Author: Edgar Tavakalian

“TEACHERS OF ARMENIA AND SPYURK AREN’T COMPLETELY PROTECTED,” HRANUSH
HAKOBIAN DECLARES
YEREVAN, August 20 (Noyan Tapan). Both in Armenia and in Spyurk
teachers aren’t completely protected, but the state undertakes certain
steps in the direction of this. Hranush Hakobian, the Chairwoman of
the RA NA Standing Commission on Issues of Education, Science, Culture
and Youth, mentioned this at the August 20 meeting with 50 teachers
from the Diaspora participating in the retraining courses in
Yerevan. She mentioned that compared with the previous year the
teachers’ salary has doubled in 2004 reaching from $30 to $60 and in
2005 it’s envisaged to increase the salary till 51 thousand drams
(about $100). Touching upon the issue of introduction of a joint
system of education H.Hakobian mentioned that each pupil living in
Armenia should also learn Western Armenian. The MP found it difficult
to speak about the terms of introduction of this system, but she
didn’t exclude that the RA government will make the corresponding
decision in the future. H.Hakobian also emphasized the necessity of
legislative stipulation of the right of double citizenship, which has
already been included into the package of Constitutional reforms.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

L’Humanité
18 août 2004
L’homme – du jour Julien Lauprêtre
Ils débarquent aujourd’hui. Cinq mille enfants, sur les plages
normandes, armés de pelles et de sceaux, prêts à dresser un mur de
l’Atlantique en ptés. De sable. S’il faut un responsable à ce
déferlement cocasse, il est le coupable indiqué. Julien Lauprêtre
dirige depuis cinquante années le Secours populaire français qui
organise cette journée à la mer. Une initiative renouvelée depuis
1979, dans le cadre de la Journée des oubliés des vacances,
échantillon de la solidarité concrète que l’homme prétend faire vivre
via son association. Une part d’humanité qu’il porte en boutonnière.
En 1998, Geneviève Anthonioz-de Gaulle, présidente d’ATD quart-monde,
la lui a agrafée au revers de sa veste. Une larme rouge, qui rappelle
son présent engagé. Mais aussi son passé. Titi parisien, fils de
cheminot, Julien est déjà vitrier quand les forces nazies prennent
possession de Paris. Avec une bande de potes, il monte un réseau de
résistants et rejoint les Jeunesses communistes. Il sera arrêté en
novembre 1943. L’anecdote est connue de beaucoup: emprisonné, il est
embastillé dans la même cellule que Manouchian et sa bande. «Mais je
ne le savais pas», précise-t-il quand il raconte l’histoire. Il ne
l’apprendra que plus tard, en voyant l’Affiche rouge. «Il faut
continuer la lutte», l’aurait encouragé le résistant arménien. Un
conseil que Julien Lauprêtre, à soixante-dix-huit ans passés, n’a pas
encore omis. Pas plus que la recommandation prodiguée par un
instituteur. «Bon, mais peut mieux faire.» Il s’en est, dit-il, fait
une devise.
M.-N. B.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Calcutta Telegraph, India
Aug 19 2004
Draw takes Harikrishna to 4th spot
Abu Dhabi: P. Harikrishna shared a point with Ghaem Maghami Ehsan of
Iran but a draw in the fourth round meant the Indian Grandmaster
slipped further behind the leaders in the masters section of 14th Abu
Dhabi Chess Festival here on Wednesday.
Mikhail Kobalija of Russia joined overnight leaders compatriot Evgeny
Gleizerov and Ashot Anastasian of Armenia at the top with 3.5 points
out of a possible four.
Harikrishna is tied for the fourth spot with Maghami, Kazakhstan duo
of Evgeny Vladimirov and Pavel Kotsur, Artashes Minasian of Armenia
and Russians Konstantin Cheryshov and Dmitry Bocharov. They have
three points each.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

New coaches make mark as road to World Cup begins
By RAVI UBHA
.c The Associated Press
LONDON (AP) – Three of soccer’s traditional powerhouses have new
coaches. It didn’t take them long to make their mark.
Italy’s Marcello Lippi dropped a star player he long managed, the
Netherlands’ Marco van Basten left out the country’s all-time leading
scorer, and Germany’s Juergen Klinsmann named a new captain.
As part of four World Cup 2006 qualifiers and more than a dozen
warmups in Europe on Wednesday, France – also with a new manager –
begins life without Zinedine Zidane; European champion Greece has a
rematch against the Czech Republic; and England’s Sven-Goran Eriksson
is on the touchline for the first time since a sex scandal almost cost
him his job.
European World Cup qualifying begins in Groups One and Three, with
Romania hosting Finland without injured Roma defender Cristian
Chivu. In the other qualifiers, Macedonia faces Armenia, Liechtenstein
takes on Estonia and Slovakia is at home against Luxembourg. Most
European nations begin qualifying Sept. 4. There also are five World
Cup qualifiers in the North and Central American and Caribbean region
on Wednesday.
Lippi, the cigar-smoking former Juventus manager, didn’t pick Juve
forward Alessandro Del Piero for a friendly at Iceland – and he made
no guarantees about his future.
Considered one of the most gifted players in the game, Del Piero has
disappointed in big tournaments, including Euro 2004, where Italy was
eliminated in the first round.
“Del Piero doesn’t have any particular problem,” said Lippi, who
replaced Giovanni Trapattoni. “It’s just that at the moment, I
believe it’s better that he improves his general condition. He’ll be
taken into consideration again once he’s done that.”
Lippi suprised many by adding forward Luca Toni – the Serie B’s
leading scorer last season with Palermo – and Sampdoria’s Francesco
Flachi, a 29-year-old uncapped player.
Striker Christian Vieri, defender Fabio Cannavaro, playmaker Francesco
Totti and another midfielder, Antonio Cassano, all on the Euro 2004
team, are injured.
“This is the national team of this moment,” Lippi said.
Van Basten, who took over from Dick Advocaat, omitted Patrick Kluivert
in selecting a young squad for a friendly at Sweden. Kluivert, with 40
goals in 79 appearances, recently joined England’s Newcastle.
“Kluivert has had a poor preparation for this season and first has to
prove at his club that he’s scoring and that a spot in the squad would
be a logical choice,” Van Basten said.
With Ruud van Nistelrooy hurt, Roy Makaay could start up front for the
first time in more than a year.
Also injured are regulars Philip Cocu and Clarence Seedorf. Speedy
winger Marc Overmars retired after Euro 2004, and defender Jaap Stam
has retired from international competition.
Arsenal’s Robin van Persie and Feyenoord’s Romeo Castelen, both
uncapped, were chosen. The Netherlands reached the Euro 2004
semifinals.
Klinsmann is trying to rebuild a German side eliminated in the first
round of the Euros. Since Rudi Voller left, he’s replaced almost every
official connected to the national team.
One of his first on-field moves was to strip goalkeeper Oliver Kahn of
the captaincy in favor of midfielder and Bayern Munich teammate
Michael Ballack.
Germany, hosting the 2006 World Cup, plays Austria in Vienna.
“I wanted an outfield player as captain, a player who is connected to
all parts of the team and will take the reins in his hands when the
going gets rough,” Klinsmann said.
France’s Raymond Domenech also appointed a new captain – though he
didn’t have much choice. Zidane, the reigning FIFA player of the
year, announced his international retirement last week.
With Arsenal’s Patrick Vieira hurt, veteran keeper Fabien Barthez will
lead the team out in a home friendly against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
“I’m aware that a goalkeeper has already a lot to think about, but
it’s going to be him for this match,” said Domenech, Jacques
Santini’s replacement.
Apart from Zidane, defenders Lilian Thuram, Marcel Desailly and
Bixente Lizarazu have all retired from the national team. The four had
a combined 409 caps.
France, as one of the favorites, was eliminated in the first round at
World Cup 2002 and in the quarterfinals at Euro 2004.
Greece stunned soccer by winning the tournament in Portugal, downing
the Czech Republic 1-0 in the semifinals before edging the host in the
final.
Greece coach Otto Rehhagel will be without defender Traianos Dellas in
Prague because of injury. The Czechs won’t have European footballer of
the year Pavel Nedved and fellow midfielder Vladimir Smicer, who also
are hurt for the friendly.
England didn’t change coaches – barely. Eriksson faced criticism from
the British press when it was revealed he and Football Association
chief executive Mark Palios had affairs with a 38-year-old FA
secretary. Palios eventually resigned, although Eriksson was cleared
of any wrongdoing by the FA earlier this month.
England hosts Ukraine in another warmup.
“If we don’t succeed this time, the knives will be out,” captain
David Beckham said about upcoming World Cup qualifying.
Luis Aragones manages Spain for the first time, against Venezuela in
Las Palmas. Aragones, hired to replace Inaki Saez following Spain’s
first-round exit at Euro 2004, included Arsenal’s 20-year-old forward
Jose Reyes.
08/17/04 09:28 EDT
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

LEBANESE DEPUTY PRESENTS HIS POLITICAL PROGRAM TO CATHOLICOS OF GREAT
CILICIAN HOUSE
ANTELIAS, August 6 (Noyan Tapan). Lebanese MP Rober Ganem presented
his political program in the upcoming presidential elections during
his meeting with the Catholicos of the Great Cilician House held at
Bikfaya temple on August 3. Ganem presented his approaches to
different spheres of the life of Lebanon. Catholicos Aram I stressed
the necessity of the respect of the rights of national communities
along with the observance of their obligations especially in the
political circles, as well as the importance of the strengthening of
the democratic direction. According to the press service of the Great
Cilician House, the meeting became a reason for the discussion of the
problems of the region, especially of the latest events in
Iraq. Catholicos Aram I expressed his concern on the occasion of the
terrorist acts committed at the Christian churches, mentioning them as
a phenomenon unworthy of neither Islam nor Christianity.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian regulator stops Russian NTV relay, will reallocate the slot
A1+ web site
14 Jun 04
14 June: The Russian NTV channel will no longer be broadcast in
Armenia. Today the National Commission for Radio and Television [NCRT]
unanimously decided to hand over UHF channel 23, which previously
relayed NTV channel programmes, to the Armenian government for the
transmission of Kultura [Culture] TV programmes.
The frequency was not put out to tender as it was given to the
government within the framework of an intergovernmental agreement on
the transmission of TV programmes concluded between Armenia and Russia.
The frequency was transferred to the Transport and Communications
Ministry. It is not yet clear who will rebroadcast. “The company
Paradiz [Paradise], which rebroadcast NTV, has no claims on it,”
the head of the NCRT, Grigor Amalyan, said. “The government has the
right to use it at its own discretion.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress