Author: Antonian Lara

Azeri leader, UN secretary-general discuss Karabakh settlement
Trend news agency
25 Sep 04
Baku
Trend correspondent E. Huseynov: The borders recognized by the UN are
unchangeable, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at a meeting
with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on 24 September in New York. He
said he hoped that the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict would be settled
through negotiations.
Aliyev said that the protracted Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict stands
in the way of the development not only of Azerbaijan, but also of the
whole of the South Caucasus and remains a major threat to peace and
stability in the region.
Pointing out Azerbaijan’s aspiration to a peaceful settlement to the
problem, the president noted the importance of the UN’s active role in
this issue. “Aggressive Armenia ignores the well-known UN Security
Council resolutions on this conflict. We believe that this
authoritative international organization should not remain inactive in
implementing its resolutions. Azerbaijan will never put up with the
occupation of its land.”
Passage omitted: Aliyev urged the UN not to be indifferent to 1m
refugees
They exchanged their views on relations between the UN and Azerbaijan.

Armenian election body approves by-election results
Arminfo
23 Sep 04
YEREVAN
The Central Electoral Commission of Armenia today summarized the final
results of the parliamentary by-elections in the 44th constituency and
approved the parliamentary mandate of the member of the Orinats Yerkir
Party [Law-Governed Country Party] and the head of the Sas group
company, Artak Sarkisyan.
We should note that Artak Sarkisyan gained 13,970 votes, while his
main opponent – the member of the Nik Aparan Union and the owner of a
chain of pharmacies and the Lavanda dry cleaners gained 5,578
votes. The remaining three candidates gained less than 2,000 votes.
[Passage omitted: Details]

m
Mon fils sera Arménien
This powerful NFB documentary depicts filmmaker Hagop Goudsouzian’s
journey back to Armenia, where 1.5 million of his ancestors who were
massacred by the Turkish between 1915 and 1923. This isn’t as well
known as it should because many countries still don’t recognize this
genocide. Goudsouzian takes a group of Montrealers of Armenian descent
to the land of their forebears in search of genocide survivors, whose
numbers diminishes each year. They are all over 90-years-old today,
but they still feel the pain of fleeing Turkish assassins as kids, and
so does the viewer while watching this. (KL)

ArmenPress
Sept 21 2004
HOVHANESIAN WINS EUROPEAN BOXING CHAMPION TITLE
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS: Azat Hovhanesian from Yerevan
in 52 kg weight category has won the Europe youth champion title in
the Russian Saratov on September 19 beating his German rival in the
finals.
Two other boxers from Armenia, Samvel Barseghian , 46 kg weight
category and Vagharshak Aslanian, 86 kg weight category, have
snatched bronze medals.
Armenia was represented by 9 boxers in Saratov.

HHS Announces $2.3 Million to Help Refugees Settle in U.S.
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sept. 20 /U.S. Newswire/ — HHS Secretary Tommy G.
Thompson today awarded a $3.2 million grant to the Catholic Charities
of Louisville to provide medical care, job training and other services
to 2,000 recent refugees to the United States.
The Catholic Charities of Louisville’s Kentucky Wilson-Fish Program
will use the grant to help refugees integrate into American society by
offering cash and medical assistance, helping them learn English, and
providing social services such as job training.
“Kentucky compassionately opens its arms to refugees from around the
world,” Secretary Thompson said. “This grant is another example of
President Bush working with our nation’s faith-based communities to
ensure that new refugees’ arrival in the United States is as smooth as
possible.”
Administered by HHS’ Administration for Children and Families, the
$3.2 million grant will allow the Kentucky Wilson-Fish Program to
serve 2,000 refugees, asylum seekers, or victims of human
trafficking. More than 1,300 of the refugees who will be served
recently arrived in the United States, while 640 of the refugees have
been in the United States for a longer period of time but will be
served by the programs.
“As a faith-based community, Catholic Charities has had a long history
of collaborating with the federal government to provide social
services to the greater community,” said Steve Bogus, executive
director of Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Louisville. “Catholic
Charities is honored to accept this award which will allow us to
practice the precepts of our faith on a daily basis, Catholic social
teaching, and to fulfill our commitment to faithful citizenship.”
The Kentucky Wilson-Fish Program, one of the largest of its kind in
the nation, provides day-to-day assistance to refugees to help them
better integrate into American society and sets a goal of finding jobs
for refugees within four months of their arrival in the United
States. The program assists refugees from such countries as Ethiopia,
Sudan, Congo, Liberia, Togo, Rwanda, Somalia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan,
Kosovo, Bosnia, Azerbaijan, the former Soviet Union, Armenia, Vietnam
and Columbia.
The grant is part of President Bush’s Faith-Based and Community
Initiative, which enables some of the most effective social service
providers in American to compete for federal funding to make a
difference in the lives of our most vulnerable citizens — without
compromising the provider’s religious character and independence.
As part of this initiative, HHS’ Compassion Capital Fund was created
three years ago and has awarded more than $150 million to support
efforts in local communities provide services to our neediest
neighbors. President Bush’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2005 would
increase support for the Compassion Capital Fund to $161 million.
—
Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials
are available at
Contact: ACF Press Office, 202-401-9215
09/20 18:51

CENN – SEPTEMBER 21, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. Seismologists Predict No Major Tremors
2. National Geographic Travel Column: Armenia’s Lesson in Street Life
3. Armenia To Ask For $900M In Extra U.S. Aid
4. Measuring Landcover Change and its Impact on Endangered Species
1. SEISMOLOGISTS PREDICT NO MAJOR TREMORS
Source: ArmenPress, September 17, 2004
Armenian seismological stations have registered 29 earthquakes since the
start of the year, the strongest of which measured 3.4 points on Richter
scale and was reported 70 km north-east of the town of Ararat on January
4 and the lowest was 1.3 points on Richter scale, reported on July 19
near the town of Spitak, the site of the destructive 1988 earthquake.
Judging by a set of indications, observed in the last 10 years, Armenian
seismologists predict that the possible strongest earthquake that may
hit Armenia will be no higher than 5-6 points on Richter scale, saying
its possible location may be in the southern-eastern province of Syunik.
The national seismic service has already started a series of measures
aimed to raise the level of local population’s awareness concerning
earthquake risks. The Armenian government adopted in the last two years
two comprehensive programs on seismic risks, one encloses the Law on
Seismic Protection and the second lists the strategically important
facilities that need reinforced seismic protection.
Armenian national seismic service, included in the world seismic
networks, is considered one of the best services in Europe. The service
is cooperating closely with a German GFZ and US NASA and UNAVCO
organizations in identifying and registration of seismic risks.
2. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVEL COLUMN: ARMENIA’S LESSON IN STREET LIFE
September 17 2004
TravelWatch
Jonathan B. Tourtellot
National Geographic Traveler
Updated September 17, 2004
A small experiment in Gyumri, Armenia has shown how easy it is to turn
an urban dead zone into an appealing, living place. Gyumri boasts two
Soviet-era monumental, lifeless city squares. You know the type: asphalt
deserts walled by concrete office facades, beloved by urban planners and
hated by travelers on foot. In a remote corner of one square, a Gyumri
company recently installed just three things: a park bench, a street
lamp, and a seesaw.
Men sit on a bench in Dilizhan, Armenia. In another town, just such a
streetscape is sprouting in a once barren plaza.
According to the New York-based Project for Public Spaces, magic
resulted. Kids flocked to the seesaw, parents in tow. Parents began to
chat with each other. Soon street vendors set up stands next to the
bench, drawing more people. Three tiny seeds had bloomed into a garden
of street life. Any visitor entering that square would automatically
gravitate toward the lively corner.
Modern cities abound in dead zones; some are even handsome. But it’s
people that make a town worth visiting. Nothing makes a town or city
more appealing for tourists than lively, pedestrian-friendly streets and
squares.
It’s a lesson Europe seems to be learning, as city after city there has
created car-free zones. In the ultra-motorized U.S. – despite success
stories like San Antonio’s riverwalk–cities have been slower to embrace
the idea of streets that are more populated by people than by traffic.
Yet all you need to do is set aside a few blocks and provide ways for
people to do what people like to do–eat, drink, talk, play. Tourists
show up. Businesses thrive.
As the Gyumri experiment shows, it doesn’t take much to turn a square
with nothing into a square with something. Bring on the seesaws.
3. ARMENIA TO ASK FOR $900M IN EXTRA U.S. AID
Source: Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc., September 17, 2004
Armenia is seeking as much as $900 million in additional U.S. government
assistance for the next three years and would like to spend most of the
money on getting its battered irrigation and drinking water
infrastructure into shape, officials said Friday.
The requested extra aid would come as part of the U.S. government’s
Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), a scheme designed to promote
political and market reforms around the world. Armenia as well as
neighboring Georgia was included last spring in the first group of 16
countries eligible for it. Each of them has to present and substantiate
specific aid proposals that will be considered by the Millennium
Challenge Corporation, a government body in charge of the MCA.
According to Aram Andreasian, head of the State Committee on Water
Resources, the Armenian government has already finalized its package of
proposals and will submit them to Washington by the end of this month.
He said two thirds of the requested sum is proposed to be used for
improving patchy water supplies to Armenian households and farmers.
`As far as our [MCA] package is concerned, the water sector is in
greatest need of investments,’ Andreasian told a news conference after a
weekly cabinet meeting.
Armenia’s notoriously inefficient drinking water network has undergone
sweeping structural reforms over the past two years. The authorities
promised in late 2002 that the situation with water supplies will
improve radically after introduction of water consumption meters. Most
Armenians have already bought and installed them at their own expense.
However, change has been very slow so far.
Andreasian reiterated a government pledge to extend round-the-clock
water supplies to 80 percent of the Yerevan households by the end of
this year. But with less than half of them having running water for 24
hours a day at the moment, this seems highly problematic.
Even more difficult is access to irrigation water in the country’s rural
areas. The problem is high on the list of grievances routinely cited by
impoverished villagers.
Andreasian’s controversial predecessor, Gagik Martirosian, estimated
that at least $300 million worth of capital investments will be needed
for ensuring normal functioning of the sector. The government has
already received some $150 million in low-interest loans from the World
Bank for that purpose.
Earlier this year, an ad hoc commission of the Armenian parliament
accused the government of misusing one such loan worth $30 million. The
allegations were rejected by the government and the World Bank’s office
in Yerevan.
Andreasian revealed that the government wants the Americans to set aside
$137 million for road construction and repair in Armenia. The Armenian
government would spend the rest of the requested sum on education and
agriculture, he said.
The U.S. government has already allocated some $1.5 billion in regular
assistance to Armenia since 1992. It remains to be seen whether it will
agree to the drastic increase in aid levels sought by Yerevan.
The total amount of MCA funds made available by the administration of
President George W. Bush for this year is $1 billion. The figure is
expected to soar to $5 billion in 2006.
4. MEASURING LANDCOVER CHANGE AND ITS IMPACT ON ENDANGERED SPECIES
The Smithsonian Conservation and Research Center is offering the
following advanced GIS and remote sensing course:
Measuring Landcover Change and its Impact on Endangered Species
October 4-8, 2004 and November 15-19, 2004
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
This one-week advanced GIS and remote sensing course provides
conservationists with an opportunity to learn how GIS and remote sensing
can be used to assess the conservation status of endangered species.
Participants will be provided with their own desktop computer for all
lab exercises. During the hands-on exercises participants will use the
Internet, ArcView, ArcView Spatial Analyst, ERDAS Imagine, Fragstats,
and other spatial analysis programs. Instructors will lead participants
step-by-step through the process of:
o conducting a regional conservation assessment using GIS to determine
critical conservation areas for an endangered species
o acquiring multi-date satellite imagery to quantify land cover change
and to map the extent of the remaining habitat
o using landscape analysis to determine optimal landscape configurations
for conserving the endangered species.
Visit the following web address for more details and registration
information.
Contact:
Lily Paniagua
[email protected]
1500 Remount Road
Front Royal, VA 22630
540-635-6535 (GIS Lab)
540-635-6506 (FAX)
—
*******************************************
CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:

A1 Plus | 16:52:08 | 20-09-2004 | Social |
FREEDOM OF CULTURE MORE IMPORTANT THAN ECONOMIC GROWTH
Armenia has improved its ranking in the UN annual World Humanitarian
Report for 2004 by five points. The republic is placed 82nd in the
list of 177 countries.
UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Lise Grande
said Monday Freedom of Culture is chosen as topic of the 2004 report.
The report stresses the idea of people’s right to preserve their
ethnic, linguistic and religious originality.
Lise Grande thinks humanitarian development is more important than
economic growth. Humanitarian development levels have been determined
by taking into account three factors: per capita income, literacy and
human life length.
The inferences were based on figures presented by international not
national sources.
Lise Grande views Armenia as a good example of ethnic minorities’
rights protection.
Armenian foreign minister Vardan Oscanyan shares her view saying there
is no ethnic-minorities-related problem in Armenia.
In his opinion, freedom of culture promotes democracy and development.

Al-Jazeera, Qatar
Sept 15 2004
Beirut to host Arab film festival
By Nurah Tape
The festival addresses several issues affecting Middle-East
More than 100 films and documentaries showcasing the work of young
and independent filmmakers from across the Middle-East are to be
screened at the third bi-annual Ayyam Beirut al-Cinemaiya Arab film
festival.
Providing an overview of Arab film production in the past two years,
the festival, which begins on Wednesday, will run from 15 to 26
September in the Lebanese capital.
“We tried to select quality films that were representative of what’s
happening in the region’s cinema,” Elaine Rahib, co-director of the
festival, which is organised by Beirut Development and Cinema (BDC),
is quoted as saying.
BDC is a cultural cooperative association, established in 1999, which
promotes and defends independent Arab cinema.
Rahib said more than 300 films were viewed before the final 130 were
selected for screening.
Thirteen features, 40 documentaries, 45 short films, video art as
well as experimental and student films will be showcased.
Rahib said the documentary is “the genre that’s shaping the identity
of Arabic cinema right now”.
‘Crisis’
“Filmmakers in this region are in a crisis now …They see the
Western media representing the people of the Middle East as heroes,
victims or terrorists and it is impossible to ignore”
Elaine Rahib,
Co-director of the festival
Egyptian director Yusri Nasr Allah’s film, Bab al-Shams (Door of the
Sun), which focuses upon the experiences of a group of refugees
fleeing from Palestine to Lebanon, will be screened on the opening
night of the festival. The film, an adaptation of the novel by Ilyas
Khury, was screened at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.
“Filmmakers in this region are in a crisis now”, Rahib is quoted as
saying.
“They see the Western media representing the people of the Middle
East as heroes, victims or terrorists and it is impossible to ignore.
If they take up these topics themselves it’s because they’re trying
to position themselves relative to these issues. They’re in a crisis,
but trying to find a solution.”
Palestine
As in the past, Palestine is a recurring feature of the festival.
More than 20 films on the subject, directed by Palestinian, Arab and
foreign filmmakers will be screened. These include Suraida – A Woman
>>From Palestine, by Tahani Rashid, Writers on the Borders by Samir Abd
Allah, Ijtia by Nizar Hasan, Like Twenty Impossibilities by
Anne-Marie Jacir, In the Ninth Month by Ali Nasar and Private
Investigation by Ula Tabari.
The Sabra and Shatila massacres
are highlighted in one of the films
Bab al-Shams, in memory of the Sabra and Shatila massacres, will also
be showcased in the Shatila refugee camp in an open-air screening on
the opening night.
Another director of the festival, Hania Mroue said the independent
films that have been chosen are “films that have been made relatively
free of the constraints of distributors and producers”.
One of the highlights of this year’s festival is a special section of
foreign films, which take a look at the Arab world.
An example is a film called 2000 Terrorists, about four of the
plaintiffs living in Sabra and Shatila, who filed a lawsuit against
Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon in a Belgium.
Alternating images of their daily lives in the refugee camps and the
tribunal in Brussels on the other, the film is a story about the
never ending struggle for justice.
Vodka Lemon, a film set in Armenia by Iraqi Kurd Hinner Selim, is
another.
Discussions
Apart from discussions taking place after each film, several
roundtables and debates are scheduled for the festival. One
discussion will focus on identity as shown in the Arab cinema today.
Some films focus on women as well, such as Women beyond borders, by
Lebanese documentary veteran Jean Chamun and When Women Sing by
Mustafa Hasnawi and Hala Galal’s Women Chat.
While not being competitive, the festival will award a prize to the
best Lebanese film (short or documentary) based on audience votes, to
enourage the winning director to produce a second film.
For further information, email: [email protected]

ARKA News Agency
Sept 14 2004
Presentation of notebooks of Armenian Unicomp Company takes place in
Yerevan
NATO PA representatives conduct meeting with public organizations of
Armenia
Catholicos of All Armenians meets with the newly appointed US
Ambassador to Armenia
Newly appointed Ambassador of South-African Republic hands
credentials to RA President
RA President to leave for Astana on September 15 to participate in
Council of Heads of CIS member countries session
Meeting of RA and Azeri presidents to take place on September 15 in
Astana
Control of illegal construction in Armenia should be tightened
Conversebank (Armenia) announces contest on best economic development
project for RA communities
*********************************************************************
PRESENTATION OF NOTEBOOKS OF ARMENIAN UNICOMP COMPANY TAKES PLACE IN
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, September 14. /ARKA/. Presentation of notebooks of Armenian
Unicomp Company took place in Yerevan. The presentation represented 6
types of notebooks with historic names Argishti and Nairi. According
to Director of CJSC Unicomp Armen Baldrian, several other models are
being developed. “New Intel technologies allowed assembling of
notebooks in Armenia”, he said.
Repetition works of Armenian notebooks based on Intel Centrino
technology that envisages wirelss technology of Internet connection –
WiFi, started in July 2004. According to Baldrian, at the primary
stage production volume will amount to 100 notebooks a month, during
six month period this number will be increased to 200, while capacity
of the company is 1000 notebooks a month. “Prices on Armenian
notebooks will be 30% less than foreign ones, however we are
constantly working on price policy and in six month we expect
decrease of prices by another 10%”, he said. Baldrian added that
prices on computers range between $1300-2200, including VAT. He
explained low prices with “correctly chosen components and optimal
production”, when basic accent is made on quality of notebooks,
without spending extra assets on “small design applications”.
Baldrian did not say which percent of the products will be exported
and noted that export is among the plans of the company. He said that
the experts will conduct researches to conclude future agreements
abroad and the company expects Intel support.
Unicomp Company was created in 1996 on the base of famous in Armenia
computer firm Nairi-91 that dealt with development of software for
banks and realized its products in USSR republics. Assortment of the
products is wide, starting from small computer accessories – cables,
connectors, ending with computer systems. In 2002 annual turnover of
the company made $1.2 million and in result of 2003 the growth made
30%. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
NATO PA REPRESENTATIVES CONDUCT MEETING WITH PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS OF
ARMENIA
YEREVAN, September 14. /ARKA/. NATO PA representatives conduct
meeting with public organizations of Armenia, RA Government press
office told ARKA. The parties discussed financing of organizations,
activity of mass media and opportunity of decrease of migration and
volumes of black economy in Armenia.
Tomorrow these meetings will continue. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS MEETS WITH THE NEWLY APPOINTED US
AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA
YEREVAN, September, 14. /ARKA/. Garegin II, the Catholicos of All
Armenians, met today with John Marshall Evans, the newly appointed
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the USA to Armenia.
According to the Press Service Department of the Mother See of
Echmiadzin, during the meeting the Catholicos mentioned with
satisfaction the support and assistance rendered by the US to Armenia
in course of all independence period, as well as careful attitude
towards American Armenians.
In his turn, Mr. Evans assured Garegin II, that he will do everything
in his power for the success of his mission and assistance to
strengthening of friendship and bilateral cooperation between the two
countries.
According to the press release, the sides also touched upon the
significant mission of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the life of
Armenian people and establishment of Armenian State system. L.V.–0–
*********************************************************************
NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR OF SOUTH-AFRICAN REPUBLIC HANDS
CREDENTIALS TO RA PRESIDENT
YEREVAN, September 14. /ARKA/. Newly appointed Ambassador of
South-African Republic to Armenia Ashraf Sentso (residence in Kiev)
handed credentials to RA President Robert Kocharian, President’s
press office told ARKA. During the meeting Kocharian stressed the
necessity of development of cooperation between Armenia and African
countries and stressed the important role of SAR in this context.
The parties noted that both countries productively cooperate in the
frames of different international structures. As the most perspective
directions of cooperation they noted diamond processing and tourism.
L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
RA PRESIDENT TO LEAVE FOR ASTANA ON SEPTEMBER 15 TO PARTICIPATE IN
COUNCIL OF HEADS OF CIS MEMBER COUNTRIES SESSION
YEREVAN, September, 14. /ARKA/. The RA President Robert Kocharian
will leave for Astana on September 15 to participate in the session
of Council of Heads of CIS States. According to the Press Service
department of RA President, during the session it is planned to
discuss issues of further development of CIS security cooperation in
frames of UN and OSCE adopted documents. The leaders will also
exchange views on certain issues having a negative impact on trade
and economic cooperation of CIS countries. During the session, the
elections of the President of Economic Court of CIS and his Deputy
will be carried out as well as the elections of Head of the
headquarters on military cooperation coordination, the President of
the Council of Heads of CIS States. It is also planned to sign a
number of documents.
On the eve of the Summit, sessions of Councils of Heads of
Governments and Councils of Foreign Ministers of CIS will take place.
L.V.–0–
*********************************************************************
MEETING OF RA AND AZERI PRESIDENTS TO TAKE PLACE ON SEPTEMBER 15 IN
ASTANA
YEREVAN, September 14. /ARKA/. Meeting of RA and Azeri presidents
will take place on September 15 in Astana, RA President’s press
office told ARKA. The meeting will take place in the frames of the
sitting of CIS States Presidents’ Council.
It will be the third meeting of the presidents of the two countries.
First meeting took place in the frames of World Summit of Information
Society in Geneva on Dec 11, 2003 and second – in Warsaw on April 28,
2004. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
CONTROL OF ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION IN ARMENIA SHOULD BE TIGHTENED
YEREVAN, September 14. /ARKA/. The control of illegal constructions
should be tightened in Armenia. According to the Press Service
Department of RA President, this was stated by Robert Kocharian
during his meeting with Manuk Vardanyan, the Head of State Committee
of the Real Property Cadastre at RA Government. The President gave
instructions to quickly solve the question of illegal construction
and in particular, to include them in the tax field or liquidate, if
necessary. This order of the RA President resulted from the
presentation of the real estate market situation by Manuk Vardanyan,
in particular when he mentioned that a number of constructions need
to be granted a right of property and are not included in real estate
tax database.
Kocharian also instructed Vardanyan to regulate the process of
registration of real estate alienation operations and lease of state
lands, which are carried out on community level. In particular, the
President mentioned the need for legislative regulation of auction
publicity, starting price of the object in order to control the
operations and ensure the equitable participation of all citizens.
L.V.–0–
*********************************************************************
CONVERSEBANK (ARMENIA) ANNOUNCES CONTEST ON BEST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
PROJECT FOR RA COMMUNITIES
YEREVAN, September 14. /ARKA/. Conversebank (Armenia) announced a
contest on best economic development project for communities of
Armenia. According to the press service of the bank, both RA citizens
and legal entities can take part in the contest. The applicants
should submit a proposal consisting of 25 lists at minimum with a
corresponding review, as well as submit an application and fill in a
form. The deadline for submission of the proposals is November 12,
2004. The best project will be awarded $2000.
CJSC Conversebank was registered on December 20, 1993. According to
the published financial reports, the assets of the bank as of June
30, 2004 amounted to AMD 30,7 bln, total capital – about AMD 4 bln
and the net profit in the first half of 2004 made AMD 852,9 mln. ($1
– AMD 514,65). L.V. –0–
*********************************************************************

Caucasus clerical leader opposes Armenian officers’ planned visit
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 13 2004
Caucasus clerical leader Sheikh Allahshukur Pashazada told journalists
on Friday that he opposes the planned visit by Armenian officers to
attend NATO exercises in Baku.
“I do not support their arrival”, he said.
With regard to the protest actions to be conducted by various layers
of the Azerbaijani public in this connection, Pashazada said that
“every citizen has rights and is entitled to using them”.*