KOCHARIAN FLIES TO KAZAKHSTAN FOR CSTO COUNCIL SUMMIT
ArmenPress
June 16 2004
YEREVAN, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS: Armenian president Robert Kocharian will
head a delegation that is flying tomorrow to Kazakhstan’s capital
of Astana for participation in a regular session of the Collective
Security Treaty Organization’s (CSTO) Council. Kocharian’s press
service said defense minister Serzh Sarkisian, other senior officials
and journalists will accompany the president.
The Council session will be preceded by three meetings of foreign
and defense ministers of the countries, members of the CSTO Council
and secretaries of national security councils. Heads of states are
expected to exchange their views in narrow circle concerning the
situation in the zone of responsibility of CSTO and its role and
importance in building a new international security system.
The heads of states will sign a range of documents, particularly
on CSTO priorities in 2004-2005, the concept on formation of and
application of peacemaking mechanisms. The leaders of states will
also brief journalists on the results of the meeting.
President Kocharian will also address the opening of an international
forum on Eurasian Integration-Trends of Contemporary Developments and
Globalization Challenges. The Armenian delegation will fly back home
on June 19.

ARMENIA REMAINS ON TIER 2 WATCH LIST
ArmenPress
June 16 2004
YEREVAN, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS: Armenia found itself in its last
year’s company in this year’s U.S. State Department report on human
trafficking. In the department’s fourth annual Trafficking in Persons
Report, released Monday, Armenia was among 42 nations listed on the
Tier 2 Watch List. Nations are classified into three categories,
with Tier 3 being the least favorable. Armenia moved from Tier 3 to
Tier 2 last year after it took steps to clean up its act. Nations on
the Tier 2 Watch List are considered in danger of falling into Tier 3.
Armenian foreign affairs ministry said Armenian ambassador to the
USA was invited, together with representatives of other diplomatic
missions to the report presentation. John Miller, head of the office
for fighting against trafficking in persons, spoke with Armenian
ambassador, saying that Armenia may move to Tier 1 in the event of
launching a large-scale crackdown on corruption and tracking down and
punishing people involved in trafficking in persons. An arrangement
was reached to convene a special meeting to that end.
The report says that Armenia is primarily a source and transit country
for women and girls trafficked for sexual exploitation mainly to the
United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) and Turkey, as well as Russia, Greece,
and other European countries. Trafficking to Russia, Turkey and the
U.A.E. for the purposes of labor exploitation was an increasingly
significant problem. There were a few cases of trafficking in women
from Uzbekistan to Armenia for sexual exploitation. Advocates expressed
concerns about internal trafficking and trafficking of orphans,
but no confirmed cases were uncovered.
The Government of Armenia does not fully comply with the minimum
standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making
significant efforts to do so. Cooperation between police and NGOs
increased the number of investigations, and provided police a greater
understanding of international and domestic sources of trafficking.
The government should improve legal instruments to create more
effective tools for law enforcement and should improve the transparency
of its anti-corruption programs.
The Report also says that law enforcement improved its record of
victim identification and referrals to a service-providing NGO. In one
operation, police identified eight foreign prostitutes, suspected
they were victims and referred them to an NGO for assistance.
Armenian NGOs provided most victim assistance, but cooperated well
with police. In order to alleviate vulnerabilities of an at-risk group,
the government adopted a program to provide apartments to children who
graduated from orphanages, and provided assistance to poor families
with needy children.
Prevention activities increased during the reporting period, especially
through the use of mass media. The National Police were featured in
several training films and TV shows on trafficking, and the Ministry
of Education approved anti-trafficking educational lectures for
secondary and university students. In January of 2004, the government
approved an anti-trafficking national action plan for 2004-2006. The
government contributed the equivalent of $11,000 of its own funds
to support the work of the National Anti-Trafficking Commission,
and foreign donors provided the remaining funds. The government’s
Department for Migration and Refugees conducted extensive outreach on
migration issues, which prevented a significant number of individuals
from succumbing to trafficking, according to an independent survey.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FOREIGN MINISTRY DENIES REPORTS ABOUT TOUGHER VISA REGIME FOR
ARMENIANS VISITING TURKEY
ArmenPress
June 16 2004
YEREVAN, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS: Armenian foreign ministry denied today
media reports that Turkey has imposed stricter visa regulations for
Armenian citizens, wishing to visit Turkey, with which Armenia has no
diplomatic relations. A Yerevan-based daily Haykakan Zhamanak claimed
today, citing a statement by Turkish foreign affairs ministry that
from now on Armenians wishing to travel to Turkey will have to get
permissions from Turkish consulates in third countries. Until now
Armenians could get visas at Istanbul airport or at checkpoints at
Georgian-Turkish border.
The Armenian ministry said, citing the Turkish embassy in Russia
that no changes were made in visa regulations concerning Armenian
citizens visiting Turkey. The Armenian ministry said that under
the international practice countries are notified beforehand if
visa regimes are changed. The foreign ministry said it received no
notification from Turkish authorities.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ISSUES ON PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL
VALUES DISCUSSED IN GYUMRI
ArmenPress
June 16 2004
GYUMRI, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS: “Protection of Gyumri-Kars Historical and
Cultural Values and Tourism Development” symposium held in Gyumri on
the initiative of Academy for Education Development (AED) discussed
today issues concerning the governance of cultural and historical
objects and development of tourism industry.
According to the head of tourism department of Armenian ministry for
trade and economic development Arthur Zakarian, in order to make the
process of monuments’ governance more effective it is necessary to
transfer them to the private sector of governance, determining the
issues of preservation and development, providing strict supervision
of the process of commitments’ fulfillment. He said that the sphere
of tourism is completely in the hands of the private sector and
develops dynamically.
Nina Hovnanian-Alexanian, the executive director of Armenian Agency
for Tourism Development, stated in her report that there many ways
of development of tourism in Armenia. The main constituent of this
strategy, in her words, is the creation of tourism development centers.
The chairman of the session, deputy director of “Arm project”
institute Sashur Kalashian, stressing that he is against transferring
the objects’ governance to the private sector, said that in order
to develop the intellectual tourism it is necessary to develop the
quality of tour-operators’ services, prepare skilful guides and engage
the local population in this process.
It must be also stated that the aim of the program, which is financed
by United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is to
research the current condition of the historical and cultural values,
discuss the issues concerning the further protection and preservation
of these values and the prospects of development of regional tourism.

O.I.C. – Istanbul Declaration Issued
Anadolu Agency
6/16/2004
ISTANBUL – Islam countries have decided to assist each other in
their progress and reforms and announced that they would take steps
in putting an end to the unjust isolation of the Turkish Cypriots.
Istanbul Declaration was issued at the end of the 31st Session of
Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.
The declaration said, “we, as the OIC members, will assist each other
in our progress and reform, which should come from within.”
Stating that OIC members were sovereign nations who worked for
political, economic, social and cultural progress, the declaration
noted that they valued their freedom and the equality of their
citizens. “We all aim to strengthen the representative character and
the democratic practices of our governments,” it stated.
“The OIC, as an institution, will also develop ways and means for
supporting progress in a collective framework. In this context, we
welcome the concept of Enlightened Moderation,” Istanbul Declaration
said.
It stressed that Islam countries were all determined to provide
contemporary education to our new generation.
-CYPRUS-
The declaration noted, “we commend the Turkish Cypriot people for
overwhelmingly endorsing the United Nations Settlement Plan, on the
unification of the island, based on a new bi-zonal partnership of
the two politically equal constituent states. We welcome and support
the report of the United Nations Secretary General, of May 28, 2004,
as well as the conclusions and recommendations contained therein. We
also support the good offices mission of the United Nations Secretary
General.”
“In view of the fundamentally changed circumstances in Cyprus following
the April 24, 2004 referenda, we decided to take steps in putting an
end to the unjust isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. In the same vein,
we look forward to similar action by the international community and
bodies,” it stated.
Meanwhile, it has been decided that the Second Meeting of the OIC-EU
Joint Forum would convene in Istanbul between October 4 and 5, 2004.
-ARAB-ISRAEL CONFLICT-
It stressed that OIC members were resolved to pursue the peaceful
settlement of all international issues and spend efforts to persuade
all parties concerned to act accordingly and noted, “we can on
all concerned to address the question of Palestine and the wider
Arab-Israeli conflict as a matter of urgent priority. The objective
is to achieve full statehood for Palestine living side by side with
Israel within secure and recognized boundaries.”
OIC members said that the settlement could only be the outcome of
direct negotiations between the two parties and noted that equally,
the Syrian and Lebanese tracks must be brought to their successful
conclusion on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338.
“We have thus decided to support and closely monitor efforts towards
comprehensive peace and to declare that the successful outcome of these
efforts will be fully embraced by the OIC,” the declaration noted.
-IRAQ-
OIC members said that they supported the steps towards ending the
occupation in Iraq and they equally supported the process in which
the Iraqis would assume their sovereignty and stated, “we state
that this assumption of authority must be full. Also the political
transition towards the formation of an elected government must be
totally inclusive and transparent.”
“We welcome in this respect the unanimous adoption of resolution 1546
by the United Nations Security Council which sets the framework for
this transition,” it stated.
OIC members condemned terrorism in all its forms and agreed to redouble
their efforts in fighting this international scourge.
“We will continue to support Afghanistan’s re-building process,”
it noted and said that the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir
should be fully respected and their will honored in accordance with
international legitimacy.
The declaration stated that OIC members likewise supported the
resolution of the Azeri-Armenian conflict within the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan.

INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL OPENS IN ST. PETERSBURG
RIA Novosti, Russia
June 16 2004
ST. PETERSBURG, June 16 (RIA Novosti) – The St. Petersburg’s Palaces
12th international music festival opens in Russia’s northern capital.
Music will be played in the famous palaces of St. Petersburg and its
suburbs, which formerly belonged to the royal family and notable
aristocrats, the Hermitage Theater, Menshikov Palace, Sheremetev
Palace, Smolny Cathedral, Mikhailovsky, Catherine and Peterhof Palaces
and the Lutheran Church of Sts. Peter and Paul.
All in all, 15 concerts will be held during this month. Soloists
and bands from 10 countries, including France, the U.S., Lithuania,
Estonia, Germany and Italy. Among them are the Russian State Academic
Chamber Orchestra conducted by Konstantin Orbelyan, the Five Style
ensemble of Russian folk instruments, Armenian duduka-player Dzhivan
Gasparyan, French pianist Jean-Bernard Pommier, saxophonist Federico
Mondelci, violinist Hillary Hahn, singers Vasily Gerello and Oleg
Bezinskikh.
The concert in the grand hall of the Menshikov Palace, the residence
of the first governor-general of St. Petersburg, on July 15 is the
highlight of the festival’s program. The organizers intend to turn back
to the atmosphere of the 18th century’s gatherings. Germany’s Consul
General Reinhart Kraus, a remarkable viola-player, will participate
in this concert.
The festival will close with a baroque music concert performed by the
Estonian Baroque Soloists and Internationales Ensemble der Akademie
fur Alte Musik on July 19.
The St. Petersburg Palaces festival was founded in 1990 by pianist,
chief conductor and artistic director of the Russian State Academic
Chamber Orchestra Konstantin Orbelyan. The festival’s message is to
remind that St. Petersburg has always been a world music center.

Armenian president welcomes Russian purchase of ailing plant
ITAR-TASS News Agency
June 15, 2004 Tuesday
YEREVAN, June 16 — Armenian President Robert Kocharyan welcomed the
purchase by a Russian company of a controlling stake in the domestic
synthetic rubber plant that faces a financial plight.
Board chairman of the Volgaburmash machine-building enterprise Andrei
Ischuk told Kocharyan Tuesday his company is completing a deal to buy
a controlling interest in the Yerevan-based Nairit chemical enterprise
that produces synthetic rubber.
Kocharyan expressed hope Volgaburmash will be a stable and reliable
partner for Armenia.
Founded in 1936 Nairit faced financial problems and had to periodically
stop production in the past 10-12 years, according to plant director
Sergei Muradyan.
Ischuk said Nairit has all the grounds for profitable production. An
investment program worth several dozen million dollars and a
rehabilitation business plan have already been designed.

World Armenian Congress head calls for Caucasian dialog
By Dmitry Nezdorovin
ITAR-TASS News Agency
June 15, 2004 Tuesday
SOCHI, June 15 — Dialog must become a token of peace and accord in
the Caucasus, president of the World Armenian Congress Ara Abramyan
said at the 9th Russian press festival in Sochi on Tuesday.
“The interest of the World Armenian Congress in the Krasnodar territory
is not accidental. The territory has the largest Armenian community,
all in all about 500,000 people,” Abramyan said.
“The World Armenian Congress plans to hold an Armenian-Azerbaijani
youth forum in Sochi in October-November with the support of UNESCO.
The young people will discuss what prevents them from being good
neighbors,” he added.

Armenians take on world
By Malcolm Pein
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH(LONDON)
June 16, 2004, Wednesday
THE Armenian team scored their first victory over the Rest of the
World at the fifth attempt as world title challenger Peter Leko
defeated Vishy Anand after converting an advantageous rook and pawn
endgame on the 68th move. Leko’s win combined with Smbat Lputian’s
somewhat fortuitous victory over Francisco Vallejo Pons, also in a
long endgame, resulted in a 4-2 win and the score is 16-14 to the
Rest of the World with a game to play.
The contest is commemorating the 75th anniversary of the late
Armenian world champion Tigran Petrosian, whose birthday is today.
Each member of the two teams plays all six of his opposite numbers.
SVIDLER gives up the two bishops to play against Kasparov’s weakened
queenside pawns and care is required. After 17.Qb4 Qxb4 18.axb4 a6
White might try and play f4, e5 and Nf3 when the d4 pawn could become
exposed although 19.f4 0-0-0 20.Nf3 Rd7 seems OK if a little passive
but the bishops could be strong later. Kasparov’s solution creates a
very weak pawn on c5 and Svidler’s pawn to e5 and the sacrifice 23.e6
are designed to free the squares e4 and e5 for White knights from
where they dominate the bishops and pressure the pawns. Kasparov
responds by exchanging one knight and then liberating his king and
white squared bishop with the counter sacrifice 28 c4! Svidler’s c4
and c2 pawns are then so vulnerable and Kasparov’s king so active
only Black has winning chances from that point on. 39.Nf5 Bf7 40.Nxh6
Bxc4 41.Kf2 Kb5 heading for the a3 pawn is good for Black. Svidler
holds the balance by keeping his knight in the centre and 48.f4!
creates counterplay just in time. If 48 gxf4 49.Kf3 Kxc2 50.Kxf4 d3
51.Nxd3 followed by g4, h4 h5 and g5 exchanging the last pawn.
P Svidler – G Kasparov
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 g6 4 Bxc6 dxc6 5 d3 Bg7 6 h3 Nf6 7 Nc3 Nd7 8
Be3 e5 9 0-0 Qe7 10 Qd2 h6 11 Nh2 Nf8 12 Ne2 Ne6 13 a3 Nd4 14 b4 Be6
15 bxc5 Qxc5 16 Bxd4 exd4 17 Qb4 b6!? 18 Nf3 0-0-0 19 Qxc5 bxc5 20
Nf4 Bd7 21 e5 Rhe8 22 Rfe1 g5 23 e6! fxe6 24 Nh5 Bh8 25 Ne5 Kc7 26
Ng3 Bxe5 27 Rxe5 Kd6 28 Re2 c4! 29 dxc4 e5 30 Rae1 Re7 31 f3 c5 32
Rb1 Kc6 33 Rb5 a6 34 Rb3 Ree8 35 Re1 Rb8 36 Rxb8 Rxb8 37 Rxe5 Re8 38
Rxe8 Bxe8 39 Ne4 Bf7 40 Nd2 Bg6 41 Ne4 Bf7 42 Nd2 Kb6 43 Kf2 Ka5 44
Nb3+ Ka4 45 Nxc5+ Kxa3 46 Nxa6 Bxc4 47 Nc5 Kb2 48 f4! Kxc2 49 fxg5
hxg5 50 Kf3 Kc3 51 Ne4+ Kc2 52 Nc5 Bd5+ 53 Kg4 Kc3 54 Kxg5 Bc6 55 Kf4
Kc4 56 Ne6 d3 57 Ke3 Kc3 58 Nf4 d2 draw
Kasparov
p p p p p p p p p – p p p p p p p p p l p p e d p b p o p b p p p p p
Svidler
Final position after 58…d2 now 59.Ne2+ Kc2 60.Nd4+ Kc3 61.Ne2+
forces a draw.

Armenian Assembly of America
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Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
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PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2004
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]
Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee Reviews Nomination of
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
Washington, DC -The Armenian Assembly welcomed the Senate Subcommittee on
European Affairs’ consideration Wednesday of John Marshall Evans’ nomination
as the next United States Ambassador to Armenia. Evans is set to replace
Ambassador John Ordway, who has completed his tour of duty. Ordway’s next
assignment will be Ambassador to Kazakhstan.
“We congratulate John Evans on completing the first phase of his nomination
process and look forward to working closely with him in strengthening
relations between our two countries,” said Assembly Board of Directors
Chairman Anthony Barsamian. “It is our strong hope that the incoming
Ambassador will continue community consultations initiated by America’s
first Ambassador Harry Gilmore, and expanded by outgoing Ambassador Ordway.”
Evans’ nomination will next be considered by the full Senate.
During the hearing, subcommittee Chairman Sen. George Allen (R-Va) indicated
that the United States should remain engaged in the South Caucasus and,
should retain “strict parity” with respect to military assistance to Armenia
and Azerbaijan. He also indicated that the US government should do more to
end the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockade of Armenia. Evans, in his prepared
remarks, said he would work to help Armenia continue to build up its
democracy and economy.
In that framework, Evans said, the U.S. Millennium Challenge Account (MCA)
presents a unique opportunity for Armenia.
Chairman Allen also asked Evans to comment on the effects of the Turkish and
Azerbaijani blockades of Armenia. Evans responded by saying that opening the
border between Armenia and Turkey would increase Armenia’s trade by an
estimated 50 percent, and also help reduce Armenia’s energy costs.
He said he planned to have frequent discussions with Turkey to encourage
Ankara to open its borders with Armenia.
Chairman Allen also reiterated his wholehearted support of efforts aimed at
opening the Turkish border with Armenia without preconditions.
Since 2002, Evans has served as Russian Affairs Director in the Bureau of
European and Eurasian Affairs. Prior to that post, Evans handled Russian
and Eurasian affairs for four years in the State Department’s Bureau of
Intelligence and Research. From 1997 through 1999, he was head of the OSCE
Mission to Moldova and in the mid-1990s, Evans was principal officer in the
U.S. Consulate General in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Evans joined the U.S. Foreign Service as a political officer in 1971. He
served in diplomatic missions in Iran, Czechoslovakia, the Soviet Union, at
NATO headquarters and the Czech Republic.
Born in 1948 in Newport News, Virginia, Evans earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree from Yale College and attended Columbia University Graduate
Facilities. He is fluent in Russian, Czech, French and Farsi. He is married
to Donna Chamberlain who is executive director of the World Affairs Council
of Washington.
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
NR#2004-056