Times Picayune, LA
July 19 2004
London’s Islamic masterworks start international tour in Washington
By CARL HARTMAN
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — A pulpit over 20 feet high, built on orders of a
sultan more than 500 years ago, towers over the exhibits in “Palace
and Mosque,” a collection of 107 Islamic masterworks both royal and
religious that is starting its international tour at the capital’s
National Gallery of Art.
Carvings of religious texts in graceful Arabic script, considered by
many Muslims the highest form of art, line the steps to the rostrum.
London’s Victoria and Albert Museum scoured its 10,000 pieces of
Islamic art to come up with the select sample to share with the
world.
Highly decorative, Muslim religious art does not portray living
figures, human or animal. The second commandment given to Moses
forbids making a likeness of anything in heaven or on earth.
“Islam accepts the Hebrew prophets, and though the 10 commandments
are not part of Islamic doctrine, many of the same ideas can be found
in Muslim religious thinking,” said Tim Stanley, the Victoria and
Albert’s senior curator of Middle East art.
Muslim rulers used religious inscriptions and abstract designs in
decorating their palaces and public buildings, but they also liked
scenes from legend and royal life.
A brightly colored tile recalls an ancient tale from the Persian
“Book of Kings” about an unusual deer hunt. One king, an expert
bowman, rode a camel with his favorite slave girl seated behind him
and playing a harp. To demonstrate his marksmanship, he made a shot
that pinned a deer’s foot to its ear. The slave girl objected.
Enraged, the king flung her from the camel, which trampled her to
death.
Tiles depicting a lovers’ picnic are a signature image of the
National Gallery show. In a painting, another Persian king sees an
Armenian princess discreetly bathing, clothed in a pair of baggy pink
trousers that reach to her calves. He puts his hand to his mouth in
astonishment at her beauty. In another painting, he defends her from
a lion.
It is the second show of Islamic art this season in Washington, which
lacks a major Middle East collection of its own. “Caliphs and Kings”
at the Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery is largely borrowed
from the Hispanic Society in New York. It limits itself to the 700
years up to 1492 when Muslims, Christians and Jews lived and fought
but often worked, studied and played together in Spain and Portugal.
A section of the National Gallery show explores the relations between
Islamic and other artistic traditions. Middle Eastern carpets made
their appearance in Western painting from the Netherlands to Italy.
Connoisseurs in the Middle East admired Chinese porcelain so much
they developed their own version called fritware, made from sand or
finely ground pebbles.
Brass vessels made in northern Europe were exported to the Middle
East, where some got Islamic decoration and were re-exported to
Europe.
A glass beaker made in Egypt or Syria in the 1200s wound up in a
house called Edenhall in northern England. A legend grew that the
house would be destroyed if the beaker should break. The American
poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow translated a poem about it that ends
with the death of its owner, the collapse of the house and the
shattering of the “Luck of Edenhall.”
In fact, the beaker was lent to the Victoria and Albert in 1926.
shortly before the house was demolished. It’s one of the last items
visitors see at the Washington show, which closes Feb. 6, 2005.
Admission is free.
The sponsor of the Washington exhibition is Prince Bandar bin Sultan,
the Saudi ambassador to the United States.
The tour continues at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas,
April 3-Sept. 4, 2005; the Setagaya Art Museum in Tokyo, Oct. 22-Dec.
11, 2005, and the Millennium Galleries, Sheffield, England, Jan.
14-April 16, 2006.

RIA Novosti, Russia
July 19 2004
RUSSIA CONTRIBUTES TO ARMENIA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH MORE THAN OTHER
COUNTRIES
YEREVAN, July 19 (RIA Novosti’s Gamlet Matevosyan) – According to 54%
of Armenians, Russia contributes to Armenia’s economic growth more
than other countries do. These are the results of the poll conducted
by the Armenian Center of Strategic and National Research from June
20 to July 12, 2004.
12% of the polled believe that the U.S. helps Armenia’s development,
2% think it is France, 1,5% are for Iran, 0.3% – for Turkey, Germany
and Georgia was called by 0.2% each, the center told RIA Novosti.
Meanwhile, 13.3% believe that no country contributes to Armenia’s
economic development.
32.6% of the polled think that Armenia should have close economic
relations with the CIS countries, 13.9% – with the European Union, 7%
– with the countries of the region (Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan and
Iran), 2.7% – with the U.S. and Canada and 35.3% – with all
countries.
According to 44% of the polled, the Armenian diaspora abroad is
playing a significant role in Armenia’s development, great role
according to 25.8%, small according to 23.1% and no role at all
according to 6.6%.
All in all, 1,127 people from Yerevan and all Armenian regions aged
18-90 were polled.

Tehran Times
July 19 2004
Iranian-Armenian Experts Discuss Commonalities in Architecture
Tehran Times Art Desk
TEHRAN (MNA) — Iran and Armenia discussed their commonalities in
town planning and architecture at the Iranian Academy of Arts with
the participation of Armenian and Iranian experts on Sunday.
At this roundtable discussion Seyyed Mohammad Beheshti, Mohsen
Habibi, Ayatollahzadeh Shirazi, and Mehdad Qaumi from Iran and
Armenian experts Belgarian, Giujian, Kermenjian, Hayakian along with
several other Iranian and Armenian experts expressed their views. *
Japan to Premiere Iranian Film “He”
TEHRAN July 18 (MNA) — “He”, the only Iranian film to participate in
the Asia-Pacific competition will be screened in Japan’s cinemas when
the festival finishes.
The producers of the film are currently busy subtitling the film into
Japanese for screening in Japanese cinemas.
The films “Duel” and “The Marsh” are being screened in the
non-competition section of the festival. `Spring Poets” Special Issue
Published in Turkmenistan
TEHRAN July 18 (MNA) — A special issue of the “Spring Poets” was
published in Ashkhabad by the cultural consulate of the Islamic
Republic.
Published in the Russian language, the special issue has been printed
in four colors with interesting subjects and eye-catching pictures
from Iranian and Turkmenistan cultural figures.
Some of the subjects of the special issue are Attar Neyshaburi,
Abulqasem Ferdowsi, Makhtumquli, Sa’di, Omar Khayyam, Makhtumquli in
search of love, and Imam Khomeini (R) poems.
This special issue in 33 pages was published by the Center for the
Promotion of Persian Literature affiliated to the Organization of
Culture and Islamic Relations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
July 19 2004
KARABAGH CEC TO USE MOBILE VOTING FACILITY
STEPANAKERT, JULY 16, ARMENPRESS: Ahead of August 8 elections to
local self-government bodies of Nagorno Karabagh local authorities
have taken a decision to use a mobile voting facility for physically
disabled and those who cannot come to the polling station for other
valid reasons. Under the decision at least two members of the polling
station commission and one observer should administer mobile voting
jointly within the geographical territory covered by a polling
station.
The decision to use mobile voting facility was announced July 15
by Sergey Davtian, the chairman of Karabagh Central Election
Commission (CEC), who warned the CEC members against campaigning in
favor of a candidate and expressed hope that the polls will be
conducted in a transparent atmosphere.
Armenpress correspondent in Nagorno Karabagh also reported, citing
a report by local prosecutors that the number of crimes decreased by
54 in the first six months of the year making 281 against 335 of last
year’s same time span. But according to the report, concurrently the
number of grave crimes rose. The prosecutors also succeeded in
bringing to the net some 100 people engaged in business and collected
2.5 million drams in penalties.

ArmenPress
July 15 2004
ARMENIAN PATRIARCH OF TURKEY SPEAKS IN FAVOR OF TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP
TO EU
ISTANBUL, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian Patriarch of Turkey,
Archbishop Mesrop Mutafian, met recently with the senior consul of
the French consulate in Istanbul, Jean Christopher Possel, who was
eager to learn Mutafian’s views concerning Turkey’s drive towards EU
membership.
Mutafian said it would not be correct to look at the entire
Armenian community of Turkey as a homogeneous body. “Those French
Armenians who resist Turkish EU membership represent only part of
Armenians. Along with Diaspora Armenians who advocate against
Turkey’s accession to EU there are also Armenians who realize the
benefits that can come for Turkish-Armenian relations together with
Turkey’s membership and therefore they support that process,” he
said.
Mutafian said he too, as the Armenian Patriarch, speaks often in
favor of Turkey’s membership. “In the event of meeting all
requirements of becoming an EU member country, the membership will
have a very positive effect on the state of Turkish citizens,
national minorities, in terms of improving Armenian-Armenian
relations and securing regional stability,” he said.

ArmenPress
July 19 2004
ACHENBACH AND ARMENAL TO SIGN MODERNIZATION AGREEMENT IN AUTUMN
YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS: A spokesman for Armenal aluminum
foil factory in Yerevan told Armenpress that a German Achenbach that
has won a tender to modernize Armenal is expected to sign an
agreement in autumn with Rusal aluminum company, that owns all shares
in Armenal, to carry out the factory’s modernization program, aimed
at the creation of full-cycle production and quality improvements.
The spokesman said the program is likely to cost $40 million. He said
it also calls for the installation of modern equipment. The
modernization is expected to increase the profitability rate by 1.5
times.
Armenal was founded in 2000 on the site of the Kanaker aluminum
factory as a joint venture between RusAl and the Armenian government.
Since 2003, the factory has been owned by RusAl. The modernized
factory will produce 25,000 tons of aluminum foil against 10,500 of
2003.
Achenbach is one of the world leaders in production of foil and
non-ferrous metallurgy equipment. Since 1888 the company has provided
services in the area of production and installation of equipment for
aluminum, copper and zinc processing.
RusAl, created by Sibneft stockholders and entrepreneur Oleg
Deripaska, is the source of 75% of Russian and 10% of world supplies
of first-stage aluminum.

ArmenPress
July 19 2004
NUMBER OF MARRIAGES AND DIVORCES GROW
YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS: An estimated 8,245 marriages were
performed in the first half of 2004 against 7,101 of the same period
of time last year. The marriage growth rate made 1,144. According to
a special department of the justice ministry, registering marriages,
5,601 marriages were performed in the regions and 2,644 marriages in
the capital city of Yerevan.
Also 1,042 divorces were granted in the same time, out of which
543 in Yerevan and 499 in regions. In the first six months of 2003
951 divorces were granted.

ArmenPress
July 19 2004
900 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES IN KARABAGH WANT TO GET EDUCATION AT LOCAL
UNIVERSITY
STEPANAKERT, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS; Some 900 high school graduates
in Nagorno Karabagh will have their first university entrance
examination on July 20, like in Armenia, in an effort to be eligible
to study at the local university, the only higher education
establishment. The university provides free tuition to 200 students
and other 500 will have to pay for it.
The most highly rated departments are applied mathematics,
history, linguistics, foreign languages. Not only local
school-leavers, but also some from Armenia, Russia, Turkmenistan,
Belarus and Ukraine have applied.
Also some 100 local high school graduates want to get education at
Yerevan-based universities. Thirty-five of them will be selected from
a pool of applicants to get it free. Students at Stepanakert
University major in 30 specialties. The university management has
risen this year tuition fee explaining that it needs extra money for
the repair of the building, upgrading the technical base and
installment of new modern laboratories.
From: Baghdasarian

ArmenPress
July 19 2004
TWO EXPEDITIONS TO SEEK NOAH’S ARK
MOSCOW, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS: A Russian expedition left last
Saturday for the upper reaches of Mount Ararat where organizers hope
to prove an object nestled amid the snow and ice is Noah’s Ark.
Before setting out the expedition got the blessing of Russian
Patriarch, Alexis II. The Russians have taken with them the icon of
George the Triumphant, who is thought to be the protector of
Caucasian Mountains to present it to Turkish authorities. This will
be the second ascension of the head of the expedition, Andrey
Polyakov, to Mount Ararat.
Also another, joint U.S.-Turkish team of 10 explorers plans to
make the arduous trek up the mountain this summer to enter what they
believe to be a mammoth structure some 45 feet high, 75 feet wide and
up to 450 feet long that was exposed in part by last summer’s heat
wave in Europe. Explorers have long searched for an ark on the high
slopes of Mount Ararat, where the biblical account of the Great Flood
places it.
In 1957, Turkish air force pilots spotted a boat-shaped formation
in Agri province. The government did not pursue the sighting,
however. The entire area, including Mount Ararat, was off limits to
foreigners because of Soviet complaints that explorers were U.S.
spies.

ArmenPress
July 19 2004
ARMENIAN TENNIS PLAYERS DEFEAT BOTSWANA, MALTA AND MAURITIUS
CHISINAU, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS: Eight nations were competing in the
Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Europe/Africa Zone Group IV event last week
in Chisinau, Moldova. Armenia defeated all his rival – Botswana,
Malta, Mauritius- and won the first place in its subgroup. Moldova,
who also plays in Group 4 defeated Rwanda and Uganda and lost to
Bosnia and Herzegovina.