CENN – MAY 14, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. We Welcome You to Become a Member of the “Caucasus Environment Society”
2. Bolnisi Public Environmental Information Centre
3. Kazakhstan Oil To Be Transported Through BTC MEP
4. 5 Armenian NGO To Receive $40,000 in Grants from World Band and SOROS
Foundation
5. ATDA Launches New, State-of-the-Art Website
6. Covering Environmental Issues
7. An Israeli Expert in the Remote Village of Aygut
8. UNDP Launches the Community Week Advocacy Initiative with Events in
Remote Areas of Armenia
9. 23 Million Euros Needed for Upgrading Abovian Gas Storehouse
10. Armenian premier says Ukraine may join gas pipeline project
11. Yerevan invites Kyiv to Iran-Armenia pipeline tender
12. Romania and Armenia Foster Cooperation in Education and Science
13. Conference on Armenian Architecture in Brussels
14. Russia, Armenia and South Africa to Set up Diamond Venture
15. Russia and Armenia Consider Opportunities to Boost Cooperation
16. World Bank Corruption May Top $100 Bln
1. WE WELCOME YOU TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE “CAUCASUS
ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY”
Became a member of the “Caucasus Environment Society” and you will enjoy the
full range of our
services. You will receive free of charge our magazine “Caucasus
Environment”, get free legal and
environmental consultancy, free access to CENN databases, maps, resources,
etc.
All membership fees support the CENN magazine’s mission of expanding
environmental knowledge
on the Caucasus and are considered as charitable contribution to the
production of the regional
magazine.
We welcome you to become a Member of the “Caucasus Environment Society” by
registering
online:
Annual membership fee for Caucasus citizens/organizations $19, for
international members – $39.
Shipment cost included.
For the more detailed information please contact CENN.
2. BOLNISI PUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTRE
On May 12, 2004 was held the meeting in the Public Environmental Information
Centre of Bolnisi in
the framework of the DAI — Development Alternatives, Inc. project Water
Resources Management
in the South Caucasus.
The final seminar was organized for the local activists from the different
NGOs about River Basin
Management. The River Ktsia Basin Counsil Statement project and the Training
Plan for the River
Ktsia Basin Counsil members were considered with the active support of DIA
officers. According to
the most optimistic evaluations the River Ktsia Basin Counsil will be
created before the end of this
month.
Prepared By Malkhaz Inadze, CENN
3. KAZAKHSTAN OIL TO BE TRANSPORTED THROUGH BTC MEP
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, AzerTag, May
12, 2004
Transportation of Kazakh oil will be realized via main export
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. Jurists
and experts have already prepared relevant documents.
Final meeting with Kazakhstan side will be held in May 2004 and prepared
inter-governmental
agreement, stated the President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Natig
Aliyev.
Signing of bilateral agreement is due in Baku.
4. 5 ARMENIAN NGO TO RECEIVE $40,000 IN GRANTS FROM WORLD BANK AND
SOROS FOUNDATION
Source: ArmenPress, May 12 2004
Five Armenian non-governmental organizations will receive a total of $40,000
in grants from the
World Bank and the Open Society Institute (Soros Foundation) in 2004 as part
of World Bank’s
Small Grants Program. The relevant agreements were signed today. The program
was started six
years ago and two years ago the Soros Foundation joined it.
Naira Melkumian, a senior official of the World Bank Yerevan office, said
the main goal of the
program is to help resolve the most pressing problems of the vulnerable
segment of the population
“or at least to outline ways for their resolution.”
Larisa Alaverdian from the Armenian branch of the Soros Foundation said the
five organizations
were selected from a pool of 115 applicants. She said the Bank and the
Foundation would continue
to support the implementation of the program.
One of the organizations, Atur, of Assyrians, living in Armenia, will use
the grant for publication of
2,000 copies of a book in their mother tongue. The other organization,
called Millennium, will publish
a book of seven successful stories of Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan who
settled in Armenia’s
rural regions. The stories then will be used for shooting a documentary.
5. ATDA LAUNCHES NEW, STATE-OF-THE-ART WEBSITE
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Armenian Tourism Development Agency /ATDA/
3 Nalbandian St., Yerevan 3675010, RA
Tel.: (+3741) 54 23 03, 54 23 06
Fax: (+3741) 54 47 92
Email: [email protected]
Date: May 12, 2004
Armenian Tourism Development Agency (ATDA) Launches New, State-of-the-Art
Website
The Armenian Tourism Development Agency (ATDA) launched an impressive new
website
showcasing Armenia’s tourist attractions, cultural
treasures, national parks, art
galleries and all the resources necessary to make any trip to Armenia a
comfortable, pleasant and
memorable time for all.
ATDA’s and TIB’s /Technology into Business/ staff of professionals – with
indispensable funding
from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and
unparalleled technical
support from the International Executive Service Corps (IESC) – has created
a site that has merged
“high tech” interface with “high art” aesthetics, utilizing both ancient and
modern Armenian motifs.
>>From interactive maps of cultural landmarks to a comprehensive and easily
accessible database of
tour agents, hotels, restaurants, travel agencies and so much more, the ATDA
site has become the
web’s one- stop, on-line, Armenian tourism venue.
Much like ATDA’s now famous ARMENIAInformation Visitor Information Center,
at 3
Nalbandyan Street in the heart of Yerevan, the new ATDA website is a
virtual, full service concierge
facility and an expansive compendium of useful information and resources –
whether that be for
travelers and tourists or history lovers and the arts literati.
Sections are thoughtfully organized with easy access navigation bars;
graphics and photos are vibrant
and compelling; maps are easy to read and truly interactive, providing
details on any given point in
Armenia with the click of the mouse.
Background information and helpful travel hints are available at every turn;
shopping and recreation
sites are explored side by side with cultural centers, museums, concert
halls and art galleries;
Armenia’s vast array of architectural monuments and sacred sites are finally
presented in such a way
that travel planning is almost as fun as the actual visit.
The site is also exceptional in that it provides a constantly updated
calendar of weekly events, which
is available online and can be e-mailed to you every week once you
subscribe.
The ATDA has really provided interested travelers and tourism industry
professionals – no matter
their point of origin – a place on the web to fulfill, as well as provide
for every type of Armenian
tourism and travel need.
Do not hesitate, go to now.
For more information on ATDA and its activities, please visit us at 3
Nalbandyan Street or contact at
(+3741) 542303/6.
6. COVERING ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Source: International Journalist’s Network, May 11, 2004
Covering Environmental Issues
May 17, 2004 – May 21, 2004
The Caucasus Media Institute (CMI) with support of the U.S. Embassy and the
UN Environmental
Program organizes workshop in Yerevan, Armenia. The workshop is aimed at
improving journalists’
coverage of environmental news. British and local specialists will conduct
the training in Armenian
and English for 12 journalists.
The CMI Web site:
7. AN ISRAELI EXPERT IN THE REMOTE VILLAGE OF AYGUT
Armenia Tree Project
Yerevan 375025, Aygestan 9th Str., #6
Tel./Fax (374 1) 569910
Internet:
E-mail: [email protected]
Press Release
May 11, 2004
May 9, 2004 – Armenia Tree Project (ATP) and Satsil NGO organized a seminar
on potato growing
in Aygut Village, Gegharkounik Marz. The seminar was conducted by Mr. Gadi
Moses, an Israeli
expert in potato growing technologies representing ECOTEX Ltd. Mr. Moses
visited Armenia as a
guest of Satsil NGO in framework of an agricultural consulting assistance
project in the South
Caucasus conducted by the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture.
Since 2002 ATP has been implementing a Village Economic Development program
in the Getik
River valley where Aygut is situated. In this program of sustainable
mountainous development, ATP
partners with the villagers and with other international and local
organizations to combat the linked
problems of poverty and natural resource degradation. Among the contributors
to date are
USDA/MAP, World Food Program, Heifer International, Project Harmony, ORRAN,
Boghosian
Education Center, and Satsil.
The seminar started with an overview of potato growing techniques employed
by Aygut farmers,
most of who fled from Azerbaijan as refugees fifteen years ago. After
learning about the problems
villagers are currently facing in potato growing, Mr. Moses presented
practical solutions to them and
shared the Israeli farmers’ experience. The presentation lasted for over
three hours. “You have the
best soil in the world: with a bit of learning you could multiply your
yield”, Mr. Moses encouraged the
listeners. With consulting experience in almost 40 countries around the
world, Mr. Moses managed
to enter into a dialogue with the villagers and assess their problems in a
very practical way. The
topics covered at the seminar included fertilizers used in potato growing,
planting techniques (optimal
distance between seed nests, planting depth, density, etc.). The community
members were active in
asking questions, particularly addressing maximizing yield and problems
connected with different
species of potatoes.
For further information, please contact Karen Sarkavagyan at the Armenia
Tree Project
Phone: 569910, 553069
E-mail [email protected]
The Armenia Tree Project was founded in 1994 during Armenia’s darkest and
coldest years with the
vision of securing Armenia’s future by protecting Armenia’s environment.
Funded by contributions
from Diasporan Armenians, ATP has planted and rejuvenated over 500,000 trees
at more than 450
sites ranging from Gumri to Goris.
8. UNDP LAUNCHES THE COMMUNITY WEEK ADVOCACY INITIATIVE WITH
EVENTS IN REMOTE AREAS OF ARMENIA
Source: ArmenPress, May 11, 2004
Today, the Ministry of Territorial Administration and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) officially started the Community Week advocacy initiative with two
major events in
Tavoush, one of the most remote regions of Armenia. The events were attended
by the Governor of
Tavoush, four deputy ministers from the Ministries of Territorial
Administration, Agriculture, Nature
Protection, Trade and Economic Development and the UN Resident
Coordinator/UNDP Resident
Representative. The events included the inauguration of the fully
rehabilitated secondary school in
Voskepar village and the creation of a Village Development Foundation in
Koty community.
In the framework of UNDP’s Community Development Project, the secondary
school in Voskepar
has been fully renovated, including installation of a new heating system.
The Armenian Social
Investment Fund (ASIF) and the Governor’s office have provided the school
with new furniture and
materials and the local community has provided a seven percent in-kind
contribution to the project.
In Koty village, UNDP’s Agricultural and Rural Development Coordination
Unit, together with the
Ministry of Agriculture, have facilitated the development of a Koty
Community Strategy
Development Plan for 2004-2008. A working group representing all main social
groups in the local
population has worked to develop a comprehensive plan aimed at addressing
various problems in the
community. To ensure the successful implementation of the Plan, Koty is
establishing a Community
Development Foundation. The Foundation will be formed by donations from
community members,
former Koty villagers and international organizations.
According to Ms. Grande: “UNDP is committed to supporting communities
throughout the country.
We recognize that the country’s strength is its communities and that through
partnerships we can and
should help communities help themselves. The inauguration of Voskepar school
and the launching of
the Koty Village Development Foundation are wonderful events to mark the
beginning of Community
Week, an advocacy initiative of UNDP Armenia and the Ministry of Territorial
Administration aimed
at raising public awareness about ongoing legislative and other reforms
affecting communities and
contributing to discussions on community-related issues.”
Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration, Mr. Vache Terteryan, noted:
“The Government of
Armenia has adopted an approach to delegate more authority to our
communities in order to make
them more viable in the long run. Currently, most of the communities are in
need of considerable
assistance especially in terms of quality and accessibility of social and
health services and education.
In this respect, we are grateful for UNDP’s attention and ongoing support to
our efforts aimed at
community development, and we are confident that our successful cooperation
will continue in
future.”
Background: UNDP cooperation to date in the area of community and rural
development in Tavoush
region amounts around USD 750,000. Three schools and eight primary
healthcare facilities have
been rehabilitated by UNDP. In addition, UNDP supports the Tavoush Farmers
Association, which
provides technical support and various services to approximately 1,000 rural
households in seven
communities.
9. 23 MILLION EUROS NEEDED FOR UPGRADING ABOVIAN GAS STOREHOUSE
Source: ArmenPress, May 13, 2004
A 23 million euros worth project for upgrading an underground natural gas
storehouse in the town of
Abovian, some 20 off the capital Yerevan, developed by HayRusGazArd company,
the sole supplier
of Russian gas to Armenia, was praised highly by the European Bank for
Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD) and participants of a round table, held on the sidelines
of a ministerial meeting
of INOGATE program.
Edward Nersisian, head of HayRusGazArd’s department for external relations,
told Armenpress the
underground storehouse is of key importance for Armenia in terms of its safe
gas supply and energy
independence and “is no less important than the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
the construction of which
is supposed to start later this year.
The upgraded storehouse will be able to store some 200 million cubic meters
of gas, while today it
can contain only 80 million. In case of securing the necessary funds the
upgrading will be over in 2-3
years. Nersisian said a mobile station for quick repair of breaks on the
pipeline is expected to come
to Armenia as part of INOGATE’s 2004 program.
10. ARMENIAN PREMIER SAYS UKRAINE MAY JOIN GAS PIPELINE PROJECT
Source: Era, Kiev, May 11,2004
Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan is paying a visit to Ukraine. He
met his Ukrainian
counterpart, Viktor Yanukovych, today. In particular, the parties noted that
both countries had
tremendous potential for developing bilateral trade.
The Armenian prime minister also stated that Ukraine could take part in
bidding for the construction
of a gas pipeline to Iran. He noted, however, that a technical and economic
feasibility study of the
project was still being prepared, so details of the possible participation
of Ukrainian companies in
building the pipeline had not been discussed yet.
11. YEREVAN INVITES KYIV TO IRAN-ARMENIA PIPELINE TENDER
Source: Interfax, May 12, 2004
Armenia is inviting Ukraine to bid in a tender for the building of an
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline,
Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan announced at a joint press
conference with his
Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yanukovich on Tuesday in the Ukrainian capital.
Margaryan said this was one of the main topics discussed by the
Armenian-Ukrainian commission for
trade and economic relations on Tuesday.
He noted that his country and Iran are engaged in technical consultations,
after which will be
discussions of financial details and then the announcement of the
construction tender.
“We are confident Ukraine will take part in it,” Margaryan said.
As reported earlier, a final agreement on building the gas pipeline is
expected to be signed in late
May during a visit to Yerevan by Irani Oil and Gas Minister Bijan Zanganeh.
The actual construction is slated to begin late this year and be completed
sometime in 2006.
According to documents signed earlier, the Iran-Armenia pipeline will run
141 kilometers, 100 km in
Iran and 41 km in Armenia. The project price tag is estimated at $120
million. Plans are for Armenia
to receive 700 million cubic meters of gas per year via the pipeline
initially, up to 1.5 billion cubic
meters later on. Armenia will pay for the Irani gas with electricity at 3
kilowatt/hours per cubic meter
of gas.
Building this pipeline has been a discussion subject since 1992. Aside from
the main project players,
Russia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, China and some European Union countries have
shown interest. The
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced its
readiness to be part
of the project financing.
12. ROMANIA AND ARMENIA FOSTER COOPERATION IN EDUCATION AND
SCIENCE
Source: ArmenPress, May 11, 2004
An Armenian delegation headed by minister of education and science was in
Romania recently.
Education and science ministry press services reported that the visit aimed
to discuss cooperation
projects with Romanian education and scientific research ministry to ensure
implementation of a 1999
agreement between Armenian and Romanian governments.
During the working meetings the sides discussed ways of fostering
cooperation. Particularly it was
proposed to open a department of Armenian Studies at Bucharest State
University and a department
of Rumanian studies at the Yerevan Linguistic University.
Further it was arranged to foster student and research exchange program.
Romanian government
took the responsibility to support the Armenian school in Bucharest. The
sides signed a
memorandum that they will later develop into an agreement.
13. CONFERENCE ON ARMENIAN ARCHITECTURE IN BRUSSELS
PRESS RELEASE
REF: PR/04/05/011
Assembly of Armenians of Europe
Rue de Treves 10, 1050 Brussels
Tel: +32 2 647 08 01
Fax: +32 2 647 02 00
Brussels, 13/05/04 – On May 7th 2004 at the CIVA (Centre International pour
la Ville,
l’Architecture et le paysage) in Brussels, the Assembly of Armenians of
Europe organized a
conference dedicated to Armenian Medieval Architecture. Mr. Bernard Coulie
(orientalist, rector of
the Catholic University of Louvain,), Mr. Sarkis Shahinian (co-chairman of
the Swiss Armenian
Association, researcher at the EFP, Zuirch) and Mr. Patrick Donabedian (PhD
in the history of fine
arts and fellow worker at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France)
contributed to the conference, to
which architects, members of the cultural units of the European Commission
as well as students and
professors were invited. The idea behind inviting the latter group was to
introduce European
specialists and academics to Armenian cultural heritage, emphasize its role
in world heritage and
reveal the unknown traditions of Armenian Architecture.
At the opening of the conference Mr. Bernard Coulie expressed his
condolences to the Belgian
Armenian Community on the occasion
of the decease of Arbak Mkhitarian, famous Egyptologist,
armenologist-orientalist and active
member of the Armenian community.
Mr. Bernard Coulie gave the audience insights into Armenian history, culture
and Christianity, which
became the integral part of the Armenian identity, while Mr. Sarkis
Shahinian presented in detail the
architecture of Armenian Churches in the Middle Ages and revealed the
connection between the
Armenian pagan and Medial Christian cultures, as well as presented a glance
to Modern Armenian
architecture, in particular the urbanism of Yerevan, capital of the Republic
of Armenia.
Mr. Patrick Donabedian elaborated on the subject of ‘khatchkars’, cross
stones, in which the
Armenian valley is abundant. This conference came to highlight the fact that
the majority of those
Armenian monuments concerned are in the territory of Turkey and are in
danger of disappearance.
Moreover, none of the mentioned monuments are under the protection of
UNESCO.
The conference was followed by the photo exhibition on Armenia by the French
photographer
Wojtek Buss. It was in Armenia that Wojtek Buss discovered his vocation of
photographer and
some years later he returned there in order to realize his dream. His book
publish in Paris in 1998
was entitled “Armenia, Splendour of a secret country”. His wonderful photos
of Armenian
monasteries, churches and landscapes bear witness to the love, mysticism and
courage of Armenians.
14. RUSSIA, ARMENIA AND SOUTH AFRICA TO SET UP DIAMOND VENTURE
Source: RusData Dialine – BizEkon News, May 12, 2004
Russia, Armenia and South Africa are negotiating to set up a joint venture
to mine and polish
diamonds.
Russia, Armenia and South Africa are negotiating to set up a joint venture
to mine and cut diamonds.
The venture will offer the full range of services – from mining proper
through to the marketing of
finished jewelry articles. Armenia is sixth in the world in terms of diamond
polishing. In 2003, its
cutting factories turned out about USD 250 million worth of polished stones.
Experts have recently
been forecasting increased demand for and rising prices of diamonds. In
Russia, the first auction this
year to sell diamonds weighing from 10.8 carats up on the domestic market,
to be held May 18, has
already received bids from 50 Russian processing plants. Novye Izvestia
recalls that Botswana tops
the world’s diamond production league – 32% of all diamonds valued at USD
2.3 billion. It is
followed by Russia, with 22% of world output worth USD 1.6 billion. Third is
Canada, followed by
South Africa and Angola. Russia and South Africa are the main suppliers of
gem-quality diamonds.
15. RUSSIA AND ARMENIA CONSIDER OPPORTUNITIES TO BOOST COOPERATION
Source: ITAR-TASS News Agency, May 11, 2004
Russia and Armenia consider opportunities to boost cooperation, Russian
Foreign Ministry
spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said on Tuesday.
Two-way trade increased by almost 35 percent last year. At the present time,
Moscow and Yerevan
exchange views regarding the prospects for implementing the property-
against-debt agreement, as
well as interaction in the sphere of energy and investments, Yakovenko said.
The parties attach an important significance to the solution of transport
problems, in particular by
resuming the railroad service between Russia and Armenia through Georgia.
Special attention is paid to the coordination of efforts aimed at
normalizing the situation in the
Caucasus, and the opening of the potential of multi-lateral cooperation,
including within the
framework of the Caucasian Four.”
This includes the prevention of new conflicts and the settlement of old ones
such as in Nagrony
Karabakh, Yakovenko said.
He said interaction within the frameworks of the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS), the
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), and Eurasian Economic
Community where
Armenia received the status of observer, was an important sphere of
cooperation between the two
countries.
“Russia and Armenia are resolved to make task-oriented moves in the fight
against terrorism,” the
diplomat said, adding that “the political interaction in the sphere of
anti-terrorist fight is strengthened
by effective practical cooperation between secret services.”
16. WORLD BANK CORRUPTION MAY TOP $100 BLN
Corrupt use of World Bank (news – web sites) funds may exceed $100 billion
and while the
institution has moved to combat the problem, more
Sen. Richard Lugar (news, bio, voting record), an Indiana Republican,
charged “in its starkest terms,
corruption has cost the lives of uncounted individuals contending with
poverty and disease.”
He commended World Bank President James Wolfensohn for bringing greater
attention to the issue,
but said, “Corruption remains a serious problem.”
Lugar opened a hearing on corruption at the multilateral development banks,
the first public
examination in an ongoing Senate investigation.
He cited experts who calculated that between $26 billion and $130 billion of
the money lent by the
World Bank for development projects since 1946 has been misused. In 2003,
the bank distributed
$18.5 billion in developing countries.
Jeffrey Winters, an associate professor at Northwestern University, said his
research suggested
corruption wasted about $100 billion of World Bank funds, and when other
multilateral development
banks are included, the total rises to about $200 billion.
Damian Milverton, a bank spokesman, later disputed the $100 billion
estimate, insisting it had “no
basis in fact.”
“We completely reject the figure offered by one of the panelists as an
estimate of funding from the
World Bank that might have been misused,” Milverton told Reuters.
Winters testified that the World Bank’s anti-corruption effort was having
“minimal effects” and the
banks should all focus on supervising and auditing their lending.
“The lion’s share of the theft of development funds occurs in the
implementation of projects and the
use of loan funds by client governments,” he said.
Like other United Nations (news – web sites) agencies, World Bank rules
prevent staff from
testifying in public so Wolfensohn was not at the hearing. But senior bank
officials on Monday
privately briefed lawmakers on its anti-corruption efforts, a bank spokesman
said.
Carole Brookins, the U.S. executive director on the World Bank board,
defended the bank saying it
was leading efforts to fight corruption, but acknowledged, “there is more
that could be done to
strengthen the system.”
More than 180 companies and individuals have been blacklisted from doing
business with the World
Bank and their names and penalties posted on the bank’s public Web site.
Between July 2003 and March 2004, it said it referred 18 cases of fraud or
corruption to national
justice authorities based on investigations by its anti-corruption unit.
Specific bank projects under review by the committee include the Yacyreta
dam on the
Argentina-Paraguay border, the Lesotho Highlands Water Project and projects
in Cambodia.
Hector Morales, acting U.S. executive director to the Inter-American
Development Bank, testified
that his institution recently accelerated anti-corruption efforts “but still
has much work to do.”
The More you Know, The Less Gold Glows
Visit for more information
Payal Sampat
International Campaign Director
Earthworks (formerly Mineral Policy Center)
Phone: 202-887-1872 x.210
Email: [email protected]
Website:

BAKU: Azeri officials comment on BBC reporter’s visit to Karabakh
ANS TV, Baku
15 May 04
[Presenter] Baku is seriously concerned about BBC World Service
employee Steve Eke visiting Nagornyy Karabakh without notifying
Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani Speaker has commented on this unpleasant
incident.
[Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov speaking to an ANS microphone] I have
spoken to the foreign minister. He said that he would deal with the
issue. Thank you.
[Presenter] The head of the presidential administration, Ramiz
Mehdiyev, also criticized the actions of BBC journalists who do not
respect Azerbaijan. However, he was more careful in his comments.
[Mehdiyev] In any case, we would like those who go to Nagornyy Karabakh
to know that they should go to Karabakh through Azerbaijani territory
because Karabakh is an integral part of Azerbaijan. It is a positive
thing that they go to Karabakh and make impartial reports. We would
like all those who go to Karabakh to know that Nagornyy Karabakh is
a constituent part of Azerbaijan.

Championnats d’Europe de judo: résultats
Edicom
14 Mai 2004
BUCAREST (AP) – Résultats des épreuves disputées vendredi dans le
cadre de la première journée des championnats d’Europe de judo:
Hommes
60 kilos
Or:
Ludwig Paischer, Autriche, bat Zidiridis Revazi, Grèce
Bronze:
Armen Nazaryan, Arménie, et Evgeni Stanev, Russie
66 kilos
Or:
Bektas Demirel, Turquie, bat Ismaylov Elchin, Azerbaïdjan
Bronze:
Oscar Penas, Espagne et Benjamin Darbelet, France
Femmes
48 kilos
Or:
Alexandra Alina Dumitru, Roumanie, bat Tatiana Moskvina, Belarus
Bronze:
Klopstra Nynke, Pays-Bas, et Frédérique Jossinet, France
52 kilos
Or:
Aluas Dinea Ioana Maria, Roumanie bat Heylen Ilse, Belgique
Bronze:
Petra Nareks, Slovénie, et Telma Monteiro, Portugal
57 kilos
Or:
Isabel Fernandez, Espagne, bat Sophie Cox, GB
Bronze:
Natalia Yukhareva, Russie, et Cinzia Cavazzuti, Italie.
AP
petr/v0

A slice of heaven
>From wafer-thin Sardinian carasau to hearty French fougasse, Mark Hix reveals
why flatbreads mean more than just pizza
The Independent/UK
15 May 2004
It’s been reinvented countless times – from thin and crispy to deep
pan, and even, I fear, deep-fried. It’s many children’s favourite
tea-time treat and one of the most popular foods in the world. How
long since you had a slice? That’s right, I’m talking pizza.
Underneath the toppings, inauthentic and unrecognisable to Italians,
pizza’s just one of many types of flatbread. There’s even competition
from other flatbreads on many a restaurant strip, from the Indian
versions – naan, chapattis, rotis and poppadoms – that are used to
mop up the curry late on a Friday night.
Flatbreads are quick to cook in tandoor ovens, on slabs of stone and
open-air griddles. Even over here we have centuries-old breads like
boxty and bannock cooked on skillets.
Even if you’ve never had boxty or bannock you’ve probably eaten plenty
of flatbread over the years. If I remind you of that late-night
kebab – assuming the chilli sauce stain down your jacket isn’t
enough of a reminder – it’s merely to show how much flatbread there
is around. Trouble is few kebab shops actually roll the damn things
up properly. They use slightly stale pitta and by the time you’ve
got the meat, salad and chilli sauce in, it falls straight through
and you have to get back in the queue for another one. The best,
like the Lebanese Ranoush Juice in London’s Edgware Road, use proper,
delicious fresh flatbread to wrap up the chicken in garlicky yogurt,
protected by greaseproof paper for easy bite-sized munching.
Flatbreads are the world’s oldest breads. From Mesopotamia and Persia
to southern India and Armenia, from Ancient Rome via pre-conquest
Mexico to modern-day China and Italy, wherever there’s a good supply
of grain – be it wheat, rye, corn, oats or buckwheat – they’ve been
a staple food.
Leavening and fermentation agents, not just baking powder and yeast,
but also those made from natural substances like fruits and vegetables
left to ferment and produce gases and alcohol, are used to give the
dough all sorts of textures and flavours. Some breads are thick enough
to slice, some so thin they’re almost transparent, and some perfect
for rolling up round a filling and eating on the move – not just at
a bus stop after midnight.
Carasau
Makes 6
This Sardinian poppadom-like bread has lots of nick names including
carta di musica (music bread), parchment bread and Sardinian shepherd’s
bread. It’s a great addition to a bread basket or with Italian
cheeses. The making and rolling is a little tricky to begin with
but once you get the hang of it it can be quite therapeutic. Various
flavourings, such as grated Parmesan, dried chilli flakes, crushed
fennel seeds and thinly sliced dried onions, can be rolled into the
dough. The essential ingredient is semolina which few of us have to
hand as semolina and sago puddings are no longer cool. Who knows,
though, maybe they’ll become the next jelly.
This bread would traditionally be cooked in a stone-based pizza oven,
but either a pizza stone or a large unglazed quarry tile placed on
your oven rack works well. Otherwise bake on a pre-heated baking tray.
100g semolina or polenta
80g strong white flour
100ml warm water
1tsp fine sea salt
1tbsp sea salt flakes like Maldon
Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/390ºF/gas mark 6. Mix the semolina,
flour, water and fine salt together to a smooth dough, but do not knead
it. Divide into 6 balls and shape them between your thumb and fingers
into rounds. Keep them covered with a tea towel to stop them drying
out while you roll each out on a floured table as thin as you can into
rough 25cm circles. If you are flavouring them, roll in the flavouring
when they are about half the size you need them. Don’t worry if you
can’t get them perfectly round – rustic, natural shapes look good.
Bake a couple at a time on the pre-heated baking trays or stones for
about 3-4 minutes, turning them over after 2 minutes. They shouldn’t
be coloured too much and tend to have an uneven mottled effect when
done. Once they are all cooked, put them somewhere warm for a few
hours to dry out more, then store them in a sealed tin or container.
Fougasse
Makes 2 loaves
Is fougasse, the famous hearth bread of Provence, poised to be the
new focaccia? Sainsbury’s do one baked with caramelised onions and
cheese and I’m always tempted to grab a loaf when I see them in stock,
as they tend not to hang around on the shelves too long.
It’s a simple rustic bread, flat enough to be topped with olives,
herbs or, as I’ve done here, some gently cooked sliced onions and
cheese. You can add a percentage of wholegrain flour if you wish,
or just use strong bread flour.
300g strong white bread flour
100g whole wheat flour
1tsp salt
1 x 7g sachet easybake or dried yeast
75ml olive oil
225ml warm water
for the onion and cheese version
2 onions, sliced
Knob of butter
50g Gruyère or Emmental, grated
If you’re doing the onion and cheese version, gently cook the onions
in the butter for 10 minutes in a pan with the lid on, stirring every
so often, until the onions are soft and almost caramelised. Put to
one side.
Put all the bread ingredients into a food mixer with the dough hook
attachment. Mix to a soft dough and knead for 5 minutes on a f low
speed. You may need to stop the machine occasionally and scrape the
sides of the bowl so that everything gets mixed. Or mix by hand until
the mixture forms a smooth dough and knead for 10 minutes.
Shape the dough into two rough oval shapes and make 3 slits across the
bread with a knife, cutting right through the dough. Stretch it with
your hands and a rolling pin to about 30cm long. Put the loaves on
to greased baking sheets, cover with cling film or a clean tea towel
and leave in a warm place to prove until doubled in volume. Allow up
to an hour for this.
Pre-heat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas mark 5. Then bake for 30
minutes. If you’re adding the cheese and onion or another topping,
take the bread out of the oven just before it’s done, sprinkle the
flavourings evenly over the bread, and return to the oven for 5
minutes. Eat the bread as soon as you can.
As an alternative to caramelised onions and cheese, try adding olives,
rosemary, baked cloves of garlic (bake in their skins but remove these
before adding to the dough), cooked pieces of bacon and onions. Press
them into the almost cooked loaf and finish off as before.
Turkish pizza (lahmacun)
Makes about 12 small or 6 large
Just up the road from where I live in east London is the Turkish
community, where you will find flower shops, hairdressers and
takeaways open all night. Every so often you will come across a shop
specialising in lahmacun, the delicious Turkish equivalent of pizza –
thin bread, topped with spicy minced lamb. They’re served straight
from the oven until they run out, and that’s your lot. You can’t get
anything simpler and better to eat.
100g plain flour
100g wholewheat flour
1tsp honey
100ml warm water
1tsp salt
1tsp (3g) dried yeast
1tbsp olive oil
for the topping
2tbsp olive oil
250g minced lamb
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
13 tsp ground cinnamon
13 tsp ground allspice
3 tomatoes, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2tbsp pine nuts
1tbsp chopped mint
Dissolve the honey and yeast in the warm water. Put the 2 flours, olive
oil and salt into a mixing machine with the dough hook attachment and
add the water and yeast mixture. Mix for 2-3 minutes, you may need to
stop the machine if it’s a large bowl and scrape the sides to make sure
all the ingredients are mixed. By hand mix the ingredients together
to a smooth dough, and knead for 5 minutes. Transfer to a clean bowl,
cover with cling film and leave the dough somewhere warm to rise for
about an hour until the mixture has doubled in volume.
While the dough is rising prepare the topping. Season and fry the lamb
and onion in the olive oil, on a high heat, with the garlic, cinnamon
and allspice for 3-4 minutes until lightly coloured, stirring every so
often. Add the tomatoes, turn down the heat and continue cooking for
3-4 minutes stirring every so often. The mix should be fairly dry,
if not leave it on the heat for another minute or so. Add the pine
nuts and mint and leave to cool.
Transfer the dough on to a lightly floured surface and with the heel
of your hands knock the air out of the dough so it returns to its
original size. Divide the mixture into 12 pieces and shape them with
your thumb and fingers into little rounds.
Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/390ºF/gas mark 6. Roll out the pieces
to circles about 8-10 cm and put them on to lightly oiled baking
trays. Spoon the mixture on thinly in the centre, leaving about 1cm
boarder around the edge. Cook for 6-7 minutes and eat immediately.
Boxty bread
This is not actually a bread, but more of a pan-fried potato cake or
pancake from Ireland. Eat as a tea-time snack with preserves or cheese,
or put mushrooms or even sautéed lambs kidneys on top for supper.
You will need floury potatoes – King Edwards or Cara – for the mash.
450g potato, peeled and grated
450g dry mashed potato (just boiled potatoes, without milk or butter)
220g self-raising flour, sifted
150-200ml milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for cooking
Squeeze the grated potato in a dry cloth to remove all the starch. Mix
with the dry mash and the sifted flour. Gradually add the milk (you
may not need all of it) to form a thick batter. Season.
Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a non-stick pan and add a
couple of large tablespoons of the batter. Fry the mix on a low heat
for around 4 minutes on either side, until golden brown. Repeat with
the rest of the mix and re-heat them in a medium oven to serve.

PRESS RELEASE
May 14, 2004
American University of Armenia Corporation
300 Lakeside Drive, 4th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Telephone: (510) 987-9452
Fax: (510) 208-3576
Contact: Gohar Momjian
E-mail: [email protected]
AUA AT HELM OF SOLAR TECHNOLOGY IN ARMENIA
Yerevan – On May 4, 2004, the American University of Armenia (AUA) conducted
opening ceremonies to present its Solar Photovoltaic Power Station, which
was built in collaboration with Armenia’s State Engineering University
(SEUA) Heliotechnics Laboratory and Transistor Plus of Viasphere Technopark.
The success of AUA’s solar photovoltaic project demonstrates the feasibility
of using solar energy as an alternative power source in Armenia.
AUA’s Engineering Research Center began design and installation of the
photovoltaic power system in Spring 2003, with generous funding by the
Turpanjian Family Foundation. This project builds upon the solar heating
and cooling system located on AUA’s rooftop, developed two years ago with
scientists in Portugal, Germany, Russia and Armenia, funded by Mr. Sarkis
Acopian and INCO Copernicus of the European Union. This innovative solar
station has the highest capacity among similar systems functioning in
Armenia and the only one that is integrated into a solar driven heating and
cooling system.
The new solar electric power station can operate independent of an external
power supply. The system is comprised of solar photovoltaic panels field, a
solar battery bank, and a three-phase DC/AC inverter. The 72 solar
photovoltaic panels are installed on a special seismic isolated structure on
the roof of the University. Each panel has approximately 0.7 square meters
of surface and was produced at Heliotechnics Laboratory of the SEUA. The
photovoltaic converter cells used in the solar panels were made by Krasnoye
Znamye, Russia. The three phase DC/AC inverter was designed and
manufactured specifically for this project by Transistor Plus which is a
part of ViaSphere Technopark.
The Engineering Research Center is administered by AUA’s College of
Engineering. Its aim is to conduct basic and applied research on economic
and technological problems that are relevant to the industrial development
of Armenia and its region. It brings together AUA visiting faculty, local
scientists and engineers, and AUA students to collaborate on innovative
research projects.
—————————————-
The American University of Armenia is registered as a non-profit educational
organization in both Armenia and the United States and is affiliated with
the Regents of the University of California. Receiving major support from
the AGBU, AUA offers instruction leading to the Masters Degree in eight
graduate programs. For more information about AUA, visit or
Pictures From left to right:
Solar-1: Artak Hambarian, Associate Director of AUA College of Engineering
and Research Center, Project Manager; Anahit Ordian, Director of AUA
Administration; Aram Vardanyan, General Director of the Viasphere
Technopark; William Akounyan, Project Researcher; Hrant Vardanyan, Manager
of the Engineering and Production Service of the Viasphere Technopark;
Joseph Panossyan, Head of the Heliotechnics Laboratory, State Engineering
University of Armenia; Gagik Ayvazyan, Director of Transistor Plus;
Khachatour Khachikyan, Operations and Finance Manager of the Viasphere
Technopark
Solar-2: Artak Hambarian, Associate Director of AUA College of Engineering
and Research Center
Solar-3: Wilhelm Akunyan, AUA Engineering Research Center researcher; Joseph
Panossyan, Head of the State Engineering University of Armenia,
Heliotechnics Lab.

Armenian President In Moscow For Talks With Putin
Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
May 14 2004
14 May 2004 — Armenia’s President Robert Kocharian is due to meet
with Russian President Vladimir Putin today at the start of a three-day
visit to Moscow.
Kocharian, who arrived late yesterday, is also scheduled to meet
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov. Talks are expected to focus on
security issues in the Caucasus region, as well as economic cooperation
between Russia and Armenia.
Kocharian is also due to meet in Moscow with top officials of companies
supplying gas to Armenia, as well as other businessmen.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian Opposition Boycotts Further Talks With Coalition
By Karine Kalantarian
Radio Free Europe, Czech Rep.
May 14 2004
Dialogue between Armenia’s main political groups foundered before
starting in earnest on Thursday as the opposition cancelled planned
crisis talks with the governing coalition, saying that President Robert
Kocharian’s has not stopped the month-long crackdown on his opponents.
The leaders of the Artarutyun bloc and the National Unity Party
(AMK) accused the authorities of failing to comply with a Council of
Europe resolution that called for the release of arrested opposition
activists, an end to “administrative detentions” of participants
of anti-government protests and punishment of government officials
guilty of “human rights abuses.” The two groups declared on May 4 a
ten-day moratorium on unsactioned demonstrations in Yerevan to give
the authorities time to meet the demands.
Opposition representatives were scheduled to meet on Thursday with
leaders of the three pro-Kocharian parties that hold the majority of
seats in parliament and are represented in Prime Minister Andranik
Markarian’s cabinet. The meeting was supposed to be the first official
“negotiation” between the two sides that have held a series of
unofficial consultations over the past week.
According to Artarutyun’s Victor Dallakian, the opposition will
resume the contacts only after the authorities take “practical steps”
stemming from the resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE). “We have nothing to discuss with
the coalition now,” he said.
“They were obliged to immediately comply with the resolution of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe,” AMK leader Artashes
Geghamian told a separate news conference. “Namely, to immediately
release the political prisoners, to ensure people’s freedom of
movement, to put an end to the continuing repressions.”
“They are now trying to hold us as hostages so that we adopt what they
are obliged to unconditionally do as our main cause,” Geghamian added.
Parliament majority leaders said the decision to pull out of the talks
was not immediately communicated to them as they waited for opposition
representatives inside the parliament building in the evening. “It will
be unfortunate but it won’t have serious consequences for the country,”
Galust Sahakian of Markarian’s Republican Party told reporters.
“That the opposition is not prepared for a dialogue is a fact,”
Sahakian said, adding that the PACE issued “recommendations,” rather
than demands.
The boycott followed Artarutyun’s and the AMK’s decision to resume
their joint rallies in Yerevan on Friday. The opposition says it
is only prepared to discuss with the authorities ways of ensuring
Kocharian’s resignation “without upheavals,” suggesting in particular
a referendum of confidence in the Armenian leader.
However, the coalition parties remain united in their support of
Kocharian and strongly oppose regime change in the country. They say
that they can instead give the opposition more of a say in government
affairs.
The international community has strongly encouraged both sides to
try to bridge their differences through negotiations, with the PACE
resolution calling for a “dialogue without preconditions.” The head
of the Yerevan office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe, Vladimir Pryakhin, echoed the calls on Wednesday.
“I encourage both sides to engage in a meaningful and genuine
dialogue in order to resolve, within the constitutional framework,
the continuing difficulties,” Pryakhin said in a statement.
Pryakhin also urged the Armenian authorities to “review the cases”
of all those detained during recent opposition demonstrations and end
the controversial “administrative detentions” repeatedly condemned
by the Council of Europe and other human rights organizations. “This
practice is incompatible with European human rights standards,”
the Russian diplomat said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Russo-Armenian cooperation can be more effective – Putin
ITAR-TASS, Russia
May 14 2004
NOVO-OGARYOVO, May 14 (Itar-Tass) – President Vladimir Putin said he
was satisfied with the economic interaction with Armenia, but that
he believed that the two countries could work more effectively.
“It’s not just hard work, it’s also effective, being reflected in
growing economic interaction, with bilateral trade increasing 34
percent last year,” Putin said at a meeting with Armenian leader
Robert Kocharyan on Friday.
In his view however, Moscow and Yerevan “have many opportunities to
work better and more effectively.”

Armenia opposition turns down dialogue with ruling majority
ITAR-TASS, Russia
May 14 2004
YEREVAN, May 14 (Itar-Tass) — The Armenian opposition has refused
to hold the dialogue with the ruling parliamentary majority.
The propresidential coalition in turn did not want to use the word
crisis to describe the situation in the country after the last year’s
presidential elections.
The coalition also has proposed to the opposition joining the lawmaking
process, in particular taking part in debate of changes to the election
code and the constitution.
“The coalition is thus is trying to create an imitation of the return
of the opposition to the parliament,” a member of the oppositionist
parliamentary faction Justice, Shavarsh Kocharyan, said.
The opposition warned that it would not resume the dialogue until
all of its activists are freed from detention prisons.

Russia PM meets Armenia president
ITAR-TASS, Russia
May 14 2004
MOSCOW, May 13 (Itar-Tass) – – Russia is ready to discuss all the
topics on the agenda of Russia-Armenian relations, Russian Prime
Minister Mikhail Fradkov said, opening a meeting with Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan. “Our relations are developing in all
directions,” he said.
The Armenian president arrived in Moscow for a three-day working
visit. “A discussion of issues of bilateral relations from the
point of view of the implementation of the agreements reached
at Russian-Armenian summit meetings and determination of new
possibilities of deepening cooperation will be in the focus of
attention of Russian-Armenian talks,” a highly placed source in the
Kremlin administration told Itar-Tass.
According to the source, in particular, the sides are to “consider
ways of strengthening economic relations, issues of interaction in the
field of energy, transport, investments, and real sector of economy
where Russian interests are weightily represented in the fiscal sphere
and key industries.”