Author: Maghakian Mike

RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN CENTRE FOR INNOVATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES IN EDUCATION TO OPEN IN YEREVAN ON JUNE 1
YEREVAN, May 31. /ARKA/. Russian-Armenian Centre for Innovational
Technologies in Education will open in Yerevan on June 1. According to
the Press Service of RF Embassy in Armenia, the centre will function in
the building of Yerevan branch of Moscow State Economic, Statistical
and Information Science University. The Centre is organized with the
assistance of RA Ministry of Education and Science and RF Embassy in
Armenia. L.V.–0–

STEPAN DEMIRCHIAN: WE SHOULD FIRST OF ALL STRUGGLE AGAINST PEOPLE COMMITTING FORGERIES AND VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY
YEREVAN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. “We are anxious about the fact that
instead of discharging its main obligations, the Prosecutor’s Office is
engaged in organizing the Dancing Round Aragats,” Stepan Demirchian,
Chairman of the People’s Party of Armenia, Head of RA NA Ardarutiun
faction, declared in his interview to Noyan Tapan’s correspondent. The
Prosecutor’s Office, he emphasized, has much to do in connection
with unbridled manifestations of crime, universal corruption and the
October 27 case that was slurred over. “If unity is meant I think
that we should first of all jointly struggle against people committing
forgeries and violence in our country,” the PPA chairman declared. To
recap, the May 28 Dancing Round Aragats was organized by the Nig-Aparan
compatriot union headed by Aghvan Hovsepian, RA Prosecutor General.

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
May 30, 2005, Monday
WHOSE ARMAMENT IS BETTER?
SOURCE: Trud, May 26, 2005, p. 6
by Alexander Komlev
The dynamic development of military and technical cooperation in the
Union State of Russia and Belarus will promote provision of stability
and security in Eurasia. Director General of FGUP Rosoboronexport
Sergei Chemezov talks about the state and prospects of
Russian-Belarusian military and technical cooperation.
Question (Q.): Sergei Viktorovich, how can the military and technical
cooperation be characterized in the post-Soviet territory today?
S. Chemezov: Russia concluded the agreements on military and
technical cooperation with Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Armenia and
Azerbaijan. At that, this cooperation is special with each state.
The state participants of the Organization of Collective Security
Treaty, i.e. Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan,
have preferences in the course of purchases of Russian military
production. However, there is one important reservation. The
purchased military hardware should be adopted in the national
military units included in the collective forces of fast response.
Only in this case the export cost of the production will be equal to
the purchasing price for Russian Armed Forces.
Besides, the value added tax isn’t levied on advance payments of
allies and delivery is carried out at Russian internal prices. In
case of the withdrawal of some side from the Treaty, the preferences
should be liquidated and difference between the export and reduced
prices should be drawn up as the national debt.
Specialists have already calculated that the participation in the
joint military and technical project of three-four states reduced
their expenditures of each state by 70-100%.
On conditions that about 500 enterprises of Russian defense industry
have co-operational production, scientific and technical relations
with over 1200 managing subjects of the CIS, not only an economic
effect but the total increase in this or that high-tech sphere is
guaranteed. As it is known, 103 enterprises, which belong to Russia,
Armenia, Belarus and Ukraine, participate in the cooperation for
production of anti-aircraft missile system S-300PM. Moreover, 568 CIS
enterprises participate in production of MiG-29.
Of course, it is rather difficult to cooperate in the situation when
a lot of ties for development and production of armament were lost
and united technological chains were broken. The aircraft building is
very sensitive to it. As it is known, the state of this industry
plays a significant role in provision of national and collective
security. Each fifth plant, which produced flying vehicles and
airborne electronics, found itself abroad in 1991-1992. Russian
aircraft building lost over 40% of repair plants and 15% of
enterprises for production of engines for military requirements and
aircraft armament. Several enterprises, which had produced component
parts, had to work in the Baltic States, Moldova and Kazakhstan.
Russia practically lost the plants for production of military
transport helicopters (they are situated in Ukraine and Uzbekistan
now), engines for helicopters, cruise missiles and military transport
planes (basically, in Ukraine), elements of airborne electronics and
armament, including homing heads for air-to-air and air-to-surface
missiles.
Q.: What countries set the integration pace today?
S. Chemezov: Of course, Russian-Belarusian cooperation is an example
of development of the integration processes. The result of
cooperation, which has been stirred up since the late 90s, is the
growth of the share of armament and military hardware produced in
cooperation between Russian and Belarusian defense enterprises in the
joint export of Russian production. In accordance with some
appraisals, it reached the level of 30-35%. It is conditioned by the
fact that about 33% of assembly capacities and corresponding research
centers of the ex-USSR are concentrated in Belarus. Moreover, the
political leaderships of our countries try to strengthen our
bilateral relations.
Q: Did the disintegration and breakup of cooperation ties between
defense industries of ex-republics of the USSR tell on the export of
armament?
S. Chemezov: Unfortunately, the motives and facts of dumping behavior
of several companies on the market still persist. On the whole, it
seems that the potential of free competition between CIS countries
has already exhausted its resources. The phase of joining of efforts
in the sphere of military and technical cooperation and coordination
of joint actions on the world armament market takes place now. The
coordination of prices is another important factor. The profitability
of special exporters can be increase by 10-14% in case of use of
joint price policy. The regime of mutual supplies for cooperation
promotes the reconstruction of scientific, technical and production
cooperation between defense industries of Russia and Belarus.
The lists for supplies of over 600 items of production from 59
enterprises of Belarus for 68 enterprises of Russian defense industry
and of about 500 items of production of Belarusian defense industrial
complex without licensing and imposing of any customs duties.
The actions of Russian and Belarusian special exporters are well
coordinated today.
Q.: How is it possible to characterize the jural space in the sphere
of military and technical cooperation between Russia and Belarus?
S. Chemezov: As a favorable one. The military and technical
cooperation between Russia and Belarus has being carried out since
July, 1992. Several bilateral intergovernmental agreements were
concluded. The agreement on mutual protection of rights to results of
the intellectual activity used in the course of the bilateral
military and technical cooperation, which was concluded between
Russian and Belarusian governments, became another step on the way of
improving and unification of the standard-legal base in the frames of
the Union State. The most important fact is that both sides undertake
not to supply military production made with the use of intellectual
property of one of the sides to third countries without coordination.
By the way, Russia and Kazakhstan signed the same agreement too.
Q.: What role do intergovernmental financial and industrial groups
play on the CIS market?
S. Chemezov: The role of intergovernmental financial and industrial
(MFPGs) is very important in creation of the united technological
space in the framework of the Union State and CIS. Several
Russian-Belarusian MFPGs, e.g. Oboronitelniye Sistemy, BelRusAvto,
Elektronniye Tekhnologii etc., are working in the Union State. At the
present moment, the question concerning the participation of some
artificial person of Ukraine in MFPG Oboronitelniye Sistemy is being
solved at the present moment.
Q.: In what projects and spheres is the military and technical
cooperation between Russia and Belarus especially productive?
S. Chemezov: The biggest potential of the military and technical
cooperation is in the sphere of capital repairs and upgrading of
military hardware, including planes Su-22, Su-27, MiG-29, helicopters
Mi-8 and Mi-17, combat infantry vehicles BMP-1 and BMP-2, armored
troop-carriers BTR-60 and BTR-70, anti-aircraft systems S-300V and
communications facilities. Belarusian defense industrial complex has
great opportunities in this sphere. For example, over 100 Belarusian
enterprises participated in joint programs of upgrading of military
production made in the USSR at the present moment.
Belarusian-Russian center of after-sales service, upgrading and
repair of armament and military hardware for anti-aircraft forces
Oboronpromservis seems to be a very prospective and interesting
project. This interstate structure will provide the activity for
maintenance of anti-aircraft facilities deployed on the territory of
Belarus, Kaliningrad region and North-Western region of Russia.
We have also the so-called international projects. For example, FGUP
Rosoboronexport, Belarusian special exporter Beltekhexport, public
corporation Peleng and French company Tales participate in the
international tender for supplies of modern fire control systems for
upgrading of T-72M1, basic tanks of Indian Armed Forces. The
foundation of the fire control system is the day and night
multi-channel thermal imaging sight “Sosna-U” produced by Belarus.
(…)

ARMENIA’S EXPORTS TO INDIA AMOUNTED TO 300,000 USD IN 2004
YEREVAN, May 30. /ARKA/. In 2004, Armenia’s exports to India amounted
to 300,000 USD, Chairman of the RA Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Martin Sargsyan told reporters. According to him, closer cooperation
between the two countries’ businessmen creates opportunities for
increasing exports. “We hope that our businessmen will be able to
take part in an international exhibition in India in November 2005,”
he said.
In his turn, Indian Ambassador to Armenia Dipak Vohra stated that
over the past few years Armenia has started exporting not only metals,
but also electronic equipment and technologies to India. Armenia has
a great information technologies potential, he said. The Ambassador
also pointed out that he see great potential in the export of Armenian
wines and fruit, first of all apricots, to India.
According to the RA National Statistical Service, in 2004 Armenia’s
foreign trade with India amounted to 8.674mln USD, increasing by
44.7% as against 2003. Armenia’s exports to India totaled 289,500 USD
against 43,400 USD in 2003, and Armenia’s imports from that country
8,384.5 thousand USD against 5,951.8 thousand USD in 2003. P.T. -0–

Pan Armenian News
LUXEMBOURG CAN BUILD NEW BRIDGES BETWEEN ARMENIA AND EU
28.05.2005 04:43
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Parliament Speaker Artur Baghdasarian met with
Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henry, press service of the RA NA reported. During
the meeting the parties discussed bilateral relations, peaceful settlement
of regional conflicts as well as cooperation within the EU New Neighborhood
EU policy. During the meeting with the Armenian delegation Minister to
Foreign Affairs and Immigration Nicolas Schmit noted that Luxembourg can
build new bridges between Armenia and the EU. Artuir Baghdasarian in his
turn presented the developments in the South Caucasus as well as Armenia’s
position on relations with neighbor states including Turkey. The parties
also agreed on cooperation in international structures.

ANSA Notiziario Generale in Italiano
May 27, 2005
RELIGIONE: L’ARMENO GURDJIEFF TRA PRIMI MAESTRI SPIRITUALI ;
ASSIEME A GIOVANNI PAOLO II E DALAI LAMA DICE RICERCA CESNUR
TORINO
(ANSA) – TORINO, 27 MAG – Tra le prime cinque figure
spirituali di tutti i tempi si trova l’ armeno Georges
Ivanovitch Gurdjieff, morto negli Stati Uniti nel 1949 dopo
avere soggiornato a lungo in Francia. Ad affermarlo e’ una
ricerca del Cesnur, il Centro studi sulle nuove religioni, che
verra’ presentata il 31 maggio a Torino.

Gurdjieff non e’ conosciuto dal pubblico di massa, ma i suoi
insegnamenti, a distanza di anni, continuano ad ammaliare tante
persone alla ricerca del senso dell’ esistenza, e il suo nome –
riferisce lo studio – puo’ a buon diritto essere inserito in un
elenco che comprende, ai vertici, uomini come Giovanni Paolo II
e il Dalai Lama. Quello che finora non si e’ prodotto,
certamente per una scelta molto precisa, e’ stata una
divulgazione capillare del sistema da lui elaborato: “L’
insegnamento, se non segreto, e’ sempre rimasto discreto, ed e
stato diversamente interpretato da scuole, correnti e discepoli
indipendenti”, spiega Pierluigi Zoccatelli, del Cesnur. Eppure,
continua Zoccatelli, “Gurdijeff ha esercitato un’ influenza
tanto estesa quanto poco nota sulla letteratura, l’ arte, l’
architettura e la musica contemporanea”. Due soli esempi:
Pamela Travers, l’ autrice di “Mary Poppins”, e Frank Lloyd
Wright, il piu’ celebre architetto americano del XX secolo, sui
quali l’ influsso e’ stato dichiaratamente profondo.

Il fascino di Gurdjieff risiede nell’ “idea – spiega la
docente statunitense Costance Jones, – che la maggior parte
delle persone pensa di essere sveglia, ma in realta’ dorme e
rimane per tutta la vita in uno stato di non perfetta
autocoscienza. Solo una elite, attraverso tecniche particolari e
un lavoro su se stesso di una durezza talora brutale, riesce
davvero a risvegliarsi”. Tecniche e discipline interiori che
Gurdjieff mise a punto operando insieme a un ristretto manipolo
di compagni tra le genti dell’ Asia Centrale, del Medio Oriente
e persino dell’ Africa, e raccogliendo le tessere sparse di un
mosaico per comporre quello che uno dei suoi allievi, Piotr
Demianovic Ouspensky, indico’ come un tutto indivisibile. “Oggi
– ha sottolineato J.Gordon Melton, direttore del californiano
Institute for the Study of american religion, nel corso del suo
intervento torinese – Gurdjieff e’ uno dei piu’ importanti
maestri dell’ esoterismo occidentale moderno, pur avendo
rifiutato la qualifica di ‘maestro’ e usato solo con grande
circospezione la parola ‘esoterismo'”.

Alla conferenza verra’ anche presentato il volume della
Jones, “G.I. Gurdjieff e la sua eredita'” (Elledici, 2005). I
libri firmati dal pensatore armeno (dei quali il piu’ celebre e
senz’ altro “Incontri con uomini straordinari”) sono molto
popolari tra gli artisti, e incontrano, in Italia, una
diffusione ormai crescente. Aumentano ormai anche le
pubblicazioni dedicate ai suoi insegnamenti. (ANSA).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian conference issue “beyond my area of interest” – Turkish premier
Anatolia news agency, Ankara
27 May 05
ASTANA
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Greek Cypriot
administration did not fulfil its task on solution of Cyprus issue,
stating that Greek Cypriot administration was the number one reason of
not reaching a solution on Cyprus issue.
Erdogan proceeded from Astana to Almaty, Kazakhstan and talked with
journalists at the Intercontinental Hotel.
When he was reminded of the European Union’s (EU) reactions to
postponement of the conference entitled, “Ottoman Armenians in the Era
of Collapse of the Empire: Scientific Responsibility and Democracy
Problems” to be held by Istanbul’s Bogazici University, Erdogan said,
“these developments are all beyond my area of interest. Conferences
and symposiums are held. I have nothing to do with it. I am not a
person who has problem with such issues. My problem is that I think if
those who have to guard the values of this country evaluates the issue
with subjective comments without taking into all these documents on
scientific grounds, it will be disrespect to the past of our country
and nation.”
Erdogan stressed that Turkish state opened its all documents and
archives on this matter, stating that people should study these
archives and then they should held such seminars or symposiums.
[Passage omitted]

A1plus
| 13:33:51 | 27-05-2005 | Official |
FROM HAGUE TO LUXEMBURG
In Hague the delegation with NA President Arthur Baghdasaryan at the head
has had meetings with the organization prohibiting chemical weapon. Armenia
is one of the countries which have ratified the convention prohibiting
chemical weapons. Head of the organization Rogelio Pfirter found the role of
the Parliamentarians extremely important in taking the challenges if the
time mentioning that they can not only create laws but also follow their
realization.
RA NA President Arthur Baghdasaryan represented Mr. Pfirter the developments
in Armenia in the combat with chemical and biological weapons. During the
meeting an agreement was reached to organize in Yerevan a forum with the
theme of prohibiting chemical weapon.
On May 26 In the Netherlands Royal University the EU «New Neighbors» program
was discussed. NA President Arthur Baghdasaryan represented in every detail
all the reforms in Armenia and the Armenian point of view about the regional
problems. Also, an agreement was reached to establish close cooperation
between the Armenian and Dutch higher educational institutions.
At the same day the delegation with RA NA President Arthur Baghdasaryan at
the head left for Luxemburg.

Turkish parliament speaker urges U.S. not to declare 20th century
killings as genocide
AP Worldstream
May 26, 2005

The speaker of Turkey’s parliament, Bulent Arinc, said Thursday that
the U.S. Congress should avoid allowing political considerations
affect historical judgments _ implicitly urging lawmakers not to
recognize the World War I-era killings of Armenians as genocide.
“We find it wrong that the U.S. Congress should be forced into a
position of passing judgment on historical issues,” Arinc said in a
speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a
Washington think tank.
Armenia accuses Turkey of genocide in the killings of up to 1.5
million of its people between 1915 and 1923 as part of a campaign to
force them out of eastern Turkey. Turkey denies this.
Several countries have declared the killings a genocide and there have
been calls from Armenians worldwide for the U.S. Congress to do the
same.
Arinc said it was important to oppose “such narrow-minded attempts.”
He said Turkey is ready to establish an independent commission to
investigate the killings.
Arinc offered a generally upbeat view of U.S.-Turkey relations. “What
unites us is far more pronounced than what may divide us,” he said.

AZG Armenian Daily #094, 25/05/2005
Turkey
‘OTTOMAN ARMENIANS AT DECLINE OF THE EMPIRE. SCIENTIFIC RESPONSIBILITY AND
ISSUES OF DEMOCRACY’
Scientific Workshop Stirs Up Excitement in Turkey
A scientific conference titled “Ottoman Armenians at decline of the Empire.
Scientific Responsibility and Issues of Democracy” will be held in Bosphorus
University of Istanbul on May 25-27. Among all reporters of the workshop the
names of Murad Belge, Halil Berktay, Selim Deringil, Taner Akcam, Fatma
Myuge Gyuceq, Fiqret Adanir and Mete Tuncay should be singled out as
scientists who either recognize the Armenian Genocide or show liking for
recognition. Judging from the hubbub, Turkey’s official denial of the
Genocide seems to bother the other participants of the workshop as well.
In May 23 issue, Turkish Milliyet newspaper sees the reason of the noise in
mutual condemnations of attackers and defenders of Turkey’s negation.
Hurriyet wrote the same day that “the intelligentsia took alarm because of a
workshop dedicated to the Armenian issue and declared war for a workshop
that has not even begun”.
Prof. Ilber Ortaili from Galatasaray University condemned organizers of the
conference saying, “All invited scientists are from a famous team. It’s
impossible to have healthy discussions in such conditions. I somewhat
understand that they did not invite president of Turkish Historic Foundation
Yusuf Halacoglu but they should not pass by specialist of international law
Gyunduz Aktan. Legal issues will be treated by English philosopher Murad
Belge. Our country is a democratic one, and everyone does what he wants”.
Belge responded from the pages of Radikal, “Ortaili says that all the
invited are from a famous team. Yes indeed, he is no more from that team as
he preferred another team. He is not ignorant thus he does know that his
words are false. But his choice leaves no room for an alternative”.
In the meantime, Halacoglu accused the organizers of “deserting to the
Armenian Diaspora” and said, “Those expressing views of the Armenian side
are invited whereas I am not. If I am expressing the official opinion, then
they guard the views of Diaspora”.
Hurriyet notes that Halil Berktay replied to all critics on behalf of the
organizational committee. He said, “The official thesis on the Armenian
issue was almost the prevailing ideology in Turkey for decades. Most of us
have learnt every sentence of it by heart. For this reason there is no need
that Eleqdag or Halacoglu come and “enlighten” us. Let the supporters of the
official view keep us away from engaging in rubbish that they themselves do
not believe in. There were many conferences in our country dedicated to the
Armenian issue. But all of them were one-sided: no independent historian was
ever invited to any of them. For one, the initiators of a workshop backed by
the Eurasian Center for Strategic Studies and National Security Council
trumpeted that they will not invite Halil Berktay, i.e. me. Hence, the
complaints of those holding to official stance should be taken as black
humor”.
By Hakob Chakrian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress