Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARKA news Agency, Armenia
Nov 23 2004
CBA totals up the results of drawing contest “Armenian Dram through
the Eyes of Children”
Cost of Armenian-Japanese program on research of landslide zones of
Armenia makes about $2 million
Speaker of Armenian Parliament and Italian Deputy Foreign Minister
discuss issues of strengthening of bilateral relations
Armenian President and UNHCR discuss situation with refugees
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CBA TOTALS UP THE RESULTS OF DRAWING CONTEST “ARMENIAN DRAM THROUGH
THE EYES OF CHILDREN”
YEREVAN, November 23. /ARKA/. CBA totaled up the results of drawing
contest “Armenian Dram through the Eyes of Children”, in which 8 of
193 participants won. According to CBA Chairman Tigran Sargsian, the
goal of the contest was to see understanding of Armenian dram by
children, imagine their picture of national currency.
The contest started on May 7, 2004 and represented 268 pictures of
193 participants from 29 schools of Yerevan, Shirak, Ararat, Kotayk
and Gegharkunik. The winners received certificates and memory medals.
L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
COST OF ARMENIAN-JAPANESE PROGRAM ON RESEARCH OF LANDSLIDE ZONES OF
ARMENIA MAKES ABOUT $2 MILLION
YEREVAN, November 23. /ARKA/. Cost of Armenian-Japanese program on
research of landslide zones of Armenia makes about $2 million, RA
Minister of Urban Development Aram Harutyunian stated today.
According to him, given two-year program is realized together with
Japanese Government. He reminded that there are about 2500 landslide
zones in Armenia, of which 160 are active. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT AND ITALIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER
DISCUSS ISSUES OF STRENGTHENING OF BILATERAL RELATIONS
YEREVAN, November 23. /ARKA/. Today Speaker of Armenian Parliament
Arthur Baghdasaryan and Margherita Boniver, Italian Deputy Foreign
Minister discussed the issues of strengthening of bilateral
relations. As Armenian Parliament Public and Press Relations
Department told ARKA, Baghdasaryan mentioned Italy’s contribution
into political, economic, cultural processes in Armenia and stressed
the importance of enlarging cooperation between two countries.
Touching upon Armenia’s commitments to the Council of Europe, he
mentioned that Armenia implements them as per set up schedule that
expires in 2005.
As it is mentioned in the press release, the sides mentioned
necessity of development of cooperation in tourist sector, as well as
small and medium enterprises as well as strengthening of ties between
regions of two countries. At that Speaker and Italian deputy Foreign
Minister attached importance to the establishing of House of Italy in
Armenia, that in their opinion will be a new stimulus in deepening of
interstate and inter-parliamentary ties.
Touching upon regional problems, the officials stressed the
importance of organization of dialogue between representatives of
various strata of three South Caucasus states that will contribute
into establishing of a favorable climate for the settlement of the
existing conflicts. In this regard the Head of the Armenian
Parliament offered to Italy to organize a forum with participation of
youth organizations of three South Caucasus states that was
understood by the Italian side.
Boniver mentioned that Italy wishes to develop the volume of
cooperation between two countries in all sectors, promising to
support the implementation of all mentioned programs. T.M. -0–
*********************************************************************
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT AND UNHCR DISCUSS SITUATION WITH REFUGEES
YEREVAN, November 23. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharian and
UN High Commissioner on Refugees Rud Lubbers disuss the situation
with refugees. As Armenian President Press Service told ARKA, during
the meeting Kocharian highly appreciated the activity of Armenian
Office of UNHCR functioning since 1992. He also expressed a hope that
the Armenian Office also henceforth will cooperate with Armenian
Government in programs concerning refugees.
The sides also implementation of programs targeted at solution of
refugees problems. Kocharian considers the main problem related with
refugees their integration into the society. Attaching a great
importance to the issue of securing accommodation to refugees, he
particularly mentioned the program of delivering certificates to
accommodation.
Ruud Lubbers has been holding the post of UN High Commissioner for
Refugees since January 1, 2004, becoming the 9th High Commissioner.
This is his first visit t the region, the objective of which is to
acquaint with the real situation of the refugees on the spot, as well
as with the policy of the power concerning the refugees. During his
Armenian trip Lubbers was accompanied by Raymond Hall, Director of
UNHCR Bureau for Europe. T.M. -0–
*********************************************************************
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri foreign minister addresses UN over Karabakh settlement
ANS Radio, Baku
24 Nov 04
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov addressed the 59th
session of the UN General Assembly in New York a few hours ago. He
spoke about the obstacles to the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict created by official Yerevan and specifically about the
Armenian leadership settling Armenian families on the occupied
Azerbaijani territories. It must be remembered that a special
resolution on the situation on the occupied Azerbaijani lands is
expected to be adopted at the 59th session of the UN General Assembly
on 26 November.
Dilsad Aliyarli, a correspondent of the Voice of America TV station,
will give us the latest details from the USA.
[Correspondent by phone] Mammadyarov said that the draft resolution
submitted to the UN was balanced and constructive. He ruled out that
this was an attempt to instruct the UN General Assembly to resolve
the conflict. The point is about the problem itself which delays
the peace process and might lead to humanitarian disaster if the
situation continues to be the case. The minister said that Armenia
should immediately take effective and unconditional measures to stop
the settlement process in Azerbaijan’s occupied lands and the Armenian
government should guarantee clearly and resolutely that it will not
repeat this kind of illegal policy and activity. The Azerbaijani
foreign minister said that he had been using all diplomatic means
to prevent the dangerous development of events in the occupied
lands. At the end of his speech, Mammadyarov stressed that the talks
were continuing and that he regularly contacted the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs.

ARMENIAN PROPOSAL TO BE SUMITTED TO MILLENNIUM CHALLENGES PROGRAM SHOULD
PROMOTE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF COUNTRY
YEREVAN, November 19 (Noyan Tapan). The cost of the program, which will
be included in the Armenian proposal to be submitted for financing
within the framework of the US Millennium Challenges program, is not
specified yet.
The RA Minister of Finance and Economy Vardan Khachatrian stated at
the November 19 press conference that the government is developing a
proposal that will most promote the economic growth and include only
one program. The minister noted that during the Armenian delegation’s
visit to the US in late October the proposal of 0 million was presented
only to “negotiate and discuss it.” It included 6 programs and was
envisaged for 3 years, while it was required to present a program
envisaged for 2 years.
It is noteworthy that the RA government plans to present its proposal
to the Millennium Challenges corporation in the coming months. It is
envisaged to be related to rural infrastructures.
To recap, the budget of the Millennium Challenges corporation is 2-3
billion dollars, and the number of candidate countries is 17.

Prospects grim for alleged coup plotters
Beauregard Tromp
Independent Online, South Africa
Nov 21 2004
Malabo – The fate of the alleged mercenaries involved in the attempted
coup against the Equatorial Guinea government appears to hinge on
the detailed confession of Nick du Toit, their alleged ringleader. He
claims it was extracted by torture, but local law makes no provision
for dismissing confessions extracted by torture.
Their prospects look grim as they face conviction and sentencing this
Friday. Du Toit faces the death sentence, although Equatorial Guinea
has apparently promised the SA government that he will not die. The
others face long terms in jail, so the tension among them is rising.
Late on Thursday afternoon – shortly before the state and defence
closed their cases – the 19 men accused of plotting to overthrow the
government of Equatorial Guinea were led out to an anteroom while
the court held a recess.
The room was filled with cigarette smoke as the captives, wearing leg
irons and handcuffs, discussed the court proceedings in muted tones.
The room was filled with cigarette smoke “What do you think? What
will happen to us?” asked Mark Smit, the youngest of the accused who
was brought in at the last minute to act as the group’s cook.
“Yes, what will happen?” asked Jose Domingos, a former member of
the infamous 32 Battalion and a professional soldier by vocation –
a mercenary.
International observers from the International Bar Association and
Amnesty International have been reluctant to discuss the trial until
its conclusion on November 26.
The state has asked that the men be sentenced to up to 86 years in
jail each. For Nick du Toit, the alleged coup leader, they want the
death sentence. Throughout the trial the only evidence in the state’s
case has been the signed statements made by the accused, in which
they allegedly admitted their individual roles in the coup attempt.
The state, represented by Attorney-General Jose Olo Obono, contends
that Nick du Toit was approached by Simon Mann to recruit men and
assist in preparing logistics for overthrowing the government of
Equatorial Guinea.
But time and again the judge has suppressed the torture claims Du
Toit allegedly recruited the men arrested with Mann.
Du Toit is also alleged to have led an advance party of men to
Equatorial Guinea to pave the way for the arrival of Mann’s party,
in a Boeing 727 from Harare.
The prosecution has pointed to the South Africans’ history of belonging
to the infamous 32 Battalion in the former SADF as an indication of
the kind of men they are.
“The people who stand accused are not businessmen. They are terrorists
and mercenaries. They are all members of 32 Battalion,” Obono said
on Friday at a news conference.
Du Toit, with Bone Boonzaaier as his right-hand man and logistics
operator, set up camp in Malabo, hiring first an Ilyushin transport
plane and then an Antonov 12 for use in the coup, the state says.
This is where the six Armenian accused come in. They are an air crew
alleged to have flown a number of flights carrying clandestine cargo
around Africa during their short time in operation.
Du Toit showed the eight South Africans around Malabo, indicating
the strategic places where they were to drop off Mann’s group of
mercenaries when they arrived from Harare, Obono said during the trial.
Also implicated in the plot were Manuel Javier, the minister of
co-operation, and four other locals. Since the start of the trial, the
state has dropped all charges against three of the Equatorial Guineans.
On the day of the suspected coup, Du Toit allegedly dispatched
three vehicles to the airport where they were supposed to take over
the control tower so that the Boeing could land and then drop the
mercenaries off at various strategic points around town, including
the local supermarket.
Obono further argues that while the men were waiting at the airport,
Du Toit got a call from Mann warning him that the mission had been
compromised.
Du Toit then aborted the advance plan and recalled the men, who went
about business as normal until they were arrested two days after the
botched coup attempt.
The state has built a case that has barely been contended by the
defence counsel, although claims of torture have continually arisen.
Du Toit, who admitted in his first appearance in court several weeks
ago that he had been part of a coup plot, this week retracted that
admission, saying it had been based on a confession extracted by
torture.
But time and again the judge has suppressed the torture claims,
arguing that they are not part of the trial.
One attorney said: “This is not South Africa. There is no democracy
here. Neither is there any justice.”
There was a show of bravado on Thursday as the eight defence attorneys
made an unprecedented attack on the attorney-general, the tribunal’s
judge and the judicial process in Equatorial Guinea.
“Since our arrest we have been treated like animals and tortured by
the police,” Du Toit said in his closing statement to the judge.
“Take a look at all the evidence and you will see we are innocent. We
have not done anything against this country,” he said. Accused Sergio
Cardoso has spoken out against his ill-treatment at every opportunity
he has had to address the court.
“I was tortured very badly. Gerhard Menz is one of the victims of
the torture. They say he passed away because of cerebral malaria,
but it’s not true. He passed away in front of us,” said Cardoso.
He went on to say that the German, Menz, had had a festering wound
on his right leg and died before their very eyes.
South Africans have denied any knowledge of the coup, saying that
they were in Equatorial Guinea for fishing contracts.
Du Toit admitted that Mann had approached him for help in the coup,
but argues that he refused. The statements were pieced together after
investigators spoke to the alleged mercenaries captured in Harare,
argued Du Toit.
“I came here for business and if this country can sort out its politics
then we will return to do business,” he said.

LEVON TER-PETROSIAN MEETING WITH GEORGE BUSH
PanArmenian News
Nov 20 2004
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ As reported by Regnum news agency, November 19
in the Arkansas capital of Little Rock the meeting of US President
George Bush with Armenian ex-President Levon Ter-Petrosian was held.
Besides, the first President of Armenia had conversations with US
ex-Presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush Sr., as well as Senator Hillary
Clinton and Eurocommission President Romano Prodi. Before returning to
Yerevan the ex-President will have a number of meetings in Washington
and New York. Levon Ter-Petrosian is in the US within the framework
of the participation in the opening of the Presidential Center of
US 42-nd President Bill Clinton. As reported by Aravot newspaper,
Levon Ter-Petrosian was the only participant out of all the former
and incumbent CIS Presidents. The CNN also mentions the fact of his
participation.

Ago Monitoring Group Meets With President
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov 20 2004
President Ilham Aliyev received a delegation of the Council of
Europe Ministers Committee Ago monitoring group chaired by the German
ambassador to the CE Roland Vegener on Friday.
Among the issues discussed was democratization, ensuring political
pluralism in the country, the CE-Azerbaijan cooperation, and
fulfillment of Azerbaijan’s commitments to the organization.
The parties also considered discussion of the Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict over Nagorno Karabakh within relevant entities of the PACE.

Glasgow Evening Times, UK
Nov 19 2004
Armenia seeks help of Scots

SCOTLAND’S prized reputation for financial prudence is helping the
former Soviet state of Armenia to rebuild its economy.
The Caucasus republic expects to have its accountancy profession
rubber-stamped by international governing bodies in the next two
years, after seeking the help of the world’s oldest accountancy body.
The 150-year-old Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland is
helping hundreds of young Armenian students through professional
exams.
It is part of an international effort to encourage investment in the
country and secure its membership of the respected International
Federation of Accountants.
Armenia’s best known exports are its cognac, a favourite tipple of
Stalin and Sir Winston Churchill, and cut diamonds.
But the economy has depended heavily on foreign aid since
independence from Russia in 1991 forced it to rebuild its formerly
Soviet-funded power industry.
Neil Wallace, head of international services for ICAS, has been
leading the project from Armenian capital Yerevan and is now seeing
Japanese, Korean, German and French investors looking for business.
He said: “It sounds a bit pie-in-the-sky to say you can help people
become rich, but it does happen.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov 18 2004
Armenia’s military expenses to make up over $93m in 2005

Armenian Minister for Finance and Economics Vardan Khachatrian said
during parliamentary discussions of Armenia’s 2005 state budget that
the country’s state budget will make up $611 million. Of the sum,
$103.356 will be spent on education and $93.212 on defense.
Khachatrian noted that the state budget’s educational expenses have
exceeded for the first time the military ones over the last 10 years.
Sergey Ohanian, `defense minister’ of the self-proclaimed Upper
Garabagh Republic, in his interview with the Armenian public
television, conveyed his concerns to the country’s authorities. `If
you want peace, be ready for a war,’ Ohanian stressed.
During parliamentary discussions of Azerbaijan’s draft 2005 state
budget, which envisioned 12% of military expenses, some MPs expressed
their concerns over the fact that the military expenses were below
the ones envisaged in Armenia’s state budget.
Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov, in his turn, underlined that Azerbaijan’s
military expenses for 2005 are twice as much as those of Armenia.*

A-Info news agency, Akhalkalaki, in Armenian
15 Nov 04
Envoy vows to implement “serious” projects in Georgia’s
Armenian-populated area

Akhalkalaki, 5 November: The Georgian president’s representative in
Samtskhe-Javakhetia [Georgia’s Armenian-populated Samtskhe-Javakheti
Region], Nikoloz Nikolozishvili, has said that from now on he will
meet journalists every weekend and brief them on weekly events in the
region.
A number of important events will be organized in the region, he
said.
The presidential representative pledged to brief the media and the
local community on a regular basis on relations between the company
BP and local residents. He also promised to focus on the developments
in the customs and transport spheres.
Nikolozishvili intends to implement serious projects and relies on
the media for the coverage of his activities.
A-Info news agency, Akhalkalaki, in Armenian 1210 gmt 15 Nov 04

Salt Lake City Weekly, UT
Nov 17 2004
Armenian Rhapsody
by John Saltas
I have this friend I’ll call Auburn. Not that he doesn’t like seeing
his name in print, but Homeland Security being what it is, there’s no
real reason to reveal his true identity. One never knows. Anyway,
Auburn thinks I can’t write a column without mentioning a particular
Balkan country known in the early part of this century for importing
into America a great number of swarthy men willing to work for cheap
wages in unsafe working conditions. Remember, the key word here is
`work,’ so if you’ve guessed Albania, guess again.
I imagine it’s safe to say I may have annoyed Auburn. So much so that
he’s willing to make a bet with me. His bet is that if I don’t
mention this particular country renowned for its feta cheese and
buxom women, he will pay me 45 minutes worth of drinking my favorite
elixir, VO whiskey, which is blended just to my liking just up north
a ways in Canada. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of fine
American distilleries. I’m just practicing for the day, if ever, that
I can actually get all of my medications from Canada. Which will be
never, by the way.
If I do mention this land of olives and shouting merchants, I will
pay him 45 minutes worth of drinking his favorite elixir, beer. He
noted in his bet that he preferred a particular favorite brand of
American beer. I don’t like seeing people suffer, so I’m going the
extra mile here in order to win lest he overindulge in a fluid that
is simply not up to worldwide taste standards. I’m not an attorney,
so I can’t make out a particular clause in his betting document that
sets the parameters of what constitutes exactly a mention of this
particular place where many people are named George, Nick, Maria and
Sophia.
Assuming I may have lost already, I’ll pay him off instead with what
are now my two favorite imported beers, Kotayk and Kilikia. They’re
not brewed in the aforementioned land that is mercifully devoid of
LaVars and Britneys, but in Armenia.
As most American schoolchildren surely know, Armenia is the home to
Mount Ararat, a revered holy place liberally mentioned in the Old
Testament of the Bible, but now just an afterthought to many
modern-day Christians who prefer the passages that reign terror on
such groups as homosexuals. As those school kids can also attest,
Armenia became settled by one of the hallmark cultures of early
civilization, the Sumerians. As luck would have it, the Sumerians
were not only good with the alphabet but with brewing beer.
Explorers and conquerors from the land I cannot mention made it to
Armenia a few centuries before Christ was born. Thus, they also found
beer. Since they pretty much ruled things back then, beer found its
way to ports all over the world. That’s just one more reason people
such as Auburn should go soft on me: If not for the people from the
land with great ships and strong armies, we might be drinking mead
while hoping for a Ute win this weekend.
I had a couple of Kotayks and a Kilikia this weekend at the
Leprechaun Inn and at Cedars of Lebanon. I’ve always believed the
Irish are trendsetters. And Lord knows I like the Lebanese. I prefer
Kotayk beer, as it is more of a lager style, but Kilikia holds its
own, too, if you prefer Pilsners. Both beers are new to Utah. I’d
imagine that the Bayou carries them, too. The spot where Auburn hangs
out might not have the cooler space, so come collection time, if I
lose, the payoff will have to take place elsewhere. Sorry, Jerz.
While conducting my Kotayk and Kilikia research, I happened upon yet
another aggravation of Utah liquor laws. You know those little blue
DABC stickers that are on all the liquor sold in state liquor stores
and clubs? Each one adds a nickel to the price of that individual
bottle or can of beer. All it says is something like `Utah DABC’ and
is about half the size of a postage stamp. A nickel. That’s a $1.20
additional cost for each case of beer. Kotayk and Kilikia both
already have that disclaimer printed right on their labels, yet an
additional label with a 5-cent price tag is required for some
reason – uh, let’s milk those sinners for all they’re worth perhaps?
Happily, those funds go to our school kids so they can study their
ABC’s – Armenia, Beer and Cuneiform writing.
As good as I think those Armenian beers are, I don’t think I’m going
to smuggle any into Rice-Eccles stadium this Saturday. Beer’s a bit
too wieldy for me. I’m going to stick with the standard 99-cent
plastic flask. My buddy Joe Caputo buys them in bunches at Kirkham’s.
He’s a former Vietnam combat Marine, and I believe he knows a thing
or two about packing light and sneaking through enemy lines. I’m
always grateful when he empties out his ammo canister and hands one
over to me. I’m even more grateful because he’s already filled it up,
usually with Crown Royal, which I can’t afford. That’s just what the
doctor ordered: a flask of Crown Royal and a thumping to that team
from down south.
I’ve seen too many upsets in sports to get uppity, though. However, a
Ute win would bring unprecedented joy not only to Ute fans, but to
everyone else getting screwed by the BCS. Another nice side effect of
a Ute win is that all those people stuck in the woe-is-me Kerry funk,
might actually snap out of it. To Auburn. To Armenia. To Utah by 5 – at
least.
Staff Box
Bill Frost: College football is sooo cute! It’s almost like real
football. But, since I didn’t attend either university, I don’t
really care – since the U probably has hotter cheerleaders, I’ll go
Red. Drink: Vodka (Grey Goose) & Gatorade (Red Punch).
Larry Carter: Utah all the way. I will be drinking the strongest
alcohol I can find so that I will have the pleasure of regurgitating
all over my neighbor’s BY-who banners. Do they have to hang them
everywhere?
Natalie May: Go Utah! It’s going be sa-weeet! I’ll be drinking hot
cocoa with marshmallows … it being a `dry’ stadium and all.
Kylene Stemmons: What game?
Shane Johnson: BYU, just to see their headhunting boosters eat
Crow-ton when he pulls off a Mormon Miracle. I’ll wash down the
bitter irony with an Old Milwaukee 40.
Scott Renshaw: Utah should win in a walk, but I have a certain
sympathy for BYU. Like my alma mater, Stanford, BYU has a coach who
can probably only save his job by pulling off a huge upset of their
BCS-bound arch-rival. I’ll be watching with a cold, carbonated
libation in hand.
Haigen Pearson: I only see RED, and I will be enjoying a few Pabst
Blue Ribbons as the Utes embarrass the `Y’ and all of their poor
fans.
Jennifer Van Grevenhof: The Utes of course. I’ll be drinking Corona
to prepare for the warm, sunny weather at the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe.
Brent Broadwater: The Running Utes by 21. And I will be drinking
Coca-Cola, the nectar of the gods.
Abbey Reynolds: Just thinking about football makes me feel like
drinking. It doesn’t matter what I drink, as long as it makes me
forget how our culture views university sports as more important than
education.
Mike Varanakis: Utah! Water mostly – I will end up being the designated
driver, I’m sure!
Paula Saltas: Utah by 35, and drinking peppermint patties or whatever
Charley Cayias serves at his tailgating party.
Ben Fulton: While the sight of cultural rivalries battling it out on
the sports field is sometimes amusing, it depresses me more with age.
Besides, it pales next to Glasgow’s raging war between the soccer
teams of Rangers and Celtics. If I drank Scotch, I’d drink it now.
Maybe a Bushmill’s.
Josh Wangrud: U of U (for the love!) and it’s BYOB.
Barbara Pavlinch: BY-Who? Utah, of course! I’m not quite sure yet,
but I think I will be drinking Bloody Marys. The tomato juice has
licopenes, and celery is good for me. Yeah, Bloody Marys it will be.
Go Utah!
Jerre Wroble: U of U natch, but I really don’t do football. I may sip
on a coffee and Bailey’s while watching the parking gestapo issue $25
tickets to the hapless fans who park on my `restricted’ street near
the stadium.
Burke Johnstun: Utes! I will be drinking some caffeine-free Coke. I
am one wild S.O.B!