ARKA News Agency
Sept 6 2004

Armenia to send 50 military men in Iraq

Armenia to send donor blood and medicines in North Osetia

Catholicos of All Armenians awarded “St. Sahak – St. Mesrob” order to
American writer of Armenian origin Peter Balakian

Armenian and Iranian Presidents to meet in Yerevan on Sept 8

Armenian PM sends his condolences to Head of Russian Government on
occasion of tragic events in Beslan

The days from September 6 to 7 are declared as mourning days in
Russia in the memory of the victims perished as a result of the
terrorist attack in Beslan

The fifth graduating class of the Financial Banking College
Foundation of Armenia gets diplomas

The USA is interested in the stability and safety of the South
Caucasus region

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ARMENIA TO SEND 50 MILITARY MEN IN IRAQ

YEREVAN, September 6. /ARKA/. Armenia will send 50 military men in
Iraq, who will join coalition forces under Polish command. According
to Reuters Agency, Armenian contingent will be sent in the frames of
agreement on cooperation in the sphere of security between two
countries, signed by RA President Robert Kocharian and the Head of
Poland Alexander Kwasnevski on Monday. According to RA Minister of
Defense, the Government decided to send soldiers in Iraq, and
“despite of the size of our country and the distance till Europe
Armenia feels itself a part of Europe”. L.D. –0–

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ARMENIA TO SEND DONOR BLOOD AND MEDICINES IN NORTH OSETIA

YEREVAN, September 6. /ARKA/. Armenia will send donor blood and
medicines in North Osetia, RA Deputy Minister of Healthcare Haik
Darbinian stated today. Besides, Yerevan hospitals are ready to
receive unlimited number of victims of terrorist act in Beslan.
In result of terrorist attack of school #1 in North Osetia about 335
people died, including 156 children. L.D. –0—

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CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS AWARDED “ST. SAHAK – ST. MESROB” ORDER TO
AMERICAN WRITER OF ARMENIAN ORIGIN PETER BALAKIAN

YEREVAN, September 6. /ARKA/. Catholicos of All Armenians His
Holiness Garegin II awarded “St. Sahak – St. Mesrob” order to
American writer of Armenian origin Peter Balakian. As St. Echmiadzin
Holy See Chancellery told ARKA, during the ceremony the Head of the
Armenian Church highly appreciated the achievements of the writer,
wishing him inspired pen and fruitful days. In his words, it is not
occasional that Peter Balakian devoted his two books “Black Dog of
Fate” and “The Burning Tigris” to the Armenian Genocide. “It seemed
that the call of ancestors reflected in his soul and was embodied in
these books”, Garegin II mentioned, adding that “currently the
blessing comes down under these archs due to your service and work
that contains respect and prayer in memory of innumerable victims”.
As it is mentioned in the press release the event was attended by
monks of Holy See of St. Echmiadzin, the Chairman of Union of Writers
of Armenia Levon Ananyan and Director of Armenian office of Armenian
General Benevolent Union Ashot Ghazaryan. T.M. –0–

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ARMENIAN AND IRANIAN PRESIDENTS TO MEET IN YEREVAN ON SEPT 8

YEREVAN, September 6. /ARKA/. On Sept 8 the Armenian and Iranian
Presidents Robert Kocharian and Seyyed Mohammad Khatami to have
vis-a-vis meeting in Yerevan. As the Armenian President Press Service
told ARKA, after the meeting the Armenian and Iranian sides to lead
enlarged format negotiations. Also the sides plans signing bilateral
documents and holding press conference.
As it is mentioned in the press release, during his visit to Armenia,
the Iranian President to hold speech in front of Armenian MPs. Also,
the Iranian President plans to meet the Catholicos of All Armenians
His Holiness Garegin II, lecturers and students of Yerevan State
University. Also, as it is mentioned in the press release, Mohammad
Khatami to lay wreath to the 1915 Armenian Genocide Museum as well as
to visit the Blue Mosque and to meet Iranian citizens working in
Armenia.
The President of Islamic Republic of Iran to visit Armenia on
September 8-9 by invitation of the Armenian President. T.M. –0–

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ARMENIAN PM SENDS HIS CONDOLENCES TO HEAD OF RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT ON
OCCASION OF TRAGIC EVENTS IN BESLAN

YEREVAN, September 6. /ARKA/. Armenian PM Andranik Margarian sent his
condolences to Head of the Russian Government Mikhail Fradkov on
occasion of tragic events in Russia. As the Armenian Government
Public and Press Relations Department told ARKA, the message contains
deep condolences related to death of large number of people during
monstrous terrorist seizure in town of Beslan, “Stunned by tragic
death of people, the considerable part of which are children, we are
sending the words of condolences and sincere sympathy and support to
all those who encountered this horrible tragedy”, the message of the
Armenian PM said. The press release also mentions that “in these hard
days for Russian people and mourning with you, we are asking you to
send our condolences and sympathy to families of victims and their
loved”. T.M. –0–

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THE DAYS FROM SEPTEMBER 6 TO 7 ARE DECLARED AS MOURNING DAYS IN
RUSSIA IN THE MEMORY OF THE VICTIMS PERISHED AS A RESULT OF THE
TERRORIST ATTACK IN BESLAN

YEREVAN, September 6. /ARKA/. According to the RF President V.
Putin’s decree, the days from Sep 6 to Sep7 are declared as mourning
days in Russia in the memory of the victims perished as a result of
the terrorist attack on September 1-3 in Beslan (North Osetia –
Alania). As ARKA was informed, a book for condolences is opened in
the Embassy of RF in Armenia from 11.00 a.m. to 17.00 p.m. on
September 6-7.
335 people died, including 156 children as a result of the terrorist
attack of school N1 in Beslan North Osetian city. The terrorists
cruelly shot children-hostages, their parents and relatives, who came
to see the ceremonial grand school line on the occasion of the Day of
Knowledge. A.H.–0–

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THE FIFTH GRADUATING CLASS OF THE FINANCIAL BANKING COLLEGE
FOUNDATION OF ARMENIA GETS DIPLOMAS

YEREVAN, September 6. /ARKA/. The fifth graduating class of the
Financial Banking College Foundation of Armenia was given diplomas.
As the director of the College Armen Saroyan stated on the ceremony
of awarding diplomas, 6 out of 39 graduates of the College already
have jobs, and three medallists expect a reply regarding their
employment in the banking sector of the country. He noted that during
the whole period of the operation of the College, 30 out of 200
graduates work in financial-banking sector of Armenia. Saroyan
emphasized that the students are specialized in two areas: “banking”
and “junior financier”, and within two years they gain knowledge and
skills necessary for working in the financial- banking sector of the
country. “The students do practice work in 17 Armenian banks
acquiring the necessary skills and the perspective of employment in
one of them”, he said. In her turn the member of CBA Board Karine
Minasyan noted that the graduates of the College would find their
places in the banking sector. “The future of the college will depend
on their work, and the way they demonstrate their skills”, she said.
In 1995 RA and German Governments signed an agreement on “technical
co-operation”, in the frames of which GTZ organization financed the
program on training cadres with an average economic education in
Armenia. The program aimed to train specialists for the banking
sector. In particular, in the frames of the Armenian-German
Intergovernmental program “the average special banking education in
Armenia”, the Financial Banking College was established in 1998 by
the RA Ministry of Science and Education, CBA and RA Union of Banks.
A.H.–0–

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THE USA IS INTERESTED IN THE STABILITY AND SAFETY OF THE SOUTH
CAUCASUS REGION

YEREVAN, September 6. /ARKA/. The USA is interested in the stability
and safety of the South Caucasus region. According to the RA
President’s Press Service Department, this was stated by the newly
appointed US Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia
John Evans, who handed his credentials to RA President Robert
Kocharyan. Congratulating the diplomat on the occasion of
appointment, Kocharyan expressed his satisfaction with the present
level of Armenian –American bilateral relations development. He also
expressed his gratitude to the American Government for their
constituent support in overcoming the problems of the transition
period aimed at strengthening democracy and economic reforms in the
country. In the course of the meeting the parties touched upon the
issues of bilateral economic development, and interrelations in the
frames of the program of the Fund “Millennium Challenge”. Regarding
the bilateral relations, Kocharyan attached special importance to the
Armenian community in the USA.
Having discussed the terrorist attack in North Osetia, the parties
noted that the issues of security acquired special importance in the
light of the present challenges. In the course of the meeting the
parties also discussed the issues of the Karabakh conflict
settlement, regional safety and further co-operation. A.H. –0–