FOUR ORGANIZATIONS ASK PRIME MINISTER TO PREVENT SHOWING OF “DA
VINCI’S CIPHER” FILM IN COUNTRY’S CINEMAS

YEREVAN, MAY 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. 4 Armenian NGOs have
sent a letter to RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian asking him to
assist to urgent prohibition of showing of the “Da Vinci’s Cipher”
“sacrilegious” film at Yerevan Nairi cinema and the sale of all kinds
of its reproductions. “The agents of the evil infringed the most
sacred thing of our people, the belief of our fathers in God. And who
could imagine a larger abuse than to ascribe human sins to the son of
God, Jesus Christ, who was sent to give absolution our sins,” the
letter, in particular read. Those who signed under the letter,
Chairmen of the Armenian Constitutional Human Rights Center, Armenian
Center for Integration and Democracy, Mission Armenia NGO Gevorg
Manukian, Karen Asatrian, Hripsime Kirakosian and head of the Husaber
charity foundation Babken priest Hayrapetian emphasize that the Mother
See of Holy Echmiadzin has clearly announced about impermissibility of
showing the film but “your order is also necessary for hampering the
showing.”

“ORINATS YERKIR” LEFT BY HEAD OF SYUNIK “DZORK” MARZ STRUCTURE OF PARTY
KAPAN, MAY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Lernik Petrosian, the head of the Syunik
“Dzork” marz structure of the “Orinats Yerkir” (Country of Law) party
left its rows recently. As we had informed earlier, L.Petrosian was
the former Chief of the Education, Culture and Sports Department of
the Syunik Regional Governor’s Office, and was discharged in April, as
according to his own insistence, he was obliged to become a member of
the Republican Party of Armenia. Though they informed from the OYK,
that L.Petrosian has been a party member since this February, but the
latter mentioned in the conversation with us that he wrote an
application and entered the OYK only on April 15. And on May 18 he
wrote an application and informed that he leaves the OYK. “The main
reason is that the OYK became the opposition. I have twice been a
member of RA President Robert Kocharian’s marz office and done a good
work. How may I dely my principles? I have no such a moral right. Bad
or good, he is our President whom I elected, that’s why I consider
needless my staying in the OYK,” Petrosian said to the Noyan Tapan
correspondent and added that if the OYK did not become opposition, he
would stay in that party.

MORE THAN 30 COMPANIES TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL TOURISM
EXHIBITION HELD ON MAY 25-27 IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, 24 MAY NOYAN TAPAN. More than 30 companies from Belarus,
Georgia, Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia will participate in the 6th
international tourism exhibition “The Country of Talking Stones” 2006
organized in Yerevan on May 25-27 in Moscow cinema. As the
Armenia-Information center of the Armenian Agency of Tourism
Development, a co-organizer of the exhibition, informed Noyan Tapan,
airlines, hotel complexes, transport organizations, travel agencies,
insurance companies, NGOs, publishers, information agencies will
participate in the exhiition. The tourism institutions of the marzes
of Shirak and Vayots Dzor will be exhibited in separate pavilions.
Among the organizers of the exhibition are the RA Ministry of Trade
and Economic Development, the Armenian office of the American Society
of Travel Agents (ASTA). The main sponsor is the Yerevan Brandy
Factory, the sponsors are Golden Tulip Yerevan hotel, Czech Airlines
and Congress Hotel.

Delegation of the Orthodox Church of Finland to visit Tsitsernakaberd

ArmRadio.am
26.05.2006 10:33
The delegation leaded by Head of the Orthodox Church of Finland, Archbishop
of Carelia and All Finland Leo will visit Tsitsernakaberd to lay flowers at
the memorial to the victims of the Armenian Genocide.
Today President Robert Kocharyan will receive the Archbishop of Carelia and
All Finland Leo and the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II.

European Taiquando Championship to start in Bonn

ArmRadio.am
26.05.2006 11:00
European Taiquando Championship will start today in Bonn, Germany. Armenia
will be represented by Suren Sargisov (58kg), Arkadi Hakobyan (62kg), Levon
Pashabezyan (67kg) and Arman Yeremayan.

Elmar Mamedyarov: Baku ready to accept part of new ideas suggested by
mediators

ArmRadio.am
26.05.2006 12:10
Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mamedyarov declared after the
visit of the delegation of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to the region
that `we cannot speak about new suggestions.’
`The question refers to new ideas, some of which can be accepted by
Azerbaijan, some not. However, diplomacy envisages concessions, and we
shall wait for the results of Yerevan talks,’ Mamedyarov declared on
May 25. He noted that ` Nagorno-Karabakh comprises part of Azerbaijan
and any way of settlement should come from constitutional provisions
of the country.’
He did no rule out, however, that Nagorno-Karabakh may have a
Constitution. `The Autonomic Republic of Nakhijevan, Tatarstan and
Bahkortostan also have their Constitutions. It’s an accepted
practice,’ Elmar Mamedyarov said.
`We realize that the status of Nagorno-Karabakh should be determined
sooner or later. But it’s not Armenians that should do this. First,
Azerbaijanis should return to their homes, then the question will be
included in the agenda,’ Azeri Foreign Minister said.

Catholicos of All Armenians received French-Armenian piligrims

ArmRadio.am
26.05.2006 12:25
May 25 the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II received a group of
French-Armenian pilgrims headed by benefactor Sargis Petrosyan.
The Catholicos presented challenges the Church faces and its present
activity in the spheres of Christian education, Church building and
social services.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA Prime Minister received members of the governmental delegation of Moscow

ArmRadio.am
26.05.2006 12:36
Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan received today the Co-Chair of the
Cooperation Commission of Moscow and RA Governments, Prefect of the
Central Administrative Unit of Moscow Sergey Baydakov and the
delegation headed by him.
The Prime Minister expressed his approval of the results of the second
sitting of the Cooperation Commission of Moscow and RA Governments,
during which issues related to cooperation in the spheres of trade and
economy, health, culture, sports, tourism were discussed.
The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of the Year of Armenia in
Russia for reinforcement of the traditional religious-cultural ties
between the two countries.

President Kocharyan received Head of the Orthodox Church of Finland

ArmRadio.am
26.05.2006 14:48
President Robert Kocharyan received today Head of the Orthodox Church
of Finland, Archbishop of Carelia and All Finland Leo accompanied by
the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II.
The President expressed his appreciation for the visit of Archbishop
Leo and noted that the countries and peoples benefit from the warm
relations between the two Churches.

Characterizing the current Armenian Apostolic Church ` State relations
as excellent, Robert Kocharyan said that Armenia is situated in a
region where maintenance of church, religion and traditions is of
fatal importance.
Archbishop Leo and Catholicos Garegin II highly appreciated the
cooperation between the Orthodox Church of Finland and the Armenian
Apostolic Church. The interlocutors attached importance to
interchurch ties and exchanged views on Christianity and the problems
humanity faces.

Ago Group to arrive in Armenia June 9-10

ArmRadio.am
26.05.2006 15:24
June 9-10 Ago Group of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of
Europe will be in Armenia, Press Service of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs informed.
Ago Group is monitoring the implementation of commitments, assumed by
Armenia and Azerbaijan when entering the CE. From Yerevan the group
will leave for Baku.
To remind, the group is headed by Roland Venger.