GEORGIAN INTERIOR MINISTER EXPECTED IN TSALKA TO GET FIRST-HAND
INFORMATION

ArmenPress
May 13 2004

TSALKA, MAY 13, ARMENPRESS: Georgia’s interior minister is expected
to travel to Tsalka, the region of a recent clash between Armenians
and Georgians, to get first-hand information. The clash occurred on
May 9 after a football match in the center of Tsalka, leaving some
10 people with different injuries.

A local A-Info news agency said Georgian law-enforces have opened a
criminal case into the accident. It said the tension has somewhat
diffused now, quoting also the chief of the local administration,
Razmik Hanesian, as saying that 150 servicemen of the interior
ministry, dispatched to the region, will remain for several more days.

Members of the Georgian community are still complaining that Armenians
are armed and that they fear new clashes, but the agency said it
is the Georgians who are armed, citing several incidents when they
terrorized Armenians by their guns.

Earlier Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili said one should not
consider the fight between Georgians and ethnic Armenians in Tsalka as
an ethnic conflict. “I don’t want to dramatize the situation. This is
not an inter-ethnic conflict. It was a common fight between Georgians
and Armenians. But we will not allow violation of law and order and
we are not going to be involved in a provocation,” he said.

Conference on Russia-Armenia cooperation opens in Samara
By Lyudmila Yermakova

ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 12, 2004 Wednesday

MOSCOW, May 13 — The conference “Russian-Armenian inter-regional
cooperation: state and prospects” opens in the city of Samara, situated
in the middle reaches of the Volga River, Tass learnt on Wednesday at
the Committee for CIS Affairs of the Russian parliament upper chamber.

The two parliaments decided to use “the regional factor” to improve
relations. Fifteen agreements are now operable between regions of
the two countries. It is also planned to discuss participation of an
Armenian delegation in a Petersburg economic forum which will be held
in June and where presentation of Armenia will be held.

Speaker of the Federation Council Sergei Mironov arrives on Thursday
in Samara to participate in the forum at the head of the Russian
delegation. The Armenian delegation is led by speaker of the National
Assembly Artur Bagdasaryan.

According to a Tass dispatch from Yerevan, the Armenian delegation also
includes representatives from all political forces in the republican
parliament as well as executives of several ministries and regions of
the country. The Armenian speaker plans to have meetings with Mironov,
executives of the Samara Region and members of the business community.

Mironov will also have his own, Russian programme. For instance he
will meet regional Governor Konstantin Titov and deputies to the
Samara legislative assembly and will visit the Volgaburmash company.

The forum will be held under the aegis of the Russian parliament
upper chamber and the Armenian parliament.

Yerevan, Teheran sign treaty on building gas pipeline
By Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 12, 2004 Wednesday

YEREVAN, May 13 — A basic treaty on construction of a gas pipeline
from Iran to Armenia will be signed in the Armenian capital on
Thursday. For this purpose, Iranian Oil and Gas Minister Bijan Zanganeh
arrives in Yerevan, Tass learnt on Thursday from press service head
of the Armenian Energy ministry Lusine Arutyunyan. The Iranian guest
will be received by President Robert Kocharyan and Prime Minister
Andranik Margaryan.

The project provides for laying down a 100-kilometer gas pipeline along
the Iranian territory and 41 kilometers in Armenia. The pipeline will
pump daily 1.5 million cubic meters of Turkmen gas. The approximate
cost of the project is 96 million U.S. dollars.

According to Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsesyan, it is planned
to start construction within this year and to complete tentatively
in 2006.

The gas pipeline from Iran is to be built only to meet domestic needs
of Armenia, Kocharyan emphasized. According to the president, any
other direction of the pipeline, for instance to Europe, is not under
discussion, since this will raise problems for the republic. “We regard
this project as a serious question for Armenian energy security,”
the president underlined.

Besides, the republic is now building the second high-voltage power
transmission line which will, apart from boosting power flow to
Iran, be used for selling power, generated in Armenia, in exchange
for deliveries of Iranian gas. According to the president, “this is
profitable business”.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch: Peace Should Be Everybody’s Target

Anadolu Agency
May 13 2004

MARDIN – Peace should be everybody’s target, Fener Greek Orthodox
Patriarch Bartholomew said on Thursday.

A symposium on religions and peace in the light of Prophet Abraham
was held in southeastern Mardin province by Turkish Intercultural
Dialogue Platform.

Speaking in the symposium, Bartholomew said that human beings had to
be honest, fair and pacifist.

Bartholomew noted that they could see a few pacifists in today’s world.

Stating that terrorists killed people insolently, Bartholomew said,
”where are pacifists among all these agonies? We don’t have any
other remedy than working for peace. Let peace be our target.”

Ishak Haleva, the Chief Rabbi in Turkey, said that not only
similarities, but also differences among cultures should be underlined
and thus, everybody should protect all those features.

Haleva stated that thus, they should be an example for forthcoming
generations.

Mesrob Mutafian, the Patriarch of Armenians in Turkey, sent a message
to the symposium in which he wished that that meeting would contribute
to efforts to end wars and overcome violence.

Representatives of three monotheist religions sang hymns in the
symposium. Many religious personalities and 40 guests from 17 countries
attended the meeting.

Religious representatives later freed a pigeon.

Regular summits-impetus to friendly Russia-Armenia relations
By Alexandra Urusova, Yelena Starkova

ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 12, 2004 Wednesday

MOSCOW, May 13 — Regular top-level contacts “give an additional
impetus to deepening traditionally close and friendly relations between
Russia and Armenia”, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander
Yakovenko in connection with the Moscow visit by Armenian President
Robert Kocharyan, starting on Thursday. He arrives in the Russian
capital on a working visit at the invitation of Russian President
Vladimir Putin.

The sides will center on “the state of and prospects for consolidating
economic relations, implementation of the ‘property for debts’
agreement as well as cooperation in the sphere of the power industry,
transport and investments”, Yakovenko noted.

According to the spokesman, “the Russian interests are impressively
represented in the financial system and the basic industries of the
real sector of the Armenian economy”. “The sides give much attention
to settling the transport problem, for instance, by resumption
of railway traffic between Russia and Armenia across Georgia,”
Yakovenko continued.

“Attention is also given to coordination of efforts of the two
countries to revitalize the situation in the Caucasus, to reveal the
potential of multilateral cooperation, including in the framework
of “the Caucasian Four” as well as to prevent new and to settle
old conflicts, including Nagorno-Karabakh,” the Russian diplomat
emphasized.

“Russia and Armenia,” he added, “are fully determined, on a bilateral
and multilateral basis, to take purposeful moves in struggle against
terrorism in all its manifestations.” “Political cooperation in
the anti-terrorist direction is buttressed by efficient practical
cooperation of law enforcement bodies and secret services of the two
countries,” Yakovenko went on to say.

According to the spokesman, much attention is given to cooperation
within the CIS, the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the
Eurasian Economic Community where Armenia was granted the status of
an observer.

The press service of the Armenian president told Tass that Kocharyan
also plans meetings with board chairman of the Russian mammoth
Gazprom gas company Alexei Miller and president of the ITERA Group
Igor Makarov during his three-day visit to Moscow.

These companies supply Armenia with Russian gas. Besides, the
Armenian president will meet members of the organizing committee
of the Association of Russian-Armenian Business Cooperation. The
organization is being created to help boost economic relations between
the two countries.

On 10th anniversary of Nagorno-Karabakh truce, leaders pledge possible
by AIDA SULTANOVA; Associated Press Writer

Associated Press Worldstream
May 12, 2004 Wednesday

BAKU, Armenia — On the 10th anniversary of the truce that ended
fighting Azeri-Armenian fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh but left its
status in limbo, Azerbaijan’s president on Wednesday pledged support
for peaceful resolution of the dispute, but raised the prospect of
military action.

Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave within in Azerbaijan,
for the past decade has been under control of an internationally
unrecognized ethnic Armenian government backed by forces who also
occupy parts of Azerbaijan adjoining the enclave.

Because of the dispute over the enclave’s final status, the
Armenia-Azerbaijan border is closed. Failure to resolve the issue is
seen as having discouraged investment in both countries because of
concern that another war over the enclave could erupt.

Armenian and Azerbaijani officials, including the country’s presidents,
have met repeatedly to discuss Nagorno-Karabakh, but with little
visible progress despite a wave of sessions in 2001 that many observers
believed foreshadowed an imminent settlement.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev underlined that Azerbaijan insists
Nagorno-Karabakh remain part of that country and that a resumption
of fighting could not be excluded.

“We are supporters of peaceful resolution of the conflict, but the
Azerbaijani people will not submit to the loss of its territory. If
talks do not give results, we will free our land at any cost,”
Aliev said. “Our army is capable of freeing occupied territory at
any moment.”

Armenia’s President Robert Kocharian, in a statement marking the
cease-fire’s 10th anniversary, said “We will observe the principle
of a peaceful regulation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”

Aliev made his statements in a speech at a military institute in
Nakhichevan, an Azerbaijani exclave separated from the rest of the
country by Armenian territory.

“Azerbaijan is in a condition of war, our territorial wholeness is
violated and the army can undertake steps to restore the wholeness,”
he said.

Armenia pres to visit Moscow at Putin’s invitation May 13-15

ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 12, 2004 Wednesday

MOSCOW, May 13 — Armenian President Robert Kocharyan will come
to Moscow on a working visit on May 13-15 at the invitation of the
Russian head of state, Tass learnt at the Kremlin press service.

International airport opens in Azerbaijani Nakhichevan
By Sevindzh Abdullayeva, Viktor Shulman

ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 12, 2004 Wednesday

NAKHICHEVAN (Azerbaijan), May 12 – Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev
attended on Wednesday a ceremony to unveil an international airport
in Nakhichevan.

The commissioning of the airport will make it possible to link that
southwestern region of the country with Moscow, Ankara, Istanbul,
Tehran and some capitals of former Soviet republics, the first deputy
general director of the Azerbaijanskie Avialinii state carrier told
Itar-Tass.

According to Sabir Ilyasov, two landing strips of the new airport
will be able to land heavy passenger and cargo planes of the Il-76,
Mria and Boeing types.

The air terminal can accommodate up to 300 passengers an hour. The
new airport has a cargo terminal and flight-control points ensuring
the safety of flights in mountainous conditions. Nakhichevan Airport
has got the status of international one.

President Aliyev emphasized the importance of opening an international
airport in Nakhichevan, which has been cut off from the rest of
Azerbaijan since 1992 as a result of a conflict around the mostly
Armenian populated Azerbaijani enclave of Nagorno Karabakh.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, he drew attention to the fact
that such a major facility had been for the first time built without
the attraction of foreign investments.

Aliyev also said Azerbaijan was planning to buy several
state-of-the-art aircraft in 2006.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IN THIS ISSUE:

*** NGOs IN REFORMS WITHIN ARMENIA’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

*** ANTI-CORRUPTION INITIATIVE IN ARMENIAN COMMUNITIES

***NGO SAVES DOGS FROM BEING SHOT

*** DISABILITY DOES NOT SLOW DOWN ATHLETE

*** CONFERENCE: SUSTAINABLE MODELS OF COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS

*** SEMINAR FOR JOURNALISTS ON THE TOPIC GENDER ISSUES IN THE MIRROR OF MASS
MEDIA

*** NGO’S RESEARCH REVEALS THE ATTITUDE ON EDUCATIONAL REFORMS

*** NGOs IN REFORMS WITHIN ARMENIA’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

On April 6, 2004, the Armenian Assembly of America’s NGO Training and
Resource Center hosted the NGOs in Reforms Within Armenia’s Healthcare
System NGO/Media thematic roundtable discussion. Participating in the event
were healthcare NGOs, foundations, international organizations, as well as
representatives of media and state structures. During the roundtable, Samvel
Hovhannissyan of the Armenian Association of Family Physicians NGO, David
Petrosyan of the Human Health Humanitarian Fund, Irina Ghazaryan of the Drug
Utilization Research Group NGO and Melita Hakobyan of the Anna National
Association of Consumers NGO made presentations on the following topics
respectively: Role of NGOs in Provision of Healthcare Services, the Right to
Free Medical Service, Patients Rights, Problems in the Sphere of Medicaments
Usage, as well as on Collaboration of NGO-State-Business sectors in Solving
These Essential Problems. In their presentations, the speaker NGOs outlined
issues of concern related to healthcare system reform in Armenia and came up
with suggestions. Prioritizing the role of Mass Media, a suggestion was made
to be “both competent and popular” while covering the reform process through
outlets highlighting reforms.

Contact:
Samvel Hovannissyan
Armenian Association of Family Physicians NGO
Tel.: (374-1) 23-48-51; 23-48-62
E-mail: [email protected]

David Petrosyan
Human Health Humanitarian Fund NGO
Tel.: (374-1) 56-65-21; (374-9) 43-71-58
E-mail: [email protected]

Irina Ghazaryan
Drug Utilization Research Group NGO
Tel.: (374-1) 56-65-51; (374-9) 42-72-46
E-mail: [email protected]

Melita Hakobyan
Anna National Association of Consumers NGO
Tel: (374-1) 24-92-04; 52-04-40; (374-9) 47-05-79
E-mail: [email protected]
*** ANTI-CORRUPTION INITIATIVE IN ARMENIAN COMMUNITIES

The Information Training Center for Local Self-Government Development NGO’s
We In Our Communities project is currently underway in 48 communities of 10
regions of Armenia. The project is designed to contribute to the reduction
of violations of law (corruption, abuse of power by those in office,
plundering community resources) within the local self-governing system.
Within the framework of the project, the ?1 TV Channel airs weekly
documentaries, highlighting the activities of local self-governing bodies in
rural communities and current violations of law. Based on specific community
cases, the films cover issues related to the ability of local self-governing
bodies to make community resources available to the community, collecting
taxes and ensuring the community budget is administered to meet the
community’s needs. Through a separate TV program, comments are made on
issues related to real cases from the films. Though the project ends in June
2004, the NGO has leveraged funds to continue the TV programs. The current
project is implemented with the assistance of World Learning, through USAID
funding.

Contact:
Arevik Harutiunyan
Information Training Center for Local Self-Government Development NGO
23 Burnazyan St.
Tel.: (374-1) 55-70-62
E-mail: [email protected]

***NGO SAVES DOGS FROM BEING SHOT

On April 13, 2004 The Dunay Dogs Protection Support NGO presented its
forthcoming program to interested parties and Mass Media. With the
assistance of the Yerevan Municipality, the NGO has designed a series of
activities aimed at solving the problem of stray dogs. These activities are
an alternative to the shooting and killing method applied in the past. The
program is comprised of the following activities: picking up dogs,
registering, sterilizing, inoculating against rabies, providing other
vaccines and, with numbered collars, returning the dogs??? to previous
places. As stated by the NGO Chairman A. Ghazaryan, “Picking up and healing
stray dogs will contribute to the betterment of not only the sanitary and
hygienic situation, but also the environment.”

Contact:
Armen Ghazaryan
Dunay Dogs Protection Support NGO
3rd Tigran Mets Sidestreet, #3
Tel.: (374-1) 52-96-14
E-mail: [email protected]

*** DISABILITY DOES NOT SLOW DOWN ATHLETE

Onik Hovakimyan, athlete of Pyunik Union of the Disabled, participated in
the annual Los Angeles Marathon held on March 7. Only 59 of 19 526
wheelchair driven disabled crossed the finish. Improving his best-time from
last year by 40 minutes, Hovakimyan completed 42 kilometers in 2 hours and
17 minutes. The Los Angeles Marathon was the third in 24-year-old Onik’s
life since 1999 and 2000. “There was a time when I felt disabled,” Onik
said. “However, in the Pyunic family, sometimes we don’t even think about
it.” Pyunic not only provides the disabled with opportunities to get
involved in athletics, but also contributes to their social and
psychological rehabilitation, solution of their educational and health
problems, rights protection with its true mission of integrating the
disabled in Armenia into the society.

Contact:
Hakob Abrahamyan
Pyunik Union of the Disabled
16 Tsitsernakaberd St.
Tel.: (374-1) 56-07-07
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

*** CONFERENCE: SUSTAINABLE MODELS OF COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS

On April 20, 2004, Eurasia Foundation’s Representative Office in Armenia
organized a conference on development of local community based
organizations. Representatives of ROA Government, local authorities, local
and international organizations, community based organizations and Mass
Media participated in the event. The goal of the conference was to present
activities carried out in Armenian communities by evaluating past
achievements, identifying challenges and developing strategies for
development. After presentations, working groups were formed. During
thematic discussions on NGO activities, legislation and fundraising,
obstacles hindering activities and solutions to those obstacles were
presented.

Contact:
Yulia Antonyan
Eurasia Foundation’s Representative Office in Armenia
4 Demirchyan St.
Tel.: (374-1) 56-54-78; 58-60-59
E-mail: [email protected]

*** SEMINAR FOR JOURNALISTS ON THE TOPIC GENDER ISSUES IN THE MIRROR OF MASS
MEDIA

Between April 14-18, 2004, the Association of Women With University
Education NGO, jointly with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutes and
Human Rights, organized a seminar on Gender Issues in the Mirror of Mass
Media. Journalists, representatives of NGOs and international organizations,
as well as experts invited from the Russian Federation and Georigia
participated in the seminar. They discussed current gender problems and the
importance of highlighting gender issues in the Mass Media. Issues related
to gender in the fields of political, social and economic development and
women’s political participation, carrying out campaigns in Mass Media,
gender expertise of the social sphere, gender censorship, overcoming gender
stereotypes in Mass Media and highlighting trafficking in the Mass Media
were also presented. Participants discussed issues of professional ethics of
journalists, regional media, as well as Mass Media-NGO cooperation. At the
conclusion of the seminar, participants defined conclusions and
recommendations on solving the problems.

Contact:
Jemma Hasratyan
Association of Women With University Education NGO
33 Sayat Nova Ave.
Tel.: (374-1) 58-15-83
E-mail: [email protected]

*** NGO’S RESEARCH REVEALS THE ATTITUDE ON EDUCATIONAL REFORMS

Between October-December 2003, the Armenian Sociological Association
researched attitudes towards secondary education reforms, as well as
assessments of reforms carried out to-date. The project was financially
supported by the World Bank and results are now available. The research
aimed at revealing the stakeholder attitude towards reforms in the secondary
education system in Armenia and the evaluation of the reform process. About
600 teachers and directors of 100 schools in Yerevan, Shirak, Aragatsotn,
Gegharkunik and Syunik regions were surveyed. Eighteen advanced group
discussions were held with teachers and highschool children at 12 schools in
the same regions. Interviews were also conducted with 160 experts,
(including those in the field of education, regional government officials,
Community Council chairmen, journalists, NGO and international organization
representatives, National Assembly Deputies, businessmen and school
directors.)Research results show that Armenian society recognizes the need
for changes in the secondary education system. These changes will best meet
the requirements needed to develop a national culture and secondary
education system, adopted in the modern civilized world. The results prove
that the reforms are insufficiently covered by the media and the public
awareness on its goals and process is low.

Contact:
Gevorg Poghossyan
Armenian Sociological Association
44 Aram St.
Tel.: (374-1) 53-08-22; 53-10-96; 53-05-71
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

ARKA News Agency
May 13 2004

Science conference on Armenian medieval architecture takes place in
Brussels

RA Ex-Minister of Culture and Youth appointed on position of Director
Executive of “One-Nation – One Culture” Foundation”

RA President to leave for Moscow with working visit

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

SCIENCE CONFERENCE ON ARMENIAN MEDIEVAL ARCHITECTURE TAKES PLACE IN
BRUSSELS

YEREVAN, May, 13. /ARKA/. Science conference on Armenian medieval
architecture took place in Brussels on the initiative of Armenians of
Europe Assembly. Architects, staff of European Commission culture
department, lectors and students. L.D. –0–

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

RA EX-MINISTER OF CULTURE AND YOUTH APPOINTED ON POSITION OF DIRECTOR
EXECUTIVE OF “ONE-NATION – ONE CULTURE” FOUNDATION”

YEREVAN, May, 13. /ARKA/. RA Ex-Minister of Culture and Youth Tamara
Poghosian was appointed on position of Director Executive of
“One-Nation – One Culture” Foundation, RA Government told ARKA.
According to RA President’s decree as of May 3, 2004 Tamar Poghosian
was release from taking position.
“One-Nation – One Culture” Foundation was created for organization of
All Armenia culture festival that will take place on August 14-23 in
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. L.D. –0–

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

RA PRESIDENT TO LEAVE FOR MOSCOW WITH WORKING VISIT

YEREVAN, May 13. /ARKA/. Today RA President Robert Kocharian to leave
for Moscow with working visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s
invitation. During the visit two Presidents will meet to discuss the
whole specter of issues of mutual interest. As planned Kocharian also
to meet Russian PM Mikhail Fradkov to touch the issues related to
enhancing of and development of economic relations. RA President also
plans to meet the Managers of the companies supplying gas to Armenia
and representatives of the Russian business circles. On 15 May RA
President to return to Armenia. T.M. -0–

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

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress