Serge Sargsyan and Bryan Ardouny Discussed Armenia-U.S. Cooperation
PanARMENIAN.Net
07.07.2006 14:53 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Secretary of the Security Council at the
RA President, Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan met with Executive
Director of the Armenian Assembly of America Bryan Ardouny and Regional
Director Arpi Vardanian. As RA Defense Minister’s Spokesman, Colonel
Seyran Shahsuvaryan told PanARMENIAN.Net, the parties discussed the
Armenia-U.S. cooperation in the military sector and the peaceful
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Bryan Ardouny briefed
to Serge Sargsyan on the AAA activities and processes in the
U.S. referring to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

LIFE IS STAGE, PEOPLE ARE ACTORS
Lragir.am
07 July 06
The National Theatrical Creative Society is ten days old. The first
conference of the society was on June 26, where the members of the
presidium including Ara Yernjakyan, Armen Mazmanyan, Armen Meliksetyan
and Jirayr Dadasyan elected Ruben Babayan, the art director of the
Puppet Theater, chair of the organization.
Unlike other organizations, the members of the presidium will chair
the society in turn. “We find that this form of government is right
because this is a public society and sole governance would not be
helpful,” thinks Ruben Babayan. Considering the establishment of
the organization as natural, he says competition and variety are
the guarantee of progress and they stood up considering tomorrow’s
theater important. They say their mission is to clear the way for
the young generation by providing a free stage.

Vladimir Putin Concerned over Racism Manifestation in Russia
PanARMENIAN.Net
07.07.2006 15:39 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Manifestation of racism is a very dangerous
phenomenon for Russia because the Russian Federation is a multinational
and multi-confessional state, Russian President Vladimir Putin said
during an online interview. “We should give a proper counterblow to
this evil, since it undermines our foundations.
Racism is conditioned by many factors, in part by the large flow of
immigrants and the reaction of the local inhabitants, who blame the
government for poor protection of their own rights,” Putin remarked. In
his words, these problems should be settled consistently at the
legislative level and with the assistance of the law enforcement
bodies. “Of course, this not sufficient and we should carry out
a great deal of work with the young generation. However any deed
exceeding the frames of the acting legislation will be punished,”
the RF President said.

Azeri People Little Informed of Karabakh Life
PanARMENIAN.Net
07.07.2006 15:50 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ When visiting Karabakh I always inform courteously
my acquaintances in the Azeri MFA of the trip. But I insist on the
right of a reporter to make free trips and no power can prohibit me
from doing it,” British journalist Thomas de Waal said. In his words,
Azeri people are very little informed of today’s life in Karabakh. “If
Azeri reporters could freely go to Karabakh it would be very useful,”
he said.
At the same time he underscored he hasn’t heard that he is a “harmful”
individual for Azerbaijan and Armenia. “I think there are people who
have not read “The Black Garden” and such people like demonstrating
discontent. Fortunately, they form a minority. I have many friends
in Armenia and Azerbaijan,” he remarked, reported Echo Baku-based
newspaper.

EXTRAORDINARY SESSION OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT CLOSED
Panorama.am
13:41 07/07/06
The extraordinary session of the National Assembly closed today. The
parliament adopted 17 draft laws, including on judicial system. It
also adopted the law “On alienation of ownership for public and state
needs” which arose discontent of the opposition. Despite of that,
75 parliamentarians voted for the law and only 2 were against. Law
on Insurance was adopted by a unanimous vote.
NA ratified 3 international treaties, including on fight against bird
flue. The treaty envisages funding of $6.593 mln with $4.8 running
to the ministry of agriculture and the rest to ministry of health.
Besides, Armenia will get Japanese grant of $850 thousand for the
same cause. /Panorama.am/

LIBRARIAN AWARDED WITH HONOR CERTIFICATES
Panorama.am
14:43 07/07/06
July 7 has been celebrated as the day of National Library for the sixth
year now. On this day in 1919 the library of the men’s gymnasium was
transformed into National Library by the decision of prime minister
receiving state status. At the moment, the library closely cooperates
with about 30 countries and 100 international organizations, Davit
Sargsyan, library head said. Starting from today, the library will
have its Internet page.
21 librarians will get honor certificates today and the library
celebrates the event with an exhibition of books. /Panorama.am/

COMMON SYSTEM OF EXAMINATION PLANNED FOR SCHOOLS
Panorama.am
15:20 07/07/06
The ministry of education has initiated a discussion at AUA Business
Center on shifting to a common examination system for secondary
school graduates.
Next year graduates will take one final and common examination from
the Armenian language. This means, that the examination results may
be transferred to higher education establishments for some. This
will be done upon the wish of the examinee. If the graduate does not
want the result of the exam to be transferred to a higher educational
establishment as acceptance examination, then he/she must write only
point A.
Otherwise, he/she must take both A and B points.
However, tests unveil that this innovation leaves many questions
open. Therefore, extraordinary examinations for 10 years schoolchildren
will be held next year from the Armenian language and Chemistry. It
may be said that the mentioned system may shift corruption risks to
school. However, some proposals say grading will be done by computer
system eliminating subjectivism. /Panorama.am/

Seyran Ohanyan: We’ll not return the territories comprising our security
zone before the recognition of NKR
ArmRadio.am
07.07.2006 18:00
NKR Defense Minister, Colonel-General Seyran Ohanyan declared today
in Stepanakert that “before recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic we do not intend to return the territories comprising our
security zone.”
Seyran Ohanyan noted that the Karabakh side stands for the peaceful
settlement of the conflict, “but Azerbaijan imposed war on us and we
had to resolve the issue in a military way.”
In the Minister’s words, the territories under NKR control are not
an end in itself, they serve as a security zone to provide for the
peaceful existence of the Republic.
The General underlined that the question of deployment of peacekeeping
forces on the these territories and the conflict zone will be discussed
at the final stage of the settlement, after the resolution of the
major issue, i.e. the determination of the Nagorno-Karabakh status.
“If the major problem is not resolved, there can be no question about
the return of territories,” the Foreign Minister remarked.
Turning to the militant statements of Azerbaijan, Seyran Ohanyan
expressed the opinion that in reality the Azeri side is not willing
to start war. In the Minister’s opinion, the military rhetoric of
Baku pursues domestic political objectives. He noted also that NKR
Army possesses effective measures of defending the Republic.

Azerbaijan and Armenia Were Closer to Peace In Summer 2005
PanARMENIAN.Net
07.07.2006 13:16 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Last year the International Crisis Group organized
two reports on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The first report titled
“Nagorno Karabakh.
New glance at conflict” tells about the current situation in Nagorno
Karabakh and surrounding territories as well as the living conditions
of forced migrants living in Azerbaijan. The second one titled “Nagorno
Karabakh. A plan for peace” is mostly dedicated to the negotiation
process. It contains some recommendations to the governments of
Armenia, Azerbaijan, de facto NKR government and international
organizations,” ICG Caucasus project director Sabine Freizer stated.
In her words, the plan of peaceful settlement stated in the second
report was close to the contents of the plan negotiated with the
mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group. “As it can be seen from the
statement made by the Co-chairs on June 22 in Vienna at the sitting
of the OSCE Permanent Council it maintains the principles being
negotiated,” Freizer said.
Rating the situation as critical, Ms. Freizer said that in summer 2005
Azerbaijan and Armenia were much closer for achieving peace in the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict. “Before the Rambouillet meeting there was a
bigger hope for peace, start of withdrawal of the Armenian forces from
the seized territories and return of the Azeri displaced persons to
their homes in mid 2006 or early 2007. Now this hope is vague while
the mediators announced of their intention to stop activities for
some period,” she said, reported Azeri-Press.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AUTHORITIES IN SYUNIK SAY DROUGHT CAUSES 4 BILLION DAMAGES
Armenpress
KAPAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS: Authorities in Armenian provinces
claim multi-billion damages (in Armenian drams) sustained to their
agricultures by a long string of very hot and dry days in late June
and early July.
Thus authorities in the southern province of Syunik have calculated
that the volume of damages in their province is over 4 billion
Armenian Drams. They say wheat was destroyed on 22,000 hectares out
of 27,000 hectares of land under that crop. The most affected areas
are in Sisian region where they say nearly 90 percent of wheat was
destroyed, in Goris region 60 percent of wheat and in Kapan and Meghri
almost half of it were destroyed.
Though the province saw several days of heavy rains but they could
hardly improve the situation concerning wheat planting, though they
are very good for vegetables. A team of experts from the agriculture
ministry will travel to the province to calculate the amount of
damages on the ground.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress