US MEDIATOR URGES PARTIES TO KARABAKH CONFLICT TO MAKE COMPROMISE
Turan news agency
26 Jul 04
BAKU
The USA is interested in a negotiated settlement of the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict. Washington stands for stability in the region and
against any developments that could undermine it, the US co-chairman
in the OSCE Minsk Group, Steven Mann, has told Regnum news agency.
The breach of regional stability could pose a threat to such major
regional projects as the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline, he added.
Commenting on the results of a recent visit to the region by the Minsk
Group co-chairmen, Mann noted that it was an attempt to bring the
sides’ positions closer together and help them find ways of resolving
the conflict.
According to him, co-chairmen understand how difficult the situation
is for the heads of the two countries. Tensions on both sides run
high, however, the issue must not be dealt with under the influence of
emotions.
“We will do everything to prevent a new tragedy,” Mann stressed.
Responding to the criticism of the Minsk Group Mann said: “We are not
gods, a solution to the conflict has to be found by the parties to the
conflict themselves.”
The US co-chairman believes that a solution has to be found by the
heads of the two states. Responsibility rests with them, not with
mediators, Mann said. He added that the parties to the conflict had
chosen the OSCE themselves and that the Minsk Group would continue its
work.
Mann also spoke in favour of Nagornyy Karabakh’s involvement in the
talks. In his opinion, this may speed up a settlement.
At the same time, the diplomat dismissed reports that he had urged
Armenia to unilaterally vacate some of the occupied territories.

KARABAKH DENIES PRINTING CURRENCY – ARMENIAN AGENCY
Noyan Tapan news agency, Yerevan
26 Jul 04
STEPANAKERT
No Karabakh currency has ever been printed, the central bank of the
Nagornyy Karabakh Republic has told Noyan Tapan news agency.
Noyan Tapan contacted the bank in connection with the report carried
by the Baku-based Ekho newspaper which claimed that a “journalistic
investigation” had revealed that the Austrian state printing works had
printed “Karabakh currency”.
(Passage omitted: Recap of Ekho’s report)
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FRENCH SOCIALISTS CONSIDER RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AS
CONDITION OF TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP IN EUROPEAN UNION
PARIS, July 26 (Noyan Tapan). The Socialist party of France considers
the recognition of the Armenian Genocide as an indispensable condition
for Turkey’s membership in the European Union. Francois Holand,
Secretary General of the party, reported about it after his meeting
with Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayipp Erdogan, answering Turkish
correspondents’ questions. “It is impossible to specify the term of
negotiations on membership as long as Turkey didn’t recognize the
Genocide,” he said. According to the “Marmara” newspaper of Istanbul,
when journalists said that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide
isn’t considered as a criterion in the issue of the EU membership, and
for what basis the Socialist Party lays down such a condition,
F. Holand reminded that the French parliament had recognized the
Armenian Genocide. News agencies report that the issue of the Genocide
was touched upon during the Holand-Erdogan meeting and Erdogan noticed
that this issue should be submitted to historians for discussion.

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF GEORGIA SALOME ZURABISHVILI VISITS HOLY
ETCHMIADZIN
ETCHMIADZIN, July 26 (Noyan Tapan). Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Georgia Salome Zurabishvili visited the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
on July 22.
Bishop Paren Avetikian, Head of the Monastic Council, manager on
administrative and organization issues of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin, received her and conveyed the best wishes of Catholicos
of All Armenians Karekin II. Greeting the Georgian guest, the Bishop
touched upon the warm and brotherly relations both between the
countries and churches. Salome Zurabishvili expressed her gratitude to
the Holy Father for his reception. She also presented the internal
situation in Georgia and the regional problems. According to the
Information System of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Minister
of Foreign Affairs of Georgia accompanied by Bishop Avetikian visited
the Cathedral and the museum at the end of the meeting. Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Georgia Georgy
Khosroev and other officials were also present at the meeting.

“ARMROSGASPROM” INVESTS 13 MLN DOLLARS TO SPHERE OF GAS-SUPPLY THIS
YEAR
YEREVAN, July 26 (Noyan Tapan). This year the “Armrosgasprom” company
will invest 6.76 bln drams (about 13 mln dollars) to the sphere of
gas-supply of Armenia. Abgar Budaghian, senior specialist of the
Commission on Public Services Regulation, said about it during the
July 23 sitting. It should be mentioned that “Armrosgasprom” submitted
the 2004 investment program to the commission for discussion. According
to it, 372.8 mln drams will be invested with the purpose of study,
restoration, reconstruction and re-equipment of the gas-supply system,
178.5 mln drams will be invested with the purpose of the decrease of
losses in the gas-supply system, and 23.3 mln drams – with the purpose
of the purchase of machines and mechanisms in the system of gas
transportation. The decrease of losses in the gas-distribution system
made 350 mln drams as a result of investments. 530-kilometer new gas
pipeline will be constructed, and 160,000 people will receive an
opportunity to join the network of gas-distribution, including 98,000
people will become real subscribers. It should be mentioned that
according to the data of 2003, there were 54,000 subscribers in the
republic. The same day, the commission approved the investment program
of “Armrosgasprom”.

USDA MAP CONTRIBUTES TO AIGEZARD WINERY
YEREVAN, July 26 (Noyan Tapan). According to Brent Trelan, USDA MAP
wine-making expert, the production of the winery of the village of
Aigezard of the Ararat region is the best among the Armenian dry and
half-dry wines. B. Trelan carried out the great work directed at the
increase of the quality of this wine.
According to the USDA MAP, which contributes to the enterprise, the
works were carried out with participation of B. Trenal, in particular,
on the line of the prolongation of terms of storing of and bottling of
wines. According to the message, the history of the winery-brandy
enterprise of Aigezard started in 1929. The winery being idle since
1998 and resuming its work in 2002 has an opportunity to annually lay
in at least 10 tons of grapes today.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO RADIATION MONITORING IN LOCATION
OF ARMENIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, July 26 (Noyan Tapan). The international conference dedicated
to issues of unification and optimization of the radiation monitoring
in the location of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant will be held in
Yerevan in September.
Robert Vardanian, Chairman of the steering committee of the
conference, told NT’s correspondent that main attention will be drawn
to the problems of security of nuclear power plants, nuclear waste
products, issues connected with the environment that present great
interest for the region. Representatives of the United States, Great
Britain, France, Slovenia, Russia, Hungary, Belorussia Ukraine and
Georgia will participate in the conference besides Armenia.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE CONTRIBUTES TO ELABORATION OF GENERAL LAYOUTS OF
REGIONAL COMMUNITIES OF ARMENIA
YEREVAN, July 26 (Noyan Tapan). It is expected that the general
layouts of the communities situated out of Yerevan will be elaborated
this year for the first time. Ruzanna Alaverdian, RA Deputy Minister
of Urban Development, said that the general layouts of 12 communities
of Ararat, Syunik, Gegharkunik, Kotayk and Vayots Dzor will be
elaborated owing to 100 mln drams allocated by the state
budget. Discussions on the preparation of plans and planning of
strategy of communal development were held with correspondent
departments of Vayots Dzor, Jermuk and Syunik. They are financed by
the CE program “Armenia as Innovative Bridge in ECMRRP Model Regions
European Network”. The “European Conference of Ministers Responsible
for Regional Planning” Organization is the Ministerial Committee
responsible for territorial planning of states-members of the Council
of Europe. According to Ph. D Oygen Heller, the Armenian delegation
contributed a lot to the process of the elaboration of ECMRRP projects
and programs. Armenia has great potential and may become a bridge in
the process of the involvement of other countries in the European
structures. Taking all this into account, it was decided to implement
the two-year program “Armenia as Innovative Bridge in ECMRRP Model
Regions European Network” under the patronage of the Council of
Europe, which will give an opportunity to develop new European
approaches to the development of the communities.

Herald Express (Torquay)
July 23, 2004
Grant plea on car port refused
Caroline Meek, 29, who relies on a wheelchair, wanted the money to
build a car port at her home at Hedgehog House, Bickington. But
Teignbridge Council’s licensing and appeals committee decided the car
port wasn’t essential for her access to the property, and rejected
the appeal. Cllr Sandra Heath made the announcement after the
four-strong committee heard Mrs Meek’s evidence behind closed doors.
Mrs Meek suffers from herniation of the spinal cord.
She was diagnosed with the complaint only two weeks after she
married, five years ago.
And she is one of only five diagnosed cases in the western world. She
has undergone 14 operations on her spinal cord and skull.
The committee heard a medical team, including Mrs Meek’s
neurosurgeon, general practitioner and physiotherapist, supported the
grant application.
Her condition made her particularly vulnerable to the cold and wet,
they said in a report to the committee.
Steve Bamford, Teignbridge Council’s scientific housing officer said
the council had already carried out almost £6,000 of work at her
home.
The authority had smoothed the drive and improved the access to the
house, and provided a turning area.
That had been paid for by a mandatory disabled facility grant, which
is 60 per cent subsidised by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister,
with the rest funded by Teignbridge.
Her application for the car port was made, at the council’s
insistence, under a discretionary facilities grant, which is wholly
funded by Teignbridge. But Mr Bamford told the committee the council
had no resources for the grant.
And he revealed £344,000 of the £358,000 total budget for mandatory
grants had already been earmarked.
He added: “We are only in the first part of the second quarter of the
year, and there is already substantial commitment to the mandatory
disabled facility grant.” He admitted the side of Mrs Meek’s house
was “open to the elements”.
But providing a car port would be equivalent to allocating four
stairlifts and three walk-in showers, so it was “a significant
element” he told the committee.
After the appeal Mrs Meek said: “I feel I have slipped through the
system at every stage of my disability.
“I have gone from being a healthy 24-year-old to being a disabled
29-year-old.
“I used to be proud of being British, growing up in our great
country, but since I have needed help in my situation, I have been
let down by every national sector except my neurosurgeon.
“I feel incredibly abandoned and I don’t know in which direction to
turn to obtain any physical or emotional help to improve my life and
those around me.
“The decision today is just the icing on the cake.” The trauma of Mrs
Meek’s condition came after an extremely active childhood and
adolescence. She represented Trinity School, Teignmouth at county
swimming and athletics before going to Bournemouth University.
She has been treated by “mind instructor” Hratch O’Gali, an
American-born Armenian, at his central London clinic.
He has helped her regain some feeling in her legs, walk up the stairs
on her own and even swim in her local pool.

Il Sole 24 Ore, Italia
July 23, 2004
Una Turchia piu’ vicina
Recep Tayyp Erdogan, primo ministro turco, e’ un politico che sa
guardare molto lontano. Il premier di Ankara, un islamico moderato a
capo di un governo monocolore che ha raccolto buoni successi in campo
economico rilanciando la crescita e tagliando l’inflazione, sa che il
futuro del suo Paese passa dall’ingresso nell’Unione europea.
Erdogan sa altrettanto bene che per raggiungere l’obiettivo
occorrera’ avere molta pazienza ed aspettare qualche decennio. Nel
breve periodo, invece, Ankara guarda a una data molto piu’ vicina, il
17 dicembre quando sotto la presidenza olandese la Commissione e il
Consiglio dovranno decidere di aprire, o meno, l’avvio dei negoziati
per l’ingresso della Turchia nell’Unione europea. Aprire i negoziati
non vuole dire entrare, ma sarebbe un viatico importante e un
successo diplomatico per Ankara.
Per entrare in Europa Erdogan ha compreso che doveva sedurre Parigi,
il principale oppositore all’ingresso del Paese islamico ai negoziati
europei. Ecco perche’ il premier turco, nella recente tre giorni
parigina, non si e’ risparmiato: ha incontrato tutte le maggiori
cariche del Paese, dall’Eliseo, a Matignon, dai presidenti dei due
rami del Parlamento all’opposizione socialista, al mondo degli
affari. Sono stati contatti per dimostrare i progressi fatti dal
Paese della Mezzaluna sul fronte del rispetto dei diritti umani e
dell’avvicinamento ai criteri posti per l’ingresso nella Ue.
Nella missione in terra di Francia il premier turco ha incassato
all’Eliseo il personale sostegno del presidente della Repubblica,
Jacques Chirac, la simpatia del primo ministro Jean-Pierre Raffarin,
l’assenso dei socialisti di Frantois Hollande (che pongono pero’ la
condizione del riconoscimento del genocidio degli armeni), e la netta
opposizione dell’Ump e dell’Udf, i due partiti del Centro-destra e
dell’opinione pubblica. Cosi’ per vincere le ultime esitazioni
Erdogan ha giocata la carta del business firmando un maxi-contratto
per l’acquisto di 36 Airbus dal consorzio franco-tedesco. Un
biglietto da 2 miliardi di euro che possono valere un’opzione
sull’ingresso in Europa.