Author: Ekmekjian Janet

NUMBER OF PUPILS ATTENDING ARMENIAN SCHOOLS ABROAD REDUCES DURING LAST YEARS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 27 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 27, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. 2960 Armenian young
people from 32 countries of the world study today at institutions
of higher and middle professional education of Armenia, among them
2174 students study at state instutitons of higher education, 448
at non-state institutions of higher education and 338 at middle
professional istitutions. At the same time, 546 of them study free,
and 2414 study at paid system.
As Hrach Tadevosian, the Chief of the RA Education and Science
Ministry’s Department on Cooperation with Diaspora mentioned at
the June 23 press conference, the Ministry continues the process of
giving educational literature to Armenian educational institutions
of Diaspora. Armenian teaching schools of Georgia and Abkhazia were
mainly provided with the necessary number of t ext-books. According
to got claims, 7200 copies of text books and educational materials
were allocated to Armenian educational institutions abroad during
the previous months of 2006.
According to Hrach Tadevosian, the Ministry will continue to
implement one-month programs of re-training teachers of Armenology
subjects being taught in Armenian schools, colleges, kindergartens,
one-day and other types of educational institutions acting in foreign
countries. The program will be organized this year from July 17 to
August 15. Participant teachers will get certificates. 37 teachers of
7 countries still presented claims for participation in the re-training
courses of this year.
According to Hrach Tedevosian, 177 full Armenian schools function
abroad today, 19 of which are in Russia, 150 are in Georgia, including
112 ones in Javakhk, and 8 ones in Tbilisi. Besides, 400 one-day and
Sunday schools function as well. The Department Chief also mentioned
that the number of pupils attending Armenian schools abroad strictly
reduced during the last years, just by what reduction of the number
of those schools in some countries is povided.

PRESS RELEASE
“Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund
Governmental Building 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Anush Babayan
Tel: 3741 52 09 40
Fax: 3741 52 37 95
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
.27.06.06
Recently the Toronto Affiliate of `Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund
organized a fundraising dinner in Canada. Apparently, the presence of
Conservative MP Jason Kenney at the event caused concern of the
Azerbaijani Embassy and the Azerbaijani community.
Canadian Press put an article on the newswire in this regard. It was
picked up by several Canadian newspapers. Unfortunately, the reporter,
Jennifer Ditchburn, used solely Azeri sources while covering the event.
Moreover, the reporter tried to put a frivolous spin on the fact that
Canadian Armenians extended a helping hand to their kin in
Nagorno-Karabakh raising $300 thousand USD for construction of schools
in the area. The reporter purposefully mentioned that the current
Executive Director of `Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund used to hold the
position of the Foreign Minister of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. In
this regard we would like to stress that the Executive Director is not
appointed, but rather is voted into the office by the Board of Trustees
of `Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund, members of which are influential,
well-respected and well-known representatives of the Armenian worldwide
Diaspora.
`Hayastan’ Fund brings to the attention of all interested parties
that during its 15-year history the organization has spend more than
$130 million on projects in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, the nature of
which is purely humanitarian. This philanthropic organization has always
been transparent in its operations. Since 1992 `Hayastan’ Fund has
been undergoing annual independent audits conducted by Grant Thornton.
Never have our auditors revealed any improper spending of funds. Through
its affiliate offices in 19 countries, `Hayastan’ Fund often
received co-financing from European (France, the Netherlands, Greece and
others) and U.S. governments for its projects. Never has the
organization had any problems with any government in this regard.
`Hayastan’ Fund considers unacceptable drawn parallels between the
Fund and a unrelated questionable political organization. We want to
remind that `Hayastan’ Fund is a organization that is well-respected
in the world and is proud of its mission benefiting people of Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh.
We consider this disrespectful and unsubstantiated attack a result and
embodiment of Azerbaijan’s shortsighted policy. We believe that this
attack questions the reputation of the organizers of this smear campaign
against `Hayastan’ Fund and only strengthens the resolve of
Armenians around the world to help Nagorno-Karabakh stand on its feet.
In this regard we would like to cite MP Jason Kenney from the mentioned
article: `…I can’t imagine anybody objecting to Canada supporting
clinics, schools, hospitals and the like’. I think these words make
any further commentary unnecessary. `Hayastan’ fund is strongly
convinced that the worldwide Armenian Diaspora will continue supporting
their ancestral homeland.
In her official letter to Mr. Russo, the Bureau Chief of `The Canadian
Press’, Mrs. Naira Melkoumian, the Executive Director of
`Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund, mentions: `It was irrelevant to
refer to the status of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, as the international
status of Nagorno-Karabakh is subject to the outcome of the peace talks
that have been mediated by the Organization of Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, co-chaired by France, Russia and the
United States. Meanwhile, `Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund does not
believe that mere fact that the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is not
officially recognized by the international community should stand in the
way of children’s education or people’s healthcare. The US Agency
for International Development (USAID), International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC), American Red Cross, Medecins Sans Frontier, Save the
Children, Halo Trust and other international humanitarian relief
organizations do not believe that either, since they have extensive
projects in Nagorno-Karabakh. For a number of years the US Congress has
been allocating nearly $5 million annually to the victims of the NK
conflict who reside in Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. We think, these facts
make any other commentary unnecessary.’
Public Relations Department of `Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund

RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE FIRST OF ALL TURKEY’S DOMESTIC ISSUE
PanARMENIAN.Net
26.06.2006 15:48 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia is always ready to dialogue with all
its neighbors, Armenian Speaker Tigran Torosyan stated, when
answering questions of readers of the Golos Armenii. In his words,
this refers both to Azerbaijan and Turkey. At that he noted that “it
is impossible to solve any problems under the conditions, which are
created in Azerbaijan and Turkey, where hatred to Armenian people is
inseminated.” “The latest evidence is the meeting of the Catholicos
of All Armenians in Istanbul, which is shameful for Turkey,” the
Speaker emphasized.
As for the issue of the Armenian Genocide, Torosyan remarked that
“it would have been strange, if we doubted the fact of the Genocide
and started discussion with Turks of whether it happened or not.”
“We have another question to discuss with them – how to advance. Thus,
it is first of all a domestic issue for Turkey and its people,”
Torosyan said. The Speaker added that peoples become increasingly
aware that genocide is a crime against humanity and it is necessary
to recognize that fact to avoid its repetition. “This is evidenced by
recognition of the Genocide by Parliaments of many European countries,”
Torosyan remarked.

VIKTOR SOGHOMONYAN: AZERBAIJAN REJECTED THE WAY OF KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROPOSED IN BUCHAREST
ArmRadio.am
26.06.2006 13:47
“The points made public by Mr. Bryza are only fragments of the document
suggested to the parties, which naturally do not express the essence
of the draft project, and served as a reason for inappropriate
comments. Anyway, if similar findings appear in mass media, the
Armenian side will publicize all documents discussed during the
last 7-8 years of negotiations: the project of the agreement on the
principle of “a common state,” the documents discussed in Key West
and the latest project discussed in Bucharest. I’m sure in this case
everything will become clear. By the way, all three projects were
denied by the Azeri side,” RA President’s Press Secretary Viktor
Soghomonyan said, commenting on the recent statements of the US
Co-Chair of the Minsk Group Mattew Bryza.

NEW US COCHAIRMAN IN MINSK GROUP UNVEILS BASIC PRINCIPLES OF FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JUNE 23, ARMENPRESS: A senior US diplomat, appointed
recently to help Armenia and Azerbaijan to narrow their differences
and achieve a mutually acceptable peace formula for resolution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, unveiled the basic principles of how
to end the opposition, developed by international peace brokers,
Trend news agency said quoting RFE/RL.
Mathew Bryza, a deputy US assistant secretary of state for European
and European affairs, who was appointed to replace Steven Mann, the
former US cochairman in the OSCE Minsk group, said in an exclusive
interview with RFE/RL that there is a framework agreement that calls
for withdrawal of Armenian troops from the regions which belong
to Azerbaijan.
He said the framework agreement also envisages normalization of
diplomatic and economic relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan,
deployment of international peacemaking troops, as well as
international economic assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh.
“In fact this a package proposal put on the table.” he was quoted
as saying. According to Bryza, the agreement foresees, some time in
future, a referendum on Nagorno-Karabakh status.
RFE/RL said Bryza refused to detail what was the main stumbling block
keeping the presidents of both countries from giving their accord. In
his interview Bryza urged the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to
accept the agreement.
“We encourage the presidents to accept the framework agreement,
which requires political courage,” he said.

German Reporters to Shoot Two Films about Nagorno Karabakh
PanARMENIAN.Net
23.06.2006 18:44 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ German reporters, who are in Nagorno Karabakh at the
moment, are going to shoot two shots about the life and people of the
republic. The first film will be dedicated to the women-participants
of the Karabakh war and the second- to the post war reconstruction. In
an interview with the Artsakh Public Television Tomas Eiberg said the
films will be shown by two popular German channels. “Our viewers wish
to know how the people of Nagorno Karabakh live and how they overcome
the difficulties of the post war period,” he said. During the visit
the German reporters met with the NKR officials, participants of the
Karabakh war and young people. Documentary shots of the Azeri-Karabakh
will be also used for the film, reported Novosti-Armenia.

Azerbaijan ready for war with Armenia
TDN
Saturday, June 24, 2006
BAKU – AFP — International mediation over the disputed Nagorno
Karabakh enclave is “hopeless,” oil-rich Azerbaijan’s President
Ilham Aliyev said, vowing to retake it by “peaceful means or by war,”
in a speech to the military on Friday.
Aliyev, who’s country fought its neighbour and fellow former Soviet
republic Armenia over control of the majority-Armenian enclave in
Azerbaijani territory from 1988 to 1994, also said he would use oil
revenues to beef up the military.
Oil will bring Azerbaijan 140 billion dollars over the next two
decades, Aliyev said and “there is no doubt we will use this money
to strengthen the army so that it can return our lands at any moment.”
The president said international efforts to mediate the conflict were
“hopeless” and Azerbaijan was willing only to negotiate the restoration
of its full control over Karabakh.
Aliyev was speaking at a graduation ceremony of cadets at Azerbaijan’s
highest military academy, named in honor of his father Haydar Aliyev
whom the younger Aliyev succeeded as president in 2003.

United Press International
June 23 2006
Four bidders for Armenia telco stake
ATHENS, Greece, June 23 (UPI) — Four bidders have emerged in the
competition for the Greek-owned 90-percent stake in Armenian telco
ArmenTel.
Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE) said this week that
the four suitors were picked from 10 non-binding bids to take part in
the next phase of the sale of the monopoly operator.
OTE said on its Web site that the final four included Russia’s Ao
Vimpelcom and Mobile Tele Systems along with consortiums including
VTEL Holdings and Knightsbridge Associates, and Emirates
Telecommunications, Emergent Telecom Ventures and Istithmar PJSC.
The Armenian government will retain the remaining 10-percent of
ArmenTel, which serves only a fraction of Armenia’s population
despite its monopoly in wireless and fixed-line phone service.

GUL SAYS HE IS HOPEFUL FOR SOLUTION OF IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM CRISIS
Anatolian Times
June 22 2006
BAKU – Turkish Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul,
who is currently in Azerbaijani capital Baku for the 33rd meeting of
foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC),
said that he was more hopeful for solution of the crisis related to
Iran’s nuclear program after he held talks yesterday.
Informing Turkish reporters on his bilateral talks in Baku, Gul
noted that Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Motaki and Turkish
authorities have been exerting efforts for solution of the problem
through diplomatic ways for a long time.
“Both European and also Russian officials encouraged us on this
matter. I extended utmost support for a diplomatic solution. Mr.
Prime Minister also did what was necessary,” Gul stated.
-CYPRUS-
Noting that he considered OIC meeting an opportunity for Cyprus
issue, Gul stated that they informed Islam countries on this matter
once again.
Gul stressed that several countries expressed their support to thesis
of Turkey regarding Cyprus issue.
Underlining that there would be new approaches on Cyprus issue
in the final declaration to be released tomorrow, Gul said, “TRNC
(Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) and Russia attended the OIC
meeting as observes. They (TRNC and Russia) also held talks. This is
a good development.”
-MEETING WITH ALIYEV-
Gul said that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and he discussed
Upper Karabakh issue in their meeting. “Azerbaijan is fully supported
in the meeting of OIC. He (Aliyev) is really glad. He said that OIC
is the one which extended the utmost support to his country.”
-RELATIONS WITH AFRICAN COUNTRIES-
Gul added, “we attach great importance to African countries. We want
to boost relations with those countries.”

ROBERT KOCHARIAN CAN’T PERSUADE THE EUROPEANS
Anna Israelian
Aravot.am
22 June 06
The OSCE representative of the Press freedom Miklosh Harashti affirmed
yesterday that TV companies don’t provide for various opinions.
Robert Kocharian produced a list to the head of monitoring group of
the CE Ministers’ committee Roland Vegener on 10 of June for proving
that deputies from the opposition make use of TV broadcast without
any obstacles. Mr.
Kocharian tried to oppose in this way to the affirmation that there
is no various opinions in Television after closing “A1+”. But the
OSCE representative of the Freedom of the Press Miklosh Harashti who
has arrived our country by the invitation of the Foreign Ministry of
Armenia affirmed that various opinions in Armenia were limited only
by printed press. ”We found out that there were complete various
opinions in the printed press. But we also found out that the variety
of opinions weren’t provided in more influential press like TV”. He
mentioned that there was a lack of ”factual and objective” news and
comments about public events. The OSCE representative of the freedom
of the press didn’t answer to ”Azatutiun” b/s question that how he
explained though organizations which seek for the issues of the freedom
of the press and other international structures speak of the ”A1+”
problem in their annual reports summoning the Armenian authorities to
solve this problem, but that summon is ignored. Mr. Harashti informed
instead that all his interlocutors / he has met with Robert Kocharian,
Grigor Amalian, Armen Haroutiunian and other officials/ have themselves
initiated to solve the ”A1+” problem. ”This can be considered as
the obvious example of obstacles, difficulties, omissions of licensing
process,”- Mr. Harashti explained in this way the refuse of allocating
frequency to ”A1+”. – I’ll return to the licensing process in detail
in my account and will make proposals about it”.
Miklosh Harashti also informed that they would recommend improving
”monitoring part” of the activities of the National Commission of
TV and Radio that is to control the activities of those companies,
which have been allocated by frequency.
OSCE representative also considered important prevention of
monopolization of the TV air. It is known, that though the correspond
legislative obstacle 3 TV companies factually belong to Bagrat
Sargsian, two belong to Hrant Vardanian. Miklosh Harashti noticed;
”It won’t be enough to mention in the changes of the law about
Television and Radio that a license must be given to a company,
but we must also mention, that it mustn’t be allowed more than one
TV company to the same group of owners”.
He also spoke about the draft of spreading printed press by which
it is foreseen to use an order of license of spreading company,
mentioning that he was against that approach. According to the
OSCE representative it is very important for the parliament members
to realize; the sphere of spreading the press must be as free and
competitive as the main press is.
He mentioned as a progress that cases of violence and pursuit
used against journalists haven’t been recorded in Armenia in last
years. The present journalists opposed to this observation reminding
Mr. Harashti attacks on journalists in 2004. Mr. Harashti elucidated
that he meant that ”mass accidents don’t happen to the journalists,
who are organized by the government” and “there is no projected
campaign against journalists”.
–Boundary_(ID_fOnD20+6QSzVs8G IG9PbHg)–