The International News Pakistan
July 23 2004
Turkey and the Armenian myth
Masud Akhtar Shaikh
The writer is a retired Colonel and freelance columnist
[email protected]
Ever since Turkey started its arduous journey towards the membership
of the European Union (EU) over three decades ago, some members of
the Union who are allergic to the very name of this country have been
confronting it with one set of obstacles after another in order to
prevent it from gaining entry to this exclusively Christian club. It
goes to the credit of the tenacious Turks that they have been
faithfully complying with all the preconditions specially tailored in
order to keep the doors of the EU shut on their country. Turkey’s
crisis-ridden economy, its allegedly unsatisfactory human rights
record and maltreatment of the Kurdish minority, the discordance of
its civil and criminal penal code with the EU standards, and a host
of other objections have been cleared one by one, only to be
supplemented by fresh preconditions. The latest in the series comes
from the Socialist Party leader of France who has linked the start of
talks scheduled for December next regarding Turkey’s entry into the
EU, with the Turkish government’s recognition of the alleged mass
killing of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman forces in 1915 as
“genocide”. This preposterous conditionality is based on an
allegation that the Armenians and their Turkey-hater Western
supporters have failed to prove with credible evidence but which has
been successfully implanted in the minds of ignorant people as truth,
thanks to the sheer power of mighty propaganda machinery that has
been working in this direction for years.
The hoax of Armenian “genocide” is revived every now and then in
order to blackmail Turkey for some specific purpose, or just to
rekindle the flame of hatred against the Turks in the minds of the
younger generation of Armenians and their supporters. The present bid
to revive this frozen issue for use as a gimmick to block Turkey’s
membership of the EU, was reinforced by commandeering a large number
of Armenians settled in France to organise a demonstration against
Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish Prime Minister, during his three-day
visit to that country.
The aim of the present article is to give a brief account of the
so-called “Armenian genocide” and to show how the resources of a
group of determined enemies can be pooled to churn out highly
effective propaganda that can inflict mortal damage on their
opponents.
The Armenians had been living as one of the most trusted minority
communities in the Ottoman Empire for centuries, many of them
enjoying key positions in the official hierarchy throughout that
period. They were generally more prosperous than their Turkish fellow
countrymen, holding a monopoly of some of the most lucrative
professions. It was only towards the last quarter of the 19th century
that they were instigated by Russia and the Western powers to revolt
against the Ottoman Empire so as to expedite its liquidation. These
powers promised them an independent Armenian republic on the
Caucasian, Iranian, and Eastern Anatolian soil. The misguided
Armenians who also indulged in covert sabotage activities for more
than two decades attempted a series of open revolts. These operations
were planned and executed by highly organised Armenian terrorist
organisations with the active moral and material support of outside
powers interested in the fall of the Ottoman Empire. In this process,
they killed thousands and thousands of innocent Turkish men, women,
and children in various towns and villages of Eastern Turkey where
the two communities had been living in peace and harmony for
centuries. The mass killing of Turks at the hands of the Armenian
terrorists continued during the first year of the First World War.
With the Ottoman Empire busy fighting a war of its survival, the
Armenians joined hands with the enemy and participated in operations
against the Turks, both on the frontline as well as in the rear
areas. Voluntary regiments composed of Ottoman and Russian Armenians
acted as vanguards, leading the main body of the Russian army into
Eastern Turkey. Armenians serving in the Ottoman ranks deserted the
army along with their arms and ammunition, some of them joining the
ranks of the Russian army while others organised themselves into
terrorist gangs.
In cooperation with the Armenians living in various towns and
villages of Eastern Anatolia, these gangs put to sword most of the
Turkish women, children, and old persons left behind by their male
family members who had gone away to the battlefield. They also
indulged in widespread sabotage activities, stabbing the Ottoman
forces in the back, cutting off their lines of communication,
blocking their logistic supplies, blowing off bridges, and inflicting
casualties on soldiers by ambushing military convoys. The Armenian
rebels captured the Ottoman province of Van and handed it over to the
Russian army, an “achievement” for which the Tsar of Russia thanked
them telegraphically for the services they had rendered to the
Russians.
Under these circumstances, the Ottoman government was left with no
alternative but to order the arrest of mischief-makers and to order
the mass transfer of all Armenians from the Eastern war zone to areas
in the interior of the Empire. More than two thousand Armenian
terrorists were arrested in April 1915. A large number of Armenians
died on the way during move from the East to the West due to severe
climatic conditions, disease and epidemics on account of poor medical
facilities, interrupted food supplies, and delays in movement caused
by damaged lines of communication. There were also many casualties as
a result of retaliatory attacks on the way by local Turks whose
families had suffered human and material losses at the hands of the
Armenian terrorists. Of course the Turks also sufffered heavy
casualties due to climatic conditions, disease, shortages of
foodstuffs, and skirmishes with the Armenians, but this fact is
completely ignored by the Armenian chroniclers. The Armenians
designate this whole operation as “genocide” that they claim was
replanted, officially sponsored scheme which resulted in the killing
of 1.5 million Ottoman Armenians. To prove their point of view, they
launched a massive campaign to produce volumes and volumes of forged
documents and fabricated evidence, most of which has since been
exposed as fake, not only by Turkish researchers but also by many
neutral foreign scholars. Unfortunately, the response from the
Turkish side was considerably delayed, primarily because of Ataturk’s
policy of “peace at home and peace abroad”, a tenet based on the
principle of “forgive and forget”. As a result of this policy, the
Turkish side of the story has remained in the dark for many decades,
allowing free play to the Armenian fabricators to poison the mind of
the world community against Turkey by painting a one-sided picture of
the Armenian issue on the basis of forged documents, exaggerated
figures, and concocted evidence.
Rather than telling the world community to forget the bitter past and
talk about making the future pleasant for everybody, the Turkish
government should now use all the resources at its disposal to expose
the myth of Armenian genocide by presenting the true picture of the
events that has emerged on the basis of authentic documentary
evidence. Let the Armenians not get away with the mass murder of
thousands of innocent Turks by taking shelter behind the cooked up
story of the so-called Armenian genocide. As far as the prospects of
Turkey’s admission to the EU are concerned, our Turkish friends
should not nourish great hopes because the members of this entirely
Christian association see Turkey, a nation of 70 million hardworking
Muslims, as a real nightmare. They are terribly scared of accepting
Turkey as a member state because this country has common borders with
Iran, Syria, and Iraq, each one of these being an anathema for the
West. With the ruling party of Tayyip Erdogan having its roots in
Islam, they visualise the rise of Islam in Turkey in the not too
distant a future. How can they afford to let Muslim Turkey share with
them the secrets meant to be shared exclusively by the non-Muslim
powers?

ArmenPress
July 23 2004
I HATE DOGS
YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS: A documentary shot by Pea Holmquist,
an independent Sweden filmmaker and Suzanne Khardalin, a Lebanon-born
Armenian journalists, called I Hate Dogs is about the 1915 Armenian
Genocide, planned and carried out mercilessly by the government of
the Ottoman Turkey. The main character is a 98 year-old Armenian,
Garbis, a survivor of the genocide.
Garbis tells his devastating story-about how he survived the
genocide. He lost his entire family when he was only 9. One morning
the Turks seized his village; the men were separated from the women.
Garbis did not realize the gravity of the situation and took leave of
his mother- a last hug and a last kiss, as it was to be, from his
weeping mother.
Together with his father and several thousand other Armenians,
Garbis was forced to go on a death march, all the way to the Syrian
desert. He was in the company of his elder brother and a cousin but
en route both of them died of hunger and exhaustion and several days
after died his father. He was only nine years old and some people
helped him carry the body away and bury it.
Later in the evening Garbis wanted to see his father’s grave.
“Then I saw several stray dogs feeding on my father’s flesh. They
were tearing his thighs apart. I grabbed some stones and threw them
at the dogs to frighten them off, but the dogs had become wild-they
started growling and ran towards me. I was terrified, so I ran away.
That picture has haunted me all my life. I see the dogs, right in
front of me, just ten meters away.”
Garbis started his first business at the age of 15 in Mosul, Iraq,
then he moved to France where he settled down. His son Serge, has
taken up his business of a textile factory. “It took my dad 40 years
before he felt able to tell me the story. He just could not tell it
to me,” Serge, a very distinguished gentlemen, living in a
fashionable apartment in Paris, says.
Turkey has not recognized the genocide so far, but is eager to
join the EU. “I am planning to live at least 100 years. There are so
few of us left and for God’s sake, I am not ready to take my story
with me to the grave,” Garbis says.
Holmquist, a film school professor in documentaries and Suzanne
Khardalian, have shot other films about the Armenian genocide and
Armenians-Back to Ararat and Her Armenian Prince.

ArmenPress
July 23 2004
DELEGATION TO LEARN KARABAGH CONFLICT HISTORY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS: Foreign minister Vartan Oskanian
received July 22 a joint delegation of the German Marshall Fund (GMF)
of the U.S and Project on Transitional Democracies (PTD). The
Armenian foreign affairs ministry said the delegation has arrived
here to examine the Nagorno Karabagh conflict history and its
consequences and to learn the positions of Armenia and Karabagh on
how it should be resolved through a series of meetings and
discussions.
The delegation’s visit is within the frameworks of GMF and PTD
Project on the Resolution of Europe’s Frozen Conflicts. One of its
goals is to inform leading experts and decision-makers in Washington
and NATO on the Karabagh conflict, encouraging interested governments
to show assistance for its resolution.
The delegation members were received the same day by Armenian
president and deputy defense minister. Today they are leaving for
Karabagh on a one-day visit to meet with its authorities. After
wrapping up the visit the delegation members will present their
findings to senior officials and lawmakers in Washington.

ArmenPress
July 23 2004
PROSECUTORS RESHUFFLED TO BE IMMUNE FROM LOCAL INFLUENCE
YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS: Armenia’s chief prosecutor Aghvan
Hovsepian explained today that a major reshuffle of prosecutors last
week was to keep them immune from, as he put it, “the local
influence.” He also said the reshuffle was in line with the principle
of rotation of prosecutors.
Speaking to reporters, the chief prosecutor also argued that “some
of prosecutors have already exhausted themselves,” saying some new
and younger prosecutors are expected to work more effectively.
Under a recent decree by president Robert Kocharian, who is
entitled by the Constitution to appoint and dismiss prosecutors, 70
percent of all prosecutors were replaced, including all prosecutors
of Yerevan communities and heads of two divisions of the chief
prosecutor’s office.
Hovsepian said also that 27 prosecutors were dismissed by various
reasons in the first six months of this year. New appointees will
have from now on to get the approval of a special attestation
commission and go through an interview with members of the ruling
board of the prosecutor’s office. The entire staff of the office now
is 601 employees.

ArmenPress
July 23 2004
ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT GEORGIA ON JULY 25
YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS: On July 25 Prime Minister Andranik
Margaryan will pay an official two-day visit to Georgia. Armenian
Prime Minister will confer with his Georgian counterpart, Zurab
Zhvania and Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili. Prior to these
meetings Andranik Margaryan, as a co-chairman of Armenian-Georgian
joint commission on economic cooperation, will participate in its
regular session.
Within the frameworks of the visit Armenian Prime Minister will
visit the Pantheon, where many prominent Armenian writers, musicians
and scientists rest and a Monument commemorating heroes, who fell for
the cause of Georgia’s unity. Then Andranik Margaryan will visit the
Armenian Church of Saint Gevorg, the site of a planned meeting with
representatives of the Armenian community of Georgia.
The Prime Minister will also visit the Georgian Art Museum,
Georgian State Museum and Jvaria and Svetitskhoveli Mother Cathedral.
Andranik Margaryan will be hosted also by the Armenian Embassy in
Georgia.
After the concluding meeting of the Armenian-Georgian commission
on economic cooperation and the ceremony of documents signing, Prime
Ministers Andranik Margaryan and Zurab Zhvania will hold a joint
press conference.
The delegation, headed by Andranik Manukian includes members of
the inter-governmental commission Vardan Khachatryan, Minister of
Finance and Economy, Karen Chshmaritian, Minister of Trade and
Economic Development, Armen Movsisyan, Minister of Energy, Vardan
Ayvazyan, Minister of Nature Protection, Tatul Margaryan, Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Artak Sahradian, Deputy Minister of
Education and Science, Gagik Gyurjyan, Deputy Minister of Culture and
Youth Issues, Gagik Khachatryan, deputy Chairman of
Government-Affiliated State Customs Committee, Stepan Margaryan,
Advisor to Prime Minister, as well as Ararat Khrimyan, Chief Manager
of Armenian Railway cjsc, Hovsep Kloyan, Deputy Minister of
Agriculture, Vladimir Badalyan, a parliament member, heads of the
government and foreign ministry appropriate staffs.

ARKA News Agency
July 22 2004
RA President gives concrete guideline via to instability of national
currency rate
Outstanding figure of Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Dashnaktsutyun left this world
Armeconombank, Conversebank (Armenia), Artsakhbank and
Ardshininvestbank leading in ARKA Press Rating for Q2 2004
Robert Kocharian: RA sincerely interested in stability of Georgia
RA President highly appreciates activity of US Ambassador to RA
Armenian fiction film Sniper receives Grand Prix on Kids for Kids
International Film Festival in Athens
The Ukraine Embassy in Armenia opens a book of sorrows in regard with
the tragedy on `Coal Company `Krasnolimansk Mine’
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RA PRESIDENT GIVES CONCRETE GUIDELINE VIA TO INSTABILITY OF NATIONAL
CURRENCY RATE
YEREVAN, July 22. /ARKA/. During today’s working meeting with the
ministers of finance and economy, trade and economic development, the
chairmen of CBA, State Custom Committee RA President Robert Kocharian
gave concrete guideline via to instability of national currency rate,
President’s press office told ARKA. The details of the meeting are
not represented.
Note today CBA increased exchange rate of USD by 3.97 AMD up to
515.99 AMD per $1. It is the first increase of exchange rate for last
several weeks. On previous week the rate was decrease in average by
1.5-2 AMD daily. For the first three days of current week the rate
decreased by 10.35 AMD, of which only yesterday – by 8.04 AMD. L.D.
-0–
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OUTSTANDING FIGURE OF ARMENIAN REVOLUTIONARY FEDERATION
DASHNAKTSUTYUN LEFT THIS WORLD
YEREVAN, July 22. /ARKA/. Outstanding figure of Armenian
Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun, Director of Munich Institute
of Armenian Studies Eduard Ovannisian left this world being 72 years
old, ARF (D) told ARKA All his life Ovannisian cared about past,
present and future of Armenian people. Press release notes that he
was an advanced soldier in modern fight in Diaspora for protection of
Hai Dat and became its driving force. `Loss of Eduard Ovannisian is
terrible for his party friends and by all means for all Armenian’,
press release notes.
Eduard Ovannisian was born on February 16, 1932 in Yerevan. He
graduated from Moscow Instrument Making Institute. In 1964 defended
his doctoral degree. In 1984-93 he was a director of Armenian Edition
of Radio Liberty. Ovannisian took active part in creation and edition
of The Armenian Genocide book in Munich. In 2003 he issued a book
called Hai Dat Problems and the Ways of Their Settlement. L.D. –0–
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ARMECONOMBANK, CONVERSEBANK (ARMENIA), ARTSAKHBANK AND
ARDSHININVESTBANK LEADING IN ARKA PRESS RATING FOR Q2 2004
YEREVAN, July 22. /ARKA/. ARKA News Agency published Press Rating of
Armenian banks for Q2 2004. The leaders of ARKA’s Press-Rating for
the II Q, 2004 are 4 banks 1. Armeconombank, 2. Conversebank, 3.
Artsakhbank, 4. Ardshininvestbank. As the analysis of press signals
showed, Q2 appeared to be more active from the point of banking pres
information as a result of which the number of press signals
increased by 6.9%, while the Total Index (TI), characterizing the
number of information depending of its address increased by 4.3%. At
that there can be observed a stable tendency of reduction of negative
press signals, the weight share of which versus the previous Q
reduced from 7.5% to 3.7%.
In the structure of the overall information for Q2 2004 versus the
last Q, the share of information for the sections `General on Banks’
and `Banking Activities in Figures’ increased in the total volume of
information about the banks for the 2nd Q, 2004 from 27.4% to 32.5%
and from 37.6% to 41.6% correspondingly, as compared to the same
period of 2003. Meanwhile, information entries for the other sections
reduced. Thus, the share of information for the section `Bank
Development Policy’reduced to 18.9% versus 23.8% in the 1st Q, 2004,
for `Clients and Service’ – to 2.2% versus 3.6%, for `Bank’s Economic
Forecasts and Opinions’ – to 4.8% versus 7.7%. According to the
analysis of the structure of the total information of banks, the
share of negative press releases reduced from 7.5% to 3.7% as
compared to last Q.
In the 2st Q, 2004 the highest index for information entries was for
the section `General on Banks’ for Ardshininvestbank. Armeconombank
became a leader in sharing information for `Bank Development Policy’
and Banking Activities in Figures. Conversebank and Armenian
Development Bank were most active in sharing information for `Clients
and Service’. At that, the most active in making prognosis of the
economic development were Conversebank, HSBC Bank Armenia and
Armsavingsbank.
To remind the leaders of ARKA Press Rating for Q1 2004 were the
following banks: 1. Armeconombank, 2. Conversebank, 3. Bank Anelik,
4. Ardshininvestbank, 5. Armsavingsbank, and 6. HSBC Bank Armenia.
The ARKA Press rating is calculated not based on fianncial -economic
indicators, but the facts of actual activity of the banks which are
reported thru mass media. As a result, the higher the level of actual
information on the bank’s activity, the more efficient is its policy.
When composing the Press rating, the information of advertising type
was not subject of study and analysis.
Please see more detailed information in Banking Information Bulletin
#03 (22) for Q2 2004.T.M. -0–
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ROBERT KOCHARIAN: RA SINCERELY INTERESTED IN STABILITY OF GEORGIA
YEREVAN, July 22. /ARKA/. `RA is sincerely interested in stability of
Georgia’, RA President Robert Kocharian said during his meeting with
the Salome Zurabishvili, Georgian Foreign Minister who is visiting
RA. As RA President’s Press Service told ARKA, Robert Kocharian
expressed his satisfaction that the relations of RA and Georgia are
on high level and are based on centuries old trust and friendship
among the peoples of two countries. Mentioning that Georgia currently
lives quite hard times, the President expressed confidence that the
Georgian authorities would be able to overcome the difficulties
rapidly. During the meeting the sides touched upon the key issues
concerning Armenian-Georgian relations and perspectives of the
region.
In words of officials, the current level of mutual economic relations
does not correspond to the real capacities of two countries.
Kocharian attached importance to more active work of
Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation. Kocharian and
Zurabishvili stressed that inclusion of the South Caucasus countries
into EU Neighborhood creates large possibilities for the cooperation.
T.M. -0–
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RA PRESIDENT HIGHLY APPRECIATES ACTIVITY OF US AMBASSADOR TO RA
YEREVAN, July 22. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian received
today Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the USA to RA
H.E. John Ordway who completed his diplomatic mission in the country.
As RA President’s Press Service told ARKA, the Head of the Armenian
State highly appreciated the activity of the activity of the US
Ambassador aimed at deepening of the Armenian-US relations.
The Ambassador in his turn expressed his gratitude to the RA
President for his support during his diplomatic work.
During the meeting the sides discussed the reforms that are being
implemented in RA and the related support of the US Government.
John Ordway was appointed US Ambassador to RA in 2001. He will
continue his diplomatic mission as US Ambassador to Kazakhstan. US
President George Bush offered appointing as new US Ambassador to RA
John Marshall Evans, the Head of US Department of State on Russian
Affairs. T.M. -0–
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ARMENIAN FICTION FILM SNIPER RECEIVES GRAND PRIX ON KIDS FOR KIDS
INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL IN ATHENS
YEREVAN, July 22. /ARKA/. Armenian fiction film Sniper received Grand
Prix on Kids for Kids International Film Festival in Athens, as Nune
Manukyan, Chairman of Rolan Bykov Armenian Foundation. In his words,
Grand Prix in Animation, fiction, documentary and sportive films
created by the kids in the age from 6 to 12 years was handled to
authors of Sniper – Hovnan Bagghdasaryan (8) and VArdan Arshakuni
(10), representing educational-cultural center Manana. Manukyan
mentioned that the members of the jury of the Festival were
thunderstruck by the flight of mind of the authors of Sniper, that
were able to create in the film an atmosphere of permanent
expectation. She also said that in nomination `art and documentation’
in 13-16 age category film Grandmother of an inmate of the same
center Nane Sahakyan was ranked among six best films. The Chairman of
Rolan Bykov Armenian Center mentioned that 44 states were
participating in the festival and only 22 films were selected.
In her turn Ruzanna Baghdasaryan, Director of Center Manana told that
that this was the third success of Sniper in international festivals.
In her words, in March and July 2004 the film won on festivals in
Tampere, Finland and Sheffield, UK. She also added that the film was
shot with the support of UNIFEM – UN Development Fund for Women. As a
whole, she mentioned that the inmates of the center were awarded many
times on various international festivals (Italy, Holland, Germany,
Spain, US) and their films were shown TV companies of more than 20
nations. She also mentioned that lack of technical means of the
Center do not allow bringing to life many ideas and scenarios of the
kids. In her words, for this reason the films shot by the inmates of
the Center do not exceed 1 – 1.5 minutes.
Kids for Kids International Festival was held in Athens on 18-21
June. The festival was organized by ECFA – European Children’s Film
Association and CIFEJ – International Center of Films for Children
and Young People. The jury consisted of representatives from Armenia,
Iran, Serbia, England, Sweden, Australia, Denmark and Canada. T.M.
-0–
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THE UKRAINE EMBASSY IN ARMENIA OPENS A BOOK OF SORROWS IN REGARD WITH
THE TRAGEDY ON `COAL COMPANY `KRASNOLIMANSK MINE’
YEREVAN, July 22. /ARKA/. In regard with the accident on `Coal
Company `Krasnolimansk Mine’ (Donetsk region), which happened on July
19,2004 and as a result of which some miners died, the President of
the Ukraine declared July 21-22 as mourning days in the Ukraine. As
ARKA was informed in the press service department of the Ukraine
Embassy in Armenia, a book of sorrows is opened in the Ukraine
Embassy in Armenia on July 22, where everybody can write his
condolences regarding the tragedy.
To remind, an explosion of methane happened 997 meters under the
ground on July 19 at about 7:55 p.m. by the local time. The explosion
was followed by fire. At that time 48 miners were underground. 12 of
them managed to get out of the mine by themselves, and the bodies of
31 dead miners were taken out of the mine, 20 of which were
identified. Five miners are missing. A.H.–0–
*******************************************
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency
July 23 2004
Armenian Culture Days to take place in Strasbourg in September 2005
RA President conducts working meeting with the leaders of ruling
coalition parties
First Pan-Armenian Culture Festival `One Nation – One Culture’ starts
on August 15
RA PM to leave for Georgia with two-day official visit
Regional Bridge-2004 international business-meeting to be held
tomorrow, on July 24 in Tsaghkadsor (Armenia)
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ARMENIAN CULTURE DAYS TO TAKE PLACE IN STRASBOURG IN SEPTEMBER 2005
YEREVAN, July 23. /ARKA/. Armenian Culture Days will take place in
Strasbourg in September 2005, RA MFA told ARKA. This was said in the
letter of the Chairman of City Council of Strasboug Rober Grossman
addressed to Regular Representative of Armenia to CE Christian
Ter-Stepanian.
Culture Days are conducted in cooperation with City Administration of
Strasbourg, RA Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs and Regular
Representative of Armenia to CE. L.D. –0 –
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RA PRESIDENT CONDUCTS WORKING MEETING WITH THE LEADERS OF RULING
COALITION PARTIES
YEREVAN, July 23. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian conducted
working meeting with the leaders of ruling coalition parties,
President’s press office told ARKA. The parties discussed process of
constitutional reforms.
Political coalition in Armenia was created after parliamentary
elections in 2003 by three pro-presidential parties – Republican
Party, Orinats Yerkir Party and ARF Dashnaktsutyun. L.D. –0 –
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FIRST PAN-ARMENIAN CULTURE FESTIVAL `ONE NATION – ONE CULTURE’ STARTS
ON AUGUST 15
YEREVAN, July 23. /ARKA/. First Pan-Armenian Culture Festival `One
Nation – One Culture’ starts on August 15 in Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh. According to Deputy Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs
Karine Khodikian, the goal of the festival is strengthening of
culture links between Armenia and Diaspora, representation of
Armenian culture, creation of mechanisms for productive cooperation.
According to her, the festival will not only allow reveal culture
values, but also create exceptional opportunity for discussion of
problems of art and culture.
The festival will start on August 15 with Gala-concert in National
Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet after Spendiarov and will end
with performance at the Square of Republic on August 22.
The program of the festival includes 6 directions – theater, music,
art, dancing and singing. More than 1500 Armenian art figures from
Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, France, Austria, GB, USA, Syria, Lebanon,
Iran, Russia, Georgia and Kazakhstan will take part in the festival.
According to Director Executive of All Armenian Fund Hayastan Naira
Melkumian the Fund gathered $100 thousand for realization of the
festival. According to her, `it is a small budget for conduction of
such a large activity’. L.D. –0 –
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RA PM TO LEAVE FOR GEORGIA WITH TWO-DAY OFFICIAL VISIT
YEREVAN, July 23. /ARKA/. RA PM Andranik Margarian to leave for
Georgia with two-day official visit. As RA Public Services and Press
Department at RA Government told ARKA, in the frameworks of his visit
MArgarian to meet with his Georgian colleague Zurab Zhvania and
Georgian President Mikhail Sahakashvili. Before he plans
participating as Co-Chairman on sitting of Armenian-Georgian
Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation, during which
the Heads of two Governments to sign final documents. During his
visit, RA PM to visit the Armenian Pantheon, Memorial of Heroes
Fallen for Unity of Georgia, Art Museum and State Museum of Georgia.
The Armenian Intergovernmental International Delegation to include
VArdan Khachatryan, RA Economy and Finance Minister, Karen
Chshmarityan, RA Trade and Economic Development, Armen Movsisyan, RA
Energy Minister, Vardan Ayvazyan, RA Ecology Minister, Tatul
Margaryan, RA Deputy Foreign Minister, Artak Sahradyan, RA Deputy
Education and Science Minister, Gagik Gyurjyan, RA Deputy Culture and
Youth Minister, Gagik Khachatryan, RA Deputy Chairman of State
Customs Committee, Stepan Sargsyan, Advisor to RA PM, as well as
Ararat Khrimyan, General Director of Armenian Railways, Hovsep
Kloyan, RA Deputy Agriculture Minister, MP Vladimir Badalyan and
Managers of relevant departments of RA Foreign Ministry and RA
Government. T.M. -0–
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REGIONAL BRIDGE-2004 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS-MEETING TO BE HELD
TOMORROW, ON JULY 24 IN TSAGHKADSOR (ARMENIA)
YEREVAN, July 23. /ARKA/. Regional Bridge-2004 international
business-meeting will be held tomorrow, on July 24 in Tsaghkadsor
(Armenia). As ARKA was informed in Master center for international
integration assistance, entrepreneurs from Russia, the Ukraine,
Georgia, Iran, India, Egypt and Turkey will arrive in Armenia to
establish partner relations. Round-table discussions, special
sessions, plenary and section sessions are planned to be held within
the framework of the meeting. `In the conditions of favorable
economic climate in the region, as well as considering the location
of Armenia, Regional Bridge-2004 international business-meeting
creates maximal favorable conditions to establish relations between
the partners from the North and the South’, as stated in the press
release.
The organizer of the Regional Bridge-2004 international
business-meeting, which will last till July 26, is Master center for
international integration assistance with the support of RA Ministry
of Trade and Economic Development and RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A.H.–0–

ARKA News Agency – Interview
July 23 2004
RA QUITE RICH IN NEW RENEWABLE SOURCES OF ENERGY
Robert KHARAZYAN’s, Member of RA Public Services Regulatory
Commission, Exclusive interview to ARKA News Agency.
ARKA – Which branches of alternative energy do you consider
perspective in RA? And which of them are successful already?
R. Kharazyan – There is a traditional belief that RA is rich with new
renewable energy sources. Particularly, in the field of renewable
energy, according to Institute of Armhydroenergoproject, RA has quite
high potential. Thus, it is possible to construct small hydropower
plants (SHPP) in 400 locations with capacity approximately 1-3 MWt
each.
We mean technically available potential energy with capacity circa
1.5 b KWt/h. But what portion is economically available in the
conditions of today’s tariff system is a somewhat delicate question.
In any case, according to approximate estimations, in the light of
today’s tariffs this is 4.5 cents for each KWt/h provided from SHPP
approximately 25-30% of technically available potential may be
economically profitable. If we remember that today all our hydro
plants generate together 1.4 – 1.6 KWt/h we can speak of adequacy of
this value.
ARKA – What works are being done in the direction of development of
wind power in the Republic?
R. Kharazyan – Às for the wind energy field, there were intense
research monitoring works conducted, that revealed quite perspective
sites. These are particularly, Pushkin, Karakhach, Selim passes,
Sodk, where we see essential progress in regard of preliminary design
works. Monitoring of some sites was conducted and Wind energy Atlas
of RA was created with the support of USAID and with the financial
assistance of the Dutch Government. According to the Atlas, the
economically available potential of the wind energy is estimated at
400 MWt. However, in my personal opinion, this estimation is somewhat
optimistic and in the light of today’s tariffs 7 cents for 1 KWt/h
160-170 MWt is the most realistic figure. I would like also touch
upon some features of the wind energy for the last years. The matter
is that almost 80% of world markets of manufacturing of wind energy
facilities (WEF) fall to European companies and therefore the prices
are defined in EUR. Currently the leading companies are Danish Vestas
and NEG-Mikon, Spanish GAMESA, German ENERCON, NORDEX. Particularly,
Vestas and NEG-Mikon together cover 35 – 40% of the world market. At
that, the US General Electric is actively entering the market that
according to 2003 occupied the 2nd place in regard of sales volume,
while in 2002 it was ranking only the fifth.
Meanwhile, due to fluctuations of EUR-USD exchange rates on the world
financial markets, the cost of WEF essentially increased in USD.
Although the price for WEF with capacity of 1 kWt/h remained in the
range of EUR 1000, nevertheless due to the above fluctuations you
have to pay for these facilities USD 1200 against the previous USD
800. As a result, the RA Public Services Regulatory Commission is
forced to review the decision taken in 2001 on the wind energy and in
2004 it raised the price from 5 cents to 7 cents for 1 kWt/h. excl.
VAT.
We have quite essential progress related to Sodk project, where the
company SolarEn International and the Armenian affiliate currently
are in intense negotiations with the financial organizations in order
to find investors for Sodk wind energy generating plant with capacity
20 MWt in terms of new tariffs. Today the main task of the Commission
is working out the conditions of connecting industrial WEF to the
transferring or distributing network and preparing typical sample of
sale and purchase agreement of energy generated by the WEF. The
process of reforming the electric power market of RA somewhat delayed
the working out of these documents. It should be mentioned that as a
rule, the electric networks without special happiness, agree around
connecting of small generating objects and this sector needs in state
regulations. The Danish Government, e.g. is forced undertake
re-nationalization of transferring networks in order to eliminate the
obstacles on the ways of small generators. I do hope that during the
nearest two-three months we would be able working out these documents
that will be approved with the distribution networks.
ARKA – Is there any dynamics of the development of wind energy in our
country?
R. Kharazyan – Actually there is no a special dynamics in RA. We do
not have any wind stations that would generate electric power
simultaneously working in parallel with the energy system. We do hope
that during the nearest 1-2 years RA also would occupy its own place
on the world map of wind energy. The map shows such countries as
Romania (WEF capacity 1 MWt), Cyprus (2MWt), Estonia (3 MWt). In any
case, our Commission is making everything possible depending from it
in order to bring RA on this map.
ARKA – Could you please inform us on solar energy technologies
applied today in RA?
R. Kharazyan – There are numerous technologies in helio-energy. The
most expensive of them is the technology of photo converters or so
called photo electric (photo voltaic) facilities. There are few such
local facilities in RA with capacity up to several KWt, particularly
the one installed on the roof of the American University of America,
St. Sargis Church, on the seismic observations systems.
It should be noted that currently this field is being actively
developed providing the average annual growth approximately equal to
35-40%. At the same time, we see that not only the leaders of the
filed as the USA, Japan, but also such countries as China, where the
huge infrastructure is created and own photoelectric modules are
being regularly produced, are active in the field. Although being
expensive, photoelectric technology is irreplaceable in some context,
especially in some mountainous regions, remote from the main power
supply network. It should not be forgotten that today around third of
the world’s population, i.e. 2b people are devoid of possibility to
use electric transferring networks. This can seem surprising, but
even the US has regions where photovoltaic power system economically
is more profitable than the traditional energy generation. Other
components of helio-energy, so called solar-thermal facilities
unfortunately have not found wide application worldwide. It is early
today to speak about this technology, although such research works
are being implemented in RA. Particularly, the famous Armenian
researcher Paris Geruni proposed quite unique technology related to
solar electric stations. In any case, in respect of resources, RA is
a quite rich country. Thus, if the average European indicator of
solar energy received for 1 sq.m. of flat surface make approximately
1000 kWt/h, this indicator in RA reaches 1700-1800 kWt/h/m2 . The
rational usage of such huge flow of the solar energy is more
perspective in regard of thermal supply. Today the field of solar
water heating is developing in RA. However in this respect we are
remarkably behind of the developed countries and as appears we should
concentrate on solar energy sector. I would like to mention that
there are several companies in RA that design and supply such
equipment.
ARKA – In your opinion, what perspectives does RA have related to
geothermal energy?
R. Kharazyan – RA, that being located on the volcanic structure is
considered to be quite reach in geothermal energy. However until now
the direct drillings revealed geothermal sources with temperature up
to 1000 C. Such temperature level is not enough for economically
justified generation of electric power (usually such is 1500 C). I.e
our potential can be realistically used in thermal supply field,
particularly for heating water and heating, but not for generating
power as the thermodynamic cycle requires higher temperatures showing
high performance factor.
ARKA – To what extent using of biomass for the purpose of generating
energy can be profitable in RA?
R. Kharazyan – Biomass is quite diverse phenomenon – this can be as
solid urban wastes, as well as wastes produced from animal raising,
agriculture and industrial output. I think it would be more
appropriate for RA if it uses solid urban wastes and agricultural
wastes. Today the Commission worked out only tariffs for generating
energy from solid urban wastes. The works are being performed for
defining tariffs for generating energy from the agricultural wastes.
Today there is no such produce in RA, but I consider utilization of
Nubarashen waste dump as perspective, from which we can be expect
generation of energy power with capacity circa 4-5 MWt. In this
context we base ourselves on research of Japanese company Shimidzu.
The company’s representatives made a detailed study on Nubarashen
dump and presented feasibility study on the technology of generating
energy from the rubbish wastes. Also this is of ecological value, as
it would eliminate discharge of methane – quite aggressive greenhouse
gas.
Currently, Yerevan municipality and RA Ecology Ministry are in charge
of these issues. In my opinion the tariff defined by the Commission
at 7 cents is quite attractive for investors for the first seven
years.
ARKA – Has the Commission approved the feasibility study?
R. Kharazyan – Approvals of such feasibility studies is outside of
scope of liabilities of the Commission. We just make research of
concrete projects on the basis of international experience and set up
stimulating tariffs.
ARKA – Are local or foreign investors are interested in the project?
R. Kharazyan – As for the investors companies from Norway, Holland,
Japan displayed interest in technologies of solid urban wastes.
Absence of tariffs was the obstacle, however we filled that gap and
there is a hope that the sector will be more active. I would like to
mention that the Commission is creating economically attractive base,
while the further negotiations should be led with the owner or the
state structures.
ARKA – Which are the obstacles on the way of development of renewable
energy in RA? What do the Commission’s relevant specialists plan for
boosting the sector economically?
R. Kharazyan – The main obstacle for development of renewable energy
in RA and also worldwide are quite the same and are economic. First
of all this is non-competitiveness of alternative energy compared to
the classical energy sector. Therefore the nations that wish
developing these technologies make state support of the renewable
energy thru subsidies or setting tariffs. The state in RA also
supports the renewable energy thru privileged tariff. To remind, the
average tariff for generators is circa AMD 11.5 (incl. VAT), while
for wind energy and biomass energy this is 7 cents, i.e. almost AMD
40, so the benefits are obvious. As for small hydroenergy, there are
no limitations (for generating profits) for those ones constructed on
natural water currents. At the same time, the Government according to
law on energy guarantees non-problematic purchase of power produced
by the small hydropower plants up to 2016 at tariff 4.5 cents for
each kWt/h.
I would like to stress that approximately until mid-90s the
development of renewable energy always depended on the conjecture of
the oil market, nevertheless during the last decade the situation did
not change. I.e. the renewable energy entered such a development
stage that practically does not depend on the situation on the oil
market and this is quite a positive thing.
ARKA – Have the specialists of the Commission take participation in
discussion and working out the draft law on energy saving and
renewable energy? Please comment the effect of this law on the
development of that sector in RA.
R. Kharazyan – Of course, the specialists of the Commission have
participated in preparing the draft law on energy saving and
renewable energy. But unfortunately, the majority of proposals was
not included into the draft, I mean privileges for renewable energy
particularly reduction of tax liabilities for companies supplying or
assembling required equipment. However, there is quite positive
aspect – creation of energy saving and renewable energy Foundation.
Currently, the RA Energy Ministry undertakes relevant steps in this
regard. The Foundation project is already worked out and is being
approved with the state structures. If the Foundation is created it
would play an important role in the development of that sector in RA.
ARKA – According to your forecasts, can the sector of renewable
energy develop to that extent that it would be able to replace the
traditional sources of energy in the context of European
organizations’ demand on closing the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant?
R. Kharazyan – The development of the alternative energy sector does
not mean eviction of the existing classical energy, therefore the
renewable energy is not absolutely alternative today. I suppose that,
in any case, the renewable energy will be only a support, but not an
alternative to the classic energy.
Today it is difficult to forecast that in 20-30 years the solar or
wind electrical plants can evict the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant or
powerful thermal plants. Anyway, we see the nations where the
alternative sources of energy already play an important role.
Particularly in Philippines, the share of the sector makes 25%.
Germany stimulates the renewable energy by its intense programs and
as a result the share of wind energy reached today 2.4% in the
overall volume of energy production. The EU has very ambitious
programs aiming that the renewable energy sources will produce by
2012 around 12% of the whole electric energy, while this indicator
would be 20% by 2020.
ARKA – What are the foreign international organizations that RA
cooperates with related to alternative energy?
R. Kharazyan – RA Public Services Regulatory Commission cooperates
with the Association of authorities regulating the activity of energy
systems of the nations of the Eastern and Central Europe and FSU
states in its scopes of liabilities. The structure was established in
Dec. 2002 in Bucharest and relevant state authorities of 22 countries
of Eastern, Central Europe, Baltic States, Central Asia and South
Caucasus currently are its members. The Association is in charge of
regulating of not only energy, but also other branches of public
services – gas, thermal supply, water economy as the RA Public
Services Regulatory Commission does. RA quite actively cooperates
with the Association. Particularly, our specialists are involved to
licensing and tariff commissions of that body. The Association often
organizes meeting among its country members. There are many
organizations in the world that advocate the development of these
technologies and publish periodicals. Particularly we subscriber to
Renewable Energy World journal that contains the information and the
opinion on the world events and development in the given sector is
formed.
ARKA – Is there any publications on RA in similar periodicals?
R. Kharazyan – The matter is that RA, unfortunately is not
represented in Renewable Energy World journal. However, the
specialists and personally me are in charge of this issue and are
undertaking steps toward presenting RA in this journal. T.M. –0–
From: Baghdasarian

Georgia’s South Ossetia contacts separatist regions in former Soviet Union
Interfax-AVN military news agency web site
22 Jul 04
Moscow/Tskhinvali, 22 July: The South Ossetian foreign ministry has
made permanent contacts with the foreign ministries of other
unrecognized republics, Abkhazia, the Transdnestrian Moldovan republic
[Dniester region] and Nagornyy Karabakh, due to the escalating tension
in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone.
“We need regular contacts to supply the public with objective
information about the developments in Tskhinvali and to gain military
support if necessary,” South Ossetian foreign minister Murad Jioyev
told Interfax by telephone on Thursday [22 July].
“Nearly all volunteers, who had come to South Ossetia, left but they
would return as need be,” he said. “I must stress though that
Tskhinvali wants a peaceful settlement of the crisis and is ready to
continue negotiations.”
“OSCE intermediaries in the conflict zone should be more active and
objective,” he said. “The OSCE pays almost no attention to our
statements on the Georgian breach of agreements.” South Ossetian
representatives may soon meet with head of the OSCE Mission in Georgia
Roy Reeve, the minister said. [Passage omitted]

ITAR-TASS, Russia
July 23
Nagorno-Karabakh aims to prevent resumption of hostilities

YEREVAN, July 23 (Itar-Tass) — The main task of Nagorno-Karabakh is
to prevent resumption of hostilities, continue economic development,
integrate with the common European family and develop the civic
society, Arkady Gukasyan, President of the unrecognized
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, told a delegation of American analysts in
Stepanakert on Friday.
The delegation members will familiarize themselves with the opinion
of Karabakh authorities and residents about the settlement progress
and ways.
`There are no unilateral compromises. All parties to the conflict
must make concessions,’ Gukasyan said. `At first it is necessary to
stop the propaganda warfare.’
Gukasyan confirmed their adherence to peace settlement of the
Karabakh conflict.
The delegation suggested ways of settling the conflict and called for
more active participation of the international community in the
settlement process.