NA SPECIAL SITTING TO BE CONVENED ON MAY 31, ELECTIONS OF NA SPEAKER AND CHAIRMEN OF TWO STANDING COMMITTEES ARE ON AGENDA
Noyan Tapan
May 30 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. RA NA Vice-Speaker Tigran Torosian,
who is acting as NA Speaker according to the 2nd clause of Article
19 of RA NA Regulations, signed a decision, according to which, in
accordance with Article 70 of RA Constitution and Article 41 of NA
Regulations, on the initiative of RA MPs, a special NA sitting will
be convened at 12:00 on May 31. As Noyan Tapan was informed from NA
Public Relations Department, the elections of RA NA Speaker and the
Chairmen of NA Standing Committee on Defence, National Security and
Internal Affairs and Standing Committee on Social, Healthcare and
Nature Protection Issues and discussion of a number of bills are on
the agenda.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TRIAL OF ANOTHER CASE AGAINST RAMIL SAFAROV TO CONTINUE ON SEPTEMBER 1ST
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 30 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The next court
sittings on case of violence towards Hungarian warders against officer
of Azerbaijani army Ramil Safarov sentenced to life imprisonment
for killing RA Armed Forces officer Gurgen Margarian with an axe
in Budapest will take place on September 1 and 5. Noyan Tapan
correspondent was informed about it by Armenian lawyer Nazeli
Vardanian, representative of the aggrieved party on the case of
murder of Gurgen Margarian and the attempted murder of another RA
Armed Forces officer Hayk Makuchian. The lawyer also informed that
Safarov has not yet appealed against the verdict of life imprisonment
without the right of pardon during the first 20 years brought in by
the Hungarian court as the text of the verdict is not ready yet.

NOR ZHAMANAKNER DEMANDS THAT VITAL PROBLEMS OF ARMENIANS OF JAVAKHK BE SOLVED
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 30 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A rally on the
subject “Attention to Javakhk” was organized by the Nor Zhamanakner
(New Times) party on May 30 in Yerevan Stepan Shahumian square. The
party’s address to RA Government, RA Foreign Ministry and Georgian
Ambassador to Armenia Revaz Gachechiladze was read at the rally. The
address, in particular, demanded that the financial resources given
for the purpose of solving the socio-economic, cultural problems of
Armenians of Javakhk be increased, “all vital problems of Armenians of
Javakhk be discussed and be given a positive solution until the signing
of an agreement on bilateral delimitation.” In the opinion of Aram
Karapetian, Nor Zhamanakner Chairman, the Georgian government plans to
displace Armenians from Javakhk. According to him, this process will
deepen as a result of the final withdrawal of the Russian military base
from Georgia. Aram Karapetian said that “they do not manage to organize
an open rally on the subject of Armenians of Javakhk in Armenia as RA
authorities are afraid to be delivered blows from the West.” The Nor
Zhamanakner party applied to the Hzor Hayrenik (Powerful Hameland)
party mainly consisting of Armenians of Javakhk with a suggestion to
take part in the rally, but the latter refused them by saying that this
event will do harm and “Georgia will start to carry on a worse policy.”
The rally participants moved towards RA Foreign Ministry where
they were met by Vladimir Karapetian, Acting Spokesperson of the
Ministry. The latter assured that they will respond after getting
acquainted with the address. Aram Karapetian declared that the events
of the kind will be continual.

KOHAR OUTSHINES WITH ITS GENUINE MUSIC
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 30 2006
GYUMRI, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. KOHAR Symphony
Orchestra and Choir of Gyumri with artistic director and conductor
Sebouh Apkarian will be participating in the context of “One Nation,
One Culture” All-Armenian Festival from 23 till 30 June in Armenia. The
official closing of the festival is entrusted to KOHAR, which will
take place on 30 June 2006, and will set the stage of the closing
event at the Republic Square of Yerevan, Armenia. End of last April,
Kremlin State Theatre witnessed KOHAR’s latest accomplishment during
two consecutive concert days. Almost 12,000 audiences were present
during these concerts, whereby KOHAR presented its trademark “All Time
Armenian Favourites” program with 150 performing artists; musicians,
choir members, soloists, dancers and a pantomime. The two-day events
were labeled by Armenian Muscovites as an unprecedented Armenian
festivity of genuine music and performance. KOHAR Symphony Orchestra
and Choir has performed in Nicosia, Beirut and Istanbul. Its “All
Time Armenian Favourites” DVD and CD is the first Armenian musical DVD
through its rendition and recording of Armenian music with interactive
and state-of-the-art features including subtitles of the songs,
which has won the International Intermedia Silver Award in Hamburg,
Germany and the “Anoush” Achievement Award during the 7th Armenian
International Awards in Hollywood, USA. The second DVD of KOHAR’s
“All Time Armenian Favourites” new program will be released by end
of this year, and will include live recordings from Istanbul and
Moscow concerts.

BOOK “HISTORY OF PUPPET THEATER” PUBLISHED
Noyan Tapan
May 30 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. A book under the title “History of Puppet
Theater” by actor of Hovhannes Tumanian State Puppet Theater Derenik
Martirosian was published. As Noyan Tapan was informed by theater’s
Art Director Ruben Babayan, Derenik Martirosian is a great theater
conoisseur and at present teaches history of puppet art at Yerevan
State Institute of Cinema and Theater.
The book has several departments and some departments dedicated to the
history of theater have been also translated into English. According
to R.Babayan, the book’s online variant will be also placed in
Internet soon.

ROBERT AMIRKHANIAN’S “MY HOMELAND” TO BE PRESENTED AT COMPETITION FOR ARMENIAN ANTHEM
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 30 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The State Chamber
Chorus of Armenia presented on May 30 the work “My Homeland”
of Chairman of the Union of Composers of Armenia, composer
Robert Amirkhanian at Yerevan State University. “My Homeland” will
participate in the competition to choose a new anthem of the Republic
of Armenia. “This piece of music is the result of many years’ work. The
1.5-min anthem is undergoing continuous improvement. Before applying
to a well-known poet, I made an attempt to write a text myself. I am
sure that after this song, if someone does not raise his hand to his
heart, he at least will take it out of his pocket,” R. Amirkhanian
noted. Nevertherless, according to the composer, he has no ambitions
in terms of selecting his song.
According to him, Tigran Mansurian, Artur Shahnazarian and other
composers also have songs for the Armenian anthem. “All works should
be presented for competition so that the people will be able to make
a choice,” he said. Robert Amirkhanian considered the “return” of the
anthem written by Aram Khachatrian as unacceptable. In his opinion,
it is the symbol of the second republic of Armenia and cannot reflect
today’s life. “We took the anthem of our first republic 15 years
ago and made a wrong choice. If we take Aram Khachatrian’s anthem,
we will make a mistake again. The third republic should have its
symbol,” he underlined.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BUST OF KHRIMIAN HAYRIK OPENED IN GYUMRI
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 30 2006
GYUMRI, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The number of
monuments in Gyumri was added by one more. The bust of Khrimian
Hayrik was erected on May 29 in the yard of No41 school. This event,
according to pedagogues, is obliging for the school called after
the late Catholicos. Being a clergyman, Catholicos of All Armenians
Khrimian Hayrik strived for reviewing the national constitution,
completing the number of delegations of western Armenians living in
provinces. He struggled actively against the tsarist law on forced
taking church properties, criticized European approaches connected
with the Armenian cause. As school Director Artak Avetisian mentioned,
Khrimian Hayrik’s greatness is really exclusive, he was able to go
towards the people, casting off clergyman’s fetters, and to inspire
the people with patriotic spirit. “I wished to embody our, Armenians’
unbedning will and consience, and the result of my work will be the
one that the younger generation, pronouncing the name of His Holiness,
does it as an oath,” sculpture’s author Artur Hovhannisian mentioned
on the day of opening.

FRENCH FILM DIRECTOR MARIE-DOMINIQUE MASSOL SHOOTS FILM ABOUT ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
May 30 2006
VANADZOR, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. It’s already the third time that
Marie-Dominique Massol, the Director of the French film directors’
“Cap Monde” organization visits Armenia: the director was in Vanadzor
on May 29. Marie-Dominique Massol is director of 12 films. The film
director touched upon in her films history and culture of Slovakia,
Lithuania, California, New York and a number of other countries and
cities of the world. As the Noyan Tapan correspondent informs from
Vanadzor, Marie-Dominique has a goal to create the 13th film which will
this time tell about Armenia. As the “Cap Monde” organization Director
mentioned, the film will tell about historic-cultural monuments of
Armenia, the Armenian people’s traditions and life. The film will be
ready in October and will be shown in France. The main goal of the
film is to make tourists interested in Armenia. The film director
has already visited Etchmiadzin, and his visit to the Surb Narekatsi
Church of Vanadzor coincided with the ceremony of christening of 2
pupils of the “Masreni” literary-music group.

LEVON ANANIAN: SILVA KAPUTIKIAN’S POEMS CONTINUE TO INSPIRE GENERATIONS WITH TRUE PATRIOTISM
Noyan Tapan
May 30 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. “Silva Kaputikian is one of those
exclusive writers whose works were appreciated in all times,” Levon
Ananian, the Chairman of the Writers’ Union of Armenia characterized
the poet in this way at the May 29 presentation of her “The Last Bell”
book. Poems written by S.Kaputikian during the recent few years are
involved in the book, the row of poems dedicated to Aram Khachatrian
and Avetik Isahakian is especially notable.
Articles, memoirs published in press during different years are also
involved in the book. According to L.Ananian, S.Kaputikian’s poems
have inspired and will continue to inspire generations with soul,
true patriotism. “The poet was the one to respond her people’s pains
and has seen many thorns during her life,” he mentioned. However,
according to the WUA Chairman, the highest award for a writer is
people’s love. The poet was rewarded on the same day with golden
medal of the Writers’ Union of Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONSTRUCTION OF WRITER MUSHEGH GALSHOYAN’S HOUSE-MUSEUM IN HIS NATIVE VILLAGE FINISHED
Noyan Tapan
May 30 2006
ARAGATSOTN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Construction of eminent writer
Mushegh Galshoyan’s house-museum was finished in the native village of
Katnaghbyur, Aragatsotn marz. Yura Avagian, the “Karen-93” LTD Director
informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent about it. The majestic buildng
that was drafted by famous architects Romen Julakian and Levon Eloyan
was brought to life with the financial resources allocated by the RA
Government, and the whole construction process was controlled by RA
Prime Minister Margarian. As the writer’s widow Agnessa Ghaplanian
informs, the solemn opening of the house-museum will take place soon,
after furnishing the building.