President Kocharyan received Armenian Apostolic Church leader Catholicos Garegin II, Finnish and Turku Archbishop Yukka Parma and other high-ranking officials of Armenian Apostolic and Finnish Evangelic Lutheran Churches.

A religious service celebrating St. Virgin Transfiguration is to be held Sunday in St. Echmiadzin Cathedral. Armenian Apostolic Church leader Catholicos Garegin II expected to carry out a grapes hallowing ceremony.

Today on the invitation of Katholicos of all Armenians the official delegation of Finn Lutheran Church led by Archbishop of Finland and Kirku Juka Paarma arrived in the residence of Armenian Apostholic Church in Echmiadzin.

Grounding on the Election Law Code of Armenia on August the 16-th president Robert Kocharyan signed a decree on appointing members of election commissions of polling districts.

August 19-23 Mrs Irena Belohorska and Mr Yerzi Yaskernia, the co-speakers of Monitoring Commission of Parliamentary Assembly of European Council will be in Yerevan. On August the 19-th the delegation will meet Roy Reeve, the Head of OSCE Office, the representatives of international and social organizations. On August the 20-th the delegation will meet the representatives of Mass Media in Parliament...

The farewell party on departure of Phillip Stour Venter, the representative of Kentreberry Archbishopric of the Anglican Church in Armenian Apostolic Church took place in Saint Echmiadzin Church headed by Garegin the Second, the Catholicos of All Armenians.During a 6 year-long legation in Armenia Father Phillip arranged mutual visits of clergymen serving in the armies of 2 countries, education of...

Armenian PM Andranik Margaryan sent a congratulation message to Arkadi Ghukasyan on his re-election for the post of president. It particularly says. “Dear Arkadi Arshaviri I congratulate You on Your re-election for the Karabaghi president’s post with all my heart. The democratic and just elections which were proved both by local and international observers point to the fact the people of Nagorno...

Special session of Government held today presided by PM Andranik Margaryan. The issue on privatization of “Armenia’s Electricity Supply Network” was discussed. The Executive Power approved the contract on sale and buying up of “AESN” CJSC shares that is to be concluded between Armenian Government and the purchaser.

By the decree of Armenian PM Andranik Margaryan a religion council was set up to raise productivity of state policy in religion field of Armenia.Council staff and regulations were approved: the Chair of the Council is Armenian PM. PM’s Counsellor /Deputy Chair/ and the Head of Social Department of Government Staff /Council Secretary/, as well as representatives of the staff of Armenian president,...

Armenian Apostolic Church leader Garegin II sent a message to the Arkadi Ghukasyan congratulating him on his victory in the Nagorno-Karabakhi presidential elections. “Heroic Artsakhi people confirmed their right for free life by presidential elections”, the message says.

Today Armenian president Robert Kocharyan sent a congratulation message on the Builder's Day. It particularly says "Dear builders! Today your Holiday is celebrated for the first time and I congratulate you on it. You are those to build our cities, roads and houses. You are both the bearers of traditions and those to continue them. " . The Armenian builders are touched by the president's message...

On August the 10-th Garegin the Second, Catholicos of All Armenians received the members of the Union for "Armenia - Japan Friendship", headed by Nakajima Hideharu, the Head of the union. The Union set up 15 years ago aims to represent Armenia to Japanese people . Begining from this year Japanese may be taught as foreign language in one of the schools of Armenia thanks to the efforts of the Armenian...

On August the 8-th Tran Duk Luon, the president of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam received Vardan Oskanyan, the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Minister Oskanyan presented president Kocharyan's message to Tran Duk Luon in which Kocharyan congratuled Duk Luon on his re-appointment at the president's post . Mr Oskanyan met Fam Kvan Nhi, Vietnam's Minister of Culture and Information and the...

The bill on proposing amendments and additions to the Armenian Law on "State Duties" was passed at today's Government session. The bill makes provisions for state duty levy of 1000 drams when issueing passports to citizens as well as to release from state duties those citizens who are being issued passport for the first time after 16 .

To provide necessary conditions for the trial process on October the 27-th's case, Government decided to allocate 1.830.000 drams to the Justice Ministry on account of the reserve fund envisaged by the state budget of 2002 for salary of contract employees, obligatory social payments as well as to purchase office equipment and materials .

Corresponded to the requirements of the Armenian Law on "Privatization of "Yerevan's Electricity Supply Network", "Northern Electricity Supply Network", "Southern Electricity Supply Network" and "Central Electricity Supply Network" CJSCs" , the Government approved the order for "Budget guarantees allocatation to the companies supplying electricity to the consumers of high importance which demand for...

On August the 7-th Garegin the Second, the Catholicos of All Armenians declared Monk Khoren Hovhannisyan unfrocked . Introducing an application for retirement Hovhannisyan himself left divine service and departed to abroad . The defrocked Monk is secular already and will be called Nshan Hovhannisyan.

On August the 7-th president Robert Kocharyan signed the Law "On Parties" passed by Parliament.

As Mediamax new agency reports, Russia’s Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman B. Malakhov said Wednesday commenting Nagorno-Karabakhi presidential elections scheduled for August 11 that official Moscow supported Azerbaijan territorial integrity principle and didn’t recognise Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state. "The future status of Nagorno-Karabakh should be determined without using any force...

Nagorno-Karabakhi Foreign Ministry issued a statement on upcoming presidential elections. "Presidential elections are to be held August 11 in Nagorno-Karabakhi republic. Democratic procedure of president election is the firm attitude of the leadership of the republic seeking international recognition. The EU statement on non-recognition of Karabakhi elections prompts bewilderment and can be treated...

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Vardan Oskanyan, within the framework of his official visit to the Kingdom of Thailand, was received today by the Prime-Minister of Thailand Mr Thaksin Shinavatra. Mr Oskanyan met also Thai Minister of Public Healthcare Mr Suradat Keyurabhani. The Thai side got interested with scientific innovations performed by Armenians in healthcare field, in particular with "Armenikum".

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan had a telephone talk with his Azeri counterpart Heidar Aliev today. According to arrangement reached, a meeting between the two presidents is to be held on August 14 at south-western section of Armenian-Azeri border.

President Robert Kocharyan took a 10-day vacation. He intends to enjoy his rest in Armenia.

Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan received Tuesday Romanian Ambassador to Armenia Pavel Platona, who are completing his diplomatic mission in Armenia. Mr. Platona conveyed the Romanian Prime Minister invitation to his Armenian counterpart to attend high-level conference on informational science, which is to be held this year autumn in Bucharest.