Author: Maral Chavushian

SPORTSMEN AND COACHES UNHAPPY ABOUT SCANT FUNDING
A1 Plus | 17:00:50 | 02-09-2004 | Sports |
“If we want to win medals in Beijing, our sportsmen should be given
scholarship of at least 1,000 USD”, heavy athletics coach Vahan
Bichakhchyan said Thursday at a news conference. “What can I do with
my 50-dollar salary?”
Journalists asked what sum is needed to reach success in Olympic
Games. “The more we would have the better we could perform. Three
times more than we have now”, National Olympic Committee vice-president
Michael Ispiryan said and added that 350 million drams were targeted
last year for Olympic sportsmen.

Armenia laying fresh territorial claims to Azerbaijan – daily
Ekho, Baku
21 Aug 04
Yerevan is laying fresh territorial claims to Azerbaijan. Now the
official Armenian press has raised the issue of returning to Armenia
another 506 sq.km. of “land that has belonged to Armenia since time
immemorial along with” Karabakh and Naxcivan [Azerbaijani exclave].
[Passage omitted: report from the Armenian newspaper Golos Armenii;
comments by an Azerbaijani historian]
It is clear that the political leadership of Azerbaijan and our
Foreign Ministry should at least pay attention to the fact that the
official newspaper of the neighbouring state lays open territorial
claims to the lands of independent Azerbaijan. In fact, this is a
trump card that Armenia is carelessly giving to Azerbaijan. It is
necessary to benefit from this at the international level, i.e. to
draw the attention of influential international organizations and
states to the fact that the neighbouring aggressor country is not only
going to liberate the occupied lands, but on the contrary, is laying
additional open claims to Azerbaijani territory. This fact could be
the basis of Baku’s refusal to conduct talks with Yerevan.
[Passage omitted: Ekho failed to contact the Foreign Ministry]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Hartford Courant , CT
Aug 19 2004
Tradition Takes Back Seat
August 19, 2004
Combined Wire Services
For all the talk of reaching back to the ancient roots of the games,
some Olympic venues have all the reverence of a real-life beer
commercial.
Tanned, toned dancers in orange bikinis gyrate at beach volleyball.
Laker Girl wannabes in flashy dresses shimmy at men’s basketball.
Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle” blares from the speakers at
baseball.
These may be your great-great-grandfather’s games in terms of
location, but some venues at the Athens games offer all the subtlety
of Wrestlemania – or the NBA, which helped coordinate entertainment
during basketball games.
“From the first to the last detail, they are responsible for that,”
basketball venue manager Dimitris Karydas said Wednesday. “It looks
to you the same because it is the same.”
Tuesday night’s sold-out game between the United States and Greece,
which didn’t need extra hype, was sexed up even more with a
nine-member dance group from Russia and Ukraine called the Red Foxes,
who shook their shoulders and fan-kicked their way through Jennifer
Lopez’s “Let’s Get Loud.” Wearing silky-red, low-cut halter dresses
and black high heels, the dancers smiled and tossed their hair (in
varying shades of blond) with unwavering enthusiasm.
For Dad and country: Norik Martirosyan lost a hand in a grenade
explosion, so he uses his other one when he’s chain-smoking
cigarettes – an old, unhealthy habit that Martirosyan’s son, Vanes,
has begged his father to stop.
When Vanes won the Olympic trials after the two favorites in his
weight class were disqualified, Norik said, “Vanes, if you win a gold
medal, I’ll quit smoking.” So Vanes Martirosyan, of Glendale, Calif.,
an 18-year-old underdog, son of an Armenian immigrant, is determined
to win Olympic gold in the 152-pound class so his father will quit
smoking. And for one other reason.
“For all the time I have been boxing,” Vanes said, “my father has
told me what a lucky boy I am to be growing up in the United States.
… He has told me, since I can remember, that there would be no
greater honor for a sportsman such as me to win a gold medal to honor
our country.”
Martirosyan will fight 2003 Pan American Games gold medalist Lorenzo
Aragon of Cuba in the second round today. Martirosyan outpointed
Benamar Meskine of Algeria in the first round.
Busy in Beijing: The Beijing Olympics are four years away, but
construction of the venues is so far ahead of schedule the
International Olympic Committee has asked Chinese organizers to slow
down to better manage their cash flow.
The Chinese have been equally zealous about preparing their athletes
for the 2008 Games. And China has gotten off to a dazzling start in
Athens, ranking second to the U.S. in the medal count with 22
overall.
Ratings report: NBC’s television ratings for the first five days of
the Summer Olympics in Athens are 5 percent higher than the same span
of the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney.
The network telecasts for last Friday through Tuesday were watched by
an average 15.4 percent of the 108.4 million U.S. households with
televisions, compared with 14.6 percent for the first five days of
the Sydney games, NBC said, citing Nielsen Media Research Inc.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

12TH ARMENIAN FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP RESTARTS
YEREVAN, August 16 (Noyan Tapan). The 12th Armenian Football
Championship restarts with the matches of Day 15. Leaders of the
highest team of the tournament again registered victories. Armenian
champion “Pyunik” beat “Ararat” with a score of 2:1, “Mika” beat
“Kilikia” with a score of 5:1. The following standings were registered
in two other matches: “Kotayk” – “Dinamo-Zenit” 2:1, “Banants” –
“Shirak” 1:1. After Day 15 the teams occupy the following places in
the tournament table: 1. “Pyunik” (Yerevan) – 39 points, 2. “Mika”
(Ashtarak) – 35 points, 3. “Ararat” (Yerevan) – 22 points, 4.
“Banants” (Yerevan) – 21 points, 5. “Dinamo-Zenit” (Yerevan) – 20
points, 6. “Kilikia” (Yerevan) – 11 points, 7. “Kotayk” (Abovyan) – 9
points, 8. “Shirak” (Gyumri) – 9 points.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Russia Journal
Ukraine outpaces Russia in economic growth
August 06, 2004 Posted: 15:10 Moscow time (11:10 GMT)
Ukraine and Tajikistan have outpaced Russia in economic growth. The Russian
Federation ranks 7th among the CIS members in GDP growth rate shown in the
first half of this year, according to the data released today by the
Interstate Statistics Committee of the CIS. The Russian economy expanded at
a 7.9-percent annual rate over the first six months of 2004.
Ukraine showed the largest growth of 12.7 percent. Tajikistan ranked second
benefiting 11.1-percent growth. Azerbaijan followed Tajikistan with
10.6-percent growth. Belarus, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan outpaced Russia as
well, benefiting from a 10.3-percent, a 9.4-percent and a 9.2-percent
expansion respectively. Data on Moldovan and Kazakhstani GDP growth has not
been released as yet.
The economic growth among the CIS members averaged 9 percent in the first
half of this year. At the same time the inflation rate averaged 10 percent
in the CIS in the first half of 2004. Belarus showed the highest inflation
rate of 20.8 percent. Kyrgyzstani 4.1-percent inflation was the most
moderate among other CIS members. Russia ranked third in the increase in the
Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the first six months of 2004. Consumer prices
in Russia advanced 10.4 percent. Moldova showed the second highest inflation
rate of 13.6 percent. CPI index jumped 7.5 percent in Armenia. Ukraine
showed a 7.4-percent increase in the CPI. Kazakhstani consumer prices
advanced 6.6 percent over the first half of 2004. Azerbaijani consumer
prices increased 6 percent. Georgia showed a 5.5-percent increase in the
CPI. Tajikistan showed a 5.2-percent increase.
As Russian Economy Minister German Gref announced yesterday, one should not
rule out the possibility of Russian economy showing 6.8-7.1 percent
expansion if oil prices average over $30.4 a barrel this year. According to
Gref, the average monthly rate of economic growth is forecasted to decrease
by 0.2 percent in the second half of this year. Thus, it is expected to fall
to 0.5 percent from 0.7 percent in the first half of this year. However, the
Russian Economy Minister considers this rate to be high. Experts with the
Russian Economy Ministry forecast a 6.7-percent economic expansion for this
year. The Russian Economy Ministry has revised upward its estimates of the
Russian economic growth for 2005, Gref said. It forecasts a 6-percent
expansion compared to earlier estimates of a 5.9-percent economic growth.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RUDOLF KHARATIAN IS GOING TO STAGE “KHACHKAR” BALLET DEDICATED TO
NAREKATSI
YEREVAN, August 2 (Noyan Tapan). Rudolf Kharatian, the Artistic
Director of the “Arka” Washington ballet group, is going to stage the
“Khachkar” ballet dedicated to Grigor Narekatsi, the great Armenian
poet and thinker of the middle ages. The music for the ballet was
written by composer Ruben Altunian. The ballet-master who is on tour
in Armenia mentioned at the August 2 press conference that his goal is
to represent the image of Narekatsi, the depth and the human character
of his philosophy to the world by means of a ballet staging. “The
first goal of my arrival in Yerevan is to represent the modern
American ballet in Armenia,” R.Kharatian mentioned. According to him,
he has worked in Armenia for many years, profoundly studied the
peculiarities of the Armenian and Russian ballet schools. In his
estimation, the Armenian ballet school has deep peculiarities, but
today it’s senseless to stage ballet performances only on the national
ground, one should be able to synthesize the modern peculiarities with
the national ones, as the spectator needs the new. We can’t stage
“Gayane” and “Spartak” for many years running. R.Kharatian mentioned
that he has always wanted to enrich the Armenian ballet with new dance
elements, but he has always met obstacles. Receiving an invitation to
work from one of the giants of the Russian ballet school, Vinogradov,
many years ago, Kharatian left for Washington where he etablished the
“Arka” ballet group in 1999. 4 out of 16 members of the ballet group
are Armenians. According to Kharatian, like the other ballet groups of
America his ballet has no state financing, either, so it’s able to
organize only 2-3 concerts a year. Besides, the group gives several
performances in the Central Park of New York, in schools and so
on. All the members of the “Arka” ballet group also work in other
ballet groups. During the 2-day tour the group will represent the
classical, American and modern ballet to the Armenian spectator. And
especially for this tour the group has prepared the “Khachkar” dance
of Komitas and fragments from the “Gayane” and “Spartak” ballets of
Khachatrian. “Arka” is a prize-winner of a number of international
festivals, and 3 years running the group got the grand prix at the
annual ballet competition held in Washington.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ONE OF MOST ANCIENT GRAINS FOUND IN SOUTH CAUCASUS AND MIDDLE ASIA
FOUND IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, JULY 27. ARMINFO. While exploring the rocks in the canyon of
the river Kasakh a group of Armenian and French archaeologists has
found a monument of mesolite (epipaleolite) quite unique for the South
Caucasus and Middle East region, says Boris Gasparyan, the head of the
group, the employee of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of
the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.
Found in the Kmlo caves near the village of Apna, Aragatson region,
were not only fragments of obsidian tools but also a wild wheat grain
dating back from a period 10,000-8,000 years ago. If the experts
confirm the age of the grain it will become one of the oldest grains
ever found in the region’s mesolite monuments (11,000-10,000 years
ago).
The discovered cultural layers are well preserved which is a good
opportunity to collect enough scientific materials about the
period. Despite threat of caving-in the archaeologists are going to
continue the excavations. The group consists of three research
teams. Besides the Kmlo caves they are exploring the traces of the man
living in the areas of so called paleo lakes (middle paleolite). There
they have found sites of primitive men who are assumed to do hunting,
fishing and collecting.
Another group is examining the rock paintings found in the cave
Gegamavan I, 1 km of the Kmlo caves. The unique paintings are in ochre
– a substance said to be used only in late eneolite and early bronze
(IV-III). Meanwhile the Gegamavan I paintings date back from
neolite. The neolite man proves to already master the linear drawing
technique. The paintings depict animals mostly deer. So the findings
have shown that the rock painting traditions widely presented in the
mountains of Gegama, Sunik and Aragats are older than they were
thought to be.
The objective of the expedition is to study the ancient history of the
use of obsidian as a tool of the primitive man. Obsidian tools are
widely spread over the territory of historical Armenia and perfectly
characterize social-economic relations of the Stone Age.
The expedition is financed by Gfoeller Foundation (US).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RIA Novosti
July 14, 2004
OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRMEN TO VISIT BAKU AFTER YEREVAN
BAKU, July 14 (RIA Novosti) – The co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group
for Nagorny Karabakh settlement, Yury Merzlyakov (Russia), Steven
Mann (USA) and Henri Jacolin (France), will pay a two day visit to
Azerbaijan.
As the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry reported, the aim of the visit by
the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group is to conduct consultations
with the Baku officials concerning the settlement of the Nagorny
Karabakh conflict. They plan to meet with a number of the Azerbaijan
leaders.
The co-chairmen will arrive in Baku from Armenia where they stay now
in the context of their Trans-Caucasian tour.
As Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov said, “I would not
say that the co-chairmen will arrive with some new proposals. Since
they did not visit the region in the course of the last six months,
the sides will only exchange opinions.’
Before the visit of the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group to the
region, special representative of the European Union for the South
Caucasus Heikki Talvitie said at the news conference in the
Azerbaijan capital that there were “new moments” with regard to the
settlement of the conflict which the co-chairmen will discuss with
the sides to the conflict. This visit will be very important,” he
added. “I am glad that both Yerevan and Baku support the activity of
the Minsk Group co-chairmen who have done a great work,” he said. But
the EU spokesman did not specify these “new moments.” However, the
official position of Baku, Yerevan and Stepanakert (the capital of
the self-proclaimed republic of Nagorny Karabakh in the territory of
Azerbaijan which is inhabited mainly by Armenian speaking population)
has not changed today, at the tenth anniversary of the armistice.
Baku is ready to give Nagorny Karabakh the broadest autonomy, but it
is flatly against the independence of the territory. Yerevan and
Stepanakert are prepared to conduct negotiations about normalising
relations with Baku and the return of some earlier captured
Azerbaijan territories but only with the preservation of the present
status of Nagorny Karabakh.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency
July 6 2004
Stepanakert (Nagorno Karabakh) to be fully provided with gas by the
end of July
ISC-Star expresses its regret as ArmenTel’s license extended by 3
months in RA
Robert Kocharian and Mikhail Sahakashvili discuss perspectives of
more active mutual cooperation
*********************************************************************
STEPANAKERT (NAGORNO KARABAKH) TO BE FULLY PROVIDED WITH GAS BY THE
END OF JULY
STEPANAKERT, July 6. /ARKA/. Stepanakert will be fully provided with
gas by the end of July, Director of SCJSC Artsakhgas Maxim Mirzoyan
stated today. He also said that works in the regions are also
continued, namely Askeran provided with gas by 100%, Martouni is
gasified by a half. He noted that in 2004 works totaling 4.5 million
AMD are envisaged in Shushi City. Preliminary works on gasification
completed in Hadrut region.
Note as Mirzoyan stated earlier, SCJSC Artsakhgas plans to increase
the number of its subscribers by 4 thousand in 2004, at this in 2003
the company increased this number by 800. Totally at the moment about
700 subscribers of Stepanakert do not have gas yet. He said that only
in Stepanakert total works totaled 10 million AMD. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
ISC-STAR EXPRESSES ITS REGRET AS ARMENTEL’S LICENSE EXTENDED BY 3
MONTHS IN RA
YEREVAN, July 6. /ARKA/. ISC-Star expressed its regret as ArmenTel’s
license was extended by 3 months in RA . As the Information Service
of this Armenian- Russian-US JV told ARKA, the company confirms its
readiness to participate as operator on the telecommunication market
of RA. `We are long since ready to unfolding of full-scale high
quality and available mobile communication network in RA’, Eduard
Hakobyan, CEo fo the company said.
At the same time, the company’s delegation plans visiting Tbilisi for
submitting of application of interest for participation in tender for
receiving of mobile communication operator license in Georgia and
receiving of radio frequencies in the frames of 1800 MHz. The company
confirms its readiness to invest the resources as it would be
necessary for the construction of the mobile communication network on
the Georgian territory.
ISC Armenian-Russian-American joint venture was registered in Armenia
on Sept 24, 2001. The founders of the ISC-Star, JV are both legal and
physical entities of several foreign countries, including Russia and
residents of the Republic of Armenia. ISC-Star currently unites over
100 IP-communication and paging units all over the world.
*********************************************************************
ROBERT KOCHARIAN AND MIKHAIL SAHAKASHVILI DISCUSS PERSPECTIVES OF
MORE ACTIVE MUTUAL COOPERATION
YEREVAN, July 6. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian met the
Georgian President Mikhail Sahakashvili during his working visit to
Moscow on 2-4 July as well as the Igor Ivanov, Secretary of Russian
Security Council. As RA President Press Service told ARKA, during his
visit with Sahakashvili, the heads of two states discussed the issues
of development of mutual relationships, particularly more active
economic partnership as well as they touched upon the regional
issues. Ra President discussed with Ivanov the Armenian-Russian
bilateral relationships, regional problems and the issues related to
the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
During his visit, Kocharian received the heads of the CIS countries
in unofficial situation during which the heads were discussing the
issues of deepening of integration in the CIS, economic issues as
well actual problems of the international policy.
Ra President among the other CIS heads was present on Russian
President horse races on Moscow hippodrome. T.M. -0–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
July 1 2004
COURT OF REVIEW UPHOLDS EDGAR ARAKELIAN’S VERDICT
YEREVAN, JULY 1, ARMENPRESS: An Armenian appeals court upheld on
Wednesday the 18-month imprisonment of an opposition activist, Edgar
Arakelian, who hit a police officer by a plastic bottle when the
police used force to disperse an April 13 morning anti-government
demonstration, staged by the opposition forces.
The officer, hit by Arakelian, told the Review Court that the
strike did not cause damage to his health and that probably the young
man failed to see that he was hitting a police officer because of the
turned off street illumination.
The Review Court ruling came on an appeal by Edgar Arakelian
against the lower court verdict of May 26, but the panel of three
judges ruled eventually that the lower court decision was right.
Arakelian’s lawyer dismissed the ruling saying he will take the
case to the Court of Appeals..
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress