Category: News

U.S. diplomat meets with Georgian government
Messenger,com.ge
Friday, July 16, 2004, #132 (0656)
Ambassador Steven Mann, the U.S. State Department’s Special Negotiator
for Eurasian Conflicts, met with senior Georgian officials on Thursday
to discuss ways to reduce the tensions in the conflict region of South
Ossetia.
Ambassador Mann is also the Senior Advisor on Caspian Basin Energy
Diplomacy. According to a press release from the U.S. Embassy,
Ambassador Mann serves as a catalyst between governments, industry and
in some cases NGOs, to achieve specific milestones to forward the goal
of creating an East-West energy corridor from the Caspian to the
Mediterranean.
While in Tbilisi, the embassy states, Ambassador Mann may also have
meetings regarding the BTC pipeline.
Ambassador Mann arrived in Tbilisi from Armenia and will be traveling
to Azerbaijan to continue discussions on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. He is the U.S. Co-Chair of the OSCE’s Minsk Group dedicated
to resolving that conflict.

Paris Club to decide Georgia debts
By M. Alkhazashvili
messenger.com.ge
Friday, July 16, 2004, #132 (0656)
The Ministry of Finance is trying hard to reschedule Georgia’s
external debts. Minister Zurab Noghaideli is in Paris where the issue
of restructuring Georgian debts is to be decided Thursday. The Paris
Club agreed to reexamine the issue after the IMF renewed its programs
with Georgia in early June.
Considering that on January 30, 2004 Georgia’s external debt was USD
1.851 billion, the structure of repaying these debts is a major issue
for the new government.
Servicing this debts is a huge burden for the Georgia’s economy. This
year GEL 189 million have been allocated for debt repayments. From
this amount GEL 88.3 million is for covering interests whereas GEL 101
million goes to pay off the principle as well.
The government hopes that the Paris Club will be positive and give the
Georgian budget serious relief. Georgia has 15 creditor countries and
Georgia owes to them USD 751 million. The remaining debt goes to
international financial organizations and most of them are long term
credits whose restructuring is not yet on the agenda.
In Paris, Noghaidelli will try to persuade the governments of
Azerbaijan, Armenia, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Austria, Russia, Turkey,
United States and Netherlands to restructure Georgia’s debts. The
restructuring concerns the amounts to be paid over 2003-2004 and
equals more than USD 196 million.
Georgia approached Paris Club first in 1999. It was decided then that
a restructuring would be allowed for debts taken before November 1999;
this included debts to CIS countries, Austria, Turkey, Iran, China,
Netherlands and United States. During the two years of the
consolidation period 2001-2003 Georgia was in fact free from
payment. The amount accumulated during the consolidation period is
payable from 2005.
Out of debts to individual governments, Georgia’s biggest creditor is
Turkmenistan. These debts were accumulated mainly in 1993-1994 for
consumed natural gas. According to the 1996 agreement, the debt was
fixed at USD 393.5 million. Turkmenistan has not agree to restructure
the debts but on the other hand it agrees to receive payment in
kind. Several Georgian enterprises are supplying Turkmenistan with
their products or services. Until today, these enterprises have
already covered USD 151.9 million in principle and USD 28.9 million in
penalties. For these activities, the enterprises covering Georgia’s
debts are paid back by the Georgian budget through the special
schedule.
In terms of Georgia’s international standing, the positive judgment of
the Paris Club will do a great deal to alleviate the country’s debt
burden. Meeting under the auspices of the World Bank and the European
Commission in June, international donors from 31 countries and 12
organizations, noted that “solid progress is expected to be made in
the July Paris Club meeting.” Without further restructuring of
Georgia’s external debt through the Paris Club, the donors stated,
“viability in public finances would not be possible.”

KARABAGH CEC TO USE MOBILE VOTING FACILITY
STEPANAKERT, JULY 16, ARMENPRESS: Ahead of August 8 elections to
local self-government bodies of Nagorno Karabagh local authorities
have taken a decision to use a mobile voting facility for physically
disabled and those who cannot come to the polling station for other
valid reasons. Under the decision at least two members of the polling
station commission and one observer should administer mobile voting
jointly within the geographical territory covered by a polling
station.
The decision to use mobile voting facility was announced July 15 by
Sergey Davtian, the chairman of Karabagh Central Election Commission
(CEC), who warned the CEC members against campaigning in favor of a
candidate and expressed hope that the polls will be conducted in a
transparent atmosphere.
Armenpress correspondent in Nagorno Karabagh also reported, citinga
report by local prosecutors that the number of crimes decreased by 54
in the first six months of the year making 281 against 335 of last
year’s same time span. But according to the report, concurrently the
number of grave crimes rose. The prosecutors also succeeded in
bringing to the net some 100 people engaged in business and collected
2.5 million drams in penalties.

NEW BUILDING OF YEREVAN STATE UNIVERSITY BEING BUILT
YEREVAN, JULY 16, ARMENPRESS: Some 1,500 students of the Yerevan
State University majoring in linguistics, philosophy, psychology and
journalism will have their classes in a new building of the University
the construction of which is supposed to be completed in 2005,
according to the schedule. The cost of the new building is $1.5
million, 25 percent of which was provided by benefactors, 35 percent
by the government and the rest were the funds of the University.
The new three-storey building occupies 5,000 square meters and will
comply with all requirements for students majoring in Humanities.
In another education-related development, Bishop Abraham Mkrtchian,
the prelate of the Syunik diocese of the Armenian church, told
Armenpress that the construction of Gitelik (Knowledge) University in
Yeghegnadzor, the regional center of Vayots Dzor province, is ending
and soon it will enroll students to major in 8 departments.

Azeri Diplomat Refutes Russian Co-chairs Statement
Baku Today 16/07/2004 17:20
A top Azeri diplomat on Thursday voiced protest against the idea of
involving the self-proclaimed republic of Nagorno-Karabakh into the
peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The Russian co-chairman of the Minsk group of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Yuri Merzlyakov, had said
while in Yerevan a few days ago that Nagorno-Karabakh’s participation
in the talks could contribute to finding a peace.
`Russia and other co-chairs of the Minsk Group should act under
theOSCE mandate, which doesn’t envision the participation of the
Armenian community of Nagorno-Karabakh in the negotiations,’ Ramiz
Novruzov, head of the International Relations Department at the
Presidential Apparatus, told reporters, according to Assa-Irada news
agency.
Novruzov added that the Armenian community may take part in the talks
only if the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh is also involved
in the negotiations.
The Azeri diplomat also refuted a statement by Merzlyakov that the
Nagono-Karabakh Armenians signed have the May 1994 cease-fire
agreement along with Azerbaijan and Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
“YERKIR”, UNION OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
FOR REPATRIATION AND SETTLEMENT
Bagramyan ave., ap. 47/A, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel. +(374 1) 26 28 75
Web:
Contact: Robert Tatoyan, [email protected]
YERKIR
Union of Non-Governmental Organizations for repatriation and settlement
presents the schedule of grand opening ceremonies of its 2004 projects in
Armenia
(July-September, 2004)
DATE July 28
PROJECT Kindergarten
COMMUNITY MKR Nor Shahoumian Region, Yeghegnout
SPONSOR ARF Patanekan (Canada)
DATE August 15
PROJECT Kindergarten-Dance & Music School Complex
COMMUNITY RA Davoush Region, Chinari
SPONSOR Alen Gragirian (USA)
DATE August 18
PROJECT 5 single family homes
COMMUNITY MKR Hadrout Region, Haykavan
SPONSOR Armenian American Nurses Association,
Anadolian Family,
A group of LA Armenians,
Mr. & Mrs. Apo and Rose
Saghtejian,
Patyl Aposhian & Family (USA)
DATE August 18
PROJECT Clinic-Community Center
COMMUNITY MKR Hadrout Region, Haykavan
SPONSOR William So and Astghik Dadrian of
Newport Beach, California
DATE August 20
PROJECT School
COMMUNITY RA Geghargounik Region, Aregouni
SPONSOR United Armenian Students (USA)
DATE August 23
PROJECT Medical center
COMMUNITY MKR Hadrout Region, Norashen
SPONSOR Ara Aharonyan, AGBU France
DATE September 3
PROJECT 10 single family homes and School
COMMUNITY MKR Nor Shahoumian Region, Knaravan
SPONSOR Haroutiounian Family (New Jersey, USA)
DATE September 10
PROJECT School
COMMUNITY MKR Hadrout Region, Haykavan
SPONSOR Armenian American Council on Aging
(USA)
DATE September 13
PROJECT Kindergarten
COMMUNITY MKR Martakert Region, Talish
SPONSOR D.A. Connexion & France Karabagh
(France)
DATE September 15
PROJECT School
COMMUNITY MKR Hadrout Region, Tsamtsor
SPONSOR Armenia Fund (Geneva, Switzerland)
On June 1st, 2004, The MKR southern Hadrout Region community of Araler,
witnessed the grand opening of its new hospital, another Yerkir UNGO
project, sponsored by the Hayrenik Union of Los Angeles, USA.
Construction on the following projects will be completed by December 2004:
– 3 single family homes in Araler, Hadrout Region, MKR. Sponsor:
Charles Ghazerian, France.
– Water Distribution System in Araler, Hadrout Region, MKR.
Sponsor: Hayrenik Union, Los Angeles, USA.
– 10 single family homes and water distribution system in
Saralanch, Hadrout Region, MKR. Sponsor: France Karabagh and Amitie
Alsace-Armenie (France)
– 3 single family homes in Norashen, Hadrout Region, MKR. Sponsor:
AGBU.
– 5 single family homes and Clinic-Community Center, Knaravan, Nor
Shahoumian Region, MKR.
Sponsor: Haroutiounian Family, New Jersey, USA.
Yerkir UNGO invites all its sponsors and all those interested, to attend the
formal opening ceremonies of our 2004 projects. For further information
visit or call the Yerevan office at 01-262875, or “Yerkir
USA”‘s homepage at or 818-291-9703.

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
July 16, 2004
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]
ASSEMBLY, ACTIVISTS DISCUSS COMMUNITY ISSUES AT ANNUAL PICNIC
Detroit Area Event Welcomes More Than 100 Supporters
Farmington Hills, MI – The Armenian Assembly’s annual summer picnic in
Michigan July 11 brought together more than 100 area supporters, eager to
address the critical issues facing the community through increasing their
political activism at state and federal levels.
Assembly Congressional Relations Director Rob Mosher, in a Washington
update, addressed several pending issues including the recent vote by the
House Appropriations Committee to reinstate U.S. policy to maintain security
parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Mosher said activists were
particularly pleased to learn that legislators agreed to allocate $5 million
in military financing to both countries, thereby breaking from the Bush
Administration request to seek a $6 million increase for Baku over Yerevan.
Fellow Trustee Edgar Hagopian, who as Regional Director of the Great Lakes
Council helped organize the event in Farmington Hills, added that
Congressman Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) was instrumental in reinstating balance
which is fundamental to the Nagorno Karabakh peace process.
Mosher also discussed a crucial trade bill that would strengthen the
U.S.-Armenia trade relationship. Known as “permanent normal trade
relations” (PNTR), the legislation would remove a provision governing
Armenia’s continued access to low tariffs. Some activists inquired about
the additional benefits attached to PNTR status. Mosher said that the bill,
if enacted, would signal an upgrade to Armenia’s status as a trading partner
and could open the door to additional bilateral trade agreements.
Event participants also embraced the recent decision by Congressmen
Knollenberg and Frank Pallone Jr., (D-NJ), as Co-Chairs of the Congressional
Caucus on Armenian Issues, to head a series of pan-Armenian events to
commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide next year in
Washington. The Assembly, Mosher said, has already pledged its full
cooperation and is welcoming the opportunity to join with the
Armenian-American community to honor this occasion.
Hagopian closed the event by thanking supporters for their participation and
interest in the Assembly and commended fellow Council members, including
Board of Directors Member and Associate Trustee Daniel Ajamian, Fellow
Trustees Bob and Margaret Benian, Affiliate Member Paul Kulhanjian,
Affiliate Member Shirley Sarkissian, Fellow Trustees Bob and Madeline
Thomasian and Affiliate Member David Terzibashian for contributing to the
success of the yearly picnic.
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
NR#2004-068
Photographs available on the Assembly’s Web site at the following link:
Caption: Left to Right: Armenian Assembly Great Lakes Regional Council
Members Bob and Madeline Thomasian, David Terzibashian, Shirley Sarkissian,
Edgar Hagopian and Paul Kulhanjian during the annual picnic at Heritage
Park. Not pictured: Daniel Ajamian and Bob and Margaret Benian.
Caption: More than 100 Detroit-area supporters attended a briefing by
Armenian Assembly Congressional Relations Director Rob Mosher at Heritage
Park on July 11.

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
 
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2004
CONTACT: David Zenian
E-mail: [email protected]
HOUSE PAVES WAY FOR SECURITY PARITY BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
ADOPTS AMENDMENT TO FOREIGN OPERATIONS BILL ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly praised the House of Representatives
for its resounding vote Thursday in support of maintaining military aid
parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The 365-41 vote, which upheld an earlier House Appropriations Committee
decision granting $5 million each in military financing to both countries,
reinstated parity in the FY 2005 Foreign Operations bill despite the Bush
Administration’s initial request of $8 million to Azerbaijan and only $2
million to Armenia.
Thursday’s vote also approved “not less than” $65 million in economic aid to
Armenia, an increase of $3 million over the Administration’s FY 2005 budget
request. An additional $5 million in humanitarian assistance for Nagorno
Karabakh was also allocated. The Administration did not propose any
assistance for Karabakh.
Once the Senate completes its action on the Foreign Operations bill, a joint
House-Senate Conference will meet to reconcile differences before sending it
to the White House for enactment.
“We applaud the House, along with Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim
Kolbe (R-AZ) and his Subcommittee for maintaining equal security assistance
between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” said Assembly Board of Directors Chairman
Anthony Barsamian, who has recently visited Armenia and the region to
discuss key issues with government officials, including the question of
parity and the level of military aid to Armenia.
“We are especially thankful to Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg
(R-MI) for taking the lead to reinstate U.S. balance and impartiality in
this matter,” Barsamian said.
Shortly before the vote, the House passed and included in the FY 2005
Foreign Operations bill an amendment introduced by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)
prohibiting Turkey from using U.S. foreign aid funds in its ongoing campaign
to derail legislation recognizing the Armenian Genocide.
Speaking on the floor of the House, Rep. Schiff underlined the importance of
his amendment, and said:
“Today I offer a simple amendment that will honor the one and a half million
Armenians who perished in the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and 1923. I consider
this a sacred obligation to ensure that the men, women and children who
perished in the Armenian Genocide are not lost.”
Fellow Congressman Frank Pallone Jr., co-chairman of the Congressional
Caucus on Armenian Issues, praised the House for approving the Schiff
amendment and said:
“The passage of this amendment is a major victory. It clearly sends a
message that the United States House of Representatives will not tolerate
Turkey’s lobbying against the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.”
The Schiff amendment reads as follows:
“SEC. 576: None of the funds made available in this Act may be used by the
Government of Turkey to engage in contravention of section 1913 of title 18,
United States Code, relating to lobbying with appropriated monies, with
respect to H. Res. 193, Reaffirming support of the Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and anticipating the 15th
anniversary of the enactment of the Genocide Convention Implementation Act
of 1987 (the Proxmire Act) on November 4, 2003.”
Earlier, also addressing the House before the vote, Rep. Knollenberg
emphasized the importance of parity in U.S. military assistance to Armenia
and Azerbaijan and said:
“Unfortunately, Armenia is a land-locked country surrounded by nations that
are hostile to it.  Because transportation routes into Armenia are sealed,
the Armenian economy is being strangled.  Therefore, it is appropriate for
the United States to provide substantial economic assistance.  This bill
provides $65 million in economic assistance for Armenia, which is an
increase above the Administration’s request.”
“We must also be very careful with the military assistance we provide to the
South Caucasus.  I believe it is absolutely critical to maintain complete
parity in military assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan – and I am pleased
that this bill does exactly that,” he said.
In a letter dated February 10th of this year and sent to the 131 members of
the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues and 35 Senators, the Assembly
said that providing asymmetrical military assistance to Azerbaijan will not
only “have a potentially destabilizing effect on the South Caucasus,” but
also “damage U.S. credibility as an impartial and leading mediator in the
ongoing sensitive peace negotiations for the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.”
Knollenberg, in remarks last month, said “parity in military assistance to
Armenia and Azerbaijan is absolutely critical to maintaining the careful
balance between the two countries. We cannot settle for anything less. I’m
also pleased we were able to increase military assistance to Armenia to $5
million in order to help them modernize their equipment.”
This April, Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Caucus
member John E. Sweeney (R-NY), along with over 40 of their congressional
colleagues, wrote to Chairman Kolbe urging that the subcommittee maintain
symmetry in levels of any military/security assistance for Armenia and
Azerbaijan. In addition, they requested “not less than” $75 million in
economic assistance for Armenia and an additional $5 million in humanitarian
assistance for Nagorno Karabakh in FY 2005. The Assembly strongly supported
this initiative by urging Members to sign on to this letter during its
advocacy portion of its National Conference and via a nationwide Action
Alert.
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
NR#2004-067

GOVERNMENT APPROVES NEW METHODS OF FINANCING FAMILY DOCTORS
YEREVAN, JULY 15. ARMINFO. The RA Government has approved the “Pilot
public health program of organizing primary health care and
elaborating new methods of financing family doctors.”
Talking to journalists, First Deputy Minister of Health Haik Darbinyan
reported that a patient receives medical assistance from his family
doctor free of charge. The patient pay for the medical examination his
family doctor prescribes to him. The family doctor’s services will be
financed from the state budget. The Government pledges to pay 2,800
AMD for each child-patient and 1,302 AMD for each adult annually. The
minimum, optimal and maximum number of patients for each family doctor
has been determined – 1,000, 1,700 and 2,300 respectively. According
to Darbinyan, the salaries of family doctors will exceed those of
doctors at outpatient clinics by 50% and amount to 50,000 AMD a month.
Darbinyan reported that about 25,000 residents have been registered
for examination by family doctors in Yerevan’s Erebuni community
alone.
Darbinyan pointed out that under the WB’s credit program, 276 Armenian
doctors were trained as family doctors in 2003-2004,m and eight of
them studied abroad. However, he said that the country needs 1,700
family doctors. Darbinyan reported that about 200 medical nurses have
been retained. Besides, 81 medical outpatient clinics were repaired
and equipped for family doctors. Darbinyan reported that another 20
clinics are to be constructed under the WB’s 2nd credit program for
2004-2008.

SESSION AT LORI REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION CHAIRED BY ARMENIAN NA
CHAIRMAN ARTUR BAGHDASARYAN
YEREVAN, JULY 15. ARMINFO. A session at Lori regional administration
chaired by Armenian NA Chairman Artur Baghdasaryan today discussed the
urgent problems and prior tasks of the region. Speaker Baghdasaryan
got first hand information on the economic situation in Lori region.
Lori Governor Henrik Kochinyan informed the Speaker that 2.2
thous. families in the region still need housing. He pointed out the
necessity for completing the construction of Culture House in the town
of Stepanavan and several other cultural facilities. At the same time,
the governor said that light industry and machine building effectively
develop in the region, and the cheese produced in Lori is successfully
exported to the USA and Russia. A deficit of this product is already
observed on the local market.
Speaking at the session, NA Chairman Artur Baghdasaryan said that an
Armenian-Italian Business Forum will be held in October, and Lori
businessmen should take an active party in it. He promised that in
November, a Center of Information Technologies will open in Vanadzor
and that the forthcoming adoption of a Law On Public Health will solve
many problems in the sphere in region. Baghdasaryan also promised to
contribute to computerization of secondary schools in the region.