NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
25 June 2006

On June 21 the international conference entitled Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic: Past, Present and Future kicked off at Artsakh State
University. The conference will last till June 23 and is held under the
auspices of President Arkady Ghukassian. The council, which organized
and coordinated the conference, includes the minister of education,
culture and sport, the rectors of Yerevan State and Artsakh State
Universities, and over ten cultural and statesmen.

Besides NKR and Armenia, Russia, Germany, France, the United States,
Ukraine and other countries are participating in the conference
as well, namely over 100 participants including scholars who have
contributed greatly to Armenian studies. At the opening ceremony
Prime Minister Anoushavan Danielian and members of government, the
Archbishop of the Artsakh Diocese Parghev Martirosyan, Minister of
Education and Science of Armenia Levon Mkrtichyan, and others were
present. During the general meeting the German scholar Tessa Hoffman
made a report, drawing parallels between the conflicts of Nagorno
Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Ashot Melkonyan, the director
of the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of Armenia
drew historical parallels between Artsakh and Javakheti. From June
22 till June 24 the conference will continue in panels, namely the
history panel will be held at Artsakh State University, the culture
panel in Gandzasar, the politics, sociology, economy and philosophy
panels will be held in Martakert.

NORAYR HOVSEPYAN.

24-06-2006