UNSEEN WORKING MATERIALS OF SERGEY PARAJANOV’S “COLOUR OF
POMEGRANATS” FILM SHOWN TO LARGE CIRCLE OF ART LOVERS
Yerevan, July 25. ArmInfo. The unseen working materials of Sergey
Parajanov’s “The Colour of Pomegranates” were shown to a large number
of art lovers, today. “The manuscripts do not burn. The same thing
concerns the films,” Levon Grigorian, film director, author of the
film, said this at today’s film session at the State Picture Gallery
of Armenia. The new film comprises of the unseen working materials
of Parajanov’s film that excluded by the Soviet censors.
The famous film by Parajanov had quite a tragic fate. The script to
the film was approved in 1966, but later, the CC of the Communist party
accused Parajanov of the existence of many mystical and erotic scenes
in the film. The edited version of film was given the IV category,
which meant that the film crew were totally deprived of their
emoluments. The film was renamed from “Sayat Nova” into “The Coulor
of Pomegranates” and was issued in five copies. The original version
of the film existed for only 20 days, while the frames excluded by
the censors were considered lost till 1995. Only then L.Grigorian
learnt that a part of the working materials on the film is kept in
Armenia. “This is a genuine miracle! Till now I don’t know who I
shall be grateful to for that,” Grigorian said, explaining that he
found the lost frames quite accidentally.
The film by Girgorian lasts 26 minutes and consists of 6 stories
based on the original script by Parajanov. After the film session.
Grigorian said that he is currently working on the next film based
on the same materials.

JUSTICE MINISTER OF ARMENIA WILL NOT CREATE A PARTY OF HIS OWN
Yerevan, July 25. ArmInfo. Justice Minister of Armenia David
Harutiunian stated on a today press conference that he does not
intend to create his own party. The Minister added that there are
to many political parties in Armenia and establishment of a new one
would be senseless. He said that he would rather join one of the
major parties of Armenia. He did not say which party he is more
likely to join and promised to inform the public as soon as he
has decided. Mr. Harutiunian also stated that he will not put his
candidature on the presidential elections of 2008.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FROM NOW ON ARMENIAN JUDGES WILL HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL IN ACCEPTING GIFTS
Yerevan, July 25. ArmInfo. From now on the Armenian judges will have
to be very careful in accepting gifts, Armenian Justice Minister
David Haroutyunyan said during a press-conference today.
He said that the inter-department working group set up in Mar 2006 and
consisting of 16 representatives of the presidential administration,
government, judiciary, public prosecutors office, Chamber of Lawyers,
parliament and police has successfully completed its work on a package
of court system reforms. One of the key points is that the Armenian
judges must abstain from accepting any kinds of gifts. They can do
this only during weddings, their own birthdays and birthdays of their
relatives but then too they should report on gifts to the Commission
on Ethics.
Haroutyunyan said that specialized administrative courts and courts
on bankruptcy will be formed in Armenia. The Economic Court will be
dissolved, the Court of Cassation divided into two chambers of three
judges each. From now on it will be the authority of the Council of
Justice to announce vacancies and to test applicants for judges. Of
25 judges passing the exam the Council will select 16 ones and will
submit the list for the President’s approval. However, they will
enter into their offices only after completing a 1.5-year training
course at special School of Judges.
Haroutyunyan said that judges have no right to have private businesses
or to hold some paid position. They must be politically neutral and
not affiliated to any party. They can take part in elections only as
voters or electoral commissioners.
At the same time, Haroutyunyan refused to comment on his future
political activities saying that this was not the topic of the
discussion.

NKR PRESIDENT: REFERENDUM FOR NKR SELF-DETERMINATION WAS HELD ALREADY
AND ITS RESULTS ARE KNOWN TO ALL
Stepanakert, July 25. ArmInfo. “I do not think the mediators have new
proposals, but in any case, the visit of the American cochairman is a
good possibility for us to present our position both to Mathew Bryza
and to other cochairmen”, the NKR President Arkadiy Ghukassyan said,
commenting on the coming visit of Mathew Bryza, the OSCE MG cochairman
from the USA, to the conflict region and to Stepanakert.
A. Ghukassyan noted that participation of Karabakh is necessary
not only to NKR itself but to the whole settlement process. “NKR
will participate in the process sooner or later, since the problem
resolution is impossible without participation of the NKR people.
When will it be? I do not think that Azerbaijan is ready today
to hold negotiations with us as its position is destructive”, A.
Ghukassyan said.
Asked about the repeated referendum for the Karabakh status, A.
Ghukassyan answered that the referendum was already held in Karabakh
and its results are known to all. “If there was a guarantee today
that the International community recognizes the tomorrow’s referendum,
we should think over it”, NKR President said.

THE STOCK EXCHANGE DOLLAR RATE MADE UP 417 AMD/$1
Yerevan. July 25. ArmInfo. During tender at the Armenian Stock
Exchange ArmEx 5 board lots were sold at the amount of AMD 148,
0 million ($355 thousand). The dollar rate made up AMD 417,0/$1,
0,03% less than on July 24.
Demand volume equaled $100 thousand and the supply volume – $600
thousand. The best demand price was marked on the level of AMD
416,25/$1 (average – AMD 416,25/$1), and the best supply price –
AMD 417,00/$1 (average – AMD 417,56/$1).
The opening price was fixed at the level of AMD 417,01/$1, closing
price – AMD 417,00/$1, minimal price – AMD 417,00/$1 and maximal
price – AMD 417,01/$1.
Totally, in January 4 – July 25, $84,978 million was sold at ArmEx;
the average rate decreased from AMD 453,1 to 417,00/$1, AMD. The
maximal deal volume was detected on July 11 – 38 board lots at
the amount of $3,050 million and at the rate of AMD 417,83/$1, the
minimal volume – July 12 – 1 board lot at the amount of $50 thousand
(AMD 20,893 million) at the rate of AMD 417,85/$1. Since January 4
only 2 EURO exchange deals were driven – on April 6 (EUR 5 thousand,
AMD 554/EUR1) and on June 22 (EUR 1 thousand, AMD 532/EUR 1).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

House affirms policy of regional cooperation
ArmRadio.am
26.07.2006 11:52
The House of Representatives today voted to help ensure that US
regional cooperation and economic integration is maintained by making
certain that no Export-Import funding is used for a railroad project
sponsored by the Turkish and Azeri governments that seeks to exclude
Armenia from economic and regional transportation opportunities.
Lawmakers approved H.R. 5068, the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization
Act of 2006, which included an amendment by Congressman Joseph Crowley
(D-NY), along with Congressmen Edward Royce (R-CA) and Brad Sherman
(D-CA), ensuring that taxpayer dollars will not be spent on efforts
that would isolate Armenia – which is already facing dual blockades
by Turkey and Azerbaijan.
The amendment, which was unanimously approved by the House Financial
Services Committee last month, states that “The Bank shall not
guarantee, insure, extend credit, or participate in an extension of
credit in connection with the development or promotion of any rail
connections or railway-related connections that do not traverse or
connect with Armenia, and do traverse or connect Baku, Azerbaijan,
Tbilisi, Georgia, and Kars, Turkey.”
The proposed bypass railway is estimated to cost upwards of $800
million and is expected to take years to construct. The existing line,
which crosses Armenia, is in working condition and could be operational
in a matter of weeks at very little cost. Armenian government officials
have repeatedly said that a new costly railway is unnecessary given
that a railroad linking Armenia, Georgia and Turkey already exists.

Week of Armenian films to be held in Sao Paolo
ArmRadio.am
26.07.2006 12:00
In the framework of celebration of the 15th anniversary of the
independence of the Republic of Armenia September 19-24 a week of
Armenian films will be held in the largest cultural complex of Brazil –
the Sao Paolo Cultural Center.
Press and Information Department of RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs told
” ArmInfo” that 11 films of Sergey Parajanov, Harutyun Khachatryan,
Vigen Chaldranyan, Albert Lazarian Ruben Kochar, Hnri Vernoy and
Robert Keshishyan will be screened.
At the suggestion of the Brazilians, “My Sardarapat” musical film
will be shown as well. The event is being organized by joint efforts
of the Chief Consulate of Armenia in Brazil, RA Ministry of Culture
and Youth Affairs and the San Paolo Secretariat of Culture.

MOODY’S RATING COMPANY CONFERRED CURRENCY EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL RATING Ba 2 TO ARMENIA
Yerevan, July 25. ArmInfo. The Moody’s Rating Company (USA) conferred
a currency external and internal rating Ba 2 to Armenia, the Chairman
of the RA Central Bank Tigran Sarkissyan said at the press-conference.
According to him, the rating, conferred to Armenia, is a good indicator
enough for the country. He added that Armenia stands at one level with
Azerbaijan by its rating, it passes ahead of Georgia by two points
and Turkey – by one point. Sarkissyan added that the conferred rating
will allow Armenia to take its place on the “financial map of the
world” and will enable the foreign investors to properly assess the
financial risks and to develop a strategy of work in RA. Moreover,
the rating enables the country’s Government to issue bonds and to
distribute them in the international market.
Sarkissyan noted that according to the new method of Moody’s, the
management subjects and commercial banks of Armenia are given an
opportunity to receive an individual rating which can be higher than
the country’s rating. Thus, this method allows the local companies
to independently enter the international currency market and to
establish business contacts with international organizations. T.
Sarkissyan said that 5 Armenian companies, including the commercial
banks, have already addressed to receive the individual rating, the
process of conferring of which will be finished in September- October.
To be noted, the Fitch Rating Agency had conferred a sovereign credit
rating (Issuer Default ratings, IDR) “BB” to Armenia in the beginning
of June, 2006, with a stable forecast.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Baroness Caroline Cox concerned with the demolition of Armenian khachkars in Nakhijevan
ArmRadio.am
26.07.2006 12:16
Baroness Caroline Cox raised the question of the destruction of
Armenian khachkars in Old Jugha in the UK House of Lords, “Armenpress”
reports. The baroness officially declared that Azerbaijan has destroyed
about 1 000 Armenian khachkars and churches. In an eight-minute
speech she presented the facts, urging the British Government to
exert pressure over Azerbaijan and demand permission for different
organizations and individual researchers to visit Nakhijevan to study
the real situation. “The Government of Great Britain is concerned with
the fact that Armenian khachkars are being demolished by Azeris. What
Azerbaijan is doing is a vicious crime, I’ll do my best to tell the
truth to the world,” Baroness Cox said.

Carpets unite peoples
ArmRadio.am
26.07.2006 13:53
Gita Elibekyan (Yerevan)
Irina Badalova (Stepanakert)
Leila Mirijavadova (Baku)
There is a carpet shop at Sanapino Street in Tbilisi, which belongs
to Ilgar Mamudzadeh, Azerbaijani in origin, who is continuing the
work of his father and grandfather. Ilgar Mamudzadeh says that with
their national peculiarities the Caucasian carpets are both alike
and diverse. The shop owner himself does not discriminate between
Armenian, Azerbaijani, Georgian or Abkhazian carpets. Moreover,
he sincerely confesses that he likes the Armenian rugs most of all.
“Here I have Azerbaijani, Georgian and Armenian carpets. I like the
Armenian rugs, particularly “Lori-Pambak,” which is very beautiful
and therefore rather expensive,” Mamudzadeh says.
In Ilgar Mamudzadeh’s shop the Armenian “Karabakh” carpet costs
400 Laris, which makes about US$ 220. The owner says the Azerbaijani
“Shirvan” is cheaper, it costs 350 Laris. Ilgar has thoroughly studied
the history of carpets. He says that having old carpets at home is
a tradition. According to him, Caucasian carpets have the greatest
demand in the world. Generally, carpets comprise an indispensable part
of the dowry of Caucasian girls. For instance, in the past when an
Armenian girl married a Georgian, she started knitting carpets with
Armenian ornaments and in Georgian colors. The specialists call such
rugs “Caucasian carpets. A girls could not marry if she was unable
to knit carpets ot had no rugs in her dowry.”
“Girls have been weaving these carpets day and night. I have been to
distant villages of all Caucasian countries, and I can say that this
tradition has been preserved in Azerbaijan only,” the Azerbaijani
carpet seller says.
The owner of the carpet shop notes that tourists are most interested
in Caucasian rugs. The carpets brought from motherland are dear
also to Hovik Grigoryan. The latter is Ilgar Mamudzadeh’s friend
and works as salesman in the shop. The Georgian-Armenian says with
regret that at home he has only carpets of factory production. While
Azerbaijani Ilgar’s home is full of different carpets, and not only
Azerbaijani ones.
Carpets unite peoples. “I am an Azerbaijani and I work with an
Armenian. We are friends and nothing prevents us from living in peace,”
Ilgar says.