IN ARMENIA, 70.4% OF THOSE HAVING STATUS OF UNEMPLOYED ARE WOMEN
YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, NOYAN TAPAN. The average number of economically
active inhabitants in Armenia made 1210.6 thousand people this
January-June. 91.4% or 1106.7 of them were busy in the economy. 103.9
thousand people had no job and were registered at the “RA Employment
Service” agency of the RA Ministry of Labour and Social Issues getting
status of unemployed. According to the data of the RA National
Statistical Service, in June, 3.5 thousand people got status of
unemployed, 70.4% of who made women. This index increased compared
with the one of the last month by 0.2%, and with the one of the same
month of 2004 by 0.9%.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CYPRIAN ARMENIAN FAMILY OF TUTUNJIANS AMONG VICTIMS OF PLANE CRASH
NICOSIA, AUGUST 15, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. According to the
newspaper “Marmara”, among those who died as a result of the plane
crash near Greece are the Syprian Armenian husband and wife Hakob and
Hilda Tutunjians with their two sons Ara and Paret. Hakob Tutunjian was
a member of the committee of the Narek seminary. He was the goalkeeper
of the Armenian Youth Football Team for about ten years, and worked
as a coach at the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU). Hilda
Tutunjian was an active member of the Cyprian Armenian Community as
well. After her marriage, she participated in the National dance group
and the St Astsutsatsin Church choir. She also served as a member of
the Committee of the Sunday Churches of the Armenian Church in Cyprus
and the Union of Parents at the Narek Seminary. The 16-year-old Ara
was a pupul of the Melgonian seminary, and Paret completed his studies
of the Narek lower classes in June 2005.

“FORGOTTEN GENOCIDE OF ARMENIANS” TO BE PRESENTED IN WHOLE JAPAN
YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Presentations of
the work “Fogotten Genocide of Armenians or Research on Prevention and
Panishment of Genocide” by Professor Hiroyoshi Segawa will be organized
in different cities of Japan starting with autumn. The presentations
will be accompanied by movable exhibitions. As Mushegh Sargsian, the
Director on Import of the Armenian Agency for Development informed
the Noyan Tapan correspondent, the book was first presented on June
7, at the Armenian pavilion of the EXPO 2005 “Natures Wisdom” world
exhibition organized in the city of Aichi. M.Sargsian informed that
for being involved in the movable exhibition, H.Segawa turned to the
Armenian party with a request to give materials concerning Armenian
culture, history and mythology presented at the Aichi exhibition to
be closed in September. M.Sargsian mentioned that the idea of the
Japanese scientist was approved by RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian
who promised to assist its implementation. To recap, Hiroyoshi Segawa
was rewarded with the title of the RA NAS Honoured Doctor this May.

FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP OF VETERAN CHESS PLAYERS OF ARMENIA STARTS
YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, NOYAN TAPAN. The first championship of veteran
chess players of Armenia started the youngest participant of
which is 60 years old. The tournament has gathered a rather strong
staff, 4 participants of 32 ones of them are champions of Armenia of
different years. The championship also has an electoral character: the
participant taking the 1st place will get a right for participation
in the 2005 world championship of the veteran chess players as well,
besides getting the title of the champion of the country. 2 ronds
have already been held at the championship. Having 2 points each, 8
participants lead the competitive list. Only 9 rounds will be held at
the Central House of Chess Players of Armenia where the championship
is going on. The champion of the country and other prize-winners will
be known on August 18. The Chess Players Federation of Armenia defined
monetary prizes for participants played with success. The prize fund
is 245 thousand drams, 100 thousand of which will be given to the
champion of Armenia.

“YOU ARE WRONG, THINKING THAT AUTHORITIES ARE STRONG: ONCE YOU WILL GET
UP AND SEE THAT THEY DO NOT EXIST ANY MORE,” ALEXAN KARAPETIAN STATES
YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, NOYAN TAPAN. “I state for political slow-witted
persons: we have a clear party line, and it is worked out not in
foreing states and not at international organizations.” Alexan
Karapetian, the Deputy Chairman of the “National Unification” party
made such a statement at the August 13 press-conference. According
to him, main intrapolitical developments of the nearest future will
be connected with the discussion of the project of the constitutional
reforms. A.Karapetian informed that Artashes Geghamian, the leader of
the party prepares a speech containing some details of “traitorous
machinations” of the rulling regime. A. Geghamian is going on
to present those facts at the August 29 session of the National
Assembly. “Waiting for death is worse than death itself, and our
people knows that the day will come when those authorities will go
away, and we’ll help to quicken that day,” A.Karapetian stated. He
expressed a confidence that the authorities will surely go away,
as the situation matures gradually: one day you will get up and see
that they don’t exist any more,” the Deputy Chairman of the “National
Unification” party stated. He also exposed to strong criticism the
position of the Armenian All-National Movement: “You support Robert
Kocharian and Serge Sargsian, and your newspaper “Aravot” spreads
different rumours about Geghamian. But you will not succeed!”

CHAIRMAN OF STATE COMMISSION ON RESETTLEMENT OF MESKHET TURKS VISIT AKHALKALAK
AKHALKALAK, AUGUST 15, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Georgian
State Minister on Issues of Conflict Settlement in Georgia, Chairman
of the Georgian President-affiliated State Commission on Resettlement
of Meskhet Turks Georgy Khaindrava arrived in Akhalkalak on August
14. The visit is mainly related to becoming acquainted with the state
program on the resettlement of Meskhet Turks in Georgia. During
a meeting with the NGOs of Javakhk, G. Khaindrava noted that the
return of Meskhet Turks, however undesirable it is, has become an
obligation for Georgia. The minister also said that the returning
Meskhet Turks will become Georgian citizens and may live in any
place of the country they want. According to the agency “A-Info”,
taking the hint of the Georgian official, the representatives of
the Javakhk NGOs pointed out once again that no Turks used to live
in the Armenian-populated Akhalkalak of today’s Georgia, in the
regions of Ninotsminda, particularly, no Turks lived in the Armenian
villages of the Akhaltskha region, and Georgians now live in the areas
previously populated by them (the Aspindza and Adigen regions). For
this very reason, residents of Javakhk will not allow any Turk to
appear in their settlements. In the opinion of the Javakhk residents,
by the return of Meskhet Turks, the Georgian government is making an
attempt to change the region’s demography. G. Khaindrava said the he
will again pay a visit to the region with the aim of discussing the
program on resettlement of Meskhet Turks.

IMAM OF KARS DOES NOT ALLOW ARMENIAN TOURISTS TO LIGHT CANDLES IN CHURCH TURNED INTO MOSQUE
KARS, AUGUST 15, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A number of Turkish
newspapers (“Hurriet”, “Milliet” and some others) reported on August
15 that the imam of the city of Kars did not allow a group of tourists
from Armenia to light candles and hold a religious ceremony at the
Church of Twelve Apostles turned into a mosque. The Armenian Apostolic
Church was turned into a mosque in 1998 and called Qumpet Chamii. Imam
Mehmed Altun prohibited the Armenian tourists from lighting candles or
singing in the former church. According to the imam, such ceremonies
are not allowed in a mosque, the newapaper “Marmara” wrote. Later the
tourists intended to light candles in the garden of the former church,
but this time some locals intervened, preventing them from doing
so. The Armenian tourists had to interrupt their ceremony and leave.

RA PRIME MINISTER STARTS HIS VACATION
YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the RA Government
Information and PR Department, the Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Margarian will be on vacation on August 15-28. In this connection,
in accordance with the RA President’s March 16, 2002 decree on the
order of the activities of the RA government, under the decision of
the RA Prime Minister, Head of the RA Government Staff – Minister
Manuk Topuzian will perform the duties of Prime Minister during the
indicated period.

EXPERIENCE OF SWEDEN CAN BE USEFUL FOR ARMENIA IN NUMBER OF SPHERES,
STATE SECRETARY OF SWEDISH PRIME MINISTER’S STAFF MENTIONS
YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, NOYAN TAPAN. Manuk Topuzian, the Minister-Head
of the RA Government’s staff met with a delegation headed by Lars
Danielson Gunnar, the State Secretary of the Prime Minister’s staff
of the Kingdom of Sweden on August 12. As Noyan Tapan was informed
by the RA Government’s Information and Public Relations Department,
the delegation arrived in Armenia within the framework of a regional
visit. During the meeting, at Danielson Gunnar’s request, the Minister
touched upon reforms and present problems of the judicial system,
issues of the gender equality and increase of women’s role in the
state and full-fledged usage of their potential, the economic policy
of the Government and prevailing spheres. The Swedish officials were
especially interested in approaches and programs of the Government
in the sphere of energy, including those on the issue of safety of
the Armenian nuclear power station as during the last period, those
problems were rather urgent in Sweden as well and underwent a process
of serious discussions. The State Secretary of the Prime Minister’s
staff of the Kingdom of Sweden mentioned that his country is ready
to give a consulting assistance in that issue if there is a need. He
also presented the experience of Sweden in some spheres which can be
useful for Armenia.

YEREVAN MAYOR REVOKES DECISION ABOUT MINIBUS FARE INCREASE
YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, NOYAN TAPAN. Yerevan Mayor’s Office informs
that under the decision made by Yerevan Mayor on August 13, 2005,
the decision on making a change in the fare of the city minbuses of
Yerevan has been revoked. According to the Yerevan Mayor’s Office
Information Department, instaed of 130 drams, the previous fare of
100 drams will be valid. The decision about increasing the minibus
fare took force on August 10.