GOVERNMENT OF ARMENIA WORKS OUT A NUMBER OF CONCEPTIONS IN FAVOR OF
NATIONAL MINORITIES

YEREVAN, August 3 (Noyan Tapan). At present the RA government is
working out a number of conceptions directed to preservation of
cultural originality of the national minorities of the republic. But
Hranush Kharatian, the Head of the Department on Issues of National
Minorities and Religion attached to the RA government, mentioned that
for the national minorities it’s difficult to preserve originality in
Armenia, as they don’t live there compacted. Besides, according to
her, the international experience shows that preservation of ethnic
peculiarities is possible if only the national minorities make at
least 15-20% of the population of the country. While all the 11
national minorities living in Armenia make only 2.2% of the population
of the republic. Neverthless, H.Kharatian said that 3m drams (about
$5.5 thousand) a year is allocated from the state budget for the
national minorities in the RA for carrying on publishing activity and
another 20m drams are allocated for educational and cultural needs.

Rimma Varzhapetian, the Chairwoman of the Jewish community of Armenia,
told Noyan Tapan that necessity of the above-mentioned allocations is
very appreciable. She properly estimated the fact that the government
gave a territory for the House of Culture to the national
minorities. There will be an exhibition hall, a library, a concert
hall, a gymnasium in the territory with an area of 800 sq.m. But,
according to her, “there is a willingness to achieve more.” In
particular, she said that they would like to establish a united
Internet site of the national minorities of Armenia and a united
cultural almanac, for which they hope for the state support. It was
also mentioned that that it’s necessary to give air to the national
minorities once a week on the Public Television, which, according to
her, is envisaged by the frame Convention of the Council of Europe on
protection of the rights of the national minorities signed by Armenia.

20% OF EXPECTED HARVEST OF VEGETABLES ALREADY GATHERED IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, August 3 (Noyan Tapan). About 106.2 thousand tons of
vegetables, or 20% of expected harvest, have already been gathered in
Armenia as of July 30, which is more by 7,000 tons in comparison with
the index of the same period of last year. According to the operative
data, the main volumes of harvest were gathered in the Armavir region
(55,000 tons) and the Ararat region (42,000 tons). According to the
Plant Growing Department of the RA Ministry of Agriculture, it is
expected that 553,150 thousand tons of vegetables will be harvested
this year, which is less by 16,000 tons than the same index of last
year.

11,000 tons of vegetable crops, or 10% of the expected harvest, were
gathered as of the same day. It was mentioned that 5,350 thousand tons
of fruits, which is less by 3.5 thousand tons than the index of the
same period of last year, have already been harvested. It is expected
that a total of 131.3 thousand tons of fruits will be harvested this
year, which is more by 30,000 tons than the index of 2003.

RETRAINING COURSES OF ARMENIAN TEACHERS FROM DIASPORA HELD IN ARMENIA
ON AUGUST 2-30

YEREVAN, August 2 (Noyan Tapan). On August 2-30, retraining courses
for the Armenian teachers from the Diaspora are organized in
Armenia. 46 Armenian teachers from a number of CIS countries, Canada,
Syria, Lebanon, Turkmenistan and Iraq have arrived in Armenia for
rising their qualification. The courses are held by the best
specialists on Western Armenian language and literature, such as
Vladimir Barkhudarian, Levon Zekiyan, academicians of the RA National
Academy of Sciences, Hilda Galfayan, a Doctor of the Sorbone
University, Karo Arakelian from Beirut, professors Vazgen
Hambartsumian and Vazgen Poghosian, Manvel Adamian, a poet from
London, and others. Sergo Yeritsian, RA Minister of Science and
Education, said that on August 27-29 the first Pan-Armenian conference
on issues of education will take place in Tsakhkadzor. More than 100
representatives from 20 countries will participate in the
conference. According to him, issues existing not only in Armenia, but
also in the educational system of the Armenian Diaspora will be
discussed at the conference.

PARTICIPANTS OF 9 DETACHMENTS OF ARTSAKH LIBERATION MOVEMENT GO ON
TERMLESS SIT-STRIKE IN YERABLUR ON AUGUST 3

YEREVAN, August 3 (Noyan Tapan). On August 3, the participants of the
Artsakh liberation movement went on a termless sit-strike in
Yerablur. They, in particular, demand to carry out allocations from
the state budget for the purpose of providing them with apartments.
Armen Avetisian, the Chairman of the Armenian Aryan Unity, told Noyan
Tapan that the Commission compiled by the RA Ministry of Defence
submitted a special list, in which it’s mentioned that the families of
the perished freedom-fighters and the disabled freedom-fighters should
be provided with apartments. But, according to him, the government of
Armenia doesn’t carry out any allocations for this purpose. The
participants of the sit-strike demand that the government of Armenia
and the NA should adopt a law on conferment of the status of a
freedom-fighter to the volunteers who were at war in advanced
detachments for 6 months and more, as well as should restore the
privileges and rights of all the freedom-fighters by the law. One of
the demands is equating of the pension of the disabled freedom-fighters
of the 3rd group with the pension of a warrant officer. Armen
Avetisian also said that the government and parliament were informed
about the sit-strike and the strike will stop only after the
government and the freedom-fighters come to an agreement.

ISSUE OF ARMENIAN-GERMAN MILITARY COOPERATION DISCUSSED

YEREVAN, August 3 (Noyan Tapan). On August 2, RA Minister of Defense
Serge Sargsian received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of Germany to Armenia Hans Wolf Burtels, whose mission in Armenia
draws to an end. The interlocutors discussed issues of the
Armenian-German military cooperation, exchanged opinions about the
recent military-political processes in the region and the
world. According to the Information and Propaganda Department of the
RA Ministry of Defense, the same day, Minister Serge Sargsian,
Secretary of the National Security Council attached to the RA
President, Co-Chairman of the Armenian-Russian Inter-Governmental
Commission on Economic Cooperation, also received President of the
Republic of Komi of Russia Vladimir Torlopov and a delegation headed
by him.

ARMENIAN CHESS-PLAYERS AMONG LEADERS IN EUROPEAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
HELD IN TURKEY

YEREVAN, August 3 (Noyan Tapan). 670 young chess-players from
different countries of the world participate in European Junior
Championship held in the Turkish city of Urgup. 14 Armenian
chess-players are among them, they perform in all five age
groups. Robert Aghasarian and Khachatur Yeranian successfully perform
in the 10-year group. They earned four points each after four rounds.

12-year-old Areg Arakelian earned 3.5 points. Five Armenian
chess-players earned three points each and lead the tournament table
in their age groups. Five rounds are left until the end of the
championship.

ARMENIAN CHURCH TO BE CONSTRUCTED IN CAPITAL OF REPUBLIC OF KOMI

YEREVAN, August 3 (Noyan Tapan). According to the Information System
of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Catholicos of All Armenians
Karekin II received President of the Republic of Komi of Russia
Vladimir Torlopov and a delegation headed by him in his residence in
Etchmiadzin on August 3. The Catholicos of All Armenians touched upon
the centuries-old friendship of the Armenian and Russian peoples, the
mission of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the life of our people and
the warm relations between the Armenian Apostolic and Russian Orthodox
Churches. During the meeting Torlopov spoke with admiration about the
Armenians living in Komi, according to him, they are worthy citizens
and contribute to the prosperity of the Republic of Komi. The
President of the Republic of Komi told Karekin II that an Armenian
church will be constructed in the capital of the Republic of Komi
soon.

Yerevan, July 30, 2004

Re: Bi-Annual Progress Report, Summer 2004

Dear friends, active NGOs, concerned businesses, and government
agencies:

We are sending this letter to inform you of CENN’s current activities in
Armenia. We are sending an official progress report twice a year to
keep all interested parties informed of CENN activities with a
localized, specific focus on development in Armenia. We are pleased and
excited to report our activities since the opening of our Yerevan office
in March in the Environmental Conservation Research Center (ECRC) at the
American University of Armenia (AUA):

Environmental Panel Discussions at the American University of Armenia
(AUA)

CENN and ECRC have joined to create a series of Environmental Panel
Discussions to present urgent environmental issues and to allow for
public discussion with the panel experts. The first panel discussion
was held in April regarding solid waste management, and the second was
held in July regarding water supply and water quality in Armenia.
Building upon the interest and success of the first two, CENN plans to
continue this program with ECRC indefinitely. Before each event an
invitation will be sent out and the media will be invited. Future
potential topics include deforestation from the regional viewpoint, the
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in the South Caucasus, and current
agricultural practices in Armenia.

Pre-training Seminar on the Hazards of Metzamor and Emergency Response

CENN, in partnership with Muskee alum Edward Safaryan, has recently
received a grant to present a seminar to leaders from throughout the
regions on the environmental health risks of living near a nuclear power
plant, with a special focus on the particular problems of the Metzamor
plant. The goal of the seminar will be to pre-train these leaders and
to empower them to train their communities to be aware of the issues, to
know the best ways to handle the risks, and to feel more involved in
public affairs regarding the plant. The keynote speaker will be Olga
Denyshchyk, Executive Director of the Ukrainian NGO `Mama-86,’ an
organization devoted to the issues affecting children born after the
Chernobyl accident in 1986.

We are currently seeking 30-40 participants from throughout the regions.
If you know of any NGOs or individuals who may be interested, please
have them contact [email protected]. The seminar will be held in
October.

Kanach Janabarh Foundation
CENN in Armenia has been working directly with other NGOs in the
formation of an Environmental Media Coalition, which has been named
`Kanach Janabarh,’ or `Green Paths Foundation.’ The group has recently
become a project of the Kanach Foundation, and will be launching its
website as well as its first environmental campaign shortly. The latter
offers an alternative to plastic bags, using canvas bags instead.

Kanach Janabarh Foundation plans to use media tools such as television,
radio, and print ads as well as the internet to advertise environmental
problems in Armenia and to encourage and foster public awareness on
these issues. The first issue chosen was waste management, and will
focus on individual behavior patterns that can be modified to be more
sustainable and environmentally-friendly. We are currently seeking
funding for this project, and new partners are always welcome. You can
contact [email protected] or alternatively
[email protected] for more information.

Expect an announcement of the Kanach Janabarh website and further
activities soon!

CENN in Armenia Website

In recognition of the rapidly expanding nature of the CENN Armenia
office, it was decided to create a website specifically devoted to the
Armenian projects of CENN. Here will be hosted many interactive
activities of CENN, such as the internship program for local university
students and the environmental panel discussions presented in
partnership with the Environmental Conservation and Research Center
(ECRC) at AUA. This website is still under construction but should be
active within the next few months.

CENN in the future

In addition to the projects listed above currently being implemented,
future projects include the Caucasus Explorer Video Magazine project in
partnership with Bars Media Documentary Film Studio in Yerevan
(described in the last Bi-Annual progress report), an internship program
in the environmental field for local university students, a student
exchange program between Georgian , Armenian and Azeri students, and a
newsletter in each Caucasus country presenting both national and
regional environmental issues. If you have any ideas or would like to
collaborate with CENN on a project, please contact us at
[email protected]!

We look forward to hearing from you!

Best wishes,

Ursula Kazarian – CENN Armenia Country Director
[email protected]

Irina Kitiashvili – CENN Regional Coordinator
[email protected]

—
*******************************************
CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)

Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:

Iranian president inaugurates 184 telecommunication projects

IRNA web site, Tehran
3 Aug 04

Tabriz, East Azarbayjan Province, 3 August: President Mohammad Khatami
here Monday 2 August inaugurated 184 telecommunication projects in
this northwestern province.

Over 20bn rials has been spent on the projects which include a major
one providing audio and visual telecommunication facilities between
Iran and Armenia through the use of optic fibres.

The project with a cost of over 4bn rials, covers a distance of 140 km
of which 71 km is within the Iranian territory.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the launching of the projects, the
president referred to the contract to have a second operator in
country’s telecommunications system as a very well-calculated and
valuable plan.

He said the contract will make it possible to offer an extra 5m
telephone lines within two years.

Pointing to the exclusive geo-strategic and geo-political situation of
Iran, Khatami described the country as the linking point of East and
West and said making investments in telecommunications and information
is very important and valuable.

Talking in the same ceremony, Minister of Communications and
Information Technology (CIT) Ahmad Mo’tamedi said his ministry was
aiming at updating the communications system in all parts of the
country.

He said 15,340,000 telephone lines were currently used by people while
3,450,000 cell phone numbers have been sold in the country so far.

ARMENIAN VETERANS DEMAND FREE FLATS

Noyan Tapan news agency
3 Aug 04

YEREVAN

Members of the Artsakh liberation movement went on an open-ended
sit-in in Yerablur today. The protesters are demanding that funds be
allocated from the budget so as to provide them with flats.

Armen Avetisyan, leader of the Armenian Aryan Union, told Noyan Tapan
that a commission of the Armenian Defence Ministry has prepared a
special list which says that the families of killed azatamartiks
(freedom fighters) and disabled azatamartiks must be provided with
flats. However, he said, the Armenian government has not started
allocating money for these purposes yet.

The protesters are demanding that the government and the National
Assembly pass a law on granting the status of volunteer azatamartiks
to people who fought in the front line for six and more months and
also to restore privileges and the rights of all the
azatamartiks. They want pensions paid to disabled azatamartiks of the
third degree to be equalled to pensions of warrant officers.

Avetisyan also said that the government and parliament have been
informed about the sit-in which will be halted only when an agreement
is reached between the protesters and the government.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress