Author: Arsine Chaltikian

ROBERT SIMONS HOPES FOR JOINT EXERCISES TO BE CONTINUED
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 4. ARMINFO. Robert Simons, NATO Secretary General’s
Special Representative to the Caucasus and Central Asia, hopes that
although the “Cooperative Best Effort 2004” exercises in Baku failed,
the practice of joint military exercises will be continued.
In his interview to the “Izvestiya” newspaper Simons stated that the
Euroatlantic Partnership Council has a fundamental principle: all the
member-states have the right to take part in joint activities. “In
this case, the Azerbaijani authorities were not ready to ensure
Armenian representatives’ participation in joint exercises, though so
much had been done to prepare them. We clearly stated our position to
the Azerbaijani Government,” he said.
According to Simons, the problem was in Azerbaijan’s allowing Armenian
servicemen to arrive, but not in its being not ready to take part in
the joint activities. “If the exercises had been held in a third
country, we would receive them gladly there. Other exercises are being
and will be planned,” Simons said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Iranian president condemns terrorists who hide behind religion
Mediamax news agency
8 Sep 04
Yerevan, 8 September: Iranian President Mohammad Khatami today said in
Yerevan that “terrorism presents the greatest danger to the modern world”.
The Iranian president, who arrived today in Armenia on an official visit, was
speaking at a joint press conference with his Armenian counterpart, Robert
Kocharyan. Responding to a Mediamax news agency correspondent, Mohammad Khatami
especially stressed that terrorism did not differentiate between countries and
regions.
“Today’s realities are such that terrorist acts can be committed both in the
West and the East, both in Iran and America,” the Iranian leader said. He is
especially concerned by the fact that “several terrorists are trying to shelter
behind one religion or another”. “They are committing a double crime, taking
away the lives of innocent people and discrediting religions that preach peace
and humanitarianism,” Mohammad Khatami said.
The Iranian president said that the roots of terrorism need to be found and
analysed for the fight against the phenomenon to be effective. Mohammad Khatami
said that sometimes representatives of oppressed peoples, who did not find
appropriate answers, took cruel steps themselves.
“Terrorism shows itself in different ways: from blowing up aeroplanes and
residential blocks to war on the territory of another state,” the Iranian
president said, stressing that “anyone who puts himself above justice can be
considered a terrorist”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Khatami leaves for CIS countries tomorrow
IRNA, Iran
Sept 7 2004
Tehran, Sept 7, IRNA — President Mohammad Khatami is scheduled to
visit the Republics of Armenia, Belarus and Tajikistan from September
8-14, the Presidential Office announced on Tuesday.
Heading a high-ranking delegation, Khatami will visit the countries
at the official invitation of his counterparts Robert Kocharian,
Aleksandr Lukashenko and Emamali Rahmonov of Armenia, Belarus and
Tajikistan respectively.
During his visit to Armenia, Khatami and senior Armenian officials
will discuss bilateral relations, regional issues, promoting mutual
cooperation in all areas, energy and transportation in particular.
Implementing Tehran-Minsk bilateral agreements, regional and
international issues will top the agenda of Khatami`s talks in Belarus.
A number of new agreements in the fields of customs, economy and
agriculture will be signed between Iran and Belarus. Khatami will
deliver a speech at the Academy of Sciences of Belarus.
On his second visit to Tajikistan, Khatami and Tajik officials will
discuss ways of consolidating trade, economic and cultural relations
between the two countries.
On last day of his visit, Khatami will take part in the summit of the
member states of the Economic cooperation Organization (ECO). Khatami,
on his visits, will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi,
Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, Minister of Economic Affairs and
Finance Safdar Hosseini and Commerce Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenianow.com
July 9, 2004
Public Relations Job: Americans train, hire locals to fill gap in
construction force
By Julia Hakobyan ArmeniaNow reporter
When the United States started discussion of constructing a new embassy in
Yerevan in 2001, the work initially caused a controversy among society and
mass media for two reasons. First: the new embassy will be the largest U.S.
Embassy (in total real estate) worldwide. Secondly: Turks (plus Bulgarians
and Filipinos) were among the laborers, but, in some specialities, Armenians
were not.
400 Armenians are included in the embassy construction workforce
A backlash of bad press criticized the Yanks for importing labor into a
country where so many natives can’t find work.
The Americans said they had good cause to hire outsiders. Simply, the
available Armenian labor force was not trained in the skills required for
the jobs.
“At the beginning of the construction the embassy advertised vacancies for
local construction workers but for some categories no one came,” said
Kimberly G. Hargan, Public Affairs Officer of the U.S. Embassy.
“The reason why JA Jones, the US Construction Company, took workers from
third countries was that Armenians were not familiar with western
construction techniques and were not acquainted with some specialties, such
as American standards of electrical works, plumbing and others.”
In a bit of goodwill (and good public relations), the Americans decided to
make jobs available to the locals by training them for such skilled labor.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the
United States Embassy designed a program for training of local laborers and
invited experts from the United States and JA Jones Company to conduct
training of the Armenians.
The training for different construction trades lasts three to four weeks,
including a week of practical work. The schedule allows participants to be
placed in jobs as quickly as possible.
Now, more than 600 employees are building the embassy, 400 of whom are
Armenians.
“We think that once the new embassy is finished, people who were involved in
construction and were trained according to western standards would be highly
marketable,” Hargan said.
“We expect that with the continuing growth and improvement of the economy
more western companies are interested in coming here and constructing
hotels, office buildings . . . And Armenian constructors can apply their
knowledge to the western construction sector in their native country.”
But there’s still plenty of work for the embassy laborers. The project is
scheduled to be completed next March.
As for the need of the new embassy, Hargan said it was caused from the
tremendous expansion of US relations with Armenia in recent years. He said
dozens of sites were evaluated to find one that would best meet the needs of
the U.S. and Armenian governments.
The current embassy on Bagramyan Avenue does not meet US safety requirements
and is small for hosting staff. The new embassy compound is being built to
the highest engineering standards to resist blast and earthquake.
The new embassy will contain a five-story Chancery Building, USAID Building,
two-story Marine Security Guard Quarters, Warehouse, Main and Service
Compound Access Control Structures. It is located on the edge of Yerevanyan
Lake, a few kilometers outside the city center on the road to Zvartnots
International Airport.
The total space covers 90,469 square meters (22 American acres). It is the
biggest lot on which a US embassy has been built and its office space will
be among the largest for US embassies worldwide. The United States bought
the property from the Government of Armenia for about $5 million.
The new embassy will not block citizen access to the lake, which remains the
property of the Republic of Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PM TO ATTEND GERMAN-ARMENIAN ECONOMIC COOPERATION CONFERENCE IN BERLIN
ArmenPress
June 21 2004
YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS: Armenian prime minister Andranik
Margarian is leaving fro Germany on June 22 to attend a German-Armenian
Economic Cooperation Conference. The government press office said,
finance and economy minister Vartan Khachatrian, who is also the
co-chairman of a German-Armenian inter-governmental commission on
economic cooperation, trade and economic development minister Karen
Chshmaritian, Central Bank governor Tigran Sarkisian, chief of customs
service Armen Avetisian, the head of the Armenian Development agency,
other officials, more than two dozens of businessmen and reporters
will accompany the prime minister.
In Berlin Margarian will also have meetings with deputy chancellor
and foreign minister Joschka Fischer, chairman of Berlin parliament
Walter Momper, Berlin mayor Klaus Wowereith and other officials.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress