Author: Frangulian Shushan

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE “UNION FOR THE SAKE OF ARMENIA” CONTINUE TO MEET THE CITIZENS

ArmRadio.am
19.05.2006 15:10

Representatives of the newly created “Union for the sake of Armenia”
Party and members of the “People’s Deputy” faction continue to meet
not only residents of marzes but also the citizens of Yerevan. This
time the meeting was held in Nor Nork community of Yerevan. The meeting
was attended by intellectuals, businessmen, NA Deputies and students.

One of the major aims of the Party is regional development, which
envisages serious consideration of problems in marzes. Another issue
is the organization of healthcare in the regions.

Member of the “People’s Deputy” faction Vladimir Badalyan said during
the meeting that all existing problems can be resolved via improvement
of the economic situation in the country.

NON-VOTE IN FRANCE DISRUPTS THE PARLIAMENT
By Anadolu News Agency, Paris

Zaman, Turkey
May 18 2006

The final version of the draft bill that would criminalize denial of
the Armenian “genocide”, submitted to the parliament by the Socialist
Party without a prior vote at the general assembly session, troubled
the French parliament today.

Deputies backing the draft bill stood applauding in protest of
Parliament President Jean-Louis Debre’s decision to end the session.

Armenians also following the session from an observation balcony
shouted “We want voting.” Upon this disruption parliament security
employees intervened, and escorted the Armenian observers out of
the session.

Parliament President Debre closed the session without voting for the
draft bill, though the State Council President vowed to address the
matter later.

On the other hand, French parliament sources report that a possible
vote will not happen before the new legislation year.

SERGE SARGSIAN ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO COOPERATION WITH U.S. NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY IN WORKING OUT STRATEGY OF NATIONAL SECURITY

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 17 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 17, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Serge Sargsian, the
Secretary of the RA National Security Council attached to President,
the Defence Minister attached importance to the cooperation with
the U.S. National Defence University in the affair of working out
the document on the RA national security strategy at the meeting
with Michael Lemon, the U.S. National Defence University Professor,
former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the U.S. to the
RA. As Noyan Tapan was informed by Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian, the RA
Defence Minister’s Press Secretary, Michael Lemon spoke about the way
Armenia passed and its positive intensions as well as the transparency
of the process of working out the document on the national security
strategy. John Evans, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the U.S. to the RA participated in the meeting as well.

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WORK IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2006 INCREASES BY 41.1% ON SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR

Noyan Tapan
May 17 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. The total amount of geological
surveys conducted in Armenia in January-March 2006 made 28.8 mln
drams (about 64 thousand USD) or by 41.1% more than in the same
period of 2005. According to the RA National Statistical Service,
the amount of geological survey work in January-March 2006 exceeded
36fold the respective index of 2003. In the first quarter of 2006,
2.6 mln drams was collected in VAT for the geoligical survey work,
or by 8.3% more than in the same period of 2005, 26 times as much as
during the first three months of 2003.

“YOUTH, REALITY, PROSPECTS” YOUTH CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON JUNE 13-15

Noyan Tapan
May 17 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. By financing of the RA Ministry of
Culture and Youth Issues, the Center on Organizing Youth Issues
will hold a youth conference entitled “Youth, Reality, Prospects”
on June 13-15 in Yerevan. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Center
on Organizing Youth Events,” the goal of the conference is to arise
problems relating to youth and discuss ways of their solution. During
the conference a number of discussions as well as an exhibition
entitled “Fair of Opinions” will be organized in which Armenian, NKR
and Javakhk youth NGOs, international organizations will participate.

THE NEW PRESIDENT OF ACADEMY SAYS THERE IS NO NEED TO HURRY

Lragir.am
17 May 06

The new president of the Academy of Sciences Radik Martirosyan thinks
it is pointless to carry out hasty reforms in science in Armenia,
reports the news agency ARKA. At the same time, Radik Martirosyan says
science in Armenia is facing serious challenges and needs outlooks
for reform and research. A financial reform is of prime importance
for the academy. “It is wrong to rely heavily on government funding,
new sources of funding are needed,” said Radik Martirosyan, namely
participation in various international programs.

“TAGAVORANIST” TO BECOME CENTER OF TOURISM OF LORI MARZ

Noyan Tapan
May 16 2006

VANADZOR, MAY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. On the initiative of the Lori Regional
Governor’s Office, employees of the RA NAS Institute of Archeology and
Ethnography started excavations in the territory of the “Tagavoranist”
historic-cultural monument of Vanadzor. As Pavel Avetisian, the
Documentary Department Chief of the Institute informed the Noyan Tapan
correspondent, this is the first case that excavations are implemented
on the initiative of the Regional Governor’s Office. Expedition head
Ruben Badalian heads the works. Unemployed people involved in the
“Paid Public Works” program help the expedition members.

According to Edik Hovsepian, the Lori Governor’s Press Secretary and
Assistant, within the framework of the 2006-2010 social-economic
development program of the Lori marz, an agreement was signed
with the Provance region of France, according to which, the first
group formed from French students will visit Vanadzor in August
to participate in the excavations. Then, within the framework of
the program on exchanging work experience, an experts’ group of the
Tourism Development Agency of France will also arrive in the marz. It
was mentioned that the excavations will last 6 months, after what it
is decided to turn “Tagavoranist” into a center of tourism.

HERVE DE CHARRETTE: PARLIAMENTS CANNOT DECIDE ON HISTORICAL FACTS

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
May 14 2006

PARIS – Parliaments cannot decide on historical facts, said Herve
de Charrette, the deputy chairman of French Parliamentary Foreign
Affairs Commission.

In an exclusive interview with A.A news agency correspondent, Charrette
announced that he is against the resolution, presented by the Socialist
Party, and which makes any denial of the so-called Armenian ‘genocide’
a crime.

Charrette, who is also the chairman of the French-Turkish Friendship
Group, noted that historical incidents must be examined by historians
and researchers.

“I am against this resolution since I attach great importance to
Turkish-French friendship,” he stressed.

Charrette indicated that he is optimistic that the resolution will
be rejected.

The resolution will be debated at the French parliament on May 18th.

The resolution has to be adopted at the Senate in order to be enacted.

French parliament passed a resolution acknowledging the so-called
genocide in 2001, and this caused a serious tension between Paris
and Ankara.

Armenian radicals name 1915 events as genocide while the Turks accuse
Arsmenians of commiting massacres against the Turkish people during
the First World War. More than 520.000 Muslims were massacred by the
Armenian armed groups in between 1915-1918.

ARMENIAN INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION
65 Main St., #3A
Watertown, MA 02472
Contact: Barbara J. Merguerian

[email protected]
617-92 6-0171

Women’s Leadership in Business and Government Will Be Discussed at AIWA’s
Annual Meeting on May 20

BOSTON, MASS. – The public is invited to join in a discussion about
women’s leadership in business and government at the 15th Annual
Meeting of the Armenian International Women’s Association on Saturday,
May 20, at the Winchester Country Club in Winchester, Mass.

Armenian women are vastly under-represented in political and
economic leadership positions, but the reasons for this situation and
possible solutions are subjects of debate.

The standard explanation is that Armenia remains a
conservative and male-dominated society where women are largely
confined to minor positions outside the home.

But at a recent workshop Yerevan, one female politician
argued that the women themselves are to blame for their extremely weak
presence in the executive and legislative branches of government,
because they are more reluctant than men to vote women into office.

The situation is not much improved in societies considered
more advanced. If there are only six women in the Armenian parliament,
or 5% of the total, the figures are only slightly higher in the United
States, where women make up only 14% of the membership in the Senate
and 13% in the House of Representatives.

Several women will join in a panel discussion exploring
`Paths to Leadership: Armenian Women in Business and Government.’
These will include Hranush Hakobyan, Deputy in the Parliament of the
Republic of Armenia and president of Aiwa/Armenia, Rachel Kaprielian,
a Watertown Representative inthe Massachusetts Legislature, Nancy
Kolligian, Chairman of Distributor Corporation of New England, and
Sharyn S. Boornazian, Leslie University Certification Officer and
Armenia liaison for AIWA’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Program in
Armenia.

Among those present for the meeting will be actress and author
Nora Armani, who has appeared extensively on stage and screen
worldwide andis currently writing about Soviet Armenian Cinema
(1965-75) as a PhD candidateat the London School of Economics, from
which she also holds a Masters Degree in Sociology.

The event will begin with registration and coffee at 10 a.m. and
the annual Business Meeting at 10:30 a.m., followed by the Luncheon
and Program at 12 noon

AIWA President Suzanne E. Moranian will preside over the business
meeting, and former president and one of the founders, Barbara
Merguerian, will moderate the panel discussion.

Among the topics included on the meeting agenda are the future
plans of AIWA’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (WEP) in Armenia, the
organization of the next international conference, AIWA’s
publications, scholarship program, Women’s Archives, and other
projects designed to increase the visibility of Armenian women and to
promote their equal role in the community.

Established in 1991 `to unite Armenian women worldwide and to
address the critical issues facing them everywhere,’ AIWA and its
programs are open to all who share its goals.

FOR FIRST TIME IN HISTORY OF CALCUTTA ARMENIAN PHILATHROPIC ACADEMY,
IRANIAN ARMENIAN CHILDREN TO HAVE THEIR SUMMER HOLIDAYS IN IRAN

CALCUTTA, MAY 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On May 11, by
blessing of Karekin II Catholicos of All Armenians, for the first time
in the history of the Armenian Philantropic Academy of Calcutta, 24
Iranian Armenian children left for Iran after three years of studing
at the academy to have their summer holidays with the parents and
relatives. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Calcutta Armenian
Philanthropic Academy, Ararat Yeghikian, the official representative
of the academy in Iran and former graduate arrived in Calcutta some
days ago to accompany children. He had meetings with the heads of the
academy, got acquaited with children’s living conditions, their marks,
future plans, making him sure that the academy faces numerous
challenges. But A.Yeghikian also pointed out that the positive
movements noticed in the academy during the few recent months arise
hope that the historic educational institution is in good hands. After
a short pray in the ceremonial hall of the academy before seeing off
the children, Archimandrite Oshakan Gyulgyulian wished them good way,
expressing a hope that after having the holidays among family and
relatives, the children will return the academy cheerful, freshened
and with new positive fillings to continue their education in the 185
years old educational institution.