Author: Maghakian Mike

Russia, Armenia discuss econ interaction
By Veronika Romanenkova
ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 14, 2004 Friday
OGARYOVO, May 14 – Issues of the development of trade and economic
ties were high on the agenda of a meeting between the Russian and
Armenian presidents here on Friday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, welcoming the visiting Armenian
leader, said he was confident that their top-level talks on Friday
would contribute to more intensive development of bilateral economic
interaction.
“Not only I am hoping, I’m confident that your working visit today
will help our interaction and intensify our relations,” Putin said.
In 2003, bilateral trade turnover increased by more than 34 percent,
Putin said, adding that it was a record indicator and the best sign
that “we are proceeding in the right direction.”
In his view however, Moscow and Yerevan have many opportunities to
work better and more effectively.
For his part, Robert Kocharyan noted that “the big deal” under which
Armenia repays its debt by giving part of its property to Russia was,
on the whole, an impulse to the development of not only military but
also economic cooperation.
“Until that time, we only talked about military cooperation while
mentioning that economic interaction was lagging behind,” the Armenian
president said.
“Now I can state with full confidence that we began to move in all
directions very synchronously. It serves as a very serious impulse
to effective cooperation and its diversification,” he said.
Kocharyan noted “interesting events in the economic sphere,” such as
the appearance of Russia’s Vneshtorgbank on the Armenian market.
A very interesting contract in the sphere of chemistry has been signed
with the help of Russian investments, implying that “grand chemistry
has come to Armenia,” Kocharyan said.
There are interesting examples of investment activities by Russian
business people in construction and other spheres, according to
the president.
Putin underlined that his meetings with Kocharyan were regular. “We are
meeting for the fifth time in the recent past, to discuss bilateral
ties and coordinate activities on the post-Soviet territory and
international arena,” Putin said.
He added that he was very glad to see Robert Kocharyan.
Kocharyan congratulated Putin on his inauguration as head of the
Russian state for a second term. “I also wish to thank you for the
invitation /to visit Russia/,” he added.
The Armenian president became Putin’s first foreign guest after his
inauguration on May 7. The head of the Russian state welcomed the
Armenian leader on the threshold of his Novo-Ogaryovo residence. The
two presidents then retreated for talks in a conference hall. Taking
part in the negotiations for Russia were Security Council Secretary
Igor Ivanov and presidential adviser Sergei Prikhodko.

ARMENIA * IRAN * AGREEMENT * GAS
RIA Novosti, Russia
May 13 2004
YEREVAN, May 13, 2004 (RIA Novosti) – Agreement on deliveries of
Iranian gas to Armenia was signed by head of the Director General of
the Yerevan steam power plant Ovakim Ovanesyan and head if the National
Iranian Gas Export Company (NIGEC) Roknoddin Javadi in Yerevan.
Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsisian said this was a 20-years’
agreement and 36 bln cubic meters of gas will be delivered to Armenia
within this time. Armenia will get 1.1 bln cubic meters of Iranian
gas annually and pay Iran in power.
Construction of the gas pipeline is to be launched in 2004. It is to
be completed by the end of 2006. The pipeline will be 141 kilometers
long (41 kilometers in Armenia and 100 kilometers in Iran). The start
point of the pipeline is Tehran, it will go to Yerevan via the Megria
area of the Armenia-Iran border.
According to preliminary estimates, about $90-100 mln will be allocated
for construction works in Armenia. Iran will earmark about $120 mln
for construction activities on its territory.
Mr Movsisian says foreign companies may engage in the construction
works, in particular, Russian, Chinese, U.S., Brazil and Ukrainian
companies have applied for it.
The Armenian leadership attaches high importance to the Iran-Armenia
pipeline project. According to Armenian President Robert Kocharian,
“the successful implementation of the project will bring relations
between Iran and Armenia to a very high level”.

Armenian premier urges opposition to back off from referendum demand
Interfax news agency, Moscow
28 Apr 04
YEREVAN
Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan, who leads the Republican
Party, has called on the opposition to withdraw its request to conduct
a referendum on a vote of confidence [in the president] from the list
of its demands.
“If this request is removed from its list of demands, the parties in
power are ready to continue negotiations with the opposition,”
Markaryan told journalists in the parliament.

Interfax
April 30 2004
COGNAC AND WINEMAKING IN ARMENIA
Armenia is one of the oldest winemaking regions, but it is better
known for its cognac, which it began producing in the late 19th
century. Today cognac is a symbol of Armenia and an important export
product.
Armenian cognac has always been in high demand in Russia but it is
now becoming popular on new markets and is sold in 25 countries.
Armenian wine is not as popular. After the crisis in the industry
that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union Armenian producers
lost their key market – Russia, but in the wine later began appearing
on the Russian and international markets.
Armenia has 24 winemaking and cognac enterprises.
VINEYARDS SHRANK THREE TIMES IN 10 YEARS
Winemaking began in Armenia more than 3,000 years ago. The country is
located in the southern Caucasus in a subtropical region. Armenia’s
climate is defined by its mountains. Summers are hot and dry in the
valleys surrounded by mountains and winters are harsh with little
snow. Although Armenia is one of the few winemaking regions where
vines must be protected in the winter, its advantages are that the
air is dry and it has a large number of sunny days during the year
(300 on average). This lends special qualities to Armenian varietals.
The Armenian varietals have a high sugar content and thus high
alcohol, which facilitates the production of fortified wines and
cognac.
Armenia grows more than 200 kinds of grapes, most of them native to
the region. There are about 30 that are the most popular, including
Mskhali, Garan, Dmak, Voskeat, Muscat, Areni, Kahet, Rkatsiteli,
Adisi, Azateni, Anait, Karmrayut, Nerkeni, Tokun, and Megrabuir.
Armenia has six wine regions: Ararat Marz, Armavir, Tavush,
Aragotsoton, Syunik, and Vaiondzor.
The Ararat Valley is the main winegrowing region where up to 60% of
the country’s grapes are grown. The region is divided into the Ararat
and Armavir districts. Six varietals are grown here – five Armenian
grapes (Mskhali, Garan, Dmak, Voskeat, Kangun) and one Georgian grape
(Rkatsiteli) are grown here and are used to produce cognac and
dessert wines.
Tavush and Aragotsoton regions, where 25% of the vineyards are found,
produce wine materials for cognac production and for light table
wines and sparkling wines. Syunik region on the border with Iran also
produces these wines. Vaiots Dzor produces the traditional Areni
wines.
Armenia’s vineyards were largest in the mid-1980s when they covered
36,500 hectares, but this dropped to 22,000 hectares following the
collapse of the Soviet Union. Growers were forced to cut down the
vineyards to grow vegetables, since local wine and cognac makers
bought little raw material up until 1998 and vegetables brought high
profits.
As of the end of October 2003, vineyards covered 12,000 hectares.
Most are very old and in need of renewal. But this is a costly
process. It costs up to $2,000 a year to cultivate one hectare of
vineyards, and the new vines will produce a harvest only in the
fourth year.
Heavy freezes damaged 50% of Armenia’s grapes in the winter of 2002 –
2003 and as much as 70% in Ararat and Armavir regions. The
Agriculture Ministry and wineries were forced to pay higher prices
for grapes to prevent growers from cutting down the damaged vines.
Analysts said only about 10% of the damaged vines died and the rest
will produce a harvest again this year.
Deep freezes resulted in a smaller harvest of 75,180 tonnes of grapes
last year, compared with 103,000 tonnes in 2002. Producers were
forced to buy elsewhere. Winemakers bought grapes from Nagorny
Karabakh, whose grapes had never been used to produce cognac. Some
producers planned to buy from Azerbaijan, but many were opposed. They
said using imported grapes to produce Armenian cognac would go
against national standards and result in a lower quality product.
According to national standards, Armenian cognac (technically brandy)
must be produced from Armenian grapes using the prescribed method and
bottled exclusively in Armenia. But due to last year’s small harvest,
the list of grapes allowed for use in cognac was expanded to include
grapes grown in Nagorny Karabakh. Armenian cognac is normally
produced from indigenous white grapes, mostly Mskhali, Garan Dmak,
and Voskeat.
HISTORY OF COGNAC PRODUCTION
Armenia began producing cognac in 1887. Neress Tairian, a Yerevan
merchant, founded Armenia’s first winemaking enterprise in 1877 and
10 years later the plant began producing cognac. It initially
produced about 1,200 buckets (one bucket equals 12 liters) a year.
Russian industrialist Nikolai Shustov acquired the enterprise in 1898
and after reconstructing and expanding it, increased cognac
production.
Three more cognac plants were built in Yerevan in 1893 – 1894, and by
1914 there were 15 cognac plants. The Shustov plant was the largest,
however. Yerevan region produced 181,000 buckets of cognac in 1913,
including 81,500 at the Shustov plant. The Shustov cognac was sold in
Moscow, Odessa, Warsaw, Smolensk, and Nizhny Novgorod.
Armenia’s wineries and cognac plants were nationalized in 1920 and
the Ararat cognac plant was formed at the Shustov plant in 1922. When
the Yerevan winery was reorganized in 1948 the cognac and cognac
alcohol plants were merged to become an independent plant. A new
building was opened in 1954 and the Yerevan Cognac Plant was formed
within the Ararat trust.
Cognac production grew the fastest in Armenia during the Soviet
regime. Cognac production soared by 17 times from 1940 – 1985.
Armenia had 42 producers by the end of the 1980s with affiliates in
Moscow, Saratov, and Leningrad that produced a quarter of the cognac
consumed in the Soviet Union.
Tight restrictions on the production of Armenian cognac resulted in
numerous conflicts with Ararat plants in Moscow, Saratov, and St
Petersburg. The plant in Saratov was switched to joint production of
cognac drinks, the St Petersburg plant was sold for $300,000 on
condition it no longer produce cognac, and the Moscow plant was
transferred in trust to creditors, which it owed $1.3 million as of
the start of 2002.
The winemaking industry fell into decline after the collapse of the
Soviet Union. The grape harvest dropped from 270,000 tonnes to
105,000 tonnes and many wine and cognac plants stood idle.
The industry began to revive in 1998 when France’s Pernod Ricard
purchased the Yerevan Cognac Plant and formed the Great Valley joint
venture. These two enterprises are currently the biggest producers of
cognac in Armenia. The country has seven or eight cognac producers,
which in addition to the two mentioned are the Ararat Cognac Plant,
Proschian Cognac Plant, Avshar Winery, Aregak, and the Yegvard Winery
and Cognac Plant.
Armenian cognac has become popular in many countries and is exported
to 25 countries, but Russia remains its main market, accounting for
80% – 85% of sales. Analysts expect demand for the cognac in Russia
to continue growing.
Yerevan Cognac Plant and Great Valley are the biggest suppliers of
Armenian cognac, but other Armenian producers are also beginning to
sell in Russia.
Naturally, there are imitations in Russia and Armenia, but most
producers try to protect their product by using special bottles and
markings.
YEREVAN COGNAC PLANT
The Yerevan Cognac Plant is one of the biggest enterprises in the
food industry and a leading producer of Armenian cognac with the
exclusive right to use the Ararat name.
Pernod Ricard invested in the plant in 1998. The company paid $30
million for the plant, along with the Armavir and Aigevan plants.
This was the biggest privatization deal in Armenia and triggered
numerous disputes. Some parliamentarians argued the deal should be
contested because the plant was sold too cheap.
In addition to paying $30 million, Pernod Ricard agreed to invest 30
million francs over five years to develop the business.
The company accepted all of the conditions set by Armenia. It agreed
to maintain production at 425,000 decaliters a year and bottle only
in Armenia. The cognac must be produced from local grapes and Pernod
Ricard promised to maintain cognac alcohol reserves of at least 1.660
million decaliters.
In the five years since purchasing the plant Pernod Ricard has
invested about $50 million in the plant and will invest another $10
million this year. The money was used to buy new equipment, improve
technology, repair production facilities, train personnel, expand
product range, grow grapes, and for marketing.
The Yerevan Cognac Plant conducted the Legend of Ararat advertising
campaign in the CIS from September 1999 – 2003 to promote the cognac.
The company spent $2 million a year on the ad campaign.
It spent 44% of this in Russia, 13% in Ukraine, 16% in Armenia, and
11% in Belarus. About 45% was spent on advertising in the press, 20%
on working with consumers in stores, bars, and through distributors,
and 35% on exhibits and production of related products.
The aggressive ad campaign resulted in increased sales. The company
sold 1 million liters of cognac in 1999, 1.7 million in 2000, 3.085
million liters in 2001, 3.486 million liters in 2002, and 4.22
million liters in 2003. It expects a 5% sales increase this year.
Turnover last year totaled $31.4 million, up 17.16% from 2002.
The Yerevan Cognac Plant exports 91% of its product. It sells to 25
countries, with the CIS accounting for 97% of sales and Russian being
the biggest market. The company shipped 2.997 million liters of
cognac to Russia last year, up 10.26% from 2002. Ukraine was the
second biggest consumer at 490,000 liters, up 78.23% from 2002.
The plant sold 360,000 liters in Armenia last year, up 52.68% from
2002.
Yerevan Cognac Plant also wells to Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Germany, China, the United States, and other countries.
The company is working to strengthen its position on existing
markets. Further expansion is limited by production capacity, which
depends on the harvest.
Yerevan Cognac Plant does not have its own vineyards but works with
more than 5,000 growers in four regions – Ararat, Aragotsoton,
Armavir, and Tavush. The growers have 2,100 hectares of vineyards and
can produce 20,000 – 22,000 tonnes of grapes a year. The plant has
been buying $3 million – $4 million worth of grapes a year since
1998. It bought 18,768 tonnes at 146 drams per tonne last year.
Yerevan Cognac Plant offers free advice to farmers and helps them buy
pesticides and get loans from the ACBA bank. It also works with
growers on a long-term basis. The company signs five-year contracts
with growers and will sign contracts for 10 years with growers that
are planting new vineyards. The company said its purchase prices and
long-term contracts motivate growers to expand.
Yerevan Cognac Plant produces 19 exclusive brands and offers five
kinds of regular cognac (aged three to five years), three kinds of
Ararat (three, four, and five stars), Ani, and Aik, 14 fine cognacs –
a seven-year cognac, 10-year (Armenia, Akhtamar, Dvin, Yerevan, and
Yubileiny), a 15-year cognac (Prazdnichny, Urartu), and 18-year
(Vaspurakan), a 20-year cognac (Nairi), a 25-year cognac (Erebuni), a
30-year (Kilikiya), a 40-year cognac (Sparanet), and a 70-year cognac
(Noah’s Ark).
Sales of fine cognacs grew nearly 24% last year. The plant plans to
expand sales of fine cognac this year while maintaining sales of
lower-end products.
GREAT VALLEY
Great Valley, an Armenian-Cyprus joint venture, is the main
competitor for Yerevan Cognac Plant. The company was formed in 1998
by local businessman Tigran Arzakantsian and Cyprus-based Domeravo
Trading.
Competition for the market escalated into a serious conflict in 2000.
After signing a deal with major Russian distributor Rusimport, Great
Valley began working on the Russian market. Great Ararat was its main
product on the Russian market and during its first year the joint
venture captured 3.5% of the Russian cognac market.
But Yerevan Cognac Plant in August 2000 accused Great Valley of
illegally using the Great Ararat brand and said when the deal for the
Yerevan plant was signed, it included its trademarks, one of which is
Ararat. Yerevan Cognac Plant filed a complaint with the Armenian
patent bureau Armpatent in September 2000, and the Great Ararat brand
was cancelled. The decision to give Yerevan Cognac Plant the
exclusive right to the Ararat name cost Great Valley $1 million.
Great Valley is one of the biggest producers of wine products in
Armenia and has six enterprises, including the Yerevan winery Ararat,
the Artashat Wine and Cognac Plant, the Ashtarak Winery, and a winery
in Karmir Shuka (Nagorny Karabakh). It formed the Great Artsakh
subsidiary in Stepanakert in 2000. Great Valley has several growing
centers, one of which is in southern Nagorny Karabakh.
Great Valley exports all of its product, selling mostly to Russia and
the CIS, which accounts for 80% of sales. The company is the second
biggest seller of Armenian cognac in Russia and has a 3.4% market
share there (Yerevan Cognac Plant has 11.4%).
Beverages & Trading, owned by Bacardi-Martini Group, became the
exclusive importer and distributor for Great Valley in Russia in
September 2003.
Great Valley produces three-five year cognac (Armenian three, four
and five star), Great Valley (six years), Kars (seven years), Gavar
(eight years), Sevan (10 years), Akhtanak (12 years), Yerevan (15
years), Collectors (18 years), Arin Verd (25 years), and premium
cognac Tsar Tigran (12 – 30 years or more).
Like the Yerevan Cognac Plant, Great Valley buys grapes from growers.
It bought 5,272 tonnes of grapes last year, but plans to grow its own
as well. Chairman of the Board Tigran Arzakatsian said a group of
private investors representing the Armenian community in France
bought 24% of the company last year. The company will use the
proceeds to plant 2,000 hectares of vineyards.
WINEMAKING
Winemaking dates back further in Armenia than cognac production, but
Armenian wines are far less popular than its cognac. Georgia and
Moldova were the biggest wine producing regions in the Soviet Union,
but Armenian wineries were at their peak under the Soviet Union. Wine
production soared by nine times in 1940 – 1985 and champagne
production grew 10 times in 1960 – 1986. The wine business generated
about 37.4% of earnings in the food industry in the 1980s. about 3%
of the wine produced in the Soviet Union came from Armenia during
this time and three quarters of Armenia’s wine was exported to
Russia.
The crisis that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union took with
it large vineyards and winemaking traditions. Wineries stood idle and
gradually deteriorated and the loss of the Russian market was also a
problem.
But winemaking has begun to pick up again in recent years. Foreign
and local investors have committed large sums to the industry. Small
producers have been formed, mostly in Yekhegnadzor region where the
Areni grape is grown.
Armenian wines are gradually returning to Russia, but faced with
competition from the more popular French, Georgian, and Moldovan
wines, and wines from Argentina and Chile, they are having a hard
time finding a niche on the Russian market. The USDA marketing
assistance program (MAP) has helped promote Armenian wines and gave
five producers the opportunity to conduct an aggressive marketing
campaign on the Russian and foreign markets.
Armenia’s climate enables it to produce a full range of wines, but
the country has long been known for its fortified and dessert wines
similar to Heres, Madeira or port. Armenian wineries expanded their
product range to accommodate the consumer preference for dry or
semi-dry wines and offer a large assortment of table and fine wines.
Areni, the exclusive distributor in Russia for Armenia’s Areni,
Ginetas, Kimle, Maran, Van-777, and Idzhevan wineries, offers more
than 25 Armenian wines, including the dry reds Gandzak, Vaiots Dzor,
and Areni Marani.
Other producers include Vedi-Alko, Yegvard Wine and Cognac Plant,
Aigezard Wine and Cognac Plant, Avshar Winery, Ararat Winery, and
other companies.
Vedi-Alko is one of the biggest producers of wine and vodka in
Armenia. Annual sales total 4 million – 5 million liters of vodka and
about 1 million liters of wine. The company includes the Getap and
Vedi wineries and Vedi Company. Vedi Alko produces 70 products, 30 –
35 different wines, vodka, and champagne. It exports to Russia, the
United States, the Baltic countries, Belarus, and Europe.
The Idzhevan Winery was founded in 1976 and produces nine wines and
one sparkling wine. It has its own vineyards.
Van-777 was formed in 1996 with the support of the USDA MAP program.
It produces five different wines – sweet, Muscat, semi-dry,
semi-sweet, and dry and sells domestically and in Russia and Belarus.
Ginetas was formed in 1998 also with the support of the USDA marking
program. It produces the Gandzak dry red wine and has its own
vineyards. The plant has facilities to process 20 tonnes of grapes
per hour and produces 60,000 – 80,000 bottles of wine a year that it
ages in oak barrels for one to three years.
Areni Winery specializes in the production of premium dry red Vaiots
Dzor wines from the Areni grape. It produces 80,000 – 100,000 bottles
of wine a year and also ages its wines in oak barrels for one to
three years.
This article was written by the Interfax Center for Economic
Analysis.

ITAR-TASS, Russia
April 30 2004
Azerbaijani, Armenian foreign ministers may meet on May 12

BAKU, April 30 (Itar-Tass) — The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and
Armenia are likely to meet again on May 12, during a ministerial
session of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mamedyarov said on Friday.
Asked by Itar-Tass about the sides’ readiness for compromises, the
minister said, `this is a subject of the negotiations.’ `We are
considering some ideas,’ including the liberation of seven districts
of Azerbaijan in exchange to the restoration of transport routes to
Armenia, he said.
The presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia had a useful exchange of
opinions in Warsaw on April 28 during the European Economic Forum, he
said. Baku has approved the Turkish initiative of a meeting of the
Azerbaijani, Armenian and Turkish foreign ministers, he added.

The Georgian Messenger
30 April 2004
Solid Economic Policy Must Be A Priority
By M. Alkhazashvili
According to a study conducted by the World Bank, Georgia is one of the 64
countries with the lowest per-capita incomes in the world. Also on the list
are the post-Soviet countries of Azerbaijan, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan
and Uzbekistan. According to the calculations of World
Bank analysts, the main reason behind the poverty in these countries is the
lack of adequate financing for social programs, health care and education.
The Georgian government intends to fight poverty with a special program
adopted last year during the Shevardnadze administration. This program
foresees economic growth in the country by the year 2015. The new government
has talked about making certain changes in the program and some analysts
point out that if this document does not undergo some alterations, reducing
poverty in the country will be an exceedingly difficult task.
Many foreign experts are of the same opinion. They predict a rather grim
future for Georgia and its neighboring countries. Due to the complicated
social and political situation, Georgia’s population is projected to
decrease by 1.5 million by the year 2015, rendering it less than 3 million.
The population of Armenia, meanwhile, will fall slightly to 3 million and
that of Azerbaijan will increase to 9 million. But population
growth in Azerbaijan will not be caused by good living conditions. On the
contrary, it will further inflame the problem of poverty.
As analysts say, in order to overcome the current dire situation, it is
necessary to develop a wholly new economic vision. So far, the government is
continuing to follow the priorities of the old administration – that is,
focusing on the budget, pensions and salaries. If we closely examine these
notions, Solid economic policy must be a priority however, we see that there
is nothing behind them. The amount of the country’s budget is insignificant
and salaries and pensions are miniscule. In other words, we need to put
these old priorities aside, though not
as unimportant issues, but rather we should view a strong budget and
sufficient salaries and pensions as a consequence of a well-thought-out
economic policy.
Nothing yet can be said about the new government’s vision for the nation’s
economy, as no such document has been adopted that expresses a coherent
vision. A new economic vision must first of all mean the creation of a new
tax code. Work on a new code is underway, but the hurried pace of this work
creates the danger that many mistakes will be made. One specialist who has
seen the draft code warns that it looks no better than its predecessor and
little change is visible. These mistakes will be difficult to correct in the
future. Without a consistent and liber-al economic policy, the nation’s
economic and consequently political and social development will be stalled
for several years.

Dying for a Cigarette: Anti-smoking campaign must change minds as well as
habits
30 April 2004
By Marianna Grigoryan
ArmeniaNow.com reporter
An appealing cigarette advertisement placed in newspapers comes with two
cigarettes attached, carefully wrapped in transparent cellophane. That ad
was available to everyone and offered real temptation especially for
teenagers, for whom such material offers an incentive to take up the
smoking habit.
A year ago health care specialists hoped that the adoption of a law project
on cigarettes would introduce restrictions in this area. However, in March
2004 the National Assembly rejected the law On Cigarettes for the second
time. Cigarette commercials and propaganda got back on track after that and,
according to sales statistics, the number of smokers started growing.
According to statistics today around 70% of men in Armenia are smokers.
There’s no precise information regarding women since many hide their
addictive habit. However, experts believe that smoking is increasing rapidly
among women, partly out of a popular view that a woman who smokes is
stylish, modern and sexy.
Health care specialists are particularly concerned by the situation among
teenagers, which they say indicates a lack of attention in Armenia to the
seriousness of smoking.
“They smoke everywhere, in cafes, even in buses,” says the chairman of Human
Health charitable organization David Petrosyan. “If you try to reprimand
someone you’ll either be considered a bad person or you’ll get an ironical
smile, since the law defining this field does not exist and anti-smoking
control in Armenia is very weak. And doctors are not ready to explain to
people the real threat of this habit.”
Petrosyan says that the law On Cigarettes could change the situation to some
degree by beginning to curtail the epidemic of smoking. It proposed serious
restrictions on cigarette advertisement, smoking in public places and in
many aspects of this sphere.
Color advertisements in newspapers and magazines and on TV would have been
prohibited. Smoking would have been banned in schools and at other
institutions for children, while cigarette companies would have been barred
from sponsoring TV and radio programs for youngsters . (A current law on
advertisement places certain restrictions on cigarette advertisement, but
the law has been mostly ignored since the new law was rejected.)
“Diseases, disablement and mortality from smoking have reached unbelievable
levels among us today. The indexes on lung cancer are causing concern,” says
Petrosyan. “Unfortunately, MPs don’t take the situation seriously. The draft
law was rejected in a similarly unserious atmosphere, since no one thought
that by rejecting law they would not be elected tomorrow. The public has to
change its opinion on this issue.”
Public opinion in Armenia may appear indifferent now, but Alexander
Bazarchyan, the anti-smoking project coordinator at Armenia’s Health
Ministry, says individuals and organizations that are interested in this
issue will do everything to change the situation.
“The law has already been rejected twice but, a year on, the anti-smoking
fight is now pretty active,” says Bazarchyan. “Non-government organizations,
media have become more active, new events are being organized.”
Petrosyan says there will be a fresh attempt soon to pass the law in the
National Assembly. He says: “We’re working and doing some clarifications in
that direction. The anti-smoking struggle is not something of one or two
days. At the end of the day, the rights of non-smokers have to be protected
as well.”
Bazarchyan says an anti-smoking campaign under the slogan “Cigarettes and
Poverty” is planned in Yerevan on May 31, which is World Anti-Smoking Day. A
website is being opened () with information and
statistics on smoking in Armenia, and there are plans to publish a book
setting out the real dangers of cigarettes.

Baku Today, Azerbaijan
April 27 2004

UK diplomat for South Caucasus visits Azerbaijan
Baku Today 27/04/2004 11:54
British envoy for South Caucasus Bryan Foll said, at a meeting with
Azerbaijani defense minister Safar Abiyev yesterday, the resumption
of military operations in Karabakh is unfavorable for both sides of
the conflict.
Foll, who said he is concerned that the conflict has not been settled
yet, stressed the importance for strengthening international efforts
for peaceful solution of Karabakh conflict.
Karabak issue has also figured during Foll’s meeting with Azerbaijani
president Ilham Aliyev.
Fall said, the conflict has been mostly affecting people who have
become refugees and internally displaced persons as a result of the
conflict.
Fall has also touched energy cooperation issues between Azerbaijan
and British oil companies during his meeting with ALiyev. He said,
British companies have been actively investing into both oil and
other sectors of Azerbaijani economy.
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other use requires the prior written permission of Baku Today.

Senator advocates acknowledgement of Armenian Genocide
By Elizabeth Leffall
The Collegian
[email protected]
April 24, 2004, Vol.128, No.36
In an emotionally charged ceremony, Sen. Chuck Poochigian called for
acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 in the Free Speech Area,
Friday.
“April 24 represents a massacre of our people,”
Poochigian said.
Today represents 89 years of remembering an act by a young Turkish
government, a sadistic people, who arrested and murdered our people in
Constantinople,” Poochigian said.
Poochigian choked back emotion as he described the effects the genocide had
on his culture and family. “1.5 million people died between 1915 and 1916 as
a result of rule under the Ottoman Empire,” he said. “My grandparents’ lives
were directly affected by this atrocity. They had to see family members
split and many never saw each other again. My family and my people live with
that knowledge every day.”
During the ceremony various speakers encouraged the community to continue
to recognize the Turkish government’s part in the Armenian Genocide.
Professor of Armenian Studies Barlow Der Mugrdechian said the event,
organized by the Armenian Students Organization (ASO), was designed to bring
about awareness and recognition.
“I think it is important that this commemoration takes place on campus to
educate both students and non-students that such an atrocity took place,”
Der Mugrdechian said.
ASO club members dressed in black, wearing red armbands as they
participated in the ceremony.
Sevag Tateosian, a criminology senior, read a poem to music entitled, “You
will Fall” by author Vahan Tekeyan.
A replica of the martyr’s monument in Armenia called “Dzidzernagapert” was
recreated for the event. Translated the monument means the citadel of
swallows. Dikran Chekian, a business senior and the current ASO president,
said the swallow is used because it is a bird that always returns to the
nest. The 12 gray slabs that make up the citadel represent the 12 regions of
people east of Turkey and west of Armenia lost in the genocide.
Poochigian said progress is being made to have the event recognized
internationally.
Most recently, on April 22, the Canadian Parliament recognized the genocide
of Armenians as a crime to humanity.
“We must put confidence before expedience.” Poochigian said. “We encourage
Turkey to admit that the genocide took place and commit to their history and
restoration. Commitment to justice should never stop at the grave,” he said.

Armenian army chief, US general sign rear support accord
Mediamax news agency
26 Apr 04
YEREVAN
The Armenian Armed Forces and the US European Command have signed the
Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) envisaging
cooperation in the sphere of rear provision.
The head of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Gen-Col
Mikael Arutyunyan, and the deputy commander of the US European
Command, Gen Charles Wald, said this at a briefing in Yerevan today.
According to Mikael Arutyunyan, under the agreement, the sides are to
render rear support to each other while carrying out different actions
and exercises with the further compensation on mutual basis.
According to Charles Wald, the signing of this agreement will help
“cement our military cooperation with Armenia”.
[Passage omitted: details of ACSA programme]