GDP GROWS 11.7% IN ARMENIA IN JANUARY-JULY, 2005, ON SAME MONTHS OF LAST YEAR
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-July, 2005, GDP in
Armenia grew by 11.7% on the same period of 2004 and made 915 bln
222.9 mln drams (about 2 bln USD). The GDP index-deflator made up
103.7%. According to the RA National Statistical Service, in the
indicated period, the industrial production in Armenia increased by
6.3% in Armenia, while the gross agricultural output and the retail
trade grew by 14.1% and 5.3% respectively. The RA foreign trade grew
by 29.5% in January-July, 2005 over the same period of last year and
made about 1.5 bln USD, with exports increasing by 31.9% and made
523 mln USD and imports by 26.2% to 788 mln USD respectively. Cosumer
prices grew 3.1% in July on December of last year. In the period under
review, citizens’ incomes and expenditures grew by 12.7% and 8.6%
respectively. As of late July, the number of the officially registered
unemployed made 94.5 thousand people.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN-AMERICAN COOPERATION ONE OF IMPORTANT GUARANTEES OF REGIONAL STABILITY
YERVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The issue of peace and prosperity
in the South Caucasian region remains in the center of the USA
attentation. This was mentioned at the August 19 meeting of
Vartan Oskanian, the RA Foreign Minister, and Howard B.Dean, the
Chairman of the National Committee of the USA Democratic Party. The
interlocutors attached importance to effective cooperation spread in
all the directions of the Armenian-American relations and its further
deepening as one of important guarantees of economic development of
Armenia and regional stability. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA
Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information Department, the parties also
touched upon the current situation in the South Caucasus, prospects
of political and economic development, the Armenian-Turkish relations
and a number of other issues.

GAGIK HAKOBIAN CHAMPION OF VETERAN CHESS PLAYERS OF ARMENIA
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The championship of veteran chess
players of Armenia, in which 32 sportsmen at the age of 60 and
above participated, finished. Gagik Hakobian, a master of sport,
won the first place and the title of the champion of Armenia. He had
7 victories in the 9 rounds of the championship held by the Swiss
contest rules, he finished two meetings drawn game and got 8 points.
G.Hakobian won a right to participate in the 2005 World Championship
of veteran chess players. Eduard Mnatsakanian, an international master
won the 2nd place with 7.5 points. Adolf Demirkhanian, a candidate for
mastery, got 6.5 points and became the 3rd prize winner. Organizers
of the championship defined 7 monetary prizes for participants played
with greater success. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize-winners got monetary
awards of 100, 60 and 30 thousand drams correspondingly.

NUMBER OF FIRES DECREASES, OF VICTIMS INCREASES
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. During the first half of 2005, 552
cases of fire were fixed in Armenia, as a result of which 15 people
died, 11 had injuries (during the same period of 2004, 5 and 14). As
Noyan Tapan was informed by the Department on Emergency Situations
attached to Government, compared with the same period of 2004, fires
on territories covered with grass have decreased this year what is
conditioned with heavy rains in May and June. 248 cases of fires were
fixed in Yerevan what is less by 76 compared with the same period
of 2004.

1889 CASES OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS FIXED IN ARMENIA DURING FIRST HALF OF 2005
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. 1889 cases of emergency situations
were fixed on the territory of Armenia during the first half of 2005.
1147 ones from them are of technical character, 163 of natural and 579
ones of social-domestic character. As the Noyan Tapan correspondent
was informed by the RA Department for Emergency Situations attached
to Government, as it was during last years, this year as well the most
part of victims are because of traffic accidents: 110 ones. 129 people
were victims of technical character, 44 ones of emergency situations of
social-domestic character, and 3 people of natural character. Compared
with the same period of 2004, the number of deaths increased by 32,
and the number of injured by 125. This year, the number of emergency
situations of technical character increased by 22, of natural character
by 24, and of social-domestic character by 128. Fires (29.2%), traffic
accidents (28.4%) and poinsonings (28.7%) made the most part of the
emergency cases fixed for the first half of the year.

RA PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES CREW OF “CILICIA” SAILER
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President Robert Kocharian sent a
message to Karen Balayan, the Capitan of the “Cilicia” sailer and all
the crew. The message, text of which was submitted to Noyan Tapan by
the RA President’s Press Office, reads: “Dear friends, I congratulate
you on the occasion of the end of the regular stage of the “Cilicia”
sailer’s voyage of many years. Overcoming long distances and
dangerous difficulties, you have proudly sailed under our
Fatherland’s flag and showed will and steadfastness. Since 2004, you
have passed through many seas and come to the Atlantic Ocean on a
dublicate of the 13th century sailer of the Armenian Kingdom of
Cilicia. We follow attentively each stage of sailing and are glad
that “Cilicia” arrived with success at the English port of
Portsmooth, from where, it will continue its voyage next year. I wish
all the crew good health and kind return.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, August 19, 2005
ARMENIAN PHILHARMONIC SHINES, HOSTS BAYRAKDARIAN, KRADJIAN, TREGER
North American and European Performers Enrich APO’s Season
The AGBU-funded Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra (APO) hosted an
impressive array of performances during May and July, including a
special Fourth of July concert with guest American conductor Alexander
Treger. The Orchestra also participated in the highly anticipated
“Il Barbiere de Siviglia” (The Barber of Seville) starring Canadian
soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian.
A YEREVAN FAVORITE
A rising star in the international opera world, Isabel Bayrakdarian
first performed in Armenia last year returning to perform one of
Mozart’s most popular operas under the direction of APO conductor,
Eduard Topchjan on May 25 and 27. Music was provided by the Serenade
Chamber Orchestra, Hover Chamber Choir and the wind section of
APO. Bayrakdarian appeared in the role of Rosina accompanied by two
other visiting singers: Georgia’s Besik Gabitashvili as Il Conte
d’Almaviva and France’s Souren Shahidjanian as Don Basilio.
Co-sponsored by Hamazgain Cultural Society, the May 25 performance
was broadcast by Armenia’s H-1 TV. Bayrakdarian, who was accompanied
by her husband pianist Serouj Kradjian, was closely followed by the
local media during her visit.
On May 29, pianist Serouj Kradjian presented Rachmaninov’s Piano
Concerto No. 3 in Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall and the performance
was conducted by Topchjan and dedicated to the Year of Russia in
Armenia.
APO’S MAY CONCERTS
APO performed eight concerts in May 2005: May 6, they welcomed
British violinist Hideko Udagawa whose latest CD with pianist Boris
Berezovsky featured the music of Aram Khachaturian and included seven
premiere recordings; May 13, another Brit, Alexander Ivashkin, led
APO during a dynamic program that included Alfred Schnittke’s “(K)ien
Sommernachtstraum,” Tigran Mansurian’s “Nachtmusik”and the Armenian
premiere of Charles Ives’ “Washington’s Birthday”; May 20, Sergei
Azizian, concertmaster of the Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra,
visited his homeland to perform the work of Danish composer Carl
Nielsen; May 21, Hratchia Harutunian (Germany) and Barsegh Tumanian
performed in a program entitled, “An Evening of Violin and Vocal
Music”; May 23, American pianist Sahan Arzruni performed a benefit
concert for the Armenian Bone Marrow Transplant Donors Registry
Charitable Trust.
TREGER RETURNS
Russian American violinist and conductor, Alexander Treger conducted
APO on July 3 for a concert dedicated to the Independence Day of
the United States of America. In addition to the music of Liadov and
Tchaikovsky, there was an unannounced premiere of Caspar Diethelm’s
violin concerto, “Anubis,” by Swiss violinist Sibylle Tschopp.
Representatives of the American Embassy in Yerevan attended the
concert and the event began with welcoming remarks by U.S. Ambassador
to Armenia, John Evans.
As an encore to the evening’s performance, APO performed John Philip
Sousa’s rousing “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”
This was Treger’s second visit to Armenia and his second performance
with APO.
Formed over 75 years ago, APO has been primarily subsidized by AGBU
since 1992 in recognition of the importance of the performing arts
in Armenia. Annual grants are allocated for weekly concerts, new
instruments, administration, salary supplements, international guest
artists and special festivals. APO has successfully toured Austria,
England, France, Germany, Greece, Iran, Lebanon, Russia, Turkey, UAE
and the United States, and has produced over a dozen CD recordings. For
more information on APO, please visit or

VERY IMPORTANT TO BRING ESSENCE OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS TO EVERY
CITIZEN, TIGRAN TOROSIAN THINKS
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The August 19 seminar organized on
the initiative of the “Partnership for Open Society” was dedicated to
discussion of the process of the constitutional reforms. According
to Tigran Torosian, the Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly of
Armenia, though there are only 10 days left before the discussion of
the draft constitutional reforms at the RA NA, the draft still needs
to be completed. So, there are still definite problems connected
with the human rights, independence of the judicial system as well
as activities of the local self-governance bodies in the draft. “If
we can not make amendments in the Costitution during 2-3 years, we’ll
need a very long period of time to overcome problems existing in the
country,” T.Torosian stated. He expressed a confidence that many people
in Armenia realize the importance of the constitutional reforms. If we
can explain, people will understand and vote for the draft of reforms,
and if we cannot, the year of 2003 will repeat when people voted
against the constitutional reforms,” the NA Deputy Chairman mentioned.

TWO-DAY CONGRESS OF CLERGYMEN AND CHURCH COUNCILS OF ARMENIAN DIOCESE
OF TEHRAN FINISHES
TEHRAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A two-day Congress
of Clergymen and Church Councils of the diocese took place at the
national primacy of the Armenian diocese of Tehran on August 16-17.
Archimadrite Nshan Topuzian, the Primate of the Aterpatakan Armenian
Diocese, and the complete group of the clergymen of the Tehran Armenian
Diocese participated in the Congress held under the patronage and
chairing of Archbishop Sepuh Sargsian, the primate of the Armenian
diocese of Tehran. According to the “Alik” daily, during the discussion
of the second day, His Holiness explained comprehensively clergymen’s
obligations, summing up: “Pastor’s constant and warm relation with his
parishioners, his sermonizing and celebrating, stimulated by a prayer,
are the best data for success and only success.” The second lecture
delivered by Archbishop Sepuh Sargsian on the theme “Clergyman – Church
Council – People Relation” touched upon modern issues and agendas. At
the end, members of the Church Councils were given opportunity to make
a speech. At the closing of the Congress, among his final practical
advice and estimations, His Holiness expressed his double happiness
and anxiety on the occasion of agendas came out of the Congress,
and said: “I believe that, working together, thinking and planning
together, and especially, carrying out our activities, we can serve
our people wider.”

“ARMENIA TV” AND “AR RADIO INTERCONTINENTAL” RECOGNIZED WINNERS IN
COMPETITION FOR TV AND RADIO BROADCASTING LICENSE
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. At the August 18 sitting of the
National Commission of Television and Radio (NCTR), it was decided to
recognize as the winner the “Armenia TV” CJSC, only participant of the
competition for TV broadcasting license by the following decimeter
networks: 32 in the city of Vedy, 48 in Jermuk, 28 in Sevan, 26 in
Gyumri, 27 in Hrazdan, 28 in Aparan, 45 in Ararat, 25 in Vardenis,
25 in Vanadzor, 21 in Stepanavan, 55 in Abovian, 53 in Noyemberian, 25
in Ijevan, 21 in Dilijan, 24 in Sisian, 35 in Goris, 25 in Kapan. By
the NCTR another decision, the “AR Radio Intercontinental” LTD was
recognized the winner of the competition for radio broadcasting license
by the following frequencies: 105.2 on the territory of the village
of Areg, 104.6 in Vedy, 107.3 in Yeghegnadzor, 106.8 in Zovashen,
107.2 in Vanadzor, 103.6 in Gyumri, 103.9 in Vayk, 104.4 in Fantan,
103.2 on the territory of the Sevan mountain pass.