Author: Hovhannisian John

"TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN PLAY THE MOST ACTIVE ROLE IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS"

AZG Armenian Daily
03/07/2009

International

"Turkey and Azerbaijan play the most active role in the South
Caucasus", Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced at a
joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Ahmed Davutoglu,
Vesti news agency reported.

"Turkey and Russia discuss the situation in the Caucasus and submit
all-embracing proposals for the settlement of the conflicts in Iraq
and the whole Near East", Lavrov said.

He added that during Davotoglu’s visit to Moscow Russia and Turkey
discussed the future of the Turkish initiative to create a Caucasian
Security and Stability Platform that is supported by Russia as well.

ARTHUR ALEKSANYAN WINS SILVER AT EUROPEAN GRAECO-ROMAN WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
03.07.2009 11:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Graeco-Roman wrestler Arthur Aleksanyan
won silver at the European championship going on in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Aleksan Mikaelyan, Aram Julfalakyan and Vachik Eghiazaryan left the
tournament after unsuccessful performance.

Sargis Khachatryan, Rafik Manukyan and Eduard Soghomonyan will fight
on July 3.

ARMENIAN VIRTUAL COLLEGE OPENS ITS DOORS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
03.07.2009 14:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Virtual College (AVC), AGBU’s newest
learning institute, announced registration of students for the new
course of study. 382 applicants have been already registered: with the
17-year-old youngest applicant and 82-year-old oldest one. The majority
of applicants are from U.S, Russia, France, Argentine and Armenia.

The AVC is currently comprised of three departments – Language,
History, and Culture, each offer 4 courses. All courses have been made
available in six languages: Armenian (Eastern & Western), English,
French, Russian, and Spanish.

As Yervant Zorian, AVC director told a news conference today, the
AVP aims to provide Armenians throughout the world the opportunity to
receive a full-fledged Armenian education, regardless of their age,
country of residence, or knowledge level. With the latest advances
in the world of virtual education, it will create a virtual learning
community that can foster both the cultural education and social
connections, otherwise out of the reach of most students across the
Diaspora and the homeland.

Through the use of multimedia technology, the virtual college will
enable students to learn new material at their own pace, but also to
confer with tutors and classmates face-to-face during office hours. In
addition to weekly lectures, students will have access to multimedia
study tools, games, assignments, course calendars, syllabi, quizzes,
drop boxes, and gradebooks. Moreover, discussion forums and live
chat options will provide students with the opportunity to better
connect with their classmates. The multimedia courses are authored
by renowned topic experts from Armenia, reinforced by international
pedagogic experts in online learning. The learners are supported by
virtual teachers, who provide distance guidance, drive discussion
forums, respond to student inquiries, and grade assignments, projects,
midterms and finals.

AVC learners can choose to earn credits for each course that they
complete, ultimately leading to a diploma from the AGBU Armenian
Virtual College by completing 12 courses, or a minor in a subject
domain by completing 4 courses from a single department. Moreover,
students may transfer credits from AVC courses to various universities,
high schools and learning institutes across the world. Currently,
the AVC is actively pursuing accreditation with recognized educational
institutions in Armenia, North America and Europe. Such accreditation
may help students transfer credits from AVC to their corresponding
university programs or obtain credit as Advanced Placements courses
in their corresponding high schools programs.

BAKO SAHAKIAN: SERIOUS PROGRESS IN NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS OF NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT TO BE EXPECTED ONLY IN CASE OF RESTORATION OF REAL FORMAT

Noyan Tapan
July 3, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues relating to the negotiations
process of the Nagorno Karabakh settlement were discussed at the
July 2 meeting in Yerevan between OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Foreign
Minister of Greece Dora Bakoyannis and President of the Republic of
Nagorno Karabakh Bako Sahakian.

As Bako Sahakian informed journalists at the end of the meeting,
the Karabakh side addressed proposals to the Chairperson-in-Office,
listened to her views on the negotiations process and issues raised
by the NKR authorities.

Answering the question "How do you estimate the efforts of Armenia
in the direction of the Nagorno Karabakh settlement?", the NKR
President mentioned that at the moment, the authorities of Armenia, in
particular, the Foreign Ministry, do their best to first of all restore
the real format of the negotiations process, that is, participation
of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the negotiations process. "Only
after restoration of that format, we may expect a serious progress
in the negotiations process," the NKR President said. The Karabakh
side asked the Chairperson-in-Office to use their competences in the
direction of restoring that format.

B. Sahakian mentioned on the occasion of the ceasefire violation
cases by Azerbaijan that during the previous meeting with the OSCE
Chairperson-in-Office, the NKR presented two proposals: to increase the
observation group’s technical means and to move back the snipers. The
issue was raised at this meeting as well. On the occasion of the
Armenian servicemen’s appearing on the Azerbaijan side, Bako Sahakian
mentioned: "We consider it necessary that the military and political
authorities of Azerbaijan express proper attitude and do not politize
similar cases," and the NKR authorities take measures to decrease
the number of such cases and to fully eradicate them.

The NKR President’s main expectation from the regular meeting of
the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow, in July is that
"sooner or later, the Azeri leadership ceases the policy conducted
by it and presents itself from more constructive positions." The NKR
President considers absurd the viewpoint expressed by the Azeri side
on granting autonomy to Nagorno Karabakh.

MOSCOW OPPOSES ANTI-IRAN SANCTIONS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
02.07.2009 19:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia is regarding a proposal to impose sanctions
on Iran in connection with the recent unrest in the country as
"illegal" and "counterproductive", Andrei Nesterenko, official of
the RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs told a briefing in Moscow. The
Russian Foreign Ministry insists on the "democratic dialogue" with
the Iranian authorities.

"We consider all matters related to elections, as Iran’s internal
affairs. All disagreements must be resolved in the legal field, in
accordance with laws of the country", Andrei Nesterenko said, adding
that sanctions would entail "potentially undesired developments in
the country and around it," the Kommersant newspaper writes.

329 CITIZENS ALREADY RECEIVE MONEY THEY WON AS A RESULT OF JUNE LOTTERY OF CASH REGISTER RECEIPTS

NOYAN TAPAN
JULY 1, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 1, NOYAN TAPAN. As a result of the lottery of cash
register receipts (for May) held on June 5 by the State Revenue
Committee (SRC), 329 winners have already received sums of a total
of 2.3 million drams as of June 30.

According to the SRC press service, 294 citizens won 5 thousand
drams each, 29 citizens received 20 thousand drams and 6 citizens –
50 thousand drams each.

ARMENIAN CB PUTS INTO CIRCULATION "ST SARGIS THE COMMANDER" GOLD COMMEMORATIVE COIN

/ARKA/
July 1, 2009
YEREVAN

The Central Bank of Armenia put into circulation "St Sargis the
Commander" gold commemorative coin.

According to the CBA press-service, the coin has been issued under
"The History of Armenian Culture" series.

Some 5,000 gold commemorative coins were issued with nominal value
of 5,000AMD each. Coins are made of 900° gold, with a diameter of
18milimeters and weighing 4.3grams.

The year of issue ("2009") is on the obverse of the coin with nominal
value in two rows under it. "CENTRAL BANK OF REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA"
is minted in top.

St Sargis saddled on a horse and conquering the serpent is on the
reverse of the coin. "ST Sargis the Commander" is minted on top
in Armenian.

The coin was minted in the Mint of Finland LTD and designed by Karapet
Abrahamyan.

NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM OF ARMENIA 122ND AT FIFA CLASSIFICATION TABLE

NOYAN TAPAN
JULY 2, 2009
YEREVAN

The FIFA publicized on July 1 the new classification table of national
teams where the Armenian team is the 122nd, the Georgian team is
the 104th, and the Azeri one is 139th. The national teams of Brazil,
Spain and Holland are in the leading three.

A REPEATED HEARING OF VAHAGN CHAKHALYAN’S CASE TO BE HELD ON JULY 22

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
01.07.2009 15:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On June 30 a final confirmation was given to a new
Georgian law, forbidding foreign attorneys from defending Georgian
prisoners’ rights, Robert Tatoyan, Program Coordinator of Yerkir
Social Organizations’ Union for Repatriation told a news conference
in Yerevan. According to him, Georgian authorities, intimidated by
Vahagn Chakhalyan, do their best to prevent him from being liberated
from prison.

Tatoyan noted that Chakhalyan and his family are permanently abused
by Georgian authorities.

In his turn, Head of Yerkir Union Sevak Artsruni added that Georgian
authorities repeatedly offered Chakhalyan to plead guilty in exchange
to freedom, yet, Chakhalyan refused.

The Akhaltsikhe district court found United Javakhk Democratic Alliance
leader Vahagn Chakhalyan guilty at all points and sentenced him to
10 years in prison.

Chakhalyan’s family appealed the verdict. A repeated hearing of Vahagn
Chakhalyan’s case will be held on July 22.

WORKSHOP OF ITALIAN MACARONI ESTABLISHED IN TOGH SUB-REGION OF NKR’S HADROUT REGION

ARMENPRESS
July 1, 2009

STEPANAKERT, JULY 1, ARMENPRESS: A workshop of Italian macaroni has
been established in the Togh sub-region of the Hadrout region of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

The founder of the workshop Arthur Aghabekyan told Armenpress
that it was possible to establish with the collaboration of few
business friends. The installation of the "Andy Italia" equipment
and experimental start has been implemented by the Italian specialists.

The businessman said that the new workshop has today 8 employees and
part of the raw is still being imported. During one working day up
to 2 tons of macaroni are being produced.