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HAYDAR ALIEV UNDERGOES OPERATION IN U.S.
YBC CHARGES ARMENIA'S GOVERNMENT WITH ILLEGAL PRODUCTION OF BRANDY AT
MOSCOW "ARARAT" FACTORY
OFFICIAL YEREVAN SENT A NOTE OF PROTEST TO TEL AVIV
MASS MEDIA REPS SLATE GOVERNMENT-APPROVED BILL ON MASS MEDIA
FEBRUARY 15. Representatives of Armenia's mass media harshly criticized today the bill on mass media recently approved by the Armenian government. During a meeting at the National Press Club they stressed that the bill imposes restrictions on the mass media's activities and contradicts all the principles of democracy. The journalists stressed that the document actually restores censorship over mass media. According to them, the adoption of this bill will result in numerous mass media's terminating their activities. In this connection, mass media representatives insist on the bill being excluded from consideration of the National Assembly. Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Commission for Education, Culture, Sport and Youth Affairs Shavarsh Kocharian stressed that the document is nothing but absurdity. Sh. Kocharian stressed that the bill contradicts the European Convention on Human Rights and Freedoms. According to him, it is no coincidence that the government has up to now concealed this bill from the Commission, and the latter did not even participate in drafting the bill. Sh. Kocharian proposed drafting an alternative bill based on the variant prepared by the National Press Club. Deputy Minister of Justice Armen Abovian failed to convince the journalists of the necessity for adopting the government-approved bill. He was unable to advance any counter-arguments to the journalists' remarks. Abovian promised to consider all the proposals advanced by the meeting participants. "NAIRI" CINEMA RE-OPENED
FEBRUARY 15. The "Nairi" multiplex opened in
Yerevan today.
The multiplex was opened in the building of the "Nairi" cinema, which
has not been functioning for several years. Besides several halls
equipped with the "Dolby Surround" system, the multiplex has a cafe
and other entertaining facilities. The "Nairi" multiplex was opened
by the "Ulis" company. The area of the building is 1,060.3sq. meters.
It is to be noted that one of the leading banks of Armenia,
"Conversebank", acted as a guarantor of the credit allocated for the
reconstruction of the building. The investments totaled 600,000 USD.
DAYS OF ARMENIA'S CULTURE BEGIN IN VELIKY NOVGOROD
FEBRUARY 15.Days of Armenia's Culture will open at the Novgorod Regional Philharmonic Society today, the Novgorod Committee for Culture told the RIA "Novosty" news agency. The opening ceremony will be attended by President of the Union of Armenians of Russia (UAR) Ara Abrahamian, cultural workers from Armenia and representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The Days of Armenia's Culture were organized by the Armenian community in the Novgorod region. During the arrangement, The People's Artist of Russia, composer Georgy Movsessian, and the Honored Artist of Russia Bedros Kirkorov will give performances. An exhibition of pictures of the member of the Union of Painters of Russia Voskan Asatrian will open at the Novrogod regional philharmonic society, and an exhibition of new books on history and culture "Good morning, Armenia!" will open at the Novgorod regional library. A retrospective show of Sergey Parajanov's films is also planned.
SPIRITUAL LEADER OF AZERBAIJAN INDIGNANT ABOUT MARGARET THATCHER'S
ATTACKS ON ISLAM
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FEBRUARY 15. Azeri President Haydar Aliev underwent
an operation in a clinic of Cleveland (U.S.) Feb 14. An earlier
medical examination had shown that Aliev had prostatic hypertrophy.
Alive's health condition is normal and he will return home after a
course of rehabilitation, his press service reports.
Meanwhile, the Zerkalo daily in Baku notes that several hours before
the operation Azerbaijan's Ambassador to the U.S. Khafiz Pashaev said
he had met with Aliev on the previous day and he was OK. Asked if the
rumors that Aliev was operated on are true, Pashaev said official
statement will be made on his health condition later. He could not
answer the question when Aliev will leave the clinic noting that
"doctors do not specify dates." At the same time Pashaev said Aliev
will not stay in the clinic too long.
FEBRUARY 15. The Yerevan Brandy Company (YBC) is
charging the Armenian government with failing to meet contract
commitments: the Moscow-based "Ararat" factory is engaged in illegal
production of brandy. At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture
is denying the YBC's charges as groundless.
According to the information reported to ARMINFO by the YBC press
service, in defiance of the Armenian government's resolution of
December 2001, the Moscow-based "Ararat" brandy factory has not been
renamed, continue the production and increases the reserves of
alcohol. The YBC, which is the owner of the "Ararat" trade mark,
expects the Armenian authorities to give explanations and meet their
contract commitments.
It is to be noted that Zaven Gevorgian, who was recently
relieved of the post of minister of agriculture, told ARMINFO before
that under the government's resolution the Moscow-based "Ararat"
brandy factory is to be renamed "Armwine" and committed to a
third side's trust. That resolution was made to re-operate the
factory, which has been idle for over a year as because of debts. The
Russian "Levko" bank and the Moscow government are the principal
creditors of the enterprise. Gevorgian pointed out that the factory
will be committed to the trust its incumbent management, which will
allow it to attract investments for resuming production of wine and
vodka, as the Armenian government's resolution prohibits the
production of brandy.
At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture told ARMINFO that the
YBC's claims are groundless. The ministry points out that the
Moscow-based "Ararat" factory has suspended the production of brandy.
72 tons of brandy are stored at the factory and not being sold, and
factory is not increasing its production.
FEBRUARY 15. The Foreign Ministry of Armenia today
sent a note of protest to the Foreign Ministry of Israel connected
with the statements of the Israeli ambassador Rivka Kohen, who said
that inadmissible to compare the Jewish Holocaust of Armenians'
Genocide.
As the press office of Armenia's Ministry of foreign affairs informed
ARMINFO, the note in particular says about that the official Yerevan
considers unacceptable the attempts to deny or to belittle the fact
of Armenians' Genocide, for what reasons they have taken place.
Armenia has never put an aim to draw parallels between the Genocide
of Armenians and the Holocaust, considering that any crime against
humanity is without precedent on in its essence, underlined in the
note of protest.
