VIVACELL TO PRESENT 1185 ALLO-CARDS AND 138 CELL PHONES TO RECENTLY CONFINED WOMEN
Yerevan, April 11. ArmInfo. The cellular operator of communication
in Armenia, the VivaCell Company, carried out a congratulation action
for the recently confined women in 10 maternity hospitals of Yerevan
As ArmInfo was informed today in the Company’s press-office, from
March 8 to April 7, 2006, the VivaCell presented 1185 Allo-cards
and 138 cell phones to the recently confined women in the framework
of the International Women’s Day and the Armenian national holiday
Maternity and Beauty Day. Fifty-one cell phones with cards were
granted on March 8 and 87 cell phones – on April 7.
To be noted, the VivaCell Company has started rendering of cellular
communication services in Armenia from July 1, 2005.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VERDICT ON CASE OF GURGEN MARGARIAN’S MURDER WILL CORRESPOND TO REQUIREMENTS OF LAW, HUHGARIAN AMBASSADOR ASSURES
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 11 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Issues regarding
strengthening of the legal-contractual field between Armenia and
Hungary were discussed at RA NA Speaker Artur Baghdasarian’s April
11 meeting with newly appointed Hungarian Ambassador to Armenia Arpad
Sekey. They attached importance to development of interparliamentary
ties and study of the Hungarian legal experience, extension of
Armenian-Hungarian contacts within the framework of the EU New
Neighborhood policy, in consideration of the historical and current
communities between the two peoples. Congratulating the Ambassador
on the occasion of his appointment, NA Speaker gave assurance that
his activity will contribute to development of Armenian-Hungarian
contacts and expressed readiness to assist deepening of cooperation. As
Noyan Tapan was informed from NA Public Relations Department, Artur
Baghdasarian also touched upon the trial proceeding in Budapest on
the case of murder of Armenian Officer Gurgen Margarian and Ambassador
Sekey, highly estimating the Hungarian justice system, mentioned that
the verdict will correspond to the requirements of the law.

VAHAN HOVHANNISIAN: “TODAY’S AUTHORITIES APPEARED TO BE NOT ENOUGH DECISIVE, AND ANM AVOIDED PUNISHMENT”
Noyan Tapan
Apr 11 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. “The ANM was an anti-national movement
which brought the country to the verge of collaps,” Vahan Hovhannisian,
the Deputy Speaker of the RA National Assembly, a member of the ARF
Dashnaktsutyun Bureau stated, responding questions of the “Hot Line”
of the “Golos Armenii” (Voice of Armenia) newspaper. According to him,
“people, having been at the helm of power during the first years of
independence of Armenia, created an ugly, Asian model of government
and put the society on the needle of corruption, we are not able
to get rid of which up today.” V.Hovhannisian also stated that the
people did not notice the estimation of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun as “it,
unfortunately, did not see the following, the most important step –
punishment of the criminal. Today’s authorities appeared to be not
enough decisive, and the ANM avoided punishment.”

IN VAHAN HOVHANNISIAN’S OPINION, OSCE MINSK GROUP’S OPTIMISM BASED RATHER ON THEIR WISH
Noyan Tapan
Apr 11 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. Somewhat far-fetched optimism of the
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen was based not so much on realities as
on their wish.
Vahan Hovhannisian, the RA NA Deputy Speaker, a member of the ARF
Dashnaktsutyun Bureau expressed such an opinion, responding questions
of the “Hot Line” of the “Golos Armenii” (Voice of Armenia) newspaper,
about the forecasts concerning the serious break in settlement of
the Karabakh problem in 2006. “Maybe, straining of their states’
relations with Iran had a role in it, maybe – issues of Turkey’s
entering the European Union,” V.Hovhannisian mentioned. At the same
time, he expressed an opinion, that Armenia must not limit itself
in terms. “Armenia and NKR must come out ecxeptionally of their own
national interests and solve this issue at that time and in the way,
when and how it will be profitable,” the RA NA Deputy Speaker stated.

ARF DASHNAKTSUTYUN NOT AT ALL AGAINST TERRITORIAL ENTITY OF GEORGIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 11 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The ARF
Dashnaktsutyun party is not at all against the territorial entity
of Georgia, and the strained situation in Javakhk is not absolutely
connected with activity of the Dashnsktsutyun. Vahan Hovhannisian,
the RA NA Deputy Speaker, a member of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Bureau
stated about this, answering a question of the “Hot Line” of the
“Golos Armenii” (Voice of Armenia) newspaper. According to Vahan
Hovhannisian, if the Georgian state is ready to give wide autonomous
rights to any national minorities (Abkhazians, Osetians), Armenians of
Javakhk who are law-abiding citizens of that country, deserve the same
attitude as well. “I think that Georgia, entering different European
structures, of course, must show European approach to the issue of
national minorities,” V.Hovhannisian stated.

PARLIAMENT FAILS TO AFFIRM DRAFT AGENDA COMPLETELY
Noyan Tapan
Apr 11 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. On April 10, the first day of the
regular four-days sittings of the RA National Assembly, the Parliament
failed to affirm the first part of the draft agenda. It included 5
new drafts estimated positively by the profile commissions, including
the drafts on making amendments and additions to the NA regulations
law and “On State Flag.” The reason of not affirming the agenda was
not enough participation of deputies as many of those registered at
the beginning of the sitting went away during it. Even the 20-minutes
breaks taken by the “Ardarutiun” (Justice) and “United Labour Party”
factions did not save. As a result, the Parliament will discuss at
the four-days sittings issues being discussed compulsory and according
to the necessity, which are included in the part of the draft agenda,
not subject to affirming. At the end of the day the Parliament passed
to discussion of the Government’s report on implementation of the
2001-2003 program on Privatization of State Property.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THIRD ALL-ARMENIAN CONFERENCE OF WRITERS TAKES PLACE IN ANTELIAS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 11 2006
ANTELIAS, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Under the
patronage of Aram I Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, about
150 writers from Armenia, Artsakh, Javakhk as well as colonies of
Diaspora participated in the 3rd All-Armenian Conference of Writers
taken place in Antelias on April 6-9. A number of reports were made
within the framework of the conference as well as an exhibition of
the Armenian book opened at the “Cilicia” museum of Mayrivank where
books published in Armenia during the recent years were presented. As
Noyan Tapan was informed by the Press Services of the Great House of
Cilicia, reports on the themes “Globalization and Modern Armenian
Literature,” “New Life Experience and New Literature,” “Diasporan
Armenian Literature by Estimation of Modern Study of Literature of
Armenia,” “The Armenian Genocide and Modern Armenian Literature,”
etc. were made at the conference. According to literary critic
Garnik Ananian, the Armenian literary-artistic conception bravely
goes forward to world challenges what often brings to refusal of
national identity, stable literary values. According to him, year
after year “writing of sweepings” enters the literary field what may
bring serious threats to the Armenian literature. American Armenian
writer Vehanuysh Tekian touched upon the problems of the Diasporan
Armenian literature. According to her, a literature has been created in
different colonies of the world continuously for years, what deserves
serious attention. And literary critic Suren Danielian emphasized
that there is no mutual understanding, field of understanding and
acquaintance between the Western Armenian and Eastern Armenian parts,
and indifference is noticed towards the Western Armenian literary
values in Armenia.
According to him, one of its reasons was the criticism of the Soviet
years, “one must gradually get rid of what.” Literary critic and
translator Alexander Topchian spoke about internalization of the
Armenian literature. According to him, the internalization of the
Armenian literature must first of all become an unseparatable part of
the state policy. This means that a clear and all-embracing program
must be worked out for presenting the Armenian literature to the world,
for what it’s necessary to unite not only creative unions of Armenia
but the intellectuals’ potential of Diaspora as well. During the
conference the Armenian writers proposed to create an internet site
where the printed press, created literature of Diaspora and Armenia
will be gathered.

HRANT DINK IS SURE THAT FIVE TURK JOURNALISTS TO BE JUSTIFIED
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 11 2006
ISTANBUL, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The court
procedure towards 5 Turk journalists re-started in Istanbul on
April 5. The journalists are accused of interpretations made in
Istanbul in September, about the conference dedicated to the Armenian
Genocide. “Those five journalists having progressive and democratic
behaviour appeared in front of the court for their publications,”
Hrant Dink, the editor-of-chief of the “Akos” newspaper published in
Istanbul, said to Radio Liberty. But Dink is sure that the journalists
will be justified.

CATHOLICOS OF GREAT HOUSE OF CILICIA CONFERS “SURB MESROP MASHTOTS” ORDER TO CHAIRMAN OF WRITERS’ UNION OF ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 11 2006
ANTELIAS, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. At the closing
ceremony of the 3rd All-Armenian Conference of Writers that took
place at the Antelias Patriarchate late on April 9, Aram I Catholicos
of the Great House of Cilicia expressed his appreciation to all
participants and in general, to all Armenian writers both from
Armenia and Diaspora. At the ceremony Archimandride Norayr Ashgian
read the message of Aram I Patriarch to which the participants of
the ceremony listened standing, then under the storm of applause of
those present, His Holiness confered the “Surb Mesrop Mashtots” order
of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia to Levon Ananian,
the Chairman of the Writers’ Union of Armenia. As Noyan Tapan was
informed by the Press Services of the Great House of Cilicia, His
Holiness wrote in his message that all the Armenian writers and
intellectuals are appreciated in the person of Levon Ananian.

RA STATE BUDGET REVENUES IN JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2006 EXCEED BY 5.7% INDEX OF SAME MONTHS OF 2005
Noyan Tapan
Apr 11 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-February 2006, the RA
state budget revenues and official transfers grew by 6.5% on the same
months of last year and made 55 bln 138.2 mln drams (about 127.2 mln
USD). According to the RA National Statistical Service, the state
budget revenues grew by 5.7% to 54 bln 741.7 mln drams. In the period
under review, the current revenues of the state budget increased by
1.3% to 52 bln 232.2 mln drams, while tax revenues – by 14.6% to 47 bln
297.4 mln drams. The state budget expenditures made 48 bln 147.1 mln
drams in January-February 2006, which exceeds by 26.5% the respective
index of last year. The budget surplus made 6,990.1 mln drams.
From: Baghdasarian