Author: Varosian Antranik

HAND IN HAND FOR HEALTH IN ARTSAKH
Mary Hayrapetyan, Armine Avagyan

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
26 June 2006

Hand in Hand NGO started operating in Nagorno Karabakh in January 2005.

Vahagn Ghazaryan, Director, said the organization has dental clinics
in the regions of Hadrut, Martuni, Martakert, in Shushi and Berdzor,
and a mobile clinic for the villages. Besides, the organization has a
women’s clinic in Stepanakert. The main sponsors of Hand in Hand are
the International Association of Armenian Dentists and the Association
of Armenian Doctors of Canada, which started operating in Karabakh when
the dental clinic of Shushi was opened in Shushi. These associations
fund the programs of the NGO. The honorary director of the organization
is First Lady Inna Ghukassian. The founders of Hand in Hand are Zareh
Uzunian, the president of the board of Hand in Hand NGO, Perj Gilajian,
the president of the International Association of Armenian Dentists,
Avetis Pogossian the president of the Association of Armenian Doctors
of Canada), Aram Sirakian (Boston) and Arsen Petrossian. Besides the
main sponsors, several other associations of Armenian Diasporan doctors
fund the programs of the NGO. The NKR government funds the communal
services of the clinics. In 2005 13,000 patients visited Hand in Hand
clinics. The NGO also implements a program of preventive treatment of
mouth cavity. The first stage of the program was implemented among
children aged 3-9. In Stepanakert the children of the schools N 1
and N 2 were examined, the other schools and nursery schools of the
capital will be included as well.

PACE SESSION TO CONVENE

A1+
[07:37 pm] 23 June, 2006

On June 26-30 the PACE summer session will convene in
Strasbourg. During the session no issues directly connected with
Armenia will be discussed.

Nevertheless, the name of our country will be mentioned during the
discussions of other issues, namely, the freedom of speech in the
member-countries of the PACE or the questions to the Prime Minister of
Turkey. Debates on alleged secret detentions and unlawful inter-state
transfers in Europe will also be conducted.

On the morning of Tuesday 27 June Dick Marty (Switzerland, ALDE)
will present his report on "alleged secret detentions and unlawful
inter-state transfers of detainees involving Council of Europe member
states". Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for
Justice, Freedom and Security Franco Frattini and the European
Parliament’s rapporteur on this subject, Giovanni Claudio Fava,
will take part in the debate.

The President of the Council of the Russian Federation Sergey Mironov
will address the Assembly on Wednesday 28 June and Russian Deputy
Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko will present the Communication
from the Committee of Ministers to the Assembly the following day.

The parliamentarians will also discuss domestic violence against women,
ahead of the launch of a three-year Council of Europe campaign on
this theme, with the participation of the UN Special Rapporteur on
violence against women Yakin Erturk.

The website of "A1+" will represent details about the session during
the coming week. The "A1+" correspondent will highlight the whole
course of the PACE summer session from Strasbourg.

ARMENIA NOT SURE CREATION OF PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF "CAUCASIAN FOUR" POSSIBLE

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.06.2006 17:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia is not sure that creation of the
Parliamentary Assembly of "Caucasian Four" is possible, Armenian
Speaker Tigran Torosyan stated at a news conference in Yerevan. In his
words, "Some optimism of the Armenian party is due to possibility of
discussion of the matter of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
at the Assembly. This is why we take part in events like that." At
that he noted that the Karabakh issue will also be discussed at the
Rose-Roth NATO seminar, opening tomorrow. "Report "NATO Role in the
South Caucasus" may be presented," Torosyan said.

ZORI BALAYAN: RECENT EVENTS ON IRANIAN AZERBAIJANIS WILL CREATE A PROBLEM FOR ARMENIA

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 22 2006

The Benelux Azerbaijan Congress’s Initiative Group, World Union of
Azerbaijani Political Migrants (WUAPM) and the Azerbaijan’s Friends
Society held a joint meeting in Amsterdam yesterday.

The WUAPM told APA that they had discussions on Armenian Zori Balayan
wanted by the Interpol for his terrorist activity, who has made a
secret visit to the Netherlands recently.

In his secret talks with Armenian community, Balayan expressed concern
over the weak activity of the Armenian Diaspora in the Netherlands. He
warned that Turkish and Azerbaijani Diaspora organizations will be
more powerful than the Armenians’. Zori Balayan also commented on
recent events in connection with Iranian Azerbaijanis. He said these
events will create a problem for Armenia urging Armenians to support
Persians.

FIRST FESTIVAL OF YOUTH PERFORMANCES STARTS IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 22 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On June 22, Festival
of Youth Performances will start at Yerevan Theater of Young Spectator
with a performance "The Feast of Beasts" staged by young producer
David Haroutiunian on the basis of the novel of the same name by
French Armenian writer Vahe Kacha.

Young producers and actors from almost all Armenian theaters, as well
as from Artsakh Vahram Papazian Theater and Tbilisi Petros Adamian
Theater will present 22 works of different genres at the festival.

At the press conference held before the festival, young creators
spoke about the importance and the further developments of the coming
festival. They said that the festival is first of all important in the
cognitive and educational respect, it also has a creative importance,
as for the majority of the participants this festival is just an
opportunity to indroduce themselves to the society.

According to the young creators, even they often do not know about the
occupation of one another. "This is a unique opportunity to get to know
first ourselves, and then to associate and to get to know one another."

Some of them expected that in the future the festival will become
international and will create an opportunity for new contacts and
new cooperation.

OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE CAUSES BEHIND EXCHANGE RATES FLUCTUATION

AZG Armenian Daily
22/06/2006

Devaluation of USD rate in Armenia is more conditioned by paradoxes,
than by economic laws. Tatoul Manaseryan, member of "Justice"
faction, said this at "Hayeli" club today. He said that in the
theory of economics there are 4 basic factors that may have impact
on consolidation of the national currency.

Firstly, this is the growth of economy, but in this case Armenia should
have at least 30% of the economic growth for devaluation. Secondly,
devaluation is caused by the fluctuation of the main world currencies,
which, in the case of Armenia, can’t have such a big impact,
either. The third factor is the state of the payment balance of
the country.

Manaseryan said that we have nothing to boast about, as the export
tempo experiences slowdown. He added that the payment balance
of Armenia is negative, and Armenia mostly exports USD (about
$3 billion). The fourth factor is a subjective one. Manaseryan
supposed that there are forces that get inside information and make
super profits, holding monopoly positions in the markets. Besides,
the super profits they get are connected to the shadow economy that
makes about 80%.

At the same time, MP representing the Republican Party of Armenia,
economist Gagik Melikyan said the euro-dollar fluctuation in the
international market is in conformity with the revaluation level
of the Armenian dram. Nevertheless, he believes that one should not
neglect the season factor used by certain financial organization who
speculate on sharp drop of the exchange rate. The last dollar sag
was connected with the "last phone call," Melikyan said. However, T.
Manaseryan disagreed with him. He called paradoxical that prices,
including for imported goods, are growing in the country despite
the strengthening of the Armenian dram. If it is connected with the
rate of US dollar, the rise of prices is tangible enough. He said
all this paradox is connected with the high black economy and its
monopolization.

Nevertheless, G. Melikyan said, one should not neglect either the
high economic growth or the US policy on devaluation of the US
dollar or the large-scale private transfers to Armenia. In such
conditions, the Central Bank can maintain the foreign exchange rate
only through dram interventions into the market, which will lead to
inflation. T. Manaseryan does not see any way out of the situation
though intervention into the market either. The only way out is to
peg the Armenian dram to the "basket of world prices" for key products
in order not to depend on the dollar or euro, he said.

This way is successfully applied in a number of states. He underlined
a circumstance that Armenia still lacks an exact program of economic
development, its structures, priorities. However, his political rival
disagreed with him again.

LE NOZZE DI FIGARO
by Neil Fisher at Covent Garden

The Times, UK
The Sunday Times
June 20 2006

No doubt about it: Covent Garden’s production of Figaro, given
its premiere in January and now back for the summer instalment of
Wolfie’s 250th-birthday party, is here to stay. Slicker than many a
West End spectacular, David McVicar’s sprawling production takes us
round every nook and cranny of Count Almaviva’s château, shedding
perceptive light on the murkiest corners of Mozart’s opera buffa.

One of McVicar’s greatest strengths has always been his knack for
sharp characterisation, and one of the most admirable features of this
production is how memorably he defines all the servants, masters and
hangers-on who can so often merge into a generic blur. The normally
frumpish Marcellina is a much more touching, fragile figure than usual
(deftly played by Diana Montague); John Graham Hall’s wonderfully
shifty Don Basilio has one reptilian eye on all the house intrigue –
and another on the randy adolescent page Cherubino.

Do McVicar’s instincts for big-house theatrics occasionally cramp the
intimate conflicts at the heart of Figaro? There is the odd moment in
Stephane Marlot’s revival when Tanya McCallin’s vast set and the hordes
of extras intrude on the drama rather than adding to it, particularly
when it comes to the Count’s glowering Act III aria, which is awkwardly
delivered in plain view of both his allies and adversaries.

When this production was new McVicar could take advantage of two
cocky stags as his Figaro and the Count; now the sparring duo are more
low-key. Once into his stride, Kyle Ketelsen’s Figaro is a loveable
scamp, singing with gusto and swagger. Michael Volle’s Count is more
problematic. This lord of the manor is too blustery and foppish to earn
either our scorn or our sympathy, and no Count should ever get audience
laughs when he begs forgiveness after his climactic come-uppance.

It’s the women who lift the show this time around. Isabel Bayrakdarian
makes a sparkling Covent Garden debut as Susanna, the moral compass
of this Figaro. The Canadian-Armenian soprano’s portrayal is bubbly,
brave and resourceful, and she uses her darkly tinted soprano to
delicious effect in both aria and recitative.

Sophie Koch’s gawky Cherubino is rapturously sung, her Voi che sapete
a proper showpiece full of ardent longing.

But two starry performances stick out for posterity. One is Soile
Isokoski’s supremely poised Countess, who provides the best singing
I’ve heard this season at Covent Garden with her rapt, silvery tone.

And the other is Colin Davis, conducting with a wry smile and an
unerring sense for the emotional tempo of Figaro. His Mozart is richly
coloured, poignant, lyrical and witty all at the same time – and
gives us all the bittersweet ambiguity we need to complete the picture.

Box office: 020-7304 4000

–Boundary_(ID_/Eow+dUMX+MRb5ySRudZiw)–

ARMENIAN INTELLIGENCE OFFICE HEAD CONFLICTS WITH DM

Today, Azerbaijan
June 20 2006

Armenian Armed Forces intelligence office head, Major-General
Basenchi Azoyan became victim of conflict with the Defense Minister
Serj Sarkisyan.

This is stated on a forum section in an Armenian internet site. The
author of the story writes that there are mysterious nuances in the
death of Azoyan, who died suddenly at the age of 59, APA reports.

Stating that Major-General Azoyan served in the Armenian Defense
Ministry for a long time, the author said Azoyan pointed out shortfalls
in Armenia, especially in the Defense Ministry.

"Azoyan got furious by the immoral way of live of the Defense Minister
Serj Sarkisyan, who has opportunities to significantly influence in
adoption of political decisions in the country and his embezzling
great deal of money allocated to the Army. Knowing that Serkisyan
ordered to tap the conversations of Armenian military men attending
international organizations, Azoyan said Russia ordered the Defense
Minister to do it.

Azoyan used to tell his close surrounding that Serkisyan, who informed
Azerbaijanis of the plans of his companion-in-arms in the Shusha
prison once and was released by Russians’ interference failing to
protect his dignity, would not be an honorable man, and he had no
moral right to rule the state," the author writes.

Armenian officer in his heartfelt words in the forum says that Basenchu
Azoyan wanted President Robert Khochariyan to receive him regarding
the miserable situation in the Defense Ministry. He appealed to
former parliament speaker, leader of the Orinats Erkir Party Arthur
Bagdasaryan for conveying his request to the President.

"Bagdasaryan did not implement his request. Serj Sarkisyan threatened
Azoyan obviously. He even told him to leave the post if he wanted
his family to be safe and sound. After that Basenchi Azoyan died
mysteriously," the author concluded.

URL:

KOCHARIAN RECEIVES OSCE MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE

Armenpress
Jun 19 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 19, ARMENPRESS: The OSCE Representative on Freedom of
the Media, Miklos Haraszti, who will be visiting Armenia from 19 to
21 June to collect first-hand information on the media in the country,
was received today by president Robert Kocharian.

The visit, which comes at the invitation of the Armenian Foreign
Ministry, will help assist the country in further promoting free
and pluralistic media in pursuance of its OSCE commitments, the OSCE
Yerevan office said.

President Kocharian was quoted by his press office as saying that
the diverse cooperation between Armenia and the OSCE was very
effective. Kocharian also underscored the freedom of media saying
free media has a key role in implementing civic control over the
government’s performance and presenting the country’s real state of
things. Kocharian also said the freedom of press must be regulated
in such a way as to clearly defend individuals’ rights.

Kocharian’s press office said the two men then had an exchange of
views on a variety of issues. Kocharian was also quoted as saying that
Armenia was still in transition and that in some instances features
of that period were still there.

YEREVAN ‘AT RISK OF CATASTROPHIC EARTHQUAKE’
By Shakeh Avoyan

Radio Liberty. Czech Rep.
June 13 2006

Armenia is at risk of suffering another catastrophic earthquake
that would wreak havoc on its capital Yerevan and kill hundreds
of thousands of its residents, a leading Armenian seismic engineer
claimed on Tuesday.

Mikael Melkumian, who heads the Armenian Association of Seismically
Safe Construction, said the apocalyptic scenario is based on research
conducted by himself and other local seismologists. Those include
Sergey Balasanian, the late former chief of the National Seismic
Protection Service.

"We arrived at the conclusion that the territory of Yerevan is a very
high-risk area," Melkumian told a news conference. "If we have an
earthquake in Yerevan with a magnitude similar to that of the [1988]
Spitak earthquake … then almost nothing will be left of Yerevan
because according to our calculations, about 80 percent of buildings
will be destroyed and we will have about 300,000 victims," he said.

The 1988 earthquake destroyed much of northwestern Armenia, killing
more than 25,000 people and leaving hundreds of thousands of others
homeless. Thousands of them still huddle in ramshackle temporary
shelters. The country had previously been hit by a similarly powerful
calamity in the 17th century. Historians say its epicenter was near
Garni, a village 20 kilometers east of Yerevan.

According to Melkumian, the Garni area is nestled on a dangerous
fault that might one day send powerful tremors to the Armenian capital.

A senior official at the National Seismic Protection Service (NSPS)
shared Melkumian’s concerns. "Professor Melkumian is one of the
best specialists in his field," the official told RFE/RL, speaking
on the condition of anonymity. "If, God forbids, Yerevan is hit by
an earthquake as powerful as the Spitak earthquake, the number of
victims could be very large indeed, because most buildings here have
become weaker, especially after Spitak, and will not resist tremors."

Balasanian, who died in a car crash last year, had argued in January
2004 that Armenia is part of a vast seismically active region where
powerful earthquakes are not uncommon. Speaking in the wake of one
such quake that razed the Iranian city of Bam, he warned that Armenia
could be hit hard by its possible powerful aftershocks in the next
few months.

The grim prediction, dismissed by the NSPS, never materialized,
though. The head of the government agency, Alvaro Antonian, argued at
the time that scientists around the world are unable to make precise
quake forecasts.

Still, seismologists and construction specialists agree that many
apartment buildings in Yerevan, built in Soviet times, are vulnerable
to natural disasters. "Yerevan’s condition is not encouraging in
that regard," said Melkumian. "The main reason for that is that
Yerevan was built in accordance with the former Soviet standards that
underestimated seismic risks."

Those standards, coupled with a poor quality of construction, have
been widely blamed for the catastrophic death toll from the 1988 quake.