ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER PRESENTS ARMENIA’S APPROACHES TO REGIONAL PROBLEMS TO PACE PRESIDENT
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. At the August 19 meeting with the
PACE President Rene van der Linden who is on a three-day visit to
Armenia, the RA Foreign Minister Vartan Osklanian presented Armenia’s
approaches to the regional problems, in particular, to the developments
around the Nagorno Karabakh problem and to relations between Armenia
and Turkey. According to the RA MFA Press and Information Department,
during the conversation, the sides addressed the issues of developing
and strengthening democracy in Armenia, and the process of honoring
Armenia’s commitments towards the Council of Europe. In this connection
they exchanged ideas about the constitutional reforms in the country
and discussions held on this issue, as well as about the referendum
to be held this autumn.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PACE ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO POLITICAL PARTIES’ COOPERATION ON ISSUES
OF IMPORTANCE TO ARMENIA
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The adoption of the constitutional
reforms is a test for Armenia, with both the authorities and the
opposition being responsible for its success because the Constitution
is for the whole state and the people rather than for the current
authorities and for one day. PACE President Rene van der Linden, who is
on a visit to Yerevan, stated this at the August 19 meeting with the RA
National Assembly President Artur Baghsadarian. He noted that gaining
the confidence and faith of the people is important in order to achieve
success at the constitutional referendum. Rene van der Linden said
that PACE attaches importance to the cooperation among the political
parties on the issues of significance to Armenia, the existence of the
independent mass media, the preparation of accurate electoral rolls,
as well as to imposing punishment on those who committed rigging at
the previous elections. According to A. Baghdasarian, a national
register is being created in order to make the electoral rolls more
accurate, and the necessary legislative steps have been taken with
the aim of holding elections in line with democratic standards. He
noted that the discussions on constitutional reforms will continue
with NGOs and political forces. The NA President underlined the
importance of the whole society’s participation in deciding the fate
of the Armenian Constitution, as well as the imprortance of creating
an atmosphere of mutual trust, which will allow to orientate oneself
correctly. According to the RA National Assembly PR Department, the
sides pointed out that the adoption of the constitutional reforms
will play a crucial role in Armenia’s development, strengthening its
authority and prospects of progress.

YEREVAN AND LOS ANGELES TO BECOME SISTER CITIES
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The members of the RA National
Assembly Armenian-US Friendship Group met on August 19 with Eric
Garchetti, a member of Los Angeles city council. According to the
RA NA PR Department, he arrived in Armenia with the initiative to
declare Yerevan and Los Angeles sister cities. It is envisaged to
sign an agreement about it after holding discussions in Yerevan. The
Armenian parliamentarians accepted this proposal with satisfaction,
taking into account that the Armenian community of Los Angeles is
the third largest one after those in Armenia and Russia. Head of the
Friendship Group Levon Mkrtchian said that it will provide a good
occasion to develop the relations between the two communities and
strengthen cultural and scientific links. According to the RA MFA
Press and Information Department, on the same day, Eric Garchetti was
received by RA Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosian. During the
meeting, E. Garchetti emphasized the important role that Armenians
play in the cultural, economic and social life of Los Angeles. He
expressed confidence that the development of links between Yerevan and
Los Angeles will further promote cooperation between the two countries.

PACE PRESIDENT WOULD BE AGAINST REPLACING OSCE MINSK GROUP WITH CE
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. PACE President Rene van Der Linden
said at the August 19 press conference in Yerevan that he would be
against if the Council of Europe (CE) replaced the OSCE Minsk Group
in the issue of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
According to him, this problem is quite delicate and sensitive, and
it must be solved by the two countries – Armenia and Azerbaijan. At
the same time, PACE President noted that the organization headed by
him may prove useful in the process of reconciliation, particularly
through parliamentarian contacts.

FAILURE TO HONOR COMMITMENT ASSUMED BY ARMENIA TO BECOME PIVOTAL ISSUE OF DISCUSSION IN PACE
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. “I hope that the political parties
will be able to make a concerted effort in order to reach an
agreement on the issue of constitutional amendments.” PACE President
Rene van der Linden, who is on a three-day visit to Armenia, stated
this at the August 19 press conference in Yerevan. In his opinion,
the constitutional reforms are the most important discussions of the
political issue procceding from the interests of the whole country.
For this very reason, he called upon all the sides to take joint
steps within the next few days in the direction of further
improvement of the draft, including the strengthening of the mass
media’s independence. According to PACE President, the proposed draft
is much better in its contents than the previous one, and it is
extremely important that all the political forces of Armenia support
the constitutional reforms. “It will determine to a great extent
whether Armenia will proceed along the path of becoming a modern
democratic state or not,” Rene van der Linden said. According to him,
since Armenia is still in the process of PACE monitoring, the failure
to honor the commitment assumed by Armenia will be a pivotal issue of
discussion in PACE. He noted that the Armenia- Council of Europe
relations also affect the Armenia – the European Union relations.

GEORGIAN ARMENIAN TEACHERS DO NOT TRUST GEORGIAN OFFICIALS’ STATEMENTS
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. There is no problem of teaching all
subjects in Georgian at Armenian schools of Georgia: there is just a
goal to deepen the level of knowledge of the Georgian language. Sergo
Yeritsian, the RA Minister of Education and Science expressed such an
opinion at the August 19 meeting with Diasporan Armenian teachers.
According to him, the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia
informed him about this during their last meeting. But, in contrast
to S.Yeritsian, Georgian Armenian teachers do not trust Georgian
officials’ statements and expect a solution for the problem from the
Government of Armenia. As Anna Saribekian, a teacher of Tbilisi school
#110 mentioned during the interview to the Noyan Tapan correspondent,
a number of directors of Armenian schools were disappointed from
the posts receintly. According to her, the Government of Georgia has
already started the program of reforms for what Armenian schools are
not ready yet. It was mentioned that the subjects Armenian History,
History of Armenian Church and Geography of Armenia are not taught at
Armenian schools of Georgia. Instead of them, Armenian pupils study
history and geography of Georgia.

GREEK PRIME MINISTER RECEIVES FORMER RA FOREIGN MINISTER
ATHENS, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The Greek Prime Minister Konstantinos
A. Karamanlis received on August 19 the chairman of the party
“Zharangutyun” (“Heritage”), a former RA Foreign Minister Raffi
Hovhannisian. During the meeting, the sides discussed a number of
issues, including those related to the regional security, European
integration and the bilateral Armenian-Greek relations.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT AND CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS DISCUSS ISSUES OF
FURTHER STRENGTHENING OF CHURCH-STATE RELATIONS
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the RA Presidential
press service, at the August 19 meeting of the Armenian President
Robert Kocharian and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, the sides
dicsussed the issues related to the church’s role in the social life,
as well as to the further strengthening of the church-state relations.

THE REFERENDUM ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS IS OF CRUCIAL SIGNIFICANCE
TO ARMENIA, ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SAYS
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the RA Presidential
press service, issues related to honoring Armenia’s commitments towards
the Council of Europe, particularly the process of the constitutional
reforms, were discussed at the August 19 meeting between the Armenian
President Robert Kocharian and the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe (PACE) President Rene van der Linden who is on a
visit to Yerevan. R. Kocharian emphasized that the Constitutional
reform is being implemented with confidence that first of all it is
necessary for us. Noting that the amendments made should be in line
with European standards, he appreciated the assistance provided by
the Venice Commision. According to R. Kocharian, the referendum
on constitutional reforms to be held in November is of crucial
significance to Armenia and the authorities will be consistent in
order to succeed.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

POISONING CASES INCREASE IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. 543 cases of poisoning were fixed
in Armenia during the first half of 2005, as a result of what 9
people died and 592 were injured. As the Noyan Tapan correspondent
was informed by the RA Department for Emergency Situations (DES),
this year the number of cases of poisoning inreased by 140, compared
with the same period of 2004. According to the DES, poisoning increase
was fixed in January-February. If during the first quarter, cases
of gas-poisoning increase, during the second and third quarters,
food and alcohol poisoning increases. As it was in the past, the
most part of cases of poisoning took place as a result of usage of
alcoholic drinkings of bad quality. 75 cases of poisoning beause of
smag and natural gaz leakage were fixed during thw first half of the
month. 7 people died because of carbon monoxideas, and 84 people,
icluding 6 children were injured. 14 people, including 1 child were
injured because of gas leakage.