Armen Press
July 7 2004
CIS COUNTRIES FACE SOME OF THE FASTEST RATES OF HIV INFECTION IN THE
WORLD, UNDP REPORT SAYS
YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS: Today in the UN House in Yerevan the
United Nations Development Program (UNDP) launched the “Reversing the
Epidemic: Facts and Policy Options” 2004 HIV/AIDS Report for Eastern
Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Vladimir
Davidyants, Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Armenia, Ms. Lise Grande,
UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Samvel
Grigoryan, Head of the Republican AIDS Prevention Centre and
representatives of international and local organizations participated
in the event.
The Report presents the first comprehensive outline of the
HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 28 countries of East and South-Eastern
Europe, the Baltics and the CIS. The UN estimates that 1.8 million
people in the region have HIV and that 280,000 people contracted the
virus last year. Despite a comparatively low prevalence of HIV/AIDS
in the region, growth rates in Estonia, Russia and Ukraine are among
the world’s highest. The Report stresses that the HIV/AIDS crisis
poses a threat to the region’s economic growth, resulting in an
estimated loss of at least one percent GDP growth per year.
The Report shows that a one percent infection rate among the adult
population is the threshold above which efforts to turn back the
epidemic become extremely difficult. The Report also argues that
delays in taking proper action can be catastrophic: only twelve years
ago, South Africa was facing a less than one percent infection rate
among adult population; now that rate is twenty times higher.
According to Ms. Grande: “UNDP’s Report reveals that there is
already an HIV crisis in the CIS. Although the situation in Armenia
is not as disastrous as in some other major CIS countries, steps need
to be taken now to avoid the kind of catastrophe that is affecting
other countries. By working together, the Government, civil society,
the mass media and donors can make a difference. Through Reports like
the one we are launching today, we can help raise awareness among the
general public and promote responsible behavior among all people
living in Armenia.”
Background: From 1988 to July 1, 2004, 279 HIV carriers have been
registered in the Republic of Armenia, of whom 265 are citizens: 206
cases (77.7%) are men, 59 cases (22.3%) are women and 3 cases (1.1%)
are children. The majority of HIV carriers (79.2%) belong to the
20-39 age group. The most common modes of transmission in Armenia are
injection drug usage and heterosexual practices.

Azeri leader urges world public to increase pressure on Armenia
Lider TV, Baku
7 Jul 04
The Azerbaijani leader has urged the international public to increase
pressure on Armenia over the Karabakh conflict and to step up efforts
aimed at finding a speedy solution to the problem. In an interview
with the French magazine Le Lettre Diplomatique, he said that
organized international crime groups are active in Karabakh and
described the area as a great source of threat to security in the
South Caucasus. Aliyev added that peace and security in the region
could only be restored after solving the Karabakh conflict and
removing foreign bases from the South Caucasus. The following is the
text of report by Azerbaijani TV station Lider on 7 July. Subheadings
have been inserted editorially:
[Presenter] The international public should increase pressure on
Armenia, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said in an interview
with the French magazine La Lettre Diplomatique. The head of state
urged international organizations to actively express their positions
on the Karabakh solution.
Leader calls for international attention to Karabakh conflict
[Correspondent, over video of Aliyev, giving interview in his office]
The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagornyy Karabakh has turned
into an obstacle to stability not only in our country, but also in the
South Caucasus region, which generally plays an important role in
Europe’s security structure. This is the greatest source of threat to
the region. For this reason, the international public should devote
more attention to a settlement of the conflict, President Ilham Aliyev
said in an interview with the French magazine La Lettre Diplomatique.
According to him, organized international crime groups are active in
the territories which are beyond the international public’s control
and have turned the area into an area of lawlessness. Armenia is
continuing its aggressive policy today as well.
The head of state did not conceal his dissatisfaction with the OSCE
Minsk Group’s activities. Despite the fact that the OSCE Minsk Group,
under the chairmanship of the USA, France and Russia, is dealing with
a settlement to the conflict, no changes were recorded in this sphere
and the conflict remains unresolved. From this viewpoint, we hope that
other international organizations will pay more attention to the
issue, end of quote.
The Azerbaijani president said that the fact of occupation of
Azerbaijani lands has been recorded in numerous resolutions, decisions
and other official documents adopted by the Council of Europe, the
European Union and other international organizations. However, it is
important that all foreign organizations, and the international public
step up their efforts to reach a speedy solution to the conflict.
Peace in South Caucasus impossible without Karabakh solution
President Ilham Aliyev said that the problem should be resolved within
the framework of international legal norms. Armenia’s claims that the
conflict should be resolved in line with the right of nations to
self-determination cannot be accepted, because the Armenian people’s
right to self-determination has already been ensured and the state of
Armenia has been set up. It is easy to imagine what may happen if the
Armenians living in different countries in the world would want their
right to self-determination to be ensured by those countries, end of
quote.
President Aliyev said that the Armenian leadership often calls for
economic ties with Azerbaijan. However, this is absurd. No state in
the world can cooperate with another state which has occupied part of
its territory. Armenia is on the sidelines of international economic
projects carried out in the region as a result of its aggressive
policy only. No country’s foreign bases exist in Azerbaijan, President
Aliyev stressed, adding that if the other countries of the South
Caucasus could do the same, we would soon be able to establish peace
and security in our region. We want to live in peace and develop our
economy and country. We wish to live in an atmosphere of peace,
stability and prosperity in the South Caucasus region.
It is impossible to achieve this until the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict over Nagornyy Karabakh is resolved. Therefore, the
international community should increase its efforts to stop Armenia’s
aggression against Azerbaijan, end quote.

Armenian border is open to Turkey – foreign minister
Arminfo, Yerevan
6 Jul 04
MOSCOW
The Turkish-Armenian border is open from the Armenian side, Armenian
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said during his official visit to
Moscow, answering a question from an Arminfo news agency
correspondent.
Asked what conditions Armenia intended to set over opening the border,
Oskanyan said that any conditions were out of the question. “The
border is open from our side and we would like Turkey to open the
border as well and for the beginning of our relations not to require
preconditions from either side,” Oskanyan said.

Current Digest of the Post-Soviet Press
July 7, 2004
‘THIS MARKET RECENTLY CHANGED HANDS.’ — 11 People Die in Blast at
Samara Market. By Vladimir Perekrest. Izvestia, June 5, 2004, p. 1.
Condensed text:
. . . The Kirov Merchandise Market is Samara’s largest. On Friday
[June 4], an explosion rang out at exactly 1 p.m. local time (12 noon
Moscow time) near the entrance to the market from the direction of
the Pyatiletka railroad platform. That area is always bustling, since
many province residents come to the market by electric train. Near
the entrance are several freight containers from which vendors sell
goods, as well as stalls selling shish kebab, shawarma and other
edibles.
“On weekends the place is jam-packed,” Daniyar Saifiyev, the main
spokesman at the Samara Province chief administrator’s press office,
told Izvestia. “If the blast had occurred on Saturday or Sunday, the
number of victims could have been far greater.”
But there were quite a few people at the market on Friday afternoon
as well. So in the wake of the explosion the area near the market
entrance was one big bloody jumble.
The force of the blast was so great that several sections of the
concrete wall surrounding the market were smashed to pieces and
strewn about by the shock wave. A large fragment of a concrete slab
landed on the railroad bed and damaged two of the five sets of tracks
that run through the Pyatiletka platform. The explosion overturned
about 10 freight containers and food stalls. A Vietnamese father,
mother and daughter who operated one of the stalls were killed on the
spot. A booth belonging to a family of Armenians was also destroyed,
and the owner’s wife and brother were killed. Some bodies were torn
to pieces by the blast, and the shock wave hurled one female
market-goer over the concrete wall.
Blood-soaked people were running back and forth between the market
and the railroad platform. Someone called the ambulance service and
the police. . . . All told, 27 ambulances came to help those injured
by the blast. . . .
One person died on the way to the hospital, and three others
succumbed in the intensive care unit.
The Ministry for Emergency Situations’ Samara division initially
reported that the tragedy had been caused by the explosion of some
gas cylinders in a vending stall near the market entrance. Such
things have happened in Samara before. . . .
But what blew up in Samara this time was not gas, according to
Samara Province Prosecutor Aleksandr Yefremov, who went to the scene
of the tragedy. He reported that a one-kilogram charge of plastic
explosive had been planted between the concrete wall and a vending
booth, at a height of 1.2 meters.
The main shock wave was directed toward the railroad platform,
where there were about 20 people at the time of the explosion.
According to the prosecutor, they were saved purely by chance. A
freight train had pulled up a few minutes before the blast, and one
of its tank cars absorbed the blow. . . . Explosives experts were
able to determine that the bomb had been detonated by a safety fuse,
the prosecutor said. There were also indications that the device had
been packed with ball bearings and pieces of scrap metal.
A criminal investigation has been opened in connection with the
blast, under Art. 205 and Art. 105, part 2, of the Russian Criminal
Code (“Terrorism” and “Intentional Homicide of Two or More Persons,”
respectively).
“It’s hard to say at this point whether there is any Chechen
connection,” a source in the Samara Province law-enforcement
community told Izvestia. “The market recently changed hands. It’s
possible that the bombing had something to do with that. The market
is a choice morsel, and it has been the focus of criminal turf wars
before.”
As this issue was going to press, the death toll had reached 11.
Some of the dead have not yet been identified. Thirty-three of the
injured are hospitalized, six of them in intensive care. The Samara
Province Disaster Medicine Center reports that doctors are seriously
concerned about the condition of several of their injured patients. .
. .

ARKA News Agency
July 5 2004
Constitutional reforms in RA to be performed in climate of
understanding among political streams
Catholicos of All Armenians received Mayor of Pasadena
Armenia celebrates Constitution Day on July 5
*********************************************************************
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS IN RA TO BE PERFORMED IN CLIMATE OF
UNDERSTANDING AMONG POLITICAL STREAMS
YEREVAN, July 5. /ARKA/. The constitutional reforms in RA to be
performed in a climate of understanding among political streams as
well as they must be supported by the society. As RA Government
Public and Press Relations Department told ARKA, this was said in the
message of congratulation of RA PM Andranik Margarian on occasion of
Constitutional Day. The message particularly says that `adopting in
1995 the Main Law of Armenia, our state and people expressed their
commitment to determination to go to integration with the civilized
world, rooting of democratic values, forming of civil society’. It
mentions that during the passed years the RA Constitution certainly
promoted the establishment of the independent state as well as
keeping of internal and external stability in complicated situations.
`New realities require new demands to the society and the state that
naturally should be fixed in the Main Law and only in case of
complexity approach, the RA Constitution would fulfill its principal
role for securing of well-doing and solidarity, preservation of main
human liberties and rights in accordance to the international
standards’, the PM’s message says. T.M. -0–
*********************************************************************
CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS RECEIVED MAYOR OF PASADENA
YEREVAN, July 5. /ARKA/. Catholicos of All Armenians His Holiness
Garegin II received Mayor of Pasadena Bill Bogard and the Head of
Police of the city Bernard Melikyan. As St. Echmiadzin Motehr See
told ARKA, during the meeting the Head of the Armenian Apostolic
Church expressed his satisfaction by the visit of the delegation of
the US city to Armenia that was called to strengthen of friendly
relations between sister cities Vanadzor and Pasadena. Garegin II
also mentioned the activity of the Armenian community of Pasadena and
St. Sargis.
In his turn Bogard presented the existing opportunities and practical
steps and programs on strengthening of relations with Vanadzor. T.M.
-0–
*********************************************************************
ARMENIA CELEBRATES CONSTITUTION DAY ON JULY 5
YEREVAN, July 5. /ARKA/. The Republic of Armenia celebrates the 9th
anniversary of adoption of Constitution. The acting Constitution was
adopted on July 5, 1995 in the period of government of Armenian
National Movement. The Ra Constitution consists of 117 articles,
which state that the State power in Armenia is executed in accordance
with the Main Law based on the principle of division of legislative,
executive and judicial powers.
On the occasion of Constitution Day, the RA President Robert
Kocharian addressed the people with a message of congratulation,
which says, in particular, that `the adoption of Constitution has a
historical meaning for every nation. It has become a powerful
stimulus for fundamental reform of RA legislative system, as well as
the establishment of priority of legislation and securing people’s
power’. The message also states that the current Constitution has
proved its vitality many times and it’s steady execution guarantees
legality and stability in the country. The President thinks that the
perfection of Constitution and its need for correspondence to
contemporary demands of development is imminent.
The introduction of amendments to Constitution is one of the
commitments of Armenia to the of EC. The deadline for referendum on
making amendments to Constitution in Armenia is June 2005. In the
course of 2004, the package of constitutional reforms will be sent
for examination to Venice commission. It should be mentioned that the
Constitution amendments put for national referendum on May 25, 2003
did not pass. L.V. -0 –

ARKA News Agency
July 6 2004
Stepanakert (Nagorno Karabakh) to be fully provided with gas by the
end of July
ISC-Star expresses its regret as ArmenTel’s license extended by 3
months in RA
Robert Kocharian and Mikhail Sahakashvili discuss perspectives of
more active mutual cooperation
*********************************************************************
STEPANAKERT (NAGORNO KARABAKH) TO BE FULLY PROVIDED WITH GAS BY THE
END OF JULY
STEPANAKERT, July 6. /ARKA/. Stepanakert will be fully provided with
gas by the end of July, Director of SCJSC Artsakhgas Maxim Mirzoyan
stated today. He also said that works in the regions are also
continued, namely Askeran provided with gas by 100%, Martouni is
gasified by a half. He noted that in 2004 works totaling 4.5 million
AMD are envisaged in Shushi City. Preliminary works on gasification
completed in Hadrut region.
Note as Mirzoyan stated earlier, SCJSC Artsakhgas plans to increase
the number of its subscribers by 4 thousand in 2004, at this in 2003
the company increased this number by 800. Totally at the moment about
700 subscribers of Stepanakert do not have gas yet. He said that only
in Stepanakert total works totaled 10 million AMD. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
ISC-STAR EXPRESSES ITS REGRET AS ARMENTEL’S LICENSE EXTENDED BY 3
MONTHS IN RA
YEREVAN, July 6. /ARKA/. ISC-Star expressed its regret as ArmenTel’s
license was extended by 3 months in RA . As the Information Service
of this Armenian- Russian-US JV told ARKA, the company confirms its
readiness to participate as operator on the telecommunication market
of RA. `We are long since ready to unfolding of full-scale high
quality and available mobile communication network in RA’, Eduard
Hakobyan, CEo fo the company said.
At the same time, the company’s delegation plans visiting Tbilisi for
submitting of application of interest for participation in tender for
receiving of mobile communication operator license in Georgia and
receiving of radio frequencies in the frames of 1800 MHz. The company
confirms its readiness to invest the resources as it would be
necessary for the construction of the mobile communication network on
the Georgian territory.
ISC Armenian-Russian-American joint venture was registered in Armenia
on Sept 24, 2001. The founders of the ISC-Star, JV are both legal and
physical entities of several foreign countries, including Russia and
residents of the Republic of Armenia. ISC-Star currently unites over
100 IP-communication and paging units all over the world.
*********************************************************************
ROBERT KOCHARIAN AND MIKHAIL SAHAKASHVILI DISCUSS PERSPECTIVES OF
MORE ACTIVE MUTUAL COOPERATION
YEREVAN, July 6. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian met the
Georgian President Mikhail Sahakashvili during his working visit to
Moscow on 2-4 July as well as the Igor Ivanov, Secretary of Russian
Security Council. As RA President Press Service told ARKA, during his
visit with Sahakashvili, the heads of two states discussed the issues
of development of mutual relationships, particularly more active
economic partnership as well as they touched upon the regional
issues. Ra President discussed with Ivanov the Armenian-Russian
bilateral relationships, regional problems and the issues related to
the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
During his visit, Kocharian received the heads of the CIS countries
in unofficial situation during which the heads were discussing the
issues of deepening of integration in the CIS, economic issues as
well actual problems of the international policy.
Ra President among the other CIS heads was present on Russian
President horse races on Moscow hippodrome. T.M. -0–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency
July 7 2004
EU Commissar Janosh Potoshnik to arrive in Armenia today
RA President Robert Kocharian studies the condition of Armenian
Diaspora in Komi

*********************************************************************
EU COMMISSAR JANOSH POTOSHNIK TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA TODAY
YEREVAN, July 7. /ARKA/. Janosh Potoshnik, the EU Commissar will
arrive today in Armenia with a two-day official visit in frames of
visiting the South Caucasus countries, according to the Yerevan
office of European Commission Delegation in Armenia and Georgia. In
the frames of the official visit, Potoshnik will have a number of
meetings with official persons, in particular with RA President and
Prime-Minister, representatives of opposition, society and business
circles, journalists and students. The presentation of EU financed
program `European Neighborhood Initiative’ will be presented, where
the EU Commissar will explain the importance of this initiative. `The
inclusion of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in this program is the
evidence of EU readiness to assist the countries of South Caucasus on
their way to the establishment of a stable society based on
democratic values’, he said. Potoshnik visited Georgia on July 5-6
and Azerbaijan on July 6-7.
It should be mentioned that the foreign ministers of 25 EU member
states made a decision to include Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan in
the European Neighborhood Initiative at the session in Luxemburg on
June 14. L.V –0–
*********************************************************************
RA PRESIDENT ROBERT KOCHARIAN STUDIES THE CONDITION OF ARMENIAN
DIASPORA IN KOMI
YEREVAN, July 7. /ARKA/. The RA President Robert Kocharian
familiarized himself with the condition of Armenians living in Komi
during his non-official visit to this Northern republic. As
Komiinform agency informs, referring to the Press Service Department
of Komi Government, during his meeting with Diaspora representative
in Syktivkar, Kocharian expressed interest concerning the condition
of Armenians in Komi, who are going to form a structural organization
soon.
According to Sargis Manasaryants, the Head of Trade and Industrial
Chamber of the republic, today the representatives of Armenian
Diaspora are involved in almost any sphere in Komi – educational,
medical, business, tourism. Vladimir Torlopov, the Head of the region
also took part in the meeting. L.V. –0 –
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMS TRADE DISCOUNTS BEGIN FOR CIS SECURITY TREATY STATES
Interfax-AVN military news agency web site, Moscow
7 Jul 04
Tagil, Sverdlovsk Region, 7 July: Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO) member-states which have ratified corresponding
intergovernmental agreements and protocols are entitled to deliver and
procure arms and materiel within the CSTO framework on preferential
terms.
“A decree regulating prices and charges on arms and materiel,
delivered within the CSTO framework on preferential terms, was issued
about a month ago, and we have already started certain practical work
in compliance with this decree,” CSTO Secretary-General Nikolay
Bordyuzha told Interfax-Military News Agency at the Nizhniy Tagil arms
show today.
Quoting Russian media outlets, he said that two Il-76 Candid military
transports had recently been delivered to Armenia. The aircraft have
been sold on preferential terms.
(Passage omitted)
According to Bordyuzha, not all CSTO member-states have ratified the
necessary documents, which considerably hinders arms deliveries on
preferential terms. “Not all the states have ratified the agreement
proper, and the protocol on controlling arms to be delivered on
preferential terms. We have to be sure that such arms will not be
transferred to third parties in the future,” he said.
(Passage omitted)

RUSSIAN FIRMS TO PARTICIPATE IN KAZAKH TENDER FOR UPGRADE OF AIR TRAFFIC
CONTROL
Interfax-AVN military news agency web site, Moscow
7 Jul 04
Nizhniy Tagil, Sverdlovsk Region, 7 July: Russian air traffic control
system designers and manufacturers will participate in a tender on
upgrading the Kazakh air traffic control system, Nikolay Bordyuzha,
secretary- general of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO), told Interfax-Military News Agency at the Nizhniy Tagil arms
show on Wednesday (7 July).
“We have arranged for Russian manufacturers to display their air
traffic control systems and participate in the Kazakh tender,”
Bordyuzha said.
According to him, the Russian side has already made corresponding
proposals on upgrading the Kazakh air traffic control system, and is
continuing work with this end in view.
Bordyuzha said that many CSTO member-states enjoyed an economic boost,
singling Kazakhstan out as an example. “At the present time this
country is ready to participate in developing new weapon systems,” he
said.
According to Bordyuzha, Tajikistan, Armenia, and other CSTO
member-states are also experiencing economic growth. “CSTO
member-states will have enough real money in the near future, and
these assets will be used to procure Russian arms and materiel,” he
emphasized.
He also noted that cooperation had recently been revived within the
CSTO framework. “Many industrial enterprises embrace the approach of
establishing interstate holding companies. The Oboronitelnye Sistemy
Holding Company is being established at the moment. It will comprise
enterprises and companies from the following five CSTO member-states:
Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan,” he said.
Kazakh Defence Minister Mukhtar Altynbayev earlier told Interfax- AVN
that Kazakhstan would be studying proposals on modernizing the air
defence systems and air traffic controlling systems sometime before
2008 or 2010.
The Kazakh government has approved a plan to create an integrated
system for air traffic control for the period from 2004 to
2010. According to this plan, a tender will be held in the second
quarter of 2010 to determine who will carry out the project.
Experts say the value of the contract may amount to 1bn dollars.

Iran appoints new ambassador to Armenia
IRNA web site, Tehran
7 Jul 04
TEHRAN
President Seyyed Mohammad Khatami appointed Ali Reza Haqiqian as the
new Iranian ambassador to the Republic of Armenia, the Information and
Press Department of the Foreign Ministry announced here on Tuesday 6
July .
The appointment was made upon a proposal by Foreign Minister Kamal
Kharrazi. Haqiqian had previously served as a Foreign Ministry
director-general as well as Iranian charge d’affaires to Baghdad.