PRESS RELEASE
AMERICANS FOR ARTSAKH
Contact: Hrant Jamgochian
[email protected]
Tel: 202-215-1800

July 13, 2004

ARTSAKH SEISMOLOGISTS PRESENT FINDINGS AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

Americans For Artsakh Organization Sponsors Their Participation

WASHINGTON, DC – Two seismologists from Nagorno Karabakh recently
participated in the “2004 Disaster Resistant California” international
conference in Sacramento, CA. The Executive Director of the Eastern
Department of the National Survey for Seismic Protection Boris
Petrosyan along with the Department’s Head of Foreign Affairs Naira
Hambardzumyan represented Artsakh in the conference, which was
attended by more than 500 seismologists from around the world. The
Americans for Artsakh (AFA) Organization sponsored the participation
of Karabakh seismologists in close cooperation with both the NKR
Foreign Ministry and NKR Office in the United States.

“We are extremely appreciative of the Americans For Artsakh
organization for their support,” said Boris Petrosyan. “This
conference allowed us to share our experiences in Artsakh with many of
our international colleagues. As a result, we gained valuable
information that will be applied to upgrade our systems.”

Petrosyan and Hambardzumyan presented a report along with the results
of their extensive research on the psychological impact of severe
earthquakes. Their findings emphasized the importance of preparing
the public to be resilient in times of crisis in order to better
address the challenges of such disasters. The panel discussion that
followed underscored the importance of addressing both the emotional
as well as the physical needs of those affected.

The seismologists from Artsakh, in talks with their counterparts from
around the world, discussed ways to increase cooperation. Some of the
California seismologists provided Petrosyan with literature, software
and other digital products dealing with forest fires, regional
information, conduct of the population during seismic threats and
other materials on up-to-date technologies.

The Eastern Department of the National Survey for Seismic Protection
currently works with seismological centers in Russia, Greece, Georgia,
and Azerbaijan as well as Japan and Iran. During a recent interview
with the Azat Artsakh daily newspaper Petrosyan noted that the
participation of the Artsakh delegation demonstrated that the Artsakh
Seismic Department was entering a new phase of international
cooperation.

“With Artsakh excluded from virtually all U.S. and internationally
sponsored educational and development programs, the Americans For
Artsakh organization is making education one of its top priorities,”
noted AFA President Zaven Khanjian. “We are delighted that our
support enabled the Seismic Department of Artsakh to participate in
this important conference. On behalf of the Board of Directors for
the Americans For Artsakh, I would like to express our gratitude to
Mr. and Mrs. Arsene Baran, Mr. & Mrs. Vahan Bezdikian, Dr. Nazareth
Darakjian, Mr. and Mrs. Moses Moses, and Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Tufenkian,
who provided additional funding for this endeavor.”

Americans For Artsakh is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
organization established to preserve freedom, strengthen democracy,
foster economic development, protect the cultural identity and promote
the heritage of the people of Artsakh. The founding Board of
Directors include: Zaven Khanjian, President; Dr. Hratch Abrahamian,
Vice President; Savey Tufenkian, Treasurer; Rita Balian, Secretary;
and Edward Chobanian. To learn more visit:

The full text of Boris Petrosyan’s interview with Azat Artsakh is
available at:
;t=archive&d=22&m=05&y04&id=1459

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AGBU PRESS OFFICE
55 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone (212) 319-6383
Fax (212) 319-6507
Email [email protected]
Webpage

PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday, July 13, 2004

PHOTO JOURNALIST CAPTIVATES SAN FRANCISCO
HARRY KOUNDAKJIAN PRESENTS PHOTOS AT AGBU YOUNG PROFESSIONALS OF
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA (AGBU YPNC)EVENT

Renowned photojournalist, Harry Koundakjian, enthralled the crowd of
AGBU guests on Saturday, June 26th, at the elegant Ritz-Carlton Hotel
in downtown San Francisco. Mr. Koundakjian’s presentation, entitled,
“The History of Photo Journalism in the Middle East” captivated the
audience as guests witnessed over 80 of his most famous photographs
during his decades of work as an Associated Press photojournalist.

Mr. Koundakjian described some of the most touching moments of human
triumph and despair around the world as seen through the
photographer’s lens. From the snapshots of the joyous wedding of
Jordan’s King Hussein to Elizabeth Halebi to the harrowing images of a
hijacker pointing his pistol at a Lufthansa pilot’s head in Beirut,
the photographic journey covered many subjects and crossed countless
borders. To animate his stricking images, Koundakjian explained the
stories behind each photograph and the personal risks associated with
the more daring shots.

Mr. Koundakjian responded to questions about his experience at the
conclusion of his talk and presented the AGBU YPNC Chair Sako
Soghomonian and Vice-Chair Kim Bardakian with signed photographs as a
gesture of thanks for their role in organizing the event.

For more information about AGBU Young Professionals of Northern
California and their upcoming events, please visit:

La Nouvelle République du Centre Ouest
13 juillet 2004

Les pierres du Symposium prêtes à être sculptées

Telles de véritables vedettes, elles ont fait l’objet de toutes les
attentions vendredi matin à leur arrivée au chteau. Pas de tapis
rouge pour les accueillir, juste l’émerveillement de Michelle Boutet
et de Francis Pollet.

Elles, ce sont les pierres de Lavoux qui vont imprimer l’inspiration
des artistes du 4e Symposium de sculpture. Ils seront huit
privilégiés à pouvoir sculpter ces blocs, les Français Christine
Aubert, Frédéric Neau, Eric Stambirowski, la Vietnamienne Mari Fang,
la Polonaise Dominika Griesgraber, l’Arménien Harutyun Yekmalyan, le
Néo-Zélandais Renate Verbrugge et Kaija Kontulainen, une Finlandaise
qui va marier la pierre à l’acier.

« La pierre de Lavoux est une pierre calcaire plus dure que celle de
Chauvigny qui peut toutefois se travailler en huit jours. Elle a la
particularité de ne pas comporter de fossiles qui provoqueraient des
trous en la sculptant, c’est une pierre pure », explique Michelle
Boutet. En attendant de devenir des oeuvres d’art, ces blocs en
provenance de Jardres dans la Vienne, d’un poids total de 22 tonnes,
ne sont que des cubes qu’il a bien fallu transporter. L’entreprise
bressuiraise Molema a été sollicitée pour acheminer les blocs
jusqu’au chteau avant de les déposer devant les futurs ateliers des
sculpteurs. Un travail qui a nécessité précision et réflexion pour
organiser ces pierres au pied de la forteresse médiévale.

– Le quatrième symposium de sculpture, aura lieu du 17 au 25 juillet
au chteau de Bressuire.

La Nouvelle République du Centre Ouest
13 juillet 2004

Les Arméniens sont arrivés

Annie Dabin, présidente des RIFE, était aux abois. Prête même,
dimanche soir, de même que Léopold Moreau, à lancer la gendarmerie
sur la piste des enfants d’Arménie.

Ils sont enfin arrivés dimanche soir, après neuf jours et huit nuits
d’autocar, et un voyage qu’ils ne seront pas près d’oublier.

Pour pouvoir quitter leur pays, ils ont dû trouver un bus georgien,
ainsi qu’un chauffeur également géorgien. Dans l’impossibilité de
traverser la Turquie, ils ont effectué un interminable détour par
l’Ukraine, la Moldavie, la Roumanie, l’Allemagne, après avoir été
retardés, le premier jour, par un éboulement de pierres sur la route.
Bref, ils auront tout subi, une semaine dans leur car, mais ils sont
enfin là. Et c’est l’essentiel.

zawya

Zaitounah Museum new addition to Tunisian heritage

By Naceur M’tir

SOUSSE, Tunisia, July 12 (KUNA) — The Zaitounah (olive) Museum which was
opened recently in the eastern city of Sousse is considered a new addition
to the Tunisian cultural heritage due to the pivotal role the olive tree
plays in the lives of Tunisians and the population of the Medieterranean
region.

The two-storey building is bulit accoring to the ancient Islamic
architecture and depicts the various historic stages through which the olive
tree has gone in Tunisia thousands of years ago.

Visitors of the museum will see life-size photos and designs of people and
tools used in the planting of olive trees, harvesting, cleaning and storage
of olives before extracting oil from it.

The museum, the first of its kind, also shows visitors a complete picture of
the role of olive oil and its daily uses, be that in diets or in treatment.

On motives behind establishing this museum, its rector Aly Gadira told KUNA
that the oilve tree is not only a source of economic wealth, but also a
symbol of peace and vital part of the Tunisian society since ancient times.

Gadira said that it also aims at preserving the heritage of this “blessed”
tree for future generations, noting that this tree remained steadfast before
the various civilizations which ruled Tunisia over some 3000 years like the
Berbers, Phoenicians, Byzantines, Arabs, Spaniards and Turks.

He said that the most ancient documented sources available report that the
olive tree was brought into Palestine from Armenia 4000 BC and then taken by
the Phoenicians to Greece and later to North Africa, particularly Tunisia.

Since the ancient times, olive oil was the choice of the elite and notables
in Tunisia and other countries of the region. It was used in religious
rituals, as a massage oil, producing perfumes and for other medical
purposes.

According to the latest figures, there are an estimated 55 million olive
trees stretching from the country’s north to south and covering an area of
nearly 1.6 million hectares or 30 percent of Tunisia’s farmlands.

Tunisia is the world’s second largest producer and exporter of olive oil
after EU states, mainly Italy and Spain.

Article originally published by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) 12-Jul-04

Interfax
July 13 2004

Armenian president meets with Minsk group co-chairmen

Yerevan. (Interfax) – Armenian President Robert Kocharian met with
co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk group on settling the Nagorno- Karabakh
conflict from Russia, the U.S. and France, the presidential press
service told Interfax.

During the meeting, the sides discussed the current status of issues
surrounding the settlement, the message says.

On July 13, the international mediators will visit Nagorno-Karabakh
to meet with the Karabakh authorities, and on July 15, they will
leave for Baku.

Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan said last week that the
co-chairmen will familiarize themselves with the situation during
this visit. “I think that during this visit the co-chairmen will not
make any new suggestions to the sides, as the recent meetings of
presidents and foreign ministers of the two countries have not yet
given the co-chairmen a foundation for creating new suggestions on
settling the Nagorno-Karabakh problem,” Oskanyan said.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov told journalists on
Monday that the visit of the OSCE Minsk group’s co-chairmen may have
a positive effect on the negotiation process on the Nagorno-Karabakh
settlement.

“They [the co-chairmen] have not visited the region for six months.
We think that the co-chairmen should visit the region. They are in
Yerevan today, and they will visit Azerbaijan tomorrow. It is very
important that the co-chairmen discuss the situation at the site. We
will see what they come to Azerbaijan with after meeting the Armenian
president and the foreign minister,” Mamedyarov said.

Mamedyarov said that he does not expect any concrete suggestions from
the co-chairmen, who were permitted by Baku to visit Nagorno-
Karabakh. Mamedyarov said, however, that the co-chairmen’s visit to
Nagorno-Karabakh would give them a chance to familiarize themselves
firsthand with the situation in the conflict zone.

Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent areas in
bitter fighting with Armenia which began in the 1990s. The UN
Security Council has denounced the occupation of Azerbaijani lands
and demanded the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the territory.
Co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk group representing the United States,
Russia and France are attempting to resolve the conflict.

Cyprus Mail
July 13 2004

Two neighbours arrested in connection with woman’s murder
By Katya Diogenous

TWO men have been arrested on suspicion of murdering Lyudmila Zipir,
34 from Ukraine, who was found dead in her apartment in Limassol on
Sunday.

Zipir was found by police after her employer called concerned at her
failure to turn up for work on Saturday and Sunday.

Police yesterday arrested Armen Grigorian, 25 from Armenia, and
Dionysis Tokalides, 26 from Georgia, who lived next door to Zipir.
They were taken to court yesterday and given an eight-day remand.

Zipir’s employer told police the victim had repeatedly complained
that the two men used to harass her with sexual innuendoes. He had
even visited the men on several occasions to ask them to leave her
alone.

When police arrested the two suspects, they appeared to have
scratches on their bodies as well as streaks of blood, believed to
belong to the victim. Blood was also found in the apartment building.

Police noticed there had been no forced entry into the apartment via
the front door, but that the balcony door connecting the victim’s
apartment with that of the suspects was closed but not locked.

The suspects deny any involvement in the murder, but cannot give a
clear story or confirm where they were at the time of the murder.

Zipir had lived in Cyprus for three years and worked in a bar in
Limassol. Pathologist Panicos Stavrianos, said the girl’s bruised
naked body was found on her bed in a pool of blood. He confirmed her
death was criminal.

Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
July 13 2004

EU Wants To Prevent Drug trafficking from Armenia

By Ruzanna Stepanian 13/07/2004 15:51

The EU and UN will provide Armenia with special equipment worth
140,000 euros ($173,661) for the Bavra, Bagratashen and Meghri border
checkpoints and Zvartnots International Airport to stop the possible
smuggling of drugs from Armenia to Western Europe.

Since 2001 the EU has allocated the three South Caucasus states 5
million Euros within the special program designed to fight illegal
drug trafficking. Armenia alone has received over 1.5 mln euros from
EU funds.

“Though Armenian officials do their best to prevent Armenia from
becoming a transit country for drug trafficking, this doesn’t mean
that those involved in drug trafficking will not use Armenia for this
purpose,” said the Paris Customs Service deputy chief Joel Mencue,
who met journalists today in Yerevan. Mencue is visiting Armenia to
help organize training courses for Armenian customs officers.

An official from the Armenian Police Drug Fighting Department, Artyom
Azoyan, told RFE/RL heroin and opium are being smuggled to Armenia
mostly from Turkey, Iran, Russia, and Central Asian countries such as
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

There has been only one case of heroin seizure in Armenia this year.
Armenian custom officials recently seized at least one kilogram of
Iranian heroin. Armenian cannabis and hashish, which are the most
popular drugs among Armenian drug addicts, are not in demand on the
foreign drug market because of their poor quality. “The quality of
Armenian cannabis is too poor for buyers abroad,” Azoyan told
RFE/RL.” Up to 100 kilograms of hashish and tens of tons of cannabis
are seized annually in Armenia. According to Armenian officials,
these drugs are mostly produced in the Armavir, Gegharkunik and
Ararat regions.

According to the police officials, a matchbox of cannabis is worth 5
thousand drams (about $10) in Armenia, while a gram of heroin can be
purchased for no less than $150. According to official data, there
are about 20,000 drug users in Armenia, though police officials
believe that real number of drug addicts is 10 times higher than the
official statistics. On the other hand, Armenian officials insist
that the figure of 200,000 is too high and unrealistic.

Zaman, Turkey
July 13 2004

French Armenians to Protest Erdogan

Armenian Associations in France are busily preparing a series of
protests to greet Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan when he
begins a three-day visit to Paris on July 19.

The Coordination Council of Armenian Associations in France, FRA
Tasnaksutiun and ADL Ramgayar associations invited Armenians to
protests to be held against Erdogan in Paris and Marseille on July
20. An announcement from the groups points out that Erdogan will come
to France seeking support for Turkey’s European Union (EU)
membership.

“We are not able to accept the EU membership of a Turkey that refuses
the claims of genocide. We cannot allow Erdogan to misinform the
public and run a public relations campaign,” says the announcement.

The associations claim that Ankara is running a large scale
propaganda campaign aimed at showing that Turkey has fulfilled the
Copenhagen Criteria. In response, the associations are calling upon
Armenians to join in the ‘No to Turkey’ campaign.

Erdogan is set to meet with French President Jacques Chirac, Prime
Minister Jean Pierre Raffarin as well as the leaders of political
parties and businessmen during his visit.

07.13.2004
Ali Ihsan Aydin
Paris

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AGBU PRESS OFFICE
55 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone (212) 319-6383
Fax (212) 319-6507
Email [email protected]
Webpage

PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday, July 13, 2004

AGBU SPONSORS WORKSHOP ON CIVIL SOCIETY AT UN CONFERENCE

New York–Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) will sponsor an
important workshop, entitled, “Overcoming Obstacles as a Prerequisite
to Growing the Economy and Community” at the United Nations 57th
Annual DPI/NGO (Department of Public Information and Non Governmental
Organization) conference, which will be held from September 9-10,
2004. The theme of this year’s United Nations conference is
“Millennium Development Goals: Civil Society Takes Action.”

Initiated and organized by AGBU’s NGO representative, Adrienne
Alexanian, who also represents AGBU on the conference planning
committee, the workshop will focus on landmine eradication and other
problems faced by post-war societies and will compare partnering
ventures in Afghanistan, Armenia and Cambodia to eliminate landmines,
as well as civil society projects to promote economic and social
growth.

“I am happy to help organize the first AGBU-sponsored workshop at the
annual UN conference,” Alexanian said. “It is not only crucial that
Armenian organizations promote issues vital to the interests of
Armenia, but also network with other non-Armenian NGOs to garner
support for issues of mutual concern.”

Workshop speakers will include Jeff Masardjian, Executive Director of
Armenia Tree Project, Heidi Kuhn, Founder and President of Roots of
Peace, an organization established to continue Princess Diana’s work
in the field of demining, and Sally Mackle, Chairman of the
International Service Committee of Seattle Four Rotary.

This event is made possible through the generous support of the
Cafesjian Family Foundation and is co-sponsored by the Human Rights
Committee, Peace Action, Rotary International and the World Federation
for Mental Health.

AGBU is the largest Armenian non-profit organization and promotes
Armenian heritage around the world. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
membership organization. It was established in 1906 to preserve and
promote the Armenian identity and heritage through educational,
cultural and humanitarian programs. AGBU supports and operates
schools, centers and offices in 23 countries around the world and
serves some 400,000 Armenian annually.

For more information on AGBU, please visit