Author: Khoyetsian Rose

YURI SARGSYAN AWARDED GOLD MEDAL OF RA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

ArmRadio.am
12.06.2006 13:32

Today RA Minister of Education and Science Levon Lazarian visited the
State Engineering University of Armenia to Participate in the sitting
of the University Administration. The Minister awarded a memorial medal
to the former Rector of the Engineering University Yuri Sargsyan and
thanked him for his industrious activity for about two decades.

Later Levon Lazarian introduced the new Rector of the State
Engineering University of Armenia Vostanik Marukhyan to members of
the University Administration.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenia Already Fulfilled Major Commitments to CE
10.06.2006 14:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia has already fulfilled basic requirements on
commitments to the Council of Europe (CE), Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian
stated at a news conference in Yerevan after a meeting with Ago
Monitoring Group of the CE Committee of Ministers. In Oskanian’s
words, Armenia will have to make the legislation comply with the
reformed Constitution now.

«This refers to reforms in the Criminal Code, Law on Media and the
Electoral Code,» the Minister said. In his words, during the meeting
with the Ago Monitoring Group the Karabakh settlement was also
discussed. «We presented some details of the talks and developments,»
the Armenian FM underscored.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I MEETS WITH THE NEW ARMENIAN
MP IN THE CYPRIOT PARLIAMENT

His Holiness Aram I received the newly elected Armenian MP in the Cypriot
Parliament, Vartkes Mahdessian in the Veharan on June 5. The MP visited
Antelias to receive the Pontiff’s blessings as a new MP. Archbishop Varoujan
Hergelian (Catholicosal Vicar to Cyprus) and Tsolag Tutelian (member of the
Central Executive Council) also attended the meeting.

The Catholicos congratulated Mahdessian on his election. He advised the MP
that as the representative of the entire Armenian community of Cyprus, he
should work with commitment to strengthen to comprehensiveness and internal
unity of the community. The Pontiff added that the MP should coordinate
efforts with the Catholicosal Vicar to Cyprus, to gather the
Cypriot-Armenians around the Church.

His Holiness advised that the government-Armenian community contacts should
be more organized always having the community’s collective interests in
mind. The MP promised to do his best in this direction in cooperation with
all the structures of the community.

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View photo here: tm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

RA FM: SHORTLY RESUMPTION OF MILITARY OPERATIONS IN KARABAKH CONFLICT
AREA SEEMS UNLIKELY

Yerevan, June 9. ArmInfo. RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan
considers the shortly resumption of military operations in the
Karabakh conflict area unlikely, RA FM said in an interview to
“Kentron” TV channel.

According to him, such a threat is not real at present, though the
situation may change. Having reminded that Azerbaijan often talks
about it, Oskanyan said not only the Armenian party but also other
counties and experts, who think that Azerbaijan is not ready for war
today, answer this question. “War is a war and Azerbaijan has already
a bitter experience, having tried to resolve the problem in a military
way twice, and both times – with fiasco. The third attempt will become
the last mistake for Baku. I think the military solution will not be
in their favour”, Oskanyan said.

TURKISH DEPUTY PREMIER SIGNS BSEC PROTOCOL IN RUSSIA

Anatolia news agency, Ankara
7 Jun 06

Sochi, 7 June: Turkish State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister
Mehmet Ali Sahin signed the additional protocol to the international
cooperation agreement of BSEC – Black Sea Economic Cooperation –
member states in Russia on Wednesday [7 June].

Sahin told reporters that the agreement envisages assistance and
solidarity between BSEC member states in case of natural disasters,
as well as disasters caused by human beings.

Within the scope of the agreement, liaison offices (in all BSEC
member countries) will be established for exchange of information
in emergency.

On 25 June 1992, the heads of state and government of eleven countries
(Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova,
Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine) signed (in Istanbul) the summit
declaration and the Bosphorus statement giving birth to the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation (BSEC). It is a model of multilateral political
and economic initiative aimed at fostering interaction and harmony
among member states, as well as to ensure peace, stability and
prosperity encouraging friendly and good-neighbourly relations in
the Black Sea region.

THE CHESS PLAYERS WERE AWARDED WITH MEDALS OF “MOVSES KHORENATSI”

A1+
[08:06 pm] 06 June, 2006

According to the decree of President Robert Kocharyan international
Grand Masters Levon Aronyan, Karen Asryan, Smbat Lputyan, Vladimir
Hakobyan, Artashes Minasyan, Tigran Nalbandyan, Arshak Petrosyan and
Gabriel Sargsyan were awarded with medals of “Movses Khorenatsi”
for their significant share in the RA chess sphere and for their
victory in the Chess World Olympiad.

Today Robert Kocharyan handed the highest state awards to the members
of the Armenian men’s team which won the gold medal of the 37th Chess
World Olympiad and the Olymiad Cup.

Kocharyan claimed that all Armenians watched their participation
attentively and the victory greatly encouraged all Armenians spread
all over the world.

According to Kocharyan the result of the participation of our
team could be anticipated from their start which inspired great
expectations.

The chess players noted that they left for Turin with triumphant
inclination and they felt the assistance of their compatriots during
the whole tournament.

Robert Kocharyan, the president of the Chess Federation and the
members of the Armenian chess team referred to further activities of
the chess players and the prospects of chess promotion in our country.

Kocharyan urges that such victory may serve as a good imputes for
the chess development and may become an inspiring example for many
other chess players.

AS OF DECEMBER 31 2005 ARMENIA’S STATE FOREIGN DEBT MAKES 1 BLN 99 MLN USD

Noyan Tapan
Jun 06 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 6, NOYAN TAPAN. Discussions of the report on execution
of the law on the 2005 state budget started at the joint sitting of
the RA National Assembly standing committees on June 5. RA Deputy
Minister of Finance and Economy Atom Janjughazian was the principal
speaker. According to the governmental report, in 2005, the economic
growth made 14%, exceeding the programmed index by 6%. GDP in nominal
expression made 2 trillion 244 billion drams, per capita GDP –
697,421 drams or 1,524 USD. In 2005, the state budget revenues made
374.7 bln drams against the programmed index of 375.2 bln drams,
the budget expenditures – 417.5 bln drams or 97.1% of the specified
annual program, while the deficit made 42.8 bln drams or 78.3%. The
underfulfilment of expenditures by about 12.3 bln drams and of deficit
by 11.8 bln drams is mainly conditioned by underfulfilment of credit
and grant programs implemented with foreign financing. Particularly,
the World Bank has not provided a tranche of 10 mln drams of its
Poverty Reduction Assistance Credit. In 2005, credit resources of 22.7
bln drams or 59% of the programmed index was received from foreign
donors. As of December 31, 2005, Armenia’s state foreign debt made
1,099.2 mln USD or 22.4% of GDP against 1,182.9 mln USD and 33.1%
in 2004. Out of this sum, 919.7 mln USD is credit liabilities of
the Armenian government, 176.4 mln USD – credit liabilities of the
Central Bank of Armenia, and 3.1 mln USD – guarantees provided by the
government. The net current value of Armenia’s foreign debt declined
from 735.1 mln USD in 2004 to 701.8 mln USD in late 2005.

In terms of this index, Armenia is among countries with small burden
of debt.

ACCORDING TO RESULTS OF SURVEY CONDUCTED BY YOUTH PARTY OF ARMENIA, VAHRAM NERSISIANTS RECOGNIZED BEST STATESMAN OF YEAR

Noyan Tapan
June 05 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 5, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the results of the blitz
survey conducted by the Youth Party of Armenia, Vahram Nersisiants,
Chief Adviser to RA President on Economic Issues, was recognized
“The best statesman of the year.” Sargis Asatrian, Chairman of the
Youth Party of Armenia, informed about this at the June 5 press
conference. He gave V.Nersisiants a diploma and a bronze “Graal cup”
symbolizing the idea of firm and transparent economy. As S.Asatrian
said, the Armenian public, especially the youth, “has lack of
estimation of exemplary phenomena in the system of values.” According
to him, V.Nersisiants is given the prize not as a state representative,
but as a RA citizen. Vahram Nersisiants is one of the few officials
who holding a state post has no source of side income,” the Chairman of
the Youth Party of Armenia emphasized. According to Vahram Nersisiants,
a state official should have a modest way of life and should consider
the state work an enjoyment and it is businessmen that can have
business. He added that he is not the only one among the Armenian
officials who do not use state work for other purposes. “We have such
officials, though few, and their number will increase in the course
of time,” he emphasized. According to the Adviser to the President,
“in consequence of the policy of dictatorship our people has made
espionage, falsehood, deceit an implement of their existence, and
a change, a change of generations and development is necessary to
completely get rid of them. Though, now we have great progress as
compared with the neighboring countries and past 15 years.” In response
to the question, how he treats appreciation of dram and growth in
prices for goods, V.Nersisiants said that this is connected with
economic laws, supply and demand and especially import of a great
deal of dollars and other currencies from abroad. “This results in
fluctuations, which is corrected by CBA as far as possible.”

METROPOLITAN KLIMENT CONSIDERS THAT “MUCH IS DONE FOR PRESERVING CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL VALUES IN AZERBAIJAN”

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
June 05 2006

MOSCOW, JUNE 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The other day the
Press Service of Moscow Patriarchate spread a press release about
the meeting of Manager of the Patriarchate, Metropolitan of Kaluga
and Borovsko Kliment with Azerbaijani Ambassador Polad Byulbyuloghli,
during which, according to the Press Service, it was mentioned that
“today much is done both in Russia and in Azerbaijan for preserving
cultural and spiritual values.” The Press Service does not mention,
whether at the meeting it was spoken about the khachkars (cross-stones)
destroyed in Nakhichevan. Whereas, the Yerkramas (Territory) newspaper
of Armenians of Russia reminds that the sitting of the Commission of
Public Chamber of RF on Issues of Cultural and Spiritual Heritage
presided over by Metropolitan Kliment was held on May 17 2006,
during which the issue “on application of the participants of Moscow
roundtable” “Armenian Cultural Monuments of Nakhichevan – Subject of
Vandalism of Azerbaijan” was considered. The Commission of Public
Chamber unanimously condemned the act of vandalism in Azerbaijan
towards monuments of Armenian spiritual culture in Old Jugha, as
well as expressed intention to jointly with the Chamber’s interested
commissions on issues of tolerance and liberty of conscience, culture,
globalization and national strategy of development, international
cooperation and public diplomacy study the state and Azerbaijan’s
preserving the cultural and spiritual heritage of other peoples,
which is the property of the world civilization.

Metropolitan Kliment also spoke during the exchange of opinions. He
declared that the destroyed Armenian historic and cultural monuments
were the property of the whole world civilization, their destruction
was an irreplaceable loss for the world cultural and historic heritage.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH SEIZED CHANCE AT SELF-DETERMINATION — KOCHARIAN

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Military Newswire
June 5, 2006 Monday 6:30 PM MSK

Armenian President Robert Kocharian believes that Nagorno-Karabakh
has virtually realized its right to self-determination.

“The people of Nagorno-Karabakh have realized in practice their
right to self-determination in full conformity with international
norms,” Kocharian said in his speech at the Black Sea summit forum
“For Dialogue and Partnership in Bucharest, the presidential press
service told Interfax on Monday.

“For 15 years, the republic of Nagorno-Karabakh has been asserting its
right to independence by its own achievements in building statehood,”
the Armenian president said, adding that a whole generation of
Nagorno-Karabakh residents associated themselves with this statehood.

He called for efforts to promote Karabakh’s integration into the
international community.

Armenian and Azeri Presidents Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev met
in Bucharest on June 4 to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.

The first part of their meeting, also attended by the Armenian and
Azeri foreign ministers and international mediators from Russia,
France and the United States, lasted about an hour, Armenian Public
Television reported later in the day.

After that, Kocharian and Aliyev talked in private for three hours.

They refused to comment on the results of the talk.