Author: Garnik Zakarian

“ELECTION CODE IS A NOT SUIT FOR ELECTORS TO WEAR IT
CHANGING THE FASHION WITH TIME:” OPPOSITIONIST MEMBER OF ARMENIAN CEC
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMINFO. “Election Code is a not suit for
electors to wear it changing the fashion with time,” said indignantly
Representative of the Justice opposition bloc at the Armenian CEC
Felix Khachatryan, Wednesday.
He proposes the CEC to approve an application to the Armenian
Government at its next sitting to amend the Election Code. In
particular, Khachatryan thinks the point allowing a member of the
Election Committee to enter the booth together with a voter if the
latter has some difficulties with voting (poor sight etc..) nothing
but a direct direction to falsifications. Khachatryan thinks there
are 16 points in the new EC which need amendment till the local
self-government elections in September-October 2005.
However, only a CEC member representing the National Unity party
Zaven Pluzyan supported Khachatryan. The Armenian CEC did not approve
the agenda of the extraordinary sitting consisting of Felix
Khachatryan’s proposals.
It was the second failure of the Justice bloc representative to amend
the Election Code. In response to ARMINF’s question, Khachatryan said
he will fight till the very end to make the necessary amendments to
the EC.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Belarusian unit takes part in CIS air defence exercise in Russia
Belapan news agency, Minsk
22 Aug 05
Units of Belarus’s 15th Anti-aircraft Missile Brigade, based in
Fanipal, Minsk Region, are taking part in the third stage of a CIS
integrated air defence system exercise that started at Russia’s
Ashuluk training ground in Astrakhan Region on 22 August, the
Belarusian news agency Belapan reported today.
The drill, which also involves Armenian, Russian and Tajik units, is
supervised by the Russian air force commander-in-chief, Gen Vladimir
Mikhaylov, the news agency added.
The first phase of the exercise was held at Russia’s Telemba training
ground in Chita Region between 24 June and 10 July, and the next stage
took place in Kazakhstan on 5-12 August.
The Belarusian unit is expected to practise firing S-300 missiles
during the drill, Belapan said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NATIONAL UNITY TO TAKE PART IN PARLIAMENTARY DISCUSSIONS ON
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
YEREVAN, AUGUST 13. ARMINFO. The opposition party “National Unity”
will take part in the parliamentary discussions on constitutional
reforms on Aug 29, 2005. Deputy Chairman of the opposition party
“National unity” Aleksan Karapetian informed journalists, Saturday.
“The leader of National Unity Artashes Geghamian has had 6 speech
this year for the welfare of the nation in international structures,
and he will not lose the opportunity of live air for the seventh,
decisive speech”, Karapetian stressed, promising Armenian authorities
surprises during the forthcoming parliamentary debates.
Karapetian said that the National Unity does not take part in the
elections to local self-government bodies because it does not want
to accept the rules of the game dictated by the authorities.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Call for Applications: 2006 JFDP (Junior Faculty Development Program)
The Junior Faculty Development Program provides university instructors
with a semester-long opportunity to expand their knowledge and expertise
in their academic field by attending classes and working with faculty
members at universities in the United States. Individuals may apply for
fields in the humanities and social sciences.
The competition is open to citizens from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
and residents of Kosovo.
For more information and an application, visit the JFDP website at
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty, Czech Republic
July 22 2005
Grenade Suspect Charged With Policeman’s Murder In Georgia

Arutyunian (file photo)
(epa)
22 July 2005 (NCA) — A Tbilisi resident suspected of throwing a
faulty hand grenade toward President Mikheil Saakashvili and visiting
U.S. President George W. Bush last May was charged today with the
murder of a police officer.
Vladimir Arutyunian, a 27-year-old ethnic Armenian, was arrested
yesterday following a shoot-out in which he killed the head of the
Interior Ministry’s counter-intelligence department.
Meanwhile, photographs posted today on the Interior Ministry’s
website show Arutyunian allegedly holding a grenade wrapped in a red
handkerchief, minutes before throwing it at Bush and Saakashvili.
The ministry yesterday released a video showing Arutyunian admitting
to throwing the device with the aim of harming Bush.
But Tbilisi Prosecutor Giorgi Ghviniashvili today said Arutyunian had
not confessed to investigators, making it impossible to charge him
over the grenade incident.
(imedi tv ge/novosti-gruziya ge/civil georgia/)
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIANOW.COM NEWS and SPORTS July 22, 2005
Administration Address: 26 Parpetsi St., No 9
Phone: +(374 1) 532422
Email: [email protected]
Internet:
Technical Assistance: (For technical assistance please contact to Babken Juharyan)
Email: [email protected]
ICQ#: 97152052
NEWS DIGEST JULY 18 – JULY 22 2005
By Ruzanna Amiraghyan
ArmeniaNow Reporter
On July 18 in Gyanja, Azerbaijan, the Protocol of the second session of
Azerbaijani-Georgian Commission on Economic Cooperation was signed. The
Azerbaijani side undertook to present to the Georgian side a project
on the investment feasibilities into the development of Batumi and
Poti ports for consideration, to elaborate over the issues of the
possibilities for joint chemical production industries and the issues
for providing conditions for continuous works on the Georgian part
of the Baku-Tbilis-Ceyhan pipeline.
The Armenian Development Agency (ADA) has initiated a telemarketing
campaign for attracting investments to the sphere of informational
technologies of Armenia. Over 30 organizations of the EU states
engaged in Hi-Tech industry showed interest in cooperating with
Armenia. The ADA has achieved agreement on cooperation with several
companies intending to open branches in Armenia. Armenia represented
high technologies with precision instruments, electronics, organic
chemistry, medicine and biotechnology.
ArmenTel Telephone Company will compensate inconvenience to subscribers
due to failure of the mobile communication network, the company Press
Service informed on July 19. ArmenTel intends to provide a discount
of 50% to SIM-card users and a conversation bonus of 1 thousand drams
($2) to Easy-card subscribers for the inconvenience. Lately ArmenTel
company reported the mobile communication network was fixed, however
asked subscribers not to overburden the network with unnecessary talks,
as it is being tested.
The President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan has signed a decree on
forming the Central Electoral Commission. According to the document
Garegin Azaryan is assigned as the representative of the President in
the CEC. The National Unity party will be presented in the commission
by Zaven Pluzyan, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnatktsutyun
is presented by Hamlet Abrahamyan, Republican Party – Abraham
Bakhchagolyan, parliamentarian group “People’s Deputy” – by Armine
Khachatryan, Justice faction – Felix Khachatryan, United Labor Party –
Sevak Arakelyan, the Cassation Court of Armenia – Erna Hayrikyan.
On July 20 the Minister of Defense of Turkey Vecdi Kenul arrived
in Baku to meet with the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev. The
sides discussed a wide range of issues, including military
issues. Azerbaijani President underlined the role Turkey has played
in the formation of the Azerbaijani regular army. In his turn Defense
Minister of Turkey mentioned that Ankara does not differentiate between
the Turkish and the Azerbaijani army and expressed the readiness of
his country to facilitate to its best to the formation of the brother
Azerbaijani nation.
USAID Country Director for Armenia Robin Phillips refuses to comment on
the recent situation over the Armenian Electric Networks company. (AEN)
He also did not say if USAID’s recent statement means that it is
going to stop its programs in Armenia’s energy sector. To remind
the statement says that unless the situation clears up USAID will
have to reconsider its package of assistance to Armenia to see how
successful some current or planned programs will be if the contract
on AEN ownership is changed. This is also necessary if the change in
ownership is drafted inappropriately.
Armenian delegation headed by Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan
arrived in Georgia on July 21 on a three-day official visit. Within
the framework of the visit Hovsepyan will meet with his Georgian
counterpart Zurab Adeishvili. The parties will sign a memorandum on
cooperation. The Armenian official is also expected to visit newly
repaired buildings of the Prosecutor’s Office in the capital, as well
as in a number of regions of Georgia.
, , ,
SPORT DIGEST: JOURNALISTS SQUARE OFF AGAINST CHESS GRANDMASTER . . .
By Suren Musayelyan
ArmeniaNow Reporter
CHESS
AGAINST JOURNALISTS: International grandmaster Artashes Minasyan
held a seance of simultaneous play with 15 journalists at the Tigran
Petrosyan Chess House on July 16. The event was dedicated to the 10
th anniversary of the foundation of the Yerevan Press Club.
During the seance, which lasted for more than two hours, the
grandmaster defeated 11 journalists, and drew against four of them.
Talking to an A1 Plus reporter after the event, Artashes Minasyan said
that the journalists were very strong opponents and played intelligent
chess: “There was a game in which I could lose, but my opponent made
a wrong move in the end that allowed me to draw against him.”
Later, Golos Armenii newspaper reporter Ruben Margaryan was given a
special prize by the Yerevan Press Club for the most successful play
against the grandmaster.
FOOTBALL
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND:
July 20, Wednesday. Pyunik ( Armenia) v Haka ( Finland) – 2-2.
(Pyunik lost 2-3 on aggregate and was eliminated from further contest).
U-19S:
NATIONAL PRIDE ON THE LINE: Armenia’s U-19 national team has played
two matches in the European championship finals being held in Northern
Ireland.
On July 18, Armenian footballers lost to Norway 0-2, and two days
later, on July 20, drew 1-1 against England.
Armenia still preserves chances to qualify from Group B and play in
the semifinals for which they need to beat France on Saturday and
hope that the Norway v England match, on the same day, will not end
in a draw (unless Armenia beats France by at least two goals).
TENNIS
DISAPPOINTING THIRD PLACE: Armenia led by Sargis Sargsyan missed
qualification in Europe/Africa Zone Group III 2005
Davis Cup held in Dublin, Ireland, from 11 th-18 th July, but only
just.
Winning a place in the play-off robin round last Friday by beating
Nigeria 2-1, Armenian tennis-players faced Cyprus and Tunisia in the
next phase.
As a result of the matches with these nations (a win over Tunisia 2-1,
and a loss to Cyprus with the same score) Armenia finished only third
in the Group III competition and failed to qualify for Group II.
The winner and runner-up in this competition became Cyprus
and Ireland, who will play in Europe/Africa Zone Group II in
2006. ()
WRESTLING EASY RIDE: Ohan Gikinyan, a freestyle wrestler from Vanadzor,
Armenia, has clinched the European junior title in Tirana, Albania,
after beating all his four opponents. Another wrestler from Armenia,
Gevorg Avsharyan, placed 5 th in the European championships. Armenia
(coached by Eduard Tunyan) was represented in the championships in
Albania by four athletes. (Armenpress)
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FEI Co. to close Bay State plant
Boston Business Journal
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Electron-microscope maker FEI Co. is abandoning its Peabody, Mass.,
facility as part of a restructuring plan to improve efficiency.
The Hillsboro, Ore., company makes electron microscopes and industrial
inspection systems. It acquired the plant in its 1999 acquisition of
competitor Micrion, valued at more than $50 million. Micrion’s gear
generated ion beams to examine and alter semiconductors during the
fabrication process.
At the time of the acquisition, Micrion employed 200 people. FEI expects
closing the plant will cost it $15 million over two quarters for
severance and relocation costs.
“To the degree that we can, we want to reassign and realign these people
to where we think our growth needs to be served, and that is why our
charges are as high as they are,” said Vahe Sarkissian, chief executive
of FEI. “We want to relocate as many people as we can into the right
locations and the right jobs, and to the degree that we can we will do
so. Being realistic we expect some fallout.”
He added the company has yet to quantify how many jobs will be relocated.
The 69,000 square-foot plant in Peabody’s Centennial Park is one of five
manufacturing locations FEI has worldwide. The company is also closing a
small plant in Munich, Germany.
In a conference call with analysts, FEI said it laid off 30 employees in
the second quarter, but did not specify which facilities were affected.
At the start of the year, the company reported having 1,690 employees
worldwide.
FEI shares (NASDAQ: FEIC) expects sales between $109 million and $111
million, down at least $5 million from earlier estimates.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR)
July 14 2005
ARMENIAN PENSIONERS REJECT ID CARDS
Social security scheme touches a religious nerve among Armenia’s
pensioners.
By Karine Asatrian in Yerevan.
Pailun Poghosian, 79, a former teacher, is a pensioner living on her
own. Although she walks only with the aid of crutches, every day for
two weeks she travelled by bus from her apartment on the edge of the
Armenian capital Yerevan to the centre of town.
There, she and roughly 50 other retirees staged a sit-down
demonstration, from June 24 to July 8 in front of the main government
building, to protest a new law which created, for the first time in
the country’s history, social security cards for all Armenians.
Pailun refuses to accept her card, and as a result, she has been
unable to collect her pension.
`True, I haven’t received my pension for six months, but I haven’t
starved,’ she said, standing outside the government offices.
`Sometimes a neighbour helps me out, sometimes a friend. It’s not
just my pension I want – I want them not to disrespect our human
rights and our constitution.’
Like others who demonstrated, Pailun is a member of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, and rejects the cards on religious grounds. She is
particularly worried that her social security number might contain
the figure 666.
`I have studied the Bible. I have read it three times,’ she told
IWPR. `This card is evil – evil as far as God is concerned, and for
the government and ordinary souls.’
Pailun is one of more than 7,100 Armenians who, according to the
state social welfare fund, are unable to receive payments because
they do not possess social security cards.
And although not all have rejected the cards out of religious reasons
– 929 people did not receive them because they lacked a new Armenian
passport – a large number nevertheless view the IDs not a means to
receive money owed them from the government, but as a one-way ticket
to hell.
Because of the outcry against the cards, the Armenian government has
bowed to the pressure and now promises to introduce changes to the
new system.
Social security cards were passed into law in September, 2003. Each
card contains a ten-digit code composed of numbers denoting a
citizen’s sex, date of birth – which remains valid for life.
More than two million Armenians are set to receive their pensions,
benefits, and government salaries through the card system, which came
into force on January 1, 2005. Supporters of the scheme say it will
streamline the country’s financial dealings, reduce bureaucracy and
eliminate confusion.
Haik Chobanian, executive director of Norq, an analytical centre
under the labour and social welfare ministry, said, `This system
automatically gives each individual the ability to receive a pension.
At the present moment, there are a lot of violations, and there is no
system of control.
`This way we receive all information about salaries and benefits and
these are recorded in a data base.’
Despite the benefits, controversy has nevertheless marked the debate
over the cards from the very beginning.
After hundreds took to the streets in protest in summer, 2004,
officials postponed the cards’ introduction by six months. Protesters
said that any system assigning individual numbers to citizens was a
violation of their rights and religious beliefs.
At the time, however, the Armenian Apostolic Church announced,
`Social security cards present absolutely no danger to the salvation
of the human soul, since the link between man and God is not a
material one.’
In response to the ongoing protests, the Armenian government has
agreed to a number of changes to the law on social security cards.
The government’s first concession will be to allow pensioners from
July 11 to receive payments missed over the last six months, deputy
minister for work and social questions Araik Petrosian, told IWPR.
Changes will be made to the cards’ appearance and there will be no
bar code or symbol.
Petrosian also said the law on social security cards would be amended
to state clearly that the social security number is a document
number, not the number of a person and that `there is no link between
the social security card system and the religious beliefs or creeds
of citizens’.
However, Petrosian said, people will not have a choice about whether
to receive a card.
Parliamentary deputy Artak Arakelian argues the cards should be
optional.
`[They] have a role to play in regulating various areas of society
and are essential, but people should be able to choose whether or not
they receive them,’ he told IWPR
Haik Chobanian, of the Norq analytical centre, said that he thought
the government should stand up to the protesters. If they gave in, he
said, `That would mean that 40 people in the country would have more
rights than the more than two million 332 thousand people who have
already received social security cards.’
Armenian human rights ombudsman Larisa Alaverdian said that the
problem facing civil servants is to work out `how they can carry out
their functions without contravening human rights.
`If a person does not receive the pension or salary he is due,
because he does not want to, I think that is a contravention of his
human rights,’ she told IWPR. `In this case, the legality of
individual regulations aside, we cannot offend people’s beliefs.’
Alaverdian sent a letter to President Robert Kocharian on July 14
questioning the constitutional legality of the law regulating the
cards and asking him to bring the matter before the Constitutional
Court.
Aida Harutiunian, 66, a protester in the recent sit-ins, is carrying
on protesting.
Aida lives in reduced circumstances on the southern outskirts of
Yerevan with her 84-year-old mother, Anik – a World War Two veteran
who is bed-ridden due to chronic illness. `I somehow survive by
taking everything I have to the flea market to sell,’ she said.
Despite the government’s concessions, Aida remains unconvinced,
`Social security cards are linked to the devil. I am prepared to go
hungry, but I will not sell my soul to the devil.’
Karine Asatrian is a journalist with A1+ television station in
Yerevan.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 5, 2005
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]

ASSEMBLY REITERATES SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY GENOCIDE BILL
H. RES. 316 BOASTS OVER 75 CO-SPONSORS

Washington, DC – The Assembly today commended the Armenian-American
community for rallying congressional support for H. Res. 316, a
bipartisan resolution that would reaffirm the U.S. record on the
Armenian Genocide. To date, more than 75 Members of the House have
signed on as cosponsors to the bill, which was introduced by Congressmen
George Radanovich (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ).

The four sponsors introduced the resolution in the House of
Representatives on June 14 with the strong backing of the pan-Armenian
community.

H. Res. 316 calls upon the President to “ensure that the foreign policy
of the United States reflects appropriate understanding” of the
“Armenian Genocide” and to “accurately characterize the systematic and
deliberate annihilation of 1,500,000 Armenians as genocide” in the
President’s annual message.

Prior to the congressional July Fourth recess, Congressman Schiff
introduced an alternative measure without the support of the Armenian
Caucus that would also reaffirm the U.S. record on the Armenian
Genocide.

“In previous years, Members of the Armenian Caucus and a coalition of
pan-Armenian organizations pledged to a unified approach for a
bipartisan resolution on the Armenian Genocide,” said Assembly Board of
Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian. “It is essential that all
legislative initiatives have the backing of Members of both political
parties, which in 2000, led to the near passage of an Armenian Genocide
resolution.”

“During this 90th commemorative year of the Armenian Genocide, the
Assembly is fully committed to working collaboratively with the offices
of the four principal sponsors to garner support and secure the passage
of H. Res. 316 in the House of Representatives.”

Barsamian also added that the Assembly has been in the forefront of
every serious effort to pass a congressional Genocide resolution.

Last year, the Washington Post’s Glenn Maffei wrote an article on the
daunting task of passing any legislative measure, despite a bill’s heavy
support. Maffei wrote, “Since January 2003, 10,472 bills and
resolutions were introduced in the House and Senate. By November 1,
only 122 Senate bills and 292 House bills, or 4 percent, became law.”

“When you are one of 435 members of the House, it is important for the
folks back home to see the spirited push of your annual legislative
agenda, which means the introduction, to great fanfare, of all sorts of
bills and resolutions,” Maffei wrote. “About 96 percent of them end up
in the congressional recycling bin.”

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of
Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

NR#2005-075

Attached is the list of 80 cosponsors to the Armenian Genocide
resolution, H.
Res. 316, which was introduced in the House of Representatives on June
14.

Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)
Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI)
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY)
Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ)
Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Rep. Charles Bass (R-NH)
Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA)
Rep. Michael Bilirakis (R-FL)
Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY)
Rep. Jeb Bradley (R-NH)
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA)
Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA)
Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO)
Rep. John Conyers (D-MI)
Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA)
Rep. Jerry Costello (D-IL)
Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY)
Rep. John Dingell (D-MI)
Rep. Michael Doyle (D-PA)
Rep. David Dreier (R-CA)
Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA)
Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA)
Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL)
Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA)
Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ)
Rep. Mark Green (R-WI)
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)
Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY)
Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ)
Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY)
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)
Rep. Jesse Jackson (D-IL)
Rep. Sue Kelly (R-NY)
Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI)
Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL)
Rep. James Langevin (D-RI)
Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI)
Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL)
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA)
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY)
Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI)
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)
Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA)
Rep. James McGovern (D-MA)
Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA)
Rep. Michael McNulty (D-NY)
Rep. Marty Meehan (D-MA)
Rep. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI)
Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA)
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)
Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA)
Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ)
Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA)
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI)
Rep. Steve Rothman (D-NJ)
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA)
Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA)
Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL)
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)
Rep. Jim Saxton (R-NJ)
Rep. Joe Schwarz (R-MI)
Rep. E. Clay Shaw (R-FL)
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA)
Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL)
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)
Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN)
Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA)
Rep. John Sweeney (R-NY)
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-IN)
Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA)
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA)
Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY)
Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA)
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA)

EVENTS IN YEREVAN MARK BELARUS INDEPENDENCE DAY
Pan Armenian News
30.06.2005 07:54
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Embassy of Belarus in Armenia organizes
festivities due to its Independence Day. According to a press release,
an official reception on the occasion of the Belarus holiday will be
held today. July 3 – on the Independence Day, flowers will be laid to
monument to marshal, Soviet Union twice Hero H. K. Baghramyan. This
year the 60th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War
is also marked. The war was one against the threat of enslavement
and physical annihilation for the Belarus people. In June-July 1944
Belarus was fully liberated. Representatives of many nationalities
fought for its independence. These included the best representatives
of the Armenian people, many of which are awarded orders and medals,
as well as title of Soviet Union Hero for liberation of Belarus.
Owing to the resolute actions of the army, guerilla movement the
Belarus people preserved its ethnic identity.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress