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GEORGIAN PRESIDENT ARRIVED IN YEREVAN

OCTOBER 23. Georgian President Eduard Shevarnadze makes a 2-day visit to Armenia Oct 23. The Armenian and Georgian presidents took a review at the "Zvartnots" Yerevan airport. Later the two presidents started their negotiations. The heads of the two countries will visit the Armenian president's residence, where they will continue their negotiations. The sides will discuss issues concerning the Armenian populations in Javakhq and Abkhazia, possibilities of transpositions via the territory of Georgia, as well as an issue of restructuring Georgia's $19mln debt to Armenia and a number of other problems. Later the sides will conduct enlarged negotiation and will sign a number of documents. As it was announced before, the "Agreement of friendship, cooperation and mutual security between the Armenian Republic and the Republic of Georgia," as well as two other agreements on cooperation in the legal sphere are scheduled to be signed. Besides, the sides will exchange instruments of ratification on a number of documents.

ARMENIA RECEIVED MORE THAN $1BLN CREDITS AND GRANTS OVER LAST 10 YEARS

OCTOBER 23. Armenia received more than 1bln credits and grants over last 10 years. The efficiency of their using requires careful consideration, Leader of the "Orinats Yerkir" party and parliamentary faction of the same name Artur Baghdasaryan made this statement in the Armenian parliament. On the deputy's initiative, the Armenian parliament made a decision today to hear the government's report on intended use of credits and grants, received from foreign countries and international organizations in 1992-1999. The report is scheduled to be heard by Dec 1 2001.

MEMBERS OF SOLDIER AND RIGHT NGO SAY THEY PURSUE NO POLITICAL TASKS

OCTOBER 23. The Soldier and Right NGO is not going to solve any political tasks. Its goal is to disclose the true circumstances of the death of soldiers who died in peace-time. As chairman of the NGO Emma Hounanyan said at a press-conference today, Soldier and Right, founded in 1996 and registered by Armenia's justice ministry in Mar 1999, has 51 members, who lost sons in the army in peace-time. Member of the NGO visit military units and hospitals, see that all garrisons nourish soldiers properly, give them good uniforms, arrange normal every day activities for them, with baths and laundries, as well as carry out military-patriotic work. Soldier and Right reports to the justice ministry about any deficiencies under mutual agreement. However, the main goal of the NGO members is to investigate into the death of not only their sons but also of all solders without exception. "Neither military prosecutor Gagik Jangiryan nor head of the military police of the defence ministry Vladimir Gasparyan have given a proper account of how it could have happened "that our children were brutally killed by their fellow-soldiers," Hounanyan said. She said the NGO will continue holding sit-ins in front of the presidential residence an other actions to clear up the matter and to attain the punishment of those guilty in the crimes - the mothers of the those killed in the army pronounce for putting the killers to death. The Solder and Right members think chairman of the presidential commission for human rights Parouyr Hayrikyan protects rights of executors rather than those of victims. Member of the NGO Eli Haroutyunayn said the NGO is going to attain the erection of a monument to all soldiers who died in peace-time. She said the monument must be erected in Yerablur in front of the grave of Vazgen Sargsyan, Armenia's prime minister killed in the Oct 27 1999 act of terrorism. "Sparapet [Commander referring to Sargsyan] took children from us and brought zinc coffins instead. Let him look at the monument and be ashamed. Had he punished the murderers in time, there might have been fewer murders in the army and he himself might have survived," Haroutyunayn said. It should be noted that Soldier and Right insists on granting the families of soldiers killed in peace-time the same status and privileges as those enjoyed by the families who lost their sons in the time of the Karabakh war.

HENCEFORTH ARMENIAN INTERNET USERS WILL PAY 1 DRAM FOR EACH MINUTE

OCTOBER 23. Armenian Internet users by modems hence will pay 1 dram for each minute, being in the net. Earlier they paid only for Internet-services. As an ARMINFO correspondent was informed from a resources, occupied with the IT-industry, this tariff is included in the same package of new prices for telecommunication services of the national operation - the "ArmenTel" company, which the company fixed since Sept of the current year. Presently the ArmenTel presented the ministry of transport and communication of Armenia with the new tariff for the Internet-communication and it will not act till the reply of the Ministry of transport, ARMINFO was informed in the ArmenTel. However, according to the resource, now technical problems are being solved, and the telecommunication monopolist has no other obstacles for introducing the new tariff.

PACE COMMISSION DISCUSSES MASS MEDIA PROBLEMS

OCTOBER 23. The members of the PACE Commission for Culture, Science and Education discussed today problems of mass media. According to the information provided to ARMINFO by the press service of the Armenian National Assembly, participating in the meeting presided over by Commission Chairman Anatoly Rakhansky, were representatives of Armenian mass media and workers of culture. The well-known film director Ruben Gevorgiants informed the meeting participants of the TV-movie festival recently held in Yalta, where he was jury member. Representatives of 38 countries had the opportunity to get acquainted with one another's culture. Armenia won two main prizes: in the categories of feature films and documentaries. In his turn, Head of the Information and Publications Department Eduard Militonian informed the meeting participants of the powers granted to the field by the country's Constitution, activities of official and independent mass media, as well as of issues of financing. He pointed out that in 2001, 150 newspapers, 65 independent TV companies and nine radio stations were operating in Armenia. According to the Law "On television and radio" adopted by the Armenian Parliament last year, one public television and one independent radio stations were established and are financed from the state budget. The state owns the "Respublika Armenia" (Republic of Armenia) Russian-language newspaper, the "Hayastani Hanrapetutiun" (Republic of Armenia) Armenian-language newspaper as well as the "Armenpress" news agency. Militonian also addressed the issue of the Armenian school of journalism as well as the projects assisting in educating future journalists. Editor-in-Chief of the "Aravot" (Morning) newspaper Aram Abrahamian pointed out that his presence at the meeting testified to the fact that free and independent press does exist in Armenia. He pointed out the problems of free press, its financing and obstacles to its activities. "The press is as much free as is it self-sufficient," Abrahamian said. Chairman of the Yerevan Press Club Boris Navasardian presented an informative reference on the processes in the information field of Armenia and of the region during the last decade. In conclusion, the meeting participants visited the house-museum of the world-famed film director Sergey Parajanov, held meetings with students and teachers of Yerevan State University. The Commission's meeting was a working one, and its participants summed up the results of its two-day work and discussed prospects of further activities.

ARMENIA AND GEORGIA SIGNED TREATY "ON FRIENDSHIP, COOPERATION AND MUTUAL SECURITY"

OCTOBER 23. The President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan and the President of Georgia Edward Shevardnadze, who is in Yerevan with an official visit today signed a treaty "On friendship, cooperation and mutual security", as well as two Agreements on cooperation in legal sphere. Besides, today they signed a Protocol on exchange of instrument of ratification on ratification of agreements "On legal assistance on criminal affairs between Armenia and Georgia" and "On legal assistance on civil affairs between Armenia and Georgia". According to the President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, the agreement "On friendship, cooperation and mutual security" has a number of provisions, which suppose that Georgia and Armenia will not take steps, directed against each other. Robert Kocharyan also mentioned that this treaty fixes the level of bilateral mutual relations for the nearest 10-15 years. "It's a serious document, which involves the whole spectre of our mutual relations", the head of Armenian state mentioned. In his turn, the President of Georgia Edward Shevardnadze advised all the citizens of Armenia and Georgia attentively to examine the treaty, adding that the document became the main result of bilateral relations. "We succeeded by joint efforts to make this document, which will provide us with good basis for further cooperation for the nearest 20 years", the Georgia leader mentioned.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARIANS DISCUSSED PROBLEMS OF PROTECTION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE OF SOUTH CAUCASIAN COUNTRIES

OCTOBER 23.Azeri parliamentarians in the Council of Europe again state about as if there are evidences about the destruction of monuments of Azeri culture in the territory of Nagorny Karabakh. As the member of the commission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on culture, science and education affairs, the deputy of Azeri parliament Ali Abbasov today stated in the course of the press conference, the probability of destruction of monuments of culture, also including Armenian ones in the territory of Azerbaijan in the course of the karabakh war is not excepted. According to him, no such cases took place after the establishment cease-fire. In reply to it the member of the same commission, the deputy of Armenia's National Assembly Ashot Galoyan stated that Armenian side has presented photo testimonies about the destruction of Armenian monuments of culture in the territory of neighbor countries. "But our aim is not to present mutual accusations, but to find ways for protection of cultural heritage of two peoples", the deputy mentioned. Summing up the results of the guests sitting of the commission, Galoyan mentioned that all the issues got due solution. According to him, on the very first day of the sitting the Armenian party succeeded to attract the attention of the commission to such an actual problem, as the destruction of monuments of Armenian culture in the territory if neighbor countries. Galoyan mentioned that this fact provoked caused the dissatisfaction of the Azeri deputies. However, they had to resign themselves with to this fact, as Armenian side had presented documentary evidences, testifying about the acts of vandalism in respect of Armenian historic monuments in the territory of Azerbaijan, the deputy stated.

MARTIROS SARIAN'S RESTORED CURTAIN "ARMENIA" CROWNS EXPOSITION OF NATIONAL GALLERY

OCTOBER 23. It the third time that Days of European Heritage are being held in Armenia. This year the festival will last from October 23 to December 5 under the motto "How do we preserve the 1700-year-old Christian heritage?". As part of the festival, the exhibition "SOS! Cultural Value" will be opened at the National Gallery of Armenia. The highlight of the exposition is the canvases of Ivan Aivazovsky and the famous curtain of Martiros Sarian "Armenia", which were saved by the restores of the National Gallery. But, one of Aivazovsky's pictures "The Christ with his disciples" is displayed still damaged. The visitors will see the exhibits of the State Museum of History as well as get acquainted with the course of restoration of memorable buildings of old Yerevan. Attending the arrangements organized on the occasion of the Day of European Heritage is traditionally free of charge. Days of european Heritage have been organized in European countries since 1991. the festival was instituted by the Council of Europe and the European Union. We would remind you that last year the highlight of the Days of European Heritage was the Yerevan club of sea research "Aiyas".

ARMENIA'S POLITICAL FORCES CONCERNED ABOUT DECISION OF EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT TO REMOVE REQUIREMENT TO TURKEY TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

OCTOBER 23. Armenia's political forces are concerned about the decision of the European Parliament to remove the requirement to Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide a precondition for its admission into the European Union, chairman of the Dashnaktsoutyun parliamentary faction Aghvan Vartanyan said in the parliament today. He said the Political Committee of the European Parliament will discuss the document Oct 25-26. Earlier the point on Turkey's recognition of the Armenian Genocide had been removed as it is believed to be able to hinder the activity of the Armeno-Turkish commission for reconciliation, Vartanyan said. "Armenia's parliamentary forces state that this commission can't promote the settlement of relations between Armenia and Turkey, which can be regulated only at the state level," says a statement by the Armenian MPs. Meanwhile, Turkey continues rejecting the Armenian Genocide, refuses to lift the blockade of Armenia and having taken a subjective position in the issue of the Karabakh conflict settlement dismisses the possibility of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries, the Armenian MPs say. Vartanyan said on the demand of the MPs the leadership of the parliament must send the above statement to the European Parliament.

ON OCTOBER 30 U.S. SENATE TO RETURN TO DISCUSSION OF 907TH AMENDMENT

OCTOBER 23. On Oct 30, the U.S. Senate will return to discuss the 907th amendment, which prohibits the USA to render a direct assistance to Azerbaijan. Baku's mass media inform with the reference to diplomatic resources. As it was earlier mentioned, the U.S. State Secretary Coline Powell appealed to the congressmen with a call to abolish the amendment, as the latter assists the USA to hold anti-terroristic operation in Afghanistan. At the same time many congressmen assessed the call of the State secretary as an attempt to exert pressure upon the Congress. Some of American congressmen think that the amendment mustn't be abolished until Azerbaijan does not remove the blockade of Armenia and Nagorny Karabakh. According to trustful resources the amendment anyway will be annuled, but with some reservations.