Author: Karakhanian Suren

Kansas City infoZine, MO
Sept 20 2004
Discover Armenian Kufta
Monday, September 20, 2004 :: posted by infoZine Staff :: views
by Dana Jacobi – Armenian cooking is probably unknown to you, but
sample it and you’ll discover it is surprisingly familiar. This is
because dishes from this landlocked, often war-torn country are full
of well-known Mediterranean, Near Eastern and Middle Eastern flavors.
The flavors reflect the influences of neighboring Turkey, the
Caucasus Mountains of Georgia and the Persian food of northern Iran.
American Institute for Cancer Research – In Armenian dishes, you will
recognize yogurt, bulgur, chickpeas, tahini and rice. Also, the
liberal use of vibrant fresh herbs, including parsley, mint and
cilantro, and the spicy and warm flavors from cumin, cinnamon and the
hot red peppers popular in eastern Turkey. Like the Turks and Greeks,
Armenians like lemon to brighten the flavor of their dishes, but they
use green beans, tomatoes and bell peppers more often. Still, while
using many of these same ingredients, Armenian cooks put them
together in their own way.
I first discovered their boldly flavored cooking from Armenian
friends who invited me home to feast on dishes made by their
grandparents, most of whom arrived in the U.S. in the early part of
the last century to escape violent persecutions and upheavals.
Unless you live in an area with an Armenian community, there are few
Armenian restaurants where you can experience this complexly flavored
cooking. You could rely on recipes from the Internet and from
informative cookbooks, including The Armenian Table, by Victoria
Jenanyan Wise. Like other Armenian-Americans, she delights in
teaching how to make her family’s favorite dishes, using ingredients
found in most supermarkets these days.
Featured Recipe: Chickpea Kufte with Walnut Filling
Kufta, “meatballs” that blend bulgur with vegetables or meat, are an
Armenian specialty. These, made of chickpeas, have a nut filling.
They make a meatless dish that is festive, substantial and satisfying
enough to please meat eaters, too.
“Something Different” is written for the American Institute for
Cancer Research (AICR) by Dana Jacobi, author of The Joy of Soy and
recipe creator for AICR’s Stopping Cancer Before It Starts.

CENN – SEPTEMBER 15, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. BTC Oil Pipeline Construction Goes within Schedule
2. BTC Main Pumping Station Built on Sangachal Terminal
3. Georgia to Collaborate with Iran in Tourism Sector
4. Russian Energy Chief Laments Georgian “Aggression”
5. 24th International Ornithological Congress
1. BTC OIL PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION GOES WITHIN SCHEDULE
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, AzerTag,
September 14, 2004
Construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline to be completed in
first half 2005, goes within the schedule, and over 75 % of works have
been already completed.
1695 km of pipeline is prepared for laying, 1583 km – for welding, 1487
km dug for ditch, 875 km of pipe laid, AzerTAj correspondent learnt from
Company’s press-service.
2. BTC MAIN PUMPING STATION BUILT ON SANGACHAL TERMINAL
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, AzerTag,
September 14, 2004
85% of construction works were completed in the main pumping station of
Sangachal terminal, envisaged for Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan export oil
pipeline.
Building of pumping cover at 14 m height and the first three main pumps
for oil export in “Central Azeri” part of this station have been already
constructed, another two pumps will be delivered to the terminal late
2004, AzerTAj correspondent learnt from press-service of BP company.
Assemblage of steel construction is going on.
3. GEORGIA TO COLLABORATE WITH IRAN IN TOURISM SECTOR
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, AzerTag,
September 14, 2004
Chairman of the State Department of Georgia for resorts and tourism Saba
Kinknadze stated that Iran shows interest in tourism sector of Georgia,
AzerTAj correspondent reported. According to Mr. Kinknadze, Georgian
delegation will visit Iran on September 24, 2004 and learn the
experience of this country in developing culture and historical tourism.
4. RUSSIAN ENERGY CHIEF LAMENTS GEORGIAN “AGGRESSION”
Source: RAO’s website, September 14, 2004, #174 (0698)
The head of RAO-UES in Georgia Andrei Rappaport says that he is no
longer comfortable in Georgia owing to the “aggression” of the Georgian
government.
RAO-UES owns Telasi, the energy company which distributes electricity in
Tbilisi, but Rappaport, who is a deputy head of the Russian company and
head of its activities in Georgia, says that he is opposed to further
investment in the Georgian energy sector owing to the current situation.
“In Armenia, they are very kind to us. If there is any problem it is
solved at once,” Rappaport said in a wide-ranging interview with the
Russian paper Gazeta concerning the company’s activities. The interview
was also published on RAO-UES’s website.
“I cannot say that we are broadening exports in Georgia, we are just
stabilizing the situation,” Rappaport said
He added that income from RAO-UES’s Armenian utility is about USD 80
million but only USD 15 million in Georgia. “They have problem paying
money in Georgia and Georgia has about 53 million lari in debts. We also
have problems with local authorities, there is some aggression toward
us, but it is unclear what the cause of it is since Georgia is eager to
welcome new investors in the country,” Rappaport said.
“As I have declared at my last negotiations with Georgian authorities, I
am not feeling very comfortable, so I am not planning any serious
investment in Georgia. Our position is based on business logic – if you
want energy pay for it, and if there is not any money to pay, then
good-bye,” he told Gazeta.
Last summer, RAO-UES took over the Telasi electric company from the
American firm AES.
As for specific examples of aggression, Rappaport said, “for instance
the tax police tries to block our account numbers of the company. The
situation is as follows. The budget owes us about GEL 5 million for the
import of energy but we also have to pay to the budget the amount of 3
million lari for tax payments.”
“We will not pay taxes until Georgia will pay us what they own.
Moreover, some authorities of the Georgian government try to revise the
negotiations that was signed before. We have already paid all debts in
the amount of 40 million dollars and we are going to appeal to the court
of London,” Rappaport said.
Analysts forecast that Rappaport’s statements could reflect major
problems within the Georgian energy sector, as he is chairman of the
supervisory boards of both the biggest electricity company Telasi and
the joint Georgian-Russian company Sakrusenergo.
Furthermore, he is the only person entrusted by Russian electricity
companies to resolve difficulties in Georgia; and intended this week to
hold negotiations with the Georgian government regarding Georgia’s debts
to Russia, although later he postponed his meeting and now intends to
meet the representatives of Georgia during the CIS Summit in Astana,
Kazakhstan.
Part of this debt is due to rehabilitation work carried out on
high-voltage lines in Abkhazia in 2000. The Ministry of Energy agreed
that the work would be partly financed by Sakrusenergo, which
contributed USD 180,000, and partly by the Abkhaz Energy Company
ChernomorEnergo, which received USD 600,000 from the Russian Energy
Ministry towards the project of rehabilitating the lines that connected
Enguri and Sochi.
The head of Sakrusenergo Gia Maisuradze told Georgian television that
“the Georgian side agreed during negotiations with the Abkhaz side to
help to restore the electricity lines that were destroyed during the
war. The then-Minister of Energy David Mirtskhulava issued a decree and
I was obliged to follow it, though these lines did not belong to the
company.”
This restored line is now a subject of controversy, as it is believed by
Georgia that it is being used to illegally move electricity from Georgia
to Abkhazia.
“The energy that is used by Abkhazia is equal to the energy that is used
by nearly the whole of Georgia. Then the Abkhaz sell this energy in
Russia and afterwards we buy the same energy back at much higher
prices,” the president Mikheil Saakashvili told members of the Abkhaz
Supreme Council on Friday.
As reports Rustavi-2, a General Prosecutor’s Office investigation found
that much of the energy produced by Enguri Hydroelectric station was
being moved to Russia through Abkhazia, after which Georgia was buying
it back at higher prices.
The investigation found that several intermediary firms, headed by
Georgian and Russian officials, were exploiting this difference in price
to make very high profits. Among these companies, the most famous is
Winfield, which was founded in 2000 (the year the Georgian government
contributed to rehabilitating the electricity lines in Abkhazia) and is
headed by Ilia Kutidze, who now lives in Moscow where he works for
RAO-UES.
Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports on Rustavi-2 that the director
of Sakrusenergo Maisuardze may be dismissed from his post when Rappaport
next visits Tbilisi, and replaced by former Premier of Tbilisi Gia
Sheradze.
5. 24TH INTERNATIONAL ORNITHOLOGICAL CONGRESS
13. – 19. August 2006
Hamburg, Germany
For the more detailed information about 24th International
Ornithological Congress please visit:

Libération , France
9 septembre 2004
Mardirossian, des suites dans les idées;
Classique. Le pianiste arménien crée deux oeuvres de Tanguy et sort
un CD de Haendel.
par DAHAN Eric
Ouvert mardi, par un récital de Pierre-Laurent Aimard, le festival
Piano aux Jacobins, à Toulouse, propose cette année des grands
maîtres, comme Aldo Ciccolini, et la relève, incarnée par les
Angelich, Andsnes ou Anderszewski. Ce soir, Vahan Mardirossian, 29
ans, donne la création mondiale de Poème, commande du festival, et la
création française de quatre Intermezzi dévoilés à Londres cet été.
Deux oeuvres signées du parrain et ami, Eric Tanguy, l’homme qui l’a
réconcilié avec la musique contemporaine. “J’avais déjà joué Ohana ou
Takemitsu, mais je n’étais pas assez mûr pour apprécier”, déclarait
le pianiste en début de semaine.
Chef d’orchestre. Si la musique de Tanguy l’a séduit, c’est par son
exploration originale de la modalité : “Les échelles de Debussy,
Ravel ou Messiaen sont encore issues de la tonalité. Celles inventées
par Tanguy conservent la note sensible, mais sont plus abstraites, et
par le jeu des renversements et superpositions, confèrent une couleur
unique à chacune de ses oeuvres.” Mardirossian aimerait sans doute
être plus apprécié pour son jeu, techniquement supérieur mais économe
d’effets, à la fois dynamique et parfaitement articulé. Et cela dans
Schubert ou les transcriptions romantiques de Bach qu’il a
enregistrées, mais aussi tout ce répertoire qu’il joue, sous la
double influence de l’école russe et de l’école française, puisque
Mardirossian fut élève de Jacques Rouvier.
Quand l’ambassadrice de France en Arménie offre une bourse au jeune
Vahan, il a 17 ans, mais déjà une jolie carrière dans son Erevan
natal, et le reste du pays. A 8 ans, ce fils d’un radiophysicien et
d’une électromécanicienne, joue dans la même année des concertos de
Mozart et Grieg et la Rhapsodie sur un thème de Paganini de
Rachmaninov avec trois orchestres différents. Son rêve étant de
devenir chef, il s’initie au hautbois “pour pratiquer au moins un
instrument d’orchestre”, puis crée son propre ensemble composé d’amis
du conservatoire d’Erevan, qui donne rapidement des concerts. Il
apprend un temps la direction à Vienne, puis décide “qu’il vaut mieux
commencer par maîtriser son propre instrument, avant de prétendre
diriger un groupe”.
Fraîcheur. A Paris, Mardirossian passe de la condition d’enfant
prodige à celle de simple élève du Conservatoire national. Ses
modèles de pianistes? Richter (“capable de jouer tout le répertoire”)
et Guilels (“noblesse du son”). Côté chefs: Carlos Kleiber, récemment
disparu: “Dans une répétition filmée, j’ai été frappé par sa façon de
trouver des métaphores qui parlent immédiatement aux différentes
nationalités de l’orchestre” et Haitink pour “sa façon d’indiquer
avec un seul geste, à la fois le phrasé et la couleur sonore à
l’instrumentiste, est le propre des grands qui n’ont pas du tout
besoin de parler.”
Dans quelques jours, Mardirossian publiera un CD de Haendel. Trois
Suites, une Sonate qui a inspiré à Brahms de fameuses Variations, op.
24 et une Chaconne, repérées sur la liste des oeuvres jouées en
concert par Neuhaus. “N’ayant pas trouvé de CD complet des oeuvres
pour clavecin de Haendel, j’ai couru acheter des partitions et je les
ai arrangées. Cette musique est d’une fraîcheur absolue, ça sonne
comme du Bach inédit.”
Vahan Mardirossian
Ce soir à 20 h 30 au cloître des Jacobins de Toulouse. Loc. : 05 61
22 40 05.

World mourns Beslan victims
ITAR-TASS News Agency
September 7, 2004 Tuesday
MOSCOW, September 7 — The total number of victims of the last week’s
terrorist act in the North Ossetian city of Beslan is 705, including
307 children.
Thirty people, including ten children, died in hospitals.
A book of condolences over the terrorist act in Beslan was opened for
the second day at the Russian Embassy in Britain on Tuesday. Dozens
of people made entries expressing deep sympathy to the next of kin
of those killed in Beslan.
Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos conveyed his condolences to the
Russian nation in connection with the hostage-taking raid in North
Ossetia. At a ceremony in memory of the Beslan victims, he wrote a
note in a book of condolences opened at the Russian Embassy in Nicosia.
A book of condolences was opened at the Russian Embassy in the
Netherlands for a second day. On Tuesday morning, speaker of the
parliament’s first chamber /Senate/ Yvonne Timmerman-Buck arrived at
the Embassy to put her signature in the book and express her sincere
condolences.
Mongolia “condemns the terrorist acts in Beslan, which shocked the
world with their cruelty,” President Natsagiyn Bagabandi said in
a statement he signed on Tuesday together with parliament speaker
Nambaryn Enkhbayar and Prime Minister Tsakhiagiyn Elbedorj.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour
expressed profound condolences to the Russian people over the tragedy
in Beslan. She visited on Tuesday the permanent Russian mission at
the United Nations Office and other international organizations at
Geneva and made an entry in the Book of condolences. She expressed
profound solidarity with people of Beslan at this tragic moment and
wrote she shares the grief of the parents who lost their children.
Bulgarian President Georgy Pyrvanov, visiting the Russian embassy
in Sofia, expressed compassion for the relatives of those who were
killed in the terrorist act in Beslan. He wrote this in his entry to
the Book of condolences opened at the Russian diplomatic mission. The
Bulgarian president placed flowers at the candles lit in memory of
the victims of the terrorist act.
Norway sent aid for those who were affected by the terrorist act. A
planeload of medicines and medical equipment arrived in Vladivostok
from Oslo. The plane has on board everything necessary for performing
over 1,000 surgical operations. Besides, three ambulances and
anaesthetic equipment were sent to North Ossetia.
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan signed up in the book of
condolences at the Russian embassy in Yerevan on Tuesday. Armenian
Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan also visited the embassy.
Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende of the Netherlands that currently
presides in the European Union presented condolences to families of
the Beslan victims on Tuesday.
Balkenende said they shared the mourning of Beslan residents and
prayed for them. He said they were shaken by the death of hundreds
of innocent people, including children.
Bernadette Chirac, the wife of the French president, expressed on
behalf of her family profound condolences to the Russian people and
government in connection with the tragedy in Beslan. She received on
Tuesday prominent Russian doctor Leonid Roshal now staying in France.
“It was apparent how concerned Bernadette Chirac was with the tragedy
in North Ossetia”, Leonid Roshal told Tass.
Japan supports the fight against terrorism conducted by the Russian
government and people and is going to strengthen solidarity with
Russia in this fight, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi
said. She visited on Tuesday the Russian embassy in Japan and made
an entry in the Book of condolences.

Poland to withdraw its troops from more of Iraq: Defence Minister
Agence France Presse
Sept 3 2004
WARSAW (AFP) Sep 03, 2004 — Poland will hand over another part of the
zone it administers in Iraq under a planned reduction of its forces
next year, Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski said in an interview
published Friday. The key US ally, which heads a multinational force
of 6,500 administering a swathe of south central Iraq to which it
sent more than 2,500 of its own troops, will hand over control of
the province of Karbala, he said.
“We will leave the province of Karbala. The contingent will remain
deployed in the provinces of Babil, Wasit and Al-Qadisiyah,” the
defence minister said in an interview with the daily Trybuna.
He did not specify which forces would assume responsibility in
Poland’s place.
Last month, Polish troops in Iraq already handed over some of the
zone they control to US forces, including the province of Najaf,
the scene of fierce fighting with Shiite militiamen.
Szmajdzinski confirmed that Poland was expecting to reduce troop levels
in Iraq after the Iraqi elections in January and also announced that it
will hand over its troops’ headquarters in the Iraqi city of Babylon
to the Iraqis.
“We have decided to hand over Babylon to the Iraqis. The headquarters
will probably move to the province of Al-Qadisiyah (south of Baghdad),”
he said.
His comments came as Warsaw hosted a two-day conference of military
experts from the 11 nations in the Polish-led sector and the United
States to thrash out plans to cut back the Polish military presence
in Iraq.
“We are not in a position today to determine the size of the next
contingent (which will take over in January). This will depend on
the situation in Iraq, on the political process and the progress in
forming an Iraq army, which is due to replace us,” Szmajdzinski said.
“I remain moderately optimistic about the months ahead. We should
have the chance to reduce the contingent,” he added.
Amid strong popular opposition to the Polish troop deployment and
continued unrest in the embattled country, the government in Warsaw is
under domestic pressure to significantly scale back Poland’s military
involvement in Iraq.
Despite the Polish reduction, one more country will contribute a small
number of troops to the multinational force, the Polish deputy chief
of staff, General Mieczyslaw Cieniuch, said.
The former Soviet republic of Armenia will send at the end of November
or early December a contingent of “several dozen military personnel,
specialists in logistics, bomb disposal experts and doctors,” he told
a press conference.

FIVE ARMENIANS AMONG HOSTAGES IN SCHOOL IN NORTHERN OSETIA
02.09.2004 19:26
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ According to the latest data, there are five
Armenians among the hostages in one of the schools in Northern
Osetia. One of the Armenian schoolchildren is in the first form. It
is also known hat the last name of one of the schoolchildren is
Kalashian. In the words Ararat Gomtsian, the Armenian Consul in the
Southern Federal District of Russia, the Armenian consulate general
in Russia along with the representatives of the Armenian Embassy and
tthe Russian authorities is taking measures to clarify the conditions
of the hostages. According to the data received, the health state of
the hostages is satisfactory. To note, Ararat Gomtsian offered his
help to negotiate with the terrorists.

Current Digest of the Post-Soviet Press
September 1, 2004
Tbilisi Poised for New Conflicts With Rebel Regions
CONFLICT WITH ABKHAZIA IS CREATING STRAINS IN GEORGIA’S ALLIANCE WITH
TURKEY, WHICH HAS INFLUENTIAL ABKHAZ EMIGRE COMMUNITY, MANY MEMBERS
OF WHICH HAVE RETURNED TO ABKHAZIA
SOURCE: GEORGIANS STRIKE AT TURKS. — Tbilisi Is Irritated by
Assistance That Ankara Is Giving to Abkhazia. By Oleg Kasimov. Noviye
Izvestia, Aug. 4, 2004, p. 4. Condensed text:
. . . A certain amount of tension arose last Saturday [July 31] in
relations between Georgia and Turkey. The reason was an incident in
the coastal waters of Abkhazia. A Georgian coast guard cutter fired
on a Turkish freighter that had crossed into Georgian territorial
waters and was headed for Sukhumi. The vessel was damaged, but the
Georgians did not succeed in detaining it. Abkhazia’s minister of
security, Mikhail Tarba, declared yesterday that Abkhazia would
henceforth sink all Georgian ships entering the region’s waters. The
minister said that, if necessary, aircraft would be used.
Somewhat earlier, the Abkhaz leadership also announced a halt to
the negotiating process with Tbilisi. The announcement was made the
day after the self-proclaimed republic’s armed forces completed
training exercises that involved 15,000 people, including reservists.
The maneuvers were regarded in Tbilisi as preparations for a
large-scale war with Georgia. Under these circumstances, Turkey chose
to respond with silence to the incident involving its ship. There are
reasons for that: Turkey and Georgia, together with Azerbaijan,
currently form a politico-military axis that serves as a
counterbalance to another geopolitical structure in the region — the
triangle formed by Russia, Armenia and Iran. With support from
Washington, Ankara is pushing for rapid completion of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, which will carry Caspian oil to
world markets by way of Georgia and Turkey. In addition, Ankara is
helping Georgia to develop its military. It is no mere coincidence
that a platoon of Georgian peacekeepers has been serving in Kosovo
since 1999 as part of a Turkish battalion.
However, the unresolved Abkhaz problem is creating nervousness in
the two countries’ relations. Turkey recognizes Georgia’s territorial
integrity and rejects Sukhumi’s attempts to secede from that
Transcaucasian republic. But at the same time, it closes its eyes to
the fact that its cargo ships regularly violate Georgia’s maritime
border and deliver food and manufactured goods — which the Georgians
regard as contraband — to Abkhazia. Georgia’s security services have
even given Ankara a list of Turkish vessels (19 altogether) that
regularly travel between Abkhazia and Turkey, but they have received
no response. Many experts are of the opinion that Ankara’s stance on
the Abkhaz problem is heavily influenced by the Abkhaz community
living in Turkey. It consists of roughly 400,000 descendants of
muhajirs — the name that was given in the Ottoman Empire to persons
of Abkhaz descent who fled to the empire during the Caucasus War in
the 19th century. Most of them adopted Islam in Turkey.
In the early 1990s, the Abkhaz authorities appealed to these people
to return to their historical homeland, promising them housing and
free education. At the same time, it was decided to build two
mosques, one in Sukhumi and the other in Gudauta. At first the
repatriation process progressed rapidly: Hundreds of muhajir families
returned to Abkhazia from Turkey. The number of citizens in the
autonomous republic who professed Islam rose sharply; according to
recent surveys, 49.3% of residents consider themselves Christians,
while 28.7% call themselves Muslims. Ankara is now closely following
the situation in Abkhazia, emphasizing its concern for the muhajir
families who have moved to the autonomous republic. With Ankara’s
tacit consent, Turkish ships regularly deliver fuel and food to the
region. Ankara is financing the establishment of schools there that
use Turkish as the language of instruction. In June, the Turkish
ambassador to Georgia visited the region and said that Ankara is “not
indifferent to the processes unfolding in Abkhazia.”
It goes without saying that, in its confrontation with the Georgian
authorities, Sukhumi is banking on the Abkhaz lobby in Turkey, which
is attempting to influence the policies of official Ankara. Last
October, Sukhumi received a visit from former Turkish Finance
Minister Zekiriat Emizel, who is of Abkhaz descent. He assured the
unrecognized republic’s leaders that he was using his political
influence to try to turn Turkish public opinion and the attention of
the Turkish government toward Abkhazia’s problems.

JOHN KERRY: “AS A PRESIDENT I WILL FIGHT AGAINST DENIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE”
ArmenPress
Sept 1 2004
WASHINGTON, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: One of the candidates of US
presidency, Democrat John Kerry, has been the supporter of Armenian
issues in the Senate. He has variously supported Armenian resolutions
and has pledged to recognize Armenian Genocide upon being elected.
Last week John Kerry has even more clarified his disposition
unveiling the most expressive statement on Genocide. “John Kerry
Edwards administration will launch a fight against denial of Armenian
Genocide,” the statement says.
The Democrat candidate, who the recent polls say, has almost equal
rating as George Bush does, has even excelled in a number of important
issues. In his statement he said that it has been a great honor for
him to work with Armenian community during the recent two decade of
years around such important issues as Armenia Genocide or improvement
in Armenian-American relations.
John Kerry urged the Armenians to go to their constituencies on
November 2 and vote for him and John Edwards.
The Democrat candidate clearly formulates how his administration is
going to recognize Armenian genocide, if elected.
“As a president, I will fight against denial of Armenian genocide.
My administration will recognize April 24, 2005 as the 90th anniversary
of the atrocities and I will do everything that the lessons learned
from the crime against humanity be used in prevention of other
genocides. There can not be any compromise in the moral issue of
putting an end to massacres,” John Kerry’s statement says.

Armenian defence minister establishes new military decoration
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
31 Aug 04
For the purpose of commemorating the memory of the prominent statesman
and military figure, Admiral Ovannes Isakov, the Armenian defence
minister has issued an instruction on establishing an Admiral Isakov
Medal for the Armenian armed forces. [Passage omitted.]
The medial will be awarded on orders of the Armenian Defence Ministry.

ARKA News Agency
Aug 23 2004
The Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin the Second goes to Kharkov
RA Prime Minister of Armenia Andranik Margaryan congratulates
citizens of Armenia on the 14th anniversary of the adoption of the
Declaration on Independence
Edward Aghabekyan is elected to be the new Mayor of Stepanakert
Newly appointed US Ambassador to Armenia presented his credentials to
Armenian Foreign Minister
Armenian President leaves for Athens
*********************************************************************
THE CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS GAREGIN THE SECOND GOES TO KHARKOV
YEREVAN, August 23. /ARKA/. The Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin
the Second went to Kharkov. Accordidng to the Press-Chancellery of
the Mother See of St. Etchmiadzin, tomorrow Garegin the Second will
consecrate the Church of Surb Harutyun (Saint Resurrection). The
consecration of the Armenian Church is in the agenda of the festive
on the occasion of the 350th anniversary of the foundation of
Kharkov. According to the press release, in the train Garegin the
Second will be accompanied by the Head of the chancellery of the
Mother See St. Etchmiadzin, archbishop Nerses Pozapalyan and the
wand-bearer and celibate priest Tiran Petrosyan.
The construction of Surb Harutyun first Armenian Church in the East
Ukraine began on July 1, 2000. In future it’s planned that Sunday
School and other constructions will be built adgunct to the Church
and serve to the organization of moral and cultural life of the
Armenian community. A.H. – 0 –
*********************************************************************
RA PRIME MINISTER OF ARMENIA ANDRANIK MARGARYAN CONGRATULATES
CITIZENS OF ARMENIA ON THE 14TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ADOPTION OF THE
DECLARATION ON INDEPENDENCE
YEREVAN, August 23. /ARKA/. RA Prime -Minister of Armenia Andranik
Margaryan congratulated citizens of the country on the 14th
anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on Independence.
According to RA Government’s Press Service and Public Relations
Department, the message states that by the Declaration on
Independence adopted the same day 14 years ago by the Supreme Council
of the Armenian SSR the Armenian nation confirmed its will and
determination to restore the independent statehood and to lead free
and worthy life. According to Margaryan, on August 23, 1990 the
process of the formation of an independent state based on the
national goals and fundamental principles stipulated in the
Declaration and giving the opportunities for the integration into a
civilized world, formation of equal relations with all peoples and
countries, development of democracy, cicil society and sovereign,
legal, and social state by maintaining loyalty to human values began.
`For the last years, notwithstanding all difficulties, our nation
remained loyal to the principles stipulated in the Declaration,
forming and year by year improving and strengthening the fundament of
our statehood’, as stated in the message. According to Margaryan, the
approval of the freedom-loving spirit of the Armenian nation became
the liberating war in Artsakh. He added that it’s the time to
preserve and develop the achievements of the national goals. `We have
the historic opportunity to transit to our descendants free,
independent and powerful Armenia, which is the only and most safe
pledge of fulfilling the expectations of all Armenians’, as
emphasized in the message. A.H. – 0 –
*********************************************************************
EDWARD AGHABEKYAN IS ELECTED TO BE THE NEW MAYOR OF STEPANAKERT
STEPANAKERT, August 23. /ARKA/. According to preliminary data, the
new Mayor of Stepanakert is elected to be the NKR NA Chairman of
Standing Committee on Social Affairs, the Leader of Political
Organization `Movement-88′ Edward Aghabekyan. According to NKR
Central Elective Committee, referring to preliminary data, Aghabekyan
received 55,3 % of votes. His rival, the ex Vice- Mayor of
Stepanakert Pavel Najarian received 38,8% of votes. As NKR Central
Elective Committee informed, as compared to the first tour, the
activity of capital electors increased by 10% and made almost 51%.
A.H.-0–
*********************************************************************
NEWLY APPOINTED US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA PRESENTED HIS CREDENTIALS TO
ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
YEREVAN, August 23. /ARKA/. Newly appointed US Ambassador to Armenia
John Evans presented the copies of his credentials to the Armenian
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian. As Armenian Foreign Ministry
Information and Press Department told ARKA, during the conversation,
Oskanian expressed confidence that the newly appointed US Ambassador
to move further the established relations between the US and Armenia
that are important both for Armenia as well as the whole region. In
his turn, John Evans assured the Armenian Minister that the US will
promote regional stability and security, economic prosperity and
strengthening the democracy in Armenia.
As it is mentioned in the press-release, during the meeting the
parties exchanged their views around the current process of the
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenian-Turkish
relations as well as a number of international issues. T.M. -0–
*********************************************************************
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT LEAVES FOR ATHENS
YEREVAN, August 23. /ARKA/. The Armenian President Robert Kocharian
left today for Athens. As the Armenian President Press Service told
ARKA, Kocharian to visit the follow the performance of the Armenian
sportsmen on the 28th Olympic Games in Athens. T.M. -0–