CONFERENCE ON THEME “MESROP MASHTOTS AND ARMENIAN ALPHABET” TAKES PLACE IN OXFORD UNIVERSITY
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 05 2006
LONDON, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A conference of the
theme “Mesrop Mashtots and the Armenian Alphabet” took place on April
28 at the Exeter College of the Oxford University. Theo M. van Lint,
Professor of the Armenology Department functioning by Gulbenkian fund’s
financing at the Oxford University, Dr. Jos J.S. Weitenberg, the Chief
of the Armenology Department of the Leiden University (Netherlands),
Vrezh Nersesian, the head of the Birtish library “Christian Middle
East” department, Erna Shirinian, the head of the ancient literature
department of the Yerevan Matenadaran (Armenian repository of ancient
manuscripts), others made speeches at the conference. As Noyan Tapan
was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information
Department, RA Ambassador to United Kingdom Vahe Gabrielian made
the opening speech at the conference. He touched upon in his speech
the role of the Armenian letters in the Armenian history and affair
of formation of the Armenian people’s identity, their political
meaning and lessons. The conference followed the medieval literary
men’s exhibition with hand-written and printed copies of the 11-18th
centuries, The exhibition was organized from March 20 to April 30 of
the current year in the exhibition hall of the Bodleian Library of the
Oxford University. The Armenian collection in Oxford has started since
1635. The Armenology Department functioning at the Oxford University
by Galust Gulbenkian fund’s financing was founded in 1965.

EVENTS DEDICATED TO MEMORY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS HELD IN CITIES OF POLAND
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 05 2006
WARSAW, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Events dedicated to
the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims took place in the city of
Krakow, Poland, on April 29. The liturgy was celebrated to the memory
of innocent victims in the Saint Mikolay church of Krakow. Then the
divine service and lighting of candles took place at the khachkar
(cross stone) placed in the yard of the church. RA Ambassador to
Poland Ashot Galoyan, RP Senate Deputy Piotor Boron, Chairman of the
Armenian Culture Association of Krakow Adam Terketski made speeches
at the event. RA Ambassador A.Galoyan and Senator Boron laid wreaths
to the khachkar. Pupils of the Krakow Sunday school made speeches
in the yard of the Saint Mikolay church. Members of the authorities
of the Malopolska province and Krakow city, society of Poland, press
representatives as well as numerous members of the Armenian community
of Poland were invited to the event. As Noyan Tapan was informed by
the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information Department, events
dedicated to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims were held
in Wraslow, Jeshuv, Elblong, Ljublin.

3 OUT OF 5 ARMAVIA’S PLANES MANUFACTURED BY AIRBUS FIRM
Noyan Tapan
May 05 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armanian airline Armavia’s A-320
plane that crashed on May 3 was munifactured by Airbus firm in 1995
and was acquired on leasing by Armavia in 2004. To recap, recently
the airline management stated that 90% of its flights are operated by
planes manufactured by Airbus. 3 out of 5 planes of Armavia, including
one A-320 and two A-319, have been manufactured by the Airbus firm. The
134-seat A-319 made in 2004 was leased by the airline only a month
ago. Besides, Armavia has a 350-seat IL-86 and a 120-seat YAK-42. In
2005, Armavia transported 500,100 passengers, 257,100 of whom – from
Armenia to other countries, and 243 thousand passengers – to Armenia.

CONSTRUCTION VOLUME GROWS BY 25.1% IN ARMENIA IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2006 ON SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR
Noyan Tapan
May 05 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-March 2006, construction
work of 27 bln 863.4 mln drams was done in Armenia, or by 25.1% more
than in the same period of last year. According to the RA National
Statistical Service, construction of production facilities amounted
to 12 bln 928.4 mln drams. Building and assembly work made 22 bln
711 mln drams, of which the building and assembly work of production
facilities – 8 bln 469 mln drams. In January-March 2006, construction
work of 1 bln 281.5 mln drams was carried out in the earthquake
zone at the expense of all sources of financing for construction,
restoration and repairs of social and production facilities, or 4.6%
of the total volume of construction in Armenia, including construction
work of 640.9 mln drams (about 1.42 mln USD) of production facilities
(5%). In January-March 2006, 97 new residential buildings of the
total area of 41,956 square meters were put into operation in Armenia
at the expense of resources of the population and organizations,
which made up 136.7% of the respective index of the same months of
2005. Particularly, 2 residential buildings of the total area of
605 sq.m. were put into operation in Yerevan with organizations’
resources, and 95 residential buildings of the total area of 41,351
sq.m – with resources of the population.

EXECUTIVE BODY – JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT TO BE CREATED IN RA JUDICIAL SYSTEM
Noyan Tapan
May 05 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The draft law on judicial service,
which was passed in first reading by the RA National Assembly,
envisages the creation of a judicial department. The Head of the RA
Cassation Court Staff Edgar Sedrakian told NT correspondent that the
judicial department will be accountable to the RA Council of Justice,
the Council of Court Chairmen, the General Assembly of Judges, and,
to some extent, to the Chairman of the RA Cassation Court.
According to E. Sedrakian, the new body to be created is called
upon to assist and promote the independence of courts, strengthen
the independence of the judiciary, while not interfering in the
administration of justice, as well as to ensure the full and efficient
execution of powers given to Armenian courts, the RA General Assembly
of Judges, the RA Council of Court Chairmen and the RA Council
of Justice and their participation in civil legal relations. The
judicial department will represent a single system of vertical
subordination composed of structural and separated (consisting of
the RA court staffs) units. The main task of the body is to create
favorable conditions for efficient functioning of judicial power by
implementing the appropriate personnel policy, financial, material,
technical and other measures. The department will fulfil such functions
as to examine the functioning of Armenian courts, work out proposals
for improving their activities and financing, analyze and summarize
judicial practice and statistics, organize the work of court archives
and the development and introduction of necessary program measures
of court proceedings and record keeping, as well as to organize
information and legal support of court activities and carry out work
on coordination of the legislation.
The department will also keep the personal files of judges and court
employees, implement preparatory work for holding competitions to fill
vacancies in the judicial service and organize the work of competition
commissions, supervise budget resource spending by Armenian courts
and the judicial department’s units, and perform an audit of their
financial activities.

STATE ASSISTANCE TO BE SHOWN TO RELATIVES OF PASSENGERS DIED IN PLANE CRASH
Noyan Tapan
May 05 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the
RA Government’s Information and Public Relations Department,
the Government discussed the draft decision about showing state
assistance to funeral of people died in the consequence of the plane
crash. According to it, it was decided to allocate 129 mln drams
(about 287 thousand U.S. dollars) from the Government’s reservation
fund envisaged by the RA 2006 state budget to assist victims’
funeral, preparing and placing gravestones (1 mln 500 thousand
drams on the account of every victim). Other 15 mln 255 thousand
drams were allocated to the Yerevan Mayor’s Office to give it to
the “Special Service for Inhabitation” CJSC of the Mayor’s Office
to assist the funeral (135 thousand drams on the account of every
victim). By the decision, the RA Minister of Labour and Social Issues
was allowed to give on hand the financial resources allocated by the
mentioned decision to people undertaking the burial of the plane crash
victims. The RA Ministry of Finance and Economy was instructed to open
a special current account for, with its help, everybody who wants has a
possibility to show assistance to families of the plane crash victims.

ORGANIZATIONS OF ARARAT MARZ ENGAGED IN CHILDREN’S ISSUES JOIN THEIR EFFORTS
Noyan Tapan
May 05 2006
ARTASHAT, ARARAT, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The Acceptance and Orientation
Center of the Fund for Armenian Relief and the RA Ministry of
Labour and Social Issues with the participation of organizations
engaged in the children’s issues of the Ararat marz held a seminar
on May 3 in Artashat. The goal of the seminar organized within the
framework of the “Attention to Every Child” program financed by the
UN Children’s Fund was to inform specialists working with children
about children’s problems and ommissions existing in the system. As
the Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by organizers of the event,
the goal of the program is to stregthen ability of the civil society
to protect children’s rights and to assist implementation of programs
concerning children’s issues in Armenia. Seda Arzumanian, the program
head, representatives of the children’s acceptance and orientation
center drew specialists’ attention to issues of protection of the
rights of children left without parents’ care and brought up with
difficulty. It was mentioned during the seminar that today the state
makes an attempt to assist such children, register them, give refuge,
help to stand on their own feet. Keeping children in the center of
constant attention, taking teenagers back of a bad way, giving them
corresponding educationa and bringing up, ways and types of works
with children brought up with difficulties and other themes became a
dispute subject which was touched upon by Directors of Artashat No2,
No3 schools Norik Shahinian, Margush Mirzoyan, Ararat city social
service employee Hovsep Ghazarian, chiefs of Masis, Artashat and
Ararat police departments on teenagers affairs, others.

18 MEN FROM KAPAN CALLED UP FOR MILITARY SERVICE LEAVES FOR ARMY
Noyan Tapan
May 05 2006
KAPAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. 18 men called up for military service
left for the Army on May 3 from the Kapan memorial complex after
Garegin Nzhdeh.
According to Kapan Millitary Commissar Leonid Grigorian, first
gatherings of spring and autumn levies have already for few years been
organized at the memorial complex. According to the Military Commissar,
“it is done for men newly called up for military service realize the
importance of defending the Fatherland.”
L.Grigorian mentioned in the interview to the Noyan Tapan
correspondent, that there were almost no problems in the affair of
preparing for the spring levy. “But the physical readiness of men
called up for military service is gradulaly decreased, what I connect
with non-proper level of teaching the physical education in schools,”
the Kapan Military Commissar mentioned.

IT IS DIFFICULT TODAY TO BE INDEPENDENT MEDIA, KAPAN MAYOR FINDS
Noyan Tapan
May 05 2006
KAPAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. At the beginning of the May 3 meeting of
marz correspondents of mass media and republican information means
acting in the city of Kapan with Kapan Mayor Armen Karapetian,
those present respected with one-minute silence the memory of
victims of the accident of the plane implementing the Yerevan-Sochi
flight. The meeting was organized on the occasion of the International
Day of Freedom of Press. Congratulating mass media representatives,
A.Karapetian mentioned that it is difficult today to be an independent
mass media. The Mayor expressed satisfaction that however, there are
journalists with free way of thinking who does everything for the
information field in Armenia is improved and strengtened.

TIGRAN TOROSIAN: EUROPEAN INTEGRATION HAS NO ALTERNATIVE FOR ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 05 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Five years after the
membership to the Council of Europe we have a good opportunity to sum
up what we have done and to enter into a stage of more mature relations
that begin with the essential amendments to the Constitution. RA NA
Vice-Speaker, head of the Armenian delegation in PACE, declared this
on May 5, when receiving Director General on Political Affairs of
Council of Europe General Secretariate Jean-Louis Laurens. According
to NA Vice-Speaker, Armenia is a leading country in the region in
the respect of fulfilment of the commitments assumed towards CE and
it is important that the country also be leading as a country having
held elections corresponding to all international standards. In this
respect the 2007 parliamentary and 2008 presidential elections and
holding of these elections in correspondence with the international
standards are of great importance.
As Tigran Torosian affirmed, on the plane of multilateral
international relations European integration has no alternative
for Armenia. In connection with the issue of Nagorno Karabakh
settlement T.Torosian attached importance to establishment of
tolerance considering unacceptable bellicose appeals, propaganda
of war and hatred. The expectations of the international community
about settlement of the conflict will have a real basis only when
Azerbaijan’s conduct changes. As NA Vice-Speaker affirmed, if the
international organizations and, in particular, CE expresses an
exact position on this issue, Azerbaijan will feel a necessity to
reconsider its approach. As Noyan Tapan was informed from NA Public
Relations Department, Jean-Louis Laurens mentioned that the goal
of his visit to Armenia is to receive more information and this is
his first visit to Armenia after the country’s membership to CE. In
his opinion, implementation of the constitutional reforms are very
important for Armenia, which enabled to reform the judicial system,
local self-government, to fight corruption and to extend and deepen
democracy. Laurens attached importance to free and fair holding of
the coming parliamentary and presidential elections for Armenia and
expressed hope that Armenia will become the first country in the region
to hold free and fair elections and will receive a positive estimation.