NA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
A1+
| 12:32:02 | 31-08-2005 | Official |
In connection with the Knowledge day the RA NA President Arthur
Baghdasaryan sent a congratulating message to the teachers, students
and pupils of the Republic.
“The National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, as a legislative
body, realizes legislative reforms with the hope to make the
educational system of the Armenia corresponding to the European
standards in order to provide the Armenian pupils and students with
the possibility to find their place in the modern world.
In the Parliament the adoption of laws concerning the education field
is of primary importance. I’m sure that competitive education will
create the possibility to get a good education for all those who
have chosen the way of science irrespective of the social status”,
said Arthur Baghdasaryan.

TILL FINAL VICTORY
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| 19:55:33 | 30-08-2005 | Politics |
The Armenian Foreign Ministry is going to launch a serious struggle
against the construction of an “alternative” railway connecting Turkey,
Azerbaijan and Georgia.
First of all Armenia will try to prevent other states from financing
Azerbaijan. Armenia has already proposed to operate the existing
railway lying through the Armenian territory. However the republic
will not be ready to put into operation the road until all the regional
conflicts are settled.
UNDER THE VEIL OF SECRECY
Till today nothing is known about the details of the meeting of the
Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents that took place August 27 in
Kazan. During today’s press conference Vartan Oskanian warned he is
not going to add anything new. “I assess this meeting as positive
though no crucial decisions were made”, he said stressing that the
meeting opened a new possibility for continuing the negotiations.
The formal statement issued by the RA MFA says in part, “Armenia
positively assesses the Kazan meeting and considers that the
negotiations proceed in the right direction. By order of the Presidents
the meetings of the FMS will continue basing on the agreements
achieved in Kazan. The visit of the OSCE Co-Chairs to the region is
also possible.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ROBERT KOCHARYAN IGNORES UN
A1+
| 19:10:41 | 30-08-2005 | Politics |
Robert Kocharyan is continually avoiding participation in the
UN General Assembly. As it became known, this year the Armenian
delegation to the 60th UN General Assembly Session will be headed
by Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan. RA Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian explains it by the fact that the presence of the Premier is
more expedient.
Today the RA FM rendered a press conference to comment on the upcoming
events and meetings. In his words, the year end promises to be rich in
events. Lithuanian and Finn Presidents are expected to visit Armenia
while Robert Kocharyan will pay a call to Brussels.

ARMENIA TO STRUGGLE AGAINST CONSTRUCTION OF KARS-AKHALKALAKI-TBILISI RAILWAY
By Tatoul Hakobian
AZG Armenian Daily #154, 31/08/2005
Region
The official Yerevan is going to struggle against the construction
of Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi railway, proving to the international
community that the project is useless. Vartan Oskanian, RA foreign
minister, stated at the press conference that “Georgia and Azerbaijan
have no moral right” to invest financial sources in the construction
of the railway that overpasses Armenia, as there exists Kars-Gyumri
railway that stopped functioning because Turkey still keeps Armenia
in blockade.
“We find it useless to invest limited international and inner
financial sources in the construction of the new railway,” Oskanian
said, reminding that Armenia can keep away from using Kars-Gyumri
railway but we are ready to provide the territory of our country for
transitional transportations only, to establish railway connection
between Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
Recently, the Georgian foreign minister made a threatening statement
that Tbilisi won’t allow any state, including Armenia, to hinder the
construction of Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi railway. Vartan Oskanian
repeated that one can’t frighten Armenia with regional projects and
even if Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi railway is constructed, “Armenia
won’t disappear from the map, it will continue developing.”

‘ROSE GAMES’ IN AZERBAIJAN
AZG Armenian Daily #154, 31/08/2005
Neighbors
Merab Jibutia, representative of the so-called Democratic Forces
of Georgia, was detained in Azerbaijan. He was earlier labeled an
agent of Armenia’s special services by Chief Prosecutor’s Office
of Azerbaijan. It’s noteworthy that another “spy”, Ruslan Bashirli,
leader of Yeni Fiqir oppositional party, was arrested on August 3 on
charge of an attempt to seize the power in the country. He conducted
secret negotiations with agents of Armenia’s special services Merab
Jibutia, Georgi Ispirian and Vartan in Tbilisi.
Detained while attempting to cross the border, the Azeri law enforcers
found no identifying document within him but found instead Armenian
money. The Azeri mass media keeps silent as to what Jibutia was
supposed to buy in Baku with Armenian drams.

PRESIDENTS OF LATVIA AND FINLAND TO VISIT ARMENIA
By Tatoul Hakobian
AZG Armenian Daily #154, 31/08/2005
Visit
The presidents of Latvia and Finland are going to visit Armenia till
the end of this year. Foreign minister of Armenia said that President
Kocharian will visit Belgium and another state.
Dmitri Rupel, OSCE chairman, will arrive in Armenia on September 5-6.
Vartan Oskanian will leave for Strasburg, Venice and Bologna in
September.
Kocharian Makes Remark to Oskanian
Vartan Oskanian confirmed that RA President made him a remark
concerning the recent incident connected with his son. Few days ago,
Mr. Oskanian’s son ran over a citizen who was taken to hospital with
injuries. Mr. Oskanian condemned himself for the incident again. In
response to the issue whether the Armenian authorities display
prejudiced attitude to Vartan Oskanian, Mr. foreign minister said:
“I am confused about the incident and concerned about the health of
Karen, the injured citizen.”

DAY OF THE UNACCOUNTED-FOR MARKED
AZG Armenian Daily #154, 31/08/2005
Event
Vanadzor office of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly informs that at 12.00
o’clock August 30 an arrangement dedicated to unaccounted-for people
was held at business center of American University of Armenia. As
part of the event “Hope Dies Last” film shoot by Ecumenical
Peace Council of Netherlands was shown. Head of the office Artur
Saqunts represented issues concerning unaccounted-for people in the
conflict zones. Armenian lawmakers and representatives of local and
international NGOs and mass media took part in the discussions during
the event.

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN IN POLAND FOR SOLIDARITY ANNIVERSARY
A1+
| 12:36:49 | 31-08-2005 | Politics |
Warsaw¯Raffi K. Hovannisian, represented Armenia at an international
conference marking the Solidarity movement’s 25th anniversary,
which was held here from August 29 to 31 under the auspices of the
Solidarity Center Foundation and the Lech Walesa Insitute.
Entitled “From Solidarnosc to Freedom,” the conclave brought together
world leaders, public figures, academicians, activists, and journalists
from across the globe. Former Prime Minister Vazgen Manukian also
traveled from Yerevan to take part in the proceedings.
In his intervention, Raffi Hovannisian addressed the past achievements
of the Solidarity movement and examined its contribution to the
transition from Cold War to European unification. He also underscored
the imperative of thinking prospectively, taking the lessons of the
“Solidarnosc” experience outside the Soviet box, and applying them
equally to all modern challenges of democracy, human rights, and
national dignity¯regardless of the provenance of each such challenge
or the sources of threat.
Against the background of contemporary geopolitical developments,
Raffi Hovannisian held meetings with Solidarity’s leader and later
Polish President Lech Walesa; former US Secretary of State Madeleine
K. Albright; and former US National Security Adviser Zbigniew
Brzezinski.
In the margins of the conference, Hovannisian also met with President
Jose Manuel D. Barroso of the European Commission; President Alexander
Kwasniewski of Poland; Polish Parliamentary Speaker Wlodzimierz
Cimoszewicz; former Polish Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki; current
and former Polish Foreign Ministers Adam Rotfeld and Bronislaw Geremek;
former Polish Defense Minister Zbigniew Okonski; former Bulgarian
President Zhelyu Zhelev; former French Foreign Minister Jean-Bernard
Raimond; former Czech Foreign Minister Jiri Dienstbier; former head
of state of Belarus Stanislaw Shushkevich; and several others.
The participants traveled today to the city of Gdansk and its shipyard,
where the Solidarity movement originated, for a special session on
“The Legacy of Solidarnosc,” the signing of the founding act of The
European Solidarity Center, and the proclamation of August 31 as
International Freedom and Solidarity Day. German President Horst
Koehler, former Czech President Vaclav Havel, James A. Baker III,
Hovannisian’s American counterpart in 1991-92, and a score of other
government leaders joined the conference guests for these commemorative
activities.
–Boundary_(ID_v8s6/S8PZypTc/invzxZkA)–

US DEPARTMENT OF STATE TO HOST ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT CHAIRMAN
Armenpress
August 30, 2005
YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS: The US Embassy in Armenia said the
U.S. Department of State, via its International Visitor Program,
will host a series of meetings for National Assembly Chairman Artur
Baghdasaryan during the Washington, D.C. portion of his trip to the
United States from August 31 through September 7. During his visit,
Mr. Baghdasaryan will meet with U.S. government officials, as well
as with non-governmental organizations and media outlets.
The State Department has arranged meetings for Mr. Baghdasaryan
with Speaker of the House of Representatives J. Dennis Hastert
(Republican-Illinois), Democratic National Committee Chairman
Howard Dean, and Congressmen Knollenberg (R-MI) and Pallone (D-NJ)
of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, as well as with
various high-level Department of State, National Security Council,
U.S. Agency for International Development and Millennium Challenge
Corporation officials. The State Department has also arranged for
Mr. Baghdasaryan to give a presentation at the Center for Strategic
and International Studies (CSIS) and to meet with the non-governmental
organization Transparency International.
Launched in 1940, the U.S. Department of State International Visitor
Program seeks to build mutual understanding between the United States
and other nations through carefully designed professional visits to
the U.S. for current and emerging foreign leaders. Through these
encounters, they gain a greater understanding of the cultural and
political society of the United States. Over 180 current and former
heads of government and state and many other distinguished world
leaders in the public and private sectors have participated in the
Department of State’s International Visitor Program. We are proud to
now have Mr. Baghdasaryan among the program’s alumni.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DAYS OF ITALIAN-ARMENIAN FRIENDSHIP TO LAUNCH IN ARMENIA IN OCTOBER
Armenpress
August 30, 2005
YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS: Armenian foreign minister Vartan
Oskanian told a news conference today that Days of Armenian-Italian
Friendship, initiated by two governments and sponsored by the
presidents of Italy and Armenia will be launched in Armenia in early
October and will run until the end of the year.
An extensive set of events includes display of exhibits from Saint
Lazarus Museum in Venice run by the Armenian Mkhetarist Congregation of
Armenian Catholics at Armenian National Picture Gallery, a conference
on Italian-Armenian historical and cultural relations, Days of Italian
Cinema, theater and music performances, photo and cuisine exhibitions
and other events.