Turkish researcher sentenced in Armenia for smuggling
Agence France Presse — English
August 16, 2005 Tuesday 5:32 PM GMT
YEREVAN Aug 16 — An Armenian court on Tuesday handed down a two-year
suspended sentence to a Turkish researcher studying at a US university
for trying to smuggle ancient books out of Armenia.
Yektan Turkyilmaz, from Istanbul, studied ancient local texts at
Yerevan libraries for two weeks but was arrested in mid-June at the
capital’s airport when several 17th-century books, some carrying
library stamps, were discovered in his luggage.
The books’ value was estimated at several million dollars (euros).
The 33-year-old had been facing a maximum five-year prison sentence
or a fine of up to 2,300 dollars.
He left the courthouse a free man after a two-month detention, saying
“I have been and I still am a friend of Armenia”.
He said he would return to the United States to pursue his studies
in anthropology.

Agency WPS
What the Papers Say. Part B (Russia)
August 16, 2005, Tuesday
THEY WHO “DO NOT BELONG”
SOURCE: Vedomosti, August 16, 2005, pp. A1, A4
by editorial office
The Levada Center polling agency reports that over half of respondents
support the slogan “Russia for ethnic Russians” to some extent, and
that xenophobic trends in society have been worsening for years. The
poll data tallies with the opinion of human rights groups. According
to the Moscow Human Rights Bureau (MHRB), ethnic hate crimes have
been responsible for ten deaths and 200 injuries in the first half
of this year.
All these figures come from the report “Racism, Xenophobia, Ethnic
Discrimination, and Anti-Semitism in Russia,” released by the MHRB
yesterday. It maintains that at least seven nationwide parties and
movements have ideologies based on bigotry and racism. All these
parties and movements total over 10,000 activists. More than 50,000
citizens belong to the skinhead movement divided into thousands of
small gangs. Radical nationalists set up so-called People’s Volunteer
Detachments and urge their participants to obtain weapons. They
publish magazines and books with the titles like “It’s Time the
Russians Took Over.” Human rights activists asked to testify against
them in courtrooms are harassed. Ethnographer Nikolai Girenko, a
witness in the case against the Russian National Unity, was shot to
death in St. Petersburg on June 19, 2004. Threats to another human
rights activist and anti-fascist, Dmitri Krayukhin of the United
Europe Institute, drew the attention of law enforcement agencies only
when dozens of Russian and international human rights organizations
appealed directly to the Prosecutor General’s Office.
Opinion polls cited by the MHRB indicate that antipathies are usually
focused on the Chechens (14.8%), Azerbaijanis (5.1%), Armenians
(4.1%), and people from the Caucasus in general (6%).
Along with everything else, almost 70% respondents are prepared to
welcome immigration of the Russians and Russian-speakers and restrict
immigration of other peoples. Pollsters point out that xenophobic
trends in Russia have risen noticeably since Vladimir Putin’s
election as president. According to the Levada Center, 43.7% backed
the slogan “Russia for ethnic Russians” in 1999, while 58% support
it nowadays. That shows a 14% increase of ethnic prejudice, a figure
that must be alarming for any sane government. It doesn’t, however,
seem to be worrying the Kremlin or politicians loyal to the regime.
Forget the red-brown danger. The true threat is posed by a different
color entirely. Mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov sets up a special
channel aimed to fight “orange” trends among the youth. The Our Own
(Nashi) youth movement releases a brochure titled “Unusual Fascism”
– aimed against Irina Khakamada, the Free Choice 2008 Committee,
Youth Yabloko, Boris Berezovsky, and so on – rather than against
fascists as such. In other words, Our Own is much more concerned
about the orange threat than the red-brown threat. It follows that
numerous killings fuelled by ethnic hatred concern Our Own less than
the prospect of the opposition’s rise to power.
In fact, chauvinism increases every now and then even in prosperous
countries of the West. French President Jacques Chirac personally
marched in an anti-fascist demonstration last year. Gerhard
Schroeder and his predecessor Helmut Kohl regularly appealed to their
compatriots with anti-Nazi slogans. Even Russian president condemns
xenophobia. “There should be neither xenophobia, chauvinism, or other
phenomena of ethnic hatred in the 21st century,” he said in the wake
of negotiations with his Israeli counterpart.
But Putin’s other statements may encourage chauvinists into new acts of
violence. When Russian teenagers were assaulted and battered in Warsaw,
three Poles (two embassy officials and a journalist) were beaten
in Moscow. Irked by episodes of chauvinism in foreign countries,
Putin doesn’t pay attention to even crueller crimes committed by
racists in Russia itself. He is not concerned by the skinhead thugs
in Astrakhan who killed a whole Dagestani family in early May,
or by the murder of three Armenians near Sverdlovsk, by assault on
two rabbis in central Moscow, or by appalling attacks on foreigners
in his native St. Petersburg where skinheads assaulted 12 students
from African countries, China, South Korea, Palestine, Israel in the
first half of this year. Foreign students are similarly attacked
in Rostov-on-Don, Voronezh, Nizhny Novgorod, Lipetsk, Krasnodar,
Perm. Had Putin followed the example of his French counterpart by
marching in an anti-nazi demonstration along with United Russia, Our
Own, and Walking Together, it would have saved a lot of lives. Which
is more important, after all, than a war on phantom color revolutions.
Translated by A. Ignatkin

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT MEETS WITH HEAD OF UNDP ARMENIA OFFICE
ARKA News Agency
Aug 17 2005
YEREVAN, August 17. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharyan has held a
meeting with Head of the UNDP Armenia office Consuella Vidal Bruce.
The RA presidential press office reports that C.V. Bruce presented to
the Ra President credentials of the UN Secretary General. The President
pointed out with satisfaction that the UN programs in Armenia are
distinguished by their scale and effectiveness. He expressed hope
that the bilateral cooperation will be continued at the same high
level. In her turn, C. V. Bruce made a high appraisal of the programs
being implemented in Armenia and stressed the Armenian authorities’
active assistance. P.T. -0–

MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE ACCOUNT – ARMENIA OFFICIAL WEB-SITE LAUNCHED
ARKA News Agency
Aug 17 2005
YEREVAN, August 17. /ARKA/. The official web-site () of the
Board of Trustees of the Armenian program of Millennium Challenge
Account (MCA) – Armenia has been launched to provide publicity of
development and realizations of the projects, the press-service of
the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy reported to ARKA News Agency.
The site contains general information about Millennium Challenge
Account – Armenia, as well as the latest information on the program
development. Special importance is given to the coverage of negotiation
process. The feedback is provided through MCA-Armenia Forum. A.A. -0–

AZERBAIJAN ACCUSED ARMENIA OF VIOLATING THE ARMISTICE IN KARABAKH
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
August 17, 2005, Wednesday
Day.AAz reports that Armenian servicemen stationed in the Khodzhavend
district in Nagorny Karabakh broke the armistice between Azerbaijan
and Armenia.
The Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan stated that Armenian servicemen
opened fire near the village of Kuropatkino last weekend. There are
no casualties among Azerbaijanian servicemen. Armenia refuses to
comment on the accusation. A similar incident happened in early May.
Baku states that Armenian servicemen opened fire near the villages of
Kuropatkino and Ashagy. There were no casualties. Many Azerbaijanian
politicians accuse Yerevan of seeking to solve the Karabakh problem
using force in connection with relocation of part of Russian military
hardware from Georgia to Armenia. (…)
Source: Lenta, August 15, 2005
Translated by Alexander Dubovoi
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT MEETS WITH OUTGOING INDIAN AMBASSADOR
ARKA News Agency
Aug 16 2005
YEREVAN, August 16. /ARKA/. Speaker of the RA Parliament Artur
Baghdasaryan and Indian Ambassador to Armenia Dipak Vokhra discussed
the development of Armenian-Indian parliamentary relations. The sides
pointed out the importance of interparliamentary cooperation. The sides
also active development of bilateral trade and economic relations:
three large Indian companies are implementing large-scale investment
projects in Armenia’s jewelry, diamond-cutting and, in the near future,
tourist spheres. Speaker Baghdasaryan and Ambassador Vokhra discussed
issues of the Indian Vice-President’s forthcoming visit to Armenia. The
Indian Ambassador reported that the Indian delegation will include
businessmen engaged in information technologies, agriculture, food
processing, car sale. The sides also pointed out the importance
of cooperation in high technologies and the telecommunication
sphere. P.T. -0–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PACE CHAIRMAN TO VISIT ARMENIA ON AUGUST18-20, 2005
ARKA News Agency
Aug 17 2005
YEREVAN, August 17. /ARKA/. The Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE) Rene van der Linden will visit
Armenia on August18-20, 2005 at the invitation of the RA National
Assembly Speaker Arthur Baghdassaryan, press-service of the RA NA
reports. Mr. Linden is expected to meet with the Ambassadors of
the member countries of the Council of Europe, as well as with the
representatives of Armenian NGOs on August 18, 2005. He also will
visit the Armenian Genocide Memorial. The Catholicos of All Armenians
Garegin II will receive him the same day.
The meetings with the members of Armenian delegation to PACE,
members of Committee of Foreign Relations, as well as meetings with
representatives of political forces of Armenian parliament will be
held on August 19, 2005. PACE Chairman will have tete-a-tete meeting
with RA NA Speaker Arthur Baghdassaryan. He will also meet with RA
President Robert Kocharyan, RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan,
and RA Minister of Justice David Harutyunyan. A.A. -0–

The Rhythms of the World Festival Announces its Program for the 2nd Annual Montreal Edition
CCNMatthews (press release), Canada
Aug 17 2005
MONTREAL, QUEBEC–(CCNMatthews – Aug. 17, 2005) – The Rhythms of
the World Festival announces the program of its 2nd Montreal Edition
which will take place in downtown Montreal and its surroundings from
September 7th to the 11th, 2005. The Rhythms of the World Festival
is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote ‘Cultural
Harmony’ which is also its theme for the 2005 edition.
The program, in three parts – performing arts, visual arts and culinary
arts – will comprise 5 days of events corresponding to 4 continents
– Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas – plus a closing Family Day
which honors cultural harmony.
Beginning with Asia on September 7th, the Alex Bellegarde Invitation
Series will present an asian jazz trio inspired by tablas rhythms and
an Indian flute, in the food court of Square Victoria beginning at
noon. An opening cocktail will begin at 5 pm at Le Quartier Restaurant,
featuring DJ Mahesh and his Buddha lounge beats as well as asian
appetizers and an art exhibits showcasing artists Jean-Sebastien
Robert, Nick Brown and Raymond Fong. In the evening, the House of
Jazz presents Sara Franco and her world music followed by Beat in
Fractions with its unique modern sounds.
It’s Europe’s turn on September 8th when the Alex Bellegarde Invitation
Series presents an ensemble of European Jazz in the food court at Place
Victoria as of noon. In the evening, the House of Jazz features Rude
Beats and their funky greek groove music as well as the Arden Arapyan
Trio who brings forth jazz music with an Armenian flavour. The Rhythms
of the World Festival’s Gala of Flavours takes place at 6 pm at the
Centre Mont-Royal during which guests will taste a variety of foods
and wines from all corners of the world, witness the presentation of
the Velan Foundation award and admire the lively colourful dancers
from the Arthur Murray Dance School who perform traditional Latin
dances. There will also be art exhibitions from such renowned artists
as Marc Seguin, Heidi Hollinger, Dana Velan and Michel Vermeulen.
Africa Day takes place on September 9th and opens with the Alex
Bellegarde Invitation series this time showcasing an energetic,
percussive African trio in the food court of the Place Victoria at
noon. This is followed by a very festive Happy Hour from 5 to 7 pm at
Le Quartier Restaurant. Here, Tranzit and its mix of musical genres
– jazz, compa, gospel, African and West Indian – will entertain the
crowd as they munch on African appetizers and admire the art works of
“Tigus” Ralph Maingrette, Cheryl Daniel and Marie-Josee Primeau. In
the evening, the House of Jazz presents Wesley and the African
Project as well as the Harold Faustin Quintet and special guest,
the very talented Samina.
>>From September 7th to 9th, restaurants Fourquet Fourchette, Les
Continents and Le Quartier will offer tables d’hote and special
thematic menus highlighting different flavours of the world.
Throughout the same 3 days, an Art Fair & Exhibition will be held
at the TELUS Tower, from 11 am to 6 pm, permitting young artists
of ethnic origins to promote and sell their paintings, drawings,
sculptures and photographs.
>>From September 7th to 10th, Gallery Week features interesting
exhibitions at some of the greatest galleries in the city including
“Montreal – La Cosmopolite” at Studio 261 featuring artists such
as Jean-Francois Andre, Marc J, Fortier, Stephanie Gervey, Jacques
Leveille, Georges Maman, Andre Schirmer, Nicole Taillon, and Nicole
Teuliere-Ratti. The Simon Blais Gallery will present works by Serge
Clement and Denis Juneau. Art en Majuscule showcases artists Michael
Kudish, Daniel Kudish and Esther Hageman. The Hollinger Collins
Gallery presents works by Kyle Beal, Bill Brandt, Steven James Brown,
David Burdeny, Katyuska Doleatto, Roy Hartling, Thaddeu Holownia,
Amy Huestis, Colin McNair, D Bradley Muir, Rosemary Scanlon, Verona
Sorensen and Patrice Stanley. Galerie 1225 also presents works by
Tristan Tondino, Joseane Brulelle, Galen Cheney, Richard Roblin,
Jean-Louis Emond, Helene Fleury and Remigio Valdes de Hoyos.
On the evening of the Americas Day on September 10th, the House of
Jazz presents the Joe Armando Latin Jazz Ensemble as well as Los
Tumbadores and their lively Cuban rhythms sure to get you on your feet.
Cultural Harmony Day, being held from 10 am to 6 pm at Place du Canada
on Sunday, September 11th is the Festival’s closing day. Parents and
children from all over the island are invited to celebrate a day full
of surprises involving cultural activities, musical entertainment,
art workshops as well as cooking seminars. The date of September 11th
is very appropriate for this event as it commemorates a historic day
during which people from all over the world unite to fight terrorism
and to promote global peace. The Afro-Brazilian percussion group Zuruba
will entertain the crowd as of noon and at 3 pm the final show begins
and introduces S.H.A.R.O.N. with 3 Shades of Soul featuring Tamara
Brown and their hybrid rhythms of soul, hip hop, funk and Caribbean
as well as Isangano, a very talented dance troupe from Rwanda.
On the evening of September 11th, the House of Jazz will celebrate
cultural harmony and close the Festival with a Fusion Jazz Session
presented by Alex Bellegarde and special guests.
The mission of the Rhythms of the World Festival is to foster
understanding and harmony between cultures through socio-cultural
activities permitting the development, promotion and diffusion of
performing arts, visual arts and culinary arts.
Complete information on website at
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

INDIAN VICE-PRESIDENT TO VISIT ARMENIA EARLY IN OCT, 2005
ARKA News Agency
Aug 16 2005
YEREVAN, August 16. /ARKA/. Indian Vice-President Bhairon Singkh is
to pay a visit to Armenia early in October 2005, Indian Ambassador to
Armenia Dipak Vohra stated at his meeting with RA President Robert
Kocharyan. According to him, the visit will give an impetus to
Armenian-Indian partnership. The outgoing Indian Ambassador thanked
Armenia’s authorities for their help in his diplomatic mission in
Armenia. Vokhra added that that working in Armenia has been great
honor for him and he has made many friends and is leaving the country
with impressions and good memories. Ambassador Vokhra will continue
his diplomatic mission in Sudan.
In his turn, the RA President pointed out a high level of
Armenian-Indian relations and thanked the Indian Ambassador for his
active and effective work. P. T. -0–