SHAHUMYAN AND GETASHEN ARE QUICKLY BECOMING AZERI LANDS
A1+
[02:15 pm] 13 June, 2006
“The issue of Northern Artsakh must be involved in the procedure of
the Minsk group negotiations and solved,” Edik Balayan, chairman of
“Shahumyan-Getashen” Patriotic Union aroused this question in the club
“Pastark.”
Today is a tragic day for all the residents of Shahumyan and Getashen
regions as the Azeribaijanis forcibly displaced 21 000 residents
from their dwelling places 15 years ago. According to Edik Balayan,
18 Armenian villages of the Northern Artsakh were confiscated and are
still occupied by the Azeri armed forces. “The residents of Shahumyan
and Getashen migrated to Armenia, USA and Russia and settled there
with the hope that one day their homeland will be liberated and they
will have a chance to return,” claims Edik Balayan.
In his words though 15 years have passed since then, the overwhelming
majority of the displaced people is in terrible social state; they
live in temporary shelters and are unemployed. Besides, the issue of
the missing people, hostages and war prisoners is almost neglected.
Edik Balayan urges that the Armenian lands are quickly repopulated
and the Azeri side has provided special conditions on this score; the
new dwellers are given houses, 300 USD, 25 000 manats, animals, etc.
The chairman of the Patriotic Union also underlines the fact that
the Azeri side destroys Armenian monuments, graveyards and attempts
to eliminate all the bases of the ethnic origin.

YEREVAN IS NOT READY FOR THE SEISMIC RISK
A1+
[03:10 pm] 13 June, 2006
Yerevan is located in the territory of great seismic risk, and
about 45% of its total territory has a high seismic risk. Michael
Melqumyan, chairman of the Seismic Proof Armenian Association briefed
the journalists the results of the Armenian seismologists’ observation.
He claims that in case there is an earthquake in Armenian having
the force of the earthquake of 1988 or if the hearth of the Garni
earthquake activates “nothing will remain of Yerevan, there will be
about 300 thousand victims, and 80% of buildings will level to the
ground.” This possibility is ignored while building elite blocks of
flats in the city centre. “If I were the head of the constructions
I wouldn’t build multi-storeyed buildings,” urges professor Melqumyan.
As a witness of the current construction work implemented in the
capital he assumes, “It is the outcome of nowadays demand. But if
there is a demand it must be realized properly.” By this he means that
seismic isolation pillows must be used during the construction as at
present many organizations apply various technologies to provide the
seismic proof of their buildings.
The number of the organizations which order and use seismic isolation
pillows during the construction work is not significant. At first
sight it seems that the pillows are connected with great expenses as
the price is 550 – 750 USD per a pillow. For instance, 170 seismic
isolation cushions are required for 10-storeyed building. This gives
ground for constructive organizations to apply other technologies. But
according to the professor more constructive material is needed in
case they don’t use cushions.
“Intellect is needed for all these calculations.
People should realize the effect of the system,” maintains the
professor. By the way, there are 4 factories in Armenia producing
seismic isolation cushion. In Melqumyan’s words there are a lot of
unsafe buildings in Armenia and their security must be the foremost
task for the country. He claims that the money given by international
organizations was not to be spent on the construction of roads and ways
but in other way, “If I were the Prime Minister of the country I would
have started from schools, kindergartens, as all these infrastructures
will be useless if all the buildings are ruined.” By the way a project
aimed at the provision of the seismic security of Yerevan was presented
to the government. Though the government supported it the cost of
the project is 4 milliard USD and the country cannot afford it.
International conference devoted to the matters of seismic security
will be held in Armenia on June 15 – 17. 40 representatives from 9
countries will participate in the conference.

HONOURABLE CONDITIONS FOR THE JUDGES OF THE CASSATION COURT
A1+
[03:56 pm] 13 June, 2006
Impartial Decisions In The Beautiful Halls?
Criminal cases will henceforth be heard in the Red hall and civil cases
in the White hall of the Cassation court. Asked the question why are
the newly reconstructed halls of the Cassation court called in that
way chairman of the chamber Hovhannes Manoukyan gave the following
answer, “While deciding the names of the halls we were guided by
non-traditional principle. If we didn’t do that you wouldn’t arouse
that question.”
The Cassation court will also have a rich library for its readers
with 60 thousand samples of books. The majority of the books are in
English. It was interesting to know how many other judges besides Mr.
Manoukyan will be able to make use of the library in English, “I am
also incapable to read all those books in their full volume but we
have got specialists who will help us on this score.”
Journalists and all those who are interested in the literature on
law may make use of the library services. The hall of conferences
has also been reconstructed. The repair was mainly financed by the
State budget but the chairman couldn’t say exactly how much money
it cost. Asked whether the repaired halls will enhance justice
administration, Mr. Manoukyan said, “I assume that they will have a
serious impact in this context. Each person strives to improve his
work when working in honorable conditions. We shall soon register
that change in the activity of the Cassation court.”
David Haroutyunyan, Minister of Justice claims that outer attributes
really have their direct influence on the justice. “If you stand on the
entrance of courts you may see the satisfaction of citizens when they
step into the newly repaired halls. Courts and theatres are alike on
this score, theatres start from cloak-rooms and courts – from halls.”
David Haroutyunyan mainly underlined the importance of the new
library and expressed his regret that not all judges may make use
of the books. “We must urge the obligatory knowledge of English from
the next generation of judges.”
Enoq Azaryan, chairman of the qualifying committee of Lawyers’ chamber
also focused on the importance of the repaired halls and rich library,
“Halls and general conditions create psychological atmosphere on the
whole and help to administer justice.”
Chairman of the Lawyers’ chamber Ruben Sahakyan said, “How can
impartial decisions be made in such beautiful halls.”

ANOTHER ARMENIAN GRAND MASTER
A1+
[04:21 pm] 13 June, 2006
FIDE gave Armenian young chess granted Tigran Kotanjyan the title
of Grand Master. The latter met all the criteria of Grand Master for
the third time in the 2006 Armenian Championship.
Tigran Kotanjyan is the 18th Armenian chess player entitled to Grand
Master’s title. Levon Aronyan has the highest rating among Armenian
chess players (2756 points) and is in the third place in the world.
Vladimir Hakobyan is in the 16th place with his 2706 points. To note,
Armenian Grand Masters have recently improved their ratings. Hakobyan
will likely be included in the list of the best 10 players in the
new table. Vladimir gained 9 points in 12 rounds held by him. Gabriel
Sargsyan also made great progress and will likely appear in the list
of the best players too.

THE CREDITOR TOOK THE LAND
A1+
[12:19 pm] 13 June, 2006
Shirak village of Shirak region faces hard times.
According to the region head little changes have been registered in
the village since the 1988 earthquake.
In the village head’s words the inhabitants of the cottage district are
deprived of the right of privatization because of the wrong decision
of the executive committee.
It is inefficient to be engaged in the agriculture work in the
region. On the one hand, the soil is not fertile and on the other it
doesn’t belong to the Shirak residents any longer. Many of them took
credits in order to cultivate their lands but their expectations were
not justified.
Many people in the region having 1200 inhabitants and 310 farms were
unable to pay the credit back. As a result of it the bank took the
lands put in pledge.
The total debt of the village is about 85 million AMD.
According to village head Karen Haroutyunyan there were many programs
which could have facilitated the social state of the peasants provided
they were implemented.
There was an offer to change the water system completely in the recent
period. In order to implement the program the community was to pay
either the 10% of the expenses or render its physical assistance free
of charge.
The two variants were ignored by the villagers.
The irrigation system is also in an awful state. The concrete tubs
haven’t been cleaned for a long time and as a result are full of
slime and rubbish as well as animal waste.
TV Company “Tsayg” of Gyumri.

BIRTHS HAVE REDUCED
A1+
[12:22 pm] 13 June, 2006
The index of the birthrate has decreased in the Shirak region this
year. There were 820 births in the region in comparison with the 868
births of 2005.
According to Satenik Beybutyan, head of the Shirak region Health
Care Board, the reduction of the birthrate is mainly determined by
the emigration, terrible social-economic conditions and the wish of
the youth to have few children.
According to the Health Care Board the death rate has increased. Mainly
cancer and heart diseases prevail in the region. By the way, the
indexes of birthrate and death rate are considered to be inalterable.
TV Company “Tsayg” of Gyumri.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT RATIFIES TRANSPORT AGREEMENT WITH GEORGIA
Armenpress
Jun 13 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 13, ARMENPRESS: Armenian parliament has ratified today an
agreement on Automobile Communication Between Armenia and Georgia. It
was signed in Tbilisi on April 25 of 2006.
The agreement exempts Armenian and Georgian traffic of customs
payments when they travel through the other’s territory. It also
exempts transit traffic to these countries form customs payments. This
means for example, that a Georgian citizen or a company can cross the
Armenian border by a truck or car without paying customs and other
payments and move freely across Armenian and vice versa. Also trucks
bound for Georgia, for example, from Iran, enjoy the same right.
The agreement, however, has some provisions concerning transportation
of hazardous materials which must be reconciled in advance. Armenian
transport and communication minister Andranik Manukian, who presented
the agreement to lawmakers, said it is aimed at developing cooperation
between Armenia and Georgia.

THE SPHERE OF EDUCATION MUST BE TRANSPARENT
Lragir.am
13 June 06
After his appointment to the post of minister of education and science,
ARF member Levon Mkrtichyan did not wait until the traditional 100th
day and met journalists June 13 hardly a month past his appointment. It
was not the only novelty. The Ministry of Education and Culture is
going to be highly open and transparent for public, says the minister.
Therefore, it was decided that once in ten days the head of an agency
on education will meet journalists with a monthly report. Plus news
conferences on specific topics. According to Levon Mkrtichyan, the
most important thing is to present the activities of the ministry to
the society. “An official needs to know that every citizen can turn
to him and receive an answer. The more publicly we act, and the more
we discuss the problems, the more invincible we will be.”
Levon Mkrtichyan says he also is to blame for the drawbacks and
problems in the sphere because he was appointed minister of education
and culture twice. However, Levon Mkrtichyan declined to speak about
the degree of accountability of Sergo Yerkitsyan for today’s mistakes:
“It is not an ethical question.” But he promises to find the right
solutions by analyzing his mistakes and the mistakes of the former
ministers.

LEVON MKRTCHYAN: THERE IS NEED FOR INCLUSIVE REFORMS IN THE SPHERE OF EDUCATION
ArmRadio.am
13.06.2006 17:34
Position or the Party? If RA Minister of Education and Science Levon
Lazarian faces this dilemma, he will definitely choose the second
one. The Minister from the ARF is, however, confident that what
happened to Orinats Yerkir does not threaten his Party. The newly
appointed Minister urged all heads of educational establishments to
escape getting involved in political games; if they do not share the
ideas of a certain party, it is not necessary to join a party. During
today’s meeting with journalists Levon Lazarian urged not to ask
questions about the education sphere, since the situation here is
the worst.
“We are yielding our positions in the world in this sphere. If
things continue this way, the fall will become more apparent,” Levon
Lazarian said.
He did not criticize the former Minister for the omissions of the
system. He first of all blames himself, since he occupied the same
position twice in the past.
According to the Minister, the current educational system creates an
impression that we have taken the 10-year education system and try
to artificially extend it for 12 years.
Levon Lazarian urged not to conceive the Ministry of Science and
Education solely as an establishment for holding different kinds
of exams.
“There are much more important and serious problems than entry and
exit exams,” Levon Lazarian added.

YEREVAN AND BAKU CAN MAKE THEIR POSITIONS CLOSER ON THE THRESHOLD OF G8 SUMMIT IN ST. PETERSBURG
Regnum, Russia
June 13 2006
On the threshold of the G8 summit, which is to be held in
St. Petersburg on July 15-17, issue of top priority in the Armenian
agenda is worded as follows: will President Robert Kocharyan
participate in the summit and will he meet Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev for talks on Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement.
On June 4 and 5, in Bucharest, leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan
failed to achieve any progress in the issues they were discussing.
Upon returning to Yerevan Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan
confirmed the presidents “failed to fix the progress.” And they
failed despite the fact that OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs had proposed
new wording and new approaches. “Nevertheless, foreign ministers of
the two countries were told to continue the talks and try to find
common grounds,” Vardan Oskanyan said. It was earlier reported that
foreign ministers of the two countries are to meet in Paris on June
13. During the talks, the parties are to try to get their positions
closer and to pave the way for the next meeting of the presidents.
Some analysts tend to think that the date of another Kocharyan-Aliyev
meeting is not far off: the presidents will have such opportunity in
the near future, namely at the G8 summit in St. Petersburg. “This
is quite an important factor, and the co-chairs believed that if
they managed to agree on key issues before the G8 summit, it will
be the best guarantee if the international community does its best
to implement these agreements in all aspects of security, economic,
financial, and political cooperation. These time limits forced to
speed up the process to some extent,” Kocharyan said.
It is a month left before the G8 summit, Armenian and Azerbaijani
foreign ministers are to meet today, and it should not be ruled out
that they succeed in getting the positions closer and come to an
agreement on some principles, preparing by this a good basis for the
Kocharyan-Aliyev meeting.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress