VAHE SHAHVERDIAN: METAKSIA HAS BEEN AND WILL REMAIN BEAUTIFUL FAIRY-TALE AND UNIQUE CHARM OF ARMENIAN THEATER
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 10 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “Metaksia has been
and will remain the beautiful fairy-tale and the unique charm of the
Armenian theater. I don’t know and can’t say when a new Metaksia will
be born in the Armenian theater. Her place on the stage is vacant
up to this day,” Vahe Shahverdian, Art Director of Gabriel Sundukian
National Academic Theater, declared at the April 10 event dedicated
to well-known actress Metaksia Simonian’s 80th birth anniversary. Vahe
Shahverdian said that he is always angry when he hears such expressions
as “a beautiful actress”, “an attractive actress” addressed to
Metaksia as Metaksia became beautiful and attractive on the stage as
“her charm had a talent and her talent had a charm”. This was the
talent of being unusual and unique that Metaksia had on the stage. The
evidence of this are numerous roles the talented actress played with
an attraction and charm no one else has ever played on the stage
of the Armenian theater”. According to V.Shahverdian, Metaksia
Simonian’s best role was the role of Nastasya Philipovna in the
“Idiot” by Feodor Dostoyevski. At the Moscow tour in 1970, this role
played by the actress was estimated by well-known theatrical critics
Svobodin and Rudniski as “the best Nastasya Philipovna in the Soviet
Union”. “For unknown reasons, the Armenians have never spoken about
this. The theatrical world did not like her. The theatrical world
persecuted her. I can ground my words by articles and publications
written about her at that time,” V.Shahverdian declared. According
to the Art Director of the National Academic Theater, the actress
having an exclusive talent should have been buried in the Pantheon
after Komitas: “She should rest near the other Armenian great figures.
Metaksia’s place is there”. Vahe Shahverdian also mentioned that a week
of performances will be held on the occasion of the 80th anniversary
of the actress with the participation of theaters of Armenia, Artsakh
and Tbilisi, which will be concluded by a distribution of prizes.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONCERT-ACTION ENTITLED “IT’S POSSIBLE” TO BE HELD ON INITIATIVE OF EMBASSY OF GREAT BRITAIN TO ARMENIA, ON APRIL 11
Noyan Tapan
Apr 10 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The concert-action entitled “It’s
Possible” will be held in Yerevan on April 11, on the initiative of
the Embassy of Great Britain. The goal of the event is to support
increasing the public consciousness towards a number of important
issues among the Armenian youth. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the
Political, Press and Public Ties Department of the British Embassy to
the RA, the concert-action to be held at the Al.Spendiarian Opera and
Ballet National Academic Theater will attach importance to three public
problems: clean Yerevan, refusal of corruption and legal awareness.
The concert tickets will be freely given to students of the
institutions of higher education of Yerevan.

SCIENTISTS EXPRESS ANXIETY THAT REFORMS OF SCIENCE TO BE HELD IN PERIOD OF CHANGING ACADEMY HEADS
Noyan Tapan
Apr 10 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN. At the April 10 sitting of the
Chairmanship of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, Prime
Minister of Armenia Andranik Margarian officially stated about RA
NAS Chairman Fadey Sargsian’s resignation. The decision about it was
adopted by the RA Government on April 6.
By another decision of the RA Government made on April 10, 2006,
Fadey Sargsian is appointed the RA Prime Minister’s Advisor. Before
the elections, Academician Sergey Hambardzumian will be the acting
Chairman of the NAS. While discussing the coming reforms in the sphere
of science, the Prime Minister stated that the package of reforms,
presented to the RA Government will be discussed only after elections
of the new Chairman of the RA NAS. Connected with it, some actual
questions were raised at the Chairmanship of the RA NAS: particularly,
issues of necessity of holding elections of correspondening members
as soon as possible and about elections of new directors of the
institute, connected with age qualification (65 years old). It was
mentioned that reforms must be held in calm situation, but not in the
period of changing heads of scientific departments and the Chairman
of the RA NAS. Academician E.Gabrielian proposed to make changes
in the Regulations of the academy as well, for the election for the
posts of the Chairman and academicians-secretaries is limited by two
terms. The Prime Minister promised that elections of corresponding
members will not be connected with reforms.

ARMENIAN-IRANIAN UNIVERSITY “ARIA” TO OPEN IN YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
Apr 10 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN. “The two-year efforts of Armenian and
Iranian scientists aimed at founding an Armenian-Iranian University
in Yerevan were crowned with success: a new University “Aria” will
open in September this year in Yerevan”. Noyan Tapan correspondent
was informed about it by professor Garnik Asatrian, Head of the
Iranian Studies Chair of Yerevan State University (YSU). He also
heads the group of Armenian scientists working at the foundation of
the University “Aria”. According to him, the agreement about founding
“Aria” was reached between YSU and “Bayamenur”, the largest Iranian
University in the region, having 27 branches in Iran, as well as
in Afghanistan and in countries of Central Asia. Professor Asatrian
said that the Armenian-Iranian University will be in the system of
the private higher education institutions. It is supposed that four
faculties will work at the University at the level of magistrasy:
oriental studies, international relations and political sciences,
energy of biomass and ecology, as well as a faculty of radiophysics.
“The opening of the University is a very pleasing event that
demonstrates the high level of interrelations between Armenia
and Iran. This is the first joint scientific-educational and
cultural center,” G.Asatrian declared. According to him, as it is
planned, Armenian and Iranian specialists, as well as scientists
from Georgia, Russia and countries of West Europe will work at the
University. “I think that the University will become not only a center
for concentration of the scientific thought of the region but will
also create an opportunity to involve and concentrate the scientific
cadres who have had no demand by now and academic scientists who are
literally in a disastrous condition,” professor Asatrian declared.

MINASIAN AND ANASTASIAN IN LEADERS’ GROUP AFTER 3 TOURS IN EUROPE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Noyan Tapan
Apr 10 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The games of the 3rd tour were held in
men’s and women’s chess Europe championships. In the men’s tournament
representatives of Armenia Artashes Minasian and Ashot Anastasian ended
the game in a draw. Currently they have gained 2.5 points each and
share 2-18th places with a number of chess-players. They lag behind the
only leader, Ervin L’Ami (Holland) only with 0.5 points. The results of
the other Armenian chess-players are the following: Tigran L.Petrosian,
Tigran Kotanjian 2 points each, Arman Pashikian 1.5 points. The results
of the representatives of Armenia in the women’s championship are more
modest. Only Elina Danielian among them takes place at the top of the
tournament table. She gained 2 points and lags behind the leaders only
with several points. Another 3 Armenian women chess-players, Lilit
Mkrtchian, Nelli Aghinian and Siranush Andreasian, have 1 point each.

ARMENIAN-POLISH RELATIONS DEVELOP NORMALLY
ArmRadio.am
11.04.2006 15:00
On April 11 Chairman of the National Assembly Arthur Baghdasaryan
received the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Armenia Tomash
Knothe.
The Ambassador handed an official invitation to visit Poland. During
the meeting the parties attached importance to the development of
Armenian-Polish interparliamentary ties, the cooperation in the
framework of the EU New Neighbors Program and assistance to Armenia,
as well as the establishment of ties between the regions of the
two countries.
Issues related to the official visit of the President of the Polish
Senate to Armenia were also discussed.

ARMENIAN SOLDIERS WILL STUDY IN MILITARY INSTITUTIONS OF CSTO MEMBER STATES
ArmRadio.am
11.04.2006 15:11
The points of the agreement on training of military cadres of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization member states correspond to
the Armenian Constitution. Such decision has been taken today by the
Constitutional Court of Armenia.
Secretary of the Presidential Council on National Security, Defense
Minister Serge Sargsyan, who was presenting the interests of the
country, declared that the agreement was signed on June 23, 2005 in
Moscow. From the Armenian side the agreement was signed by President
Robert Kocharyan.

NAGORNO KARABAKH MP: COORDINATED NATURE OF AZERBAIJANI EXTERNAL PROPAGANDA SPEAKS OF ABSENCE OF DEMOCRACY
14:36 04/11/2006
“I would not say that we lose in the propagandist war to
Azerbaijan. The thing is, by us the external propaganda is not
coordinated by the authorities, as it is done in the neighboring
republic. This demonstrates that there is no democracy in
Azerbaijan. Media in Nagorno Karabakh can have different opinions on
one and the same issue, which shows the democratic nature of society.
Under the authoritarian rule in Azerbaijan this is practically
impossible,” Chairman of the Constant Commission on External of the
Nagorno Karabakh National Assembly Vagram Atanesyan is quoted as
saying by a REGNUM correspondent in Stepanakert.
The MP stressed the role of the parliamentary commission in propaganda
of NKR interests, in examining the facts of violence against citizens
of the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Republic and the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic by Azerbaijan. He added the commission’s task is to “study
and submit to the international community facts of criminal policy
by Azerbaijan against peaceful settlements in Nagorno Karabakh, in
particular, ethnic purges in the city of Shushi in 1988, facts of
violence and other crimes carried committed during the so-called ‘ID
check’, The Ring operation held jointly by the Azerbaijani Special
Police Forces, internal troops by the USSR Interior Ministry and
USSR Defense Ministry in April-May 1991, facts of appalling massacre
in the village of Maraga, Martakert District, NKR, military crimes
in Shaumyan Dustrict, parts of Martakert and Askeran Districts,
NKR, occupied now by Azerbaijan, and all other criminal actions of
Azerbaijani armed troops towards civil population of Nagorno Karabakh.”
One of the main tasks of the propaganda, believes the MP, is informing
the international community on the essence of the national liberation
fight by the Karabakh people.

EVENTS IN IRAN TO MARK 91ST ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
11.04.2006 19:29 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Hay Dat Office in Iran will hold a number of
events to mark the 91st anniversary of Armenian Genocide. The office
plans to send all foreign diplomats accredited in Iran packages with
materials on the Armenian Genocide. The materials will include a book
by Swiss lawyer Alfred de Zayas in English and French. The book views
the Armenian Genocide from the point of view of the international
law. A similar package will be delivered to local media, MPs. Among
the events is translation and issue of three books on the Armenian
Genocide in Persian, organized by the Center for Studying the Armenian
Issue. April 18 a memorial evening of victims of the Genocide will
be organized. Intelligentsia representatives, MPs and wide public
will take part in the measure. April 24 a rally with participation of
Teheran Armenians is planned, reports the Alik Teheran-based newspaper.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERI LAWYER CONFESSES LIFE SENTENCE DEMANDED FOR SAFAROV
PanARMENIAN.Net
11.04.2006 19:56 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ April 13 the sentence will be passed in Budapest
concerning Ramil Safarov, who hacked Armenian officer Gurgen
Margaryan. Safarov’s lawyer Adil Ismaylov stated, “at the session
on April 4 the prosecutor demanded to deprive him of liberty for
30 years.” However, later it was clear that the prosecutor demanded
life sentence.
According to the Zerkalo Baku-based newspaper, after long protraction
had to confess that “unfortunately Armenians speak the truth this
time.” In this case, why it was necessary to state a week before that
the state prosecutor demanded 30 years, the newspaper asks.
As of whether politicization of the event hampered the trial of
Safarov, Ismaylov said, “it is quite normal that the case was
transferred to the political plane.”
“I believe politicization hampered the Azeri officer by no means. To
the contrary, I think the Azeri society could not use that factor to
the full,” the lawyer emphasized.
According to the Hungarian legislation, there are two options for
life sentence. According to the first the prisoner at the bar is
sentenced to life imprisonment without any conditions or chances
for release. The second is life sentence with a condition that the
accused has a right to submit an appeal for pardon in 30 years.