GEORGIAN EXPERT TRIES TO REFUTE PROBLEMS IN JAVAKHK
Panorama.am
Paata ZAKAREISHVILI, leading expert at Development and Cooperation
Center in Georgia told a seminar on Armenian-Georgian relations that,
in fact, the situation in Javakhk is not that bad as some mass media
would portrait. He continuously stated that people make up problems,
including the Armenian mass media. “There are no problems between
Armenians in Javakhk and Georgians,” he said.
In fact, there are no problems between Armenians and Georgians. The
problems are between the nationalist wing of Georgian central
authorities and Armenian nationals living in Georgia. The expert blamed
Armenians to be nationalistic. They do not want to study Georgian,
he said. Vardan VARDAPETYAN, chairman of Strong Motherland party, also
present at the discussion, explained that Georgian teachers teach at
Armenian schools on privileged conditions which is unacceptable for
Armenians. /Panorama.am/

GREEN ZONES DIMINISHED BY 61%
Panorama.am
16:56 16/06/06
Green zones per one person have diminished by 61% during the recent 10
years sharply increasing risks for desertification, Karine Danielayn,
chairwoman of “For Human Stable Development” public organization,
told a discussion jointly organized with UN. This is a result of
enlarged city building activities and in case of continuing with the
same speed Yerevan will become a desert in the coming next years,
she said. Today is June 17. UN has declared it an international day
of fight against desertification and drought.
To settle the issue a number of public organizations have applied to
National Assembly with a request to establish a special committee. That
was in process but stopped connected with the developments with
Orinats Yerkir. /Panorama.am/

GOVERNMENT HELPS UNEMPLOYED TO WORK IN BORDERLINE AREAS
Panorama.am
16:35 16/06/06
Our government has paid a special service to unemployed who would like
to work in borderline areas. According to regulation, the government
will pay the transport fee for such people. The government will pay
for mini bus in case there are no buses going to that region. However,
in case there are buses available, the government will pay for the
bus only, Araik PETROSYAN, deputy minister on employment and social
affairs told a briefing today.
The government however is not concerned where such people will
live. “It is not difficult to rent a flat in such remote areas,”
ministry representative said, stressing that the regulations were
adopted under limited budget. /Panorama.am/

ALM HOLDING HEAD PROPOSES HIMSELF AS CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENCY OF ARMENIA
Panorama.am
14:48 16/06/06
Dance and song staged at ALM Holding perhaps have bored the owner
of the holding Tigran Karapetyan, leader of People’s Party. He has
declared that he is going to nominate himself as the president of
Armenia in 2008 presidential elections. Assessing his chances to
win at the elections, Karapetich prudently noted that everything is
possible and everything has its beginning and end.
Tigran Karapetich said that people should have the right for
choice. Speaking to Panorama.am, he said that he is not going to
share his votes with any other candidates. He his sure he will lose
trust of people if he did so. /Panorama.am/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CULTURAL MONUMENTS SHOULD NOT FALL VICTIMS TO ETHNIC CONFLICTS
Panorama.am
14:34 16/06/06
‘Improvements in legislative fields are a basis that support cultural
heritage, Karine Danielyan, Secretary General on Armenian National
Committee on UNESCO told a seminar on cultural heritage today.
Experts and guests from Iran and Georgia as well as from UNESCO
have arrived to participate in the event. During the seminar the
participants will discuss legislative opportunities enabling to
protect the national heritage to the best possible level on local
and international fields.
The seminar participants will try to find a solution to violations
of cultural items on ethnic grounds. It is up to the point if we take
into consideration that Azeris have destroyed history long khachcars
(cross-stones) in Jugha. All laws are humanistic in all countries,
it is more important how applicable are they, Gurgen Gurjian
said. /Panorama.am/

GAS FILLING STATION EXPLODED
A1+
[05:23 pm] 16 June, 2006
71-year-old Khachatour Khachatryan died yesterday as a result of an
explosion in the gas filling station. The explosion took place at
about 01:10 PM in the gas filling station belonging to “Multi Group”
on the crossroad of the Bagratounyants and Artashesyan streets.
The Emergency Administration informed us that by preliminary data the
car “Gaz 24” belonging to Khachatryan exploded during filling. Worker
of the station 50-year-old Edik Haroutyunyan was taken to Erebuni
hospital with severe injuries. His situation is assessed as grave.

ALL ARE CONCERNED BUT FIND NO WAY OUT
Panorama.am
14:29 16/06/06
Today was a regular day of briefing at the National Assembly. The
deputies were asked how many Armenians should be murdered in Russia
that we understand that Russia is not our fellow-country. Armenian
Revolutionary Federation block leader Hrair Karapetyan informed that
their party is concerned with the facts of murder against Armenian
nationals in Russia and has messaged this concern to the Russian
Embassy in Armenia. However, there are no policy elements in such
cases, he said.
Artashes Geghamyan, leader of National Unity brought a counter-argument
saying that 1600 people have ended up their life in Armenia through
suicide. If Russia may be called a non-fellow country because three
people have been murdered there, what should our authorities be
called, claiming that “our authorities may be called traitors of
the nation.” What was the relation between the two, he did not
explain./Panorama.am/

>>From today on trains will work in Yerevan-Batumi direction
ArmRadio.am
17.06.2006 11:40
Starting today trains will work in Yerevan-Batumi direction and
vice versa.
To organize the summer rest of the population at Black Sea resorts,
the decision was taken still last year at the sitting of the
Intergovernmental Armenian-Georgian Economic Cooperation Commission.
RA Ministry of Transport and Communication informs that the trains
will consist of six two-person and four-person carriages and a
carriage-restaurant.
Yerevan-Batumi train will head from Yerevan to Batumi on odd days of
the month, and on even days it will start from Batumi to Yerevan. On
the territory of Armenia the train will have stations in Yerevan,
Armavir, Gyumri, Vanadzorand and Sanahin. One-way ticket for two-person
carriages of Armenian railways will cost 18 703 drams, the ticket
for four-person carriages will cost 9 297 drams. The costs for using
Georgian trains are 21 256 and 10 542 correspondingly.

Conference on the role and future of education in Armenia to be held
in Yerevan
ArmRadio.am 17.06.2006 11:45
At the initiative of the Institute of Human Rights and Democracy a
civic conference on “The role and future of education in Armenia for
the development of democratic, fair and solidary statehood” will be
held in Yerevan.

Parliamentary elections in Slovakia
ArmRadio.am
17.06.2006 12:28
According to preliminary data, the Christian-Democratic Party has
good chances to win at parliamentary election in Slovakia. The Party
played a great role in presenting the bill on the Armenian Genocide
to the Parliament of the country. It is probable that after becoming
part of the ruling coalition the Christian-Democrats will suggest
the issue of recognition of the Armenian Genocide as a precondition
for Turkey’s accession to the European Union.