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PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT TO BE AMONG KEY ISSUES TO BE DISCUSSED DURING TURKISH PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO U.S.

JANUARY 11. The problem of the Karabakh conflict peaceful settlement will be among the key issues on the agenda of the visit of Turkey's Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit to the U.S. According to Turkish mass media, the sides will discuss a new draft of the program for Turkey's cooperation with the South Caucasian states. The draft "envisages a just solution to the Karabakh conflict." Turkey considers that after the Sept 11 events it should play a more active part in the mediation to the Karabakh conflict settlement. Observers link that with the strengthening of Turkey's influence in Central Asia and the Caucasus after the terrorist acts in the U.S.. The draft provides for the stationing of Turkish bases in Azerbaijan. According to some data, two Azeri airports may be reequipped into military bases, one of them in Baku and the other in Kurdamir. Besides, the draft envisages the strengthening of the strategic cooperation with Georgia and Azerbaijan. To recap, the draft security agreement between Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia is prepared for signing already.

VAGRANT CHILDREN RETURNED TO THEIR FAMILIES

JANUARY 11. Most of vagrant and beggar children in Armenia, who came to be in the Center of admission and distribution of children, are returned to their families, ARMINFO was informed of it in the Center of admission and distribution of children of the Armenian Aid Foundation. According to the same source, currently the main part of the children in the Center are 12-15 year-old boys from socially unsecured and unhappy families living in hostels or homeless at all. The Center was founded in 2000 and is able to house 30 children. Over the last two year 431 children at the age of 3-18 years found shelter in the Center, 60% of them were Yerevan citizens, the others being from Armavir, Vanadzor, Artashat, as well as from Karabakh, Russia, Latvia and Georgia. Besides admitting and distributing children, the Center renders medical, psychological and pedagogical assistance. 80% of these children were brought to the Center by servicemen of departments on juveniles affairs of the Armenian Ministry of the Interior. The number of abandoned children, who were deprived of parental custody, has recently increased.

ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIA'S ADMISSION TO CE TO BE MARKED IN STRASBOURG

JANUARY 11. The anniversary of Armenia's admission to the Council of Europe (CE) will be marked by a solemn reception in Strasbourg, Deputy Head of the Armenian delegation to PACE Armen Rustamian told ARMINFO. According to him this year the anniversary of Armenia's admission to the CE will coincide with the commencement of the PACE winter session, and the Armenian delegation intends to organize a solemn reception. Armenia was admitted to the CE on January 25, 2001, and is the 42nd member of the organization. Before, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian stated that Armenia is conscientiously fulfilling its commitments to the Council of Europe. He pointed out that Armenia's admission to the CE was the first step in the country's integration into the European structures. Armenia's admission to the family of European countries means its reaching a qualitatively new level as a member of international community.

IRANIAN ROCK MUSIC CONCERT TO BE HELD AT ARAM KHACHATURYAN CONCERT HALL

JANUARY 11. A concert of Iranian pop-rock music will be held at Aram Khachaturyan Concert Hall in Yerevan Jan 26, Head of the Public Relations Department of Aram Khachaturyan Concert Hall Narek Tovmasyan told ARMINFO. He said the rock group under the Armenian title "Zanger" (Bells) with the soloist, Rafik Isangulyan, Armenian by origin, will represent the Iranian rock music. The group is supported by the Culture Department of the Iranian Embassy in Yerevan. The concert is a unique, as after the Islamic revolution of 1979 all directions of music, except the spiritual one, were prohibited in Iran.

MEMORIAL STONE UNVAILED AT MAUSOLEUM OF TURKMEN EMIRS IN ARMENIA

JANUARY 11. A memorial stone was officially unvailed at the mausoleum of Turkmen emirs in Argavand, Armenia, today. Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Armenia Toily Kurbanov, Science and Education Minister of Armenia Levon Mkrtchyan as well as Armenian MPs and foreign ambassadors to Armenia took part in the ceremony. Kurbanov said the mausoleum symbolizes the centuries-old friendship of the Armenian and Turkmen peoples. He also thanked the Armenian authorities for assisting his embassy in reconstructing the mausoleum. Mkrtchyan said the reconstruction of the mausoleum testifies to the fact that Armenia is a country where Christians and Muslims coexsist peacefully as well as to the fact that the Armenian people cares for the Muslim monuments located in Armenia. The mausoleum was built in 1413 and is the family burial-vault of Turkmen beks (nobleman's title) of the Saadli dynasty, who were deputies of the Karakoyunlu khans in the Ararat valley in late XIV - early XV. Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov visited the mausoleum during his official visit to Armenia in 1996. The Turkmen Embassy, together with the administration of Argavand, improved the territory of the mausoluem in late 2001.

TWO PEOPLE DIED AND FOUR ONES WERE INJURED IN THE RESULT OF EXPLOSION IN ONE OF YEREVAN'S BUILDINGS

JANUARY 11. Two people died and four were injured in the result of explosion in one of Yerevan's dwelling buildings. As the head of the pres office of the Emergency Department of Armenia's government Nikolay Grigorian informed ARMINFO, the explosion took place approximately at one o'clock at night. Immediately rescuers of the detachment of quick reaction of the Emergency department arrived in the place of the incident. two families suffered from the explosion. The 39-years old Jivan, 36-years old Anna and 12-years old Siranush Gasparians were taken to the hospital. In the result of the operative work the rescuers succeeded to save the life of the 15 years old Alena Kareyan, but 33 years old Anna and 16 years old Irina Kareyans died under the ruins. 80 sq/m of territory was destroyed. According to preliminary facts, the explosion took place in the results of disrepair of gas-container. A criminal charge has been instituted on the fact of the happened. Today the procuracy of the Yerevan communities Center and Nork-Marash, examining the incident, abstained from any comments.

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF STATE DEPARTMENT STORE WAS KILLED IN YEREVAN

JANUARY 11. The deputy director of the State department store of Yerevan was killed in Armenian capital. As the department on information and public relations informs, the victim was wounded by gun-shot many times. The wounded not coming to sense died on the way to hospital. Presently operative-investigative measures are being taken for detaining the criminal. The case has been transferred to the prosecutor's office.

DELEGATION OF TURKISH JOURNALISTS ARRIVED IN YEREVAN

JANUARY 11. A group of Turkish journalists today arrived in Armenia by invitation of the Yerevan press club. As an ARMINFO correspondent was informed in the Yerevan press club, four representatives of influential Turkish newspapers "Hurriyet", "Jumhurriyet", "Turkish daily news" and the news agency "Turk Haber" have arrived in Yerevan. In the Armenian capital the representatives of the Turkish mass media will hold meetings with a number of higher officials of the republic, including with the foreign minister of Armenia Vardan Oskanian and Armenian parliamentarians. The meeting of the Turkish journalists with their Armenian colleagues is scheduled for Jan 14. The trip of Turkish representatives of mass media to Nagonry Karabakh is not excepted in the case of favorable weather conditions. On Jan 15 the Turkish journalists will return to their motherland.