“ARMENIA: 15 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE” EXHIBITION TO KICK OFF IN MOSCOW CINEMA SEPT 17
Armenpress
Sept 12 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS: A photo exhibition called “Armenia:
15 Years of Independence through the Eyes of Armenian Photographers”
will kick off September 17 in Moscow cinema. The exhibition is
initiated and organized by “Armenpress” news agency.
The government of Armenia gave funds to Armenpress to prepare and
publish an illustrated catalog of the exhibition. The Executive
Director of “Armenpress” news agency Hrayr Zoryan said the
photo-exhibition displays photos which were selected through an open
competition announced by “Armenpress” news agency.
“The commission of professional photographers has selected 109 photos
of 15 photographers from a pool of 400 photos of 40 photographers,”
said Hrayr Zoryan adding that the photos show how the independent
Armenia was being born and gaining strength through these years.
This exhibition is part of a long string of ceremonies and events
dedicated to the 15th anniversary of Independence of Armenia. It is
also part of the Year of Armenia in the Russian Federation and the
Year of Armenia in France.
It presents the works by Martin Shahbazian, Hakob Berberian, Ruben
Mangasarian, Felix Arustamian, Hrayr Baze (Hawk), German Avagian,
Nazik Armenakian, Zaven Sargsian, Alexander Khachunts, Karen Minasian,
Karen Mirzoyan and others.
The catalog presents the photos which are on display as well as
information about the photographers.

KETENCI: REPORT OF E.P. FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMISSION REFLECTS VIEWS OF A NARROW-MINDED AND FLIPPANT GROUP
Anadolu Agency
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Sept 12 2006
ANKARA – “The report of the European Parliament (EP) Foreign Affairs
Commission on Turkey reflects views of a narrow-minded and flippant
group,” Social Democratic People’s Party (SHP) Secretary-General
Ahmet Guryuz Ketenci said on Wednesday.
Ketenci told a written statement that the report includes many
requests, which do not have any legal or historical ground.
“The report reflects theses of the Greek Cypriot administration and
Armenia through the EU. Turkey should display a harsh reaction against
it,” he stressed.
“The report discusses the integrity, national sovereignty and
independence of Turkey. Such a report reflecting a will to separate
Turkey culturally and politically, contradicts the EU’s mentality,”
he added.

PM ERDOGAN: I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED A POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM ARMENIA
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Sept 12 2006
* PM Erdogan speaks about Armenia at Turkish history congress
ANKARA – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan participated
yesterday in the 15th Turkish History Congress in Ankara.
Speaking to congress attendees, Erdogan touched on questions
surrounding the so-called Armenian genocide, noting “It is nearly
impossible to come across a people as free of guilt as ours in
history. Still, there are those who try to blacken our history for
political reasons. This is where the accusations of a so-called
Armenian genocide come in. On this subject, as the prime minister,
I proposed to Armenia that we form a commission. I still have not
receive a positive response to this request. Still, we have hope. All
of the Ottoman archives are open to those who wish to investigate. In
fact, foreign researchers talk about how our archives are more open
than those of other countries.”
Turkish PM last yaer offered to establish a joint commission to
discuss the historical issues. Armenia does not recognise Turkey’s
eastern borders and have been occupying 20 percent of Azerbaijan.
Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer also sent a message to the
president of the Turkish History Foundation, Yusuf Halacoglu, noting
that “no efforts would be successful in hiding the truth about
Armenian accusations.”

MEDIA FORUM TO COVER HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN
International Journalist’s Network
Sept 12 2006
Region :Eastern Europe-Central Eurasia
Topic :Children, Human Rights
Journalists interested in children’s rights are eligible to attend
a pan-European forum in Yerevan, Armenia on October 5 and 6.
The application deadline for the event, “Human Rights in the
Information Society: Empowering children and young people.” is
September 13.
The Council of Europe, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
the Information Technologies Foundation of Armenia are organizing the
forum, which will include panel discussions and lectures on a range
of topics related to children’s rights, online trends and education.
For more information, or to apply visit or
/Events/Forum2006YEREVAN_en.asp
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE CONCERNED FOR JOURNALISTS IN ARMENIA
Radio Free Europe, Czech Rep.
Sept 12 2006
PRAGUE, September 12, 2006 (RFE/RL) — The Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) says it is “deeply concerned”
over a number of recent cases of violence and intimidation against
journalists in Armenia.
The OSCE’s office in Yerevan said in a statement issued today that
the violence infringes upon freedom of expression.
It called on the perpetrators of the attacks to be punished and
urged Armenian’s law-enforcement bodies to take “prompt measures”
to ensure the safety of those working in the media.

IRANIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER: SECOND IRAN-ARMENIA NATURAL GAS PIPELINE COULD BE BUILT
Santa Fe New Mexican, NM
Sept 12 2006
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) – The Iranian parliament speaker said Tuesday
that his nation could build a second natural gas pipeline to this
ex-Soviet nation.
The first Iranian pipeline currently under construction is expected to
be completed later this year and Iranian parliament speaker Gholam Ali
Haddad Adel said that the two nations were considering the possibility
of building a second one. He did not give any details.
Adel also said that Iranian oil exports to Armenia were under
consideration.
Construction on the US$220 million (?173 million) natural gas pipeline
began in 2004, and its first section set to be completed this year
will have an initial capacity of 1.7 billion cubic meters.
Energy-hungry Armenia is looking to the pipeline to lessen its reliance
on supplies of Russian gas via Georgia, which lies between them. But
officials said Armenia would continue to receive gas from Russian
monopoly Gazprom and that some of the gas from Iran would be used to
generate electricity, which would then be used as payment for Iran.

ADEL: IRAN MAY MAKE 2ND ARMENIA PIPELINE
Hemscott, UK
Sept 12 2006
YEREVAN, Armenia (AFX) – The Iranian parliament speaker said Tuesday
that his nation could build a second natural gas pipeline to this
ex-Soviet nation.
The first Iranian pipeline currently under construction is expected to
be completed later this year and Iranian parliament speaker Gholam Ali
Haddad Adel said that the two nations were considering the possibility
of building a second one. He did not give any details.
Adel also said that Iranian oil exports to Armenia were under
consideration.
Construction on the US$220 million (euro173 million) natural gas
pipeline began in 2004, and its first section set to be completed
this year will have an initial capacity of 1.7 billion cubic meters.
Energy-hungry Armenia is looking to the pipeline to lessen its reliance
on supplies of Russian gas via Georgia, which lies between them. But
officials said Armenia would continue to receive gas from Russian
monopoly Gazprom and that some of the gas from Iran would be used to
generate electricity, which would then be used as payment for Iran.

BOARD OF BENEFICIARIES OF MILLENNIUM CHALLENGES – ARMENIA PROGRAM TO CONVENE ROUTINE SESSION ON WEDNESDAY
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 12 2006
YEREVAN, September 12. /ARKA/. Board of Beneficiaries of Millennium
Challenges – Armenia program is to convene a routine session on
September 13, Levon Barseghyan, a member of the board, said on Tuesday.
On March 27, an agreement was signed in Washington, under which $235.5
million had to be given to Armenia for roads and irrigation systems
restoration as part of Millennium Challenges program.
Millennium Challenges Corporation was established in 2004 as part of
the U.S. State Department’s program focused on economy development
and poverty reduction.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SATISFIED WITH DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIAN-IRANIAN RELATIONS
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 12 2006
YEREVAN, September 12. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharian is
satisfied with the development of the Armenian-Iranian relations. The
president stated that when receiving the Iranian delegation, led by
Iranian Speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel.
Kocharian pointed out that the partnership in the sphere of development
of infrastructures binds the two countries with more perspective
programs.
The president also pointed out that the Iran and Armenia display
significant consistency in the timely and qualitative implementation
of joint programs.
They also discussed tendencies of the development of the
Armenian-Iranian relations and the process of joint programs
implementation.
The Iranian speaker said that Armenia occupies a special place among
Iran’s friends that it obtained after the collapse of the USSR.
As incentive for the full use of the cooperation’s potential, the
Armenian president and the Iranian speaker emphasized the importance
of the interparliamentary relations, and pointed out that this sector
gives way to the cooperation in the sector of legislation for the
level of development.

NK STATE BUDGET’S OWN INCOME TOTALS AMD 6BLN IN JAN-AUG 2006
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 12 2006
YEREVAN, September 12. /ARKA/. Nagorno-Karabakh state budget’s own
income totaled AMD 6bln 97.9mln in Jan-Aug 2006 after growing 33% from
the same period a year earlier, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Financial
Ministry’s press office reports.
The report says the income was mainly ensured by tax receipts, which
made 80.3% of budget income.
The budget expenditures for the mentioned period in 2006 were AMD
15bln 141.5mln.
Own income received by Nagorno-Karabakh State Fund for Social Insurance
between January and August 2006 totaled AMD 1bln 532.8mln.
This result is 11% better than that of the same period in 2005. ($1 –
AMD 391.48).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress