DIASPORA BUILDS ANOTHER SCHOOL

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
09 Jan 05

American Armenian benefactor Anush Matevossian decided to support the
construction of a school building in Stepanakert. This was
A. Matevossian’s response to the request of the vice chairman of the
board of directors of the Armenian Assembly of America Annie Totah to
sponsor the building. Annie Totah visited the building site of the
school together with NKR first lady Inna Ghukassian who sponsors the
project. Last December Anush Matevossian who is one of the founders of
the museum of genocide of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in
Washington, donated 275 thousand US dollars. The money was transferred
to the Armenian Relief Fund in New York, which will deal with the
construction of the school.

According to the executive director of the fund Garnik Nanagyulian,
the organization aims to implement the project in close cooperation
with the Nagorni Karabakh authorities. The school will mainly admit
the children of refugeeswho were forced to leave Azerbaijan at the
beginning of the 1990’s. Forthis undertaking NKR President Arkady
Ghukassian thanked Anush Matevossian during their telephone talk.

AA.
09-01-2005

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRACTICAL USE OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
09 Jan 05

Nagorni Karabakh is rich in minerals. However, during 70 years of
Soviet rule Azerbaijan had circumspectly tabooed this absolutely
profitable branch for the region and therefore the territory of
Nagorni Karabakh was not duly explored by geologists. Whereas complex
ore especially zinc, lead, copper, pyrites, and iron have been found
here since ancient times. The region of Martakert,the area between the
rivers Tartar and Khachen is reach in base metals. There is copper and
gold, geological parties of other base metals near Drmbon, Gyulatagh,
Kusapat, Vank, as well as Lisagor, Zardanashen, Mets Tagher, there are
deposits of pyrites and other metals near the villages Harutiunagomer,
Vank, Gyulatagh, Kusapat in the region of Martakert. The complex ore
mine near the village Mehmana is especially promising. Taking into
account the important role of the problem in encouraging the economic
development of the country, in particular the development of
metallurgy, after the armistice, in February 1995 the geological
laboratory of the institute of geology of the RA National Academy of
Science was founded in Nagorni Karabakh. In the past decade the
collaborators of the laboratory carried out a series of scientific and
industrial researches in cooperation with specialists from Armenia,
due to which NKR metallurgy is presently developing successfully. The
director of the laboratory Christopher Khachanov, Candidate of
Science, mentioned that in the sphere of exploration of metal ore
mines serious geochemical survey has been carried out especially at
the copper and gold mine of Drmbon (by the way, the thesis for the
degree of candidate of Ch. Khachanov was on the exploration of the
same mine). More thorough exploration was carried out in the depth of
450-600 meters. The potential wings and deeper layers of the mine have
not been explored yet. In several directions of the mine blind ore
bodies have been found. Besides, by the task of the NKR government
scientific exploration has been carried out at the mine deposits of
Mehmana and the adjacent territory. The exploration works have been
summed up in the scientific statements `Geological and Geochemical
Evaluation of the Mine Deposit Gyulatagh – Janiatagh (Mehmana mining
area)’ and ` Geological and Geochemical Evaluation of the Forecast of
Potential Surfacesof the Mehmana Mining Area’. By another task of the
executive the laboratory explored other mine deposits in Shoushi
(copper pyrites of Tas Verst, gold and copper of Mets Shen), Martouni
(gold and copper in Zardanashen), Askeran (gold and copper in Traket)
and other areas. Artsakh is also rich in nonmetal resources,
particularly marble and limestone. Almost all the regions of the
republic are rich in different kinds of limestone which is widely
produced and used in building. There is pink tuff in the village Vank,
Martouni region (the tuffof this quarry was used for building the
monastery of Gandzasar), felsite tuff nearthe village Chldran. There
is a diabase quarry near the village Khachen, Askeran region. The
republic is rich in basalt, granite, andesite, limestone, etc. Of
great interests is Icelandic spar (Myurishen, Tsakuri, Sarghisashen),
plaster, barite (Tonashen), etc. The major part of the mentioned areas
is presently explored by the NKR geological laboratory. The pits of
Icelandic spar, plaster and clay have been better explored. These
studies have been summed up in the scientific statement `Regularities
and Potentials of Geology, the Origin of the Chemical Composition of
the Icelandic Spar in Jurassic sediments and clay, plaster in Pliocene
– Quaternary Sediments’. As to carbohydrates, the director of the
laboratory said this mineral exists near the villages Maghavuz,
Nareshtar and Kolatak. In 1996 the NKR government undertook geological
survey of the Maghavuz pit. The exploration was summed up in the
statement `Potentials of Production of the Maghavuz Coal Pit’. We were
interested if there are oil and gas deposits in the republic.

Christopher Khachanov said that works are done in this direction and
the preliminary findings are hopeful. He mentioned that the laboratory
did not forget about mineral waters of Artsakh. The mineral waters of
Shrlan, Ttu Jur (Lisagor) were bottled until the collapse of the USSR.

According to the director of the geological laboratory, production of
mineral waters in the two areas can be restored. At the end I want to
add that besides the enumerated minerals in the territory of the
republic there are deposits of agate, onyx, and other semiprecious
stones which are of practical interest for the country’s economy, and
which need exploration.

NIKOLAY BAGHDASSARIAN.
09-01-2005

CHRISTMAS GIFTS

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
09 Jan 05

For already two years the youth sports and cultural organization
`Unity’ holds a New Year and Christmas action. On the holidays the
organization gave presents to 57 children of the kindergarten for
disabled children `Zangak’ and 40 members of the center for the
disabled children. The NKR Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport,
Stepanakert City Hall and `Artsakhbank’ supported the action. Last
year the youth organization distributed Christmas gifts to the
children of the disabled of Artsakh war.

ANAHIT DANIELIAN.
09-01-2005

FOCUS ON SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
09 Jan 05

NKR State Budget 2005 increased social expenditure by 30 per cent. The
main strategy of social security and social insurance will be maximum
possible protection of socially vulnerable population through a
balanced developmentof the economy. In this context it is a priority
to regulate legislatively the relationships government – employer –
labour force. After the adoption of the Labour Code it is planned to
work out draft decisions of the NKR governmentwhich will favour the
enactment of the Code, including the decisions `On State Work Agency’,
`Obligatory Insurance against Accidents and Professional Diseases’, `
Obligatory Insurance against Temporary Disability’. A practical step
in the implementation of the salary policy is the increase in the
minimum salary from 10 to 15 thousand drams since January 1, 2005.

This year for the first timein the republic the basket of goods will
be calculated and maintained by the government for the coming three
years. It will underlie the maintenance of the size of the minimum
salary, pensions, scholarship, as well as benefits and allowances. In
2005 the salary of teachers increased by 65 per cent, healthworkers 26
per cent, certain specialists working in the sphere of culture 22.4
per cent. Pension will increase by 1000 drams and the value of one
year of service will total 160 drams (against 140 in 2004). Benefits
paid to different categories of children have been increased by about
50 per cent. 21 per cent of budget expenses (4 billion 490 million
drams exceeding 2004 by 317.7 million drams) will be directed at
social security and social insurance.

AA.
09-01-2005

RA GOVERNMENT ALLOCATES 2.8 MLN DRAMS FOR HOLDING OF RA STUDENT SPORT GAMES

YEREVAN, October 8 (Noyan Tapan). According to the RA government’s
press service, by the RA government’s decision of October 7, the RA
Ministry of Education and Science allocated 2 bln, 800 thousand drams
(about 5.5 thousand dollars) to the RA Student Sport Federation from
the reserve fund of the government with the purpose of the holding of
the republicaan student sport games.

Dog Epilepsy Gene Discovery Could Aid People-Study
Thu Jan 6, 2005 03:11 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A gene that causes a rare but severe form of
epilepsy in people is also found in highly bred dogs, which could lead
to new ways to treat the condition, an international team of
researchers said on Thursday. Dr. Berge Minassian of the Hospital for
Sick Children in Toronto, Canada and colleagues in the United States,
France and Britain found the gene in purebred dachsunds, and were able
to breed it out of them.

Writing in the journal Science, they said they hoped their findings
could lead to treatments for epilepsy in people.

“Epilepsy afflicts 1 percent of humans and 5 percent of dogs,” they
wrote.

“More than 5 percent of purebred miniature wire-haireddachshunds in
the United Kingdom suffer an autosomal recessive progressive myoclonic
epilepsy, which we show to be Lafora disease, the severest form of
teenage-onset epilepsy in humans.”

In dogs, the disease was much less severe than in humans.

The dachshunds with Lafora disease had a mutation in the EPM2B gene
that prevents the gene from functioning. It takes two faulty copies of
the gene, one from each parent, to cause epilepsy.

The mutation was found across dogs but not in close dog relatives such
as bears, raccoons or skunks, the researchers said. Cats also lack the
mutation.

They said their study at the very least showed that dogs can be used
to study the epilepsy and to look for better treatments.

In 2003 Minassian’s team found the EPM2B gene was associated with
Lafora disease. A closely related gene called EPM2A can also cause the
epilepsy, which causes seizures and progressive brain damage and kills
within about 10 years.

© Reuters 2005

La Nouvelle République du Centre Ouest
08 janvier 2005

Les saveurs de la Méditerranée

Une épicerie fine à l’enseigne ” La Menthe bleue ” vient d’ouvrir
dans le haut de la Grand’Rue. Une invitation à découvrir les
spécialités de la Méditerranée orientale.

D’entrée, Nael Alamy vous offre le thé. L’accueil est oriental. Après
avoir fait ses études supérieures à Poitiers au tout début des années
1970, Nael Alamy a sillonné les rivages de la Méditerranée orientale.
Tout particulièrement de la Grèce et de la Turquie. Il est revenu
dans la Grand’Rue avec une palette de saveurs.

Au client un peu perdu, il prend le temps d’expliquer d’où viennent
sa feta, sa tapenade et son miel attiki. Et comment est préparée la
pasterna : de la viande de boeuf séchée et enveloppée d’aromates. «
C’est un plat arménien fabriqué à Paris par des Arméniens ».

Fromages, chorizo espagnol, caviar d’aubergine, yaourt grec : les
produits frais occupent toute la vitrine réfrigérée. Sur les
étagères, les articles sont classés par pays. Avec les étiquettes
appropriées. Vins Ksara des pères de la vallée de la Bekaa au Liban,
sirop de rose, pois chiche (« Rien à voir avec celui que vous pouvez
connaître », précise l’épicier), concombres sauvages…

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

La Nouvelle République du Centre Ouest
08 janvier 2005

L’expo des filles à Graffiti

Trois femmes, dont deux soeurs pour une exposition tout en douceur à
la galerie Graffiti jusqu’à la fin janvier. Elles nous viennent de
l’atelier de la Bletterie de La Rochelle, une association d’artistes
gérée par la ville, qui bientôt accueillera trois artistes
montmorillonnais.

Evelyne Mékhitarian (d’origine arménienne) dont la technique est
plutôt le pastel gras, présente aussi quelques fonds à l’huile avec
ses mélanges perso, comme son triptyque sur panneaux de bois. Ses
dessins sont aussi remarquables.

Ann et Jule Kahlert présentent l’une des sculptures et modelages des
formes tout en rondeurs et l’autre des toiles et des poteries bien
tournées, originales dans les tons ocre, décorées de façon naïve,
simple et sauvage.

Le mieux c’est tout de même d’aller voir, pour un moment de plaisir,
de tendresse, de lumière douce aux tons pastel dans cette période de
grisaille.

– Galerie Graffiti ouverte du mardi au samedi de 10 h à 12 h 30 et de
15 h à 19 h jusqu’à fin janvier.

BEST RESULTS OF THE YEAR

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
07 Jan 05

The year 2004 is behind. What did it mean for sportsmen from Artsakh?
What success did they have outside the republic? Summing up the
success of our sportsmen we may conclude that the year was outstanding
for our achievements. Below are presented the achievements of our
sportsmen in competitions held both in Armenia and abroad.

JANUARY.

On January 3-12 the international chess tournament `Caucasian Winter’
was held in Tbilisi, Georgia. Pupil of the republic chess school Hovik
Hayrapetian won 7 points of 9 and took the first prize.

FEBRUARY.

In the third round of the world championship of extreme fights
organized by the international organization `Octagon’ in Odessa
unarmed self-defence sportsman, member of the sports society `Dynamo’,
champion of NKR and RA Ashot Danielian won the first place in the 74
kg weight category.

MARCH.

International chess tournament dedicated to the ninth chess champion
of the world Tigran Petrossian was held in Stepanakert, in which took
part 10 grand masters from Poland, Switzerland, Russia, Latvia, Iran
and Armenia. The winner was grandmaster Karen Asrian, from Artsakh by
origin. The second place was taken by the representative of Poland,
grand master Bartlome Macheya, and the third prize was won by grand
master Gabriel Sarghissian, again from Artsakh by origin. On March
24-29 junior table tennis championship of Armenia was held in Yerevan
and the pupil of the Stepanakert Junior Sports School Anna Adamian
took the first place.

APRIL.

In the sambo wrestling championship of Armenia held in Gyumri Ashot
Danielian, Narek Grigorian and Artur Mirzoyan won in their weight
categories. In the taeqvando championship of Armenia held in Yerevan
on April 4-6 Davit Saghian won the first prize.

MAY.

In the tournament of the premier league of chess of Armenia
international master Artur Chibukchian won 7 points from 9and shared
the first and second places with Benik Galstian from Yerevan. The
free-style wrestling open championship for sportsmen born in 1989-1990
dedicated to Albert Dadayan was held in Yerevan on May 7-10. Davit
Babayan took the first place. Davit Lalayan won in the Armenian
national fudokan karate-do open tournament.

JUNE.

Championship of Europe in sambo wrestling in Latvia Ashot Danielian
won bronze in the 74 kg weight category. In the international sambo
wrestling championship held in Yerevan, on June 11-13 dedicated to
Garnik Hovhannissian Ashot Danielian, Narek Grigorian and Mavrik
Nasibian became winners.

JULY.

Armenian Wushu Sanda Open Championship was held in Yerevan where Davit
Grigorian won the first place. On July 1-5 in Tsaghkadzor track and
field athletics championship of Armenia was held and in 100 and 200 m
footrace Ninelle Mnatsakanian won the first prize.

AUGUST.

On August 1 the NKR football open championship began with the
participation of 8 teams of the republic and one team from the town of
Goris, Armenia. The Stepanakert team `Lernayin Artsakh – 2′ won with
45 points, the team `Avo’ of Martouni took the second place (39
points) and the team `Zangezour’ from Goris took the third place with
37 points. Best goalkeeper of the championship was Vitali Petrossian
(`Zangezour’), best defender Youri Asrian (`Lernayin Artsakh – 2′),
best midfield Edik Avanessian (`Avo’ ) and best forward Marat
Aghabekian (`Berd’). `Lernayin Artsakh’ of Stepanakert was successful
in the first league of Armenia winning the second place and in 2005
the team will participate in the premier league championship of
Armenia.

SEPTEMBER.

In the 37th Panarmenian Games in Teheran the sportsmen from Artsakh
performed successfully in track and field athletics. Marine Musayelian
won in the 400 and 800 m footrace. In table tennis Arayik Firian took
the second place. The NKR women’s basketball team won the bronze. In
the championship of Armenia the women’s volleyball team of Stepanakert
won the thirdprize. In the October 26-27 free-style wrestling
traditional tournament devoted to killed azatamartiks Vahram and
Albert Danielian, Artur Aharonian, Georgy Danielian, Davit Hayrapetian,
Martin Mirzoyan, Armen Adamian, Arsen Barseghian, Mavrik Nasibian,
John Israelian, Davit Barseghian, Nerses Muradian and Levon
Harutiunian won first prizes in different weight categories. In the
eighth international judo championship of the cup of Zeitun held in
the capital of Armenia Yerevan Ashot Danielian and Armen Adamian
became winners. In Armenia Georgy Danielian, 34 kg, took the first
place in the traditional tournament of sambo wrestling dedicated to
King Varazdat. Kim Abrahamian, Grisha Sarghissian and Gor Azizbekian
won first prizes in the judo tournament of Armenia in Ghyumri. Table
tennis tournament of Armenia under 18 was held in Yerevan and Varoujan
Baghdassarian became the champion. In the traditional republic open
championship of athletics of the Yerevan Sports School of Center
Marine Musayelian took thefirst place.

NOVEMBER.

In the table tennis competition dedicated to Rafael Harutiunian held
in Yerevan on November 11-19 Anna Harutiunian took the first place and
Rafik Hovhannissian won the first place in pair games. Martin
Mirzoyan, Kim Abrahamian and Armen Adamian won in the sambo wrestling
competition held in Yerevan on November 13-17 in the memory of Viktor
Alikhanian.

DECEMBER.

Martin Mirzoyan and Armen Adamian won in the junior open championship
of the judo sports schools in Armenia.

ANAHIT DANIELIAN.
07-01-2005

Armenian minister says ties with Iran “good and expanding” prior to visit

IRNA web site, Tehran
8 Jan 05

Moscow, 8 January: Armenian Minister of Education and Science Sergo
Yeritsyan stressed the need for offering facilities to Iranian
students and solving their problems.

Making the remarks while talking to reporters in Yerevan on Friday [7
January] on the threshold of his visit to Iran, he described bilateral
ties as good and expanding.

Referring to the presence of about 1,200 Iranian students in Armenia’s
universities, he stressed the need for solving their problems.

He is to visit Iran from 15-19 January.