Month: April 2007

GERMAN FM HOPES FOR SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT WITHOUT COMPLICATIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.04.2007 12:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Within the framework of the visit to the South
Caucasus I discussed the Karabakh settlement with the Armenian and
Azeri leadership. A process aiming at the resolution of the conflict
is obvious. I am hopeful this problem will be resolved without
complications," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier at
a meeting with Turkish FM Abdullah Gul.

The parties exchanged views on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement. "If problems remain frozen it may acquire a chronic nature
and hamper the negotiation process. So, it’s very important for us
to discuss what kind of assistance we could render to resolve the
conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan," Gul said, APA reports.

RA GOVERNMENT AFFIRMS PROGRAM ON CULTURE DEVELOPMENT IN MARZES OF REPUBLIC

Noyan Tapan
Apr 06 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Government affirmed at the
April 5 sitting the program on culture development in the marzes of
the republic and the list of events envisaged by the program. As
RA Minister of Culture and Youth Issues Hasmik Poghosian informed
journalists after the sitting, the program will assist introduction
of a regulated and active system of carrying on a cultural policy in
the RA. Particularly, coordinated activity of a state authorized body,
governor’s offices and local self-government bodies will be secured
with the help of defining competences and functions. The program will
also assist development of innermarz cultural cooperation and security
of a joint cultural field, start of the process of liquidation of
differences existing between Yerevan and the RA marzes, improvement of
allocation of cultural organizations, conditions of the population’s
participation in the cultural life, working out and introduction
of standards relating to staff of the sphere of culture, training,
re-training and re-qualification programs.

H. Poghosian mentioned that 372 mln 449 thousand drams (about 1 mln
U.S. dollars), what makes 13.3% more as if compared with 2004, were
given this year to marzes from the state budget for implementation
of cultural events. The Minister at the same time mentioned that
the allocated financial means are not enough and proportional to the
number of population of a separate marz.

SMAT FERRY TO ACCOMPLISH TRIAL VOYAGE IN POTI PORT APRIL 9

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.04.2007 13:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Smat ferry will sail its ‘trial voyage’ from
Kavkaz port (Russia) to Poti port (Georgia). This voyage will allow
establishing a direct transport communication between Armenia and
Russia. Smat will depart Kavkaz port April 7 and is expected in Poti
April 9," said Konstantin Jgarkava, the chief dispatcher of Poti port.

Launching of the Port Kavkaz-Poti ferry communication was due in
mid-March. However, it was postponed over some technical reasons.

The first stage supposes one voyage per week. The number of voyages
will redouble after putting into operation the second ferry in May,
Interfax-South reports.

"YOUTH FOR ACHIEVEMENT" NGO IMPLEMENTS TEACHING PROGRAM ADDRESSED TO DEVELOPMENT OF DEMOCRACY IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Apr 06 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The "Youth for Achievement"
educational public organization has implemented since early this
year the "Interactive Elections" program in Yerevan, Gyumri and
Vanadzor. According to the information submitted to Noyan Tapan by the
organization office, the goal of the program is to assist development
of democracy in Armenia, increase of young voters’ awareness
concerning democracy as well as to encourage their participation in
the elections. Seminars have already been held within the framework
of the program. More than 250 students participate in them.

One of the important components of the six-month program is students’
interactive teaching what, particularly, will be implemented with the
help of "organization of parliament elections" games. "Game parties"
will be created as a result of coordination meetings being held in
Yerevan on April 5-6. They will organize a pre-electoral campaign and
participate in the "game elections" on April 30. A "game parliament"
will be formed as a result of those elections.

KOSOVO PLAN CAN’T BE PRECEDENT FOR KARABAKH

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.04.2007 14:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Director of the Strategic Researches Institute
of Russia, Evgeny Kojokin, said 5 April in Baku that the problems of
Kosovo, Transdnistria, Nagorno Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia
are similar only from the formal-legal point of view, but they are
quite various problems for their essence and the approaches to the
solution of each of these conflicts should be different.

The politician said that the plan of Kosovo conflict settlement can’t
be a precedent for the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement. Kojokin
thinks that the delay of the conflict settlement is caused by the
existence of the interests of off-regional players and various
approaches to the conflict solution, Trend news agency reports.

ARMENIAN HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS’ ENTRANCE TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN NEW ACADEMIC YEAR BY TWO-STAGE SYSTEM

Noyan Tapan
Apr 06 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 6, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the RA laws "On Education"
and "On Higher and Post-Graduate Professional Education," the RA
Government affirmed at the April 4 sitting 4132 education entrance
(bachelor’s) places of the 2007-2008 academic year of RA state
higher educational institutions with full compensation (free) of the
education payment by the state in the way of student’s benefits and
5893 education entrance (bachelor’s) places of the 2007-2008 academic
year of RA state higher educational institutions with the right of
usage of partial discount (paid) of the education payment by higher
educational institutions, according to educational institutions
and professions.

It was defined that 2007-2008 academic year entrance of RA institutions
of higher education is implemented by the two-stage system: bachelor’s
system and magistracy, using the principle of allocation of student’s
benefits.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Government’s Information
and Public Relations Department, entrance places for magistracy,
post-graduate study, doctor’s study of the RA 2007-2008 academic year
were also affirmed by another decision.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO DISCUSS OSCE REPORTS ON FIRES IN KARABAKH

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.04.2007 15:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The OSCE reports on fires in Nagorno Karabakh and
adjacent territories will be submitted to the UN General Assembly,
Azeri government’s envoy to the UN, Ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev said. He
assured the report will be discussed till end of April in accord with
the fixed terms.

Upon consideration of the document the UN General Assembly will put
forth proposals on the issue.

Mehdiyev also informed that the issue of ‘frozen conflicts’ in GUAM
space will be put for discussion in the UN till the end of the session
fixed for August, APA reports.

IT IS NECESSARY TO WORK OUT NEW EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO RAISE QUALITATIVE LEVEL OF ARMENIAN SCHOOLS OF DIASPORA, RESPONSIBLE FOR AGBU EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 06 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 6, NOYAN TAPAN. It is necessary to work out new
educational programs to raise the qualitative level of Armenian schools
of Diaspora as because of absence of such programs those schools
today face a number of problems. Artun Hamalian, the Responsible for
the Education Department of the Armenian General Benevolent Union
(AGBU) stated about it at the April 6 conference held in Yerevan,
dedicated to education problems of Diaspora.

In his words, the AGBU has about 20 everyday and the same number of
Saturday schools in different colonies of Diaspora. It was mentioned
that if the number of students studying at those schools made about 7
thousand in 1990s, then according to 2007 data, the number of pupils
reduced 2-2.5 thousand.

Whereas, in A. Hamalian’s words, more than 1.5 mln Armenian children at
the school age live in Diaspora. "Numerous parents find it purposeful
to send their children for education to non-Armenian schools, reasoning
that education programs in Armenian schools do not correspond to
demands of the time," A. Hamalian mentioned.

Yervand Zorian, the AGBU California branch head stated that CDs in
Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian, English and Russian will be
released in future, in which the Armenian people’s history and culture
will be presented. "I think that those CDs will give possibility to
return Armenian education institutions a great number of children,"
Y. Zorian emphasized.

ELINA DANIELIAN IS WITH 3 POINTS IN LEADERS’ GROUP AT WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT OF EUROPE CHESS INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Noyan Tapan
Apr 06 2007

DRESDEN, APRIL 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The 3rd stage meetings of the Europe
Chess Individual Champioship took place on April 5 in the city of
Dresden, Germany.

7 participants, among who Elina Danielian is, got 3 points each in
the women’s tournament.

5 participants did not lose any point at the men’s struggle. Rafayel
Vahanian and Artashes Minasian among the delegates of Armenia have
2.5 points each.

ARAM I CATHOLICOS CONGRATULATES NEWLY APPOINTED RA PRIME MINISTER

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 06 2007

ANTELIAS, APRIL 6, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Aram I Catholicos
of the Great House of Cilicia sent a congratulation message to newly
appointed RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsian on April 5. Mentioning
that being acquainted himself and seeing that S. Sargsian attended
with diligence and in a consistent way all the state obligations
entrusted him, Aram I Catholicos expressed confidence that he will
act with the same devotion and earnestness.

"I assure You in this sense that the Great House of Cilicia
Catholicosate will continue its undoubted and complete assistance
to the state of Armenia in favour of our Fatherland and our native
people," is said in the address.