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NEWSDIGEST July 01-08, 2005
By Ruzanna Amiraghyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
JULY 4 – JULY 8: NEWS FROM ARMENIA’S NEIGHBORHOOD
An accident on July 4 at a power substation in Georgia cut off
electricity supplies to the country’s eastern regions.
Hospitals and the subway in Tbilisi lost power.
On July 4, the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in
Azerbaijan Afshar Sulaymani held a press conference on his
country’s presidential elections result. Commenting on relations
between Armenia and Iran, he stated that the foreign policy of his
country is based on good-neighbor relations. The ambassador condemned
all those who raise the question of the so-called South Azerbaijan and
underlined that the issue does not bring benefit to Azerbaijan.
Parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan will be held on November 6th
according to a decree signed by President Ilham Aliyev on July
4. Elections to the 125-seat parliament will be held according to
party lists for the first time.
On July 5 Armenia marked Constitution Day. President Robert Kocharyan
congratulated citizens, saying: `Within the past decade our
Constitution has demonstrated its viability and has pointed the way to
overcome the hardest situations. The Basic Law of our country is the
major guarantor of civil accord, rule of law and stability.’
The Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Gegham Gharibjanyan met with
the Governor of Iran’s Hormozgan Province, Ebrahim Derazmisu, on
July 5. They discussed the establishment of economic cooperation
between the Iranian province and the Ararat region of Armenia in the
fields of commerce, tourism and the export of fruit and fish products.
`My optimism on settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is
based on the intentions of state leaders. They perceive that finding
ways of settlement fitting both parties is in the interests of
Azerbaijan and Armenia,’ Goran Lennmarker, the OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly (PA) rapporteur on Nagorno Karabakh, said on July 5. `I
will also say that at present all international organizations –
NATO, OSCE and the Council of Europe – support the search for a
lasting settlement of the conflict. This is an exclusive chance that
should not be lost.
`You can use Europe’s experience. Do not forget we had conflicts
and wars – more durable and bloody than this one – in our
history, too. Hundreds of million people died in conflicts in Western
Europe. Despite it we learned to coexist…Why cannot Azeris and
Armenians live as Europeans do? You are part of Europe. Like other
Europeans you deserve high life standards, all freedoms. I believe it
will be possible if the conflict is settled.’
On July 5 the OSCE Mission held a recurrent monitoring visit at the
contact line between Karabakh and Azeri armed forces. The monitoring
was conducted near the village of Kuropatkino in Martakert region of
NKR.
Gas supplies through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan gas pipeline were the
subject of discussions between the Georgian Minister of Fuel and
Energy, Nika Gilauri, and officials in Azerbaijan on July 6. According
to their agreement, Georgia will be able to get 800 million cubic
meters of gas annually in return for fuel transit rights through its
territory. At present, Georgia is dependent on Russia for gas
supplies.
On July 6, Larisa Alaverdyan, the Ombudsperson of the Republic of
Armenia, presented the statistical data of the activities of her
office for the first 6 months of the current year. More than 1,450
complaints were addressed to Alaverdyan: 110 concerned the police, 103
the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, 95 the courts, and 73 the
Municipality of Yerevan.
ARTS DIGEST: A ROUND-UP OF EVENTS IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT IN ARMENIA
By Gayane Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow arts reporter
FRENCH CONNECTION: About 50 Armenian organizations in France took part
in a public meeting in Marseilles on July 2 to make preparations for
the Year of Armenia in France, Arminfo reported on July
6. Armenia’s ambassador to France, Eduard Nalbandyan, informed the
participants about the preliminary programs for the celebration and
stressed that the festival showed the high level of relations between
the two countries.
RUSSIA REMEMBERS KHACHATURYAN: A monument to the Armenian composer
Aram Khachaturyan will be erected in Moscow following a decision on
Tuesday by a city council commission. The memorial will be erected in
a public park in central Moscow near the house in which the composer
lived.
BOOK DAY: The 86th anniversary of the National Library was marked on
July 6 and 7. The male gymnasium of Yerevan, built in 1832, became the
National Library of Armenia in 1919. Cultural staff taking part in the
celebration included the chairmen of the Theatre Workers’ and Writers’
unions, the president of the Armenian Encyclopedia, and the chairman
of the Fridtjof Nansen Fund, Azg reported.
Henry Cuny, the French Ambassador to Armenia, congratulated the
Library and said that when an old man dies in Africa people say a
library died. He added: “They say so to emphasize the importance of
memory.’
A TRUE STORY: Director Atom Egoyan presented his new film Where the
Truth Lies at the 40th international film festival in the Czech health
resort of Karlovi Vari, Azg reported.
The film is based on the novel by Nero Wolfe and tells the story of
Lanny Morris (Kevin Bacon) and Vincent Collins (Colin Firth), the
hottest showbiz duo in America in the 1950s. It is built on the
contrast between private and public lives and explores the dark,
beguiling, and inevitably destructive side of fame and fortune.
WORLD OF COLORS: The “Canvas, Oil Paints 2005” exhibition runs at the
Academy picture gallery in Yerevan from July 1 to 15. Works by 23
modern Armenian artists are exhibited. Gor Vardanian, director of the
Academy gallery, said that the exhibition would be held annually each
July. Narek Avetisian, Ararat Sargsian, Arthur Sargsian, Teni
Vardanian, Grigor Mikaelian are among artists represented.
LIVING CULTURE: The One Nation, One Culture Foundation opens a
festival entitled `Maintain Our Culture’ on July 8 in all
regions of Armenia and in Artsakh. Events involving musicians, actors
and other artists will be held, as well as exhibitions. The opening
ceremony is taking place in Metsamor in Armavir region.
KILIKIA SAILS ON: The Armenian vessel Kilikia, journeying through the
Mediterranean, was welcomed at Marseilles in France on July 3, Arminfo
said. Armenia’s Ambassador to France Eduard Nalbandyan, head of the
municipality, senators, deputies and more than 1,000 members of the
Armenian Diaspora were present at a reception. Kilikia will visit
Barcelona, Cadiz, Lisbon, La Corunya, San Sebastian, La Rochelle,
Brest, Cork, Dublin, Portsmouth and Amsterdam over the next four
months. The crew plans to berth in Amsterdam for the winter.
SPORTS DIGEST: NATION’S TEENAGERS GO FOR EUROPEAN FOOTBALL GLORY
By Suren Musayelyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
FOOTBALL
Armenia’s U-19 national team has flown to France for training
sessions in preparation for the crucial European Championship finals.
The squad will gather at the newly constructed sports center in Aubon,
20 kilometers from Paris, for 10 days ahead of the championships in
Northern Ireland later this month.
Before leaving for France on Monday, head coach Samvel Petrosyan said
that the team had the goal of finishing first or second in its group
and to qualify for the semifinals.
Ashot Manukyan, technical director of the Football Federation of
Armenia, said that the team felt optimistic about their chances. He
was sure that `the lads would do everything to accomplish the task
set for them and reach the semifinals’.
Manukyan added: `The FFA and its president spare no effort or means
for our juniors to make serious preparations for the European
championship finals, and I think that we will return home
victoriously.’
The squad that left for France includes Zhora Hovhannisyan, Gurgen
Meliksetyan, Artur Stepanyan, Armen Fishyan, Hayk Chilingaryan, Khoren
Veranyan, Mkhitar Grigoryan, Artak Oseyan, Rafael Safaryan, Alexander
Petrosyan, Gevorg Nranyan, Artak Hovhannisyan, Vahe Mehrabyan, Mikhel
Simonyan, Narek Manukyan and Armen Hovhannisyan. Edgar Manucharyan,
Edel Apula Edima Bete and Karl Lombe will join the U19s in Northern
Ireland.
Manukyan said only two players in the squad were carrying minor
injuries and they were recovering well . The team is scheduled to play
two friendlies with local clubs during its stay in France.
Armenia will play their first match of the championships against
Norway in Lurgan on July 18. The second match will take place against
England in Ballymena on July 20 and the final group game will be
against France in Lurgan on July 23.
(Based on a Football Federation of Armenia report)
PREMIER LEAGUE LOSES TEAM: Lernayin Artsakh has withdrawn from the
Armenian Football Premiership because it has decided to join the
Karabakh football league. To add confusion to the story, the current
Ararat II team that was playing in the First Division this year has
reclaimed its original name – Lernayin Artsakh.
Meanwhile, players from the Lernayin-Artsakh squad have claimed the
Ararat II name and will play in the First League. The new Ararat II
has appointed Samvel Ghasaboghlyan head coach after Arkadi Andreasyan
announced his resignation last week. ().
CHESS
LOSING DRAW: Liviu Nisipeanu from Romania won the title at the
Men’s Individual Championship in Poland, gaining 10 out of a
possible 13 points. Armenia’s Karen Asryan and Levon Aronyan, who
had a good chance to finish second, played each other in the final
round and ended their match with a draw after only the 11th move. A
victory for either would have guaranteed a bronze medal.
Aronyan and Asryan earned 9 points and placed 5th and 9th
respectively. Ukraine’s Sergey Karyakin, who finished 3rd, also had
9 points, but the Armenian players were ranked lower in results. The
other six Armenian competitors did not achieve a finish in the top 34
that gives the right to participate in the world championships. (A1
Plus)
WRESTLING
MEDALS GALORE: Armenian wrestlers gained six medals in an
international junior tournament in the Iranian town of Kazvin. About
300 wrestlers from eight countries participated in the tournament.
Artyom Simonyan (42 kg) and Gegham Melkonyan (69 kg) won in the
freestyle section. Gor Geghamyan took the silver in the 46 kg event.
Gold in the Greco-Roman wrestling went to Hovhannes Hakobyan (50 kg),
while Harutyun Hovhannisyan (46 kg) and Aram Julfalakyan (58 kg) won
bronze medals. The head coach of Armenia’s freestyle wrestling team
is Vache Arakelyan, the coaches of the Greco-Roman style wrestling
team are Gagik Yeghiazaryan and Andranik Arzumanyan. (Armenpress)