Month: June 2005

ARMENIA MUST ACTIVELY BE INVOLVED IN ALL REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS, AMERICAN SENATOR EMPHASIZES
YEREVAN, JUNE 2, NOYAN TAPAN. Artur Baghdasarian, the Chairman of the
RA National Assembly spoke about democratic, legislative reforms in
Armenia, struggle against the corruption, Armenia’s positions in the
regional issues and relations with neighbors at the June 1 meeting
with Norm Coleman, the US Senator. The Parliament Chairman emphasized
that the US assistance is important for those processes’ success, and
thanked for the moral and about 1.5 bln dollars financial assistance
showed during the years of independence. According to the information
submitted to Noyan Tapan from the NA Public Relations Department, Norm
Coleman expressed readiness to assist the interparliamentary ties with
the US Senate and establishment of real democracy in Armenia attaching
importance to reforms and the courage and succession of fulfilling
those reforms during that period. The Senator mentioned the important
role of the Armenian Diaspora in the processes of making audible
the Armenians’ voice for the US authorities. In his opinion, Armenia
must be actively involved in all regional developments. Fulfilling
its reforms with success, Armenia will inspire the world community
with hope and confidence, as a result strengthening its political and
economic positions. And in these processes, in the Senator’s opinion,
the role of the Parliament, as a structure creating legislative basis
for the reforms is very important.

RUSSIA TO REMAIN ONE OF LEADING ACTORS OF CAUCASUS, ARAM KARAPETIAN SURE
YEREVAN, JUNE 2, NOYAN TAPAN. Russia will remain one of the leading
actors in the Caucasian region. Aram Karapetian, the Chairman of the
“Nor Zhamanakner” party expressed such a confidence at the June 1
press-conference. According to him, the process of the Eurointegration
about Armenia’s participation in which both country’s President and
whole political field state, is still very far from becoming reality
the evidence of what is particularly the results of the referendum of
the European Constitution held in France. Aram Karapetian expressed
a confidence that on the geographic political field Armenia will
remain as a country of a pre-Russian position. According to him, in
the nearest future, re-formations of the administration are expected
both in Georgia and Ukraine which can go on even in a conflict
way. According to the Chairman of the “Nor Zhamanakner” party, rather
interesting foreign political developments are observed as a result
of the statements made lately by US President George Bush connected
with the democratizing processes in the South Caucasus. Particularly,
a “large Russian landing” consisting of persons of enough influence
arrived in Yerevan. According to Aram Karapetian, the revolutional
process in Armenia became obvious even abroad and even a competition
started among superpowers: “which superpower will be able to perceive
the logics of the process and not to lose the moment.”

BABKEN ARARKTSIAN: UNLESS POLITICAL FORCES CAN STIR UP SOCIETY NO OUTER FORCE CAN CHANGE ANYTHING IN COUNTRY
YEREVAN, JUNE 2, NOYAN TAPAN. “The current authorities formed an
atmosphere in Armenia when the opposition can’t present its views to
the public. Even in 1988, in spite of the persecutions, it was possible
to organize rallies and now a rude force has command everywhere,”
Babken Ararktsian, Chairman of the Armat (Root) Center for Development
of Democracy and Civil Society, Speaker of Armenian Parliament
in 1992-98, declared at the June 2 meeting at the National Press
Club. According to him, Armenia was left out of all regional projects
and stopped being a factor in the region. At the same time, Ararktsian
didn’t exclude that processes taking place in the post-Soviet area
can involve Armenia, too. Nevertheless, according to him, one should
realize that in spite of the possibility of a strong pressure on the
processes in the country outer interference can’t play a decisive
role. “Unless the political forces are able to stir up the society,
no outer force can change anything in the country,” Babken Ararktsian
declared. In his estimation, today Armenia is a police state when no
member of the opposition can speak by any TV channel. “But I hope that
even in conditions of this police state some resources will be found
and the opposition will be able to organize meetings with people,”
he mentioned. The former speaker expressed anxiety in connection
with the draft constitutional amendments: “These amendments give the
President such authorities, about which leaders of other countries
can’t even dream.” In particular, he paid attention to a number of
articles fixing President’s right to personally bring in a state of
emergency. Besides, in his affirmation, no terms are mentioned in
these articles. “We should do our best in order that these amendments,
and, in essence, this is a new Constitution, shouldn’t be adopted,”
Ararktsian declared. As for Karabakh conflict’s settlement, Babken
Ararktsian declared that this issue is solved and asked not to create
illusions. He grounded his position in this issue by both Istanbul
Charter and speeches of heads of leading states.

CONSTRUCTION GROWS BY 26% IN FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 2005 COMPARED WITH INDEX OF SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR
YEREVAN, JUNE 2, NOYAN TAPAN. 110 new dwelling houses of a total
area of 52,171 sq.meters were put in commission in January-April of
2005, which exceeded the 2004 index by 17.2%. According to the RA
National Statistical Service, construction work of 37 bln 758.3 mln
drams (about 84 mln USD) was done in the same period, including the
building and assembly work of 30 bln 866.9 mln drams. The amount of
the construction work during the first four months of 2005 grew by
26% on the same period of last year, the building and assembly work –
by 23.9%.

NEXT MEETING OF CIS MEMBER STATES’ GOVERNMENTS HEADS TO BE HELD IN MOSCOW
YEREVAN, JUNE 4, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian
participated in the meeting of the Council of the Government Heads
of the CIS Member States in Tbilisi on June 3. According to the
RA Government press service, over 10 issues on trade, economic,
financial and humanitarian cooperation of CIS member states, as
well as issues of organizational character were discussed at the
meeting. Particularly, following a discussion, decisions were made on
such issues as the extention of the 2005 deadline of the interstate
program on the creation of the information and marketing centers
network to provide goods and services to the CIS countries’ national
markets, the system of remuneration of the work done by the CIS bodies
from the united budget of CIS bodies, the methodoly of developing a
scale of membership fees to the united budget of CIS bodies. RF Prime
Minister Mikhail Fradkov was elected Chairman of the Council at the
meeting. It was decided to hold the next meeting of the heads of the
CIS states’ governments in Moscow after a meeting of the Council of
the Government Heads of the CIS Member States in Kazan. The heads of
the governments signed the draft decisions on the interstate council
of the highest heads of financial supervision in the CIS countries
and on the council of justice ministers, as well as the decision on
the creation of the interstate coordinating council of the heads of
the insurance supervisory bodies. Following the meeting, the heads of
the governments attended an official dinner given in their honor by
the Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli, at which the Georgian
President Mikheil Sahakashvili was also present. The governmental
delegation headed by Prime Minister Andranik Margarian returned to
Yerevan on the same day.

ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER TO GO ON 5-DAY VISIT TO JAPAN ON JUNE 5
YEREVAN, JUNE 4, NOYAN TAPAN. On June 5, the delegation headed
by RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian will pay a 5-day visit to
Tokyo. Within the framework of the visit, meetings are envisaged
with Japanese Prime Minister J. Koizumi, Chairman of the Lower House
of the Japanese parliament Ms. Ch. Ugi and Deputy Head of Japan’s
International Cooperation Agency (JICA) A. Hatakenaka. According to
the RA Government press service, Prime Minister and the delegation
members will partcipate on June 7 in an event dedicated to the National
Day of Armenia to be held at the International exhibition Expo-2005
in the Japanese province of Aichi. Following the visit to Japan, at
the invitation of Prime Minister of Thailand, the delegation headed
by Andranik Margarian will be on a working visit to Thailand on June
9-13 to have meetings with the country’s Prime Minister T. Shinawatra
and Chairman of the NA House of Representatives B. Balakula.

7th ANNUAL MEETING OF BSTDB MANAGERS TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON JUNE 5
YEREVAN, JUNE 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The 7th annual meeting of managers of
the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) will take place in
Yerevan on June 5. According to the press service of RA Ministry of
Finance and Economy, representatives of the participating states –
Albania, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania,
Russia, Turkey and Ukraine – members of the Bank’s board of managers
and board of directors will participate in the meeting. Armenian
Finance Minister Vardan Khachatrian is the Bank’s manager from the
Armenian side. This year he is also the Chairman of the BSTDB board
of managers as the manager of the presiding country. The Day of Black
Sea Business will be held on June 6, with high-ranking officials
from the countries of the Black Sea region, as well as from such
international instutions as the European Union (EU), European Bank
of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), International Monetary Fund
(IMF), World Bank (WB) and International Financial Corporation (IFC)
taking part in the event. Private investors, bankers and businessmen
from the region are also expected to attend the meeting.

NKR PRIME MINISTER EMPHASIZES DIASPORA’S ROLE IN ARTSAKH ACCOMPLISHMENT
STEPANAKERT, JUNE 2, NOYAN TAPAN. On May 30, Anushavan Danielian,
NKR Prime Minister, received representatives of French branch of
the Hayastan Pan-Armenian Foundation who arrived in Stepanakert on
a charitable mission. Anushavan Danielian attached importance to the
role of the Diaspora in the issue of elimination of war consequences
in NKR, restoration of destroyed dwellings and assistance to
solution of socio-economic problems. On behalf of NKR authorities
the Prime Minister expressed gratitude to Diasporan Armenians,
as well as French leadership and people for their participation in
the fund raising organized for the purpose of construction of the
North-South highway. “The Armenians of Artsakh don’t forget that at
all times fateful for the country the Diaspora has always supported
them. Today the Diaspora continues to render wide material and moral
assistance, to contribute to economic development and strengthening
of NKR independence,” Anushavan Danielian emphasized. Noyan Tapan
was informed from NKR Foreign Ministry’s Information and Analytical
Department that the Prime Minister touched upon different issues
interesting the guests, including issues concerning country’s home
and foreign policy, in particular, Karabakh settlement. A.Danielian
emphasized that “NKR has all resources for establishing a free,
fair and democratic state the whole our nation will be proud of.”

RA FOREIGN MINISTER AND AMERICAN SENATOR DISCUSS ISSUES OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS AND KHARABAKH SETTLEMENT
YEREVAN, JUNE 2, NOYAN TAPAN. A wide circle of issues concerning
the Armenian-American relations and regional political and economic
developments was discussed at the June 1 meeting of Vartan Oskanian,
the Foreign Minister of Armenia and Norm Coleman, the US Senator,
the Chairman of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee’s Permanent
Subcommittee on Investigations, a republican from Minnesota being in
Armenia on a two-day visit. Minister Oskanian presented directions
and primary tasks of Armenia’s foreign policy, possibilities of the
economic development as well as the democratizing process. Touching
upon the Armenian-American issues of agenda, Vartan Oskanian
mentioned the close cooperation being promoted in different spheres
both in bilateral and international and regional directions. The
interlocuters exchanged opinions around the Armenian-Turkish relations,
the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and a number of
other issues. Senator Coleman is in Armenia by the invitation of
the America’s Armenian Assembly Yerevan Office and the “Cafenjan
Family” fund.

SAMVEL PETROSIAN: WE WILL STRUGGLE FOR PRIZE-WINNING PLACES
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Having won in the second elimination
stage of the European championship in Hungary, Armenia’s national
football team of 19-year-olds received the right to play in the
final. Chief Coach of the national team Samvel Petrosian stated at
the June 2 press conference at the Football Federation of Armenia that
success was due to the efforts of all team members, which allowed to
defeat the strong national teams of Italy and Belgium. As for the final
of the European championship to be held in Northern Ireland in July,
S. Petrosian said that the team has been set the goal to struggle
for a prize-winning place. It was noted that the teams taking from
first to fifth places in Northern Ireland will receive the right to
play in the World Youth Championship.