DID ROBERT KOCHARYAN AND SERGE SARGSYAN DELUDE OLIGARCHS?
Lragir.am
13 June 06
While the period of the election campaign is drawing nearer, different
players in the political sphere have found themselves in a difficult
situation. Particularly, the Lragir.am has learned that some oligarch
owning some TV channels in Armenia are in a dilemma and are facing
a problem of orientation. Political orientation is meant.
Some of these oligarchs, who possess TV frequencies, are concerned
about the behavior of Robert Kocharyan and Serge Sargsyan. They are
said to have complain to their close people that they are unable
to find out whether Robert Kocharyan and Serge Sargsyan are in the
same team or are opponents. An oligarch owning TV channels, who is
also a big producer, said on an occasion that the Kocharyan-Sargsyan
tandem used to assure him that they are a team, whereas now their
behavior is highly controversial, complained the oligarch. We have
learned that the anxiety of TV channel owners occurred after Serge
Sargsyan had been displeased with the TV reports and news praising
Robert Kocharyan, and the reports and news praising the minister of
defense aroused the president’s dissatisfaction. In the meantime,
on finding themselves in such an uncertainty the businessmen owning
TV channels are especially displeased that they nevertheless have to
make up their mind, when very little time is left until fall.

RICH GOLDMAN: COOPERATION WITH THE YEREVAN STATE ENGINEERING UNIVERSITY IS BEST EXAMPLE OF EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION
Yerevan, June 12.ArmInfo. “SYNOPSYS” world leader in electronic
projecting of automatic technologies initiated the official
ceremony of awarding the graduates of “Synopsys” educational
center with diplomas. This educational center is also known as the
inter-parliamentary chair of “Microelectronic Schemes and Systems”
of the Yerevan State Engineering University. 18 graduates of the
center received the master’s degree, while 36 graduates were given
the bachelor’s degree.
Hovik Musaelian, SG-director of “SYNOPSYS-Armenia,” stated that the
company began collaborating with the YSEU in 2002. Besides financing
the salaries of the teachers and the grants for the students, the
company provided the chair of “Microelectronic Schemes and Systems”
with 50 super contemporary program packages that cost $ 260 million
in total. Thanks to the investments in the educational sphere, the
most of the graduates of the YSEU became employees of the company.
“Armenia has huge intellectual potential,” Rich Goldman, director
general of “SYNOPSYS,” said. He stated that they give preferences to
innovatory thinking and strive for perfection, when choosing students
for their educational center. “SYNOPSYS cooperates with over 450
universities in the world, but the cooperation with the Yerevan State
Engineering University is the best example of effective collaboration,”
Rich Goldman said.
“The educational program of SYNOPSYS in Armenia is an example of
effective cooperation of business and science, business and education,”
Lilit Gevorgian, assistant of RA President said. She also stated that
“SYNOPSYS-Armenia” also finances the presidential awards for the best
students in the sphere of informational technologies.
Ara Hakobian, adviser of RA PM, said that Armenia’s future is
in the creation of the informational society. Ara Avetisian, RA
Deputy Education Minister, stated that the educational program of
“SYNOPSYS” is dynamically developing and enlarging, today, adding
that the Yerevan State University also became the partner of the
company in 2005. “The secret of the educational program of “SYNOPSYS”
in securing qualified specialists is conditioned by the fact that the
final stage of the education was maximally close to real production
process,” Academician Yuri Sargsian said. He awarded Rich Goldman
with a diploma “For considerable contribution to the development of
the Yerevan State Engineering University.”
At present, “SYNOPSYS-Armenia” has 350 employees. According to
theadministration of the company, the goods turnover of the company
makes $1 billion.

MONUMENT FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS OPENED IN FRENCH TOWN OF TOULON
Yerevan, June 12. ArmInfo. A monument for the victims of Armenian
Genocide in Ottoman Turkey in 1915 has been opened in the French town
of Toulon, the Armenian Foreign Ministry Department for Information
and Press told ArmInfo. Participating in the ceremony were Ambassador
of Armenia to France Edward Nalbandyan and Toulon Mayor Hubert Falco.
The Armenian community of Toulon helped creating and erecting the
monument. The State hymns of Armenia and France were performed at the
opening ceremony, the state flags were lowered, and wreaths were laid
on the monument. In his speech, Edward Nalbandyan said during the
last years, similar monuments were erected in different French towns.
Within the frames of the Year of Armenia in France, about 40 Armenian
khachkars will be demonstrated at the world-known museum Louvre,
the Armenian diplomat said.

HEAD OF ARMENIAN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE DIES
Yerevan, June 12. ArmInfo. On June 12, Head of the Intelligence
Department, Armenian Armed Forces, Major General Bassenciy Azoyan
died at the age of 59.
RA Defense Ministry reports the funerals of the untimely deceased
general will take place on June 13 at 6:00pm in 4, Yerznyak street. A
farewell ceremony will take place on June 14 from 12:00 to 2:00pm at
G. Sundukinyan State Academic Theatre. Major General Azoyan will be
buried in the pantheon “Yerablur.”
Bassenciy Azoyan was born on Nov 30 1947 in Sisian region, Armenia.
In 1970 he graduated from the Oriental Faculty of Yerevan State
University. In 1987, he graduated from USSR State Security Committee
High School. In 1974-1995, he occupied a number of responsible
positions in the national security system. In 1980-1982, he was
detached to Iran, in 1983-86 to Afghanistan. Since 1995, B. Azoyan
served at the Armenian Armed Forces. The title of Major General was
conferred on him in 2002. He was awarded numerous medals and orders:
“Military Service,” “Marshal Baghramyan,” “Andranik Ozanyan,” “Garegin
Nzhgeh,” “For Strengthening of Cooperation,” “For Good Service,”
as well as state awards of the Soviet Union. He was married, had
two children.

4O DAYS HAVE PASSED SINCE A-320 CRASH
Yerevan, June 12. ArmInfo. Relatives of the killed in the crash of
Armavia A- 320 Airbus will leave for Sochi to participate in the
mourning ceremony to mark 40 days since the crash, the Governmental
Commission for material assistance to the families of the killed in
air crash told ArmInfo.
The source reports the relatives of the killed air crew, a total of
20 people, will leave for Sochi by the plane of Armavia airline. 70
relatives of the killed passengers will leave by buses as many of
them are now afraid flying.
Three days later, the above governmental commission will meet to settle
the issue of material assistance to the relatives of the killed. At
present, 88,321 million drams were accumulated on the special account
at the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Armenia To recap, A-320
flying from Yerevan to Sochi crashed in the Black Sea killing all
on board.

UNESCO CENSORS ARCHIVE DOCUMENTS OF OTTOMAN EMPIRE
Yerevan, JUne 12. ArmInfo. The exhibition of archive documents of
Ottoman Turkey to be held last week in Paris has been put off because
UNESCO has censored some of the documents.
Zaman reports UNESCO to ask Turkey to remove 5 and to replace 2 of 50
documents. The source says that the documents are “friendly letters”
sent by representatives of the Armenian community of Turkey to the
Turkish Sultan in 1889 and 1895. UNESCO says that these documents may
“cause the anger” of the Armenian community of France.
Other sources say that UNESCO demanded this because the documents
were obviously faked.

ARMENIAN AND AZERI FMs TO MEET IN PARIS JUNE 13
Yerevan, June 12. ArmInfo. Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan
is leaving for Paris June 13 to meet with his Azeri counterpart
Elmar Mammadyarov.
In a press-conference Oskanyan says that the meeting is held on
the initiative of the OSCE MG co-chairs. He says that he does not
know yet what format the meeting will have. He says that the recent
presidential meeting in Bucharest has given no specific results but
the presidents have agreed that if the co-chairs feel the need of FM
meeting they will agree to it. Oskanyan says that the Paris meeting
will be one more attempt to find common grounds for successfully
continuing the talks and for paving the way for the next presidential
meeting. Oskanyan cannot say yet if this attempt will be successful.

STREET LIGHTING IN VARDENIS
Yerevan, June 12. ArmInfo. Street lighting has been installed in
Vardenis for the first time since the Soviet period.
This project was sponsored by Ararat Gold Recovery Company. The AGRC
press service reports that almost all the company’s employees live
in Vardenis or nearby villages.
The company employs 1,031 people. According to AEPLAC, it has the
7th biggest personnel and the 8th biggest export in Armenia.

AGO GROUP TO VISIT BAKU
ArmRadio.am
13.06.2006 10:40
The Ago Group of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
headed by Roland Wegener will arrive today in Baku.
The process of accopmplishment of Azerbaijan’s committments before
the council of Europe will be discussed during the meetings with
Azeri leadership.
To note, June 9-10 the Ago Group was in Armenia to study the process
of accoplishment of Armenia’s committments.

RA FOREIGN MINISTER TO PARTICIPATE IN NORTH-ATLANTIC COUNCIL-ARMENIA SITTING
ArmRadio.am
13.06.2006 11:15
Today RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyanis leaving for Paris to have
a meeting with his Azeri counteropart Ilham Mammadyarov. The meeting
will feature the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chars.
June 14 Minister Oskanyan will leave for Brussels to participate in the
meeting of the North-Atlantic Council and Armenia in the 26+1 format
together with Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan. During the meeting
teh parties are expected to discuss the process of accomplishment
of NATO’s Individual Partnership Actions Plan (IPAP)with Armenia,
based on the results of midterm evaluation of the IPAP.
June 19 the Foreign Minister is scheduled to pay an official visit
to Kiev, where he will meet the President of Ukraine and the Foreign
Minister.
June 21 Minister Oskanyan will be in Geneva to participate in the
opening sitting of the UN Human Rights Council.
June 27-28 RA Foreign Minsiter will pay an official visit to Georgia.