Author: Dabaghian Diana

ARKA News Agency
Oct 8 2004
Foreign Minister of Norway Jan Petersen to arrive in Armenia on Oct
10
4th year cadet of RA Military Institute plans to break his own record
of the exercise with rising and overturning on a horizontal bar
Armenian opposition field is totally free – Leader of Republican
Party of Armenia
RA President conducts working meeting with representatives of several
ministries
An office of medical cryonics operates in Yerevan
*********************************************************************
FOREIGN MINISTER OF NORWAY JAN PETERSEN TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA ON OCT
10
YEREVAN, October 8. /ARKA/. Foreign Minister of Norway Jan Petersen
will arrive in Armenia on Oct 10, RA MFA told ARKA. His visit
envisages meetings with RA President Robert Kocharian, RA NA Chairman
Arthur Baghdasarian, RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian, Catholicos
of All Armenian Garegin II and representatives of political parties
and NGOs. L.D. –0
*********************************************************************
4th YEAR CADET OF RA MILITARY INSTITUTE PLANS TO BREAK HIS OWN RECORD
OF THE EXERCISE WITH RISING AND OVERTURNING ON A HORIZONTAL BAR
YEREVAN, October 8. /ARKA/. The cadet of 4th year of RA Military
Institute after Vazgen Sargsyan of RA Ministry of Defence,
20-year-old Zarzand Mkhitaryan plans to break his own record of the
exercise with rising and overturning on a horizontal bar and to be
registered in the Book of Guinness, according to Seyran
Shakhsuvaryan, the Press Secretary of the RA Defence Minister. He
also said that the ceremony of re-registration will be held in the
Military Institute on October 9.
To mention, Zarzand Mkhitaryan, the resident of Pshatavan Armenian
village in Armavir region of Armenia made 1050 overturns within 2
hours and 48 minutes broke the previous record of a Russian pupil
whose record was 1013 overturns. L.V.-0–
*********************************************************************
ARMENIAN OPPOSITION FIELD IS TOTALLY FREE – LEADER OF REPUBLICAN
PARTY OF ARMENIA
YEREVAN, October 8. /ARKA/. Armenian opposition field is totally
free, the Leader of Republican Party of Armenia Galust Sahakian
stated today at National Press Club. According to him, nevertheless
during discussion of fulfillment of Armenian commitments in PACE on
Oct 7, Armenian delegation joined its efforts. “I am indifferent to
the fact whether it would affect internal political situation in the
country, because I think that there is no Armenian opposition and new
one has not appeared yet”, he said. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
RA PRESIDENT CONDUCTS WORKING MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF SEVERAL
MINISTRIES
YEREVAN, October 8. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian conducted
working meeting with representatives of several ministries
considering conduction of activities of all national importance in
2005, RA President’s press office told ARKA. The President met with
Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Minister of Trade and Economic
Development, Health, Education and Science, Culture and Youth
Affairs, and with other officials. He said that it became a tradition
to discuss Armenia-Diaspora relations for oncoming year and added
that last year “quite serious activities” were planned and
successfully realized.
According to the President at the given stage it is necessary to
concretize the list of All Armenian activities for the next year that
must include small and large programs in different spheres. “In
Nov-Dec we must have steps for the next year”, he said. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
AN OFFICE OF MEDICAL CRYONICS OPERATES IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, October 8. /ARKA/. An office of medical cryonics operates in
Yerevan. According to the cryologist, the Candidate of Medical
Sciences Elmira Vardanyan, the office activity profile is
othorinolaringology-cryotherapy and othorinolaringology- cryo-therapy
and cryo-gynecology. According to her, the medical center opened in
May 2004 applies painless, bloodless and ambulatory method of
treatment of gynecology diseases, chronicle rhinitis, chronicle
pharyngitis, acute and chronicle sinusitis, antritis, and frontitis.
At that, according to Vardanyan, the treatment of antritis and
frontitis is done by means of a special Yamik Sinus Catheter with the
use of preparations, the affect of which on micro-organisms is high.
She noted that the basis of cryotherapy method is freezing, i.e. the
treatment by liquid nitrogen at -196°Ñ temperature, affecting the
pathology cells, as a result of which local immunity is created,
causing the pathology cells die, and the polipuses completely
resolve. According to Vardanyan, the chronicle tonsillitis treatment
method is the same (without the removal of tonsil) as well as that of
snore caused by both pathology and anathomical abnormalities. She
informed that within 4 months the office received 54 patients and
operated them by the cryotherapy methods. She added that the
treatments costs from $100 to $200. According to her, these prices
are much lower than in many European countries, so not only citizens
of Armenia, but also patients from CIS and Europe apply to them for
help. Nevertheless, according to Vardanyan, the office now has a
negative profit. She added that the office is receives financial aid
from sponsors from Europe. Also, she added that the office is
equipped by the most modern medical equipment and in future a center
for cryonics is planned to be opened in Armenia. A.H.–0–
*********************************************************************
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Georgian-Russian border crossing closed again
Prime-News news agency
12 Oct 04
Tbilisi, 12 October: The Lars border checkpoint is closed again. The
Customs Department told Prime-News that the Lars crossing was only
open for a few hours on 11 October. Most of the vehicles which crossed
the border were lorries heading for Armenia.
“Several private cars and lorries heading for Georgia were able to
join those heading for Armenia, but after a few hours the border was
closed again,” the Customs Department said.
At present only a few cars are waiting at the Lars checkpoint,
although the Customs Department says this number could grow.
The crossing was closed unilaterally by the Russian government after
the Beslan tragedy.
In the last 40 days the crossing has only opened a few times, most
recently on 10-11 October.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Oct 12 2004
JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE
[October 11, 2004, 19:00:45]
On the 11 October, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President
of Romania Ion Iliescu gave a joint press conference.
The President of Romania and Azerbaijan made a statement.
The Heads of State updated in detail on the issues they had discussed
both in private and enlarged format. They noted that the visit by
President Ilham Aliyev to Bucharest would promote strengthening
relations between the two countries.
After that, the Presidents responded to questions from journalists.
Answering the question from Azerbaijani reporter concerning the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution, President
Ion Iliescu said Romania has always supported Azerbaijan in this
relation. The conflict must be settled by peace way on the base of
the countries’ territorial integrity, he said.
***
On the same day, an official reception in honor of President of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev was given on behalf of President of Romania
Ion Iliescu at the “Cotroceni” Palace.
Presidents of Azerbaijan and Romania made speeches at the reception.

Armenia’s govt wants ArmenTel to vacate some GSM 900 channels
Prime-Tass English-language Business Newswire
October 11, 2004
EREVAN, Oct 11 (Prime-Tass) — Armenia’s national telecommunications
company ArmenTel might have to vacate some of its GSM 900 channels for
the use of a new second mobile operator and allow it to use ArmenTel’s
fiber-optic communications line, Armenia’s Justice Minister David
Arutyunyan told a press conference on Monday.
The government and ArmenTel have been discussing these and other
proposed measures aimed at depriving the company of its ‘exclusive
rights’ rather than stripping it of its monopolistic status, Arutyunyan
said. The talks are expected to be completed by October 28.
Arutyunyan said that ArmenTel’s giving up some of its GSM 900
frequencies for the use of the second mobile operator was meant to
create conditions for effective competition. He added that ArmenTel
currently occupies most of the GSM 900 frequencies, and given the
current situation the second operator would not have enough frequencies
to provide services.
Neither would it be able to operate without using the fiber-optic
communications line to which ArmenTel has exclusive rights, Arutyunyan
said.
There are also dozens of other issues that the government and the
company still have to agree on, Arutyunyan said.
Arutyunyan said the government and ArmenTel have agreed that two
mobile operators are enough for Armenia’s telecom market. A larger
number of operators might lead to a slowdown in the development of
the market, since smaller companies might not have enough funds to
invest in networks.
While the coming of the second operator should lead to a decrease in
tariffs, the government is to ensure that operators do not engage in
price dumping to squeeze out competitors, Arutyunyan said. This does
not mean, however, that telecom tariffs will be fixed, he added.
The Armenian government decided last year to amend ArmenTel’s license,
which stipulates the company’s right to a monopoly for 15 years, but
postponed introducing the amendment from October 12 to October 28,
according to the government press service’s report on October 7. End

Animation company sets up a film festival
UK Newsquest Regional Press – This is The Lake District
October 7, 2004
BY: Gazette News Desk
A KIRKBY Stephen-based animation company is lending its talents in organising
a major film festival for young people.
Sisters Bryony Cadi and Linnhe Catlow the directors of film company 3 Bear
Animations have helped organise this year’s Co-operative Young Film Makers
Festival.
The annual celebration of cinema is targeted at young people aged 21 and
under and aims to give a new understanding of TV and film productions.
This year’s festival will take place at the National Museum of Photography
Film and Television in Bradford. A programme brimming with activities boasts
more than 30 events for children and young people aged five to 21.
“We’re particularly proud of the programme this year said joint event
coordinator Bryony Catlow.
We have Nick Dudman coming up from the set of Harry Potter Four to talk about
his work as special effects supervisor on films such as Star Wars and Harry
Potter which we are very excited about.”
In addition to the workshops and talks there will be screenings of films made
by young people from places as far flung as Armenia and Australia.
“We received around 400 entries this year and selected 100 for screening. The
filmmakers are of all ages and abilities ranging from five and six year olds
to 21 year olds producing films of almost professional quality said Cadi
Catlow.
Some of the films will receive awards from organisations and companies
involved in the film industry including 3 Bear Animations, BBC Blast and the British
Film Institute.
We decided to present an award at the festival because we want to encourage
the next generation of animators said Linnhe Catlow.
We used to enter Co-Operative Young Film Makers ourselves when we were
younger and the festival definitely inspired us to continue to produce animation. We
know from experience how important it is to have encouragement when you’re
starting out she added.
Co-operative Young Film Makers 2004 is open to everyone and will run today
(Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday). Entry to the majority of the events is free.
For a full programme see or call the festival
office on 0161-2462216.

Armenian leader in Shanghai to discuss economic ties with China
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
29 Sep 04
The Armenian delegation led by President Robert Kocharyan, who is
on an official visit to China, held a number of meetings today. The
president today flew to China’s second biggest city of Shanghai. The
Armenian delegation discussed wide-ranging issues of deepening economic
ties between the two countries.
The Armenian president will meet the mayor of Shanghai in the
afternoon. Lilit Sadrakyan has details on the Armenian delegation’s
meetings today.
[Sadrakyan on the telephone] Shanghai is the centre of China’s economic
progress. This morning Kocharyan visited one of Shanghai’s major
areas where the city’s biggest exhibition halls are located. These
exhibition halls have come up with the initiative to demonstrate
goods manufactured in Armenia. Kocharyan also visited the world’s
third tallest TV tower in Shanghai. The Armenian delegation visited
the Shanghai history museum, too. At the end of the day, the Armenian
president will be visited by the Shanghai mayor.

EU, Georgia forge open skies aviation agreement
By Jeff Mason
BRUSSELS, Sept 27 (Reuters) – Georgia has agreed to an “open skies”
aviation pact that will allow European Union airlines to fly to
the former Soviet republic from any EU city, the 25-nation bloc’s
executive Commission said on Monday.
The agreement follows a decision by the European Court of Justice
in 2002 that ruled bilateral deals between individual EU countries
and the United States broke European rules that create a single
internal market.
Such agreements would prevent, for example, a French carrier from
flying to a U.S. city from a British airport.
The European Commission was granted a mandate after the court
ruling to negotiate a new U.S.-EU agreement and to eliminate similar
discrimination in pacts with other countries such as Georgia.
The latest agreement, which has been initialled by both sides but
still needs to be signed, will allow EU airlines to start in any EU
city en route to Georgia, the Commission said in a statement.
Bilateral agreements remain in place, but the new pact will remove
their illegal, discriminatory aspects.
“Both delegations welcomed the agreement as a concrete step forward
in the development of the overall relationship between the EU and
Georgia, and in particular as the beginning of the strengthening in
their relations in the field of air transport,” the Commission said.
The pact replaces those aspects of the bilateral accords that were
discriminatory without negotiating a new, more wide-ranging deal,
thus making it a “horizontal agreement,” a Commission spokesman said.
A similar agreement has also been forged with Chile.
The Commission has been negotiating toward a more wide-ranging
open skies pact with the United States that includes new ownership
rules. The latest deal between the two sides was rejected by EU
ministers in June largely because it lacked significant opening of
U.S. domestic routes to European airlines.
A U.S.-EU agreement is seen as a precursor to eventual mega-mergers
between airlines on both sides of the Atlantic.
09/27/04 15:16 ET

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
September 28, 2004
___________________
DAY OF DISCUSSION AND ACTION FOR THE FUTURE ALSO A TIME TO HONOR
VOLUNTEER TEACHERS
The Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) has long been on
the forefront of keeping the Armenian heritage, culture, and tradition
alive in modern America.
The front lines of that effort are the Armenian schools in local
parishes. On Saturday, September 11, 2004, about 100 Armenian language
and culture educators — from as far as Florida and North Carolina —
gathered at the Diocesan Center in New York City for an educational
symposium.
The symposium focused on giving educators the tools to educate the next
generation about their Armenian heritage. A series of expert speakers
addressed educational issues including: new programs and publications
offered by the Diocese, projects for classroom use by Sylva der
Stepanian; ideas for teaching the Armenian alphabet’s importance in both
Armenian religion and politics by Fr. Haigazoon Najarian, pastor of the
Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church of Wynnewood, PA; and a lecture on
classroom discipline by Prof. James Jacobson, chairman of the
educational department at St. Peter’s University. The teachers also
learned about an opera written by Dr. Socrates Boyajian, from the
Association of Armenian Church Choirs of America (AACCA), titled “The
First Christian Nation.”
The attendees also discussed the Diocese’s expanded Khrimian Lyceum
program, a rigorous six-year educational course designed to make
Armenian School graduates skilled community leaders. Last year the
Diocese successfully expanded the Khrimian Lyceum program beyond New
York City by opening two branch programs, one in the Boston area and a
second in Chicago.
“More young people than ever are involved in our efforts to teach them
not only their heritage, but how to serve as a leader to keep our
culture active,” said Sylva der Stepanian. “That so many young students
around the Diocese would give up their weekends to attend this
‘ivy-league’ program is a great opportunity for the future.”
THANKING THE TEACHERS
While the symposium’s focus was on giving teachers skills and ideas for
a new Armenian School year, the event also was a chance to thank those
teachers with long histories of service to their local parish Armenian
School programs.
Four educators were honored for 25 years of service by Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese. Receiving the “Long Live”
award were: Alice Igitkurt from the Holy Cross Church of Union City, NJ;
Tamar Kayserian of the Holy Martyrs Church in Bayside, NY; Margrit
Hamparsoumian of the St. Gregory the Enlightener Church of White Plains,
NY; and Seta Yavru-Sakuk of the St. Thomas Church of Tenafly, NJ.
A fifth educator — Noelle Sarkissian from the Armenian School of
Charlotte, NC — was recognized with the “Tigran the Great” award for
giving her time and talent to participate in four summer sessions at the
Diocesan Center.
The four sessions were each eight-day courses, featuring more than 20
expert speakers. Participants in these courses earned college credit.
“The Diocese works to make our Armenian language and culture education
efforts as widely available as possible,” said Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern). “And thanks to our dedicated volunteers, we hope to reach
more and more young people with the message that our Armenian heritage
is a noble one worth celebrating even today.”
— 9/28/04
# # #

Gazprom’s involvement in Iran-Armenia pipeline to be discussed
The Moscow Times
Hot News
Interfax. Monday, Sep. 27, 2004, 9:36 PM Moscow Time
YEREVAN. Sept 27 (Interfax) – The Russian-Armenian interparliamentary
commission on economic cooperation is planning to discuss the
involvement of Russia’s Gazprom in the construction of the gas
pipeline connecting Iran and Armenia in mid-October, a source in
the Armenian government told Interfax. Gazprom intends to offer its
cooperation on the construction of the 41 km long Armenian section
of the pipeline connecting the town of Megri (located on the Iranian
border) to the town of Kadzharan (320 km southeast of Yerevan) and
also on the reconstruction of the pipeline connecting Kadzharan and
Yerevan (which has a pipe diameter of 500 to 700 mm).
The cost of building the Armenian section of the pipeline exceeds the
$30 million loan provided for this purpose by the Export Development
Bank of Iran, which increases Gazprom’s chances of participating in
the project
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
September 24, 2004
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: [email protected]; Web:
Armenian Ambassador Visits University of Connecticut, Discusses Prospects
for Armenian Studies program
Armenian Ambassador to the U.S., Dr. Arman Kirakossian visited the
University of Connecticut on September 22-23, 2004, as part of the Embassy’s
outreach to the U.S. academic and research institutions. Ambassador
Kirakossian’s visit, at the invitation of University President Philip E.
Austin, aimed to discuss prospects for establishment of Armenian Studies
program at the University and inaugurate its partnership program with the
Yerevan State University (YSU).
The University of Connecticut and Yerevan State University have successfully
cooperated for fifteen years, as the University of Connecticut’s School of
Social Work helped to introduce social work program at the YSU Sociology
Department. To expand on this successful record of collaboration, an
Armenian Studies Development Committee was established at the University of
Connecticut in 2000, with its activities focusing on establishment of
Armenian Studies program at the University of Connecticut and developing
programs on Geographical Information Systems at the YSU. Recently, the
Norian Endowment Fund has been created through a generous donation by the
late Mrs. Alice Norian with the purpose of facilitating the Armenian Studies
program at the University.
During his visit to the University, Ambassador Kirakossian met with
University President Austin and members of faculty. The Armenian Ambassador
expressed his full support and endorsement for the establishment of the
Armenian Studies program at the University, noting that it should facilitate
greater collaboration between the Armenian and foreign researchers and
promote curricula and research relevant to challenges facing modern-day
Armenia.
On September 23, Ambassador Kirakossian addressed the faculty and student
body assembled at the University of Connecticut’s Dodd Center. In his
lecture, entitled “U.S.-Armenian Relations: Current Realities and Vision for
Future,” the Armenian Ambassador presented historical background and current
agenda of the U.S.-Armenian bilateral relations in political, economic,
military, security, and cultural areas, within the greater context of
Armenia’s foreign policy. Dr. Kirakossian presented Armenia’s political and
economic progress since restoration of independence in 1991, as well as
challenges facing modern Armenia, including the peaceful resolution of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict. He expressed his confidence in the strength and
future prospects for U.S.-Armenian relations, noting that underlying them
are “shared values and principles, like freedom, democracy, advancement of
human rights, and free enterprise.” He said he hoped the University of
Connecticut’s Armenian Studies program will promote greater collaboration
between U.S. and Armenian researchers, contributing to enhancement of the
bilateral ties between our nations.
Also present at the event was prominent author Peter Balakian, who read
excerpts from his recent books, “Black Dog of Fate” and “The Burning
Tigris.”
During his visit to Connecticut, Ambassador Kirakossian met with State
Representative John C. Geragosian, Assistant Majority Leader in the
Connecticut General Assembly, who was recently elected as Vice President of
the Armenian Parliamentary Union during its inaugural congress in Yerevan.