“CHAHARSHANBEH-SURI” FLICKERS IN YEREVAN
Mehr News Agency, Iran
May 16 2006
TEHRAN, May 16 (MNA) — Iranian director Asghar Farhadi’s acclaimed
film “Chaharshanbeh -Suri” was recently screened at the Yerevan Puppet
Theatre in Armenia, the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization
announced on Monday.
Several Iranian and Armenian students along with some of the film’s
cast and crew attended the event.
Starring Iranian superstar Hedyeh Tehrani along with Hamid Farrokhnejad
and Taraneh Alidusti, “Chaharshanbeh-Suri” is about a family in
which the wife doubts her husband’s loyalty. Everything seems to
indicate that the wife suffers from melancholia, but things turn
out differently.
“Chaharshanbeh-Suri” was awarded Crystal Simorghs for best director,
best editing, and best actress at the 24th Fajr International Film
Festival. The film also won the audience favorite award at the
festival, which was held in Tehran in late January.

NA PRESIDENT ARTUR BAGHDASARYAN AWARDED THE PRIZE “THE BEST EUROPEAN OF THE YEAR”
National Assembly of RA, Armenia
May 16 2006
On May 11-18 within the framework of the celebrations dedicated to
the day of Europe in Armenia a prize-giving ceremony was held in
“Armenia-Marriott” hotel, which organized the European Movement of
Armenia. Representatives of the National Assembly, foreign diplomatic
missions, international organizations, NGOs and others attended
the ceremony.
Traditionally, the prizes of the European Movement are given to
the public-political figures or organizations distinguished by their
investment or European way of working as part of general trend towards
following European practice in their states.
NA President Artur Baghdasaryan was awarded the prize “The Best
European of the Year,” and the prizes “The Best European Investment”
in the cultural and economic spheres received the JSC “Kanaka,” “Ayas”
Nautical Research Club and “Parisian Surch” (Paris Coffee) company.
Victor Yengibaryan, Chairman of the European Movement of Armenia
ensured in his opening speech that the strengthening of the relations
with the European Union emanates from the interests of our state,
and it’s the path of the perspective developments of Armenia without
alternative.
NA President Artur Baghdasaryan, congratulating those awarded, noted
that the European integration is a political perspective having no
alternative for Armenia. “Whoever wants to live with that system of
values, should fight for it,” ensured Mr. Baghdasaryan. Welcoming
the initiative of the European Movement of Armenia, the Parliament
President underscored that we should fight for democracy, freedom,
friendship and cooperation, which will lead our country to progress
and development.
Alexis Loiber, representative of the European Commission underscored
that Europe aims at developing the economy and spread European values:
rule of law and human rights. Mr. Loyber highlighted the consolidation
of the European Neighbourhood programme.
Henrik Kroner, General Secretary of the International European
Movement noted that the European values are united around the free
and autonomous governments and people of free will.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FRANCE’S BILL
By Ozdemir Ince
Turkish Press
May 16 2006
HURRIYET- Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper labeled the Armenian
Events of 1915 a ‘genocide’. Some deputies in France are preparing
a bill to criminalize denial of the so-called Armenian genocide. I’m
certainly angry about France and the US, both of whom are using the
‘genocide’ as a political tool and can’t get rid of the fixed idea
of genocide. But there are also people in these two countries working
against this shell game.
If this bill is passed, then France will contradict its history of
freedom and make things worse while trying to erase the opprobrium
of colonialism. My wise French friends are saying that comparing the
Jewish Holocaust with the Armenian genocide is absolute nonsense. But
they aren’t the majority among French intellectuals. Moreover they
grow more intense when this issue is debated. The ‘genocide’ is so
deep in their subconscious that many of them can’t get rid of it.
A total of 400,000 Armenian people are integrated into France, and all
of them are French citizens. France is certain about Armenians being
French. This is very important. Armenian society is very influential
in every field of daily life and every profession. It has a strong
middle class.
So it’s natural that a French person supports a French Armenian. Also
it’s almost impossible to publish an article espousing the opposite
view in top newspapers like Le Monde, Liberation and Le Nouvel
Observateur. Le Monde published the views of Orhan Pamuk, Murat Belge,
Halil Berktay and Baskin Oran, but wouldn’t publish my article even
in the readers section. I wrote about the tricky maneuvers of the
French and Armenians in Cukurova between 1919 and 1921. This is one
of France’s most shameful eras, but nobody wants to learn about it
and they even aren’t interested.
Like Elisabeth Badinter, there are historians who say: ‘Turkish and
Armenian historians should study if there was a genocide in Turkey
or another place. But it’s not the business of the French Parliament
to deliver an opinion on this issue. Moreover, legal determination
of discussion about a historical event and making it criminal is
unacceptable.’ But I don’t know if this will be enough to convince
even her husband Robert Badinter, an influential politician, jurist
and writer.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called representatives of French
firms and warned them to support Turkey’s stance. I don’t think that
this will work. Then France will play its European Union card. As a
matter of fact, their ambassador spoke about this a few days ago.
Turkey has to find another method, but it is difficult with this
government.

PREMIER OF “THE DA VINCI CODE” TO TAKE PLACE IN YEREVAN
Yerevan, May 16. ArmInfo. “The Da Vinci Code” blockbuster shot on the
notorious novel by Dan Brown, will be shown at the movie theatres
of Yerevan, after the world premier of the film in the Cannes Film
Festival, on May 17.
Tamara Movsisian, manager of “Moscow” movie theatre, informed ArmInfo
that the film will be shown at “Nariri” movie theatre from May 18
and from June 1 at “Moscow” cinema. She added that the Moscow based
“Cascade” copyright company assisted the movie theatres in getting
the right for show of the film. The film is shot by Ronn Hovard in
2006. The novel of Dan Brown was translated into 40 languages and has
sold more than 40 million copies. It’s worth mentioning that the book
aroused the indignation of the Christian confessions who condemn the
author for mockery of human values.
Besides, world known Armenian musician Jivan Gasparian plays doudouk
in the soundtrack of the film.

WEATHER CONDITIONS HAMPER LIFTING THE A-320 FLIGHT RECORDERS
Moscow, May 16. ArmInfo. Because of bad weather conditions the lifting
operation of A-320 blackbox flight recorders is temporarily stopped.
Russian sources report that the crosswind strengthened and ‘Navigator’
watercraft, from which the PT-1000 apparatus is controlled, started
drifting sideward. ITAR-TASS report that nothing has been yet found
by PT-1000.

OPPOSITIONIST POLITICIAN DOES NOT DRAW PARALLELS BETWEEN ARMENIAN SPEAKER AND GEORGIAN PRESIDENT
Yerevan, May 16. ArmInfo. “The speaker of the Armenian Parliament,
Arthur Baghdasaryan, and the symbol of the rose revolution Mikhail
Sahakashvili have similar height, however, I cannot speak of other
parameters,” Vazgen Manukyan, Chairman of National Democratic Union
opposition party, said at a press conference, Tuesday.
He said M. Sahakashvili differs from his forerunner Eduard Shevardnadze
only by “more successful management of the Central Committee,” but no
real progress has been observed in democratic processes. The upcoming
days will become a strength test for “Orinats Yerkir” party led by
the speaker as “it is one thing having 60,000 party men when in power,
and it is quite another thing when in the opposition.” As regards the
refusal of the ministers representing “OY” from fulfilling the party
Board’s demand to resign, V. Manukyan said “there are so many materials
compromising Education Minister Sergo Yeritsyan and other ministers
representing ‘OY’ that they have become easy governed.” Whereas,
“Athur Baghdasaryan is a young politicians who has not received
serious blows so far, the time will show if he will become stronger
under blows or he will fail,” V. Manukyan said.
On the whole, NDU leader thinks the party’s withdrawal will stop the
activity of the political coalition as when formed, the coalition
did not envisage a two- party format. He assured journalists that
the opposition should not welcome the speaker’s resignation like
“white-emigrants” should not have welcomed the settling of political
scores with Zinovyev and Bukharin under Stalin.

OWNER OF ARMAVIA EXPECTS THE FINAL RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION OF THE A-320 CRASH TO BE PUBLISHED IN 3 DAYS
Yerevan, May 16. ArmInfo.Mika Baghdasarov, owner of “ArmAvia” company,
denied the rumors of a supposed quarrel on the board of the crashed
A-320 airbus. He said that it was impossible to take weapons on the
board of the plane. Besides, no excitement was fixed in the record of
the pilot’s voice by the air traffic controller. And these factors
testify to the fact that stable and peaceful situation was on the
board of the plane. As for the harm that the air crash made to the
image of the company, Mr. Baghdasarov said that there have been many
cases of such tragedies in the history of aviation. He emphasized
that though an awful tragedy took place and many people died, the
life goes on and people need to live and work.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERI EMBASSY CHALLENGES GARABAGH PART IN MOSCOW TOURISM SHOW
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
May 16 2006
The Azeri embassy in Moscow has sent a diplomatic note to the Russian
Foreign Ministry expressing protest at the invitation of an Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh delegation to a tourism exhibition in Moscow on
May 11-14. There has been no reply from the ministry yet.
Earlier the embassy sent a protest note to the organizer of the show,
the Moscow City Tourism Committee, describing as a fake the exponents
presented as being of Armenian origin. The committee left the letter
unheeded.
On Saturday, the day of official opening, a group of young ethnic
Azeris living in Russia came to the exhibition venue draped in the
Azerbaijan national flags and encircled the exhibition pavilions in
protest. The young people said the exhibits described as Armenian
were actually Azerbaijani.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A-320 AIRPLANE COULD EASILY LAND FROM THE FIRST TURN
Yerevan, May 16. ArmInfo. The crashed A-320 airplane could easily
land in Sochi from the first turn, said on a award ceremony at the
Russian Security, Defense and Order Academy Mikhail Bagdasarov,
president of MIKA Limited company and owner of ArmAvia.
According to Bagdasarov, the weather conditions were surely bad,
but unable to impede the landing. He stressed that airbuses, unlike
old Soviet airplane, can land without problems in extreme weather
conditions. Commenting on the versions of the tragedy Bagdasarov
said that the only facts the Russian and Armenian authorities
officially stated are that the fuel of the airbus was sufficient,
the airplane functioned properly and that the skill of the pilots
cannot be doubted. He said that the authorities do not posses more
information and any version of the catastrophe is groundless yet. He
also denied that the crashed A-320 was repaired in Belgium. It was
under technical servicing in Budapest, Hungary.

MAMMADOV: NO AGREEMENT ON MEETING BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA PRESIDENTS IN PARIS
Author: E. Husseynov
Trend, Azerbaijan
May 16 2006
There has no been any agreement on the meeting between Azerbaijan`s
and Armenia`s Presidents to be held in Paris at the end of May, the
Chief of the President`s Apparatus Department of External Affairs
Novruz Mammadov exclusively told IAA “Trend”.
According to him the possibility of meeting between the two presidents
during the Spring Session of NATO Parliament Assembly in Paris is
just a fantasy of the journalists who suggested if Robert Kocharyan
and Ilham Aliyev participate in the forum journalist fantasy, a next
round of negotiations will be.
Moreover, Mr. N. Mammadov confirmed that President Ilham Aliyev willl
take part at the session at the end of May. “He is to take part and
delivery a speech to 450 representatives of NATO member-states during
the plenary session. The President is to tell about measures taken
towards Azerbaijan`s integration into Euro Atlantic structures”,
he told.