Earthquake in store for Yerevan?
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov 10 2004
There have been reports in Armenian mass media since Monday saying
that an earthquake is expected to hit Yerevan.
The country’s educational and industrial institutions have suspended
their activities for two days through head of the Armenian national
seismic service Alvaro Antonian refuted the reports on Tuesday.*

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee
Eastern United States
69-23 47th Avenue
Woodside, NY 11377
Contact: Doug Geogerian
Tel: 917 428 1918
Fax: 718 651 3637
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
Conyers, Theriault to Discuss Genocide Convention
DEARBORN, MI – The United Nations Genocide Convention and the right
to reparations will be the subject of an Armenian National Committee
(ANC) of Michigan public meeting on November 21 at the Armenian
Community Center in Dearborn.
Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) and Dr. Henry Theriault of Worcester
State College will discuss the significance of pursuing a just
settlement for the crimes of genocide and slavery, forms of legal
recourse for securing reparations, and the ethical and moral issues
raised by slavery and genocide.
Theriault is an expert on genocide and human right issues. He is an
advocate for reparations as a crucial piece of any resolution of the
Genocide and other cases such as African-American slavery. Among his
many articles, Theriault has published two important pieces on denial
of the Genocide and other genocides entitled, “Universal Social Theory
and the Denial of Genocide: Norman Itzkowitz Revisited,” published
in the June 2001 Journal of Genocide Research and “Free Speech and
Genocide Denial: The Armenian Case.” Theriault has also lectured
around the world on denial, reparation, and other related issues.
In addition to being a Worcester State College associate professor of
philosophy, Theriault has served as coordinator of the College’s Center
for the Study of Human Rights since 1999. The center is dedicated to
developing programs, events, and curricula concerning human rights
including genocide.
Congressman Conyers is the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary
Committee and is now serving his 20th term as the Representative
to Michigan’s 17th Congressional District. Conyers is considered
the “dean” of the Congressional Black Caucus and is also a member
of the Armenian-American Issues Caucus. A staunch supporter of
Armenian-American issues in Congress, Conyers has worked hard on
various Congressional initiatives to recognize the Genocide and has
repeatedly called on various presidential administrations to properly
characterize the Genocide as a such. Conyers has also attended the
annual April ANCA Genocide Observance on Capital Hill and has made
special order speeches in Congress on the Genocide. In addition to his
support for Genocide recognition, Conyers has also been a long-time
supporter of US aid to Armenia and Karabagh.
Other human rights causes led by Conyers include support for Haiti’s
emerging democracy, pursuing reparations for the injustices from the
institution of slavery in the United States, demanding the lifting
of inhumane sanctions on the people of Iraq, and championing House
Resolution 193, which commemorates US ratification of the United
Nations Convention on Genocide. Conyers is a lead sponsor of House
Resolution 40, which if enacted would form a commission to study
reparations for African-Americans.
The November 21 event will begin at 7:00 pm at the Armenian Community
Center, 19310 Ford Road, Dearborn, MI and is free and open to the
public. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call
(313) 336-6840 or email [email protected].

Moscow Times
Nov 10 2004
News in Brief
Aliyev on Nagorny
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said Tuesday
that ethnic Armenian forces in Nagorny Karabakh must withdraw before
a peace deal can be signed.
“We demand with justification that the seized territory be freed and
the occupation forces withdraw,” Aliyev said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

JAPANESE INVESTORS INTERESTED IN YEREVAN’S LANDFILL
Azg/Arm
10 Nov 04
The negotiations with the Japanese investors are on, at present. The
Japanese envisage to get additional energy sources through biogas. By
the end of the year the details of the program will be specified. It
is envisaged to build a plant in the territory of the landfill.
By the way, it is high time to regulate the household rubbish
accumulated in Yerevan. Perhaps, the situation will change after the
adoption of the law on garbage management. Even in the center of the
city we may come across piles of rubbish. The rubbish is not always
taken away to the landfill.
This is the beginning. Perhaps, this will create grounds for
construction of rubbish proceeding plant.
By Karine Danielian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PARLIAMENT APPROVES SWIFTLY A PACKAGE OF BILLS
ArmenPress
Nov 10 2004
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS: Members of Armenian parliament moved
today to swiftly pass a package of 15 bills that were discussed the
day before and ratified two international agreements, one related
to maintenance of archeological legacy and the second to joint
film-making.
The parliament also approved in the first reading a government designed
bill on making changes to the Property Tax Law, under which the right
to collect property taxes will be delegated to urban communities later
this year instead of 2005. The bill also proposes that transport
means run by local self-management bodies, which have become unfit
for using be written off from their books.
The lawmakers also approved in the third and final reading the Labor
Code, which is to be enforced six months after it is publicized
officially. The bill envisages that all employers will have to
conclude labor contractors with employees within 12 months since
its enforcement. The parliament also passed in the final reading
the Family Code that is to be put into force three days after its
official publication.

French charity operating in Upper Garabagh
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Oct 9 2004
The Foreign Ministry issued a statement in October concerning operation
of 68 foreign companies in Upper Garabagh. The companies active in
Upper Garabagh are supposed to be in great number and carrying out
illegal activity.
A well-informed source told AssA-Irada that the French “Chen” charity
organization, which is engaged in agricultural and construction
activity in Upper Garabagh, has delivered 200 new computers to the
region within a program on computerization of secondary schools in
Shusha and Asgaran districts.
The French company also financed courses on information science held
for teachers and schoolchildren in 2004.*

AzerTag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Nov 10 2004
EUROPEAN UNION DEEPLY INTERESTED IN AZERBAIJAN
[November 10, 2004, 12:24:07]
Political affairs director of the foreign ministry of Germany Michael
Scheffer and his French colleague Stanisilav Lefevr in the frame of
visit to the South Caucasus have been in Baku and met the foreign
minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov and other officials, AzerTAj
said. On 9 November, the visitors have held a news conference on
conclusions of negotiations, assessing their visit as the token of
interest of the European Union in Azerbaijan.
Mr. Michael Scheffer noted that Azerbaijan as a part of the South
Caucasus is an important state and stability in Azerbaijan for the
European Union means stability in Europe. At his words, the European
countries will make every effort for settlement of conflict in Nagorny
Karabakh, as well as in Georgia.
Stanislav Lefevr stated that Azerbaijan’s participation at the
“New Neighboring policy” of Europe provides supremacy of law and
development of democracy, Germany and France welcomes the steps made
in this direction.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Baku Today, Azerbaijan
Nov 10 2004
European Diplomats Stress Azerbaijan’s Important Role in Maintaining
Stability in Region
On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov received political
directors of the German and French foreign ministries Michael Scheffer
and Stanislaw Leserve de Labulier.
Mammadyarov said that Azerbaijan has established high-level cooperation
with the European Union, Council of Europe, NATO, UN and other
international organizations.
Azerbaijan’s recent joining the European Union’s “New Neighborhood”
and NATO’s “Individual Partnership Plan” programs testifies to
expansion of the country’s relations with these organizations, the
foreign minister stressed.
Mammadyarov noted that his country’s leadership attaches great
importance to integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures
and stepping up such values as human rights, democracy and civil
society.
Touching upon the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the Azerbaijani diplomat
underlined that official Baku adheres to settlement of the conflict
based on Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity within international
legal norms.
“The Azerbaijani side makes every effort to support the activity of
the OSCE Minsk Group, which tackles solution of the Nagorno Karabakh,
but not to achieve its replacement with any other organization,”
Mammadyarov underscored. The European diplomats, in their turn, stated
that Azerbaijan plays an important role in maintaining stability in
the South Caucasus region and that the country has great potential
to take a leading position within international organizations.
The parties also exchanged views on regional and international
situations and discussed issues related to determination of the Caspian
legal status and Azerbaijan’s role in fighting the international
terrorism.

NO SHIFT IN ARMENIA’S POLICY FOR GENOCIDE RECOGNITION, MF SPOKESMAN SAYS
ArmenPress
Nov 9 2004
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS: A spokesman for Armenian foreign
ministry said Armenia’s policy for international recognition of the
1915 genocide has not changed and remains one of its foreign policy
priorities. His comment came in response to Azeri and Turkish media
reports that Yerevan may be considering a shift in its policy to help
normalization of ties with Turkey. The reports claimed the shift may
be indicated by lack of a regular reference to the genocide in next
year’s draft budget sent to parliament for approval.
The spokesman, Hamlet Gasparian, told Armenpress that the draft budget
has no relation to Armenia’s consistency and decisiveness to continue
the campaign for international recognition of the genocide. (By the
way, no previous budget has ever had a special clause earmarking
such expenditures).
“The international recognition of the Armenian genocide does not refer
to Armenia or Armenians alone, it refers to the entire humanity and
it cannot be placed within a budget or other financial calculations,”
Gasparian said.

MCKINSEY & CO UNVEILS FINDINGS OF A RESEARCH ON ARMENIAN TOURISM
ArmenPress
Nov 10 2004
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS: Funded by 2020 Project, McKinsey and
Co consulting agency is developing a project on prospects of tourism
development in Armenia. The agency is supported by the Armenian
ministry of economy and trade and AEPLAC.
Yesterday the head of McKinsey, Andreas Mershner, Moscow office
manager Avetik Chalabian and an adviser Nikolai Shikhvtsov unveiled
their findings in Armenia Mariot hotel. The presentation was attended
by representatives of respective agencies, travel agencies, public
and donor organizations.
According to Shikhovtsov, the rise in the number of tourists from
41,000 in 1999 to 206,000 in 2003 is very impressive. Some 30% of
increased tourist flow was connected with celebrations of Christianity
as a state religion in Armenia. However, this indicator is by three
times lower that Armenian used to have during the Soviet Union. In
the words of the adviser, a concerning fact is that only 15% of the
visitors are “true tourists.”
According to McKinsey research findings, only Yerevan is in the
position to provide proper facilities to international travelers.
Other regions of Armenia lack such. According to A. Chalabian, the
size of investment in tourism industry is not small but it should be
coordinated. Otherwise, they may yield short-term results.