ARMENIANOW.COM DIGEST July 15, 2005
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NEWS DIGEST JULY 11TH – JULY 15TH 2005

By Ruzanna Amiraghyan
ArmeniaNow Reporter

As part of their recurrent regional visits the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chairs for the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict settlement Yuri Merzlyakov,
Bernard Fassier and Steven Mann arrived on July 10 th in Baku. On
Monday they held closed consultations with Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev and Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov. After Baku the MG Co-
Chairs left for Yerevan to hold analogous consultations with the
Armenian leadership.

Azeri Minister of Education Masir Mardanov told on July 12th that the
Council of Europe has authored and sponsored the Caucasus History
new handbook stating the Azeri party has met all its commitments
on preparation of the book, while accusing the Armenian party of
expressing discontent, leading to a delay of publishing. The book was
to be issued before the beginning of the new academic year. The Council
of Europe has not expressed its stand over Armenia’s biased attitude.

“Armenia should withdraw its troops from the seized territories
of Nagorno-Karabagh and return them to Azerbaijan”, Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated at the international conference
initiated by the World Affairs Council of Northern Carolina on July
13th. When touching upon the Armenian-Turkish relations he said
that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the parliaments of
third states does not solve the problem of the Armenian- Turkish
relations. Tayyip Erdogan called upon Armenia not to “use common
past for stirring up enmity.” “There are more important problems to
be settled first of all”, he stated.

Turkish Foreign Ministry’s Press Secretary Namik Tan told
journalists that Turkey is willing to establish normal relations
with Armenia. Noting that Turkey abides by its policy of establishing
peace and stability with all the neighbor states, Mr. Tan stated that
the Turkish party wishes to settle relations with Armenia within the
framework of this policy. “It is known that during a long period of
time contacts at different levels have been established under the
aegis of the Turkish MFA and bilateral and regional issues of mutual
interest have been discussed”, he stated.

The regular meeting of the Armenian and Azeri FMs Vartan Oskanian and
Elmar Mamedyarov is scheduled for August 22 nd in Moscow during the
sitting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers. Their last meeting
took place in ParisJune 17 th- 18 th.

The Armenian community of Samtskhe-Javakhetia in Georgia adopted a
resolution during a forum called “Intelligentsia – an Institute of
Civil Society” calling upon the government of Georgia to take measures
for eliminating the created situation with the policy of ousting the
ethnic Armenian population from that region with the aim of settling
the Meskhetian Turks to that area.

Minister of Transport and Communication Andranik Manukyan stated it at
a press briefing July 14 th that ArmenTel will provide uninterrupted
cellular phone service beginning today (July 15). The provider’s
service has been practically shut down since competitor VivaCell
entered the cellular market July 1. Specialists from Greece and
Germany were brought to Armenia to troubleshoot and repair the service.

” Armenia is ready to take part in restoration works at the Abkhaz
lot of the Transcaucasian railway, provide technical, however by
no means financial assistance,” Armenian Minister of Transport and
Communication Andranik Marnukyan said at a press briefing July 14
th. In his words, Russia and Georgia will have to carry the financial
burden, which makes some $150 million. “The opening of the railway is
favorable both to Armenia and Georgia. The latter does not have direct
rail communication with Russia, uses the territory of Azerbaijan for
transit and pays large sums for it. In case of opening the Abkhazian
part of the railway, Armenia will give up ferry communication with
Russia,” the Minister said.

The Armenian Church announced with great sadness the death of one
of the most senior members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin,
His Eminence Archbishop Shahe Ajemian on June 13 th following a long
illness. At the time of his death, Abp. Ajemian was the dean of the
Theological Faculty of Yerevan State University. He was 79 years old.

On July 14 th Reporters without Borders criticized the current trial
of a Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink for “insulting Turkish
identity” and said the government taboo against publicly discussing the
1915 genocide against Armenians was a “continuing barrier to freedom
of expression” in Turkey. It said that with only three months to go
before negotiations were due to start about Turkey joining the European
Union, Dink risked being jailed under article 301 of the criminal code
for publishing an article (on February 13 th 2004) called “Getting
to know Armenia” in the Turkish- Armenian bilingual weekly, Agos,
that he runs. His trial began on July 7 th before a court in Istanbul.

Sources: , , ,

SPORT DIGEST: WRESTLING IN LITHUANA; TENNIS IN IRELAND . . .

By Suren Musayelyan ArmeniaNow Reporter

FOOTBALL

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND:

July 13, Wednesday. Haka ( Finland) v Pyunik ( Armenia) – 1-0.

(The return match will take place in Yerevan on July 20).

UEFA CUP:

July 14, Thursday:

Banants ( Armenia) v Lokomotiv (Georgia) – 2-3

Mainz ( Germany) v Mika ( Armenia) – 4-0

(Second-leg matches of these pairs are slated for July 28).

WRESTLING

MEDALS FOR JUNIORS: The Greco-Roman style wrestling world
junior championships ended in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius
recently. Armenia’s Shavigh Gevorgyan (50 kg) beat all his opponents on
the way to the final where he lost earning only the silver medal. Artur
Shahinyan (84 kg) won the bronze.

Earlier, freestyle wrestlers Hovhannes Yenokyan also landed a bronze
medal. (A1 Plus)

ATHLETICS

In an Olympic tournament held in the Italian town of Lignano Haykanush
Beklaryan representing Armenia in triple jump showed a result of 12
meters, 74 centimeters, finishing 3 rd in the competition. (A1 Plus)

CHESS

The Chess Federation of Armenia has decided the composition of
Armenia’s men’s and women’s teams that will represent the country in
the European team championships to be held in Sweden from July 29 to
August 7.

Armenia ‘s men’s team includes five grandmasters: Vladimir Hakobyan,
Levon Aronyan, Rafael Vahanyan, Smbat Lputyan and Ashot Anastasyan. The
team’s coach is grandmaster Tigran Nalbandyan.

The women’s team includes grandmasters Elina Danielyan, Lilit
Lazarian, Nelli Aghinyan, international master Lilit Galoyan
and master Miranush Andreasyan. The coach of the women’s team is
grandmaster Arsen Yeghyazaryan.

Both teams will participate with four main and one reserve
players. (Armenpress)

TENNIS

Armenia led by Sargis Sargsyan got to a good start in Europe/Africa
Zone Group III 2005 Davis Cup being held in Dublin, Ireland, from 11
th-18 th July by beating Iceland on Wednesday. However, on Thursday,
Armenia lost to hosts Ireland, but still has a good chance to qualify
for the next round if it beats Nigeria today (July 15).

Competing teams in this pool are Turkey, Iceland, Nigeria, San Marino,
Ireland, Tunisia, Armenia, Cyprus.

The eight competing teams are formed into two round robin groups
of four. The first two teams from each pool will advance to another
round-robin group. The teams finishing first and second in this final
pool will be promoted to Europe/Africa Zone Group II in 2006.The
teams finishing third and fourth in each pool will advance to a
round-robin pool. The teams finishing in third and fourth in this
subsequent pool will be relegated to Europe/Africa Zone Group IV
in 2006. Results in the round robin phase will be known by late
Friday and will determine further stage of play over Saturday and
Sunday. ()