ArmenPress
Dec 27 2004
UKRAINIANS IN ARMENIA VOTE FOR YANUKOVICH
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: The Ukrainian embassy in Yerevan
told Armenpress that out of 213 Ukrainian citizens, living in Armenia
who were eligible to vote in Sunday’s repeat presidential election
only 101 came to the embassy on Sunday to take part in the third
round pf presidential election.
The embassy said around 71 percent of them voted for the acting
prime minister Victor Yanukovich and 23 percent for opposition leader
Viktor Yuschenko.
According to the latest figures from Ukraine, the opposition
leader Viktor Yushchenko has an unassailable lead in a re-run of
Ukraine’s rigged presidential election with more than 90 percent of
the vote counted. Election officials in Kiev said with 96.52 percent
of the ballot counted, Yushchenko had won 53.97 percent compared with
42.25 percent for Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich.
By the way, it appeared that the opposition presidential candidate
Viktor Yuschenko, lived for some time in Nagorno Karabagh, when a
child, where his father, a Soviet Army officer, served.

ArmenPress
Dec 27 2004
GAS LEAK RESULTS IN ANOTHER FATAL ACCIDENT
ASHTARAK, DECEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: A 60 year-old man and his 56
year-old wife were asphyxiated by a natural gas leak in Ashtarak
town, the administrative center of Aragatsotn province Saturday,
emergency officials said today- the fourth such incident of gas
poisoning in Armenia this month.
Emergency officials said the accident was caused by the couple’s
failure to observe safety rules. They used a gas water heater while
their apartment does not have a waste-heat flue.
The return of widespread use of natural gas in Armenia has caused
a number of safety problems in recent years, officials say. The
country had almost no natural gas for about 11 years because of
supply problems. Last week, a family of five died in the town of
Etchmiadzin. Two days later, a gas leak killed two people in the town
of Gyumri, followed by another accident in the village of Brnakot, in
Syunik province, where a man, his wife and 7-year-old child were
asphyxiated by a natural gas leak.
Concerned with the growing number of fatal incidents caused by
natural gas leaks president Robert Kocharian instructed last week
relevant government agencies to combine efforts to prevent use of
poorly installed homemade gas heaters and illegal connection to
municipal gas pipes.

ArmenPress
Dec 27 2004
ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN ECONOMIC COOPERATION COMMISSION MEETS IN MOSCOW
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: An Armenian delegation, headed
by defense minister Serzh Sarkisian has left today for the Russian
capital Moscow to participate in the sixth meeting of a bilateral
inter-governmental commission on economic cooperation. The commission
is co-chaired by Serzh Sarkisian and Russian transport minister Igor
Levitin.
The meeting agenda will be topped by economic, trade, transport
and energy issues.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish Press
Dec 27 2004
Turkey’s Millennium
BY ZEYNEL ABIDIN ERDEM
STAR- Turkey is now ready to integrate with the European community, a
group made up of developed countries respectful of democracy and
human rights. Since we Turks are hardworking, careful and friendly, I
believe that our partnership with the European Union could be formed
sooner than expected.
Let’s take a look the EU’s requirements of our country:
* Withdraw our troops from Cyprus. Recognize the Greek Cypriot
administration.
* Open the Heybeliada Seminary.
* Grant the Alawites minority rights
* Recognize the `ecumenical patriarch’
* Recognize the so-called Armenian genocide
* Abolish the National Security Council (NSC), or transform it into
an institution compatible with EU norms.
* Permit an international organization to manage the waters of The
Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
What must (or mustn’t) Turkey do during its membership negotiations?
All countries have their own `red lines,’ but it isn’t always
possible to retain all of them once your start negotiating. The most
important issues that Ankara will have to deal with during this
process will probably be the Cyprus issue, minority rights and
northern Iraq. Turkey must first take measures to protect its
territorial integrity from certain well-funded, well-organized groups
which can use such devastating means against our country as
terrorism.
We shouldn’t forget that Turkey isn’t like Belgium, France or Spain,
none of which have problems regarding their national borders. Of
course we’ll discuss these issues for 5-10 years, but what we will
say and accept in the initial phase of the negotiations will shape
our future course. We must discuss these issues from the very
beginning, and also try to find the best solutions possible for all
the parties involved.

The Hindu, India
December 26, 2004
CUPA SORE OVER GIFTING OF ELEPHANT
Staff Reporter
For this young female elephant, this is a journey she may never want
to embark on. Animal rights organisations are sore over the decision
of the State Government to send Veda from the Bannerghatta Biological
Park to the Yerevan Zoo in Armenia in West Asia. The proposed
transfer is in disregard of animal welfare guidelines, legal
provisions and government policies, according to Compassion Unlimited
Plus Action (CUPA).
The organisation has said that the practice of gifting elephants to
temples or States and countries should be checked, keeping in mind
the welfare of animals.
Violation
In a press release issued here, CUPA said Veda, which is Schedule 1
wild animal, is being sent to a far away place in violation of the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, the Wildlife Protection
Act of 1972 and the policies of the State Government. According to
the organisation, the pachyderm, which is six years old, is living
with a herd of elephants in the park. The elephants are given
adequate food and water at the park and are taken to the forest in
the evenings. The elephants live closely as a family and if Veda is
separated from the herd, it may be harmful to her wellbeing. It said
Section 42 of the Wildlife Protection Act states that with respect to
any wild animal, the Chief Wildlife Warden should ensure that the
applicant (in this case the Yerevan Zoo authorities) has adequate
facilities to take care of it.
However, in this case, no inquiry about the conditions at the Yerevan
Zoo has been made by the Chief Wildlife Warden of the park, the State
Government or the Centre. The Yerevan Zoo is not a sanctuary. Apart
from the freezing temperature, the zoo in Armenia is not suitable for
elephants. The enclosures there are not adequate for the big animal
to move about, CUPA said.

Agence France Presse — English
December 27, 2004 Monday 3:09 PM GMT
Armenia adopts budget foreseeing deficit of 2.4 pct of GDP
YEREVAN
Armenian members of parliament adopted Monday a 2005 budget that
increases social and defence spending and shows a deficit equivalent
to 2.4 percent of output.
The text, which was adopted with 103 votes in favour and seven
against in a second and last reading, should be ratified before the
end of the year by President Robert Kocharian.
The budget is based on expected revenues of 345.4 billion drams
(about 690 million dollars) and spending of 394 billion drams.
As a result, the budget would have a deficit of 48.6 billion drams,
which is equivalent to 2.4 percent gross domestic product. That
compared with a deficit of 51.2 million drams, or 2.5 percent of GDP,
this year.
Prime Minister Andranik Margarian told members of parliament: “The
increase in spending will be devoted essentially to social questions
even if security has not been forgotten.”
Social outlays would account for 30 percent of spending while defence
would receive 16 percent, marking an increase of 35 percent from
2004.
Armenia is to spend 61 billion drams on defence which the lion’s
shares going towards a rise in soldiers wages, Defence Minister Serj
Sargsian said.
Armenia’s economy is expected to grow eight percent in 2005 with
inflation of about three percent.

La Prensa, Panamá
26 de diciembre de 2004
Armenia enviará tropas a Irak
ARMENIA (EFE). – El Parlamento de Armenia aprobó por mayoría el envío
de tropas no combatientes a Irak, a pesar de la férrea oposición de
la influyente diáspora, los intelectuales y su vecino del norte,
Rusia.
“Las tropas armenias serán de pacificación y partirán en el plazo de
un mes y medio, con la misión de permanecer en Irak durante un año”,
aseguró a EFE Artur Agabekian, viceministro de Defensa.
El contingente, cuyo grueso estará formado por las fuerzas de
pacificación armenias desplegadas en Kosovo, estará integrado por
diez zapadores, tres médicos y 30 conductores.
De esta forma, Armenia se suma a otros tres antiguos miembros de la
Unión Soviética que también tienen tropas en Irak supeditadas al
mando polaco y desplegadas al sur de Bagdad: Ucrania, Georgia y
Azerbaiyán.
El proyecto fue aprobado anoche por la Asamblea Nacional con 91 votos
a favor y 23 en contra en una sesión parlamentaria celebrada a puerta
cerrada y tras siete horas de acalorados debates.
Los miembros del bloque opositor “Justicia” y la fracción
parlamentaria del partido oficialista “Dashnaktsutiun”, que
representa a la diáspora tanto en el exilio como en Armenia, votaron
en contra del envío de las tropas.
A pesar de que el Gobierno reiteró en numerosas ocasiones que Ereván
nunca desplegaría tropas en otro país, el presidente armenio, Robert
Kocharian, justificó la decisión al asegurar que Armenia no puede
quedar al margen de los procesos que tienen lugar en el mundo.
El Tribunal Constitucional dictaminó que el plan de Kocharian de
enviar tropas a una zona en conflicto no infringía la Constitución a
pesar de las protestas de la oposición contra la firma en septiembre
pasado de un acuerdo entre el presidente armenio y el polaco,
Aleksander Kwasnievski.El ministro de Defensa, Serzh Sarkisyan,
matizó que Ereván impondrá como condiciones que el contingente
armenio tome parte únicamente en actividades defensivas y
humanitarias, y no participe en operaciones con fuerzas azerbaiyanas.
En concreto, agregó, el Ejército estadounidense debe proveer con
robots antiminas a los zapadores armenios que, en ningún momento,
entrarán en acciones de combate.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency
Dec 27 2004
Louise-Simon Manoukyan, renowned American benefactor of Armenian
origin visits Nagorno Karabakh
NKR National Assembly passes draft law on state budget for 2005
17 graduates of spiritual seminaries imposed in St. Echmiadzin
World Vision-Armenia organizes New Year’s event for especially needy
children
Armenian delegation headed by RA Defence Minister leaves for Moscow
today
Celibate Priest Zohrab Kostanyan appointed Director of Youth Center
of Armenian Apostolic Church
Robert Kocharian signs decree on founding of annual youth prize of
Armenian President
GDP growth in Armenia in result of 11 months of 2004 made 10%
*********************************************************************
LOUISE-SIMON MANOUKYAN, RENOWNED AMERICAN BENEFACTOR OF ARMENIAN
ORIGIN VISITS NAGORNO KARABAKH
STEPANAKERT, December 27. /ARKA/. Louise-Simon Manoukyan, renowned
American benefactor of Armenian origin visits Nagorno Karabakh.
According to the ARKA own correspondent in Stepanakert, the
yesterday, the benefactor visited a number of institutions and
residential houses of Stepanakert, accompanied by Arkady Ghukasyan,
the NKR President, Anushavan Danielyan, the NKR Prime-Minister and
other authorities of the republic. Louise-Simon Manoukyan on the spot
asked about the process of construction of school N7, which is being
built on her initiative, visited the chess school of Stepanakert,
11-storey residential house for families of perished servicemen,
boarding school, and other public institutions of the capital.
Speaking about the objectives of the visit of the known benefactor to
Nagorno Karabakh, the NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan said that
Louis-Simon Manoukyan is the key benefactor of Nagorno Karabakh, who
actively participates in many programs – construction of roads,
schools, houses. `Therefore, she wishes to see the results of the
work started on her initiative’, said Ghukasyan.
During the last TV marathon held in Los Angeles, Louis-Simon
Manoukyan provided $2 mln to Nagorno Karabakh. L.V.-0–
*********************************************************************
NKR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PASSES DRAFT LAW ON STATE BUDGET FOR 2005
STEPANAKERT, December 27. /ARKA/. The NKR National Assembly passed
the draft law on state budget for 2005 by a majority vote. According
to the Press Service Department of NKR NA, Spartak Tevosyan, the NKR
Minister of Finance and Economy, who presented the final variant of
the draft, said that the final draft included 7 new suggestions of
the Parliament and the Government.
Speaking about the document discussed, Oleg Yesayan, the NKR NA
Speaker noted that the draft is rather realistic and essentially
differs from the budgets of previous years by its contents.
Note, volume of NKR state budget will amount to AMD 21,036 bln in
2005. The state budget revenue will make AMD 6,460 bln, the
expenditure item – AMD 21,325 bln against AMD 15,249 bln in 2004. The
budget deficit will make AMD 14,865 bln. In 2005, Armenia will grant
NKR with the annual intergovernmental credit to the sum of more than
AMD 13,636 bln. ($1 – AMD 484,37). L.V.–0 –
*********************************************************************
17 GRADUATES OF SPIRITUAL SEMINARIES IMPOSED IN ST. ECHMIADZIN
YEREVAN, December 27. /ARKA/. 17 graduates of spiritual seminaries
imposed in deacons in St. Echmiadzin. The imposing ceremony was held
today by the Head of Nor-Nakhichevan and Russian Eparchy of Armenian
Apostolic Church Yerzas Nersisian during the liturgy dedicated to the
holyday of St. Apostle Steven, which is also a holiday of deacons.
After the liturgy, Catholicos of All Armenian Garegin II turned to
the newly imposed deacons. He expressed joy to joining of 17 deacons
and called to them to be `strong in faith and spirit’. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
WORLD VISION-ARMENIA ORGANIZES NEW YEAR’S EVENT FOR ESPECIALLY NEEDY
CHILDREN
YEREVAN, December 27. /ARKA/. On January 13, 2005, Malatya-Sebastia
Children’s Centre World Vision-Armenia organizes a New Year’s event
for especially needy children in the framework of children protection
program. As the Malatya-Sebastia Children’s Centre told ARKA, Arthur
Baghdasaryan, the RA NA Speaker is invited to the event, as well as
deputies, representatives of Ministries, NGOs, and heads of
Malatya-Sebastia communities, parents and children. The press release
states that the traditional event under the slogan `Let’s lend a
hand, friends’ will be forestalled by the exhibition of works of
children requiring special care. `Vahan’, `Paros’, `Tatev’ and `Jakh’
NGOs involved in problems of disabled will also participate in the
event.
World Vision – Armenia humanitarian organization was established in
Armenia in 1988 right after Spitak earthquake of 1988. Since 1996,
World Vision-Armenia has provided credits to the total sum of $5,4
mln to entrepreneurs. The credits helped to create 9800 workplaces,
thus assisting more than 12 500 children. L.V.–0–
*********************************************************************
ARMENIAN DELEGATION HEADED BY RA DEFENCE MINISTER LEAVES FOR MOSCOW
TODAY
YEREVAN, December 27. /ARKA/. Armenian delegation leaves for Moscow
today headed by Serge Sargsian, the RA Defence Minister and
Co-chairman of Armenian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission on
Economic Cooperation. According to Seyran Shakhsuvaryan, the
Press-Secretary of RA Defense Ministry, during his visit, Serge
Sargsian and the Russian Co-chairman Igor Levitin, the RF Minister of
Transport will participate in the 6th session of Armenian-Russian
Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation to be held on
December 28. The agenda will include issues relating to fulfillment
of the protocol of the 5th session of the Commission held on February
5, 2003 and the protocol of the Co-chairmen of the Intergovernmental
Commission signed on October 14, 2004. In addition, the participants
of the session will discuss the situation and possibilities of
development of the agreement-legal base between the two countries, as
well as issues of cooperation in communication, trade-economic
sphere, transport, financial and humanitarian and fuel-energy areas.
Armenian delegation will return to Yerevan on December 29. L.V. – 0–
*********************************************************************
CELIBATE PRIEST ZOHRAB KOSTANYAN APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF YOUTH CENTER
OF ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH
YEREVAN, December 27. /ARKA/. By high decree of Catholicos of All
Armenians His Holiness Garegin II, Celibate Priest Zohrab Kostanyan
was appointed Director of Youth Center of Armenian Apostolic Church
and Spiritual Pastor of the University Students, as Holy Echmiadzin
Press Chancellery told ARKA. At that Zohrab was released from the
position of Deputy Director of Shighakat TV company. T.M. -0 –
*********************************************************************
ROBERT KOCHARIAN SIGNS DECREE ON FOUNDING OF ANNUAL YOUTH PRIZE OF
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT
YEREVAN, December 27. /ARKA/. Robert Kocharian signed a decree on
founding of youth prize of Armenian President. As Armenian President
Press Service told ARKA, the youth prize of the Head of the State is
related to the agreement concluded with Robert Poghosyan & Sons
Foundation representatives Jean and Albert Poghosyan and Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund. Annually three prizes will be awarded to pictorial
arts and cinema (including painting, sculpture, graphics, tapestry,
ceramics, photo art, design etc.) and one prize to music and
literature figures.
As it is mentioned in the press release, the Armenian President
approved the staff of the three awarding commissions. The commissions
are staffed by such Armenian famous artists and writers as Robert
Elibekyan, Martin Vardazaryan, Arax Davtyan, Aghasi Ayvazyan etc.) as
well as each commission will have one representative of Poghosyan &
Sons Foundation. T.M. -0–
*********************************************************************
GDP GROWTH IN ARMENIA IN RESULT OF 11 MONTHS OF 2004 MADE 10%
YEREVAN, December 27. /ARKA/. GDP growth in Armenia in result of 11
months of 2004 made 10%, RA President’s press office told ARKA that
it was stated by RA President Robert Kocharian during traditional
annual meeting with businessmen. He expressed satisfaction with
registered economic indicators and noted that budget in 2004 will be
fulfilled with excess. `It is first time we have opportunity to
increase state budget by 12 billion AMD in the middle of the year and
direct additional assets on capital construction. Growth of given
sphere made 16%’, Kocharian said. HE also said that annual growth of
export, excluding diamond processing makes 25%. `These numbers show
that some structure changes are made in the economy of the republic,
potential is growing. It is very serious change, serious achievement
and we hope that it will be continued in 2005 as well’, Kocharian
said. L.D. –0–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanArmenian News
Dec 27 2004
“BEGINNING OF YEAR CAN BE MARKED WITH RESIGNATIONS”
27.12.2004 16:50
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Golos Armenii pro-governmental Armenian newspaper
published an astrological forecast for the coming year of Cockerel.
According to this forecast, the year promises to be rather unstable.
“The influence of the planets testifies that the beginning of the
year in Armenia can be marked with resignation of some high rank
officials and unexpected appointments. In Armenia and many other
countries new figures with a big but not always positive potential
will appear on the political arena”, the newspaper continues without
clarifying the sources the data was received from. The rest of the
article is rather remote from astrology, so we omit it.

PanArmenian News
Dec 27 2004
IS TIMOSHENKO REALLY ARMENIAN?
27.12.2004 15:10
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During the press conference held on December 26 “an
Azeri journalist with horror asked Yulia Timoshenko whether she
really has Armenian roots”. According to the rumors, Timoshenko’s
maiden name is Gregian (short from Grigorian). Timoshenko herself
refuted the hearsay stating that ” she is Latvian by father and
Ukrainian by mother”, Ukrainskaya Pravda newspaper writes. With an
odd regularity all the recent revolutionists including Saakashvili
and Timoshenko “are suspected” of having Armenian roots. However,
they themselves deny such suppositions. The exception was Z. Zhvania,
who said he is Armenian by mother. To complete the picture let us
note that the first Armenian mentioned in the historical sources was
Khaldita. As Persian King Darius I informs in his notes, our smart
compatriot posing as the King of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar launched a
revolution to overthrow the Persian dominion. According to the data
available, he was also asserting he is not Armenian. It seems to
become a tradition…