Author: Kanayan Tamar

TASSOS PAPADOPOULOS INVITES ROBERT KOCHARIAN TO PAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO CYPRUS

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian received on August 31 George Iacovou, the
Ambassador for Cyprus President’s Special Instructions, former Foreign
Minister. The Ambassador passed Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos’
invitation addressed to President of Armenia Robert Kocharian, to pay
an official visit to Cyprus. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA
Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information Department, the interlocuters
discussed the current state and possibilities of development of the
Armenian-Cypriot bilateral relations as well the two countries’ mutual
cooperation within the framework of the EU New Neighborhood Policy.
Opinions were exchanged concerning the present stage of the
negotiations on the Cyprus problem political settlement and on the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement.

JOHN EVANS LEAVES ARMENIA SATISFIED
Yerevan, September 1. ArmInfo. US-Armenian relations have been
developing, particularly, in defense and security, US investments
though slowly but have been growing, US Ambassador John Evans who is
completing his diplomatic mission in Armenia says in an interview to
Radio Liberty.
He says that Americans and Armenians have common basic values. Armenia
has all prerequisites for becoming the leader of democratic processes
in the region. However, there is no political culture in the country
yet and there is still psychological fear lest the ordinary voter
might be allowed to determine his fate on his own. Evans says that the
elections of 2007 and 2008 may become a significant step towards
deeper democracy in Armenia and the Armenian authorities are working
to this end. International organizations will certainly help Armenia
to ensure electoral transparency, however, the key subject during the
elections will be the Armenian people.
Evans points out progress in all spheres of bilateral cooperation. In
the last four years US investments have been slowing but steadily
growing. In order to attract big US investments Armenia should improve
its court and education systems, reform tax and customs services.
Evans says that the US may significantly help to overcome the
discrepancy between the development of Yerevan and the
regions. However, the most serious task is to form effective, stable
energy system.
Evans says that it was good that the OSCE MG co-chairs have
promulgated the Karabakh conflict settlement principles, particularly,
the ones stressing the inadmissibility of new war and the necessity of
negotiations.
Evans has not got any new appointment. He says that he is not
resigning against his will and that he has served his president well.
Evans does not retract his words that the actions organized by the
Young Turkish government against Armenians in 1915 were Genocide.
Evans says that he is very much satisfied with his work in Armenia.

Panorama.am
13:28 01/09/06

EDUCATION MINISTER LECTURES AT SCHOOL
The Minister of Education Levon Lazarian lectured
today, September 1, for the 10th grade schoolchildren
of School after Hambarzum Galstian. The lecture was
part of the open door program at schools during which
political actors will deliver lectures at the
republican schools until September 21. Lazarian
prepared the students for the possible unfairness that
students may encounter during their life. `I would
like everyone to swear to yourself that you will be
loyal to your motherland despite of the fact whether
this motherland will enjoy prosperity and happiness or
will undergo hard days,’ minister Lazarian told
students. The minister delivered his greatest vision
to the children – to celebrate the 150th independence
day of Armenia at the same school. /Panorama.am/

Armenian military spending to increase in line with GDP – minister

Mediamax news agency
1 Sep 06

Yerevan, 1 September: The Armenian military budget will be increasing
in parallel with its GDP growth, Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan said
in Yerevan today. Military spending will not be raised at the expense
of financing other spheres, he said.

The defence minister noted that Armenia’s defence expenditure amounts
to 3.5 per cent of its GDP, Mediamax reported. “It is obvious that the
bigger the Armenian economy, the bigger the budget of our armed
forces,” Sarkisyan told journalists.

“We do not have any desire to increase the military budget at the
expense of the spending on education, science and culture,” the
defence minister noted.

JOINT STATEMENT CONNECTED WITH OFFICIAL VISIT OF ALIYEV TO THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA, AUGUST 28-29, 2006
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Aug. 31, 2006
Official visit of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic to the
Republic of Slovenia pursued the purpose of development of relations
between two states in political, economic, cultural and humanitarian
spheres.
Both sides have noted importance of development of political dialogue
at the highest level and necessity of strengthening of cooperation
between legislative and executive authorities of the countries,
expansion of legal base for achievement of higher level of present
contacts between the states, and have once again emphasized intention
of all-around development of mutual relations in all fields.
The sides came to the arrangement on strengthening of the relations
all areas of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Slovenia. The
special attention will be given in this connection to development of
cooperation in questions of economy, trade, tourism, communications,
public health services, science, education, culture, environment
and humanitarian questions. Azerbaijan and Slovenia will continue
development of conditions for business cooperation.
The sides agreed on realization of wider cooperation at practical
level and have expressed adherence to the idea of setting up of the
Azerbaijani-Slovenian Economic Commission. The Slovenian side has
especially emphasized importance of economic reforms in the Azerbaijan
Republic and welcomed the progress reached by Azerbaijan in realization
of mentioned reforms.
Both sides have emphasized support of the admission of Azerbaijan by
Slovenia to the European Neighborhood Policy and have noted positive
influence of the given policy on process of the further rapprochement
of Azerbaijan with the European structures. They also have expressed
support for quick correlation of all three states of Southern Caucasus
to the European Neighborhood Policy. The European Neighborhood Policy
defines the global purposes, based on common values as sovereignty,
territorial integrity and inviolability of the borders of each state
recognized at the international level. It also includes norms and
principles of the international and European law, mutual obligations
of the European Union, the states-participants and Azerbaijan on
such principles, as support of effective realization of political,
economic and institutional reforms.
Azerbaijan and Slovenia will continue strengthening the relations
directed on creation of good opportunities for more detailed
consultations to expand contacts with the European Union and NATO. In
this connection, Azerbaijan welcomed the initiative of Slovenia to
give recommendations based on own experience, as a member of the
European Union and NATO, and process of integration into the European
and Euro-Atlantic structures.
Taking into account the intention to carry out fruitful cooperation
between the states during presidency of Slovenia in the European
Union in 2008, as it was during its presidency in OSCE in 2005,
the sides have emphasized that would attach special significance to
mutual cooperation and joint activity with a view of maintenance of
international peace and stability in regional, European and global
level.
Referring to long efforts in the frame of OSCE in the cause of peace
settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
including activity of the Minsk Group, the parties have once again
declared importance of acceptance of more substantial and drastic
measures in this area.
The parties have noted growing value of energy safety of the Europe and
have expressed support to development of projects of diversification
of lines of power supply leading to Europe and transportation of
energy carriers to connect the Caspian basin resources with the power
network of the Europe. Both sides have noted value of opening and
operation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, and importance
of realization of the projects of Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas main and
Baku-Tbilisi-Akhalkalaki-Kars railway.
The parties agreed on importance of dialogue between religions and
have stated the positions in connection with development of contacts
and mutual understanding between Christian, Islamic and other cultures
and civilizations with the purpose of creation of necessary conditions
to establish in harmonious form peace, freedom, the rights and justice.

WHY DID “RIGHTIST PATRIOTS” FAIL?
Lragir.am
31 Aug 06
Why did the attempt of uniting rightist patriots in Armenia undertaken
by the Progressive Party undertaken last year with its leader Tigran
Urikhanyan, to which the United Communist Party led by Yuri Manukyan
fail? Almost a year past the failure of the initiative, on August 31
Yuri Manukyan presented the cause of failure of the initiative of
unification. The problem was not the money but ambitions who would
take up leadership.
“Suppose that Manukyan with his age and experience was patiently
waiting until they would offer him. But there were young people,
individuals, especially women who wanted to lead it. And it is
unpleasant, not pleasant, no matter the way they passed. It is another
thing when they offer and you reject,” says Yuri Manukyan.

KARABAKH CONFLICT A SOURCE OF DANGER FOR REGION – ALIYEV
Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS General Newswire
August 29, 2006 Tuesday 11:54 AM MSK
A lack of a solution to the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a
predominantly ethnic Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan, is a source of a
major danger for the region, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said after
Monday talks with Slovenian President Janez Drnovsek in Bled, Slovenia.
“The absence of a solution to this problem represents a constant
source of considerable danger for the region. And my opinion is that
the sooner this conflict is settled, the quicker peace and prosperity
come to the region and the risks are reduced,” Aliyev told a joint
news conference with Drnovsek.
Azerbaijan’s position is based on international law, he said.
“Naturally, a solution based on the norms and principles of
international law is the sole possible way to end the conflict.
Azerbaijan will continue to pursue its policy within these boundaries,”
the Azeri president said. Karabakh talks are currently proceeding
within the Prague format, which generally involves a stage-by-stage
settlement process, he added.
“In our opinion, it is an acceptable option. We hope that Armenia
will eventually demonstrate its constructive position and make its
own efforts to sort out this problem,” Aliyev said.

9081 FIRST GRADE PUPILS TO ATTEND YEREVAN SCHOOL IN STARTING SCHOOL YEAR
Noyan Tapan
Aug 28 2006
YEREVAN, AUGUST 28, NOYAN TAPAN. 9081 first grade pupils, instead
of 10873 of the previous year, will attent secondary schools of the
capital in the new school year. As Kamo Areyan, the First Deputy Mayor
of Yerevan stated at the August 28 press conference, by the Mayor’s
instruction, issues of proper water and electricity supply of schools
of the capital, providing school emergency rooms with necessary
medicine and corresponding medical circumstances must be settled
till August 30. And the Yerevan state motor vehicle inspectorate,
according to K.Areyan, will implement strengthened control of safe
traffic on September 1-10 in territories near schools. In the Deputy
Mayor’s words, first grade pupils will be given all text-books free
of charge. Pupils of other grades will be given text-books for rent:
they must be returned at the end of the school year.

FIVE MARZES OF ARMENIA TO GET ASSISTANCE BY 5TH STAGE OF COMMUNITY
SELF-HELP FUND PROGRAM
YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Five marzes of Armenia will get
assistance by the 5th stage of the Community Self-Help Fund program
being financed by the U.S. Embassy to Armenia and the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID). The goal of the program having been
implemented by the Save the Children organizations since 2003 is to
improve social and economic conditions of communities, giving small
grants for current programs of communities. As Irina Saghoyan, the
head of the Save the Children organization Armenian Office mentioned
at the August 25 ceremony of giving the grants, the 5th stage of the
program was announced in this March. In her words, 6 of the presented
134 programs were chosen. Those are the creation of the Antenatal Care
Center at the Agarak hospital; renovation of the Community Center in
the Artavaz-Pyunik Community of the marz of Kotayk; reconstruction of
the potable water pipeline in Areg village of the marz of Aragatsotn;
improvement of the drinking water supply system in Mets Parni village
of the marz of Lori; renovation of the kindergarten No4 in Sevan,
the marz of Gegharkunik; construction of the fence in Gavar special
school, the marz of Gegharkunik. The total cost of the 5th stage of
the program is 101.817 U.S. dollars. John Evans, the U.S. Ambassador to
Armenia handed grants to representatives of the marzes. In his words,
international organizations undertand that it’s time to pay attention
to marzes of Armenia. It was also mentioned that 40 programs of vital
meaning for inhabitants of communities were financed during the 4
stages of the Community Self-Help Fund program. Communities have
contributed over 30% of the projects’ costs, providing volunteer
labor and donated materials.

AMERICAN BUSINESSMAN TO FOUND MODERN CANCER CENTER IN ARMENIA
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Aug. 23, 2006
YEREVAN, August 23. /ARKA/. The well-known American businessman,
President of the “Huntsman” corporation John Huntsman intends to
found a modern cancer center in Armenia.
The RA presidential press service reports that this issue was
discussed at a meeting Armenian President Robert Kocharyan held with
the businessman and a delegation headed by him.
The President considers the idea interesting and promising. He
expressed his willingness to render all possible assistance.
Robert Kocharyan also pointed out the importance of assistance programs
in the education sector. He stressed that in implementing its policy
the Armenian Government considers individuals’ potential.
The Armenian president expressed the confidence that the effective
cooperation with John Huntsman will be continued, and his ideas will
be put into practice.
“Everything Mr Huntsman does is done with love, loyalty and faith,”
Kocharyan said.
The sides also discussed Armenian-American relations. At the guest’s
request the Armenian President addressed the economic situation in
Armenia, and prospects for development.