Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
July 13 2004
EU Wants To Prevent Drug trafficking from Armenia
By Ruzanna Stepanian 13/07/2004 15:51
The EU and UN will provide Armenia with special equipment worth
140,000 euros ($173,661) for the Bavra, Bagratashen and Meghri border
checkpoints and Zvartnots International Airport to stop the possible
smuggling of drugs from Armenia to Western Europe.
Since 2001 the EU has allocated the three South Caucasus states 5
million Euros within the special program designed to fight illegal
drug trafficking. Armenia alone has received over 1.5 mln euros from
EU funds.
“Though Armenian officials do their best to prevent Armenia from
becoming a transit country for drug trafficking, this doesn’t mean
that those involved in drug trafficking will not use Armenia for this
purpose,” said the Paris Customs Service deputy chief Joel Mencue,
who met journalists today in Yerevan. Mencue is visiting Armenia to
help organize training courses for Armenian customs officers.
An official from the Armenian Police Drug Fighting Department, Artyom
Azoyan, told RFE/RL heroin and opium are being smuggled to Armenia
mostly from Turkey, Iran, Russia, and Central Asian countries such as
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
There has been only one case of heroin seizure in Armenia this year.
Armenian custom officials recently seized at least one kilogram of
Iranian heroin. Armenian cannabis and hashish, which are the most
popular drugs among Armenian drug addicts, are not in demand on the
foreign drug market because of their poor quality. “The quality of
Armenian cannabis is too poor for buyers abroad,” Azoyan told
RFE/RL.” Up to 100 kilograms of hashish and tens of tons of cannabis
are seized annually in Armenia. According to Armenian officials,
these drugs are mostly produced in the Armavir, Gegharkunik and
Ararat regions.
According to the police officials, a matchbox of cannabis is worth 5
thousand drams (about $10) in Armenia, while a gram of heroin can be
purchased for no less than $150. According to official data, there
are about 20,000 drug users in Armenia, though police officials
believe that real number of drug addicts is 10 times higher than the
official statistics. On the other hand, Armenian officials insist
that the figure of 200,000 is too high and unrealistic.

Zaman, Turkey
July 13 2004
French Armenians to Protest Erdogan
Armenian Associations in France are busily preparing a series of
protests to greet Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan when he
begins a three-day visit to Paris on July 19.
The Coordination Council of Armenian Associations in France, FRA
Tasnaksutiun and ADL Ramgayar associations invited Armenians to
protests to be held against Erdogan in Paris and Marseille on July
20. An announcement from the groups points out that Erdogan will come
to France seeking support for Turkey’s European Union (EU)
membership.
“We are not able to accept the EU membership of a Turkey that refuses
the claims of genocide. We cannot allow Erdogan to misinform the
public and run a public relations campaign,” says the announcement.
The associations claim that Ankara is running a large scale
propaganda campaign aimed at showing that Turkey has fulfilled the
Copenhagen Criteria. In response, the associations are calling upon
Armenians to join in the ‘No to Turkey’ campaign.
Erdogan is set to meet with French President Jacques Chirac, Prime
Minister Jean Pierre Raffarin as well as the leaders of political
parties and businessmen during his visit.
07.13.2004
Ali Ihsan Aydin
Paris
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AGBU PRESS OFFICE
55 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone (212) 319-6383
Fax (212) 319-6507
Email [email protected]
Webpage
PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
AGBU SPONSORS WORKSHOP ON CIVIL SOCIETY AT UN CONFERENCE
New York–Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) will sponsor an
important workshop, entitled, “Overcoming Obstacles as a Prerequisite
to Growing the Economy and Community” at the United Nations 57th
Annual DPI/NGO (Department of Public Information and Non Governmental
Organization) conference, which will be held from September 9-10,
2004. The theme of this year’s United Nations conference is
“Millennium Development Goals: Civil Society Takes Action.”
Initiated and organized by AGBU’s NGO representative, Adrienne
Alexanian, who also represents AGBU on the conference planning
committee, the workshop will focus on landmine eradication and other
problems faced by post-war societies and will compare partnering
ventures in Afghanistan, Armenia and Cambodia to eliminate landmines,
as well as civil society projects to promote economic and social
growth.
“I am happy to help organize the first AGBU-sponsored workshop at the
annual UN conference,” Alexanian said. “It is not only crucial that
Armenian organizations promote issues vital to the interests of
Armenia, but also network with other non-Armenian NGOs to garner
support for issues of mutual concern.”
Workshop speakers will include Jeff Masardjian, Executive Director of
Armenia Tree Project, Heidi Kuhn, Founder and President of Roots of
Peace, an organization established to continue Princess Diana’s work
in the field of demining, and Sally Mackle, Chairman of the
International Service Committee of Seattle Four Rotary.
This event is made possible through the generous support of the
Cafesjian Family Foundation and is co-sponsored by the Human Rights
Committee, Peace Action, Rotary International and the World Federation
for Mental Health.
AGBU is the largest Armenian non-profit organization and promotes
Armenian heritage around the world. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
membership organization. It was established in 1906 to preserve and
promote the Armenian identity and heritage through educational,
cultural and humanitarian programs. AGBU supports and operates
schools, centers and offices in 23 countries around the world and
serves some 400,000 Armenian annually.
For more information on AGBU, please visit

allAfrica.com
$200 for Winners
New Vision (Kampala)
July 13, 2004
Posted to the web July 13, 2004
Phillip Corry
Kampala
UGANDA’s Davis Cup tennis team will earn $200(sh0.35m) if they beat Rwanda
in their Euro/Africa Group IV qualifiers in Moldova.
“Please beat Rwanda and I will give the entire team $200 for that,” John
Nagenda, presidential advisor on media and public relations said while
seeing off the team at Mosa Courts. “I wish you well. Carry the national
flag with pride.”
The team was hosted by sponsors Mosa Court apartments. Celtel Uganda, Jesa
Dairy Farm, and CAA are the other sponsors.
Other companies that helped them in their cause include MTN Uganda, UTL
Uganda, Spear Motors, Ultimate Security, NCS and MOES.
The team left on Saturday for Moldova where they play in the Euro/Africa
Group IV qualifiers.
They will compete against Armenia, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Botswana, Malta,
Mauritius, Moldova and Rwanda.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Sydney Morning Herald
AOC uncovers tale of the disappearing weightlifter
By Roy Masters
July 14, 2004
Weighty matter: Sergo Chakhoyan sets a world record at the Goodwill Games.
Photo: Angela Wylie
The Australian Olympic Committee suspects Australia’s sole male weightlifter
nominated for the Athens Olympics, Sergo Chakhoyan, went into hiding for
three-and-a-half months before finally being tested for drugs on July 8 in
Armenia.
Acknowledging difficulties in obtaining details of Chakhoyan’s overseas
address, AOC president John Coates said: “Clearly, there were some issues
concerning the provision of his whereabouts information and we should wait
for the results of his tests.”
The AOC has deferred an announcement on Chakhoyan’s selection in the team
for Athens until his tests results are known.
The Australian Sports Drug Agency has told the AOC it has asked the Austrian
agency which tested Chakhoyan, 34, to expedite the analysis at a Vienna
laboratory, with the test results expected late this week.
Chakhoyan, who represented Armenia at the 1996 Atlanta Games, is rated No.1
in the 85-kilogram class and won gold in the snatch at last year’s world
championships in Vancouver, and bronze in the clean-and-jerk.
An Australian resident since 1997, he briefly stopped in Melbourne to
celebrate before heading to Armenia before Christmas.
The AOC investigated his situation following a directive from the World
Anti-Doping Agency that all potential athletes for Athens declare their
whereabouts and be tested from March 31.
When the Australian Weighlifting Federation told the AOC on June 23 that
Chakhoyan would be missing the national championships in Melbourne from June
26 for “personal and family reasons”, the search intensified.
The AOC wrote to AWF president Sam Coffa on June 24 requesting information
on Chakhoyan’s location and it took another two weeks to find him.
Coffa denies the AWF was unhelpful, saying: “There was no vital information
withheld, willingly or unwillingly. His whereabouts have been known to
everybody for months and they most certainly must have been on the ASDA
database, otherwise they couldn’t have found him.”
Chakhoyan tested positive at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane in September
2001 and completed his mandatory two-year suspension last year.
In Vancouver, he claimed his second world title, having won in the same
weight category while representing Armenia in 1994. He came fifth at the
Sydney Olympics representing Australia.
Coates reflected doubts over Chakhoyan in a letter to ASDA chief executive
John Mendoza on July 9, referring to “recent ASDA concerns regarding the
whereabouts information supplied in respect of weightlifter Sergo Chakhoyan,
who was eventually tested in Armenia overnight”.
The AOC said it had been notified that ASDA had “no doping matters in
progress concerning any potential members of the 2004 Australian Olympic
team”.
However, Customs has been asked to check its records on all Australian
athletes from 2000, 2002 and 2004 teams.

Interfax
July 13 2004
Russia, Armenia to discuss military-technical cooperation in fall
Moscow. (Interfax) – Russia and Armenia plan to hold the first
session of a joint military-technical cooperation commission in
September and October 2004, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov
said, following discussions with his Armenian counterpart, Andranik
Markarian, on Tuesday.
“There are not bad prospects for the development of military-
technical cooperation,” Fradkov said. “There is desire and potential
for expanding this cooperation,” he said.
The matter primarily implies involvement of Russian enterprises in
the modernization of military equipment and weapons that the Armenian
army possesses, Fradkov said. In addition, Russia is prepared to
supply the Armenian armed forces with essential spare parts and
equipment, he said.
Armenian cadets are also studying at Russian military colleges, he
said.

Interfax
July 13 2004
Russia, Armenia negotiating cooperation in gas field
Moscow. (Interfax) – Russia and Armenia are nearing completion on a
draft agreement on cooperation in the gas field, Russian Prime
Minister Mikhail Fradkov told the press on Tuesday following a
meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margarian.
The two sides discussed cooperation in the construction of new
pipelines, he said.
“The outlook in this field is not bad,” Fradkov said. In particular,
Russian gas can be supplied to third countries through pipelines
crossing Armenia, he said.

UEFA.com
July 13 2004
Champions League starts here
It seems like only yesterday that FC Porto were celebrating being
crowned champions of Europe after a memorable 3-0 victory against AS
Monaco FC in Gelsenkirchen. However, time waits for no football team
and so it is that the opening three of a total of 205 matches which
will eventually determine the winners of the 2004/05 UEFA Champions
League take place tonight.
Dream alive
Barring a miracle, none of the six teams in first qualifying round
first-leg action today will be contesting the final on 25 May 2005 in
Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic stadium. However, the road to every final
has to start somewhere and the champions of Malta, Lithuania, F.Y.R.
Macedonia, Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Azerbaijan will all enter
the competition dreaming of the potential pairings with European big
guns that advancement to the second, or even third, qualifying rounds
might bring.
Two debutants
Two clubs will be making their debuts in European football’s premier
club competition tonight – Bosnia-Herzegovina’s surprise champions NK
Široki Brijeg and FK Pobeda of F.Y.R. Macedonia. Široki play host to
PFC Neftchi at the Pecara stadium with coach Ivo Ištuk worried that
the Azerbaijani side’s superior experience in Europe may prove
crucial. “Neftchi are, in our view, slight favourites because they
have an experienced team,” he said.
Uphill struggle
However, Neftchi’s squad has been weakened since they lifted the
Azeri title, with international defender Samir Abbasov and midfield
player Agil Mamedov leaving the club. And with captain Gurban
Gurbanov suspended for the first leg, they could face an uphill
struggle.
CSKA reward
The reward for the winners of this tie will be a second qualifying
round match against PFC CSKA Moskva, who showed they were vulnerable
to an upset by losing to FK Vardar 3-2 on aggregate at the same stage
of last season’s competition.
Vardar example
Tonight’s other Champions League debutants, Pobeda, will be looking
to emulate the example set by Vardar, the club they deposed as
Macedonian champions last season. However their opponents, Armenian
title-holders FC Pyunik, will be no pushovers.
Pyunik push
Pyunik are already well on the way to a fourth successive domestic
title after 13 games of the 2004 campaign. Furthermore, in their two
previous appearances in this competition, the Armenians have
successfully negotiated the first qualifying round by beating first
KR Reykjavík and then Tampere United. Although they have yet to
progress beyond the second qualifying round they will fancy their
chances of booking a tie in the next round against FC Shakhtar
Donetsk.
Third tie
In the third of tonight’s ties, Sliema Wanderers FC of Malta take on
FBK Kaunas of Lithuania, with a contest against Swedish title-holders
Djurgårdens IF awaiting the victors. Both Sliema and Kaunas reached
the second qualifying round last season.
Good heart
Sliema will be without key midfield player Joe Brincat, who is
suspended, but Maltese Footballer of the Year Stefan Giglio and
captain Noel Turner have overcome recent injuries and coach Edward
Aquilina is cautiously optimistic of a positive result on the home
turf of the National Stadium in Ta’ Qali.
‘Give our all’
“The fact that we know so little about the Lithuanian champions
worries me,” he told uefa.com. “But I still believe that if we give
our all, as we have always done, we can repeat last year’s exploits
and go through to face Djurgården.”

The Age
July 14 2004
Drug cloud over male lifter
By Roy Masters
The Australian Olympic Committee believes Australia’s sole male
weightlifter nominated for the Athens Olympics, Sergo Chakhoyen, went
into hiding for three-and-a-half months before finally being
drug-tested in Armenia last Thursday.
Acknowledging difficulties in obtaining details of Chakhoyen’s
overseas address, AOC president John Coates said: “Clearly, there
were some issues concerning the provision of his whereabouts
information and we should wait for the results of these tests.”
The AOC has deferred an announcement on Chakhoyen’s selection in the
team for the Games until the tests results are known.
The Australian Sports Drug Agency has told the AOC it had asked the
Austrian agency that tested Chakhoyen to expedite the analysis at a
Vienna laboratory, with the test results expected late this week.
Chakhoyen, who represented Armenia at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, is
rated No. 1 in the 85-kilogram class and won a gold medal at last
year’s world weightlifting championships in Vancouver, Canada.
He has been an Australian resident since 1997 but returned to
Armenia before Christmas, after briefly stopping in Melbourne to
celebrate his world championship gold medal in the snatch and bronze
medals in the clean and jerk and total.
The AOC sought information on his location following a directive from
the World Anti-Doping Agency that all potential athletes for the
Athens Olympics declare their whereabouts and be tested from March
31.
When the Australian Weightlifting Federation advised the AOC on June
23 that Chakhoyen would be unavailable for competition at the
national championships in Melbourne from June 26 for “personal family
reasons”, the search for Chakhoyen intensified.
The AOC sent a letter to the president of the Australian
Weightlifting Federation, Sam Coffa, on June 24 requesting
information on Chakhoyen’s whereabouts and it took another two weeks
to locate the 34-year-old.
Chakhoyen tested positive at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane in
September 2001 and completed his mandatory two-year suspension last
year.
His Vancouver success was the second time Chakhoyen has been world
champion.
He won his weight category while representing Armenia at the 1994
world championships in Turkey.
Chakhoyen finished fifth at the Sydney Olympics representing
Australia.
Coates reflected concerns over Chakhoyen in a letter to the chief
executive of ASDA, John Mendoza, last Friday.
Coates referred to “recent ASDA concerns regarding the whereabouts
information supplied in respect of weightlifter Sergo Chakhoyen who
was eventually tested in Armenia overnight”.
Chakhoyen has been tested only once in 12 months, before last
Thursday’s test in Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
July 13 2004
H.E. JACQUES CHIRAK PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF FRANCE
[July 13, 2004, 18:28:55]
Dear Mr. President,
My dear friend, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to You and the
people of France on the occasion of the national holiday of France –
Day of Capture of Bastilia.
We attach great importance to development of the friendly and
cooperation relations between Azerbaijan and France. I am convinced
that we shall continue our mutual efforts to expand bilateral
relations in all fields.
I am hopeful towards the role of France as OSCE Minsk Group co-chair
in settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict –
the most painful problem of our people. I hope, You, Mr. President,
will further make every possible effort in the peacemaking process to
reach real conclusion.
On this landmark day, I once again extend You my best, wish robust
health, success in Your work, the friendly people of France –
tranquility and welfare. With deep friendly feelings,
Ilham Aliyev,
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Baku, 5 July 2004