Looking Back: From the front pages
Jerusalem Post
June 10 2004
65 years ago: On June 10, 1936,
The Palestine Post reported that two Arabs died and 26 Arabs and
Armenians were injured by a bomb which exploded inside the Jaffa
Gate on June 8. Mr. Ormsby Gore, the colonial secretary, told the
House of Commons in London that the Palestine government was taking
all possible action to protect life, property and communications in
the country. The Palestine government was granted further emergency
powers under the Palestine (Defense) Order in Council of 1931.

GEORGIAN PRIME MINISTER PROUD HIS MOTHER IS ARMENIAN
10.06.2004 17:39
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ My mother is Armenian and I will always speak
proudly about it, Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania stated
in the Parliament today in response to Deputy Gocha Pipia’s claim
that Government members report their and their parents’ national
and religious identity. As reported by Georgian sources, Pipia’s
address caused indignation among the leadership of the Parliament
and Government, who qualified such statements of the Deputy as
anti-constitutional. As a sign of protest members of the Georgian
Government left the conference hall. Zurab Zhvania stated he would
recall it “with shame that such a question was raised in the Georgian
Parliament.”

PACE OFFICIALS ARRIVE IN ARMENIA
ArmenPress
June 10 2004
YEREVAN, JUNE 10, ARMENPRESS: Gurgen Arsenian, the head of the United
Labor Party parliamentary faction told Armenpress that the overwhelming
majority of Council of Europe demands which Armenia has to respect lie
within the responsibility of the executive bodies. Commenting on two
senior officials from the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly
(PACE) commission monitoring the fulfillment of Armenia’s membership
commitments, Jerzy Jaskiernia and David Chupina, who are arriving
tomorrow in Yerevan to get first-hand information on the ground,
Arsenian said that with respect to PACE April resolution that came
after the crackdown on the opposition, a range of steps were taken,
particularly, many people arrested for participation in unsanctioned
anti-government rallies, were released.
Galust Sahakian, the head of the Republican Party faction argued that
on the whole Armenia is fulfilling these demands, particulalry, those
calling for amendment of criminal and administrative offences codes,
electoral code and constitutional reforms.
Levon Mkrtchian from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) noted
that the ongoing processes should not be linked to PACE resolution,
as almost all political forces underscored the need of dialogue and
acting within the frames set by the laws in order to diffuse the
stand-off between the authorities and the opposition.” This is not a
process imposed on us from outside, but rather an indication of the
level of our political maturity,” he said.
Council of Europe officials will confer with the chairman of the
Constitutional Court, parliament chairman, his deputy, leaders of
pro-government and opposition factions. They are also scheduled to
meet with president Kocharian, prime minister Margarian, foreign and
defense ministers, the chief of police and chief prosecutor.

KARABAGH WANTS INDEPENDENCE
ArmenPress
June 10 2004
YEREVAN, JUNE 10, ARMENPRESS: Manvel Sarkisian, an advisor to Nagorno
Karabagh leader Arkady Ghukasian, told a roundtable discussion today
on Nagorno Karabagh conflict that election of a new Azerbaijani
president and a bigger involvement of European organizations in
the regulation process have brought in a new situation that differs
significantly from what there was a year ago. He said resumption of
regular meetings of Armenian and Azeri presidents and the dialogue
between the two countries’ foreign ministers will become a serious
tool in search of a solution that would satisfy all conflicting sides.
Commenting on frequent trips of senior European officials to Karabagh,
Manvel Sarkisian argued it was the evidence of their realizing the
role of Karabagh authorities in the regulation efforts. He replicated
the official Yerevan’s position that involvement of new forces in the
ongoing diplomatic efforts around the conflict was not desirable. “The
main task of Armenia is to ensure the security of Armenians in Karabagh
while the latter’s task is to continue building its statehood,”
he said.

WORLD BANK TO REVIEW AND APPROVE NEW LOAN PROGRAM FOR ARMENIA
ArmenPress
June 10 2004
YEREVAN, JUNE 10, ARMENPRESS: The World Bank Board of Directors
is set to review and approve today a four year loan program for
assisting Armenia. WB Resident Representative Rodger Robinson is
to represent Armenia at the meeting. Armenian finance and economy
minister Vartan Khachatrian said earlier that the government expects
to receive around $200 million from World Bank in the four years to
come for implementation of strategic projects.
Vigen Sarkisian, a spokesman for World Bank Yerevan office, said
three additional projects, related to health, social security and
dam reinforcement, worth $30 million, will be also submitted to the
Board of Directors’ consideration.
World Bank has made available a total of $788 million to Armenia
for implementation of 33 projects since 1992, when Armenia joined
this organization.

HEALTH MINISTRY WARNS AGAINST BUYING STREET-MANUFACTURED FOOD
ArmenPress
June 10 2004
YEREVAN, JUNE 10, ARMENPRESS: In a strongly-worded statement,
Armenian health officials warned the population against buying food
from open-air kiosks after investigating conditions under which food
was manufactured. The investigation covered only those food trades
which seem particularly dangerous to the health.
Marieta Basilisian, deputy head of a ministry-affiliated division
for supervising hygienic conditions of food manufacturing outlets,
said they examined 70 such kiosks in a Yerevan borough, finding that
almost half of barbecue and kebab sold there were contaminated with
staphylococcus. Basilisian said the findings of the inspection were
sent to appropriate bodies of the municipality for further action,
requesting that these kiosks must be closed.
The department has also started sending the findings to judicial
bodies. She said the health ministry is seeking an amendment to
the law on licensing so that a food manufacturing company undergo a
complicated procedure before receiving permission to operate.

The Halifax Daily News (Nova Scotia)
June 10, 2004 Thursday
Multicultural Festival highlights
The Multicultural Festival celebrates 20 years of friendship and
diversity when it takes over Alderney Landing in Dartmouth, June 16
to 20.
Extended an additional two days to commemorate its 20th anniversary,
this year’s festival features cuisine from more than 25 different
cultures, performances by international dance troupes, world music,
and the opportunity to learn about Nova Scotia’s ethnic heritage.
More than 700 performers from 40 cultural groups will be providing
daily entertainment.
Mainstage performances will feature two dance troupes that have
travelled to Nova Scotia from Armenia and Korea, as well as dance and
musical performances by local cultural groups. The world music acts
are equally diverse, featuring Acadian, Aboriginal, Latin, and reggae
beats.
Some performance highlights:
– Haik, a children’s folk dance group from Armenia, performs on the
mainstage, June 16, 17.
– Myongji Traditional Dance Company from Korea performs folk dances
derived from peasants and royal dances reserved for court
entertainment. On the mainstage, June 16, 17.
– Visten, a hardy mixture of French, Irish and Scottish styles, fiery
fiddling and step dancing. June 16 on the mainstage.
– Halfway Tree, an eight-piece reggae group promoting peace, love and
unity. June 16 in the beer tent.
– Blou, a high-energy band inspired by its Acadian roots. June 17 on
the mainstage.
– Alma Latina, a Cuban ensemble. June 17 in the beer tent.
– Salsa Picante, Latin music from Halifax’s No. 1 party band. June 18
in the beer tent.
– Multicultural urban music with Jacobus et Maleco, Shane C & the
Mix, Asia, Tanya Tagaq. June 18 in the Boardwalk tent.
– Kanenhilo Singers, native singers perform chants accompanied by the
Iroquoian water drum, hand drum and cow horn shakers. June 19 on the
mainstage.
– Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band, a Klezmer band bringing together the
traditions of the Tsarist Russian military band, gypsy folk music,
Hasidic religious song, and Afro-American jazz. June 19 on the
mainstage.
– Afro-Musica, traditional African roots music with a fresh sound.
June 19 in the beer tent.
– Verbal Warning, New Orleans native Sekou Nkrumah leads this reggae
band. June 19 in the boardwalk tent.
Admission for the Multicultural Festival is $6 for adults per day, $5
for students and seniors, and $1 for children ages five to 12. Hours
are June 16, 17, 5 p.m. to midnight; June 18, 19, 10 a.m. to
midnight; June 20, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. See

Armenian official says financial, technical problems must be worked
out before decision on nuke plant closure
Associated Press Worldstream
June 9, 2004 Wednesday
YEREVAN, Armenia — Armenia’s trade minister said Wednesday that the
country will not set a specific time for its only nuclear power plant
to be closed until financial and technical questions are solved.
Armenia has been under pressure to shut down the plant due to safety
concerns; it was taken out of operation after a devastating 1988
earthquake and returned to service in 1995.
The economically troubled country has resisted shutting down the
plant out of concern that alternative sources of electricity may be
hard to come by.
Trade minister Karen Chshmartian said the European Union said this
month it was ready to provide Armenia up to 100 million euro (US$120
million) if the government decided to close the plant.
However, he said, developing other sources of electricity could cost
up to US$1 billion (1.2 billion euro).
Russia’s electricity monopoly assumed financial control of the nuclear
plant last year in a deal that Armenia sought to get out from under
massive energy debts to Russian fuel suppliers. The plant, however,
remains the property of the Armenian government.

Azerbaijan authorities complain over BBC visit to Nagorno-Karabakh
Associated Press Worldstream
June 9, 2004 Wednesday
BAKU, Azerbaijan — Azerbaijan’s national broadcasting council
has complained to the British Broadcasting Corporation that a crew
visited the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh without the agreement
of Azerbaijani authorities, the council said Wednesday.
A statement from the council said that the head of the BBC World
Service’s Azerbaijan bureau Islam Atakishiev was called to the council
to receive the complaint that a crew from the BBC’s Russian-language
had gone to the enclave, which has been under control of ethnic
Armenian forces for a decade.
The crew “participated in direct dialogue with the terrorist regime
there,” the statement said.
“In the event of continued preparation of further reports demonstrating
indifference to Azerbaijan’s national interests, the question of
broadcasting the BBC on Azerbaijani territory will be reviewed,”
the statement said.

Grandmasters meet in Tigran Petrosyan memorial match
ITAR-TASS News Agency
June 10, 2004 Thursday 2:11 AM Eastern Time
DATELINE: MOSCOW, June 10
A number of the finest chess grandmasters begin a chess match here on
Thursday in memory of Tigran Petrosyan, an outstanding chess player,
international grandmaster and the 9-th World Champion.
The match between the Petrosyan team and the rest-of-the world one
is held under the auspices of the World Chess Federation, which
officially designated the year 2004 as the Year of Tigran Petrosyan.
The match is to be played in the Khachaturyan Hall of the newly-built
Ararat Park Hayatt Moscow Hotel on Neglinnaya Street.
Ex-champion of the world Garry Kasparov of Russia, Peter Leko of
Hungary, Boris Gelfand of Israel (he previously played for Belarus),
Vladimir Akopyan, Rafael Vaganyan, and Smbat Lputyan of Armenia will
play for the Tigran Petrosyan team while Vishwanath Anand of India,
Michael Adams of Britain, Pyotr Svidler of Russia, Etienne Bacrot of
France, Francisco Vallejo of Spain, and Loek van Wely of Holland will
play for the rest-of-the-world team.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress