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Russia threatens airspace closure for indebted CIS airlines

Agence France Presse
October 1, 2004 Friday

Russia has warned several airlines from the Commonwealth of
Independent States, a group of 12 ex-Soviet countries, that it would
close its airspace to them from Octber 1 if they did not pay past fees
for over-flying its terrirtory, the Transport Minstry said Friday.

Airlines from Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine have
accumulated 22.8 million dollars (18.4 million euros) in unpaid fees
over the past several years, the ministry said in a statement.

When contacted by telephone, the ministry was unable to say Friday
morning whether the ban on flying over Russian territory had gone into
effect.

According to Russian press, authorities are holding negotiations with
most of the companies and only those from Georgia risk having their
flights interrupted.

Sixteen Georgian airlines are liable for 3.6 million dollars in fees
for having overflown Russian territory between 1994 and 2001 but they
have all gone bankrupt since then.

Russian authorities have decided to make new Georgian airlines that
have taken up the routes of their predecessors liable for the fees,
which Tbilissi contests.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Russia’s strength being tested in Caucasus – Mironov

TASS
October 1, 2004 Friday

By Lyudmila Yermakova, Tigran Liloyan

YEREVAN

The Caucasus is a key region for Russia at present. It is where
Russia’s strength is being tested, Federation Council Chairman Sergei
Mironov said at a Friday meeting with the Russian regiment stationed
in Yerevan.

“Not only Russia but also all countries of this unique land of plenty
need stability in the Caucasus and Transcaucasia,” he said.

Mironov called on servicemen “to do their best to prevent the
spreading of international terrorism in the Caucasus and thwart plans
of extremists seeking regional destabilization.” “Russia thinks that
cooperation must develop in the spirit of historical and spiritual
relations between the peoples of Russia and Armenia and in strict
compliance with international legal norms and principles of the United
Nations and international organizations whose members we are,” Mironov
said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian

CROSSROADS E-NEWSLETTER – September 30, 2004

REGISTER NOW FOR FIVE SESSION
COURSE ON THE LITURGY
The mini course on the Soorp Badarak (Holy Eucharist) will start on Monday,
October 18, and continue on the first and third Mondays of the month, for a
total of five sessions. The course is presented by Dn. Shant Kazanjian,
Executive Director of the Armenian Religious Education Council.

NEW ENGLAND AREA RETREAT: WE ARE FAMILY
WILL TAKE PLACE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23
The New England area Retreat, We Are Family, will take place on Saturday,
October 23, at the E. Kent Swift Estate, Whitinsville, Massachusetts.

ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN ATTENDS
ORDINATION OF TWO BISHOPS
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan attended the episcopal ordination of two bishops
at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick on September 21, by invitation of His
Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan, the Bishop of New York. The Most Reverend
Gerald T. Walsh and The Most Revered Reverend Dennis J. Sullivan, were
ordained Auxiliary Bishops of the Archdiocese of New York.

ARCHBISHOP WILL TRAVEL TO RACINE
This weekend, October 2 and 3, Archbishop Oshagan will travel to Racine,
Wisconsin, to be with the parish of St. Hagop Armenian Church. His Eminence
will celebrate the Divine Liturgy and officiate at the ordination of
acolytes and the ordination of Dr. Levon Saryan to the office of Deacon. He
will also preside over a banquet celebrating the 66th anniversary of the
parish. Accompanying His Eminence will be Michael Hagopian, vice chairman of
the Executive Council.

PRELATE WILL BE IN ATLANTA FOR
WCC CONFERENCE
Archbishop Oshagan will be in Atlanta, Georgia, to attend the World Council
of Churches U.S. Conference next week, October 5 and 6.

The Power and Promise of Peace is the theme of the 2004 U.S. focus of the
WCC Decade to Overcome Violence. The U.S. Conference for the WCC is the main
platform of the 34 member churches of the WCC in the United States. The
annual meeting is expected to bring together hundreds of church leaders and
ecumenical activists from throughout the United States and other countries.

MEMORIAL TRIBUTE TO ARCHBISHOP MESROB ASHJIAN
A Memorial Tribute to Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian, of blessed memory, is
scheduled for Friday, October 15, at St. Peter Church, 619 Lexington Ave.
(at 54th Street), New York City, at 7:30 pm, sponsored by the New York
Hamazkayin.

PILLARS OF THE PRELACY RECEPTION
IN DETROIT ON OCTOBER 10
The Pillars of the Prelacy reception in the Midwest area will take place on
Sunday, October 10, hosted by St. Sarkis Church, Dearborn, Michigan. The
Pillars of the Prelacy is an annual giving program, which since its
inauguration last year has been growing. The money raised through this
program goes to important programs like clergy recruitment and training as
well as Prelacy youth programs.

Most recently the Sts. Vartanantz community of Providence, Rhode Island,
hosted a very successful reception.

FEATURED MUSICAL ARMENIA ARTIST OF 2003
IS PERFORMING AT METROPOLITAN OPERA THIS SEASON
The outstanding baritone, Rodion Pogossov, who was one of the featured
artists in the Musical Armenia concert in 2003, is performing with the
Metropolitan Opera this season. He is appearing in the role of Papageno in a
new production of Die Zauberflote, (The Magic Flute) conducted by James
Levine.

This is a good time to remind you to mark your calendar for the 2005 Musical
Armenia concert, which is earlier than usual. The concert will take place on
January 30, 2005, at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City.
Watch for details.

CATHOLICOS ARAM I DEPARTS
FOR SWEDEN
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, left Antelias
this morning, September 30, for Sweden, where he will be a guest of the
Lutheran Church of Sweden. On Sunday, October 5, His Holiness will deliver a
Sermon at the Cathedral of Uppsala. He is also scheduled to deliver lectures
at universities in Uppsala and Helsinki. The Catholicos will also
participate in ecumenical meetings during his stay in Sweden.

72 HOLY DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
COMMEMORATED THIS SATURDAY
This Saturday, October 2, the Armenian Church commemorates the 72 holy
disciples of Christ. The reference comes from the Gospel of Luke, chapter
10, verse 1: After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on
ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to
go. (Some versions of the Gospel say 72, rather than 70).

The tradition of the church confirms that the seventy (or seventy-two)
disciples remained true to the Lord and their calling, and spread the
Gospel. They were not random choices, but rather true disciples whose labors
carried the message of the Lord throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. All
of the saints are remembered individually in the calendar of the Church, but
this day is set aside to remember them collectively. The number 70 is also
considered to be an allusion to Genesis, which speaks of 70 nations of the
world.

Incidentally, the number seven appears often in Christianity. Consider just
a few examples: Seven Churches of Asia; Seven Councils; Seven Days of
Creation; Seven Deadly Sins; Seven Last Words; Seven Sacraments.

AUTUMN IN THE GARDEN
It is now officially autumn. Of course, we need not look at the calendar to
know this. Our garden, with its sleepy and weepy look, tells us that another
planting season has come to an end, at least for us here in the northeast.
The tomatoes, though late in ripening, were the best tasting in many a
season. The vines are yellow and withered, but still full of green tomatoes
that hold the promise of ripening before the first frost wipes them out. All
of the other vegetables have long since completed their cycle and the garden
awaits to be cleaned, plowed, and prepared for the winter sleep and the
promise of renewal in spring.

AND FINALLY, TONIGHT IS THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
Tonight, beginning at 9 pm, the first of the three presidential debates will
take place. We here at Crossroads will be watching. We hope you will also,
as President Bush and Senator Kerry present their hopes and dreams for the
next four years.

We leave you with this prayer delivered by Thomas Jefferson, the third
president of the United States, on March 4, 1801.

Almighty God, Who has given us this good land for our heritage; We humbly
beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Thy
favor and glad to do Thy will. Bless our land with honorable ministry, sound
learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion,
from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and
fashion into one united people, the multitude brought hither out of many
kindreds and tongues. Endow with Thy spirit of wisdom those whom in Thy name
we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace
at home, and that through obedience to Thy law, we may show forth Thy praise
among the nations of the earth. In time of prosperity fill our hearts with
thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in Thee to
fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Visit our website at

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Chinese foreign minister meets South African, Sudanese counterparts

Xinhua news agency, Beijing
30 Sep 04

(New China News Agency)

United Nations, 29 September: Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing held
separate talks Wednesday [29 September] with his counterparts from
South Africa and seven other countries as well as a senior official
from Myanmar [Burma] on bilateral ties, UN reforms and other issues.

During his talks with South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini
Zuma, Li said that as China and South Africa are both developing
countries, they can strengthen communication and coordination with
the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77, jointly advocate
multilateralism and enhance the UN role and authority.

He thanked South Africa for its firm support for China on the issues
of Taiwan and human rights, and hoped that South Africa would take
effective measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of
Chinese citizens in the country.

Dlamini Zuma said South Africa attached great importance to its
relations with China and would take further steps to ensure the safety
of Chinese citizens and their properties.

While meeting Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Uthman Isma’il, Li
said the issue of Darfur aroused great concern in the international
community. He hoped that the Sudanese government would cooperate with
the international community in improving the humanitarian situation
in Darfur.

Isma’il expressed his gratitude to China for its efforts to help seek a
proper solution to the Darfur issue. He promised that Khartoum would
strengthen cooperation with the African Union, the Arab League and
the United Nations in achieving substantive progress in resolving
the problem.

During his talks with Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri,
both agreed that the UN reforms should be conducted in a gradual
manner and take into account concerns and interests of all parties.

On the same day, Li also met with Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei
Martynov, Comoros Foreign Minister Mohamed Souef el-Amine, Vanuatu
Foreign Minister Barak Sope Maautamate, Armenian Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanyan, Jamaican Foreign Minister Keith Desmond Knight and
U Tin Winn, minister [of labour] at the office of Myanmar’s prime
minister.

El-Amine, Maautamate and Oskanyan promised Li that their countries
will continue adhering to the one-China principle and do not engage
in any official contacts with the Taiwan authorities.

Li arrived in New York on Sunday to attend the annual high-level
debate of the UN General Assembly and is due to leave for Washington
on Thursday.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri authorities “blacklist” foreign companies working in Karabakh – paper

Zerkalo, Baku
30 Sep 04

The Azerbaijani authorities have instituted a blacklist of foreign
companies doing business in the self-declared Nagornyy Karabakh
Republic, Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo has reported. However, this
is a belated step, the report said. Zerkalo noted that it was not
worth spoiling relations with large foreign companies and instead
Azerbaijan could adopt a law regulating foreign financial assistance
to Nagornyy Karabakh. The following is an excerpt from R. Mirqadirov
report by Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo on 30 September headlined “Ice
is cracking?” and subheaded “Blacklist of companies working on occupied
territories compiled”; subheadings have been inserted editorially:

Belated statement

Azerbaijan has compiled a “blacklist” of foreign companies engaged in
illegal activity on Armenian-occupied territories, Trend news agency
has quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov as saying.

He said these companies, agencies and different bodies will be banned
from engaging in any activity on Azerbaijani territory. Also, appeals
will be sent to the governments of the countries they represent. Azimov
added that the Azerbaijani government will demand that international
sanctions be applied against them as well.

“Azerbaijan cannot turn a blind eye to the illegal tapping of natural
resources on its occupied territories and Armenia’s policy of illegal
settlement,” he said.

Considering the statements by Azerbaijani officials on the need for
palpable results in the Karabakh settlement and the restoration
of the country’s territorial integrity within one year, it seems
that Baku has “woken up” from the winter hibernation. Unfortunately,
rather late. And this is when a question arises: is it worth spoiling
relations with serious foreign companies which in some cases represent
influential countries?

Of course, we are not talking about Araz Azimov now. After all, he
has voiced the official position which, in fact, is quite right. But
then another pretty straightforward and rhetorical question arises:
why did we have to remain inactive for such a long time to develop
a position on such a mundane and clear issue?

Without mentioning other media outlets, Zerkalo alone has repeatedly
raised this topical issue over the past several years. And every
time we named the foreign companies and international organizations
working on occupied territories, including outside Nagornyy
Karabakh. Indifference to the fact that its natural resources are
squandered by a country at war with Azerbaijan, though not quite
officially, was beyond comprehension. Because first reports on
the exploration of gold deposits outside Nagornyy Karabakh emerged
almost 10 years ago. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan once even
showed gold ingots from those deposits to TV cameras. Meanwhile,
Baku remained “Olympic quiet” and tried to ignore media publications
and Kocharyan’s bravery.

At the same time, these belated steps, or to be more exact declarative
statements, can hardly be seen as complete. As mentioned, Azerbaijan’s
sovereignty over the occupied territories is violated not only by
foreign companies but also international organizations, funds, states
and even individual citizens of foreign countries.

Law needed to regulate foreign financial assistance to Karabakh

Let’s start with the end. In any country a violation of its borders
is a flagrant offence, which in Azerbaijan is even punishable. In
other words, any citizen of a foreign country who has visited Nagornyy
Karabakh without the Azerbaijani visa has violated our borders with
everything that entails.

As far as the activity of foreign companies on the occupied territories
is concerned, everything is quite clear. There can be no foreign
investment or entrepreneurial activity until a political settlement
to the Karabakh problem is reached. To prevent such activity, it is
necessary to engage all international legal instruments, including
judicial ones. The point is that by signing a contract to develop
a deposit on Azerbaijani territory with the government of Armenia
or the authorities of the so-called “Nagornyy Karabakh Republic”,
a foreign company not only violates international legal norms but
also inflicts enormous economic damage to us. And this must become
an object of consideration in international judicial bodies and
compensation must be sought for the damage caused.

I am not saying we should “deny entry” to the occupied territories,
including Nagornyy Karabakh, to all countries, international
organizations, funds, including humanitarian and human rights, and
foreign citizens. This, in fact, is not possible.

However, it is high time we adopted a law regulating foreign activity
on occupied territories. For instance, while it is impossible to ban
the provision of humanitarian assistance to the Karabakh population,
we can urge international organizations, including those representing
specific countries, to abide by legislative parameters of such
assistance. Then we will have a chance to exercise at least some
control over financial and other flows to Karabakh.

[Passage to end omitted: minor details]

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian MPs’ visit to Baku will not do any harm – Azeri minister

ANS Radio, Baku
30 Sep 04

[Presenter] It is still not known if Armenian MPs Vaan Ovanesyan and
Gagik Lazarian, who are going to attend the Rose-Roth seminar of
the Parliamentary Assembly of NATO in Azerbaijan on 26-28 November,
have been given visas. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
has said that the issue will be tackled in the near future.

[Elmar Mammadyarov] In general, we protested against NATO’s Cooperative
Best Effort exercises in order to prevent Armenian officers from
coming to Azerbaijan. We thought that such a visit to Azerbaijan by
Armenian officers could be more damaging than helpful.

However, we think that Azerbaijan has made certain commitments
to NATO. From this viewpoint, we should continue NATO-Azerbaijani
relations. In general, I think that the Armenian MPs’ presence at
NATO’s Rose-Roth seminar in Azerbaijan will not do any harm and this
is not a problem.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Extinguishing the Post Cold War Dream

World Bank-Mandated Energy Privatization Taxes
Armenia’s Poor

Grassroots National Newspaper
Canada
by Rob Maguire

Late last month, an independent Armenia became a teenager. Food,
fireworks and a festive atmosphere commemorated the 13th anniversary
of its independence, declared on September 21, 1991. As the first
Soviet republic to proclaim sovereignty during the collapse of the
USSR, Armenians have reason to rejoice – after decades of cultural and
political oppression they may finally flout their language, heritage
and national identity without fear of reprisal.

A boy heading home from school in Karabagh, Armenia.
photo: Rob Maguire

Many in this tiny republic, however, have little else to
celebrate. While civil liberties were subject to Soviet-style
constraints, the Armenia of the 1980s enjoyed a strong economy, a
healthy and highly educated public, and one of the most egalitarian
distributions of wealth in the USSR. Once the newly independent
government began to adopt market reforms and neoliberal values, gross
domestic product plummeted, prices for basic needs such as food and
water increased dramatically, while public goods like health care
and education began to crumble.

Over a decade later, GDP has finally returned to pre-reform levels. Who
has benefited from renewed economic growth, however, is not so
clear. Spending on education and health remains low. Real wages are
less than one-eighth of what they were in 1990, and economic inequality
in Armenia has become extreme. In Yerevan, Armenia’s capital, the
number of BMWs seen rolling along city streets has mushroomed; and so
have the ranks of panhandlers roaming those very same urban boulevards.

Poverty has indeed become widespread in Armenia. Affecting roughly
fifty percent of the population, it has quickly become an epidemic
that shows little sign of subsiding.

An old man in Yerevan, Armenia. photo: Rob Maguire

Living on less than two dollars a day, the poor are
particularly vulnerable to increases in the price of basic
commodities. Privatization within the energy sector, however, has
preyed upon this very weakness. Imposed by the World Bank through
loan conditions, reforms designed to make electric utilities more
attractive to foreign takeover left people paying more than twice as
much for electricity then they were in the mid-1990s.

Furthermore, inability to pay these inflated rates now results in
disconnection. This strict marketplace logic is expressed by Andrei
Rappaport, a senior official for Unified Energy System of Russia, and
the new owner of several Armenian generating facilities: “If you want
energy pay for it, and if there is not any money to pay, then goodbye.”

Not unsurprisingly, these new conditions led to a serious decline in
household energy consumption. The poor in particular were forced to cut
electricity use considerably, by twenty percent on average. According
to a World Bank report, the typical household barely has enough
electricity to power a refrigerator and a handful of light bulbs.

Despite the decline in consumption, increased energy costs now account
for approximately thirty percent of all household expenditures, with
electricity making up the bulk of these payments. A related concern
is the move towards greater wood consumption. While this reduces the
reliance on costly electric power, it has also contributed to higher
levels of indoor air pollution and accelerated deforestation.

Energy – widely recognized as a fundamental need for human development
– has become increasingly inaccessible in Armenia. At the insistence of
the World Bank, control over this precious commodity has been handed
over to foreign interests, where social priorities are sacrificed in
the name of corporate profit and capitalist ethos.

The picture is similar in much of the former Soviet Union:
increases in cultural and, to a lesser degree, political freedoms
have been overshadowed by a sharp decline in the freedom to meet
basic human needs. This failure is directly related to the “shock
therapy” imposition of market capitalism on countries with centralized
economies – a prescription borne more of ideological zeal than sound
economic principles.

Soviet leftovers. photo: Rob Maguire

Joseph Stiglitz, former Chief Economist of the World Bank, explains:
“From this cold-war perspective, those who showed any sympathy to
transitional forms that had evolved out of the communist past and
still bore traces of that evolution must themselves be guilty of
‘communist sympathies.’ Only a blitzkrieg approach during the
‘window of opportunity’ provided by the ‘fog of transition’ would
get the changes made before the population had a chance to organize
to protect its previous vested interests.”

Poverty and inequality remain Armenia’s greatest challenges, and
some question whether the political will exists to tackle these vital
problems. This is true for the Armenian government, but perhaps more
importantly, for the World Bank and related organizations such as
the International Monetary Fund and the United States Agency for
International Development. The coercive pressure these institutions
place upon governments to engage in fire sale privatisation tactics
could be redirected to produce publicly owned utilities that are
transparent, efficient, and designed to serve the public good.

Unfortunately, these institutions appear more concerned with
ideological imperialism and creating profit opportunities for Western
corporations than they are with promoting sustainable economics,
accountable governance, and poverty reduction – all of which are
necessary for human beings to truly prosper.

Rob Maguire is a Canadian activist and graduate student living in
Yerevan, Armenia. He can be found online at

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency
Sept 29 2004

Exhibition of NKR artists takes place in Stepanakert

Armenia joins the project of exchange of radio-journals in South
caucasus

Confederation of graduates of Melkoniantsi International calls to not
to allow its closing

Draft law on ecological expertise to be discussed in Armenia

Two-day international conference “South Caucasus as Part of Enlarged
Europe” to be held on September 30 in Yerevan

Awards delivered to veteran of WWII on honor of 60th anniversary of
liberation of Belarus today in Yerevan

*********************************************************************

EXHIBITION OF NKR ARTISTS TAKES PLACE IN STEPANAKERT

STEPANAKERT, September 29. /ARKA/. Exhibition of NKR artists took
place in Stepanakert, the Chairman of NKR Artists’ Union Lenord
Zakharian stated today. According to him, it is third and last
exhibition this year. The next one will be conducted in March 2005.
“We want to exhibit only new works that is why the time split is so
big”, he explained.
Newly elected Mayor of Stepanakert Eudard Agabekian in his turn noted
big contribution of artists in development of Artsakh culture,
propaganda of art outside the country. He stressed that the
exhibitions will be organized more often. L.D. –0—

*********************************************************************

ARMENIA JOINS THE PROJECT OF EXCHANGE OF RADIO-JOURNALS IN SOUTH
CAUCASUS

YEREVAN, September 29. /ARKA/. Armenia joins the project of exchange
of radio-journals in South Caucasus, Coordinator of the Project of
British NGO “Peace Researces” Helen Kuk stated today at the press
conference. According to her, the advantage of the journals is that
it is not a political genre, but an example of so called “people’s
broadcast”. According to her, in the regions with conflict, there is
lack of information on life of people by both sides of the conflict.
“Sincere stories of ordinary people’s lives allow filling existing
vacuum, overcome stereotypes in people’s mentalities and are very
important in the view of psychological rehabilitation of society that
suffered conflict”, Kuk said.
In the whole, about 20 channels in all countries of the region will
broadcast audio-journals, and the materials will be translated in
several languages, so they could be understood outside the region as
well.
Radio-journals is an original genre of programs, first appeared at
BBC in the beginning of 90s. It is sincere stories of people recorded
without journalists. The length of one journal makes 3-5 minutes.
The project is coordinated by British NGO Peace Resources in
financial support of Global Fund on Prevention of Conflicts and Swiss
Agency for Cooperation and International Development. L.D. –0

*********************************************************************

CONFEDERATION OF GRADUATES OF MELKONIANTSI INTERNATIONAL CALLS TO NOT
TO ALLOW ITS CLOSING

YEREVAN, September 29. /ARKA/. Confederation of graduates of
Melkoniantsi International calls to not to allow its closing. The
statement says that organization raises the issue of closing of
acting institution in Cyprus during General Assembly of Armenian
Charity Union that will take place on Oct 1-8 in Yerevan. According
to the organization, closing of the institution with 78-year history
will lead to a loss of small part of Armenian nation and break the
last will of Karapet Melkonian as of 1925. The press release notes
that similar attitude of ACU GA to Armenians has been several times
discussed in Armenian press and by some Armenian political parties,
the Government of Cyprus and representatives of ACU. Namely, the
Chairman of Belgium Department of ACU refused of his position and
Swiss Department of the Union condemned the decision. “It is no doubt
that Melkonian is the most important and most famous Armenian school
in the world that gave leaders of Armenian communities, teachers,
academicians, doctors, art figures, state servants”, press release
notes. Confederation of graduates of Melkoniantsi International
expressed hope that the delegates of the General Assembly will cancel
the decision. L.D. –0—

*********************************************************************

DRAFT LAW ON ECOLOGICAL EXPERTISE TO BE DISCUSSED IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, September 29. /ARKA/. The draft law on ecological expertise
will be discussed in Armenia, as ARKA was told in Transparency
International, the Armenian branch of the regional center of
development. The draft law as well as the draft of the sub-law act is
developed by Transparency International in the frames of the program
“legislation perfection in the area of the evaluation of an impact on
the environment”, sponsored by GB Government. RA Ministry of
Environmental Protection together with some Ministries and NGOs
participated in the development of the draft laws. A.H. –0–

*********************************************************************

TWO-DAY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “SOUTH CAUCASUS AS PART OF ENLARGED
EUROPE” TO BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 30 IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, September 29. /ARKA/. Two-day international conference
“South Caucasus as Part of Enlarged Europe” to be held on September
30 in Yerevan. The conference is organized by Department of Public
Diplomacy of NATO with support of Finnish Foreign Ministry. As
SPECTRUM Strategic Analyses Center told ARKA, in the frames of the
conference there will be discussed a number of issues related to
South Caucasus with NATO and EU. The conference will be attended by
Vice Speaker of Armenian Parliament Tigran Torosyan, Deputy Armenian
Foreign Minister Ruben Shugaryan, Personal Advisor of EU on South
Caucasus Harri Kamarainen, Representative of Vienna Institute of
Peace Study and Conflicts Martin Malek, Head of Department of
Conflictology and Migration of Baku Institute of Peace and Democracy
Arif Yunusov. T.M. –0–

*********************************************************************

AWARDS DELIVERED TO VETERAN OF WWII ON HONOR OF 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF
LIBERATION OF BELARUS TODAY IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, September 29. /ARKA/. Today jubilee awards were delivered to
veterans of WWII in honor of 60th anniversary of liberation of
Belarus from Nazi occupants. As Marina Dolgopolova, Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Armenia stated, the
state awards are delivered as instructed by Belorussian President
Alexander Lukashenko. She also mentioned for many Armenian veterans
of WWII, Belorussian soil became motherland. “Belorussia highly
honors feat of arms of veterans and will always be grateful for the
peace achieved”, Dolgopolova said.
Veterans stood in memory of fallen during the war as well as raised
their glasses in honor of Victory in WWII and liberation of
Belorussia. T.M. –0–

*********************************************************************

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenia puts off Karabakh talks in Prague

Turan news agency
29 Sep 04

Baku

At the request of Armenia, the next meeting between the Armenian and
Azerbaijani foreign ministers in Prague has been postponed for an
indefinite period, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov
told journalists today.

He recalled that the foreign ministers of the two countries had held
four meetings in 2004. “Those meetings were useful. Their results
have been discussed at a high level,” Azimov said.

The issues discussed are directly connected with the settlement of
the Karabakh conflict, he said. “Some proposals, views and positions”
are discussed in the course of the meetings, Azimov said.

In particular, one of the aspects of the discussion is about providing
the Karabakh Armenians with a ground link with Armenia. Azerbaijan,
in turn, is interested in communications with Naxcivan [Azerbaijan’s
exclave], Azimov said.

The deputy minister also noted that Azerbaijan has guaranteed the
security of Armenians in Azerbaijan from the start. This is possible
at the level of bilateral cooperation or with the mediation of
international observers, Azimov said. Normalization of political
relations will lead to normalization of relations between the two
peoples. This is one of the requirements of integration into Europe,
he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Group seeks Armenian bone marrow donors

Belmont Citizen-Herald, MA
Sept 29 2004

Help save a life. The Council of Armenian American Nurses and the
Armenian American Medical Association are planning a Bone Marrow
Donor Drive. This drive is in conjunction with the Armenian Bone
Marrow Registry and the Caitlin Raymond International Registry at the
University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center.

The Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry is an independent,
non-governmental, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to
ensure that every ethnic Armenian struck with a life-threatening
blood-related illness is able to find hope for long-term survival
through the identification of a genetically suitable bone marrow
match.

Patients are desperately and literally seeking a savior. Parents
of sick children are racing against time to save their child before
it is too late. Someone in our community may hold the life of a child
in his or her hands.

Donors must be: between 18-55 years old; in general good health;
medically insured with medical insurance information available; and
reside or be employed in Massachusetts.

The drive will take place during the annual bazaar of St. James
Armenian Apostolic Church, 465 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown on Oct. 15
and 16 from 2-7 p.m.

For more information visit the Registry web site,
or contact Marilyn Bazarian at 617-484-1072.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress