Author: Topchian Jane

RA SUGGESTED THAT PACE PREPARE REPORT ON DESTRUCTION OF THE NARIMANOV CEMETERY IN AZERBAIJAN

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Oct 9 2007

The Armenian delegation to PACE suggested that a report on the
destruction of Narimanov cemetery in Azerbaijan be prepared, David
Harutyunian, head of the Armenian delegation to PACE, stated in the
course of a briefing on the outcomes of PACE fall session October 8.

According to Harutyunian, ‘~Rthe barbarian destruction of the
Narimanov cemetery in Azerbaijan is a striking example of the
violation of the basic rights of Jewish, Russian and Georgian
communities’~R. ‘~RDeputies from Serbia, UK, Czechia, Finland,
Portugal and Russia have already signed under this initiative, which
will enable us to submit the issue for discussion’~R, he noted.

A note: in 2003 Baku’s Central Architectural Department elaborated a
project of a new highway, a part of which must pass by the territory
of the Christian Narimanov cemetery of Baku. In connection with the
construction a decision on the reburial of the graves situated in
the cemetery of Govsany was rendered. The process of reburial started
current September 1.

However, according to Azeri and international information agencies,
in reality Baku executive power simply destroys the graves of the
Narimanov cemetery. The reason for the Azeris’ attitude is undoubtedly
the fact that the cemetery is Christian; Armenians, Russians, Georgians
and Tatars are buried there. Therefore various organizations and the
governments of the above-mentioned nations’ representatives repeatedly
lodge complaints to the Republican and interstate organizations. To
note, it is not the first destruction of the Christian burials in
Azerbaijan: in 2005 the graves of over 500 Russian Kazaks, who had
died in the war with Persians late 19 century and had been buried on
the Caspian island of Sary, were destroyed.

Last year thousands of tombstones and khachkars (cross-stones) were
destroyed in the Armenian cemetery of the town of Julfa. The monuments
to the Unknown Soldier, gravestones of the Soviet soldiers were also
demolished in Baku.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext. 202
Fax: +37410. 565601
Email: [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE

08-10-2007

Minister Oskanian Speaks About Rural Development at Armenia Fund Gala in NY

Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs was the keynote speaker at the Armenia
Fund USA’s 15th anniversary Gala Dinner on Saturday, October 6, in New York
City, at the UN Headquarters.

The Minister, who is a member of the Armenia Fund Board of Trustees, and the
Board’s appointed liaison for the Armenia Fund Rural Development Program,
spoke about the economic challenges facing Armenia and the promise of a
program that focuses on the economic and infrastructure development of
Armenia’s rural communities.

The full text of the Minister’s remarks appears below.

Dear Friends,

I have come here to this building every year for the last 10 years to
address my colleagues from around the world as we explore ways for the
United Nations to achieve peace and prosperity for all our countires.

So, it is especially gratifying to be here this evening, in this same
building, to talk to my fellow Armenians, about the Armenia Fund and our
shared vision for peace and prosperity for our country, Armenia.

Last week, in my speech downstairs in the General Assembly hall, I said I
wanted to break the unspoken rule and although the representative of a small
country, I wanted to talk about what the big powers always talk about: the
global, complex challenges of the 21st century – disarmament, arms control,
climate change, tensions between powers, and even the price of oil – and how
the disorder in the world, the new fragmentation, and new dangers affect us,
the small countries, even more than they affect the great powers.

Here today, with you, I am going to break another unspoken rule, and do
outright fundraising for the Republic of Armenia.

I am not a fundraiser. I am the foreign minister of a country that has
managed to overcome obstacles, compete successfully and ensure our rightful
place in our region. We are respected in international organizations as a
capable partner. Today, we have the strong foundation required to build a
secure and prosperous country, of which all Armenians around the world will
be proud. We have an open economy and solid legislation. We have better
social and educational conditions than any of our neighbors. Don’t take my
word for it, it’s what the United Nations and the Heritage Foundation and
the World Bank say.

But my message to the Diaspora always, and to you today, is, don’t take this
for granted. Don’t take Armenia and Karabakh for granted, don’t take our
ability to survive and prosper for granted.

We have worked hard to keep the peace in Karabakh, we have worked hard to
come out ahead of our neighbors in almost every important economic index, we
have worked hard to relieve emigration and even achieve a modest level of
in-migration. We have worked hard to reach this day. We must work hard to
consolidate what we have and harder still to go forward.

But there are two problems. One is time, and the other is money.

First, the problem of time: If over these 16 years our neighbors were
searching for ways to uncover and utilize their potential, today they have
begun to reap the benefits of their resources. It will be harder now for us
to compete. We must strive to strengthen Armenia’s geostrategic and economic
security. We must work to assure comprehensive and even development for our
country. The urban areas are growing. The rural areas are not. Our growth is
based on such a low starting point that even with our great improvements,
more than one third of our population lives in poverty and half of Armenia’s
poor live in rural communities and have not benefited from Armenia’s overall
growth.

Don’t get me wrong. Armenia will grow and prosper. Don’t doubt that.
Governments come and go, but the people of Armenia, those who have withstood
difficulties that cannot be imagined, have and will survive and flourish. We
always have.

But do we do this in two generations, or three generations, or five
generations? Or do we capitalize on today’s fast growing economy?

Do we have the luxury of waiting generations for hope to reach our villages?
Or do we empower the villagers protecting our frontiers, make them feel
protected, give them a hand up, help them build homes, earn an income, and
live a life of dignity?

The answer is obvious. We don’t have time to waste, and to jumpstart rural
growth, we need to talk about money.

Look, I remember when Armenia’s national budget was $350 million a year. Ten
years later, it’s over a $2.5 billion. That’s amazing growth for us. But, by
international standards, it’s nothing. Even as we’ve done away with the
earthquake zone, rebuilt Yerevan, financed rebuilding in Karabakh, begun
paying our civil servants regularly, and invested heavily in our rural
areas, Armenia’s resources are not enough. That is why the Armenia Fund was
created – to build on the resources of Armenians everywhere to provide basic
infrastructure and development support that the Government can’t afford.

In the 21st century, Armenians are not orphans and survivors looking for
kindness and sympathy. Today, we are looking for philanthropy, not charity.
The Armenia Fund is more than charity, it is more than helping people, it is
building a country.
The Armenia Fund will utilize the generosity of the Diaspora to spur
strategic growth in Armenia, starting from the villages.

Those of you here remember that the Armenia Fund’s first years were focused
on securing emergency assistance and fuel.

By 1996, the Armenia Fund began to take on strategic projects – first, the
road that linked Karabakh to Armenia, then later, the road that linked
Karabakh’s different regions to each other directly, for the first time
without dependence on Azerbaijani roads. That was the second phase of the
Armenia Fund’s development.

Armenia Fund’s 15 years of accomplishments have been possible because the
Armenian people around the world have understood their responsibility to
support statebuilding in Armenia and Karabakh.

Today, Armenia Fund is entering its third phase – away from emergency
assistance, and toward complex, comprehensive development assistance. The
next 15 years of good work will be possible because the Armenian people
around the world will seize the opportunity to actually participate in
nationbuilding and statebuilding.

This is the year, this is the decade when we must demonstrate that people
are more valuable than oil. Oil in our region will peak in half a decade and
wane in two decades. But systematic economic growth and our people’s
commitment and strength will sustain us for far longer.

That is why the Armenia Fund has adopted the Rural Development Program for
Armenia and Karabakh. Our villages will have decent roads, drinking water,
irrigation water, gas and electricity, access to schools, to health centers,
to telephone service, television and the internet. So that they can afford
these services, we will work with the villagers to advance sustainable
economic development.

This is nationbuilding – one village at a time. Give tonight, give to the
telethon on November 22, give generously.

Give so that the villagers who wake up in the village of Azatamut and stare
across the trenches at soldiers pointing in their direction, know that their
back is covered.

Give so that the residents of Jrapi village are too busy to be intimidated
by the imposing Turkish flag laid out in stone on the hillside right across
their border.

Give so that grandfathers and grandsons are no longer alone in our villages,
and they can call their sons and fathers to come home.

Give, because your children’s and grandchildren’s identity is tied
inextricably to a democratic and prosperous Armenia.

Give, because the children of those who prospered and thrived in other
countries now want to come home.

Give, because for the first time in history, we have entered a new
millennium successful militarily, politically and economically, secure in
independent statehood.

Give, because Karabakh is ours and even as we work around the negotiating
table to formalize the historic, legal, moral fact that Karabakh is
Armenian, we must continuously demonstrate that Karabakh is a secure,
democratic political entity and that it is viable.

Give, because our resources are not under the earth, but around the earth.
You who inhabit lands beyond our borders are our limitless,
self-perpetuating, resource. You are Armenia. You must participate in its
creation, and do this wholeheartedly and completely — not with conditional
or partial use of your potential, but rallying all your resources, realizing
that you are doing so for your own survival as well as Armenia’s.

‘INDUSTRIAL INVESTORS’ RUSSIAN GROUP GOT CONTROL OVER AGARAK COPPER-MOLYBDENUM INTEGRATED PLANT IN SOUTH OF ARMENIA

ArmInfo Agency, Armenia
Oct 6 2007

ArmInfo. "Madneuli" JSC, a subsidiary of the "Industrial Investors"
Russian financial-industrial group (FIG) has got control over
the Agarak Copper-Molybdenum integrated plant (CMIP) in South of
Armenia, which belonged to the Comsup Commodities American Company,
a government-close source told ArmInfo.

The Agarak deposit is rich with copper, the average content of which in
concentrate makes up 26,2%. In 2006, the Agarak CMIP mined about 2,4
mln tons of ore. In May, 2004, the Comsup Commodities acquired 100%
of shares of the "Agarak Copper-Molybdenum Integrated Plant" CJSC at
$600,000 and invested over $20 mln in the enterprise’s development. To
recall, the "Industrial Investors" group has recently outbid 82,4%
of shares of the Starlight Gold Company, the capital asset of which
is the "Ararat Gold Recovery Company". The transaction is closed and
the total sum of sale of the block of stocks made up $86 mln. AGRC
develops the Sotk gold deposit in Armenia, the reserves of which are
assessed of 80 tons (2,6 mln ounces).

The source noted that specialists of the "Industrial Investors"
are in Armenia and deal with the project of recovery of ore-mining
from Sotk and upgrading of the mining-and-processing integrated
works. The "Industrial Investors" Russian FIG already possesses a
right for exploitation of a number of average deposits in Armenia and
is negotiating on acquisition of big industrial enterprises. Visit of
President and the main owner of the group Sergey Generalov to Armenia
is expected in the near future, the source notes.

To note, the "Madneuli" JSC is one of the biggest extracting companies
in Georgia. It has a license for exploitation of the Madneuli deposit
located in the south of Georgia at 80 km from Tbilisi. The total ore
reserves make up 60 mln tons. The ore mining volume makes up over 2 mln
tons a year and the volume of the gold-copper concentrate production
makes up 60,000 tons. "Quartzite" is a subsidiary of the "Madneuli"
JSC, which carries out processing of gold- containing spoil-dumps of
its deposit by a heap-leach method. The annual volume of production
makes up over 30,000 ounces of gold-silver bullions.

SENSELESS OF CONGRESS
by Ali Aslan

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Oct 5 2007

Alo Gari was a strong old woman. That’s why she was referred to by
a man’s name. She lived in Germili, a village near Elaziz (now Elazý)

When they came to forcibly deport Armenian residents of this mixed
Muslim-Christian village, she hid a small child. Unfortunately that
child’s parents never came back. He was raised by Alo Gari along
with her beloved grandson, Ali, who lost his father when he was very
young. How do I know this? Because Ali was my grandfather.

Amid all the tragedies, there are many humane stories to tell from one
of the darkest chapters of in the history of Anatolia. I’m sure there
were Armenians who made similar gestures for their Muslim Turkish and
Kurdish neighbors terrorized by Christian rebellions. Is it possible
to understand those times from only one angle? Of course not. But
that’s exactly what the US Congress is trying to do today.

Look at the infamous "Armenian genocide" resolution (H. Res. 106), for
which there will be a markup at the House Foreign Affairs Committee
next Wednesday. Does it reveal anything about the sufferings
of Muslims? Does it tell of Turks and Kurds helping Christian
Armenians? Does it talk about the extraordinary war conditions that
lead to the deportation and eventual crimes against humanity? No. It
only offers a one-sided, emotional and unscientific description of the
events of 1915. It’s not only a nonsense attempt at writing history
by politicians, but also a distorted production of the story.

I understand the grievances of Armenian Americans. I know how they
feel about losing some of their ancestors and having to leave their
homeland. I can see the deep feeling of injustice. However, does one
injustice justify another? Is it fair to conceal a long history of
peaceful, harmonious coexistence and reduce all Turkish-Armenian
history to just 1915? And is it fair for the US Congress to pick
sides in a civil war that took place almost a century ago?

At least 226 members in the house think so, and I’m sure even more
will join them if and when this resolution comes to the floor for a
vote. Why is that? A considerable part of the reason is the Armenian
ability to influence and convince their fellow Christians. The United
States is a Christian-dominant nation and Americans have always been
interested in the plight of fellow Christian men and women all over
the world. This resolution will reflect the sense of Congress, that
is, the sense of the American people.

American rulers always say they are not at war with Muslims or Islam.

But actions on the ground often prove the opposite. It was a small
radical group of Muslims who attacked the US on Sept. 11, 2001,
but a worldwide and widespread revenge mechanism was put into effect.

Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, the Patriot Act and the war in Iraq are the
most obvious end results. The post-Sept. 11 mood makes it politically
correct to portray Muslims as monsters. Therefore there couldn’t be
a better time for a congressional resolution which does just that
for Turkish Muslims. Why am I not surprised? Most US rulers do not
give a damn what 1.5 billion Muslims might feel about their policies,
so why should Congress care about 70 million Turks?

It’s important for Republican leaders to show muscle against Muslims so
that they can garner "patriotic" votes and funds. Likewise, it’s useful
for Democrats to secure Armenian American support for their political
campaigns. Don’t tell me this is only an innocent acknowledgement for a
"forgotten genocide" and a tribute to its victims. Don’t tell me this
is a matter of principle. Had the US Congress acted with principle,
they would have pursued a more balanced path, or at least shown a
little interest or sympathy for hundreds and thousands of innocent
Muslim losses as well. In fact most other Western parliaments have
chosen the same path. Perhaps it is too much to expect fairness from
the offspring of colonialists who provoked fine Armenian citizens
against the Ottoman Empire. Perhaps one should talk more about
American, British, French and Russian interests before and during
World War I in trying to divide and rule Turkish lands.

In Turkey and many other parts of the Muslim world, this one-sided
US Congress resolution on the events of 1915 will only be seen as a
continuation of the colonialist mantra. It will be viewed as a sign
of the never-ending vengeful attitude against Muslim inhabitants of
formerly Christian lands. It will be seen as one other Crusade-like
solidarity action. Does that make any sense when US is trying to
give just the opposite image? No. This cannot be about the "sense of
Congress" then; rather, it is the "senselessness of Congress."

–Boundary_(ID_3yLlaSSXU/Nqz5jd30 gnBQ)–

WHAT SERGE SARGSYAN BELIEVES AND WHAT SERGE SARGSYAN DISBELIEVES
Hakob Badalyan

Lragir, Armenia
Oct 5 2007

When Vladimir Putin in Russia agreed to lead the ticket of the
pro-government Yedinaya Rossia Party and did not rule out taking up
the office of prime minister after leaving office of president, many
started thinking in Armenia that Robert Kocharyan might do the same.

Certainly, Robert Kocharyan cannot lead the ticket of the Yedinaya
Rossia Party. The post of prime minister is meant. There had been
such suppositions before Putin’s statement. When Robert Kocharyan
said he was not worse than others and he was not likely to retire,
the society thought that the president hinted at the post of prime
minister after his term of presidency ends. When Putin did not rule
it out, the society in Armenia came to the definitive conclusion that
if Putin decided to become prime minister, he would approve Robert
Kocharyan for the post of prime minister.

Perhaps Serge Sargsyan is also anxious, who stated a few days after
Putin that he does not think Robert Kocharyan wants to be prime
minister. "I have no reason not to believe Robert Kocharyan," Serge
Sargsyan stated. Now it is interesting to know what reason he has
to believe Robert Kocharyan. Not in the sense that the president
regularly lies, but in the sense what Serge Sargsyan believes and
what Serge Sargsyan disbelieves. Did he have Robert Kocharyan’s word
not to wish to be prime minister? Perhaps it is rather important
because if Serge Sargsyan has his word and says he trusts him not to
go back on his word, it means he fears that if Robert Kocharyan does
not keep his word, and wishes to be prime minister, Serge Sargsyan
cannot prevent him. In this case, it is interesting to know what
the parliament majority led by Serge Sargsyan is for. After all,
the president appoints prime minister when the parliament majority
approves the nomination, and if Robert Kocharyan wished to be prime
minister, Serge Sargsyan could prevent him by relying on the parliament
majority or might not prevent him but would control Robert Kocharyan
the prime minister through the parliament majority.

In other words, the absolute victory on May 12 was thought to guarantee
Serge Sargsyan absolute control of government levers, and his further
actions show that he got and uses this possibility. Serge Sargsyan
leaves no space for even the weather forecast on the air and pages of
the government propaganda machine. Consequently, he should not worry
who the next president will be for the parliament is his for the next
five years. Consequently, when Serge Sargsyan disbelieves that Robert
Kocharyan will break his promise, which is the same as the arrangement,
it means he does not think himself to control fully the situation,
and what Serge Sargsyan is doing now is but with the approval of
Robert Kocharyan. In other words, the TV channels and print media,
meetings in the regions, the parliament majority have been generously
provided to Serge Sargsyan by Robert Kocharyan. And it is interesting
to know in return for what this generosity is. Only security of his
life and possessions in the future? Judging by Robert Kocharyan’s
statement that he is not worse than others, he would not have been so
generous in return for that much and would not have given all to Serge
Sargsyan and kept only retirement for himself. But if they had arranged
something else, Serge Sargsyan would not fear that Robert Kocharyan
would become prime minister and take away all his power, turning him
into an observer. It means Robert Kocharyan and Serge Sargsyan have
no long-term arrangement. And in this case Robert Kocharyan has more
advantages because, unlike Serge Sargsyan, his goal is uncertain. It
is clear that Serge Sargsyan wants to be president but it is not
clear what Robert Kocharyan wants to be. Consequently, it is easier
to hinder Serge Sargsyan, for it is known where he is headed for, than
Robert Kocharyan, for it is unknown toward where he will be moving.

AZERI MINISTER, US OFFICIAL DISCUSS KARABAKH, ENERGY SECURITY IN NEW YORK

Lider TV, Azerbaijan
Oct 4 2007

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has met US
Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns. The
US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Matthew Bryza, also attended
the meeting which was held behind closed doors. Burns briefed our
correspondent about the meeting after it finished. He said that he
had discussed the Nagornyy Karabakh issue, energy security and issues
concerning Iran.

UK DEMANDS INVESTIGATION OF WORLD BANK CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS IN ARMENIA
By M. Alkhazashvili

The Messenger, Georgia
Oct 4 2007

The British government has pressed the World Bank to investigate
claims that its Armenia office has been involved in corruption,
reports the news agency Regnum.

In 2004 British national Bruce Tasker operated as part of an Armenian
Municipal Development Project Study into a USD 35 million World Bank
project to improve Yerevan’s water supply.

The study quickly discovered shortcomings and irregularities and,
according to Tasker, revealed the director general of the Yerevan
Water & Sewerage Company had embezzled tens of millions of dollars
from the Armenian state budget.

However, more sensationally, the team claimed its findings implicated
the World Bank as "undoubtedly" a collaborator in a "wide-ranging
agenda of corruption."

Although at the time the allegations elicited apparent "concern"
from the World Bank office in Yerevan, it appears attempts were made
by high-ranking Armenian political figures to shut down the project.

The allegations have remained out of the public eye until recently,
when the story broke in Washington over the summer and Tasker was
summoned to a meeting with the British Ambassador in Washington,
according to Tasker’s website.

SERZH SARGSYAN: LEVON TER-PETROSYAN’S MEETING WITH SOME REPRESENTATIVES OF ARF DASHNAKSUTYUN PARTY IS NOT A GREAT OCCASION

ArmInfo Agency, Armenia
Oct 3 2007

ArmInfo. "I do not consider Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s meeting with some
representatives of the ARF Dashnaksutyun Party to be a great occasion,
so it’s not a surprise to me," Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan
said in parliament, Wednesday, commenting upon the meeting of the
first president of Armenia with ARFD representatives.

S.Sargsyan noted that he doesn’t perceive the presidential election
as a fight of rivals, but only an occasion to present the country’s
future to people. "We are going to continue the calm policy we have
been conducting during the past parliamentary election," he stressed.

The prime minister also noted that if he continues his activity in
power, then his main efforts in foreign policy will be focused on
the settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

Asked about possible appointment of Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan to the post of Armenian prime minister after his term in
office expires, S.Sargsyan replied: "I don’t see that R.Kocharyan
wants it, and I am not going to comment on this issue".

VARTAN OSKANIAN’S LETTER TO NANCY PELOSI PRESENTED TO MEPS

ArmRadio – Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 3 2007

The European Armenian Federation presented the letter of Armenian
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to
Members of the European Parliament, particularly members of the
Foreign Affairs Committee.

Chairwoman of the European Armenian Federation Hilda Tchoboyan told
Armenpress that the initiative pursues the aim to refute the incorrect
provisions of the recurrent report on the process of Turkey’s accession
to the EU reflected in Vartan Oskanian’s statement, saying: "I regret
to say that there is no process in place to promote normalization of
relations between Armenia and Turkey."

Let us remind that hours later the Foreign Affairs Committee of the
European Parliament will vote on the recurrent report on Turkey-EU
relations presented by Dutch Christian-Democrat Mrs. Oomen-Ruijten,
which makes no reference to Armenian issues. During the first European
Parliament deputies proposed 236 amendments aimed at improving the
draft resolution on "EU-Turkey Relations."

Numerous amendments, proposed by MEPs from various political parties,
aim to address Armenian issues, which were fully censored in the draft
text. Hence, Turkey’s will to exclude Armenia from regional projects
and its direct blockade of Armenia are denounced by several amendments
including those from Conservatives (EPP), Liberals (Lib/Dem),
Souverainists (UEN) and Socialists (PSE). These amendments as well
as those by the Leftists (GUE) reiterate the requirement that Ankara
recognize the Armenian Genocide and put an end to its official policy
of denial.

Eight suggestions were presented by the European Armenian Federation.

Hilda Tchoboyan noted that teh Federation does not have great
expectations from the vote in teh Foreign Affairs Committee. "I think
the scenario of the previous years will repeat. Before we connected
greater hopes with the results of the resolution’s discussion in the
European Parliament," said Hilda Tchoboyan.

It’s worth mentioning that the Christian-Democrat party in the
Netherlands, the CDA (Christian Democrat Appel), has announced
that Mr. Osman Elmaci has been turned down from having a seat in
the European Parliament due to his attitude toward and his remarks
denying the Armenian Genocide.

Mr. Elmaci, who had already been ousted from the last legislative
elections for the same reasons, was the number three person behind the
current MEP Joop Post, who has resigned. He was to become a Member of
the European Parliament after the withdrawal of Mr. Bartho Pronk’s
candidacy. CDA leaders, already having a past record of principled
stance against genocide denial, vetoed this possibility.

Mr. Post will finally be replaced by Mr. Cornelis Visseur.

"We congratulate the CDA party for this courageous and visionary
political decision. Denial – under the pretext of ‘freedom of
expression’ – can only serve to perpetuate the racial hatred from
which it derives," declared Laurent Leylekian, Executive Director of
the European Armenian Federation.

"Avoiding the genocide issue in this resolution is as serious as
the open denial of Mr. Elmaci. In fact, it constitutes a form of
denial that is more perverse and now more prevalent, that is denial
by omission," added Leylekian.

"We call on the CDA party to treat Mrs. Oomen-Ruijten’s case with
the same moral demands it made with Mr. Elmaci, i.e. by charging her
to comply with her own party line in the combat against any form of
denial," concluded Leylekian.

PROMINENT WEIGHTLIFTER KHACHATUR KYAPANAKTSIAN DIES IN A CAR ACCIDENT
Author: Editor: Eghian Robert

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 2 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 1, NOYAN TAPAN. Prominent weightlifter Khachatur
Kyapanaktsian had an accident by his personal Mercedes car and died on
the spot in the midnight of September 30 on the Gyumri-Spitak highway.

K. Kyapanaktsian was born in 1968. For nearly 10 years he was
included in the USSR national team, established many world and Europe
records, became USSR and Europe champion. In the Armenian national
team K. Kyapanaktsian took part in the 1996 Olympic Games. He had
been the second trainer of the Armenian weightlifting national team
since 2005. K. Kyapanaktsian made a great contribution in the issue
of Armenian weightlifters’ success in the 2007 Europe and world
championships.