Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

Pentagon reportedly to supervise NATO exercises in Azerbaijan
Ayna, Baku
10 Sep 04
Azerbaijani Defence Minister Col-Gen Safar Abiyev and the deputy
commander of the US European Command, Charles Wald, yesterday discussed
preparations for the 13-26 September NATO exercises Cooperative
Best Effort 2004 in Baku and the development of military cooperation
between Azerbaijan and the USA.
[Passage omitted: report from the Defence Ministry’s press service]
Nevertheless, yesterday’s meeting between Safar Abiyev and Charles Wald
contains aspects hidden from the Azerbaijani public. As a military
source told Ayna newspaper, at his meeting with Abiyev, Wald said
that Washington was concerned over causing the Azerbaijani public’s
distrust of NATO.
Recently the Azerbaijani public, including some official circles,
have been making anti-NATO statements. Azerbaijani Speaker Murtuz
Alasgarov, for example, issued a statement several days ago and
denounced NATO. He said that “NATO will never resolve the Karabakh
problem. The alliance is trying to set up a base for itself here. NATO
is planning to enter the Caucasus.”
The speaker said he understood people’s anxiety and added that “the
killers of our children cannot enter Azerbaijan”. Alasgarov said that
the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry should seriously deal with the issue.
“Armenians have occupied our lands. Now they want to arrive in Baku
to boast. Certainly, every sober-minded citizen of our country cannot
reconcile himself or herself to such disgrace. I understand people’s
protest, but everything should be carried out reasonably. Talks have
to be held with NATO’s leadership. I regard the military exercises
as inopportune at this moment,” Alasgarov said.
Obviously, the Pentagon in the current situation has taken control
of the Cooperative Best Effort 2004 exercises in Azerbaijan. Wald’s
impromptu arrival in Azerbaijan and discussions with certain officials
cannot be groundless. Wald is said to have told Safar Abiyev how
important the upcoming exercises were for Azerbaijan. However, whether
Armenian military officers will participate in the exercises remains
a mystery.
Our paper has learnt that Abiyev filled the US general in on the
existing dissatisfaction of the Azerbaijani public and political
circles with Armenian officers’ visit.
In turn, Wald said that he would report to NATO and the Pentagon
leadership on the matter.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Iranian president awarded title of Yerevan State University honorary doctor
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
9 Sep 04
[Presenter over video awarding ceremony] After visiting the
Tsitsernakaberd memorial complex, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami
visited Yerevan State University. After the warm reception in Yerevan
State University, the rector of the university, Radik Martirosyan,
announced the decision of the university’s scientific council to
award the university’s gold medal and the title of honorary doctor
to Seyyed Mohammad Khatami.
During the meeting with the university staff, Mohammad Khatami
spoke highly about historical relations between Iran and Armenia,
even regardless of the religious differences.
[Mohammad Khatami] The Armenians and Iranians have been like-minded
on science, the economy, politics and culture.

ARVEST.AM PORTAL TO COMMUNICATE INFORMATION ON CULTURE
ArmenPress
Sept 9 2004
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS: Presentation of arvest.am
cultural portal was held at the National Gallery of Armenia
yesterday. Susanna Harutunian, the chairwoman of the Armenian
Association of Cinematographs and Cinema Critics, said that the main
goal of the initiative is to create a virtual environment for which
Arvest.am journal, issued in 2002-2004, served as a foundation.
According to her, the updated portal will create new opportunities
for art lovers. Created with the efforts of the Association, the page
has six sections all dealing with art.
The first section is on Arvest.am virtual journal which is continuously
updated with new information. The second section contains information
on cultural events of the day. In the Storehouse section, some 110
state, private and public organizations are registered. The Forum
section provides the opportunity to the visitors of the portal to
communicate with each other on cultural themes. Materials section
encompasses information on laws on culture, sub-legislative acts,
government decision. In the next to last and final sections,
information is provided about partners and Armenian Association of
Cinematographs and Cinema Critics.

PRESS RELEASE
Cafesjian Museum Foundation
15A Nalbandian Street, #8
Yerevan, Armenia
Contact: Madlene Minassian
Tel: 374-1-56-72-62
Fax: 374-1-56-15-89
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
Yerevan, Armenia
September 7, 2004
The Cafesjian Museum Foundation Announces Selection of Architect and
Releases Preliminary Design for the Gerard L. Cafesjian Museum of
Contemporary Art.
Architect David Hotson Will Design $25 Million Contemporary Art Museum
in Armenia
Minneapolis, MN and Yerevan, Armenia –The Cafesjian Museum Foundation
has selected New York Architect David Hotson to design the Gerard L.
Cafesjian Museum of Contemporary Art, which will be built in Yerevan,
the capital city of the Republic of Armenia.
David Hotson, Principal of the firm of David Hotson Architect, is known
for the following projects: the design of the United Nations Offices
for the Secretary General; the design of the new facilities for the
media art organization, Eyebeam Atelier, located in West Chelsea
in Manhattan; the design of the residence of architect Santiago
Calatrava; and acting as Principal Architect working with designer
Maya Lin for the Museum of African Art in Manhattan, New York. “To
work in Armenia, a nation with such a powerful history and culture
on such an extraordinary site is an immense opportunity. The design
positions the Cafesjian Museum between the history and the future
of the Armenian Nation. It will beckon to the promise of Armenia’s
future while reflecting on its powerful heritage,” says David Hotson
who has fused many elements of the Armenian culture into his design
for the Museum.
The preliminary design, presented on September 7th of 2004 to a Yerevan
audience, treats the principal Museum building as an extension of the
Cascade, completing an animated pathway linking Tamanyan Park to the
Monument by exterior stairway and interior escalators. The Museum
building will provide a public plaza, ornamental pool, sculpture
courts, a café and an exterior cinema all accessible to passers-by
as well as visitors to the Museum itself. A prominent glass tower,
housing the Cafesjian glass collection, creates a vivid emblem for the
Museum on the skyline and compositionally balances the cinema screen
while preserving the central visual access of the Cascade. The Museum
design organizes major circulation paths to create framed vistas of
important symbolic elements of the surrounding cityscape, such as
the Mother Armenia Monument and Mount Ararat.
^ÓWe have been working with David for over two years and are very
excited to involve him in this project. I am particularly impressed
with his reaction to the site and the surrounding monuments, and
by the way he is using computer design techniques to design spaces
that capture specific views in visual ‘frames’ in surprising places
throughout the museum. David has demonstrated tremendous sensitivity
in his design. Unlike several of the designs that we rejected,
Hotson^Òs design emphasizes materials and construction techniques
readily available in Armenia. This allows us to put more money
and jobs into the Armenian economy. His experience, vision, and
understanding of the opportunity, make him a great choice to design
the museum. His preliminary concept shows tremendous insight.^Ô said
Gerard L. Cafesjian, founder of the Cafesjian Museum Foundation.
Slated for construction in 2004-2006, the museum will house Mr.
Cafesjian’s pre-eminent collection of glass artwork, including
the definitive collection of works by renowned artists Stanislav
Libensky and Jaroslava Brychtova. The permanent displays will also
include a broad range of prominent 20th century pieces including both
paintings and sculpture. Additionally, the museum will host a program
of world-class travelling exhibitions.
The Cafesjian Museum Foundation was founded in April 2002 by the
Republic of Armenia and Gerard Cafesjian for the purpose of developing
a world-class international museum of contemporary art and a cultural
center for Yerevan.

ARMENIAN PUBLIC HEALTH ALLIANCE UNDERSCORES ADOPTION OF ANTI-SMOKING LAW
ArmenPress
Sept 7 2004
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS: Reporters of several Armenian
newspapers and one TV station, namely- Respublika Armenia, Aravot,
Golos Armenii, The New Yerevan Times and H2 TV station were named as
winners of a competition for a wide coverage of anti-smoking campaign,
announced by the Armenian Public Health Alliance. Prizes were handed
over to the winners today.
the Armenian Public Health Alliance has been a functioning organization
for the second year now and has been implementing anti-smoking campaign
for the last 9 months aiming to raise public awareness about the
dangers of smoking.
The group also fought for Armenia’s signing of the Anti-Smoking
Frame Convention which was open for it by June 29. The alliance
members voiced their disappointment that Armenia did not join
the convention. The alliance has sent the Convention to Armenian
Constitutional Court which ruled that it does not run counter to the
Armenian Constitution and may be therefore signed.
Currently, an anti-smoking legislative package is under circulation
which will be presented to the discussions of the National Assembly
commissions on September 10. The alliance thinks that this law also
will be a step forward in fighting against smoking.

Polish minister says Iraqi authorities want number of Polish troops maintained
Trybuna, Warsaw
3 Sep 04
Excerpt from an interview with Polish Defence Minister Jerzy
Szmajdzinski by Andrzej Rudnicki, entitled “Fitful sleep” published
by Polish newspaper Trybuna on 3 September
Rudnicki Do thoughts of Iraq cause you to lose any sleep?
Szmajdzinski Yes, all too often. I do not think that is a good sign.
Rudnicki One year has passed since the multinational division under
the Polish command took over the south-central sector of Iraq. Was
it worth going in there?
Szmajdzinski If we look at it in the broader perspective, I think
it was. The very difficult and risky decisions we made, counter to
what the general public said, only go to show that Poland sees its
security to be indivisible. Our involvement in missions of this sort
stems from the need to ensure international security. This stood true
50 years ago, and it stood true one year ago. Iraq is a safer place
without Saddam, but that does not mean the process that is currently
under way in that country is secure.
Rudnicki Still, the reasons for attacking Iraq have proved to be
very dubious.
Szmajdzinski The US and UK intelligence services made their
miscalculations. Saddam refused to implement more than a dozen UN
Security Council resolutions. Iraq refused to observe the principles
that we had all embraced within the UN charter. The Saddam regime
threatened the Iraqi people and the entire population of the Middle
East. On the whole, our arguments seem to stand strong.
Passage omitted .
Rudnicki You had no doubt that Polish troops were sacrificing their
lives for a just cause?
Szmajdzinski Our activity in Iraq was received with support and
gratitude. Throughout one year we implemented projects developing
the Iraqi infrastructure, health care system, and education worth a
total of 50m zlotys approx. 13.6m dollars . The international community
was split when the operation began. Today, however, it has no doubt
that the situation in Iraq must be stabilized. The process is under
way: there is a provisional Iraqi government in place and Iraq has
a president.
Prime Minister Marek Belka received a letter from his Iraqi counterpart
Iyad Allawi on Thursday 2 September . He has heard that we are
planning to reduce the number of our troops in his country. He is
asking us not to do it and prevent destabilization. President Ghazi
Mish’al Ajil al-Yawar is to visit Poland in the next few days. A
delegation of the Iraqi Defence Ministry has visited us recently,
declaring that the Iraqi authorities expect us to keep our troops
in their country and help them develop and equip their army. Despite
the risks we have taken and the lives we have lost, we are carrying
out our mission of returning Iraq back to the Iraqi people.
Rudnicki What has Poland gained after one year of involvement in
the operation?
Szmajdzinski I find it difficult to talk about this. The Polish
government did not set any conditions when it made its decision. We
are carrying out this mission to ensure security in that part of the
world in the belief that it contributes to Polish and international
security. People abroad are speaking about Poland more kindly and
warmly today, they speak of our involvement and credibility. At
least this is what I see in my international contacts. In my view,
this translates into a warmer climate surrounding Poland as a serious
participant in these events.
Rudnicki Talks on the fourth shift of the Polish contingent in Iraq
have begun at the Warsaw Citadel. Will our troops be reduced in line
with earlier announcements, or will the Polish authorities heed the
Iraqi pleas and change their stance?
Szmajdzinski Taking part in the conference are representatives of
states involved in our division and Armenia, a new partner that is to
send 50 servicemen to Iraq. No one, Poland included, will reduce their
contingents before the Iraqi elections scheduled for January. We have
also decided to hand over Babylon back to the Iraqis. The command of
the division will probably relocate to al-Kadisiyah Province. We will
pull out of Karbala. The division will be relocated to the Babil,
Wasit and al-Kadisiyah provinces.
Rudnicki Will there be fewer troops?
Szmajdzinski Maybe. We are not discussing the size of the new
contingent at this point. This depends on how the situation in Iraq
develops, how the political process proceeds, and how soon an Iraqi
army that can replace us is formed. I am a moderate optimist as far as
the next few months are concerned. Our UN mandate expires at the turn
of 2005 and 2006. This means our military mission will come to an end
then. Unless the Iraqi government wants us to leave earlier, that is.
Rudnicki Thank you for the interview.

THE MESSAGE OF NKR PRESIDENT GHUKASSIAN
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
4 Sept 04
on September 2 we celebrate the birthday of the Republic of Nagorni
Karabakh. I congratulate you and the entire Armenian nation on
our chief holiday. Thirteen years ago the people of Artsakh made a
historical choice in favour of the creation of free and independent
Nagorni Karabakh. Time proved the rightness of this choice which was
marked with enormous effort of the people of Artsakh directed at the
defence of the young republic from foreign aggression, overcoming of
the hard consequences of the war, rehabilitation of the NKR economy,
its social and cultural spheres. Much was done in this short period
to build the statehood of Nagorni Karabakh based upon democracy and
protection of human rights. In the past thirteen years we managed to
create a corresponding legislative basis which enabled a successful
improvement of the economic complex of the country, the political,
legal and tax systems, as well as other spheres of life in NKR. The
recent elections to the local governments once again proved the
determination of the people and government of the Republic of
Nagorni Karabakh to follow the line of further democratization of
the public-political life of the country and building of a true
civil society in NKR. This irreparable process will soon find its
reflection in the Constitution of the Republic of Nagorni Karabakh,
which is presently being worked out. The success of the people of
Artsakh in the sphere of democratization does not pass unnoticed by
the foreign progressive forces. For most of them the fact that NKR is
not recognized is not a reason for prejudicial attitude. Fortunately,
the number of our friends abroad is growing day by day. I would like
to mention especially the growing role of the Armenian Diaspora in
the process of rehabilitation of Artsakh. I am convinced that this
role may be weightier in the international recognition of NKR. Life
goes on and we have a lot to fulfill. The government of the country
will carry on with its activity directed at the creation of new
jobs, and improvement of the social conditions of the insecure
part of the population and first of all the families of killed
azatamartiks, as well as pensioners, the disabled and families having
many children. At the same time we have to seriously deal with the
questions of a full exploitation of the economic potential of Nagorni
Karabakh, which will allow relieving social stratification within
the society. However, for creative work lasting peace is necessary,
therefore the government of the country will later continue paying
permanent attention to strengthening the NKR Defence Army. The
training of the army provided with modern armament displayed to the
enemies of Artsakh its effectiveness and ability to solve the most
complicated problems referring to the security of Nagorni Karabakh
and its people. I again confirm that the NKR government is absolutely
for the peaceful settlement of the conflict. I think if the government
of Azerbaijan shows good will and sincere wish to solve the Karabakh
conflict in mutually acceptable conditions, the efforts of the OSCE
Minsk Group may produce positive results. Nevertheless, I assure you
that no one can take away from us the freedom and independence gained
at such a high price. Peace and prosperity to you, dear people of
Artsakh. Livelong the Republic of Nagorni Karabakh!
AA.
04-09-2004

Children face deep trauma
The Star Online
Saturday September 4, 2004
PARIS: The children ensnared in the three-day hostage drama in North
Ossetia will have probably suffered major psychological damage and
some may never get over their ordeal completely, a French expert
warned yesterday.
Gilbert Vila, a paediatrician who specialises in child trauma at Necker
Hospital, said a child subjected to a deep shock of this kind was
likely to show a long range of symptoms, including anxiety, depression,
turbulence at school and problems in his family relationships.
“This case is of the gravest kind,” he said. “The psychological
problems will be major.”
Vila has authored several studies into the psychological impact on
children who suffer a catastrophic shock, including a group of primary
schoolchildren taken hostage at their school in the Paris suburb of
Neuilly in 1993.
Detailed research into Cambodian children who were tortured under
the Pol Pot regime and Armenian children who survived an earthquake
shows that, for most victims, the big symptoms will gradually ease
but for a minority, the problems will be lifelong, Vila said.
In those cases, 90% of the children showed significant trauma symptoms
during the first few weeks after their trauma.
That figure fell to 50% after six months, and to around 15% two or
three years later. Some, though, were never completely cured.
In the Cambodian study, “some children who were aged between eight
and 12 years at the time of their ordeal were still experiencing
problems at the age of 30,” he said.
More than half of the children in this category had problems that
seriously hampered their daily life.
As for very young children and babies, “we still lack data” on the
long-term repercussions, said Vila, noting however that there had been
cases of children younger than four “who showed the same post-trauma
symptoms as (US) Vietnam vets.” – AFP

STRATEGY OF ARMENIAN OPPOSITION’S STRUGGLE AGAINST LEADERSHIP UNDERWENT NO CHANGES
02.09.2004 18:39
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The strategy of the struggle undertaken by the
opposition against the leadership has not undergone any changes,
members of Justice opposition bloc stated at the sitting of the Council
today. They also noted that the political forces, which making part
of the bloc will continue to boycott the sittings of the Armenian
National Assembly and will struggle against the ruling regime outside
the parliament by organizing rallies in the capital city and regions.

Prague meeting with Azerbaijani foreign minister positive – Armenian FM
Interfax
Sept 2 2004
YEREVAN. Sept 2 (Interfax) – The Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign
ministers who held discussions in Prague on August 30 have described
the meeting as a step forward in the Karabakh settlement.
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian told the Armenian public
television that Armenia and Azerbaijan are laying a foundation for
further negotiations so that they can start discussing specific
aspects of the settlement process.
“The foundation has not been laid yet but we are working on it. I
positively regard the Prague meeting because it was the most important
of four contacts with my Azerbaijani colleague in laying the further
negotiations’ basis,” Oskanian said.
Armenian President Robert Kocharian and Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev will meet again during a CIS summit in Astana in September.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress