ARMAVIR PROVINCES TO RAISE $23 MILLION FROM LAND SALE
ArmenPress
Oct 14 2004
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 14, ARMENPRESS: State subsidies to the province
of Armavir rose from 29 million Armenians drams in 1998 to 142
million drams in 2004, which, according to the province’s governor,
Albert Heroyan, is an apt illustration of real economic growth.
Another indication of the robust economic growth, according to the
governor, is a significant increase in teachers’ wages which have
risen to 30,000 drams (approximately $60).
Heroyan said the sale of some 14,000 hectares of formerly state
reserve lands in the province will bring some $23 million to the
provincial budget.. He said more than 1,000 hectares of that land
was already auctioned and the raised proceeds, according to the law,
will go for improvement of local infrastructure facilities, health
and education sectors.
The governor also said many families that had chosen to leave the
provinces are now coming back. “We are planning to build three blocks
of apartments for them,” he said.

ARMENIAN CLERGYMAN DISAPPEARED IN RUSSIA
A1 Plus
15-10-2004
On October 10 Deacon Zorik Abeshyan of Saint Grigor Lusavoritch
Church of Vladikavkaz disappeared on his way to the church. The
law-enforcement bodies carry out investigation to find Deacon
Zorik. There is no information about the accident for the time being.
Catholicos of all the Armenians has been informed about the case. He
is in continual contact with Bishop Movses Movsisyan, leader of South
Russia Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Church.

Ukraine offers mediation between Azerbaijan, Armenia
Interfax-Ukraine news agency
14 Oct 04
Kiev, 14 October: Ukraine is ready to take part in efforts to settle
the conflict in Nagornyy Karabakh [dispute between Azerbaijan and
Armenia], Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Hryshchenko has said.
Ukraine is interested to see conflicts located close to its borders
being settled as soon as possible, he told journalists in Kiev today
after a meeting with Azeri Prime Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.
Ukraine would like to see more effort by the international community
and the involvement of all main international players, so that the
talks between the two conflicting sides will find support not only on
the level of experts but also on the level of leaders of the states
and organizations which can influence the process, Hryshchenko said.
“We are ready to join these efforts and we are ready to join the
form of a settlement which will probably require the participation
of Russia or the UN, as it is done in other regions of the world,”
Hryshchenko said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA SELECTED ONE OF NINE PILOT COUNTRIES FOR UNIDO-WTO ENHANCED COOPERATION
ArmenPress
Oct 14 2004
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 14, ARMENPRESS: The UN Industrial Development
Organization (UNIDO), UN Development Program (UNDP), World Trade
Organization (WTO) and the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development
of Armenia held a joint seminar today to begin implementation of the
Doha Development Agenda. Seminar participants included senior officials
from the Government, donor community, international organizations,
business associations, as well as experts.
A press release from UNDP said the main aims of the Doha Development
Agenda, which was agreed in December 2001 by WTO members, are
to ensure that trade and industrial development enhance economic
development and to assist the integration of the developing countries
and transition economies into the global economy and the multilateral
trading system. In order to facilitate implementation of the Doha
Agenda, UNIDO and WTO will implement pilot activities in an initial
group of nine countries, including Armenia. The initial group also
includes Bolivia, Cambodia, Cuba, Egypt, Ghana, Jordan, Kenya and
Mauritania. The aim of these pilot activities is to identify priority
sectors and products with high and strategic export potential;
address trade capacity weaknesses including supply-side constraints,
lack of conformity to market requirements and standards; and support
the implementation of multilateral trade agreements.
Mr. Alexander Avanessov, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, noted:
“The fact that Armenia has become a member of the WTO indicates the
great progress made by the country since independence. The pilot
activities that are being launched by UNIDO and WTO at this seminar,
in combination with initiatives from UNDP and other donors, will
assist countries like Armenia to integrate further into the global
economy and multilateral trading systems.”
Armenia officially became the 145th member of the WTO on February
5, 2003. The country’s main trading partners include the European
Union (EU), Russia, USA, Iran and Georgia. A recent survey within
the business community on external trade and which was presented at
the seminar indicates that certification and standardization have
had a serious impact on external trade. Local companies involved
in the survey identified a number of obstacles to trade, including:
corruption in customs and taxes; complicated and fragmented tax and
customs legislation; and lack of cooperation between the customs and
tax administration bodies. Sixty-three percent of the respondents said
that they had lost export orders due to technical barriers to trade.

Another Attack On Journalists Reported In Armenia
By Armine Geghamian 14/10/2004 10:44
Radio Free Europe, Czech republic
Oct 14 2004
The editor of an independent newspaper in southeastern Armenia said on
Wednesday that a group of local loyalists of Prime Minister Andranik
Markarian attacked him and ransacked his office after it ran articles
questioning government policies.
Samvel Aleksanian of the “Syuniats Yerkir” weekly based in Kapan,
the administrative center of the Syunik region, said the attack was
carried out in the morning by three young men led by the head of the
local branch of Markarian’s Republican Party (HHK). He claimed that
they hit and injured him with wooden clubs. “Right after that they
told me that the newspaper must not write anything about the country’s
prime minister and the Syunik governor anymore,” Aleksanian told RFE/RL
from Kapan. “Otherwise, they said, the newspaper offices and car would
be burned down. As they left they shouted more threats and insults.
“I replied that the newspaper will now be more consistent in its
work. From now on, we will provide an even better coverage of issues
which they don’t want to be highlighted.”
The editor appealed to President Robert Kocharian and Armenian
law-enforcement agencies to investigate the incident. “If they
don’t punish those thugs we will be forced to take measures for
self-defense,” he said
An officer at the Syunik police headquarters told RFE/RL that they
have already launched an investigation. According to Aleksanian, the
police found and returned to the newspaper a mobile phone stolen by
the attackers. It was not clear if anyone was detained or questioned
in the process, however.
In Yerevan, meanwhile, Markarian said he is not aware of the reported
incident. “I hear about that for the first time. I will try to
clear things up,” he said. “In any case, I consider the beating of
journalists inadmissible.”
At issue, according to Kapan journalists, is an article in a September
issue of “Syuniats Yerkir” that questioned government motives for the
recent closure of two regional secondary schools as part of massive
nationwide lay-offs of teachers.
“We directed that question to the country’s prime minister and
education minister,” Aleksanian said. He added that the local
authorities responded on September 28 by evicting the newspaper staff
from offices which they rented in the Kapan building that houses the
regional administration. But the paper again addressed the issue in
its next edition, he said.
Syunik’s governor, Surik Khachatrian, has close ties with the HHK. He
was based in the regional town of Goris before his appointment by
the central government last March. Goris and the surrounding villages
have long been considered a de facto fiefdom of Khachatrian and his
extended family.
The “Syuniats Yerkir” editor said Khachatrian, better known with his
“Liska” nickname, and other regional officials are extremely intolerant
of dissent. “They think that there must be no other opinion in the
Syunik region,” he said. “You are not supposed to question anything.”
The reported violence in Kapan is the latest in a series of attacks
on Armenian journalists which have raised domestic and international
concerns about the state of press freedom in Armenia. It came just
two days after a court in another part of the country sentenced to
six months a man who reportedly beat up a photojournalist for taking
pictures of expensive houses belonging to senior government officials.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +3741. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +3741. .562543
Email: [email protected]:
PRESS RELEASE
14 October 2004
Minister Oskanian receives the assistant to US Secretary of State Laura
Kennedy
On 14 October Minister Oskanian received the assistant to US Secretary
of State, Laura Kennedy.
During the meeting the two sides exchanged views on bilateral and
urgent international issues of mutual interest. Touching the nature of
the Armenian-American relations, the sides stated with satisfaction
that they are characterized by dynamic progress and high level of
certainty.
The sides paid great attention to the economic constituent of the
Armenian-American relations. They discussed the results of the 9th
meeting of the Armenian-American working group of Economic cooperation,
which recently took place in Washington.
During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on the current
status of the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict settlement, Armenia -Turkey
relations, as well as several other issues on the international agenda.
Minister Oskanian expressed his concern regarding the policy of
blockade carried out by Turkey and stressed that such a policy is
inconsistent with current regional developments.
Laura Kennedy is a Minister-Councellor in the Foreign Service of
the USA. Since June, she has been appointed assistant to the US
Secretary of State. In 1992, she was Charge d’Affaires of the newly
opened US embassy in Armenia. In 2001, she was the US ambassador
in Turkmenistan.

ARMENIAN CLERGYMEN OF IRAQ CALL ON REFRAINING FROM SENDING A SQUAD
Azg/am
15 Oct 04
Archbishop Avag Asaturian, pastor of the Armenian community of Iraq,
called on the President of Armenia and National Assembly to desist
from sending any kind of squads to Iraq, Armenian Mirror Spectator
informs in October 9 article.
“Armenian establishments will become targets terrorist attacks”,
archbishop explains. “We fear that they will attack our churches,
kidnap our children”, clergyman Narek Ishkhanian says.
“We read in the newspapers that Armenian government sends not a squad
but a group of deminers, doctors and drivers, but that’s all the same
for the Arabs who say that friendly Armenia is joining the occupants”,
he says. According to him, 35 pupils of Armenian schools have changed
their national schools for foreign ones to avoid possible attacks in
case the Armenian group arrives in Iraq.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
Oct 15 2004
FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH POLISH DELEGATION
[October 14, 2004, 17:32:51]
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov met with
delegation of Poland led by deputy Foreign Minister of the country
Anzei Zalutski. Minister Mammadyarov noted that historical ties
between the two countries are now also being developed in political,
economic, military spheres, as well as in science and education. He
expressed hope as well that as a member of European Union and NATO,
Poland would support Azerbaijan’s position at these organizations.
Deputy Foreign Minister of the country Anzei Zalutski highly valued
the opening of Azerbaijan Embassy in Warsaw noting it would give an
impetus to development of the Azerbaijan-Poland bilateral cooperation.
Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov informed the guests on the Armenia-Azerbaijan
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resulted in occupation by Armenian of 20%
of the Azerbaijani territories and over one million refugees and IDPs
from their native lands. He stressed the importance of the problem’s
resolution in the framework of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,
and appreciated the fair stance of Poland with this respect.
The sides also discussed a number of other issues of mutual interest.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
Oct 15 2004
24TH SITTING OF PABSEC COMMITTEE FOR LEGAL AND POLITICAL AFFAIRS
UNDERWAY IN BAKU
[October 14, 2004, 18:35:32]
The 24th sitting of Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation Committee for Legal and Political Affairs began its work
in Baku. Participants of the event first visited 13 the Martyr’s
Alley and Eternal Fire memorial to revere the memory of the shehids
who died for independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
The sitting began with the Committee’s Chairman, head of the Bulgarian
delegation Borislav Palchev’s address. He thanked the government and
parliament of Azerbaijan for hospitality and announced the sitting’s
agenda, which includes role of parliaments in maintaining stability
and security in the Black Sea basin and economic development of
the region. The committee aims at preparing report for the General
Assembly and considering organization issues.
Then, Speaker of the Milli Majlis Murtuz Alasgarov took the floor. He
shared B. Palchev’v opinion on the present situation in the world
and PABSEC’s reaction to the ongoing developments.
Mr. Murtuz Alasgarov stressed the South Caucasus has all the conditions
for its rapid development. He pointed out that South Caucasus takes its
own place in the peace and security system of the European continent,
as it is the bridge connecting Europe and Asia. From this point
of view, restoration of the ancient Silk Road and implementation
of big energy projects acquire a paramount significance. However,
numerous armed conflicts and terrorist acts impede the development of
the South Caucasus. Murtuz Alasgarov told of the Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani
lands and terrorist acts committed by Armenians in the territory
of Azerbaijan.
After adopting the report for the General Assembly, head of the
Albanian delegation Makbule Checho was assigned as a rapporteur at the
upcoming General Assembly to be held on November in Antalya, Turkey.

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Oct 15 2004
VARDAN OSKANYAN DISTORTS NAGORNY KARABAKH – RELATED FACTS
[October 14, 2004, 20:23:54]
Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan
released a statement on October 14 to comment on the interview
concerning Nagorno-Karabakh settlement given by Armenian Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanyan in his usual manner to the county’s Public
Television.
The statement in particular says it was the Armenian Minister’s one
more attempt to mystify the Key West talks by citing to a certain
” the only way” allegedly agreed by both sides, and implying that
Karabakh will not be a part of Azerbaijan.
“The Azerbaijani side stated more than once, and today we once again
suggest Mt. Oskayan to find better application of his persistence and
stop playing Key West games; we hereby reaffirm that no agreements
were reached on the issues discussed in Key West, the statement says.
It is Armenia that demonstrates its “unique abilities” to violate
scot-free the agreements reached, the statement says, recalling the
dismissal of former Armenian President Ter-Petrosyan who had then
accepted the OSCE Co-chairs’ plan of step-by-step settlement of
the conflict, which implied in the first stage a withdrawal of the
Armenian armed forces form the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
“The Azerbaijani side also remember other phase of the peace process
when President Kocharyan okayed in principle the transfer of a part
of Armenia’s territory to Azerbaijan that resulted in fusillade in
the Armenian parliament,” the statement says.
It also stresses that the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh cannot a
subject of compromise, it is an integral part of the Azerbaijan
Republic, and that compromises are possible only in relation to the
status of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Azerbaijan does not put forward any innovations; there is a rich
and useful European experience of self-government. A different
approach provokes dangerous tendencies, and the multinational South
Caucasus region is not the only one that can face their unpredictable
consequences, the statement concludes.