Author: Nahapetian Lilit

Armenia, Iran agree on cooperation
By Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
September 8, 2004 Wednesday

YEREVAN, September 8 — The presidents of Armenia and Iran, Robert
Kocharyan and Sayed Mohammad Khatami, signed in Yerevan on Wednesday
the Treaty on the basic principles of cooperation between Armenia and
Iran. They have also adopted the joint statement which describes the
official visit of the Iranian president to Yerevan as “the beginning
of the new stage” in bilateral relations.

“Discussing the latest events in the region and exchanging opinions
on the settlement of the Karabakh crisis, the presidents stressed
the need to resolve the matter peacefully”, the statement says.

The document on the construction of a gas pipeline from Iran to
Armenia and the memorandum on cooperation between the ministries of
energy were also signed.

Addressing a joint news conference, Kocharyan said, “Energy remains a
most important area of bilateral relations. Armenia and Iran intend
to combine their infrastructures which will impart a new quality to
our cooperation in energy and will put it on a regional level”.

Iran and Armenia are linked by “a special relationship” that may
set the example of truly goodneighbourly ties, Khatami said. He
stressed that his country attaches special importance to stability
in the Caucasus. “The security of countries of the region is our
own security, too. The common goals and interests must be held above
differences existing in the Caucasus”, he said.

“Terrorism poses a grave danger to the world today, the Iranian
president said. “Present-day realities are such that terrorist acts
may happen in the West and in the East, in Iran and in America.
Terrorists commit a dual crime, killing innocent people and
discrediting religions that advocate peace and humanism”, he said.

CONFESSION OF DISABILITY

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
8 Sept 04

While the new minister of foreign affairs of Azerbaijan consistently
continues studying the viewpoint of official Yerevan on the settlement
of the Karabakh conflict every once in a while choosing this or that
capital of European countries as a place for meeting, in Baku they
do not wait and keep silent. Hostility towards Nagorni Karabakh
and the anti-Armenian moods, backed by the government, acquire
a new shade of colour among the big and small state officials.
Any example of progress, success or event in NKR is accepted
in Azerbaijan, and not only in the political circles but also,
financial, economic, and even cultural spheres and sport, as an
encroachment upon the authorities of this republic, threatening to
feeble slowly the fundaments of its statehood, and questions the
suspicious hypothesis of its territorial integrity. The officials
of this synthesized republic the firmness of their chairs is first
of all dependent upon the procrastination in the settlement of the
Karabakh issue are not at all interested in the idea of establishing
friendly relationships with Karabakh. This is more dangerous than,
for example, resumption of war. It is not at all accidental that Baku
often makes militarist statements that the Azerbaijani army is ready
to make Nagorni Karabakh obey through the force of weapon. By the way,
though during the 70 soviet years Azerbaijan was not able to get rid
of the Armenian element through weapon, instead it managed to stop
the growth of the Armenians and, as a matter of fact, on the eve of
1990 in Soviet Azerbaijan the number of the Armenian population had
not grown since 1923. The official men of Baku are well aware that
throughout the history of mankind those who started war and tried to
win authority by shedding their people’s blood, after the war were
condemned by their own people and not the enemy. This fear haunts
all those who came in the possession of wealth during the military
actions, which cannot bring happiness to them. Therefore everything is
done here to keep the point of resumption of military actions on the
agenda, blaming Nagorni Karabakh for all the misery of their people,
otherwise the social blast threatening the present authorities and
the existence of the Aliev clan will be inevitable. Official Baku is
in an awkward situation not managing to get rid of the fossilized
complex of hypocrisy. Displaying to the West their “insatiable”
desire to become part of civilized Europe, cherishing a hope to
dominate over Nagorni Karabakh through Europe and with its support,
abusing the right for territorial integrity, at the same time unfolds
its unrequited love to its northern neighbour. The idea of the famous
Azerbaijani film “If not That Then This” was shaped under the arches of
the ministry of foreign affairs of this country independent of who is
in the head of it or what his mental or diplomatic abilities are. In
any case it is here that the ABC of the strategy of comprehensive
struggle against Nagorni Karabakh is worked out and the behaviour and
expressions of the president are planned. Deviating a little from
the topic, we should notice that during the election campaign of
Ilham Aliev the Azerbaijani opposition, getting reconciled with the
fact of passing over the power from Aliev Senior to Aliev Junior,
hoped that Aliev would be the last representative of this family
on the political scene. Today it is hard to tell whether this was a
guess or just a way to justify their passiveness. Anyway, visiting
Nakhijevan several days ago, the Azerbaijani president passed his
anxiety and the hopeless mood to the journalists informing that he
will not take part in the negotiations for the sake of imitation of
the negotiations process and if he sees that the talks do not produce
the necessary results, the Azerbaijani party will abstain. By saying
“necessary results” I. Aliev doubtlessly means restoration of the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan although he is sure to know that
any negotiations are meant to find ways for mutual agreement between
the negotiating parties. At least his statement made on the very day
of the 13th anniversary of NKR independence testifies to the rightness
of the forecast of the opposition. The president of Azerbaijan has
already taken up the process of self-justification. Where will this
step lead to: slow and heart-rending fall or a rapid destruction? It
is difficult yet to state. It is only apparent that denying the
negotiation process is nothing else but a confession in disability.
If it is true that all the mortals advance towards their fate, Ilham
Aliev cannot be an exception. Against this background the fatal efforts
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan are if not absurd
than funny. According to the newspaper “Echo”, last week this agency
diligently drew up the list of the top officials of Karabakh aiming
at not granting entrance visas to other states. Similar attempts
were also taken in the past years. Perhaps these will continue in
the coming years. Well, even if it fails, then at least there will be
much agitation. In what other ways can the foreign ministry conceal
its inactivity? The same cannot be said, for example, about the new
leadership of the federation of football. By the way, presently
everything is politicized in Azerbaijan, even sport. Otherwise,
the football federation of this country would not accept the news
of the NKR football cup with the craving of announcing it illegal
and flooding UEFA and FIFA with telegrams demanding use of sanctions
against Karabakh. The reason for worry of the sport leaders of the
neighbour state is clear. For becoming member of UEFA or FIFA it is
obligatory to organize championships, build stadiums. Of course, for
Karabakh it is still too early to dream of the international arena,
but in Azerbaijan they are convinced that if here they have made
up their minds, they will achieve their goals by all means. And as
they think that this first of all deals a blow to the sovereignty
of Azerbaijan, they cannot remain calm. We cannot describe this in
another way, because this is exactly a confession of disability.

MARCEL PETROSSIAN.
08-09-2004

Proposed Program Would Remodel Foreign Aid
By GEORGE GEDDA

The Associated Press
09/08/04 01:54 EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) – Secretary of State Colin Powell calls it the most
promising development in foreign assistance in decades. That is quite
a claim for a program that has yet to disburse its first dollar. But
it is clear that President Bush’s Millennium Challenge Account, first
proposed 2 1/2 years ago, represents a fresh approach to helping
countries overcome economic backwardness.

The fund’s premise is simple: If a poor country demonstrates a
commitment to govern justly, promotes economic freedom and invests
in its people, it may be entitled to U.S. dollars.

In other words, the Bush administration view is that little good
comes from pouring aid into a country that pursues bad policies.

Starting up a new program can be labor-intensive. Bush first proposed
the Millennium Challenge Account in March 2002. Only now are the
first outlays on the horizon.

Of 70 countries that meet administration eligibility requirements
based on need, 16 made the cut for receiving aid: Armenia, Benin,
Bolivia, Cape Verde, Georgia, Ghana, Honduras, Lesotho, Madagascar,
Mali, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Senegal, Sri Lanka and the
Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu.

They will get to share in the $1 billion Congress has appropriated
for the first year, assuming that Washington approves the projects
they design.

All 16 are small and poor. Eight are African, where a half-century
of development assistance has done little to improve the underlying
problems of hunger, disease and poverty.

Africa also is the prime beneficiary of another major administration
foreign aid initiative: $15 billion proposed over five years to
combat HIV/AIDS.

To the extent that much of Africa still lives in misery, Jeffrey
Sachs, a development expert at Columbia University, says lack of U.S.
foresight is partly to blame.

“In recent years, America gave a negligible $4 million a year to
Ethiopia to boost agricultural productivity but then responded with
around $500 million in emergency food aid in 2003 when the crops
failed,” Sachs wrote recently.

Nancy Birdsall, president of the Center for Global Development,
believes the Millennium program could become a development
breakthrough.

“If implemented effectively, the resulting program could fundamentally
improve the quality and quantity of U.S. aid and become a model for
other donor countries,” she said.

Her colleague at the center, Steven Radelet, welcomes the initiative
but criticizes other aspects of Bush’s policies toward low-income
countries. By supporting huge subsidies for American farmers in 2002,
Bush “undercut the livelihood of poor farmers around the world,”
Radelet said.

Paul Applegarth, a veteran of the World Bank and Wall Street, runs the
government agency that administers the Millennium Challenge Account. He
says successful reform in poor countries will attract not only the
fund’s money but also foreign investors, which he describes as the
key to long-term prosperity.

Applegarth also says there has been a notable uptick in debate over
reform in some poor countries as they try to position themselves to
join recipients of the U.S. program.

But Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J., a member of the House International
Relations Committee, says an advantage of the traditional approach to
aid is that the poorest countries were always assured of getting help.

“Qualifying for Millennium Challenge funds has nothing to do with
how bad problems are in your country,” Payne says. He worries that
desperately poor Haiti, as one example, never will be eligible for
the program.

Under Bush’s plan, the Challenge is a supplement to the traditional
assistance vehicle, the Agency for International Development, founded
in 1961. Its budget is about $10 billion annually.

If Congress goes along, Millennium Challenge Account funding will
rise from the current $1 billion for this year to $2.5 billion in
2005 and then go to $5 billion annually by 2006.

USAID will continue providing development assistance. The agency is
credited with carrying out highly effective programs in such areas
as oral rehydration therapy, which has saved the lives of millions
of children with such diseases as dysentery; population and family
planning; and help for fledgling entrepreneurs.

USAID has its detractors, however. Former Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C.,
charged that AID’s programs had minimal effect and were “only lining
the pockets of corrupt dictators, while funding the salaries of a
growing, bloated bureaucracy.”

EDITOR’S NOTE – George Gedda has covered foreign affairs for The
Associated Press since 1968.

Armenian defense minister goes to Poland
By Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
September 5, 2004 Sunday 1:03 PM Eastern Time

YEREVAN, September 5 — Armenian Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisyan
went to Poland on Sunday to discuss bilateral cooperation with Polish
counterpart Jerzy Szmajdzinski, Sarkisyan’s press secretary Seiran
Shakhsuvaryan told Itar-Tass.

Sarkisyan will also visit a naval aviation squad, the Military Academy
of Poland and an electronics research and production center.

On September 7 he will go to Lithuania on an official visit to meet
with President Valdas Adamkus, defense and foreign ministers, the
Lithuanian Army commander, and head of the Parliamentary Commission on
National Security and Defense. Sarkisyan will sign an interdepartmental
agreement on the participation of Armenian servicemen in exercises
of the Lithuanian Military Academy.

Equatorial Guinea officials to question Mark Thatcher, probe Armenian company over coup

Agence France Presse
Sept 4 2004

MALABO : A team of state prosecutors from Equatorial Guinea was to
leave Malabo for South Africa to question Mark Thatcher over his
alleged involvement in a complex bid to oust President Teodoro Obiang
Nguema, a government source said.

Another legal team from the tiny, oil-rich country on Africa’s west
coast was in Armenia to probe links between a local air transport
company and the same alleged coup plot, a judicial official said
Saturday.

Thatcher, 51, the millionaire son of former British prime minister
Margaret Thatcher, was arrested in a dawn raid on his luxury Cape
Town home on August 25 and charged with bankrolling a plot involving
mercenaries to oust Obiang, in power in Equatorial Guinea since 1979.

“A delegation from the public ministry led by Attorney General Jose Olo
Obono will on Saturday travel to South Africa” to question Thatcher,
said the source, who asked not to be named.

Government officials in Malabo last week told AFP that Malabo and
Pretoria were discussing the possibility of Equato-Guinean officials
interviewing Thatcher in South Africa.

Nineteen people accused of plotting to topple Obiang have been on trial
in Malabo since last month. Their trial was suspended indefinitely
on Tuesday to take into account new developments including the arrest
of Margaret Thatcher’s son in South Africa.

On August 27, a court in Zimbabwe absolved most of the 70 men on
trial there over the same alleged plot.

Press reports have implicated an international network of wealthy
businessmen in the alleged plot to oust Obiang, in exchange for which
they would be given a slice of Equatorial Guinea’s oil riches.

Thatcher is due in court in South Africa on November 25 to answer
charges he contributed 275,000 dollars (230,000 euros) to the plot,
whose alleged mastermind, Briton Simon Mann, is a friend and neighbour
in the plush Cape Town suburb of Constantia.

Mann, founder of the defunct mercenary outfit Executive Outcomes, was
found guilty of attempting to illegally purchase weapons in a Zimbabwe
court last week in connection with the conspiracy in Equatorial Guinea.

Meanwhile, the suspected leader of the 19 would-be coup makers on
trial in Malabo, South African businessman Nick du Toit — a former
business partner of Mann’s — has told a court here that he met with
Thatcher, but insisted their meeting was strictly business-related.

The focus of the Equato-Guinean investigators’ visit to Armenia
was a contract between the central Asian country’s Tiger Air and a
German company whose representative in Malabo, Gerhard Eugen Merz,
was among 15 foreigners arrested in Equatorial Guinea in March and
accused of plotting the coup, a legal official said here.

Merz died days after his arrest, officially from cerebral malaria,
but with rights groups saying he was tortured to death.

Among those arrested were the six Armenian air crew of an Antonov
cargo plane. All six have denied involvement in the alleged coup bid,
and told a court in Malabo that they had come to Equatorial Guinea to
work under contract to Merz’s company, which had leased their plane
and services.

The Antonov and its Armenian crew arrived in Equatorial Guinea in
January this year.

Between then and the discovery of the alleged coup plot in March
they made only one flight, on behalf of a company owned by du Toit,
who faces the death penalty for allegedly leading the coup bid.

Clarin, Argentina
4 sept 2004

Tenis: La Quinta Jornada De Flushing Meadows Arrojo Un Saldo Equilibrado Para Los Argentinos

Cañas aportó la sonrisa y Nalbandian, la bronca

El triunfo de Cañas fue ante Volandri en sets corridos. Ahora jugará
con Roddick. Nalbandian dejó pasar sus chances ante el ruso Youzhny.

Guillermo Kellmer. NUEVA YORK ENVIADO ESPECIAL
[email protected]

Mientras Guillermo Cañas, en silencio, sumó la sonrisa con su
victoria por 6-4, 7-5 y 6-1 frente al italiano Filippo Volandri que
le permitió llegar a la tercera ronda, David Nalbandian fue la
contracara y cayó en cinco sets ante el ruso Mikhail Youzhny.

Con este panorama, Cañas es el único argentino que pasó a la tercera
ronda en el cuadro masculino. Allí tendrá una durísima exigencia, ya
que deberá enfrentar a Andy Roddick. El estadounidense, segundo
preclasificado, venció al español Rafael Nadal por un cómodo 6-0, 6-3
y 6-4.

“El gran favorito es Roddick. Pero para mí lo importante es que rompí
la barrera de la segunda ronda”, señaló Willy anoche.

Cuando Nalbandian llegó a Nueva York empujado por sus ganas de jugar,
sabía íntimamente que físicamente daba ventajas. Pero la bronca del
final, con su raqueta yendo al piso una y otra vez, dejó en claro que
ayer, en la derrota ante el ruso Mikhail Youzhny en el Abierto de
Estados Unidos, su cuerpo poco tuvo que ver. Se le escapó por poco y
más que el físico le jugó en contra la cabeza. Jugó contra el rival y
contra el árbitro español Javier Moreno que, es cierto, tuvo algunos
fallos polémicos. Al cordobés su bronca contra el umpire terminó por
desconcentrarlo en momentos clave. Y permitió, más de una vez, que
Youzhny regresara al juego.

Fue 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-5, 2-6 y 6-4 para el ruso tras cuatro horas de
juego. Y nada hacía presagiar en el inicio del partido un duelo tan
largo y cambiante. Porque si bien Nalbandian arrancó 3-0 abajo tras
el quiebre de saque que el ruso consiguió en el game inicial, el
cordobés pareció entrar en calor recién entonces. Jugando con mucha
profundidad, agresivo por momentos y concentrado, levantó la
desventaja y tomó el control del set. El ruso mantuvo la paridad con
la efectividad de su saque y una notable de devolución del servicio
que más de una vez dejó parado a Nalbandian. Mano a mano llegaron al
tie break y allí se impuso el argentino. Si cuando llegó a Nueva York
le faltaba ritmo, de a poco pareció ir recuperándolo.

Sin embargo no le funcionaba su saque. El bajo porcentaje de su
primer servicio le permitía al ruso entrar en juego y seguir ganando
puntos con el revés paralelo que hizo daño toda la noche. Y llegar
tan parejo a la definición del segundo set terminó por jugarle en
contra. Porque el árbitro se equivocó cuando el perdedor sacó 4-4 y
permitió el quiebre. Y después dio bueno un saque de Youzhny que se
había ido apenas afuera. Fue set para el ruso y Nalbandian se la
agarró con el umpire. Lo mandó al oculista y a dirigir en interclubes
y le tiró con munición gruesa.

Estaba en otro partido cuando arrancó el tercer set. Ya jugaba contra
Moreno, que tras la advertencia ésta vez le descontó el punto.
Nalbandian hacía fuerza por volver moviendo al rival, que a esa
altura ya había pedido médico y le molestaba mucho pegar corriendo.
Pero Nalbandian no era el del primer set. El quiebre definitivo del
partido se dio con Nalbandian sacando 5-4. Tuvo un set point, lo
desperdició y luego perdió su servicio en el 11° game. Fue set para
Youzhny y la historia pareció sentenciada.

Pero faltaba mucho por jugar. El ruso le permitió otra vez volver y
Nalbandian se llevó el cuarto parcial con claridad.

Youzhny sólo estaba tomando aire y Nalbandian pareció confiado.
Llegaron a una definición pareja. Ya a esa altura la gente gritaba
por el ruso y tapaba a los muchísimos argentinos que había convocado
Nalbandian. La garra habitual del cordobés era toda de Youzhny, que
se jugaba la vida en cada pelota y ya le entraban todas. Otra vez
Nalbandian perdió su saque en el noveno game. Y los dos match points
que levantó en el décimo fueron sólo una brisa de ilusión.

El año pasado llegó a las semifinales y ésta vez quedó muy lejos en
un partido que lo pudo ganar, pero que no supo manejar. Algo que
justamente un Nalbandian en forma sabe hacer muy bien. Habrá que
seguir esperándolo.

Azeri pressure group appeals to authorities to arrest Armenian officers

MPA news agency
2 Sep 04

Baku, 2 September: The Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO)
has appealed to the leadership of the republic and the heads of the
law-enforcement agencies for conducting a detailed investigation into
the identities and the military career of the Armenian officers who
intend to take part in the Cooperative Best Effort exercise as part
of the NATO Partnership for Peace programme in Baku on 13-27 September.

The appeal says that the appropriate bodies should investigate if
the Armenian officers took part in military operations during the
Karabakh war and if they have been involved in war crimes. If such
facts are discovered, they should arrest [the Armenian officers]
and bring [them] to account.

The KLO is also planning actions of protest. Its deputy chairman
Samil Mehdi said that the KLO will hold nonstop protests during the
exercise to demand that the authorities deport the Armenian officers
from Azerbaijan if they visit Baku.

ARKA News Agency
Sept 1 2004

RA President congratulates NKR President with 13th anniversary of
independence

Vardan Oskanian: last meeting of AR and RA Foreign Ministers in
Prague was most important of the whole cycle of conducted
negotiations

All Armenian Fund Hayastan provides 117.6 million AMD worth relief to
children of perished azatamartiks and invalids of Armenia and Artsakh

RA MFA rebuts rumors on meeting of RA, AR and Turkish foreign
ministers’ meeting in New York on September 17

RA Prime Minister congratulates the president and people of NKR with
13th anniversary of independence

RA CB Council clarifies the situation concerning the accusations of
Levon Marcos, the ex-owner of Credit-Yerevan bank

2nd building of Russian-Armenian State (Slavonic) University is
opened

*********************************************************************

RA PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES NKR PRESIDENT WITH 13TH ANNIVERSARY OF
INDEPENDENCE

YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian
congratulated NKR President Arkady Gukasian with 13th anniversary of
independence, RA President’s press office told ARKA. The letter says:
“In 13 years after proclamation of independence we confirm our
adherence to freedom of Artsakh, ideas of independence and democracy.
Last years showed that NKR choice was correct. Armenian authorities
still remain the adherents of peaceful and fair settlement of
Karabakh conflict”.
RA NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasarian in his turn also sent his greetings
to the President of NKR, NKR NA Speaker Oleg Yesayan and NKR Prime
Minister Anushavan Danielian.
On September 2, 1991 Declaration of proclamation of Nagorno Karabakh
Republic was approved. L.D. –0—

*********************************************************************

VARDAN OSKANIAN: LAST MEETING OF AR AND RA FOREIGN MINISTERS IN
PRAGUE WAS MOST IMPORTANT OF THE WHOLE CYCLE OF CONDUCTED
NEGOTIATIONS

YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. Last meeting of AR and RA Foreign
Ministers in Prague was most important of the whole cycle of
conducted negotiations, RA MFA states with the reference to RA
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian. Oskanian once again stressed that
the goal of the meeting of foreign ministers was creation of basis
for negotiations at the level of ministers and presidents. Giving
estimation to the negotiations Oskanian said that if the processes
develop in the same paces, in the end the parties will be able to
create the base that will open large opportunities for achievement of
positive results.
Minister also said that next meeting of RA and AR Presidents will
more than likely take place in Astana. L.D. –0—

*********************************************************************

ALL ARMENIAN FUND HAYASTAN PROVIDES 117.6 MILLION AMD WORTH RELIEF TO
CHILDREN OF PERISHED AZATAMARTIKS AND INVALIDS OF ARMENIA AND ARTSAKH

YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. All Armenian Fund Hayastan provided
117.6 million AMD worth relief to children of perished Azatamartiks
and invalids of Armenia and Artsakh, the Fund told ARKA. The relief
if provided in the frames of realization of social program “To
children of perished Azatamartiks and invalids of Armenia and
Artsakh”.
Fund Hayastan realized one-time payment on debts at the line of
relief for 2002. In result, 5042 people received relief in amount of
24 thousand AMD. L.D. –0—

*********************************************************************

RA MFA REBUTS RUMORS ON MEETING OF RA, AR AND TURKISH FOREIGN
MINISTERS’ MEETING IN NEW YORK ON SEPTEMBER 17

YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. RA MFA rebuts rumors on meeting of RA,
AR and Turkish foreign ministers’ meeting in New York on September
17, RA MFA Press Secretary Hamlet Gasparian told ARKA. On September
17, RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian will pay a visit in other
countries. According to Gasparian, Oskanian will be in New York on
September 29. L.D. –0—

*********************************************************************

RA PRIME MINISTER CONGRATULATES THE PRESIDENT AND PEOPLE OF NKR WITH
13TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE

YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian
congratulated the president and people of NKR with 13th anniversary
of independence, RA Government press office told ARKA. The letter
says: “13 years ago Armenians of Artsakh expressed joint will to
protect their right for creation of independent state and worthy life
at historical motherland. This will is uncompromising and victory in
Karabakh war testifies to that. NKR must stay attached to the
principle of peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict. Artsakh people
must be confident that Armenian and all Armenianship will always
protect them”.
On September 2, NKR celebrates 13th anniversary of its independence.
L.D. –0—

*********************************************************************

RA CB COUNCIL CLARIFIES THE SITUATION CONCERNING THE ACCUSATIONS OF
LEVON MARCOS, THE EX-OWNER OF CREDIT-YEREVAN BANK

YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. The RA CB Council clarified the
situation concerning the accusations of Levon Marcos, the ex-owner of
the bankrupt Credit-Yerevan, Head of Sretenka Russian Concern. The
statement of CBA Council published in local Haykakan Jamanak
newspaper says that L.Marcos obtained the shares of Credit-Yerevan
bank in June of 2001, i.e. long before the appointment of temporary
administration in the bank caused by abrupt deterioration of the
situation in the bank. According to CBA Council, L.Marcos followed
not the patriotic motive while purchasing Credit-Yerevan bank. He
made this step in order to obtain unlimited decision-making
opportunities to develop activities on international market and to
issue false bank guarantees for millions of US dollars on behalf of
Credit-Yerevan bank. The article states that the National Interpol
Bureau in Armenia possesses official documentation on various
countries (Andorra, in particular) related to the false guarantees
issued by Credit-Yerevan bank and signed by representatives of L.
Marcos. “As a result, Credit-Yerevan lost its correspondent accounts
in a number of foreign banks and our banking system faced a real
threat of losing the opportunity to carry out operations with top
banks of the world” says the article of CBA Council. Moreover, the
international organizations fighting against money laundering could
have formed a negative opinion about RA and give instructions to
cease any financial operations with Armenia, as well as close the
correspondent accounts in foreign banks.
Levon Marcos failed to meet his engagements to RA Central Bank. At
that, the article notes that Marcos did not consider it expedient to
conduct negotiations on professional level. He did not take into
account that he deals with state and state interests and not with
“separate clans”. ” The CBA will consecutively follow its policy on
introduction of rules of corporate management applied in
international practice, which require personal responsibility on the
part of every owner of the bank, not only moral, but financial as
well”, says the article.
To mention, Levon Marcos, the ex-owner of the bankrupt
Credit-Yerevan, Head of Sretenka Russian Concern published an open
letter in Haykakan Jamanak newspaper. According to it, Marcos accused
Tigran Sargsyan, the Head of RA Central Bank and Serge Sargsyan, RA
Defense Minister of his failure in Armenia. According to the
estimates of Marcos, the losses of both cheated citizens and foreign
investors of Credit-Yerevan bank make $50 mln in total, of which $33
mln are the assets of the bank and $17 mln. –investments made in the
bank. L.V.–0–

*********************************************************************

2ND BUILDING OF RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN STATE (SLAVONIC) UNIVERSITY IS
OPENED

YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. The 2nd building of the Russian
–Armenian State (Slavonic) University (RAU) was opened after capital
repairs. According to Armen Darbinyan, Rector of RAU and ex-prime
minister of Armenia, the University has doubled its space and now the
free territory of the university equals to 20 thou m2. He mentioned
that the federal budget of RF allotted 40 mln rubles for the capital
repairs of the University. He also said that in future the RAU plans
to start the realization of its plans concerning the construction of
the large hall of the University, a sports complex and friendship
park.
The opening ceremony was attended by Anatoly Drjukov, the RF
Ambassador to Armenia, Sergo Yeritzyan, the RA Minister of Science
and Education, representatives of RAU teaching staff and students.
Russian Armenian (Slavonic) University opened in 1999 in frames of
intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in education sphere and
possesses the status of higher educational institutions of Russia and
Armenia. The first student admission was carried out in February of
1999. Today, the University has nine faculties — Economic, Law,
Applied mathematics and information, Political science, Journalism,
Social and cultural service and tourism, International relations,
State and municipal management and Medico-biologic. In 2002, post
graduate courses were introduced in the RAU. Rau has 20 Chairs,
preparatory courses and 16 scientific sub departments, including the
institute of Russian philology and Center of Russian-Armenian
cultural and literature initiatives after L.Lazarian. Currently,
more than 1,5 thou students study in RAU. L.V.–0—

*********************************************************************

Associated Press Worldstream
August 27, 2004 Friday 2:24 PM Eastern Time

Olympic Wrestling Results

ATHENS, Greece

Results Friday at the Olympic wrestling competition:

Men
Freestyle
55Kg

Group A
Rene Montero Rosales, Cuba, def. Ghenadie Tulbea, Moldova, 5-0.
Stephen Abas, United States, def. Ghenadie Tulbea, Moldova, 6-1.
Stephen Abas, United States, def. Rene Montero Rosales, Cuba, 4-3.

Group B
Velikov Radoslav, Bulgaria, def. Williams Shaun, South Africa, 13-2,
greater superiority.
Li Zhengyu, China, def. Velikov Radoslav, Bulgaria, 8-6.
Li Zhengyu, China, def. Williams Shaun, South Africa, 5-4.

Group C
Naranbaatar Bayaraa, Mongolia, def. Babak Nourzad, Iran, 6-0.
Babak Nourzad, Iran, def. Kim Hyo-sub, South Korea, 6-4.
Kim Hyo-sub, South Korea, def. Naranbaatar Bayaraa, Mongolia, 4-3.

Group D
Chikara Tanabe, Japan, def. Yogeshwar Dutt, India, 4-3.
Chikara Tanabe, Japan, def. Namig Abdullayev, Azerbaijan, 5-2.
Namig Abdullayev, Azerbaijan, def. Yogeshwar Dutt, India, 6-2.

Group E
Oleksandr Zakharuk, Ukraine, def. Herman Kantoyeu, Belarus, 4-3.
Oleksandr Zakharuk, Ukraine, def. Bauyrzhan Orazgaliyev, Kazakhstan,
3-1.
Herman Kantoyeu, Belarus, def. Bauyrzhan Orazgaliyev, Kazakhstan,
4-1.

Group F
Dilshod Mansurov, Uzbekistan, def. Bashir Ahmad Rahmati, Afghanistan,
11-0, greater superiority.
Mavlet Batirov, Russia, def. Bashir Ahmad Rahmati, Afghanistan, 20-0,
greater superiority.
Mavlet Batirov, Russia, def. Dilshod Mansurov, Uzbekistan, 3-1.

Group G
Amiran Karntanov, Greece, def. O Song Nam, North Korea, 4-3.
Martin Berberyan, Armenia, def. Harun Dogan, Turkey, 5-3.
O Song Nam, North Korea, def. Martin Berberyan, Armenia, 5-2.
Amiran Karntanov, Greece, def. Harun Dogan, Turkey, 10-0, greater
superiority.
O Song Nam, North Korea, def. Harun Dogan, Turkey, Forfeit Injury.
Amiran Karntanov, Greece, def. Martin Berberyan, Armenia, 3-2.

Qualifying
Stephen Abas, United States, def. Li Zhengyu, China, 6-1.
Chikara Tanabe, Japan, def. Kim Hyo Sub, South Korea, 10-0, greater
superiority.
Mavlet Batirov, Russia, def. Oleksandr Zakharuk, Ukraine, 4-0.

66Kg

Group A
Kazuhiko Ikematsu, Japan, def. Fred Jessey, Nigeria, by fall, 1:07.
Baek Ji-kuk, South Korea, def. Fred Jessey, Nigeria, 3-1.
Kazuhiko Ikematsu, Japan, def. Baek Jin-kuk, South Korea, 4-3.

Group B
Leonid Spiridonov, Kazakhstan, def. Evan Macdonald, Canada, 10-7.
Serafim Barzakov, Bulgaria, def. Evan Macdonald, Canada, 11-0,
greater superiority.
Leonid Spiridonov, Kazakhstan, def. Serafim Barzakov, Bulgaria, 5-4.

Group C
Zhirayr Hovhannisyan, Armenia, def. Apostolos Taskoudis, Greece,
12-6.
Apostolos Taskoudis, Greece, def. Ramesh Kumar ., India, 10-8.
Ramesh Kumar ., India, def. Zhirayr Hovhannisyan, Armenia, 3-1.

Group D
Serguei Rondon Pedroso, Cuba, def. Otar Tushishvili, Georgia, 10-0,
greater superiority.
Elbrus Tedeyev, Ukraine, def. Serguei Rondon Pedroso, Cuba, 8-2.
Elbrus Tedeyev, Ukraine, def. Otar Tushishvili, Georgia, Forfeit
Injury.

Group E
Gabor Hatos, Hungary, def. Stefan Fernyak, Slovakia, 3-1.
Omer Cubukci, Turkey, def. Stefan Fernyak, Slovakia, 5-1.
Omer Cubukci, Turkey, def. Gabor Hatos, Hungary, 3-1.

Group F
Makhach Murtazaliev, Russia, def. Artur Tavkazakhov, Uzbekistan, 8-2.
Makhach Murtazaliev, Russia, def. Alireza Dabir, Iran, 4-0.
Artur Tavkazakhov, Uzbekistan, def. Alireza Dabir, Iran, 5-4.

Group G
Jamill Kelly, United States, def. Ruslan Bodisteanu, Moldova, 3-0.
Elman Asgarov, Azerbaijan, def. Ruslan Bodisteanu, Moldova, 7-3.
Jamill Kelly, United States, def. Elman Asgarov, Azerbaijan, 3-2.

Qualifying
Leonid Spiridonov, Kazakhstan, def. Kazuhiko Ikematsu, Japan, 3-2.
Elbrus Tedeyev, Ukraine, def. Apostolos Taskoudis, Greece, 6-2.
Makhach Murtazaliev, Russia, def. Omer Cubukci, Turkey, 6-0.

84Kg
Group A
Majid Khodaei, Iran, def. Anuj Kumar, India, 5-1.
Majid Khodaei, Iran, def. Hidekazu Yokoyama, Japan, 8-1.
Hidekazu Yokoyama, Japan, def. Anuj Kumar, India, 11-5.

Group B
Siarhei Borchanka, Belarus, def. Magomed Kurugliyev, Kazakhstan, 2-1.
Cael Sanderson, United States, def. Magomed Kurugliyev, Kazakhstan,
4-2.
Cael Sanderson, United States, def. Siarhei Borchanka, Belarus, 9-1.

Group C
Lazaros Loizidis, Greece, def. Revaz Mindorashvili, Georgia, 3-1.
Revaz Mindorashvili, Georgia, def. Akesse Vincent Aka, France, 3-0.
Lazaros Loizidis, Greece, def. Akesse Vincent Aka, France, 3-0.

Group D
Davyd Bichinashvili, Germany, def. Jeffrey Cobb, Guam, 10-0, greater
superiority.
Yoel Romero Palacios, Cuba, def. Jeffrey Cobb, Guam, 10-0, greater
superiority.
Yoel Romero Palacios, Cuba, def. Davyd Bichinashvili, Germany, 3-0.

Group E
Taras Danko, Ukraine, def. Mamed Agaev, Armenia, DSQ (Tournament).
Taras Danko, Ukraine, def. Gokhan Yavaser, Turkey, 6-0.
Gokhan Yavaser, Turkey, def. Mamed Agaev, Armenia, DSQ (Tournament).

Group F
Moon Eui Jae, South Korea, def. Mogamed Ibragimov, Macedonia, 4-0.
Gochev Miroslav, Bulgaria, def. Mogamed Ibragimov, Macedonia, 4-2.
Moon Eui Jae, South Korea, def. Gochev Miroslav, Bulgaria, 8-3.

Group G
Sazhid Sazhidov, Russia, def. Matar Sene, Senegal, 17-0, greater
superiority.
Shamil Aliev, Tajikistan, def. Nicolae Ghita, Romania, 4-3.
Sazhid Sazhidov, Russia, def. Nicolae Ghita, Romania, by fall, 2:21.
Shamil Aliev, Tajikistan, def. Matar Sene, Senegal, 6-3.
Sazhid Sazhidov, Russia, def. Shamil Aliev, Tajikistan, 5-0.
Nicolae Ghita, Romania, def. Matar Sene, Senegal, 11-3.

Qualifying
Cael Sanderson, Salt Lake City, def. Majid Khodaei, Iran, 6-5.
Yoel Romero Palacios, Cuba, def. Lazaros Loizidis, Greece, 3-1.
Moon Eui Jae, South Korea, def. Taras Danko, Ukraine, 3-1.

120Kg

Group A
Artur Taymazov, Uzbekistan, def. Marek Garmulewicz, Poland, 10-0,
greater superiority.
Artur Taymazov, Uzbekistan, def. Palwinder Singh Cheema, India, 10-0,
greater superiority.
Marek Garmulewicz, Poland, def. Palwinder Singh Cheema, India, 6-4.

Group B
Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov, Russia, def. Otto Aubeli, Hungary, 6-0.
Alex Modebadze, Georgia, def. Otto Aubeli, Hungary, 5-0.
Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov, Russia, def. Alex Modebadze, Georgia, 5-0.

Group C
Alexis Rodriguez Varela, Cuba, def. Nestoras Batzelas, Greece, 10-0,
greater superiority.
Alexis Rodriguez Varela, Cuba, def. Serhii Priadun, Ukraine, 8-0.
Nestoras Batzelas, Greece, def. Serhii Priadun, Ukraine, 5-0.

Group D
Sven Thiele, Germany, def. Rares Daniel Chintoan, Romania, 4-0.
Aydin Polatci, Turkey, def. Rares Daniel Chintoan, Romania, by fall,
3:19.
Aydin Polatci, Turkey, def. Sven Thiele, Germany, 5-1.

Group E
Kerry McCoy, United States, def. Francesco Miano Petta, Italy, 7-0.
Marid Mutalimov, Kazakhstan, def. Yury Mildzihov, Kyrgyzstan, 3-2.
Marid Mutalimov, Kazakhstan, def. Francesco Miano Petta, Italy, 3-0.
Kerry McCoy, United States, def. Yury Mildzihov, Kyrgyzstan, 4-0.
Francesco Miano Petta, Italy, def. Yury Mildzihov, Kyrgyzstan,
Forfeit Injury.
Marid Mutalimov, Kazakhstan, def. Kerry McCoy, United States, 4-1.

Group F
Alireza Rezaei, Iran, def. Bozhidar Boyadzhiev, Bulgaria, 5-0.
Usukhbayar Gelegjamts, Mongolia, def. Barys Hrynkevich, Belarus, 6-0.
Alireza Rezaei, Iran, def. Usukhbayar Gelegjamts, Mongolia, 3-0.
Bozhidar Boyadzhiev, Bulgaria, def. Barys Hrynkevich, Belarus, 5-1.
Alireza Rezaei, Iran, def. Barys Hrynkevich, Belarus, 7-0.
Bozhidar Boyadzhiev, Bulgaria, def. Usukhbayar Gelegjamts, Mongolia,
3-0.

Qualifying
Artur Taymazov, Uzbekistan, def. Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov, Russia,
7-3.
Aydin Polatci, Turkey, def. Alexis Rodriguez Varela, Cuba, 3-1.

BBC News
Aug 24 2004

Zou wins medal for China

Boxing results in full

Zou Shiming claimed China’s first Olympic boxing medal by beating
Armenia’s Aleksan Nalbandyan 20-12 in the light flyweight
quarter-finals.
Zou now faces Yan Bhartelemy Varela in Friday’s semi-finals, the
Cuban having outscored South Korea’s Hong Moo Won.

Russia’s Sergey Kazakov beat Namibia’s Joseph Jermi 18-11 and fights
Turkey’s Atagun Yalcinkaya in the last four.

Zou defeated Bhartelemy Varela at last year’s world championships in
Bangkok and went on to win a silver medal.

Yalcinkaya outpointed Italy’s Alfonso Pinto 33-24.