Author: Dabaghian Diana

PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address: Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel: (374 1) 517 163
Fax: (374 1) 517 301
E-Mail: [email protected]
April 14, 2004

Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ in the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin

On Sunday, April 11, the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ was celebrated by the worldwide Armenian Church. His
Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians,
celebrated the Pontifical Divine Liturgy.

As the service was about to begin, the Pontifical Procession moved from the
Residence of the Catholicos toward the Mother Cathedral to celebrate the
Easter Divine Liturgy, surrounded by thousands of faithful Armenians from
Armenia and the Diaspora.

The Mother Cathedral of All Armenians was filled to capacity, and the
overflowing crowd in the courtyard of the Mother See heard the message of
the Pontiff, as he declared: “Christ is Risen from the dead! Blessed is
the Resurrection of Christ.”

The theme for His Holiness’ sermon was from the Gospel of Saint Mark, “Take
heart, it is I; have no fear.” (Mark 6:50). In his sermon to the Armenian
faithful in Armenia and the Dispersion, His Holiness stated in part, “With
His blessed presence and with His saving power, the Lord has been at our
side, wherever the ship of our life has been driven during the journeying
courses of difficult, as well as trouble-free periods of our history. God
has been at our side and has not abandoned us in deadly fateful times, when
having lost our hope in men, we have been left alone. The light of the
Resurrection soars above all of our Avarayrs and Sardarapats. The paths of
Golgotha for the Armenians, which dispersed us throughout the world, are
crowned with the radiance of the Resurrection. Today, our statehood is also
reborn, and at every stage of life, the Lord awaits us, to spread His light
and His peace over us, to bless our efforts and labor and to make them
fruitful. However, we should not mix the good with the bad, nor confuse
truth with falsehood. The truth is Armenia independent and Artsakh free,
and our patriotism, our solidarity and unanimity. Indeed, there is no
greater expression of faith than unity, and there is no greater
encouragement than the belief that God with his saving power, is with us.

“Wherever we live, we will live through the Homeland and Holy Etchmiadzin,
with our national values and patriotic inheritance, so that our children
will keep away from useless and false ideas, and from alien values, which
are penetrating our lives and being imposed upon us from within and without
…

“Dear Armenians dispersed throughout the world, you who can look to Ararat
from near or far, can see under the gaze of the mount that hosts the Ark,
the outstretched ark of Armenian salvation: Armenia and Artsakh. You, who
see the radiating and inexhaustible light of the lantern of the Illuminator
above the heights of Aragats, have faith, that the God of our fathers will
continue His work upon our land through our faith. He will continue His
work throughout our national life, upon which today the hope of Resurrection
is taking flight.”

His Holiness addressed Easter greetings, blessings and congratulations as
well to the Incumbents of the Hierarchal Sees of the Armenian Church, the
entire order of clergy, state officials of the Republics of Armenia and
Nagorno Karabagh, and all faithful throughout the world.

Present during the Divine Liturgy were President of the Republic of Armenia
Robert Kocharian, Prime Minister Andranik Margarian, President of the
National Assembly (Parliament) Arthur Baghdasarian, National Assembly
Members and Ministers of the Government of the Republic of Armenia,
Ambassadors and the Diplomatic Corps of Foreign Governments, representatives
of sister Christian Churches, members of the Supreme Spiritual Council, and
thousands of faithful.

At the conclusion of Divine Liturgy, an official reception was hosted in the
Pontifical Residence for the dignitaries and guests in attendance. His
Holiness welcomed and congratulated the guests on the occasion of the
Glorious Resurrection of Christ and once more conveyed to them the great
tiding of: “Christ is Risen from the dead! Blessed is the Resurrection of
Christ.”

##

TECHNICAL PROBLEMS SOLVED

Azat Artsakh–Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
14-04-2004

The population of the Republic of NK can now watch the Armenian TV
channel “Armenia”. The executive director of “Artsakhkap” CJSC Souren
Mirzoyan mentioned that they have an agreement with the TV company
“Armenia” for retransmission of their programs. For this they have
installed a new transmitter. Several days ago the transmission was
stopped, but after the installation of necessary equipment the channel
will be broadcast without problems. “Our company is responsible for
broadcasting TV programs and tries to do it on a high level,” said
S. Mirzoyan.

ANAHIT DANIELIAN.
14-04-2004

A1 Plus | 20:22:16 | 15-04-2004 | Politics |

THE WAY OUR POLICE DEALING WITH REPORTERS

Russia’s ORT TV channel cameraman Levon Grigoryan, who was severely bitten
Monday night while fulfilling his professional duty shooting peaceful
demonstration in Baghramyan Avenue, told our correspondent barbed wire had
been taken away to pave the way for water-carrying vehicles.

Then, explosives were dropped at demonstrators and assault against them
began. The people tried to resist the attack throwing plastic bottles at
attackers.

“I was standing and shooting what was going on. Four men dressed as
civilians attacked me and tried to tear the camera from my hands. I resisted
the attack in a bid to save the camera. Then, a group of men in special
detachment uniforms thew me on the ground and beat me with their feets using
also electroshock and batons and spraying gas onto my face. I was bleeding”,
Levon Grigoryan said.

He heard one of them had said to another: “That’s enough he’s nearly
croaking”.

Grigoryan says he was pulled and thrown under a tree. He says those
attacking him were well-aware of who he is. “You are working for Moscow, we’
ll see what you’ll give them after that”, they were shouting while beating
him and then broke his camera and emptied his pockets.

Levon Grigoryan says long years he worked as cameraman, but he has never
seen such a brutality against reporters.

“I don’t know, if someone will be charged”, he said.

Armenian defence minister, US envoy discuss military cooperation

Arminfo
12 Apr 04

YEREVAN

Serzh Sarkisyan, defence minister and secretary of the Armenian
president’s National Security Council, today met the US ambassador to
Armenia, John Ordway.

The sides discussed the current level and prospects for development of
Armenian-American relations in the military sphere, the Armenian
Defence Ministry spokesman, Col Seyran Shakhsuvaryan, told Arminfo
news agency.

At the end of the meeting the American diplomat invited the Armenian
defence minister to take part in the opening ceremony of a hospital in
Talin on 14 April. The hospital has been restored with financial aid
from the US command in Europe.

Baltic News Service
April 7, 2004

RUSSIAN, BELARUS AIR FORCES DEMONSTRATE REACTION TO NATO EASTWARD
EXPANSION

ZHELEZNODOROZHNY, Apr 07

Russian Air Force Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Mikhailov said that the
joint Russian-Belarus north-western air forces were capable of
reacting adequately to accession of the Baltic States to NATO.

“Our north-western air forces are capable of reacting adequately to
the actions taken. At the present time the Northwestern Air Forces do
not require any reinforcements,” Mikhailov told reporters on
Wednesday, commenting on the deployment of four NATO aircraft in the
Baltic States.

The Russian Air Force commander-in-chief is supervising the command
post exercise of the CIS Unified Air Defense System. “It has been
proved once again that the CIS Unified Air Defense System is very
reliable,” Mikhailov said.

He said that as of 11:30 a.m. Moscow time (0730 GMT) a total of seven
simulated air targets have been detected, tracked, and destroyed
within the framework of the exercise. “All the targets were
represented by aircraft,” Mikhailov clarified.

He said that the A-50 AWACS aircraft, participating in the exercise,
was operating over Dagestan. “It was supposed to have been deployed
over Armenia, but later on it was decided that the aircraft would
operate over the Russian territory, as Georgia had provided an air
corridor too late. At the present time it is operating at such an
altitude, which allows it to monitor the Armenian airspace as well,”
Mikhailov said.

The Baltic states joined the NATO alliance on March 29 with NATO
fighter jets deployed at the Zokniai air base in northern Lithuania
on the same day for patrolling the Baltic skies, causing negative
reaction on behalf of Russian politicians.

Ottawa Citizen
April 6, 2004 Tuesday Final Edition

Venture capitalists lean toward ‘micro-multinationals’: Silicon
Valley’s ideal startups are ones that outsource white-collar jobs,
Ann Grimes writes.

SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal

by Ann Grimes

Silicon Valley’s venture capitalists, famous for funding technology’s
leading edge, now are pushing the companies they fund to be on the
leading edge of an employment trend: moving white-collar jobs
offshore.

The Valley’s ideal startup business these days is the
“micro-multinational,” a company that from its inception is based in
the United States but maintains a less-costly skilled work force
abroad. Venture capitalists also are prodding young companies in
which they already own stakes to turn themselves into
micro-multinationals.

One recently funded startup business, Solidcore Systems Inc., is a
case in point. The Palo Alto, California, company, which makes
security software, has a U.S. staff of 16, including its chief
executive, chief technology officer, engineers and sales and
marketing executives. It also has 15 employees in New Delhi, India,
including a top financial officer and engineers, and six contract
employees in Pune, India.

“It was set up that way from the beginning,” says Nick Sturiale, a
general partner at Sevin Rosen Funds of Palo Alto, which put $5.5
million U.S. into Solidcore along with venture firm Matrix Partners.
“The key is not just labour costs. It’s productivity.”

When engineers in the Valley are going to sleep, those in India are
waking up, he says.

Technology companies “look at globalization as a natural phenomenon
without borders,” says Ash Lilani, the South Bay Region manager for
Silicon Valley Bank in Santa Clara. Mr. Lilani recently organized a
scouting trip for two dozen prominent Silicon Valley venture
capitalists to check out potential startup businesses and markets in
India.

At Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, the greybeard firm of Silicon
Valley venture capital, partner Ray Lane recently returned from his
own trip to India. The former Oracle Corp. president says 30 to 40
per cent of the startup companies his fund has helped to finance have
sent work offshore. “These are basically five to 10, maybe 20,
people. Small operations,” he says.

At Mayfield, another Silicon Valley venture firm, partner Yogen Dalal
says: “If you talk to all the leading VCs here, 50 per cent to 60 per
cent of their portfolio companies have some interaction with India.
But what really will happen in a couple of years, 90 per cent of all
startups will have some connection to India or China. There’s no
going back.”

Startup businesses that recently received funding include:

– July Systems Inc., a mobile-data-services company in Santa Clara
with a global product centre in Bangalore, India.

– 24/7Customer, which provides customized call-outsourcing services
from its Los Gatos, headquarters and from call centres in Bangalore
and Hyderabad, India.

– ServGate Technologies Inc., a security-software company that has 60
engineers in its Milpitas headquarters, 30 in Beijing and 10 in
Vancouver.

– ReaMetrix Inc., which makes sophisticated testing kits for drug
companies, with six employees in San Carlos and 10 scientists in
Bangalore.

– Open-Silicon Inc., a semiconductor-design company soon to launch
with 15 employees at its headquarters in Sunnyvale and 25 employees
at a development office in Bangalore.

At Norwest Ventures, managing partner Promod Haque says a majority of
the companies his firm has funded, including Open Silicon, have
located jobs offshore as a strategic practice. Some, he says, have
been doing it for years. “Our experience with this phenomenon started
before this was even recognized,” he says.

Four years ago, Norwest put $12.4 million behind a Boston
wireless-infrastructure company, Winphoria Networks Inc. The company
was started during the technology boom by two engineers from Bell
Labs and needed engineers with specialized wireless expertise. In the
U.S., demand for such engineers was high, and so were their salaries.

So the company set up subsidiaries in Spain and Bangalore, where it
found the engineers. Besides a cost differential of four to one, Mr.
Haque says, it also found new markets. “Sales and marketing and the
CEO were in Boston; the centre of gravity was outside the U.S.,” he
says, adding that “by having our employees based in Madrid and
Bangalore, we were bidding contracts in Europe and Asia” at a time
when the U.S. telecommunications market was in trouble. Motorola Inc.
ultimately bought Winphoria for $175 million, bringing Mr. Haque and
his investors a handsome return.

The search for such successful “exit strategies” — ways for venture
capitalists to sell their stakes in companies — also is driving the
offshore trend as VCs grapple with the fallout from troubled
investments from the technology boom. With few initial public stock
offerings these days providing a way to cash out, making the most of
capital at startups is key, Mr. Haque says.

Also fuelling the phenomenon is the maturation of a generation of
entrepreneurs who have started, run, sold — or been laid off from —
successful startups. “During the downturn, companies were looking for
clever ways to save money and survive. Employees were looking for
work. A lot moved offshore,” says Steve Domenik, another Sevin Rosen
partner.

The success of these entrepreneurs, many of them immigrants, has made
the cross-border business model a less-risky proposition, many
venture capitalists say. “They come to us saying, ‘This is how we
want to start it from the beginning’,” Mr. Sturiale says. “They have
experience doing it wrong, then doing it correctly.”

Indeed, the cross-border idea sometimes goes the other way, creating
what some call “insourcing.”

Norwest, for example, is funding Epiance Inc., a business-improvement
software maker in Bangalore. As part of its expansion, the company
plans to put 30 employees in Silicon Valley.

Others go outside the U.S. for experienced workers. Monterey Design
Systems Inc., a venture-backed software company in Mountain View that
has received $85 million in venture funds, designs software to make
chips. In May, it opened a research-and-design facility in Yerevan,
Armenia, staffed with about 50 scientists, many with advanced degrees
in electrical engineering and computer science.

The company’s chief executive, Jacques Benkoski, says the region is
home to Yerevan University, which by government direction under the
former Soviet regime became a region for semiconductor expertise. He
describes his Armenian employees as the “go-to guys for graph
theory,” a branch of math and computer science. “They work jointly
with the U.S. team to design chips,” he says.

Yet what goes offshore most often are routine engineering and
maintenance tasks, such as software testing. “Those are fairly
automated processes that can be easily be taken offshore by an
engineering group,” says Steve Baloff, a general partner with
Advanced Technology Ventures in Palo Alto. Mr. Baloff says his firm
typically advises its companies: “Don’t plan on outsourcing the
architectural or design part of the business where intellectual
property is involved.”

Gary Morgenthaler, whose Menlo Park venture firm bears his name,
says, “It’s dangerous ground to be outsourcing core R&D either in
India or China, who can become global competitors to America. To the
extent that we are outsourcing our intellectual property, these are
nations that don’t respect our IP to begin with. That runs the risk
of boomeranging on us.”

Monterey Design’s Mr. Benkoski disagrees. He points out the U.S.
can’t have it both ways. “You can’t want globalization. … but say
(to other countries) you only get to do slave labour, and we get to
do the interesting stuff.”

GRAPHIC: Photo: PR NewsFoto; Ray Lane, former president and chief
operating officer of Oracle Corp. and now a partner at Kleiner
Perkins Caufield & Byers, says 30 to 40 per cent of the startup
companies his fund has helped to finance have sent work offshore.
‘These are basically five to 10, maybe 20, people. Small operations,’
he says.

Armenian PM plays down talk of instability

Hayastani Hanrapetutyun, Yerevan
1 Apr 04

Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan has acknowledged that there
is some tension in the country, but denied that it could be a threat
to constitutional order. Interviewed by government newspaper Hayastani
Hanrapetutyun, Markaryan said that anyone who sought to disrupt
stability would be punished according to the law. Markaryan said that
while his party, the Republican Party of Armenia, and the other
parties in the governing coalition were ready to start dialogue with
the opposition, the opposition would talk only after the authorities
had been changed. The following is the text of Gayane Gasparyan’s
interview with Markaryan in Armenian newspaper Hayastani Hanrapetutyun
on 1 April headlined “Illegal actions directed at disrupting stability
in the country will be punished”; subheadings inserted editorially:

An interview with Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan.

No threat to constitutional order

[Hayastani Hanrapetutyun correspondent] Tension is gradually growing in
the country. Do you think that the problem may be settled in the
framework of the constitution?

[Andranik Markaryan] I would not say tension is growing. If we go out
of the National Assembly, visit villages and towns, we shall see that
the situation is not as it has been presented. If people do not read
newspapers, they will not even know that some people are spreading
tension. I think there is some tension, but it is not such a threat to
our constitutional rights. If any party or person resorts to calls or
actions to disrupt stability in the country, he will be punished
within the framework of the law. The Republican Party of Armenia [RPA]
and other forces in the coalition announced that we are ready to start
dialogue with the opposition. Unfortunately, they say they will engage
in dialogue only after a change in power. We say that we do not accept
a change in power, we are ready to discuss other problems connected
with other members of the coalition or government.

[Correspondent] What if they decline dialogue?

[Markaryan] They put forward a problem that is impossible to solve and
in so doing they want to create a basis for their actions. The state
is to stop the statements of a group of people contradicting the
interests of the majority of people.

[Correspondent] In some regions the same scenario was repeated
alongside the meetings of the opposition [disruption of opposition
rallies]. Do you not think that it was organized, probably by the
authorities?

[Markaryan] And what about Georgia? What happened was organized or
not? Simply on TV and in the press they speak about certain phenomena
and, as we are a very receptive people, we copy that.

[Correspondent] Is it possible that the RPA will give several
ministerial posts to the opposition and the problem will be settled?

[Markaryan] I would like to hear this question from the opposition.

[Correspondent] Do you accept that the post of prime minister was
offered to [National Unity leader Artashes] Gegamyan?

[Markaryan] I think we should not stick to rumours.

No plans to revisit water contract

[Correspondent] Yesterday in the National Assembly the problem of
abuse was revealed in the course of the implementation of the district
development programme. Does the government not intend to revisit the
contract made with the water system operator?

[Markaryan] No, it does not. This year the first credit programme will
be finished. The operator is finishing its work. In addition the
commission submitted an intermediate report and the government did not
know its content. According to the National Assembly regulations, in
such a case the government is not given an opportunity to express its
viewpoint. The government does not agree with 90 per cent of the
points in the report. In future we shall express our
approaches. Anyway, at present during the first stage of
investigations the commission did not do its best. They submitted 10
questions to Gagik Martirosyan [former chairman of the State Committee
for Water Resources] and received well-founded answers. I also blame
the RPA faction, the deputies working in the committee, for not
expressing definite positions in time. They will be more active during
the next stages of the work of the committee. I hope that before that
the government will come forward with a legislative initiative so that
the government as well has a right to express its position during
discussion of the conclusions of these committees. Otherwise some
persons say something about government and the people make
conclusions, while the government does not have the right to reply
from the same rostrum. That is, the principle of balance has been
broken. When discussing the anti-corruption programmes the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun [ARFD] wanted to set up a
special body. At present they want to find grounds for the need to
set up such a body.

[Correspondent] Is Gagik Martirosyan’s dismissal connected with that
report?

[Markaryan] No, it is not.

Investment to remain stable this year

[Correspondent] The Armenian Savings Bank was privatized by a
businessman for 400,000 dollars who later sold it for 4,000,000
dollars. Why did the government not do that deal?

[Markaryan] We announced the tender on time. At that time some Russian
banks showed interest, but then they refused. Some three or four years
have passed and there is a certain change of interests, this makes me
happy as this means that our economy is developing in such a way that
banking is a profitable sphere of business. If business is developing,
naturally prices are growing.

[Correspondent] Will the investment tendency remain stable this year?

[Markaryan] I think it will. If two elections took place last year and
there was no fall of economic growth and investments continued,
according to the same logic I hope they will continue this year as
well.

[Correspondent] Are new staff changes expected?

[Markaryan] This is a long process. You will know when it takes place.

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th Street, NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 29, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

MONTANA GOVERNOR COMMEMORATES THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

— Montana becomes 32nd State to
Recognize the Armenian Genocide

WASHINGTON, DC ­ Montana today became the 32nd U.S. state to
recognize the Armenian Genocide, joining with the Armenian American
community and all people of good conscience in honoring the victims
of this crime against humanity, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).

Governor Judy Martz, in a letter of recognition sent to the ANCA,
stated that she was “pleased to recognize your achievements to
bring awareness and recognition to the one and one-half million
Christian Armenian men, women and children who were victims of the
brutal genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish Government from
1915 to 1923.” She went on to explain that recognition of the 89th
anniversary of the genocide is “crucial to guarding against
repetition of future genocides.”

Montana joins 31 states that have already recognized the Armenian
Genocide through Governor proclamations or adoption of State
resolutions, including: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California,
Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina,
Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah,
Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Commenting on Gov. Martz’ statement, Montana resident and lifelong
ANC activist Yedvart Tchakerian stated “I am proud of Gov. Martz’
principled stand recognizing the Armenian Genocide and joining with
our community in this solemn remembrance. I can only hope that our
legislators in Washington will take similar action through passage
of the Genocide Resolution in the House and Senate.”

Armenian American activist Bob Semonian, a long-time friend of the
Montana Governor, played a key role in bringing this matter to her
attention.

The complete text of the letter of recognition is provided below.

#####

TEXT OF MONTANA GOVERNOR’S STATEMENT

April 2004

On behalf of citizens of the State of Montana, I am pleased to
recognize your achievements to bring awareness and recognition to
the one and one-half million Christian Armenian men, women and
children who were victims of the brutal genocide perpetrated by the
Ottoman Turkish Government from 1915 to 1923.

The Armenian genocide and massacres of Armenian people have been
recognized as an attempt to eliminate all traces of a thriving and
noble civilization over 3,000 years old. Recognition of the eighty-
ninth anniversary of this genocide is crucial to guarding against
the repetition of future genocide and educating people about the
atrocities connected to these horrific events.

I urge recognition of their plight on April 24th, 2004, which is
nationally recognized as a Day of Remembrance of the Armenian
Genocide of 1915-1923.

Sincerely

[signed]
JUDY MARTZ
Governor

Baku not to allow Armenia to legalize Karabakh’s annexation – Azeri official

ANS TV, Baku
26 Mar 04

[Presenter] Armenia will launch new attacks against Azerbaijan, MP
Anar Mammadxanli has given journalists this sensational information.

[Correspondent over video of the Armenian parliament] Attention – the
Armenian parliament is preparing to adopt a decision to annex Karabakh
and other occupied territories to Armenia. The decision is expected in
June. Azerbaijan must prepare for war, MP Anar Mammadxanli made this
sensational statement.

[Anar Mammadxanli speaking to microphone] They want to draw Azerbaijan
into a war. Because there is deadlock, i.e. the peace talks are
fruitless. This actually means a war. Armenia actually started the war
against Azerbaijan in 1988 and we were not ready for that. I think
that Azerbaijan should be ready today.

[Correspondent] Mammadxanli said that he had informed relevant bodies
about this.

[Mammadxanli] Naturally, international organizations, the OSCE Minsk
Group, superpowers and the European Union should warn Armenia against
this. They should warn Armenia against taking such a step. Because
this will completely change the situation.

[Correspondent] The MP thinks that [Armenian President] Robert
Kocharyan had to take such fascist-style steps to restore his lost
reputation and maintain his power in Armenia. However, official Baku
will do everything possible to prevent Armenia from taking such a
decision and to liberate its lands in a military way. Azerbaijan will
not give the enemy a single inch of its land.

[Passage omitted: Reported details]

[Correspondent] The head of the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry press
service, Ramiz Malikov, said that the Azerbaijani army is ready for
war. Azerbaijan will get the opportunity to return everything it has
lost if Armenia launches military operations. Malikov said Armenia
will lose if it fights a war. According to him, no state will support
Armenia since the international community has already recognized it as
an aggressor.

The head of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry press service, Matin
Mirza, said that official Baku will not allow the Armenian parliament
to legalize the annexation of Nagornyy Karabakh to Armenia. Our
country’s embassies abroad will be instructed in this regard and they
will call on the world community to take a step against Armenia.

80 UNSECURED FAMILIES OF ARMENIA TO BE RESETTLED IN ARTSAKH WITHIN
CURRENT YEAR

YEREVAN, MARCH 19. ARMINFO. Within the 2004, some 80 unsecured
families from Armenia will be resettled in the Nagorny Karabakh
Republic, Executive Director of the Union of Public Organizations for
Repatriation and Settlement “Yerkir” (“Country”) Sevak Artsruni made
this statement at a press-conference in the House of Journalists
today.

He said that within the coming two months, some 35 families from
Armenia will settle in NKR. They will be provided with cottages and
household plots (1,500-2,000 sq/m). Besides, Artsruni said that the
migrants will receive definite privileges on legal basis, for example,
exemption of taxes. It should be noted that the Union “Yerkir”
(consisting of 5 public organizations of Armenia and Artsakh) operates
from November of 2002. Artsruni said that development of bordering
zones is important for Armenia like any other developing country.
Thus, in 2003 in the NKR regions of New Shahumyan and Hadrout, several
schools, kindergartens and hospitals were built due to the Union. The
total cost of the program was $186,356 and 22,732 EUR. “Yerkir”
representative said that in 2004 construction works will be carried
out in Mardakert, Hadrout and New Shahumyan regions of Artsakh as well
as in the Armenian regions of Tavush and Gegharkunik (in more than 30
populated areas). The program for 2004 will total more than
$400,000. The programs are financed by charitable funds of France,
Canada, USA: “France-Karabakh”, “Armenia”, “Monte Melkonyan” and
Armenian foreign charitable-families.

Sevak Artsruni said that at present the Union “Yerkir” registers
families residing in Russia and other CIS signatory-countries, who
want to return to their historical Motherland and have no such
possibility.