ARKA News Agency
27 Oct. 2004
Round table on Social-economic and political situation in Javakhetia
after “Revolution of Roses” to be held in CMI on November 2
Armenia occupies the 83rd place in the rating of press freedom in the
world
A new Armenian village called Gohar is being built at the initiative of
“Kilikia” community in the environs of Aleppo
NKR Minister of Foreign Affairs meets the American co-Chairman of ISCE
Minsk Group
NKR Minister of Foreign Affairs speaks on the conference “Armenia and
South Caucasus: Challenges to Foreign Politics” in the Michigan
University of the USA
Citizens of Yerevan, participants of Bagration operation given jubilee
medals
A meeting organized by justice opposition bloc under the slogan “No
Terrorism!” held in Yerevan
RA President Robert Kocharyan receives the members of the joint mission
of the German Marshall Fund of the US-GMF and Project on Transitional
Democracies
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ROUND TABLE ON SOCIAL-ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL SITUATION IN JAVAKHETIA
AFTER “REVOLUTION OF ROSES” TO BE HELD IN CMI ON NOVEMBER 2
YEREVAN, October 27. /ARKA/. Round table on “Social-economic and
political situation in Javakhetia after the “Revolution of Roses” will
be held in Caucasus Media Institute on November 2 in Yerevan. Artshes
Palanjyan from Social-economic development of Akhalkalaq region NGO
will present a report. In frames of the round table, issues of today’s
situation in Javakhetia, consequences of Revolution of Roses for
Armenians of the region and issues of social and economic strategies
used by the Georgian authorities with regard to Javakhetia will be
discussed. The participants will also take up the relations of Armenia
and Georgia given the existence of Armenian minority if Javakhetia and
how the Armenian-Georgian relations impact the life of Armenians in the
region. L.V.–0–
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ARMENIA OCCUPIES THE 83RD PLACE IN THE RATING OF PRESS FREEDOM IN THE
WORLD
YEREVAN, October 27. /ARKA/. Armenia occupies the 83rd place in the
rating of press freedom in the world, according to DW-WORLD German wave
with reference to the annual rating of freedom of speech in the world,
published by “Reporters without Borders”. Among the countries of the
former USSR, the highest positions in the rating are occupied by Latvia
(10th place) and Estonia (11th place), Moldova – 78th, Georgia – 94th,
Tajikistan – 95th, Kyrgyzstan – 107th, Kazakhstan – 131st , Azerbaijan
– 136th , the Ukraine – 138th, Russia- 140th, Uzbekistan – 142nd ,
Belarus – 144th, Turkmenistan – 164th.
The situation was examined in 167 countries. As compared to the rating
of 2003, the situation was changed only in the middle of the list,
where more small countries appear, which treat the freedom of press
with respect, thus showing that weak economic development is by no way
a cause for limiting democratic freedom. The last places were occupied
by North Korea, Cuba and Burma. Most freedom is provided tpo press of
Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia
and Switzerland. The USa is on 22nd place, Germany – on 11th, France –
on 19th, Israel – on 36th, Italy and Spain – on 39th, Afghanistan – on
97th, Iran – on 158th, China – on 162nd. This rating was made up based
on surveys of collaborators of of NGOs, reporters, ombudsmen,
scientists and experts.
Based on conducted researches, Reporters without Borders arrived at a
conclusion that, persecution of reporters and mass media still persist
and it becomes harder to work for independent mass media. Although the
situation is improved in some countries, there are still a number of
countries which “contend for” the last positions in the rating. At
that, Cuba and China still occupy the leading positions concerning the
quantity of imprisoned reporters. In 2003, the number of mass media
collaborators perished in the world made 44. L.V.–0–
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A NEW ARMENIAN VILLAGE CALLED GOHAR IS BEING BUILT AT THE INITIATIVE OF
“KILIKIA” COMMUNITY IN THE ENVIRONS OF ALEPPO
YEREVAN, October 27. /ARKA/. A new Armenian village called Gohar is
being built at the initiative of “Kilikia” community in the environs of
Aleppo. According to RA MFA Press Service Department, according to the
project, the village will initially have 100 comfortable cottages and
modern infrastructure. The members of “Kilikia” community are
Armenians.
On October 23, the ceremony of putting the fundament of the village
took place. The Minister of Urban Development of Syria Mohammad Nihad
Mushantat, the Governor of Aleppo Usame HAmid Adi, Council General of
Armenia to Aleppo Armen Melkonyan and other officials, representatives
of clergy and the public were present at the ceremony.
Century lasting Armenian-Syrian relations were touched upon and the
importance of the role of the Armenian community in the social-economic
life of Syria was emphasized. In the end of the ceremony Council
General of Armenia planted a tree in honor of the Republic of Armenia
near the fundament of the village. A.H. –0—
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NKR MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS MEETS THE AMERICAN CO-CHAIRMAN OF ISCE
MINSK GROUP
YEREVAN, October 27. /ARKA/. NKR Minister of Foreign Affairs Ashot
Gulyan met the American co-Chairman of ISCE Minsk Group Steven Mann.
According to NKR MFA Press Service Department, in the course of the
meeting that took place in the resident representative office of NKR in
Washington, issues related to the perspectives of the conflict
settlement were discussed. Factors hindering the settlement of the
conflict were mentioned. In particular, continues bellicose statements
of the Azerbaijani side rising hatred to the Armenians people were
noted.
Gulyan noted the importance of using the potential of the societies
involved into the conflict, which is not used because of
non-constructive position of the Azerbaijani side. In his turn, Steven
Mann emphasized the necessity of the political will of the parties in
the conflict, as well as the favorable public opinion as important
constituents for the achievement of peace.
After the meeting Gulyan left for Chicago. A.H. –0–
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NKR MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPEAKS ON THE CONFERENCE “ARMENIA AND
SOUTH CAUCASUS: CHALLENGES TO FOREIGN POLITICS” IN THE MICHIGAN
UNIVERSITY OF THE USA
STEPANAKERT, October 27. /ARKA/. NKR Minister of Foreign Affairs Ashot
Gulyan spoke on the conference “Armenia and South Caucasus: Challenges
to Foreign Politics” organized by Michigan University in the city of
Ann Arbor (the USA). One of the subjects of the conference, in which
the former mediators and representatives of the parties in the conflict
participated, was devoted to Karabakh conflict and the perspectives of
its settlement.
According to NKR MFA Press Service Department, in his speech Ashot
Gulyan introduced the prehistory of the conflict and the official
position of NKR on the conflict settlement. Also, he touched upon the
issues of regional security and NKR security and emphasized the
necessity of the involvement of the peoples in the conflict into the
processes of long-lasting peace making and achieving stability in the
region. A.H. –0–
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CITIZENS OF YEREVAN, PARTICIPANTS OF BAGRATION OPERATION GIVEN JUBILEE
MEDALS
YEREVAN, October 27. /ARKA/. The citizens of Yerevan, who participated
in Bagration operation, were given jubilee medals devoted to the 60th
year of the liberation of Belarus Republic from German –Fascist
aggressors. As ARKA was told in the Embassy of the Belarus Republic in
Armenia, awards to veterans of the World War 2 who participated in the
operation and now live in Achapnyan and Shahumyan regions of Yerevan
were given by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
Belarus to Armenia Marina Dolgopolova on behalf of the President of
Belarus. According to the press-release, jubilee awards were given to
80 participants of battles for the liberation of Belarus. A.H.—0–
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A MEETING ORGANIZED BY JUSTICE OPPOSITION BLOC UNDER THE SLOGAN “NO
TERRORISM!” HELD IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, October 27. /ARKA/. A meeting organized by Justice opposition
bloc under the slogan “No Terrorism!” was held in Yerevan. According to
the Leader of Respublika party, one of the Leaders of Justice
opposition bloc Albert Bazeyan, the meeting didn’t pursue any political
goals and was devoted to the victims of the terrorist act on October 27
in Armenia and other terrorist acts, including the one in Beslan. “Five
years have passed since the terrorist act in the Parliament on October
27, but we still haven’t overcome its consequences”, he said. According
to Bazeyan, the consequences on the one hand are the impoverishment of
the people, and on the other hand- the castles of oligarchs, violations
during elections, corruption and false struggle against it, and the
power of the President beyond control. According to the Secretary of
Justice bloc Victor Dallakyan, “we condemn any kind of terrorism and we
will not allow it to happen in our country”. At that Dallakyan
emphasized that RA Minister of Defense Serge Sargsyan and RA President
Robert Kocharyan “are personally responsible for the terrorist act on
October 27”.
After the meeting was over, 50 people who received official permission,
put wreaths on the memorial to the victims of the terrorist act of
October 27 in the RA NA. The rest of the participants of the meeting
(about 2 thsd. people) put flowers near the wall of the RA NA.
On October 27, 1999, a terrorist act was committed in the RA
Parliament. As a result of it, RA Prime Minister of the country Vazgen
Sargsyan, RA NA Speaker Karen Demirchyan, both Vice-Speakers Yuri
Bakhshyan and Rouben Miroyan, the Minister of Operative Issues Leonard
Petrosyan and three Deputies: Michael Kotanyan, Armenak Armenakyan and
Henrikh Abrahamyan died. A.H.–0–
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RA PRESIDENT ROBERT KOCHARYAN RECEIVES THE MEMBERS OF THE JOINT MISSION
OF THE GERMAN MARSHALL FUND OF THE US-GMF AND PROJECT ON TRANSITIONAL
DEMOCRACIES
YEREVAN, October 27. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharyan received the
members of the joint mission of the German Marshall Fund of the US-GMF
and Project on Transitional Democracies (PTD). According to the RA
President’s Press Service Department, in the course of the meeting
Kocharyan attached importance to the fact that problems of the world
and stability in the South Caucasus are in the center of the attention
of the international community, and the interest of GMF and PTD in the
region testifies to it.
Speaking of high importance of Karabakh problem not only for Armenia
but also for the whole region, Kocharyan noted that it’s very important
that the problem is paid attention by various centers and individuals
at the expert level and that it causes interest to be studied in
details on the spot. Kocharyan introduced the history of the conflict
to the guests as well as the present state of its settlement. Besides,
the parties touched upon the issues related to foreign politics of
Armenia, its relations with neighbor countries and the economic
development of the country. A.H.—0–
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress