Author: Vanyan Gary

ARMENIAN-SPANISH OFFICES OF TRADE AND COMMERCE TO BE SET UP
Noyan Tapan
Mar 30 2006
VALENCUA, MARCH 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The Speaker of the RA National
Assembly Artur Baghdasarian had a number of bilateral meetings during
the fifth conference of the World Alliance of Cities against Poverty
(WACAP) in Valencia on March 30. NT was informed about it from the
RA National Assembly PR Department.
Issues of establishing the regional contacts between Valencia and
Armenia were discussed during the meeting with the head of Valencia’s
government Francisco Kams. The sides reached an agreement on a visit
to be paid by the delegation of Valencia in the near future for the
purpose of examining the opportunities of cooperation. During the
meeting with Valencia Mayor Rita Barbera Nolla, issues related to
implementation of specific programs, as well as the issue of providing
some ambulance cars to Armenia were under discussion. A.
Baghdasarian also had a meeting with the Minister of Industry of
Valencia Justo Nieto, during which the sides reached an agreement
to open the joint offices of commerce and industry in Armenia and
Spain. The offices will carry out activities in two directions:
an increase in commodity turnover and the market studies, including
consumer market studies and advertising, as well as the establishment
of a joint fund for implementation of scientific and educational
programs. These activities will help develop the Armenian-Spanish
trade, economic, scientific and cultural relations, offer new
opportunities and promote job creation.

TEACHERS STUDY AT SCHOOL AGAIN
A1+
[04:31 pm] 30 March, 2006
The Secondary school N1 after Spendaryan of Alaverdi has turned into
a fulcrum school where the teachers of the 38 schools of the territory
will pass a three – year training course starting from this September.
During the first phase of the three – year training course the teachers
of the Armenian language, Mathematics, Informatics and the teachers of
the elementary classes will be trained. The courses will be directed
by the 4 teachers of the school who are passing a training course in
Vanadzor at present.
Two classes were repaired due to the financial add of the Educational
Reform Centre. One of the classes was furnished with the means of
the school, and the other must be provided with deductive material
and computers by the Educational Reform Centre.
“Ankjun plus 3” TV channel of Alaverdi

SENTAORS SANTORIUM, MENENDEZ INTRODUCE BILL TO BLOCK US FUNDING FOR PROPOSED CAUCASUS RAILWAY PROJECT
Yerkir
30.03.2006 13:15
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) and newly appointed
Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) introduced legislation this week that
would prohibit U.S. assistance for the building of railroads traversing
the Caucasus that circumvent Armenia, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).
The legislation mirrors a similar House measure (H.R. 3361) titled
the “South Caucasus Integration and Open Railroads Act of 2005”,
introduced by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg
(R-MI) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) in June, 2005. The House version of
the legislation currently has 77 cosponsors.
“We welcome this effort to protect U.S. taxpayers from subsidizing an
ill-advised and over-priced railroad project that – at the insistence
of Turkey and Azerbaijan – has been specifically designed to exclude
Armenia,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA.
In his speech on the Senate floor, Sen. Menendez noted the Turkish
government’s ongoing campaign to “isolate Armenia economically,
politically and socially,” citing Turkey’s 13-year blockade of Armenia
and, more recently, the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
pipeline, which also circumvents Armenia.
“U.S. policy in the South Caucasus seeks to.
In October 2005, the European Commission added its voice to the growing
international opposition to a Caucasus railroad. The Commission’s
position was articulated by the Directorate General for Transport and
Energy. In explaining why the European Union would not support the
creation of this rail line, the Directorate noted that its construction
was both unnecessary and inefficient in light of the existing railroad
connecting Kars, Gyumri, and Tbilisi.

AN IDEAL LAW TO PREVENT FOOD POISONINGS
Panorama.am
15:18 28/03/06
“Our country can be listed among the developed ones if the consumer
doesn’t feel danger while buying food in the shops,” announced NA
Deputy Tatoul Manaseryan during the round table organized in the
National Academy of Sciences today. He expressed his concern about the
fact that genetically modified goods of low quality are still being
imported into the country in spite of being banned by law. “They do
not only cause poisonings but also genetic transformations.” As a
fresh example T. Manaseryan mentioned the goods imported from Turkey
recently the 90% of which did not correspond to International Standards
of Quality. And that is not the only example.
“A serious state approach is needed towards this question which will
prevent that danger, “the Parliamentary Deputy thinks.
And what does it mean: “A serious state approach”?
Deputy Minister of Agriculture Gagik Khachatryan thinks that the
legislative field has to be improved in accordance with international
standards, although he also thinks that “there are no ideal laws”.
Later the President of “Farmers’ Movement” public organization
Sargis Sedrakyan wondered how our village food can correspond to ISO
requirements when “a farmer sows whatever he has”. What is the role
of the Government in this case? And the Governmental representative
mentioned that a new draft law about food security has been worked
out according to which management systems have to be formed in
food producing enterprises. When S. Sedrakyan asked to answer his
question to the point Deputy Minister G. Khachatryan said: “Armenia
has no corresponding equipment and laboratory system to check the
seeds. Steps are being taken in that direction.”

MILITARY-MEDICAL FACULTY AT YEREVAN STATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY IS OF TOP SIGNIFICANCE FOR ARMENIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 28 2006
YEREVAN, March 28. /ARKA/. Military-medical faculty at Yerevan
State Medical University is of top significance for Armenian Defence
Ministry, Deputy Defence Minister Arthur Aghabekyan told journalist
on Tuesday.
He said at a conference focused on military medicine that 20 to 40
earn the university diplomas of military doctors every year.
In his words, this faculty graduates are highly-qualified and their
skills are being upgraded day by day. “Besides, we give them an
opportunity for tuition-free postgraduate internship”, he said. As
many as 12 military doctors completed their internship in 2005,
Aghabekyan said.
The faculty was opened in 1994. 36 military doctors earned diplomas
in 2005.
Military doctors from Albania, the U.S.A., Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Ukraine and Austria attended the conference.
The conference is organized by Armenian Defence Ministry and the U.S.
Army European Command.

PACE APRIL SESSION INCLUDES TWO REPORTS OF INTEREST FOR ARMENIA
ArmRadio.am
27.03.2006 18:05
The agenda of the April 10-13 session of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe includes two reports of interest for
Armenia. These include reports on “Refugees and displaced persons
in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan” and ” Human rights of members of
the Armed Forces.”
In today’s press conference Head of the Armenian delegation to
PACE Tigran Torosyan expressed his opinion about the statement
of PACE Secretary General Terry Davis, according to which the
Committee of Ministers will also send experts to Old Jugha and
Nagorno-Karabakh. According to Tigran Torosyan, this parallel is not
proper first of all because these territories have different statuses.

WORK DEDICATED TO PROMINENT SCIENTIST TADEOS AVDALBEGIAN’S ACTIVITY PUBLISHED
Noyan Tapan
Mar 27 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 27, NOYAN TAPAN. Prominent scientist Tadeos
Avdalbegian’s life and activity is presented in Ara Markosian’s
“Tadeos Avdalbegian: Pages of Life and Work” work the presentation of
which took place on March 24 at the RA NAS. T.Avdalbegian is one of
prominent representatives of the Armenian economic idea. During the 30
years of his creative life, he wrote numerous works which relate to
historic science, literary science, Armenian religion, architecture,
history of economy, The scientist made numerous translations as well.
A.Markosian mainly presented in his work that great work that
T.Avdalbegian did while translating the “Capital” of K.Marx, and
with what indexes the “Capital” was turned into an excellent example
of translation besides being one of national meaning. According to
academician Vladimir Barkhudarian, “Avdalbegian is the only person in
the world who has translated all four volumes of the “Capital” from the
original, and it’s considered one of the best translations.” Besides,
in the Armenological life of the 20th century, T.Avdalbegian has
his worthy place also as one of founders of the higher education
in Armenia. According to the academician, though T.Avdalbegian did
a huge work, few people know about him today. At the same time it
was mentioned, that researches of different spheres make use of the
scientists’ works at present as well.

1 MILLION 157 THOUSAND FOR THE FUTURE OF ARMENIA

Lragir.am
25 March 06
In 2006-2007 the Education Headed for Future program will be
implemented in Armenia, which will cost 1 million 157 thousand
dollars. The news agency ARKA informs that the agreement on the
program was signed on March 24 by the minister of education and
science Sergo Yeritsyan and the UNDP Resident Coordinator Consuelo
Vidal. After the signing of the agreement Sergo Yeristyan said the
program will be funded by the government of Norway, and the government
of Armenia will provide 55 thousand dollars. `The implementation of
the program will enable reforms in vocational secondary schools,
namely modernization, upgrading of educational standards,
scholarships,’ said Sergo Yeritsyan. The UN representative Consuelo
Vidal emphasized that for the implementation of the program a research
of the Armenian labor pool was conducted. She said today there are
about 27 vocational colleges in Armenia, four will be involved in the
program, one in Yerevan, others in the regions. He emphasized that the
main stress will be placed on upgrading the qualifications of young
people and help them find employment in the regions.

EUROVISION, ANDRE AND MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

Lragir.am
24 March 06
Andre will represent Armenia at the song contest Eurovision. He will
sing the song `Without Your Love’ in English, arranged in eastern
cadence. The fact is commented on by political figures. It turns out
that many of them have music education.
MP Galust Sahakyan (Republican), who used to learn music, says there
is a Mongol-Tatar motif in the song, and one would rather say the
Armenians are going to sing a Mongol-Tatar song.
Artashes Geghamyan, the leader of the National Unity, does not know
Tatar and Mongol music, `but I share the viewpoint that another song
or another singer could be chosen. For instance, if I were to decide,
I would nominate Shushan Petrosyan, who is close to the hearts of
Armenians of both Karabakh and Armenia, and stands closer to the
origins of our music.’ At any rate, Artashes Geghamyan endorses Galust
Sahakyan’s `public stricture that the esthetic taste of the
top-officials of Armenia likes Mongol-Tatar music.’
Hrair Karapetyan, member of the ARF, says it is commendable that the
factions of the National Assembly of Armenia express theirs points of
view on songs. `I was taught to music. It is difficult to consider it
purely ethnic music except the part of kochari. However, in fact,
today the eastern motif in music is more popular in Europe.’
Victor Dallakyan also thinks that Andre’s song is close to the taste
of the present government. `I do not doubt the evaluation of Galust
Sahakyan, because he has taste and considerable knowledge in
music. The expectations from Andre will fail.’ The member of
parliament, who used to be a successful violinist, thinks that `our
political reality is not threatened.’ By the way, Victor Dallakyan
prefers Andre’s `My Love For You.’
Samvel Balasanyan and Mher Shahgeldyan like the song but they say it
could have been better. Samvel Balasanyan thinks the video is quite
good.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Los Angeles Times: State Department Long Avoided Word
“Genocide” out of Deference to Turkey

23.03.2006 01:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ It is time to stop tiptoeing around
the Genocide issue and to accept settled history.
Genocide, according to accepted U.N. definition, means
“the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a
national, ethnical, racial or religious group.”
Armenia is not even a borderline case, says an article
titled It Was Genocide in The Los Angeles Times.
Punishing an ambassador for speaking honestly about a
90-year-old crime befits a cynical, double-dealing
monarchy, not the leader of the free world. The
article author touches upon possible recall of US
Ambassador to Armenia John Evans, `accusing’ him for
recognizing the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey in
1915-1923 during a meeting with the Armenian community
at Berkley University, California.
«Punishing an ambassador for speaking honestly about a
90-year-old crime befits a cynical, double-dealing
monarchy, not the leader of the free world. One day,
the country that was founded as a direct repudiation
of its Ottoman past will face its history squarely, as
part of a long-overdue maturing process. Some day
before then, we hope, the State Department will too.
Yet the State Department has long avoided the word
“genocide,” not out of any dispute over history but
out of deference to Turkey, whose membership in NATO
and location between Europe and Asia make it a
strategic ally,’ The Los Angeles Times writes.