Mailing List Service Felist.Com -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear frends! Arminfo news agency inform TWO PERSONS, WHO TRIED TO ILLEGALLY ENTER TERRITORY OF ARMENIA DEC 25, IRANIAN CITIZENS JANUARY 15. Two persons, who tried to illegally enter the territory of Armenia Dec 25, were Iranian citizens. Head of a task group of the Russian Federal Frontier Service in Armenia Vyacheslav Aboimov said, both frontier violators intended to pass to Western Europe via territory of Armenia. At first they introduced themselves as citizens of Bulgaria, then of Afghanistan, however, they did not know either of languages of these countries. A possibility of the detainees being handed over to the Iranian part is currently under consideration. It should be noted that both violators were detained by the Russian frontier guards at the Yerevan "Zvartnots" international airport, during the registration of a regular Istanbul-Yerevan flight. The passports of the above two persons aroused concern of the frontier guards, as data in the passports indicated the slavonic origin of their possessors, while the persons presented the passports were of West-Asian origin. The detainees were handed over to the Armenian Ministry of National Security, where they are still kept. RUSSIAN FFS DIRECTOR TO VISIT ARMENIA JANUARY 15. Director of the Russian Federal Frontier Service, Colonel-General Konstantin Trotsky is to pay a working visit to Armenia early next week, Chief of the Headquarters of the strategical group of the Russian Federal Frontier Service stationed in Armenia, Major-General Vladimir Pankov told ARMINFO. According to him, during the visit documents on financing the strategic group safeguarding Armenian national frontier are to be signed. The FFS director intends to hold meetings with President Robert Kocharian, other officials, his Armenian colleagues. He is also scheduled to visit the Russian frontier guards in Armenia. Pankov reported that in 2002, 50% of financing of the Russian frontier guards in Armenia will be allocated by the Russian side and the other 50% by the Armenian side. In 2001, the Armenian side provided 57% and the Russian side 43% of financing. SASUN AGHAJANYAN RECOGNIZED MENTALLY NORMAL JANUARY 15.Sasun Aghajanyan, the defendant sentenced to 14 years imprisonment on a charge of an attempt against Karabakh President Arkadi Ghoukassyan, March 2000, underwent medical examination at the Nubarashen Mental Hospital, where he was transferred from the Central Prison Hospital. The examinations showed that Aghajanyan is mentally normal. Sasun meaningly refuses to eat, and his health is still in poor condition. At present Aghajanyan is in the Central Hospital, where he is submitted to compulsory feeding. It should be noted that Aghajanyan was transferred from the Shushi prison to the Central Prison Hospital May 11, 2001, because of impairment of health. According to the statement of Aghajanyan's sister, Svetlana, the reason of Aghajanyan's poor health are tortures he was subjected to during the preliminary investigation. FORMER MINISTER OF STATE TO GIVE TESTIMONIES ON CASE OF ABUSE IN SPHERE OF ENERGY IN 1992-1999 JANUARY 15. The former Armenian minister of state Sepuh Tashyan expressed readiness of giving testimonies on the case of abuse in the sphere of energy in 1992-1999. The U.S. citizen Tashyan occupied the post of the minister of state in 1993-94 and had a responsibility for the energy sphere. He was involved in the aforementioned criminal case as a witness. As ARMINFO learned from well-informed sources, the investigation showed that misusing his power, Tashyan signed an agreement with the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on issuing a $54.7 mln worth credit for completion of construction of the 5th unit of the Hrazdan thermal power station, however, the funds were used so inefficiently that the EBRD had to stop financing, which, indeed, prevented the construction of the above unit. It should be noted that at the end of December the General Prosecutor's Office settled another two cases and submitted them to the court. Thus, inspections in the sphere of energy are completed, and at present the General Prosecutor's Office started inspections at enterprises and organizations engaged in the gas sphere. It should be noted that the Parliamentary Interim Commission investigated abuses in the sphere of energy and estimated the damage caused to the country at $200 mln, but the General Prosecutor's Office considers this figure overstated. COURT CONDUCTING "ARAGAST" CASE DECIDES TO BRING A WITNESS TO COURT JANUARY 15. The court conducting the "Aragast" case - murder of Georgian citizen Poghos Poghossyan at the Aragast cafe - ruled today that witness Marine Maylyan should be brought to court. Maylyan is a waitress at the Metax cafeteria, where Poghos Poghossyan dined with his friends Sept 24 afternoon. To recap, he was murdered Sept 25 night 2001. To recap, it was the request of the lawyer of defendant Aghamal Haroutyunyan to bring Maylyan to court. Earlier the court had notified the witness that she had to testify at court. However, Maylyan did not appear at court for some unknown reasons. It should be noted that four witnesses testified at court today. Architect Varuzhan Tsrukyan from the U.S. said he saw a man wearing suit approaching Poghos Poghossyan after Pres.Kocharyan and singer Charles Aznavour had left the cafe. The man and Poghossyan headed for the stairs. Tsarukyan said he noticed a scuffle, more specifically, 2-3 people beating Poghossyan. Then he saw Poghossyan being jostled to the lavatory. Tsarukyan didn't remember the faces. He said some man ran out of the lavatory shortly after, presumably a Scot, crying "shame on you, a man was killed there." Other witnesses said nothing special about the case. They learned about it from others or from the press. STAMP DEDICATED TO 1700TH ANNIVERSARY OF PROCLAMATION OF CHRISTIANITY IN ARMENIA ISSUED IN GREECE JANUARY 15. A jubilee stamp dedicated to the 1700th anniversary of proclamation of Christianity in Armenia was issued in Greece, Public Relations Department, Foreign Office told ARMINFO. The stamp was issued by the "Greek Post" organization on December 5, 2001, as a result of negotiations between the Armenian Embassy in Greece and the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Transport and Communication. The stamp with the picture of Toros Roslin was issued in 100,000 copies. A similar number of envelopes, and 300,000 stamp certificates were issued as well. The stamp will be included in the catalogue of stamps issued by the "Greek Post" organization. No information from Site can be used without prior permission of ARMINFO http://www.arminfo.am -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: http://felist.com/member/unsub?grp=media.arminfo http://felist.com/ mailto:ask@felist.com