Category: News

THERE WILL BE VACANCIES ON NATURAL-SCIENTIFIC SPECIALTIES OF HIGHER
SCHOOLS OF YEREVAN AND REGIONS
YEREVAN, August 4 (Noyan Tapan). As of August 2, 13,958 applicants
took examinations in the higher schools of Armenia, 19% of them
received 19 and 20 points, and 13% received unsatisfactory marks. RA
Minister of Education and Science Sergo Yeritsian said during the
August 3 press conference that a 100% excellent result was registered
on the “Persian language” examination: one applicant who took an
examination on this subject received 20 points. According to the RA
Minister, the high result on the “German language” and “French
language” subjects is registered this year: 42% and 35%, respectively.
In comparison with last year works estimated as unsatisfactory were
more on the subject “History of Armenian People” (28% instead of 22%
of last year). According to the RA Minister, the number of applicants
who didn’t come to the examination decreased by 10% in comparison with
last year. 1,120 works have been appealed from July 20 up to
day. Marks of 963 out of them remained unchanged, and they were raised
in 157 cases. The greatest number of appeals was submitted on the
subject “mathematics” (416 cases) and mark were raised in 46
cases. Marks were increased only in 10 works out of 200 works given
for the repeat appeal (by 1 point). The Minister said that parents
were also present at oral examinations this year for the first time,
as a result the number of appeals decreased sharply. Sergo Yeritsian
also said that the vacancies will remain on the line of
natural-scientific specialties as a result of the competition in the
higher schools of Yerevan and the regions. Additional competitions
will be announced for them. The greatest number of the maximal point
(20 points) made 304 on the “Armenian language-1” subject from July 20
to present. And the number of minimal points (below 8) was registered
on the subject “mathematics” – 484.

ARMENIAN WEIGHT-KIFTERS RETURN FROM EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP WITH MEDALS
YEREVAN, August 4 (Noyan Tapan). Armenian representative Tigran
Martirosian from Gyumri participated in the European Junior
Championship on Weight-Lifting, which was held in the Norwegian city
of Stavanger. Tigran Martirosian placed first in his weigh class of 62
kilograms and won the title of the European champion. Besides the
European big gold medal the Armenian weight-kifter was awarded with
two small gold medals in “dash” and clean and jerk exercises. Artak
Ghazarian won three silver medals (over 94 kilograms), he won in the
double-event.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
08/04/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Montana's Burns Becomes 40th Senate Supporter of Human Rights Measure 2) Press Undermined in Azerbaijan, Reports Human Rights Watch 3) Russian Lawmaker under Fire in Conflict Zone 4) Azeri Official Declares Armenia Will be Azerbaijan's in Coming Decades 1) Montana's Burns Becomes 40th Senate Supporter of Human Rights Measure WASHINGTON, DC--Montana Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) agreed this week to cosponsor the Genocide Resolution, S.Res.164, bringing the number of US Senators supporting this human rights measure to forty, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). "I am proud to join with 39 of my Senate colleagues in support of S.Res.164," said Senator Burns in a statement to the ANCA. "This legislation stresses the importance of remembering and learning the lessons of past crimes against humanity, including the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust, and the Cambodian and Rwandan genocides, in an effort to stop future atrocities. Silence in the face of genocide only encourages those who would commit such atrocities in the future--a legacy which we cannot afford to pass on to our children." "Armenian Americans, in Montana and across the United States, join in thanking Senator Burns for his principled stand in defense of the fundamental right of all people to live free from the terrors of genocide," said ANCA-Western Region Executive Director Ardashes Kassakhian, who traveled to Montana in late July to meet with members of the state's Congressional delegation, along with local community activist Yedvart Tchakerian. "We have been very encouraged, in recent months, by the increasing effectiveness of our grassroots outreach in the Northern Plain states, with Senators from Montana and both North and South Dakota supporting the Genocide Resolution, and the governors of Idaho, Nebraska, and Montana issuing proclamations commemorating the Armenian Genocide." The Genocide Resolution marks the 15th anniversary of the US implementation of the Genocide Convention and reaffirms the commitment of the American people to this landmark treaty. It specifically cites the importance of applying the lessons of past genocides in order to make the world safe from future genocides. Senators John Ensign (R-NV) and Jon Corzine (D-NJ) introduced this measure in June of last year. Its companion measure in the US House, H.Res.193, led by Representatives George Radanovich (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), was adopted unanimously by the House Judiciary Committee last May and currently has 111 cosponsors. On July 15th, the US House passed an amendment, authored by Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), which prohibited the government of Turkey from using US foreign aid dollars to lobby against the Genocide Resolution. Support for the Genocide Resolution has been widespread outside of Congress as well, with a diverse coalition of over 100 ethnic, religious, civil and human rights organizations calling for its passage, including American Values, National Organization of Women, Sons of Italy, NAACP, Union of Orthodox Rabbis, and the National Council of La Raza. For information about Senator Burns, who serves on the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, visit: <; 2) Press Undermined in Azerbaijan, Reports Human Rights Watch NEW YORK (HRW)-Azerbaijan's government should act now to stop the deterioration of press freedom underway since the October presidential elections, Human Rights Watch said in a briefing paper released today. Azeri authorities have failed to prosecute police responsible for attacks on journalists, imposed crippling damages in civil defamation suits, and manipulated resources to pressure independent or opposition media outlets. "The political crackdown that followed last year's election has had a lasting, harmful effect on press freedom in Azerbaijan, said Rachel Denber, acting executive director of Human Rights Watch's Europe and Central Asia division. "The government can reverse this by finally acknowledging that police have used excessive force against journalists covering demonstrations, and also by capping the crippling damages often levied in defamation suits." Azerbaijan's October presidential election, which the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe called "fraudulent," led to massive street demonstrations and excessive police violence to quell them. In the aftermath of the violence, the government then unleashed a crackdown against the political opposition and the independent and opposition media. Rapporteurs from the Monitoring Committee of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly are scheduled to arrive in Azerbaijan today to examine Azerbaijan's compliance with its commitments and obligations to the Council of Europe. The 18-page briefing paper, based on interviews in Azerbaijan with journalists, editors, government officials and media rights groups, details how the security forces attacked journalists during the demonstrations. While not a single security agent was held responsible, the authorities filed charges against an opposition activist who allegedly assaulted a pro-government reporter during a demonstration. A journalist for an independent wire service who was beaten by police at one of the demonstrations was subpoenaed to testify in court, but as a witness for the prosecution against opposition members accused of the post-election violence. His testimony about police severely beating him did not lead to any action against those responsible. "Impunity for police violence against journalists gives police a green light to use violence again," said Denber. Among those currently on trial for organizing the street demonstrations is Rauf Arifoglu, editor-in-chief of a leading opposition newspaper, Yeni Musavat. Human Rights Watch is calling for his immediate release pending the outcome of his trial. The Azeri government abolished pre-publication censorship in 1998, but has since then imposed considerable informal restrictions on the media, which have sharpened since last year's election. Government officials or those closely connected to the government are invariably the plaintiffs in civil defamation suits against independent or opposition media. Prohibitive fines imposed on these outlets have forced them to suspend publication, suggesting that the courts aimed primarily to cripple or close them. Television media is overwhelmingly pro-government. The Human Rights Watch briefing paper describes how the government informally manipulates private broadcast media, newspaper-distribution networks and printing presses, and blocks access to information for journalists working for the independent press. "Taken together, these are methods of control and intimidation, aimed at setting unreasonable restrictions on media content without resorting to formal censorship," said Denber. Since the election, the Azeri government has taken some measures to rectify abuses against journalists. On a joint initiative with the Press Council, a nongovernmental umbrella group, it established a permanent commission to prevent and resolve conflict between media representatives and the authorities. "The establishment of the permanent council is a welcome step, but it falls far short of what's needed to promote a free and independent media in Azerbaijan," said Denber. Human Rights Watch called on the Azerbaijan's government to ensure the founding of a genuinely independent public television station, abolish criminal libel, introduce caps on civil libel suits and prosecute those responsible for attacks on journalists. The briefing paper, Azerbaijan: Media, the Presidential Elections and the Aftermath, can be found at 3) Russian Lawmaker under Fire in Conflict Zone (Civil Georgia/Itar Tass)--Georgian Deputy Security Minister Gigi Ugulava refuted on August 4, reports that Georgian troops fired on Andrei Kokoshin, who chairs the Russian Duma's Committee for CIS affairs. According to the spokesman for South Ossetia Special Functions Ministry, the incident took place in the South Ossetian conflict area, near the village of Sarabuk. Pliyev said the car was attacked by Georgia. "According to the information available to us, the passengers in the car--Andrei Kokoshin and the co-chairmen of the Joint Control Commissions are alive," he stated. After the car came under fire, Georgian interior troops stationed in conflict zone heavily shelled Sarabuk. The village was fired on from a detour road. There have been no reports of civilian casualties, the spokesman said. Georgia refuted the accounts saying that the Ossetian side opened fire "in the direction of the Georgian peacekeepers, and the Georgian side responded to it," Ugulava told a press briefing. "This will always happen in case of an attack." "I declare with full responsibility, this was a provocation masterminded by the Ossetian side," Ugulava said, adding that had Georgia been notified of Kokoshin's visit to the breakaway region, it would have ensured his security. Meanwhile Interfax reported that the Georgian navy is ready to obey President Mikheil Saakashvili's order to prevent any vessel--except those on humanitarian missions--from entering territorial waters near the self- proclaimed republic of Abkhazia, Koba Bochorishvili, commander of the Poti marine division of the Georgian coast guard service, said on Wednesday. "We did receive the president's order that vessels that have violated the border should be stopped in territorial waters near the Abkhaz coasts and that fire should be opened on them if they disobey orders," Bochorishvili said. This warning also applies to passenger boats that could travel from Sochi to Sukhumi, he said. "Fire should be opened on all vessels that enter the Sukhumi port without the Georgian authorities' agreement. They should be sunk," the Georgian president said at a news conference on Tuesday. The Russian Foreign Minister reacted sharply on Wednesday in a statement that said any attempts to inflict damage or infringe the lives of Russian citizens "will be adequately rebuffed." "Official Tbilisi has taken an unprecedented step," the ministry stated. "This warning is addressed also to Russian tourists who make excursion trips by sea from Sochi to Novy Afon and Sukhumi." 4) Azeri Official Declares Armenia Will be Azerbaijan's in Coming Decades BAKU (RFE/RL)--Armenia will cease to exist as an independent state and its territory will be incorporated into Azerbaijan over the next three decades, a senior Azerbaijani military official was quoted as saying, taking anti-Armenian rhetoric in Baku to new heights. "Within the next 25-years there will exist no state of Armenia in the South Caucasus," Colonel Ramiz Melikov, the chief spokesman for Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry, said, according to the Baku daily "Zerkalo." "Those people have done so many nasty things to their neighbors that they have no right to live in this region." "Modern Armenia is built on historical Azerbaijani lands," he added. "I think that in 25-30 years' times its territory will again come under Azerbaijan's jurisdiction." Melikov was quoted in an extensive "Zerkalo" article that called on the Azerbaijani government to promptly restart the war with the Armenians and win back Mountainous Karabagh. The Azeri leadership regularly threatens to do just that, complaining about the international community's reluctance to end Armenian control of the disputed region. The most recent such threat came from President Ilham Aliyev last week. "Zerkalo" said Azeri military officials believe that their troops are prepared for renewed hostilities and that "the upcoming war will not be long-lasting." "Today the personnel of the Azerbaijani armed forces is not the one that existed ten years ago," Melikov said. "We substantially exceed Armenia with the size of the population and the number of soldiers. Soon the entire world will recognize Armenia as an aggressor country. That is why Armenia is now on the brink of defeat." Armenia has repeatedly dismissed such statements from Baku, saying that Azerbaijan would have long resumed the war without a warning had it been confident of victory. But its reaction to Aliyev's latest threats was unusually sharp, with the Armenian Foreign Ministry warning Azerbaijan of "disastrous consequences." The armed forces of Mountainous Karabagh Republic, on Tuesday, began a ten-day military exercise which officials say will test their combat-readiness during "defensive and counter-offensive operations." The war games followed a call-up of army reservists and will involve the use of live ammunition. Just last week "Zerkalo" quoted an unnamed Western diplomat in Baku as saying that the Azeri society and army are not prepared for war and that the West does not take its government's threats seriously. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
Aug 4 2004
ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY DENIES AZERI REPORTS ON TRUCE VIOLATION
YEREVAN, AUGUST 4, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian Defense Ministry has
denied another report by the Azerbaijani side on an alleged
cease-fire violation. “This information again does not correspond to
reality,” the Armenian Defense Ministry said.
The ministry denied the report by the press service of the
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. The report said: “Between 0055 and 0130
on 2 August [1955 and 2030 gmt on 1 August] units of the Armenian
armed forces from their positions in the south of the occupied
village of Asagi Askipara of Qazax District fired on the positions of
the Azerbaijani armed forces in the east of the same village. There
were no casualties.”.

ArmenPress
Aug 4 2004
AUSTRIAN EMBASSY OFFICIAL SAYS ARMENIA-AUSTRIA LINKS MORE ACTIVE
YEREVAN, AUGUST 4, ARMENPRESS: Economic adviser at Austrian
Embassy in Moscow Johan Kauzli said links between Armenia and Austria
are becoming more active. Kauzli is inYerevan on the occasion of the
pilgrimage of more than 600 Austrians from Linze. He said that this
is his sixth visit to Armenia and recalled his visit during the
Soviet times when Armenia was considered a leading leather industry
republic. Kauzli said progress is visible in Armenia since the
independence especially in construction, service industry and
tourism.
J. Kauzly expressed his satisfaction for the closer links between
Armenia and Austria. He recalled an Austrian business exhibition in
Yerevan a year ago and also informed that Armenian businessmen will
visit Austria in September. In general, business, cultural and
scientific ties rise mutual interests and are prospective.
J. Kauzly noted that Armenian economy can boost only in case of
favorable conditions – open borders and direct routs to different
countries, active integration to international and particularly,
European structures. He voiced his hope that Armenian-Austrian ties
will contribute to that. According to him, Armenian businessmen
clearly understand their challenges and actively engage in solving
them which is marked by a visible economic growth in Armenia.

ArmenPress
Aug 4 2004
PAN-DIASPORA CONFERENCE ON ARMENIAN EDUCATION
ANTELIAS, AUGUST 4, ARMENPRESS: Initiated by His Holiness Aram I,
Catholicos of Cilicia and organized by the Catholicosate of Cilicia,
a Pan-Diaspora Conference on Armenian Education will start its
discussion on Thursday morning, 5 August 2004 in the main hall of the
Theological Seminary, in Bikfaya, Lebanon. The theme of the
conference is “The Armenian Education today in a Diaspora situation”.
Around one hundred intellectuals and experts almost from all
communities in Diaspora will address this timely issue in different
perspectives and contexts.
The Conference will start with a critical and analytical
evaluation of the present estate of the Armenian Education in
Diaspora, and will proceed to identify the emerging concerns and
perspectives. In light of that the Conference will endeavor to
redefine the Armenian Education vis-a-vis the new challenges and the
new realities of the present world. The Conference will conclude its
deliberations by making a declaration, where the major guidelines and
orientations for a new educational policy for the Diaspora will be
outlined.
The minister of Education, the president of the Cultural and
Educational commission of the Parliament and the president of the
Union of the Armenian writers in Armenia will attend this conference.
Because of the unique importance of the Conference and the special
attention that the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia gives to the
Armenian Education, His Holiness Aram I will address the Conference
and take part in its deliberations and actions.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 3 2004
Azeri, Armenian presidents to meet in Astana

A third meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents to discuss
the Upper Garabagh conflict is due in Astana, Kazakhstan in September
within the summit of CIS heads of state.
President Ilham Aliyev is expected to hold a private meeting with
Armenian leader Kocharian and a trilateral meeting to be attended by
Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Foreign Ministry said.
In the private meeting the two presidents are expected to discuss the
current state of the conflict settlement.
No agreement was reached in the two previous meetings of Azerbaijani
and Armenian presidents.*

Noyan Tapan, Armenia
Aug 3 2004
“Respublika Armenia” official Russian-language newspaper to have new
editor-in-chief starting from September
Official Russian-language daily Respublika Armenia will have new
Editor-in-chief starting form September. However, the name of the
last is not known yet. Correspondent of Noyan Tapan was informed from
a non-official source that the incumbent Editor-in-chief Vardan
Aloyan is offered another job. It is not excluded that he will work
in Armenia holding as an editor of Armenian language periodical.

Moscow News (Russia)
August 4, 2004
“WE DON’T NEED WHAT DOES NOT BELONG TO US, BUT WE WON’T GIVE UP WHAT
IS OURS BY RIGHT” – EDUARD KOKOITY
By Madina Shavlokhova The Moscow News
In an interview with The Moscow News, Eduard Kokoity, president of
the unrecognized republic, comments on what is going on in South
Ossetia and on the republic’s extremely tense relationship with
Georgia
Last week, the leader of South Ossetia brought to Moscow draft laws
on the status of South Ossetia and its prospective accession to the
Russian Federation. Georgia voices a protest What needs to be done
for Tskhinvali and Tbilisi to end their confrontation?
To bring the situation back to normal, we urge the Georgian
leadership to closely study the history of the conflict and the
documents that were signed in Dagomys in 1992 as well as in the
subsequent years in Moscow, and try to understand what actually
brought about the conflict between the two brotherly peoples. The
trouble, however, is that the Georgian leadership is not interested
in going into the heart of the problem. Moreover, in the course of
negotiations, we often hear Georgian leaders say that they did not
sign particular agreements and are not going to honor them. What does
this show? This shows that there is no one to negotiate with there.
Recently you said that you were ready to provide humanitarian aid to
one affected area in western Georgia. At the same time the Ossetian
population turned down a similar offer from the Georgian authorities.
We are providing humanitarian aid to those parts of Georgia that have
recently been affected by heavy rains. The fact is that we are not in
conflict with ordinary Georgians but with those who are trying to
take away what is ours by law. We don’t need what does not belong to
us, but we will not cede what is ours by right. It is they who are
amassing troops around us and not the other way round. All of this is
being done to divert public attention away from the economic tragedy
that Georgia has ended up with.
How do you assess the performance of the Joint Control Commission on
Settlement of the Georgian-Ossetian Conflict?
I highly value the work of the JCC, as well as the Russian
peacekeepers. Russia demonstrates its readiness to deploy maximum
effort to stabilize the situation, which is more than can be said
about the Georgian side. Even at the latest meeting, they talked to
us in the language of threats and ultimatums. Their objective is to
provoke a large-scale war and to discredit the peacekeepers. Today it
is above all the Tbilisi officials, who violate the JCC agreements.
Just as 13 years ago, they are behaving as aggressors and
separatists.
Could you please expand on this?
Georgia was the first to break away from the Soviet Union like a
separatist, violating the USSR Constitution that stated in black and
white that the opinion of those regions that conducted a referendum
on the issue must be taken into account in forming a separate state.
That is to say, already at that time we automatically became
independent. So who is the separatist then? Furthermore, it should
not be forgotten that as soon as they proclaimed their independence
they abandoned all Soviet laws and decrees while, as is known it was
in accordance with those laws and decrees that South Ossetia acceded
to Georgia. In principle, we did the same as Georgia did in the
Soviet era: We seceded from it – true, in full compliance with the
law.
Which side does the West take in the conflict?
When politicians from democratic countries come to visit here, I get
the impression that they put on blinders. They do not see the rampant
violations of human and minority rights that are occurring in
Georgia. Also, they fail to see one very important thing. In the past
14 years Georgia has replaced the third president. None of them
served out their term in office. All of them had to leave as a result
of revolutions or coups. By contrast, over the past 15 years we have
held presidential and parliamentary elections in full compliance with
the rules of international law. Yet for some reason we are being
pushed into a sphere of lawlessness and anarchy. They keep talking
about somebody’s territorial integrity. But the fact is that South
Ossetia joined Georgia in 1921 – during the Soviet era. We gained
independence following the breakup of the Soviet Union and a
nationwide referendum. The Georgian Constitution does not make any
reference to us, so why are we being invited there? In this logic, we
could just as easily be invited to join Armenia or Azerbaijan: After
all, they were also part of the Soviet Union. What we see here is
that our opponents are either completely ignorant of international
and Soviet law or reluctant to study it. MN

MENA Business Reports
August 4, 2004
IRAN OPENS MAJOR FREE TRADE-INDUSTRIAL ZONE
Jolfa free trade-industrial zone was inaugurated in a ceremony
Tuesday attended by Iran’s President, Mohammad Khatami.
The main objectives of establishing Jolfa free trade zone are to
attract local and foreign investment, create jobs, promote export and
transit of goods through the zone as well as its economy.
According to IRIB, about 250 billion Rials has been invested in Jolfa
zone, of which the private sector contributed 150 billion Rials.
The remainder was provided by Omran Jolfa Co. in two phases including
the preliminary phase such as land development as well as the
infrastructure and feasibility studies on the second phase to be
implemented in an area of 900 hectares.
In addition, a hard currency component of $ 2.5 million has been
invested in the free zone.
A fund of 307.5 billion Rials has been allocated for developing Jolfa
free trade zone in the budget for the current fiscal year by the free
trade zones high council.
With a population of 60,000, the city of Jolfa is located to the
northwest of the provincial capital of Tabriz on the common border
with the autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan and Armenia.
Speaking at the ceremony, Khatami reiterated that his government
would continue to support the development of free trade zones such as
the Jolfa FTZ.