Author: Kajoyan Gevork

ARTSAKH STATE UNIVERSITY AWARDED LERMONTOV MEDAL
ArmRadio.am
22.06.2006 14:47
The Administration of the Lermontov Center of Russia decided to
award a medal after outstanding Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov to
Artsakh State University, said Vladimir Zakharov, Coordinator of
the Caucasus Research Center of the State International Relations
Institute of Moscow, Co-Chair of the Lermontov Center. The latter
is participating in the international scientific conference on
“Nagorno-Karabakh Republic: Past, Present, Future” held in Stepanakert.
He noted also that the “Union of All Saints of the Russian Orthodox
Church” public-religious orga nization has decided to award a number
of figures of Nagorno-Karabakh. “Alexey Enlightener” medal was awarded
to Head of the Artsakh Prelacy Pargev Archbishop Martirosyan.
“Alexander Nevski” medal was awarded to President of the “Russian
Community of NKR” NGO Galina Simova.

STEPAN ROSTOMIAN’S AUTHOR EVENING HELD IN MOSCOW
Noyan Tapan
Armeninas Today
Jun 21 2006
MOSCOW, JUNE 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Author evening of
Armenian composer Stepan Rostomian dedicated to his 50th anniversary
was held at the Great Hall of Moscow Composers’ Home.
According to the Yerkramas (Territory) newspaper of Armenians of
Russia, the Third and Fourth Chamber Symphonies by Rostomian, as well
as “Songs of Angels” for a chamber ensemble and a vocal cycle on the
lyrics of medieval Japanese poets were performed by Moscow Ensemble
of Modern Music conducted by well-known British conductor David Davis.
Stepan Rostomian’s music is performed and recorded throughout the
world.
Such famous groups as London Symphonietta and the Modern ensemble
order music to him. According to Rostomian himself, one of his
creative tasks is the synthesis of the sacred music of Armenia in the
Christian tradition and the technics of composition of the West. Stepan
Rostomian considers himself not so much a composer as a guide, the
task of which is to as much precisely as he can put down by notes a
creation already existing somewhere.

ISSUES OF TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATION IN THE FOCUS OF RA PRESIDENT’S ATTENTION
ArmRadio.am
20.06.2006 15:44
Issues related to the current works and reforms in the sphere of
territorial administration were discussed during today’s working
meeting of President Robert Kocharyan and Minister of Territorial
Administration Hovik Abrahamyan.
First and foremost, reference was made to the necessity of resolving
the problems with drinking and irrigation water that emerged in the
result of rise of the air temperature.
The Minister presented the positions of the Government and NGOs on
the Law on Yerevan. He received instructions from President Kocharyan
to organize an enlarged discussion featuring political forces, NGOs
and the government.
The issue of transferring the social services under the liabilities
of city communities was discussed.
The interlocutors dwelt on the suggestion of State Cadastre Committee
to raise the cadastre price of land. It was decided that the
corresponding structures should submit arguments regarding the issue.

QUESTION ARMENIENNE : FRANCE ET TURQUIE ASSURENT QUE LA CRISE EST PASSEE
Agence France Presse
16 juin 2006 vendredi 11:11 AM GMT
La France et la Turquie ont affiche vendredi a Istanbul leur volonte
de developper les echanges economiques bilateraux et de tourner la
page après la polemique entre les deux pays creee par une proposition
de loi francaise sur la question armenienne.
“Quels que soient les incidents survenus, les relations economiques
entre les deux pays sont excellentes, toutes les courbes sont
ascendantes”, a declare la ministre francaise deleguee au Commerce
exterieur Christine Lagarde lors d’une conference de presse commune
avec son homologue turc Kursad Tuzmen.
La discussion par l’Assemblee nationale francaise, le 18 mai, d’une
proposition de loi visant a penaliser les propos niant “le genocide
armenien” commis en Anatolie entre 1915 et 1917 avait cree un tolle
en Turquie, Ankara evoquant des “consequences incalculables” pour
les relations bilaterales.
Au terme d’une seance houleuse, les deputes francais ont finalement
choisi de repousser a une date indeterminee l’examen de cette
proposition de loi.
Première ministre francaise a se rendre en Turquie depuis, Mme Lagarde,
multipliant les signes de connivence avec son homologue (sourires,
poignees de mains et annonce d’une seance de plongee sous-marine en
commun), a assure que cette visite se deroulait “sous des auspices
d’amitie tout a fait rares”.
“Les relations franco-turques ont des racines anciennes et multiples
(…), de petits incidents ne peuvent pas les affecter”, lui a fait
echo M. Tuzmen. “Cette visite montre le peu d’effet de ces incidents”.
Mme Lagarde, arrivee mercredi en Turquie, a indique que ses discussions
avec les responsables turcs avaient principalement porte sur les
domaines de l’energie (la Turquie a l’intention de construire trois
centrales nucleaires) et les transports.
La Turquie estime que 300.000 Armeniens et au moins autant de Turcs
ont ete massacres lors de la Première guerre mondiale lorsque les
Armeniens se sont ranges aux côtes de la Russie contre l’empire ottoman
et lors des deportations qui ont suivi, mais refute le qualificatif de
“genocide”.
Les Armeniens disent qu’un million et demi des leurs ont peri dans
un genocide.
Les echanges franco-turcs ont atteint 8,2 milliards d’euros en 2005,
en hausse de 9% par rapport a l’annee precedente.
–Boundary_(ID_EBTN53pnnnd6r9oy6DHbjA )–

No charges against Safak
TDN
Saturday, June 17, 2006
ISTANBUL – Turkish Daily News
The Beyoglu Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul decided to drop charges
against Elif Safak, who was accused of belittling Turkishness in her
new book, “Baba ve Pic,” which will be published at the end of the year
in the United States as “The Bastard of Istanbul” by Viking/Penguin.
The prosecutor’s office said they could find no evidence Safak intended
to belittle Turkishness in her book. Beyoglu Prosecutor Mustafa Erol in
his decision said: “In her testimony on June 6, 2006, she in summary
said her purpose in writing this book was not to belittle Turkishness
but just the opposite, to contribute to efforts to create a peaceful
and humane environment between Turks and Armenians. She said her book
was fictional.”
The investigation was due to a character in her latest novel that
recognized the death of Armenians during the First World War as
genocide. The character’s utterances were perceived as insulting
to Turkishness.
The trials against novelists and journalists for statements deemed
insulting to Turkishness, Turkey’s founder Ataturk, the military or
the judiciary have increased in frequency as of late due to a campaign
by some groups to file complaints against them.
Most widely reported cases involved novelist Orhan Pamuk and the
editor in chief of Armenian daily Hrant Dink.

Yerevan-Batumi-Yerevan Railway Route to Be Launched June 17
PanARMENIAN.Net
16.06.2006 15:16 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The solemn ceremony of opening of the
Yerevan-Batumi-Yerevan railway route will take place Saturday,
June 17. In the words of head of the department of transportation
of the Armenian Railway Hakob Khrimyan, the train was scheduled to
depart on June 15, however by the request of Georgian Vice-Premier,
who wished to participate in the ceremony, the terms were delayed.
Armenian Minister of Transport Andranik Manukyan and heads of
the Armenian and Georgian railways will take part in the opening
ceremony. Khrimyan informed that the train will start off on odd days
of week.
To note, the railway communication was established for the summer rest
of Armenian tourists at the Black Sea coast in Georgia. The train will
start off at 9.10 local time and arrive in Batumi at 1.40. The ticket
will cost 18 703 drams in a double compartment and 9 297 drams in a
compartment for four. Meanwhile the price of the ticket from Batumi
to Yerevan will make 21 256 drams and 10 542 drams in a compartment
for four, reported Apsny.Ge.

DISCUSSION ON DESERTIFICATION AND DROUGHT TO BE HELD AT UN ARMENIA OFFICE
ArmRadio.am
16.06.2006 10:41
A round-table discussion will take place today in the UN Conference
Hall dedicated to the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.
Specialists say the risk of desertification is very high in the
capital.
“For Stable Human Development” Association asserts that it is necessary
to create a special commission to solve the ecologic problems of
Yerevan city.

MICHELINE CALMY-REY A RENCONTRE SON HOMOLOGUE ARMENIEN
Le Temps, Suisse
13 juin 2006
Genocide Des Armeniens Evoque A Erevan
Micheline Calmy-Rey s’est rendue en Armenie lundi, effectuant la
première visite officielle d’un membre du Conseil federal dans ce
pays. La cheffe du DFAE a rencontre les dirigeants armeniens et rendu
hommage aux victimes du genocide. Le voyage d’un jour de Micheline
Calmy-Rey dans cette republique du sud du Caucase a permis de faire
le point sur les relations bilaterales, qualifiees de bonnes par
le ministre armenien des Affaires etrangères et par la conseillère
federale a Erevan.
La Suisse a entame un dialogue politique avec l’Armenie en 2004. La
cooperation humanitaire et technique avait demarre en 1988, a la
suite du tremblement de terre qui avait detruit le nord du pays.
L’Armenie beneficie d’une position centrale dans cette region de
l’ancienne Union sovietique et la Suisse a interet a sa stabilite, a
explique la cheffe des Affaires etrangères. Cette stabilite passe en
particulier par une solution au conflit du Haut-Karabakh, qui oppose
ce pays a l’Azerbaïdjan. Ce territoire, qui s’est declare autonome,
est peuple majoritairement d’Armeniens, mais est rattache juridiquement
a l’Azerbaïdjan. Cette question a egalement ete abordee. La Suisse
a offert ses services a deux reprises a ces deux pays, a releve
Micheline Calmy-Rey. Mais elle n’a pas l’intention de jouer un rôle
de mediateur actif dans ce dossier, tant Bakou qu’Erevan n’ayant
pas sollicite un tel interet. La ministre a aussi aborde le thème
du genocide perpetre par les Turcs contre les Armeniens durant la
Première Guerre mondiale. La Suisse a toujours condamne de tels actes,
a-t-elle souligne. Elle a visite le monument et le musee commemorant le
genocide, a depose une gerbe de fleurs et s’est recueillie devant la
flamme du souvenir. “J’ai tenu a exprimer ma sympathie a ce peuple”,
a-t-elle dit. Ce geste symbolique pourrait durcir les relations deja
tendues entre Berne et Ankara.
–Boundary_(ID_+q6U4qk3WVJXNarXmo4Gbg)–

LEVON MKRTCHYAN: THERE IS NEED FOR INCLUSIVE REFORMS IN THE SPHERE OF EDUCATION
ArmRadio.am
13.06.2006 17:34
Position or the Party? If RA Minister of Education and Science Levon
Lazarian faces this dilemma, he will definitely choose the second
one. The Minister from the ARF is, however, confident that what
happened to Orinats Yerkir does not threaten his Party. The newly
appointed Minister urged all heads of educational establishments to
escape getting involved in political games; if they do not share the
ideas of a certain party, it is not necessary to join a party. During
today’s meeting with journalists Levon Lazarian urged not to ask
questions about the education sphere, since the situation here is
the worst.
“We are yielding our positions in the world in this sphere. If
things continue this way, the fall will become more apparent,” Levon
Lazarian said.
He did not criticize the former Minister for the omissions of the
system. He first of all blames himself, since he occupied the same
position twice in the past.
According to the Minister, the current educational system creates an
impression that we have taken the 10-year education system and try
to artificially extend it for 12 years.
Levon Lazarian urged not to conceive the Ministry of Science and
Education solely as an establishment for holding different kinds
of exams.
“There are much more important and serious problems than entry and
exit exams,” Levon Lazarian added.

AGO GROUP TO VISIT BAKU
ArmRadio.am
13.06.2006 10:40
The Ago Group of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
headed by Roland Wegener will arrive today in Baku.
The process of accopmplishment of Azerbaijan’s committments before
the council of Europe will be discussed during the meetings with
Azeri leadership.
To note, June 9-10 the Ago Group was in Armenia to study the process
of accoplishment of Armenia’s committments.