Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

ICRC REPRESENTATIVES VISIT THREE ARMENIAN SERVICEMEN HELD CAPTIVE IN AZERBAIJAN

ArmInfo
2009-03-17 11:07:00

ArmInfo. On March 12 officers of Azerbaijani representation of the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited three soldiers
of Armenian army, who crossed the territory controlled by Azerbaijani
Armed Forces near the line of contact, in Minakhorlu village of
Agjabadi region on the night of February 27-28, spokesperson for ICRC
representation in Azerbaijan Gulnaz Guliyeva told APA.

Guliyeva said ICRC representatives monitored the captives’ detention
conditions and had one-on-one meeting with each Armenian. As regards
the negotiations on handing over the captives, Guliyeva said such
kind of negotiations were carried out by ICRC confidentially.

o recall, three soldiers of Armenian army – Grant Markosyan, Alik
Tevosyan and Artur Sarkisian crossed the part of the line of contact
controlled by Azerbaijani Armed Forces on the night of February
27-28. The Armenian soldiers said they had done it because of the
condition of the army and lack of food.

BERNARD FASSIER: "AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS MAY MEET IN PRAGUE EARLY IN MAY"

APA
March 16 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Viktoria Dementieva – APA. The co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group
will visit the region before the meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian
presidents, French co-chair of Minsk Group Bernard Fassier told APA.

He said that the date of the visit had not been fixed, the co-chairs
should coordinate the visit. As regards the place of the presidents’
meeting, Bernard Fassier said it was discussed to hold the meeting
within the framework of the summit on European Union’s Eastern
Partnership program in Prague early in May.

"The presidents have not yet confirmed that they will meet in Prague,
but this is one of the possible variants," he said.

The recent meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents was held in
Zurich on January 28. The next meeting of the presidents was agreed
during the co-chairs’ visit to the region late in February.

"INTERPRINT" 4TH INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON MARCH 21-24

Noyan Tapan

M arch 16, 2009

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The 4th international exhibition
"Interprint – Printing, Advertising, Design and Packing EXPO-2009" will
be held at the show-room of the Union of Artists of Armenia on March
21-24. It has been organized by LOGOS EXPO Center company with the
assistance of the RA ministry of economy, the Union of Manufacturers
and Businessmen of Armneia and the Union of Writers. More than 30
producers, printing houses, advertising and information agencies,
publishing houses and design studios will participate in the
exhibition.

The purpose of the exhibition is to encourage innovatory ideas in
Armenia, efficiently use information technologies, improve the quality
of design at publishing houses, and to strengthen the links of design
studios with producers. The participation of foreign producers and
suppliers will provide local organizations with the opportunity
to familiarize themselves with new technologies and innovations in
the sector.

Members of Congress remind US president about his election promises

2009-03-13 14:39:00

ArmInfo. Congressman Adam Schiff, joined by Representative George
Radanovich and the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues, Representatives Frank Pallone, Jr. and Mark Kirk, sent a letter
to President Barack Obama thanking him for his strong record in support
of Genocide
affirmation and urging him to remain steadfast in his commitment.

As the Armenian Assembly of America reports, yhe letter comes after a
recent announcement that President Obama plans to visit Turkey next
month. Whether it is today’s Sudanese government or yesterday’s Ottoman
Empire, the perpetrators of genocide, as well as the victims, must know
that the United States will not shrink from confronting the truth.

PresidentObama’s upcoming trip to Turkey presents a unique opportunity
to address the consequences of genocide and its denial. We, therefore,
applaud the initiative of Representatives Schiff, Radanovich, Pallone
and Kirk," stated Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.

Armenian and Iranian Foreign Ministers highly assess bilateral relations

940

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. At the March 13 joint press conference
Armenian and Iranian Foreign Ministers Edward Nalbandian and Manouchehr
Mottaki highly assessed the bilateral relations.

Issues regarding the bilateral relations, regional stability were
discussed at the meeting preceding the press conference. E. Nalbandian
presented the latest developments in the Nagorno Karabakh settlement
process to his Iranian counterpart.

M. Mottaki expressing satisfaction with the Armenian-Iranian relations,
meanwhile noted that in consideration of the current possibilities,
nevertheless he does not consider sufficient the current level of
relations. According to him, if the bilateral agreements are fulfilled,
the Armenian-Iranian relations will further develop.

In connection with the Nagorno Karabakh peaceful settlement M. Mottaki
said that Iran has presented its position to the Armenian and Azeri
authorities. In his words, Iran is ready to assist to the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict’s peaceful settlement, which was approved by both
Armenia and Azerbaijan. However, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is one
of the problems, which, according to M. Mottaki, can be settled only
"by laying one brick on another to make a complete building."

The Iranian Foreign Minister also said that the Assembly of Economic
Cooperation Countries was held lately in Iran, and Azerbaijan also took
part in it. The Assembly adopted a declaration on conflicts, which
mentions that regional conflicts should be settled in a peaceful way
and through negotiations.

The Iranian-American relations were also touched upon at the press
conference. The Iranian Foreign Minister said that Iran expects a
practical manifestation of the new policy from the new American
administration. As to the question of whether Iran is ready for direct
negotiations with America, M. Mottaki said that they "are waiting to
see what practical changes will be made in the U.S. policy."

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenian-Iranian Literature Bridge launched in Yerevan
10.03.2009 21:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The 3rd Armenian-Iranian Literature Bridge organized
by Writers Union of Armenia and Iran Embassy Cultural center launched
in Yerevan on Mar.10. Armenian-Iranian Literature Bridge aims to
familiarize the counties with their literary heritage. Round table
participants, the writers from both countries, will be discussing
issues and future collaboration perspectives in literary sphere.

According to Levon Ananyan, the Head of Writers Union of Armenia,
there’s a great gap to be bridged in Armenian `Iran cultural
relations.

Previous meetings of Armenian and Iranian writers were held in Isfahan
in 2004 and 2007. Several works of Armenian writers including Karine
Khodikyan and Susanna Harutyunyan, were translated into Farsi. Among
Armenian translations were Koran, as well as works of Iranian poetess
Parvin Ethesami and dramatist Tchista Yasrebi.

It is more realistic to create tourism, health and educational centers
in Armenia

2

YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The purpose of the National
Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia (NCFA) is to ensure economic
development and promote competition in the country. The director of
NCFA Bekor Papazian stated at the March 10 press conference that with
this aim the Foundation is developing strategic programs. "After the
end of the global financial and economic crisis, many countries will be
in a sad state but Armenia should be able to get out of the crisis with
higher competitiveness bases than it has today," he said.

B. Papazian informed those present that the NCFA is working out
anticrisis measures that will mainly include 3 sectors: health, tourism
and education. In his opinion, it is more realistic to create tourism,
health and educational centers in our country. "Armenia has great
potential in the tourism sector, but it is not used. Our aim is to use
this potentail and turn Armenia into a center of tourism," he
underlined, adding the government has already approved the programs on
restoration of the Tatev Monastery Complex, installation of a
Cyclone-30 isotope production unit at Alikhanian Physics Institite, and
creation of a Nuclear Medicine Center.

The NCFA has also developed the Tumanian Garden educational program
that envisages creating a number of educational centers as well as IT
and innovation organizations in Yerevan’s Tumanian Garden.

The NCFA is a nonstate organization which operates by the state-private
sector cooperation principle. Its Board of Trustees is headed by the
prime minister Tigran Sargsyan. The Foundation will cooperate with
ministries, implementing priority programs of the government.

A session of RA government’s charitable project coordination commission
took place, chaired by commission head Simon Ter-Simonyan.

/
Friday, 6 March 2009

A session of RA government’s charitable project coordination commission
took place, chaired by commission head Simon Ter-Simonyan.
12 projects have been discussed, including 4 programs carried out by
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, referred to as `Creation of a website for
the NKR National TV and Radio Company,’ `Printing of certificates for
the donors of Telethon-2008,’ `Design of capital repairs for the
right-hand block and sports building of the secondary school of Togh
village of Hadrut region of theNKR’ and `Rehabilitation of water supply
system in Aknakhpyur village of Tavush marz.’
The National Research and Advanced Technology Foundation will finance a
project entitled `Support for the maintenance and development of
scientific infrastructure in the Republic of Armenia during 2009-2010.’
The meeting has also endorsed a number of Hole See of St
Echmiadzin-implemented projects, including `Boiler-house reconstruction
for St Gayaneh monastic complex,’ `Site improvements at the Holy See of
St. Echmiadzin,’ `Heating system rehabilitation activities for the
holiday home by the Kotayk Diocese of Holy See in Tsakhkadzor,’
`Improvement of living conditions for the pupils of Hayordatz Tun of
Vanadzor’ and `Construction of Serbotz Hreshtakatz Church.’
World Vision International will carry out a project referred to as
`Construction of play grounds in the forecourts of kindergartens in
Khot and Ashotavan villages of Synik marz.’
The second leg of the program realized by Matenadaran Foundation will
provide for the construction of a new block for Matenadaran, the
Institute of Ancient Manuscripts after Mesrop Mahtotz SNCO.
The meeting has also discussed and approved several sub-programs under
the standing ones, as well as projects on import of charitable freight
destined to various organizations operational in Armenia.

Mekhitarian Confirms Tashnaq Allied with Aoun’s Bloc and Murr

ils.aspx?id=77050&language=en

10/03/2009

88 days ahead of the forthcoming parliamentary elections, Lebanese seem
prepared to all types of surprises as the electoral lists are being
produced and alliances fixed¦

Meanwhile, questions are raised day after day concerning the position
of the Tashnaq Armenian group in the upcoming elections, mainly in the
Metn district, the district that seems to engage into one of the
fiercest electoral battles all over Lebanon.

However, the Tashnaq party doesn’t seem hesitated at all. "The decision
has been taken and our alliance declared," the party’s chief Hovig
Mekhitarian told Al-Manar on Monday. He explained that the party was
allied with the head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP
Michel Aoun and his political line, but also with the person of MP
Michel Murr.

Mekhitarian ruled out any possibility of entering any coalition against
Aoun’s bloc. Moreover, he noted that if Murr chooses to include an
Armenian in the list he’s preparing with the Phalange party, "then, we
won’t give MP Murr our votes."

The Tashnaq leader was denying false reports that claimed that he was
surprised by MP Agope Paqradounian’s stance in asserting Tashnaq’s
alliance with the Free Patriotic Movement. He denied any conflict in
opinions within the Tashnaq party, stressing the unified opp
osition was the official one.

Mekhitarian met with Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri on Saturday
night in Qoreitem along with MP Murr and emphasized after the meeting
the importance of maintaining communications between Tashnaq and
Future. However, Mekhitarian denied to Al-Manar any electoral meaning
for the meeting. He said that the Armenians would not accept any seat
in Beirut that would be considered a "gift."

PanARMENIAN.Net

Goharyan went onfield as Bate team member
09.03.2009 18:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Team forward, Lokomotive reserve Hovhannes
Goharyan is on probation at Byelorussian Bate.
Goharyan has already played as Bate team member against Spartak,
having been beaten 3-0 by the latest. The game was held in Belek,
Turkey, where the Byelorussian team had participated in a
training. Goharyan spent 60 minutes onfiled, Bate official site
reported.

A 20-year old forward was named top goal-scorer of the last season,
scoring 22 goals during 24 matches.

Last month Goyaryan expressed a wish to join another club to gain
practice. At the same time, Russian media circulated rumors about
Goharyan being invited to join Bate. Yet, Bate general manager Mikhail
Dementsevich denied the information, adding that Goharyan’s
candidature was being considered, yet not settled on.