TSALKA-NINOTSMINDA-AKHALKALAK RAILWAY BEING RESTORED
AKHALKALAK, AUGUST 1, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The
Railway Department of Georgia started restoration the
Tsalka-Ninotsminda-Akhalkalak railway. This railway tying Javakhk
to Tbilisi by Tsalka was put into operation and in 1987 it functioned
till 2004. It is already two years that the railway does not operate
for being unsafe, and it is possible to re-put it in action only after
restoration. Restoration works of the railway will finish in September.
The “A-Info” agency also emphasizes that in spite of the circumstance
of plenty of manpower in Javakhk, the majority of workers working on
the railway are brought from outsite.

WORKS OF SALE OF TERRITORIES OF 3OTH DISTRICT TO START DURING COMING 1-2 MONTHS
YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, NOYAN TAPAN. It is already a week that
works of making inventory of the Yerevan “Kozern” district have
started. As Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharian informed at the July 31
press-conference, inhabitants having no property certificate will
be given certificates during 2-3 months. He mentioned that works
of building of the “Kozern” and “Kond” districts will be worked out
only after that. The Mayor also informed that works of building of
territories of the 30th district (“Firdusnots”) will start during
coming 1-2 months. Unlike other territories, according to Y.Zakharian,
all inhabitants of the 30th district will be proposed flats in the
same district and only in the case of refusal they will be given
compensation.

ANASTAS AGHAZARIAN APPOINTED MEMBER OF RA STATE COUNCIL ON STATISTICS
YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, NOYAN TAPAN. By RA President Robert Kocharian’s
July 27 decree, Hrachia Petrosian was dicharged the post of a member
of the RA State Council on Statistics on the occasion of the end
of his officiating term. According to the information submitted to
Noyan Tapan by the RA President’s Press Office, bya another decree,
Anastas Aghazarian was appointed a member of the RA State Council
on Statistics.

RA PRIME MINISTER GETS ACQUAINTED WITH PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTION OF
IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPE AND MEGHRI-KAPAN ROAD
KAPAN, AUGUST 1, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian
who visited the marz of Syunik on July 28-30 got acquainted at place
with the process of construction of the Iran-Armenia gas pipe, the
Meghri-Kapan alternative road, visited the Tatev monastery. At the
office of the Kapan territorial organization of the Republican Party
of Armenia A.Margarian had a meeting on July 29 with the community
heads, members of the marz council and heads of initial organizations
of the party. Though the Prime Minister refused to give an interview
to journalists, it became possible to get to know from the meeting
participants that inner-party issues were mainly discussed at the
meeting. Particularly, an agreement was reached to start to propagate
the RPA ideology by local mass media.

EXHIBITION OF MODERN ART TO OPEN IN NPAK ON AUGUST 4
YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, NOYAN TAPAN. An exhibition of modern art: painting,
photography, mixed techniques, will open on August 4 at the Innovatory
Experimental Art Center (NPAK) of Yerevan. As Noyan Tapan was informed
from NPAK, 25 artists from Armenia, Georgia, Iran and Turkey will
participate in the exhibition. The exhibition was organized under the
patronage of the NPAK, Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation
as well as with the assistance of the “Cafesjian Museum,” “Robert
Poghosian and Sons,” “Sonya and Eduard Palasanians” foundations.

277 FROM 1262 ENTRANTS RECEIVE UNSATISFACTORY MARKS FOR “PHYSICS” SUBJECT UP
TO NOW, AND 175 ONES RECEIVE 18-20 POINTS
YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, NOYAN TAPAN. From July 20-30, 1262 entrants from
1479 ones of the RA institutions of higher education took entrance
exam on the “Physics” subject by a centralized order. 277 of them
received “unsatisfactory” mark, and 175 received 18-20 points,
including 6 entrants with 20 points. As Roland Avagian, the Chairman
of the subject commission informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent,
125 from 150 entrants reported for the exam on August 1.
According to his estimation, the majority of entrants has enough
knowledge on this subject. As of the same day, 2087 entrants took
written exam on English.
According to data of the republican entrance commission, as of July
30, 1021 entrants received 18-20 points on that subject, among who
151 people got 20 points, 495 entrants got 19 points, 375 ones got
18 points. 114 entrants got less than 8 points. Nune Yernjakian, the
Chairwoman of the commission on written exam of English mentioned in
the interview to the Noyan Tapan correspondent that exams were going
on calmly up to then, no cases of breakings and making use of ciphers
were fixed. N.Yernjakian estimated satisfactory the level of entrants’
readiness as well.

AS OF JULY 30, 1827 FROM 13434 ENTRANTS TAKEN ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS RECEIVE
UNSATISFACTORY MARKS
YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, NOYAN TAPAN. “Entrance exams of institutions
of higher education are going on in a calm atmosphere, no strange
insident has been fixed by now, the number of appeals what makes about
10%, is acceptable and moderate.” Levon Mkrtchian, the RA Minister
of Education and Science, the Chairman of the Republican Entrance
Commission mentioned about it in the interview to the Noyan Tapan
correspondent. According to the Minister, examination commissions
keep the same standards and principles of estimation, so “no flights
of the average mark” are noticed. L.Mkrtchian mentioned that there
are few cases of making use of ciphers as well (only one-two cases
were fixed). According to data of the Republican Entrance Commission,
as of July 30, 13434 entrants took entrance exams at institutions of
higher education of Armenia, 3532 of who got 18-20 points, and 1827
got unsatisfactory points. Most of all 18-20 points were fixed on
the following subjects: the written “Armenian Language” 1502 and
the written “English Language” 1021. No 20 points were fixed for
“Biology,” “The French Language” and “The Russian Language” oral exams,
“The History of Armenian People,” “The General History,” “Geography,”
“Creative Competition” and “Chemistry” exams. Most of unsatisfactory
marks were fixed for exams on the following subjects: “Mathematics”:
535, and “The History of Armenian People”: 208.

NKR PRESIDENT AND RA NAS CHAIRMAN DISCUSS POSSIBILITY OF FOUNDING SCIENTIFIC
CENTER IN ARTSAKH
STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 1, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues relating to the highest education
system and prospects of development of the applied science in the NKR were
discussed at the July 31 meeting of NKR President Arkadi Ghukasian and
Chairman of the RA National Academy of Science Radik Martirosian. The interlocuters
discussed the possibility of founding a scientific center in the NKR by joint
efforts of the NKR authorities, Armenian scientific circles and foreign
partners. According to the NKR President’s Press Service, Kamo Atayan, the NKR
Minister of Education, Science and Sport also participated in the meeting.

ARMEN AVETISIAN: ONE MUST AT ANY PRICE STRUGGLE AGAINST OLIGARCHES’ USING
THEIR AUTHORITY FOR PERSONAL PURPOSES
YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, NOYAN TAPAN. Changes in the administration of the
Republican Party of Armenia deeply affected the RA inner-political
life: one may at any price struggle against oligarches using their
authority for personal purposes. Armen Avetisian, the Chairman of
the Armenian Aryan Order party expressed such an opinion at the
press conference convened on August 1, by adding that the number
of oligarches among republicans continues increasing. According to
A.Avetisian, one must not make money a subject for cult worship: “there
are holenesses like the Fatherland, nation which must not be speculated
in any case.” “Ideological alliances must be created. Today there are
60-70 parties in Armenia, but their majority repeats ideas of each
other,” he stated. In A.Avetisian’s opinion, the ARF and “Hanrapetakan”
(Republican) parties are the owners of strond ideas today.

ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF STAVROPOL ALSO TO HOLD EVENTS WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF YEAR
OF ARMENIA IN RUSSIA
STAVROPOL, AUGUST 1, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Regular sitting of
the information-consulting coordination council of Armenian communities
of the Stavropol region, which was more famous as the “Round Table”
took place in Mineral Vody on July 29. As they informed at the
editorial office of the “Yerkramas” (country) newspaper of Armenians
of Russia, three principal decisions were made at the sitting. So,
though the Republic of Armenia did not include the region of Stavropol
in the program of events to be held by it in the Russian Federation
within the framework of the Year of Armenia in Russia, Stavropol may
not stand aside. Holding of a scientific conference is scheduled for
December, 2006, it is supposed to be in Pyatigorsk, on the basis of
one of institutions of higher education. The theme recommended by the
“Round Table” is: “Armenians and The Stavropol.” It is envisaged
by data of the conference to release a book with materials of the
conference. It is planned to recruit to cooperation scientists not
only from regions of Russia but from Armenia as well.
The book which will become a result of that activity, will be given
to libraries and educational institutions of the region. Famous
Russian scientist Victor Hakobian is instructed to be engaged
in organization of the given project from the scientific point of
view. The second issue was the plan of holding the events dedicated to
the Year of Armenia being held in the Russian Federation, proposed for
discussion by the “Round Table.” Robert Yavrian, the Chairman of the
International Academy of Culture and Art proposed the idea of holding
within the framework of the given event Armenian concerts-festivals
in towns of the region. The third project discussed at the sitting,
was the concert of Armenian artists of the Stavropol region – the
Second Art Festival of Armenian communities of the Stavropol region
which already becomes traditional. It will be held late in 2006
in Min-Vody. The “Round Table” information-consulting coordnination
council of Armenian communities of the Stavropol region has existed in
Stavropol already for the second year. The idea of the “Round Table”
was born in March, 2005, and belongs to Mikhail Manvelov, head of the
“Urartu” Armenian community of Zelenokumsk, who is now the editor of
the “Armenian Panorama” regional newspaper as well, and to founder
of that newspaper Vladimir Bagiyev. The first sitting of the “Round
Table” which was held in Yessentuki, took place just then. Mikhail
Manvelov was elected the Chairman of the “Round Table.”