Author: Nahapetian Samvel

ARMENIANS BID FAREWELL TO RENOWNED POETESS
By Gayane Danielian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Aug. 29, 2006

Thousands of people gathered near the Opera House in Yerevan on Tuesday
to attend the funeral of famous poetess and outstanding public figure
Silva Kaputikian.

Many of admirers of her poetry, among them thousands of ordinary
people, Diaspora Armenians, as well as politicians, came to bid
farewell to the women on the poetry of which generations of Armenians
were raised both in Armenia and abroad.

The funeral was organized by a government-appointed commission led
by Prime Minister Andranik Markarian.

"It is a great loss not only for our literature, but also for the
people. An intellectual who left us precepts about our fatherland,
language, about national values died," Markarian said in his speech
at the funeral.

The poetess, who died last Friday, at the age of 87, is known for her
active civil position both in the communist times when she was in the
forefront of the Karabakh movement and also in the post-independence
years when, as her friends and colleagues say, she was not afraid
to raise a voice of protest against what she considered to be unjust
and unfair.

Kaputikian returned the Mesrop Mashtots Order she received from
the state for her merits as a poetess and public figure after the
authorities used violence against peaceful demonstrators in April 2004.

"When such people leave our lives, it is a loss for the entire
nation. And today I want to express my condolences to the whole
nation," Culture Minister Hasmik Poghosian said about the poetess.

Head of the National Assembly’s Standing Commission on Science,
Education and Culture Affairs Hranush Hakobian said Kaputikian will
stay in the memory of Armenians as their national poetess. "She lived
a glorious life and the state and the nation is saying good-bye to
her in a solemn way," she said.

His Holiness Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II was also among
those who came to bid farewell to Kaputikian.

When the coffin with Kaputikian’s body was to be placed onto a
catafalque on Abovian Street, a group of people volunteered to carry
‘the great daughter of the nation’ to the cemetery on their shoulders,
and they led the procession for about two kilometers to the Komitas
Pantheon where Kaputikian was buried next to great Armenian composer
Aram Khachatrian.

BRITISH COUNCIL LEADS FIRST PROJECT FOR ARMENIAN, GEORGIAN, AZERI JOURNALISTS
Author: À.Ismayilova

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Aug. 29, 2006

British Council is, for the first time, leading a project for
journalists from Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia, said Andy Williams,
Director of British Council Baku office, giving the exclusive interview
to Trend. Mr Williams said journalists from these Countries had
already met in the United Kingdom.

The U.K Government-funded project aims at creation a network between
the conflicting areas. Upon completion of the project in U.K,
the journalists will continue working in their home countries and
will monitor governmental programs, society development, and most
importantly, keep an eye on transparency in the Government.

The most interesting program scientifically will be the "Science
is Beautiful" program. Its primary objective is to involve Azeri
youth to participate in scientific activities. "The same project is
implemented in the U.K. We are going to organize the international
version of this project by the name of "Fame lab", said Mr Williams.

–Boundary_(ID_hTB3P1cbGoh9pxeOju6Y0w)- –

MAN CONVICTED IN ROAD-RAGE KILLING OF LA DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER

San Francisco Chronicle, CA
Aug. 27, 2006

A former Burbank truck driver who was arrested in Armenia and returned
to Southern California was convicted of first-degree murder for a
vicious freeway road-rage killing of documentary filmmaker Michael
Craven.

Jurors deliberated for more than two hours Friday before reaching
a decision. They also convicted Shahen Eghia Keshishian, 34, of
vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and leaving the scene
of an accident.

He is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 27.

Keshishian ran down Craven, 44, with a black GMC Suburban on April
29, 2000. The killing came after a road rage confrontation along the
Hollywood Freeway.

Craven had been driving on the freeway after dinner with a friend
when the Suburban pulled up and eggs were thrown. One of the drivers
had apparently cut in front of the other.

Authorities believe Craven pulled to the side of the freeway to
confront Keshishian, who stopped behind him. A passenger in the
Suburban then threw a beer bottle at Craven’s Jeep.

Craven was then run over and he died a short time later at a hospital.

Keshishian was charged June 23, 2000, with Craven’s slaying, and
charged separately by federal authorities in November 2000 with
unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

Keshishian was hiding in Armenia and was arrested in late 2004 for
overstaying his visa. He was subsequently extradited to the United
States.

Glendale police said his extradition marked the first time someone
from Armenia was handed to U.S. authorities to be returned to face
criminal charges.

DAVID NALBANDYAN RANKS 4TH AMONG BEST TENNIS PLAYERS OF THE WORLD

ArmRadio.am
28.08.2006 12:13

With 363 points Argentinean Armenian tennis player David Nalbandyan
ranks 4th in the list of the best tennis players of the world, issued
today by the Professional Tennis Association.

The first in the list is Roger Federer with 1 129 points. Spanish
Rafael Nadal ranks 2nd with 775 points. Ivan Lyubichich of Croatia
is the third with 415 points.

STARTING SCHOOL AT AGE 6 IS A TEST FOR THE SYSTEM

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
22 Aug 2006

The underlying problem of the academic year starting soon is the
introduction of 12-year school education. Children go to school
at the age of 6 and study for 12 years, that is they will go to
school a year earlier and leave school a year later. Extending
school education by a year will probably give rise to problems but
it will be 12 years later. Now the problem is the education of
the 6-year-old children. This was the main topic of the meeting
of the experienced teachers of the country with the minister of
education Kamo Atayan. There was another meeting with young teachers
earlier. These discussions are not on accepting or rejecting 12-year
education. The minister of education says it does not depend on our
wish: NKR is in the same education sphere with Armenia, it does not
have its own curriculum and textbooks. So NKR adopts the education
policies adopted by Armenia. What is complicated about children
aged 6 going to school? First of all, at this age children need
special care, therefore schools need to provide food and sleep. In
Soviet Karabakh an attempt was made at admitting children aged 6 to
school, at that time there were all the necessary conditions, and
the experiment was successful, whereas now only a few schools can
provide food and sleep. With regard to this problem Kamo Atayan said
no underlying steps were made except the contingent and the choice
of teachers who will be working with children aged 6. Ira Gabrielyan,
teacher at Stepanakert School # 2, assistant director of the school,
teacher at the National Institute of the Ministry of Education and
Science of Armenia, said she studied the qualification of teachers
at the schools of the republic and believes that they will pass this
test. There are over 30 teachers in the capital who can work with
6-year-old children, and they are ready to share their experience
with their colleagues but they need more visual aids at schools.
Naira Arstamyan, the director of the school of the village of Nerkin
Horatagh, Martakert said in their schools and the schools of the
adjacent villages children aged 6 at school is not a novelty,
the majority of children go to school before they become 7. The
minister of education and culture met the willingness of the teachers
to prepare a methodic guide for teachers of 6 year-old children and
distribute to schools. He also informed that soon the authors of the
books will visit Karabakh and hold trainings for teachers. Besides,
over the upcoming year a group of experienced teachers must visit
schools of the republic to give methodic aid to teachers.

SVETLANA KHACHATRIAN.
22-08-2006

EXPEDITION OF THE ARCHEOLOGY AND ETHNOGRAPHY INSTITUTE OF THE ARMENIAN NATIONAL SCIENCE ACADEMY STARTED EXCAVATIONS IN KARABAKH

Stepanakert, August 23. ArmInfo. By the initiative and financing of
‘Yerkir’ NGO Union, the expedition of the Archeology and Ethnography
Institute of the Armenian National Science Academy August 3-18 held
excavations of a settlement founded by king Tigran II the Great
(95-55 B.C.).

Member of the expedition Vardges Safarian told ArmInfo special
correspondent in Stepanakert that this was the first phase of the
excavations, preceded by preparation works in March 2005. During the
excavation the Acropolis of the ancient town, the terrace walls and a
church of 5-6 centuries A.D. were discovered. Hundreds of minor items
were also found. The expedition is also studying a church complex
on the outskirts of the ancient settlement, delved in a rock. The
preliminary study of the discovered artifacts showed that the town,
named after its founder Tigranakert, existed from the 1-st century
B.C. to 13-14 centuries A.D. In the Middle Ages the settlement became
one of the cradles of the early-Christian civilization. All of the
artifacts found on the site are of worldwide cultural importance and
of absolutely Armenian identity and origin.

This settlement is the most renowned settlement of the Artsakh province
(of which a part is modern Nagorno-Karabakh) of the Greater Armenia
of the pre-Christian period. It was found in the 90’s B.C.

and was the first of a number of settlements found by the great ruler
of Asia and named Tigranakert after the founder.

Panorama.am

14:39 18/08/06

PARLIAMENTARIAN BELIEVES ELECTIONS NOT TO BE FREE

Aram Sargsyan, leader of Armenian Democratic Party and a member of
parliament, told a press conference today he believes the upcoming
elections will not be free and fair. To have legitimate elections, one
has to have legitimate authorites, he says. "Who does not understand
how the administrative mechanisms function?" Sargsyan poses a rhetoric
question.

He said a caolition may develop in Armenia under two conditions:
first, if Karabakh conflict tenses up; second, if those who may join
the caolition understand that the backbone of the authorities in
power must be broken before the elections.

Sargsyan said he may support Orintars Yerkir’s proposed "For Legitimate
Elections" initation in case the current authorities would have gone
before the elections. Sargsyan said his party actively negotiates
with those forces that may have identical programs. In case they do
not find such supporters, the party will go for elections on its own,
Sargsyan said. /Panorama.am/

AZERBAIJAN REPATRIATES THREE ARMENIANS
By Armen Dulian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Aug. 17, 2006

Azerbaijan on Thursday repatriated three Armenian nationals that
were detained last month after straying into Azerbaijani territory
in uncertain circumstances.

Citing the Azerbaijani Ministry of National Security, the Trend news
agency reported that the handover was arranged by the International
Committee of the Red Cross and took place in the westernmost section
of the Armenian-Azerbaijani frontier, which is close to Georgia.

The Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman, Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian,
confirmed the information, saying that all three men are civilians.

"They had accidentally crossed into Azerbaijan," Shahsuvarian told
RFE/RL. He said two of them entered Azerbaijani territory via Georgia
but could not give further details.

COACH OF CHELSI TO TRAIN ARMENIAN NATIONAL TEAM

Panorama.am
15:03 16/08/06

The newly appointed coach of the Armenian national football team, Yan
Porterfield, predicted "good future for the Armenian football." The
Chairman of the Armenian Football Federation Ruben Hairapetyan
introduced Yan Porterfield to the Armenian community in a press
conference today. Upon the completion of the press conference,
a contract was concluded with Porterfield, Scot by nationality,
until the end of the year 2007. The newly appointed coach of the
Armenian national team served as the chief coach of renowned Chelsi in
1988-1993. He took the same position at the national teams of Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Oman, Trinidad and Tobago.

Porterfield assured that the qualify of performance of the Armenian
national team will improve from game to game. He said he will give
chance both to football veterans and beginners. He also said that he
may invite football players from foreign clubs. The coach will move
to Armenia together with his family and live here until the end of
his contract.

ARMENIAN ARSONS DEVASTATE 100 HECTARES OF PASTURES IN AZERBAIJANI REGION

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug. 15, 2006

Armenians have been committing arsons in Aygatyor village of Shemseddin
region situated in border with Azerbaijan since last night. The fires
have caught pastures in Hajalli village of the Azerbaijani region
of Tovuz.

Hajalli residents told APA’s west bureau the fires spread to 100
hectares of pastures in Gush Daghi area in Tovuz. Azerbaijani Army
soldiers have been involved in preventive measures. The fire was
brought under control by joint efforts of military men and villagers.

Alibayli village residents said the fires also caught the village
yesterday evening but it was put out by the soldiers and local
residents.

The fires caused mine explosions in no man’s land. The local residents
say at least seven anti-tank mines and four anti-personal mines
exploded in the burning areas in Alibayli.

Armenian-committed arsons spread to Agdam region from Tovuz.

Fortunately, the fire was put under control on time.

Tovuz executive power told APA’s provincial bureau the cost of the
damage inflicted by the arsons is calculated.