Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

The Messenger, Georgia
25 Oct. 2004

Armenian president calls for Abkhaz railway

Presidents discuss economic and political cooperation; survive weapons
scare at local disco
By Anna Arzanova

Armenia President Robert Kocharian

The possibility of renewed rail links between Russia and Armenia,
passing through Abkhazia and Georgia, was the main issue on the agenda
when Armenian President Robert Kocharian met with Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili on Friday.

Kocharian arrived in Georgia on September 22 for a three day visit, and
was met by Saakashvili, who traveled to the Georgian-Armenian border
to escort him back to Tbilisi in a move which mirrored Saakashvili’s
reception by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev during his visit
to Baku.

The Armenian president was accompanied by 29 businessmen, who came to
discuss the privatization of Poti Port, the energy sector, and the
trucks held up at the Russian-Georgian border at Larsi checkpoint,
which was closed by Russia on September 3.

Signs of strong relations included their private meeting on Friday,
during which Presidents Kocharian and Saakashvili met for an hour
and 15 minutes instead of the planned 45.

In their briefing afterwards, the presidents said they had discussed
many issues, including energy matter, economic relations, police,
smuggling, transport and Javakheti, the Georgian region which is
populated predominantly by Armenians.

Kocharian said that the most important issue of discussion was the
renewal of the railway through Abkhazia that would link Armenia with
Russia. The Armenian president went on to say, however, that this
issue could be resolved only by Georgia.

Nevertheless, he stated that renewed rail links would benefit
everybody. “More frequent railway movement is better for all of us. The
absence of railway communications is not favorable for either Armenians
or Georgians. I think that a pragmatic approach to this issue would be
very useful, although I understand that it is a very difficult issue,
and Georgia has to decide what to do,” the Armenian president said.

At the joint briefing to journalists, however, Saakashvili chose not
to comment on the issue

Instead, Saakashvili spoke of regional cooperation, and particularly,
on the back of his recent visit to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia,
of the proposed 3-3 agreement, envisaging co-operation between the
three South Caucasus countries and the three Baltic countries.

“The Baltic countries could push for this idea to take shape as part
of the [EU] new neighbors policy. We are ready to cooperate with them,”
said Kocharian.

On Saturday, Saakashvili and Kocharian, together with high-ranking
officials, attended events held on Shardeni Street in connection with
Tbilisoba. Saakashvili invited his counterpart to Rike and showed
him 60 buses sent to Tbilisi by the Dutch government as a gift.

During the day, Kocharian met with Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, who
praised the Armenian president. “I want to say that Kocharian always
pays great attention to eliminate even small defects in relations
with Georgia,” Zhvania told reporters, adding that they talked about
importing electricity from Armenia, which is an important issue
for Georgia.

Kocharian also met with Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze, and
said afterwards that close cooperation between the parliaments is
one of the main components of bilateral relations. He agreed with
Burjanadze upon the necessity of more active relations.

“We agreed to make more active the relations between our parliaments
and I will also tell the Speaker of the Armenian parliament of an
invitation to visit Georgia with a delegation. We have already had
the experience of cooperation and now we have only to refresh them,”
he told journalists in the Parliament after the meeting.

Burjanadze welcomed the idea of bilateral cooperation of the two
parliaments, saying that “this is in the interests of the both
countries and the region on the whole.”

Kocharian also met with Georgian Patriarch Ilia II, as well as visited
Heroes Square where he laid a wreath on the memorial to soldiers who
died fighting to preserve Georgia’s territorial integrity.

Later, Saakashvili and Kocharian expressed their condolence to the
former president of Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze in connection with
the death of his wife. They paid their respects by going to the
presidential Krtsanisi residence late at night.

Afterwards, Kocharian and Saakashvili visited the Adjara Music Hall,
where a show was being held in honor of the Armenian president. The
event was marred, however, by the need for law-enforcement agents,
led by Minister of Security Vano Merabishvili, to attend following
the discovery of weapons in the building.

It remains unknown whether the weapons were part of a plot to
assassinate the presidents, or indeed why they were in the music venue.
The investigation continues.

The two presidents spent that night at the presidential residence in
Likani, near Borjomi.

On the third and last day of the official visit, Kocharian met with
the Armenian Diaspora in Georgia in the Marriott Hotel, where he
heard complaints regarding unemployment. Though, Kocharian himself
was pleased with the meeting and stated that there is an improvement
in the economic development in the Armenian Diaspora and promised to
do his best this process to become more evident.

According to the MP and representative of the Armenian Diaspora in
Georgia Van Baiburti, Kocharian is very satisfied with this visit
and is sure that the Georgian-Armenian relation are moving to another
stage, and first of all in economic relations.

Also on Sunday, Minister of Internal Affairs of Armenia Haik Arutiunyan
with the Minister of Internal Affairs Irakli Okruashvili signed an
agreement regarding the creation of the joint board. According to the
agreement, each side will have 9 members in this board and will closely
cooperate in eradication of trafficking, drugs and stolen cars. The
first session of the board is planned to be held on December 20.

“This board will have to meet once every two-three months in order
to develop this idea,” stated Okruashvili at the briefing, after the
signing of the agreement. President Kocharian returned to Armenia
Sunday afternoon.
From: Baghdasarian

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
October 23, 2004 Saturday

Georgian, Armenian presidents visit music hall despite incident

By Tengiz Pachkoria

TBILISI

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan arrived in the Adzhara Music Hall on Saturday evening where
a submachine gun and a sniper rifle were found several hours earlier.

The State Security Ministry said investigators would have to find out
who was the owner of the weapons and how they had got into the
building. A ministry official declined to say whether it was a
planned assassination attempt.

“The visit to the music hall is in the programme of the president of
Armenia. This part of the programme was not cancelled,” the
presidential administration told Itar-Tass.
From: Baghdasarian

RosBusinessConsulting Database
October 21, 2004 Thursday 4:14 am, EST

Armenia posts foreign trade data

Armenian foreign trade gained 3.1 percent to $1.5bn in January to
September 2004 against the same period in 2003. According to
preliminary data of the Armenian National Statistics Service, the
figure advanced 11.6 percent in September 2004. Exports increased 1.3
percent to $511.1m in the first nine months of this year; imports
advanced 4.1 percent to $974.5m. The trade deficit was $463.4m, or
20.2 percent of the GDP.
From: Baghdasarian

Award-winning author, illustrator speak today

Providence Journal , RI
Oct 17 2004

PROVIDENCE — Award-winning author David Kherdian and his wife,
award-winning illustrator Nonny Hogrogian, will visit St. Sahag and
St. Mesrob Armenian Church, 70 Jefferson St., today at 1 p.m. for
a reading of their books, a question-and-answer session, and a book
signing.

Kherdian is the author and editor of more than 60 books, and his book
The Road From Home: The Story of an Armenian Girl won the Newberry
Honor Book Award, the Jane Addams Peace Award, the Boston Globe/Horn
Book Award and the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, and was nominated for
the American Book Award. Kherdian was also editor of Ararat Magazine.

Hogrogian has illustrated over 50 books, and is a two-time Caldecott
medal winner for the books Always Room for One More (1966) and One
Fine Day (1972).

The couple will read from the books Finding My Name (Hogrogian’s
memoir), The Song of the Stork and Other Early and Ancient Armenian
Songs (translated by Kherdian), and Letters to My Father (written
by Kherdian).

Refreshmemts will be served.
From: Baghdasarian

GEORGIA STOPS ARMENIA-BOUND RUSSIAN MILITARY LORRIES – TV REPORT

Rustavi-2 TV, Tbilisi
16 Oct 04

Why has Russia been briefly opening and then closing again the Zemo
Larsi (Verkhniy Lars) checkpoint (on the Georgian-Russian border)? An
unofficial report in today’s Russian media said that the checkpoint was
opened for only 30 minutes this morning to allow passage of Russian
military lorries. These lorries are carrying freight for the Russian
military bases in Armenia.

However, the Georgian side said that they were waiting for an
official notification from Russia about the permanent opening of the
checkpoint. They are not going to let only Russian military vehicles
cross the border.
From: Baghdasarian

Edmonton Journal (Alberta)
October 10, 2004 Sunday
Final Edition

Canadian soprano achieves gutsy Baroque experiment
by Bill Rankin, The Edmonton Journal

CD: Cleopatra

Artists: Isabel Bayrakdarian, soprano, with Tafelmusik Baroque
Orchestra, led by Jeanne Lamon

Label: CBC Records

Rating: 5(of five)

Isabel Bayrakdarian has followed her Juno award-winning Azul–o with
a recording that should make her international reputation grow even
faster.

Taking arias from four German Baroque operas featuring the ancient
Egyptian power-broker and seductress Cleopatra, the Armenian-Canadian
soprano demonstrates an expressive ability that makes it no stretch
to use her name in the same breath as Cecilia Bartoli’s. If anything,
this CD reveals a confidence that makes such comparisons almost
pointless.

Bayrakdarian delivers an effervescent melisma and defiant-sounding
attack in Carl Graun’s Tra le procelle assorto from 1742 Cleopatra e
Cesare. Tafelmusik generates a stunningly propulsive accompaniment.
The Toronto-based singer’s control of the precipitious Baroque
momentum is as

impressive as her wondrous vocalese talents.

She also takes some expressive risks, drawing hard breath and even
growling and theatrically sighing to create dramatic musical effects.

In quieter moments, as in Johann Mattheson’s 1704 Cleopatra (this is
a world-premiere recording of the excerpts), where it’s just singer
and continuo, Bayrakdarian reminds us of what a fine singer of
simple, moving melodies she is where ease of production and unadorned
presentation impress as much as any pyrotechnic display of roccoco
ornamentation.

There isn’t a disappointing moment on this disc, and although the
repertoire is relatively obscure — there is some Handel from his
1724 Giulio Cesare in Egitto — the music contains all the typically
attractive Baroque features, and Tafelmusik knows its way around them
as well as any musicians.

Reviewed by Bill Rankin, Journal Culture Writer
From: Baghdasarian

Armenian parliament members to participate in NATO seminar in Baku

11.10.2004 15:12:00 GMT

Yerevan. (Interfax) – A group of Armenian parliament members intends
to participate in a seminar to be held by the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly in Baku in late November, a source in the Armenian parliament
told Interfax.

“A preliminary agreement about our participation in the seminar has
already been reached and, in all likelihood, will remain in force,”
the source said.

At the same time, Mger Shakhgeldian, head of the parliamentary
commission for defense, law enforcement and national security,
told Interfax: “It’s too early to speak about an ultimate decision
concerning our participation in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s
Baku session.”

“There is, of course, the problem of ensuring the Armenian deputies’
safety in Baku, but we have reasons to hope for an adequate solution
in line with Armenia’s foreign policy,” he said, adding that the
seminar’s agenda needed to be finalized.

Armenia’s foreign policy stipulates that Armenian representatives
participate in all NATO events conducted in the South Caucasus.

The possible arrival of Armenian parliament members in Baku to
attend the session has triggered protests among Azerbaijani public
organizations. Earlier similar public protests led to the cancellation
of NATO military exercises in Baku, in which Armenian servicemen were
initially due to take part.

Armenia and Azerbaijan are in a state of conflict over the disputed
enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan lost control over the enclave
after a bloody war with Armenia in the 1990s.
From: Baghdasarian

La Stampa
Ottobre 2, 2004

GEORGIA: DALLA STRADA DI TAMERLANO ALLA COLCHIDE DEL VELLO D’ORO,
ALLA RUPE CUI FU INCATENATO PROMETEO Tbilisi: vino e spada per amici
e nemici

Ricatto Giorgio

Giorgio Ricatto LA statua della Madre Georgia domina da un colle
Tbilisi: offre una coppa di vino agli amici e una spada ai nemici. La
fortezza di Narikala s’impone a poca distanza. Il fiume Mtkvari, nel
lungo cammino dalla Turchia al Mar Caspio, attraversa la citta’.
Tbilisi e’ un’autentica capitale; nelle contraddizioni della “”nuova
Georgia””, nella grandiosita’ della valle dominata da boschi e monti,
nella straordinaria ricchezza di popoli e culture. Citta’ multietnica
e di grande respiro da sempre, conserva nel quartiere antico tra
chiese ortodosse, i resti di un tempio zoroastriano, una cattedrale
armena, una sinagoga e una moschea sunnita presso le terme. I celebri
bagni di acqua solforosa ancora funzionanti che incantarono Dumas e
Puskin. Accanto, le antiche case dai balconi in legno risorgono dal
degrado, nei vicoli si aprono botteghe, ristorantini, gallerie.

Sul fiume si affacciano le signorili case a balconate ed il quartiere
Avlari con la chiesa Metekhe che una delle tante leggende caucasiche
vuole fondata nel V secolo e sepoltura di una martire cristiana. Sul
viale Rustaveli Gamziri l’architettura residenziale mostra dettagli
neoclassici, moreschi, neobarocchi. Tra poverta’ e innovazione a
Tbilisi si respira un’atmosfera di inquietudine, ogni giorno le
manifestazioni ricordano i bassi salari e la carenza di lavoro, il
grande hotel Iveria d’epoca sovietica si e’ trasformato in rifugio
per i profughi georgiani dall’Abkhazia.

Tutto questo pero’ non intacca l’esuberanza dei georgiani, la loro
vocazione alla gioia di vivere, al banchetto, al gusto per la musica
e la battuta. Il temperamento ospitale e orgoglioso. Viaggiando per
il paese si comprende quanto le tradizioni piu’ autentiche siano
sentite e la musica sia non soltanto un piacere, ma un’educazione
profonda alle proprie radici e al bello.

Il rito del banchetto si ripetera’ con frequenza, per celebrare un
matrimonio o un anniversario in un locale pubblico o festeggiare un
invito privato. Una quantita’ di cibi squisiti e il buon vino sono
protagonisti, poi tanta musica, i celebri canti polifonici che
un’orchestra o i convitati stessi cantano con una bravura sempre
sorprendente. Su tutto regna il “”tamada”” capo del banchetto, colui
che decide i brindisi seguiti da un discorso e che si ripetono tra
musica e allegria. Anche Koba il mio autista e guida, “”Schumacher””
georgiano bravissimo su strade sterrate, si rivela un ottimo
“”tamada””.

Una localita’ remota di grande suggestione e’ David Gareja
sull’itinerario per Telavi. Dopo aver superato i massicci impianti
per la produzione dell’azoto, dinosauri sopravvissuti di un’industria
sovietica consumata da ruggine e abbandono, la campagna si perde in
lontananza su un lago che segna il confine con l’Azerbaijan. Poi la
strada si arrampica su altipiani desertici, appena colorati da un
velluto di erbe selvatiche. Unica traccia di vita una volpe e il volo
di un’aquila a caccia di prede. All’orizzonte i monti assumono
tonalita’ grigio-azzurre-violette sfumando nell’infinito.

Il monastero di David Gareja, antica scuola di pittura e copiatura di
manoscritti e’ chiuso da mura e da una torre di guardia. Si sviluppa
su tre piani e diverse epoche, le celle rupestri affrescate si
disperdono in un’area vasta ai confini con l’Azerbaijan, aspra e
inospitale. In questa natura c’e’ spazio anche per chi desiderasse
ritirarsi nelle grotte e in meditazione. All’insegna del silenzio,
un’upupa mi guarda immobile aprendo la sua cresta a ventaglio. La
strada sterrata continua in una natura magnetica che si colora di
suggestioni, stormi di rondini si alzano compatte come nuvole nere
per volare nel cielo terso, poi alberi da frutta, girasoli, vigne e
campi di mais trasformano il paesaggio in un quadro agreste
rallegrato dal colore e dal canto dei gruccioni.

Telavi, cuore della regione vinicola del Kakheti, antica residenza
dei re Kakhetiani, non e’ soltanto vigneti anche se orgogliosamente
rivendica la primogenitura del vino. Conserva numerosi monasteri sedi
di biblioteche, accademie medievali e ancora visibili orci sotterrati
per la conservazione dei vini. Visitarli vuol dire viaggiare tra
fiumi e fitti boschi, scoprire localita’ incantevoli. Un Caucaso
sperduto che porta al confine con la Cecenia. I complessi monastici
georgiani, come in Armenia, nascondono vie di fuga e si chiudono
nelle mura delle fortificazioni in memoria di antiche invasioni. Meno
severi e misteriosi di quelli armeni sono piu’ luminosi e interamente
affrescati all’interno, anche se il tempo, l’incuria e l’arroganza
sovietica, che spesso ha coperto con una mano di calce affreschi
pregiati, hanno in parte deturpato un patrimonio d’arte sacra oggi in
recupero.

Fra i dettagli, la vite e’ un elemento frequente, decora come un filo
conduttore i monasteri di Armenia e Georgia. Spesso vi sono blasoni e
simboli di un cristianesimo severo, cresciuto su arcaiche credenze
pagane. Sui fiumi Mtkvari e Aragvi, Mtskheta e’ l’antica capitale
considerata Patrimonio dell’Umanita’. Nella cattedrale in cui furono
incoronati e sepolti i re, tra pregiati affreschi, sorgono le
fondamenta della prima chiesa cristiana in Georgia. La leggenda vuole
in questo luogo il ritrovamento della tunica di Cristo. E’ protetta
da mura come la scenografica chiesa di Jvari che domina dall’alto una
valle pervasa da leggende e arte medievale.

Un’area archeologica abbandonata a pochi passi dal fiume tra uccelli,
ranocchie e farfalle, rivela alcuni reperti lasciati in balia di
pioggia e vento, e resti di un palazzo, forse di terme. Viene da
pensare ai tesori nascosti in questa terra dimenticata, forse anche
nell’orto. Lungo la storica Strada Militare Georgiana si percorre la
parte centrale della catena caucasica che separa la Georgia dalla
Russia e si incontra la fortezza di Ananuri, un complesso fortificato
medievale. Sulle parti della chiesa cinta da mura, piante d’uva
scolpite e un ornamento a grappoli d’uva sul portale.

Nella valle il bacino artificiale di Zhinvali che copre quattro
villaggi e’ circondato da picchi caucasici. Sono invece alte pareti
di arenaria dorata a nascondere Uplistsikhe, una citta’ rupestre tra
le piu’ antiche del Caucaso.

Tra grotte e pietre levigate si ripercorre storia e leggenda, si
rievocano riti pagani, l’eta’ del bronzo, vie carovaniere, Tamerlano,
i re georgiani.

Nella valle sul fiume Mtkvari non puo’ mancare una visita in una
cantina secolare. Il custode della citta’ morta mi accompagna per
brindare con un vino nero, denso e morbido, fermentato in otri di
terracotta interrati presso la vasca per pigiare l’uva. Tra campi e
pioppi, Gori custodisce il museo, la casa natale e l’unica statua
rimasta al mondo di Stalin. Un ossessivo ricordo del dittatore, un
paese congelato nelle inquietudini del passato. Proseguo verso
Kutaisi in un paesaggio sempre piu’ verde e montagnoso.

La strada segue il corso del fiume Rikotula tra campi di mais e
colli. Superato il passo Rikoti la regione dell’Imereti si presenta
con picchi a pan di zucchero, nuvole dense e boschi.

Nella Colchide degli argonauti alla ricerca del vello d’oro e di
Medea, tra le vette caucasiche alle quali e’ stato incatenato
Prometeo per il furto del fuoco, la mitologia cede spazio ad
autentici capolavori d’arte medievale: la cattedrale di Kutaisi e il
monastero di Gelati.

GRAPHIC: C.: CANTI POLIFONICI Celebre e’ il “”Supruli”” canto
eseguito durante i pasti, ma vi sono canti polifonici per ogni
occasione, dai canti epici ai canti religiosi. L’educazione musicale
e’ una tappa indispensabile nella formazione di un georgiano.
Entusiasmante e’ la bravura canora dei ragazzi, scoperta in una
scuola di Tbilisi. LA CUCINA Prelibate carni: ovine, bovine e di
maiale magro, stufate con vino e spezie o arrosto (con salse di
susine). Buono il formaggio fresco di capra, lo yogurt (matsoni) e’
denso e saporito. Fra gli antipasti, numerosi e in piccoli piatti,
una specialita’ sono le verdure in salsa di noci e aglio. I
“”khinkali”” sono ravioli di carne. PATRIMONIO DELL’UMANITA’ La
regione montana dello Svaneti conserva le caratteristiche case a
torre della popolazione Svan, antico rifugio dalle invasioni e lotte
tribali. Sotto la vetta piu’ alta della Georgia (Monte Shkhara 5201
m.) Ushguli possiede una ventina di torri.
From: Baghdasarian

Russia Federation Council delegation to visit Armenia

ITAR-TASS News Agency
October 1, 2004 Friday

By Lyudmila Yermakova

The Federation Council’s delegation headed by Speaker Sergei Mironov
leaves on Friday for an official visit to Armenia.

It is a return visit to be paid at the request of Armenian National
Assembly head Artur Bagdasaryan, Mironov told Itar-Tass.

Under discussion will be the whole range of issues related to
bilateral relations and international problems. In short, the plans
are tight and diverse, the Federation Council head noted.

The delegation is planned to meet with Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan, Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan and Catholicos Garegin
II, visit Yerevan’s State University and lay flowers at the memorial
to victims of the 1915 genocide.

The members of the Federation Council, which is a house of regions,
will attend the opening of the centre for Armenian-Russian
interregional cooperation assistance.

The agreement to open the centre was reached last spring at the
conference in Samara on Russian-Armenian interregional
cooperation. The forum noted that ties between regions were a very
important factor to consolidate comprehensive relations between the
two countries.

The Russian parliamentarians will also visit Russian Motorised
Infantry Regiment 123 deployed in Armenia.
From: Baghdasarian

RUSSIA MAY STOP NAVIGATIONAL SERVICE FOR CIS AIRLINES

30-09-2004 19:31
RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, September 30 (RIA Novosti) – On October 1, Russia may stop
navigational service in Russia for CIS countries’ airlines because
of the airlines’ debts, the Russian Transportation Ministry’s press
service reported.

“The Russian side raised the question of Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Ukraine and other CIS countries’ airlines’ debts for navigational
service during flights through the Russian Federation’s territory
more than once,” the ministry’s press release said.

On September 3, 2004, the main center for planning and regulating air
traffic officially notified the CIS countries’ air authorities that
on October 1, 2004, it would stop providing navigational services
for their airlines in Russia if they do not pay off their debts,
the press release said.

The Transportation Ministry noted that this was not the first
notification. “The Russian side believes that the issue of paying
off the debts by bankrupt airlines that have stopped flying should be
considered by the inter-governmental commissions on cooperation with
the given countries,” the press release said, “while the problem of
the debts of the airlines that continue to fly should be considered
by the aviation authorities of the sides. The biggest difficulties
may be from bankrupt airlines that have stopped flying. In a number of
cases, there are grounds to assert that the companies were deliberately
bankrupted to avoid paying debts for navigational service.”

The ministry said that under the inter-governmental agreements on
air traffic between the Russian Federation and Armenia, Georgia,
Kazakhstan and Ukraine, the airlines whose planes fly along the agreed
upon routes are appointed by the governments of the sides.

The ministerial statement offers CIS airlines debt statistics.
Thus, Armenian companies flying via and within Russia owe $5,527
for navigation services, and companies who have by now terminated
activities, $2,681,544.

Russian and Armenian air authorities met at the negotiation table,
September 9. Armenia acknowledged the debt, and said it was willing
to join hands with the creditor, and together grope for ways to settle
the debt. Sixteen Georgian-based companies who no longer have flights
via Russia are owing more than $3.6 million fir navigation alone-a
stale debt of 1994-2001. Russian authorities appealed to Georgia on
the issue four times this month alone-all to no avail. The requests
stayed unanswered, points out the Transport Ministry.

Kazakh airlines who have terminated flights owe $5,515,783 for
1994-2001 alone. The government-authorised Kazakhstan Aue Zholy Co. is
the biggest debtor, with $3,559,005.

An official reply has come from Kazakh air authorities, who say they
are willing to settle the issue together.

Ukrainian airlines who are making flights in and via Russia owe a
token $251.96 for navigation services. 37 companies who have terminated
such flights, on the contrary, are more than five million dollars in
debt for 1994 through last year. Ukrainian Airlines accounts for 4.5
million of the lump.

Ukraine’s State Air Transport Department has taken the obligations
upon itself, and drawn a payment schedule. Payments never started,
however. A bilateral conference of September 20-22, 2004, acknowledged
the debt and drew a pattern to reschedule it, reports Russia’s
Transport Ministry.
From: Baghdasarian