Americans close in on Russia after Spanish win
By Malcolm Pein
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH(LONDON)
October 26, 2004, Tuesday
THE USA moved into third place with a surprise 3.5-0.5 victory over
Spain in round nine but Ukraine remain two and half points clear with
five rounds to play of the 36th Chess Olympiad being held at Calvia on
the island of Majorca. China are dominating the Women’s Olympiad and
lead by six points.
Ukraine struggled to a 2-2 draw with Armenia as former Fide champion
Ruslan Ponomariov lost to Rafael Vaganian, but Andrei Volokitin
defeated Smbat Lputian who was playing the Armenian’s favourite line in
the French Winawer, which goes 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3
Ba5!? – Bxc3+ is more common.
There were signs of stress in this match, the board four game was a
comedy of errors that ended in a draw.
The Russians also look under pressure and Alexey Dreev could have
resigned against Pentyala Harikrishna had the Indian found a fairly
simple win – see below. In the big game of the day, Vishy Anand played
superbly to tame the attacking intent of Alexander Morozevich. Anand
gradually undermined Morozevich’s Hedgehog structure and Russia won on
the bottom boards to clinch the match 2.5-1.5
England could make no progress and drew 2-2 with Iceland. The team will
be bolstered by the arrival of Nigel Short. Team captain Allan
Beardsworth, a tax partner in professional services firm Deloitte,
spent eight months raising funds for the team and for the first time he
will have a full squad to choose from. Short will probably play all
five games now.
Scotland rested British champion Jonathan Rowson who had lost two games
but went down to a heavy 0.5-3.5 defeat against Bosnia-
Hercegovina and thus lost the chance to go ahead of England.
Leading scores:
1 Ukraine 27/36
2 Russia 24.5
3 USA 24
4-5 Armenia, Israel 23
6-12 India, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Cuba, Switzerland, France,
Slovenia 22.5
35 England 20
56 Scotland 18.5
68 Ireland 18
71 Wales 18
108 Jersey 14.5
126 Guernsey 11.5
129 teams
Women:
1 China 23.5/27
2-5 Russia, Hungary, USA,
India 17.5
13 England 16
67 Wales 11.5
76 Ireland 11
87 teams
A Shirov – A Onischuk
36th Chess Olympiad Calvia (9)
Ruy Lopez
1 e4e52Nf3Nc6
3 Bb5a64Ba4Nf6
5 0-0Be76Re1b5
7 Bb30-08a4Bb7
9 d3Re810Nbd2Bf8
11 c3Na512Bc2c5
13 d4exd414cxd4d5!
15 e5Ne416Nxe4dxe4
17 Rxe4Nb3!!18Bg5Be7
19 Bxe7Qxe720Rb1Nxd4
21 Nxd4Bxe422Bxe4Rad8!
23 Bxh7+Kf8!24Qf3Rxd4
25 Re1Qg526h4Qd2
27 Rf1Rxh40-1
Analysis: a) 8.c3 allows the Marshall Attack with 8… d5 b) 12 Ba2 was
played in Shirov – Ivanchuk, Linares 2002 c) 14…d5! by avoiding the
move d6 Black has saved a tempo for this advance d) 17.Rxe4 fails,
17.Ng5!? or even 17.e6!? Rxe6 18.Rxe6 fxe6 19.axb5 with an edge to
White, if 17.e6!? Qxe4 18.exf7+! with a fork on g5 e) Shirov’s idea was
17…Bxe4? 18.Bxe4 Rb8 19.Bxh7+! Kxh7 20.Ng5+ Kg8 21.Qh5 Bd6 22.Qxf7+
Kh8 23.Qh5+ Kg8 24.Qh7+ Kf8 25.Qh8+ Ke7 26.Qxg7 mate f) 20.Bxb3 Bxe4
21.d5 Bxf3 22.Qxf3 Qxe5 wins
Onischuk
Shirov
Final position after 27…Rxh4
Craig Brown is away

ESTONIAN PRESIDENT TO MAKE VISIT TO ARMENIA
Baltic News Service
October 26, 2004
TALLINN, Oct 26 — Estonian President Arnold Ruutel is scheduled to
pay an official visit to Armenia in mid-November.
During the Nov. 13-16 visit the Estonian head of state is going to
meet with his opposite number, Robert Kocharyan, at whose invitation
the visit will take place.
The president’s office invited members of parliament to accompany
the president but the standing Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday
decided that parliamentarians accompany the head of state only on
state visits but do not take part in official trips.
“A state visit is on a higher level, representing the state of Estonia,
and it’s not just the president’s visit,” the head of the parliament
panel, Marko Mihkelson, told BNS.
Estonia’s Ambassador to Armenia is Andres Unga, who resides in Athens.
The Armenian ambassador to Estonia resides in Warsaw.
The Armenian head of state made an official visit to this Baltic state
in June 2002, but neither Ruutel nor his predecessor Lennart Meri has
visited the Caucasus state. In April 2001 the then foreign minister,
Toomas Hendrik Ilves, and in December 1997 a parliamentary delegation
headed by Toomas Savi visited the Caucasus state.
Former Foreign Minister Siim Kallas was in Armenia in July 1996 at
the head of a delegation of the Council of Europe.

Zoo suspects disgruntled staff of killing elephants in southern India
Agence France Presse — English
October 26, 2004 Tuesday 8:58 AM GMT
BANGALORE, India Oct 26 — Disgruntled workers at a zoo in southern
India are suspected of poisoning elephants to death after a prize
calf became the third victim.
Police have been called in to investigate the death last week of
seven-year-old Komala at Mysore, in southern Karnataka state, zoo
director Manoj Kumar told AFP on Tuesday.
Two elephants and a lion-tailed macaque, an endangered species,
were poisoned in August.
“There is a suspicion that some disgruntled employees may be behind
the deaths,” he said, adding it was still too soon to suspend anyone
at the zoo.
A government-run veterinary institute found that zinc phosphide,
a cheap pest control agent normally used again rodents, had killed
the first two tuskers.
“There is a pattern in all the three deaths. It is due to poisoning,”
Kumar said.
Komala had been picked out to be sent to Armenia as a gift from Indian
President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
“Komala was due to be flown out to Armenia on October 14 and there
was a delay from the Armenian side. Later the date was revised and
fixed for October 30. It is unfortunate,” the director said.
The century-old Mysore zoo houses 1,100 animals.

Agence France Presse — English
October 26, 2004 Tuesday 3:15 PM GMT
List of the 30-member Lebanese government
BEIRUT Oct 26
Here is the line-up of the new 30-member Lebanese cabinet formed
Tuesday by prime minister-designate Omar Karameh, which still has to be
approved by parliament.
– Prime Minister: Omar Karameh (Sunni Muslim, new)
– Deputy Prime Minister: Issam Fares (Greek Orthodox, unchanged)
– Foreign Minister: Mahmud Hammud (Shiite, change of portfolio)
– Interior Minister: Sleiman Frangieh (Maronite, change of portfolio)
– Defense Minister: Abdel Rahim Mrad (Sunni, minister of state in
previous government)
– Justice Minister: Adnan Addum (Sunni, new)
– Telecommunications Minister: Jean-Louis Qordahi (Maronite, unchanged)
– Finance Minister: Elias Saba (Greek-Orthodox, new)
– Information Minister: Elie Firzli (Greek Orthodox, new)
– Tourism Minister: Farid el-Khazen (Maronite, new)
– Energy Minister: Maurice Sehnawi (Greek Catholic, new)
– Industry Minister: Layla Solh (Sunni, new)
– Economy and Trade Minister: Adnan Kassar (Sunni, new)
– Culture Minister: Nagi Bustani (Maronite, new)
– Displaced Persons Minister: Talal Arslan (Druze, minister of state in
previous government)
– Education Minister: Sami Minkara (Sunni, new)
– Health Minister: Mohammad Khalifeh (Shiite, new)
– Environment Minister: Wi’am Wahhab (Druze, new)
– Agriculture Minister: Elias Skaff (Greek Catholic, changes portfolio)
– Labour Minister: Assem Qanso (Shiite, minister of state in previous
government).
– Public Works: Yassin Jaber (Shiite, new)
– Social Affairs: Ghazi Zaayter (Shiite, new)
– Youth and Sports Minister: Sebuh Hovnanian (Armenian, unchanged)
– State minister for administrative reforms: Ibrahim Daher (Maronite,
new)
– State Minister: Karam Karam (Greek Orthodox, unchanged)
– State Minister: Albert Mansur (Greek Catholic, new)
– State Minister: Mahmud Abdel Khaleq (Druze, new)
– State Minister: Yussef Salameh (Maronite, new)
– State Minister: Wafaa Hamza (Shiite, new)
– State Minister: Alain Taburian (Armenian, new)

TURKISH AND ARMENIAN SCHOLARS TO OPENLY DISCUSS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
IPR Strategic Business Information Database
October 27, 2004
According to Hurriyet, in the first half of 2005, Turkey and Armenia
are set for the first time to discuss the so-called Armenian genocide
on an international stage. The historical evidence will be examined
and discussed at an international seminar in Vienna, Austria with
Turkey represented by Institute of History Professor Yusuf Halacoglu
along with government officials.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EU/TURKEY: DRAFT PARLIAMENTARY REPORT STANDS FIRM ON TURKISH ACCESSION
European Report
October 27, 2004
“The launch of accession negotiations with Turkey is only the starting
point of a long process, one that must remain open, i.e. that need not
necessarily lead to accession”, according to Camiel Eurlings (EPP,
Netherlands) the European Parliament’s rapporteur on the issue of
Turkey’s accession to the EU. His view jars with that of the European
Commission which, on October 6, said Turkey has made sufficient
progress to meet the Copenhagen criteria (respect for human rights in
general) to justify starting negotiations toward full EU membership.
Whist it concurs with European Commission’s recommendation and notably
scope for suspending negotiations in the event of serious human rights
failings by Ankara, the report by Mr Eurlings is likely to recommend
the opening of negotiations only to the extent that they address
the Copenhagen political criteria and only proceed thereafter with
an examination chapter by chapter. Other priorities for the Turkish
authorities should include combating torture, violence in the family
and corruption. A consensus should also be reached with Armenia on the
Armenian genocide and Ankara should make every effort to contribute
to resolving the Cypriot question, according to Mr Eurlings.
Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee is due to stage a first debate
on the Eurlings report on the evening of October 26 on the fringes
of the Assembly’s plenary session in Strasbourg. Once adopted by
the Assembly, this opinion will be presented to EU Heads of State
and Government in advance of the December 17 European Council at
which the Member States are due to decide whether to open accession
negotiations with Ankara.

The Verkhny Lars Checkpoint Has Been Opened On The Russian-Georgian Border
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
October 27, 2004, Wednesday
The Verkhny Lars checkpoint recently was opened on the Russian-Georgian
border. This statement was made by the press service of the border
guard service of the Russian FSB.
The press service said that the checkpoint was closed after the
tragedy in Beslan on September 1 in order to prevent terrorists
from infiltrating into Russia from Georgia. As a result, a lot
of cars and trucks, including from Armenia, were stopped on the
border. This situation damaged Armenia’s economy. Sergei Mironov,
Speaker of the Federation Council, visited Yerevan and promised to
settle this problem.
Source: Trud, October 23, 2004, p. 2

Message on a genocide
Hills Shire Times (Australia)
October 26, 2004 Tuesday
A LIFETIME of learning about the Armenian culture and her parents’
heritage has given Kellyville schoolgirl Rhaya Ratavosi plenty of
inspiration.
So, coming up with an idea for her entry in the Orange Blossom
Festival’s photography competition was a breeze for the 16-year-old.
She simply turned to the pages of the Armenian magazine Garoon.
“I was looking for pictures of Armenian women dancing and celebrating
their culture and I found them in the magazine,” she said.
She contrasted the strong imagery of Armenian women dancing with her
knowledge of the 1915 genocide of 1.5 million Armenians and the end
result was a confronting collage which won her first prize in the
competition’s high school monochrome print category.
Rhaya said she had not expected to win when she entered her collage
but she, and her parents, were thrilled when she did.
“Since I was in pre-school I have been going to Armenian school
on Saturdays and we learned all about the genocide, about Armenian
history,” Rhaya said.
“But the school is fun too. It’s a great place to get together with
Armenian friends.”
Rhaya’s parents, Armenians born in Iran, emigrated to Australia 15
years ago but have ensured their daughter knows the family’s heritage.
“My dream is to one day visit Armenia,” she said.

AAP NEWSFEED
October 27, 2004, Wednesday
Media Freedom Rankings
Australia has ranked dismally in a global index on media freedom
released today by Paris-based watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
on its website, Here are the rankings.
1 Denmark
– Finland
– Iceland
– Ireland
– Netherlands
– Norway
– Slovakia
– Switzerland
9 New Zealand
10 Latvia
11 Estonia
– Germany
– Sweden
– Trinidad and Tobago
15 Slovenia
16 Lithuania
17 Austria
18 Canada
19 Czech Republic
– France
21 Bosnia and Herzegovina 3,67
22 Belgium
– United States of America (American territory)
24 Jamaica
25 Portugal
26 South Africa
27 Benin
28 El Salvador
– Hungary
– United Kingdom
31 Dominican Republic
32 Poland
33 Greece
34 Hong Kong
35 Costa Rica
36 Bulgaria
– Israel (Israeli territory)
38 Cape Verde
39 Italy
– Spain
41 Australia
42 Chile
– Japan
– Namibia
– Uruguay
46 Mauritius
– Paraguay
48 South Korea
49 Macedonia
50 Albania
– Botswana
52 Nicaragua
53 Honduras
54 Croatia
55 Grenade
56 Mali
57 Ghana
– Timor-Leste
59 Thailand
60 Taiwan
61 Panama
– Tanzania
63 Fiji
64 Burkina Faso
– Mozambique
66 Brazil
– Ecuador
– Guatemala
69 Congo
70 Romania
71 Niger
72 Madagascar
73 Burundi
– Mongolia
75 Togo
76 Bolivia
77 Serbia and Montenegro
78 Moldova
79 Argentina
80 Senegal
81 Cyprus (North)
82 Kenya
83 Armenia
– Guinea-Bissau
– Seychelles
86 Uganda
87 Lebanon
88 Guinea
– Sierra Leone
90 Venezuela
91 Angola
– Comoros
93 Cameroon
94 Georgia
95 Tajikistan
96 Mexico
97 Afghanistan
98 Gambia
– Lesotho
100 Zambia
101 Malawi
– Swaziland
103 Kuwait
104 Central African Republic
– Qatar
106 Chad
107 Kyrgyzstan
108 United States of America (in Iraq)
109 Cambodia
– Sri Lanka
111 Philippines
112 Ethiopia
113 Rwanda
– Turkey
115 Gabon
– Israel (Occupied Territories)
117 Indonesia
– Nigeria
119 Tonga
120 India
121 Jordan
122 Malaysia
123 Liberia
– Peru
125 Haiti
126 Morocco
127 Palestinian Authority
128 Algeria
– Egypt
– Somalia
131 Kazakhstan
132 Sudan
133 Equatorial Guinea
134 Colombia
135 Yemen
136 Azerbaijan
137 United Arab Emirates
138 Mauritania
– Ukraine
140 Russia
141 Democratic Republic of Congo
142 Uzbekistan
143 Bahrein
144 Belarus
145 Djibouti
146 Bhutan
147 Singapore
148 Iraq
149 Cote d’Ivoire
150 Pakistan
151 Bangladesh
152 Tunisia
153 Laos
154 Libya
155 Syria
– Zimbabwe
157 Maldives
158 Iran
159 Saudi Arabia
160 Nepal
161 Vietnam
162 China
163 Eritrea
164 Turkmenistan
165 Burma
166 Cuba
167 North Korea

Interfaith leaders issue plea for mutual respect
by Abigail Radoszkowicz
The Jerusalem Post
October 27, 2004, Wednesday
At a reconciliation meeting with heads of Christian churches in Israel,
Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger called for the establishment of
a religious United Nations in Jerusalem.
The meeting at the Chief Rabbinate was called by Metzger in the wake
of the recent highly publicized incident two weeks ago in which
a yeshiva student was arresting for spitting at a Sunday morning
religious procession through the Old City headed by the Armenian
Archbishop of Jerusalem, Nourhan Manougian.
Manougian’s representative, Bishop Aris Shirvanian, was among the 14
high-ranking clergymen who accepted Metz- ger’s invitation.
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein of the International Fellowship of Christians
and Jews, who initiated the meeting, seconded Metzger’s proposal.
However, one informed observer pointed out that Metz- ger had
proposed the idea several times before. He added that it was unlikely
that anything would come of it, both due to contesting claims for
representation among the religions themselves.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Metzger vigorously condemned disrespect to
members of other faiths, noting that they were “not rivals but
brothers.” He said that he would call on rabbis, especially those
in the Old City where interfaith friction was most acute, to educate
their congregations to show tolerance to other religions.
Bishop Shirvanian emphasized that the spitting incident two weeks
was not an isolated one, with two occurring since. He reported that
religious Jews often spit as he walks by, especially when he wears
his religious medallion of the Virgin Mother and the Baby Jesus.
Shirvanian did note that the majority of their Jewish neighbors
treated the Armenian clergymen with respect. As for those who did not,
he suggested that the police impose stiff fines as deterrents.
Father Elias Michael Chacour praised Metzger for his courage in
acknowledging misdeeds perpetuated by his people. He said that the
whole world looked to Jerusalem for a sign, as it was home to three
different religions, quipping they all “belonged to the family of an
Iraqi citizen named Abraham.”
Greek Orthodox Archbishop Aristarchos, speaking in Hebrew, declared
the meeting “an important and joyful event.”
The church representatives signed a declaration that as leaders
of the Jewish and Christian religions they called on followers to
“increase their tolerance, respect, and understanding for members of
different faiths.”
GRAPHIC: Photo: ASHKENAZI CHIEF Rabbi Yona Metzger chats with Rabbi
Yechiel Eckstein, Russian Orthodox Archimandrite Eliasey, and Father
Elias Michael Chacour after yesterday’s reconciliation meeting with
heads of Christian churches at the Chief Rabbinate in Jerusalem.
(Credit: Flash 90)