ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 30 2005
ARMENIAN IS AMONG THE LEADERS IN THE WORLD BY THE NUMBER OF CASES OF
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
YEREVAN, September 30. /ARKA/. Armenian is among the leaders in the
world by the number of cases of cardiovascular diseases, as the Head
of the Therapeutic Department of the RA ministry of Health Vahan
Poghosyan stated. “The number of cardiovascular diseases increases in
Armenia and this acquires threatening trends”, he said. According to
him, in the first half a year of 2005, 11 thsd 300 calls (or 15,7%)
for emergency out of 72 thsd calls. were because of cordial diseases.
For the first 6 months of 2005, 1400 people were hospitalize in
Yerevan with the diagnoses of cardiovascular diseases, versus 1300
people in 2004. “Prophylaxis and treatment of such diseases require
professionalism and latest clinical technologies”, he said. Poghosyan
added that the healthcare system of Armenia has this potential, with
the consideration of increasing the amount of funds spent on
healthcare. A.H.-0-

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 30 2005
HAMLET GASPARIAN: ARMENIAN-ITALIAN FRIENDSHIP DAYS ARE NOT PURELY
SERIES OF CULTURAL EVENTS BUT A POLITICAL ACTION
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The holding of
the Armenian-Italian Friendship Days im Armenia is considered not
only as series of cultural events but also as a political action.
Hamlet Gasparian, RA Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson, declared this
at the September 30 press conference. He mentioned that Armenia is
involved in the EU “New Neighborhood” program, which means that
Armenia with its history and civilization is included in the system
of European values, starting from ancient period up to this day.
According to Marco Clemente, Italian Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary to Armenia, the holding of Friendship Days is aimed
at mutual acquainting of the two peoples, and the “word “friendship”
in the title of the festival means friendship between the 2 cultures
which will develop seriously in the future.”
The Italian Ambassador is convinced that culture is able to correct
political relations, to establish economic contacts.
Ambassador Clemente reported that the Armenian-Italian Friendship
Days will start on October 5 by an exhibition under the title
“Treasures of St Lazaro Island” at the National Gallery of Armenia.
Representatives of Italian government, in particular, a delegation
led by the Minister of Trade and Economy will be present at the
ceremony of opening. An Armenian-Italian business forum will open on
October 6 at the “Congress” hotel with participation of 30 Italian
businessmen.
32 events will be held within a month – from October 1 through
October 31, some of them will repeat. All the events will be free in
order to be afordable for public. The Italian diplomat mentioned
several important events, in particular, the exhibition under the
title “Treasures of St Lazaro Island”, demonstration of 15 films of
Paolo and Vittorio Taviani Italian brothers.
Conferences, painting and photo exhibitions, film demonstrations,
evenings of Italian opera will be held during the month of
Armenian-Italian Friendship.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 30 2005
KAREKIN II: NUMEROUS DREAMS FOR FUTURE ARE ANALOGOUS FOR ARMENIAN AND
GREEK PEOPLES
ETCHMIADZIN, SEPTEMBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On
September 29, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Karekin II,
Catholicos of All Armenians received Antnios Vlavianos, the
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of
Greece finishing his diplomatic mission to the Republic of Armenia,
and Dimitrios Furlemadis, the Executive Director of the “Development
Solidarity” organization of the Greek Orthodox Church.
His Holiness appreciated the Ambassador’s three-years activity in
Armenia. “Our peoples’ friendship and brotherhood have been created
within numerous suffers and difficulties caused by enimies. And today
numerous dreams for future are analogous for our peoples,” the
Armenian Catholicos mentioned touching upon ties of centuries present
between the two peoples. His Holiness wished the Ambassador numerous
years of well-being full of rich results of his service.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Information System of the Mother
See, Dimitrios Furlemadis passed His Holiness Athens and All-Greece
Archbishop Crisodulos’s brotherly greeting and invitation to visit
Greece. Dimitrios Furlemadis presented His Holiness his
organization’s service to the Armenian people served under the
patronage of the Greek Orthodox Church, especially in the sphere of
health care. The Catholicos of All Armenians, in his turn, addressed
an invitation to visit Armenia to Archbishop Cristodilos,
recollecting his meeting with the Archbishop in Rome.
Warm relations between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Greek
Orthodox Church as well as possible ways of development of the
present cooperation were spoken about at the meeting.

Thursday, September 29, 2005
*************************************
MASTERS OF THE BLAME GAME
**************************************
What I am about to say I have probably said before. If you value your time, no need to read any further.
*
We blame the massacres on Turks; we blame the Stalinist purges on the Kremlin, emigration from the Homeland on the Earthquake, the Earthquake on God, and the high rate of assimilation in the Diaspora on conditions beyond our control. Which raises the question: Who is minding the store? What has been the role of our leadership in all this? If they have been of no use to us in the past, of what possible use can they be in the future?
*
More questions:
Do we have an independent judiciary?
Do we have a Supreme Court?
Does anyone know the name of the Chief Justice?
If we had an independent judiciary, how many members of the Executive Branch would be impeached, found guilty, and fried?
That’s something worth thinking about.
*
If I have said this before, I apologize.
#
Friday, September 30, 2005
**********************************
Whenever a reader attacks my anti-establishment views, thus rising to the defense of the establishment (as if the establishment did not have an entire propaganda apparatus with which to defend itself and to hoodwink, bamboozle, and flimflam the public), I remind myself that there is a sucker born every minute. That’s the only way to explain why all leaders, no matter how corrupt, incompetent, and evil, have had their share of supporters. Nazis in Germany and Fascists in Italy exist today as surely as Stalinists do in Russian and in the former states of the USSR, including our own homeland and diaspora. I have met some of them myself. They may no longer identify themselves as Stalinists as openly as in the good old days, but neither do they try very hard to hide their true colors, especially when it comes to such subjects as the United States, McCarthy, the CIA, and our own ARF.
#
Saturday, October 01, 2005
**************************************
MEMO TO A FRIEND
*************************
You tell me I should travel, deliver lectures, visit community centers, press the flesh. To what end? Writers have at no time played anything but a less than marginal role in our collective existence. And now that they have been effectively exterminated or silenced, does anyone miss them? Have you heard anyone lament the fact that after the generation of Shahnour and Zarian we have only minor scribblers, propagandists, hirelings, brown-nosers, and phony pundits who blabber endlessly about Turks. Remember Puzant Granian’s words: “So many national benefactors, but not a single national poet!” And allow me to quote Zohrab: “Once in a while I come across certain characters, among them so-called friends and acquaintances, who tug at my sleeve, take me aside and whisper: ‘Why don’t you concentrate on your own affairs, man? This writing business doesn’t fill the stomach’.” There you have a typical Armenian speaking. Can you imagine anyone saying to an Oriental carpet dealer: “Why bother selling rugs, man? There are more important things in life.”
#

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 30 2005
ROBERT KOCHARIAN: COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS IS ONE OF
MOST EFFICIENT STRUCTURES IN CIS

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The Council of Ministers of
Internal Affairs is one of the most efficient structures in CIS. RA
President Robert Kocharian said this on September 30, receiving CIS
Ministers of Internal Affairs who arrived in Yerevan for the purpose
of participating in the regular sitting of the Council of Ministers
of Internal Affairs of CIS member-states. According to Robert
Kocharian, the problems of this sphere are nearly the same in all
countries, which creates a good basis for cooperation.
Estimating the work of Yerevan sitting as efficient, Rashid
Nurghaliyev, RF Minister of Internal Affairs, noted that the issues
they discussed mainly concerned different spheres of struggle against
crime, in particular, problems of coordinated struggle against
terrorism, illegal migration, corruption.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by RA President’s Press Service, during
the meeting the interlocutors exchanged opinions about reforms
carried out in the system of internal affairs of different countries.

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 30 2005
HEIKKI TALVITIE: NEGOTIATIONS ON COOPERATION OF SOUTH CAUCASIAN
COUNTRIES WITH EUROPEAN UNION POSTPONED FOR ONE MONTH BECAUSE OF
AZERBAIJAN
YEREVAN, September 29. /ARKA/. Negotiations on cooperation of the
South Caucasian countries with the European Union within the program
of European Neighbourhood have been postponed for one month because
of Azerbaijan, EU Special Representative to South Caucasus Heikki
Talvitie told journalists. He said that the negotiations were
expected to start in September, 2005; but Azerbaijan has certain
problems with one of EU countries. “We can not start negotiations
until these problems are solved as the EU pursues balanced policy
regarding the three countries of the South Caucasus”, Talvitie said.
He said that Azerbaijan has one month to solve these problems, after
that parallel negotiations can start. If not the EU will apply
differential approach and will start negotiations with those who are
ready. “Surely, Armenia is ready and will be the first in this list”,
he said. Talvitie also pointed out that the EU-South Caucasus
cooperation should start, and development of these relations depends
on progress the certain country registers. “The role of the South
Caucasus in international policy has increased and it is beneficial
for all countries”, he said. Talvitie pointed out that neighbourhood
program will give opportunity for regional cooperation, and this is
an important factor for region’s development. In this context he
pointed to the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict as well. A.A.
-0–

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 30 2005
ROBERT KOCHARIAN: ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN PARTNERSHIP’S EXPANSION IN ENERGY
SECTOR MAY BECOME A REAL PROGRAM OF REGIONAL COOPERATION

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. At the fourth session of the
Armenian-Georgian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic
Cooperation Issues, the sides discussed the urgent problmes in the
bilateral relations and found mutually acceptable and beneficial
solutions to almost all of the issues. The Georgian Prime Minister
Zurab Nogaidely said this at the September 30 meeting with the RA
President Robert Kocharian in Yerevan.
Special attention was paid to the issues of cooperation in the
energy, transport and customs sectors. R. Kocharian and Z. Nogaideli
considered new opportunities for exporting electricity from Armenia
to Georgia. The Armenian President attached special importance to the
expansion of cooperation in the energy sector, which, in his opinion,
may become a real program of regional cooperation.
The sides underlined the necessity for new transport opportunities.
They considered it important to organize direct Yerevan-Tbilisi and
Yerevan-Batumi flights, as well as Yerevan-Batumi railway
communication. They also stressed the need to promote cooperation
between the customs departments of the two countries with the aim of
preventing the illigal turnover of goods subject to excise taxation.
The interlocutors noted that smuggling has been considerably reduced,
but the problem still remains.
According to the RA Presidental press service, R. Kocharian and Z.
Nogaideli also addressed the problem of the socioeconomic situation
in Javakhk. The Georgian Prime Minister said the government intends
to implement a 5-year program on repairing motorways in Javakhk with
funds provided by the Millennnium Challenges Fund and the state
budget allocations. The government of Georgia also intends to carry
out educational programs for the Armenian-speaking citizens and take
an active part in school construction in Javakhk.

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 30 2005
ARA ABRAHAMIAN PRESENTS TO VARTAN OSKANIAN ARMENIAN PROGRAMS OF UNION
OF ARMENIANS IN RUSSIA
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Ara Abrahamian,
the Chairman of the World Armenian Congress, of the Union of
Armenians in Russia presented the 5-years activity of the Union of
Armenians in Russia and spoke about its Armenian programs at the
September 29 meeting with Vartan Oskanian, the RA Foreign Minister.
The Union created cultural, youth and educational centers, an
institute which is busy with issues of international policy and the
Genocide.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, programs implemented by the organization
jointly with the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, the
Writers’ Union of Amenia, numerous educational and cultural
institutions were presented as well. Ara Abrahamian informed that he
intends to found a branch in Yerevan as well for coordinating
programs to be implemented in Armenia.
The RA Foreing Minister mentioned the necessity of an agreed activity
of Diasporan Armenian organizations. An active participation of the
structures headed by Ara Abrahamian in the Armenia-Diaspora forum to
be organized the next year was spoken about.
At the guests’ request, Minister Oskanian spoke briefly about current
developments of the region.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 28 2005
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT’S RESOLUTION ON TURKEY POSITIVE, NATURAL: VARTAN
OSKANYAN
YEREVAN, September 29. /ARKA/. RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan
considers the resolution on Turkey concerning the admission of the
Armenian Genocide adopted by the European Parliament to be positive
and natural. At his press conference on the upcoming visit of the
Special Representative of the European Parliament to the South
Caucasus, Minister Oskanyan said that if Turkey wants to be admitted
to the EU, it must meet the standards of European countries.
Therefore, it has to re-open the border with Armenia, take a sober
view of its past and make an appropriate assessment of the 1915
events.
EU Special Representative to the South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie
shared Minister Oskanyan’s opinion, pointing out that the European
Parliament’s resolution means that the issues of Armenian-Turkish
relations will be settled during negotiations for Turkey’s admission
to the EU. On Wednesday, the European Parliament voted for
negotiations with Turkey. On the other hand, it adopted a resolution
recommending Turkey to admit mass murders of Armenians. In his turn,
Turkish Premier Recep Tayip stated that Turkey will not admit the
Armenian Genocide during WWI. P.T. -0–

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 28 2005
THE RA PRESIDENT AND A SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EU TO THE SOUTH
CAUCASUS DISCUSS THE PROCESS OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, September 29. /ARKA/. The RA President Robert Kocharyan and
a special representative, Ambassador of the EU to the South Caucasus
Heikki Talvitie discussed the process of the constitutional reforms
in Armenia. According to the President’s Press Service, the sides
evaluated the reforms as a new possibility for the development of
democracy in the country. According to the press release, in the
course of the meeting the issues of the Armenia -EU cooperation in
the framework of the New Neighborhood Program were discussed. The
sides touched upon the Karabakh conflict settlement issues and those
of regional development. A.H. -0–