ARMENIAN PM RECEIVES OUTGOING INDIAN AMBASSADOR
YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Margarian received today the outgoing Indian ambassador to Armenia
Deepak Vohra who ended his mission in Armenia.
The governmental press service said during the meeting the prime
minister thanked the ambassador for his effective work and wished
success in his further mission. On his part, the ambassador noted that
it was great honor for him to work in Armenia and he leaves the
country full of great impressions and memories.
He said that his next mission will be in Sudan and he has already
managed to find information about the local Armenian community and is
going to establish close relations with its representatives. The
ambassador thanked the Armenian government and prime minister for
supporting him during his mission.

MARGARYAN MET WITH INDIAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA, COMPLETING SERVICE
09.08.2005 08:22
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian Premier Andranik Margaryan met with
Indian Ambassador to Armenia Dipak Vohra, who is completing his
diplomatic service in Armenia, reported the Press Service of the
Armenian Government. Margaryan thanked the Ambassador for joint
efficient work and wished him good luck in further activities. Dipak
Vohra noted that he was honored with work in Armenia and he leaves
with nice impressions and memories. He said he will continue
diplomatic service in Sudan and has already found information on the
Armenian community and plans to establish firm relations with the
Armenians of Sudan. The Indian diplomat thanked the Armenian
Government and the PM for assistance in the course of his work in
Armenia.

GREEK MFA FINANCES A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS IN ARMENIA
09.08.2005 08:49
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian-Greek relations strengthen, including new
fields, Mayor of Verona Greek city Nikolas Khartalias stated at a news
conference in Yerevan. In his words, a number of towns of the two
countries have signed brotherhood memorandums. He noted the
cooperation between Noyemberyan (Armenia) and Verona (Greece)
established in 2000 evidences that the friendly relations between the
two countries develop on the economic and cultural basis. Khartalias
said that Verona assisted Noyemberyan in restoring the city park and
Zoravar Andranik Street this year. $15 thousand are assigned and $25
thousand planned to be allocated. In his turn ARF Dashnakstutyun Greek
Center representative G. Karapetyan noted that memorandum on
brotherhood will be signed between Armenian Ijevan and Greek Nika,
Armenian Alaverdi and Greek Rendis. It should be noted that next year
the Greek MFA will provide 1.5-2 million euros that will be spent to
create employment in Armenia, Armenpress reported.

Romanian Holocaust Research Institute enrich debate

David Dahan
EJP
09/Aug/2005 16:30

The Romanian government this week announced the creation of a new
Holocaust Research Institute which could open as soon as September
2005.
Its mission will be to “clarify the truth on the Holocaust based on
scientific research and to focus on the spiritual heritage of the
Jewish community in Romania.”
Among the thirty people working on the project, fifteen are experts in
Holocaust history. The project will be financed by the Romanian
government up to 200,000 euros.
“A scientific council and an honour committee gathering prominent
international Holocaust experts will be created as consultative
branches ofthe research institute,” a spokesman for the institute
said.
International Commission on Holocaust Studies
The International Commission on Holocaust Studies in Romania was
created in October 2003, following the statements of former president
Ion Iliescu, minimizing the consequences of the Holocaust.
Directed by the Peace Nobel prize winner Elie Wiesel, the
commissionâ=80=99s aims to reveal “historical facts” regarding the
Holocaust in Romania in order toend all the controversies around the
subject.
According to the last commission report published in November 2004,
270,000 Romanian and Ukrainian Jews died in the Romanian administrated
territories during the war. The report added that 25,000 gypsies were
deported of whom half perished.
Urge to Inform Romanian on Holocaust History
Alexandru Florian from the Institute for Social and Democratic Studies
in Romania and member of the commission told EJP he hoped the new
institute will be operational as soon as this Autumn.
He also said that he was looking forward to October 9th, the Romanian
day of remembrance of the Holocaust, when the government will announce
an international contest for the creation of a monument commemorating
the Holocaust.
Florian noted an improvement in Romania Holocaust recognition since
the government statement in 2003 recognizing the Antonescu government
responsability in the in the deportation of Romanian Jews.
“Last autumn we broadcasted a documentary on national television
channels acknowledging the responsibility of Romania in the
Holocaust,” Florian said, adding that “this kind of initiative really
enriched the debate in Romania regarding the Holocaust.”
When asked if Romania experienced political pressures in order to
recognize it’s country responsibility in the Holocaust, comparable to
the pressures exerted on Turkey for the Armenian genocide of 1915
Florian answered: “Of course the government experienced some
international pressures and political pressures coming from within and
from Israel, the European Union or the United States, especially after
the choking statements of former president Iliescu in 2003.”
“Nevertheless, said Florian, `the government’s goal in the creation of
the institute, is not purely political, in order to integrate the
European Union, but the government has the honorable and sincere
objective to finally say the truth on the country’s role in the
deportation of the Jews during World War II.”
Florian stressed to EJP that he “hoped that the institute will be of
great importance in the education of youngsters and elders regarding
World War IIand the Holocaust.”

Remnants of the monastery in which the relics of St. Matthews may
reside discovered in Kirghizia
Bishkek, August 9, Interfax – Kirghiz archeologists have
discoveredruins of the Armenian monastery in which St. Matthews may
have been buried, at eastern side of Lake Issyk-Kul in the north of
the country.
Local mass media have reported Tuesday, citing the leader of the
archeological expedition Vladimir Ploskikh, that the ruins of the
monasteryhave been discovered near the village of Tiuf, on the land
surrounded by water from three sides, though they had searched for
them underwater. The ruins are concealed inside a large loam hill.
The search for the Armenian monastery in which, according to
tradition, St. Matthews was buried began in 2000, prompted by
information received from various sources, including the notes of
Russian traveler Petr Semenov Tian-Shansky.
There is a legend that St. Matthews at the end of his life went to
India but died on his way there somewhere in Kirghizia, having had
time though to found several Christian communities.
Kirghiz archeologists together with explorers from Russia and Germany
intend to continue their search for the burial place of St. Matthews
at the spot where the ruins of the Armenian monastery have been
discovered.

Azeri opposition members clash with pro-government pickets in Baku
Assa-Irada
9 Aug 05
BAKU
A group of Ganca [Azerbaijan’s second largest city] residents and
members of the Modern Musavat Party today attempted to stage an
unauthorized picket outside the headquarters of the [opposition]
People’s Front of Azerbaijan Party [PFAP] in protest against the
activities of Ruslan Basirli, who is being accused of cooperating with
the Armenian special services.
PFAP members blocked the pickets at the intersection of Rasid Behbudov
and Xaqani Streets, where the pickets were forced to retreat after a
clash broke out between the sides. The PFAP members marched towards
Uzeyir Hacibayov Street and threw eggs at the building housing the
editorial offices of [pro-government] Yeni Azarbaycan and Sas
newspapers. The police prevented them from entering the building.
Several people from both sides are said to have been injured during
the clash. An investigation is under way into the clashes that
occurred outside the PFAP headquarters in the last three days, Xanlar
Zeynalov, chief of the Sabayil district police department, has told
reporters. He said criminal proceedings will be instituted based on
the investigation. Zeynalov did not rule out that the PFAP members who
used force during the clashes will be arrested.

Cypriot government seeks to explain allegations over bribery of US officials
Cyprus News Agency
8 Aug 05
NICOSIA
The government of Cyprus is following closely developments regarding
assertions in the US magazine “Vanity Fair”, that US MPs have been
bribed to promote Turkish interests in political issues regarding
Cyprus, Armenia and Greco-Turkish relations.
“The government is following the developments and holds explanatory
contacts to ascertain if the magazine’s claims are true” Cyprus
Government Spokesman Kipros Khrisostomidhis said today.|
Asked if the government’s contacts have brought any results, he said
“nothing concrete yet”.
He added that the issue “concerns first of all the US” and expressed
conviction that it will be investigated.

Antiterrorist units from four CIS states compete in Belarus contest
Belapan news agency
9 Aug 05
MINSK
An international contest between antiterrorist units began at the
Belarusian Interior Ministry’s Almaz special antiterrorist unit on 9
August in Minsk. Twelve teams from Armenia, Belarus, Russia and
Ukraine are taking part in the contest. Journalists were told that
antiterrorist units from the Baltic States, France, Germany and Poland
refused to come to Belarus for political reasons.
[Passage omitted: Almaz unit represents Belarus, a Hero of Russia,
Sergey Lysyuk, is the chief judge of the contest.]
Representatives of China and Turkey are observing the contest.
Opening the contest, Belarusian Interior Minister Uladzimir Navumaw,
who was the first commander of the Almaz unit, said that, in addition
to the contest programme, antiterrorist experts will exchange opinions
on some areas of their activities. “I believe that we will strengthen
our cooperation in counteracting the biggest evil of the modern day,
terrorism,” he said.
The contest programme includes competitions in special physical
training (obstacle course), special marksmanship training, sniper
training, special engineer training, specific operational and tactical
training and special hand-to-hand combat.

Russia post highest CIS inflation in H1
MOSCOW. Aug 9 (Interfax) – Russia had the highest rate of consumer
market inflation in the first half of 2005, with prices growing 8.0%,
the CIS Interstate Statistics Committee said.
Ukraine also had high inflation of 6.4%.
Inflation was 4.8% in Azerbaijan, 4.7% in Moldova, 4.4% in Kyrgyzstan,
4.1% in Tajikistan, 4.0% in Belarus and 3.5% in Kazakhstan.
Georgia had the lowest inflation, with 0.7% and Armenia, with 1.4%.
The committee did not give figures for Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan. [RU
ASIA EUROPE EEU EMRG MCE] rm

DISCUSSION OF KARABAKH CONFLICT AT PACE CONTRIBUTED TO ACTIVATION OF
NEGOTIATION PROCESS: AZERBAIJANI REPRESENTATIVE AT CE
YEREVAN, AUGUST 8. ARMINFO. The report of Davis-Atkinson has become
the “last alarm warning Armenians to revise their positions in the
conflict.” Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan at the Council of
Europe Agshin Mekhtiyev says in his interview to Trend.
He says the report showed whose advantage the balance is tilted to.
“The Committee engaged in conflicts within the frameworks of PACE is
created, and it means that neither PACE nor CE intend to leave the
settlement of the given issue without attention,” Mekhtiyev says.
In his opinion, Davis-Atkinson report reflects the position of the
CE. No one can ignore it, Mekhtiyev thinks. I think discussion of the
given problem at PACE as well as inclusion of the issue of
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict in the agenda of UN General Assembly
have become factors which contributed to facilitation of the
negotiation process alongside with others, Mekhtiyev says.