Author: Zakarian Garnik

PUBLIC COUNCIL PLENARY SESSION CONDUCTED: RECOMMENDATION ON AMNESTY TO BE PRESENTED TO PRESIDENT

Panorama.am
14:28 10/06/2009

The Public Council made a decision in plenary session held yesterday to
present a recommendation package to the President on announcing amnesty
and to apply to the National Assembly in this respect. The statement
will be drafted in 1-2 days and the final version presented to the
President’s Administration, Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, the chairman of the
committee on civil society of the Public Council told the reporters.

It has been decided to include the participants of March 1-2 events
also. Of course not all the participants of those disorders are
included, the chairman said. According to him differentiation should
be made between those who committed murders and those who have been
inspired and broken some windows, etc.

Mr. Hovhannisyan said that they have not discussed the number of the
arrested to be awarded amnesty.

NATO READY TO ENSURE SECURITY OF NABUCCO GAS PIPELINE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
10.06.2009 17:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ NATO does not rule out its military expansion to
ensure safety of ways of energy resources even out of the Alliance’s
area, Michael Gaul, Head of NATO Defense and Security Economics
Directorate, said today in Baku. Pipelines, according to him, are
the internal infrastructure of the region, but in some cases, as an
exception, in case of receipt of proposals from outside, NATO can
render assistance in provision of pipeline security.

"The final decision on Nabucco project has not been
made. The project participants should solve issues of project
registration. Azerbaijan’s participation in Nabucco project is an
internal matter. The participating countries should come to common
coordination. NATO realizes whole importance of Nabucco project and
backs Azerbaijan. Undoubtedly, Azerbaijan as a supplier plays very
important role," Georgia Online quotes Mr. Gaul as saying.

PRESS RELEASE
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
Governmental Buiding 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Hasmik Grigoryan
Tel: +(3741) 56 01 06 ext. 105
Fax: +(3741) 52 15 05
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

10 June, 2009

Charity concert marks 15th anniversary of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund German
affiliate
Proceeds to benefit reconstruction of Noyemberyan Regional Hospital

Yerevan, June 10, 2009 – On May 31, a major concert celebrating the 15th
anniversary of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s German affiliate was held at
the Haus Burgpark hall in Hurth, near Cologne, Germany. Featuring the
Navasart Ensemble, a critically acclaimed French-Armenian folk-dance troupe
based in Paris, the charity event was attended by an audience of 800.

Proceeds from the concert – which was sponsored by the fund’s German and
Swiss affiliates as well as Association of Armenian Business-Man (Germany),
and Armenian Medical Association of Germany – will benefit the
reconstruction of the Noyemberyan Regional Hospital, in Armenia’s Tavush
Region.

The Navasart Ensemble’s performances were preceded by the screening of a
documentary film on the history and accomplishments of the fund’s German
affiliate. In his opening remarks, Gilbert Momdjian, chair of the affiliate,
stated that the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund continues to function as a
bastion of worldwide Armenian unity and collaboration.

The concert’s honorary guests included Avedis Kizirian and Noebar Sepojan
Sipaan, chairs of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s Switzerland and
Netherlands affiliates, respectively; German-Jewish journalist and film
director Ralph Giordano, who has championed international efforts to
recognize the Genocide of the Armenians; as well as German elected officials
and representatives of various organizations.

Renowned across Europe for its dazzling productions and high level of
artistry, the Navasart Ensemble is led by conductor and artistic director
Eddy Djololian. Throughout their performances in Hurth, the troupe’s 60
musicians and dancers received waves of applause and several standing
ovations.

"It is wonderful that charity concerts such as this help support new
development projects such as the reconstruction of the Noyemberyan Regional
Hospital," said Ara Vardanyan, executive director of the Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund.

# # #

Hayastan All Armenian Fund

Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
3111 Los Feliz Avenue, #206, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Contact person: Dr. Frieda Jordan
Phone: (323) 663-3609
Email:[email protected]

PRESS RELEASE

ABMDR opens Stem Cell Harvesting Center in Yerevan

Facility is a major advance toward life-saving bone marrow transplants

Los Angeles, June 11, 2009 – The Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry

(ABMDR) recently unveiled its Stem Cell Harvesting Center in Yerevan
with a grand opening celebration. The much-anticipated event was
attended by scores of ABMDR donors, sponsors, patients, physicians,
and special guests including VivaCell-MTS general manager Ralph
Yirikian, a major supporter of the registry; Archbishop Tatev
Sargsyan, who conveyed a special commendation from His Holiness
Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians; ABMDR Advisory Board member
Nani Oskanian; a representative from Armenia’s Ministry of Health;
and a group of supporters from Los Angeles who had traveled to
Armenia to take part in the celebration.

`The opening of the Stem Cell Harvesting Center was an extremely
touching experience for every one of us,’ said Dr. Sevak Avagyan,
executive director of ABMDR Armenia. `While it was wonderful to be
surrounded by so many friends, supporters, and colleagues, ultimately

the most heartwarming sight was that of our patients and stem cell
donors finding common ground in the new facility, where hope awaits
those afflicted by life-threatening diseases.’ Accordingly, Dr.
Avagyan added, the honor of cutting the ribbon of the Stem Cell
Harvesting Center was given to Mrs. Varduhi, the ABMDR’s latest bone
marrow stem cell donor.

Commenting on the opening of the center, Dr. Frieda Jordan, president
of the ABMDR Board of Directors, said, `We’ve been working on this
project for the past year, sparing no effort or resource for its
realization.’ After acquiring the facility, the ABMDR recruited top
medical talent and began the arduous process of training personnel
and securing medical machinery.

As Dr. Jordan explains, the project was made possible by a number of
major corporate and individual donations, as well as grassroots
support through the registry’s first-ever telethon, held on April 13
last year. With a total of $850,000 raised, the ABMDR was able to
renovate the Stem Cell Harvesting Center site, equip it with state-of-
the-art machinery, and continue to train personnel.

In 2006, the ABMDR’s HLA tissue-typing laboratory passed the
inspection of the European Federation of Immunogenetics (EFI). In May
this year, the laboratory passed the EFI’s second inspection `with
flying colors,’ paving the way for the future accreditation of the
Stem Cell Harvesting Center itself.

The only one of its kind in the region, the ABMDR’s Stem Cell
Harvesting Center can store and harvest stem cells provided by
healthy bone marrow donors. The stem cells subsequently can be
utilized in transplants for patients suffering from life-threatening
blood-related diseases such as leukemia and other cancers. `It was
absolutely critical to have a stem cell harvesting center in Armenia,

since the majority of the ABMDR’s bone marrow stem cell donors are
residents of the republic,’ Dr. Jordan said. `Having this facility
in the country means that local stem cell donors will be spared the
often exorbitant expense and inconvenience of traveling abroad to
donate their stem cells. The center is equipped with cutting-edge
medical machinery that allows our staff to perform not only HLA
tissue typing, stem cell harvesting, and cell storage, but autologous
transplants as well. These latter procedures can be life-savers for
cancer patients, as they restore the integrity and function of bone
marrows damaged by chemotherapy.’

Dr. Jordan added that the Stem Cell Harvesting Center has also fast
become an important hub for medical learning, and that it will
continue to grow as a provider of workshops for medical students.

`Today, as our next major goal is to establish a dedicated stem cell
transplantation center in Armenia, a top priority is to push for the
highest possible standards in the quality and effectiveness of our
operations,’ Dr. Jordan continued. `Now that the dream of having a
stem cell harvesting center has become reality, we’re working hard
toward the next logical step, a full-fledged transplantation center,
which would give thousands of Armenian patients access to affordable,
life-saving stem cell transplants.’

According to Dr. Jordan, the transplantation-center project will be
showcased during `Match for Life 2009,’ the ABMDR’s annual gala, on
July 12. The event, which will be held at the Glendale Hilton in
Glendale, California, will honor Ralph Yirikian as Man of the Year,
recognize the outstanding services of several ABMDR volunteers, and
celebrate the ongoing support of the registry’s many benefactors and
volunteer assistants. For reserving tickets to the `Match for Life
2009′ gala, call the ABMDR office at (323) 663-3609, Nectar Kalajian
at (626) 705-2565, or Ani Azar at (818) 606-6000.

About the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry: Established in 1999,
the ABMDR, a nonprofit organization, helps Armenians worldwide
survive life-threatening blood-related illnesses by recruiting and
matching donors to those requiring bone marrow stem cell transplants.

To date, the registry has recruited 14,144 donors across three
continents, identified 1,305 patients, found 1,033 potential matches,
and facilitated nine bone marrow transplants.

For more information, call (323) 663-3609 or visit abmdr.am.

# # #

ARMENIAN GAIN SIX SEATS IN THE PARLIAMENT OF LEBANON

armradio.am
08.06.2009 18:30

The leader of Lebanon’s governing pro-Western coalition has claimed
victory over a Hezbollah-led bloc in the country’s parliamentary
election, the BBC reported.

Saad Hariri said his 14 March alliance would retain its majority in
the 128-seat parliament.

A key Christian ally of the Hezbollah-led alliance, which is supported
by Syria and Iran, admitted defeat in Sunday’s elections. Turnout
was more than 50%.

"Congratulations to you, congratulations to freedom, congratulations
to democracy," Mr Hariri told a crowd of his cheering supporters in
the capital Beirut.

Saad Hariri said "the only winner is democracy in Lebanon." "There is
no winner and loser in these elections, the only winner is democracy
and Lebanon," he added.

Mr Hariri’s coalition was expected to win 70 or 71 seats in the new
assembly, while the Hezbollah alliance would get 58 seats, Lebanese
media predicted.

That would almost exactly replicate the balance which existed in the
last parliament.

Voting was reported to have been trouble-free across the country,
although there have been many reports of vote-buying and large numbers
of expatriates being flown home for free to cast votes.

Under Lebanon’s power-sharing system, seats in the 128-member
parliament are split equally between the Muslim population and minority
Christians, who make up an estimated20one-third of Lebanese voters,
with further sub-divisions for various religious sects.

Armenians have six seats in the Parliament of Lebanon. Two mandates
will be given to the Social-Democratic Hnchagian Party, the Liberal
Democratic Party has one mandate. The ARF has gained two seats in
the parliament, and independent Nshan Chinchinyan has won the sixth
mandate.

Which are the expectations of Lebanese Armenian? Editor-in-chief of
the Lebanon based Armenian "Azdak" newspaper, representative of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation Shahen Kandagharyan told "Radiolur"
that all the three Armenian Parties functioning in Lebanon gained
seats in the Parliament and added: "Despite the fact that there is
certain division on the political field between the three parties, all
the three forces discus an consult on national and community issues."

According to the representative of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation, the fact of being in different will not prevent the
political forces from having common approaches on pan-Armenian issues.

Interfax, Russia
June 5 2009

Aliyev, Sargsyan addressed all issues of Karabakh settlement process –
Azeri minister

BAKU June 5

Azeri President Ilham Aliyev and his Armenian counterpart Serzh
Sargsyan discussed the whole range of matters related to the
settlement of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh at a meeting in
St. Petersburg on June 4, Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
told journalists on Friday.

"All issues were addressed," Mammadyarov said.

Negotiations have been underway on "principles that have been
formulated in the past five years," the Azeri minister said.

This work "started as the Prague process and later found expression in
the Madrid document," he said.

"There is a better understanding on some of these principles.

Certain clarity has been achieved on some of them that have been
discussed at the level of our presidents," Mammadyarov said.

Although the latest presidential talks did not lead to a breakthrough
in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process, they helped improve mutual
understanding, he said.

IFEX – News from the international freedom of expression community
________________________________________ _______________________

ALERT – ARMENIA

5 June 2009

Human Rights Defenders’ Office must be recognised as an important actor in
protecting fundamental rights, says ARTICLE 19

SOURCE: ARTICLE 19, London

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – London, 5 June 2009 – ARTICLE 19 believes that the
Armenian government must recognise the Human Rights Defenders’ Office of
Armenia as an important actor protecting fundamental human rights.
Repression of freedom of expression in Armenia remains of great concern.

ARTICLE 19 congratulates the incumbent Armenian Human Rights Defender,
Armen Harutyunyan, on the fifth anniversary of the establishment of his
office and stresses the continued importance of his work in the area of
human rights and, in particular, freedom of expression. The Human Rights
Defenders’ Office is independent and non-political, established to monitor
and report on human rights violations and examine individual complaints. It
also has the authority to instigate its own investigations.

ARTICLE 19 welcomes Mr Harutyunyan’s commitment to freedom of expression,
as a central element of the national debate on human rights. This was
clearly demonstrated by last week’s conference on the right to freedom of
expression and fair trail, organised by the Human Rights Defenders’ Office,
to celebrate their fifth anniversary.

However, ARTICLE 19 would also like to use this opportunity to once again
raise concern about ongoing repression and erosion of the right to freedom
of expression in Armenia. We call on the Armenian government to:

– Reform Armenian legislation to bring about greater independence,
pluralism and diversity of its broadcasting services, in particular by
lifting the moratorium on the distribution of frequencies. We specifically
call on the government to implement a European Court of Human Rights
‘decision’ (See:
s/ECHR_Judgments/case%20of%20meltex%20ltd%20and%20 mesrop%20movsesyan%20v.%20armenia.doc
) to allow A1+ to take part in a public tender process under equal and fair
conditions.
– Further amend media legislation, to ensure that the National Commission
on Television and Radio is fully independent from the influence of the
government and that its composition represents the diversity of Armenian
society.
– Ensure safety for journalists, effectively investigating attacks and
intimidation of journalists, and bringing to justice those who have
instigated and carried out attacks.

ARTICLE 19 urges the Armenian government to enter into constructive
dialogue with the Human Rights Defender and civil society organisations in
order to facilitate a serious programme of reform.

man_rights_defenders_office/

For further information, contact ARTICLE 19, 6-8 Amwell Street, London,
EC1R 1UQ, U.K., tel: +44 20 7278 9292, fax: +44 20 7278 7660, e-mail:
[email protected], Internet:

The information contained in this alert is the sole responsibility of
ARTICLE 19. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please
credit ARTICLE 19.
______________________________________________ _________________
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EXCHANGE (IFEX) CLEARING HOUSE
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U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY DR. PHILIP GORDON TO VISIT ARMENIA

armradio.am
05.06.2009 11:24

Dr. Philip Gordon, Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian
Affairs, will travel to the South Caucasus next week, visiting
Armenia on June 9. The purpose of the visit is to discuss regional
and bilateral issues. During his visit, Dr. Gordon will meet with
government officials, civil society representatives, and other local
figures. Following his trip to Armenia, Dr. Gordon will visit Georgia
and Azerbaijan.

This is Dr. Gordon’s first visit to the South Caucasus as Assistant
Secretary. He assumed office on May 15, 2009, replacing Daniel
Fried. Before joining the State Department, Dr. Gordon was a Senior
Fellow from 2000-2009 at the Brookings Institution, in Washington, DC,
where he focused on European and U.S. foreign policy issues. Prior to
joining Brookings, Dr. Gordon served as Director for European Affairs
at the National Security Council in the Clinton Administration.

FRENCH-ARMENIAN CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO TOURISM HELD IN GEGHARKUNIK

ARMENPRESS
June 5, 2009

GAVAR, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS: A French-Armenian conference kicked off June
3 in the Gegharkunik Governor’s office dedicated to the development of
tourism in the province. It has been summoned within the frameworks
of 1994-2008 cooperation between Gegharkunik province and Roman,
Grenoble towns of French Izer province.

The seminar is chaired by "Afrat" tourism company. The seminar
objectives are to establish favorable conditions for development of
tourism by combining Armenian and French institutions round a project
which will work in favor of residents of Gegharkunik.

According to the seminar participants the development of tourism in
Gegharkunik will have an important role for the development of other
branches of the economy.

"KAZA" foundation, "Armenian Agency of Development of Tourism",
local and international concerned organizations of Gegharkunik and
town of Grenoble take part in the French-Armenian seminar.

The seminar will end today after which the conducted works will
be presented to the Ambassador of France to Armenia, Governor of
Gegharkunik as well as representatives of chief council of Izeri
province.

UNITED STATE EXAMS START AT SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Sona Hakobyan

"Radiolur"
02.06.2009 14:32

United state exams started in the secondary schools of the republic
at 9:30 a.m. today. The Minister of Education and Science, Armen
Ashotyan, and the Acting Evaluation and Testing Center of Armenia,
Armen Pashayan, came to wish success to the school-leavers.

Newly appointed Minister Armen Ashotyan told reporters that the new
system proves its value, and improves year by year. According to
the Minister, their primary objective is to ensure the fairness and
transparency of the exams.

"We still have much to do. During the consultations with the President
we prioritized the development of advanced procedures on the basis
of conclusions made his year," Ashotyan said.