Author: Tadevosian Garnik

ARMENIAN DELEGATION ARRIVES IN OSLO TO TAKE PART IN EUROVISION 2010 SONG CONTEST

ARMENPRESS
MAY 17, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian delegation arrived today
in Oslo for participating in ‘Eurovision 2010’ song contest. Djivan
Gasparyan, world-famous Armenian master of duduk, is in the delegation
as well.

An official from the Public Television of Armenia told Armenpress
that the rehearsal of the contest have already started today.

Representatives of several countries- Moldova, Russia, Estonia, Latvia,
etc- are expected to take part in the rehearsal. Eva Rivas is expected
to hold her rehearsal tomorrow morning. The official opening of the
‘Eurovision 2010’ international song contest is intended May 23.

The schedule of the participants is quite comprehensive: meetings
with journalists, visits to cultural-historical places, etc. Eva
Rivas, who is representing Armenia with the ‘Apricot Stone’ song,
will be the second participant to perform at the second semifinal of
‘Eurovision 2010’ international song on May 27.

The first participating country is Lithuania; Armenia will be the
second one. The participants of Israel, Denmark, Sweden, Azerbaijan,
the Ukraine, Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia, Ireland, Cyprus, Croatia,
Georgia and Turkey will follow. The final is intended to be held
May 29.

MEDVEDEV EXPECTS TURKEY, ARMENIA TO RESTORE RELATIONS FULLY

Interfax
May 12 2010
Russia

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expects Turkey and Armenia to fully
restore their relations. "I hope both parties will be able ultimately
to achieve all the necessary decisions and restore their relations
in full," Medvedev said following a meeting with Turkish President
Abdullah Gul in Ankara.

This would "help stabilize the situation in our region, actively
develop economic relations, and, as a result, simply increase the
living standards in all countries living in our region," he said.

Russia welcomes this process and intends to follow it closely, using
the opportunities that it possesses, Medvedev said.

"But the solution ultimately depends on the two countries," Medvedev
said.

The Russian leader said he hoped that the positive impetus that was
given to the normalization of relations between the two states when
a number of documents were signed in Zurich will be continued.

"Naturally, these processes are not easy, and they draw different
responses in these countries themselves, in both Turkey and Armenia,
because this problem had not been addressed for a long time for well-
known reasons," he said.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER EDWARD NALBANDYAN MEETS WITH OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS

APA
May 13 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku. Viktoriya Dementyeva – APA. Within the framework of business
visit to Brussels, Armenian FM Edward Nalbandyan yesterday met with
OSCE MG co-chairs Bernard Fassier, Robert Bradtke, Igor Popov and
the representative of the OSCE chairman-in-office Andrzej Kasprzyk,
APA reports citing Armenian press.

Views on settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict on the basis
of Madrid principles were discussed at the meeting. Remind that,
within the framework of his visit to Turkey Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev noted that there would be held joint meeting of Azerbaijani,
Armenian and Russian Foreign Ministers in the near future.

FAO PROVIDES ARMENIA WITH $1,8 MILLION IN 2008-2009S

Aysor
May 13 2010
Armenia

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
provided Armenia with total of nearly $1,8 million in 2008-2009, said
organisation’s Director-General Jacques Diouf at the 27th FAO regional
conference for Europe, taking place in Armenian capital of Yerevan. He
said that the FAO is ready to keep on assisting and supporting Armenia.

Armenia’s Minister of Agriculture Gerasim Alaverdian, in his part,
marked the importance of the two-day regional conference in the context
of the approval of the FAO two-year program. Gerasim Alaverdian said
that the FAO had directed $40,000 to Armenia for a burial ground of
pesticides, and is developing a program of establishing of special
laboratories, estimated to cost $2 million.

RUSSIA HOPES ON ARMENIA-TURKEY RECONCILIATION, SAYS MEDVEDEV

Aysor
May 12 2010
Armenia

Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev said he hopes Armenia and Turkey
would reconcile and normalise relations between the two nations.

"I hope that the sides will all in all be able to agree on necessary
solutions and will fully reconcile," Interfax quoted Medvedev as
saying after meeting with Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul in Ankara.

Medvedev said that the normalisation of relations will contribute to
stability in the region, development of the economical relations and
will result in improvement of the living conditions in every state
of the region. Russian President said he welcomes the process and
intends to pay a special attention to it using "the opportunities
that the Russian Federation has got." Medvedev said: "However, the
decision depends on the two nations after all."

Dmitry Medvedev said he hopes the positive move, which had given an
impetus to the process of reconciliation after the protocols were
signed in Zurich, will be continued.

"Surely, these processes are not simple and have different responses
both in Turkey and Armenia as for obvious reasons the problem hadn’t
been solved for a long time," Medvedev said.

RESPECT NKR CONSTITUTION

Lragir.am
12/05/10

Since 1992, Armenia has agreed to the formulations considering NKR as
a part of the Republic of Azerbaijan in all international documents.

This is the opinion of the Secretary of the Heritage faction Larisa
Alaverdyan who held a press conference in connection with 16th
anniversary of the ceasefire regime.

She noted the circumstance that steps made after the ceasefire regime
did not promote the diplomatic and political strengthening of military
victory. In this context, Larisa Alaverdyan believes it is
impermissible that the Armenian government dwells on the liberated
areas considering them as a security belt.

"The territories belonging to NKR are set down in its Constitution and
laws as Karabakh lands, it is a fact and now we have to think about
what to do to register the same success in diplomatic and political
fields that we registered in 1992-94", says Larisa Alaverdyan.

She also noted that there is possibility neither for a war now nor for
an NKR settlement, until the grounds of the negotiations are the same.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Watch our latest videos on YouTube here:

ORDINATION OF ACOLYTES AND SUB-DEACONS AT THE ST. GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR
(ANTELIAS)

On Sunday 9 May 2010, during liturgy Seminary students were ordained as
acolytes and sub-deacons following the recommendation of the Dean and the
Faculty of the Seminary.

The celebrant Bishop Norayr Ashekian, gave the acolytes the first four
lowest ranks of ordination and church discipline: guarding the church,
lighting candles prior to the Holy Liturgy and saying prayers of healing.
The Bishop then ordained sub-deacons and gave them the ‘ourarion’ (the
stole) they wear on their left shoulder during Holy Liturgy.

At the end of the Holy Liturgy, the newly ordained acolytes and sub-deacons
received the blessings of His Holiness Aram I.

##
View the photos here:
tos/Photos478.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

MALAISE AU SEIN DE ;LA COALITION AU POUVOIR EN ARMENIE
par Gari

armenews
mardi11 mai 2010
ARMENIE

Pris a partie par un homme d’affaires proche du president
Sarkissian, le parti Armenie prospère, deuxième formation de la
coalition gouvernementale, a aussitôt reagi en denoncant en termes
a peine voiles, la collusion entre le chef de l’Etat et certains
milieux d’affaires. Cette nouvelle affaire trahit le malaise au
sein de la coalition où le Parti Armenie prospère semble regretter
l’alliance avec le Parti republicain telle qu’elle s’etait tissee
durant la presidence de Robert Kotcharian. Un malaise d’autant plus
palpable depuis que le president Sarkissian prend ses distances avec
son ancien mentor Kotcharian. D’ailleurs, les liens entre cette
formation et l’ancien president sont au c~ur de la controverse,
lancee par Barsegh Beglarian au detour d’un entretien accorde au
journal Aravot et publiee dans son edition du 8 mai, dans laquelle
l’homme d’affaires declarait notamment : " Ce n’est un secret pour
personne que la creation [du Parti] Armenie prospère (BHK) resulte
d’une decision de l’ancien president". M.Beglarian, qui possède la
plus grosse compagnie importatrice de carburant du pays, a dans le
meme temps recuse les informations selon lesquelles les relations
se seraient tendues entre MM. Sarkissian et Kotcharian. Le BHK, qui
est dirige par un autre homme d’affaires, Gagik Tsarukian, n’a pas
tarde a repliquer par des attaques personnelles contre Barseghian,
qui " reve depuis son enfance de se faire un nom ", dit notamment le
communique diffuse le jour meme, en lui conseillant de "s’occuper de
ses affaires plutôt que de risquer a des analyses erronees ".

Le parti Armenie Prospère, qui dispose de trois portefeuilles
ministeriels et de nombreux deputes au Parlement armenien où il est
la deuxième formation après le Parti republicain, a souligne que M.

Beglarian aurait vainement couru après la popularite en sillonnant
pendant une annee les villes et villages du pays. Le communique met
en cause les competences de M. Beglarian, natif du Karabagh, et qui
etait enseignant avant de se lancer dans les affaires.

Les declarations de M. Beglarian n’ont pourtant rien de sensationnel.

La promotion sociale et politique de M. Tsarukian n’est un secret pour
personne en Armenie, où tout le monde sait qu’il doit sa fortune,
l’une des plus importantes du pays depuis le debut des annees 2000,
au soutien de R. Kotcharian. Selon la plupart des specialistes de
la vie politique armenienne, l’ancien president serait a l’origine
de la creation du BHK en 2006, la nouvelle formation etant censee
faire contrepoids au Parti republicain (HHK) qui gagnait en influence
sous la direction de Serge Sarkissian, pourtant considere comme le
dauphin de R. Kotcharian. Le BHK s’est porte sur le devant de la scène
politique dans les mois qui ont precede les elections legislatives
de mai 2007, et a cherche a asseoir sa popularite en distribuant de
l’aide a des milliers de paysans pauvres. Il a egalement tente de
seduire les electeurs des villes en leur apportant une aide medicale
gratuite et d’autres services suppleant ainsi a un service public
defaillant. Pourtant, s’il revendique quelque 400.000 membres, le
parti de Tsarukian n’a pas empeche la victoire, certes controversee,
du HHK lors de ce scrutin. Il s’est donc resigne a appuyer S.

Sarkissian aux elections presidentielles de fevrier 2008 et a rejoint
le gouvernement de coalition qu’il a constitue a l’issue de ce vote
lui aussi conteste d’ailleurs. La reaction particulièrement violente
du BHK aux propos de M.Beglarian intervient sur fond d’intenses
speculations quant a l’eventualite d’un retour en force de R.

Kotcharian sur la scène politique armenienne. L’ancien president avait
alimente de telles interrogations en faisant la critique a peine
voilee de la politique economique du gouvernement armenien en mars
dernier. Ces commentaires plutôt sevères intervenaient une semaine
après que M.Tsarukian eut publiquement critique les declarations du
ministre de l’economie et du commerce Nerses Yeritsian selon lequel
la crise economique avait ete surmontee en Armenie. M.Yeritsian, qui
est affilie au Parti republicain, avait a son tour envoye de vertes
critiques a M. Tsarukian.

‘UNFORTUNATELY, I AM A FORENSIC DOCTOR AND CANNOT TREAT YOU:’ TOO MUCH JUST FOR A DEBATE

Tert.am
16:50 10.05.10

Karen Avagyan, an MP from the Republican Party of Armenia, and
Stepan Safaryan, a Heritage Party MP, discussed the recent move by
Armenia’s Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan to cut
off the placements for the state-sponsored graduate and post-graduate
courses by 50% – a decision that has raised a huge waive of discontent
among undergraduate Armenian students.

But the conversation about the problems in education went far beyond
the limits of just an ordinary discussion and turned into a heated
debate peppered by insulting remarks.

First Avagyan said that those who are against Minister’s decision are
simply avoinding military service in the army rather than fighting for
science as post-graduate courses are not the only way to be engaged
in science.

Further Avagyan accused Stepanyan saying that it is Heritage Party
that stands behind the campaign against Ashotyan’s decision and
encourages the students’ move.

"This is not a decent working style for the party, private Stepanyan,"
said Avagyan ironically.

"Not private, but Lieutenant Stepanyan," Stepanyan fired back.

"The better for you," Avagyan went on.

"You have brought the country you govern to such a condition that
you are facing the problem to reman the army."

Avagyan disagreed with the point and said: "Those people [meaning
students] who raise that problem want to solve the problem related to
the military service as there are other ways to be engaged in science."

"Why don’t you and the Minister of Education go and do your military
service yourselves," asked Safaryan.

"I am a forensic doctor, Stepan, I am Lieutenant, and unlike you I
can be conscripted any time," answered Avagyan who, the same way as
Safaryan, has not done his military service in the army.

"Why do not you eliminate you shortcomings," insisted Safaryan.

Avaya’s response followed quickly: "I am just a doctor, Mr. Safaryan."

"[A doctor of] the dead," Safaryan said with an apparent irony.

"And unfortunately I cannot treat you, you will emerge there after
death …," responded Avagyan.

BANKS TO VILLAGERS: PAY UP OR ELSE WE WILL SUE
Grisha Balasanyan

2010/ 05/03 | 15:20

Feature Stories economy

Lending Institutions Look to Courts for Redress of Non-Payment

During the past few months, banks and other lending institutions have
increasingly petitioned the courts, seeking redress for non-payment
of loans made to rural residents. They want the courts to oblige
villagers to pay up.

Yegisheh Martoyan, Secretary of the Nor Armavir Municipality Office,
told Hetq that 95% of the village’s 2,150 residents have taken out
loans and that there are forty outstanding court cases against them
for non-payment.

In the case of Nor Armavir, the loans were made by the ACBA Bank and
the "Finka" credit agency. The same holds true for the village of
Aragatzavan in Aragatzotn Marz.

There are many legal suits now underway in Aragatzavan as well and
residents are worried that their homes and lands will be seized in
compensation. The number of rural communities facing similar credit
problems is increasing daily. Rural borrowers just can’t make the
interest payments. As a result, the banks petition the courts to have
their property seized.

If, prior to this spate of lawsuits, rural residents were hard pressed
to describe what the function of the Compulsory Enforcement Service
(CES) was, now they have firsthand knowledge. A day doesn’t go by
without CES officials (basically bailiffs) showing up in this or that
village and threatening them with the seizure of their property if
they don’t pay what’s owed the bank or credit agency.

According to official CES statistics, in the first three months of
this year alone, the courts have sanctioned 3,790 property seizure
suits filed by various lending institutions. More than 2.8 billion
AMD has been seized as a result.

ACBA Bank is responsible for 40% or 1,515 of the approved seizure
cases and has seen 988.8 million AMD seized in its favor.

Most of seizure cases have dealt with regional loans. Only 215 involve
residents of Yerevan.

We should point out that ACBA Credit-Agricole Bank is also a leader
when it comes to charging high interests rates; reaching 24% annually.

Inecobank comes in second with 578 seizure cases at 177 million AMD
confiscated. In third place is ArdshininvestBank with 526 cases and
938 million AMD seized.

Credit or lending agencies have also sought redress in the courts.

These non-bank organizations have 642 seizure cases approved.

222 seizure cases have been approved in favor of the "Aregak Universal
Credit Organization" and 254 for "Finka". Only 158 of the total
cases of the two organizations deal with Yerevan; the rest involve
regional borrowers.

The CES has told Hetq that during the first quarter of this year,
2,271 cases have been launched in the Marzes (Regions) of Armenia.

The courts have only rejected six suits filed by the banks and thirty
have been suspended.

We went to ACBA Bank for some clarification on the matter. After one
month of negotiations on the phone, bank management finally refused
to talk to us.

We got the same cold-shoulder treatment at "Finka". At first, Yeva
Grigoryan, the credit organization’s Marketing Director advised us not
go poking our nose in matters that didn’t concern us. She later added
that "Finka" wasn’t inclined to provide Hetq with any clarifications.