Category: News

PAP Polish Press Agency
PAP News Wire
July 25, 2004 Sunday
Poland to get 440,000 euros from European Refugee Fund
Warsaw, July 25
Poland will get 440,000 euros this year
from the European Refugee Fund to receive immigrants, their
integration and for repatriation of displaced persons, the interior
ministry reported in a statement issued to PAP.
To get the money Polish institutions and non-governmental
organisations have to cover 25 percent of an undertaking from their
own funds.
Head of the section for the European Refugee Fund Bartosz Ziolkowski
said this year the section received 507,000 euro worth of projects for
legal, medical assistance to refugees, the purchase of clothes and
footwear and assistance in repatriation.
Last year more than 6.9 thousand people applied for a
status of refugee with 82 thousand from Czechnya. the group of
applicants included also citizens of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Armenia
and India. Close to 50 percent of them were houses by refugee
centres.

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
July 26, 2004, Monday
ARMENIAN MILITARY VIOLATED THE CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT AT THE
ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI BORDER
The press service of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry announced that
last Thursday.
Reportedly, the incident occurred late at Wednesday night. Within an
hour – from 10.35 p.m. to 11.40 p.m. local time – the positions of
the Azerbaijani troops in Gyzylgadzhily came under fire of Armenian
military units from the Berkaber settlement. The fire on the side of
Armenia was suppressed by the response fire of Azerbaijani troops. No
kills are available among Azerbaijani military, says a report by the
Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan.
The Kazakhsky district of Azerbaijan is situated 450 kilometers to
the west from Baku and has common border with Armenia and Georgia.
Source: RIA Novosti, July 22, 2004, 16:39
Translated by Andrei Ryabochkin
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Gold Coast Bulletin (Australia)
July 26, 2004 Monday
Medal will just be a salvage job
Weightlifting
EVEN a gold medal at the Olympics can only be considered a minor
salvage job on the wreckage that is Australian weightlifting.
Sergo Chakhoyan will head to Greece as the world No.1-rated lifter in
the 85kg class and is expected to vie with the host nation’s triple
gold medallist Pyrros Dimas for top honours in Athens.
Ultimately, though, anything Chakhoyan achieves will be undermined by
the drug scandals and selection debacle that has battered the sport in
the lead-up to the Games.
Weightlifting has long had more than its share of doping problems –
exemplified by the 11 positive tests at the 2003 World Championships
– but Australia had remained relatively clean.
Until 2004.
It started with two peripheral squad members, Seen Lee and Anthony
Martin, both receiving two-year bans for steroid use.
Much worse was to come as it was revealed Australia’s sole women’s
representative Caroline Pileggi refused to take a drugs test while
training in Fiji.
Pileggi, too, was given a two-year ban which she unsuccessfully
appealed and was replaced in the team by Deborah Lovely.
Questions have been raised about Chakhoyan – who has already served a
two-year ban for steroid use in 2001 – after the Australian Olympic
Committee could not locate the lifter for three and a half months
while he was training in Armenia.
But a doping test he had in Armenia three months before the Games
came back negative.
Chakhoyan can’t turn things around for the sport, but he can win
gold.
Fifth at the Sydney Olympics, Chakhoyan won gold in the snatch
(non-Olympic) at last year’s world championships in Vancouver, and
bronze in the clean-and-jerk.
Australian officials said he was not 100 per cent fit at the time.
But Dimas may still have an edge with partisan support and the lure
of an unprecedented fourth Olympic weightlifting gold.

La Nouvelle République du Centre Ouest
26 juillet 2004
Le partage du butin en final

Hier, à la fin de ce Symposium de sculptures, tous les partenaires se
sont partagé les oeuvres. Un beau patrimoine qui va être surtout
dispersé à Bressuire.
Joli final, pour le Symposium de sculpture. Une prairie du chteau
éclaboussée de soleil, la fanfare Gonzo distillant une musique
particulièrement festive, un public venu en nombre pour voir les
oeuvres achevées. Les bénévoles des trois associations organisatrices
étaient heureux. A l’approche de 18 heures, il convenait alors de
passer au « partage du butin ». C’est en effet le propre de ce
Symposium : en réunissant un budget de l’ordre de 50.000 EUR, les
organisateurs offrent aux partenaires institutionnels la possibilité
de choisir l’une des oeuvres réalisés. Les sponsors aussi, avec un
système de tirage au sort.
C’est ainsi que Marie-Andrée Ruault et Marie Jarry se sont associées
pour choisir l’oeuvre de l’artiste turque Içoz Tulay, qui ira
probablement décorer l’hôtel de Région. Jean-Marie Morisset, lui, a
choisi la sculpture mobile d’Harutyun Yekmalyan, arménien, mais elle
restera à Bressuire, à Bocapôle, où la Maison du conseil général est
en cours de construction. Parmi les cinq sponsors importants, Suire
Développement a été tiré au sort : « J’ai beaucoup de chance ! », a
apprécié Jean-Louis Suire, qui avait déjà obtenu une sculpture lors
d’une précédente édition. Il a choisi la planète de Frédéric Neau, en
précisant : « Cette oeuvre ira au lycée Simone Signoret, parce que
les lycéens et les enfants doivent être associés à l’art… » Un
choix qui a ravi l’artiste, qui craignait de voir son oeuvre quitter
Bressuire. Par ailleurs, Wagon SAS a reçu l’oeuvre de Marie Fang, en
guise de prix de la fidélité. Enfin, pour les « plus petits »
sponsors, c’est la société Clochard Dolor qui a été tirée au sort,
gagnant ainsi l’oeuvre d’Éric Stambirowski.
Les oeuvres de Pierre Marchand, Christine Aubert, Jean-Claude
Escoulin, Vutor Lyubomir et Carmen Tepsan ont été choisies par Claude
Boutet pour le Verger des Sculpteurs. Enfin, Jean-Michel Bernier et
ses adjoints ont retenu les sculptures de Renate Verbrugge, Serge
Maubourguet, Kaija Kontulainen, Jean-Luc Perrin et Dominika
Griesgraber.
GRAPHIQUE: Image: Jean-Marie Morisset a choisi l’oeuvre de l’arménien
Harutyun Yakmalyan. Mais elle restera à Bocapôle où la Maison du
conseil général est en cours de chantier…

ARKA News Agency
July 26 2004
RA PM takes part in 3rd sitting of Armenian-Georgian interstate
commission
RA Foreign Minister receives future chairman of regular OSCE Council
NKR President receives a citizen of France, who moves to Stepanakert
with his family for permanent residence
RA NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan receives a delegation of
Thailand-Armenia deputy friendship group
RA President goes on 10-days holiday
Delivery of nuclear fuel new lot for Armenian Nuclear Power Plant
completed as scheduled
NKR President receives famous Canadian singer Isabel Bairakdarian
Bruce Jackson: it is time Washington and Brussels make their
contribution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement
Arkadi Ghukasyan: non-admission of resumption of military operations
is the main objective of NKR
*********************************************************************
RA PM TAKES PART IN 3RD SITTING OF ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN INTERSTATE
COMMISSION
YEREVAN, July 26. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian took
part in 3rd sitting of Armenian-Georgian Interstate Commission, RA
Government press office told ARKA. The Head of Georgian Government
Zurab Jvania stated at the opening of the sitting that conduction of
the meeting with participation of the two Prime Ministers testifies
to serious plans of Armenian and Georgia to expand and develop
cooperation between them. `It is impossible to imagine development of
Georgia without Armenia’, Jvania stressed. According to him, though
goods’ turnover between the countries has grown for the last years,
however in conditions of existing potential it can be achieved more.
He expressed hope that by the end of the year, goods turnover between
Georgia and Armenia will exceed the highest indicators of last years.
Jvania also mentioned the issues of expanding of agreement-legal
field and cooperation in culture and science-educational fields.
According to press release, Margarian noted that increase of the
level of the sittings of interstate commission testifies to serious
plans of the parties on deepening of trade-economic cooperation,
being a stimulus for full-fledged use of existing potential.
Margarian noted that Armenia is really interested in development and
deepening of bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Georgia. He
expressed confidence that the agreements achieved during the sitting
will become important steps on the way of future development of
Armenian-Georgian trade and economic cooperation. L.D. –0 –
*********************************************************************
RA FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES FUTURE CHAIRMAN OF REGULAR OSCE COUNCIL
YEREVAN, July 26. /ARKA/. RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian
received future Chairman of Regular OSCE Council Yanesh Lenarchich,
RA MFA told ARKA. During the meeting the parties noted the importance
of different missions and directions of OSCE activity. The parties
stressed the peacemaking role of OSCE in conflicts’ settlement. The
parties gave positive estimation to activity of OSCE MG.
According to press release, during the meeting Armenian Foreign
Minister commented recent joint statement of CIS states considering
OSCE activity in the view of necessity of reforms of this
organization. L.D. –0 –
*********************************************************************
NKR PRESIDENT RECEIVES A CITIZEN OF FRANCE, WHO MOVES TO STEPANAKERT
WITH HIS FAMILY FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE
STEPANAKERT, July 26. /ARKA/. NKR President Arkadi Ghukasyan received
Michele Tankres, a citizen of France, who moved to Stepanakert with
his family for permanent residence.
According to the main news agency adjunct to NKR President, in the
course of the meeting with the President Tankres expressed his wish
to use his knowledge and possibilities for the good of
Nagorno-Karabakh.
In his turn Ghukasyan greeted his initiative to move to Karabakh and
expressed his readiness to support him in any overcoming of any
problems connected with his emigration.
Tankres has visited NKR since 1993. He contributed a lot to the
accomplishment of the republic by means of both humanitarian aid, and
implementation of some social programs in NKR. Tankres also actively
participated in organization of Hayastan Pan Armenian Fun in France
to collect finances for the construction of the North-South Highway
strategically important or NKR. A.H. – 0 –
*********************************************************************
RA NA SPEAKER ARTHUR BAGHDASARYAN RECEIVES A DELEGATION OF
THAILAND-ARMENIA DEPUTY FRIENDSHIP GROUP
YEREVAN, July 26. /ARKA/. RA NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan received
a delegation of Thailand-Armenia deputy friendship group at the head
of a Senator Sanit Kulcharoen. According to RA NA Press Service and
Public Relations Department, in the course of the meeting
Baghdasaryan attached special importance to the visit of the
delegation from Thailand to Armenia, expressing his belief that it
contributes to strengthening of the Armenian -Thai interparliamentary
relations. Baghdasaryan noted the necessity for activating the
economic co-operation between two countries, in particular, in the
areas of diamond treating, jewelry industry, high technologies, and
for holding business -forums. He also emphasized the importance in
co-operation in the area of culture, education tourism and
environmental issues.
According to press release, during the meeting the parties discussed
the issues for establishment of practical contacts between Armenia
and Thailand, noting the necessity for activating interparliamentary
relations, organizations of mutual visits and co-operation in
international parliamentary organizations. A.H. – 0–
*********************************************************************
RA PRESIDENT GOES ON 10-DAYS HOLIDAY
YEREVAN, July 26. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian went on
10-days holiday that he will enjoy in Armenia, as RA President Press
Service told ARKA. T.M. -0–
*********************************************************************
DELIVERY OF NUCLEAR FUEL NEW LOT FOR ARMENIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
COMPLETED AS SCHEDULED
YEREVAN, July 26. /ARKA/. The delivery of nuclear fuel new lot for
the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP) completed as per schedule. As
it is mentioned in press release issued by INTER RAO UES CJSC and
provided to ARKA, the payment for the fuel delivered according to the
contract terms was made by INTER RAO UES CJSC. By this, the Russian
side implemented the undertaken commitments for uninterrupted work of
ANNP. According to the press release, the cost of delivered lot of
the fuel makes USD 12 mln, the same price as it constituted last
year, although the prices grew by more than 40% on the international
market.
Note that the Armenian NPP has started functioning in January 1980,
and it was shut down in March 1989 under the pressure of the public
opinion. ANPP resumed its operation in November 1995. The first block
of the station is not operating presently either. The second block of
the Armenian NPP generates on the average up to 50% of electricity
produced in the republic. The average annual capacity of ANPP equals
360-370 MWt. Total capacity of the ANPP two blocks stands at 815 Mwt.
Based on experts’ evaluations, the station can work till 2018.
The financial management of ANPP were transferred to trustful
management of INTER RAO USE CJSC, affiliate of RAO UES OF RUSSIA (60%
of shares) and Rosenergatom (40%). T.M. -0–
*********************************************************************
NKR PRESIDENT RECEIVES FAMOUS CANADIAN SINGER ISABEL BAIRAKDARIAN
STEPANAKERT, July 26. /ARKA/. Arkadi Ghukasyan, NKR President
received famous Canadian singer of Armenian descent, soloist of
Metropolitan Opera Isabel Bairakdarian (soprano).
As NKR President Press Service told ARKA, during the meeting she said
that arrived in Stepanakert specially to perform on Karabakh scene
and to introduce the amateurs of musical art of NKR with the works of
world classics. She told with satisfaction that the people in Nagorno
Karabakh are fonder of the high art, especially the youth. In her
opinion, this means that `the aspiration toward the beautiful that
always distinguished the Armenian people, became an unalienable part
of Karabakh people, that were able keeping and multiplying the best
traditions of Artsakh for growing multifaceted and educated
personalities’. T.M. -0–
*********************************************************************
BRUCE JACKSON: IT IS TIME WASHINGTON AND BRUSSELS MAKE THEIR
CONTRIBUTION TO NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
STEPANAKERT, July 26. /ÀÐÊÀ/. It is time Washington and Brussels make
a tangible contribution to NKR and other conflict settlements, stated
Bruce Jackson, the President of the Project on Transitional
Democracies, President of the US Committee on NATO in the US Senate
during his meeting with Arkadi Ghukasyan, NKR President. According to
him, human potential is tragically decreasing as a result of
Prednisrovie, Abkhaz, South Osetia and Nagorno Karabakh conflicts,
which hampers economic development and necessary education for the
growing generation thus impeding full integration in European family.
`We are going to present the whole significance of the Karabakh
problem which requires obligatory solution to US and European
authorities’, said Jackson. According to him, the main objective of
the mission is the more active involvement of international community
in settlement process. In this respect, Jackson emphasized the
decision of the EU on involvement of region’s countries in Wider
Europe/New Neighbors program, às well as NATO’s announcement made at
Istanbul summit concerning the interest of the Alliance in
establishment of peace, stability and democracy in the region. L.V.
–0–
*********************************************************************
ARKADI GHUKASYAN: NON-ADMISSION OF RESUMPTION OF MILITARY OPERATIONS
IS THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF NKR
STEPANAKERT, July 26. /ÀÐÊÀ/. The main objective of NKR is not to
allow the resumption of military operations and to promote the
further economic development of the republic, its integration in the
common European family, and the establishment of a civil society.
This was stated by Arkadi Ghukasyan, the NKR President during his
meeting with Bruce Jackson, the President of the Project on
Transitional Democracies, President of the US Committee on NATO in
the US Senate, as well as members of the delegation headed by him. As
the ARKA own reporter informs from Stepanakert, speaking about the
possibilities of problem solution based on concessions, the NKR
President mentioned that compromises should always be mutual and
require mutual concessions from all parts of the conflict. He said
that at first it is necessary to achieve ceasing of propaganda war
against each other at least; however this step is usually refused by
the Azeri side. Ghukasyan once again confirmed the commitment of
Karabakh to exceptionally peaceful ways of conflict settlement and
noted that the official Stepanakert has many times unsuccessfully
turned to Baku authorities with various initiatives on establishment
of trust measures, without which the settlement process is
impossible.
During the meeting the guests also shared their points of view
concerning the measures to be taken by the conflict sides to
accelerate the settlement, told about their impressions of meetings
with representatives of NKR power and NGOs. They also declared for a
more active involvement of international community in settlement
process. L.V.–0–

GEORGIA MAINTAINS STANCE ON ABKHAZ RAIL LINK
Georgian State Television Channel 1, Tbilisi
26 Jul 04
(Presenter) The Armenian government is asking Georgia to reopen the
rail link with Russia via Abkhazia. Aside from the railway, Armenia is
also interested in electricity. A meeting took place today in Tbilisi
of the intergovernmental Georgian-Armenian economic cooperation
commission. The Armenian prime minister held meetings today in the
State Chancellery.
(Correspondent) (Passage omitted) The opening of the railway via
Abkhazia was one of the main themes of the Georgian-Armenian
talks. Tbilisi still maintains that the question can only be
considered after the return of refugees to Abkhazia. (Passage omitted)
(Zurab Zhvania, Georgian prime minister, in Russian) The railway is
linked to the question of the return of refugees, to progress being
made in restoring territorial integrity and the first steps being
taken.
(Davit Onoprishvili, chairman of Georgian Railways) The reopening of
the Abkhaz railway depends on a lot of nuances and questions. This is
primarily to be decided by politicians. However, it is, above all,
Georgia that is interested in the reopening of the railway.
(Passage omitted)

NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL TO VISIT ARMENIA NOVEMBER 2004
Noyan Tapan news agency, Yerevan
26 Jul 04
Brussels, 26 July: NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer is to
visit Armenia in early November this year, it was learned from NATO
headquarters.
Scheffer’s visit could be linked to implementing the decisions taken
during NATO’s Istanbul summit. As is known, in Istanbul NATO decided
to step up work in the South Caucasus and Central Asia.
We note that the Armenian side has repeatedly said that future NATO
membership is not on official Yerevan’s agenda. Armenia is also
preparing to announce individual partnership with NATO (Individual
partnership plan) and has expressed its readiness to have exercises
from NATO’s “Cooperative Associate 2005” on its territory.

PanArmenian News
July 26 2004
SKINHEADS, WHO KILLED AN ARMENIAN, STOOD TRIAL IN MOSCOW
SITTING OF ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN COMMISSION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION HELD
IN TBILISI
SECOND PAN-ARMENIAN YOUTH FORUM HELD IN TSAGHKADZOR
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT WENT ON 10-DAY LEAVE
KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT MEETS US NATIONAL INTERESTS, AMERICAN
MEDIATOR STATED
REPRESENTATION OF YEREVAN BRANDY FACTORY OPENED IN UKRAINE
METROPOLITAN OPERA SOLOIST GAVE CHARITY CONCERT IN NAGORNO KARABAKH
AMERICAN ARMENIANS ENDORSE KERRY FOR PRESIDENT
*********************************************************************
SKINHEADS, WHO KILLED AN ARMENIAN, STOOD TRIAL IN MOSCOW
26.07.2004 17:56
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Moscow Municipal Court sentenced 5 young men,
who brutally killed an Armenian in one of the local suburban trains,
to 9-14 years of imprisonment. As reported by Moskovskiy Komsomolets
Russian newspaper, a band of young men aged 17-22 ranked themselves
as members of neo-Nazi organization of skinheads and had the aim “to
clear” the local electric trains of Caucasians. On December 12, 2003,
on entering Petushki-Mocsow suburban train, the murderers saw a man
with “Caucasian appearance” and knocking him off his feet trampled on
him. The maimed man died after suffering in the aid station for 2
hours. At those days a 35-year-old Azeri was killed in the same way.
*********************************************************************
SITTING OF ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN COMMISSION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION HELD
IN TBILISI
26.07.2004 17:03
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The sitting of the Armenian-Georgian Commission for
Economic Cooperation opened in Tbilisi on June 26. Georgian Prime
Minister Zurab Zhvania and Armenian Premier Andranik Margarian, who
is on formal visit in Tbilisi at present, delivered their speeches at
the opening ceremony, RIA Novosti reports. As A. Margarian told
journalists, the issue of the opening of the railway communication
via the Abkhazian sector of the Transcaucasian railway is to be
discussed at the sitting. In his turn Zurab Zhvania noted that the
opening of this communication is connected with return of Georgian
refugees in the Galski region of Abkhazia. The Prime Ministers
visited the Pantheon of the Armenian culture workers in Tbilisi.
Today Andranik Margarian is expected to meet with Georgian President
Mikhail Saakashvili.
*********************************************************************
SECOND PAN-ARMENIAN YOUTH FORUM HELD IN TSAGHKADZOR
26.07.2004 14:09
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Second Pan-Armenian Youth Forum with the
participation of over 100 boys and girls from 17 countries opened in
the Armenian town of Tsaghkadzor on July 24. Armenian President
Robert Kocharian sent a greeting message to the forum participants.
When addressing the opening ceremony Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Margarian noted that the measure initiators – Pan-Armenian
International Youth Center” and the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs –
are working for establishing ties between the growing generation of
the Armenian Diaspora with the youth organizations of Armenia and
ensuring their participation in the pan-Armenian projects implemented
by the government. Meeting with Armenian FM Vardan Oskanian has been
also scheduled. At the moment the forum participants are discussing
three major topics, these being “Culture and Armenian Originality”,
“Youth and Urgent National Issues”, “Diaspora and Globalization”.
Future plans such as organizations of measures dedicated to the 90-th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey and business
forum with the participation of Armenian entrepreneurs from different
countries of the world will be as well being considered.
*********************************************************************
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT WENT ON 10-DAY LEAVE
26.07.2004 14:08
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian went on a
10-day leave on July 26. According to a report of RA President’s
press service, he intends spend his holiday in Armenia.
*********************************************************************
KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT MEETS US NATIONAL INTERESTS, AMERICAN
MEDIATOR STATED
26.07.2004 14:07
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement by means of negotiations within the frames of the
OSCE Minsk Group (MG) conforms to the US national interests, MG US
co-chair Steven Mann told Regnum IA. In his words, US pursues a
long-term policy in references to this region. US has no interest in
events that can threaten stability in the region as it assists energy
projects, one of them being Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, which
is important for the whole region, the diplomat said. When replying
to the question “whether the US will support Azerbaijan of the latter
decides to restore its territorial integrity”, Mr. Mann stated that
the US position remains unchangeable – the conflict should be
resolved peacefully. At that he called the parties “to sense and
compromise”. “Only by making concessions it is possible to find a
solution admissible for the conflicting parties. This is the opinion
of the co-chairs. Only this way we can achieve long-term peace in the
region. The conflicting parties chose the OSCE to resolve this
problem and we are trying to settle the conflict peacefully and will
support the decisions taken by the parts”, the American diplomat
stated. As for the new proposes, they always exist, he said. However
everything depends on the attitude of the parties and readiness to
accept them, he noted adding that the co-chairs are to continue
consultations with the parties within next few weeks.
*********************************************************************
REPRESENTATION OF YEREVAN BRANDY FACTORY OPENED IN UKRAINE
26.07.2004 18:14
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ French concern Perno Ricar CJSC, the owner of the
Yerevan Brandy Company opened its representation in Ukraine. As
reported by Arminfo agency, the major goal of Perno Rirar- South is
to supply the southern regions of Ukraine with Armenian brandy. To
note, Ukraine is the second (after Russia) market where this Armenian
beverage is sold.
*********************************************************************
METROPOLITAN OPERA SOLOIST GAVE CHARITY CONCERT IN NAGORNO KARABAKH
26.07.2004 14:38
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Famous Canadian singer of Armenian origin, soloist
of the Metropolitan Opera Isabel Bayrakdarian (soprano) gave a
charity concert in Nagorno Karabakh capital of Stepanakert on July
24. On the same day she met with NKR President Arkadi Ghukasian.
During the conversation the singer pointed out to the great interest
of the Karabakh people show to the art. In her opinion, this
testifies that “aspiration to the beautiful, the Armenians have been
always remarkable for, became essential part of the life of the
Karabakh people, who could preserve and supplement the best
traditions for the formation of an intellectually mature
personality”.
*********************************************************************
AMERICAN ARMENIANS ENDORSE KERRY FOR PRESIDENT
26.07.2004 14:15
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The other day the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA) announced itsendorsement of the Kerry ticket.
According to the ANCA leadership, Senator Kerry has been a friend of
the Armenian American community for over twenty years, with a proven
track record of fighting hard for issues of concern to Armenian
Americans across the nation. Kerry welcomed the ANCA endorsement,
stating that, “John Edwards and I would like to thank the ANCA for
its endorsement. We are looking forward to working with all Armenian
Americans to create a stronger America, more respected in the world.”
To remind, the presidential election in the US is scheduled for
November 2.

Wolfowitz, Perle and Feith
One Down – Two To Go
Hellenic news.com
7-26-04
Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, former chairman of the
Defense Policy Board Richard Perle and Under Secretary of Defense
Douglas Feith, are the persons in the Defense Department primarily
responsible for the erroneous facts and policy judgments regarding
Turkey to the great detriment of U.S. interests in the region and
worldwide.
Richard Perle
Perle resigned on March 27, 2003 as chairman of the Defense Policy
Board after disclosures that his business dealings included a meeting
with two Saudis, one an arms dealer, and a contract for $750,000 to
advise telecommunications firm Global Crossings Ltd. that was seeking
Defense Department permission to be sold to Chinese investors.
In a New Yorker article, Seymour Hersch reported that Perle faced
conflict of interest between his work on the board and his private
business dealings. He reported that Perle is `a managing partner in a
venture-capital company called Trireme Partners L.P.’ He also reported
that Perle attended a luncheon meeting on January 3, 2004 with two
Saudis, Adnan Khashoggi and industrialist Harle Zuhair, who told
Hersch that the agenda included an item `to pave the way for Zuhair to
put together a group of ten Saudi businessmen who would invest ten
million dollars each in Trireme.’ (New Yorker, March 17, 2003, pages
76-81.)
Perle resigned as Assistant Secretary of Defense in 1987, before the
end of the Cold War, and went to Turkey and negotiated an $800,000
contract for International Advisors Inc. (IAI), a company which he
initiated. He recruited Douglas Feith, his special assistant at
Defense, to head IAI.
Perle became a consultant to IAI and received $48,000 annually from
1989 to 1994. IAI registered as a foreign agent with the Justice
Department. IAI received $800,000 from Turkey in 1989 and then
received $600,000 annually from 1990 to 1994.
Douglas Feith
>From 1989 to 1994, Douglas Feith headed IAI and registered as a
foreign agent for Turkey. He received $60,000 annually and his law
firm Feith and Zell received hundreds of thousands of dollars from IAI
Neither Perle, when he was on the Defense Policy Board, or Feith as
Under Secretary of Defense, recused themselves on matters dealing with
U.S.-Turkey relations.
Feith was Perle’s protégé. According to the Washington Post’s
BobWoodward, ` Feith was not popular with the military. He appeared to
equate policy with paper.’ Woodward wrote that General Tommy Franks
`tried to ignore Feith though it was not easy. The general once
confided to several colleagues about Feith: ` I have to deal with the
[expletive] stupidest guy on the face of the earth almost every day.’
(Woodward, Plan of Attack, p. 281.)
Paul Wolfowitz
Wolfowitz has committed major mistakes of policy and judgment
regarding Turkey to the serious detriment of
U.S. interests. Wolfowitz’s remarks on Turkey have contained false and
misleading statements with serious errors of fact and omission of
Orwellian proportions.
On July 14, 2002, Wolfowitz in a CNN Turkey interview stated:
`I think a real test of whether a country is a democracy is how it
treats its minorities. And actually it’s one of the things that
impress (sic) me about Turkish history-the way Turkey treats its own
minorities.’
How does one respond to such a statement? Armenian, Greek and Kurdish
Americans have expressed their outrage. See Exhibit 1 to AHI joint
letter of September 4, 2002 on AHI website at for a
list of Turkey’sviolations of the human rights of its minorities
committed throughout the 20th century, a number of which continue up
to the present time.
Also on July 14, 2002, in a speech at the Conrad Hotel, Istanbul,
Wolfowitz referred to Turkey:
`as a staunch NATO ally through forty years of Cold Warâ=80¦.Itis the
great good fortune of the United States, of NATO, the West, indeed the
world, that occupying this most important crossroads we have one of
our strongest, most reliable and most self-reliant allies.’
This is another false and misleading statement by Wolfowitz with
serious errors of fact and omission. The record shows that during the
Cold War, Turkey brushed aside U.S. interests on many occasions and
deliberately gave substantial assistance to the Soviet military. See
Exhibit 2 of the September 4, 2002 letter which sets forth examples of
Turkey’s unreliability as an ally and refutes the assertion of Turkey
as a self-reliant ally. Turkey’s vote on March 1, 2003 refusing to
allow U.S. troops to use bases in Turkey to open a second front
against the Saddam Hussein dictatorship is a dramatic example of
Turkey’s unreliability as an ally. Wolfowitz’s effusive comments in
his July 14, 2002 speech regarding Ataturk may play well in Turkey,
but the rest of the world is familiar with Ataturkas a brutal dictator
and mass killer of Armenians, Greeks and Kurds. John Gunther in his
book, Inside Europe refers in his opening sentence to Ataturk as
â=80=9CThe blond, blue-eyed combination of patriot and psychopath who
is dictator of Turkey.’ (1938 edition p. 378.) See Exhibit 3 of the
September 4, 2002 letter for the details of Ataturk’s mass killings of
Armenians, Greeks and Kurds. Ataturk and Turkey are hardly the models,
as suggested by Wolfowitz, for Afghanistan and other Muslim nations to
follow to achieve democracy.
In his July 14, 2002 speech Wolfowitz also stated:
`When the ?illness’ of international terrorism struck the United
States last September, Turkey quickly offered unconditional
support…’
Wolfowitz conveniently omits the fact that Turkey is an international
terrorist state by virtue of its aggression against Cyprus in 1974,
and a national terrorist state by its actions of ethnic cleansing,
crimes against humanityand genocide against its 20 percent Kurdish
minority. The double standard on the rule of law and international and
national terrorism that the U.S. applies to Turkey damages the U.S.’s
war on international terrorism and makes a mockery of our moral and
legal positions. See Exhibit 4 of the September 4, 2002 letter which
discusses Turkey as an international and national terrorist state.
Wolfowitz refers often to Turkey’s democracy. The fact is
otherwise. Turkey is still a military-dominated government, in which
the military controls foreign affairs and national security policy and
has harmful influence overdomestic affairs. There is an absence in
Turkey of minority rights, human rights, press freedom, speech freedom
and religious freedom. Falsehoods and myths regarding Turkey’s
democracy have been propagated for years by Defense and State
Department officials. Freedom House in its 2003 annual report calls
Turkey only part-free.
On March 13, 2002, in a speech to the Washington Institute for Near
East Policy, Wolfowitz failed to recognize that Turkey violated the
NATO Treaty by its invasion of Cyprus and that the violation continues
to this day. See Exhibit 6 of the September 4, 2002 letter which
discusses Turkey’s violation of the North Atlantic Treaty by its
invasion of Cyprus.
The false and misleading statements made by Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz
on Turkey raise serious questions as to his credibility and the
factual basis of his advice to the President and Defense Secretary
Donald H. Rumsfeld on other issues such as Iraq.
The U.S. double standard policy toward Turkey on the rule of law and
the appeasement of Turkey these past decades, pursued by a handful of
Defense and State Department officials and Turkey’s paid foreign
agents, have seriously damaged U.S. national interests. President
Bush said `enough is enough’ regarding the violence in the Middle
East. The President, in the interests of the U.S., should tell his
advisors that `enough is enough’ regarding Turkey’s aggression and
occupation in Cyprus, its genocide against the Kurds, its blockade of
humanitarian aid to Armenia, its national torture policy, its
thousands of political prisoners, its jailing of journalists, the lack
of religious freedom, its denial of the Armenian Genocide and the
Turkish military’s control of national security and foreign policy and
its harmful influence on domestic policy.
Secretary Rumsfeld should ask for the resignations of Wolfowitz and
Feith.
Gene Rossides is President
of the American Hellenic Institute
and former Assistant Secretary
of the Treasury
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ACCORDING TO RESULTS OF MONITORING, OVER-WHELMING MAJORITY OF PERSONS
EXPOSED TO ADMINISTRATIVE PUNISHMENT DOESN’T KNOW THEIR RIGHTS
YEREVAN, July 26 (Noyan Tapan). The over-whelming majority of persons
exposed to administrative punishment doesn’t know about their right to
communication with the outside world. The results of the monitoring
conducted by the Helsinki Committee and the public organizations of
the Euro-Asia Center of Conflictology and Strategic Researches are the
evidence of it. The monitoring was conducted through the application
of international and intra-state legal acts on human rights protection
and the study of questionnaires filled in by 54 persons exposed to
administrative punishment, their relatives and lawyers. It was
mentioned during the July 22 discussion devoted to the results of the
monitoring that 92% of persons exposed to administrative punishment
doesn’t know that they have the right to receive newspapers, use
radio, paper, pen, pencil, envelopes, post cards, postage stamps,
87.5% of them doesn’t know about their right to meet with their lawyer
and close relatives, appeal the decision on administrative punishment,
right to medical care. 83% of them doesn’t know that have the right to
receive the copy of the decision on administrative punishment, receive
parcels, 79% isn’t informed about their right to submit applications,
complaints and make suggestions. Summing up the questionnaires, in
particular, it was brought to light that relatives of only 75% of the
arrested people were informed about the whereabouts of the
latter. According to members of the task force, the ground for
conducting the monitoring is the imperfection of the Code on
Administrative Offences, the absence of the special legislation
regulating order and conditions. In the resume the task force
introduces amendments into the Code, as well as “into the Internal
Rules of Detention Facilities of Arrested Persons of the RA Police
System.”