Month: June 2005

AZG Armenian Daily #116, 24/06/2005
Science
INFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOP IN ARMENIA IRREGULARLY
The First International Youth Conference on Informational technologies was
held in Yerevan on June 23-25. The conference was held in three universities
and was divided in three parts: informational technologies in social
sciences (the Yerevan State university), informational technologies in
Medicine and Biology (the Yerevan State Medical University), and
informational technologies in technical sciences (the Yerevan State
Polytechnic University). Harutyun Terzian, pro-rector of the Yerevan State
Polytechnic University, said that the decision to choose these three
universities was conditioned by the fact that these three directions develop
fast, as well as the influence of the informational technologies on that
process. Today, one can hardly find a sphere that wasn’t developed thanks to
the informational technologies. The organizers of the conference envisage to
include more spheres in the conference next year.
Armen Grigorian, Secretary of the Informational technologies Development and
Assistance Council at RA Prime Minister’s Office, expressed hope that the
conference, as well as the companies and the structures included in that,
will help arouse interest in the sphere and prepare more young specialists
of the international technologies. “The Informational technologies should
not be observed as a mere sphere, but as an instrument that influences the
development of all the spheres. We should use it to secure electronic
development in Armenia,” Armen Grigorian said. He said that today this
sphere doesn’t develop regularly in Armenia, stating that utilization of IT
in the spheres of education, art is on a rather low level. He added that
there is already a new counselor to RA Prime Minister who will coordinate
all the credit projects and deal with the creation of electronic management.
He said there are 4.000 specialists working in the IT sphere and if, their
number increases to 10.000, the annual profit from the sphere will amount to
1 billion.
By Tamar Minasian

AZG Armenian Daily #116, 24/06/2005
Telecommunication
NEW MOBILE PHONE OPERATOR TO GET IN ON JULY 1
President of the Shareholders’ Board of Kh-Telecom, Pier Fatush, Board
member Hussein Rifayi and Lebanese ambassador to Armenia Gabriel Shahra
answered journalists’ questions at a press conference yesterday.
Hussein Rifayi stated, speaking on behalf of the board, that the company
will start operating from 1 July. He said that the new mobile operator’s
service will surpass all expectations. He emphasized the high-quality
connection and the company’s resolution to set competitive fare. He also
mentioned that the company’s investments by now amount to $75 million.
Executive director of Kh-Telecom, Ralf Yirikian, provided details on the
prospects of new mobile operator. “Today, Armenia has got a new voice and
it’s called Viva Cell”, Yirikian said explaining that Kh-Telecom will be
called Viva Cell from now on. The new trademark symbolizes life, freedom and
fervor. The company will also add a motto — Your Family.
>From the first day of its operation the company will fully cover the
territories of Yerevan, Armavir and Ararat, and partially Aragatsotn, Kotayk
and Gegharqunik. In 3 months the company will supply 300.000 subscribers.
Viva Cell’s cards will be called ALO and classic. Ralf Yirikian was slow to
tell the price of the cards and while asked to compare the future price with
those functioning in Nagorno Karabakh, said that the prices in Karabakh are
no yardstick for Armenia.
Viva Cell will spare no effort to occupy the position of leading mobile
phone operator in Armenia. The company now employs 140 workers but the staff
will gradually enlarge.
Lebanese ambassador to Armenia introduced Pier Fatush saying that he is a
great beneficent of Artsakh as no one wanted to take the risk of investing
in the region, but he ventured.
By Ara Martirosian

AZG Armenian Daily #116, 24/06/2005
Diaspora
AKHALKALAKI ARMENIANS RENDER HELP TO AZERIS IN TROUBLE
Armenians living in Samtskhe-Javakhk Ninotsminda region of Georgia rendered
first aid to the Azeri shepherd and their families, to about 200 people, who
suffered of stormy wind. The policemen took the victims to the regional
hospital, where Chirstine Arzumanian, doctor, gave first aid to them. The
Azeris who came to the summer pasture from Sagarejo region of Georgia had
bodily injures and concussion of the brain. The employees of the Tbilisi
Emergency Department arrived in Ninotsminda to settle the issues of their
further treatment.
By Ruzan Poghosian

A1plus
| 19:33:32 | 23-06-2005 | Politics | PACE SUMMER SESSION |
ROBERT KOCHARYAN – MAJOR OBSTACLE ON PATH OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
During the debates on constitutional reform in Armenia Head of the PACE
Liberal Democratic and Reformers’ Group Matyas Eorsi stated, `We should
remind Robert Kocharyan and others, who hold the power, that after adoption
of any law it should be applied within shortest terms. However with reading
the report on constitutional reform in Armenia one gets the impression that
the Constitution is called not to unite but to split the society. Robert
Kochrayan is the only person, who impedes the process of constitutional
reform by abusing his power.’
In Mr. Eorsi’s opinion, the constitutional amendments are not justified
because there is not independent juridical system in Armenia. `It was in the
times of Stalin. People should not return to the past’, Matyas Eorsi
resumed.

A1plus
| 19:14:22 | 23-06-2005 | Politics | PACE SUMMER SESSION |
IT’S SENSELESS TO TRY TO AVOID PROPOSALS BY VENICE COMMISSION
The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) is `deeply concerned’ by
the fact that the delay in the adoption of the constitutional amendments is
`holding back Armenia’s progress towards European democratic norms and
standards in key areas of political life’. According to the Assembly, the
revision of the Constitution is a pre-condition for the fulfillment of some
of the most important commitments that Armenia undertook upon its accession
to the Council of Europe. These include the separation and balance of
powers, the reform of the judicial system and local self-government reform.
At the end of an urgent debate, PACE followed the proposals by the
rapporteurs Georges Colombier (France, EPP/CD) and Jerzy Jaskiernia (Poland,
SOC) and called on the Armenian authorities and the parliamentary majority
to fully implement the recommendations of the Venice Commission, to
undertake clear and meaningful steps in order to resume an immediate
dialogue with the opposition and to adopt the text at second reading `no
later than August 2005′, in view of the referendum that should be held `no
later
The Assembly called on the opposition `to stop its parliamentary boycott and
do everything possible to promote the recommendations of the Council of
Europe with regard to the constitutional reform’. The parliamentarians
decided to observe the constitutional referendum and, in the meantime,
declared their readiness to provide any assistance that might be needed for
its preparation.

A1plus
| 18:10:47 | 23-06-2005 | Politics | PACE SUMMER SESSION |
PACE RATIFIED DRAFT RESOLUTION ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM IN ARMENIA
Today PACE discussed and ratified the draft resolution on constitutional
reform in Armenia adopted by the PACE Monitoring Committee.
PACE rejected two out of the three proposals. One referred to the Armenian
state borders submitted by the Turkish delegation. The second said, `In case
the referendum fails PACE will make appropriate conclusions during the
January session in 2006.’ It should be noted that Mr. Jerzy Jaskiernia
suggested that this amendments be rejected, as it would be incorrect to make
conclusions that the referendum is likely to fail again.
Only one amendment was adopted. It says, `The Parliamentary Assembly calls
upon the Armenian leadership and the parliamentary majority to hold the
referendum no later than November, 2005 and secure the reform effectiveness
within reasonable terms and as soon as possible.’ .

The International Herald Tribune
June 23, 2005 Thursday
IN OUR PAGES: 100, 75 AND 50 YEARS AGO;
1905: Islamic Riots in Russia
ST. PETERSBURG: Thirty-seven thousand insurgents in the district of
Shahukhan, in the province of Erivan (trans-Caucasian Russia), have
sacked and burned four Armenian villages and surrounded
Owlianorashan, the inhabitants of which repulsed the attack, killing
a hundred men. At Nakhichevan, in the province of Erivan, the
Armenians have been completely ruined. Their houses have been
demolished and burned down, their personal belongings looted, their
cattle carried off and their crops destroyed.

Pan Armenian News
TURKISH EU MEMBERSHIP PROSPECT RESULTED IN EUROCONSTITUTION FAILURE
23.06.2005 07:08
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ European Commission President Jose Manuel Barrozo urged to
«serious discussion» over Turkey’s membership in the European Union. In his
opinion, it was just the prospect of Turkey’s accession to the EU that
resulted in France and the Netherlands voting against the European
Constitution. The European Commission President urged EU member states to
respect their commitments and start talks with Ankara October 3. At that
Barrozo noted there are no guarantees for Turkey to become EU member
resulting from the talks, the Yerkir newspaper reported.

AZG Armenian Daily #116, 24/06/2005
Armenian Genocide
NEW JERSEY RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Armenian Congress of Armenia informed that the General Assembly of US state
of New Jersey adopted a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide of
1915. At the same time, the Education Department of the state approved the
program on studying the Armenian Genocide.
“This resolution acknowledges the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
and considers the criminal behavior of the Ottoman Empire towards the
Armenian people an issue of international and historical importance,” the
document says.
“The Crimes against Humanity and Civilization. The Armenian Genocide” book
will be delivered in the compulsory schools and collages of New Jersey.
By Ruzan Poghosian

AZG Armenian Daily #116, 24/06/2005
Appointment
ALEXANDER BOZHKO AGAIN APPOINTED AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA
President of Ukraine Viktor Yushenko appointed Alexander Bozhko an
ambassador to Armenia. Mediamax reminds that 59-year-old Bozhko runs the
second term as ambassador. Bozhko, who has good command of Armenian,
represented Ukraine in 1996-2001; afterwards he worked at the Ukrainian
Foreign Ministry and was appointed ambassador to Kyrgyzstan in 2004.