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Home , Culture of Armenia, President of Armenia, Seyran Ohanyan

Workshop on radical im- Seminar Devoted to provement of business Armenian Liturgical environment in Chant to be Held in Page 2 Venice PAGE 5 ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS

Weekly Digest of the

November 23-30 2010 THEMA

“Quote of the week”

“Civil society is made up of individuals who seek personal and family well-be- ing on their own “

Tigran Sargsyan Pm of Armenia

Official visit of President to Turkmenistan n November 24, President on cooperation in the areas of education be- OSerzh Sargsyan left on a two- tween the Ministry of Education and Science day official visit to Turkmenistan. of Armenia and the Ministry of Education of Upcoming Events After the official welcoming ceremony for Turkmenistan, Agreement on cooperation the at the Saparmu- in the area of culture between the Ministry rat Niyazov International Airport, at the of and the Ministry of December 3: The concert of VIP Hall of the Airport Presidents Serzh Culture and TV, Radio Communications of famous tenor Placido Domingo in Sargsyan and Gurbanguli Berdimuhame- Turkmenistan, Agreement on the intergov- dov held a short meeting. Later, at the of- ernmental commission for economic, trade as ficial residence of the President of Armenia, well as technical and scientific cooperation, December 9-10: Sitting of the Serzh Sargsyan and Gurbanguli Berdimu- and the Program of cooperation for 2010- CSTO Collective Security Council hamedov held a private meeting which was 2015 between the Yerevan State University followed by the extended negotiations of and Mahtumkuli University of Turkmenistan. the official delegations of the two countries After the ceremony, the Presidents of Arme- with the participation of the two Presidents. nia and Turkmenistan presented to the jour- At the conclusion of the meeting, signed nalists the results of bilateral negotiations. were documents aimed at the expansion In his remarks, the President of Armenia of bilateral cooperation in different areas. first expressed gratitude to the President of The parties adopted also a Joint Declara- Turkmenistan Gurbanguli Berdimuhame- USEFUL LINKS tion which assesses the current state of the dov for warm welcome and underlined that • www.president.am Armenian-Turkmen relations and defines Armenia highly values and attaches special • www.gov.am the prospects of developing relations in po- importance to the relations between the two • www.parliament.am litical, economic, social, and cultural areas. countries. According to the President, it is • www.mfa.am As a result of the negotiations, signed were, evidenced by his current official visit and • www.armenpress.am in particular, the Agreement between the by the negotiations which were conducted • www.panarmenian.net Commerce Chambers of Armenia and in the atmosphere of complete mutual trust. • www.matenadaran.am Turkmenistan on cooperation, Agreement November 24, 2010 full story www.president.am ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS CHRONICA Workshop on radical improvement of business environment in Armenia Headlines of the week Prime Minister - dent’s electoral platform had a key focus on Achaired consultative meeting was held improvement of Armenia’s Doing Business • november 24: Cher: my fist visit to in the Office of Government on business standing so that it could be promoted into Armenia helped me feel an Armenian environment improvement in Armenia. the top ten of best performing countries of • AH Prioritizing business the world. No progress • NOVEMBER 25: PACE President environment improve- has been recorded so doesn’t abandon the idea to form ment efforts, the Prime far due to the slow subcommittee for issues Minister said that all the pace of reform in our • AH agencies were directed country. Tax admin- • NOVEMBER 26: Fishing in to take steps in order to istration component should be forbid- improve Armenia’s Do- was said to be the most den year-round, expert says ing Business standing. serious bottleneck on • AH The head of government this way: Armenia is • NOVEMBER 27: Non-Standard reminded that the Presi- the 159th in this re- photo exhibition opens in Yerevan spect. Our country is the 82nd for cross-border trade performance indicator (21 points up). • AH We have problems with the protection of consumer rights with our 93rd standing on the list. • NOVEMBER 28: OSCE chairman- Construction licensing index is 6 points down to the 78th standing. We are concerned about in-office, Armenian Foreign Min- poor performance in terms of company closure, lending accessibility and business startup. As ister have telephone conversation far as ownership registration is concerned, we are the 5th, a step down over last year’s result. • AH First Deputy Minister of Economy Karine Minasyan presented a draft action plan on improve- • NOVEMBER 29: Silent Wit- ment of business environment in Armenia after which opinions were exchanged on ways of sim- nesses exhibition opens in Yerevan plifying business startup- and development-related procedures, boosting small and medium- • AH size businesses, encouraging foreign trade, improving tax and customs administration and so on. • NOVEMBER 30: 15mln euro to be Wrapping up the meeting, the Prime Minister ordered to set up task forc- allocated for second stage of Yer- es composed of concerned agency representatives in order to submit by next Fri- evan metro modernization in 2011 day proposals on radical improvement of business environment in Armenia. • AH November 24, 2010, www.gov.am • NOVEMBER 30: Nerses Yer- itsyan: Armenia successful- ly attracts foreign investments The Official visit of the Armenian Minister of Defence • AH to Slovakia and Hungary n the 22nd of November the del- personnel, military medicine, peace- Oegation headed by Armenian De- keeping, exchange of experience in the fence Minister Seyran Ohanyan paid an sphere of Strategic Defence Review, etc. The Minister of Foreign official visit to Slovakia, following the Seyran Ohanyan also visited the memo- Affairs of the Republic of invitation by the Minister of Defence of rial of in Bratislava and Armenia Edward the Slovak Republic Lubomir Galko. put a wreath there. On the 23rd of November Nalbandian received the During the visit the Defence Ministers the delegation headed by the ARM MoD left OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs of the two countries discussed matters of for Hungary, where the matters of bilateral bilateral cooperation. ARM MoD Seyran military cooperation are also to be discussed. n November 26, the Armenian Ohanyan and the SR MoD Lubomir On the 23rd of November Seyran Ohanyan OForeign Affairs Minister Edward Galko signed an agreement on “Mili- met Minister of Defence of the Repub- Nalbandian received the OSCE Minsk lic of Hungary Dr. Csaba Hende. Taking Group Co-Chairs Bernard Fassier into consideration the fact that in 2011 (France), Robert Bradtke (USA), Igor Hungary took the presidency of the European Popov (Russia) and Andrzej Kasprzyk, Union the discussions of the meeting were the Personal Representative of the mainly focused on regional security matters. OSCE Chairman-in-Office who ar- ARM MoD Seyran Ohanyan and Hun- rived in Yerevan within the frame- garian MoD Dr. Csaba Hende signed an agreement on “Military Cooperation be- works of a regional visit. tween the Ministry of Defence of the Re- The Co-Chairs presented the Armenian public of Armenia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister the results of Defence of the Republic of Hungary”. discussions they held in the The two ministers agreed upon en- day before. tary Cooperation between the Govern- hancing the relations in the spheres The sides also discussed the prepara- ment of the Republic of Armenia and of defence reforms, military educa- tory works of the meetings to be held the Government of the Slovak Repub- tion and training, military history, and in Astana. lic”, which anticipates a cooperation in developing relations between mili- November 26, 2010 www.mfa.am the following main areas – Professional tary museums of the two countries. Military Education and Training of the November 23-24, 2010 www.mil.am

2 AH ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS RES PUBLICA Minas Avetisyan’s frescos moved to RA government Water is Life Hayastan All- building Armenian Funds’ Telethon masterpieces in this building, the gov- launched in Los Angeles ernment expresses its attitude towards art values and, specifically, Minas. “While creating these works in the can- teen of electro-technical plant of Leni- nakan (now Gyumri), he could hardly expect that they will be moved to the governmental building of Armenia with the lapse of time and become real n November 24, two frescos by masterpieces,” the Prime Minister said. OMinas Avetisyan were moved to He added that, possibly, the frescos the Armenian government premises. will be moved to another place, but “it “This is the case when history evalu- should be chosen diligently to deserve ates the works of great painter Mi- acceptance of these wonderful works.” aising funds for drinking water and ir- nas Avetisyan,” Armenian Prime “Till then they will stay here and Rrigation projects in Artsakh, Arme- Minister Tigran Sargsyan told we will make them available for nia Fund’s “Water is Life” International a press conference in Yerevan. the public,” PM Sargsyan said. Thanksgiving Day Telethon was launched. According to him, with placing the November 24, 2010 www.panarmenian.net The Telethon will air live from Hollywood today, November 25 from 8am to 8pm PST Introduction of e-payments in Armenia’s pasport departments coast-to-coast and around the world. Air- to help tackle corruption ing for 12 hours, Telethon 2010 will reach rmenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsy- every continent, entering Armenian homes Aan participated in opening of a repaired through satellite, cable and the internet. and modernized pasport and visa department The Telethon will bring together Armeni- of Nor Nork administrative district of Yer- ans from all walks of life regardless of their evan. The Prime Minister attached impor- political or religious views and affiliations tance to application of modern technologies around one purpose: to bring life to Artsakh in the field of pasport servicing. “The inno- villages by giving them round-the-clock ac- vations will provide citizens with the oppor- cess to clean drinking and irrigation water. tunity to get more detailed information, have The shortage of water is a serious problem options, as well as use other sources. Pay- in Artsakh affecting more than 70,000 peo- ments will be done electronically, thus, ex- efforts will be exerted to provide similar ple living in 200 villages. On average, each cluding corruption risks,” Mr. Sargsyan said. services in all pasport and visa departments family spends 40% of their daily lives car- Commenting on importance of the reforms, of the RA Police. rying water from a source 2-5 miles away. the Prime Minister stressed that maximum November 26, 2010 www.panarmenian.net That water is not always clean - 88% of all diseases are related to tainted drinking water. Today, more than 100,000 acres of agri- Hripsime Khurshudyan wins Facebook users increase cultural lands are dry due to the lack of ir- European U23 Weightlifting by 12 400 over the last rigation water and people in the villages are Championships gold month in Armenia unable to grow crops and have incomes. acebackers statistics reported over 100 Water is a serious economic engine and rmenian weightlifter Hripsime F880 Facebook users in Armenia, with the driving force behind agriculture. Ar- AKhurshudyan (+75kg) won gold their number increased by 12 400 over the menia Fund’s pilot projects in the Tavush at the European U23 Weightlifting last month. As of October 2010, user in- region of Armenia have proven that every Championships in Limassol, . crease for the 6 months amounted to only $1 invested in improved water access yields Khurshudyan showed the best result, lift- 5 750. Thus, Armenia gained 2 points an average of $12 in economic returns. ing the total of 250 kg in snatch and clean in Facebook user rating, to be placed in The General Sponsor of Telethon 2010 & jerk (110 and 140 kg respectively). 122nd position (among 213 states world- is VivaCell MTS and the Los Angeles Arman Andrikyan and Norayr Vardan- wide). According to statistical data, Face- Major Partner is Karoun Dairies USA. yan (both 94kg) enter the competition on book penetration among Armenian users is Official Sponsors of Telethon 2010 Armenia November 26. 2010, www.panarmenian.net 48.45%. Fund, Inc., is a non-profit 501 tax-exempt cor- November 28,2010 www.panarmenian.net poration established in 1994 to facilitate large- Hakobyan wins gold at U23 Weightlifting scale humanitarian and infrastructure devel- Championships opment assistance to Armenia and Nagorno rmenia’s Hayk Hakobyan (+105kg) Araik Mirzoyan (77kg), Rubik Mamoyan Karabakh. Since 1991, Armenia Fund has ren- Awon gold at U23 Weightlifting (62kg), Hripsime Khurshudyan and Hayk dered more than $200 million in development Championships which finished in Limas- Hakobyan winning gold; Elen Grigoryan aid to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Ar- sol, Cyprus. Hakobyan lifted 180kg in (53kg), Afgasi Aghasyan (77kg) winning menia Fund, Inc. is the U.S. Western Region the snatch and 210kg in the clean & jerk, silver; Aghvan Melikyan (85kg) and Vanik affiliate of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund. fixing the total of 390kg. In all, Armeni- Avetisyan (69kg) winning bronze medals. November 25 2010, an national team has won 9 medals, with November 28,2010 www.panarmenian.net full story www.panarmenian.net

3 AH ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS PRO PATRIA Turkish leader’s Lebanon Russian-Armenian visit sparks clashes relations develop well– murdered by the Ottoman Turks, but Tur- Serzh Sargsian key has so far refused to acknowledge this. Former Lebanese Telecommunications Minister Alain Tabourian said: “We also have a big grief with Turkey in that they are not recognising the Armenian geno- cide, something which is unacceptable after almost 100 years of its occurrence.” During his two day visit, Turkey has already signed a partnership agree- rotesters have clashed with police ment with Lebanon in a bid to promote Pover Turkish Prime Minister Re- free trade between the two countries. cip Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Lebanon. Erdogan praised the commitment and said The demonstrators are from Lebanon’s it would strengthen bilateral relations. Armenian minority and they are furious Turkey maintains that the body count in at the presence of the Turkish premier. the alleged genocide was exaggerated and ussian-Armenian relations have During the First World War, up to one and that the dead were victims of civil unrest. Rbeen developing very intensively, a half million were allegedly November 25, 2010 www.euronews.net quite well and are currently at a very high level, says President Serge Sarg- VS Naipaul's absence has cost this parliament sian of Armenia. He was speaking dur- credibility ing a reception of the Russian presi- dential staff head Sergei Naryshkin in 'm writing from the first commis- lems and concerns. Or talk about our- Yerevan earlier today. Ision session of the European Writ- selves. One or the other. Which of the Sargsian said that Russian President ers' Parliament in Istanbul, while one two paths we will choose remains in Dmitry Medvedev’s state visit to Ar- of my colleagues expounds on his re- doubt right now. I'm hoping we man- menia in August this year provided a lationship to the legacy of the Ottoman age to get down to business. Even be- fresh impulse for the two countries’ re- Empire. When I was first invited, my fore we started this morning, the EWP lations. The Armenian leader pointed imagination conjured a series of occu- had generated its first controversy. VS out that Russia has been and remains pation-specific European institutions Naipaul had been invited, and was due Armenia’s main economic partner. – a doctor's parliament, a parliament to give one of the opening speeches. A November 29, 2010 for firemen, for painters … Sadly, it number of Turkish writers complained www.english.ruvr.ru seems we're the only such institution in that his presence would be offensive, existence. The EWP was started on the on the basis of his past statements Russia appreciates initiative of Jose Saramago and Orhan about Islam, which have been (how to strategic partnership Pamuk, as a way for writers to come put this delicately) less than positive. with Armenia together and discuss our shared prob- November 25, 2010 www.guardian.co.uk he head of the Administration Tof the Russian President Sergey OSCE secretary general: Constructive approach is neces- Naryshkin. Russia appreciates the sary for Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement strategic partnership with Armenia and highly values the development of constructive approach and spirit from economic and humanitarian relations, A both sides are necessary for a set- the head of the Administration of the tlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh con- Russian President Sergey Naryshkin flict, in order to achieve peace in the re- gion, and this is the target of the Minsk said in Yerevan on Monday after hav- Group and the OSCE Chairman, Sec- ing talks with the Armenian president retary General of the OSCE Marc Per- Serge Sargsian. rin de Brichambaut told a press confer- “Russia and Armenia share the same ence in Astana on Sunday, Trend reports. views on key international issues,” “It is time to turn the page, so that the two Naryshkin noted. He added that fre- neighbouring countries can live in an at- quent meetings between the Russian mosphere of friendship and cooperation. and Armenian presidents set a positive It is necessary to resolve the Nagorno- tone and incentive for the development Karabakh conflict,” De Brichambaut said. of further relations. November 28, 2010, www.vestnikkavkaza.net November 29, 2010 www.english.ruvr.ru

4 AH ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS DIASPORA Kosovo Important Seminar Devoted to Armenian Liturgical Precedent for Karabakh Chant to be Held in Venice Conflict ances, this choir also founded the Centre for Armenian Liturgical Chant Studies in 1998. Aram Kerovpyan is an authoritative performer and expert on Armenian liturgi- cal chant. For years he has been devoted to rediscovering traditional repertoires, in particular sharagan (hymns or tropes) which, to gether with melismatic and recit- he Giorgio Cini Foundaton at Intercul- ative psalmody, form the largest Armenian Ttural Institute of Comparative Music musical liturgy.17 For some time now there Studies in Venice, Italy, with the collabo- has been growing renewed interest in the ration of the Venice Armenian Cultural ways in which man manifests through mu- Studies and Documentation Centre, and sic his relationship with faith, the religious agorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsa- with contributions from several Italian and dimension and the sphere of the sacred. Nkh) President Bako Sahakian said foreign scholars, has organized a day-long This interest has emerged not only in the Friday the Kosovo precedent was im- seminar devoted to Armenian Liturgical work of musicologists, ethnomusicologists portant for the resolution of the Karaba- Chant which will be held on December 2, and anthropologists but also in historical- kh conflict and rebuffed Azeri attempts 2010. The study day will also provide the religious studies and theology. The idea is to poison his appearance at a gathering opportunity to commemorate Father Ver- to promote an annual study day on a specif- hosted by Orange County World Af- tanes Oulouhodjian from the Monastery ic topic related to the relationship between fairs Council at the Pacific Club, where of the Mekhitarist Fathers of San Lazzaro, “voice” and “prayer”. An integral part of Sahakian was the keynote speaker. who died on 24 May 2010. He was not the event will be a concert with world-class Sahakian spoke to an audience of only a sublime singer but also an expert performers to illustrate the repertoires be- about 250 guests, mainly members on the liturgical repertoire and the modal ing discussed. Each meeting will thus of the Armenian community and the system of mediaeval Armenian music. To probably deal with a different individual WAC, but peppered with members of end the study day there will be a concert by liturgical tradition, a given geographical the Azeri community, who asked bi- the AKN Choir, Paris, conducted by Aram area, or a specific European or non- Euro- ased questions during the Q & A ses- Kerovpyan. In addition to giving perform- pean repertoire. sion at the end of president’s speech. November 27, Lousapatz N 862 Another group of 15 to 20 Azeris was protesting outside of the venue. Commentary: Jerusalem Saga: Light at the End of the In his opening remarks, President Sa- Tunnel? hakian talked about some of the do- ince time immemorial Armenians and Over many centuries, Jerusalem and the Holy mestic and foreign policy objectives SGreeks in Jerusalem have challenged each places have changed hands between many con- of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, other to win the competition to bring out the querors and Armenians have learned to sur- and the progress that has been made light of the Holy Sepulchre Church on the eve vive throughout those tumultuous upheavals. in those areas over the past few years. of the Easter Feast (Jrakalooydz). Most of the News emanating from the Armenian Pa- In reference to the parallels between time, Armenian monks have been the cham- triarchate has often been more dishearten- Karabakh and Kosovo, which was pions. But in recent years the Greeks have be- ing than positive. Many of the problems brought up in one of the questions, come more assertive, if not more belligerent, have been created by the successive ruling the President said that “Kosovo is an pushing the Armenians to the background. powers, but also by the hands of the Arme- important precedent of the imple- Along with losing the symbolic Holy Sep- nian clergy jaded to abuse and conspiracy. mentation of international law, where ulchre light, the Armenian Patriarchate it- But it looks like there is a light at the end the principle of self-determination self has fallen on hard times because of the of the tunnel as evidenced by the news prevailed” and stated that the Inter- encroachment of the Israeli government, release sent by the Patriarchate, follow- national Court of Justice confirmed incessant feud with the Greek Patriar- ing a conclave of the St. James Brother- Kosovo’s independence. Just like chate, internal corruption and the dwindling hood, which took place November 15 to 18. in Kosovo, the people in Karabakh Armenian population in the Holy City. The release gives a positive spin made their choice to live independ- [Christ descended into Jerusalem as the to the developments in Jerusalem. ently, and that decision is “not sub- Prince of Peace, yet ironically, the Holy One of the major changes is the request by ject to speculation and interpretation.” land has been the most tortured piece of the aging and ailing Patriarch, Archbishop Sahakian said that Karabakh must real estate on earth. And Armenians, with Torkom Manoogian, to elect a coadjutor return to negotiation table because their propensity to adversity, have kept patriarch to assist him in running the af- “no settlement of the conflict is go- their presence on that tortured land since fairs of the patriarchate, which have be- ing to be possible without the agree- the pre-Christian era, and beginning in come overwhelming for the 93-year-old. ment of .” of the country the sixth century AD, they have built their November 24, 2010 www.mirrorspectator.com has increased fivefold from 2003, churches and established the Patriarchate. November 24, 2010 full story www.asbarez.com "Armenia Highlights" is compiled in association with DISCLAIMER: Views expressed in "Armenia Highlights" do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of Armenia.

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