ARMSCAPE SPOTLIGHT




ARMSCAPE SPOTLIGHT
Issue #48, October 25, 1999


Dear friends,
We invite you to visit the newly launched Web site of UN Department
for Public Information, Armenia
http://www.undpi.am

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NAME OF 132-ND CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS WILL BECOME KNOWN ON
OCT 27
YEREVAN. OCTOBER 19.(SNARK). The name of the new 132nd Catholicos
of All Armenians will become known on Oct 27, 1999. As earlier
reported, the elections of the 132nd Catholicos will be held by
delegates of the National Synod Oct 26-30 in Echmiadzin. 455
delegates will participate in the Synod, these representing
dioceses of the AAC scattered all around the world. Among them
are 49 Bishops - potentially aspiring to the post of Catholicos.
The AAC has 24 dioceses, 9 of them in Armenia, including the
Artsakh Diocese (Karabakh), 4 - are in CIS countries, 3 - in the
East, 6 - in America, and 8 - in Europe. There are two
patriarchal delegation in the Central and West Europe. India and
Far East have each one delegation.

RUSSIAN MIGs LANDED IN YEREVAN'S AIRPORT TO PROTECT THE ARMENIAN
SKY
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 22. (SNARK). Four fighters MIG-29 landed today
in Yerevan's airport Erebuni and completed recruitment of the
426th airgroup of the 102nd Russian Military base on the
territory of Armenia. These four MIGs have become the last chain
in squadron consisting of 18 aircrafts. As said Armenian Defence
Minister General Lieutenant Vagharshak Haroutunian today's
arrival of the aricrafts to Armenia is within the frames of
agreements on collective security of the CIS member-states. In
his turn General Anatoliy Kornukov, Commander of the Air Forces
of Russia highly estimated the professionalism of the Armenian
pilots.

CORRUPTION IN ARMENIA IS OBSTACLE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF COUNTRY, BUT
WE CAN STRUGGLE WITH IT, PRIME MINISTER VAZGEN SARKISSIAN
STRESSED
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 22. (SNARK). The corruption in Armenia became a
disaster, a real obstacle to the development of the country, the
Prime Minister of Armenia Vazgen Sarkissian said, applying to the
citizens of Armenia. At the same time Vazgen Sarkissian said that
it is possible to struggle with corruption in Armenia as it is
not systemized and monopolized. "I promise, that till May, 2000,
in the eve of the business-forum in London, real steps will be
undertaken to fight with the corruption. I mean not only the
operative activity of the law enforcement bodies, certain changes
in the legislative base will be made", Vazgen Sarkissian said.
Sarkissian also said that the elections to the local government
bodies will be a serious test. We are to prove to the world that
"we can hold fair and free elections". "I state that the
Government will not interfere into the process of elections and
use the power levers in the favor of this or that candidate", the
Prime Minister of Armenia said.

US ARE READY TO CONTRIBUTE TO NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN
ARMENIA AND TURKEY
YEREVAN. OCTOBER 21.(SNARK). Turkey is ready to play a pacemaking
role in the settlement of the Karabakh issue and to undertake
steps towards normalization of relations with Armenia, the
special secretary of the US State secretary Steven Sestanovic
said during his recent meeting with Armenia's Prime Minister
Vazgen Sarkissian quoting to his impressions received from
meetings with top officials of Turkey, the press-office of
Armenia's government informed Snark. As Sestanovic said,
relations between Armenia and Turkey should include resumption of
the official dialog, opening of borders, economic and cultural
ties between the two states.

TURKEY IS SURPRISED AT ONE MILLION DOLLARS EARMARKED BY KIRK
KERKORIAN FOR VICTIMS OF IZMIT EARTHQUAKE IN TURKEY
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20. (SNARK). One million dollars allocated by
the US billionaire of Armenian origin Kirk Kerkorian for the
needs of those who suffered from the devastating earthquake in
the Turkish town of Izmit (Aug 17) much astonished the Turkish
public and called forth positive reaction of official circles of
the country, Chairman of the Council of the Armeno-Turkish
economic cooperation Kahan Soyak announced during today's press
conference at the Union of Industrials and Entrepreneurs of
Armenia. "The most surprising thing was that this sum exceeded
the whole money collected by Turks of US".

VLADIMIR PUTIN: ARMENIA SUPPORTS RUSSIA'S POLICY ON STRUGGLE
AGAINST TERRORISM
MOSCOW, OCTOBER 20.(SNARK). "Armenia supports Russia's policy on
struggle against terrorism", the Head of the Russian Government,
Vladimir Putin stated after the meeting with the Armenian
parliament's delegation. The Speaker of the Armenian National
Assembly Karen Demirchian confirmed this statement and underlined
that Armenia has always come up against terrorism. It is
noteworthy that on October 19, the delegation of the Armenian
parliament was received by the Head of the Russian Council of
Federation Yegor Stroyev and the Mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov.
"Armenia is the most reliable partner of Russia at the Caucasus,
and Moscow cannot afford loosing the strategic cooperation with
Yerevan", Yuri Luzhkov said. "Long life to Armenia", Luzhkov said
in Armenian, stressing that presently more than two millions
Armenians live in Russia.


During the last week subscribers of SNARK News Services could
also read:

- WORK ON PURPOSEFUL USE OF ENERGY RESOURCES, ENERGY POWER AND
LOANS IS CARRYING OUT VERY INTENSIVELY, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENTARY
FACTION OF NATIONAL-DEMOCRATIC UNION ARSHAK SADOYAN CONSIDERS
- ARMENIA'S REPRESENTATIVES TO PARTICIPATE IN WORK OF
INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S PARLIAMENT IN PARIS
- PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE WILL NOT FORWARD ITS CANDIDACY TO
POST OF 132-ND CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS
- TURKEY'S PRIME MINISTER TO PAY AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO RUSSIA
WITHIN NOVEMBER 4-6
- STIVEN SESTANOVIC: INTERESTS OF ARMENIA AND US COINCIDE IN MANY
ASPECTS
- ARMENIAN AND TURKISH BUSINESSMEN LOOK TO BROADENING OF ECONOMIC
COOPERATION
- SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT DOES NOT EXCLUDE ARMENIA'S
JOINING TO RUSSIA-BELARUS UNION
- WB WILL NOT ALLOW TO TURN LONDON BUSINESS-FORUM INTO TALKING-
SHOP
- PERSPECTIVE PROGRAM FOR DEVELOPMENT OF MINING AND SMELTING
INDUSTRY OF ARMENIA COSTS $500 MLN