Asia Pulse
July 27, 2004 Tuesday
INDIAN CABINET NOD TO SIGNING OF TAXATION CONVENTION WITH ARMENIA
NEW DELHI, July 27
The federal Cabinet Monday gave a formal approval for signing of a
Double Taxation Avoidance Convention with Armenia.
The approval will enable the government to ratify the Convention for
Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion
with respect to taxes on income between India and Armenia.
The Convention will stimulate the flow of cap, an official
spokesperson told reporters.
It will provide tax stability and reduce obstacles in mutual
cooperation.

Associated Press Worldstream
July 27, 2004 Tuesday 2:20 PM Eastern Time
Champions League: Pyunik 1, Shakhtar Donetsk 3
YEREVAN, Armenia
Result Tuesday from a UEFA Champions League, second qualifying round,
first-leg match between Pyunik and Shakhtar Donetsk:
Pyunik (Armenia) 1 (Rafael Nazarian, 60), Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)
3 (Ciprian Marica, 30 and 75; Julius Aghahowa, 86).

La Stampa
July 26, 2004
CERVINO FILM FESTIVAL Ora e sempre primavera La’ in Corea
by Rondolino Gianni
Gianni Rondolino CERVINIA La giuria internazionale, di cui faceva
parte l’alpinista e scrittore inglese Simon Yates, che con Joe
Simpson si e’ avventurato sulle Ande peruviane (la cui impresa e’
stata immortalata da Kevin Macdonald nel film “”Touching the Void”” ,
che uscira’ prossimamente nelle nostre sale), ha voluto dare il
premio al lungometraggio “”Primavera, estate, autunno, inverno… e
ancora primavera”” del coreano Kim Ki-Duk, gia’ noto al pubblico
italiano. Ma forse c’erano altri film da segnalare nella sezione,
breve ma corposa, dei lungometraggi in concorso alla 7 edizione del
Cervino Internationale Film Festival che, sotto la direzione di
Valeriana Rosso, si e’ conclusa l’altra sera a Cervinia. Certo il
film di Kim Ki-Duk e’ per molti versi affascinante, con immagini che
attirano per la loro bellezza, col ritmo lento e meditativo di una
storia di formazione religiosa non priva di valenze simboliche, con
una natura che si fa personaggio; ma proprio l’estetismo di fondo
avrebbe dovuto mettere in guardia uno spettatore attento, un critico
avveduto. Il quale, di fronte a due altri film come l’iraniano
“”Piccoli fiocchi di neve”” di Ali-Reza Amini e il russo
“”Affreschi”” di Aleksandr Gutman, certamente meno belli e raffinati,
si sarebbe dovuto accorgere della loro incisivita’ drammatica, del
loro genuino spirito innovatore. Perche’ di questo si tratta, di due
sguardi sulla realta’ non velati da formalismi di sorta, ma concreti,
attenti al particolare, in cui il documentario si coniuga con la
finzione per darci un ritratto sfaccettato di un’umanita’ ferita,
solitaria, incerta sul futuro.
Il film iraniano narra la storia di due guardiani di una miniera
sperduta fra le montagne che vivono la loro vita quotidiana, isolata
dal mondo esterno, chiusa in pochi gesti e pochi fatti, che guardano,
attraverso un binocolo, la realta’ lontana, un mondo sconosciuto,
forse un luogo dell’anima. Quello russo, girato in un villaggio
armeno distrutto dal terremoto, e’ invece la storia di Varukh, un
ragazzo che vive fra le macerie, in mezzo a un popolo che conduce la
sua vita di stenti senza lamentarsi, aggrappato a un passato che
forse puo’ tornare: un ragazzo che osserva il mondo con occhi al
tempo stesso ingenui e curiosi, allegri e maturi.
A cui e’ affidata l’immagine di una nazione ferita, che guarda avanti
senza lasciarsi sconfiggere dalle distruzioni, dai lutti, dalle
paure. Due esempi di cinema “”povero”” che bene si collocano nel
panorama variegato, ricco di documentari di montagna e d’avventura
(fra cui alcuni sull’Everest e sul K2 ed uno, “”Bergfilm”” di Michael
Wachtler, sul cinema di montagna di Arnold Fanck, Luis Trenker e Leni
Riefenstahl), che ha offerto quest’anno il Cervino Film Festival.

La Stampa
July 26, 2004
RISPARMIO INDIVIDUALE I NOMI E GLI AFFARI SCHWARZENEGGER SI ARRENDE E
I PELLIROSSE VINCONO ALLA ROULETTE
Sacchi Valeria
Valeria Sacchi PELLIROSSA alla riscossa, con la benedizione dei
“”bianchi”” e grazie agli sgravi fiscali decisi da George Bush che
stanno mettendo in ginocchio le finanze dei vari Stati americani.
Pochi giorni fa, anche il governatore della California Arnold
Schwarzenegger, che aveva fatto della guerra al gioco d’azzardo
indiano un punto qualificante del suo programma, ha alzato bandiera
bianca autorizzando cinque tribu’ pellirosse ad aprire casino’ nelle
loro riserve in cambio di un versamento in tasse pari a un miliardo
di dollari l’anno. Sull’esempio del governatore dello Sato di New
York, George Pataki, e di quello di Philadelphia, Edward Rendell.
Ma perche’ gli indiani? Perche’, grazie ad antiche leggi, le riserve
sono territori autonomi, dove il gioco d’azzardo non e’ vietato. E il
gioco, negli Usa, e’ una sicura fonte di entrate: nel 2003 il giro
d’affari delle scommesse e’ salito a 27 miliardi di dollari, contro i
9,5 miliardi spesi per il cinema, i 10,3 miliardi assorbiti dai
parchi divertimenti e i 24 miliardi andati nell’affitto di dvd. Solo
superato dalla passione per la pesca, che ingoia oltre 41 miliardi
all’anno.
In un certo senso, la situazione dei poveri governatori degli Stati
Federali assomiglia a quella dei sindaci italiani – e relativi
presidenti di Regione – che pochi giorni or sono hanno marciato su
Roma per protestare contro i tagli della finanziaria e che, se Silvio
Berlusconi terra’ fede all’impegno di ridurre le tasse, dovranno
escogitare nuovi marchingegni per salvare le spese sociali. A Rendell
i soldi delle slots machines servono per diminuire le imposte
immobiliari mentre Pataki ha destinato i proventi delle corse dei
cavalli alle scuole pubbliche.
In attesa che la passione per il gioco crei una nuova classe di
miliardari indiani, i grandi re dei casino’ Usa non stanno con le
mani in mano. A suonare la riscossa e’ stato Kirk Kerkorian, il
novantenne finanziere di origine armena che il mese scorso ha messo a
segno la maggiore acquisizione nella storia del gioco d’azzardo
conquistando il Mandalay Resort che, fuso alla sua Mgm Mirage,
avrebbe dato vita al primo operatore di casino’ al mondo con 6,4
miliardi di fatturato. Ma il vecchio Kirk e’ stato subito surclassato
dalla decisione dalla rivale Harrah Entertainment che, comperando
Caesar Entertainment, passera’ in testa con un giro d’affari di 8,8
miliardi di dollari.
La mania del primato non conosce confini. A Modena, la Ducati
presieduta da Federico Minoli e controllata dal fondo americano Texas
Pacific ha avanzato un’offerta per rilevare l’Aprilia di Ivano Beggio
in profondo rosso, con un obiettivo: creare il polo italiano delle
moto. Ma Roberto Colaninno, padrone della Piaggio, non ci sta. Anche
lui si e’ messo in corsa, nonostante tra Ducati e Aprilia sia stata
avviata una trattativa in esclusiva. E cosa, se non l’aspirazione ad
essere il piu’ grande, spinge il padrone di Luxottica Leonardo Del
Vecchio a migliorare ancora una volta l’offerta sull’americana Cole
per sconfiggere i cinesi di Moulin International? In Svizzera, la
tedesca Bayer acquista dalla Roche guidata da Franz Humer la
divisione farmaci senza ricetta, salendo di colpo, in questo settore,
dal sesto al terzo posto dopo Johnson & Johnson e GlaxoSmithKline.
Un’operazione che, come spiega il direttore esecutivo di Bayer Werner
Wenning, conferma l’intenzione del gruppo di Leverkusen di diventare
negli Otc il numero uno al mondo.
Maxi fusioni anche nel settore discografico: il matrimonio tra Bmg,
divisione musicale del gruppo Bertelsmann, e la giapponese Sony dara’
vita ad un colosso con un fatturato di 7,5 miliardi di dollari,
secondo solo a Universal Music e guidato da Andrew Lack. L’intesa
restringe ora a quattro i grandi protagonisti dell’industria del
disco: Universal, Sony, Warner Music e Emy che, insieme, si
spartiscono l’80% del mercato.
Ma gli esperti del settore si dicono certi che il processo di
concentrazione continuera’. L’accordo ha gia’ ottenuto il via libera
dall’Antitrust europeo, a conferma che il commissario Mario Monti sa
anche essere buono, come dimostra l’archiviazione dell’indagine sui
contributi all’editoria italiana – destinati a preservare il
pluralismo dell’informazione – e il via libera al prestito
all’Alitalia guidata da Giancarlo Cimoli. Nell’alimentare italiano
continua invece la guerra della pasta, ingigantita dalla crisi dei
consumi che sta mettendo in serie difficolta’ molti piccoli
produttori. Cosi’, alla fine di un braccio di ferro, il napoletano
Mario Maione, proprietario del Pastificio di Nola, del Pastificio
Carmine Russo e della Payrano, si e’ aggiudicato La Molisana
sbaragliando concorrenti agguerriti come il gruppo Guacci –
controllato dalla svizzera Tmt che fa capo a Angelo Mastrolia – e la
Colussi.

ARKA News Agency
July 27 2004
Armenian-Thai cooperation has big potential
‘HART’ GB Missionary Association to provide NKR population with the
humanitarian aid
A co-operation program till 2007 signed between the Georgian and
Armenian ministries of Science and Education
The representatives of Caucasus Europe News journal arrived in
Stepanakert
A building in the center of Yerevan, where the office of ARKA News
Agency is located, de-energized for about 4 hours
20-year-old Cadet of RA Military Institute breaks the previous
Guiness record when doing an exercise with rising and overturning on
a horizontal bar
RA PM and Georgian President discuss possibility of opening
Tbilisi-Gyumri-Kars railway
*********************************************************************
ARMENIAN-THAI COOPERATION HAS BIG POTENTIAL
YEREVAN, July 27. /ARKA/. Armenian-Thai cooperation has big potential
that must be developed, the Head of Deputy Group of Friendship
Thailand-Armenia, Senator Sanit Kulcharoen stated today at the press
conference. According to him, it first of considers trade, industry,
tourism and culture links. He said that after return of Thai
delegation in Bangkok, its members will start works on development of
the Agreement on cooperation. He expressed hope that all necessary
documents will be prepared by the end of the year and during December
visit of Armenian delegation in Thailand, the agreements between the
countries will receive legal base.
According to Thai Senator, today Armenia and Thailand have two joint
ventures on production of jewellery. At this he also added that
representatives of Armenian community of Thailand consisting of 40
families are basically employed in diamond processing and jewellery
production spheres.
Deputy Group of Friendship Thailand-Armenia visited Armenia on July
21-27, headed by Senator Sanit Kulcharoen. Representatives of
delegation met with RA NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasarian, members of
parliament group of friendship from Armenia, Foreign Minister,
Minister of Trade and Economic Development. L.D. –0 –
*********************************************************************
HART’ GB MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION TO PROVIDE NKR POPULATION WITH THE
HUMANITARIAN AID
YEREVAN, July 27. /ARKA/. NKR President Arkadi Ghukasyan received a
delegation at the head of Baroness Caroline Cox, the Vice- Speaker of
the House of Lords of GB Parliament. As ARKA was informed in the main
news department adjunct to NKR President, the baroness noted with
satisfaction that positive changes in the area of formation of a true
democratic and civil society and restoration of housing complexes
destroyed during the war have taken place in the republic since her
last visit to NKR. She expressed her profound respect to NKR people
and their achievements on the way to their independence. At that, as
she said, `HART’ Missionary Association was founded by her with the
headquarters in GB and the USA, which will implement programs on
humanitarian aid to peoples of different countries of the world,
including NKR.
In his turn NKR President Arkadi Ghukasyan expressed his gratitude to
the baroness for her permanent attention to NKR, and active
participation in the efforts of NKR people to form a modern
democratic state. He expressed her belief that understanding of a
fair position of the people and the Government of NKR regarding the
main principles of the conflict settlement by Cox has its objective
input in formation of an adequate attitude to the gist of the problem
and the ways of its settlement in the eyes of world community. A.H.
–0–
*********************************************************************
A CO-OPERATION PROGRAM TILL 2007 SIGNED BETWEEN THE GEORGIAN AND
ARMENIAN MINISTRIES OF SCIENCE AND EDUCATION
YEREVAN, July 27. /ARKA/. A co-operation program till 2007 was signed
between the Georgian and Armenian ministries of Science and
Education. According to RA President’s Press Service and Public
Relations Department, the program was signed in the frames of two-day
official visit of RA Prime-Minister Andranik Margaryan to Georgia.
A.H. –0–
*********************************************************************
THE REPRESENTATIVES OF CAUCASUS EUROPE NEWS JOURNAL ARRIVED IN
STEPANAKERT
STEPANAKERT, July 27. /ARKA/. The Director of Caucasus Europe News
(CEN) journal Selia Shoffur and Deputy Director Francois Gremi
arrived in Stepanakert. As Shoffur stated to ARKA’s reporter in
Stepanakert, the goal of the visit was to collect information about
Nagorno-Karabakh, as CEN is going to inform of the processes in the
countries of South Caucasus under the title `A Glance at East’. `We
decided to come and to see everything by ourselves, since we have too
little information about NKR’, she said. The guests met the
representatives of the Government as well as reporters, visited
Shushi, the regions of the republic, and talked with the citizens of
Stepanakert.
Caucasus Europe News is a journal covering events in the Caucasus and
is published in French, English and Russian. It studies key issues in
the South Caucasus, i.e. formation of civil society, settlement of
conflicts, co-operation of the region with EU. A.H. –0–
*********************************************************************
A BUILDING IN THE CENTER OF YEREVAN, WHERE THE OFFICE OF ARKA NEWS
AGENCY IS LOCATED, DE-ENERGIZED FOR ABOUT 4 HOURS
YEREVAN, July 27. /ARKA/. For about 4 hours a building in the center
of Yerevan (1/3 Byuzand str), where the office of ARKA News Agency is
located was de-energized. As it was informed in the representative
office of Electric Supply Network, it was caused by a damage on
servicing sub-station. However, according to the staff of Electric
Supply Network, because of garbage heaps the access to the
sub-station was blocked and it made impossible to resume the supply
of electric power. To many telephone calls and demands to eliminate
the damage Electric Supply Network staff gave a laconic answer:
`Cleaning of garbage is not our duty’.
Meanwhile, in Sanochistka CJSC office organizing cleaning of garbage
they said that all garbage cleaning cars were busy. The staff of the
organization assured that as soon as they had a free car, they would
send it to the sub-station. However, at about 4:20 p.m. the electric
supply of the building was resumed. Electricians managed to get to
the sub-station through the heaps of garbage and eliminate the
damage.
It should be mentioned that the electric power supply was
periodically interrupted for the last 3 years in the above mentioned
building. At that, the reason as a rule was the same: garbage was
accumulated in front of the sub-station and made an obstacle to the
staff of Electric Supply Network to get into the sub-station to do
works there. A.H.–0–
*********************************************************************
20- YEAR-OLD CADET OF RA MILITARY INSTITUTE BREAKS THE PREVIOUS
GUINESS RECORD WHEN DOING AN EXERCISE WITH RISING AND OVERTURNING ON
A HORIZONTAL BAR
YEREVAN, July 27. /ARKA/. 20- year-old Cadet Zarzand mkhitaryan, who
is in his 3rd year in Military Institute after Vazgen Sargsyan of RA
Ministry of Defense, broke the previous Guiness record when doing an
exercise with rising and overturning on a horizontal bar. The
resident of Pshatavan Armenian village in Armavir region of Armenia
made 1050 overturns within 2 hours and 48 minutes. On the average,
the cadet made about 6 overturns per minute. Thus, Mkhitaryan broke
the previous record of a Russian pupil whos record was 1013
overturns. According toSeiran Arakelyan, the Deputy Trainer of the
institute, in his 1st year in the Institute Mkhitaryan couldn’t do
the exercise at all, however due to his will and hard work achieved
brilliant results. The cadet told reporters that spent only two
months for breaking the record. `First I wanted to be the first in
the Institute, then I wanted to become the first in Armenia and then
to break a world record’, he said.
Vardan Tovmasyan, the Chairman of the Commission on registering
Guiness records in Armenia said that within a week the tape with the
results will be sent to London for the consideration by an
appropriate committee. According to him, the final reply about
registering Mkhitaryan in the book of Guiness is expected within 1-2
months. Tovmasyan also informed that since 1970 Armenians already for
5 times were registered in the book of Guiness.
The representatives of RA Ministry of Defense, local prefecture,
teachers from military institute, the press and other guests were
present on the ceremony of doing the exercise to be registered in the
book of Guiness. Mkitaryan was encouraged already for 28 times for
diligence, physical and combatant training and progress in studies.
A.H.–0–
*********************************************************************
RA PM AND GEORGIAN PRESIDENT DISCUSS POSSIBILITY OF OPENING
TBILISI-GYUMRI-KARS RAILWAY
YEREVAN, July 27. /ARKA/. RA PM Andranik Margarian and Georgian
President Mikhail Sahakashvili discussed possibility of opening of
Tbilis-Gyumri-Kars railway. As RA Government Public and Press
Relations Department told ARKA, during the meeting Margarian stressed
that the operation of this railway will allow the countries of the
region to be included in the regional economic projects on more fully
level, particularly in the EU run TRACECA and INOGATE. The Armenian
PM also mentioned that RA was interested in the development of
Armenian-Georgian partnership between two countries in the
implementation of the regional programs.
As it is mentioned in the press release during the meeting the Head
of the Armenian Government expressed a confidence that the
centuries-old friendship between two peoples as well as the high
level of confidence between them enable them to develop and
strengthen relations of good neighbors between RA and Georgia that is
important for the regional security. T.M. -0–

PanArmenian News
July 27 2004
BRITISH PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATION TO ASSIST NAGORNO KARABAKH PEOPLE
YEREVAN MAYOR TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL FORUM IN MOSCOW
BAKU WISHES TO KNOW WHICH QUESTION BESIDES TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY
SUBJECT TO COMPROMISE
BUILDING OF BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN OIL PIPELINE CEASED IN GEORGIA DUE TO
POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL THREAT
AZERBAIJAN POPULAR FRONT PARTY WILL NOW PROTEST AGAINST ARMENIANS
PARTICIPATION IN NATO EXERCISES IN BAKU
ARMENIAN BUSINESSMAN COMMITTED SUICIDE IN PENZA RUSSIAN CITY
ARMENIA AND GEORGIA DID NOT COME TO TERMS OVER ELECTRICITY DEBTS AND
RAIL TARIFFS
MONUMENT BEING BUILT TO ARMENIANS, WHO FOUNDED BUDENNOVSK RUSSIAN
TOWN
FIRST ALL-ARMENIAN CULTURE FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA AND NAGORNO
KARABAKH
*********************************************************************
BRITISH PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATION TO ASSIST NAGORNO KARABAKH PEOPLE
27.07.2004 18:01
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On the initiative of Deputy Speaker of the House of
Lords of the British Parliament Caroline Cox HART philanthropic
organization is formed with offices in the UK and US. As reported by
C. Cox at a meeting with the Nagorno Karabakh President in
Stepanakert, the organization will deal with questions of providing
humanitarian aid to the population of various countries of the world,
including Nagorno Karabakh.
*********************************************************************
YEREVAN MAYOR TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL FORUM IN MOSCOW
27.07.2004 17:45
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The third international forum of mayors of the
cities of the world will be held in Moscow September 15-18. In the
course of the conference three topics are expected to be discussed:
the role and the tasks for the cities of the world in XXI century,
interaction of the youth as a factor of strengthening pace and
confidence between residents of cities, sport as a means of
realization of diplomacy courses of cities. Mayors of over 100 cities
and leaders of a number of international organizations are invited to
participate in the conference. Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharian is
among them. As reported by the Press Service of the Yerevan
Administration, a forum on cooperation of the Black Sea basin
capitals, organized within the International Assembly of Towns will
be held in the Russian capital in September as well.
*********************************************************************
BAKU WISHES TO KNOW WHICH QUESTION BESIDES TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY
SUBJECT TO COMPROMISE
27.07.2004 17:31
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The question of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan
is the most important one to us, Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar
Mamedyarov told journalists, Baku sources reported, when speaking of
the outcomes of his meeting with American Ambassador of OSCE Minsk
Group for Karabakh settlement Steven Mann. In his words, he has
suggested that the Co-Chairs specify which question, besides that
one, are subject to compromise. “Now we are waiting for them to
specify it, then we will decide which concessions we can make,”
Mamedyarov stated.
*********************************************************************
BUILDING OF BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN OIL PIPELINE CEASED IN GEORGIA DUE TO
POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL THREAT
27.07.2004 15:29
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ After the official statement of the Minister of
Ecology and Natural Resources of Georgia July 19 construction works
were ceased at the Georgian part of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil
pipeline next to Borjomi gorge. As reported by BP-Azerbaijan company,
the cessation of works is due to the Ministry intention to complete
the assessment of observation of security measures for BTC protection
in the territory of Georgia. According to the source, it can
influence the current schedule of works, however it will not tell on
the overall terms of the building and exploitation of the BTC. When
commenting on the official Tbilisi decision to temporarily stop the
building, the Georgian Embassy in Azerbaijan told Turan news agency
that “the decision in question is due to the concerns over the
environmental safety in the region.”
*********************************************************************
AZERBAIJAN POPULAR FRONT PARTY WILL NOW PROTEST AGAINST ARMENIANS
PARTICIPATION IN NATO EXERCISES IN BAKU
27.07.2004 14:02
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Azerbaijan Popular Front Party plans to hold
protest actions in Baku. According to a press release, it has spread,
these are directed against participation of Armenian military in the
Cooperative Best Effort-2004 NATO exercises to be held in Baku. The
actions will be held in front of the buildings of a number of
diplomatic missions and state institutions. As reported by Echo Baku
newspaper, the Party has notified Baku Mayor Gajibala Abutalybov
about its intention to hold the actions. The pickets will be held
with slogans “We demand to respect Azeri people,” “Down with Armenian
occupiers”.
*********************************************************************
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.
*********************************************************************
ARMENIA AND GEORGIA DID NOT COME TO TERMS OVER ELECTRICITY DEBTS AND
RAIL TARIFFS
27.07.2004 13:54
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At the sitting of the Armenian-Georgian
Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation Georgia and
Armenia did not succeed in coming to terms over the debts for
electric power and rail transportation tariffs. Specifically, as
reported by Novosti Russian news agency, questions referring to
Georgia’s debt engagements to Armenia remained unclear. Georgia did
not recognize its state debt of $6 million it had to pay within the
framework of an agreement between the Ministry of Energy and Fuel of
Georgia and Armenergo for the electric power supplied to Georgia in
2000. Tbilisi states it has paid off the debt to the Armenian party,
Yerevan assures no transfers were received from Georgia. To clear up
the situation the parties agreed to form special working groups, who
will study the issue in question in the course of a month. The
parties did not manage to close the bargain over reduced tariffs for
rail transport either. “A joint commission, will be formed to present
economic arguments for rail transport reduced tariffs,” Armenian Rail
Department head Ararat Khrimian told journalists. It should be
reminded that at present Armenia is granted 24% discount for oil
products transportation and 17% reduction for the rest of cargo
types.
*********************************************************************
MONUMENT BEING BUILT TO ARMENIANS, WHO FOUNDED BUDENNOVSK RUSSIAN
TOWN
27.07.2004 14:56
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A monument to Armenian migrants, who founded
Budennovsk (Stavropol region of Russia), is being built in the town.
As reported by Regions.ru, the construction works are carried out
with the support of town entrepreneurs and the active participation
of the Armenian community. According to the source, in the middle of
the 18-th century having been provided with land by a decree of
Emperor Paul I, Armenians founded there the town of Surb Khach (Holy
Cross), later renamed Budennovsk. The monument is being erected in
the old part of Budennovsk, called Karabakhla, where the first
Armenians had settled. The opening of the monument is scheduled for
the 205-th anniversary of the town.
*********************************************************************
FIRST ALL-ARMENIAN CULTURE FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA AND NAGORNO
KARABAKH
27.07.2004 13:55
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ August 15-22 One Nation – One Culture First
All-Armenian Culture Festival will be held in Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh. Over 1500 Armenian culture workers from Armenia, Nagorno
Karabakh, Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, France, Austria, UK, US,
Syria, Lebanon and Iran will participate in the festival. As stated
by Armenian Deputy Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs Karine
Khodikian, the goal of the festival is to strengthen the ties between
Armenia and the Diaspora, to present the common Armenian culture, to
create mechanisms for efficient cooperation. Achievements of figures
of Armenian art of dancing, dramatic, vocal, decorative arts and
crafts, as well as painters and elocutionists will be presented in
the course of the festival.

Le Monde
27 juillet 2004
Ces artistes étrangers qui ont choisi la France : Seyhmus Dagtekin.
Les mots libres de Seyhmus Dagtekin, pacifique contrebandier de la
langue
L’ÉTÉ DU MONDE CULTURE ;
Le poète et romancier, né et élevé dans un village du Kurdistan turc,
vit à Paris depuis 1987. Il ne s’y sent pas en exil
par Catherine Bédarida
NAÎTRE ICI, vivre là, grandir dans une langue, écrire dans une autre
: le chemin du poète et romancier Seyhmus Dagtekin est une suite de
passages, depuis sa naissance, en 1965, dans un village kurde du
sud-est de la Turquie, jusqu’à sa vie actuelle d’écrivain parisien.
Un itinéraire d’artiste toujours méfiant à l’égard des destins figés,
des identités assignées. « Personne n’est défini une fois pour toutes
par des limites de langue, de territoire ou d’appartenance. Chacun
est en devenir. Chacun peut exister dans une langue autre que celle
de son origine. »
Les hommes de son village vivaient, pour beaucoup, de contrebande,
chevauchant la nuit à travers les frontières afin de se procurer les
mille et un produits manquant dans ces vallées pauvres. Seyhmus
Dagtekin est un contrebandier pacifique, qui chevauche dans la nuit
de la littérature pour ouvrir le monde. « L’univers d’aujourd’hui est
plein de frontières et de toutes sortes de barrières. On vient d’une
culture, d’une langue, d’un pays. Alors on ne pourrait pas se glisser
dans ceux des autres. Je ne partage pas cette conception. L’autre ne
m’est pas étranger, mais seulement inconnu. D’inconnu, il peut me
devenir connu, si j’en fais l’effort. »
L’écrivain a grandi dans une bourgade de montagne au mode de vie
quasi autarcique. « Jusqu’à 10 ans, j’ai vécu au village, où il n’y
avait ni voiture, ni télévision, ni radio. Deux fois par mois, on
descendait au marché acheter le thé et les victuailles », se
souvient-il. Cette enfance, il la raconte – en français – sans
nostalgie dans son premier roman, A la source, la nuit, paru cet
hiver (« Le Monde des livres » du 5 mars).
Au village, l’écrit n’existe pas, sauf sur les emballages d’aliments
ou sur les paquets de cigarettes arrivés en contrebande des pays
arabes voisins. Le kurde, unique langue des villageois, est interdit
par l’Etat turc. Pendant la petite enfance de l’auteur, seuls deux
hommes, dont son père, parlent le turc et lisent l’alphabet latin.
Les années fastes, les paysans font appel à des lettrés pour diriger
les prières du ramadan. Ils apportent le livre sacré, écrit en arabe
que nul villageois ne sait déchiffrer. Mais l’Etat turc construit une
école et nomme un instituteur vers 1970, et l’enfant appartiendra à
la première génération scolarisée du village.
Ce passage en entraînera d’autres – vers la langue turque, vers
l’université à Ankara. Seyhmus Dagtekin y fait des études de
journalisme et d’audiovisuel.
Entre-temps, l’un de ses frères est parti travailler en France comme
ouvrier dans l’industrie lorraine. « En 1974, il a fait partie de la
dernière vague de travailleurs immigrés recrutés par contrat dans
leur pays. » En 1987, Seyhmus rejoint son frère aîné, pour compléter
ses études universitaires. Il « naît au français », selon
l’expression qu’il aime utiliser.
Au cours intensif du début à Nancy succèdent des études de cinéma à
Paris. Ces années-là, la répression turque dans les régions kurdes
est d’une extrême violence. « Je ne suis pas un militant, mais j’ai
la conscience de mon appartenance. Je ne me voyais pas faire mon
service militaire dans une armée qui menait la guerre contre mon
peuple. Je suis resté en France pour éviter d’aller à l’armée, puis
je me suis enraciné. Je me suis replanté dans le terreau de la langue
française, mais je reste l’arbre que j’étais. »
Seyhmus Dagtekin n’a jamais écrit dans sa langue maternelle,
interdite à l’oral comme à l’écrit. Les romanciers kurdes les plus
connus, comme Yacher Kemal, écrivent en turc. L’adolescent suit ce
chemin, pour ses premiers textes. Quatre ans à peine après son
arrivée en France, il commence à écrire en français.
D’entrée, il choisit la poésie, sans doute la porte d’accès la plus
difficile pour un étranger : elle exige, plus encore que la rédaction
d’un essai ou d’un livre document, une appropriation de la langue, un
travail d’émancipation.
Dans ses quatre recueils de poésie, les femmes aimées se prénomment
Agnès ou Cécilia, les lieux évoqués sont Montmartre, Belleville ou
les monts d’Arrée. « Je ne me sens pas en exil, je me place pas comme
étranger », affirme l’auteur.
Son premier roman plonge au contraire dans l’enfance. Il apporte des
éclairages sur la vie dans ces villages reculés. Mais c’est toujours
l’écriture qui prime, le choix d’un angle serré, d’une langue
poétique qui suggère plus qu’elle ne démontre. Fait rare sous une
plume turque, un passage évoque le génocide des Arméniens de 1915 et
la participation de Kurdes aux massacres.
Aujourd’hui, l’écrivain est ancré dans la vie littéraire française.
Il n’est plus retourné en Turquie depuis douze ans, où il reste en
délicatesse avec les autorités, suite à son refus d’effectuer son
service militaire. L’artiste va demander sa naturalisation française,
bien que l’idée de frontières lui reste étrangère. « Quand je suis
arrivé en France, je déchiffrais Les Fleurs du mal, à l’aide du Petit
Larousse. J’étais profondément touché et je ressentais comme une
appartenance immédiate. Je ne suis pas venu avec mes limites. Je suis
venu comme un territoire ouvert. »
NOTES: PROCHAIN ARTICLE Natacha Kouznetsova, danseuse contemporaine
russe

ARMINCO, INTEL CREATING WIRELESS INTERNET INFRASTRUCTURE IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, JULY 26. ARMINFO. The largest provider-company “Arminco”, in
cooperation with the “Intel” corporation, is creating an
infrastructure to introduce the Centrino wireless Internet technology
in Armenia, Director of the “Arminco” company Andranik Alexanyan told
ARMINFO.
He said that since the program is first of all intended for students,
the concept of the “Intel” corporation is that as many students as
possible purchase notebooks operating on Centrino, which implies the
organization of wireless Internet points. “If this type of
communication arouses others’ interest, measures will be taken to
increase the number of such points in Yerevan,” Alexanyan said. The
“Arminco” company has installed 50 points in Yerevan today to serve
500-600 users. Alexanyan pointed out that the company charge standard
Internet access prices (except for the dial-up-type communication),
0.05 USD for 1Mbyte of information. “Whether it is much or little is
another matter, but, considering the price for the E1 Internet channel
(21,000 USD a month), this is the minimum that can be provided in
Armenia now,” Alexanyan said.
The Centrino technology is an integrated radiomodem-notebook, which
allows the user to get connected to Internet both as a fixed and a
mobile user. The UNICOMP company produces notebooks operating on the
Centrino technology in Armenia.

ARMENIAN MINISTRY FOR TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION HAS NO DSEFINIT
POLICTY TO WI-FI ACCESS TO INTERNET
YEREVAN, JULY 26. ARMINFO. There is no definite policy of the Armenian
Ministry for Transport and Communication to the mobile radio modem
(Wi-Fi) access to Internet at present. Director of the largest
provider company in Armenia, Arminco, Andranik Aleksanyan told
ARMINFO.
He said that beginning from 2003, the given issue has been a subject
for discussion at several sessions of the IT Development Council
Support (ITDSC) initiated by ITDSC head M.Marosyan. The ministry
submitted a letter to ITDSC that small-capacity WI-FI radio modems
(for example, based on the technology Intel Centrino) can be used
without a relevant permission by the ministry, it is necessary to have
just a certificate on conformity to radio modem equipment. However,
Telecommunications Center CJSC of the Ministry for Transport and
Communications of Armenia is guided with other documents, and in order
to use Intel Centrino technology, it is necessary to calculate
electromagnetic compatibility for each radio modem and to pay for the
services on support of radio-air for the given device.
Job prices for mobile communication on the Intel Centrino technology
have not been established yet. Moreover, in conformity with the
acknowledged practice, it necessary to register all the radiant
devices (except cellular phones) at the TC CSJC and to pay for a
“permission to import.” He said that such an approach contradicts to
the letter of the minister for transport and communications to the
ITDCS, where Intel Centrino is allowed for use without a special
permission of TC CJSC. Such a situation is possible only if the CJSC
charges payment for use of the state property, the spectrum of radio
frequencies. Aleksanyan said that the world practice supposes levying
of the tax for the use of the radio spectrum. As a result, the TC CJSC
has no rights to prevent the illegal activity with use of the radio
spectrum, as it is not a state body. As any CJSC, the TC pursues
profits and development of information technologies is not prior for
it, the director said.
The ministry is an individual property of TC CJSC, which is
responsible for develoment of IT technologies in Armenia and
introduction of WI-FI technologies in Armenia. The contradiction is
supposed to be liquidated due to the newly established Regulating Body
in the sphere of telecommunications after adoption of a new Law on
Communications by the National Assembly of Armenia (in the first
reading in 2003).
At present radio modem can be purchased without permission of the TC
CJSC in any specialized shop, which violates the resolution of the
Armenian Government on the order of purchase of radio emissive
equipment. As a result, the orgnaizations legally importing radio
modems pay for the service of the TC CJSC, while others trade without
a relevant permission and gain super profits. Such a situation casts
doubt on the ability of UNICOMP company to issue and sale computers
with use of Intel Centrino technology, as it requires a license for
issue of radio emissive equipment and a permission for use of the
radio spectrum when producing computers, as well as registration of
each computer at the TC CJSC and its certification by a special
Certifying Body (there are at least two such bodies in Armenia
operating in conformity with the Law on Certification of Armenia) or
at the State Standard. This situation casts doubt on the possibility
of legal introduction of Wi-Fi technology in Armenia.

Slovenian envoy, Armenian minister discuss cooperation with OSCE
Arminfo
26 Jul 04
YEREVAN
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan received today Slovenia’s
permanent representative to the OSCE, ambassador Janez Lenarcic, who
is the would-be chairman of the OSCE’s Permanent Council and is paying
a visit to the region.
Since Slovenia will chair the OSCE in 2005, Lenarcic asked Oskanyan to
brief him on Armenia’s stance regarding cooperation with the OSCE
bodies and its office in Yerevan, the Foreign Ministry’s press service
told Arminfo. The sides also exchanged views on the OSCE’s activity
and missions in various spheres, including those in regions which are
undergoing transition, such as the South Caucasus.
In this connection, the sides noted the OSCE’s peacekeeping role in
resolving conflicts. They positively assessed the role of the OSCE
Minsk Group in settling the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.
Oskanyan commented on a CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States]
statement regarding the OSCE’s activity with a view to conducting
necessary reforms. Armenian representatives in Vienna have repeatedly
raised the issue, Oskanyan said.
Oskanyan also briefed Lenarcic on the process of settling the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict, as well as on Armenian-Turkish relations. During
the meeting Lenarcic was accompanied by Vladimir Pryakhin, head of the
OSCE office in Yerevan, and Andrzej Kasprzyk, the personal
representative of the current OSCE chairman-in-office.