ROBERT KOCHARIAN AND HERMAN DE CROO EMPHASIZE NECESSITY TO EXTEND
ARMENIAN-BELGIAN POLITICAL DIALOGUE

YEREVAN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN. On April 5, RA President Robert
Kocharian received Herman De Croo, Chairman of the Belgian House of
Representatives, in his private house. The sides highly estimated the
level of Armenian-Belgian relations mentioning that the evidence of
this is also the fact that Belgium is Armenia’s main trade partner
among the EU countries. According to RA President’s Press Service,
the interlocutors attached importance to the necessity to extend the
political dialogue between the 2 countries, and the activization of
parliamentary cooperation may contribute to it. Issues concerning
Armenia’s integration to Europe, in particular, in the context of
European “New Neighborhood” policy, were also discussed. R. Kocharian
and Herman De Croo also touched upon regional problems and processes.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EBRD RECEIVES NO OFFER TO PARTICIPATE IN FUNDING OF ARMENIA-IRAN GAS
PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION

YEREVAN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The European Bank of Reconstruction
and Development (EBRD) has not received any offer to participate
in funding of the construction of Armenia-Iran gas pipeline. The
EBRD regional director Michael Dave stated this at the April 5 press
conference, adding that the reason for this is probably that Iran is
not a shareholder of the bank.

EBRD TO IMPLEMENT PROJECTS IN ENERGY SPHERE OF ARMENIA

YEREVAN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Prior to the creation of the restored
energy fund in Armenia, the European Bank of Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD) will implement sprecific projects in the country’s
energy sphere. The EBRD regional director Michael Dave stated at the
April 5 press conference that the bank will carry out work in this
direction together with businessmen and investors. It is envisaged
that the fund will start operating this year. Its capital will make
10-12 mln dollars, 50% of which will be invested by EBRD.

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ASSIST TO DEVELOPMENT OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
SYSTEM OF ARMENIA

YEREVAN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN. International TACIS and German Technical
Cooperation (GTZ) organizations, acting in Armenia greatly assist
improvement of educational processes in the vocational education
system. As Samvel Pipoyan, the Chief of the Vocational Education
Department of the RA Ministry of Education and Science mentioned in
his interview to the Noyan Tapan correspondent, it is already the 5th
year that GTZ has implemented the program “Interregional Cooperation
in Vocational Education Sphere”. Re-training of administrative staff
was envasiged at the first stage of the program, and re-training
of lecturers in the second one. According to S.Pipoyan, in Armenia
the teachers’ staff of that system has not passed re-training
for already 15 years. TACIS implements three-years, 3 mln euros
project of “Assistance to Development of Vocational Education
System of Armenia”. It has three components: study and analysis
of job market, re-training of lecturers, technical support and
rearmament of material-technical basis. Ijevan State and Vanadzor
Technologic State Colleges, Yerevan Humanitar Technical and Yerevan
State Agricultural Colleges were chosen for the pilot implementation
of the program. It was mentioned that another educational program is
being implemented along with the Government of Greece. The Government
of Greece allocated 200 thousand euros for the fisrt stage of the
program. Preference was given to Yeghegnadzor State College, where
a new subject, “Wine-making” will be studied. A small factory and a
laboratory are envisaged to be given to the college.

ACCIDENT TAKES PLACE IN GEORGIAN SECTION OF ALAVERDI SUBSTATION

YEREVAN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN. As a result of the accident that
occured in the Georgian section of the Alaverdi high-voltage 220-kw
substation on April 4, the power suuply to Georgia has been cut off.
According to the director of the company High-Volatage Electric
Networks of Armenia Sahak Abrahamian, the power supply will continue
after the repair work has been completed.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER PRESENTS MAIN DIRECTIONS OF ARMENIA’S
FOREIGN POLICY TO PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION OF BELGIUM

YEREVAN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The delegation of the Belgian parliament
was received by the RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian on April
4. According to the RA MFA Press and Information Department, an open
and frank discussion of a wide range of issues was held during the
meeting. V. Oskanian presented the main directions of the Armenian
foreign policy based on the principle of complementarism. In connection
with Armenia’s European integration in general and inclusion in the
EU New Neighborhood Program in particular, the sides discussed the
issue of development and implementation of specific programs aimed at
increasing the cooperation with the European structures. The necessity
for developing consistently the democratization process in Armenia
was underlined in this respect. Regarding the current situation and
developments in the South Caucasus, there was an exchange of ideas on
the negotiation process to settle the Karabakh conflict. The sides
also touched upon the issues of the Armenian-Turkish relations in
the context of Turkey’s joining the European Union.

DELEGATION HEADED BY CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS TO DEPART FOR
VATICAN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FUNERAL AND BURIAL SERVICES OF POPE
JOHN PAUL II

ETCHMIADZIN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN. April 7, His Holiness Karekin
II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, will depart
for the Vatican to participate in the funeral and burial services
of Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, His Holiness John Paul II of
blessed memory. According to the Press Service of the Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin, accompanying the Pontiff of All Armenians in the
official representation of the Armenian Church will be His Beatitude
Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople;
His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America (Eastern); and Rev. Fr. Geghard Vahuni,
Staff-Bearer to His Holiness.

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO COOPERATION BETWEEN
PARLIAMENTS OF ARMENIA AND BELGIUM

ETCHMIADZIN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN. On April 4, Karekin II, Catholicos
of All Armenians received in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
the delegation headed by Herman De Croo, the Chairman of Chamber of
Representatives of Kingdom of Belgium, paying a two-day official visit
to Armenia. His Holiness, welcoming the high rank guest’s visit to
Holy Etchmiadzin, expressed satisfaction with the friendly relations
formed between the Republic of Armenia and the Kingdom of Belgium, in
the strengthening of them marking as important the present cooperation
between the two parliaments. Catholicos of All Armenians acquainted
the Chairman of the Chamber of Representatives with the history of
the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church and its historical mission in the
Armenian people’s life. Thanking for warm hospitality, Herman De Croo,
the Chairman of the Chamber of Representatives of Belgian Kingdom,
particularly mentioned in his speech: “We know the importance of the
Armenian Apostolic Church, that, one may say, is the Armenian people’s
soul.” As Noyan Tapan was informed from the Mother See Information
Centre, religious situation present in the two countries, as well
as church-state relations were spoken over at the meeting. Touching
upon that the majority of Belgium’s population is followers of the
Catholic Church, Catholicos of All Armenians expressed his condolence
to the deligation members on the death of Pope John Paul II. Bishop
Paren Avetikian, the Mother See Administrative Business Manager and
Responsible for Museums, and Mher Shahgeldian, the Chairman of the NA
Standing Committee on Defence, National Security and Internal Affairs
were present at the meeting.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
April 5, 2005
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: [email protected]; Web:

Ambassador Markarian Meets Secretary of State Dr. Rice, Presents Copies of Credentials

On April 5, 2005, Ambassador Tatoul Markarian met with Secretary
of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice, and presented the copy of the
credentials accrediting him as Armenia’s Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America.

During the meeting with Dr. Rice, issues of mutual interest to the
United States and Armenia, such as U.S.-Armenian bilateral relations,
and regional developments and challenges, were discussed.

Ambassador Markarian expressed gratitude for the continuous support
of the United States Government since Armenia’s independence and for
constructive involvement of the United States in the settlement of
regional problems, and expressed his readiness to exert every effort
to enhance the bilateral relations and partnership between the United
States and Armenia.

LITHUANIAN MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENSE TO PAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO
ARMENIA ON APRIL 5-7

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, NOYAN TAPAN. On April 5, a delegation headed by
Gediminas Kirkilas, the National Defence Minister of the Republic of
Lithuania, will pay an official visit to Armenia on the invitation of
Serge Sargsian, the National Security Council Secretary attached to
RA President, the Defence Minister. In the framework of the visit,
G.Kirkilas will have meetings with the Catholicos of All Armenians,
RA Prime-Minister, RA Defence, Foreign Ministers, Chairman of the
NA Standing Committee on Defence, National Security and Internal
Affairs. According to the information submitted to Noyan Tapan by
Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian, the RA Defence Minister’s Press Secretary,
on April 5, the National Defence Minister of Lithuania will visit the
Military Institute after RA Defence Minister Vazgen Sargsian, meet
the Chief and the professors’ staff of the Institute, get acquainted
with everyday life of the Institute. On April 6 the delegation will
visit Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex to lay a wreath to the Memorial
to the Armenian Genocide victims. It will also visit Matenadaran,
the National Gallery. The results of the visit will be summed up at
the press-conference to take place on the same day. The delegation
will leave Yerevan on April 7.