CONFERENCE ENTITLED “PROBLEMS AGITATING ARMENIANS” HELD IN TEHRAN
YEREVAN, August 4 (Noyan Tapan). The 2nd sitting of the conference
entitled “Problems Agitating Armenians” took place at the Armenian
National Residence of Tehran on July 31. Archbishop Sepuh Sargsian,
Head of the Armenian Diocese of Tehran, opened the conference. In his
speech the holy father noticed that the purpose of the conference is
that participants of the conference conferring should find the ways of
the resolution of the problems facing the youth, as well as to involve
the youth in the national and spiritual sphere. Norair Aram ian, Head
of the Diocesan Council, mentioned the importance of the presence of
the young forces in the national structures and asked participants to
come up with concrete suggestions. Regardless of the fact that there
was an exact agenda, participants of the conference in their speeches
mentioned the importance of the Armenian schools and unions in the
matter of the education of the young generation in national spirit. At
the end of the conference Archbishop Sepuh Sargsian expressed hope
that they all together will continue the way to the achievement of
more and more successes in the national and spiritual life of the
Armenians.

POLYCLINIC OF WRITERS’ UNION OF ARMENIA TO BE LEFT TO WRITERS,
MINISTER OF CULTURE ASSURES
YEREVAN, August 4 (Noyan Tapan). “I can distinctly say that the
polyclinic of the Writers’ Union of Armenia will be left to the
writers, a no one has the right of taking back the polyclinic that has
belonged to the writers years running.” Hovik Hoveyan, the Minister of
Culture and Youth Affairs, declared this at the August 3 press
conference touching upon the July 16 decision of the Appeal Court. To
recap, upon this decision the Appeal Court invalidated the decision of
the court of first instance of the Arabkir and Kanaker-Zeytun Yerevan
communities. The latter invalidated the decision of the Council of
Elders of the Arabkir community about alienating the territory in
Kasian 3 address where the polyclinic of the Writers’ Union of Armenia
was situated to citizen Sergey Meliksetian. H.Hoveyan as a member and
the former secretary of the Writers’ Union of Armenia mentioned that
they won’t give their polyclinic to anybody. According to the
Minister, “our judicial system hasn’t been formed and, naturally, they
can’t make a right decision.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Institute for War & Peace Reporting
Aug 4 2004
ARMENIAN IDENTITY CRISIS
Fearing politicians and hellfire, protestors force delay in law on
identity cards.
By Naira Melkumyan in Yerevan
Armenia’s government has postponed plans to introduce identity cards
for the country’s approximately three million residents, following
protests from many who feared for the safety of their civil liberties
– or their souls.
Because of street protests, complaints and public renunciation of the
documents, the scheme will now be introduced only at the start of
2005, not July 1 this year as had been intended. Just 900,000 people
have received the cards to date.
The plan is to give all residents – Armenian and foreign nationals,
refugees and those without status – a card showing a 10-figure
identity number, date of birth, sex and passport number. The plan is
to store the data for 400 years.
The United States government’s development agency USAID has donated
1.3 million dollars worth of technical aid to launch the system, while
government costs have so far reached about 200,000 dollars.
Social services minister Agvan Vardanyan told IWPR that the new system
will help the government ensure that pensions and social security
benefits are paid, and cut fraud.
About 40 political and public associations have formed an umbrella
group called Against the Numbering of People, to campaign what they
call “numbering and coding of people to remove their individuality”.
Some protestors see a spiritual dimension to the threat to their
rights.
Khachik Stamboltsyan, chairman of the charity Mkhitarich, said the law
is the work “of the devil and foreign secret-service agents”.
He said that identity numbers were linked to dark forces, and noted
that some of the 10-digit codes were bound to include the number 666,
the Biblical mark of Satan.
The Armenian Apostolic Church, which dominates religious life in the
country, also had reservations, but gave its blessing after the
government promised to change any number that featured 666.
The General Episcopal Council and other leading Apostolic Church
bodies tried to assuage fears among believers, saying that the
identity system “does not pose any threat to the salvation of the
human soul, because relations between man and God are not material”.
Vardanyan told IWPR that the government had secured backing from the
head of the church, Catholicos Garegin II, and that several priests
had already been issued with cards.
But Armen Avetisyan, a spokesman for the group Against the Numbering
of People and leader of the Armenian Arian Order, said that the
centuries-long lifespan of the cards proved there was scope for
misuse.
“Putting citizens’ data together in one centre is dangerous from the
point of view of national security, and I am sure that this is all
being done by outside forces,” he said.
There is considerable support for these views. “I am not convinced by
the arguments made by state officials. To them we’re just laboratory
mice they are trying to turn into zombies, with the aim of making us
easier to control,” said Nune, a 45-year-old hairdresser. “First they
assign personal numbers, then they start implanting microchips under
your skin.”
Officials disagree. “There is no threat here to national security.
The year, month and day of birth is not the kind of information that
could harm our security; it constitutes data on citizens that can be
presented within the bounds of international accords,” said Smbat
Saiyan, head of the social insurance department at the Social Security
Ministry, told IWPR.
State ombudsman Larisa Alaverdyan said the protestors should be
listened to, even if they only constituted a minority.
So far about 1,000 people have returned their cards and more are
expected to follow. Against the Numbering of People says it has
collected 150,000 protest signatures and is also gathering support
among members of parliament to call for a hearing at the
Constitutional Court.
Avetisyan said that his organisation had received complaints from
employees in the state health and education sectors, as well as from
within the police, about being pressured to accept the card, even
though until July it was meant to be a voluntary scheme. The Institute
for Human Rights said it had received 100 complaints.
But the social security ministry insisted there was no substance to
such complaints. “When you start to investigate them, it becomes clear
that there are no facts,” said Saiyan.
Opponents of the scheme, as well as the ombudsman, are proposing a
year’s delay, but the government says its new deadline will hold. A
previous attempt to introduce personal identity codes was abandoned
two years ago.
“We are ready to listen to them, but the government does not currently
see any need to make changes to the law,” said minister Vardanyan.
Naira Melkumyan is an independent journalist based in Yerevan.

ARMENIA TO HAVE NEW COAT OF ARMS AND ANTHEM STARTING FROM OCTOBER
YEREVAN, August 4 (Noyan Tapan). A competition for new coat of arms
and anthem has been announced, the results of the competition will be
summed up in early September. The Commission on Consideration of
Competition Proposals was established by the decision of Yerevan Mayor
Yervand Zakarian. Gagik Baghdasarian, Chief of the Organization and
Inspection Department of the Yerevan Mayor’s Office, told NT’s
correspondent that discussions with the participation of specialists
will be organized for the public discussion of the works submitted to
the competition. According to him, the new flag and the anthem of the
capital will be presented along with the coat of arms of Yerevan
approved in 1994 at the Erebuni-Yerevan holiday, which will be marked
in October.

GDP OF ARMENIA INCREASES BY 9.2% IN JANUARY-JUNE 2004
YEREVAN, August 4 (Noyan Tapan). GDP of Armenia increased by 9.2% in
January-June 2004 in comparison with the same period of last year and
made 600 bln, 715.3 mln drams (about 1 bln, 155 mln dollars). During
the same period the volume of industrial output increased by 4.5% and
the volume of the gross agricultural output and retail commodity
circulation made 8.5% and 10.1%, respectively. The export and import
increased by 7.2% and 3.8%, respectively. The index-deflator of GDP
made 106.2% and the index of consumer prices made 107.6%. Stepan
Mnatsakanian, Chairman of the RA National Statistical Service (NSS),
said during the August 4 press conference that though NSS receievd
only 86.4% of the financing expected for the first half of this year
(about 218.6 mln drams), the planned work was carried out by 100%. In
particular, 35 names of statistical publications, which are included
in the open library and the internet site of the National Statistical
Service, have been prepared. Nin4e commissions of international
organizations and foreign statistical services and 12 experts visited
NSS during the indicated period.

OSCE REGULAR MONITORING OF NAGORNO KARABAKH AND AZERBAIJAN ARMED
FORCES’ CONTACT-LINE IN AGDAM DIRECTION HELD
STEPANAKERT, August 4 (Noyan Tapan). On August 4, the OSCE Mission
held a regular monitoring of the Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan armed
forces’ contact-line in the Agdam direction. From the positions of the
NKR Defense Army, the monitoring mission was led by Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzey Kasprzyk. The
group comprised Field Assistants of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office’s
Personal Representative Miroslav Vimetal (Czechia) and Yurgen Schmidt
(Germany). The monitoring passed in accordance with the planned
schedule, and no violations of the cease-fire regime were fixed. From
the Karabakh party, representatives of the NKR Ministries of Foreign
Affairs and Defense accompanied the OSCE monitoring mission. On the
eve, Ambassador Kasprzyk had meetings in the NKR Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and the Defense Ministry. On August 2, NKR President Arkady
Ghoukassian received Chief of Armenia’s Armed Forces’ Main
Headquarters, General-Colonel Michael Haroutunian. He is invited to
the NKR as an observer of the command-staff trainings of Nagorno
Karabakh Defense Army’s troops units which took place on August
3-12. Issues, related to the current situation and the prospects of
the development of the cooperation between the military departments of
the two republics, were discussed at the meeting in which NKR Defense
Minister, General-Lieutenant Seiran Ohanian took part.
On August 3, NKR President Arkady Ghoukassian received representative
of the Armenian Evangelic Community of America (AECA) in Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh Rene Levonian. In the course of the meeting,
Mr. Levonian acquainted the state’s President with the course of
realizing social programs, in particular, construction of
kindergartens in the republic’s regions, summer camps in the towns of
Shoushi and Stepanakert, rendering assistance to the old people’s
homes and other projects realized by the community in
Artsakh. Mr. Levonian noted that the mission headed by him intended to
continue its activity in the NKR for contributing to the republic’s
leadership in solving Nagorno Karabakh’s vital problems. The NKR
President positively evaluated the community’s activity in Nagorno
Karabakh. On August 3, NKR President Arkady Ghoukassian received
Vice-Speaker of Armenia’s National Assembly, Member of the Supreme
Body of the ARF “Dashnaktsutiun” Vahan Hovannissian. Issues, related
to the democratic reforms in the NKR, the role of party organizations
in the process, were discussed in the course of the meeting. In this
connection, Mr. Hovannissian noted the necessity of expanding the
cooperation between the “Dashnaktsutiun” party and the republic’s
authorities, solving the existing problems by joint efforts. Arkady
Ghoukassian expressed the NKR leadership’s concern in the constructive
cooperation with all the political forces of the republic, including
the “Dashnaktsutiun” party.

Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
Aug 4 2004
U.S.: Armenian-American Group Backs Kerry, Snubs Bush
By Andrew Tully

Washington, 4 August 2004 (RFE/RL) — Americans of Armenian descent
number only about 1 million to 1.5 million of the overall U.S.
population of about 280 million people. But Armenian-Americans are
politically active, and their political influence is stronger than
their size would suggest. One prominent group, the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA) has formally endorsed Senator John
Kerry’s campaign for the presidency against President George W. Bush.
The ANCA says it doesn’t simply support Kerry. It opposes Bush,
accusing him of not honoring a promise he made when he needed votes
during his first campaign for president four years ago.
In February 2000, Bush was fighting hard for support in Michigan,
which has a small but politically active Armenian population. He
issued a statement saying his administration would recognize that
Armenians were the victims of genocide at the hands of the Ottoman
Turks from 1915 to 1923. “On the Armenian-American issues, coming
from Massachusetts, which has a strong and active Armenian-American
community, over the years he’s [Kerry] had time to develop strong
relationships with that community.” — Chouldjian
Bush eventually won the presidency. But according to Elizabeth
Chouldjian, the ANCA’s communications director, he backed down on
that promise, refusing to endorse the bills that each year come
before Congress that would require the U.S. government to recognize
the Armenian genocide. And that wasn’t all.
“It hasn’t so much been his [Bush’s] silence in terms of not
utilizing the term [“genocide”], but at the same time his
administration’s opposition to genocide legislation, which makes
reference to the Armenian genocide in the framework of honoring the
15th anniversary of the U.S. implementation of the genocide
convention.” Chouldjian said.
Chouldjian points to that and many other actions by the Bush
administration, including a reduction in aid to Armenia, siding with
Turkey and Azerbaijan in their disputes with Armenia, and even trying
to formally designate Armenia as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Kerry, on the other hand, has for decades been active on issues
important to Armenian-Americans, Chouldjian said. She points to his
sponsorship of legislation on the genocide issue, on improved U.S.
trade with Armenia. and on supporting Armenia against Turkey and
Azerbaijan.
“On the Armenian-American issues, coming from Massachusetts, which
has a strong and active Armenian-American community, over the years
he’s [Kerry] had time to develop strong relationships with that
community. And over his 20 years as senator, he has consistently been
supportive of every single Armenian-American initiative that I can
point to,” Chouldjian said.
Ross Vartian agrees that Kerry is a far more attractive candidate
than Bush to Armenian-Americans. Vartian is the executive director of
the Armenian Assembly of America, another nationwide advocacy group.
Under its nonprofit legal status, the organization cannot, by law,
formally endorse any political candidates. But Vartian said his
contacts with Armenian-Americans around the country show that they
greatly prefer Kerry to Bush, at least on issues important to
Armenian-Americans.
Vartian told RFE/RL that the ANCA’s endorsement could be a help to
Kerry. “I would say that Armenian-Americans are known to be civically
active and politically active,” he said. “It is something that we are
urged to be by our own community and by our own parents. In terms of
a voting bloc, we aren’t so numerous in any given location that we’re
going to tip the balance unless the races are extremely close, but
being involved in the political process is part of our tradition.”
But Vartian stressed that it will not ensure that every registered
Armenian-American voter will support Kerry. He said that like other
Americans, voters of Armenian descent fall into three general
categories: those who vote strictly in accordance with their party
loyalties; those whose votes are based on issues that are important
to their own community; and those who vote on more general issues.
Vartian said that because of their activism, Armenian-Americans
appear to have disproportionate political influence in that they can
persuade some members of Congress to sponsor legislation they
support. But he said their ultimate influence on elections remains
modest.
“When races are that close, there are probably a hundred different
groups who could make that claim and could make that difference,”
Vartian said. “So, yes, technically, Armenians in Michigan could make
the difference in a very close race. But if it’s true for Armenians,
it’s true for about 99 other groups as well. And that’s why I believe
that when these two major political efforts — Kerry’s and Bush’s —
concentrate on states like this, they don’t leave out anybody,
including the Armenians.”

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.

Newindpress, India
Aug 5 2004
Anand faces Shirov in duel of world champions
Thursday August 5 2004 00:00 IST
PTI
MAINZ (GERMANY): Fresh from his triumph at the Dortmund Sparkassen
chess meet, Viswanathan Anand will battle it out against Grandmaster
Alexei Shirov of Spain in the duel of the world champions at the main
event of the Chess Classic at Rhinegoldhalle here.
A winner here in the last three events, Anand yet again starts as the
favourite to clinch the title.
There will be eight games under rapid chess time control with 25
minutes to both players at the start of the game and an addition of
10 seconds after every move is made. In the event of a 4-4 tied score
tiebreak games will come into effect to determine the winner.
The Mainz organisers have been known to rope in exciting challengers
for Anand and this time Shirov is a natural choice given his ability
to play high quality tactical chess.A runner-up of the world
championship 2001 in Iran, Shirov is referred to as vice world
champion 2001 in this match.
For Anand, Shirov thus far has been an easy customer but the Indian
knows only too well that he cannot be underestimated even though in
match play, Anand has an enviable record against the Latvian born
Spaniard.
In the last two world championships that Anand played in, he beat
Shirov twice — once in the finals in 2000-2001 at Tehran, Iran and
next in the quarterfinals of the Moscow edition in 2001-2002.
“Nothing ever changes in this world, Vishy always beats me,” Shirov
had said after his dismal result against Anand in Moscow.
in the last edition, the Indian ace had beaten world’s top rated
women player Judit Polgar in a hair-raising battle that finally ended
5-3 in his favour. The most remarkable thing about this contest was
that not a single game ended in a draw and Anand struck back after
conceding lead thrice to Polgar.
In 2002, Anand had beaten Ruslan Ponomariov in a real close fight
that ended 4.5-3.5 while in 2001 it was Vladimir Kramnik who was made
to suffer by the Indian via tiebreaker.
Anand, who comes to Mainz after a brilliant victory against world No
3 Vladimir Kramnik of Russia at Dortmund, has had an excellent year
thus far with his victory in the Corus Chess Tournament at Wijk ann
Zee in the Netherlands followed by the rapid section of the Amber
Blindfold and Rapid Chess Tournament and in June this year he led the
world team to 18.5-17.5 triumph over players with Armenian
connections.
The Chess Classic will have a variety of event and the most popular
of them is the Chess 960, also known as Fischer Random Chess in which
the position of the pieces is changed randomly only a few minutes
before the game. Russian champion Peter Svidler is currently the top
ranked player in this form of the game. This year Svidler will be
challenged by former world junior champion Levon Aronian of Armenia
for the title he won last year.
There will also be an open category in Chess 960, in which Krishnan
Sasikiran will be one of the attractions following his second
position in the category-18 Biel Grandmaster Tournament. Besides
these a few simultaneous exhibitions and the Ordix Open under rapid
chess rules are also scheduled.

THERE WILL BE VACANCIES ON NATURAL-SCIENTIFIC SPECIALTIES OF HIGHER
SCHOOLS OF YEREVAN AND REGIONS
YEREVAN, August 4 (Noyan Tapan). As of August 2, 13,958 applicants
took examinations in the higher schools of Armenia, 19% of them
received 19 and 20 points, and 13% received unsatisfactory marks. RA
Minister of Education and Science Sergo Yeritsian said during the
August 3 press conference that a 100% excellent result was registered
on the “Persian language” examination: one applicant who took an
examination on this subject received 20 points. According to the RA
Minister, the high result on the “German language” and “French
language” subjects is registered this year: 42% and 35%, respectively.
In comparison with last year works estimated as unsatisfactory were
more on the subject “History of Armenian People” (28% instead of 22%
of last year). According to the RA Minister, the number of applicants
who didn’t come to the examination decreased by 10% in comparison with
last year. 1,120 works have been appealed from July 20 up to
day. Marks of 963 out of them remained unchanged, and they were raised
in 157 cases. The greatest number of appeals was submitted on the
subject “mathematics” (416 cases) and mark were raised in 46
cases. Marks were increased only in 10 works out of 200 works given
for the repeat appeal (by 1 point). The Minister said that parents
were also present at oral examinations this year for the first time,
as a result the number of appeals decreased sharply. Sergo Yeritsian
also said that the vacancies will remain on the line of
natural-scientific specialties as a result of the competition in the
higher schools of Yerevan and the regions. Additional competitions
will be announced for them. The greatest number of the maximal point
(20 points) made 304 on the “Armenian language-1” subject from July 20
to present. And the number of minimal points (below 8) was registered
on the subject “mathematics” – 484.