KOCHARIAN-ALIYEV MEETING NOT FIXED YET
AZG Armenian Daily
15/06/2006
The last meeting between Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs in Paris to
schedule the next Kocharian-Aliyev meeting in fact did not yield
any agreement. As was officially reported, the sides will come to
terms over the next Kocharian-Aliyev meeting when there are necessary
conditions for that. Yet, both Armenian and Azeri sides have announced
that they agreed on continuing negotiations over Nagorno Karabakh
regulation.

NATIONAL HATRED AS PATHOLOGY
By Ruben Hayrapetian in Moscow
AZG Armenian Daily
15/06/2006
The inanity of murders of the Caucasians in Russia becomes very
ill-omened. Judge for yourself: on Saturday evening a Muscovite driver
Igor Kuznecov was strolling down through a park with his dog. Two
natives of the Caucasus approach him and began stroking the beautiful
animal. Yet, this sentimental deed was not approved by its owner;
it turns out that he hates dark-haired people. He runs back home and
returns with a gun and fires at these innocent people.
Hayrapet Petrosian, 44, was killed on the spot, while Artsrun
Yerznkian, 24, was heavily wounded and taken to hospital. The maniac
tried to resist the policemen too, but eventually gave up throwing
his gun aside.
This tragic event can be explained perhaps by the attacker’s mental
state. But, in fact, the feeling of national hatred turns into
pathology in some people.

IRAN DOES NOT CONFIRM GAZPROM’S PARTICIPATION IN IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
15/06/2006
Iran finds that Nagorno Karabakh conflict can be settled only through
negotiations. Ali Akbar, deputy ambassador of Iran to Armenia, stated
that Iran is ready to support in peaceful settlement of the conflict
as it maintains good relations with all neighbors and is interested
in a stable region.
Speaking to a press conference in Yerevan, deputy ambassador touched
upon construction of Iran-Armenian gas pipeline and said that no change
was made in the Iranian-Armenian document on pipeline construction.
Mr. Akbar noted that Iran is unaware of Russian Gazprom’s intention
to join the construction. He also said that high-ranking Armenian
officials did not confirm the information that Gazprom was entrusted
with the construction of a certain section of the pipeline.
The gas pipeline is scheduled to open on January 1 2007.

IFC TO ACQUIRE 10% OF INECOBANK SHARES
AZG Armenian Daily
15/06/2006
The International Financial Corporation is willing to acquire 10% of
Armenian Inecobank’s shares. According to Regnum agency, the deal is
estimated at $1.3 million whereas the bank’s total capital amounts to
$12.3 million. The bank has 6 shareholders. The purchase of Inecobank
by the IFC will enlarge the latter’s presence in Armenian banking
sector. Besides acquiring 10% of the bank’s shares, IFC will assign
$4 million to Armeconombank for small and average business development
and hypothecary credit.

NATIONAL REPORT OF ARMENIAN YOUTH TO BE DISCUSSED
AZG Armenian Daily
15/06/2006
On June 13, “Youth, Reality and Prospects” second international
conference launched in Armenia. Over 80 NGOs from Armenia, NKR and
Javakhk, as well as representatives of RA state management bodies
participate in the conference. It is planned that a unique “National
Report” will be discussed and adopted at the conference. The report
is elaborated by the Armenian youth organizations, state officials,
and representatives of the international organizations functioning
in Armenia.
Armen Soghomonian, head of Youth Policy Department at RA Culture
Ministry, said that the main problems of the youth will be represented
in the report. He said that the most urgent issue is the employment
of the young people. “The Armenian youth wants to stay and work in
Armenia, and I think that their greater part is quite optimistic for
their future and the prospects of realizing their plans in Armenia,”
Soghomonian said. He emphasized that the specialists of the Youth
Direction of Council of Europe are interested in this report and
they paid working visits to Armenia for several times during its
elaboration. “We plan to elaborate a long term strategy after the
adoption of the report. The strategy will represent the concrete
actions of the government for the settlement of the problems of the
Armenian youth,” Soghomonian said.

PASSING TO EUROPEAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM PRESERVING ATTRIBUTES OF THE SOVIET ONE
AZG Armenian Daily
15/06/2006
In the course of the last few years, the quality of education in
Armenia worsened so much that it can be compared to the education
systems of underdeveloped Asian countries, including Turkey, Levon
Mkrtchian, RA education and science minister, said at a press
conference on June 13.
At the same time he didn’t try to find anyone guilty for the crash
of the system, when touching upon Sergo Yeritsian, former education
minister, Mr. Mkrtchian stated that the education system of the country
should put stress on the increase of the education quality for the
pupils and students. In the meantime, he didn’t deny that the human
qualities of teachers had such negative impact on the schoolchildren
that in the course of the latest five years as a result of clashes
between the teachers and the schoolchildren, 60 suicide cases among
the schoolchildren were registered in some of the schools of Armenia.
“The material problems of the teachers should not influence their
work, moreover it doesn’t allow them take revenge from the children
that only learn to live,” Mkrtchian expressed a brilliant idea. In
order the schoolchildren and the students have the opportunity to
get high-quality education, the ministry is to elaborate concrete
mechanisms for teaching. “All the further steps of the ministry are
directed to making cardinal changes in the system,” he said.
It seems that the 12 years school education is a mere stretched
version of the 10 years Soviet school education system, Levon Mkrtchian
said. He said that the reforms for passing to the new school education
system do not keep in line with a number of organizational issues. In
particular, it isn’t clear how the teaching process will be organized
in the senior higher classes, as the students are to chose the subjects
for their future specialization.
Moreover, as a result of stretched education at schools, the education
terms at the universities will also be eliminated. In fact, there
are no problems in the junior classes. In order to study at school
according to the new system, a child should be prepared to make
independent choice of the subjects.
Besides, probation system of evaluation will be applied at schools. All
the issues for the elaboration of manuals for the new school system
will be settled by the beginning of the new academic year.
The Ministry of Education and Science of Armenia will be open for
public and the sphere management will be reformed fundamentally. Such
are the key principles of the new minister, Levon Mkrtchian, presented
at his first press conference. Besides the topical press conferences,
the heads of departments and sub-departments of the ministry will held
press conference once in 10 days, the minister promised. He called
the word “reforms” improper as it indicates to the not-full system
of Soviet education, which Armenia intended to turn repulse. “We are
the result of the Soviet system of education and not our children
who do not get enough knowledge now after the collapse of the Soviet
system. We speak of integrating the Armenian system of education into
the European one and not of eradication of the almost perfect Soviet
system of education,” the minister said.
The minister stressed the importance of assessment of the problems in
the system of general, higher and secondary-specialized education. As
regards the sphere of science, the minister just stated that the
“unclear reform” in the system has almost ruined the Armenian
science. He promised to work on the mechanisms of reanimation of
the country’s scientific potential. He believes that transparent and
logical management of the spheres of education and science must be
secured by the responsible persons. The more so as the problems are
not connected with material difficulties only. The ministry is to start
licensing and accreditation of education establishments in future.
In particular, private universities are to pass rather a long probation
period to justify their claims for the status of an authoritative
establishment.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO GURDJIEV IN ARMENIA
By Gohar Gevorgian
AZG Armenian Daily
15/06/2006
International scientific conference and forum dedicated to Georgy
Gurdjiev, outstanding philosopher of the early 20th century will be
held in Yerevan and Gyumri, on June 16-18. Various scholars will hold
reports and speeches based on the ideas and the life of Gurdjiev at
Armenia-Marriott Hotel. On June 18, the participants of the conference
will leave for Gyumri, to the native city of the great thinker.
Many authors such as Catherine Mansfield, Henry Miller were greatly
influences by the ideas of Gurdjiev during their lives and the creative
activities. Huge amount of literature in the spheres of psychology,
literature, philosophy, health care, ecology and religion was published
after the death of Gurdjiev in 1949.

ONLY CHRISTIAN ON IRAN NATIONAL SIDE SAYS HE PLAYS FOR HIS COUNTRY
Slobodan Lekic
AP Worldstream
Jun 14, 2006
Many soccer players have a habit of routinely crossing themselves as
they emerge onto the field for a World Cup match.
But Anderanik Teymourian is different.
His simple gesture has amazed television viewers around the world
because Teymourian plays on the national team of Iran, one of most
thoroughly Islamic nations in the world.
Teymourian is a member of Iran’s tiny Armenian minority, part of
an Orthodox Christian presence dating back to biblical times. About
200,000 Armenians currently live in Iran, mostly in Tehran and other
towns of the northwest.
Although Iran is an Islamic theocratic state, Christianity and other
non-Muslim religions are not banned as in other strictly fundamentalist
states such as Saudi Arabia.
“I’m the first Christian Iranian player in the World Cup since 1978,”
Teymourian said.
The last non-Muslim player on the national team was defender Andranik
Eskandarian in 1978. He now lives in the United States.
The gangly, 22-year old midfielder, who is seen as one of the great
hopes of Iranian soccer, plays for the Aboo Muslim club from Tehran.
He also has played for Iran at every youth level so far before being
drafted to the national squad by coach Branko Ivankovic.
“He is a wonderful player. Very serious, very committed, I can rely
on him to fulfill any task,” Ivankovic said. “He will definitely play
a big role on the national team for many years to come.”
Teymourian says he gets along very well with his teammates, and that
religious differences don’t affect their relations on the field or
on a personal level.
“I am very happy that as a Christian I am playing for a Muslim team,”
he said. “I will put all my abilities at the disposal of the nation
and the team.”
He said that normally he regularly attends church in Tehran.
“But it’s been impossible to get out of the camp in Germany because
of security, so I haven’t been able to do so here.”

PRESENTATION ABOARD ‘CILICIA’ ACCOMPANIED BY ARMENIAN COGNAC
By Tamar Minasian
AZG Armenian Daily
15/06/2006
A few days ago the presentation of Zori Balayan’s “Cilicia: A Way to
the Ocean” book took place onboard “Cilicia” sailing vessel moored
in Amsterdam. The crew of the vessel received the first copies of
the book.
The participants of the presentation were treated to Armenian cognac
by captain Karen Balayan. Famous actor Sos Sargsian had presented the
cognac before the start of the journey and had asked to drink it only
at the end of the journey in Amsterdam.

“THE GEORGIANS WANT TO TAKE HOLD OF JAVAKHQ”
A1+
[06:46 pm] 14 June, 2006
“Javakhq is an Armenian region with Armenian population in the
Georgian territory. Javakhq must contribute to the development of the
Armenian-Georgian relations and not spoil them”, said Shirak Torosyan,
the head of the patriotic union “Javakhq” during the news conference
with the journalists. He was worried about the recent problems in
the region.
According to Mr. Torosyan, one of the problems of the Armenians
in Javakhq is the preservation of their mother tongue. There are a
hundred Armenian schools in Javakhq, but the Georgian authorities
demand that all the subjects be taught in Georgian. “If the mother
tongue is banned, the people start to feel an antipathy towards the
foreign language”, he said.
As for the possibility of investments in Javakhq by Armenians of
the Diaspora, Shirak Torosyan said, “No one will make investments
in an area where there is no electricity, no roads and other
substructures. If the above mentioned problems are solved, not only
the Armenians, but also others will make investments in the region.”