ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Jan 18 2005

The Armenian contingent of peacekeepers to leave for Iraq today

Armenia takes 5th place on inflation level among CIS countries in
Jan-Nov 2004

Sitting of the commission on celebration of 1600th anniversary of
creation of Armenian written language takes place today

Appointed new Ambassador of Armenia to Bulgaria

Activity dedicated to 15th anniversary of Armenian massacre in Baku
takes place in Yerevan

An exhibition `Discover Armenia’ of the Armenian art is opened in the
art center of Ganshoren Brussels community

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THE ARMENIAN CONTINGENT OF PEACEKEEPERS TO LEAVE FOR IRAQ TODAY

YEREVAN, January 18. /ARKA/. The Armenian contingent of peacekeepers
consisting of 46 people will leave for Iraq. Hercules C130 American
military airplane landed in Armenia to take Armenian servicemen to
Iraq. According to the commander of the group Garush Avetisyan, the
Armenian contingent will leave for Kuwait first and then for Iraq.
The contingent as a part of the Polish division will participate in
the process of maintaining stability in Iraq. Armenian peacekeepers
include a commander, signal officer adjunct to the headquarter of the
Polish division, a commander of the platoon, 3 doctors (a
cardiologist, a therapeutist and a psychiatrist), 10 combat engineers
and 30 drivers. The Division will be divided into two parts – drivers
and combat engineers will be located in the city of El-Hilla in the
South of Baghdad, and doctors will be located in the South-West of
the capital of Iraq. According to Avetisyan, two-week training will
be organized before the peacekeeping mission begins.
As RA Minister of Defense Serge Sargsyan stated before, since the
authorities approved of the contingent’s staying in Iraq for a year,
6 months later the staff will be replaced.
On December 24, 2004, RA NA ratified the memorandum about sending
Armenians to Iraq, where they will be under the command of Polish
division. 91 deputies voted for sending the contingent to Iraq, 23
deputies-against, and 1 abstained. The decision was taken after the
discussions lasting for 7 hours behind the closed doors. Two
opposition factions boycotting the parliament, namely Justice bloc
and National Unity, participated in the discussions. Dashnaktrsutyun
party, which is a part of the ruling coalition, and Justice
opposition bloc were against sending Armenian servicemen to Iraq.
A.H.-0 –

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ARMENIA TAKES 5TH PLACE ON INFLATION LEVEL AMONG CIS COUNTRIES IN
JAN-NOV 2004

YEREVAN, January 18. /ARKA/. Armenia takes 5th place on inflation
level among CIS countries in Jan-Nov 2004, with inflation level of
7.4%, CIS Statistic Committee reports. At this maximal growth of
prices was registered in Belarus – 18.4% and minimal – in Kyrgystan –
4.2%. In the rest countries it goes as follows Azerbaijan – 6.4%,
Georgia – 5.5%, Kazakhstan – 6.9%, Moldova – 12.4%, Russia – 10.8%,
Tajikistan – 6.8%.
At the same time the biggest growth of consumer prices was registered
in Azerbaijan – 2.3% and deflation in Tajikistan made 0.3%. In
Armenia the prices grew by 0.8%, in Russia – 1.1%. L.D. –0–

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SITTING OF THE COMMISSION ON CELEBRATION OF 1600TH ANNIVERSARY OF
CREATION OF ARMENIAN WRITTEN LANGUAGE TAKES PLACE TODAY

YEREVAN, January 18. /ARKA/. Sitting of the commission on celebration
of 1600th anniversary of creation of Armenian written language took
place today in Yerevan under the chair of RA PM Andranik Margarian.
The Commission specified places and terms of conduction of more than
two dozens of activities envisaged by the program and determining the
figures responsible for their realization. The activities will start
in May-June 2005 with republican festival of declamation, the
activities will also be conducted in Nagorno Karabakh and Armenian
regions. L.D. –0–

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APPOINTED NEW AMBASSADOR OF ARMENIA TO BULGARIA

YEREVAN, January 18. /ARKA/. The decree of RA President Robert
Kocharian appointed Sergey Manaserian Armenian Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Bulgaria, President’s press
service told ARKA. L.D. –0 –

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ACTIVITY DEDICATED TO 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN MASSACRE IN BAKU
TAKES PLACE IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, January 18. /ARKA/. Activity dedicated to 15th anniversary
of Armenian massacre in Baku took place in Yerevan. According to the
organizer of the activity, the Chairman of Public Organization Center
of Civil Society Svetlana Aslanian `similar crime should not be
forgotten’.
RA Ombudsman Larisa Alaverdian refugees from Baku and representatives
of public organizations took part in the activity.
Aggression against Armenians of Baku in the form of murders, violence
and robbery became more frequent in December 1989. By January 12-13,
1990, massacres of Armenians in Baku acquired an organized and
ubiquitous character. On January 13, 1990, 60 thou activists lead by
the National Azeri Front in a mass meeting, started the methodical
`cleanup’ of the city from Armenians. There are numerous facts of
brutal carnages of the peaceful Armenian population in the Azeri
capital. The exact number of killed is still unknown. Only when the
Soviet forces entered Baku on January 20, the survived Armenians
managed to leave the country. L.D. -0 –

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AN EXHIBITION `DISCOVER ARMENIA’ OF THE ARMENIAN ART IS OPENED IN THE
ART CENTER OF GANSHOREN BRUSSELS COMMUNITY

YEREVAN, January 18. /ARKA/. An exhibition `Discover Armenia’ of the
Armenian art is opened in the art center of Ganshoren Brussels
community. According to RA MFA Press Service Department, work by
artists Levon Aghayan, Avetis Balayan, Samo, and sculptors Mariam
Grigoryan and Suren Oganyan are exhibited. The exhibition will last
till January 23. A.H. –0–