TEACHERS OF GEORGIAN RE-TRAINED IN JAVAKHK
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 04 2006
AKHALKALAK, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Courses of
re-training of Georgian language teachers of non-Georgian schools
is continued in Akhalkalak. The courses are held under the patronage
of the OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities. According to
the “A-Info” agency, teachers of more than 150 Armenian schools of
Javakhk will participate in the regular stage of the courses started
on August 30. The courses organizers have a hope that they will assist
effeciency of teaching the Georgian language in the region.
Implementation of the OSCE program on re-training of the Georgian
language teachers of non-Georgian schools of Samtskhe-Javakhk started
a year ago.

NUMBER OF ARMENIANS IN JAVAKHK BRANCH OF TBILISI STATE UNIVERSITY IS JUST SYMBOLIC
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 04 2006
AKHALKALAK, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Entrance exams
finished in the Akhaltskha and Akhalkalak branches of the Tbilisi State
University. 350 entrants enter the Akhaltskha branch, 80 ones enter
the Akhalkalak branch. Though the absolute majority of the region is
Armenians, and the Akhalkalak branch of the university was founded
with a reasoning of giving Armenian young people possibility to get
higher education at place and to integrate in the Georgian society,
the number of Armenians entering the university is just symbolic:
14 Armenian entrants entered the Akhalkalak branch and other 14
ones entered the Akhaltskha branch. According to the A-Info agency,
Georgian young people from other regions of Georgia made a great
number by percentage, especially in Akhalkalak.

CONSTRUCTION OF YOUTH CENTERS IN JABAKHK TO BE COMPLETED LATER THAN SCHEDULED
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 04 2006
AKHALKALAK, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Construction
works of the youth centers being built in Akhalkalak and Ninotsminda
by the Government of Georgia will be completed later than it is
scheduled. According to the A-Info agency, representatives of the
Tbilisi “Spetsmontazh” company implementing the construction motivate
that for absence of some specialists at place, they are invited from
Tbilisi, what artificially delays the construction works. But, the
builders hope that they will not delay much, and soon inhabitants of
Akhalkalak and Ninotsminda will have youth centers corresponding to
European standards.

OPEN LESSON ON SILVA KAPUTIKIAN’S CREATION TO BE HELD IN SOCHI WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 04 2006
KRASNODAR, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. An open
integrated lesson of Russian Language and Literature in the 11th form
for pupils of Armenian nationality on the subject “Role of Artistic
Translation in Interchange of Cultures” (on creation of Armenian and
Russian poetess’ Silva Kaputikian and Maria Petrovykh) will take
place within the framework of international scientific-practical
conference titled “Teaching and Functioning of Russian as State
Language of the Russian Federation in Conditions of a Multi-language
Environment.” According to the Yerkramas (Krai) newspaper of Armenians
of Russia, the conference will be held on September 5-8 in Sochi.

HAYASTAN ALL-ARMENIAN FUND TO IMPLEMENT 14 PROGRAMS IN MARTAKERT THIS YEAR
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. At present about 5 mln USD has
been collected out of donations amounting to 7.7 mln USD promised
during Telethon-2005.
As NT correspondent was informed by Naira Melkumian, Executive Director
of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, Martakert Regional Development
Program aimed at simultaneous restoration and development of different
spheres will be implemented with these funds in 2006. In total, it
is envisaged to implement 14 programs in Martakert, in particular,
3 schools will be built, the villages of Arachadzor and Chldran will
be supplied with gas. Besides, the regional hospital of Martakert
will be repaired. In Naira Melkumian’s words, ambulance cars have
been bought with the financing of the Fund’s Los Angeles local body,
the hospital will have modern medical equipment. Under another
program it is envisaged to build a 3-km drinking water pipeline
in Martakert. N.Melkumian said that an Agricultural Development
Program is also being implemented in Martakert by means of the NKR
Agricultural Assistance Fund. Within the framework of the latter the
Fund has already bought and sent to NKR different kinds of agricultural
equipment amounting to about 0.5 mln USD.

DELEGATION LED BY ROMANIAN NATIONAL DEFENCE MINISTER TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA ON OFFICIAL VISIT ON SEPTEMBER 6
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. A delegation led by Romanian
National Defence Minister Teodor Atanasiu will arrive in Armenia
on a three-day official visit on September 6. After the official
meeting ceremony at Erebuni airport the delegation will have a press
briefing. As Noyan Tapan was informed by Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian,
Spokesperson for RA Defence Minister, during the visit, on September 7,
the delegation will have meetings with RA President, Prime Minister,
Defence and Foreign Ministers. On September 7, the delegation will
visit the Museum of Victims of the Armenian Genocide, will lay a wreath
to the memory of the Genocide victims. On September 8, visits to the
Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin and Matenadaran are scheduled. Then
the head of the Romanian delegation will meet with journalists.

TARIFFS OF SERVICES DELIVERED TO POPULATION IN AUGUST DECLINE BY 0.2%
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The tariffs of services delivered
to the population in August declined by 0.2% compared with July,
which was mainly conditioned by a 1.7%, 0.5% and 0.2% decline in
transport (due to a 5.2% decline in air transport fares), cultural
and communication services respectively.
According to the RA National Statistical Service, in the indicated
period, the tariffs of public catering, consumer and medical services
grew by 0.1-0.2%, while those of housing, utility, educational,
recreational, legal and banking services remained at the previous
month’s level.

ARMENIAN DRAM APPRECIATES BY 10.6% AGAINST US DOLLAR IN AUGUST 2006 ON DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. A 2.7% growth in consumer prices
was registered in August 2006 on December 2005, with the Armenian
dram appreciating by 10.6% against the US dollar. According to the RA
National Statistical Service, a similar tendency was registered in the
same period of last year: a 4.5% growth in consumer prices was followed
by a 5.2% appreciation of the Armenian dram against the US dollar. A
0.9% price fall was registered in the Armenian consumer market in
August on July 2006, while the Armenian dram appreciated by 3.7%
against the US dollar in the currency market. The average settlement
exchange rate of the US dollar made 401.9 drams in August 2006,
which is lower by 12.8% (460.99 drams) than the index of August 2005.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO NKR INDEPENDENCE 15th ANNIVERSARY OPENS AT RA NATIONAL LIBRARY
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The exhibition that opened on
September 4 at RA National Library is dedicated to the 15th anniversary
of NKR independence. Literature, magazines, publications dedicated to
Artsakh history are presented at the exhibition. Separate departments
are dedicated to struggle for Artsakh liberation, in particular, to
its heroes, to Shoushi liberation. As Levon Shirinian, candidate of
philosophical sciences, said, no issue has been and will be solved
in Armenian-Turkish relations without using force. In his words,
Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s becoming democratic countries is an illusion.
In L.Shirinian’s opinion, one of solutions to the Nagorno Karabakh
problem is Armenian side’s continuing military, economic pressures
and forcing Azerbaijan to sign a reconciliation agreement. “The other
variant is status quo. We should preserve the current frozen state,
status quo and this idea will become fixed in the consciousness of
the world community and Azerbaijani people,” L.Shirinian said.

SYRIAN MUFTI LAYS WREATH TO MONUMENT OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 04 2006
ECHMIADZIN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On September 3,
Sheikh Ahmed Badr-Eddine Hassoun, the Grand Mufti of the Arab Republic
of Syria, and his delegation visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial
Complex dedicated to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims. As
Noyan Tapan was informed from the Information Services of the Mother
See of Holy Echmiadzin, Sheikh Hassoun visited the Genocide Museum
where he made notes at the museum memory book.
Then the Syrian Mufti laid a wreath to the memorial to the Armenian
Genocide victims and paid the tribute of his respect to the memory
of Genocide victims.
“…If the peoples had really followed their religions… these
massacres would not have taken place. The Armenian people should
recover from this pain and build Armenia in peace,” Sheikh Ahmed
Badr-Eddine Hassoun, in particular, said expressing confidence that
the Armenian people, wherever it be in the Diaspora, should extend
a helping hand to help to restore the Mother Armenia.
“Our pains did not teach us hatred but guided our people to follow
the divine way,” the Syrian Mufti emphasized.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress