NKR FOREIGN MINISTER HAS MEETINGS IN BEIRUT WITH LEBANON PRESIDENT AND
FOREIGN MINISTER

BEIRUT, JUNE 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Emil Lahud, the
President of the Republic fo Lebanon received on June 6 NKR Foreign
Minister Georgi Petrosian who was accompanied by the delegation of the
ARF Dashnaktsutiun Central Committee of Lebanon. RA Ambassador to
Lebanon Vahan Ter-Ghevondian participated in the meeting as well.
As the “Azdak” daily of Beirut informs, Georgi Petrosian presented the
President of Lebanon the present stage of Nagorno Karabakh and works
being done in the direction of solving problems of Armenian refugees
from Karabakh and Azerbaijan.
The NKR Foreign Minister accompanied by ARF Central Committee of
Lebanon and Parliament Deputy of Lebanon Hakob Bagratuni visited his
colleague of Lebanon Fauzi Sallukh on June 5. Issues relating to the
Karabakh conflict settlement were discussed at the meeting in which RA
Ambassador Vahan Ter-Ghevondian participated as well.

DAYS OF ARMENIA ORGANIZED IN CITY OF TORUN, POLAND

WARSAW, JUNE 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The third Days of
Armenia were organized on June 3-4 in the city of Torun, Poland, by
the “Armenian Researches Center” and the Torun University Humanities
Department, in which RA Ambassador to Poland Ashot Galoyan, RP Senate
Deputy Mikhal Voytchak, Kuyavsko-Pomorski province Sejm Marshal
Valdemar Akhramovich, Armenians of Poland and representatives of the
Armenian community participated.
Reports dedicated to present problems of Armenians living in Poland as
well as to historic past of Armenians in Poland were presented during
the Days of Armenia. “Noah’s Heirs,” “Solomon’s Trial” and “Shades of
Forgotten Ancestors” films were shown.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, within the framework of the visit paid to
Torun, RA Ambassador Ashot Galoyan had meetings with RP Senate Deputy
Mikhal Voytchak and Seim Marshal of Kujavsko-Pomorski province
Valdemar Akhramovich.
The RA Ambassador attached importance at the meetings to the existence
of the “Armenian Researches Center” functioning attached to the Torun
University and to the fact that Poles of Armenian origin cooperate
with the center. The Polish side is interested in holding joint
research works with Armenia, particularly, in the sphere of
archeology, ethnography, problems of modern social development as well
as problems of new migration during the last 10-15 years. The RA
Ambassador proposed to promote cooperation between the Torun
Copernicus and Yerevan State Universities as well as considered
possible the prospect of establishing sister-cities between Torun and
one of cities of Armenia.

AGO’S MONITORING GROUP OF CE MINISTERS’ COMMITTEE PAYS TWO- DAY VISIT
TO ARMENIA

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Ago’s Monitoring
Group of the Ministers’ Committee of the Council of Europe headed by
Roland Wegener, the Permament Representative of Germany to the Council
of Europe, pays two-day visit to Yerevan on June 9-10.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, during their visit to Armenia, the group
members will have meetings with RA President Robert Kocharian, NA
Speaker Tigran Torosian, Justice Minister David Haroutiunian,
Ombudsman Armen Haroutiunian as well as representatives of the RA
delegation to the PACE, Armenian political parties, public
organizations.
The meeting of Ago’s Group members with RA Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian will take place on June 10. Ago’s Group head Roland Wegener’s
and Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian’s joint press-conference will
take place immediatly after the meeting.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BUCHAREST MEETING AGAIN DEMONSTRATES ARMENIA’S STRIVING FOR PEACE, RA
PRESIDENT’S ADVISOR STATES

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “The Armenian
authorities’ striving for the conflict settlement is quite obvious,
there is one main issue here: the political heads’ renponsibility in
front of generations,” Seyran Avagian, the RA President’s Advisor
stated at the June 9 discussion in the “Mirror” club dedicated to the
present situation of the Karabakh conflict settlement.
He emphasized that military statements of the Azerbaijani heads are in
essense a blackmail to which neither people of Armenia nor authorities
give way. “The international community knows well that the military
stage of solving the conflict finished,” Seyran Avagian
stated. According to him, Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents’ last
meeting in Bucharest again demonsrated Armenia’s striving for peace.
Another participant of the discussion, head of the “Academy of
Political Researches” NGO, politician Alexander Manasian stated that
Azerbaijani leads propaganda much more actively than the Armenian
side, and this circumstance may not avoid influencing on the whole
process of the Karabakh conflict settlement.
According to A.Manasian, he is not at all anxious with postponing of
the problem solution, as the main issue here is best use of these or
other arguments, the thing that has never been done by now by Armenia
which allowed that territories under control of Armenian military
formations started everywhere to be called “occupied” what gives basis
to Azerbaijan to start military actions. “We must prepare such
approached and arguments owing to which postponing of the process on
settlement will bring us benefit,” Alexander Manasian stated.

DILIJAN PREPARES FOR TOURIST SEASON: CITY’S CENTRAL HOTEL TO BE
DELIVERED FOR USE WITH 5 MLN-DOLLAR INVESTMENT

DILIJAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN. Thanks to a 5 mln-dollar investment of
an Armenian benefactor residing in Moscow, the 101-room central hotel
of Dilijan will be delivered for use soon. The city mayor Armen
Santrosian told NT correspondent that the small hotel and two
buildings of the tourist center of the Impulse Plant will be available
to travelers in June and August. The repaired Dilijan rest home is
ready to receive guests. 15 local families can also accomodate
tourists.

AZERBAIJANI POLITICIAN CALLS ON ARMENIAN PRESS TO TOLERANCE AND
REFUSES TO RESPOND FOR PUBLICATIONS OF THEIR COLLEAGUES OF BAKU

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Media representatives
must support solution of conflicts but not draw attention to
conflicts. Asaf Hajiyev, the head of the Azerbaijani parliamentary
delegation addressed to Armenian journalists with such a call at the
press-conference dedicated to results of the BSEC PA 27th plenary
session held in Yerevan.
Responding the Noyan Tapan correspondent’s question about his attitude
towards the recent publication in the “Zerkalo” newspaper in which, as
quotings from Armenian writer Zori Balayan’s book (not existing in
reality), brutalities as if conducted by Armenians against Azeris are
described, Hajiyev stated that he is a deputy and may not be
responsible for the ones press of his country writes.
Russian delegation head Alexander Dzasokhov mentioned in his turn that
there are two viewpoints in dialogues between the two sides of
conflicts: either to postpone all issues till settlement of the
conflict, or, not waiting for the final settlement, to solve all
possible issues. The Russian politician quoted President of Armenia
Robert Kocharian who mentioned in his address to participants of the
Assembly that joint regional projects will support settlement of
conflicts. According to Dzasokhov, though there are small and big
conflicts in the region, the principle of tolerance was chosen in the
BSEC PA work, and it is one of important results of the Yerevan
convention.

TIGRAN TOROSIAN: EVERYBODY REMEMBERS LESSONS OF WAR, AND IT WILL NEVER
RE-START

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Everybody remembers
lessons of the Karabakh war, and that’s why it will never re-start.
Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Tigran Torosian expressed such
confidence at the press-conference dedicated to results of the BSEC PA
27th sitting held in Yerevan. Responding the question how the
statements of the Azerbaijani side about possibility of re-starting
military actions among the conflicting sides on the Karabakh issue may
influence on the negotiation process, Torosian mentioned: “We all know
very well what the war is. Nobody seriouly thinks that similar issues
may be solved with the help of a war.”
According to him, all conversations about war are propaganda
statements. “I hope that there will never be a war between Azerbaijan
and Karabakh,” Torosian stated.
According to Asaf Hajiyev, the head of the Azerbaijani parliamentary
delegation, his country finds that possibilities for a peaceful
settlement are not exhausted yet. When it happens the situation will
change what in its turn will bring to search of other ways of
settlement. But, according to Hajiyev, it does not mean that there
will be a war.

FIRST FEATURE FILM ON ARTSAKH WAR SHOT

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The historic events
that happened in the years of Artsakh war were presented in the “Fate”
full-length feature film, the premiere of which will take place on
June 11 at the Moscow cinema of Yerevan.
As Gor Vardanian, the actor playing the film’s leading part and the
author of the film’s scenario, reported at the June 9 press
conference, this film distinguishes itself among the other films shot
with his participation with its subject and goals. He mentioned that
this is the first feature film on the Artsakh liberation war. The plot
of the film that has passed a preliminary stage of three years is
based on real historic facts.
The film heroes also have their prototypes in real life. The main
hero, Gor, embodies the image of a patriotic fighter and nation’s
defender. Suffering a grave loss, he finds strength to resist and to
fight against the enemy. The enemy, with which he had fought in the
same army in Afghanistan. The main hero goes through a deep
psychological drama.
The film has a great educational importance, especially in the issue
of forming the image of the Armenian fighter and the national hero
among the new generation. “No one is born a hero, people become heroes
by the order of the time and the circumstances,” the film’s exclusive
producer Hayk Bakrjian is convinced. According to him, the film will
help the youth to get acquainted with not so far history of our
nation, the birth of the idea of national self-determination, the
formation of the national army and its victories.
The film was shot in Artsakh and in the U.S., by the version of
Hollywood films. At the initial stage the film staff had a
consultation and worked with more than 200 politicians and
servicemen-participants of the Nagorno Karabakh war, including General
Safonov.
Starting June 12, the film will be shown at Yerevan cinemas and on
June 13, the film’s Karabakh premiere will take place.

MOSCOW STUDENT NAREK HAKHNAZARIAN FROM ARMENIA RECOGNIZED WINNER IN
VIOLINCELLISTS’ COMPETITION AFTER ARAM KHACHATRIAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN. Narek Hakhnazarian, a student of the
Moscow Conservatory’s college was awarded the first prize and 15
thousand U.S. dollars monetary award among 17 violicellists
participated in the cellists’ international competition after Aram
Khachatrian held in Yerevan for the first time. The latter was also
awarded the special prize of the State Philharmonic Orchestra of
Armenia: the young cellist will have possibility to perform a concert
program in 2007 with the State Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia.
As Anna Ter-Hovakimian, the Responsible Secretary of the competition
informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent, second and third prizes
defined by the organization committee were equally
shared. Representative of Latvia Ruslan Vilensky and representative of
Turkey Indira Rahmatulla who is Uzbek in origin became the second
prize winners. They were given 5000 dollars each. The third prize,
2500 dollars to each, was equally shared between Tigran Muradian
(Russia) and Sergey Kosemian (Armenia). By the way, nobody was awarded
2000 dollars of encouriging prize.
Denis Zhdanov representing Russia was awarded special prizes defined
for “Spectator’s Sympathy” and “Best Performance of 20th Century
Work.” Cezar Martinez Bourguet (Mexico) got the “Best Performance of
Chamber Sonat” prize, Jeanne Maisonhaute (France) got the “Promising
Participant” prize, and Artur Avanesov (Armenia) got the “Best
Concertmaster” prize. The best prize defined by the jury was awarded
to Spanish representative Guillermo Pastrana.

CONCERT-EVENING PARTY DEDICATED TO 80TH JUBILEE OF STATE PHILHARMONIC
ORCHESTRA OF ARMENIA TAKES PLACE AT “ARAM KHACHATRIAN” CONCERT HALL

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A concert-evening
party dedicated to the 80th jubilee anniversary of the State
Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia (SPOA) took place at the “Aram
Khachatrian” concert hall on June 8.
The RA Ministry of Culture and Youth Issues, Composers’ Union of
Armenia, Chamber Music House, SPOA Artistic Head and Principal
Conductor of 1981-1985 Valeri Gergiyev, SPOA Artistic Head and
Principal Conductor of 1987-1989 Vahagn Papian, heads of the Arno
Babajanian International Charity Fund, the Artistic Head and Principal
Conductor of the “Novaya Rusia” State Symphonic Orchestra Yuri
Bashmet, Principal Conductor of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of
Russia Vladimir Spivakov, Ambassdor of the Republic of Armenia to
Russia Armen Smbatian sent messages of congratulation to the State
Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia.
The SPOA addressed his speech of gratitude to the Friends’ Union,
particularly to the Board of Trustees (Chairwoman Bella Kocharian),
for the assistance shown during the recent years.
The SPOA addressed speech of gratitude to the Armenian General
Benevolent Union as well, for being the general sponsor of the SPOA
during the last 15 years. “Remaining faithful to its fostered
principle of assisting national supremacies during the most difficult
period of time for the newly independent Republic of Armenia, the AGBU
and union Chairwoman Mrs. Luiz Manukian Simon lent a helping hand to
the orchestra what became decisive and literally excluded orchestra’s
merited musicians’ being spread all over the world. Even more, owing
to that assistance, the orchestra has had possibility during the last
15 years to increase its performing level, having perfect perfomances
not only in Armenia, but also in many and many countries of the world,
presenting with honour the Armenian classic music art,” is mentioned
in the SPOA speech of gratitude.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the SPOA, Hovhannes Chekijian, Gegham
Grigorian, Irina Zakian, Juliet Galstian, Narek Hakhnazarian who was
recognized the winner of the Aram Khachatrian Cellists’ International
Competition taken place few days ago, performed evening music
greetings.
The orchestra headed by SPOA Artistic Head and Principal Conductor
Eduard Topchian performed famous classic works.
In 1924, Composer Alexander Spendiarian moved to Yerevan from Russia
headed in the 2nd part of his author’s concert a 18-person orchestra
formed of Conservatory teachers and students, proving just by it the
possibility of creating in Armenia a symphonic orchestra completed
with local personnels. On March 20, 1925, Conservatory Rector,
aesthete Arshak Adamian headed the first concert of the orchestra
established just by his efforts, formed of teachers and students.
Alexander Spendiarian’s words that “the time will come when our, still
modest, pupils’ orchestra will bear proudly the honourary name “State
Orchestra of Armenia” became reality during years. After Alexander
Spendiarian (1926-1927), the orchestra was headed by Konstantin
Sarajian (1941-1945), Mikayel Maluntsian (1945-1960, 1966-1967), Ohan
Durian (1960-1965, 1973), David Khanjian (1974-1981), Valeri Gergiyev
(1981-1985), Loris Chgnavorian (1989-1998, 1999-2000). The orchestra
has been headed by Eduard Topchian since 2000.
Aram Khachatrian headed performances of the orchestra on different
occasions. Arno Babajanian, Tatevik Sazandarian, Zaruhi Dolukhanian,
Gohar Gasparian performed with the orchestra. Izabel Bayrakdarian,
Sergey Babayan, Alexey Lyubimov, Renato Bruzo, Alexander Treger and
other famous names performed with the orchestra during the last years.