ARMENIA AMONG LARGEST RECIPIENTS OF US ASSISTANCE

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.04.2006 20:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia is one of the largest recipients of
U.S. assistance on a per capita basis.

Since 1992, the United States has provided more than 1.6 billion
dollars of assistance to Armenia in support of the country’s transition
to democracy, U.S.

Ambassador to Armenia John Evans stated in an interview with
PanARMENIAN.Net. In his words, through this assistance, the United
States government is cooperating with Armenia in pursuit of three
major goals: strengthening democratic institutions, providing for a
more stable and secure South Caucasus, and building the economies of
all three countries of the region.

“In addition to our on-going programs, the United States has developed
a program of assistance worth approximately seven million dollars
to help Armenia in holding free and fair elections in 2007 and
2008. This comprehensive package of election-related assistance will
provide support for the development of the national voter registry
and the conduct of voter education campaigns,” he said. It will also
include assistance for the development of voter education materials,
training for various sectors of society including representatives
of the judicial system and political party representatives, and
exchange visits for media outlets, Evans said. “We believe it is
vitally important for Armenia’s future that the upcoming elections be
free, fair and transparent, and be perceived as such not only by the
international community, but most importantly by the Armenian people
themselves,” the head of the U.S. diplomatic mission underscored.

In addition, on March 27 the United States Millennium Challenge
Corporation signed a $235 million Compact with Armenia, the
U.S. Ambassador reminded. “This assistance program will focus on rural
road rehabilitation and improved irrigation, and will directly impact
approximately 75% of the rural population, increasing their annual
income by an estimated $36 million in 2010 and over $113 million
in 2015. In order to remain eligible for this funding, Armenia must
continue to demonstrate a commitment to ruling justly, investing in
people, and encouraging economic freedom,” Ambassador Evans said.

YOUNG FILM DIRECTORS FROM 12 COUNTRIES TO GATHER IN YEREVAN

Armenpress
Apr 26 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS: Young film directors and critics from
Germany, Cuba, Holland, USA, Russia and other countries, all in all
from 12, will present their fiction, cartoon and documentary films
to a May 3-8 film festival in Yerevan.

Awards will be given in nine nominations, in addition to the Grand
Prix and a special award of Catholicos Karekin II, the head of the
Armenian Church.

AUA AND NORK MARASH MEDICAL CENTER AUTHOR A STUDY ON QUALITY OF INTENSIVE CARE

Armenpress
Apr 26 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS; The American University of Armenia
(AUA) said the April 2006 issue of the peer-reviewed journal Asian
Cardiovascular and Thoracic Annals presented findings from a study by
lead author Lusine Abrahamyan, MD, MPH, which demonstrated that quality
of care at Nork Marash Medical Center (NMMC) following coronary artery
bypass grafting (CABG) surgery, measured in terms of post operative
complications and ICU stays, are comparable to those reported by
major international cardiac surgery centers.

According to co-author and Surgical Consultant at NMMC Dr. Hrair
Hovaguimian, “This article is an important step toward establishing
systems for outcomes reporting in parallel with international
standards.”

AUA/CHSR faculty Anahit Demirchyan, MD, MPH, and Michael Thompson,
MS, DrPH, also co-authors noted, “The study reported here was a small
part of a five-year privately funded collaborative project between the
Center for Health Services Research and Development of the American
University of Armenia (AUA/CHSR) and the Nork Marash Medical Center
focused on assessing and improving the quality of care at NMMC.” Lead
author Lusine Abrahamyan, now a PhD candidate at the University of
Toronto, noted that “These results not only attest to the quality
of care at NMMC, but also provide important insights for individual
patient counseling.”

“AUA students, graduates and faculty working together with the Medical
Staff of the Hospital undertook a thorough study and evaluation of all
functions and procedures in the hospital with the express purpose of
raising its standards to accepted international norms. To say that
the Hospital and AUA achieved its goals is both an understatement
and a tribute to all those who worked on the project.

Their professional expertise and personal commitment has manifested
itself in a higher standard of care, the direct beneficiary of which is
each and every patient that enters the Hospital. My congratulations
to them all,” added Mr. Edward Avedisian, who generously funded
this project.

U.S.-ARMENIAN ECONOMIC COOPERATION DEVELOPING IN RIGHT DIRECTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.04.2006 20:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S.-Armenian economic cooperation is continuing to
develop in the right direction, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans
stated in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net. In his words, in addition
to the U.S. assistance programs, more than seventy American firms
are currently doing business in Armenia, several of which have made
sizeable investments. “In addition, a number of Armenian products have
found markets in America. As this cooperation continues to develop,
we hope to establish additional, stronger economic links between the
United States and Armenia,” the Ambassador remarked.

ARMENIA AND SEYCHELLES ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

Armenpress
Apr 26 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS: Armenia’s Permanent Representative in
the UN, Armen Martirosian, and Jeremy Bonelam, the Representative
of the Republic of Seychelles, signed on April 19 a protocol on
establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Armenian foreign ministry said by signing the protocol both countries
committed to promoting mutual understanding, strengthening friendship
and cooperation between the two nations.

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR IN MOSCOW ASKS RUSSIAN OFFICIALS TO REACT TO MANIFESTATIONS OF FASCISM

Armenpress
Apr 27 2006

MOSCOW, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS; Armenia’s ambassador to Russia, Armen
Smbatian, has officially asked Russian foreign and interior ministers
and Moscow mayor ‘to take decisive action to prevent manifestation
of fascism.”

The unusual wording was prompted by last weekend killing of an ethnic
Armenian teenager in Moscow, Vigen Abramyants, a Russian citizen. The
boy was stabbed to death by a group of Russian skinheads.

Moscow prosecutors have extended the pre-trial detention of a Russian
boy suspected of killing Abramyants, for 72 hours yesterday.

The murder of the Armenian boy and a subsequent attack on an Armenian
film director who was visiting Moscow have triggered a tough reaction
of Armenian media which accuse Russian law-enforcers of conniving at
hate crime.

THE NUMBER OF HEART DISEASES INCREASED BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER

A1+
[12:30 pm] 27 April, 2006

The number of heart diseases abruptly increased in Shirak
marz. According to the regional Cardio-Rheumatic Department chief
Arthur Stepanyan the number of patients within the 3 months of the
current year increased by 80 in comparison with the previous year data.

There have been about 280 in-patients in the regional hospital
since January. Their number has abruptly increased in the recent
days. According to the specialists this increase is determined by
the abrupt weather changes. Most of the patients are in complicated
hypertonic crisis; they have heart problems, attacks and violations
of heart rhythm.

The cardiologists state one important fact; the heart diseases prevail
among women recently. If only one out of 6 patients suffering heart
problems was a woman in the previous years now their number has also
increased. Men suffer from the illness more rarely.

There were 5 cases of death within the recent 3 months, and 2 of the
patients died because of chronical heart insufficiency.

“Tsayg” TV of Gyumri

NEW PHASE OF CHURCH – SCHOOL RELARTIONS

A1+
[12:46 pm] 27 April, 2006

Today the monk of the Syunyats eparchy Abgar Hovakimyan met the
teachers and pupils of Goris. The meeting was aimed at strengthening
the ties between churches and schools.

Each pupil must be aware of the history of the church and realise its
role and important. According to the eparchy representative school
visits will become more frequent and they will help pupils to suffice
their spiritual needs. School pupils will also get exhaustive answers
to all questions concerning them.

The offer was accepted by the teachers and pupils with great
enthusiasm.

“Last” TV channel of Goris

ARMENIAN SPORTSMEN IN THE FIRST PLACE

A1+
[01:05 pm] 27 April, 2006

The Yerevan Chess Academy team beat the leader of the tournament –
the Chelyabink “Ural” with the overall 4:2 in the 6th round of the
Russian Youth Chess open championship.

The Chess Academy victory was provided by Hovik Hayrapetyan and
Armine Babayan who were striking in the championship with their
excellent participation.

The Chess Academy tops the fixture table with 11 points after this
victory. The team “Uniline” occupying the 2nd place beat the Yerevan
“Mika” with the overall 4:2.

The adult leader the Ekatirinburg “Ural” beat “Meria” with the score
4.5-1.5 and is in the 1st place now.

Vladimir Hakobyan celebrated the team victory and provided one
point for “Ural.” Levon Aronyan’s team “Tomsk – 400″beat the Samara
“Permosteps” with the overall 3.5-2.5 and is in the 3rd place at
present.

Aronyan tied with Gelfand in the 1st round.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE EVICTED RESIDENTS THREATEN TO APPEAL

A1+
[02:25 pm] 27 April, 2006

The cold and rainy weather did not hinder the strikers from launching
an appeal in the yard of the Government building. The residents of
Northern and Main Avenues, and Abovyan, Kokhbatsi, Saralanj and
Kozern Streets and the gardeners of Dalma gathered opposite the
Government today.

They demanded the Government, especially Prime Minister Andranik
Margaryan to meet them. As usual, the strikers weren’t paid any
attention to.

The strikers complained of the decision of the Constitutional
Court. “Regardless of the fact whether the Constitutional Court is
imperfect or not, the Government’s decision is anti constitutional. We
want to see the Government representatives and make them change
their decision, and we want people responsible for this ferocity to
be punished. The Government still ignores the CC decision,” said the
chairman of the Defense Board of the Northern Ave. Vachagan Hakobyan.

By the way, they will hold a press conference, and their further
steps will be determined by its current.

“We are going to initiate acts of complaint with different streets
and parties. It is time to put an end to this.”

The strikers complained that there is certain delusion with the names
of the streets as the name of Byuzand street is frequently mentioned
whereas the rest of the streets remain aside or are left out.

Let us mention that the strikers were threatened as the evictions
still continue in different streets of the city.