Author: Chavushian

His Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian
Prelate, Western United States
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
818-248-7737
818-248-7745 fax
[email protected]_ (mailto:[email protected])

PRELATE’S NEW YEAR AND CHRISTMAS DINNER
WAS A COMPLETE SUCCESS
– MAJOR DONATIONS INCLUDED PRELACY SCHOOLS

The Consul General of the Republic of Armenia, representatives of Armenian
Organizations and many dignitaries, together with the sponsors and the members
of the Western Prelacy `Family’ celebrated the traditionalArmenian
Christmas Eve at the Bagramian Hall in Montebello, thus expressing support to the
Western Prelacy and the schools functioning under its jurisdiction.
The Prelate’s traditional New Year and Christmas Dinner on January6, 2005,
was a complete success in many ways. The dignitaries and the representatives
celebrated the event with His Eminence Arch. Moushegh Mardirossian and
Prelacy Councils, thus expressing their support to the Prelacy mission. Moreover,
taking into consideration that His Holiness Aram I Catholicos of the Holy See
of Cilicia has dedicated the year 2005 as the Year of The Armenian Schools,
several generous donations to our Prelacy schools gained a special meaning.
It is worthwhile to mention several generous donations made on this event,
leaving further details to a later press release:
– Mrs. Ashkhen Pilavjian made a donation of $200,000 to sponsor the
ARS Preschool of the San Fernando Valley. Her name will be added to the name
of the school.
– Mr. Charles Keyan, a philanthropist, who had established a
scholarship fund of $50,000 for the Messrobian High School in Montebello last year,
raised the fund to a sum of $100,000.
– Mrs. Rose Kasimian made a donation of $150,000 to the Prelacy in
memory of her late husband, Mr. Kegham Kasimian. Mrs. Kasimian will be
sponsoring the Media Department of the Prelacy as well as a Khachkar and several
religious publications.
– The Compatriotic Union of Ourfa made a donation of $50,000 to
sponsor the Western Memorial Wall of the Prelacy Building, as well as a Khachkar
and a fountain on the premises.
– Mr. And Mrs. John and Asdghig Bedrosian, one of the major sponsors
of the Prelacy, who traditionally host the dinner event, also made a
generous donation to the newly established Mortgage Burning Fund for the Prelacy
Building.

Armenian, Azeri foreign ministers to meet in Prague on 11 January

Noyan Tapan news agency
7 Jan 05

Yerevan, 7 January: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan will fly
to Prague at the invitation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen on 11
January.

A meeting between Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan and
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on the settlement of
the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict is scheduled for 11 January. The
co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group will take part in the meeting.

The Armenian foreign minister will return to Yerevan on the same day,
the Armenian Foreign Ministry’s press and information department told
Noyan Tapan.

Arutz Sheva, Israel
Jan 6 2005

Armenian Clergyman Assaulted in Jerusalem
19:36 Jan 06, ’05 / 25 Tevet 5765

(IsraelNN.com) Police have arrested four Jews for allegedly
assaulting a clergyman of the Armenian Church in eastern Jerusalem.
Police report that two of them accosted him and spat on him, and when
he tried to fight them off, two others came to their aid. A security
guard who came to the clergyman’s aid was also assaulted, according
to the report.

Los Angeles Daily News
Dec 30 2004

Concert will showcase unknown bands

By Naush Boghossian
Staff Writer

GLENDALE – Jirair Habeshian has been in five bands in the past 24
years so knows how hard it is for a band that’s just starting out to
get gigs.

That’s how the 38-year-old got the idea to produce a concert that
features only unknown local bands – especially those with musicians
of Armenian descent. The result is the HyeRock Festival in Hollywood.

“Growing up in the Glendale-Burbank area and being a musician in the
rock genre, I basically saw there was little support from the
community, and I think it’s specifically true for the Armenian
community,” Habeshian said.

Proceeds from the event will go to Artists for Kids, a Glendale-based
nonprofit foundation formed two years ago to promote art and culture
among local youths.

The festival will showcase The Gor Band, Aviatic, In Progress, Red
Snow and Non-Eye, whose music ranges from folk-influenced rock to
alternative and hard rock.

Rock bands made up of members of Armenian descent have been
proliferating in the Los Angeles area in the last decade, a trend
many in the community attribute to the mainstream success of the
all-Armenian member band System of a Down.

System was successful at rallying Armenian youth and repeatedly had
sold-out shows, which drew the attention of music executives,
Habeshian said.

And that’s the kind of buzz he hopes the event will generate for
other bands.

Narek Stepanian, 15, the bassist for Non-Eye, said his band has
played at the smaller El Rey and Roxy theaters, but the Henry Fonda
Music Box Theatre is on a different level.

“It’s a great opportunity for people to hear us and not judge us
based on our age. It’s very hard to get our name out there because
we’re a relatively new band and we’re not signed and there are plenty
of other bands so it would have been hard for us to get a gig this
big,” said the Glendale resident.

Vahe Marzbetuny formed the hard-rock band Red Snow in 1986 with his
brother and Habeshian at a time when being Armenian and a rock
musician were conflicting realities.

He’s noticed that the success of System of a Down has helped slowly
change perceptions about rock musicians in the Armenian community.

“Armenians have been limited to certain kinds of music, be it
traditional Armenian music or really sad Armenian music, and we’ve
never really had rock,” said the 40-year-old guitar player from
Granada Hills. “Back then, there wasn’t support to be in a rock band,
but now it’s blowing up. It’s come full circle and it’s great to see
young people and older people start to accept it.”

If You Go: The HyeRock Festival will take place at 7 p.m. today at
the Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre, 6126 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood.
Admission is $20. Call (818) 240-1515 or (818) 523-9995.

IRNA, Iran
December 29, 2004 Wednesday 7:19 PM EST

Armenian ambassador farewell visit with President Khatami

Tehran, December 29

President Mohammad Khatami said here on Wednesday, “Tehran promotes
security and stability in Caucasus region and demotes foreign
interference there”.

In a farewell meeting with outgoing Armenian Ambassador to Tehran
Gegham Gharibjanian, the president referred to good and expanding
relations between the two countries, adding, “Expansion of bilateral
relations serve benefits of both countries as well as the Caucasus
region.”

Referring to Armenians long history and civilization, the president
called Armenia as an independent and a good neighbor that has always
maintained firm and friendly relations with Iran.

Ambassador Gharibjanian, for his part, called for expansion of ties
in all fields between the two countries.

OPPOSITION MUST ANALYZE DOMESTIC POLITICAL AND GEO-POLITICAL PROCESSES
ATTENTIVELY TO CHOSE RIGHT MOMENT TO CHANGE POWER THROUGH PEOPLE’S MOVEMENT:
V.DALLAKYAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 23. ARMINFO. The current ruling regime in Armenia
is paralyzed, and in the present situation a change of power and
extraordinary presidential election is inevitable, Secretary of the
opposition bloc Justice Victor Dallakyan says in his interview with
ARMINFO speaking of the opposition’s plans for 2005.

He mentioned three possible versions of changing the power: palace
revolution, as it was in 1998; change of power due to external forces;
change of power through people’s movement. He called palace revolution
unacceptable for Justice bloc as a method to get rid of the present
ruling regime, as “it will only change decorations with the same
actors.” The second version would bring to power a group of marionettes
executing the will of those who brought them to power, Dallakyan says.

The most acceptable for the Armenian opposition is the change of power
through a people’s movement. The tactics of the Armenian opposition
is as follows: to analyze the domestic political and geo-political
processes attentively and chose the right moment to change the power
through people’s movement. That is, the strategy of parliamentary
opposition in the struggle against the authorities has not changed. The
forces which accuse the Justice bloc and the National Unity party
of passivity and propose other ways of struggle against authorities,
let them act at their own discretion, he states.

Forecasting the political developments in Armenia in 2005, Dallakyan
states that they will be around three major problems: falsification
of the presidential election of 2003, the situation around Karabakh
conflict and terrorist act in the Armenian parliament in 1999. If the
Armenian opposition, the Justice bloc and the National unity party,
was so united in the course of the second round of the presidential
election in 2003, as it is now, it would achieve cancellation of
the election results at worst, and a victory of a single candidate
at the best. The only mistake of the opposition was that it did not
take into account the real essence of the present ruling regime,
the fact that the authorities are able to apply force. However,
we shall take into account this fact in future, Dallakyan states.

The Washington Holocaust Memorial

Crikey, Australia
Dec 23 2004

A little while ago Miscellany mentioned the historian of the Armenian
massacres/genocide, Norman Stone, doubting the authenticity of
Hitler’s quote about the Armenians which is featured on the wall of
the Washington Holocaust memorial.

We have just noticed (the TLS 19 November 2004) a letter from Vahakn
Dadrian and Stephen Feinstein of the University of Minnesota Centre
for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. In the letter they say Professor
Gerhard Weinberg (reported in the New York Times June 18 1985) found
the quote in secret notes Admiral Canaris had taken of Hitler’s speech
delivered to German generals on August 22 1939 in Obersalzberg.

CENN — DECEMBER 16, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. Elaboration of Program “Safety of Gas Supply to Armenia Within The
Framework of Conservation of The Armenian Atomic Power Plant” To Be
Completed on December 15
2. Armrosgasprom To Start Negotiations With Foreign Banks For 27 Mln USD
Credit For Modernization of Abovyan Underground Gas Holder
3. Saur French Company Starts Managing Armenia’s Water Systems
4. Prizes For Highlighting Environmental Problems
5. EU Aids Armenian Gas Network In Metsamor Closure Hope
6. Project to Restore Abovyan Underground Gas Depository is as Important
as Iran-Armenian Gas Pipeline Construction
7. Gazprom to take part in Iran-Armenia pipeline construction tender
8. Zangezour Copper Molybdenum Group To Sold For $132 Mln
9. Armenian Medicine: in the Infirmary
10. II International Seminar on Mountain Tourism

1. ELABORATION OF PROGRAM “SAFETY OF GAS SUPPLY TO ARMENIA WITHIN THE
FRAMEWORK OF CONSERVATION OF THE ARMENIAN ATOMIC POWER PLANT” TO BE
COMPLETED ON DECEMBER 15

Source: Arminfo, December 10, 2004

The work on elaboration of a program “Safety of gas supply to Armenia
within the framework of conservation of the Armenian atomic power plant”
is to be completed on December 15, 2004. Head of the project office,
Fransua Kolinion (name as given) representing the French consulting
company “SOFRECO” made this statement at a presentation of the program’s
results, Friday.

In his words, the total cost of the project, which has been implemented
since July 2002, under the program of technical assistance INOGATE TACIS
financed by the EU, is 3 mln EUR. The basic goal of the program is
establishment of a modern system of production control and elaboration
of a business-plan on attraction of investments in modernization of
Abovyan underground gasholder. In 2003, the EU-announced international
open tender resulted in signing of 2 contracts with equipment suppliers,
the Russian company “Kalugaglavsnab” and German Siemens Company. The
contract with the first company costs 1.207 mln EUR, that with the
second one – 792,000 EUR. Due to active participation of the Russian
company, three powerful pump for brine liquidation were established in
the gas holder, Earth Physics research was carried out, a mobile Earth
Physics laboratory was established etc.

Under the project, a forecast of gas sale by 2020 is drafted; a
business-plan was elaborated on reconstruction of Abovyan underground
gasholder. Siemens established SCADA system at production control center
of CJSC ArmRosgasprom. This system consists of 8 satellite stations
along the gas main able to transfer information to the chief dispatcher,
which will upgrade the safety of the gasholder. However, it is not
enough for its full modernization, which requires $27 mln.

2. ARMROSGASPROM TO START NEGOTIATIONS WITH FOREIGN BANKS FOR 27 MLN USD
CREDIT FOR MODERNIZATION OF ABOVYAN UNDERGROUND GAS HOLDER

Source: Arminfo, December 10, 2004

ArmRosgasprom intends to start negotiations with a number of foreign
banks in the nearest future for a 27 mln USD credit necessary for
modernization of Abovyan underground gas holder (UGH), Director General
of the company Karen Karapetyan tells journalists, Friday.

He says that the negotiations are in process with Armsavingsbank, Black
Sea Reconstruction and Development Bank, the International Financial
Corporation and a number of Iranian banks. Karapetyan says that
reconstruction of UGH is planned for two stages within four years. The
volumes of pumping of gas into the UGH are planned to be reached to 250
mln cubic meters as against the current 100 mln cubic meters. At
present, 1,3 bln cubic meters of gas is used in Armenia, these volumes
are to be increased to another 300 mln cubic meters in the nearest
future. In this case, the Director General says, 250 mln cubic meters of
stored gas will be enough for safe gas supply and solution to
force-majeure situations. With completion of Iran-Armenian gas
pipeline’s construction, the problem of energy safety in Armenia will be
fully solved, Karapetyan says.

It should be noted that in conformity with the project of UGH’s
reconstruction, at the first stage, the outdated compressors need
replacement with new ones, which requires $8 mln. At present some $1 mln
is spent annually to keep the compressors in order. Another $20 mln is
required for modernization of underground wells and other works. To
note, Abovyan UGH was constructed in 1968. It is unique with its gas
wells on a salt layer in 1000 m depth. There are nine 1,500 HP
compressors which work in three degrees. The first degree allows
increasing the pressure to 20 atm., the second to 50 atm. and the third
to 125 atm. The European Commission recognizes the UGH as one of the
strategic instruments ensuring safe gas supply to Armenia.

3. SAUR FRENCH COMPANY STARTS MANAGING ARMENIA’S WATER SYSTEMS

Source: Arminfo, December 10, 2004

The Saur Company (France) has already started managing the ArmWaterCanal
CJSC to fully undertake the company’s administration in 2005, says the
chairman of the State Water Economy Committee of Armenia Andranik
Andreassyan.

He is sure that Saur is capable of solving the sphere’s problems this
particularly concerning the 80% commercial and technical losses in
Yerevan’s drinking water system. In 2005 the committee is going to
introduce a leasing model in the sphere to minimize the role of state
structures in making economic decisions and to ensure maximum conditions
for the new operator to fulfill its commitments. 7 foreign companies
have applied for implementing the second credit program. The high
interest in the project speaks to its high attractiveness, says
Andreassyan.

Water tariffs will be revised in Armavir, Lori and Shirak where credit
programs will be launched. YerWaterCanal and ArmWaterCanal may also
apply for a tariff raise staring from Apr 1 2005. As for water quality
Andreassyan says: “We get water from high quality sources but give it to
consumers in a much worse condition for technical reasons.”

Concerning the effective use of crediting in the sphere Andreassyan says
that he does not agree with the findings of the relevant parliamentary
commission. “I accept them from the political point of view but not
technically. The Parliament’s motives are not always economic,” he says.

To remind, the management contract of A-Utility (Italy) expires in May
2005. The commission for the effective use of water economy crediting
says that the company has failed to fulfill its contractual commitments.
The company’s work is unsatisfactory – the results are not adequate to
the investments.

4. PRIZES FOR HIGHLIGHTING ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

Source: A1 Plus, December 10, 2004

Authors of the best environmental articles were awarded prizes on
Friday, December 10, 2004 at the contest announced by OSCE Yerevan
office and Aarhus center. 40 TV and printed profiles were presented.

Concrete Civilization Edik Baghdasryan’s film and Professionalism Cut in
Forest Susanna Shahnazaryan’s article were found the best. A special
prize was given to Hrachya Papinyan for his film highlighting problems
related to water and forests pollution.

The majority of contenders are from Armenia’s regions.

5. EU AIDS ARMENIAN GAS NETWORK IN METSAMOR CLOSURE HOPE

Source: RFE/RL Armenia Report, December 10, 2004

Armenia’s natural gas operator officially completed on Friday the
reconstruction of some of its key facilities that has been financed by
the European Union in the hope of speeding up the closure of the
Metsamor nuclear plant.

Top executives from the Armrosgazprom Company, joined by government
officials and European diplomats, inaugurated three underground gas
storage facilities just north of Yerevan. They were refurbished with 2
million euros ($2.7 million) provided by the EU’s executive Commission
in 2002. The purpose of the program was to help to render Armenia’s gas
network more modern and reliable.

Natural gas is used for generating more than a third of Armenia’s
electricity. EU officials hope that increased use of the fuel would
create an additional incentive for Yerevan to decommission Metsamor
which satisfies over 40% of the resource poor’s country’s energy needs.

`In essence, the European Union is helping us to create the
prerequisites for the closure of the nuclear plant,’ Deputy Energy
Minister Areg Galstian told RFE/RL. One of those prerequisites is
`reliable supplies of energy resources,’ he said.

The EU believes that Metsamor’s Soviet-built reactor fails to meet
modern safety standards and should be shut down as soon as possible. The
bloc had hoped that this will happen in 2004. However, Armenian
officials insist that the plant is secure enough to operate for at least
ten more years.

Galstian reiterated the government’s position that Metsamor will not be
closed without an alternative source of power created in its place. `We
must have a new facility of the same capacity,’ he said, adding that it
could be a new thermal power station.

`In my view this [EU project] has in no way affected the closure of the
nuclear plant,’ said the Armrosgazprom director, Karen Karapetian. `We
had to carry out this modernization anyway.’

Karapetian said the Russian-Armenian joint venture needs an additional
$27 million for the network’s modernization and has already approached
potential investors.

6. PROJECT TO RESTORE ABOVYAN UNDERGROUND GAS DEPOSITORY IS AS IMPORTANT
AS IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION

Source: Arminfo, December 11, 2004

The project to restore the Abovyan underground gas depository is as
important as the construction of a gas pipeline from Iran to Armenia,
says the director general of the ArmRosgazprom Company Karen Karapetyan.

Armenia’s energy and strategic security is based on this depository. “I
hope that necessary money will be found for the project next year which
is a serious problem though considering the present volume of gas market
in Armenia,” says Karapetyan noting that some $30 mln is needed to
restore the depository. But the project can well be carried out in
stages – some $7 mln for the beginning. It is also necessary to solve
the problem of brine. “Unless the Nairit chemical plant is restarted we
will have to build a special reservoir for brine production,” says
Karapetyan.

The project is to increase the amount of stored gas from 100 mln c m to
200 mln c m. The Russian Gazprom may take part in it. “We hope that
Gazprom will invest money in Armenia including in the Iran-Armenian gas
pipeline project but Armenia should take certain obligations.” The same
is for the cooperation with the EU who has provided 3 mln EUR for
drafting the project feasibility report, says Karapetyan noting that
experts of the Podzemgazstroy (Underground Gas Construction) company
from Russia are also examining the project.

7. GAZPROM TO TAKE PART IN IRAN-ARMENIA PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION TENDER

Source: ITAR-TASS News Agency, December 13, 2004

The Russian Gazprom company will take part in a tender for the
construction of a gas pipeline from Iran to Armenia, which the gas giant
expects to win, the executive director of the ArmRosgazprom joint
venture told Itar-Tass.

The executive director of the Russian-Armenian joint venture, Karen
Karapetyan, said the date of the tender would be announced shortly. The
Armenian government and Gazprom have 45 percent of ArmRosgazprom shares
each, while the remaining ten percent belong to the ITERA company.

Karapetyan dismissed allegations that the gas pipeline from Iran to
Armenia is intended for the transit of Iranian gas to Europe. The
pipeline of a bigger diameter is needed for the transit, and that would
involve bigger investments, he said. Besides, a free sales market in
third countries is necessary for the transit of gas, and there is no
such market, he stressed.

Iran extends a credit of 30 million dollars for the construction of the
40-kilometer-long Armenian section, the press service of the Armenian
government told Itar-Tass. An agreement on that was signed when Iranian
President Mohammad Khatami paid an official visit to Yerevan last
September.

The construction of the pipeline will be launched simultaneously on both
sides. A total of 100 kilometers of the pipeline will run across Iran.
The construction is expected to be finished in January 2007, after which
the gas systems of the two countries will be united.
Armenia expects to pay for the supplies of Iranian gas with electricity.

The Armenian leadership is confident that the gas pipeline from Iran
will strengthen the republic’s energy security.

8. ZANGEZOUR COPPER-MOLYBDENUM GROUP TO BE SOLD FOR $132 MLN

Source: Arminfo, December 14, 2004

A contract to sell for $132 mln 100% shares of Zangezour
Copper-Molybdenum Group was signed in Yerevan today.

Armenia’s Trade and Economic Development Minister Karen Tchshmarityan
says that 60% stake has been given to Cronimet Mining (Germany), 15%
Pure Iron Plant (Yerevan), 12.5% to Armenian Molybdenum Production and
12.5% to Zangezour Mining. The shareholders will set up a joint managing
company. The first $45 mln payment will be made by Jan 1 2005, the rest
till Dec 31 2005. The contract is financed by Deutsche Bank and
Creditten Stadt Bank.

$250-350 mln is to be invested in the group by 2012 under preliminary
agreement with the final amount to be specified by feasibility report in
2005.

The project is expected to pay off in 6-7 years, says Tchshmarityan. Jan
1 2005 Armenia is stopping to export molybdenum concentrate to process
it fully at home. In 2005-2008 the group will deepen its molybdenum
processing activities to receive a maximally finished product. In
2008-2012 it will launch a rolled copper. The investments will allow the
group to redouble its ore production, says Tchshmarityan.

Cronimet Mining President Hunter Pilarsky says that his company is an
international trade group covering 4 continents. It owns 51% of Pure
Iron Plant, an enterprise processing 50% of Zangezour molybdenum
concentrate. Pilarsky says that international molybdenum prices are high
today which is normal even considering high transportation costs from
Armenia. The company exports its production to Europe via Iran and
Georgia.

In 2003 Zangezour Copper Molybdenum Group registered a $20 mln balance
sheet profit. In Jan-June 2004 its output totalled 24.8 bln AMD – 2.1%
less than in Jan-June 2003. In 2003 the group mined and processed 8.1
mln tons of ore producing 6,300 tons of molybdenum concentrate and
11,000 tons of copper in copper concentrate. Zangezour has the biggest
molybdenum reserves in the whole former USSR.

9. ARMENIAN MEDICINE: IN THE INFIRMARY

By Shant Korkigian
You can contact him at [email protected]

You do not have to spend a very long time in an Armenian hospital to
realize that it is a vastly different world than its American, French or
German counterparts. In fact the whole of medicine in Armenia-from
treatment methods to the healthcare system itself-is very different from
the West.

As a young medical student from the US I did not know exactly what to
expect when I first walked into Yerevan’s Clinical Hospital No. 1. I had
taken an observational position in the department of Plastic,
Reconstructive and Microsurgery for three months and had the pleasure to
work with some of the best physicians in all of Armenia. The surgeons I
worked with are graduates of Yerevan State University’s Medical
University during the Soviet era, had further training in the West, are
fluent in English (among other languages).

The full story is available on the following address:
Medicine.doc

10. II INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON MOUNTAIN TOURISM
Mountain Huts – Challenges For Tourists and Nature?

Source: Mountain Forum, December 14, 2004

First Announcement and Call for Papers

Organized by: International Friends of Nature, Institute of Tourism and
Recreation of Cracow Academy of Physical Education

Polish Tourist Country Lovers’ Society (PTTK) – Cracow Academic Section
to be held in Szklarska Poreba (Poland)

14 – 17 April 2005

Mountain huts play a pivotal role in access to the World’s high places.
They allow climbers to commence their ascents early in the morning,
backpackers can create adventurous high-level treks, but they should not
be viewed simply as facilities; properly managed mountain huts evoke a
powerful atmosphere of fellowship, helpfulness and responsibility which
has an educational impact, especially on younger tourists. Some mountain
huts are very old, possessing rich historical and architectural values,
and should be protected as cultural monuments in their own right. On the
other hand mountain huts are a form of enterprise, which have to be
economically viable. Finally, mountain huts are invariably sited within
a very fragile natural environment, intruding upon the landscape and
impacting upon local biodiversity. Technical and economic developments
together with the growing and increasingly sophisticated demands of
people are changing the nature and extent of mountain tourism. Mountain
huts are not immune to these pressures. Larger, more accessible, and
increasingly comfortable huts inevitably results in increased impacts on
local resources.

This is why the organizers have decided to invite people involved in the
various aspects of this complex issue to jointly discuss the present and
the future of mountain huts. The objectives of the Seminar are to
exchange information, experience and ideas on topics which include:

o mountain huts as historical monuments and witnesses to the past;
o huts in the mountain landscape (disfigurement or additional value?);
o environmental impact of mountain huts and how to limit it;
o mountain huts as a place of interpretation and education;
o creating the right social atmosphere in mountain huts;
o nature – friendly mountain huts;
o mountain huts and protected areas – conflict or cooperation?

In addition the Seminar will provide participants with an opportunity to
visit the Giant (Karkonosze) Mountains National Park – an area of
exceptional bio-cultural diversity and with more than two hundred years
history of mountain tourism. Visits to other national parks in the
Sudety Mountains will be possible during the post-seminar excursions.

Participants/Audience:

The organisers invite participation from all people with an involvement
or interest in mountain tourism – natural as well as cultural –
including managers of mountain huts, mountain guides, tour leaders,
interpreters, rangers, park managers responsible for environmental
education, scientists, writers and journalists interested in mountain
issues from all over the world.

Call for papers:

Participants are kindly invited to submit papers, posters or any other
kind of presentation related to the theme of the Seminar. Papers,
accepted by the Editorial Committee, will be published in the
post-conference issue of Folia Turistica – the scientific journal edited
by the Institute of Tourism and Recreation in Cracow.

All colleagues wishing to participate or to be informed about further
details are requested to send an e-mail or fax to:

Michael Prochazka – [email protected]
Fax: ++43 1 8129789
Or Piotr Dabrowski – [email protected]
Fax: ++48 12 4231697
Indicating: name, surname, e-mail address and represented
Institution/society/protected area/company/media organization. The
organizers will forward full details and a registration form.

We look forward to seeing you in Szklarska Poreba!
Michael Prochazka – Secretary General IFN
Piotr Dabrowski – Chairman of the Cracow Academic Section of PTTK

CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)

Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:

EDUARDO ERNEKIAN INVESTS IN ARMENIA’S AGRICULTURAL SPHERE

YEREVAN, December 21 (Noyan Tapan). On December 21, at Zvartnots
Airport Director of the Tiera de Armeni company Anna-Christina
Shirinian and shareholder of Max Group Khachik Manukian signed an
agreement on joint activities. According to the agreement, at least
1,600-1,700 hectares of apricot orchards, 200-300 hectares of peach
and plum orchards and 500 hectares of grapevines are to be planted
in the area of 6 thousand hectares (3 thousand ha was sold to Tiera
de Armeni) located near the settlement of Baghramian (Armavir marz)
and belonging to Max Group. According to Khachik Manukian, it is
envisaged to start the construction of a fruit processing plant
with a processing capacity of 40 thousand tons of fruit per year at
the end of 2005. The harvest is expected in 5 years, meanwhile 20-25
million dollars will be invested. Tiera de Armeni, which was recently
registered in Armenia, is owned by Eduardo Ernekian. The American
International Airports company also belonging to the multimillioner
from Argentina implements the management of Yerevan’s Zvartnots
Airport. Max Group, one of Armenia’s big multiprofile companies,
has 15 thousand 200 hectares of land in the country’s various
marzes. Its shareholders are Khachik Manukian, Harutyun Pambukian
(both deputies of the NA) and Mher Bagratian. Kh. Manukian also stated
the two sides will make equal in amount investments, the Argentinian
side will implement the management of the business and the Armenian
side will carry out the agricultural work. The Airport lawyer Armen
Ter-Tachatian announced that profit made by Tiera de Armeni will
not have a commercial significance, it will go to a special fund
established by Ernekian and used to develop the agriculture.

ISSUES CONNECTED WITH JAVAKHK ROADS AND DRAFT LAW ON GEORGIAN EDUCATION
DISCUSSED IN AKHALKALAKI

AKHALKALAKI, December 20 (Noyan Tapan). Issues connected with the
improvement of Javakhk roads and the draft law “On the Georgian General
Education” were discussed at the Javakhk second forum of the European
Commission on Minorities Issues (ECMI), which was held in Akhalkalaki
on December 15.

According to the “A-Info” Agency, in his report Nodar Inasaridze,
Coordinator on the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of the Department on
Georgian Roads, spoke about the road construction expected in the
region in 2005, in particular, the overhaul of the Tbilisi-Tsalka-
-Akhalkalaki-Kartsakh (the Turkish border) highway. Inasaridze
also mentioned that the repairs of the Akhaltskha-Akhalkalaki,
Ninotsminda-Zhdanovka (the Armenian border) highways will be primary in
2005. As for the roads of local importance, according to Inasaridze,
no essential changes are expected here because of the absence of
money. Participants of the forum expressed dissatisfaction with the
state of internal roads, as well as on the occasion of non-cleaning
of roads in winter. Participants of the forum don’t believe the words
especially regarding the repairs of the roads connecting Georgia
with Armenia.

In her report Seda Melkumian, the Executive of the Committee on
Educational Issues, presented in detail the conclusions of their
committee after the discussion of the draft law “On General Education
of Georgia”. She said once again that according to this draft law,
all the Armenian schools are exposed to danger of closing. Bela
Tsipuria, the Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia,
made a speech then, she said that the reports on the closing of the
non-Georgian schools in Georgia are false rumors, and misundersanting
arouse after the wrong translation of the draft law. But the Deputy
Minister failed to disperse the suspicions of the population of
Javakhk. The written variant of the law is only in Georgian, which
is incomprehensive for almost all the participants of the forum. The
long discussion gave no result in this issue, it only registered that
the approval of such a draft law may have dangerous consequences.