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| 18:18:20 | 23-09-2005 | Social |
HUMANITY AND EDUCATION
Today in the US Embassy to Armenia announced the 2005-2006 school year of
FLEX and UGRAD scholarship programs opened. In the margins of the program
FLEX 50 pupils will be able to leave for USA this year. Up to now 470 pupils
have won in this program and lived in American families for a year.
Naneh Abrahamyan who is responsible for the program FLEX in Armenia informed
us that there were cases when the pupils who left for America were not
adapted into the families, and the organizers found other families for them.
Mrs. Abrahamyan also claimed that there hasn’t been a case of the Armenian
pupil remaining in America.
The continuation of FLEX is UGRAD which is for students. The program is
financed by the US State Secretariat and is realized by the International
Investigations and Exchange Council. In the margins of the program students
of the first, second and third year who are 17-20 years old can participate
in the program. The winners can study in 140 Universities in USA.
By the way, the pupils and students of Karabakh cannot participate in the
program. The worker of the US Embassy Tress Finart mentioned that USA
supports NKR with humanitarian aid only, and the programs are educational.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

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| 18:16:13 | 23-09-2005 | Social |
ABSOLUTE INDEPENDENCE IS BETTER
On September 23 14 years ago the RA Supreme Council declared Armenia an
independent democratic country excluded from the Soviet Union, based on the
results of the pan-national voting two days ago.
`We were simply a colony in the USSR, and that’s what we still are now. We
are not independent and we will never be, until Van and Kars are ours, until
we have large territory. Until then the word `independence’ is an empty
one’, 68-year-old Rouben Torosyan complains after 14 years.
45-year-old Gohar Simonyan is of the same opinion, `It was different back in
the day. We were dependent on the Soviet Union only, and now we depend on
the whole world. What’s the difference? I’m discontent with our way of life.
Unemployment is terrible, people have no work, and they cannot live’.
Irrespective of the social difficulties, the RA citizens cannot but admit
that `independence is a good thing’. `We are happy to be independent, as
dependence is not good. I participated in the meetings for independence, and
my hopes are justified. I’m very pleased’, said Christine Haroutyunyan. And
although there is no work, Hovhannes Hounanyan is full of hope, `It is all
not so bad. There are positive tendencies that the jobs will be re-created.
What is important is that Armenia is an independent republic’.

AZG Armenian Daily #171, 24/09/2005
Turkey-EU
EU DEMANDS TURKEY OPEN ARMENIAN BORDER-GATE
The European Union demands that Turkey open its border with Armenia and
improve the state of national minorities in the country, Trend agency quoted
member of the Green Party of the European Parliament, Turkish-born Jem
Ozdemir, as saying. Ozdemir stated that this issue will be discussed on
September 28 and that the report includes an article which says “it is
necessary that Ankara takes a decision of opening the Armenian border”.

AZG Armenian Daily #171, 24/09/2005
Turkey-EU
TURKEY HAS NOT CHANGED AND CANNOT ENTER EUROPEAN UNION
Participants of a Conference at the European Parliament Sept. 22 Conclude
The conference on the theme “December 2004 – October 2005; Has Turkey
changed?” in the European Parliament in Brussels on September 21 organized
by the European Armenian Federation For Justice and Democracy (EAFJ) and by
the support of European Parliament vice-president Ingo Friedrich gave an
unambiguous “no” to Turkey’s EU accession bid saying that it not only has
not changed a bit but also has no desire to change.
Hence, no accession talks should be started with this country. Almost none
of the participants spoke in favor of Turkey’s membership but Pierre Mirel
who argued that the start of the negotiation does not mean that Turkey is
ready to join the EU nor that it will join it.
Contrary to this opinion, deputies representing Cyprus, Juanis Kasoulidis
and Kirakos Triantofilidis, pointed out that Turkey by no means can join EU
unless it recognizes the Republic of Cyprus.
Italian deputy, Francesco Enrico Speroni, emphasized on his part that by not
recognizing Cyprus Turkey, in fact, does not recognize part of the EU.
“Turkey has first of all to liberate part of the EU only after that we may
begin negotiating with it”, Speroni said.
Founder of Info-Turk Fund, acclaimed publicist Dogan Ozgugen, spoke about
human rights violation in Turkey underscoring that his country really has to
change and live up to the principles of Copenhagen.
The participants did not sidestep the Armenian Genocide issue either.
Chairman of European Hye Dat, Hilda Chobanian, and deputy chairman of
Armenian Parliament, Vahan Hovhanissian, spoke more detailed on this issue.
Talking to media, Mrs. Chobanian said that they work now include the
Armenian issue in the European Parliament’s resolution on Turkey coming next
week. Apparently, the resolution will be on launching accession talks with
Turkey. Vice speaker of EU-Turkey delegation, deputy from Germany, Mrs.
Renata Somer closed the conference with words: “Turkey has not changed in
the period from December 2004 to October of the current year. There is no
visible progress. The army is still a major factor in the country. No steps
were taken towards recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the Republic of
Cyprus. Therefore, Turkey cannot have a future without remembering and
acknowledging its past”.
By Hakob Asatrian in Brussels

AZG Armenian Daily #171, 24/09/2005
Karabakh diary
NEW CHURCH TO BE BUILT IN STEPANAKERT
A new church will be built in Stepanakert with the assistance of Vache
Yepremian, a benefactor from Los Angeles. “My assistance to Artsakh will be
of spiritual importance and I hope that the believers will appreciate that,”
Vache Yepremian said during the opening ceremony of the construction. The
initiative to build the church was taken as a result of the discussions with
Archbishop Pargev Martirosian. Mr. Vache Yepremian was very surprised to
find out that there is no church in the capital of Artsakh that is rich in
churches and historical monuments. He wrote a letter to Archbishop Pargev
offering his assistance for the construction of the church and received his
consent.
The church will be built in Hekimian district of Stepanakert. It is
envisaged that the construction works will be completed by the end of the
next year.
The church will be called St. Jacob, in memory of the perished brother of
the benefactor.
Archbishop Pargev Martirosian consecrated the place where the church will be
built. 16 stones were put in the basis of the church. Each stone stands for
12 apostles, 2 evangelists and Gregory the Illuminator.
St. Jacob will be the first church in Stepanakert; the construction works of
the Cathedral will already begin in October.
By Kim Gabrielian in Stepanakert
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #171, 24/09/2005
Turkey
TURKISH-AMERICAN RELATIONS ENDANGERED
Turkey’s relations with the United States are likely to spoil to an
unpredicted extent if the House of Representative approves the two
resolutions on Armenian Genocide adopted by the Committee of International
Relations last week, an anonymous diplomat told Turkish Daily News. The
paper reminds that the Bush Administration had warned the congressmen that
adoption of the two resolutions will harm Turkish-American relations but
“the Committee labeled the killings of Armenians in early 20th century a
genocide”.

Pan Armenian News
A. MARGARYAN CONGRATULATED NEWLY APPOINTED UKRAINIAN PREMIER
23.09.2005 06:39
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Premier Andranik Margaryan sent a congratulatory
message to Yuri Yekhanurov over appointment to the post of the Prime
Minister of Ukraine. A. Maragryan’s message says in part, `On behalf of the
government of the Republic of Armenia I congratulate You on the appointment
to the post of the Prime Minister of Ukraine. I hope that the government
headed by You will achieve considerable progress in promoting the social and
economic development of the country and the mutually beneficial cooperation
between Armenia and Ukraine will develop and strengthen.’

Pan Armenian News
TURKEY NEVER MET EU CRITERIA
23.09.2005 08:16
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Representatives of various European political forces, who
took part in the conference organized by the European Armenian Federation
stressed that Turkey has never met the EU criteria let it be the Cypriot
issue or problems with Armenia. The conference entitled “December 2004 –
October 2005. Has Turkey changed?” was held in Brussels on September 22 on
the initiative of the Christian Democratic Party of Germany and the Hay Dat
European Committee. Over 200 participants from 15 EU member-states took part
in this conference. In his speech Vice Speaker of the Armenian National
Assembly Vahan Hovhannisian emphasized that Turkey’s aggressive policy
jeopardizes stability in the South Caucasus. To note, yesterday the
conference participants called upon the EU leaders to exercise vigilance,
Yerkir Online reports.

Pan Armenian News
ANPP TO BE REFUELED
23.09.2005 05:05
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Starting with October 1, 2005 the Armenian Nuclear Power
Plant will be stopped for refueling, RA Energy Minister Armen Movsissyan
told journalists today. According to the Minister, the process will take 45
days. At the same time Armen Movsissyan informed that the Russian party
represented by the RAO UES of Russia expressed readiness to yield the
management of the financial flows of the ANPP, though the agreement
concluded for a 5-year term has not expired yet. `We have not arrived at any
decision yet’, the Minister stated pointing out to the positive role of the
Russian Holding in the financial and technical recovery of the station. To
remind, in September 2003 the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant was conveyed to
the trust management of the Inter RAO UES CJSC, the branch of the RAO UES of
Russia, reported IA Regnum.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Pan Armenian News
TURKISH FM CONDEMNED CANCELLATION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CONFERENCE
23.09.2005 07:56
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul condemned on Friday
the decision by a Turkish court canceling a conference on the Armenian
Genocide. As reported by Yerkir Online, Gul voiced his concern that the
court’s decision would likely weaken Turkey’s position on the eve of the
Turkey-EU talks on Turkey’s accession to the Union. The conference entitled
” Ottoman Armenians During the Decline of the Empire: Issues of Scientific
Responsibility and Democracy’ was scheduled to open today at the Bosphorus
University in Istanbul. The organizers of the conference have called a
meeting to coordinate their further actions, with an aim to hold the
conference at a different university. The Turkish press, in turn, has raised
their voice condemning the court’s ruling, calling it a serious blow to the
country’s image. The decision, however, was welcomed by the members of the
Turkish Retired Officers’ Union, the chairman of the History Society and the
Union of Lawyers, which have already rendered conferences.