Author: Nalbandian Albert

LARGE-SCALE PROGRAM ON INDUSTRIAL RE-EQUIPMENT TO BE IMPLEMENTED AT
“ARMENAL”

YEREVAN, August 16 (Noyan Tapan). RA President Robert Kocharian
received a delegation headed by Alexander Livshiz, Deputy Director
General of the Russian “Rusal” company, on August 16. Presenting
programs connected with the activities of the “Armenal” company and
the process of their implementation, A. Livshiz mentioned that it is
expected that the large-scale program on industrial re-equiment will
be implemented attracting foreign investors. According to him, due to
it “Armenal” will become one of the most up-to-date enterprises in the
territory of the CIS and Europe. He also informed the RA President
that the financial mechanisms of the program are also elaborated
today.

Armenian foreign minister, US envoy to OSCE discuss expanding cooperation

Arminfo
12 Aug 04

YEREVAN

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan and the US ambassador to the
OSCE, Stephan M. Minikes, have discussed prospects for settling the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.

At the meeting the sides discussed the activities of OSCE structures
and departments, including its Yerevan office, and wide-ranging
problems related to regional security, the press service of the
Armenian Foreign Ministry told Arminfo news agency.

The sides expressed their hope that cooperation between Armenia and
the OSCE will continue and deepen in a constructive way.

IDEX Online, Israel
Aug 11 2004

Armenia’s Diamond Polishing Drops in Value

(August 11, ’04, 5:23 Edahn Golan)

Armenia’s diamond polishing efforts fell 17 percent during the first
half of the year to 63.1 billion dram ($113.7 million) while
increasing in weight.

Karen Chshmaritian, Armenia’s Trade and Economic Development
Minister, says the increase in carat output is due to stronger global
demand for smaller gems.

Armenia has imported 70,000 carats of rough diamonds from Russia
under a government-to-government agreement during the first six
months of the year

Armenia is interested in importing up to 400,000 carats of rough
diamonds this year under the agreement with Russia.

ARMENIAN CHILDREN PARTICIPATE IN FESTIVAL “LET’S CHANGE WORLD FOR THE
BETTER” HELD IN “ARTEK”

YEREVAN, August 11 (Noyan Tapan). The Armenian delegation also
participated in the festival “Let’s Change World for the Better” held
in the “Artek” international camp from July 15 to August 4. Arsen
Soghomonian, Chief of the Department on Youth Policies of the RA
Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs, said during the August 10 press
conference that for the fourth year in succession the festival makes
it its aim to contribute to mutual acquaintance with the national
traditions and customs, the establishmnet of friendly relations
between children of different nationalities, creating in different
spheres of art: the decorative-applied arts, vocal, ethnographic,
musical, dance and in the sphere of painting. 20 out of 50 Armenian
children aged 11-15, who submitted applications for participation in
the festival, were selected: members of the “Nane” show-ballet,
participants of the “Melanzh” trio, laureates of the Fund of V.
Spivakov, participants of different international competitions.

According to Narine Topalian, Artistic Director of “Nane”, Armenian
children took an active part in the competitions organized during the
festival and received many diplomas. And the performance of the
“Melanzh” trio so delighted the audience that it was invited to
perform with concerts in the neighboring camps. The Armenian children
also performed with concerts in the yard of the Armenian church of
Yalta. Narine Topalian also said that in “Artek” there were
disagreements with the delegation of Azerbaijan, which treated it
badly with the children from Armenia. But members of the Ukrainian
delegation warned them that “Artek” is a children’s camp, and children
are connected with politics in no way.

ARKA News Agency
Aug 9 2004

18 Armenian sportsmen to take part in Olympic Games in Athens

Second round of municipal elections to take place on August 22 in
Nagorno Karabakh

The ceremony of opening of a renovated building of Gevorgyan
theological seminary takes place in Etchmiadsin

Elections to local governing institutions to create more
opportunities for the international recognition of NKR

Education campaign on using electronic systems of regional government
in the RA communities to begin from August

A military servant of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces arrested on the
North -East part of the state border of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

Belarus session of Armenian-Belarus Intergovernmental Commission on
Trade and Economic Cooperation opens today in Minsk

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18 ARMENIAN SPORTSMEN TO TAKE PART IN OLYMPIC GAMES IN ATHENS

YEREVAN, August 9. /ARKA/. 18 Armenian sportsmen will take part in
Olympic Games in Athens, RA Government press office told ARKA.
Preliminary stage took place very successfully: all technical and
material issues were settled.
At the meeting with the sportsmen RA Prime Minister Andranik
Margarian noted that Armenia, Artsakh and Spurk with hope expect
successful performance of Armenian sportsmen. `Every single victory
of yours, raising of Armenian flag and sound of hymn will give our
people additional strength and surge of pride’, he said.
Armenian sportsmen will compete in 9 types of sports competitions.
Armenian delegation also includes official representatives, coaches
and mass media representatives. L.D. –0 –

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SECOND ROUND OF MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS TO TAKE PLACE ON AUGUST 22 IN
NAGORNO KARABAKH

STEPANAKERT, August 9. /ARKA/. Second round of municipal elections
will take place on August 22 in Nagorno Karabakh, NKR Central
Election Commission. During the elections no one of 5 candidates for
mayor of Stepanakert did not collect necessary 50 and above percents
of votes. Second tour will be conducted among Ex Vice Mayor of
Stepanakert Pavel Nadjarian (43% of votes) and Chairman of Regular
Commission on Social Issues of NKR National Assembly Eduard Agabekian
(about 33%).
According to preliminary data, 61.1% of votes took part in the
elections. 41.1% of the votes took part in the elections in
Stepanakert. L.D. –0–

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THE CEREMONY OF OPENING OF A RENOVATED BUILDING OF GEVORGYAN
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY TAKES PLACE IN ETCHMIADSIN

YEREVAN, August 9. /ARKA/. The ceremony of opening of a renovated
building of Gevorgyan theological seminary took place in Etchmiadsin,
according to St. Etchmiadsin press service department. According to
the press-release, repair works were carried out at the expense of
American sponsors of Armenian origin Gevorg and Sirvard Hovnanyans.
According to the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin the Second, the
seminary always had an important mission. `With opening of the
seminary the dreams of many preceding Catholicoses came true: exactly
seminaries helped the Armenian nation to preserve its originality,
raise children according to the Armenian spirit’, he said.
About 30 members of the Hovnanians family were present on the
ceremony of opening of the seminary, as well as the members of the
Supreme Ecclesiastical Council, the Chairman of the Constitution
Court Gagik Harutyunyan, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport
Hovik Hoveyan, the Chairman of RA NAS Fadei Sargsyan.
Gevorgyan theological seminary exists already for 130 years. A.H.
–0–

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ELECTIONS TO LOCAL GOVERNING INSTITUTIONS TO CREATE MORE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF NKR

STEPANAKERT, August 9. /ARKA/. Elections to local governing
institutions will create more opportunities for the international
recognition of NKR, according to Arkadi Ghukasian, the NKR President.
According to him, the elections to local governing institutions are a
symbol of democracy. Commenting the recent statement of the Secretary
General of the Council of Europe Walter Schwimmer about the
unacceptability of holding municipal elections in NKR, Ghukasian
found the statement strange, noting that he doesn’t understand the
motivation of the protest against the lections, according to which
the reason is that NKR status is not definite yet and that it should
be defined on OSCE Minsk Group conference. `Today we do not discuss
the issue of NKR’s status, since it’s defined by our nation. We elect
governors of cities and villages, and an alternative to elections is
a dictatorship. It’s strange that European politicians and diplomats
make such statements to the detriment of democratic values’,
Ghukasian said. A.H. –0–

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EDUCATION CAMPAIGN ON USING ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS OF REGIONAL GOVERNMENT
IN THE RA COMMUNITIES TO BEGIN FROM AUGUST

YEREVAN, August 9. /ARKA/. Beginning from August E- Armenia
Foundation together with UNDP and Project Harmony office will begin
education campaign on using electronic systems of regional government
in the RA communities. As the Executive Director of E- Armenia
Foundation Levon Galstyan stated on a press conference, the
implementation of the program will begin already tomorrow in Kotaik
region, and by September Shirak region will be involved into the
program. As he said, the goal of the campaign is to introduce the
regional system of e-governance so that people had closer
communication with the authorities by means of IT.
In his turn Artashes Darbinyan, the Coordinator of the UNDP program
on democratization and IT, noted that a site of the governing
institutions of RA regions is created already in the frames of the
program. The site is at `Each region has its own
server, which is in administrative buildings of the regions, and the
information on the site is published by the workers of administrative
structures’, he said. He also noted that internet-centers adjunct to
the administrations of the regions are opened, and each person can
get information about the region.
The program is implemented by E-Armenia Foundation together with UNDP
and Project Harmony Office with the support of Swiss Development
Co-operation Agency (SDCA). It has been implemented since February
2001. UNDP has invested about $600 thsd for the implementation of the
program, and the Swiss side assigned about $525 thsd for the last two
years. The system of e-payments for utility services was introduced
with the support of CBA and ArCa in Armenia in 2003 in the frames of
the program. Besides, Armenia became the second country in the
country, which introduced the system of e-visa.
Project Harmony Office operates in Armenia since 2000 and implements
a program on Schools Intercommunication over the republic. At the
moment 270 schools are involved into the network.
`E-Armenia’ Foundation implements Armenia Development Gateway program
in the country. The Foundation contributes to e-development in
Armenia, and carries out investigations in the field of electronic
development. A.H. –0–

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A MILITARY SERVANT OF THE AZERBAIJANI ARMED FORCES ARRESTED ON THE
NORTH -EAST PART OF THE STATE BORDER OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC

STEPANAKERT, August 9. /ARKA/. On the North -East part of the state
border of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) a military servant of the
Azerbaijani Armed Forces Samedov Anar Misha, the citizen of Baku born
in 1983, was arrested by the military servants of NKR Defense Army
when he was crossing the line of demarcation. According to ARKA’s
reporter from Stepanakert, NKR State Committee on prisoners of war
and missing soldiers informed the offices of Red Cross International
Committee (RCIC) and OSCE accredited in Stepanakert about the
incident in the frames of the international commitments of NKR in the
area of human rights.
At present, the proper structures of the republic investigate the
circumstances and reasons of violation the borders of NKR by an
Azerbaijani soldier.
The authorities of the republic allowed RCIC representtaives to visit
Samedov freely. The office of RCIC is also informed of the readiness
of NKR authorities to pass Samedov to the Azerbaijani side in case
they agree to accept him back. A.H. – 0–

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BELARUS SESSION OF ARMENIAN-BELARUS INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMISSION ON
TRADE AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION OPENS TODAY IN MINSK

YEREVAN, August 9. /ARKA/. The Belarus session of Armenian-Belarus
Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation opens
today in Minsk. The session is headed by the Gennadiy Kurochkin, the
Belarus Minister of Architecture and Construction. According to Press
Service Department of Belarus Embassy in Armenia, the sides plan to
discuss pressing issues of bilateral trade and economic cooperation,
identify further steps aimed at intensification of economic relations
between Armenia and Belarus. Among the main points of the agenda are
questions related to cooperation of the two countries in spheres of
mechanical engineering, energy and energy conservation, interregional
relations and culture. The holding of the 6th joint session of the
Commission is planned for September 2004 in Minsk, in accordance with
the protocol of the 5th session of Armenian-Belarus Commission on
Trade and Economic Cooperation (October 2003). Representatives from a
number of Ministries and Departments will take part in the session,
including Ministries of Industry, Agriculture and Supply, Trade,
Committee on Energy Efficiency attached to the Council of Ministries
of Belarus, Belresursi, Bellesburprom, Belenergo and Belcoopsojuz
Holdings. L.V.–0 –

Los Angeles Daily News
Aug 7 2004

Officers say burglary ring caught in act, arrests made

By Jason Kandel
Staff Writer

Five members of a Russian-Armenian organized crime syndicate engaged
in a series of burglaries that targeted cigarette, jewelry and pawn
shops across the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles County,
authorities reported Friday.

Their arrests dealt a crushing blow to the burglary ring, which
netted them millions of dollars worth of jewelry, cash and tobacco
products.

“They’re a full-service organization … dealing in all types of
burglaries and fraud,” said Deputy District Attorney Ronald Goudy,
who’s prosecuting the case. “We’ve recovered probably a million
dollars in property.”

Ashot Avoyan, 42; Suren Melkonyan, 46; Andranik Grigoryan, 29; Arsak
Grygoryan, 36; and John Nazarian, 32; have been charged with multiple
counts of burglary. All but Andranik Grigoryan were being held at the
Los Angeles County Jail. Bail ranged from $50,000 to no bail. They
face arraignment Monday.

Police were still searching for the suspected ringleader, Ara
Karapetian, 42, who is wanted on a $2 million arrest warrant in
connection with a June 13 burglary of a Van Nuys pawn shop, the same
heist that the other five suspects are accused in.

Karapetian’s attorney, Gharo Ghazarian, declined to comment.

Alex Kessel, the lawyer representing Andranik Grigoryan, said his
client is innocent and was wrongfully arrested near a Van Nuys pawn
shop.

“My guy was jogging around in his neighborhood,” said Kessel, whose
client is free on bail. “He has no connection to this burglary
whatsoever.”

Attorneys for the other suspects did not return calls.

For the first time since their arrests in June, police on Friday
spoke about the ring, which they say used sophisticated means to
commit its heists. The suspects allegedly drilled through the roofs
of at least a dozen jewelry stores and pawn shops, then disabled the
alarm systems and hauled out safes before disappearing.

“They’ve done a lot of damage to us,” said Detective Dan Schultz of
the Los Angeles Police Department’s Commercial Crimes Division. “They
started out burglarizing cigarette warehouses, then welfare fraud and
commercial burglary. They’re multitalented.”

Police suspect that Karapetian — who is believed to have connections
to the Armenian mob — carried out the day-to-day operations of his
criminal enterprise and also took part in the nighttime burglaries.

Sheriff’s Detective Alex Gilinets, with the department’s major crimes
bureau, said their hunt for Karapetian is continuing, and that the
suspected ringleader has contacted investigators while on the lam.

“I’ve had conversations with Ara over the phone. He appears to be
very distraught and upset. He says he’s innocent, but if he was
innocent he would turn himself in,” Gilinets said.

Karapetian lives in the Glendale Hills area and owns two clothing
stores and a money-transfer business that helps local Armenians send
money home. He also has residences in Las Vegas, the United Arab
Emirates and Armenia, police said.

Detectives have issued wanted posters for Karapetian to police
agencies and jewelers alliances across the nation. Interpol, the
international law enforcement agency, has also been notified.

“We’ve been by his house a half-dozen times,” Schultz said. “We go by
his businesses regularly. I wouldn’t be surprised if he surrenders.”

Sheriff’s investigators began tracking the ring in June when a
surveillance camera caught several men trying to haul a safe out of a
Crescenta Valley jewelry store. The probe eventually ballooned into a
multiagency undercover task force involving the Sheriff’s Department,
the LAPD, the District Attorney’s Office and the Glendale Police
Department. Police caught up with the crew June 13 during a
surveillance operation outside a Van Nuys pawn shop. As the suspects
walked out of the shop, and began to leave, police stopped them and
made arrests. Karapetian got away, leaving behind his California
driver’s license, Gilinets said. Nobody was injured.

“They were very smooth, but of course, everybody’s got their flaws,”
Gilinets said. “Eventually they stood out, and they were caught.”

Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
Aug 6 2004

Iran/Azerbaijan: Iranian President Visits Azerbaijan, Calls For
Closer Ties
By Antoine Blua

Ilham Aliyev said relations with Iran are improving

Prague, 6 August 2004 (RFE/RL) — Azerbaijan and Iran share a border
but this has not been enough to foster close relations between the
two. Iranian President Mohammad Khatami is visiting Azerbaijan this
week. It’s the first official trip to the neighboring country by an
Iranian leader in more than 10 years.

The three-day trip began yesterday and featured talks between Khatami
and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Speaking after the meeting,
Khatami called for closer bilateral ties. He said history and
geography have brought the fates of the two countries together.

“The border between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of
Azerbaijan is a border of peace, friendship, and brotherhood,”
Khatami said.

Khatami said an Azerbaijani consular office will open in the
northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz, the center of an Iranian
province where millions of ethnic Azeris live. The sides also signed
an agreement to improve road and rail links and to fund building an
electricity line between Imisli in southern Azerbaijan and Astara at
the Iranian border. “We have always felt Iran’s support in the
conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.” –
Aliyev

Azerbaijani leader Aliyev expressed satisfaction about the
agreements, saying he believes relations between Azerbaijan and Iran
are developing successfully. “The implementation of the agreements
signed will create thousands of jobs in Azerbaijan,” he said. “And
agreements on energy and gas swaps will allow us to provide [the
Autonomous Republic of] Nakichevan, which is integral part of
Azerbaijan, with electricity and gas.”

On the political front, Aliyev praised Iran for what he called its
“support” for Azerbaijan in the conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh
enclave. “We have always felt Iran’s support in the conflict between
Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh,” he said. “And we are
still feeling that today.”

Khatami said Iran is ready to contribute to a peaceful solution of
the conflict. He added that Iran considers Nagorno-Karabakh part of
Azerbaijan and that the use of force in settling international
problems is “unacceptable.”

However, talks did not produce any breakthrough on the issue of the
maritime borders of the Caspian Sea, which touches both countries.
The legal status of the Caspian, which contains large reserves of oil
and gas, has been in dispute since the Soviet Union collapsed in
1991.

Davood Hermidas Bavand teaches international law in Tehran. He said
the visit was important nevertheless. “The significance of the visit
is [the] development of good neighborly relationships with
Azerbaijan, bearing in mind that we have certain difficulties with
that state in connection with the Caspian Sea,” he said. “The very
objective of this visit is to [come to terms with] existing problems.
When the two parties accept this kind of communication, it’s an
indication that there is a certain intention for improvement of the
existing problems.”

Experts in Baku suggested the two sides would also discuss the
growing U.S. military presence in Azerbaijan, which has contributed
to the U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq. But neither side was ready
to comment.

Khatami addressed Azerbaijan’s parliament today and met with the
parliamentary speaker. He is expected to visit Ganca, Azerbaijan’s
second-largest city, tomorrow before returning to Iran.

NUMBER OF VILLAGES PROTESTING AGAINST CONSTRUCTION OF
BAKU-TBILISI-JEYHAN OIL-PIPELINE IN BORZHOM REGION INCREASES

AKHALKALAK, August 4 (Noyan Tapan). The village of Tsikhisjvari of the
Borzhom region also expresses protest against construction of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan oil-pipeline. This village is populated with
Armenians, Georgians and Greeks. According to the A-Info agency, the
patience of the residents of the above-mentioned village was exhausted
in late July. The residents of the village closed the
Bakuriani-Tapatsghuri road as a token of protest. The sector of the
road passing through Tsikhisjvari was damaged beacuse of constant
running of the “British Peroleum” (BP) heavy lorries. The most part of
the waterpipe supplying the village with water is out of order. The BP
machines also damaged the bridge of the village. The BP
representatives met with the residents of the village and promised
them to restore the road and the bridge.

ISLAMIC CONFERENCE CONDEMNS LOCAL POLLS IN BREAKAWAY KARABAKH

Turan news agency
3 Aug 04

BAKU

The secretary-general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference
(OIC), Abdelouahed Belkeziz, has sent a letter to the Azerbaijani
foreign minister, condemning the “local elections” in Nagornyy
Karabakh scheduled for 8 August.

The press service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reports that in
his letter, the OIC head confirms the OIC resolutions demanding that
Armenia vacate the occupied Azerbaijani territories, including
Nagornyy Karabakh.

The letter says further that the “illegal elections” in Nagornyy
Karabakh will have a “negative” impact on a negotiated settlement to
the conflict.

RESIDENTS OF TAPATSGHUR GET NO COMPENSATION IN CONNECTION WITH
CONSTRUCTION OF BAKU-TBILISI-JEYHAN OIL-PIPELINE

AKHALKALAK, August 2 (Noyan Tapan). On July 28, special troops of the
Ministry of Interior of Georgia were brought to the village of
Tapatsghur of the Borzhom region. The reason of the anxiety is the
fact that the residents of Tapatsghur may hamper the construction of
the Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan oil-pipeline.

According to the A-Info agency, the residents of this Armenian village
have got no compensation in connection with construction of the
oil-pipeline by now. This was motivated by wrong distribution of
lands. In June the Supreme Court of Georgia transferred solution of
the issue to the regional court of Borzhom, which decided to give
monetary compensation to the whole village and not to a part of
it. But no compensation was given to the village even after the court
decision. The residents of Tapatsghur tilled with indignation threaten
to prohibit beginning of the construction of the oil-pipeline.