ArmenPress
Aug 19 2004
MAMEDYAROV SAYS BAKU WILL STRIVE FOR PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO
KARABAKH CONFLICT
BAKU, AUGUST 19, ARMENPRESS: Baku will strive to the last point to
settle Nagorno Karabakh conflict peacefully, Azeri foreign minister
Elmar Mamediarov told a news conference today. He said that Nagorno
Karabakh “is the major conflict in the region and the oldest.” The
minister opposed the possibility of “freezing” the conflict. “We do
not believe that conflicts can be frozen,” he said. “International
community should understand that force is not a method for solution.
Armenian military forces have occupied territories,” Azeri foreign
minister said. “Such superpowers as USA, France and Russia should say
their word. The principle of territorial integrity is inviolable.”

ArmenPress
Aug 19 2004
SERGEI LAVROV SAYS RUSSIA SUPPORTS TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF
AZERBAIJAN
MOSCOW, AUGUST 19, ARMENPRESS: Russia supports territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said
after negotiations with Azeri foreign minister Elmar Mamediarov
yesterday. Meanwhile, he said that Moscow “is ready to assist
Karabakh conflict resolution both as OSCE Minsk Group co-chair and on
a national level.”
“Moscow is strongly interested in resolution of the conflict based
on existing agreements. However, it can be resolved only by
conflicting sides, around the table of negotiations,” Lavrov said.
“We can’t decide for the sides if they do not have agreement
themselves,” Russian FM said. He praised resumption of negotiations
since the end of last year and voiced his expectation that talks will
continue.

ArmenPress
Aug 19 2004
OREGON CONGRESSMAN EARL BLUMENAUER JOINS ARMENIAN CAUCUS
Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly welcomed the official
announcement today that Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) has joined
the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, bringing the total to
133. The news follows an August 10 district meeting with the Armenian
Assembly held August 10 in Portland, Oregon.
“As the congressional representative of many Armenians in
Portland, I’m proud to be the latest member of the Congressional
Caucus on Armenian Issues, an ever-growing group of those of us in
Congress who want to give these issues the attention they deserve,”
said Congressman Blumenauer.
“I look forward to working with my colleagues and the members of
the Armenian community in my home town and around the world on issues
of importance to Armenians,” he continued. Assembly Western Office
Director Lena Kaimian, who led this week’s meeting, said: “We welcome
Congressmen Blumenauer’s membership to the Armenian Caucus. He brings
experience, enthusiasm and commitment to the Caucus and we look
forward to working with him and his congressional colleagues on
issues pertinent to the community.”
“Assembly supporters worked closely with our Los Angeles staff to
encourage the Congressman’s membership to the Caucus,” Kaimian
continued. “I would especially like to thank activists Greg Geokjian
and Les Margosian for participating in this meeting and advocating on
behalf of our issues.”
Congressman Blumenauer, who has represented Oregon’s Third
Congressional District since 1996, is a well-known supporter of
Armenian-American issues. As such, he has urged President George W.
Bush to appropriately acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, voted to
maintain Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act and supported the
Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act.
The Congressman also serves on the International Relations
Committee and is a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee. He joins fellow Oregon lawmaker, Congresswoman Darlene
Hooley (D-OR) in representing Armenian-American interests on the
Caucus.

Sportsnetwork.com
August 19, 2004
Ward wins Olympic boxing debut; Martirosyan falters
Athens, Greece (Sports Network) – Light heavyweight Andre Ward won his
Olympic debut Thursday, scoring a victory over Italy’s Clemente Russo at
Peristeri Hall. But welterweight Vanes Martirosyan wasn’t as lucky.
Martirosyan, a California native like Ward, dropped his second-round
bout with reigning world champion Lorenzo Aragon Armenteros of Cuba,
becoming the second American boxer in as many days to lose.
“He was the better fighter,” said the 18-year-old Martirosyan, who won
his Olympic opener Sunday, a lopsided 45-20 victory over Algerian
Benamar Meskine. “I hope he gets the gold.”
Martirosyan was never really in the bout, falling behind 8-2 in the
first round on the way to a 20-11 loss. Flyweight Rau’Shee Warren was
the first American to lose here when he dropped a decision to China’s
Zau Shiming on Wednesday.
For Ward, who hasn’t lost a fight since 1998, things went just as
planned. He opened up with a slim 2-1 advantage in the first round
before outpointing Russo 6-4 and 7-3 over the next two frames on the way
to a 17-9 triumph.
“Andre likes to feel his opponents out first,” USA coach Basheer
Abdullah said. “But he was more aggressive over the last rounds.”
Ward moved on to face two-time world champion Evgeny Makarenko of
Russia. He is just the eighth American boxer to win his Olympic debut.
08/19 11:58:42 ET
powered by

Azg, Armenia
Aug 19 2004
ARMENIANS IN “POST-ROSE” GEORGIA
Van Baiburtian, an Armenian deputy at the parliament of Georgia, says
that the anti-Armenian atmosphere in Georgia, that was more apparent
during the 2003 parliament elections, has come to an end with Mikhail
Sahakashvili becoming the president. Armenians are hopeful about the
future.
According to the last population census, there are 250 thousand
Armenians in the country. The Armenians of Abkhazia, running to 80
thousand, are not included. The Armenians of Georgia welcomed the
rose revolution in the country and generally voted for Mikhail
Sahakashvili at 2004 polls.
What has changed in the neighboring country during the last 6 months
and what are the expectations the Armenians have? Today the euphoria
of the revolution is recessing, the roses are fading and there appear
people displeased with the new leaders. For instance, a group of
around hundred men gathered in front of the seat of the Georgian
president, when the later hosted the prime minister of Armenia,
demanding the “Judeo-Masonic” leaders to release Basil Mkalavishvili
known for his intolerance towards religious minorities.
Marina Kirakosian-Mosesova is a poetess who writes in Russian but
claims to be an Armenian poetess by her mentality. She lives in a
house built by a famous oilman Avetik Ghukasian and is very proud of
that as the Armenian Catholicos Khrimean Hayrick was once hosted
there. Marina published 2 books during the time of Eduard
Shevardnadze and now the third book is to be published.
“At present I can’t say what has changed for the Armenians with
Sahakashvili coming into power. It has been several months that he is
a president and there is no major change yet. I hope that the state
of Tbilisi Armenians will better”, she said.
The Armenians of Georgia occupy a distinct place in all Armenian
Diaspora. First of all they are poor. There is not even a single rich
Armenian in Georgia, which is a rather strange fact if we consider
the ability of the Armenians to earn money abroad.
Though most of the Armenians are optimistic about the future, Yuri
Mkrtumiants, a might-have-been president candidate at the 2004 polls,
thinks that the Armenians will not have a “rose” future. Mkrtumiants
says that Sahakashvili is the Georgian Ataturk. He thinks that the
Georgian nationalism will not be fought back by the new authorities.
He singled out two cases of nationalism. Recently a group of Georgian
journalists from Rustavi-2 TV station was in Sanahin. In the
reporting back to Georgia they declared that it’s high time that
Georgian believers return to their ancient worship places. Some
nationalistic circles in Georgia consider not only Sanahin but also
the whole marz of Lori up to the Sevan lake to be a Georgian land.
If the Rustavi-2 TV has the greatest audience then the Kviris Palitra
newspaper has the biggest circulation in Georgia. In one of its May
issues the newspaper published the map of the historical Georgia
where Armenia appeared to be a Georgian territory.
Khngianos Bazayan is one of old residents of Havlabar (Armenian
district in Tbilisi). He says that today’s Georgia is ruled by
chauvinists and fascists. They operate in conspiracy and “poison the
mind of the Georgians against Armenians”. “A man goes to ask for a
job and they ask what nationality you are and then throw at his face
that he is Armenian”, complains Bazayan and adds: “But I have little
hope as Sahakashvili is more realistic.” He tells with a deep pain
that Armenians are considered superfluous whereas they have done a
lot for Tbilisi.
Khachatur Gevorgian is another old resident of Tbilisi. He is known
as teacher and miniaturist. “Nothing has changed, everything is the
same as it was with Shevardnadze. They promised to broadcast Armenian
programs on the TV but instead the Armenian radio has stopped
working”, says Gevorgian.
He remembered the days of Russian tsar Nikolai the II when Armenian
Diaspora was flourishing in Tiflis (name of Tbilisi till 1936). “The
Armenian life here is dying away and will continue to die away. There
are a lot of things to speak out but we can’t as we live here”, he
says.
The head of the Armenian section at the Georgian radio station
Susanna Khachatrian is sure that there appeared a spark of hope for
the Armenians with the new authorities coming into power. “Today we
have hope that we will remain Armenians in this land by preserving
our cultural establishments, monuments and the Armenian spirit”, she
says.
By Tatoul Hakobian

Agency WPS
Banking and stock exchange. Finance. Economics (Russia)
August 19, 2004, Thursday
The article has been published about performance of foreign banks in
Russia
Although the Russian law doesn’t prohibit foreign banks from being
present in the Russian market in the form of branches, it is
practically impossible to get permission of the CB. The last branch
of a foreign bank – Armenian Anelik – had to re-register into the
subsidiary Russian bank last year under the order of the CB. As a
result, foreign banks can work in Russia only in the form of Russian
companies. They are either subsidiaries of large western banks as
Citibank or Raiffeisenbank, or are founded by a few shareholders as
KMB-bank. Its shareholders are the EBRD, Soros Fund, German Company
of Investments and Development and the Triodos-Doen fund
(Netherlands). All these banks are fully owned by foreigners.
However, structure of ownership can be mixed. In the International
Moscow Bank, German Hipo Vereinsbank owns a 43% stake, Finnish Nordea
Bank – 22%, EBRD – 10%, and 22% are controlled by the Bank of Russia.
20% are owned by the French BCEN-Eurobank (the CB controls some 80%
of its shares) and 2% are owned by Sberbank (the CB has a 63% stake
in it).
Advantage of subsidiaries of large foreign banks is that any decision
takes much less time to be coordinated: there is only one shareholder
– mother company. This is especially important when the bank faces
difficulties. Thus, during the 1998 crisis, practically all banks,
including foreign ones, faced problems with capitalization.
“Subsidiaries of foreign banks, unlike Russian credit organizations,
were not embarrassed to show their losses,” comments Mikhail
Matovnikov, deputy director of the rating agency Moody’s-Interfax.
“However, mother companies didn’t leave them in trouble. They
allocated funds quite quickly, so problem with capital of subsidiary
banks was resolved in the first – maximum second quarter of 1999.”
For example, losses incurred by Raiffeisenbank, amounted to over 1.5
billion not denominated rubles, however, capital increased again very
quickly. “Large foreign banks value their name,” believes Mr.
Chetverikov, director of the rating agency NAUFOR. “And if a bank
faces serious problems, the mother company is very likely to allocate
enough resources at low interest to cover bank’s liabilities and
restore efficiency.”
Russian foreign banks with mixed structure have also overcome crisis.
However, it took them much longer to restore capital: all
shareholders should gather, coordinate who will contribute what
amount to the bank (as a rule, proportionally to number of shares).
Additionally, some bank owners can wish to sell their stake, which
will also take time. As a result, procedure can take a year, and
this, for example, was the case with the IMB, which found itself on
the verge of bankruptcy during the crisis. However, in a year, it
managed to restore its capital through contributions of shareholders.
Banks with more than one shareholder are more independent from their
owners because their general meetings are held seldom and only on
important strategic issues. Indeed, it would be strange to gather all
owners to approve routine decisions of top management. Very often
banks with mixed structure of ownership are created by foreign credit
institutions, which want to be present in the market of a different
country, but they don’t want to found their own subsidiary. In this
case, a foreign company has a representative on the bank’s board of
directors, it can influence policy of a credit organization and
invest into enterprises that are located at the territory of the
country.
Some foreign banks pursue aggressive strategy. Beginning with 1999,
they started to actively develop the Russian market – first of all,
subsidiaries of large western banks. Thus, for example,
Raiffeisenbank was one of the first western banks to deal with retail
– for example, work with private clients (before the crisis, foreign
banks practically didn’t work with retail clients in Russia).
“Raiffeisenbank had to be the first to develop this niche because it
didn’t have its guaranteed “bread,” as, for example, Citibank,”
explains Mikhail Matovnikov. “That is because there are quite few
Austrian companies in Russia. So, first, it had to actively establish
cooperation with Russian companies and then develop retail.” Thus,
the bank assumed increased risks, but it could justify its existence
in Russia.
Currently, Raiffeisenbank has 10 additional offices in Moscow and a
branch in St. Petersburg. According to results of last year, the bank
ranks 12th among all Russian banks by size of assets. Within last
year, credit portfolio added 38% and volume of loans granted to
private clients in 2003 increased more than five times and beat $142
million. Raiffeisenbank has become one of the first foreign banks to
announce expansion into the regions. In autumn of this year, a branch
will be opened in Yekaterinburg and then – in Nizhny Novgorod and
Samara. According to Michel Perhirin, chairman of Raiffeisenbank
board, by June 2006, the bank will open at least 10 regional
branches. “Local employees will work at departments servicing local
clients. And we will work not only with largest and private clients,
but will also service medium size companies and small business.”
Similar strategy of universalization is favored by Citibank and the
IMB. These banks are in fact major competitors of Raiffeisenbank
among foreign banks. French bank Societe Generale Vostok expressed
its intention to develop all sides of banking business, including
retail.
As for differences of business of foreign subsidiaries and their
mother companies, Mr. Chetverikov believes difference is drastic.
According to him, in the West, large banks are horizontally
integrated companies. One brand unites various business subdivisions,
which don’t have a common budget. For example, one works with private
clients and the other works with corporate clients. “Representatives
of each block are members of the board of directors and report
performance results to chairman Mr. Chetverikov,” explains Mr.
Chetverikov. “This is a more flexible management structure, it has
its budget and its strategy. It organizes people.” And practically
all Russian banks and subsidiaries of foreign banks are vertically
integrated companies. “In such companies everybody is concerned that
his budget is not cut within the total budget and it complicates
work,” believes Mr. Chetverikov.
Some banks, which have come to Russia, don’t try to become universal:
their objective is to take up certain niche in the market. The
brightest example of a credit organization that implements a certain
mission is KMB-bank. It has already funded over 105,000 projects to a
total sum of $890 million. “In our development, we made major
emphasis on regional expansion,” said Ms. Cherkasova, director of the
business department at KMB-bank. “Most foreign banks are currently
operating in Moscow region only, while our bank works in 22 regions.”
Another foreign bank to choose a narrow strategy is Home Credit and
Finance Bank (HCFB). It was founded in February 2002 by acquiring a
controlling stake in Tekhnopolis Russian bank. The major participant
is Czech Home Credit Finance (a member of the international group of
companies PPF), which owns over 99% stake in the bank’s charter
capital. Major trend of work of HCFB is consumer express credits.
Missionary credit organizations are also Delta-credit bank. It deals
with mortgage crediting and last week it replaced shareholders of
Delta-bank, which, like KMB specializes in small and medium business.
A considerable part of foreign banks pursue passive policy. For
example, Turkish Finansbank and Garanti Bank do nothing else apart
from servicing Turkish construction and trading companies (for
example, Ramstor chain). The Bank of China services Chinese
entrepreneurs and tourists who come to Russia. Such banks are
secretive and shut-in. For example, management of the Bank of China
flatly declined to talk with F, without giving any reasons for
refusal. And if we go to the office of the Bank of China, which is
located in one of Moscow business centers, all information is in
Chinese only, which shuts out Russian clients. “The bank hasn’t at
all grown during the time of its operation in our country,” comments
Mr. Chetverikov. “And we have rather few Chinese enterprises, the
major function of the bank is to simplify the process of tourists’
money transfers.”
As for the Japanese Michinoku Bank, its position in the Russian
banking sector is not clear either. “The bank announced that it would
work with private clients as well, but it is difficult yet to talk
about its success in the Russian market,” explained Mikhail
Matovnikov. “And if we take into account that economic relations with
Japan are quite peculiar because of Kuril islands problem, servicing
of Japanese companies operating in Russia is very limited.”
Such institutions assume a wait-and-see attitude. “They observe the
Russian banking market and wait for conditions to be more favorable
for them,” says Mr. Chetverikov. “Their shareholders can afford to
have an unprofitable bank in Russia.”
With a long-term view, banks with foreign capital have a considerable
advantage before Russian credit organizations – they can afford to
work without a profit and even be unprofitable for a few years. This
was the case with practically all subsidiaries of foreign banks,
including Raiffeisenbank and Citibank. If the mother company is
interested in business development in a specific market, it will fund
its subsidiary bank, taking into account prospects of its development
and not immediate result. At the same time, the bank will
systematically train its employees, introduce technologies and
develop infrastructure. Russian banks have no “mother” to help with
cheap foreign funding and give its “daughter company” advice on what
kind of business is more promising. “In our country, we found a bank
and want profit this year,” says Mr. Matovnikov. “Western owners give
their subsidiary in Russia 5 or even 10 years to develop their bank
without demanding profit. Profit will come later, the bank should win
its market share first.” As a result, foreign banks can assume a more
fundamental approach while they develop their business. Additionally,
subsidiary banks come with known and well-advertised name.
Despite all possible advantages, sometimes, foreign banks offer their
services on conditions comparable with Russian banks. For example,
terms on express loans at HCFB and Russian Standard Bank and Pervoe
O.V.K. are very similar, although HCFB could have come up with a more
attractive offer for clients thanks to cheap foreign money. The
foreign bank declined to comment on this situation. However, experts
believe that the bank doesn’t slash interest rates because its
network and infrastructure are not developed yet. And if the bank
improves crediting conditions, it won’t cope with inflow of clients.
However, when it reaches certain development level, for example in
regions, tough price wars can start. However, in any case, the bank
is first of all focused on profit and will take into account high
risks of such crediting. Thus, drastic reduction in rates is not
likely to take place.
Since recently the Russian Standard has something to oppose to HCFB.
Currently, a 50% stake in Russian Standard is owned by Cetelem – a
subsidiary structure of the French BNP-Paribas. The French bank has a
Russian subsidiary, but its business is badly developed. BNP-Paribas
explained that the group tried to develop business in retail banking,
but failed and now, with Russian Standard, such possibilities
emerged. Experts suggest that Russian Standard will continue working
under its name, which is “widely recognized in Russia.”
According to experts, Russian banks won’t be able to seriously crowd
Russian banks. Competition is mostly possible in servicing private
clients and small business because large companies are taken already.
“Presence in the region is not profitable for banks and most foreign
banks don’t have branches even in large Russian cities,” says Mr.
Mamontov, president of the MICEX. “And large corporations have their
own “pocket” banks.”
According to Michel Perhirin from Raiffeisenbank, after entering the
WTO, Russia won’t lose sovereignty in the banking system as it was
the case in Eastern Europe (WTO members can’t limit access of foreign
companies to their territory). “Corporate clients of many Russian
banks will be served there because they are loyal to their owners.
And it is not easy for foreigners to buy ready networks – there are
few offers, the banking system is strongly segmented.”
Additionally, share of foreign capital in the Russian banking system
doesn’t increase – it stays within 5-6% and now it is shrinking,
experts say. Back in November 2002, the CB abolished the quote for
participation of foreign capital in the Russian banking system (it
amounted to 12%) because it decided that limitation makes no sense.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
August 19, 2004 Thursday 5:19 AM Eastern Time
Baku to insist on peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict
MOSCOW
Azerbaijan will insist on the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh
conflict, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov told a news
conference in the news agency Itar-Tass on Thursday.
According to him, the Karabakh conflict is “the biggest problem in
the region, and the conflict is the oldest.” The minister opposed
“the freezing” of the conflict. “We do not believe in an idea of
“frozen” conflicts,” he emphasized.
“The world community should realize that combat actions is not a
method of solving the issue. Armenian forces occupy territories,”
Mamedyarov pointed out. “Without the return of forced migrants it is
difficult to hope for the successful outcome of negotiations,” he
indicated.
“Such countries as the United States, France and Russia should say
their loaded word. The principle of territorial integrity is hard and
fast,” the Azerbaijani foreign minister remarked.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency
Aug 18 2004
RA Foreign Minister receives UNHCR Chief Inspector
Memorial service takes place in St. Echmiadzin on the 10th
anniversary of decease of Vazgen I, the Catholicos of All Armenians
The newly appointed German Ambassador to Armenia presents her
credentials to the RA President
An exhibition -sale of Armenian books printed in Armenia and abroad
takes place in Yerevan
*********************************************************************
RA FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES UNHCR CHIEF INSPECTOR
YEREVAN, August 18. /ARKA/. RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian
received Chief Inspector of UN High Commissioner for Refugees on his
visit to RA Tahiar Ali. As RA Foreign Ministry Press Service told
ARKA, the main purpose of the inspection visit is summarizing the
works performed in the region since 1988 towards improving of the
refugee’s state as well as to evaluate the activity of UN High
Commissioner for Refugees.
During the talk, the Minister highly appreciated the activity of the
UNHCR in RA and expressed a hope that in the future this important UN
structure will be more actively involved in all works, related to
refugees performed by RA Government.
The sides also touched upon the issues related to social integration
of refugees into the society. Tahir Ali to leave from RA for Georgia
and then to Azerbaijan. After his regional visits he will submit a
report to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. T.M. -0–
*********************************************************************
MEMORIAL SERVICE TAKES PLACE IN ST. ECHMIADZIN ON THE 10TH
ANNIVERSARY OF DECEASE OF VAZGEN I, THE CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS
YEREVAN, August 18. /ARKA/. Today, memorial service on the 10th
anniversary of decease of Vazgen I the Catholicos of All Armenians
took place in Echmiadzin Holy See. According to the Press Service of
Echmiadzin Holy See Chancellery the memorial service was served with
the assistance of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II. In his
speech, the Head of St. Echmiadzin Chancellery, Archbishop Nerses
Pozapalian spoke about the productive life of Vazgen I and emphasized
the efforts of the Armenian Patriarch aimed at the glorification of
Echmiadzin Holy See. As the press release states, the ceremony was
attended by clergymen of high rank and a group of Romanian Armenians.
L.V.–0–
*********************************************************************
THE NEWLY APPOINTED GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA PRESENTS HER
CREDENTIALS TO THE RA PRESIDENT
YEREVAN, August 18. /ARKA/. The newly appointed German Ambassador to
Armenia Haike Renate Paitsch presented today her credentials to RA
President Robert Kocharian. According to the Press Service Department
of RA President, during the meeting, the sides expressed satisfaction
concerning the current level of Armenian-German relations and
mentioned that these relations were developing especially dynamically
recently. Paitsch expressed confidence that good bilateral relations
will intensify in future through even closer cooperation. She
conveyed to Robert Kocharian the friendly message of Horst Keller,
the President of Germany.
In his turn, the RA President noted that Armenia attaches special
importance to partnership with Germany. He highly appreciated the
assistance of the German Government in the process of reforms in
Armenia. According to Kocharian, the economic component occupies a
particular place in the agenda of bilateral relations and mentioned
the efficiency of cooperation programs in energy and financial-
technical areas. L.V.–0 –
*********************************************************************
AN EXHIBITION -SALE OF ARMENIAN BOOKS PRINTED IN ARMENIA AND ABROAD
TAKES PLACE IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, August 18. /ARKA/. An exhibition -sale of Armenian books
printed in Armenia and abroad takes place in the open air on the
square after Charle Aznavour in Yerevan. The Chairman of the National
Association of Editors of RA Vahagn Khachatryan told reporters that
about 1000 titles of books, 50 publishing houses and printing houses
of the country, like `Arevik’, `Luis’, `Lusabac’, `Anahit’, `Noyan
Tapan’, `Nahapet’ are presented on the exhibition. As he said, the
exhibition presents mainly the books in the field of science, art,
culture, and moral values issued for the last 2-3 years. Also works
of a very famous foreign authors such as Shakespeare, Gabriel Garcia
Markes, Moris Metterlink are exhibited. The books of the writers
representing Diaspora have a separate stand, on which research and
historic materials devoted to the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman
Turkey, the Karabakh liberation movement and the Armenians in
Javakhq. Works of both old authors and modern writers representing
Diaspora such as Peter Balakyan are exhibited. Khachatryan stated
that the majority of authors from Diaspora will be exhibited on th
eeother exhibition which will take place on August 30 in the RA
National Library.
According to Khachatryan, the goal of the exhibition is to develop
publishing house, restore the love to reading books, transfer
cultural values to the Armenian nation through books. Khachatryan
noted that recently the quality of the Armenian publications has
improved.
The Exhibition-Sale of Armenian books is held for the second year and
this time it’s held in the frames of the festival `One Nation-One
Culture’. The first Exhibition-Sale was organized last year. The
finances gained from the sale of the books exhibited will go into the
maintenance of publishing -houses in the country. A.H. -0 –

ARKA News Agency
Aug 19 2004
RA Foreign Minister met teachers from Diaspora
Robert Kocharian to leave for sochi for a working meeting with
Vladimir Putin on August 20
A mourning ceremony devoted to the anniversary of the terrorist act
against the UN Headquarters in Baghdad held in the UN Headquarter in
Armenia
Some seminars for Karabakh refugees held in Stepanakert
*********************************************************************
RA FOREIGN MINISTER MET TEACHERS FROM DIASPORA
YEREVAN, August 19. /ARKA/. RA Foreign Minister VArdan Oskanian met
today the teachers from the Diaspora that attend the professional
training classes held in Yerevan. Attaching importance to the
training programs for teachers from the Diaspora, Oskanian pointed
out to two aspects: rapprochement of Armenia and the Diaspora as two
parts of the single people and spreading of the idea of statehood
among the young generation of the schools in Diaspora. `This is a new
element, fruit of independence. Nowadays we are not a nation, but
also a state’, he mentioned.
The professional training courses of teachers from the Diaspora are
held on August 4-27. T.M. -0–
*********************************************************************
ROBERT KOCHARIAN TO LEAVE FOR SOCHI FOR A WORKING MEETING WITH
VLADIMIR PUTIN ON AUGUST 20
YEREVAN, August 19. /ARKA/. The RA President Robert Kocharian will
leave for Sochi on August 20 to have a working meeting with the
President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, according to the
Press Service Department of RA President. Details of Kocharian’s
visit to Sochi are not reported. L.V. -0
*********************************************************************
A MOURNING CEREMONY DEVOTED TO THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE TERRORIST ACT
AGAINST THE UN HEADQUARTERS IN BAGHDAD HELD IN THE UN HEADQUARTER IN
ARMENIA
YEREVAN, August 19. /ARKA/. A mourning ceremony devoted to the
anniversary of the terrorist act against the UN Headquarters in
Baghdad was held in Yerevan, in UN Headquarter in Armenia. According
to the representative of the UN Department for Public Information
(DPO) in Armenia Valeri Tkachuk, it’s a personal tragedy for the
staff of UN. `It’s one of the dates which will remain in the history
of UN as a day for mourning the loss of our colleagues in Iraq’, he
added. According to Tkachuk, it was an unexampled attack on the staff
of UN, and all the members of UN were shocked by the explosion in
Canal Hotel in Baghdad. He added that the situation in Iraq is
complex, but notwithstanding this members of the UN continue their
work. `The members of the organization are always ready to render
help and work at the programs that will be implemented in the
country’, he emphasized.
on August 19, 2003 as a result of the explosion of the mined truck
near the UN Headquarter in Baghdad located in Canal Hotel 22 members
of the organization, including the Special Representatives of UN
Secretary General in Baghdad and the UN Chief Commissar on Human
Rights Sergio Viera De Mello died, and 200 people were badly injured.
That terrorist act became one of the most severe terrorist acts
against UN for the whole period of its history. According to UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan, the terrorist attack on the Canal Hotel
brought them face to face with a new danger in more intimidating form
– the danger that we, servants of the United Nations, may become the
main target of political violence. A.H.–0 –
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SOME SEMINARS FOR KARABAKH REFUGEES HELD IN STEPANAKERT
STEPANAKERT, August 19. /ARKA/. Nagorno-Karabakh committee `Helsinki
Initiative -92′ with the support of Westminster Democracy Fund (GB)
held seminars from February to July 2004 for the refugees living in
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR). According to ARKA’s reporter in
Stepanakert, the seminars were on the following subjects: `refugees
in international-legal documents’, `the rights of refugees and people
who temporarily left their homes in legal documents of the South
Caucasus’, `the role of refugees in the development of democracy and
open society’, `the Influence of refugees on the development of civic
institutes and on the conflict transformation’. The project aimed to
enrich the knowledge of the refugees in the area of international
law, to activate their participation in the development of democratic
institutes and civic society in NKR.
As a result of the seminars, a brochure titled `Legal Education of
Refugees in the Regions of NKR’ was issued with the circulation of
500 copies. It contains international -legal documents and regional
laws, concerning refugees and people who temporarily left their
homes, and the results of various public surveys. The brochures will
be delivered both among the refugees and governmental and public
figures. A.H. -0 –

ARKA News Agency
Aug 19 2004
DOUBLE CITIZENSHIP MOST IMPORTANT MECHANISM OF MAKING ARMENIAN AND
DIASPORA CLOSER
YEREVAN, August 19. /ARKA/. Double citizenship is the most important
mechanism of making Armenia and Diaspora closer, as RA Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanian said. In his words, it is possible to talk
about mechanism of rapprochement and making the relations between
Armenian and the Diaspora closer, however, `with right to double
citizenship all calls to rapprochement will not be sincere and
full-scale’. Oskanian also mentioned that this important issue was
included in the package of the constitutional reforms, expressing a
hope that the issue of the double citizenship will be solved in the
near future’. T.M. -0