PREMIER OF “LOS ANGELES OR 10 MINUTES OF CONFESSION” HOLIWOOD FILM
TO TAKE PLACE IN ARMENIA
Yerevan, July 14. ArmInfo.Art Mokatz presents his documentary film
“Los Angeles” (the feature film of “10-1/2 Minutes of Absolution”),
based on the real experience of a taxi driver from the City of
Angels. Producer, film director and the author of the tracks is Art
Mokatz. It took him eleven years to complete the works on the movie.
In 1995, he started gathering materials for the movie, interviewing
more than 1000 ordinary people living in Los Angeles. But not
everything went smoothly, and the works on the film were stopped. And
only thanks to the active support of Armenian Music Center, Art
Mokatz gave second start to the movie project. After a very long,
laborious work, in 2006 the movie was ready for screening. In 2001,
together with 200 other films from 20 different countries, “10-1/2
Minutes of Absolution” was presented to Aurora Film Awards and its
sound track won a grand prix in the nomination “Original Music Used
in Movie”. Today Art Mokatz is in his homeland, Armenia, to introduce
his movie to the Armenian audience and, at the same time, to make his
generous and voluntary contribution here by transferring part of the
income from the movie to the Armenian Association of the Disabled
Pyunic. Together with his old friend and reliable business partner
Armenian Music Center, Art Mokatz will soon launch the preparatory
works of the film presentation.

CBA Board of Trustees met with Heads of Commercial Banks
ArmRadio.am
15.07.2006 14:30
Members of the Board of Trustees of the Central Bank of Armenia met
with Heads of Commercial Banks of the republic, MEDIAMAX Agency
informs.
During the meeting held July 14th the economic indices of the first
term were summed up and program directions of the second term were
determined.

WORLD-FAMOUS FILM DIRECTOR ARTAVAZD PELESHIAN READY TO WORK IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, JULY 14, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On July 14, two
well-known guests of the Yerevan “Voske Tsiran” (Golden Apricot)
International Film Festival, Directors Artavazd Peleshian and American
documentarist Godfrey Reggio met with the Armenian journalists at
the National Gallery of Armenia.
The first hand acquaintance of the two directors took place just in
the days of Golden Apricot. Creating in different continents, they are
acquainted with the works of each other very well. Godfrey Reggio told
that when he was invited to Moscow for lecturing several years ago, he
refused his honorarium demanding the showing of the 35 mm tape variants
of all the films by Artavazd Peleshian in return. “If I compare me
with fire, then I am only the flash of it and the Master (Peleshian)
compared with that fire is just a lightning”, said Godfrey Reggio.
He noticed that for such a great artist as Peleshian is, it’s too
difficult to find financial resources and advised the local businessmen
to support him in shooting new films.
Artavazd Peleshian mentioned that he has not shot a film for already
14 years, but “now I write, think and shoot in my mind without losing
hope that I will shoot again.” The master informed that when he was
in Armenia last March, the then Minister of Culture Gevorg Gevorgian
visited him and they agreed that the “Hayfilm” film studio would pass
some part, namely, 250 thousand dollars a year, from 10 million dollars
necessary for shooting his film “Homo Sapiens”. Besides, Gevorgian
promised to meet with the Prime Minister on this issue, but some time
later he was dismissed from his post and nothing is known any longer.
Peleshian has a specific commentary about Sergey Parajanov phenomenon:
“The phenomenon of Parajanov is in his innovation, in the sphere
of cinema. Cinema gradually began to use all the arts; theater,
photography, literature, etc.
Parajanov was the first to use the possibilities of painting in
cinema. He did not move the painting to cinema, but was able to use the
possibilities of painting through cinema. He used as little literature
in his films as possible. His images did not speak with each other,
they spoke with the audience. His images looked at the hall but not
at each other”.
Peleshian mentioned that he is ready to teach in Armenia, though he
has never received such a suggestion up to now. Besides, the master is
also ready to work with TV companies. At present he teaches at the film
institutes of Paris and Frankfurt, he lives in Moscow and in Yerevan.

SERGE SARGSIAN PUTS IN APPLICATION ON JOINING RPA
YEREVAN, JULY 14, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Defence Minister
Serge Sargsian has put in an application on joining the Republican
Party of Armenia (RPA). The Minister informed the journalists about
it on July 14.
S.Sargsian refuted the rumours that soon he will take the post of
RA Prime Minister: “You will see in a week that those spreading such
rumours have no political intuition,” the Minister declared.
Touching upon possible nomination of his candidature at the 2008
presidential elections, Serge Sargsian said that this issue will
be discussed after the 2007 parliamentary elections: “If after the
elections RPA receives people’s support and has a serious strength,
why not,” the Minister declared.
To recap, RPA congress is planned to be held on July 22. The party
Chairman is RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian.

ARMENIAN BOXERS TO PARTICIPATE IN BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP IN EUROPE IN
PLOVDIV (BULGARIA)
Yerevan, July 14. ArmInfo. Armenian boxers will participate in Boxing
Championship in Europe starting in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
The Armenian team comprises 8 boxers from Yerevan, Vanadzor, Gyumri and
Etchmiadzin, as well as 3 trainers and a doctor. About 500 sportsmen
from 37 countries participate in the Champtionship. –

YEREVAN “BANANTS” WINS GEORGIAN “AMERI” 1:0 IN FIRST MATCH OF UEFA
CUP DRAW
Yerevan, July 14. ArmInfo. Yerevan “Banants” won Georgian “Ameri”
1:0 in the first match UEFA Cup draw in Georgia and now has good
chances to enter the next round. Ashtarak “Mika” yielded to Swiss
“Young Boys” 1:3.
After the return matches scheduled for July 27, 18 clubs, who start
competing from the second round, and 11 winners of Intertoto Cup will
join the 35 winners. The second selection stage draw will be held on
July 28 in Nyon. 32 strongest teams will enter the first circle of
the tournament, where they will be joined by another 48 clubs and 16
losers of the third selection round of Champions League.

Oskanian: OSCE MG Hasn’t Exhausted Capabilities
PanARMENIAN.Net
14.07.2006 15:36 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia is satisfied with the activities of the
OSCE Minsk Group, RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian told reporters
today. “The OSCE Minsk Group is the only mission that succeeds in the
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,” he remarked. According to
the Minister, Armenia welcomes initiatives from any state concerned
in a peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict, including the
U.S., Iran and Russia. However the OSCE mission has not exhausted its
capabilities yet and it’s premature to speak of prevailing of any state
in the settlement process. He also denied the increase of Iran’s role
in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, reported Novosti-Armenia.

EU Envoy for South Caucasus to Arrive in Armenia July 24
PanARMENIAN.Net
14.07.2006 15:39 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus
Peter Semneby told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter he will be visiting
Armenia July 24-25. The main purpose of the visit is to discuss the
EU-Armenia cooperation within the European Neighborhood Policy.
To note, July 21 Mr Semneby will pay a call to Azerbaijan on the
same purpose.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

European bank allocates 20m dollars to update Armenian airport
Mediamax news agency
13 Jul 06
Yerevan, 13 July: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
[EBRD] will allocate a 20m-dollar loan to the International Airports
of Armenia Company to complete the construction of a new passenger
terminal at Zvartnots international airport.
A relevant agreement was signed in Yerevan today, Mediamax reports.
The funds will be spent to complete the construction of the terminal,
update equipment and purchase new equipment.
[Passage omitted: the executive director of the company and the head
of the EBRD’s Yerevan Office, Michael Weinstein, spoke about the
importance of the loan]

NKR defence ministry denies Azeri reports of arson
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
13 Jul 06
The defence ministry of the Nagornyy Karabakh republic has flatly
denied Azerbaijani media reports that all facilities located on the
contact line between the armed forces of Azerbaijan and Karabakh were
set on fire on the night of 12 July.
The Azerbaijani side insists that all villages in the foothill area
of Agdam and Agdam airport were set on fire as well.
The Karabakh defence ministry recalled that the monitoring held by the
OSCE factfinding mission on the contact line between the armed forces
of Azerbaijan and Karabakh, as well as the latest three monitoring
missions held at the request of Karabakh proved that all allegations
of Baku propaganda are groundless.