
opened in Yerevan on July 21. It will enable to create another 200 jobs
at DCA company on procession of diamonds. As Gagik Abrahamian, Chairman
of Board of Directors of DCA, said at the July 21 press conference,
creation of new jobs will enable the plant to serve the whole network
of Smolenskiye Brilianty shops in Saint Petersburg, Minsk, Krasnoyarsk.
Maxim Shkadov, Chairman of Russian Union of Diamond Manufacturers,
said that the Crystal jewelry center (it produces Smolensk diamonds)
is a state enterprise and provides 50% of diamond production of
Russia. Its annual commodity circulation is 500 mln USD.
M.Shkadov considered opening of the shop in Yerevan as result of good
cooperation and a regular Russian investment. By the way, the prices
of jewels sold at the shop are from 300 to 30 thousand USD.

CEREMONY OF FIRST STONE LAYING IN FOUNDATION OF SAINT BLESSED VIRGIN CHURCH
TAKES PLACE IN STEPANAKERT
STEPANAKERT, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. On July 22, a ceremony of solemn
laying of the first stone in the foundation of cathedral church of
Saint Blessed Virgin took place in Stepanakert, the capital of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic. Catholicos of All-Armenians Garegin II
was invited to the NKR to consecrate the construction of the church.
Opening the ceremony Leader of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian
Apostolic Church Pargev Martirossian stressed the historical
significance of the construction of the church in the capital of the
independent NKR.
Having consecrated the church’s foundation Catholicos of All-Armenians
Garegin II said: “The Saint Armenian Apostolic Church is a brave and
perfect soldier, who has fought for its people, inspired its struggle
for freedom and independent statehood for centuries. In our history our
people sometimes lost wars thus loosing statehood but never lost its
faith. All the victories in our history were gained with faith. With
this faith freedom-loving sons of Artsakh gained their right to live
free and independently.”
According to NKR Foreign Ministry Press Service, NKR President Arkady
Ghoukassian, National Assembly Chairman Ashot Ghoulian, government
members, respected citizens and guests of the NKR capital laid
sanctified stones in the foundation of the church.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

55 ARMENIAN PASSENGERS ARRIVED IN YEREVAN FROM TEL AVIV BY ARMAVIA’S SPECIAL FLIGHT
YEREVAN, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. On July 23, 55 Armenian passengers,
including several children, arrived in Armenia from Tel Aviv by
Armavia’s special flight. As Sargis Mailian, Head of the Company’s
Commercial Service, informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent, the
flight was made at the local Armenians’ request with the support of
the Armenian government.
S.Mailian also mentioned that during the last ten days 418 Armenians
came to Armenia by Armavia’s airplanes. In his words, it is envisaged
to make Yerevan-Aleppo special flight in the July 24 evening. It is
not excluded that one flight will be implemented on July 25.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DIASPORAN TEACHERS MEET WITH ARMENIAN WRITERS
YEREVAN, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On July 21,
teachers of Armenological subjects with Armenian colleges,
schools, kindergardens and other educational institutions abroad,
who participate in the courses held in Armenia, met with writers at
the Union of Writers of Armenia (UWA).
Levon Ananian, President of the UWA, expressing gratitute to the
Diasporan writers for their great devotion to the preservation of
the Armenian spirit abroad, mentioned that during the last period
the Armenian ubringing has become a problem in the diaspora, as
the foreign influence increases and the devoted persons of Armenian
observance issue decrease.
L.Ananian also attached importance to the fact that due to support
of the RA Government and Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin it became
possible to organize this annual training courses.
Writer Pertch Zeituntsian, attaching importance to the meeting,
mentioned that the teachers personally have possibility to express
their concerns or opinions to the modern writers about their works
and in general about Armenian literature. “The best writer is also
the best teacher. The teacher is the first person to help the young
Armenians abroad being Armenian and bring them up in Armenian way,”
said the writer.
At present 71 Diasporan teachers from 13 countries take training
coarses in Armenia. Courses are held on subjects “Modern Armenian
language”, “Armenian Literature”, “History of Armenian Nation”,
“Geography”, “Pedagogics and Phycology”, “History of Armenian Church”,
“Pre-school pedagogics and phycology”, “Painting”,”Musical Upbringing”.
It is the fifth year of the program implementation, and since the
last year the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin helps solve a number of
problems including the one-month staying of the participants. This
year also the courses will be held in the Gevorgian seminary. They
will finish on August 17.

PREMIERE OF “LAMB” BY TIGRAN MANSURIAN TAKES PLACE AT 15th COMPETITION AFTER OLEG KAGAN IN GERMANY
YEREVAN, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The premiere of the “Lamb” work by
Tigran Mansurian took place at the 15th festival after world-famous
violin-player Oleg Kagan held on July 1-15 in Germany. The festival
with the motto “Music for a Friend” opened with another work by
T.Mansurian, “Posludia.”
As T.Mansurian informed at the July 21 press conference, the “Lamb”
was created by the order of festival organizers. It was also mentioned
that the Armenian composer was the only one who received an order to
create a work specially for the festival.
T.Mansurian cooperates with Munich ECM company. The latter periodically
releases his CDs that are spread all over the world. ECM has released 5
CDs by T.Mansurian and next year will release the CD of the “Lamb.” “I
have never seen such attention towards my creation. I am glad that
my works are spread in the U.S., in Europe,” the composer emphasized.
According to T.Mansurian, a new creative period started for him
after the independence. “I am an independent person and never wait
for anybody’s honorarium or evaluation. I wish this independence was
given to me some decades ago when I had more opportunities to create
and to introduce myself to the world,” T.Mansurian said. T.Mansurian
is convinced that today’s young creators have more opportunities to
gain fame and to present their art in the homeland and abroad.

SERGE SARGSIAN REFUTES RUMOURS ABOUT CONFLICTS BETWEEN HIM AND PRESIDENT
YEREVAN, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. “The Republican Party of Armenia is the
most influential political force. Of course, we have many problems but
I think we cannot compare Armenia of 2006 with Armenia of 2004 or
2002: the developments in the country are evident,” Serge Sargsian,
Chairman of RPA Board, RA Defence Minister, declared at the July 22
press briefing held after the party’s special 10th congress.
He declared that he does not consider himself the factual head of
the party: “Starting this day I can be considered one of party’s
leaders.” In response to the question, how he managed to lead to RPA
so many politicians and businessmen, Serge Sargsian advised to ask
them about it and at the same time added: “Maybe this is one of the
traits of my character.”
As for the question, whether such strong personalities as he and
Andranik Margarian can “boil in the same copper” Serge Sargsian
answered “yes.” In his opinion, the Armenian public needs a strong
team for orienting itself in complicated issues: “I think we laid
a basis for creating these forces.”
As for his interrelations with the President, Serge Sargsian declared
that there are no conflicts between them: “I don’t understand why
there should be any conflicts. I have repeatedly said that RPA has its
program, its directions and we will work irrespective of the fact how
the others work. What conflict do you speak about?” He also emphasized
that he has never violated the subordination during 18 years of his
activity. Answering the question about the possibility of cooperation
between RPA and the Bargavach Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia) party,
the Defence Minister said that nothing should be excluded.
It was unexpected for the Defence Minister that RA President Robert
Kocharian did not address a greeting to the congress. According to
Serge Sargsian, now the President is on a short leave and after
his return will show his attitude to the congress. He refuted the
rumours that the President is not ill indeed and assured that the
President has an influenza.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ANDRANIK MARGARIAN: APPROACHES PROPOSED BY CO-CHAIRS PERHAPS WOULD BE
ACCEPTABLE IF AZERBAIJAN HAD NOT REJECTED THEM
YEREVAN, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “The peaceful
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh settlement remains the first
and foremost task for our state and public,” Andranik Margarian,
RA Prime Minister, RPA Chairman, declared at the July 22 special
congress of RPA.
Mentioning that the Republican party has repeatedly had an occasion
to present his approaches on the Artsakh problem to the public,
Andranik Margarian once more enumerated them:
“- the self-determination right of Artsakh people should be
internationally recognized;
– NKR should not be subject to Azerbaijan;
– security of NKR population and borders should be ensured;
– RA and NKR should have a common border;
– the Nagorno Karabakh settlement should not be reached at the expense
of change of RA borders;
– NKR should come up as a negotiations side in the process of peaceful
settlement.”
“The negotiations process continues and lately the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-chairs have proposed a package envisaging withdrawal of Armenian
forces from some regions adjoining Nagorno Karabakh, dislocation of
peacekeepers, holding of a referendum on NKR status. As a basis to
continue the negotiations, these approaches perhaps would be acceptable
if Azerbaijan had not rejected them on various pretexts, had not
tried to exert pressure with bellicose statements and unprecedented
growth of the military budget hoping that the problem can be solved
by force,” Andranik Margarian emphasized.
Mentioning that the cease-fire has been preserved in the conflict
zone for already 12 years and greeting the efforts of the OSCE Minsk
Group Co-chairs, the RPA Chairman expressed the hope that their work
will have a positive impact on strengthening peace in the region:
“And the solutions should be accepatable for our society.”
“We have announced that in our national and state interests we are
ready to cooperate with both regional and other states in political,
economic and military spheres. We consider that the state carries on
a balanced policy considering European integration and development of
relations within the framework of CIS to be among its foreign political
priorities, as well as by developing bilateral interstate relations. It
should be realized that the relations should be balanced, based on
the principle of equality, protection of everybody’s interests,”
the Armenian Prime Minister declared.