ONE OF MOST ANCIENT GRAINS FOUND IN SOUTH CAUCASUS AND MIDDLE ASIA
FOUND IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, JULY 27. ARMINFO. While exploring the rocks in the canyon of
the river Kasakh a group of Armenian and French archaeologists has
found a monument of mesolite (epipaleolite) quite unique for the South
Caucasus and Middle East region, says Boris Gasparyan, the head of the
group, the employee of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of
the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.
Found in the Kmlo caves near the village of Apna, Aragatson region,
were not only fragments of obsidian tools but also a wild wheat grain
dating back from a period 10,000-8,000 years ago. If the experts
confirm the age of the grain it will become one of the oldest grains
ever found in the region’s mesolite monuments (11,000-10,000 years
ago).
The discovered cultural layers are well preserved which is a good
opportunity to collect enough scientific materials about the
period. Despite threat of caving-in the archaeologists are going to
continue the excavations. The group consists of three research
teams. Besides the Kmlo caves they are exploring the traces of the man
living in the areas of so called paleo lakes (middle paleolite). There
they have found sites of primitive men who are assumed to do hunting,
fishing and collecting.
Another group is examining the rock paintings found in the cave
Gegamavan I, 1 km of the Kmlo caves. The unique paintings are in ochre
– a substance said to be used only in late eneolite and early bronze
(IV-III). Meanwhile the Gegamavan I paintings date back from
neolite. The neolite man proves to already master the linear drawing
technique. The paintings depict animals mostly deer. So the findings
have shown that the rock painting traditions widely presented in the
mountains of Gegama, Sunik and Aragats are older than they were
thought to be.
The objective of the expedition is to study the ancient history of the
use of obsidian as a tool of the primitive man. Obsidian tools are
widely spread over the territory of historical Armenia and perfectly
characterize social-economic relations of the Stone Age.
The expedition is financed by Gfoeller Foundation (US).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A NUMBER OF EVENTS COMMEMORATING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE 90TH ANNIVERSARY TO
BE HELD ABROAD IN 2005
YEREVAN, JULY 27. ARMINFO. A number of events commemorating the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide will be held abroad in 2005.
A special state commission has already been set up led by Armenia’s
Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan.
The key event will be the Apr 2005 international conference on the
Armenian Genocide. FM Vardan Oskanyan says that the conference will
receive wide response worldwide and many well-known scientists and
politicians will take part in it.

BAKU NEWSPAPER “ECHO” ACCUSES AZERI AMBASSADOR TO UZBEKISTAN OF GOOD
RELATIONS WITH ARMENIANS
YEREVAN, JULY 27. ARMINFO. The Baku newspaper “Echo” “accuses” the
Azeri ambassador to Uzbekistan Aydyn Azimbekov of good relations with
Armenians.
There are certain materials about Azimbekov’s activities in
Tashkent. The newspaper says that during the construction of the new
building of the embassy the windows and doors were made by local
Armenians with whom some embassy employees are good friends. Accusing
Azimbekov of building summer houses for his colleagues for the money
meant for the House of Azerbaijan the author of the article says that
he has the recording of the ambassador’s saying that Armenian children
will visit the House of Azerbaijan.

UPFPA CHAIRMAN GUDRAT HASANGULIYEV CRITICIZES AUTHORITIES
YEREVAN, JULY 27. ARMINFO-TURAN: The United Popular Front Party of
Azerbaijan will hold in early August a protest action against arrival
of Armenian officers for participation in NATO training courses in
Baku.
UPFPA chairman Gudrat Hasanguliyev said at today’s press conference
that international organizations, particularly NATO, insist on arrival
of Armenian representatives in Baku. Thus, NATO demonstrates
“disrespect” of Azeri nation and state. “This is aimed at forcing the
nation of Azerbaijan to yield to the existing situation and forget
about Nagorno Karabakh”, said Hasanguliyev.
He also criticized the position of the leadership of
Azerbaijan. According to Hasanguliyev, the Head of State expresses
readiness to liberate the occupied territories by military methods, if
no peace solution is found. However, the Head of State does not
specify when it will happen – under the current regime or 20-30 years
after, ironizes Hasanguliyev.
He also charged the authorities with refusal to register his party. He
considers this is aimed at preventing his followers from participation
in municipal elections.
As for the upcoming elections, gaps in electoral legislation may call
in question the holding of municipal elections in Baku, Sumgayit and
Ganja. Hasaguliyev complained that his inquiry on the matter to the
leadership of the Parliament is remaining unanswered.–

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +3741. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +3741. .562543
Email: [email protected]:
PRESS RELEASE
23 July 2004
Foreign Minister Oskanian Receives Thailand-Armenia House of
Representatives Friendship Group

On 23 July, Minister Oskanian had a meeting with members of
Thailand-Armenia House of Representatives Friendship Group of the
Kingdom of Thailand. The Group was headed by Senator S. Kulcharoen.
During the meeting, the parties discussed fostering cooperation
between the inter-parliamentary groups of Armenia and Thailand and
increasing efficiency and effectiveness.
Minister Oskanian stressed the importance of closer economic ties
between Armenia and Thailand and expressed hope that the visit of Thai
parliamentary delegation to Armenia will render new quality to the
friendly ties and bilateral relations of the two countries.
Mr. Norayr Der-Kevorkian, Honorary Consul of Armenia in Thailand, also
participated in the meeting.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +3741. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +3741. .562543
Email: [email protected]:
PRESS RELEASE
23 July 2004
Foreign Minister Oskanian Receives Joint Mission of US German Marshall
Fund and Project on Transitional Democracies
Minister Oskanian received a joint mission of the German Marshall Fund
(GMF) of the US and the Project on Transitional Democracies (PTD) on
22 July.
On the same day, GMF-PTD mission members met with the President of
Armenia and Deputy Minister of Defense. On 23 July, the mission
visited Stepanakert to meet with the Nagorno Karabagh authorities.
The objective of the mission is to study the history of Nagorno
Karabagh conflict and its consequences and obtain the views and
positions of leaders of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.
The mission, convened in the framework of a joint GMF-PTD Project on
the Resolution of Frozen Conflicts in Europe, aims at informing lead
experts and decision makers in Washington and Brussels on the Karabagh
conflict, thus encouraging interested governments to render support
for the settlement of the conflict.
In addition to the above issues, the program of the mission included
discussions on regional development.
The mission will present its findings to senior officials of the US
Administration and Congress.

ARMENIAN BUSINESSMAN COMMITTED SUICIDE IN PENZA RUSSIAN CITY
27.07.2004 13:58
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A citizen of Armenia has committed suicide in Penza
Russian city by jumping out of the window of his suite, situated on
the 5-th floor of Russia Hotel. As reported by Interfax news agency,
the tragedy occurred July 26 at about 9 a.m. Resulting from the fall
the man got numerous fractures and died in the ambulance car. The
37-year-old entrepreneur from Yerevan had lived in Russia Hotel for a
week. Criminal proceedings are instituted on the occasion of the
suicide, the causes are being investigated.

Azeris set conditions for Armenians to attend Baku-hosted NATO exercises
ANS TV, Baku
27 Jul 04

[Presenter] Representatives of the Armenian Defence Ministry will come to
Baku in spite of anything, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov has
confirmed. However, he said, Baku has set some preconditions to Yerevan in
connection with the visit.
[Azimov talking to microphone] We have set preconditions that they should be
people who are in no way involved in military operations carried out against
Azerbaijan. Those coming are military journalists, public relations officers
and doctors. These are the tasks planned for the Armenian delegation. These
people will take part [in the exercises]. There will be about three of them.

Seven Armenian officers to attend NATO exercises in Azerbaijan – official
Arminfo
27 Jul 04

YEREVAN
Seven servicemen from the Armenian armed forces will attend the
upcoming NATO exercises in September 2004 [in Azerbaijan], Armenian
Deputy Defence Minister Maj-Gen Artur Agabekyan told an Arminfo
correspondent today.
He said five Armenian officers will be directly involved in the
exercises and each of them will have his own duty and position during
the exercises. An agreement has been already reached to get entry
visas for them in Tbilisi. In addition, it is presumed that two more
senior Armenian officers will attend the NATO exercises as official
guests, Agabekyan said.

Azeri pressure group members to stand trial on 9 August
MPA news agency
27 Jul 04

BAKU
Baku’s Nasimi district court chaired by [judge] Famil Nasibov held
preliminary hearings into the case of six members of the Karabakh
Liberation Movement [KLO] today (27 July). The six men were arrested
for staging protests against Armenian officers’ participation in a
NATO conference in Baku on 22 June.
The court heard out the parties’ positions and rejected two petitions
by the defence.
The first petition was to change the preventive punishment and the
second to call new witnesses and use new materials. In particular,
lawyer Elcin Qambarov asked the court to take into account video
footage featuring police violence against the protesters which was
filmed by the ANS TV company and to call the deputy chief of the
Yasamal district police department, Cingiz Mammadov, to testify. The
judge did not consider it necessary to call additional witnesses. The
trial is set for 9 August. Qambarov said he will keep trying to get
new witnesses to be called and new materials to be used.