Permanent Mission of the Republic of Armenia
to the United Nations
119E 36th street, New York, NY 10016
Tel.: 1-212-686-9079
Fax: 1-212-686-3934
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
May 5, 2004
PRESS RELEASE
Armenia’s Re-election to the UN Commission on Human Rights
On May 4, 2004 the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC),
New York, unanimously re-elected Armenia to the Commission on Human Rights
(CHR). Thus, Armenia will continue its membership in the Commission for
three more years after its current term is over on December 31, 2004. So
far, Armenia has been the only country from the South Caucasus to be a
member of the CHR.
Armenia considers the promotion and protection of all human rights and
fundamental freedoms as a cornerstone for international peace, security
and development. During its ongoing term Armenia is bringing its active
participation to the deliberations of the Commission and has extended its
support and co-sponsorship to more than 150 resolutions adopted by the
CHR. As a newly independent country with only 12 year-old experience in
international affairs, Armenia has been able to formulate a balanced
approach to the country-specific resolutions, taking into consideration
both its national interest and universal values. Given its strong
attachment to the principle of the punishment of the crime of genocide,
Armenia has continuously introduced resolutions signifying the importance
of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of
Genocide and emphasising the need for its universal application.
Commission on Human Rights, composed of 53 States, is the major UN body to
deal with human rights issues. It is entrusted to elaborate human rights
standards and to monitor their implementation. During its regular annual
sessions the Commission examines a wide range of human rights issues:
civil and political rights, as well as economic, social and cultural
rights. The main themes include the right to self-determination, the right
to development, human rights of women, children, minorities, displaced
persons, etc. The Commission particularly focuses its attention on
violations of human rights in specific countries or territories and on
situations of specific human rights violations worldwide. It considers
such issues as torture and detention, freedom of expression, religious
intolerance, as well as the issues of relationship between globalisation,
poverty, terrorism and human rights.
[END]

ARKA News Agency
May 5 2004
WB to make serious efforts for improvement of business sphere in
Armenia
The office of Children of Armenia Fund opened in Yerevan
*********************************************************************
WB TO MAKE SERIOUS EFFORTS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF BUSINESS SPHERE IN
ARMENIA
YEREVAN, May, 5. /ARKA/. WB will make serious efforts for improvement
of business sphere in Armenia, Director of WB Yerevan Office Roger
Robinson stated today. According to him, for improvement of business
sphere Armenia needs to make large amount of works. Robinson said
that the results of the analysis of business atmosphere will be
prepared soon, however it is already obvious that some sphere have
problems. Particularly, businessmen complaint on tax and custom
administration. `Business sphere in the country is improving, however
it does not mean that the process is over’, Robinson said.
Talking about the role of Diaspora in the economy of the country,
Robinson said that recent 5-10 years its contribution in Armenia was
high as in the view of humanitarian aid, so other assistance. L.D.
–0–
*********************************************************************
THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN OF ARMENIA FUND OPENED IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, May, 4. /ARKA/. The ceremony of opening the office of
Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) took place in Yerevan. According to
the COAF Chairman Garo Armen, the organization aims at working out
programs concerning the areas of development of children in Armenia
and alleviating their economic conditions. According to Armen, first
of all these programs concern the children, living in rural areas,
for whom COAF is going to create a simpler access to education and
health systems. He stated that within 2004, COAF together with UNDP
will implement the program in Karakert village (Armavir region)
estimated at about $1 mln. According to Lise Grande, the Resident
Representative of UNDP in Armenia, `UNDP has successfully implemented
some projects aimed at decentralization and development of the RA
communities for the recent years. COAF is going to become such
organization’. COAF NGO was founded in 2000. A.H. -0 –
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
05/05/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Coalition Partners Prepared to Resume Talks with Opposition 2) Kocharian Signs Bill on Public Rallies 3) Aliyev's View on Minsk Group Becomes Rosy 4) Territories Must Be Returned, Says Balayan 5) Professor Hovanissian Sets the Record Straight 6) Georgian President Imposes Direct Presidential Rule in Rebel Ajaria 1) Coalition Partners Prepared to Resume Talks with Opposition YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Parliament speaker Artur Baghdasarian urged leaders of Armenia's main governing and opposition parties on Wednesday, to restart talks on ways of defusing the month-long political tensions in the country. In a statement, Baghdasarian said he invites the leaders of all parliamentary factions to attend further "political consultations" that will take place in his office on Thursday. The statement adds that the Council of Europe's calls for a "dialogue without preconditions" between the authorities and the opposition necessitates resumption of talks. Opposition leaders indicated their support for renewed talks, also citing the resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) last week, but insisted that President Kocharian must also become directly involved in the proposed dialogue. The first round of talks between the opposition and the governing Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Orinats Yerkir, and Republican parties broke down last week. The leaders of the Artarutyun (Justice) alliance and the National Unity Party (AMK) announced on Tuesday that they are taking a "ten-day break" in their campaign of anti-Kocharian street protests, but still insist that dialogue must focus on President Kocharian's resignation. The parliament majority rejects preconditions, proposing instead that the opposition be given say in government policy-making. 2) Kocharian Signs Bill on Public Rallies YEREVAN (Armenpress)--President Robert Kocharian signed into law a bill passed earlier by the parliament on the holding of assemblies, rallies, marches, and demonstrations. Kocharian's press office said the law strives to ensure rights of citizens to hold peaceful and unarmed rallies, meetings, processions, and demonstrations, ensure security of government and public facilities, maintain public order and physical protection of citizens, as well as their rights and freedoms. 3) Aliyev's View on Minsk Group Becomes Rosy BAKU (Armenpress)--In a reversal of previous opinion on the effectiveness of the Minsk Group, which spearheads the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe's (OSCE) efforts to find a political solution to this conflict, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said that group's activity is apparent, and that "the co-chairmen are determined to deal with the problem." Aliyev told reporters on Wednesday that process of regulating the Mountainous Karabagh conflict is underway, though not very actively, and expressed hope that the efforts of the Minks Group would bring positive results. "If we do not believe this, then negotiations become senseless," he said. He said that his meeting with Armenian president Robert Kocharian held in Geneva and Warsaw were positive and that negotiations between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan are also progressing. Only about a month ago, Aliyev attacked the Minsk Group, saying it has done "nothing positive" since being set up in 1992. The two presidents, along with the OSCE Minsk group co-chairmen, will meet again in Strasbourg on May 12. 4) Territories Must Be Returned, Says Balayan (A1plus)--Shahumyan-Getashen Patriotic Union leader Edik Balayan, said on Wednesday the Union demands that the issue of liberating Getashen, Martunashen, and other Armenian villages be raised when negotiating the Karabagh conflict Citing the fact that 20,000 Armenians were driven from territories bordering Karabagh, and that 17,000 were driven from their homes to take refuge in Armenia, he said, "We have no intention to cede our territories and will keep on struggling to get them back." 5) Professor Hovanissian Sets the Record Straight YEREVAN (Yerkir)--Professor Richard Hovanissian blasted Moscow-based political analyst Andranik Migranian, during a Wednesday press conference organized to announce an upcoming conference about factors in regulating Armenian-Turkish relations. The conference of mostly well-known scholars is to take place in Yerevan, May 6-7, at the National Academy of Sciences. Migranian, a member of the now dissolved Turkish Armenian Reconciliation Commission (TARC), in addressing the break-up of the Commission, said that TARC played a great role in getting the New York Times to lift its long-standing policy against the use of the term "Armenian Genocide." "We must speak well of the dead [TARC]--as the Commission played a great role lately in getting the influential American [newspaper], the New York Times, to allow usage of the word genocide when referring to [the Armenian] Genocide," Migranian asserted. Hovannisian, who holds the Armenian Educational Foundation Chair in Modern Armenian History at the University of California, Los Angeles and is the author of numerous publications relating to the Republic of Armenia, responded curtly, saying that the Commission had absolutely no influence on the New York Times decision. "I know the Turkish members of that Commission; they all categorically represent the Turkish Government," Hovannisian said, adding that he does not expect definite results from the upcoming conference, as the views of genocide scholars and analysts will not necessarily correspond. 6) Georgian President Imposes Direct Presidential Rule in Rebel Ajaria TBILISI (Combined Sources)--Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili imposed direct presidential rule over the separatist region of Ajaria, amid a tense standoff with the province's renegade leader Aslan Abashidze. "I am introducing direct presidential rule in Ajaria," the Georgian president said in a nationally televised address. Saakashvili pledged to guarantee the safety of Abashidze and his team if the renegade leader bowed to pressure and resigned. "I take upon myself full responsibility and give a guarantee of safety to Aslan Abashidze, but only if he voluntarily leaves his post. I am also offering guarantees to Abashidze's family. If they wish to remain on Georgian territory then they will have full guarantees for their safety," Saakashvili said. The Georgian president said that he contacted Washington and Moscow to see if they were willing to offer Abashidze asylum. "I spoke with President (Vladimir) Putin and the White House and asked them to give political asylum to Abashidze and his family. We have not yet received an answer to that question, but we have said that we would not seek their extradition back to Georgia to stand trial." "We are ready to be magnanimous in victory and forgive everything but the time to disarm has arrived," he said. Georgian government spokesman Guga Sulkhanishvili said on Wednesday, that a top Russian official is flying to Georgia for talks on the crisis in Georgia rebel region of Ajaria. "The Secretary of the Russian Security Council Igor Ivanov...will fly to Tbilisi and will hold talks with the government of Georgia." Ivanov was Russian foreign minister until he was switched to head Putin's top security body in a government reshuffle in March. He played a key role in mediating a confrontation in Georgia last November which culminated in the resignation of veteran leader Eduard Shevardnadze. Crowds of protesters in the port of Batumi, their ranks swollen by uniformed policemen and state media workers who switched sides to join a 5,000-strong rally against the rebel leader, pointed to Abashidze's fast crumbling authority. As the groundswell of protest rose, the Georgian government said Ajaria's Black Sea oil port at Batumi had been planted with explosives and the consequences could be catastrophic. Abashidze's resignation would underpin Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili's popularity and authority. Saakashvili, who came to power after a revolution last year, has made reining in rebel regions a priority, ordering Abashidze to reform or stand down. "You have two or three hours to obey the president of Georgia and avoid bloodshed," Security Council head Vano Merebishvili told state television. Unlike the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Ajaria has never sought formal independence from the government but is outside government control. Georgia ordered Abashidze to bow to central rule by May 12, after his local militia blew up bridges linking Ajaria with the Georgian heartland. Abashidze, 65 and in power for the past 14 years has so far, ignored all calls for his resignation and instead has reinforced a state of emergency, closing universities and sending police to disperse demonstrations. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.

Anadolu Agency
May 5 2004
Turkey: There Shouldn’t Be Any Expectation From Turkey About
Recognition Of Greek Cypriot Side
ANKARA – There should not be any expectation from Turkey about
recognition of the Greek Cypriot side, Turkish Foreign Ministry
Spokesman Namik Tan said on Wednesday.
Tan said in a weekly press conference, ”we have done everything for
a solution (in Cyprus). There shouldn’t be any expectation from
Turkey. What the other sides have done or will do should be
considered.”
The fact that Greek Cypriots had been internationally recognized was
a reality, Tan said.
Tan stated that Turkey would continue to recognize Turkish Republic
of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
”We will consider developments in the following months and we will
evaluate the issue with all its legal and political aspects,” Tan
said.
When he was recalled about the news that Azerbaijani representatives
in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (COEPA) did not join
the voting on TRNC saying that ”it might cause recognition of Upper
Karabakh”, Tan said that Azerbaijani representatives had clearly
stated the reason of their attitude.
Tan added that Turkey continued to exchange views with Azerbaijani
authorities on the issue.

Anadolu Agency
May 5 2004
Labor And Social Security Minister Basesgioglu Leaves For Azerbaijan
ISTANBUL – Turkish Labor and Social Security Minister Murat
Basesgioglu left on Wednesday for Azerbaijani capital Baku on an
official visit.
Speaking to reporters at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport, Basesgioglu said
that he would hold meetings on issues concerning labor ministries of
the two countries.
Recalling that cooperation agreement was signed between ministries of
the two countries in 1997 and Social Security Agreement which was
signed later went into effect in 2001, he said that international
cooperation, employment, social security and exchange of experts
between Turkey and Azerbaijan would be discussed in the meeting of
joint permanent commission between ministries in Baku.
Basesgioglu said that they would also sign administrative agreement
regulating implementation and provisions of Social Security Agreement
during his visit to Baku.
Basesgioglu stated that he would also be received by Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister and National Assembly
Chairman.
Replying to a question on non-participation of Azerbaijani
parliamentarians in the voting on Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC) held in the Council of European Parliamentary Assembly (COEPA)
last week, Basesgioglu said, ”Turkey and Azerbaijan are two friendly
countries. National issues of the two countries have been followed
and defended together on international platform. We wish that
Azerbaijani parliamentarians had cast their votes and expressed their
views supporting Turkish thesis. I have just learnt that they
established a connection between Upper Karabakh issue and Cyprus
issue. The two countries will discuss it in detail. It is obvious
that there is need for a better communication and coordination from
now on. Despite all those things, I think that there should not be
any situation which might harm friendship between the two countries.
However, we have defended Azerbaijan’s national causes with
sensitivity on international platform so far. I hope that we will be
given value for it in coming days. I hope that both countries will
act together in defending their joint national causes.”
Replying to a question on unemployment, he said that Turkish
government attached great importance to unemployment issue and noted
that unemployment rate would reduce to 6-7 percent in 2010.

Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. Announces 62% Increase in the Dollar Value of Net
Contracts for the Quarter Ended April 30, 2004 and 58% Increase for the Month
of April 2004
RED BANK, N.J., May 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Hovnanian Enterprises,
Inc. (NYSE:HOV), a leading national homebuilder, announced today
preliminary net contracts and sales backlog for the second quarter and
month ended April 30, 2004. For the month of April 2004, the dollar
value of net contracts increased 58% and the number of net contracts
increased 39%, to 1,520 homes, when compared with April 2003. For the
quarter, the dollar value of net contracts increased 62% and the
number of net contracts increased 45%, to 4,911 homes, when compared
with the second quarter of fiscal 2003. The sales value of contract
backlog at April 30, 2004 grew 69% over April 30, 2003, to $2.4
billion, and the number of homes in contract backlog increased 52%, to
8,092 homes, when compared to 5,318 homes at April 30, 2003. The
Company delivered 3,373 homes during the second quarter, including 19
in unconsolidated joint ventures, an increase of 35% over the 2,507
homes delivered during the same period in 2003, which included 11 home
deliveries in unconsolidated joint ventures. The number of active
selling communities company-wide on April 30, 2004 increased to 291
communities from 244 communities at the end of April 2003.
Net Contracts
Three Months Ended Contract Backlog
April 30th April 30th
————————- ————————–
2004 2003 % Change 2004 2003 % Change
————————- ————————–
Northeast(1)
Homes 919 639 43.8% 2,440 2,024 20.6%
Dollars 307,127 204,944 49.9% 733,520 538,741 36.2%
Avg.
Price 334,197 320,726 4.2% 300,623 266,176 12.9%
Southeast(1)
Homes 1,276 949 34.5% 2,591 1,531 69.2%
Dollars 351,922 248,323 41.7% 750,533 423,615 77.2%
Avg.
Price 275,801 261,668 5.4% 289,669 276,692 4.7%
Southwest(1)
Homes 1,150 732 57.1% 1,254 645 94.4%
Dollars 202,748 143,978 40.8% 204,621 128,786 58.9%
Avg.
Price 176,303 196,691 (10.4%) 163,174 199,668 (18.3%)
West
Homes 1,428 1,069 33.6% 1,570 1,100 42.7%
Dollars 533,685 312,470 70.8% 587,174 336,741 74.4%
Avg.
Price 3 73,729 292,301 27.9% 373,996 306,128 22.2%
Consolidated
Total
Homes 4,773 3,389 40.8% 7,855 5,300 48.2%
Dollars 1,395,482 909,715 53.4% 2,275,848 1,427,883 59.4%
Avg.
Price 292,370 268,432 8.9% 289,732 269,412 7.5%
Unconsolidated Joint
Ventures
Homes 138 9 N/A 237 18 N/A
Dollars 84,795 1,759 N/A 140,352 3,715 N/A
Avg.
Price 614,454 195,450 N/A 592,204 206,381 N/A
Total
Homes 4,911 3,398 44.5% 8,092 5,318 52.2%
Dollars 1,480,277 911,474 62.4% 2,416,201 1,431,598 68.8%
Avg.
Price 301,421 268,238 12.4% 298,591 269,199 10.9%
———————————————————————-
April % Change April % Change
2004 From 2004 From
Net April Net April
Contracts 2003 Contracts 2003
($ in millions)
Northeast(1) 346 39.5% $98.3 37.6%
(NJ, NY, PA, OH)
Southeast(1) 331 20.4% 95.7 32.2%
(FL, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)
Southwest(1) 345 52.7% 61.4 39.6%
(AZ, TX)
West 460 32.2% 181.1 72.9%
(CA)
Consolidated Total: 1,482 35.1% $436.5 49.2%
Unconsolidated Joint
Ventures 38 NM 26.7 NM
———————————————-
Total: 1,520 38.6% $463.2 58.2%
———————————————-
(1) The number of net contracts and backlog in the Northeast for the second
quarter and month ended April 30, 2004 includes the effect of the Summit Homes
acquisition, which closed in April 2003. The number of net contracts and
backlog in the Southwest for the second quarter and month ended April 30, 2004
includes the effect of the Great Western Homes acquisition, which closed in
August 2003. The number of net contracts in the Southeast for the second quarter
and month ended April 30, 2004 includes the effect of the Windward Homes
acquisition, which closed in November 2003.
Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., founded in 1959 by Kevork S. Hovnanian,
Chairman, is headquartered in Red Bank, New Jersey. The Company is one of the
nation’s largest homebuilders with operations in Arizona, California, Florida,
Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. The Company’s homes
are marketed and sold under the trade names K. Hovnanian, Washington Homes,
Goodman Homes, Matzel & Mumford, Diamond Homes, Westminster Homes, Fortis Homes,
Forecast Homes, Parkside Homes, Brighton Homes, Parkwood Builders, Summit
Homes, Great Western Homes and Windward Homes. As the
developer of K. Hovnanian’s Four Seasons communities, the Company is also one
of the nation’s largest builders of active adult homes.
Additional information on Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., including a summary
investment profile and the Company’s 2003 annual report, can be accessed through
the investor relations page of the Hovnanian Web site at
To be added to Hovnanian’s investor e-mail or fax lists, please send an
e-mail to [email protected] or sign up at
SOURCE Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc.
CO: Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc.
ST: New Jersey
SU: CON SLS
Web site:
05/05/2004 05:00 EDT

A1 Plus | 17:28:18 | 05-05-2004 | Politics |
PENDING JUSTICE
On Wednesday, Court of Appeal continued considering the first instance court
‘s decision, under which general-lieutenant Vagharshak Harutyunyan, who has
been charged with three counts of attempting a coup, making seditious calls
and making insulting remarks toward the authorities, will remain kept in
preliminary detention facilities while awaiting trial.
The Appeal Court upheld the first instance court decision.

A1 Plus | 22:08:27 | 05-05-2004 | Politics |
OPPOSITION IS WILLING TO NEGOTIATE WITH AUTHORITIES
The opposition came up with a statement on Wednesday.
Taking into account that crisis in the country is increasingly deepening
since presidential elections in 2003, taking into consideration that
fulfilling PACE demands worded in its 1374 resolution have great
significance for our country and acknowledging full responsibility for
bringing the country on the road of democracy, the opposition states it is
ready for dialogue with the authorities and, as a gesture of good will, make
unilateral move refraining from staging rallies throughout ten days.
If the authorities don’t make return step, protest actions will be resumed,
the statement says.

ARMENIAN PROSECUTOR-GENERAL VOWS HARSH STRUGGLE AGAINST CORRUPTION
Arminfo
4 May 04
YEREVAN
The newly-established Department for Struggle against Corruption under
the Prosecutor-General’s Office will combat this evil in all state
bodies, including the power-wielding agencies and the prosecutor’s
office, Prosecutor-General Agvan Ovsepyan told reporters today.
“I am not so naive to deny the presence of corruption in the system of
prosecutor’s office,” Ovsepyan said. A statute of the department will
be developed within 10 days where its development areas will be fixed,
he said.
The prosecutor-general said that the department would closely
cooperate with the Control Chamber of President, presidential aide on
issues of fighting against corruption and other structures. The
prosecutor-general expressed the opinion that corruption was
especially spread in economic bodies.

ARMENIAN CIVIL AVIATION GETS NEW CHIEF
Arminfo
4 May 04
YEREVAN
Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan has relieved Samvel
Markaryan of his duty as the chief of the Main Department for Civil
Aviation (Armenian Airlines) under the Armenian government.
Artem Movsisyan has replaced him, the press service of the government
told Arminfo news agency.
(Passage omitted: biography of Movsisyan)