ARMENIAN YOUTH SEES ITS POLITICAL “PROGRESS” MAINLY OUTSIDE OF PARTIES
Noyan Tapan
June 05 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Only 30 of more than 80 parties acting in
Armenia have youth wings or permanently acting youth structures. Their
majority does not promote a regular, organized party activity. The
parties of the ruling coalition, the United Labor Party, the Orinats
Yerkir (Country of Law) opposition party, the National Unity, the
People’s Party of Armenia, the Hanrapetutiun (Republic) party, the
Democratic Liberal Union of Armenia, the People’s Party have more or
less actively working youth wings and structures.
Parallelly, there are some parties in Armenia (the Youth Party of
Armenia, the Progressive Party of Armenia, the Ardarutiun (Justice)
party), the majority of the members of which are young people. As
it was mentioned in the report provided to Noyan Tapan from the
Information Analyses and Programs Elaboration Department of Center
for Organization of Youth Events of RA Ministry of Culture and Youth
Affairs, young people see their political “progress,” satisfaction of
their political requirements mainly outside of parties. Mass surveys
conducted within the framework of the youth national report show
that only 3.6% of youth is a member of any party and only 5% trusts
any party. According to the results of the surveys conducted within
the framework of the youth national report, the participation of the
youth in mass actions of protest, rallies and processions is extremely
low. Only 11% of youth has participated in rallies and other actions
of protest and their 88% does not at all accept this way of political
participation considering it non-efficient or just an adventure.

ACCORDING TO RESULTS OF SURVEY CONDUCTED BY YOUTH PARTY OF ARMENIA, VAHRAM NERSISIANTS RECOGNIZED BEST STATESMAN OF YEAR
Noyan Tapan
June 05 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 5, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the results of the blitz
survey conducted by the Youth Party of Armenia, Vahram Nersisiants,
Chief Adviser to RA President on Economic Issues, was recognized
“The best statesman of the year.” Sargis Asatrian, Chairman of the
Youth Party of Armenia, informed about this at the June 5 press
conference. He gave V.Nersisiants a diploma and a bronze “Graal cup”
symbolizing the idea of firm and transparent economy. As S.Asatrian
said, the Armenian public, especially the youth, “has lack of
estimation of exemplary phenomena in the system of values.” According
to him, V.Nersisiants is given the prize not as a state representative,
but as a RA citizen. Vahram Nersisiants is one of the few officials
who holding a state post has no source of side income,” the Chairman of
the Youth Party of Armenia emphasized. According to Vahram Nersisiants,
a state official should have a modest way of life and should consider
the state work an enjoyment and it is businessmen that can have
business. He added that he is not the only one among the Armenian
officials who do not use state work for other purposes. “We have such
officials, though few, and their number will increase in the course
of time,” he emphasized. According to the Adviser to the President,
“in consequence of the policy of dictatorship our people has made
espionage, falsehood, deceit an implement of their existence, and
a change, a change of generations and development is necessary to
completely get rid of them. Though, now we have great progress as
compared with the neighboring countries and past 15 years.” In response
to the question, how he treats appreciation of dram and growth in
prices for goods, V.Nersisiants said that this is connected with
economic laws, supply and demand and especially import of a great
deal of dollars and other currencies from abroad. “This results in
fluctuations, which is corrected by CBA as far as possible.”

70% OF ARMENIAN FORESTS DECOMPOSED AND OLD
Noyan Tapan
June 05 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 5, NOYAN TAPAN. 334 thousand ha or 11.2% of Armenia’s
territory is covered by forests, which makes only 0.1 ha per
capita. According to the 2003-2005 Ministerial Report of the RA
Ministry of Nature Protection, about 70% of the country’s natural
forests are decomposed and old. 36% of timber resources are mature
and overmature forests, which are located in areas difficult of
access. According to the report, the inefficient forest management over
the last ten years has brouhgt the forests anf forest ecosystems to
a critical state. Incorrect forest menangement has resulted in aging
and overmaturity of forets in some areas, and to their degradation
and destruction – in others. The energy and economic crises brought
about large-scale deforestation in about 40,000 ha of forests and
green zones. Most of illegal tree cutting has been done by residents
of 230 communities located 5 km from forests – for heating.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

METROPOLITAN KLIMENT CONSIDERS THAT “MUCH IS DONE FOR PRESERVING CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL VALUES IN AZERBAIJAN”
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
June 05 2006
MOSCOW, JUNE 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The other day the
Press Service of Moscow Patriarchate spread a press release about
the meeting of Manager of the Patriarchate, Metropolitan of Kaluga
and Borovsko Kliment with Azerbaijani Ambassador Polad Byulbyuloghli,
during which, according to the Press Service, it was mentioned that
“today much is done both in Russia and in Azerbaijan for preserving
cultural and spiritual values.” The Press Service does not mention,
whether at the meeting it was spoken about the khachkars (cross-stones)
destroyed in Nakhichevan. Whereas, the Yerkramas (Territory) newspaper
of Armenians of Russia reminds that the sitting of the Commission of
Public Chamber of RF on Issues of Cultural and Spiritual Heritage
presided over by Metropolitan Kliment was held on May 17 2006,
during which the issue “on application of the participants of Moscow
roundtable” “Armenian Cultural Monuments of Nakhichevan – Subject of
Vandalism of Azerbaijan” was considered. The Commission of Public
Chamber unanimously condemned the act of vandalism in Azerbaijan
towards monuments of Armenian spiritual culture in Old Jugha, as
well as expressed intention to jointly with the Chamber’s interested
commissions on issues of tolerance and liberty of conscience, culture,
globalization and national strategy of development, international
cooperation and public diplomacy study the state and Azerbaijan’s
preserving the cultural and spiritual heritage of other peoples,
which is the property of the world civilization.
Metropolitan Kliment also spoke during the exchange of opinions. He
declared that the destroyed Armenian historic and cultural monuments
were the property of the whole world civilization, their destruction
was an irreplaceable loss for the world cultural and historic heritage.

DEMAGOGIC PROPOSALS OF DIALOGUE UNCOVER DIPLOMATIC WEAKNESS OF TURKEY, HEAD OF ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF SLOVAKIA EMPHASIZES
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
June 05 2006
BRATISLAVA, JUNE 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Starting dialogue
on historic fact, Turkey has only one goal – to create an illiusion,
to prove to Europe that it’s a completely ready country for membership
to the European Union and finds a free, openly speaking and civilized
way even in the Armenian Genocide issue to prove its “truth.” Ashot
Grigorian, the Chairman of the Europe Armenian Organizations’
Representation, the head of the Armenian community of Slovakia stated
about it, giving explanations to a number of representatives of
mass media of Slovakia on the issue of recognition of the Armenian
Genocide on the way of Turkey’s membership to the EU. “Thus, first
of all, the fact of a dialogue, if it takes place, is already very
benefitial for Turkey.
It’s natural that it’s needless and harmful for Armenia,” he
explained. “A country that has blocked for dozens of years documents
of the Armenian Genocide in its archives and today states that it
is ready to open its archives in front of specialists, does anybody
doubt that all the documents containing proves will have been cleaned
from those archives? Even more, how one believe a country which puts on
trial its scientists in the case of expressing any true idea concerning
the Armenian Genocide and even adopted a criminal law relating to the
issue,” Grigorian mentioned. It, according to him, is such a laughable
fact that after it, demagogic proposals of a dialogue uncover today’s
diplomatic weakness of Turkey. According to the Chairman of the Europe
Armenian Organizations’ Presentation, Turkey’s worthy panishment for
that demagogy will be to take the second step as well by countries
adopted resolutions on the Armenian Genocide, thus, to make resolutions
adopted by parliaments like a law, in the case of what refusal of the
Armenian Genocide will become criminally punishable. He finds that
European Armenian communities must settle down that affair just now,
in works with parliaments of their countries.

WORLD BANK ALLOCATES 6.25 MLN DOLLARS FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS PROJECT IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
June 05 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The World Bank (WB) will provide
a credit of 6.25 mln USD for the Avian Influenza Preparedness
Project in Armenia. The WB Board of Directors made a decision on this
recently. The WB Yerevan Office Director Roger Robinson said during a
press conefernce on June 5 that the project will also be supported by
a $803,900 co-financing Policy and Human Resource Developemnt (PHRD)
Grant from the Japanese Government. According to R. Robinson, the
project will help the Armenian government to minimize the threat of
an avian influenza pandemic in Armenia, as well as to be prepared
for emergencies as a result of avian influenza and other infectious
diseases among humans. Under the project, three laboratories will
be fitted with equipment. In the human health sector, the project
will reduce the impact of a pandemic influenza through year-round
surveillance, effective and accurate methods of diagnosis, social
distance interventions and strengthened medical services. Under this
project, no vaccine is envisaged for birds. R.Robinson noted that
in case of a pandemic, small and medium poultry farms with up to
200 birds will receive a compensation in the amount of 75% of loss
incurred. Prior to it, these farms have to pay some symbolic sum to
the Foundation of Compensation. Large poultry farms are not elegible
for compensation under the project. It was noted that a project of
almost the same cost is also being implemented in Georgia, and one
of the projects under implementation in Azerbaijan will also serve
this purpose.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RECTOR OF STATE ENGINEERING UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA IS PROFESSOR OF SAME UNIVERSITY, NA DEPUTY VOSTANIK MARUKHIAN
Noyan Tapan
June 05 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Professor of the State Engineering
University of Armenia, NA Deputy Vostanik Marukhian was elected the
Rector of the institution of higher education with 29 “for” and 1
“against” votes at the June 2 sitting of the Management Council of
the State Engineering University of Armenia. Vostanik Marukhian
had no rivals for the Rector’s post. Yuri Sargsian, the Former
Rector of the same institution of higher education, who resigned
that post two months ago, will stay at the University, continuing
his professor-lecturer’s and scientific work. Vostanik Marukhian
sees nothing strange in his being the only candidate proposed for
the Rector’s post, though he would like to have rivals. “Maybe, the
circumstance of being the only candidate is provided by the fact that
even those people who may pretend for that post, see in me the person
who has experience and merit of 34 years in government and education
works of the institution of higher education,” the newly elected Rector
emphasized. We must also mention that a change was recently made
in the staff of the University Council: particularly, former Rector
of the University Yuri Sargsian was involved in the Council instead
of Artashes Tumanian, the former head of the RA President’s staff,
and former RA Minister of Education and Science Sergo Yeritsian was
changed by newly appointed Minister Levon Mkrtchian. Sergo Yeritsian
remained in the Council staff as the Government’s representative.

CHESS PIECE
Times, UK
June 5 2006
British grandmaster i.s.o. anger management
The king is dead. Thus, roughly translated, the original Persian for
“checkmate”. But the male pretenders to the world chess throne at
a recently concluded chess Olympiad in Turin were very much alive –
as players, to be sure, but more particularly as men.
It was as if they sought to prove to themselves and to an
insufficiently interested world outside the tournament that
grandmasters are more than furnace-like intellects encased in
low-emission personalities. Some have fire in their bellies, too.
No one accuses Levon Aronian, the Armenian world No 3, of any active
role in this, but it seems to have been he who attracted the attention
of the beautiful Australian chess starlet Arianne Caoili at a party
thrown by the Bermudan delegation the night before the second rest
day of the Olympiad.
Like a knight wrong-footed by a queen’s gambit, Danny Gormally, a
Brit often seen in baseball caps, mustered what force he could and
counter-attacked. His own favourite openings are the Sicilian and the
Nimzo Indian. This time he chose the clenched fist. Aronian wasn’t
hurt, but his dance with Caoili was cut shorter than Fischer v Panno
in Majorca in 1970. Armenia’s outrage simmers on.
It is not clear if Gormally normally would be reprimanded formally;
it is clear that his team was already struggling before its grumpiest
member succumbed to the distractions of the dancefloor. British Chess
Magazine bemoans an “end-of-Empire” feeling about the English game,
and little wonder. We won our last match for nineteenth place –
against the now defunct Serbia and Montenegro.

BLACK SEA STATES AGREE ON TIES
>From correspondents in Bucharest
Sunday Times.au, Australia
Advertiser Adelaide, Australia
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia
Courier Mail, Australia
The Australian, Australia
June 6 2006
LEADERS of states around the Black Sea committed today to work
together on regional problems such as organised crime, security,
energy supplies and economic development.
The nine states also called on the European Union to get more involved
in the region, where many countries are struggling to forge closer
ties with the West as they move away from Russia’s orbit.
“The Black Sea region now has a chance to become an attractive
partner for the main centres of economic power if it is capable
of transforming itself from a source of problems into a source of
solutions for Europe,” Romanian president Traian Basescu told the
leaders’ summit in Bucharest.
But they made little progress in outlining an end to several
territorial disputes which stem from the messy dissolution of the
Soviet Union and cloud the prospects for stability in the region,
also known to be a major illegal trafficking area.
“We announce the launch of the Black Sea Forum for Dialogue and
Partnership, a process that will serve as a regional platform … to
define a common vision of democratic and sustainable development,”
the countries said in a declaration, which was not signed by Russia.
“The forum will provide a framework for generating new ideas …
encouraging regional cooperation in crisis management,” said the
nine states including EU candidates Romania and Bulgaria, as well as
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Turkey and Ukraine.
The EU, which is looking for alternative routes for energy supplies
throughout Asia, welcomed the agreement, urging regional leaders to
take action on organised crime and territorial conflicts.
“Our aim is to see a stable, democratic region here … to help
fight human trafficking, (the) transit of drugs, to prevent weapon
smuggling,” said Peter Semneby, EU special representative for Caucasus
and central Asia.
But the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, locked in a dispute
over the Nagorno-Karabakh territory, appeared to be no closer to
resolving the conflict.
Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan
but under the de facto control of ethnic Armenian separatists and
has been a scene of conflict in which about 35,000 people were killed.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BLACK SEA FORUM FOR DIALOGUE AND PARTNERSHIP STARTS IN BUCHAREST
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
June 6 2006
The Black Sea Forum for Dialogue and Partnership initiated by Romania
commenced June 5 at the Romanian Parliament in Bucharest. The forum
was attended by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
Opening the forum Foreign Minister of Romania Mihai Razvan Ungureanu
reported on the agenda.
Then, the forum participants got involved in discussions dealing with
“The Black Sea Region in the European and global context”. Most
of speakers highlighted the need to settle existing conflicts in
the former Soviet Republics as they are seen as impediment for
the regional development and globalizing world. At the same time,
forum participants stressed the importance for the Black Sea region
countries to combine their efforts in order to expand economic,
political, cultural cooperation.
After the break, the forum continued its work with participation
of the Heads of Azerbaijan, Romania, Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova and
Armenia as well as representatives of Turkey, Bulgaria and over 10
other countries.
Speaking at the meeting focused on “The Black Sea Forum: new ideas,
new commitments, new instruments”, President of Romania Traian Basescu
welcomed the participants and guests and said that this forum is very
useful in terms of drawing world community’s attention to the Black
Sea region. He said the forum offers a platform for open dialogue in
order to promote regional cooperation, solidarity, transparency and
democracy. The forum aims to contribute to the peace and stability
in the Black Sea region. To this end, six heads of states as well
as senior officials of the European Union, Council of Europe, NATO
and other international organizations and representatives of over
10 countries were invited to this event. Over 400 non-governmental
organizations show great interest in the event and over 350 local
and foreign media outlets cover the forum’s activities.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev delivered a speech during
the forum. The Head of State touched upon Azerbaijan’s economic
development, involvement in international projects and the work that
has been done towards integration into the European structures.
President said that implementation of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and
Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum oil and gas pipeline projects is of great
importance for the world, in particular, European and Black Sea
region countries and found a need to create regional transport
infrastructure. Speaking of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict President Ilham Aliyev once again revealed Azerbaijan’s
fair stance on this matter and said that 20 percent of Azerbaijani
territories are occupied by Armenia and over a million Azerbaijanis
became refugees and IDPs as a result of the policy of ethnic
cleansing. According to the President, this problem should be settled
in line with international legal standards.
President of Azerbaijan stressed the importance of the forum, saying
that discussion were very fruitful at the event. Then, he expressed
his gratitude to the organizers of the event.
The forum was also addressed by Presidents of Armenia, Georgia,
Moldova and Ukraine as well as Ivailo Kalfin, Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, Besir Atalay, Minister of
State, Turkey and other top officials. The speakers highly assessed the
forum and highlighted the need to find a solution to some important
issues.
In conclusion, a joint declaration for the Black Sea Forum for Dialogue
and Partnership was adopted.