Author: Virabian Jhanna

STUDENTS OF PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES OFFER THEIR ARGUMENTS

KarabakhOpen
27-06-2008 12:01:45

On June 26 the student board of the Stepanakert branch of Yerevan
University of Management held a meeting during which the students
voiced concern about the rumors on possible closure of the
university. After a monitoring for compliance admission to three
universities was temporarily suspended.

"We do not understand why they display a biased attitude. If the
quality of education here was not compliant, nothing would make us
continue studies.

We can compete with the students of any other university," said a
fourth-year student who added that her siblings also study at the
university. "Parents would not send their children to a university
where education is bad," she said. The student announced that she
is not going to transfer to another university, like the students of
Grigor Lusavorich University did some time ago.

"We are satisfied with the quality of learning here. It is not clear
why they want to close our university. And also it is not clear why
they do not ask our opinion. We have studied here for a few years and
we pay for tuition which is not cheap," said another student. "Unlike
other places, here we are not asked to pay "for exams", and if there
are shortcomings, they are immediately eliminated," another student
added.

With regard to shortcomings one of the students said there were
problems with premises but they have been solved recently. "Show me
a university which has no problems. And explain me by what principle
one university is closed, and the other is not," asked a second-year
student.

The students decided not to remain silent and voice concern to the
government.

BAPTIST PASTOR ARRESTED IN AZERBAIJAN

25 June 2008
Today.Az

Baptist pastor Hamid Shabanov was arrested in Zaqatala region of
Azerbaijan.

According to Interfax, he was detained for storing prohibited
religious books.

According to spokesman for the State Commission for work with religious
structures in Azerbaijan, the activity of the baptist community in
Zaqatala region is illegal as the said community was permitted to
function only in Baku and Sumgayit.

ARMEN RUSTAMIAN: KARABAKH CONFLICT’S INTERPRETATION IN PACE REPORT ON AZERBAIJAN UNACCEPTABLE

DeFacto Agency
June 25 2008
Armenia

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict’s interpretation in the PACE report
entitled "About Functioning Democratic Institutes in Azerbaijan"
is absolutely unacceptable for the Armenian party, Armen Rustamian,
a member of Armenian delegation, head of Standing Parliamentary
Committee for External Relations, said in an interview with ArmInfo.

He noted that Armenian delegation’s members had attempted to introduce
amendments to the document; however, they had been turned down. "It
is incomprehensible why there has emerged a connection between
democratization process in Azerbaijan and restoration of territorial
integrity. It is a new approach, a new concept, which rests on the
motivation that the issue referring to restoration of territorial
integrity hampers the country’s democratization. It is absurd, which,
unfortunately, occurred in the text, perhaps, due to Azerbaijanis and
their reporters", Armen Rustamian noted. He voiced an opinion that
deputies from other European countries should also speak against the
interpretation, since, according to the deputy, the idea of democracy
is an absolute value.

To remind, the discussion of the issue referring to situation in
Azerbaijan is being currently held at the PACE session. Tomorrow PACE
is to hold debates on the situation in Armenia.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN TO MEET RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER VLADIMIR PUTIN

ITAR-TASS
June 24 2008
Russia

Armenian President Serge Sargsyan who is arriving in Moscow for a
three-day visit will on Tuesday meet Russian Prime Minister Vladimir
Putin, the Russian government’s press service said.

The agenda will be focused on strengthening trade and economic
relations that have recently become a weighty factor in developing
mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and Armenia.

Moscow is consistently consolidating its position of Yerevan’s key
foreign economic partner.

Moscow and Yerevan build and strengthen trade and economic links.

The two countries whose "reciprocal trade turnover which surpassed a
mark of 0.8 billion dollars in 2007 stand a real chance to increase
it to one billion dollars. The volume of Russian investments in the
republic’s economy is more than 1.2 billion dollars.

Bilateral investments actively contribute to forming favourable
macroeconomic trends in Armenia’s national economy and implementing
large-scale economic projects.

Russian companies are represented in promising sectors of the
Armenian economy – mining, telecommunications and banking. Major
Russian corporations such as Gazprom, Inter RAO EUS, the VTB Bank,
Russian Aluminium and Vympelkom operate in the Armenian market. The
Russian Railways Company, Alrosa and Mobile TeleSystems are joining
big and significant projects.

The Kremlin official recalled that energy is traditionally a priority
area of cooperation. Russian companies fully meet Armenia’s needs
in natural gas and fresh nuclear fuel, gas and energy projects are
implemented, new opportunities are arising for joint work in nuclear
energy, including safe operation of the Armenian nuclear power station,
geological prospecting and industrial development of uranium deposits.

The Russian president’s administration notes positive shifts in the
solution of the problem of expansion of Armenia’s foreign transport
links, especially with Russia.

New horizons are being opened as railway sea ferries between port
Kavkaz and port Poti in Georgia begin active operation and as Armenian
railways come under concession control of the Russian Railways.

Putin and Sargsyan will also discuss cultural and humanitarian aspects
of bilateral relations. The people of the two countries actively
participate in numerous projects aimed at promoting cultural and
educational ties. Successful cooperation has been developing within
the framework of the Council for humanitarian cooperation and the
Inter-State Foundation for the CIS humanitarian cooperation. The
First International festival of Russian-language radio broadcasting
held on June 20-22 had a serious response.

Apart from Putin, Serge Sargsyan will also meet his Russian opposite
number – Dmitry Medvedev.

Medvedev and Sargsyan who took office almost simultaneously (with a
difference in one month) this year have already met twice. Sargsyan
visited Moscow late in March and was in St. Petersburg early in June
to attend the informal CIS summit. The same day, the Russian leader
extended an invitation to his Armenian colleague to come to Russia
for an official visit.

DAVID HAROUTYUNYAN: NOBODY SHOULD SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF ULTIMATUMS DURING A POLITICAL DIALOGUE

ArmInfo
2008-06-24 21:49:00

"Nobody should speak the language of ultimatums during a political
dialogue", Head of the Armenian delegation to PACE David Haroutyunyan
said to ArmInfo correspondent when commenting upon the fact that
the opposition perceives a possible dialogue with the authorities as
an unalterable goal to hold new elections in the country. To note,
in the report on Armenia the co-rapporteurs called on all political
forces boycotting the dialogue with the authorities to reconsider
their position and not to miss the chance proposed by the authorities.

According to Haroutyunyan, the opposition may have its tasks, and
one of their tasks concerning holding of snap elections shouldn’t
be a precondition for a dialogue. "After all, this is not the only
important task of the country’s democratic development. The opposition
proclaiming re- election as its only task is ridiculous. There are many
other urgent problems in Armenia and I think that, if the opposition
continues speaking in the language of ultimatums only, no dialogue
will be possible. I don’t think that the opposition will act like
that. There are lots of urgent tasks and dialogue is a way for the
opposition to make its demands known and to attain balance with the
government for solving its own tasks. If the opposition acts in the
framework of political process, this is quite possible and acceptable.

KHALIFA LAUDED FOR EFFORTS TO PROTECT ENVIRONMENT

Khaleej Times
June 23 2008
United Arab Emirates

ABU DHABI- The Armenian Ambassador to the UAE, Vahagn Melikian, has
praised the efforts of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin
Zayed Al Nahyan, in protecting the environment, preserving wildlife,
and developing natural resources in the UAE and other countries,
especially Armenia.

In a lecture at the Centre for Information Affairs, Melikian expressed
his country’s gratitude to the UAE leadership for donating land
in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi for building churches and schools for the
Armenian community in the two emirates.

In Sharjah, he said, an Armenian church and school are currently
operating and the Armenian community in the UAE is garnering funds
for building a church and school in Abu Dhabi.

The Armenian ambassador shed light on the Arpa-Sevan tunnel
reconstruction and rehabilitation project and its vitality for his
country.

He said that Armenia is often referred to as an open-air museum
as there are about 40,000 historical monuments spread across the
country. Lake Sevan is, undoubtedly, considered one of Armenia’s most
precious treasures, he added.

Melikian praised the $10 million loan given to his country by the Abu
Dhabi Fund for Development to finance the rehabilitation of Arpa-Sevan
Tunnel project, stating that this is a positive indication of the
desire and determination of the two countries to strengthen their
bilateral relations in all fields.

Lake Sevan is located some 65km northeast from the capital, Yerevan,
and it is considered the biggest lake in the Caucasus and one of the
highest freshwater lakes in the world, he said, adding that it has
a tectonic-volcanic origin.

The ambassador stated that Lake Sevan is the only large natural water
reservoir in Armenia, which is highly important for water balance of
the Southern Caucasus, as well as for that of northern Iran and Turkey.

Due to its strategic water resources, it is simultaneously the basic
source of consumer water supply for Armenia and bordering states, he
said, mentioning that 26 big and small rivers flow into Lake Sevan,
whereas only the Hrazdan River flows out of it.

IDEAS INSTEAD OF PHYSICAL VALUES

Panorama.am
20:10 19/06/2008

The president of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan had a meeting with the
representatives of "Ayb" club and educational foundation, reported
the press service of the president’s administration. According to the
source the president has been introduced to the activities and projects
of the foundation which are directed to improve the educational level
in the country.

According to a project of the foundation "Ayb Educational Center"
should be established which will include a school, church, sport
complex, art center, hall of residence. The representatives of the
foundation said that though the Government has provided a territory
for the implementation of the project support from the private sector
is also needed.

The president affirmed the support from the state but said that the
project has more utopia in it, though any attempt to improve the
education level should be supported and if the target is put higher
then success is guaranteed.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN MEETS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF "AYB" CLUB

armradio.am
19.06.2008 16:08

President Serzh Sargsyan today met with representatives of the "Ayb"
club and the educational fund.

Representatives of "Ayb" presented to the President he club’s activity,
which is mainly directed towards the reformation of the educational
sphere, formation of an exemplary educational atmosphere and supporting
talented children. Speaking about future programs, they presented the
"Ayb educational link," which, if implemented, will become the first
school campus with all components – school, church, sports complex,
workroom, hostel, etc.

Noting that the Government provided land for the implementation of
the program long ago, the authors of the project said the assistance
of the private sector would also be welcomed.

Guaranteeing the participation and assistance of the state, the
President said that although the idea seems to be a little utopist
today, he is assured there will be great results. Serzh Sargsyan said
also that he welcomes all the initiatives which are directed at raising
the educational level of the society and unification of the public.

Agreeing that Armenia has restricted natural resources, the
participants of the sitting said intellect is the main resource
of our country, which should be maximally developed. As a result,
Armenia will give ideas to the world instead of physical values.

OBAMA REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO U.S. ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION

NOYAN TAPAN

JU NE 19
WASHINGTON

ARMENIANS TODAY

With the Senate Foreign Relations Committee set to consider
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia nominee Marie Yovanovitch at a confirmation
hearing on June 12 presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack
Obama restated his commitment to U.S. recognition of the Armenian
Genocide.

In a letter to Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Chairman
Ken Hachikian, Sen. Obama wrote: "I share your view that the United
States must recognize the events of 1915 to 1923, carried out by the
Ottoman Empire, as genocide. We must recognize this tragic reality. The
Bush Administration’s refusal to do so is inexcusable, and I will
continue to speak out in an effort to move the Administration to
change its position."

Sen. Obama went on to cite his concerns about the firing of former U.S.

Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans in 2006 for speaking
truthfully about the Armenian Genocide. "I was deeply disturbed two
years ago when the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia was fired after he used
the term "genocide" to describe the mass slaughter of Armenians. In
a letter to the Department of State, I called for Secretary Rice to
closely examine what I believe is an untenable position taken by the
U.S. government."

THIS YEAR GOLDEN APRICOT 5th INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL TO HAVE NEITHER OPENING NOR CLOSURE SOLEMN CEREMONIES

Noyan Tapan

Ju ne 18, 2008

YEREVAN, JUNE 18, NOYAN TAPAN. This year the Golden Apricot (Voske
Tsiran) 5th International Film Festival to be held on July 13-20 will
have neither opening nor closure solemn ceremonies. Film director
Haroutiun Khachatrian, festival’s Director, stated at the June 18
press conference.

In his words, "they would rather spend these funds on bringing films
than preparing concert programs," especially that all weighty festivals
organize a very modest opening and closure.

Haroutiun Khachatrian said that tickets of all festival films will
cost 300 drams thanks to the VivaCell company, which is to transfer
the rest 1200 drams of tickets’ cost to Moscow and Nairi cinemas.