Author: Nahapetian Samvel

SPORT AND MEDIA 2007 INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN ISTANBUL SEPTEMBER 24-30

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.06.2007 14:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Sport and Media 2007 international festival will
be held in Istanbul September 24-30.

Festival organization committee president Alexander Boyko told
a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter that 40 journalists from Armenia, 120
journalists from Turkey, 30 journalists from Russia, 10 journalists
from Ukraine and 2 journalists from Greece will take part in the
festival. "It’s not ruled out that reporters from Iran, Syria and
Bulgaria will join us. Various competitions will be organized. The
winners will be awarded cups and certificates. Besides, Turkish
journalists will invite their Armenian counterparts to their offices
to familiarize with their activities.

The festival has no political goals. We just want to arrange a good
sporting event," he said adding that a rich cultural program has been
also elaborated.

EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR SOUTH CAUCASUS TO VISIT KARABAGH IN THE NEAR FUTURE

DeFacto News Agency, Armenia
June 19 2007

The EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus is expected to
visit Karabagh in the near future, NKR President Arkady Ghoukassian
told journalists on Tuesday, while commenting on the fact that the
Special Representative’s visit to the Republic to be held June 16
had been cancelled for unknown reasons.

"Instead of Semneby his advisors visited NKR – Mark Fawcett and Kaupo
Kand, who prepared the Special Representative’s upcoming visit.

Semneby will visit NKR in the near future", Ghoukassian stated.

EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby’s visit
to the South Caucasus started June 15. In the course of Semneby’s
meetings with RA leadership the interlocutors considered the outcomes
of RA Parliamentary elections, current process of Karabagh talks and
regional issues.

EU Special Representative was to visit NKR next; however, his visit
was canceled for unknown reasons, Novosti-Armenia reports.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
June 15 2007

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT BULGARIA IN AUTUMN 2007

YEREVAN, June 15. /ARKA/. Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
intends to visit Bulgaria in autumn 2007. Oskanian stated about his
intention at his meeting with the Bulgarian Ambassador to Armenia
Stephan Dimitrov.

The Ambassador communicated the congratulations of Bulgarian
Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister Ivaylo Kalfin on the re-appointment
of Oskanian to the post of Armenian Foreign Minister and invitation
to arrive in Bulgaria with an official visit any time convenient for
the Armenian minister, the Press Service of the Armenian Foreign
Ministry reported.

Oskanian thanked for the congratulations and the invitation and
informed that he will make an official visit to Bulgaria in autumn,
the press service said.

Issues on bilateral relations were also discussed at the meeting.
Particularly, the parties attached importance to the improvement of
the regular political consultations, interaction in the spheres of
culture and science, expansion of trade and economic relations,
implementation of joint programs in Eurointegration. N.V. -0 –

ICG CAUCASUS PROJECT DIRECTOR ARRIVES IN AZERBAIJAN

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 12 2007

Director of Caucasus project of International Crisis Group (ICG)
Magdalena Frichova arrived in Baku, ICG Baku representative Vugar
Gojayev told the APA.

Frichova is accompanied by French analyst of the ICG on Caucasus Kleer
` of diplomatic corps, heads of NGOs and independent experts engaged
in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

The visit aims at familiarizing and investigating the report to be
drawn up by ICG on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Ms. Delessart visited Baku last month, carried out investigations
on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and continued her investigations in
Yerevan.

THE STATEMENTS THAT ‘HE DISCLOSES THE CONTENTS OF THE NEGOTIATING PROCESS’ SEEM FUNNY TO MATTHEW BRYZA

Arminfo
2007-06-08 09:18:00

American co-chair of the OSCE MG Matthew Bryza thinks it is funny that
"he discloses the contents of the negotiating process on Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict settlement", he said at the press-conference in
Yerevan, Thursday.

‘I do not disclose anything secret, and it seems funny to me when
they write about me that I disclose the details of the talks. This
is not a new piece of information, they are known. Moreover, I think
that contact with journalists is very important, as openness of the
co-chairs promotes to the progress of the settlement process’, –
he said.

At the same time, asked whether the issue of the Karabakh territories
occupied by Azerbaijan is being discussed during the negotiations,
and whether the Co-chairs are aware of this fact, M.Bryza said that he
knows about that. "But now the base principles are being discussed,
and I don’t want to promulgate the details. It would be a sign of
disrespect for the peace process participants," he said in conclusion.

ARMENIANS LAUNCH NEW INTERNET CAMPAIGN TO BREAK KARABAKH TALKS

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 8 2007

Armenians have launched new campaign targeted at breaking off the
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Armenian NGOs are holding
new campaign via the Internet.

Armenians forward free protest fax to US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner,
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian, Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Mathew Bryza,
Bernard Fasier, Yuriy Merzlyakov and Andrzej Kasprzyk, Personal
Representative of the Chairman-in-Office through web site
en.

The protest action says "The general terms of the settlement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as declared on May 25, 2007 in Baku
by the OCSE Minsk Group mediators B. Fassier and Y. Merzlyakov,
contradict the expectations of the Armenian people for a peaceful and
secure future. "The surrender to Azerbaijan of the liberated lands
of Nagorno-Karabakh, controlled by the local Armenian population,
and the subsequent transformation of Nagorno-Karabakh into an enclave
or semi-enclave within Azerbaijan".

"In return – an unsubstantiated promise of a referendum in an
unreasonably distant future regarding the status of Nagorno-Karabakh,
which effectively denies the right to self-determination for the people
of Nagorno-Karabakh" Absence of an international political recognition
of Nagorno-Karabakh is one of the main concerns of Armenians.

It also said "We would like to inform the OSCE about the Armenian
society’s position regarding the potential negative consequences of
these terms of settlement, should they be realized" Traditionally
repeated thesis of Armenians such as "Nagorno-Karabakh has never
been a part of independent Azerbaijan" has repeated this time
too. "By pushing the Armenians to unilateral concessions, the OSCE is
taking a responsibility for a future Azerbaijani aggression against
Nagorno-Karabakh. Such an aggression will inevitably take place
immediately after Karabakh surrenders to Azerbaijan the historical
Armenian lands around its boundaries."

RPA TO SIGN AGREEMENT OF COALITION WITH BARGAVACH HAYASTAN

Noyan Tapan
Jun 06 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 6, NOYAN TAPAN. RPA, which has received absolute majority
in the parliament, will sign an agreement on making coalition with
Bargavach Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia) Party and the newly created
coalition will sign cooperation agreement with ARFD on June 6. Noyan
Tapan correspondent was informed about it from a source standing
close to RPA.

ARFD will retain three Minister’s posts in the staff of the newly
created government, which will be published at the NA sitting to be
held on June 7.

ARFD representatives Levon Mkrtchian, David Lokian and Aghvan Vardanian
will continue taking posts of Ministers of Science and Education,
Agriculture, Labor and Social Affairs. Conceding the post of Minister
of Social Issues to ARFD during the negotiations, RPA received the
right to appoint its candidate on the post of Shirak Governor instead.

"YOUTH FOR TOLERANCE" PROJECT LAUNCHES IN ARMENIA
By Ani Baghdasarian

AZG Armenian Daily
06/06/2007

The Open Society Institute and AIESEC youth organization initiated
"Youth for Tolerance" program, recently. The event is aimed to
increasing the tolerance to other nations among the youth. Many
participants from Iran, Georgia, Afghanistan, India, Kazakhstan,
Kirghizia arrived in Armenia to represent their events and seminars,
as well as the cultural traditions from their countries here. The
events within the framework of the program touch upon such aspects as
the history, religion, traditions and cultural heritage. The program is
aimed to change and improve the attitude to some cultural traditions
and nations. It will also help unfold a dialogue among the nations
and increase the tolerance to other nations in the society.

"In conditions of growing globalization processes, there is really
great need for tolerance to other nations in the society. This program
will be our contribution to spreading this idea," Arevik Ohanian,
chairman of the program’s steering committee, said.

The participants of the program have great expectations from their
participation, as they believe that it’s important to accepts and
understand other cultures. This will help solving problems.

Journalism and peace building

04-06-2007 09:37:20 – KarabakhOpen

A discussion on journalism and peace building was held at Stepanakert
Press Club with the students of the department of journalism of Artsakh
State University. The discussion was conducted by Gegham Baghdasaryan,
chair of the press club, editor-in-chief of the Demo Public Newspaper.

How can journalists influence the settlement of the conflict? Where
does the border between peace building and professional journalism
pass? Should journalists report on negative phenomena when the media
are read by the foe as well, or should they keep to the professional
rules? New opinions and ideas were expressed during the discussion of
these complicated issues: if one word may spark a war, the right word
may establish peace. It is unacceptable that the reporters of one of
the conflict sides build peace ` it looks like defeatism. There must be
professional collaboration based on mutual respect. In addition, the
participants of the discussion agreed to the opinion that first-hand
information from the other side of the conflict is interesting to
everyone, and partners among the professional reporters from the
conflict sides is one of the ways to get this information.
Karine Ohanyan, one of the organizers of the discussion, said it
happens that the same media participate in different peace building
projects, and the purpose of these discussions is to enlarge the range
of journalists engaged in peace building journalism. Another purpose is
open discussions with colleagues how journalists may influence conflict
reporting and resolution. By the way, the discussion was held in the
framework of one of the projects funded by the International Alert and
implemented by the board of the Resource Center of Stepanakert.

SCHOOL GRADUATES TAKE COMMON EXAMS IN ARMENIAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

Panorama.am
18:18 01/06/2007

Today, at 10:00, common exams in Armenian language and literature
started in 56 school centers and general exams were taken in all
other schools. The grades from common exams will be transferred to
higher educational establishment during entrance exams.

Schools graduates will take common and general exams in Armenian
language and literature in Nagorno Karabakh as well. Common exams
will be taken in one center in Karabakh. The center is equipped with
photocopy machines for the students to make copies of their exams
after they finish.

Exam tests were sent in closed boxes to the regions through banks. They
were printed in London. The test results will be announced in 6 days.