Category: News

Baku Today
Aug 13 2004
Azeri Soldier Captured by Armenian Forces Has Been Released
Today Anar Samadov, 21, a soldier of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces,
has been released from the Armenian captivity, the State Commission
on Work with Military Prisoners and Hostages told Turan on Friday.
Samadov, who was doing his military service in the «N» military unit
in Gapanli village of Terter District, was taken captive on August 2
after he lost his way and came closer to the positions of the
Armenian military units.

Athens Olympics official website
Aug 13 2004
Men’s Greco-Roman 84kg : ABRAHAMIAN (SWE) seeking medal
ATHENS, 12 August – Ara ABRAHAMIAN (SWE) is ready to compete for his
first Olympic medal.
The Armenian born wrestler, made his international debut for his
homeland at the 1996 European Championships, still competed for
Armenia as late as the 1998 World Championships before moving to
Sweden and representing his adopted country at the 1999 World
Championships.
ABRAHAMIAN, who finished sixth at the Sydney 2000 Games in the now
discontinued 76kg class, has won two world championships since.

In 2001 he claimed the 74kg class title in Patra, Greece before
jumping up to 84kg class the following year and winning again.

At last year’s World Championships in France he won the silver medal.

The Men’s Greco-Roman 84kg competition begins on Tuesday 24 August at
the Ano Liossia Olympic Hall.

Athens Olympics official website
Aug 13 2004
NAZARIAN aims for third gold in third weight class
ATHENS, 5 August – Two-time Olympic champion Armen NAZARIAN of
Bulgaria will be attempting to become the second Greco-Roman wrestler
in Olympic history to claim a title in three different weight
classes.
NAZARIAN, 30, won gold at the 1996 Olympic Games at 52 kg, when he
competed for his birth country, Armenia. At Sydney, he took gold at
58 kg. At the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, he will compete at 60 kg.
Sweden’s Carl Westergren is the only Greco-Roman wrestler who has won
gold medals in three different weight classes.
Cuban Filiberto AGUILERA AZCUY won Greco-Roman gold at 74kg at the
1996 Games, moved down to 69 kg to take gold in Sydney, and has now
returned to 74kg.
Hamza YERLIKAYA, 28, of Turkey won Greco-Roman gold at 82 kg in 1996
and at 85 kg in 2000, and has returned to 84 kg for Athens.
Only four Olympic wrestlers have won three gold medals, only two
achieving the feat in consecutive Olympic Games.

Athens Olympics official website
Aug 13 2004
Martirosyan (USA) going for gold
ATHENS, 5 August – American Welter Weight (69kg) Vanes Martirosyan
says he is going for gold in what is the toughest weight division in
the Olympic Games boxing tournament.
But to do so, the Armenian-born boxer will have to get past twice
World Champion Lorenzo Aragon Armenteros (CUB) and Oleg Saitov (RUS),
who is aiming to win his third Olympic gold medal.
At the Athens Olympic Test Event in May, Martirosyan lost to Aragon
Armenteros 36-29 in the semifinal.
But the American says he did not fight his own fight and the Cuban
tried to clinch throughout the bout.
`I am a better boxer than the Cuban and I know I can beat him,’ said
Martirosyan.
Martirosyan was introduced to the sport by his father, Norik, who had
also been an amateur boxer.
He is the third of four children and both his older and younger
brothers have also been involved in boxing.
His trainer, Bobby Lee, says Martirosyan is hard to hit and can score
points.
And he will need to score points if he is drawn against Aragon
Armenteros or Saitov.
The Russian scores well with methodical punching and counterpunching
and has strong defence.
Besides his two Olympic gold medals, Saitov also won the World
Championship in 1997 and two European titles (1998, 2004).
The Russian journalist could write himself into Olympic boxing
history if he wins in Athens.

ArmenPress
Aug 13 2004
NEWLY APPOINTED POLISH AMBASSADOR HANDED OVER HIS CREDENTIALS TO
PRESIDENT KOCHARIAN
YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, ARMENPRESS: The newly appointed Polish
ambassador to Armenia Tomasch Knotkhen handed over his credentials to
president Kocharian. According to president press services, Robert
Kocharian praised the present level of Armenian-Polish relations
saying that they are developing very dynamically. He underscored the
relations with Poland in the context of European policy of Armenia.
Noting that since May 1, 2004 Poland is a member of European Union,
the president said that Armenia has won a good partner in the face of
Poland within European structures. The sides underscored Armenian
president’s upcoming visit to Poland in September this year.

ArmenPress
Aug 13 2004
EBRD DENIES COOPERATION WITH NAGORNO KARABAKH
BAKU, AUGUST 13, ARMENPRESS: European Bank of Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD) has refuted Azeri media reports saying that EBRD
is funding business operations in Nagorno Karabakh. The bank sources
told Turan that the organization has not financed any operation in
the region. It was noted that EBRD provided 3 mln dollar to Armenian
Copper Factory in 2002 the director of which, Valeri Mejlumian, also
owns a company in Nagorno Karabakh. However, the bank sources assure
Turan agency that EBRD funds have not been directed to Nagorno
Karabakh.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
August 13, 2004 Friday 9:49 AM Eastern Time
Russia, Azerbaijan to discuss fight against terrorism
By Elvara Bakhshiyeva
MOSCOW
The fight against terrorism will be a key item on the agenda of talks
between the Russian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers, Sergei Lavrov
and Elmar Mamedyarov.
The Azerbaijani foreign ministers will make an official visit to
Moscow on August 17-19.
“Azerbaijan is Russia’s strategic partner in southern Caucasus,” a
Russian foreign policy expert told Itar-Tass, “our countries have the
same positions regarding the necessity to step up the fight against
international terrorism.”
The parties will pay special attention to the implementation of the
accords reached at the top level in the economic sphere, such as the
doubling of trade turnover and the development of the fuel and energy
sector, he added.
Lavrov and Mamedyarov are expected to discuss problems of working out
the legal status of the Caspian Sea and prospects of holding the
second Caspian summit.
Moscow welcomes the efforts to continue the Azerbaijani-Armenian
dialogue over the Nagorny Karabakh problem, and is ready to provide
an active contribution in the search for a mutually acceptable
settlement of the conflict, the expert said.

261 CASES OF TAX AND CUSTOMS OFFENCES REGISTERED IN FIRST HALF OF 2004
YEREVAN, August 13 (Noyan Tapan) The State Customs Committee
registered 20 cases of violation of the tax legislation in the first
half of 2004. According to the final report of the Committee, this
index decreased by 48% in comparison with last year. 241 cases of
violations were registered in the tax sphere during the period under
review. 164 cases regarding the above-mentioned tax violations were
sent to the Prosecutor’s Office for preliminary investigation, 11
criminal cases were instituted, criminal cases weren’t instituted on
27 cases. Damage of 71.7 mln drams (about 137,000 dollars) was
compensated during the investigation. 152 crimes directed against the
economic activities, including 22 cases of money and securities
forgery were registered at the RA Police bodies during the same
period. It should be mentioned that this index decreased by 8 in
comparison with the same period of last year.

THIS YEAR TECHNICAL EXAMINATION OF TRANSPORT MEANS TO COMPLETE ON
AUGUST 31
YEREVAN, August 13 (Noyan Tapan). The Public Relations Department of
the RA Police reports that according to the RA government’s decision
N461 of 24 July, 1998, this year the annual technical examination of
transport means will complete on August 31 . According to the report,
the State Motor Licensing Inspection calls on all the drivers and
reminds that it is necessary to present transport means for annual
technical examination in accordance with the set schedule in order to
avoid queues and gathering. The transport means, which will not pass
technical examination in the indicated terms, will be considered as
faulty and their further exploitation will be strictly prohibited.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CASE ON BEATING IN GAFE “BUNKER” INVESTIGATED IN PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE
OF KENTRON AND NORK-MARASH COMMUNITIES
YEREVAN, August 13 (Noyan Tapan). The case on the beating of the US
citizen David Bekker in the Yerevan cafe “Bunker” is in the
Prosecutor’s Office of the Kentron and Nork-Marash Communities of the
city. Alexan Andreasian, Prosecutor of the above-mentioned
communities, told NT’s correspondent that the case is at the stage of
study and the decision will be made in a set term on the basis of
investigation. To recap, as a result of the beating D. Bekker got
bodily injuries which, according to the investigation, were inflicted
by Arsen Harutiunian. According to the press publications, the latter
is the son of Colonel-General Mikael Harutiunian, Chief of the General
Staff of the RA Armed Forces.