Author: Emil Lazarian

YEREVAN AND BAKU CAN MAKE THEIR POSITIONS CLOSER ON THE THRESHOLD OF G8 SUMMIT IN ST. PETERSBURG
Regnum, Russia
June 13 2006
On the threshold of the G8 summit, which is to be held in
St. Petersburg on July 15-17, issue of top priority in the Armenian
agenda is worded as follows: will President Robert Kocharyan
participate in the summit and will he meet Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev for talks on Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement.
On June 4 and 5, in Bucharest, leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan
failed to achieve any progress in the issues they were discussing.
Upon returning to Yerevan Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan
confirmed the presidents “failed to fix the progress.” And they
failed despite the fact that OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs had proposed
new wording and new approaches. “Nevertheless, foreign ministers of
the two countries were told to continue the talks and try to find
common grounds,” Vardan Oskanyan said. It was earlier reported that
foreign ministers of the two countries are to meet in Paris on June
13. During the talks, the parties are to try to get their positions
closer and to pave the way for the next meeting of the presidents.
Some analysts tend to think that the date of another Kocharyan-Aliyev
meeting is not far off: the presidents will have such opportunity in
the near future, namely at the G8 summit in St. Petersburg. “This
is quite an important factor, and the co-chairs believed that if
they managed to agree on key issues before the G8 summit, it will
be the best guarantee if the international community does its best
to implement these agreements in all aspects of security, economic,
financial, and political cooperation. These time limits forced to
speed up the process to some extent,” Kocharyan said.
It is a month left before the G8 summit, Armenian and Azerbaijani
foreign ministers are to meet today, and it should not be ruled out
that they succeed in getting the positions closer and come to an
agreement on some principles, preparing by this a good basis for the
Kocharyan-Aliyev meeting.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN FMS TO MEET IN PARIS WITHOUT AMERICAN CO-CHAIR
Today, Azerbaijan
June 13 2006
Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers will meet in Paris today.
The sides will discuss agreeing upon the issues which were not solved
during the Presidents’ meeting in Bucharest and make efforts to reach
common agreement. The two Foreign Ministers will also have talks on
organizing next meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents.
According to APA, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir
Taghizadeh told that this meeting is the continuation of the Prague
process.
The OSCE Minks Group Russian and French co-chairs, Yuri Merzlyakov
and Bernard Fassier as well as personal representative of the OSCE
chairman-in-office Andrzei Kaspiisk will also participate in the
meeting of Foreign Ministers. There wil be no delegate from US-
other co-chair of the Minsk Group.
US Embassy public affairs officer Jonathan Henick informs that Steven
Mann is not the co-chair any more as he has been appointed to another
post. The United States will not be represented in the talks this
time as new co-chairman has not yet been appointed.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

12-YEAR EDUCATION IS TOO EXTENDED
Lragir.am
13 June 06
We need a learner-oriented policy in Armenia, stated Levon Mkrtichyan,
the minister of education and culture, June 13. According to him, it
is not right that a child studies longer than a certain period. “It
is not right to devote 20 years to professional education.” In other
words, if we make secondary education last for 12 years, we should
admit that the duration of the bachelor’s or master’s course has to
be made shorter. “We should not place additional load on children,
which would take them years. The world does not steal years. There
are standards in education.”
“I have an impression that we have extended the ten-year education
to make it last for 12 years. There are no principles, concepts for
the senior school.”
The same situation is with the introduction of the credit system in
higher education. According to Levon Mkrtichyan, instead of pledging
to adopt the credit system within a year the rectors “should have
submitted their resignations, saying they are in charge of a university
and we do not have the right to lead their university to such a risk.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI FMS MEETING IN PARIS
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.06.2006 17:19 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The recurrent round of talks between Armenian Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian and Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mammadyarov started
in Paris June 13, Azeri Deputy FM, President’s Special Representative
for the Nagorno Karabakh settlement Araz Azimov said. The meeting
started with business lunch. The OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs are also
taking part in the talks. Azimov said it’s premature to make any
comments on the ongoing negotiations, reported Trend news agency.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GEORGIA RANKS FIRST IN ARMAMENT RACE
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.06.2006 17:54 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgia is the world leader in military expenditures,
says the annual report of the Stockholm International Peace Research
Institute (SPRI) engaged in the investigation of the armament
market. Tbilisi’s expenditures for armament increased 2.5 times during
a year and made $146 million.
Compared with the United States, China, Russia, European states and
Near East the amount is not much but Georgia left behind its neighbors
– Azerbaijan (with 51% growth) and Armenia (23% growth). The SPRI
specialists condition the sharp growth of expenditures with Georgia’s
wish to join the NATO. However they also mention Georgia’s aspiration
to re-subordinate Abkhazia and South Ossetia, reported the BBC News.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN INTELLIGENTSIA ADDRESSED PUTIN OVER KILLINGS OF ARMENIANS IN RUSSIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.06.2006 18:44 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “The Armenian Foreign Ministry should expressed
concern over the killings of Armenians in Russia and urge an official
explanation from the Russian Ambassador to Armenia,” says the statement
adopted in Yerevan by the representatives of creative unions and
intelligentsia of Armenia.
The creative intelligentsia also urges the RA MFA to call
the Armenian Ambassador to Russia to Yerevan for conduction
of essential consultations. “He should be reminded that the
diplomatic representatives are called to provide security for their
citizens… The Armenian intelligentsia is concerned over the increase
of assaults and murders of ethnic Armenians,” the statement says.
“It’s characteristic that such incidents take place during the
year of Armenia of Russia, which actually is the year of “hunting”
of Armenians. The Russian law enforcers should find out whether
these crimes are a part of deliberate campaign that aims to stir up
hatred between the peoples and states,” the document says, reported
Novosti-Armenia.
It should be also noted that RA President’s Advisor Seyran Avagyan
will convey the statement by the Armenian intelligentsia to Russian
President Vladimir Putin.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IS IT THE TURN OF DEMOCRACY?
A1+
[06:25 pm] 13 June, 2006
RA NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan received the permanent representative
of the Currency International Fund to Armenia James Macque.
The two sides referred to the cooperation of the RA parliament and
CIF. Mr. Macque congratulated NA President on his new office and noted
that CIF-Parliament cooperation will henceforth enter a new stage. He
underlined the importance of the NA control function in all phases
of the Poverty combat military program as well as in all projects
implemented by joint efforts of CIF administration and Central Bank.
RA NA President Tigran Torosyan noted that the post Soviet
transformation is divided into two phases; the first phase focused on
economic issues whereas the second one – on democratic and political
issues.
Economic development has been more obvious in Armenia within the
recent 5 years than democratic processes; the establishment of
the civil society, the combat against corruption, polarization of
income. But only in case these two factors are combined full success
will be registered which will give Armenia an opportunity to have
its decent place in the international community. They also referred
to the rate of USD and other issues.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NEGOTIATIONS SHOULD BE STOPPED UNTIL THE PROBLEM OF NORTH KARABAKH IS RESOLVED
Panorama.am
14:33 13/06/06
At the moment when talks for Nagorno Karabakh conflict regulations
have stepped into a new active phase and Minsk Group co-chairman
continuously propose new solutions, Edik Balayan, chairman of
Shahumyan-Getashen Union says that the talks should be temporarily
stopped. He supports his argument saying that the problem of North
Karabakh is not on the table of negotiations. “The political fate
of North Karabakh and the problems of refugees are not clear in the
negotiations. It is not fair to continue talks under such conditions,”
Balayan says.
About 15 years ago the Armenian resdients of Getashen were forcefully
dislocated from their residential areas and 14 years ago – from
Shahumyan. 18 Armenian villages went under the ocupation of Azerbaijan
and are under Azeri control now. Balayan says the co-chairman should
force Azerbiajan to stop the blockade and estimate the losses suffered
by Armenia and Artsakh due to the blockade and decide how they should
be compensated. Only after that it will be expedient to continue talks,
he says.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PROPOSAL MADE TO GRANT AMNESTY ONLY TO PERSONS WHO COMMITTED CRIMES BEFORE JUNE 1 2006
Noyan Tapan
Jun 12 2006
YEREVAn, JUNE 12, NOYAN TAPAN. A regular sitting of the working
group (headed by the RA Minsiter of Justice David Harutyunian),
which was set up on the decision of the Armenian President to carry
out preparatory work for declaring an amnesty on the occasion of
the 15th anniversary of declaration of the Republic of Armenia, was
held on June 12. The main approaches of the amnesty were discussed
at the sitting. According to spokesman for the Minister of Justice
Ara Saghatelian, a unanimous decision was made to propose granting
an amnesty only to persons who committed crimes before June 1, 2006.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN CHESS-PLAYERS – WINNERS OF CHESS WORLD OLYMPIAD AWARDED DIPLOMAS OF YEREVAN MAYOR AND 1000 USD EACH
Noyan Tapan
Jun 13 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 13, NOYAN TAPAN. On June 12, the members of the Armenian
men’s national team that won the gold medal and the olympic cup at
the 37th Chess World Olympiad were awarded diplomas of Yerevan Mayor,
as well as were given monetary prizes amounting to 450000 drams
(about 1000 USD) each. The members of the Armenian women’s national
team that took the 8th place at the Olympiad also received diplomas
and prizes of the Mayor.
As Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharian mentioned at the solemn ceremony
at Yerevan Mayor’s Office, the Armenian people has long waited for
this victory.
“This is a very important event for the Armenian people. We are proud
of our chess-players who defeated the national teams of such states
as the U.S., Russia, China, etc. I hope the Armenian chess-players
will have such victories in the future, as well,” the Mayor mentioned.
According to grand master Smbat Lputian, Vice-Chairman of the Armenian
Chess Federation, the Armenian people highly estimates this victory as
“this is not only our victory but the victory of all Armenians spread
all over the world.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress