Author: Tumanian Talar

GOVERNMENTAL COMMISSION OF ARMENIA APPROVES 11 CHARITABLE PROGRAMS

YEREVAN, AUGUST 6. ARMINFO. Today the Governmental Commission of
Armenia on coordination of charitable programs discussed and approved
11 charitable programs.

The governmental press-service told ARMINFO that programs of the Fund
of Agricultural Development on planting greenery and repair of sport
halls of Yerevan school N191 were approved. The program of the
charitable fund “For Armenia”, Berlin Red Cross, providing for repair
of the boiler-house at the school N21 in Gyumri “Henzel-Gretel” was
approved. A program of the charitable and public orgnaization “Kamar”
“Assistant to Shirak region’s rehabilitation Center” was approved.
Besides, the orgnaization intends to implement a program “Direct
assistant and furniture for rural schools” in the village of Small
Sariar. A program of the Armenian office of the organization “Mission
East” “Contribution to children having difficulties with education”
was approved. A program of the Armenian Governmental Department for
Migration and Refugees financed by UNHCR in Armenia was approved, The
program provides for repair of Yerevan hostel No1. According to the
program of the Children Of Armenia Fund “Development of
infrastructures of the village of Karakert, Armavir region” provides
for repair of 2 schools, kindergartens, ambulatories and establishment
of computer center. Besides, organizational programs of the All
Armenian Fund Hayastan on orgnaization of a Pan Armenian Festival “A
Single Nation, A Single Culture” were approved.

Programs on import of cargoes addressed to various organizations were
approved. The commission also discussed a number of issues connected
with transactions under the programs approved earlier.

ON AUGUST 27-29, FIRST PAN-ARMENIAN CONFERENCE ON ISSUES OF EDUCATION
TO TAKE PLACE IN TSAKHKADZOR

YEREVAN, August 4 (Noyan Tapan). On August 27-29, the first
Pan-Armenian conference on problems of education existing in the
Armenian school will be held in Tsakhkadzor. Teachers from Armenia and
Spyurk, members of educational and diocesan councils will take part in
the conference. Hrach Tadevosian, the Head of the Spyurk Department of
RA Ministry of Education and Science, told Noyan Tapan that 100 bids
from 20 countries have already been received. According to him, the
participants of the conference will discuss the problems of the
Armenian school, will touch upon the issues of compiling of
educational literature, preparation and retraining of teachers. New
educational programs will be worked out in the future taking into
account the results of the discussions. “There is a vital necessity of
development of Armenia-Spyurk relations, which proceeds from national
and state problems and interests. I hope that this conference will
give an opportunity of defining and rightly organizing the future
activity, as well as strengthening and extending educational and
cultural contacts between Armenia and Spyurk,” H.Tadevosian mentioned.

3 PERSONS KILLED ON VANADZOR-ALAVERDI ROAD AS A RESULT OF FIRING OF CAR

YEREVAN, August 4 (Noyan Tapan). On August 3, at about 16:25, the
“Nissan-Patrol” jeep belonging to Edik Martirosian was fired in the
sector of the first km of the road leading from Vanadzor to
Alaverdi. E.Martirosian, his son and Ruben Khachatrian, his friend,
died on the spot and Ashot Janjughazian, the forth passenger who was
in the car, was taken to hospital. Ararat Mahtesian, the first Depurty
Head of RA Police, said this at the August 4 press conference.

According to him, at present the Police are carrying out complex
operative investigation arrangements directed to revelation of
eye-witnesses, evidences and other proofs. The first Deputy Head of RA
Police told the journalists that the crime was committed with the help
of sub-machine-guns and a pistol. According to preliminary data, 2 or
3 persons attacked the victims. Mahtesian reported that Edik
Martirosian with a “Jojoi Edo” nickname had contacts and some
authority in the criminal world. A.Mahtesian didn’t exclude the
possible connection of this crime with the recent murder of Goga
Arakelian, another Vanadzor “authority”, committed in Yerevan.

PRESS RELEASE
Council of Europe Spokesperson and Press Division
Ref: 390b04
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60
Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11
[email protected]
internet:

Council of Europe Secretary General: “local self-government elections”
in Nagorno-Karabakh

Strasbourg, 04.08.2004 – Referring to the previous call by Council of
Europe leaders to refrain from staging one-sided “local
self-government elections” in Nagorno-Karabakh(1), Walter Schwimmer,
Secretary General of the 45-nation Council of Europe, regretted that
elections would again be held in the province on 8 August 2004.

“One-sided actions are counter-productive. The future status of
Nagorno-Karabakh must be decided through negotiations”, said Mr
Schwimmer, who confirmed that the Council of Europe fully supports the
efforts undertaken to this end by the “Minsk Conference” under the
auspices of the OSCE. “I further welcome the recently revived contacts
at the highest political level by Armenia and Azerbaijan to find a
peaceful solution to the conflict, as well as the efforts by the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to foster
parliamentary co-operation in the region”, added Mr Schwimmer.

(1) Council of Europe urges Nagorno-Karabakh to refrain from “elections”
(press release of 24 August 2001).

Le Secrétaire Général du Conseil de l’Europe à propos des ” élections
locales ” au Haut-Karabakh

Strasbourg, 04.08.2004 – Se référant au précédent appel lancé par les
dirigeants du Conseil de l’Europe de s’abstenir d’organiser unilatéralement
des ” élections locales ” au Haut-Karabakh(1), Walter Schwimmer, Secrétaire
Général du Conseil de l’Europe (les 45) a regretté que des élections soient
à nouveau prévues dans cette province le 8 août 2004.

” Les actions unilatérales sont contre-productives. Le futur statut du
Haut-Karabakh doit se décider par la négociation “, a déclaré M. Schwimmer
qui a confirmé que le Conseil de l’Europe soutenait pleinement les efforts
déployés à cette fin par la ” Conférence de Minsk ” sous les auspices de
l’OSCE. ” Je me félicite par ailleurs de la reprise des contacts au plus
haut niveau politique par l’Arménie et l’Azerbaïdjan afin de trouver une
solution pacifique au conflit, ainsi que des efforts fournis par l’Assemblée
Parlementaire du Conseil de l’Europe pour encourager la coopération
parlementaire dans cette région “, a ajouté M. Schwimmer.

(1) Le Conseil de l’Europe appelle le Haut-Karabakh à ne pas organiser
d’ ” élections ” (Communiqué de presse du 24 août 2001).

To receive our press releases by e-mail, contact :
[email protected]

A political organisation set up in 1949, the Council of Europe works to
promote democracy and human rights continent-wide. It also develops common
responses to social, cultural and legal challenges in its 45 member states.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Aug 2 2004

FOREIGN MINISTER OF AZERBAIJAN MET PRESIDENT AND FOREIGN MINISTER OF
IRAN IN TEHRAN
[August 02, 2004, 11:47:05]

Visiting the Islamic Republic of Iran, foreign minister of Azerbaijan
Republic Elmar Mammadyarov met on July 31 the President of IRI Seyid
Mohammad Khatemi. ON the same day, Azerbaijani foreign minister
carried negotiations with his Iranian counterpart.

As stated, during the meetings, foreign minister of Azerbaijan noted
that national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev paid great attention
on the Azerbaijan-Iran relations, and the reciprocal visits of the
two countries’ presidents serve development of the bilateral ties,
and that this course is successfully being continued by President
Ilham Aliyev.

Noting that he is pleased with the existing level of cooperation
between the two states in the frame of the international
organizations, Mr. Mammadyarov said that he assesses support by Iran
the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in the Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorny Karabakh conflict. The Minister stressed that preparation for
the Iranian President’s coming visit to Azerbaijan are continued.

Noting that he pays special attention to the Iranian-Azerbaijani
relations, President Seyid Mohammad Khatemi with great pleasure
reminded that President Heydar Aliyev attached particular attention
on these relations and expressed gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev
for development of these relations.

Underlining that recently he will visit the Republic of Azerbaijan,
the Iranian President said he was keen in development of the existent
relations between the two countries. Noting that he adheres peace way
settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict and
liberation of the occupied Azerbaijani territories, President of Iran
stated that his country supports territorial integrity of Azerbaijan
and that Iran would make every effort to regulate the conflict.

President Khatemi stressed the necessity of making further efforts in
realization of joint economic projects.

In the meeting with his Iranian counterpart Mr. Kamal Kharrazi,
minister of foreign affairs of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov discussed
the recent official visit of the president of IRI Seyid Mohammad
Khatemi to Azerbaijan, as well as other questions on cooperation in
political, economic, cultural and humanitarian fields. Mr. Kharrazi
stated that Iran backs participation of Azerbaijan in the project
North-South corridor project. The foreign ministers held news
conference on conclusions of the visit for the media representatives.

Foreign minister of Azerbaijan E. Mammadyarov met in Tehran the
secretary general of ECO, Mr. A. Orazbay. Discussed were issues
connected to the forthcoming ECO Summit in Dushenbe in September, as
well as issues on cooperation on transport, tariffs and power fields
among the ECO member-states.

Minister E. Mammadyarov met the staff members of Azerbaijan embassy
in Iran, updated them on the conclusions of the 27-28 July meeting
held at the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry in Baku. He spoke of the
tasks put forward by the Country’s President Ilham Aliyev at the
meeting.

Foreign minister of Azerbaijan visited the memorial-tomb of the
leader of Islamic Revolution of Iran Imam Khomeyni and assigned a
wreath on the monument.

Interfax
July 29 2004

Georgian, Armenian power systems to work in parallel

Tbilisi. (Interfax) – The energy system of Georgia is to start to
work in parallel with the system in Armenia in the near future, which
will allow it to join in an energy exchange between Armenia and Iran.

Georgian Energy Minister Nika Gilauri told journalists that this
agreement was reached at a meeting this week of an intergovernmental
Armenian-Georgian commission for energy cooperation.

He said that as part of this project Georgia will export excess
electricity to Iran in the summer period through the Armenian system,
and will import power from Iran through Armenia in winter.

The minister said that a group of Georgian energy workers would
travel to Yerevan soon to iron out the technical details of the
project.

Georgia imports 120-130 megawatts of electricity per day from Armenia
in the winter period.

Gilauri also said that during the commission meeting, the Georgian
side proposed to look into the possibility of reducing tariffs for
electricity supplied from Armenia. Tariffs currently amount to 2.54
cents per kWh, which is 0.9 cents higher than the tariff for
electricity imported from Russia. However, “at this stage the
Armenian side is refraining from considering this issue,” Gilauri
said.

Turan news agency, Baku, in Russian
28 Jul 04

Court sentences ex-officer for life for torturing Azeri POWs in
Karabakh

Baku, 27 July: The trial of Rauf Eyvazov presided over by judge
Mammadbagir Zeynalov ended at the Grave Crimes Court today. The court
found him guilty of high treason and handed down a life sentence
under Article 174 of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code.

The investigation has established that in 1991 Rauf Eyvazov was
serving in a military unit in Baku. After taking 10 days of leave, he
went to Xankandi [Stepanakert, capital of Nagornyy Karabakh]. There,
in the village of Karkicahan, he was recruited by the Armenians and
attached to Azerbaijani POWs. Five days later Eyvazov returned to
Baku. Having retired from the military, he got married and moved to
Russia with his family.

In 1997 he returned to Baku and started visiting a centre for the
rehabilitation of the handicapped where a former POW recognized him.

In 2001, Eyvazov was convicted of fraud, while this time he was
arraigned for high treason.

During the trial Eyvazov pleaded not guilty and rejected the
accusations of high treason.

ArmenPress
July 27 2004

OFFICIAL VISIT OF ANDRANIK MARGARIAN TO GEORGIA

YEREVAN, JULY 27, ARMENPRESS: After the meeting with Georgian
president Armenian prime minister Andranik Margarian visited Armenian
embassy in Georgia and met the embassy personnel there. According to
government press services, the concluding session of
Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental economic cooperation committee
took place in the second half of Monday.
Conferring the present pace of Armenian-Georgian trade economic
cooperation between Armenia and Georgia, the committee members
underscored that despite of visible moves the present volumes of
trade turnover does not meet the real potentials of the two
countries.
Special attention was paid to cooperation in the field of
transport and communication and respective tasks were assigned.
The session also discussed mutually beneficial cooperation in the
field of tourism which according to the committee is a major vehicle
to boost friendly ties between the two countries, contribute to
mutual understanding and further develop ties.
The next session of Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental economic
cooperation committee is slated for the year 2005 in Yerevan.
After the session the committee co-chairs, the two prime
ministers, Andranik Margarian and Zurab Zhvania, signed a document on
Rules of Action of Armenian-Georgian Intergovernmental Economic
Cooperation Committee which was discussed during the session and the
memorandum of the meeting where several important arrangements are
detailed including creation of business association and assignments
to different ministries.
In the evening Georgina PM gave an official dinner in the honor of
Andranik Margarian.
Within the cultural part of the visit the Armenian delegation
headed by Andranik Margarian will visit today historical and cultural
sites of Georgia, Georgian state and art museum.

La Stampa
July 26, 2004

RISPARMIO INDIVIDUALE I NOMI E GLI AFFARI SCHWARZENEGGER SI ARRENDE E
I PELLIROSSE VINCONO ALLA ROULETTE

Sacchi Valeria

Valeria Sacchi PELLIROSSA alla riscossa, con la benedizione dei
“”bianchi”” e grazie agli sgravi fiscali decisi da George Bush che
stanno mettendo in ginocchio le finanze dei vari Stati americani.
Pochi giorni fa, anche il governatore della California Arnold
Schwarzenegger, che aveva fatto della guerra al gioco d’azzardo
indiano un punto qualificante del suo programma, ha alzato bandiera
bianca autorizzando cinque tribu’ pellirosse ad aprire casino’ nelle
loro riserve in cambio di un versamento in tasse pari a un miliardo
di dollari l’anno. Sull’esempio del governatore dello Sato di New
York, George Pataki, e di quello di Philadelphia, Edward Rendell.

Ma perche’ gli indiani? Perche’, grazie ad antiche leggi, le riserve
sono territori autonomi, dove il gioco d’azzardo non e’ vietato. E il
gioco, negli Usa, e’ una sicura fonte di entrate: nel 2003 il giro
d’affari delle scommesse e’ salito a 27 miliardi di dollari, contro i
9,5 miliardi spesi per il cinema, i 10,3 miliardi assorbiti dai
parchi divertimenti e i 24 miliardi andati nell’affitto di dvd. Solo
superato dalla passione per la pesca, che ingoia oltre 41 miliardi
all’anno.

In un certo senso, la situazione dei poveri governatori degli Stati
Federali assomiglia a quella dei sindaci italiani – e relativi
presidenti di Regione – che pochi giorni or sono hanno marciato su
Roma per protestare contro i tagli della finanziaria e che, se Silvio
Berlusconi terra’ fede all’impegno di ridurre le tasse, dovranno
escogitare nuovi marchingegni per salvare le spese sociali. A Rendell
i soldi delle slots machines servono per diminuire le imposte
immobiliari mentre Pataki ha destinato i proventi delle corse dei
cavalli alle scuole pubbliche.

In attesa che la passione per il gioco crei una nuova classe di
miliardari indiani, i grandi re dei casino’ Usa non stanno con le
mani in mano. A suonare la riscossa e’ stato Kirk Kerkorian, il
novantenne finanziere di origine armena che il mese scorso ha messo a
segno la maggiore acquisizione nella storia del gioco d’azzardo
conquistando il Mandalay Resort che, fuso alla sua Mgm Mirage,
avrebbe dato vita al primo operatore di casino’ al mondo con 6,4
miliardi di fatturato. Ma il vecchio Kirk e’ stato subito surclassato
dalla decisione dalla rivale Harrah Entertainment che, comperando
Caesar Entertainment, passera’ in testa con un giro d’affari di 8,8
miliardi di dollari.

La mania del primato non conosce confini. A Modena, la Ducati
presieduta da Federico Minoli e controllata dal fondo americano Texas
Pacific ha avanzato un’offerta per rilevare l’Aprilia di Ivano Beggio
in profondo rosso, con un obiettivo: creare il polo italiano delle
moto. Ma Roberto Colaninno, padrone della Piaggio, non ci sta. Anche
lui si e’ messo in corsa, nonostante tra Ducati e Aprilia sia stata
avviata una trattativa in esclusiva. E cosa, se non l’aspirazione ad
essere il piu’ grande, spinge il padrone di Luxottica Leonardo Del
Vecchio a migliorare ancora una volta l’offerta sull’americana Cole
per sconfiggere i cinesi di Moulin International? In Svizzera, la
tedesca Bayer acquista dalla Roche guidata da Franz Humer la
divisione farmaci senza ricetta, salendo di colpo, in questo settore,
dal sesto al terzo posto dopo Johnson & Johnson e GlaxoSmithKline.
Un’operazione che, come spiega il direttore esecutivo di Bayer Werner
Wenning, conferma l’intenzione del gruppo di Leverkusen di diventare
negli Otc il numero uno al mondo.

Maxi fusioni anche nel settore discografico: il matrimonio tra Bmg,
divisione musicale del gruppo Bertelsmann, e la giapponese Sony dara’
vita ad un colosso con un fatturato di 7,5 miliardi di dollari,
secondo solo a Universal Music e guidato da Andrew Lack. L’intesa
restringe ora a quattro i grandi protagonisti dell’industria del
disco: Universal, Sony, Warner Music e Emy che, insieme, si
spartiscono l’80% del mercato.

Ma gli esperti del settore si dicono certi che il processo di
concentrazione continuera’. L’accordo ha gia’ ottenuto il via libera
dall’Antitrust europeo, a conferma che il commissario Mario Monti sa
anche essere buono, come dimostra l’archiviazione dell’indagine sui
contributi all’editoria italiana – destinati a preservare il
pluralismo dell’informazione – e il via libera al prestito
all’Alitalia guidata da Giancarlo Cimoli. Nell’alimentare italiano
continua invece la guerra della pasta, ingigantita dalla crisi dei
consumi che sta mettendo in serie difficolta’ molti piccoli
produttori. Cosi’, alla fine di un braccio di ferro, il napoletano
Mario Maione, proprietario del Pastificio di Nola, del Pastificio
Carmine Russo e della Payrano, si e’ aggiudicato La Molisana
sbaragliando concorrenti agguerriti come il gruppo Guacci –
controllato dalla svizzera Tmt che fa capo a Angelo Mastrolia – e la
Colussi.

U.S. Newswire (press release), DC
July 19 2004

Helsinki Commission Briefing Reviews Religious Freedom in the
Caucasus; Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia Examined by Expert Panel

To: Assignment Desk, Daybook Editor

Contact: Dorothy Douglas Taft of the Helsinki Commission,
202-225-1901, Web:

News Advisory:

The United States Helsinki Commission will hold a briefing on the
current state of religious freedom in the Caucasus due to recent
events in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia.

Religious Freedom in the Caucasus

11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 21, 2004

340 Cannon House Office Building

Panelists:

— Eric Rassbach, counsel, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty,
represents Azerbaijani Imam Ilgar Ibrahimoglu and the Juma Mosque
Community before the European Court of Human Rights

— Andre Carbonneau, attorney, Jehovah’s Witnesses, represents
Armenian and Georgian Jehovah’s Witnesses before the European Court
of Human Rights

— Dr. Paul Crego, senior cataloging specialist, Library of Congress,
is responsible for materials in Georgian and Armenian and recently
traveled to Georgia

On June 30, Azerbaijani authorities forcibly seized the independent
Juma Mosque, with police reportedly expelling worshipers before
taking control of the place of worship. The authorities imposed a new
imam appointed by the Muslim Board of the Caucasus, a Soviet-era
Muftiate backed by the government, to replace the community’s leader,
Imam Ilgar Ibrahimoglu. Other unregistered religious communities,
such as Adventists and Baptists, have also experienced repeated
harassment from authorities.

Armenian policy toward religious freedom also conflicts with the
government’s commitments to respect human rights. Government
registration restrictions make it more difficult for religious groups
to rent property, publish newspapers or magazines, or officially
sponsor visas of visitors. The approval system has proven extremely
problematic, as on June 17 when the government again refused to
recognize the Jehovah’s Witnesses as an official religion because of
their proselytizing activities. Other small religious groups,
including Hare Krishnas and many Baptist communities, are frequently
unable to attain the minimum number of members required by the
government and are barred from applying for registration. Armenia has
currently imprisoned 20 Jehovah’s Witnesses for their conscientious
refusal of military service — a principle of their religious
beliefs.

The situation for religious freedom in Georgia improved substantially
with the long overdue arrest on March 12 of renegade Orthodox priest
and mob leader, Basili Mkalavishvili, who instigated violent assaults
against religious minorities. But, Georgian authorities need to
investigate and prosecute others known to have perpetrated similar
criminal acts. Legal problems also persist, as some minority
religious communities are unable to obtain legal entity status or to
build new worship facilities. In addition, a concordat with the state
granted the Georgian Orthodox Church special privileges to the
detriment of other confessions.

An un-official transcript will be available on the Helsinki
Commission’s Internet Web site at within 24 hours
of the briefing.

The United States Helsinki Commission, an independent federal agency,
by law monitors and encourages progress in implementing provisions of
the Helsinki Accords. The Commission, created in 1976, is composed of
nine Senators, nine Representatives and one official each from the
Departments of State, Defense and Commerce.