Author: Hambardsumian Paul

Reuters, UK
May 24 2004

European Golden Shoe leading rankings
Mon 24 May, 2004 11:01

LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) – Following are the leading rankings for the
Golden Shoe, awarded to the leading scorer in the European leagues,
after the completion of the major leagues at the weekend.

Thierry Henry is set to become the first Frenchman to win the Golden
Shoe, and the first player from the English premier league to win the
award since Kevin Phillips in 1999/2000.

The final list will not be issued until mid-June when all the
European domestic leagues have been completed. Player, Team Goals
Value Total 1. Thierry Henry, Arsenal (England) 30 2 60 2. Ailton,
Werder Bremen (Germany) 28 2 56 3. Djibril Cisse, AJ Auxerre (France)
26 2 52 4= Andriy Shevchenko, AC Milan (Italy) 24 2 48 4= Ronaldo,
Real Madrid (Spain) 24 2 48 6. Mateja Kezman, PSV Eindhoven
(Netherlands) 31 1.5 46.5 7= Roy Makaay, Bayern Munich (Germany) 23 2
46 7= Alberto Gilardino, Parma (Italy) 23 2 46 9= Ara Hakobyan,
Banants (Armenia) 45 1 45 9= Henrik Larsson, Celtic (Scotland) 30 1.5
45

Note: A player’s league goals are multiplied depending on the “value”
of their league.

Only the leading five countries in the UEFA rankings are given a
multiple value of 2.

7th International Junior Wrestling Tournament Starts In Izmir

Turkish Press
Saturday, May 22, 2004

Anadolu Agency: 5/22/2004

IZMIR – The Seventh International Junior Free-Style and Greco-Roman
Wrestling Tournament started in western province of Izmir on Friday.

Wrestlers from Turkey, Albania, Azerbaijan, Germany, Armenia, Bulgaria,
Georgia, Hungary, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tunisia and
Turkmenistan participated in the tournament.

The tournament will end on Sunday.

(UK-AÖ) 21.05.2004

Copyright 2004 Anadolu Agency. All rights reserved

Edicom, Suisse
20 Mai 2004

Aznavour: l’éternelle Bohème

PARIS (AP) – Charles Aznavour, qui fêtera samedi ses 80 ans, ne
s’est jamais laissé aller. Vedette internationale du music-hall, à la
fois comédien, chanteur, compositeur et pianiste, le «petit Charles»
n’a cessé de montrer au fil des ans un amour de la musique et de la
vie inchangé.

Celui qui «s’voyait déjà en haut de l’affiche» est né à Paris le 22
mai 1924 d’un père chanteur et d’une mère comédienne ayant fui
l’Arménie pour ouvrir un restaurant dans la capitale. Monté sur les
planches dès l’âge de 9 ans, ce petit gosse de la Rive gauche
abandonne le théâtre pour assouvir sa passion du music-hall.

Pianiste-accompagnateur, il commence à composer pour Maurice
Chevalier et Edith Piaf dans les années 40. Cette dernière le pousse
à interpréter ses propres compositions.

Souvent comparé à Sinatra, Aznavour a toujours rejeté cette étiquette
de premier «crooner» de France. «Je suis un compositeur à qui il
arrive de chanter ses propres chansons», a-t-il coutume de dire. Il
en a ainsi écrit plus de 800, principalement pour Piaf, Gilbert
Bécaud, Juliette Greco et même Johnny Hallyday.

Tout au long de sa carrière, il triomphe à l’Alhambra, à l’Olympia
mais aussi à l’étranger comme aux Etats-Unis, où il passa un an
après-guerre à New York avec Piaf, sans parler des spectacles en duo
avec son amie Liza Minelli. Sur scène, les succès s’enchaînent: »Tu
t’laisses aller», «Je m’voyais déjà», «For me, formidable», «La
Mamma», «La Bohème», «Les plaisirs démodés»…

Egalement excellent comédien, Charles Aznavour a timidement commencé
sa carrière dans «Les Disparus de Saint-Agil» de Christian-Jaque en
1938. Mais on retient surtout «Tirez sur le pianiste» de François
Truffaut (1960), «Un Taxi pour Tobrouk» de Denys de la Patellière
(1962), «Paris au mois d’août» de Pierre Granier-Deferre (1965), «Le
Tambour» de Volker Schloendorff (1979), »Les Fantômes du chapelier»
de Claude Chabrol (1982) ou «Ararat» du Canadien Atom Egoyan sur le
génocide arménien (2002).

Car Shanoun Varenagh Aznavourian, de son vrai nom, n’a jamais oublié
ses racines arméniennes. Nommé ambassadeur itinérant pour l’action
humanitaire en 1993 par le président Levon Ter-Petrossian, il a créé
la fondation «Aznavour et l’Arménie» après le séisme de 1998. En
janvier 2001, il saluait la reconnaissance par le Parlement français
du génocide arménien, et en avril 2003 il participait à
l’inauguration à Paris d’une statue aux victimes du génocide.

L’homme soutient aussi la lutte contre le SIDA, la liberté de la
presse ou la lutte contre l’insécurité routière. En avril 2002, il a
signé avec d’autres célébrités l’appel du Collectif «Vive la France»
à aller «chanter la Marseillaise, pour la République et contre Le
Pen» à Paris. «Si Le Pen avait existé à l’époque (de l’immigration de
mes parents), je ne serais pas né en France», dit-il.

Il est présent sur tous les fronts: fin 2002, il ouvrait un
restaurant, «La Bohème», à Aix-en-Provence. En septembre 2003, il
publiait un livre de mémoires, «Le Temps des avants» (Ed.
Flammarion), suivi en décembre par la sortie d’un album, «Je voyage»
(EMI), dans lequel il interprète notamment une chanson avec sa fille
Katia.

Pour ses 80 ans, Charles Aznavour chante au Palais des Congrès de
Paris, depuis le 16 avril et jusqu’au 22 mai. Au mois d’octobre, il
doit entamer dans toute la France et en Belgique une tournée qui
durera jusqu’au mois de décembre.

Il avait déjà chanté au Palais des Congrès du 24 octobre au 17
décembre 2000, avant d’effectuer une tournée en France, en Belgique
et en Suisse jusqu’à fin avril 2001. L’année suivante, infatigable,
il repartait pour une nouvelle tournée au Canada et donnait également
des concerts en Allemagne et au Benelux.

Elevé fin 2001 à la dignité de commandeur de l’Ordre national du
Mérite, Aznavour a figuré au classement des 300 personnes les plus
riches de Suisse établi par le magazine économique «Bilan». Il aaussi
occupé la troisième position du classement des droits d’auteurs en
France en 2001, selon la Société des auteurs, compositeurs et
éditeurs de musique (SACEM).

La réussite exemplaire de Charles Aznavour est également consacrée
par les sondages: en 1999, 25% des Français le désignent comme le
chanteur du siècle, derrière Johnny Hallyday et les Beatles. La même
année, les lecteurs internautes de CNN et de Time le désignent
carrément comme le chanteur du siècle, devant Elvis Presley et Bob
Dylan. Après des débuts difficiles, Aznavour a pu dire «Merci la
vie».

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
May 20 2004

Pressure group calls nation to partisan warfare

On the occasion of the 12th anniversary of Lachin’s occupation by
Armenia, the Garabagh Liberation Organization (GLO) Veterans and
Activists Union and internally displaced persons from Lachin paid
tribute at the Alley of Martyrs on Monday.

Afterwards, GLO chairman Naghi stated that the Azerbaijani
authorities and international organizations have not achieved any
results in settling the Upper Garabagh conflict and regarded this as
unacceptable. He termed ruthless fighting against the enemy as the
pride and privilege of every Azerbaijani citizen. “It is high time we
started partisan warfare”, he said.

He added that leaflets have been distributed among residents and
called for the formation of partisan units and a relentless struggle
against Armenian occupants in the Azerbaijani territories. Since
taking over Lachin on May 18, 1992, Armenia has occupied all the
mountainous regions of Garabagh. Lachin, an Azerbaijani region
located 443 kilometers away from Baku, was given the status of an
administrative district on August 8, 1930. With an overall area of
1,800 sq. km, the district consists of 121 residential areas,
including the town of Lachin. Before the occupation, 100 schools, 54
clubs and 88 libraries operated in the district. The district’s
economy is based on animal husbandry and plant-growing. In the last
census, there were 63,341 residents, who subsequently migrated to
other regions of Azerbaijan when it was taken over in 1992.

Azeri minister meets Musharraf

Daily Times
May 19 2004

ISLAMABAD: President General Pervez Musharraf said Pakistan would
continue to support Azerbaijan till it gains sovereignty in Nagorno
Karabakh and other Azeri territories occupied by Armenia.

The president said this in his meeting with Deputy Foreign
Minister Khalaf Khalafov on Tuesday. He said the Azeri government
had supported Pakistan in the Kashmir issue and the peace process.
President Musharraf said Pakistan wanted to consolidate its relations
with Azerbaijan by strengthening commercial and economical ties.

Mr Khalafov said his government and people respected President
Musharraf for taking courageous steps at the time of the 9/11
attacks. staff report

LaRouche says Bush `dumbest’ president
BY MICHAEL R. WICKLINE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock)
May 12, 2004 Wednesday

Lyndon LaRouche, a Democratic candidate for president, said Tuesday
that there’s “a feasible escape” for the United States from the
“continuing worsening mess in Iraq.”

At a a news conference at the Radisson Hotel in Little Rock, he said
the nation must “get out of this mess because we cannot solve the
international financial crisis when we are generating and supporting
the kind of conflict we are developing with our potential partners
and allies from around the world.”

LaRouche, 81, of Round Hill, Va., blamed Vice President Dick Cheney
for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and called President Bush “the
dumbest president we have ever had.” LaRouche said the U.S. State
Department should negotiate “a southwest Asia security policy” with
Turkey, Armenia, Egypt, Iran and other nations.

He also said the United States is “in a depression which is far worse
than that of 1929-1933.” The president should declare a national
emergency and launch a $6 trillion infrastructure program for the
next four years.

The program would provide government credit for things such as water
projects, power generation and distribution projects, and health care,
LaRouche said. The government would encourage people to invest in
stocks and bonds of public utilities formed by states and provide
a safe and secure place for people and institutions to place their
savings, he said.

Josh Earnest, Democratic National Committee spokesman, said Arkansans
who are concerned about the nation’s direction under Bush are looking
for “a viable alternative” to Bush. They want a candidate like John
Kerry, a U.S. senator from Massachusetts, Earnest said.

LaRouche was convicted of mail fraud in 1988. He has run in every
presidential election since 1976.

Kerry, LaRouche and U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio are on the
ballot in Arkansas’ Democratic presidential primary Tuesday.

This article was published 5/12/2004

IN THIS ISSUE:

*** NGOs IN REFORMS WITHIN ARMENIA’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

*** ANTI-CORRUPTION INITIATIVE IN ARMENIAN COMMUNITIES

***NGO SAVES DOGS FROM BEING SHOT

*** DISABILITY DOES NOT SLOW DOWN ATHLETE

*** CONFERENCE: SUSTAINABLE MODELS OF COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS

*** SEMINAR FOR JOURNALISTS ON THE TOPIC GENDER ISSUES IN THE MIRROR OF MASS
MEDIA

*** NGO’S RESEARCH REVEALS THE ATTITUDE ON EDUCATIONAL REFORMS

*** NGOs IN REFORMS WITHIN ARMENIA’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

On April 6, 2004, the Armenian Assembly of America’s NGO Training and
Resource Center hosted the NGOs in Reforms Within Armenia’s Healthcare
System NGO/Media thematic roundtable discussion. Participating in the event
were healthcare NGOs, foundations, international organizations, as well as
representatives of media and state structures. During the roundtable, Samvel
Hovhannissyan of the Armenian Association of Family Physicians NGO, David
Petrosyan of the Human Health Humanitarian Fund, Irina Ghazaryan of the Drug
Utilization Research Group NGO and Melita Hakobyan of the Anna National
Association of Consumers NGO made presentations on the following topics
respectively: Role of NGOs in Provision of Healthcare Services, the Right to
Free Medical Service, Patients Rights, Problems in the Sphere of Medicaments
Usage, as well as on Collaboration of NGO-State-Business sectors in Solving
These Essential Problems. In their presentations, the speaker NGOs outlined
issues of concern related to healthcare system reform in Armenia and came up
with suggestions. Prioritizing the role of Mass Media, a suggestion was made
to be “both competent and popular” while covering the reform process through
outlets highlighting reforms.

Contact:
Samvel Hovannissyan
Armenian Association of Family Physicians NGO
Tel.: (374-1) 23-48-51; 23-48-62
E-mail: [email protected]

David Petrosyan
Human Health Humanitarian Fund NGO
Tel.: (374-1) 56-65-21; (374-9) 43-71-58
E-mail: [email protected]

Irina Ghazaryan
Drug Utilization Research Group NGO
Tel.: (374-1) 56-65-51; (374-9) 42-72-46
E-mail: [email protected]

Melita Hakobyan
Anna National Association of Consumers NGO
Tel: (374-1) 24-92-04; 52-04-40; (374-9) 47-05-79
E-mail: [email protected]
*** ANTI-CORRUPTION INITIATIVE IN ARMENIAN COMMUNITIES

The Information Training Center for Local Self-Government Development NGO’s
We In Our Communities project is currently underway in 48 communities of 10
regions of Armenia. The project is designed to contribute to the reduction
of violations of law (corruption, abuse of power by those in office,
plundering community resources) within the local self-governing system.
Within the framework of the project, the ?1 TV Channel airs weekly
documentaries, highlighting the activities of local self-governing bodies in
rural communities and current violations of law. Based on specific community
cases, the films cover issues related to the ability of local self-governing
bodies to make community resources available to the community, collecting
taxes and ensuring the community budget is administered to meet the
community’s needs. Through a separate TV program, comments are made on
issues related to real cases from the films. Though the project ends in June
2004, the NGO has leveraged funds to continue the TV programs. The current
project is implemented with the assistance of World Learning, through USAID
funding.

Contact:
Arevik Harutiunyan
Information Training Center for Local Self-Government Development NGO
23 Burnazyan St.
Tel.: (374-1) 55-70-62
E-mail: [email protected]

***NGO SAVES DOGS FROM BEING SHOT

On April 13, 2004 The Dunay Dogs Protection Support NGO presented its
forthcoming program to interested parties and Mass Media. With the
assistance of the Yerevan Municipality, the NGO has designed a series of
activities aimed at solving the problem of stray dogs. These activities are
an alternative to the shooting and killing method applied in the past. The
program is comprised of the following activities: picking up dogs,
registering, sterilizing, inoculating against rabies, providing other
vaccines and, with numbered collars, returning the dogs??? to previous
places. As stated by the NGO Chairman A. Ghazaryan, “Picking up and healing
stray dogs will contribute to the betterment of not only the sanitary and
hygienic situation, but also the environment.”

Contact:
Armen Ghazaryan
Dunay Dogs Protection Support NGO
3rd Tigran Mets Sidestreet, #3
Tel.: (374-1) 52-96-14
E-mail: [email protected]

*** DISABILITY DOES NOT SLOW DOWN ATHLETE

Onik Hovakimyan, athlete of Pyunik Union of the Disabled, participated in
the annual Los Angeles Marathon held on March 7. Only 59 of 19 526
wheelchair driven disabled crossed the finish. Improving his best-time from
last year by 40 minutes, Hovakimyan completed 42 kilometers in 2 hours and
17 minutes. The Los Angeles Marathon was the third in 24-year-old Onik’s
life since 1999 and 2000. “There was a time when I felt disabled,” Onik
said. “However, in the Pyunic family, sometimes we don’t even think about
it.” Pyunic not only provides the disabled with opportunities to get
involved in athletics, but also contributes to their social and
psychological rehabilitation, solution of their educational and health
problems, rights protection with its true mission of integrating the
disabled in Armenia into the society.

Contact:
Hakob Abrahamyan
Pyunik Union of the Disabled
16 Tsitsernakaberd St.
Tel.: (374-1) 56-07-07
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

*** CONFERENCE: SUSTAINABLE MODELS OF COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS

On April 20, 2004, Eurasia Foundation’s Representative Office in Armenia
organized a conference on development of local community based
organizations. Representatives of ROA Government, local authorities, local
and international organizations, community based organizations and Mass
Media participated in the event. The goal of the conference was to present
activities carried out in Armenian communities by evaluating past
achievements, identifying challenges and developing strategies for
development. After presentations, working groups were formed. During
thematic discussions on NGO activities, legislation and fundraising,
obstacles hindering activities and solutions to those obstacles were
presented.

Contact:
Yulia Antonyan
Eurasia Foundation’s Representative Office in Armenia
4 Demirchyan St.
Tel.: (374-1) 56-54-78; 58-60-59
E-mail: [email protected]

*** SEMINAR FOR JOURNALISTS ON THE TOPIC GENDER ISSUES IN THE MIRROR OF MASS
MEDIA

Between April 14-18, 2004, the Association of Women With University
Education NGO, jointly with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutes and
Human Rights, organized a seminar on Gender Issues in the Mirror of Mass
Media. Journalists, representatives of NGOs and international organizations,
as well as experts invited from the Russian Federation and Georigia
participated in the seminar. They discussed current gender problems and the
importance of highlighting gender issues in the Mass Media. Issues related
to gender in the fields of political, social and economic development and
women’s political participation, carrying out campaigns in Mass Media,
gender expertise of the social sphere, gender censorship, overcoming gender
stereotypes in Mass Media and highlighting trafficking in the Mass Media
were also presented. Participants discussed issues of professional ethics of
journalists, regional media, as well as Mass Media-NGO cooperation. At the
conclusion of the seminar, participants defined conclusions and
recommendations on solving the problems.

Contact:
Jemma Hasratyan
Association of Women With University Education NGO
33 Sayat Nova Ave.
Tel.: (374-1) 58-15-83
E-mail: [email protected]

*** NGO’S RESEARCH REVEALS THE ATTITUDE ON EDUCATIONAL REFORMS

Between October-December 2003, the Armenian Sociological Association
researched attitudes towards secondary education reforms, as well as
assessments of reforms carried out to-date. The project was financially
supported by the World Bank and results are now available. The research
aimed at revealing the stakeholder attitude towards reforms in the secondary
education system in Armenia and the evaluation of the reform process. About
600 teachers and directors of 100 schools in Yerevan, Shirak, Aragatsotn,
Gegharkunik and Syunik regions were surveyed. Eighteen advanced group
discussions were held with teachers and highschool children at 12 schools in
the same regions. Interviews were also conducted with 160 experts,
(including those in the field of education, regional government officials,
Community Council chairmen, journalists, NGO and international organization
representatives, National Assembly Deputies, businessmen and school
directors.)Research results show that Armenian society recognizes the need
for changes in the secondary education system. These changes will best meet
the requirements needed to develop a national culture and secondary
education system, adopted in the modern civilized world. The results prove
that the reforms are insufficiently covered by the media and the public
awareness on its goals and process is low.

Contact:
Gevorg Poghossyan
Armenian Sociological Association
44 Aram St.
Tel.: (374-1) 53-08-22; 53-10-96; 53-05-71
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

UN refugee body, Azeri rights champion discuss Armenian fugitives

ANS TV, Baku
11 May 04

[Presenter in studio] The fate of Roman Teryan and Artur Apresyan, two
Armenians who have fled from [Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan’s
regime and come to Azerbaijan, was discussed today by the UNHCR
[UN High Commissioner for Refugees] representative in Azerbaijan,
Bohdan Nahaylo, and human rights campaigner Arzu Abdullayeva.

After the meeting, Bohdan Nahaylo said that before taking any steps,
the Commissioner has to receive appeals either from the Azerbaijani
government or the persons in question.

[Video of Bohdan Nahaylo, captioned, talking to camera in English with
Azeri voice-over] The document clarifying our position on the issue
was submitted to relevant state bodies last week. No government body
has applied to us yet so that we could start discussions. We are not
the kind of organization which maintains dialogue with the government
by means of the press or any other institution. We are open to direct
dialogue. We are waiting for open dialogue.

Armenian civic forum condemns authorities’ anti-democratic policy

A1+ web site
11 May 04

11 May: “People in our country face violence every day, rigged
elections have become a norm and we live in an artificial information
blockade,” members of an initiative group, which includes about 40
public organizations, stated at a forum called “For and against civic
will” today.

A member of the Nadezhda [Hope] public organization, Karen Akopyan,
believes that the time has come when every citizen should feel guilty
of the existing situation.

The president of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia, Avetik Ishkhanyan,
believes that our society currently permits the authorities to drown
the entire people with their illegal actions. The forum’s key aim is
to set up a movement for the protection of human rights.

Today’s forum adopted a statement which said: “Gross human rights
violations in Armenia, deviation from the democratic path and the
authorities’ actions promote the formation of an atmosphere of
lawlessness.”

In their statement, the representatives of the civic society demanded
that all political prisoners be released, bureaucrats who violated
constitutional rights be punished and citizens’ rights to free access
to information be ensured. In this connection, the importance of
providing the A1+ TV company with a frequency was underlined.

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2004
Contact: David Zenian
E-mail: [email protected]

MCC SELECTS ARMENIA FOR DIRECT GRANT PROGRAM

Washington, DC – Armenia and 15 other countries were recognized by the
United States as “good partners” who can apply for financial assistance
through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) created by the U.S.
government to help select countries of the world, MCC Chief Executive
Officer Paul V. Applegarth said at a news conference last week.

“Being selected as a country eligible for funding through the MCC’s
Millennium Challenge Account means that the United States considers the
selected country a good partner and that it clearly deserves further
encouragement. But this partnership is based on accountability,” Applegarth
told reporters.

“The Armenian Assembly welcomes the U.S. decision which is yet another
window of opportunity for Armenia to reinforce sound political, economic and
social policies that promote economic growth. We congratulate the
government and people of Armenia for winning this global competition for
additional American support,” Assembly Board of Trustees Chairman Hirair
Hovnanian said.

In making its determination, the Board of Directors of the MCC considered
both the past and current policy performance of the candidate countries in
the areas of “governing justly, investing in their own people and promoting
economic freedom.”

“It is very encouraging to see that Armenia has cleared the first major
hurdle and is now eligible to apply for funding through the billion dollar
MCC aid program set up by the Bush Administration to support policies that
promote good government. Assuming that Armenia’s proposals are ultimately
funded, this will mark the first direct grant from the U.S. to the
government of Armenia,” Hovnanian said.

The other selected countries are: Benin, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Georgia,
Ghana, Honduras, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua,
Senegal, Sri Lanka and Vanuatu.

Applegarth, who was nominated to the post as MCC Chief Executive Officer,
and confirmed by the Senate this week, said:
“Our mission – encouraging and rewarding good policies that produce
sustainable economic growth – holds profound implications for freedom and
security across the globe. Today’s decision demonstrates the clear
commitment of the U.S. to reducing poverty and human suffering. This is a
new approach to foreign aid. We want to encourage partnership, and we want
to promote good government.”

Applegarth said it was now up to the selected countries, including Armenia,
to present their “specific plans and proposals” for further scrutiny and
evaluation before any determination is made on the amount of aid each
country will get.

“Let us not take anything for granted. Being on the list of selected
countries does not mean an automatic qualification for assistance from
Millennium Challenge Account,” he said.

Applegarth said the next and more important step now included a hands-on
evaluation by an MCC technical group to each of the selected countries and
the submission of specific and compact proposals by the countries
themselves.

“The money is in place, and it is up to the selected countries to move fast
and get their specific requests in. But we have to underline one important
factor: We expect accountability and there is no such thing as a perpetual
qualification. Any country could be dropped if it fails to meet
expectations,” Applegarth said.

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#2004-052