ASBAREZ Online [03-09-2004]

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03/09/2004
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Georgian Leader Due in Armenia on Friday, Unclear whether Javakhk will be discussed 2) Pipeline Construction Still an Issue for Armenians in Region 3) Abashidze Has Support of Ajaria Armenians 4) Senate Adopts Trade Measure without Key Armenia Provision 5) Schwarzenegger Names Deukmejian to Head Prison Reform Panel 1) Georgian Leader Due in Armenia on Friday, Unclear whether Javakhk will be discussed YEREVAN/PARIS (Armenpress, RFE/RL)--Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili will arrive in Yerevan on Friday for two-day official visit that will cover a broad range of bilateral issues. President Robert Kocharian's office said Saakashvili will lead a large Georgian government delegation composed of the ministers of foreign affairs, energy, and economic development, as well as senior parliamentarians. The trip will mark Saakashvili's first-ever face-to-face meeting with Kocharian. The 36-year-old popular leader, who was elected president in early January, is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Andranik Markarian, parliament speaker Artur Baghdasarian and Catholicos Karekin II. His itinerary includes a visit to the Dzidzernagapert genocide memorial in Yerevan. Economic issues are expected to dominate the talks, with the Armenian side likely to push for a reduction in disproportionately high transit fees charged by Georgia on cargo shipments to and from Armenia. Saakashvili publicly promised to lower them last December; however, his ministers have been more ambivalent on the subject. The two sides will also likely discuss the geopolitical situation in the South Caucasus. Saakashvili's dramatic rise to power as a result of last November's `rose revolution' in Tbilisi could solidify growing US presence in the volatile region and accelerate the closure of Russian military bases in Georgia. Tigran Torosian, the deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament, said Yerevan expects the new regime in Tbilisi to maintain a `balanced policy' on Azerbaijan and Armenia. Torosian also welcomed Saakashvili's recent calls for the creation of a regional single market, but said the realization of the idea is `unfortunately a long way off.' JAVAKHK ISSUE It is unclear whether the situation in Javakhk, the impoverished Armenian-majority region in southern Georgia will be on the agenda. Saakashvili has vowed greater central government attention to the grave socioeconomic problems Javakhk Armenians face. He recently appointed Tbilisi's outgoing ambassador in Yerevan Nikoloz Nikolozishvili, as governor of greater Samtskhe-Javakhk province. Speaking at a press conference in Paris yesterday, Saakashvili, when asked whether autonomy will be granted to Javakhk, responded by saying, `Our relationship with Armenia is on a very good level; such statements can not damage them,' but emphasized that they could have a negative impact on the Javakhk Armenians, and added that the issue is not at the top of the agenda during his upcoming visit to Yerevan Levon Mkrtchian, a leader of the coalition government's Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), stressed, however, that Javakhk will become `a center of Armenian-Georgian friendship,' if the Saakashvili administration ensures better protection of the local population's `economic and cultural rights.' 2) Pipeline Construction Still an Issue for Armenians in Region AKHALKALAK (A-INFO)--The Armenian population living along the construction route of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipe-line (Tsalka, Borjomi, and Akhaltskha), has consistently opposed the project, and continue to voice their objections. Especially outraged are those living in the Tapatsghur village of the Borjomi province, who were promised financial payment for lands taken up by the project, but have not yet been compensated. In discussing security issues tied to the pipeline, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili recently announced during a visit to Azerbaijan that the Armenian population living along the pipeline's construction route do not oppose the project. 3) Abashidze Has Support of Ajaria Armenians (A-INFO)--The leader of the Armenian community of Ajaria Armen Gevorgian, said that it should not come as a surprise that the Armenians of the autonomous Georgian republic back its leadership. Gevorgian explained that the allegiance to President Aslan Abashidze, began in the early 90s when the St. Savior Armenian church in Batumi and surrounding territory were returned to the Armenian community because of Abashidze's efforts. Abashidze also put forth a special order that would allow the Batumi Armenian school to remain operational under any circumstance. `Mr. Abashidze promised that the school would continue operations, even if only one pupil remained,' said Gevorgian. He also explained that Armenians in Ajaria are not oppressed. In 1993, Abashidze signed a special order to protect the rights of national minorities. `Unlike Armenians in other provinces of Georgia, those in Ajaria have an opportunity to watch Armenian state TV, and with Abashidze's support, publish the `Aghbyur' Russian-language newspaper,' said Gevorgian. 4) Senate Adopts Trade Measure without Key Armenia Provision WASHINGTON, DC (ANCA)--The Armenian National Committee Of America (ANCA) voiced disappointment over the Senate's failure to include a key US-Armenia trade provision in a larger trade bill that cleared the body earlier on Friday. The provision, adopted by the House last November, would grant Armenia Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status. Adoption of this measure would ensure lower tariffs on Armenian imports to the US and give greater Armenian access to US government credit facilities on a permanent basis. `We are disappointed that the Senate missed this excellent opportunity to expand trade between the US and Armenia,' said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. `We are hopeful that, as the trade bill moves through the legislative process, supporters in both houses will be able to ensure the inclusion of the Armenia-PNTR provision.' An Armenia-PNTR resolution, S.1557, was introduced by Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) on August 1, 2003, and currently has 15 cosponsors. A companion measure, H.R.528, which was adopted by the House in November of last year, was introduced by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-chairmen Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ). In a letter last March to the House Ways and Means Committee, Hamparian noted that: `In order for Armenia's economic growth to continue and for its benefits to reach more people, Armenia needs to increase investment and trade. Armenia is dedicated to expanding its economic relationship with the United States, but, without PNTR, Armenia loses its ability to attract viable export markets in and investment from the United States. At the same time, without PNTR, American entrepreneurs who see Armenia as an emerging economy with potential for investment and trade, hesitate to establish ventures that cannot be protected by WTO rules or to import Armenian goods at higher, non-MFN tariff rates.' The Trade Act of 1974 excluded all Soviet countries from having normal trade relations (NTR) status with the United States. One provision of the Act, known as the Jackson-Vanick amendment, required the President to deny NTR to those countries that restricted free emigration. The policy was adopted, in part, in response to Communist government restrictions on the repatriation of Jews. According to the terms of the Jackson-Vanick amendment, when the President determines that freedom of emigration rights have been reinstated in a country, normal trade relations may be granted. To maintain NTR, the President must report to Congress twice a year that Jackson-Vanick requirements have been met. While successive Presidents have waived the Jackson-Vanick Amendment restrictions on Armenia during the past decade, the passage of the Knollenberg bill, would grant Armenia permanent NTR (PNTR) status, without the need for bi-yearly Presidential determinations. Permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status ensures lower duties on Armenian imports to the US, creating incentives for increased trade and investment opportunities between the two countries. As such, the measure strengthens bilateral relations between the two countries and helps reinforce the enduring friendship between the American and Armenian peoples. Increased US-Armenia trade and investment also helps to offset the impact of the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades, estimated by the World Bank at up to $720 million a year. 5) Schwarzenegger Names Deukmejian to Head Prison Reform Panel SACRAMENTO (AP)--Former Governor George Deukmejian will chair an independent review panel looking to reform California's youth and adult correctional systems. Governor Schwarzenegger says the panel must find ways to turn around a "crisis of confidence" in the state's prison system. Critics argue, however, that Deukmejian--who held office from 1983 to 1991--helped build the state's prison system into the nation's largest during a law-and-order administration. Schwarzenegger says the panel will examine the corrections system's "ethics and culture;" organization and operations; safety practices for inmates, employees, and the public; and personnel and training programs. He says the panel will report to him directly as part of his administration's larger performance review. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.