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Armenian president, Iranian energy minister discuss cooperation

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
1 Dec 04

[Armenian] President Robert Kocharyan received a delegation led by
Iranian Energy Minister Habibollah Bitaraf today.

The Iranian minister informed President Robert Kocharyan that the
construction of the Iranian sector of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
will start in two and a half months. Iran intends to bring the
capacity of the power exchange with Armenia to 1,000 MW by the
construction of the third high-voltage power line, he added.

The Armenian president said that the launching of the construction of
the Armenian sector of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline and the
construction of the Agarak-Shinuayr high-voltage power line were the
beginning of major cooperation between Armenia and Iran and created an
opportunity to discuss future projects.

Robert Kocharyan noted that the Armenian side was ready to do
everything possible to continue the current tempo of cooperation.

During the meeting, the sides also discussed the construction of the
Megri-Kadzharan tunnel and the import of fuel from Iran to Armenia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenia has some anti-AIDS experience – foreign minister

Noyan Tapan news agency
1 Dec 04

YEREVAN

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan described the AIDS situation
in Armenia in 1998-2004 at a meeting with the special envoy of the UN
secretary-general for HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe, Lars O. Kallings, on
30 November. The minister furnished the UN representative with some
statistical data.

It was said that although the number of AIDS patients is relatively
small, the problem must always stay in focus. The minister said
Armenia had already accumulated some experience in fighting AIDS and
was ready to cooperate with different organizations, especially the
UN.

The UN special envoy stressed the importance of the commission set up
jointly by the state, Armenian public organizations and international
organizations. He said the commission was closely cooperating with
the Global Fund to Fight AIDS by exchanging data and experience with
similar commissions from other countries. The Fund, which provides
free medicines to AIDS patients, has donated 7.5m dollars to Armenia.

Lars O. Kallings is in Armenia within the framework of his regional
visit, the press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry has told
Noyan Tapan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri leader receives credentials of Iraqi, Japanese, Ukrainian envoys

ANS TV, Baku
2 Dec 04

Presenter Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev today received the
credentials of the newly-appointed ambassadors to Azerbaijan from
Iraq, Japan and Ukraine.

Correspondent, over video of the ceremony The president first met
Japanese ambassador Tadahiro Abe. The Japanese ambassador spoke about
friendly relations between the two countries and the history of
bilateral ties. He conveyed his emperor’s greetings to Ilham
Aliyev. President Aliyev spoke about cooperation with the Japanese
government within the framework of international organizations. The
Japanese government has allocated major loans to Azerbaijan so far and
major projects are being implemented due to those loans, he said.

President Aliyev thanked the ambassador and his government for
cooperation in the humanitarian sphere and for schools built in
Azerbaijan on the funds allocated by the Japanese government.

Then Aliyev received the credentials of Ukrainian ambassador Anatoliy
Yurchenko. The ambassador said that he had arrived in Azerbaijan at a
difficult time for his country. However, he hoped that his activity
would give an impetus for the development of relations between the two
countries. He said that Azerbaijan and Ukraine were successfully
developing cooperation within the framework of the CIS, the Council of
Europe and the GUUAM Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and
Moldova countries.

President Aliyev said that Ukraine always supported Azerbaijan in the
Karabakh settlement.

The Karabakh conflict was a focus of attention when the president
received the credentials of Iraqi ambassador Umar Isma’il. The
president recalled that the Azerbaijani lands had been occupied by
Armenians and said that the Iraqi people was also living through hard
times. He hoped that peace will be restored in this Middle East
country soon.

Leyla Hasanova, Ali Ahmadov, Ibrahim Telmanoglu for ANS.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FIRST LADIES OF ARMENIA AND GEORGIA VISIT NATIONAL ONCOLOGICAL CENTER

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 2. ARMINFO. The first ladies of Georgia and Armenia
Sandra Elizabeth Rulofs and Bella Kocharyan visited today the National
Oncological Center in Yerevan.

Rulofs said that Georgia also has a big oncological center so the
countries can tightly cooperate in the sphere particularly through
joint training workshops.

The director of the center Hayrapet Galstyan said that the center
treats 4,000 patients a year this including surgery, chemical therapy,
x-ray therapy. Its equipment is modernized every year.

Last year IAEA provided the center with diagnostic eqiupment and a
linear accelerator worth $1.5 mln. This allows the center to
effectively detect cancer at early stages – 12%-13% detection rate
against 5% last year. Galstyan says that in Armenia there are 30,000
people who were cured of cancer over 10 year ago. The cancer rate is
low in Armenia compared with other countries. 160 patients per 100,000
people against 450 ones in other countries.

Rulofs also visited American Rehabilitation Center. Friday she will
visit Yerevan State University, meet with Catholicos of All Armenians
Garegin II and go to the Armenian Genocide Complex.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DENTAL CENTER AT ASU

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
02 Dec 04

The dental center provided with modern equipment has been operating at
Artsakh State University for three months already. On November 26 the
official opening of the dental center took place. In his address vice
rector Artem Abrahamian mentioned that the dream of ASU to have a
dental center at last came true, for which he thanked the rector of
the university. During his visit to Iran last year the rector of the
university Hamlet Grigorian managed to obtain modern dental equipment
with the help of the Union of Armenian Doctors of Iran. According to
him, education in any field must be practical. The center has three
dentist chairs, x-ray apparatus. Three doctors provide dental service
with the participation of students. The center provides free dental
care to students. Lecturers are given 50 per cent discount. The
dental center may admit also a limited number of other patients.

AA.
02-12-2004

OSCE mediator sees UN debates on Karabakh as Azerbaijan’s “mistake”

Azadliq, Baku
1 Dec 04

Text of unattributed report by Azerbaijani newspaper Azadliq on 1
December headlined “The Minsk Group blames Azerbaijan for making a
mistake” and subheaded “Yuriy Merzlyakov explains his opinion by
Azerbaijan’s refusal to accept the suggested resolution”

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairman from Russia, Yuriy Merzlyakov, has
clarified some issues about the details of the resolution on Nagornyy
Karabakh submitted to the UN General Assembly for discussion on 23
November. It became known that the co-chairmen [from the USA, France
and Russia] who failed to prevent the discussions attempted to include
an alternative resolution in the agenda of the UN General Assembly.

However, official Baku opposed this demand.

“We submitted an alternative resolution to Azerbaijan four days before
the UN General Assembly discussions. Disagreeing with this, Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov insisted that the resolution submitted by
Azerbaijan should be put on the agenda. However, Azerbaijan did not
admit that it made a mistake by submitting its resolution for
discussion,” he said.

Saying that the meeting was confidential, Merzlyakov declined to
disclose the content of the draft they had put forward. The
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry did not declare either which resolution
the talk was about.

The head of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry press service, Matin
Mirza, said that there could be a certain resolution which Merzlyakov
spoke about. However, this proposal was unofficial.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Hovnanian plans to sell $300 million in notes

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 15 (Reuters) – Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. <_HOV.N_
(aol://4785:HOV/) >, a homebuilder, said on Monday it had agreed to
issue $200 million in senior notes and another $100 million in senior
subordinated notes.

The Red Bank, New Jersey-based company said it planned to use the
proceeds of the offerings to repay current debt and for other
unspecified corporate purposes.

11/15/04 17:08 ET

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SLOVAKIAN PARLIAMENT RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

BRATISLAVA, December 1 (Noyan Tapan). On November 30, the National
Assembly of Slovakia recognized the Armenian Genocide with the
overwhelming majority of votes. This information was provided by NT’s
correspondent in Bratislava.

According to the approved resolution, the National Assembly of
Slovakia recognizes and condemns the 1915 Armenian Genocide in Ottoman
Turkey, whose victims were “hundreds of thousands” of Armenians, as
the crime againt humanity.

The Slovakian parliament also touched upon the issue of Turkey’s
membership in the European Union, giving assurance that it is possible
only in case of Turkey’s fulfillment of the following preliminary
conditions: the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, lifting of
blockade on Armenia, the removal of the article from the Criminal Code
of the country, which foresees criminal punishment for statements
about the Armenian Genocide and the necessity of the withdrawal of the
Turkish troops from Cyprus; respect for the rights of the national
minorities in the country.

The Slovakian parliament faced strong obstacles of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the country for the approval of the decision on the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONSTRUCTION OF ARMENIAN PART OF IRAN-ARMENIA GASPIPE LINE BEGINS

Azg/arm
2 Dec 04

On the Armenian bank of Arax River, not far from town of Agarak, the
construction of the Armenian part of Iran-Armenia pipeline began on
November 30. Armen Movsisian, RA Energy Minister, emphasized the
importance of the gas pipeline for Armenia.

The gas pipeline stretches for 142 km. The first document on its
construction was signed 12 years ago. The construction in the Iranian
side began several months ago. The Armenian part of the pipeline is
constructed by “Sanir” Iranian company.

The officials visiting the ceremony emphasized in their speeches the
contribution made by the leaders of both countries to the
implementation ofsuch an important program. The agreement on the
construction of the gas pipeline was signed on May 13, 2004, in
Yerevan. The agreement on financing the project was signed in the
course of Iranian President Khatami’s visit to Armenia.

Habibollah Bitaraf, Iranian Energy Minister, said in his speech that
according to the agreement, the Iranian Export and Development Bank
allocated a credit for the construction of the Armenian part of the
gas pipeline. The credit amounts to $30 million. Bitaraf said that
Armenia will pay back with electricity for the Iranian gas.

“By implementing this project we develop Armenian-Iranian relations
one more step further. Much efforts were made, many negotiations were
held between Armenia and Iran to achieve the construction of the gas
pipeline,” Bitaraf said.

RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian stated that “this day of 2004
will remain in history”. According to him, the gas pipeline has not
only economic and energetic importance for Armenia and Iran but will
also “make definite changes in the region”.

“This project is implemented through political and economic
sufferings,” Margarian said and reminded, “in the years of hardship
for Armenia Iran stretches out its hand to help us”. When we say a
friendly country, we mean the friendship, indeed, the prime minister
stated.

RA Prime Minister expressed hope that “in 2005or in 2006 we will again
gather here to open the construction of two hydro power plants on the
banks of Arax. “Today we open the second Armenia-Iran electricity
line in Shinuhayr village, and we are hopeful that the third line will
be opened, as well,” Margarian said.

The officials were hopeful that the construction of the gas pipeline
would be completed according to the schedule, i.e. by the end of
2006. According to the agreement, Iran should provide 36 billion
sq. meter of gas to Armenia in the course of 20 years. Prime Minster
Margarian said that besides economic and regional importance, the
construction of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline will open new job positions
for Meghri and Syunik region’s residents. “This is a region that is
the back of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh,” Margarian said.

Alireza Haghighian, Iranian Ambassador to Armenia, stated that the
construction of the gas pipeline will contribute not only to the
development of Armenia’ s economy but also to the regional stability.

By Tatoul Hakobian

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FRENCH GOVERNMENT PRESENTS ARMED FORCES OF ARMENIA WITH MEDICAL
EQUIPMENT WORTH A TOTAL OF $1 MLN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 1. ARMINFO. The government of France has presented
the armed forces of Armenia with medical equipment worth a total of $1
mln. The transfer of the humanitarian assistance was held at the
central clinical hospital of the Ministry of Defence of Armenia.

Ambassador of France to Armenia Henry Cuny mentioned that the gesture
of the French government is of special importance. “Taking into
account the conflict of the region France has limited the cooperation
with Armenia in the sphere of defence”, the ambassador mentioned and
added that any cooperation in the defence sphere might arouse protests
of other countries of the region, and for this reason the French
government has decided to provide assistance in the sphere of army
health-care. Henry Cuny stressed that France has found time and funds
for sending humanitarian assistance to Armenia just at the moment when
France itself needs vehicles in connection the events in Cote
d’Ivoire. He also mentioned that the Armenian side has highly assessed
the assistance of the French Republic and expressed for further
bilateral cooperation.

Deputy Defence Minister of Armenia, Lieut-Gen Arthur Aghabekian, on
behalf of Defence Minister Serge Sargsian and all the servicemen of
the country, expressed gratitude to the government of France and
stressed that the humanitarian assistance will serve only peaceful
purposes. The deputy minister mentioned that the surgical instruments,
blankets and other medical accessories will be distributed to
hospitals.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress