Author: Toneyan Mark

A1 Plus | 17:16:15 | 28-06-2004 | Politics |

TIGRAN TOROSSYAN QUOTING YERZI YASKERNIA

Armenian National Assembly Vice-Speaker Tigran Torossyan, speaking at a news
conference on Monday, said quoting the head of PACE Monitoring Group Yerzi
Yaskernia as saying at the recent PACE session that Armenian Constitutional
Court had a decision, according to which there was no need in revising the
election results announced by Election Commission.

In his words, Yaskernia said the Constitutional Court had proposed to
conduct confidence referendum. Yaskernia put special emphasis on proposed,
Torossyan said.

MUSIC: AZNAVOUR TELLS HIS STORY IN MILAN

ANSA English Media Service
June 22, 2004

MILAN

(ANSA) – MILAN, June 22 – Popular French singer Charles Aznavour said
that he was not an Armenian from France but simply a Frenchman of
Armenian origin when talking about himself in Milan’s Teatro Dal Verme
at the opening of the fifth La Milanesiana cultural event on Monday.

“I’m not an Armenian from France, I’m simply a Frenchman of Armenian
origin and I care more about humanitarian affairs than politics,” said
Aznavour who is son of an Armenian family which fled before the Turkish
genocide against the Armenians at the beginning of 20th century.

Aznavour entered the stage with the humbleness of a lively and somewhat
shy 80-year-old. The singer was dressed in ivory colour and matching
shoes, he looked almost disoriented when the public welcomed him with
a standing ovation.

The audience that came to see Aznavour were elegant women and men of
a certain age, many with pastel-coloured jackets, white hair and a
few young people, actress Ottavia Piccolo and the member of Italian
Parliament, Giancarlo Pagliarini.

Presented by former editor of main Italian daily Corriere della Sera,
Ferruccio De Bortoli, Aznavour did not make introductions and began
reading some excerpts from his autobiography which will go on sale
from Wednesday.

Aznavour chose lively stories to tell the Milanese public and said
nothing specific on that travel from the inferno where the paradise
called emigration begins, as he wrote in his autobiography.

He preferred to recall the amusing meeting with Edith Piaf, the singer
who discovered him and of whom he remembered her lioness character
and outbursts and the tender nickname she invented for him, “little
stupid genius”.

Aznavour read in French, but slowly, while the original words from
the text in French and the Italian translation were shown on a screen
behind him.

The rest of the evening was dedicated to history and music. Former
Italian Ambassdor to Moscow and political commentator for Corriere
della Sera, Sergio Romano, made special observation on eastern
Europe and the conditions in Armenia, reminding of the Turkish laws
from 1915 for deportation of Armenians and the confiscation of the
their goods. The Armenians were massacred on their way to exile,
with 800,000 killed but there were surely more victims, Romano said.

The music was with Claude Debussy’s melancholic notes, with Michele
Campanella on the piano who chose pieces from Reverie to Estampes
especially because of the tone of Aznavour’s voice and because they
represent the quintessence of French music, Campanella said.

“When people ask me whether I feel more Armenian or more French,
there is only one possible answer – a hundred percent French and a
hundred percent Armenian,” Aznavour wrote in his autobiography.

The French singer is Armenia’s ambassador at large since 1994.

“Armenia is a dream from which my family comes,” Aznavour told the
audience while the screen behind him showed images of Charles as a
child and of when he was awarded Commander of the Legion of Honour
by French President Jacques Chirac.

“I never forgot my roots but I hid them when Armenia was a socialist
state,” Aznavour said.

Today he is aware of the problems still to face but he does not intend
to go into politics.

“I’m an ambassador of a country, I know that there are still
difficulties but politics is not my job, it is not my language,”
Aznavour said. (ANSA)

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH(LONDON)
June 22, 2004, Tuesday

English Tripoli double

By Malcolm Pein

MICHAEL Adams and Nigel Short completed routine victories in the
first round of the Fide Knockout Championships at Tripoli. England’s
finest both won 2-0, but the real work is to come. Few seeds were
eliminated as the field was reduced from 128 to 64, and the losers
returned home with $6,000, less Fide’s 20 per cent cut.

In round two, Short faces a tough match against Poland’s leading
grandmaster, Michal Krasenkow, ranked 97. Adams will face either
Karen Asrian of Armenia or Evgeny Agrest of Sweden, whose tie went to
a playoff.

The Cornishman is now the second seed in the absence of Alexander
Morozevich. Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria is the highest rated player.
He arrived late for the game after some travel problems but was
allowed to play later.

Twenty one of the 60 matches have gone to a playoff and none of the
favourites has yet been eliminated. The pairings were organised so
that the number one seed faced number 128, two against number 127 and
so on.

The stronger player has won nearly all the time, but Hicham Hamdouchi
of Morocco defeated former Russian champion Alexander Motylev and
Ghaem Maghami of Iran despatched the Armenian Rafael Vaganian 2-0.
Aleksandar Wojtkiewicz put out Kiril Georgiev. Thirteen-year-old
Magnus Carlsen drew twice with former world junior champion Levon
Aronian of Armenia.

SHORT’S Yemeni opponent put up spirited resistance but the knight
sacrifice was never going to work.

N Short – H Kadhi

Fide WCh KO Tripoli (1.2)

French McCutcheon

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bg5 Bb4 5 e5 h6 6 Bd2 Bxc3 7 bxc3 Ne4 8
Qg4 g6 9 Bd3 Nxd2 10 Kxd2 c5 11 h4 Bd7 12 Rb1 Bc6 13 h5 g5 14 f4 Nd7
15 Nf3 cxd4 16 cxd4 gxf4 17 Qxf4 Qe7 18 Ke2 0-0-0 19 Qh4 Qf8 20 g4
Rg8 21 g5 hxg5 22 Nxg5 Nxe5 23 dxe5 Qg7 24 Rhg1 Qxe5+ 25 Kd2 d4 26
Rbe1 Qa5+ 27 Ke2 Rd5 28 Nxf7 Re8 29 h6 e5 30 Rg4 Rd7 31 Ng5 e4 32
Nxe4 Bb5 33 Kf1 Bxd3+ 34 cxd3 Kb8 35 Kg1 Rh7 36 Rf1 Reh8 37 Qg3+ 1-0

Kadhi e p p 7 o c p p p p p p n g p p p p o ‘ p * p p p b p f b p p p
p p p p * d

Short

Final position after 37.Qg3+

PRESS RELEASE
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Contact: Information Desk
Tel: (374-1) 52-35-31
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Meets with Powell, Rice in Washington

Foreign Minister Oskanian is on a two-day working visit to the United
States.

On Monday, June 14, he held two separate meetings with Secretary of
State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice. At
each meeting, the Minister discussed key matters of bilateral interest,
such as expanded trade and deeper economic cooperation, including the
Millennium Challenge Account. They also explored developments in the
Nagorno Karabakh negotiation process, regional matters, including
regional security issues, Armenia’s relations with Turkey, and the
upcoming NATO Summit.

The Minister also met with Mira Rickardel, Assistant to the Secretary
of Defense for Europe and Eurasia, and Assistant Secretary of State
Elizabeth Jones. With each, Minister Oskanian discussed regional
stability and cooperation, as well as the Nagorno Karabakh peace
process and prospects for a resolution.

During his first day, the Minister delivered a talk at the Center
for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The audience, a
mix of representatives of official Washington, as well as think
tanks, research centers, press and academia, heard the Minister
assess Armenia’s foreign policy challenges, its security agenda,
the importance of maintaining regional stability and security, and
the significnce of democratic processes and sustained economic growth
to each of these concerns.

On Tuesday, the Minister will meet with members of the US Senate
and Congress, as well as representatives of the media, as well
as Armenian-American organizations. He will leave for Yerevan on
Wednesday.

Press release: Cooperation of Birthright and the Armenian Medical Association

June 14, 2004

Armenian Medical Association
38 Tumanyan Street 38, Apt. 9,
Yerevan, Armenia
Phone: (3741) 53 48 63
Fax (3741) 53 48 79
Email: [email protected]
Web site:

The Armenian Medical Association would like to extend an invitation to any
young Diasporan Armenians interested in the field of medicine that would
like to volunteer in Armenia. The Armenian Medical Association, in
collaboration with Birthright Armenia, has begun a new program that aims to
give Diasporan Armenians between the ages of eighteen and thirty-two the
opportunity to volunteer in a medical capacity in Armenia-networking with
healthcare professionals in Armenia and forging future links between
medicine in Armenia and in Armenian communities abroad. The Armenian
Medical Association, with its extensive network of medical professionals,
will be able to find and place those interested in suitable medical
positions.

The Armenian Medical Association is a non-governmental, non-partisan
organization of medical professionals who strive to advance medicine in
Armenia. For more information on the Armenian Medical Association please
refer to our website at

The Armenian Medical Association with the cooperation of Birthright Armenia
encourages young Armenians to explore their heritage. Unlike other
opportunities, this program offers many ways to easily discover Armenia,
including fully subsidized round-trip travel costs to any individuals who
qualify with Birthright Armenia’s criteria. It is Birthright Armenia’s
mission to strengthen ties between the homeland and Diasporan youth by
affording young Armenians an opportunity to be a part of Armenia’s daily
life and to contribute to Armenia’s development through work, study and
volunteer experiences, while developing life-long personal ties and a
renewed sense of Armenian identity.

For the exact specifications for qualifying for Birthright Armenia, and for
more information on the organization, please refer to their website at

Armenian NPP to start mothballing program

Interfax
June 10 2004

Yerevan. (Interfax) – The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant will have
a program ready to mothball the station by the end of 2004, the
country’s Trade and Economic Development Minister Karen Jshmartain
said at a press conference on Tuesday.

The topic was discussed during the fifth meeting of the EU-Armenia
Cooperation Committee in Brussels on June 4, he said.

The meeting decided to set up a working group of power engineers on
closing the nuclear power plant. The working group should review all
the financial and technical aspects of mothballing the station and
present their own program, Jshmartain said.

The European Union has not set any concrete timeframe for closing the
NPP without replacing its capacity with other sources. A project to
build an Iran-Armenia gas pipeline was discussed as an alternative
to the NPP, but the volume of gas would not be enough to replace the
energy capacity of the NPP, Jshmartain said.

The committee also discussed a project put forth by Armenia to build
a new NPP in Armenia to replace the old one.

The EU confirmed that it is ready to extend Armenia 100 million
euros to close the NPP and replace its capacity, although Armenian
specialists think that at least $1 billion is needed for this.

The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, which has two reactors with a total
capacity of 815 megawatts, was closed in 1988 due to political and
economic reasons. The NPP’s second reactor was restarted at a capacity
of 407.5 megawatts in 1995.

ZAO Inter RAO EES, a subsidiary of Russia’s Unified Energy System,
and Armenia signed a contract in September 2003 to hand over trust
management of the NPP to Inter RAO EES.

The Armenian NPP generated 1.9 billion kilowatt hours of electricity
in 2003, or 36% of the total generation of electricity in Armenia.

The first meeting of the EU-Armenia Cooperation Committee took place in
2000 in Brussels. The committee was set up by a partnership agreement
signed on April 22, 1996.

EU to give 100 million euros to close Armenian Nuclear Plant

PRAVDA, Russia (RosBalt)
June 9 2004

The European Union is ready to finance the closure of the Armenian
Nuclear Power Plant. As reported by a Rosbalt correspondent, Minister
of Trade and Economic Development, Karien Chshmaritian, reported the
news at a press conference while commenting about the results of the
Armenia-EU conference held in Brussels on June 4.

He stated that a concrete date for the plant’s closure has not been
set, because Armenia is not in the financial position to finance the
closure. According to Karien Chshmaritian, the EU confirmed its intent
to allocate 100 million euros for the closure of the Armenian Nuclear
Power Plant, and the organization of alternative energy sources.

Last year, the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant was transferred to the
Russian joint-stock company EEC Russia for asset management.

ARKA News Agency
June 3 2004

The issues of Karabakh conflict settlement discussed by Kocharian and
Steven Mann

RA President Kocharian receives the members of the CIS Customs
Council

RA President receives the Armenian- Russian interParliamentary
commission on cooperation

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

THE ISSUES OF KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT DISCUSSED BY KOCHARIAN AND
STEVEN MANN

YEREVAN, June 3. /ARKA/. The issues regarding Karabakh conflict
settlement were discussed by RA President Kocharian and co-Chairman
of OSCE Minsk Group from the USA Steven Mann. According to RA
President’s Press Service Department, Mann introduced the results of
the meetings held in Baku where he had arrived from.
According to RA MFA Press Service Department, the same issue was
discussed also during the meeting of Man with RA Minister of Foreign
Affairs Vartan Oskanian. Mann confirmed the readiness of OSCE Minsk
group co-Chairmen to find mutually advantageous solutions for the
parties in the conflict. Also, the previous meetings between RA and
AR ministers of foreign Affairs, as well as some issues regarding the
regular meeting of the Ministers on June 21.
OSCE Minsk Group co-Chairman arrived in Armenia from Azerbaijan where
he participated in the 11th international exhibition-forum of oil and
gas. In the framework of his visit to Baku, Mann had meetings with
the AR President Ilham Aliev and the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Elmar Mamediarov. A.H. –0–

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

RA PRESIDENT KOCHARIAN RECEIVES THE MEMBERS OF THE CIS CUSTOMS
COUNCIL

YEREVAN, June 3. /ARKA/. RA President Kocharian received the members
of the CIS Customs Council session held in Yerevan. According to RA
President’s Press Service Department, in the course of the meeting
Kocharian expressed hope that the contacts and the share with
experience will contribute to more effective work organization. In
his turn, Michael Vanin, the Chairman of the Council of CIS Customs,
the Chairman of RF State Customs Committee noted that in 2004 it will
be the 10th anniversary since the Council’s functioning, and
significant progress has been achieved so far. According to him, year
by year the volume of trade turnover between CIS states grows. This
means that administrative barriers are removed and right work is
done. He attached great importance to simplification of customs
procedures and to struggle against contraband.A. H.—0–

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

RA PRESIDENT RECEIVES THE ARMENIAN- RUSSIAN INTERPARLIAMENTARY
COMMISSION ON COOPERATION

YEREVAN, June 3. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian received today
the Armenian- Russian inter-Parliamentary commission on cooperation.
According to the President’s Press Service Department, during the
meeting Kocharian noted that the agreements reached during his last
visit to Moscow, are consequently being implemented. In his turn,
Nikolai Ryzhkov, the Co-Chairman of Armenian-Russian
inter-Parliamentary committee, Member of RF Federal Assembly
Federation Council informed the RA President, that the commission
session held in Yerevan was in the atmosphere of productive
discussions, where the issues of economic cooperation between the
countries and collaboration in international structures were
particularly emphasized. He also mentioned that there was made a
decision about the formation of working groups, which will organize
discussions on cooperation between individual administrative subjects
of the two countries and encouragement of small and medium
businesses. Ryzhkov said that bilateral economic relations are
gradually improving as a result of the sustainability of Armenia’s
and Russia’s economies, the activities of large joint enterprises and
implementation of the signed contracts. According to Ryzhkov, the key
role in further development of economic relations will play the
recently formed Association of Russian-Armenian Economic Cooperation,
which already has its representative office in Armenia. L.V. –0–

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

PRESS RELEASE

June 6, 2004

American University of Armenia Corporation
300 Lakeside Drive, 4th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Telephone: (510) 987-9452
Fax: (510) 208-3576

Contact: Gohar Momjian
E-mail: [email protected]

USAID SUPPORTS AUA STUDENT LOAN PROGRAM

USAID/Armenia’s Spring 2004 Newsletter highlights its support of
the American University of Armenia’s (AUA) student loan program.
Through a USAID-funded grant program, created by its implementing
partner, the Eurasia Foundation, AUA received a $40,035 grant to
continue providing financial aid options to make certain that every
deserving student can afford a quality education. This grant enabled
AUA to provide $28,800 in loans and $11,235 to administer the program.

The USAID newsletter notes that higher education is essential for
Armenia’s development, but it must be both affordable and sustainable.
AUA piloted and structured Armenia’s first student loan program in
2002 in response to the global economic downturn and rising student
fees. Currently the $6,000 tuition fee is subsidized by AUA, and the
student is asked to pay $1,750 per year, which is comparable to many
of the other private institutions in Armenia. Over 70% of AUA students
receive financial aid in the form of scholarships, work-study, and
loans. The student loan program is an innovative concept and a model
for replication by other universities.

“In AUA’s commitment to admit and retain students with demonstrated
scholastic achievement and high intellectual potential, the
University is determined to support student decisions to seek and
complete a degree at AUA,” stated AUA President Haroutune Armenian.
“The loan program is a great step forward in increasing access to AUA
and instilling a sense of personal and institutional responsibility
among students as they repay their loans and extend the privilege to
other students in succeeding years.”

Private contributions in memory of Dr. Steven Abashian and Nishan and
Eskohee Abashian, and from the Turpanjian Family Foundation, Mr. Heros
Noravian and Dr. Emma Zargarian, Dr. and Mrs. Haroutune Armenian,
and Dr. Patricia Boyle more than match the Eurasia Foundation grant
to make AUA’s education more accessible.

—–

The American University of Armenia is registered as a non-profit
educational organization in both Armenia and the United States and is
affiliated with the Regents of the University of California. Receiving
major support from the AGBU, AUA offers instruction leading to the
Masters Degree in eight graduate programs. For more information about
AUA, visit or

SAAKASHVILI MET ARA ABRAHAMYAN

A1 Plus | 16:29:41 | 01-06-2004 | Politics |

During the Georgian-Russian business forum recently held in Moscow
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili met Ara Abrahamyan, Chair of
Union of Russia’s Armenians.

Georgian Parliament member Van Bayburdyan states that Ara Abrahamyan
was among those 5 big businessmen of Russia who met the Georgian
President in private.

At the meeting the Armenian businessman expressed willingness to make
solid investments in rebuilding the Abkhazia railway.

“A-INFO” released the information.