Month: June 2005

A1plus
| 19:31:29 | 06-06-2005 | Economy |
IN CASE OF RESTARTING THE KARABAKH WAR THE BLACK SEA BANK WILL GO BANKRUPT
Mustafa Kyurtin, President of the Black Sea Commerce and Development Bank,
held a press conference today together with RA Finance and Economy Minister
Vardan Khachatryan. Let us mention that the Bank is the body realizing the
financial programs of the Black Sea Economic cooperation political
structure. 11 states are members of the Bank, including Azerbaijan, Armenia,
Russia, Georgia and Turkey.
Bank President Mustafa Kyurtin made an interesting announcement during the
press conference, `If there is war between the member countries of the Bank,
the result will be bankrupt’.
Before that, Central Bank President Tigran Sargsyan and Finance Minister
Tigran Khachatryan had managed to express the vice versa opinion. In the
concluding session of the annual meeting Tigran Sargsyan said, `Supporting
the close economic cooperation between Azerbaijan, Turkey and Armenia, the
Bank contributes to the economic and political integration of the
countries’.
And Vardan Khachatryan said, `These economic programs will contribute to the
elimination of the atmosphere of hostility and distrust, as the Bank was
created with that purpose’.
The economic programs mean investments in the small and medium business of
the member countries of the Bank, and Azerbaijan who is neighbor of Armenia
in the hostility and distrust atmosphere, had not represented the annual
report of the bank without giving grounds for its absence.
The Finance Minister claimed that they had done everything to persuade
Azerbaijan that their security in Armenia is guaranteed. The nest annual
meeting of the member countries will take place in Azerbaijan, in which the
Finance Minister will participate only in case the neighboring country gives
him a visa.

A1plus
| 15:21:07 | 07-06-2005 | Official |
DAY OF ARMENIA IN JAPAN
Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan, who is on working visit in Japan
at the moment, attended EXPO 2005 international exhibition and participated
in the opening ceremony of the Armenian pavilion on occasion of the RA
National Day.
In his welcoming speech the RA Premier said, in part, `Welcoming you on the
occasion of the National Day of Armenia within EXPO 2005 I assure you that
we have brought the best exhibits characterizing our far but warm and sunny
country with age-old history. I think the exhibition will contribute to the
development of multilateral cooperation. From this viewpoint I welcome the
idea that the three South Caucasian states are represented in one pavilion.’
Armenia named its pavilion `Art of Life’ presenting our culture, history,
economic and intellectual potential, harmonic co-existence of humanity and
nature as well as the approaches of our country towards the process of
international integration. In all over 200 states are taking part in EXPO
2005.
In the evening the Armenian delegation headed by Andranik Margaryan will
make for Tokyo, where the Premier will meet with Japanese top officials.

A1plus
| 14:36:45 | 07-06-2005 | Politics |
NEW CHURCH TO BE BUILT IN US
During his visit to the US Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II
consecrated the foundation of the Armenian Church of the US Western Diocese.
The Church will be constructed thanks to the funds donated by 20 Armenians,
citizens of the US.
After the ceremony pigeons were let out to the sky as a token of peace and
then priest Hovan requested the Catholicos to bless the congregation.
Garegin II noted that the Church will become the spiritual and prayerful
center, which will unite the flock.

A1plus
| 14:59:51 | 07-06-2005 | Politics |
PACE JUNE SESSION: URGENT DEBATES ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM IN ARMENIA
At its June 7 meeting in Lisbon the Assembly Bureau proposed that PACE hold
two urgent debates at its next plenary session (20-24 June 2005), one on
follow-up to the third Council of Europe Summit and the other on
constitutional reform in Armenia, as well as a current affairs debate on the
situation in the republics of Central Asia.

AZG Armenian Daily #103, 07/06/2005
Education
INVESTORS ARE SATISFIED WITH COOPERATION
Visit to Polytechnic University
Zaven Yekavian, head of Galust Gyulbenkian Foundation’s Yerevan office, and
Aramayis Mirzakhanian, professor at the Swedish Royal Technical Institute,
visited the Yerevan State Polytechnic University. The guests visited the
laboratory of automatic electronic equipments that was opened last year.
This laboratory was founded by the efforts of the Swedish Royal Institute of
Technologies and Galust Gyulbenkian Foundation. It is equipped with
electronic technologies and contemporary computers. The press office of the
Polytechnic University informed that the sides decided to continue the
cooperation and purchase more equipment for the laboratory and make
investments in the industry.
The press office also informed that, by the decree of the university
administration, Yuri Sargsian, rector of the University, awarded Zaven
Yekavian with the Golden Medal of the Yerevan State Polytechnic University
that symbolizes his contribution to the development of the University and
the educational system of Armenia. While Aramayis Mirzakhanian, graduate of
the Polytechnic University, professor at the Swedish Royal Technical
Institute, was announced the winner of “The Graduate of the Yerevan State
Polytechnic University 2005” competition.
By Tamar Minasian

AZG Armenian Daily #103, 07/06/2005
Exhibition
ARMENIAN PAVILION AT INTERNATIONAL BOOK EXHIBITION IN THESSALONICA
Karapet and Anahit Galfayans together with Hay Dat Commission displayed
around 150 books at the international exhibition of books in Thessalonica,
on May 28. The Armenian pavilion presented the albums of Martiros Sarian,
Vardges Sureniantz, the album of “Genealogy Carpets” from Nagorno Karabakh,
encyclopedias of Areg publishing house, “Diaspora” encyclopedia, 6 volumes
of “States Accepting Armenian Genocide” published by Museum-Institute of
Armenian Genocide etc. The number of publishing houses taking part in the
exhibition was 50. After the exhibition all books for children from the
Armenian pavilion were presented to the Armenian school of Thessalonica.
“Visitors showed special warmth to the Armenian pavilion. Officials,
ministers and others were coming up to us. People were particularly
interested in works of art. Unfortunately there are few such books in
Armenia. We seem to be satisfied with publishing books with gray covers on
state money”, Vahan Khachatrian, chairman of National Association of
Publishers, told yesterday a press conference.
The most striking for the Armenian delegation in Greece was to see the love
and interest of the locals as well as participants from Diaspora towards
books — something that has diminished in Armenia. There are certainly book
exhibitions in Armenia but in considerably small sizes. “We are going to
organize such an exhibition at the Opera hall but the question is how many
people it will pull in. We have to think of organizing international
exhibitions that will attract more than 30 publishers, will create
conditions for development of book publishing and will restore our
devotional approach to books”, he added.
Polygraphic features of our books have long ago equaled with the standards
of international market but that is not enough for holding an international
exhibition. The most important thing is the state policy in this sphere and
love for reading among our officials. “Our state officials do read, but…
draft laws, government decisions and other stuff. No one reads fiction “.
By Ruzan Poghosian

A1plus
| 16:03:52 | 07-06-2005 | Official |
PRESIDENT RECEIVED NEW SWEDISH AMBASSADOR
Today newly appointed Swedish Ambassador to Armenia Johan Molander
(residence in Moscow’ handed his credentials to Robert Kocharyan.
The Ambassador said that his country intends to develop relations with
Armenia. In his words, Sweden welcomes Armenia’s readiness to integrate into
the European structures.
Robert Kocharyan noted the importance of exchanging information between the
two states and development of business ties.

A1plus
| 15:54:01 | 07-06-2005 | Social |
ARMENIAN PILOTS STILL IN PRISON
`The Armenian pilots are still in prison. The Guinean party promised to
convey them to the representative of the Armenian Foreign Ministry during
the day. The terms of their return and the route will be determined later’,
press secretary of the RA MFA Hamlet Gasparyan reported.
Last night representative of the RA Foreign Ministry Gevorg Poghosyan
departed for Malabo. This morning he met with the Prosecutor General of the
Equatorial Guinea as well as with the officials of the Ministries of Foreign
Affairs and Justice to discuss the issue.

AZG Armenian Daily #103, 07/06/2005
Diaspora
ARMENIAN COMMUNITY AFTER ROSE REVOLUTION IN GEORGIA
Journalists accompanying Prime Minister Andranik Margarian’s delegation at
the CIS summit of prime ministers in Tbilisi got in touch with the
representatives of the Armenian community of Georgia. I managed to find time
to meet my relatives whom I hadn’t seen for 10 years as well. They had a new
member in their family — a grandchildren whom they named Dato. The last
name of the family was also georgianized: Armenian Hasratian turned into
Hasratashvili.
Ill attitude towards Armenians has become more evident after the rose
revolution. Belief that Armenians still remain Russia’s closest ally
somewhat stands for that. Post-Soviet Georgia is feverously rubbing off all
remnants of Kremlin’s influence. There are even no signboards in Russian
language.
The forces of Georgia’s special police beat recently 6 Armenians in Khuschi
village of Tsalka region. They even beat deputy Hayk Meltonian who tried to
intervene. The deputy who told us about those events noted that the
villagers had done nothing illegal. None of the Georgian televisions covered
the events in Khuschi village. Meltonian though held back to paint the
thrashing into the colors of ethnic hostility. “There is no national
discrimination in what happened. The reason is that the special police is
out of control; everybody feels as though a chief”.
The withdrawal of Russian military bases will put Armenians of Javakhk
before a new reality. The 62d base in Akhalkalak was the only place to
secure population with jobs; there are no factories or plants in the region.
Armenian deputy from the region, Hamlet Movsisian, is optimistic
nevertheless. People are also hopeful that they will be employed in new
would-be Georgian bases. Former servicemen that were provided with
apartments fear that they will lose their flats once Russians leave.
There were 80.000 Armenians in Akhalkalak 10-15 years back. Today their has
decreased to 60.000. The total number of Armenians in Georgia is 0.5
million. Unemployment is the most painful issue for most of Georgians and
Armenians in post-revolutionary country.
Only in Tbilisi there are around 100.000 Armenians. The Armenian occupying
the highest position in Georgia’s government is deputy economy minister Gena
Muradian. The deputy representative of Samtskhe-Javakhk region is also
Armenian. In order to occupy such high positions one should be fluent in
Georgian. The authorities are trying to include Georgian language as a
compulsory subject in the school curriculum. There are 145 Armenian schools
in Georgia, 9 of them are in Tbilisi.
Hamlet Movsisian tells that the rose revolution brought many changes in the
lives of Armenians as well. In the past the merchants not only traveling
from Georgia to Armenia but also those trading within the country’s
boundaries had to overcome dozens of obstacles. Traffic officers used to
openly take bribes. For the Armenians, as well as for Georgians, the reforms
in this system are one of the brightest turns that the rose revolution
granted.
The number of religious sects in Georgia is very scant. The lawmaker says
that they, particularly Jehovah’s Witnesses, are active in Akhalkalak. But
active involvement of Armenian clergy in the region has considerably revived
the Armenian community. The number of churchgoers increased, and people
restored national and religious ceremonies.
Hamlet Movsisian sees the reason of appropriation of Armenian churches by
Georgians in the fact that Armenians have left them desolated. “We ourselves
do not care for our historic values, our churches, most of them lie idle,
even the 2 Armenian churches of Tbilisi, Surp Gevorg and Surp Etchmiadzin,
are in a very bad condition, panting for repair”, he says.
The next meeting of Armenian and Georgian prime ministers will be entirely
devoted to practical issues. As we have already informed, they will meet in
Javakhk in July-August. The Georgians will present their project, and the
Armenian government will inform how much money it will assign for the
project. The prime ministers will travel into the southern regions of
Georgia to see for themselves how serious the issues of road network,
irrigation and drinking water are.
By Karine Danielian

AZG Armenian Daily #103, 07/06/2005
Diaspora
‘MEMORIES AND LANGUAGE TRANSFERRED BY GENOCIDE’ CONFERENCE IN ONTARIO
On May 28, “The Canadian Federation of Humanitarian and Social Sciences”
held annual conference dedicated to the holocaust and genocide issues. The
conference was organized with the assistance of the Canadian Social Science
and Archeology Association, the Center for Social Researches and the
Canadian Women’s Research Center. The conference was held at the University
of the South Ontario in London city of Canada. It was entitled “The Memories
and Languages Transferred by Genocide.” Verzhine Svazlian, member of RA
National Academy of Sciences, scientist at the Armenian Genocide Museum,
also participated in the conference, representing our republic. Mrs.
Svazlian touched upon the registered memories, as well as the facts of
ignoring and denying the genocide and its dangerous consequences. Mrs.
Svazlian represented all the written, recorded and shot testimonies and
memories of the genocide survivors. She has been accumulating these
testimonies for 50 years In Armenia, Greece, France, the U.S. and Turkey.
Gabriel Elisa Popov, from Columbia University, (The Sounds of Silence in
“Elsa Morant’s Murder”), Karin Doer, from Concordis University (The Words of
Death and the Death of the Words), Judith Lermer Crowlie, from Montreal
Collage (“About Auswentsin. New Photos”), Arlen Avagian, from University of
Massachusetts, (“Strong Silence. To become A Survivor”) and many other
scholars participated at the conference.
By Hakob Tsulikian