MosJan

http://www.narek-store.com/Assets/product/images/MD7925.gif Track Listing 1. The Pink City - Radik Gabrielian 2. My Poplars - Emma Petrosian 3. Half Life - Shushan Petrosyan 4. Clown - Michael Poghosian 5. Don't Be Afraid - Gohar Gevorgian (Goga) 6. Mirrors - Irina Malkhasian 7. If All Of A Sudden - Marine Ales 8. The Melody Of Hope - Anna Khachatrian 9. Another Sunrise - Zarouhi Babayan 10. Mad Times - Radik Gabrielian 11. Thousand And One Nights - Gohar Gevorgian (Goga) 12. The Carousel Of Stars - Shushan Petrosyan Review Songwriter Marine Ales (Hambartsumyan) did ii again. Bringing together Armenia's best singers on one album, she created sensational songbook that should not be missed. Artists featured on the album are Radik Gabrielian, Emma Petrosian, Shushan Petrosyan, Michael Poghosian, Gohar Gevorgian (Goga), Irina Malkhasian, Anna Khachatrian, Zarouhi Babayan. Produced by Armen Manukian. Arrangements by Ara Torosyan (Murzik). YOU CAN GET YOUR COPY AT www.Narek.com [ November 03, 2001: Message edited by: MosJan ]

Qez Yerevan Yerazners Kapuyt, Qez im huysi Kamurjner qez aregak@ ayror paypayor, yev karoti herErrner@ Havityan Xelaptuyt kyanqum, zavakner enq kam vorper te antsort enk heravor hervum, antarber mi ser im vardaguyn qaraq, heratsel em tseratsel mankutyan im portasner@ mshushum kortsrel im vardaguyn hrashq,heratsel em tseratsel menutyan ardzaganqner@, yergerum taqtarel Im yerevan Araspel Qarazard, Qonnen srtis xostumner@ qone anstyal@s iyrror apagan, jisht @entrutyan Xaruykner@ kamakor en yerazner ijnor, Jamanak@ xenth arga hishatak@ hushardzan hogu merradror v@kan Im vardagyn qaraq, heratsel em tseratsel Hur hoguts x@rarjanqner@ arats qez kortsrel Im Vardaguyn heqyat heratsel em tseratsel Het darsti qaravanner@ Artsunqner dartsrel Songwriter Marine Ales (Hambartsumyan) [ November 03, 2001: Message edited by: MosJan ]

Khodja jan - are you AYF member ???

AGAIN ABOUT NORTH-SOUTH HIGHWAY About a month ago the Dashbulagh-Kichan 20-km part of North-South highway, which will connect al the regions of Nagorno-Karabagh, was put into operation. On October 31 another part of the highway- Karmir Shuka-Drakhtik, with length of 10 km was also opened. The prime minister of Karabagh Anushavan Danielian, executive director of Hayastan Pan-Armenian Fund Vahan Ter-Ghevondian and other officials were present at the opening ceremony of this part of the highway. The construction of Karmir Shuka-Drakhtik part of the highway was implemented by ‘Zangezurtransshin’ company and is of very good quality. The ceremony was held with all the glamour, and the local residents were very glad with the fact. As the director of Hayastan Pan-Armenian Fund Vahan Ter-Ghevondian informed to reporters that the North-South highway continues remaining one of the main programs of the fund. © Copyright AZG

GOVERNMENT INCREASES PENSIONS The Armenian government approved on Thursday a slight increase in the monthly pensions. The decision sets the basic pension amount at 3,000 Drams (less than $6) instead of the previous 2,860 Drams. Each year of service will add to it 60 Drams. The decision which enters into effect from January 1 next year actually adds 800 Drams to pensions. Members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), which earlier this year proposed a similar measure, opposed by the government, were also invited to take part in discussions. © Copyright AZG

Armenian Foreign Ministry Marks 10th Anniversary http://www.armenialiberty.org/images/photo/Oskanian-Hrach.JPG By Hrach Melkumian Armenia’s foreign ministry marked on Saturday the tenth anniversary of its creation by the country’s first post-Communist government in the closing days of the Soviet Union. Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and other top diplomats opened an arts exhibition dedicated to the jubilee in the ministry building in Yerevan. “Despite all the ups and downs, the past ten years have been a success for our foreign policy,” Oskanian declared on Friday after a meeting with the heads of some 30 Armenian diplomatic missions abroad. “Armenia’s international standing is high, and it is considered a reliable partner by Russia, the United States, the European Union and China,” he said, seeking to prove that Yerevan’s adherence to the principle of “complementarism” in the international arena has been justified. That principle holds that Yerevan can have a simultaneously good rapport with Russia, the West and other major international players. One of Oskanian’s predecessors, Vahan Papazian, acknowledged that Armenian foreign policy has undergone no radical change since the forced resignation of former president Levon Ter-Petrossian in February 1998. But he questioned the current authorities’ commitment to the normalization of relations with all of Armenia’s neighbors, including Turkey and Azerbaijan. Papazian, who served as foreign minister in the Ter-Petrossian administration from 1993-96, complained that President Robert Kocharian’s foreign policy has “to a certain extent” been under the influence of the nationalist Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun).

INDUSTRIAL GROWTH REPORTED IN LORI VANADZOR, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS: The industrial enterprises in the Armenian province of Lori, the biggest portion of which are private ones, reported a 3.6 percent growth in the first nine months of 2001 over the specified period of time last year. The total volume of production in terms of money amounted from last year's 5 billion 911 million Drams to 6 billion 121 million this year. The biggest growth was reported in the region of Tashir (236 percent), Gugark (129.4 percent). In Vanadzor, the administrative center of the province, the growth was 180.2 percent. The share of Manes and Valex copper smelter, the biggest enterprise in the province, decreased from last year's 80 percent to 69.7 percent in the overall volumes of the output.

WORLD CAOUTCHOUC PRODUCERS RESORTED TO DUMPING NOT TO LET ARMENIAN PRODUCER TO CHINESE MARKET 02.11.2001 /PanARMENIAN.Net/ World caoutchouc producers resorted to dumping in China thus depriving the Armenian producer of access to the market. "Armnifo" correspondent was told this at the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Armenia. The Armenian side has tried to sell in China 10 thousand tons of caoutchouc produced by "Nairit" closed joint stock company at the price of 2025 dollars for a ton, but "DuPont" and "Bayer" companies resorted to dumping and reduced prices to 1500-1800 dollars for a ton. It was noted at the Ministry of Industry and Trade that the decision to establish "ChinArmenpren" Armenian-Chinese enterprise producing caoutchouc on the basis of acetylene technology in China was ridden just on reducing the prime cost of the production. To build the factory Chinese Central Bank is ready to give a credit for 100 million dollars on the security of the Government with seven-year time to run and 7% interest per annum. The factory will be put into operation in 2004. Reproduction in full or in part is prohibited without reference to "PanARMENIAN.Net"

18 ANTHRAX CASES REGISTERED IN ARMENIA 02.11.2001 /PanARMENIAN.Net/ 18 cases of anthrax are registered in Armenia during the current year. Head sanitary physician of Armenia, Professor Vladimir Davidyants reported the Ministry of Health of the Republic had enough antibiotics at its disposal to treat the disease. In his words, anthrax is easy to treat and there are specialists in the country, who know how to do it. Head sanitary physician did not exclude the possibility of biological attacks by terrorists against Armenia. In his opinion, "jokes" with sending envelopes with suspicious powders is real banditry that should be severely punished. Davidyants reported there was a special brigade at the Ministry of Health, which was able to determine the composition of those powders within a few hours. Reproduction in full or in part is prohibited without reference to "PanARMENIAN.Net"

AZERI ISLAMISTS DESECRATED JEWISH CEMETERY 02.11.2001 /PanARMENIAN.Net/ A day or two ago fascist thugs desecrated a Jewish cemetery in Baku. Some fifty graves were demolished. As reported by "Echo" Baku newspaper, members of "Jeyshullah" radical Islamist grouping, which is noted for similar tricks, are suspected of implication to the action. A part of its members has already been convicted for extremist and terrorist activities, in particular, for organization of the explosion of building of the U.S. Embassy, as well as murder of famous extrasensory individual Etibar Erkin. In the words of Chairman of the board of the religious community of mountain Jews of Azerbaijan Semyon Ihiilov, this is not the first case of this kind. He stressed extremist manifestations with respect to Judaic religious temples had been registered earlier, too. They were insulting inscriptions on Synagogue walls, as well as anti-Semitic drawings and inscriptions on house walls. The Minister of Internal Affairs ordered to establish twenty-four-hour police guard near Synagogues, and to take "the front paintings" under control due to the leadership of the Jewish community insistence. In Ihiilov's words, the present intense situation destroys hope that cemetery desecration will be the last in the range of such anti-Semitic tricks. Reproduction in full or in part is prohibited without reference to "PanARMENIAN.Net"

ARMENIAN AIRLINES" MAY REPLENISH WITH ANOTHER AIRLINER 02.11.2001 /PanARMENIAN.Net/ The possibility that "Armenian Airlines" will replenish with another airliner is not excluded. As the head of the press center of the Central administrative board of the civil aviation of Armenia Serge Manukian reported to "Arminfo" correspondent, the opportunity of leasing another plane is under consideration. It may be an airliner of "Boeing" company. Concerning the requirement, established by the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) to install automatic air crush averting systems (ACAS) on the planes, that fly to Europe, Manukian said, Central administrative board of the civil aviation of the Republic of Armenia had not received the official document on the terms of installation of such systems. As Serge Manukian noted, A-310 airbuses only fly from Yerevan to Europe at present. Reproduction in full or in part is prohibited without reference to "PanARMENIAN.Net"

Wow TigrannesIII

http://www.arborday.org/trees/super/1159.jpg -= Prunus Armeniaca* =- Apricot -= *Hayastanits Bervats Tsiran kam Gtnvats Hayastanum=-. History Apricot is neither referred to in the inscriptions of Egypt and Babylon, nor in the Bible. According to Pliny the Elder, apricot would come from Mongolia, from where Chinese caravans would have imported it to the realm of Partians, on the Caspian Sea. It is then supposed to have become the emblematic tree of Armenia and to have developed in Europe, thus earning the scientific name "armeniaca". Its culture spread from Armenia to Greece and reached Italy around the first half of the first century of our era. Romans and Arabs then introduced it in the countries they conquered. Its fruit symbolizes the female sex. The legend is as follows: The Byzantine Church was deeply shocked at the debauched and luxury life that Eudoxia, Empress of the East, used to lead; and when she banished John Chrysostom from Constantinople, people besieged her palace and pelted it with... apricots. Already fashionable during the Renaissance, rebus became, under Henry III, a real mania at the French court: "minions" and duchesses did their best to outdo each other in wit to use the word apricot, but their attempts at imitating the style of Marivaux sounded more often than not rather questionable. The Queen ended up in forbidding the word apricot in this game. Countless love potions and philtres use the pulp or the essence of apricot to arouse passion http://www.woodlandnut.com/images/photodisc_comps/FD004538.gif Apricot A"pri*cot, n. [OE. apricock, abricot, F. abricot, fr. Sp. albaricoque or Pg. albricoque, fr. Ar. albirq[=u]q, al-burq[=u]q. Though the E. and F. form abricot is derived from the Arabic through the Spanish, yet the Arabic word itself was formed from the Gr. praiko`kia, pl. (Diosc. c. 100) fr. L. praecoquus, praecox, early ripe. The older E. form apricock was prob. taken direct from Pg. See Precocious, Cook.] (Bot.) A fruit allied to the plum, of an orange color, oval shape, and delicious taste; also, the tree (Prunus Armeniaca of Linn[ae]us) which bears this fruit. By cultivation it has been introduced throughout the temperate zone..... http://www.sardi.sa.gov.au/hort/apricot/col_1.jpg ---Synonyms---Apricock. Armeniaca vulgaris. ---Parts Used---Kernels, oil. ---Habitat---Although formerly supposed to come from Armenia, where it was long cultivated, hence the name Armeniaca, there is now little doubt that its original habitat is northern China, the Himalaya region and other parts of temperate Asia. It is cultivated generally throughout temperate regions. Introduced into England, from Italy, in Henry VIII's reign. http://www.sardi.sa.gov.au/hort/apricot/col_4.jpg Description---A hardy tree, bearing stone fruit, closely related to the peach. The leaves are broad and roundish, with pointed apex; smooth; margin, finely serrated; petiole 1/2 inch to an inch long, generally tinged with red. The flowers are sessile, white, tinged with the same dusky red that appears on the petiole, with five regular sepals and petals and many stamens, and open very early in the spring. The fruit, which ripens end of July to mid-August, according to variety, is a drupe, like the plum, with a thin outer, downy skin enclosing the yellow flesh (mesocarp), the inner layers becoming woody and forming the large, smooth, compressed stone, the ovule ripening into the kernel, or seed. As a rule in Britain, the fruit rarely ripens unless the tree is trained against a wall; when growing naturally, it is a medium-sized tree. It is propagated by budding on the musselplum stock. A great number of varieties are distinguished by cultivators. Large quantities of the fruit are imported from France. The kernels of several varieties are edible and in Egypt, those of the Musch-musch variety form a considerable article of commerce. Like those of the peach, apricot kernels contain constituents similar to those of the bitter almond: they are imported in large quantities from Syria and California and are oftenused by confectioners in the place of bitter almonds, which they so closely resemble as to be with difficulty distinguished. The French liqueur Eau de Noyaux is prepared from bitter apricot kernels. http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/3664/apricot-blossom.gif ---Constituents---Apricot kernels yield by expression 40 to 50 per cent. of a fixed oil, similar to that which occurs in the sweet almond and in the peach kernel, consisting chiefly of Olein, with a small proportion of the Glyceride of Linolic acid, and commonly sold as Peach Kernel oil (Ol. Amygdae Pers.). From the cake is distilled, by digestion with alcohol, an essential oil (0l. Amygdae Essent. Pers.) which contains a colourless, crystalline glucoside, Amygdalin, and is chemically identical with that of the bitter almond. The essential oil is used in confectionery and as a culinary flavouring. http://www.woodlandnut.com/images/apricot_orchard_200p.JPG ---Medicinal Action and Uses---Apricot oil is used as a substitute for Oil of Almonds, which it very closely resembles. It is far less expensive and finds considerable employment in cosmetics, for its softening action on the skin. It is often fraudulently added to genuine Almond oil and used in the manufacture of soaps, cold creams and other preparations of the perfumery trade. Apricot Kernel Oil Apricot Kernel Oil is rich in the essential fatty acids: oleic and linoleic. Apricot oil is known for its ability to penetrate the skin without leaving an oily feel. Its moisturizing, revitalizing properties are also popular in many cosmetics for dry or aged skin. Apricot kernel oil is also popular as a massage oil and it used as a carrier oil when used with essential oils for aromatherapy. -= Massage =- Oils made with Apricot Oil are superior to other types of oils as they provide "slip and glide for massage -= Aromatherapy =- with Apricot Oils provides a superior carrier oil, having a light consistency. > Contains: B vitamins, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin C, vitamin P. Its nice white flowers often tinged with pink sprout in Spring, before the dentate, shiny and tough leaves. During Summer, they give way to big drupes the fleshy juicy and tasty mesocarp of which is eaten. These fruit and their almonds are used in medicine, for food or in magic. Arab doctors used to recommend the oil extracted from apricot stones to cure haemorrhoids, aching noses and earache. It is also commonly used as a regenerative, nourishing and softening beauty mask. Raw or cooked, apricot is linked with choice desserts (marmalades, jams, crystallized fruit), but beware the fruit is ripe because unripe apricots are difficult to digest. Very rich in oil, its sweet almond is edible. [ August 21, 2002, 09:33 PM: Message edited by: MosJan ]

HAroutjan yete Kuzes iys topic@ karor es terapoxel mer nor edgi mej, yes arden mi qanis@ terapoxel em pahpanelov dzer anuner@.. WWW.ArmenianProverbs.Com [ November 02, 2001: Message edited by: MosJan ]

SasJAn Ros@ HAy chi .. chem kartsum bavakanin el HAyeren gity vor haskana mez... MOvses

This is something new Nice to see a different topic Thank you -= Twilight Bark =-

ARMENIAN BUDGET BILL FOR 2002 SUBMITTED FOR CONSIDERATION BY PARLIAMENT 01.11.2001 /PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today the state budget bill for the year 2002 will be submitted for consideration by the Armenian Parliament. The document passed for the legislators' judgement was approved at the special session of the Government held the day before yesterday. The budget revenue part is suggested to be 214 and expense part to be 258 billion drams. The budget deficit is planned to be 43 billion drams, which will make 3.6% from the grand domestic product. Inflation is expected not to exceed 3%. The grand domestic product is expected to increase 6%. The Government hopes that due to the reform of the administration system, 20% increase in teachers' wages may become possible. Reproduction in full or in part is prohibited without reference to "PanARMENIAN.Net"

"TURKEY HAS NOT MATURED TO ENTER EUROPEAN UNION YET," 01.11.2001 /PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey has not matured to enter European Union yet. Member of the European Parliament Dimitro Volchich expressed such an opinion in a conversation with journalists. "Arminfo" agency reports about it. In his words, another 10 years will pass before Turkey is able to fulfil all the requirements of the European Union. Speaking about integration of Armenia into European structures, Volchich accentuated Yerevan in its time, unlike Baku, did its best to enter the Council of Europe. Concerning the Artsax problem settlement, the member of the European Parliament stated the conflict should be resolved taking into account the opinion of the majority of Nagorno-Artsax population. Reproduction in full or in part is prohibited without reference to "PanARMENIAN.Net"

http://daily.panarmenian.net/images/photos/37/588.jpg Today president of Armenia Robert Kocharian signed order about releasing of Edward Ghazarian from the post of Minister of Education and Science. According to the order of president Kocharian the position now is occupied by Levon Mkrtchian who tenured as deputy of Foreign Minister. Levon Mkrtchian had graduated from Yerevan State University from historical faculty and has a degree of historiography candidate. Up to these days he works at the same faculty as docent. In 1998-1999 was a Minister of Education and Science. In 1999-2000 was the political counselor of the prime-minister and tenured as chairman of clerical affairs committee. From July of 2000 up to now Levon Mkrtchian has been working as the deputy of Foreign Minister. The newly set minister in 1996 was the chief of “ARF Dashnaktsutyun” fraction responsible board, from 1996-1998 was the member of “Hay Dat” centralized committee. Married, has a daughter.

ARMENIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA TO LEAVE FOR THE USA NOVEMBER 7 YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS The Armenian State Chamber Orchestra (art leader and conductor Aram Gharabekian) will leave for the United States of America on a tour November 7. The orchestra will give a concert, devoted to the 1700th anniversary of Armenia's adoption of Christianity, at the Lincoln Center Alicia Hall in New York at the initiative of the Armenian Apostolic Church of the USA. The program includes the works of the Armenian and world classics. As the manager of the chamber orchestra Armen Arabian said, the arrangement on holding this concert was made still months ago. "We thought that the concert will be put off connected with the tragic events in the USA September 11, but the arrangement remained valid. I would like to mention that the famous violinist Souren Bagratuni will perform with the orchestra as well", Mr. Arabian said. The Chamber Orchestra will perform the American concert program for the Armenian audience at the chamber music hall November 5. It should be mentioned that during the last months the Armenian Chamber Orchestra went on tours to numerous countries of the world, namely Lebanon, Great Britain, Switzerland, Cyprus, Greece.

ROMANIAN PRESIDENT PAYS TRIBUTE TO VICTIMS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: Romania's president Ion Iliescu, who is finishing today evening his two-day official visit to Armenia, paid tribute to the victims of the Armenian genocide of 1915 by laying a wreath on the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan. He also visited the Genocide Museum and Institute, located nearby and planted a tree in the special lane. "Romanians have very warm feelings towards Armenians and thye were given warm reception in Romania in all times. We comprehend all those tragedies Armenians had to go through and we shall always be next to them building our common future," Iliescu told reporters after visiting the Genocide Museum. Romania's president Ion Iliescu, accompanied by Armenian transport and communication minister Andranik Manukian and other senior officials, also paid a visit to National Picture Gallery on Wednesday. President Iliescu, particularly, was interested in paintings of French artists, displayed in the gallery. He was happy to see paintings of four Romanian painters next to them. Then president Iliescu visited other halls in the gallery that are displaying recent donations to the Gallery. Iliescu donated to the gallery a picture by Romanian Armenian artist Grigor Zambakchian. The same day Romania's president Ion Iliesku met with the Yerevan State University professors and students the second day of his official visit to Yerevan. He was accompanied by the head of the Armenian side of the Armenian-Romanian economic co-operation commission, Armenia's transport and communication minister Andranik Manukian. The rector of the University Radik Martirosian underlined Mr. Iliesku's role in Romania's accession to the European community. In his words, Iliesku's speech at the 600th anniversary of the establishment of Armenian Patriarchy in Sucava city, the establishment of the Armenian community in Romania well showed the attention towards the Armenian community in Romania. Then Mr. Martirosian presented the diploma of honorary doctor of the Yerevan State University and a Gold Medal to Ion Iliesku. The scientific council of the university awarded Mr. Iliesku, evaluating his public, political and scientific activities and contribution to the development of the Armenian-Romanian friendly relations. Mr. Iliesku thanked for it, saying that he had visted Armenia still in 1953 and studied the scheme of Sevan Hydro Power Station. He is convinced that the co-operation in the education and science sector is a perspective one, which will promote the development of the Armenian-Romanian relations.

http://www.armenialiberty.org/images/photo/Iliescu1.JPG Romanian Leader Says Artsax Row Part Of Soviet Legacy By Hrach Melkumian Romania’s President Ion Iliescu, in Armenia on an official visit, argued on Thursday that the bitter conflict over Nagorno-Artsax is part of a “heavy legacy” left by Josef Stalin’s Soviet Union. He said both Armenians and Romanians are victims of historical injustice perpetrated by the late Soviet dictator, pointing to the 1940 Soviet occupation of Moldova -- then a province in Romania and currently an independent state. Iliescu made the remarks at a meeting with the faculty of Yerevan State University, the final engagement of his two-day trip. The Romanian leader did not elaborate, saying only that solutions to territorial disputes should be based on existing realities. “I think that such issues must be resolved by political means, not by force,” he said. The Armenians, who regard Artsax as part of their historical homeland, believe that the disputed territory was incorporated into Soviet Azerbaijan in 1923 after Stalin’s personal interference. The Azerbaijanis, however, strongly disagree, maintaining that Artsax’s indigenous population was not Armenian. Iliescu, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, on Wednesday offered to mediate the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks. "We have good relations with the countries in conflict," he told journalists after meeting President Robert Kocharian. "That is why it seems to us that we are able to encourage dialogue between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan with the goal of settling the conflict in Artsax." The Artsax negotiations have been for years sponsored by the OSCE’s Minsk Group led by France, Russia and the United States. Iliescu’s Thursday itinerary also included a meeting with Catholicos Garegin II in Echmiadzin and visit to the Tsitsernakabert memorial to the victims of the 1915 Armenian genocide. His talks with Armenian leaders largely focused on economic issues. The two countries vowed to increase the currently modest level of their commercial exchange.

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL DEVOTED TO 1700TH ANNIVERSARY TO TAKE PLACE IN MOSCOW An International Art Festival, devoted to the 1700th anniversary of Armenia's adoption of Christianity, will take place in Moscow November 4-9. Many famous Russian and foreign performers, as well as Russian quartets after Borodin and Shostakovich, Russian State Chamber Orchestra, headed by Konstantin Orbelian, will take part in this exceptional event. The opening ceremony of the festival will be held at the hall of the State Institute of Art. The concerts will take place at the large hall of Moscow Conservatory and at the hall after Chaykovsky. © Copyright AZG

MODERN ARMENIAN DRAMA BOOK CELEBRATED IN NEW YORK Drs. Nishan Parlakian and Peter Cowe will participate at a celebration of the publication of their new anthology, Modern Armenian Drama, at the Armenian Diocese in New York on Thursday evening, November 1. Available in English for the first time, Modern Armenian Drama presents seven classic works from the Armenian stage. Spanning over a century (1871-1992), the plays explore such diverse themes as science and religion, socioeconomic injustice, women's emancipation, and political reform through the medium of all the major European dramatic genres. Highlighting Armenia's most esteemed playwrights, this anthology includes the following plays: Pepo (1871) by Gabriel Sundukian, Honorable Beggars (1880) by Hagop Baronian, For the Sake of Honor (1904) by Aleksandr Shirvanzade, Ancient Gods (1908) by Lewon Shant, Nazar the Brave (1923) by Derenik Demirchyan, Unfinished Monologue (1981) by Perch Zeytuntsyan, and Madmen of the World, Unite! (1992) by Anahit Aghasaryan. Drs. Nishan Parlakian and S. Peter Cowe in this volume provide a comprehensive introduction to the history of Armenian drama, giving a valuable overview of its importance and development in Armenia, as well as a brief biography for each playwright. A preface to each play helps in placing the work within the context of historical and cultural issues of the time. Nishan Parlakian is Professor Emeritus of Drama at John Jay College, City University of New York. He is a playwright, translator, and director who has directed plays in Armenian and in English. He has written extensively on Armenian theater, and is president of the Pirandello Society of America. S. Peter Cowe is Narekatsi Professor of Armenian Language and Culture at UCLA. He has written, edited, and translated many books on Armenian history and culture. © Copyright AZG

ARMENIAN TRAVEL AGENCIES DISPLAY THEIR PRODUCTS An international exhibition of tourism, entitled The Country of Talking Stones opened at Yerevan’s Moskva Cinema House on Wednesday. The exhibition, which will last another two days, is organized by the Association of Armenian Travel agencies (AATA) and trade and industry ministry. John Balian, public affairs officer from the US embassy in Armenia, unlike other speakers, said Armenian travel agencies should not pin much hope on Diaspora Armenians, as potential visitors to Armenia. He suggested that Armenian travel agencies should look for bringing to Armenia non-Armenian tourists. Balian said there are all the grounds to make Armenia an attractive country for foreign travelers. “Armenia is a secret that should be discovered. When it is opened it attracts more, whoever comes to Armenia falls in love with it ” he said. Balian repeated what he had a couple of weeks ago, after returning from the USA, that Armenia was one of the safest countries in the world. He however, added a new epithet, describing Armenia as “an oasis of calmness and peace.” The exhibition has actually brought together the potential of major Armenian travel agencies, such as Levon Travel, Elitar Travel, Delta Armenia, Armintour, Prana Tour and others. Also some leading Armenian hotels-Armenia, Yerevan, Teryan and companies specializing in providing tourist services are participating in it. Also The Syrian Airlines and the Yerevan Brandy Company, that are sponsoring the exhibition, are displaying their capacities and products. By Gayane Mukoyan © Copyright AZG