Mailing List Service Felist.Com -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear frends! Arminfo news agency inform RUSSIAN CONSULATE GENERAL OPENED IN GUMRI JANUARY 25. A Russian consulate general was opened in Gumri today, ARMINFO learned from the press service of the Russian Embassy in Armenia. Russia's Ambassador to Armenia Anatoly Drukov, Armenia's Defence Minister and Co-chairman of the Armenian-Russian Intergovernment Commission for Economic Cooperation Serzh Sargsyan, Governor of the Shirak region Felix Piroumyan, Russia's consul general to Armenia, Gumri's mayor and other officials took part in the ceremony. Present at the ceremony also were commanders of the 102nd base of Russia's troops in Armenia and Russian border guards. SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT MEETS WITH CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS JANUARY 25. Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly Armen Khachatrian held a meeting today with Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II. During the meeting the sides discussed prospects of developing the church-state relations. According to the information reported to ARMINFO by the press service of the Holy See of Echmiadzin, during the meeting the Supreme Patriarch congratulated Armen Khachatrian on his being awarded with the prize of the International Fund for Unification of Orthodox Peoples. He expressed confidence that after being awarded with such a prize, Armen Khachatrian, as speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, will be closer to dissemination of Christian values, creating relevant legal grounds necessary for more extensive activities of religious organizations. At the same time Garegin II pointed out that the prize of the International Fund will strengthen the fraternal relations between the orthodox peoples, contribute to moral values and the resolution of problems facing the humanity. Expressing his gratitude to Garegin II, Armen Khachatrian pointed out that the prize received by him is a high award first of all for the people, church and Armenian state. He also stressed the necessity for legislative assistance to the activities of the Armenian Apostolic Church for specifying its role and mission in the people's life. The meeting ended with a prayer. Garegin II blessed the Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, presenting him with the three-volume work "The Nation's History" by Archbishop Magaky Ormanian, which was recently published by the Holy See of Echmiadzin. PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT HAS NO ALTERNATIVE, VLADIMIR PUTIN SAID JANUARY 25. Like Azerbaijan, Russia believes that "peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict has no alternative." Moreover, the settlement should be reached "without division into the winner and the conquered." According to the Strana.ru, this statement was made by Vladimir Putin immediately after the Russian-Azeri negotiations at the Kremlin. He called the problem of the Karabakh conflict the "acutest one," pointing out that Russia is vitally interested in its settlement, as Russia wants to equally develop its relations with both countries. Vladimir Putin confirmed that Russia will speak about the conflict's settlement at the OSCE Minsk Group's session. At the same time, Azeri President Heidar Aliev pointed out that the presidents found too much time for this issue, as they started their discussion still yesterday at Vladimir Putin's country residence. The Azeri president said he is satisfied with the fact that Vladimir Putin gives so much attention to this issue and expressed confidence that Russia is most likely to play "a crucial role" in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. 22 CHILDREN IN CHARGE OF "MEDECINES SANS FRONTIERES" ORGANIZATION HAVE NO BIRTH CERTIFICATES JANUARY 22. 22 children in charge of the Center for assistance to children in difficult situations of the French "Medecines Sans Frontieres" organization have no birth certificates, Executive of the "Children in difficult situations" program Domenica Gablu told ARMINFO. Most of the 220 children who applied to the Center are tramps and beggars. They were found by the organization workers during their daily duties in Yerevan's streets. The major goal of the Center is preventing children's vagrancy. The Center not only renders material assistance to the children, but also works to restore their social rights, which most of them have been deprived of since their childhood. 40% of the children's parents have no residence registration and passports. Under the same program, whose annual cost is 360,000 USD, 92 children from socially vulnerable families were sent to the Vardashen asylum for children aged 12-18. Most of them are residents of Yerevan, Shirak and Lori regions. Gablu said that almost all the children have families, but their parents are unable to provide sufficient food and clothing for them. The main advantage of the Vardashen asylum is that children can return to their families after their parents' financial situation improves. Another advantage is that the children are allowed to see their parents every month. The average time of children's stay at the asylum is two years. In 2001, 53 children left the asylum, and, as Gablu pointed out, "in 33 cases we are satisfied with the results," though some of the children may go back into the street again. The program will be continued in 2003. HEADLINES OF 25 JANUARY PACE TO DISCUSS AGAIN ISSUE OF AZERBAIJAN'S MEETING ITS COMMITMENTS TO RELEASE POLITICAL PRISONERS EU TO ADOPT NEW STRATEGY WITH RESPECT TO AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA AND GEORGIA AGREEMENT ON INTRODUCTION OF PER MINUTE FEE FOR INTRACITY PHONE CALLS IN ARMENIA IS DEFEAT OF EXECUTIVE POWER WFP EXPERTS TO CONSIDER PROSPECTS OF THIS PROGRAM'S FURTHER ACTIVITIES 280,000 MOST DISADVANTAGED ARMENIANS TO RECEIVE 60,000 TONS OF FOOD ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SIGNED A LAW ON NATIONAL SECURITY BODIES SEMINAR ON FORTHCOMING I.T. CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN JAN 28 ARMENIA NEEDS LEGAL BASE SECURING FREE INFORMATION ACCESS, CE EXPERT SAID UN WORLD FOOD PROGRAM CONTINUES HELPING ARMENIAN DROUGHT STRICKEN REGIONS SUBSCRIBERS OFFERED TO PAY INITIAL SUMS FOR LIMITLESS TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS BEFORE FEB 10 70% OF "CIGARONNE" CIGARETTES SOLD ON FOREIGN MARKETS 6.8BLN AMD WORTH CONSTRUCTION AND RESTORATION WORKS CARRIED OUT IN DISASTER ZONE LAST YEAR PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF CASE ON MISAPPROPRIATION OF NEW YEAR PRESENTS COMPLETED IN KARABAKH ARMENIAN SPOKESMAN TO VISIT GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND ARMENIA'S PREMIER CONSIDERS WORK OF ENERGY MINISTRY AS UNSATISFACTORY LAST YEAR 3.2 BLN DRAMS WERE ALLOCATED TO STATE REGISTER ON REAL ESTATE OF ARMENIA 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