DIPLOMAS OF ARMENIAN UNIVERSITIES TO BE VALID IN COUNTRIES JOINED TO BOLOGNA AGREEMENT

YEREVAN, JUNE 2. ARMINFO. Diplomas of Armenia’s universities will be
valid in all the countries joined to the Bologna agreement of the
All-European educational system and ratified the Lisbon Convention
on recognizing qualification of higher education, stated director
of Armenia’s National education institute Viktor Martirossyan in an
interview to ARMINFO.

He noted that these documents will allow students to get academic
bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accordance with All-European
educational system standards. Martirossyan noted that reforms in
Armenia’s educational system will be completed till 2010. In his
words, some Armenian universities have agreements on validity of their
diplomas in some foreign universities. Besides, Armenian diplomas
are valid in universities of all CIS countries.

According to Armenia’s National Statistic Service, in 2004-2005 in
Armenian state universities studied 2972 foreign students, of them
901 from Georgia, 666 from Iran, 536 from India, 343 from Syria,
305 from Russian and 36 from Turkey. 806 foreigners study in private
universities. To remind, Armenia ratified the Lisbon convention in
March, 2005 and joined to the Bologna agreement early in May.

At the same time, as IRNA informs, ambassador of Iran to Armenia
Alireza Khakikiyan does not advise Iranians to study in Armenia, In
his yesterday’s speech in Tebriz he informed that Iranian students
face with big social problems within the study period in Armenia.
Ambassador stated that the Iranians graduated from universities and
institutions of higher education in Armenia, face with low mark of
Armenian diplomas. “Iranian families should not send their children
for continuing study in Armenia”, Khakikiyan stated. -r-

6 ARMENIAN PILOTS IMPRISONED FOR LONG YEARS IN EQUATORIAL
AFRICA ARE LIKELY TO RETURN HOME VERY SOON

YEREVAN, JUNE 2. ARMINFO. The 6 Armenian Pilots Imprisoned For Long
Years In Equatorial Africa Are Likely To Return Home Very Soon. Head
Of The World Armenian Congress Ara Abrahamyan Informs The Armenian
Public Radio.

He Says Negotiations With The Authorities Of This African State Are
Actively Continued. Despite The Earlier Statement Tat The Final Date
Of The Negotiations For Their Release Was June 12, Ara Abrahanyan
Expressed Hope For The Pilot’S Return Home Before This Date. He
Did Not Inform The Radio Of Any Details Of The Negotiations Not To
Create Problems.

To Note, The 6 Armenian Pilots Have Been Sentenced To 14-24 Years Of
Imprisonment For An Attempted State Coup.

AZERIS CONSIDER MAKING STIR BEFORE EVERY ELECTION IN NKR THEIR DUTY

Pan Armenian News
02.06.2005 08:01

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In neighboring Azerbaijan they consider it their
duty to raise a stir over legitimacy and legality of every election
conducted in the NKR, stated Chairman of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
Central Electoral Commission Sergey Nasibian when commenting upon the
statements of the officials of Azerbaijan that any election conducted
in Nagorno Karabakh were not valid, reported the NKR Foreign Ministry
Press Service. In this connection, the NKR CEC Chairman noted that the
people of Nagorno Karabakh had solved the issue of its status long
ago, having declared in 1991 the Nagorno Karabakh Republic on the
basis of international law and having confirmed it via a referendum
December 10, 1991. Currently, the NKR is a de-facto established
independent state, which legally holds presidential, parliamentary
and municipal elections. The election to the NKR National Assembly,
scheduled on June 19, 2005, is the forth parliamentary election in the
history of its independent statehood. Three nation-wide presidential
elections and the same quantity of elections to the self-governing
bodies have been conducted earlier. As reported by S.Nasibian, today
the republic’s Central Electoral Commission and electoral district
commissions realize all the preparatory and organizational measures
aimed at the conducting of fair and transparent election meeting
democratic principles. “Local and foreign observers, who watched the
course of elections in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic many times,
noted the higher level of elections in the NKR in comparison with
those in Azerbaijan. It’s likely that it is one of the reasons of the
Azerbaijani party’s sick excitement about the coming parliamentary
elections in the republic”, S.Nasibian said, noting that the elections
in Azerbaijan itself, according to the evaluations of international
observers, were invariably accompanied with gross violations of
the generally accepted norms and did not correspond to the European
standards. According to him, the NKR electoral commissions are very
resolute to continue the good traditions and do their best in order
the coming parliamentary elections become a regular step in the
establishment of the Karabakh state, strengthening the statehood and
further development of democracy. “The Azerbaijani party’s anxiety that
the elections will become an obstacle for the peaceful settlement of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, are quite groundless. On the contrary,
the presence of legally elected authorities of Nagorno Karabakh can
only stimulate the negotiation process”, the NKR Central Electoral
Commission Chairman noted.

FIRST ROUND OF INTERNATIONAL CONTEST AFTER ARAM KHACHATURIAN OVER

Pan Armenian News
02.06.2005 07:55

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The first round of the international contest after
Aram Khachaturian is over. 12 musicians out of the 18 initially taking
part in the competition were admitted to the second round. According
to the prior agreement, the jury members selected the winners by vote
without discussion. Jury will hold discussions only after the third
round. The competition participants will present contemporary works
to the audience.

ARMAVIA COMPANY PLANE ROLLED OUT OF VNUKOVO AIRPORT RUNWAY

Pan ArmenianNews
02.06.2005 05:59

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Armavia company A-320 plane that was
executing Yerevan-Moscow flight rolled out of the runway in Vnukovo
Moscow airport. None of the passengers was wounded. The airport was
closed due to the incident, however resumed operation later. Airport
Press Secretary Konstantin Konanykhin reported that “there were no
circumstances indicating at the incident judging from the state of
the landing strip.” At present a commission is formed to find out
the causes of the incident, Regnum news agency reported.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HEAD OF ARMENIA’S CONSTITUTIONAL COURT NOT TO LEAVE FOR BAKU

YEREVAN, JUNE 2. ARMINFO. Chief of Armenia’s Constitutional Court
(CC) Gagik Harutyunyan will not participate at the 4th meeting of
the CE member-countries CC heads in Baku Jun 16-17 organized by the
CE Venice Commission. As ARMINFO was informed today in Armenia’s
CC, Harutyunyan will leave for Venice on Jun 9 to participate at
Commission’s regular sitting.

It is supposed that issues concerning internal constitutional
jurisprudence of the CE member-countries will be discussed within
the Baku meeting framework, particularly, cooperation between
Constitutional Courts and their secretariats, fulfilling exchange of
information between them, determining ways of further cooperation
and conducting seminars, as well as using Internet for Courts
‘activity. Issues on cooperation of the CE CCs with courts of Asia and
Africa will be considered, too. Head of Venice Commission secretariat
Gianni Buquicchio will arrive in Baku to participate at the meeting

2006 YEAR TO BE MARKED IN FRANCE UNDER SLOGAN “MY FRIEND ARMENIA”

YEREVAN, JUNE 2. ARMINFO. The decision to hold Year of Armenia
in France is very important as it was passed by the presidents,
Armenia’s Ambassador to France Eduard Nalbandyan says in an interview
to Armenia’s Public TV.

The festivities will be held in both France and Armenia with
the first ones starting in Sept 2006. The program includes a gala
concert at Republic Square and an exhibition of Louvre’s collection
in Yerevan. Charles Aznavour will come to Armenia again. Then the
festivities will move to Paris and other French cities. Louvre will
host an Armenian exhibition of the pre-Christian and Christian periods,
Georges Pompidu Center an exhibition of Archil Gorky. Different French
galleries will exhibit works by Aivazovsky, Saryan, Kochar.

The slogan of the year will be “My Friend Armenia.”

Nalbandian says that Armenian-French friendship is centuries
old. Luis XIV send his men around the world to search for Armenian
manuscripts. That’s why the French National Library has a big
collection of Armenian manuscripts. In XIX Napoleon ordered to open
an Armenian language department in French University. Many Armenian
painters, composers, singers, directors and writers lived and worked
in France.

DEMAND FOR POPULAR REVOLT

Armenpress

YEREVAN, JUNE 2, ARMENPRESS: A top official of the former ruling
Armenian National Movement (ANM) moved unexpectedly today to
underestimate Armenia’s main opposition parties’ claims that the
situation for a popular revolt against the incumbent regime was nearing
a margin that would imminently spark a wide-scale anti-government
movement.

Babken Ararktsian, a former parliament chairman in ex-president Levon
Ter-Petrosian’s administration argued there were no prerequisites
for a revolution in Armenia. “Chances of the opposition parties to
pattern a ‘colored’ revolution here are very few. They neither enjoy
an outside support to carry it out, since there is no social demand
for revolution in Armenia,” Ararktsian said, but could not explain
why there was no such a demand.

Ararktsian, who is head of Armat think-tank, went on to argue that
Armenia is not attractive for influential outside forces, due to its
geographic location and geopolitical significance, unlike two other
former Soviet republics of Georgia and Ukraine.

Ararktsian also argued against press reports in the opposition media
that the ruling coalition is divided. Speaking about the opposition’s
performance he said its sole opportunity to ‘showcase itself” is to
boycott the parliament’s work. He also spoke about Turkish-Armenian
relations emphasizing the opening of borders, saying it would benefit
Armenia economically

HAGEL NOTED CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS IN RECENT US-ARMENIA RELATIONS

Pan Armenian News
02.06.2005 08:14

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian met with
US Senator Charles Hagel and US European Command Deputy Commander,
general Charles Wald, reported the Press Service of the Armenian
leader. In the course of the meeting the parties discussed enlargement
of US-Armenia relations that form new cooperation opportunities. In
his turn Senator Hagel noted considerable progress in bilateral
relations recently and underscored the importance of securing the
continuation of the process. He again emphasized the importance
of Armenia supporting the fight against internationanl terrorism,
remarking Armenian peacekeepers fulfill their mission in Kosovo and
Iraq with responsibility. Besides, the interlocutors exchanged opinions
over regional problems and discussed the process of reforms in Armenia.

OSKANIAN MET WITH OSCE/ODIHR DIRECTOR

Pan Armenian News
02.06.2005 07:05

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian met with
Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human
Rights Christian Strohal, reported the Press Service of the Armenian
Foreign Ministry. In the course of the meeting the interlocutors
exchanged views over the efforts and actions of Armenia in democratic
processes and human rights protection in the country. V. Oskanian
appreciated the OSCE role in development of democracy and human rights
protection in Europe and said he hoped for the important international
organization to continue promoting democratic processes in Armenia,
as well as forming democratic atmosphere in the region. The parties
specifically noted the important expert assistance of the ODIHR to
the legislative sphere of Armenia.