Author: Mamian George

Putin: ex-Soviet nations worried about terrorist bases in Afghanistan

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
.c The Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that
Russia and other ex-Soviet nations are concerned about terrorist
training bases in Afghanistan and that country’s booming drug trade.

Speaking after a meeting of leaders of six former Soviet nations, all
members of a Russia-dominated security grouping, Putin said terrorists
in Afghanistan enjoyed some foreign backing.

“We are seriously concerned about terrorists’ training bases
continuing to function on Afghan territory, some with direct
involvement of some secret services,” Putin said without
elaboration. “Afghanistan also has remained the source of increasing
drug trafficking.”

Members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, which unites
Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Belarus and Armenia, long
have expressed their worries about drugs and instability spilling over
from Afghanistan.

Authorities in Uzbekistan, an ex-Soviet nation which isn’t member of
the Collective Security Treaty, said militants from Afghanistan helped
stage May’s uprising in the Uzbek city of Andijan.

At a separate meeting of security officials from former Soviet
nations, a senior Russian official said militants who underwent
training in international terrorist camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan
had used Iran and Central Asian nations for transit.

Yuri Sapunov, the head of the anti-terrorist department at Russia’s
Federal Security Service (FSB), the main KGB successor agency, also
said some of the militants fighting in Chechnya and other restive
Caucasus regions in Russia’s south had come from Western Europe.

“Channels for bringing terrorists to the North Caucasus begin in
Western European countries and run through Turkey, Azerbaijan and
Georgia,” Sapunov said, according to the Interfax and ITAR-Tass news
agencies.

Sapunov reaffirmed Moscow’s criticism of the United States and other
Western nations for their refusal to extradite Chechen rebel
leaders. He said FSB agents in Chechnya had killed 58 militants since
the year’s start.

During Thursday’s meeting of the Collective Security Treaty, its
members signed an agreement to foster cooperation in training military
personnel and set up a commission intended to promote closer ties
between their defense industries.

Putin said member states also were planning to develop a joint air
defense system and build up their collective rapid reaction forces.
These forces could be used for peacekeeping operations, Putin said.

Putin said after the talks that the group plans to establish contacts
with NATO.

06/23/05 10:16 EDT

A1plus

| 15:27:58 | 23-06-2005 | Politics | PACE SUMMER SESSION |

PACE MONITORING COMMITTEE REJECTED TURKEY’S PROPOSAL

Today at 11.30 Yerevan time the PACE Monitoring Committee sat to discuss
three proposals, submitted by the Assembly delegations on the constitutional
reform process in Armenia.

The first proposal was advanced by the Turkish delegates. `The Constitution
should be brought to the correspondence with international agreements, fix
the state borders with all the neighbors thus promoting friendly relations
in the region’, they said. Shavarsh Kocharyan called the proposal absurd.
Majority of the Monitoring Committee agreed with him and rejected the above
mentioned proposal. During today’s sitting the Turkish delegation is going
to press for adoption of the proposal.

Today to important proposals on amendments submitted by Dutch
parliamentarian Jurgens on behalf of the Committee on Legal Issues were
adopted. The first amendment referred to the change of sub-point 8 of point
13 of the resolution on constitutional reform in Armenia. `The Parliamentary
Assembly calls upon the Armenian leadership and the parliamentary majority
to hold the referendum no later than November, 2005 and secure the reform
effectiveness within reasonable terms and as soon as possible.’

According to the second amendment, in case the referendum is failed PACE
will make appropriate conclusions during the January session in 2006.

LRAPER Church Bulletin
Contact: Deacon Vagarsag Seropyan
Armenian Patriarchate
TR-34130 Kumkapi, Istanbul
T: +90 (212) 517-0970
F: +90 (212) 516-4833
[email protected]

THE PATRIARCH MEETS WITH THE ARMENIAN NATIONAL BALLET

On Tuesday, 14 June 2005, in the garden of the Patriarchate, His Beatitude
Mesrob II, Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey, received members
of the Armenian National Ballet, plus Dr. Gagik Manasyan, representing the
Minister of Culture of the Armenian Republic, and Gamo Hovhannisyan,
Director of the National Theater.

Also present were Yeprem Baghyan, Chairman of the Parish Council of the Holy
Mother-of-God Patriarchal Church; Sinayir Yildizyan, Headmaster of the
Bezciyan Parish School in Kumkapi; and several teachers.

After His Beatitude the Patriarch welcomed the guests, he thanked them on
behalf of Armenians in Turkey for their performance of Aram Khachaturyan’s
Gayane ballet on 13 June in the Ataturk Cultural Center.

The Patriarch said, `Any cultural activity brought to Istanbul from Armenia
not only helps dialogue and mutual understanding between the two countries
but also enlivens the traditional and cultural values of Istanbul
Armenians.’

During the traditional offering of coffee and sour cherry liqueur, there was
warm and lively conversation between the Patriarch and members of the ballet
group. His Beatitude answered questions about the situation of Armenians in
Istanbul today, the history and present condition of the Patriarchate, and
other basic issues.

A1plus

| 18:23:48 | 22-06-2005 | Politics |

TOROSYAN CHEATED SADOYAN

Today NA deputy Arshak Sadoyan repeated once more that the deputy speaker of
the Parliament hindered his meeting with the Venice Commission members.
According to Sadoyan, Torosyan took steps not suitable to a decent political
body.

«At the beginning they told me I could not meet them as the protocol of the
delegation consist of only 1 day. Then it turned out that the protocol
consists of not 1 but two days, and it has been written by Tigran Torosyan»m
complained Arshak Sadoyan.

Today he rendered a press conference to inform that they have sent a packet
consisting of 64 offers to the Venice Commission and that the packet has
already arrived. But Arshak Sadoyan who has his own draft constitution
considers that the people who serve the personal profits of the authorities
are not able to realize real constitutional reforms.

«If the authorities continue to cheat people every day and try to adopt
their draft by a referendum, we well call everyone to vote against the
draft, and with this the process of expressing our non-confidence to the
President will start», said Arshak Sadoyan. He also added that in case of
this scenario the authorities will bear the whole responsibility of the
unpredictable course of events.

Jamestown Foundation, DC
June 20 2005

Jamestown Delegation Returns from the Caucasus

06/20/2005 – 06/17/2005, Washington DC — The Jamestown Foundation
this week completed a six-day delegation visit to the South Caucasus,
during which participants from Jamestown’s Board of Directors and
several interested U.S. Foundations traveled to the Republics of
Georgia and Azerbaijan . The Jamestown delegation met with the
leaders of both countries in the wake of President Bush’s historic
visit to Tbilisi and the May 25th launching of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhand pipeline in Azerbaijan.

Led by Jamestown Foundation President Glen Howard, the delegation was
also escorted on official excursions to the Pankisi gorge, where
Western-led attempts failed to reinstall monitors on Georgia’s
fragile northern border, and also to the frontlines of the Azerbaijan
sector of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which is set for a new round
of negotiations in Europe this weekend. The Jamestown delegation
participated in a series of high-level discussions on these and many
other issues as part of its mission to address conflict and
instability in this area of strategic importance, as well as assess
the prospects for regional integration into Euro-Atlantic security
and economic structures.

A region in the balance of political upheaval and ethnic conflict,
the Caucasus represents one of many strategic locations to the U.S.
where Jamestown closely monitors and reports on security
developments. To learn more about the region and receive daily
analysis of emerging trends in Russia and Eurasia, you are welcome to
subscribe free of charge to Jamestown’s Eurasia Daily Monitor.

ARMENIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF CANADA
COMITÉ NATIONAL ARMÉNIEN DU CANADA
3401 Olivar-Asselin
Montréal, Québec
H4J 1L5
Tél. (514) 334-1299 Fax (514) 334-6853
Communiqué de Presse – Press Release
June 21 juin, 2005

Contacts: Shant Karabajak 514-334-1299
Roupen Kouyoumdjian 514-336-7095
For immediate release:
Pour diffusion immédiate:

Free Parliamentary Elections held in Nogorno-Karabakh Republic

On Sunday, June 19 2005, parliamentary elections were held in the Republic
of Nogorno-Karabakh, the war-torn region of the Southern Caucasus, where
ethnic Armenians fought a 6 year war of self determination against the
oppressive regime of Azerbaijan. A 1994 cease-fire confirmed the de facto
independence of the region, throughout its history populated almost
exclusively by Armenians.

The fourth such parliamentary elections were hailed by western and European
experts as free, noting no serious violations of democratic principles.
According to observers from the United States of America, Mr. Paul Williams,
“The amendments to the Election Code of the Nogorno-Karabakh Republic
allowed political parties to participate in the elections. The elections met
international standards.” He later added that “the reform of the Election
Code has led to development of democracy and the country has made a
considerable step toward democracy.”

Marc Almond, an observer from the Helsinki group stated “I became a witness
of a full democratic electoral process, and I think many recognized states
should follow the example of Nagorno Karabakh. Much was organized better
here than in Great Britain”, he said.

Dr. Girair Basmadjian, President of the Armenian National Committee of
Canada noted that “These elections prove that the people of the Republic of
Nogorno-Karabakh are committed to free and democratic life. The leaders of
this country will undoubtedly continue to cherish the basic normes and
principles of democracy and the rule of law, which is more than can be said
about Azerbaijan.”

It should be noted that 73.6% of electors participated in June 19 elections.
– 30 –

Armenpress

CUSTOMS SERVICE REPORTS DOUBLED CASES OF CUSTOMS BREACHES

YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS: Armenian customs officials said they
revealed in the first five months of the year 190 instances of customs rules
breaches, a significant increase against 90 such instances in the same time
span of 2004. A spokesman for customs service said the cost of goods which
importers were trying to hide from customs officers last year was 287
million Armenian drams, while in the first five months of this year it was
more than 1 billion drams.
He said the majority of breaches were recorded in Bagratashen and Bavra
border checkpoints with Georgia and Zvartnots airport in Yerevan. An
official of the customs service attributed the growth to better
administration and application of a new methodology.

A1plus

| 22:40:55 | 20-06-2005 | Politics | PACE SUMMER SESSION |

TIGRAN TOROSYAN NOT AGAINST CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM BE INCLUDED IN PACE AGENDA

`This morning during the meeting with PACE President René van der Linden I
said that we not against the constitutional reform issue be included into
the PACE Summer Session agenda’, Armenian National Assembly Vice Speaker,
head of the Armenian delegation to PACE Tigran Torosyan stated in
conversation with A1+ reporter.

`Representatives of the CE Monitoring Group have already visited Armenia and
collected data on the process of constitutional reform. During the visit a
joint memorandum was compiled. That time the Armenian authorities intended
to work out proposals for improving the draft in all the directions pointed
out by the Venice Commission. June 17 the proposals were submitted. June
23-24 they will be discussed in PACE. As the next PACE session will be held
in October it would be advisable if upon discussion in Strasbourg a positive
resolution is drawn up on Armenia. The CE actually highlights constitutional
reform in Armenia and wishes the reform corresponded to European standards.
In this view it would be correct if all the political forces in Armenia took
part in the process’, Tigran Torosyan said.

-How do you assess the inclusion of the constitutional reform process in the
PACE agenda?

It couldn’t be other way. I suppose it is important that the issue was not
included in the agenda in April. The inclusion of an issue without
preparation is pregnant with unpredictable consequences. Any incautious
approach or formulation can jeopardize the whole process.

– Is the issue ready for discussion today?

-I have not see the document yet. Presently the monitoring committee members
are working at it. Tomorrow at 11.30 Yerevan time it will be discussed for
the first time. After that the monitoring committee will revert to the
document when the proposals on the resolution will be presented. June 23 the
issue will be discussed at the PACE plenary session. This is the task each
members of the delegation is charged with independently of the political
force they represent.

– Do you think that the constitutional reform process in Armenia proceeds in
an appropriate political atmosphere?

-I hope that after the Strasbourg discussions we will collaborate with the
opposition the way we did last October when considering Armenia’s
commitments to the CoE. I hope that the Assembly’s calls will stimulate the
opposition to cooperation. Two things are essential. First, to have a draft
corresponding to all the standards and to achieve positive outcome during
the referendum. We should show that it is possible to conduct normal
elections in Armenia and do our best to bring our Constitution up to the
modern European standards. Otherwise Armenia will not be able to march in
step with other members of the European family.

– -Do you have such anticipation?

-I think we can do everything. It necessary to realize the complexity of the
problem and do open and fair work. With these preconditions the solution of
any problem is possible.

-Do you think these preconditions are available today?

-I suppose we have a good possibility to create such preconditions within
the shortest terms.

-How do you explain the fact that many of the coalition members refrain from
discussing the draft? Who is the author of the project’

-It is good that some deputies understand that the Constitution is a very
serious and complicated document and not each deputy is obliged to have
appropriate knowledge. The author of the draft is the coalition. Thus the
political leaders of the coalition should be responsible for the draft and
have courage to admit the weak points.

I-Newswire.com (press release)
June 20 2005

Linguistics meets Veterinary Medicine – 13th Century Armenian Medical
Book on Horses has been Translated

An Armenian manual about horse medicine from the 13th century has
been translated into German for the first time. The compendium is
Armenia’s oldest preserved veterinary medical work and offers an
overall view of expert knowledge about horses during the late 13th
century in the Near East. The Austrian Science Fund FWF supported
this project and it was made possible thanks to an Austrian
Armenologist, her excellent knowledge about the country and its
language as well as her close cooperation with veterinarians in
Vienna.

i-Newswire, – This oldest known manual about Armenian horse medicine
consists of 184 handwritten pages. It was written in the Armenian
kingdom of Cilicia between 1295 and 1298. An Armenian monk proficient
in languages and a Syrian horse veterinary were responsible for
writing this work.

Now, almost 750 years later, a similar interdisciplinary cooperation
has led to the work’s translation into German. For this project, the
linguist Dr. Jasmine Dum-Tragut, from the Institute for Linguistics
at the University of Salzburg, worked closely with scientists from
the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna.

Herbs Heal Horses
In addition to the actual translation, it was possible to prepare an
extensive addendum that offers detailed insight into veterinary
medicine in the Near East in those days. Furthermore, the work also
includes comments on 13th-century veterinary medical knowledge from a
contemporary perspective. For example, experts from the University of
Veterinary Medicine Vienna were particularly surprised that knowledge
of the use of medicinal herbs in those days was much more advanced
than it is today. The plants came from the Armenian Highlands and
they were also used to treat human diseases.

However, the Cilician horse manual comprises much more than `just”
medical knowledge. The first chapter explains the creation of the
horse. The following chapters describe the good and bad
characteristics of horses, breeding, the different races known at
that time, breaking in and riding, horse care and defects. Only the
last chapters deal with different types of pain as well as illnesses,
symptoms and treatments.

Thus, this historical and medical work offers insight as well as
different facets of the cultural history of Armenia and horses. In
addition, as Dr. Dum-Tragut explains: “The Cilician book on curing
horses is a real scientific treasury. Not only for the analysis of
the Armenian language, but also for the history of literature and the
social history of horses in Armenia.” Altogether, the manual offers
an overall view of the knowledge about horses in the Near East during
the Middle Ages. Dr. Dum-Tragut came to this conclusion through
intensive studies of source references: “The book mentions an Indian
book as well as two Arabian works as references. Studying these
original references in Persian and Greek clearly shows that the
Cilician book on the curing of horses is not a mere translation of
already existing information: it is an independent Compendium.”

Terms Taken for a Ride
A central aspect of this two-and-a-half-year project was also to
investigate the terminology of special Armenian technical terms
mentioned in the manual. In order to clearly establish their
meanings, Dr. Dum-Tragut had many conversations with Armenian horse
breeders, farmers and veterinarians. During her research, she noticed
that these people generally prefer Russian or Turkish technical terms
over Armenian ones. Apart from the know-how, the special vocabulary
applied in the Cilician horse book seemed to be in jeopardy of
becoming extinct. Therefore, Dr. Dum-Tragut included this vocabulary
in a glossary for reasons related to linguistic preservation. It did
not take long to notice the success of this measure, because breeders
have already started to reincorporate this historic vocabulary of the
Armenian language. This is a fact that especially pleases Dr.
Dum-Tragut – as well as many horse lovers in Armenia. And that is
also why in 2003, an Armenian breeder decided to express his
appreciation to Dr. Dum-Tragut. He gave the enthusiastic horse-rider
a gift: a colt named `Bor’ – an especially beautiful sort of research
funding.

Image and text will be available online from Monday, 20th June 2005,
09.00 a.m. MEZ onwards:

Jasmine Dum-Tragut, ‘Kilikische Heilkunst für Pferde – Das
Vermächtnis der Armenier` ( The Cilician Art of Healing Horses – The
Armenian Legacy` ). Comments, translation, glossary. Editorial OLMS
Verlag, Hildesheim 2005. ( Available in German only )

Scientific Contact:
Dr. Jasmine Dum-Tragut
University of Salzburg
Institute for Linguistics
Mühlbacherhofweg 6
A-5020 Salzburg
Austria
Tel.: +43 / ( 0 )662 / 8044 – 4259
E-mail: [email protected]

Austrian Science Fund FWF:
Mag. Stefan Bernhardt
Weyringergasse 35
A-1040 Vienna
Austria
Tel.: +43 / ( 0 )1 / 505 67 40 – 36
E-mail: [email protected]

Issued by:
PR&D – Public Relations for Research & Development
Campus Vienna Biocenter 2
A-1030 Vienna
Austria
Tel.: +43 / ( 0 )1 / 505 70 44
E-mail: [email protected]

Vienna, 20th June 2005

IRAN AND ARMENIA SIGN EDUCATIONAL-SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION MEMORANDUM

Armenpress

YEREVAN, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS: The visiting Iranian education minister
Morteza Haji and his Armenian counterpart Sergo Yeritsian signed
today in Yerevan a memorandum for developing and expanding bilateral
scientific and educational cooperation.

One of the provisions of the memorandum is about development of Iranian
studies in Armenia and teaching Farsi here and development of Armenian
studies in Iran and teaching Armenian there. It also envisages exchange
of information, reciprocal acknowledgements of diplomas and other
certified documents, exchange of students and professors. Speaking
after the signing ceremony Morteza Haji said agreement was reached on
all raised questions and emphasized horizontal ties between educational
and scientific establishments of the two countries. The memorandum also
calls for organization of art exhibitions, theatrical performances,
film festivals and athletic completions