Bouygues’ Saur unit wins 41.2 mln usd water management contract in Armenia
AFX Europe (Focus)
Jun 25, 2004
PARIS (AFX) – Bouygues SA’s water unit Saur has won a 41.2 mln usd
contract to renovate and manage the water distribution network in
Armenia, the Armenian government said.
The contract covers management operations in 38 cities and 250
villages until 2009.
ANSA Notiziario Generale in Italiano
June 22, 2004
CINEMA: ARMENIA NUOVA LOCATION PER ROBERT GUEDIGUIAN /ANSA ;
IL REGISTA SI RACCONTA AL NAPOLI FILM FESTIVAL
NAPOLI
(ANSA) – NAPOLI, 22 GIU – Nei futuri programmi del regista
francese Robert Guediguian c’ e’ un viaggio in Armenia, dove
girera’ un film: lo ha detto lo stesso Guediguian che oggi e
stato protagonista della terza giornata del Napolifilmfestival.
Nell’ambito della sezione “Parole di cinema”, ciclo di
proiezioni e incontri dedicati ai protagonisti della
cinematografia internazionale, stamani e’ stata proposta la
visione del film di Guediguian, “Marius et Jeannette”. “La
decisione di lavorare con lo stesso gruppo di attori, ormai
amici – spiega il regista – non e’ stata una scelta. Anche
l’ambientazione geografica, la citta’ che fa da sfondo alle mie
storie, Marsiglia, mi accompagna da sempre, e’ come se fosse un
teatro, un teatro di lusso, che con il suo divenire e i suoi
cambiamenti, modifica e accompagna le tante storie e il loro
camminar con i tempi”.
Guediguian, ha sottolineato l’ importanza della storia, non
dell’ interprete. “Quando scrivo una storia per un film e la
sua sceneggiatura – continua il regista – penso al personaggio e
non all’attore che lo interpretera’, questa decisione e
l’ultimo step da affrontare. Gli attori non partecipano alla
stesura, loro vi partecipano solo in conclusione essendo
comunque un gruppo, che ormai dirigo da 20 anni, e con i quali
raccontiamo la storia della Francia”.
Guediguian ha poi posto l’ accento sull’ indipendenza dei
suoi film. “Sono un regista indipendente – aggiunge – nel senso
che produco i miei film. L’indipendenza ci viene dettata dal
fatto che siamo del tutto autonomi sulle varie decisioni che
gravitano attorno agli aspetti collaterali del cinema. L’essere
produttore, inoltre, penso faccia parte di quest’arte
cinematografica. Anche Fellini aveva la sua casa di produzione,
che pero’ ando’ male”. A chi gli domanda le differenze tra il
cinema europeo ed americano, secondo Guediguian “l’unica cosa
da dire e’ che ogni paese dovrebbe proteggere i propri film, e
l’America che noi intendiamo – aggiunge – alla fine e’ solo
Hollywood. Pasolini avrebbe detto che si tratta di disastro
antropologico”.
Tra gli appuntamenti pomeridiani del Napolifimfestival,
quello con la sezione “Svezia: Non solo Bergman”, con la
proiezione di Narvarande di Jan Troell. (ANSA).
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Children Of Armenia Fund
Contact: Mary Ann Kibarian
212-994-8250
[email protected]
Christopher Hitchens of Vanity Fair to be Keynote Speaker at COAF
Gala at the St Regis Hotel, New York
New York- June 16th, 2004- Christopher Hitchens, columnist and
contributing editor at Vanity Fair, has been chosen as the keynote
speaker for the Children Of Armenia Fund (COAF) Gala to be held on
Thursday, June 24th, 6:30 pm, at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City.
“I am delighted that Mr. Hitchens will be delivering the
keynote address,” stated Dr. Garo Armen, President and Founder
of COAF. “Mr. Hitchens’ unique knowledge of disadvantaged people,
including Armenians, makes the delivery of his keynote address very
meaningful for this occasion.”
Christopher Hitchens began his journalism career in London in 1971.
After emigrating to the United States in 1981, he has established
himself as a columnist and contributing editor, book reviewer and
essayist for a wide array of publications from The Nation to Vanity
Fair. Mr. Hitchens has also authored numerous books including Cyprus:
Hostage to History; The Elgin Marbles; The Monarchy: A Critique of
Britain’s Favorite Fetish; and many others. Mr. Hitchens is the
recipient of the 1992 Lannan Foundation Literary Award for Non-Fiction
and the 1996 Professional Integrity Award from the Society of Print
and Broadcast Media.
The COAF gala will honor Cynthia and Larry Feinberg for their
exceptional contribution towards the betterment of children living
in impoverish conditions in Armenia. Other featured speakers at
this event are acclaimed author Peter Balakian and Dennis Walto of
Save the Children. Mark Gavoor, Director of Customer Service and
Logistics for Colgate-Palmolive, will be the Master of Ceremonies.
About COAF
COAF’s mission is to find sustainable solutions to the current plight
of many Armenian children, culminating from a most tumultuous past
15 years. Its objective is to address all areas of essential child
development by creating sustainable and effective programs designed to
reverse the current impoverished conditions that affect the majority
of the population and beneficially impact the greatest number of young
Armenians. Key programs include improving healthcare and nutrition,
developing improved sanitation to provide clean and safe drinking
water, and expanding irrigation and food processing capabilities.
This recovery process will provide Armenians with the means necessary
to foster economic growth and re-build the community
In 2003, Dr. Armen , with Executive Director, Mary Ann Kibarian and
the COAF Board of Directors, launched an aggressive campaign to bring
hope and recovery to children of rural Armenia with the COAF Rural
Development Initiative. This past May, Dr. Armen presided over the
opening of the COAF offices in Yerevan, established to oversee ground
operations and manage COAF partnerships with such international
organizations as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
COAF has successfully completed a program in partnership with the US
Department of State to bring demining team of dogs and handlers to
rid Armenia of the landmines left from the war with Azerbaijan. This
was a $400,000 project.
In addition to Dr. Armen’s position as President of COAF, he is the
Chairman and CEO of Antigenics, a publicly held biotechnology company
that develops breakthrough therapeutics for cancer. In July of 2002,
Dr. Armen served as Chairman of Élan Corporation, a biopharmaceutical
company. At Élan, Dr. Armen initiated a recovery plan that ultimately
saved this company from certain collapse. In May, Dr. Armen was named
one of the recipients awarded the 2004 Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
COAF Gala Contact Info
Arienne Orozco
Susan Ulin & Associates
212-675-9474
[email protected]
Charity “Aida To Armenia”
Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
18 June 2004
According to doctor of the children’s republic hospital Karineh
Tarkhanian, since 2003 wide-scale building works were carried out on
the third floor of the hospital by the French charity organization
“Aida to Armenia”. In October of last year a modern surgical
department was built, now the construction of wards corresponding
to the international medical standards is going on. Most probably
after the visit of the representative of the organization “Aida
to Armenia ” young pediatrician Stepan Berberian construction
works will start on the first and second floors of the hospital
building. “So far construction works were done only in one side of
the building. The other side where the children’s polyclinic and the
somatic department are placed no work has been done yet,” mentioned
Karineh Tarkhanian. She added that it is not clear yet whether the
program provides for the reconstruction of the mentioned side. This
will become clear only during the visit of Stepan Berberian.
NVARD OHANJANIAN.
18-06-2004
Eurasian community to hold session in Kazakh capital 15-18 June
Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency, Almaty
12 Jun 04
Astana, 12 June: A summit of the Eurasian Economic Community [EAEC;
members are Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan –
the former Customs Union] will be held in Astana in the second ten
days of June, a press release circulated by the community’s press
service says.
“A programme (of the summit. – Interfax-Kazakhstan) will be very
rich: a session of the permanent representatives of the EAEC will be
held on 15-16 June; a session of the EAEC Integration Committee will
be held on 17 June and a session of the community’s highest body,
the Interstate Council of the EAEC at the level of heads of state,
will be held on 18 June,” the press release says.
Apart from this, an international forum entitled “Eurasian integration:
tendencies of modern development and challenges of globalization ”
will be opened on 18 June.
At the forthcoming session, the five countries’ heads, Belarusian
President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev,
Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev, Russian President Vladimir Putin
and Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov “will discuss issues aimed
at further deepening economic integration in the Eurasian space,
including issues related to control over the implementation of domestic
procedures that are necessary to bring international agreements signed
within the framework of the EAEC into effect; cooperation between the
community’s states in the energy sector, in particular, the effective
development of water and energy resources of Amudarya and Syrdarya;
the creation of a single EAEC tariff basis for railway transportation
and a number of other issu es”, the press release says.
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, Moldovan President Vladimir
Voronin and Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma are invited to attend
the session of Interstate Council as observers.
A news conference will be held following the session.
[Passage omitted: Background on EAEC]
Medina helping Abelyan prepare for Harrison bout Jun 10 2004
ic Lanarkshire, UK
June 10 2004
WBO World Featherweight title challenger William Abelyan has sought
the advice of the man who defeated Cambuslang champion Scott Harrison
in his bid to be crowned champion on June 19.
The Armenian hardman challenges Harrison for his title in the highly
anticipated clash at the Braehead Arena and for his final preparations
has drafted Manuel Medina into his training camp for advice and
tactics on how to beat him.
Medina, the tricky Mexican veteran, handed Harrison a shock defeat
last July to become a five-time World champion. Harrison later cited
illness as the cause of his loss and reversed the decision in the
rematch four months later to reclaim the title.
Abelyan said: “With Medina coming into the camp and giving me advice
it is the final piece in the jigsaw to beat Harrison. The training
has gone well and I’m in superb shape. All I need to focus on now is
fight tactics.
“Medina knows Harrison’s boxing style very well as he’s faced him
twice before and he’s also got a wealth of knowledge and experience
from being a five-time world champion which I am learning from.
“We’ve been watching Harrison fights on video, practising moves in
sparring and planning strategies for hours on end so by the time I get
in the ring with Harrison I will know him better than he knows himself.
“Medina gave Harrison a whupping but I’m looking to do a real job on
him and knock him out and I believe I can do it.”
The fight has been rescheduled for next week, due to an injury to
the Cambuslang ace, but tickets purchased for the original date of
May 29 will remain valid for the rescheduled date of June 19.
Tickets, priced at £30, £50, £75 & £125, are available from Keith
Prowse Ticketing on 0870 906 3839, Braehead Arena box office on 0870
444 6062 and online at
U.S. to extend Armenia $700 mln
Interfax
June 11 2004
Yerevan. INTERFAX – Armenia expects to receive $700 million in aid
from the United States in 2004-2008 under the Challenges of the
Century program, Armenia’s Finance Minister Vardan Khachatryan said
on Thursday.
Armenia hopes to receive $100 million of the aid before the end
of 2004.
The government is currently developing specific projects in order to
receive this money. It is anticipated that the money will be used in
education, healthcare and social services, and to rebuild the country’s
infrastructure, such as irrigation systems and rural area roads.
Armenia also expects to receive $20 million – $25 million from the
World Bank under a program to fight poverty, Khachatryan said.
PACE Official Accused Of Taking Armenian ‘Bribe’
By Hrach Melkumian 08/06/2004 00:28
Radio Free Europe, Czech Rep.
June 7 2004
A senior official from the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly
(PACE) monitoring the fulfillment of Armenia’s membership commitments
was accused by the Armenian opposition on Monday of being effectively
bribed by the authorities during a visit to Yerevan last week.
Poland’s Jerzy Jaskiernia, one of the two Armenia rapporteurs of the
PACE’s Monitoring Committee, arrived for a high-profile presentation of
the Armenian version of his book dedicated to the 45-nation assembly.
Its translation and publication was funded by the leadership of
the Armenian parliament, with speaker Artur Baghdasarian personally
attending the presentation.
The book had previously appeared only in the Polish and English
languages. Speaking to journalists at the event, both Baghdasarian
and Jaskiernia denied any political motives behind the publication.
The latter argued in particular that the book’s subject is irrelevant
to Armenian politics.
However, opposition leaders claim that Baghdasarian’s gesture was
aimed at influencing the content of a crucial report which Jaskiernia
and the other rapporteur, Rene Andre of France, will submit to the
PACE ahead of its summer session later this month. The two men are
to inform the Strasbourg lawmakers whether the Armenian authorities
have implemented the recommendations of their recent resolution on
the political crisis in Armenia.
“I regard it as a bribe. I think that there are corrupt people in
the Council of Europe and any other international structure,” Aram
Sarkisian of the opposition Artarutyun (Justice) alliance charged.
“That person was given a present in the expectation of drawing up
a corresponding document. They could have done it in the autumn,
after the drafting of the document,” Sarkisian added.
The PACE resolution denounced the Armenian government’s heavy-handed
response to the opposition campaign for President Robert Kocharian’s
resignation, saying that it is “contrary to the letter and the
spirit” of its earlier recommendations to Yerevan. It warned that the
authorities must release all opposition detainees, scrap “unjustified
restrictions” on anti-Kocharian demonstrations, investigate their
“human rights abuses” or face the possibility of sanctions next
September.
The opposition insists that the authorities have failed to comply with
the resolution by continuing to arrest and imprison its activists
and supporters. Armenian officials, for their part, have disagreed
with the PACE criticism and say they are determined to prove the
opposite. Jaskiernia and Andre are due in Yerevan on Friday on a
fact-finding mission which will likely determine the content of
their report.
The Polish lawmaker personally presented the draft resolution during
a debate in Strasbourg on April 28. The initial version of the
document contained language discouraging the Armenian opposition from
challenging President Robert Kocharian’s disputed 2003 reelection
with street protests. But that was dropped after strong objections
voiced by some PACE members.
Nonetheless, Jaskiernia and the Monitoring Committee pushed through
the assembly a passage saying that serious irregularities “did not
decisively change the outcome of the elections nor invalidate their
final results.” They also blocked opposition attempts to secure a
PACE endorsement of a “referendum of confidence” in Kocharian.
HM greets Armenian, Ethiopian presidents
Times of Oman, Oman
May 28 2004
MUSCAT – His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of
greetings to Robert Kocharian, president of Armenia, on his country’s
National Day.
In the cable, His Majesty wished the president good health and
happiness and the Armenian people further progress and prosperity.
His Majesty the Sultan has also sent a cable of greetings to Girma
Wolde Giorgis, president of Ethiopia, on his country’s National Day.
In the cable, His Majesty wished the president good health and
happiness and the Ethiopian people further progress and prosperity.
ONA
ARMENIAN LAWMAKERS ATTACH NO IMPORTANCE TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS’ OPINION
A1 Plus | 17:25:37 | 27-05-2004 | Politics |
Armenian National Assembly’s members spoke Thursday on international
institutions’ assessment of Armenian processes, often not so pleasant.
People MP parliamentary group’s member Vahram Baghdasaryan shares
Freedom House organization’s opinion, according to which Armenia is
an authoritarian state. In his words, little progress is seen in the
republic. To speed up the progress It is necessary to find out what
hobbles it, he said.
Levon Lazarian, an MP from Dashnaktsutyun, one of the ruling coalition
three parties, is convinced Armenia is quite stable and democratic
country. He thinks international organizations’ judgments shouldn’t
be taken seriously, as they are subjective.
Other lawmakers shared his opinion. Nobody disputed his statement –
the opposition MPs were absent from parliament discussion.