Interfax
July 30 2004
Yerevan suggests conducting meetings of Armenian, Azerbaijani border
guards
Yerevan. (Interfax) – Yerevan has suggested starting a program of
ensuring personal contact between Armenian and Azerbaijani border
guards under the OSCE aegis, according to a statement of the Armenian
Defense Ministry distributed on Thursday.
The suggestion was made during the monitoring of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani border by OSCE representatives on Wednesday.
“Personal contacts may aid the process of establishing peace and
tranquility on the two countries’ borders,” the statement said.
Currently, the Armenian and Azerbaijani servicemen communicate over
radio.
Azerbaijan lost control of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven neighboring
districts in a bloody conflict with Armenia in the 1990s. The UN
Security council has denounced Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani
lands and demanded that it withdraw its forces. The OSCE Minsk Group,
composed of representatives from the U.S., Russia and France, is
working to help settle the conflict.

Ananova, UK
July 30 2004
Shoplifter wants hands cut off as punishment
An Armenian caught shoplifting bottles of whiskey in a Belgian shop,
asked the judge if he could have his hands cut off as punishment.
The 20-year-old had been caught on camera taking three bottles from
the shop in Dessel.
The man told his solicitor he was prepared to lose his hands as a
penalty for shoplifting. The solicitor said: “I told him in Belgium
we don’t do such things.”
The man had originally denied the shoplifting charge, says Het
Nieuwsblad

Stamford Advocate, CT
July 30 2004
East European orphans hope visit to U.S. yields a family

Pavel `Pasha’ Ptushko, an 8-year-old orphan from Russia, is staying
with a Stamford family for a month while he waits for an adoptive
family to be found. (Paul Desmarais/Staff photo)
Jul 30, 2004

By Katherine Didriksen
Special Correspondent
July 30, 2004
STAMFORD — Pavel “Pasha” Ptushko is fresh-faced, blond and 8 — and
has come far to find a home.
An orphaned child from Russia, Pavel is staying with a Stamford
family for four weeks this summer through World Links Association, a
nonprofit international adoption agency based in Scranton, Pa.
World Links unites orphaned children from Russia, Armenia,
Kazakhstan, Moldova and Ukraine with American families. It has placed
about 450 children in the United States in the past five years.
In its Karing for Kids Host Program for Orphans, the agency brings
children such as Pavel from orphanages in eastern Europe to stay with
American host families for several weeks. The 56 children who visited
this summer will return to Russia on Wednesday.
The program, which began with 25 children in 1999, allows orphans to
learn about American culture and family life while the agency screens
potential adoptive families.
It’s easier to find the children permanent homes if they are in the
country, said Laureen Dempsey, coordinator of the host program.
“If they’re just a picture in eastern Europe, they’re no one,” she
said.
American families begin adoption proceedings for about 98 percent of
the orphaned children who come to the United States through the
program, Dempsey said.
All children must return to Russia after their stay. They go back to
the orphanage or are adopted by an American family in Russian court.
Born July 12, 1996, Pavel is one of the few orphans on this trip who
has not been placed. Left at an orphanage at birth, Pavel, who has a
partial cleft lip, never had a visitor there.
“Russia doesn’t have the social safety net that we have,” Dempsey
said. “When a parent can’t care for a child in Russia, they’re put in
the orphanage system. . . . Some children are in the orphanage a long
time.”
Pavel has seen his friends from the orphanage find families.
“He’s dying for a family,” Dempsey said.
His host parents in Stamford, who did not want to be identified, have
watched Pavel acclimate to life in Fairfield County during the past
three weeks. He particularly enjoys the beach.
“Just getting in the water was thrilling for him,” his host mother
said.
He is quickly picking up English words and phrases, flashing a “hi”
at visitors and easily getting his point across with hand gestures.
“He has a really good disposition,” his host mother said.
This week, Pavel fought a fake sword battle with the couple’s
4-year-old son, one dressed as a knight and the other playing a
pirate.
Some host families eventually adopt, sometimes taking in the child
they hosted, Dempsey said.
Barbara and Nick Rinaldi of Guilford and their 9-year-old daughter,
Alicia, will adopt Christina Nesterenkova, whom they have hosted
since early this month, as soon as possible.
The Rinaldis have talked about adoption for years.
“Ever since she could speak, she has wanted a sister,” Barbara
Rinaldi said of their daughter. “It was always kind of in the back of
our minds.”
The World Links hosting program “was a perfect test drive,” Barbara
Rinaldi said. “They’re truly sisters, sisters of the heart.”
A victim of parental neglect, Christina was removed from her home and
placed in an orphanage near Smolensk. She has a foot deformity, which
the Rinaldis hope to have corrected. They also hope her condition
will speed up the adoption process which can take several months.
When she arrived in the United States, Christina was wearing pink
jean shorts that were two sizes too small and oversize shoes. She had
no suitcase and carried only a plastic bag with an incomplete change
of clothes.
Her ordeal has taught Christina to take care of herself, Barbara
Rinaldi said.
“She is an independent, fiery spirit. . . . She’s amazingly happy,
given what she’s been through in her short life,” she said.
Like Pavel, Christina will board a plan for Russia next week. Her
host family is sad to see her go, even as they plan for her return.
“We’re dreading Wednesday, but we’re looking forward to the best
Christmas present our family has ever had,” Barbara Rinaldi said.
— Families interested in adoption may call World Links at (570)
344-8890 and ask for Laureen Dempsey.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Interfax
July 30 2004
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY IN ARMENIA
The chemical industry, once a leading industry in Armenia, is having
a difficult time. Armenia has been unable to restore the chemical
industry after years of inactivity.
The government is attracting foreign investors to help solve the
problem but Nairit-1 was the only large plant to begin production in
the middle of last year.
As a result, production in the chemical industry increased in the
first few months of this year after dropping 17.5% in 2003.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Before the collapse of the Soviet Union the chemical industry played
a major role in Armenia’s economy, producing mineral fertilizers,
synthetic stones for instruments and watches, and fiberglass. The
Nairit production center, the only producer of rubber in the Soviet
Union at the time, formed the foundation of chemical production.
The industry was hurt by the Karabakh conflict and the environmental
movement that arose in 1988. The collapse of the Soviet Union
essentially shut down Armenia’s chemical industry for a long period,
with some enterprises idle for more than 10 years.
Some said the industry could not be restored after standing idle for
so long, but attempts were made to restart chemical production.
Armenia first tried on its own and then attracted foreign investors.
Unfortunately most of these attempts were unsuccessful. Once
production was resumed various factors forced plants to shut down and
change owners. Some enterprises have changed hands several times and
the industry continues to operate unsteadily.
Industry specialists say the chemical complex needs state support.
Companies need tax breaks and subsidies on gas and electricity rates.
The industry also lacks qualified specialists and the ones they do
have are approaching retirement. A source at Nairit, the leading
chemical enterprise in Armenia, said the average age of employees at
the plant is 56 and more than 250 specialists are 70 – 75. Teaching
at colleges and universities has also declined.
Once these problems are resolved and the chemical industry begins to
function normally again, it could become one of the most profitable
industries in the country. The production of household chemical
products, paints, and so on is considered the main area for
development of the industry. Armenia could also develop
pharmacological and biological production. But so-called big chemical
production by Nairit, the Vanadzor complex and Yerevan Tire Plant,
will continue to form the foundation of the industry.
Armenia has the capability to produce various chemical products,
including:
Plastics for manufacturing and household use;
Technical rubber and asbestos products;
Rubber and latex,
Acids, oxides, and salts,
Paint materials,
Perfumes and cosmetics,
Polymers, plastics, resin,
Agri-chemical products and fertilizers,
Household chemical products,
Chemical elements and compounds.
Production of paint materials grew 25.1% last year, chemical and
pharmaceutical production grew 8.9%, and plastics production was up
6.7%. Production of synthetic rubber and detergents dropped by 50%
and 28.1%, respectively, which resulted in an overall drop in
production in the chemical industry by 17.5%.
The industry is growing this year with the resumption of production
at Nairit, and was up 290% in the first four months. Production of
paint materials grew 40.1% year-on-year in the period, chemical
pharmaceutical production was up 33.4%, while production of plastics
and cleaning agents and detergents dropped 17.5% and 1.3%,
respectively.
CHEMICAL PRODUCTION
——————————————————————–
Chemical Rubber &
industry Plastics
——————————————————————–
2003 Jan-Apr 2003 Jan-Apr
2004 2004
——————————————————————–
Production in
current prices (Mln dram) 7345.4 4732.9 1478.7 605.9
———————————————————— ——–
Sale of finished products
in current prices (Mln dram) 6606.8 3687.6 1463.3 516.7
——————————————————————–
Physical index in comparable
prices to same period of
previous year (%) 82.5 3.9 times 181.5 164.7
——————————————————————–
Share in processing
industry (%) 2.6 4.9 0.5 0.6
——————————————————————–
Source: National Statistics Service of Armenia.
ZAO NAIRIT-1
Nairit-1 is one of six companies in the world that produce
chloroprene rubber and the only producer in the CIS. Chloroprene
rubber is also produced by U.S. company DuPont, Germany’s Bayer,
France, Japan, and China.
Though there are few companies that produce this type of rubber
competition is fierce because the market is limited and shrinking.
The Russian market is estimated at 5,000 tonnes of chloroprene
rubber, the European market at 50,000 tonnes, the United States at
100,000 tonnes, East Asia at 100,000 tonnes, and the entire world
market is about 300,000 tonnes.
Nairit can produce 30,000- 35,000 tonnes of rubber and must produce
20,000 – 25,000 for production to be profitable.
Nairit sells to Russia and the former Soviet republics, but periodic
shut downs have resulted in a loss of the market and the company was
able to restore its position only last year.
Nairit was the monopoly chloroprene rubber producer in the Soviet
Union until 1989. The company included two enterprises – Nairit-1,
the production center, and Nairit-2, the research end of the
business. Nairit also produced nitrogen (liquid and gaseous),
carbonic acid, acetylene, liquid chlorine, various acids, chloroprene
latex, various technical rubber products, and bleaching agents.
Nairit was shut down in 1989 for environmental reasons and production
was partially restored in 1992 – 1993, but the company closed again
several times due to gas and electricity debt.
Nairit had debt of $40 million in 2001 and the government decided to
reorganize the company. Production capacity for chloroprene rubber
production was spun off (Nairit-1) to create a debt-free enterprise,
but some of the old debt was transferred to the new enterprise.
Nairit-1 had debt of $35 million when it was transferred to Britain’s
Ransat Plc in early 2002.
Ransat agreed to pay the debt and invest $25 million in the plant by
2005. It also promised to increase chloroprene rubber production to
25,000 tonnes in three years from 4,000 tonnes in 2001 (to 6,100
tonnes in 2002, 10,000 tonnes in 2003, and 25,000 tonnes in 2004).
Ransat was also supposed to invest $1.5 million in Armsvyazbank, the
main creditor of Nairit-2 by February 6, 2003 and provide $5 million
for bank capital by July 1, 2005 and pay debt of $14 million on loans
made to Nairit.
The company resumed production in 2002, but the plant worked only
until November when electricity supplies were cut due to debt.
Ransat-Armenia filed a lawsuit against the power company and Ransat
suspended financing for Nairit.
Nairit stood idle during the lawsuit and financing was cut off. The
Armenian government in February 2003 said Ransat was not meeting
contract obligations and froze Nairit-1 shares. Ransat had failed to
invest $1.5 million in Armsvyazbank by February 6 and produced just
3,500 tonnes of rubber in 2002, not 6,100 tonnes as planned.
Ransat President Anil Kumar in April 2003 signed an agreement to
transfer the Economic Development Ministry 100% of Nairit-1 to
Armsvyazbank, which the company owed $14.2 million. The bank received
600,009 shares with a par value of 10,000 worth 6 billion dram.
The shares were transferred in management to Nairit Trust, owned by
Russia’s Runa-Bank. The bank invested $3.5 million in June 2003 and
Nairit resumed production and produced 1,700 tonnes of rubber last
year. It resumed exports to Russia, as well as to Ukraine, Iran,
Kazakhstan, and Bulgaria.
Armenia began preparing the chemical plant for sale to a Russian
investor, namely Volgaburmash, which includes Runa-Bank and Samarsky
Credit, 14 plants that produce drilling equipment, and 11
construction divisions.
The deal to sell 100% of Nairit to Volgaburmash was signed on April
16, 2004. Officials said at the time the deal would take three and a
half months to close as certain details were addressed. The deal is
supposed to close July 30.
The investor demanded a clarification of the accounts payable and
receivable at Nairit-1. An audit conducted by a French company showed
the company has payables of about $23 million and receivables of $15
million, but the Finance Ministry decided to conduct its own audit,
which was still in progress in mid-June.
The results of the audit will determine the financial situation at
the company and the cost of the contract.
The new investor plans to introduce butadiene technology for
production of rubber instead of acetylene technology. Volgaburmash
will invest $5 million in the plant soon. The first production line
using butadiene technology should be launched three or four months
after the deal is signed.
Switching to this technology will increase production and
profitability. Capacity will increase to 25,000 tonnes a year from
about 10,000 tonnes using acetylene technology.
Volgaburmash also plans to install a new packaging line, produce 50
kinds of chloroprene rubber and obtain certification to U.S. and
European standards.
Volgaburmash Holding President Andrei Ischuk said state support is
needed to rehabilitate the plant, which will involve substantial
expenses. He said the company should be given subsidies on gas and
electricity rates as Nairit consumes 10% of Armenia’s gas and 5% of
electricity.
PROMETEI-KHIMPROM (VANADZOR CHEMICAL COMPLEX)
Prometei-Khimprom was formed under a government decision in February
1999. It includes the Rubin Chemical Plant and Khimvolokno in the
city of Vanadzor, 150 kilometers from Yerevan, and the Vanadzor Heat
and Power Plant.
Following an analysis of the financial and technical situation at the
companies and restructuring their debt in May of that year, the
chemical complex was sold for $1.5 million to Russia’s
Zakneftegazstroi Prometei, which agreed to implement a two-stage
investment program worth $55 million – $60 million.
The first stage to 2001 included investment of $10 million to restore
the chemical complex to half of its design capacity. The complete
reconstruction of the enterprise should be completed in 2006, and
Prometei-Khimprom will be able to produce 10,000 tonnes of melamine,
40,000 tonnes of carbamide for use at the plant, 5,000 tonnes of
acetate thread, 4,000 tonnes of acetate braid, and 80 tonnes of
synthetic corundum. The product would be sold in Russia, China, and
the Middle East.
The Vanadzor Heat and Power Plant planned to produce 70 megawatts of
electricity and 220 gigacalories of heat to supply the chemical
complex and nearby residential consumers.
The Russian company invested about $20 million in the company to
increase capacity for ammonia production to 20,000 tonnes a year,
melamine to 10,000 tonnes, calcium carbide to 15,000 tonnes, acetate
tape to 3,500 tonnes, and corundum to 20 tonnes. After 13 years of
standing idle the Vanadzor complex in November 2001 resumed
production. But high prices for gas and changes in market trends
forced the company to suspend production in 2002.
The Russian company held talks to attract a partner in 2003 to resume
production and announced at the start of this year that 51% of the
company would be sold to Slovakia’s Divident Group.
First Deputy Trade and Economic Development Minister of Armenia Ashot
Shakhnazarian said Prometei-Khimprom was in good technical condition
and did not require substantial investment to resume production,
which should take a couple of months.
GENERAL TRANSWORLD MANUFACTURING COMPANY (YEREVAN TIRE PLANT)
The Yerevan tire plant is one of Armenia’s oldest enterprises. It was
formed in 1943 and produced continually until 1998. The plant was the
only tire producer in the southern Caucasus at the time and exported
to more than 35 countries. But like most petrochemical enterprises in
the country it too stood idle for a long time. The plant was
liquidated in early 2001 and Shinnik-1 was formed in its place.
American company TS Investment Corp bought 75% of Shinnik in April
2002 for $1.287 million and the company renamed in December of that
year to General Transworld Manufacturing Company (GTMC).
The American company repaired and updated the plant and production
resumed in February 2003 after a nine-year hiatus. By the end of 2003
the plant was producing eight kinds of car tire tubes and 12 kinds of
treads. Production totaled 80,000 tires a month and the new owners
planned to increase production to 100,000 tires with capacity of
200,000 tires. The product would be sold to Armenia and nearby
countries.
TS Investment Corp planned to invest $10 million in production by the
end of 2005.
However, the company ran into problems exporting diagonal tires,
transporting raw materials, selling products on the domestic and
foreign markets, and installing new lines to produce radial tires.
Production was suspended in January 2004 due to financial problems
and 75% of the employees were placed on leave without pay.
Reports in April indicated the plant would resume production in May,
but the owner said in the Armenian media it is concerned with the
situation at the plant and will either sell it or seek partners.
This article was written by the Interfax Center for Economic
Analysis. E-mail: [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian
Crossroads E-Newsletter July 30, 2004
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN WILL BE IN MASSACHUSETTS
Archbishop Oshagan will travel to Camp Haiastan, Franklin,
Massachusetts, where he will preside over the Andastan Service on Sunday,
August 1, during the annual summer picnic sponsored by the St. Stephen
parish of Watertown.
Andastan service is the blessing of the harvest and blesses the four
corners of the world, East, West, South and North and concludes with this
benediction: Oh Christ our God, guardian and hope of the faithful, protect
and keep in peace your faithful people under the protection of Your Holy and
venerable cross; their family, their home, the bread, the salt, and the
water. Save them Oh Lord, from visible and invisible enemies and make them
worthy to glorify You with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always,
forever and ever. Amen.
CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN OF
ST. GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR
This Saturday, July 31, the Armenian Church remembers the children and
grandchildren of St. Gregory the Illuminator: Saints Aristakes, Vrtanes,
Housik, Grigoris, and Daniel. Paganism and anti-Christian values were
prevalent in Armenia in spite of the missionary work of St. Gregory and King
Drtad. The sons and grandsons of Gregory continued the mission to spread
Christianity. Their efforts continued to strengthen the young church.
St. Gregory was succeeded by his son, Aristakes, as Catholicos.
Aristakes was martyred in 333 and was succeeded by his brother, Vertanes.
Housik, son of Vertanes, succeeded his father. Housik was succeeded by a
grandson rather than his son. This grandson was St. Nerses the Great who is
often referred to as the Second Illuminator. But, that is another story for
another day. Grigoris became the first Bishop of Georgia and Caucasian
Albania. Daniel, although neither a son nor grandson of Gregory, is included
in this commemoration. He was a student of Gregory and helped in the
conversion to Christianity.
JORDANIAN PRINCE VISITS ARAM I
His Highness Prince Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan recently visited His
Holiness Catholicos Aram I in Antelias, Lebanon, where the See of Cilicia is
located. The Prince and the Catholicos are actively involved in the
Christian-Moslem dialogue and both of them stressed the crucial importance
of deepening the interfaith dialogue as an important instrument for peace,
justice, and reconciliation.
CILICIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY CONCLUDES 74TH YEAR
The Armenian Theological Seminary of the Cilician See in Bikfaya,
Lebanon, brought its 74th year to a successful conclusion on June 25. That
the fruits of the Seminary have had a worldwide impact cannot be disputed.
During the past 74 years thousands of young Armenians have passed through
the Seminary. Among its students have been future catholicoses, archbishops,
bishops, celibate and married priests, teachers, headmaster, and choir
directors, as well as writers and intellectuals. The history of this
institution is a tribute to the dedication and intelligence of the Armenian
people. Since its founding in 1930, the Antelias Seminary has produced four
catholicoses: Zareh I (first graduate of the Seminary); Khoren I, Karekin II
(later also Karekin I of Etchmiadzin), and Aram I, the current catholicos.
The 75th anniversary of this venerable institution will be commemorated
worldwide next year.
PAN-ARMENIAN EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE
Last week we reported that the Executive Director of the Armenian
National Education Committee (ANEC), Gilda Kupelian, will attend two
upcoming conferences. We neglected to mention that Mrs. Nayiri Balanian,
chair of ANEC, will also be attending the Pan-Armenian Educational
Conference in Yerevan, Armenia.
IN NEED OF SPONSORS
The orphan sponsorship program started by the Prelacy in 1993 is now
well established and extremely efficient in its operation. Currently more
than 700 children are enrolled in the program. About 100 children are
waiting for sponsors. Annual sponsorship is only $180. We are so fortunate
to live at a time and place where we are blessed with many gifts. Please
remember that there are many people, especially children, less fortunate who
need our assistance. If you would like to sponsor a child in Armenia or
Artsakh contact the Prelacy office, 212-689-7810.
Here are some excerpts from letters we have recently received from
sponsored children:
From Datevig: I was born November 9, 1991. I was born seven months after
my father died, so I have never seen my father, nor have I seen his grave.
My father was a freedom fighter and a hero. My mother’s name is Irina. She
has been suffering from illness for many years. I have two sisters. Dear
sponsor, on behalf of my family I want to thank you. We are grateful for
your help. We wish you good health, happiness and peace.
>From Kevork: I was born March 10, 1990. I am currently in the sixth grade.
We have six people in our family. My father, Gabriel, was a freedom fighter
in Artsakh. He was killed on April 24, 1994. I am proud to be a son of such
a father and I hope I will be like him.
From Gohar: I am eleven years old and in fifth grade. It is true that I
am very proud of my father, but I must be truthful and say that I miss my
father very much, especially when I see my friends walking hand-in-hand with
their fathers. I am deprived of that joy. I am happy to have a benefactor
like you and I consider you to be a part of my family. I love you very much.
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it is in your power to
help them. If you can help your neighbor now, do not say, Come back
tomorrow, and then I will help you.
Proverbs 3:27-28
Visit our website at
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

130-135,000 TONS OF GRAPES HARVEST EXPECTED IN ARMENIA IN 2004
YEREVAN, JULY 29. ARMINFO. Some 130-135,000 tons of grapes are
expected to be gathered in Armenia in 2004 as against 80,000 tons in
2003, Head of the Department for Plants, the Ministry of Agriculture
of Armenia, Garnik Petrosyan, told ARMINFO.
He said that the share of Ararat and Armavir regions is the main. Some
60-70% of last year’s harvest was damaged by frosts. He said that
14.000 ha were allotted for vineyards in the current year, as against
12.9 thous. in 2003.

THIRD MOMNITORING IN AREA OF VILLAGE OF BERKABER, TAVUSH REGION,
ARMENIA AND POPULATED AREA MIZAMLU, GAZAKH REGION, AZERBAIJAN
YEREVAN, JULY 29. ARMINFO. A regular monitoring of OSCE on the
contact-line of Armenian and Azerbaijani Armed Forces was in the area
of the village of Berkaber, Tavush region, Armenia and a populated
area Mizamlu, Gazakh region, Azerbaijan. It is already the third
monitoring in this section.
The press-service of the Armenian Defense Ministry told ARMINFO that
the section is again monitored because of the recent aggravation of
tension there. According to the source, Personal Representative of
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrjey Kasprzyk and his field assistants
Kenneth Picls (Great Britain) and Urgen Schmidt (Germany) monitored on
the Armenian party, his other field assistants Emre Palatinus
(Hungary) and Miroslav Vimetal (Czechia) on the Azerbaijani party.
In the course of the monitoring, the OSCE groups accompanied with
representatives of the Defense and Foreign Ministries of the two
states approached the border-line from the two sides on a visual
distance. As a result, the Armenian party confirmed the statement made
yet during the last monitoring concerning the necessity for direct
contracts under patronage of OSCE. Ambassador Kasprzyk welcomed the
proposal and expressed hope for the OSCE to contribute to such a
meeting in the near future. OSCE representative were informed that
unlike the previous monitoring, this time the situation on the
boundary was rather calm.

LACK OF SKILLED PERSONNEL MAIN PROBLEM OF SMALL, MIDDLE-SIZED BUSINESS
YEREVAN, JULY 29. ARMINFO. The lack of skilled personnel is the main
problem of small and middle-sized businesses in Armenia, Director of
the “Arlian” consulting company Arevik Sargsyan told a press
conference.
She said that the country’s economic development, particularly that of
the service, food and light industries, can hardly remain
unnoticed. According to Sargsyan, it is more and more difficult for
imported products to compete with local ones, which is confirmed by
their considerable decrease in shops. On the other hand, she stressed
that, lacking business education and necessary skill, Armenian
businessmen continue making unnecessary expenses, which do not produce
any results. Sargsyan reported that deficit of skilled personnel
existed before as well, but now this problem is at a new level. There
is a growing demand for specialists in international marketing,
top-managers, etc.. However, Armenian has no such specialists, which
is the result of low-quality higher education, lack of informal
education, etc..

AZERI DM WARNS ITS SERVICEMEN AGAINST COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR
ARMENIAN COUNTERPARTS
YEREVAN, JULY 29. ARMINFO. Azeri DM is instructing its servicemen
about possible contacts with their Armenian counterparts reports Ekho.
The Azeri participants in the NATO Rescuer/Merduer-2004 exercises in
Lithuania have been warned against communicating with Armenian
servicemen. “After the Ramil Safarov case the Azeri DM has made
relevant conclusions and has instructed its servicemen not to yield to
provocations by Armenian soldiers,” says the newspaper.
Over 2,000 servicemen are taking part in the exercises representing
Lithuania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Estonia, Georgia, the US,
Croatia, Latvia, Moldova, Romania and Poland among them observers from
Luxembourg, Germany and Holland.

Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
July 30 2004
Transcaucasus: Politicians Find Lessons At Democratic Convention

Three leading opposition politicians from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and
Georgia were among the hundreds of international figures invited to
observe this week’s Democratic National Convention in Boston. The
three told RFE/RL’s Robert McMahon that in spite of the convention’s
frequently stage-managed appearance, it offers some useful lessons in
their own struggles to bring democracy to the South Caucasus.
Boston, 30 July 2004 — They represent some of the major opposition
voices in the sometimes turbulent world of transitional politics in
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.
But for this week, at least, Stepan Demirchian, Ali Kerimli, and
Davit Gamkrelidze were content to sit on the sidelines and observe
the opposition party convention in Boston.
Demirchian, Kerimli, and Gamkrelidze were among hundreds of
diplomats, politicians, and political activists attending the
convention as guests of the National Democratic Institute for
International Affairs.
In separate interviews with RFE/RL, the three politicians said the
convention held useful lessons for their own countries’ difficult
reform paths. They also gained insight into the foreign policy
priorities of key advisers to Democratic presidential candidate John
Kerry.
Kerimli is chairman of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party’s (AHCP)
reformist wing and is a lead figure in attempts to reunite the
fragmented Azerbaijani opposition. He said beyond the stagecraft on
view in Boston, he saw the convention as an important
confidence-boosting exercise for the opposition Democratic Party.
“The convention is orchestrated as a big show, [there are] a large
number of participants, they use the stage for propaganda,” Kerimli
said. “The convention itself does not decide anything because all
decisions have already been taken. The convention simply illustrates
the will of the candidate to win, the presentation of his team, of
his program — this was of particular interest to me.”
Gamkrelidze is chairman of the New Conservative Party (formerly the
New Rightists Party) of Georgia — the only opposition party in that
country’s parliament. He said the convention provided a useful model
for organizing an effective campaign. He said it highlighted the
importance of well-trained activists and volunteers, who are the foot
soldiers of major U.S. parties.Davit Gamkrelidze said the convention
demonstrated some of the strengths of multiparty democracy, which he
said Georgia lacks.
Gamkrelidze said the convention demonstrated some of the strengths of
multiparty democracy, which he said Georgia lacks.
“This balance — balance between the Republicans and Democrats — is
first of all a huge benefit for the citizens of the United States and
when you [don’t have] this balance it means that the government and
ruling party, they lose control over themselves and it’s very
dangerous, and we already [have found] out in Georgia that the
government and the new leaders in the Georgian state, they somehow
lost control over themselves,” Gamkrelidze said.
For Demirchian, leader of the Justice Faction in the National
Assembly of Armenia (HZhK), the U.S. convention has helped illustrate
how far his country must travel on its path to democracy.
“We have to learn a lot. So, democracy needs consistent work. Hard
work,” Demirchian said.
Demirchian lost to President Robert Kocharian in a 2003 presidential
runoff. He and other opposition leaders have alleged that Kocharian
falsified that vote and led protests this spring demanding the
president either organize a national referendum of confidence on his
rule or step down.
Demirchian, Kerimli, and Gamkrelidze were eager to hear any mention
of Democratic Party policy on issues such as Nagorno-Karabakh and
Russia’s role in the South Caucasus. But most speeches and panel
discussions focused on Iraq, the Middle East, and the Democrats’
strategy for waging the war against international terrorism.
Kerimli said after a briefing given by top Kerry foreign-policy
advisers that the Democrats favor greater engagement with allies and
multilateral institutions.
“America has now to make a very important choice — how it will
continue to be the leader in the world,” Kerimli said. “Of course,
America does have a leadership role, but the question is how this
role will be [put to use] and how this role will be implemented —
together with the world or alone. The Democratic Convention shows an
inclination toward solving the problems in participation with all
international organizations.”
Gamkrelidze sensed little difference in the main foreign policy goals
of U.S. Democrats and Republicans.
“It’s my impression [there are] not big differences between the two
parties, first of all about the security, about the war against
terror, also such things as values and spreading of the values. It’s
good for me because it’s always dangerous when there is a big shift,”
Gamkrelidze said.
The three politicians were among participants from more than 120
countries who came to Boston under the sponsorship of the National
Democratic Institute. It was believed to be the largest group of
foreign observers ever to attend a U.S. electoral convention.
The institute, a nonprofit organization, aims to establish political
and civic organizations, safeguard elections and promote
accountability in government.
(RFE/RL’s Nikola Krastev contributed to this report.)