Month: November 2006

KOCHARIAN-PUTIN TALKS FOLLOWED BY RUSSIAN ACQUISITION OF ARMENIAN TELECOM LEADER
By Emil Danielyan
Eurasia Daily Monitor, DC
Nov 15 2006
A leading Russian mobile phone operator is poised to buy Armenia’s
national telecommunications company, ArmenTel, further boosting
Moscow’s economic presence in the loyal South Caucasus state. The
Armenian government will almost certainly give its mandatory consent
to the nearly $490 million takeover, having just ceded more energy
assets to Russia’s Gazprom natural gas monopoly (see EDM, November
3). Its domestic critics have denounced these developments as another
blow to the country’s national security.
Vimpel-Communications (VimpelCom) announced on November 3 that
it had won an international tender for a commanding 90% share in
ArmenTel that was called by the latter’s parent company, the Hellenic
Telecommunications Organization (OTE), last April. In a press release,
the Russian firm said it will pay the Greek telecom giant almost
$437 million and assume its Armenian subsidiary’s debts totaling $51
million. Although OTE has yet to officially confirm this, nobody has
questioned the credibility of the information.
The deal is the latest in a recent series of VimpelCom acquisitions
of cellular operators across the former Soviet Union, including
neighboring Georgia. Its official endorsement by the Armenian
government, which owns the remaining 10% of ArmenTel, now seems a
mere formality. In fact, Yerevan has reportedly played a decisive
role in the outcome of the bidding. Russian and Armenian press
reports said that VimpelCom did not submit the highest bid, with
the Moscow daily Kommersant claiming last week that another bidder,
the Dubai-based consortium Etisalat, offered to pay $600 million for
ArmenTel. According to Yerevan’s Haykakan Zhamanak daily, Armenian
Transport and Communications Minister Andranik Manukian warned the
Greeks that the government would block the sale unless they give the
tender to VimpelCom or Sistema, another Russian telecom firm that
has shown interest in ArmenTel.
Assuming that this was the case, OTE had no option but to accept the
price tag put forward by the Russians. The company bought the Armenian
phone network for about $200 million in early 1998 and seems to have
more than recouped the price since then. ArmenTel has apparently
been OTE’s most profitable division, largely owing to its extremely
controversial legal monopoly on all forms of telecommunication, which
was partly abolished two years ago. It reported $58 million in earnings
last year, compared to a net loss of $275 million posted by the entire
Greek group. Explaining the surprise decision to put ArmenTel up for
sale in April, its top executives said they have decided to focus
on the company’s core holdings in Greece as well as subsidiaries in
nearby Bulgaria, Serbia, and Romania. Michalis Tsamas, OTE’s managing
director, also cited a “rather large interest from Russian companies
and funds.”
The VimpelCom statement came just days after Armenian President
Robert Kocharian’s visit to Moscow, which was dominated by economic
issues. Receiving Kocharian in the Kremlin on October 30, Russian
President Vladimir Putin described as “shameful” and “odd” the fact
that Russia is only Armenia’s third-largest foreign investor. Some
analysts construed the televised remark as a demand for a greater
Russian presence in the Armenian economy. Kocharian responded
by confirming that Gazprom will raise from 45% to 58% its share
in the Russian-Armenian ARG joint venture that runs Armenia’s gas
distribution network. ARG is also widely expected to gain ownership of
an under-construction gas pipeline from Iran. All this appears to be
part of a controversial April agreement that enables Armenia to receive
Russian gas at a knockdown price until January 2009 in return for
handing over more of its energy assets to Gazprom (see EDM, April 6).
Both the April deal and the imminent sale of ArmenTel have prompted
serious concern from opposition politicians and media commentators.
They believe that Armenia’s economic dependence on its former-Soviet
master is turning into a dangerous stranglehold. But the influential
Defense Minister Serge Sarkisian, who is closely involved in
Russian-Armenian economic dealings, brushed aside such concerns as
he spoke with journalists on November 6. “Give me a single example of
Russian capital present in Armenia exerting political pressure on us,”
Sarkisian said. “He knows very well that economic levers are the best
means of political blackmail,” Vahagn Khachatrian, a former Yerevan
mayor opposed to the Armenian government, countered in an interview
with the Aravot daily. The Kremlin, he said, will now be better placed
to hold Yerevan in check.
Proponents of the ArmenTel deal will insist, however, that VimpelCom,
the first Russian firm to list its shares on the New York Stock
Exchange in November 1996, is privately owned and unlikely to be
used by the Kremlin as a political tool. They might also argue that,
with almost 52 million mobile phone subscribers in Russia and other
parts of the former USSR, VimpelCom has the resources to make more
capital investments in the Armenian land-line phone network.
For many local observers, the key question is not so much who will
own ArmenTel as whether the operator will be forced to abandon
its exclusive right to provide Armenia’s Internet connection with
the outside world. The legal monopoly is widely blamed for the poor
quality and relatively high cost of that service. It is also seen as
a serious obstacle to the development of information technology in the
country. The Armenian government has reportedly asked VimpelCom to take
its minority stake in ArmenTel in return for giving up the monopoly.
(Haykakan Zhamanak, November 11, November 7; Aravot, November 8;
Kommersant, November 7; Statement by VimpelCom, November 3; Russian
First Channel, October 30)

PAY $230 OR SAY “NO” TO RUSSIAN GAS
Georgian Times, Georgia
Nov 14 2006
The countdown has started. Georgia will either have to bow to
Russian pressure and buy Russian gas at European prices or cut off
consumption. On December 31st of this year, the agreement that allows
Georgian gas companies to buy gas from Russia at $110 USD per 1000
cubic meters will expire. Russia will agree to lower the gas tariff
only if the government of Georgia sells them its main gas pipelines
and distribution networks.
After bargaining with Ukraine and Armenia, GazProm headed to bargaining
table with Georgia, where it offered a trade of sorts: Georgia’s
strategic assets in exchange for cheap gas. Aleksandr Medvedev,
Deputy Head of the GazProm Supervisory Board said that if Georgia
conceded some assets to Russia, it would receive gas at a lower
price. Medvedev referred primarily to the main gas pipeline that
delivers Russian gas from Georgia’s northern border to Armenia.
Why does Russia need Georgia’s gas pipeline?
That Russia wants to take over the pipeline is not news. Several
years ago, while Shevardnadze was in power, GazProm asked for the gas
pipeline in exchange for relief of the Georgian government’s debt
to Russia. Later, GazProm offered cash and the creation of a joint
venture through which it would acquire control over the pipeline.
If not for strict warnings from the United States, Shevardnadze’s
government might have conceded the pipeline to Russia. The US State
Department advised Georgia to retain the pipeline, and assigned
$40 million USD from its central budget for the renovation of
the pipeline. (Renovation starts in about a week and is due to be
completed in two years). Moreover, the agreement that Georgia signed
with Millennium Challenge Corporation forbids Georgia from selling
the pipeline for the next five years.
There are two reasons driving Russia’s interest in the gas pipeline.
One reason is that, by acquiring the pipeline, Russia will ensure
uninterrupted gas deliveries to Armenia – its strategic ally in the
South Caucasus region. Even were Russia to cut off gas deliveries to
Georgia, it would still be able to deliver gas to Armenia. (When an
accident disrupted gas delivery to Georgia last winter, Armenia was
also left without gas). The second reason for Russia’s interest in
the pipeline is that by acquiring it, Russia would be able to block
Iranian gas, restricting its transit to Europe.
Before Iranian gas reaches Georgia via Azerbaijan, it has to travel
through the main gas pipeline network. Iran, which is second biggest
gas supplier in the world (holding about 27 billion cubic gas reserves,
or 18 percent of world supply), has been wanting to deliver gas to
Europe since 1994. By taking over Georgia’s gas pipeline, Russia
would get rid of its strongest rival.
The government of Georgia says it is not going to give its pipeline
to GazProm. Therefore, Georgia will either have to pay GazProm’s
asking price of $230 USD per 1000 cubic meters of gas or switch
to alternative gas suppliers. Even Belarus – which enjoys better
relations with Russia – refused to sell its gas pipeline network,
opting instead to paying the asked-for $200 USD for Russian gas.
Georgia’s Prime Minister, Zurab Noghaideli, says Georgia will not
pay a political price for gas and will not pay more to GazProm than
Armenia and Azerbaijan pay. If this is to be the case, Georgia will
have to completely switch to alternative gas suppliers.
Deal between Russia and Armenia
To squeeze Georgia into a tight energy blockade, Russia seeks to
create an energy alliance and wants to lure Armenia and Azerbaijan
into this coalition. After a meeting at the Kremlin a week ago,
Russian President Putin talked his Armenian counterpart into the
sale of the Armenian gas distribution network to Russia. In return
for cheap gas-$110 USD per 1000 cubic meters-GazProm is increasing
its interests from 45 percent to 58 percent in ArmzRosGazProm (the
Armenian gas distribution company that controls the Iran-Armenian
gas pipeline). By doing so, Russia has cut off one possible route
for Iranian gas to get to Europe. Russia spent millions renovating
the pipeline. The pipeline will be operational in about two months.
Armenia will receive Iranian gas and after some time Russian analysts
say it will not have to use Georgia’s conduits to receive Russian
gas. Georgian experts maintain that even after Armenia launches
gas imports from Iran, it will have to use Georgia for transit, as
Iranian imports will not fully satisfy the gas demand. Russia did not
allow Armenians build a high-capacity pipeline, as this would have
minimized its dependence on Russia. Georgian analysts argue that at
best, Yerevan will receive 1.5 billion cubic meters of Iranian gas.
Its annual consumption now is 2 billion cubic meters and is likely
to rise to 2.5-3 billion cubic meters next year.
Even though Armenia has managed to diversity its gas supplies to some
extent, it will still need Russian gas and thus the Georgian pipeline
this winter. Therefore, Armenia is likely to refrain from joining
the Kremlin’s coalition and will not cut electricity supply to Tbilisi.
(On the eve of the meeting between Putin and Kocharian, the Russian
media speculated that the Kremlin would demand that Armenia suspend
the delivery of power to Georgia during the energy blockade).
Will Azerbaijan join the anti-Georgian Energy Alliance?
Even more important for Georgia was what arrangement Putin and Alyev,
the President of Azerbaijan, agreed to on November 10. Before Alyev’s
depature to Moscow, analysts predicted that if Alyev declined to join
an anti-Georgian energy alliance, Moscow would charge Azerbaijan $230
USD per 1000 cubic meters of gas. The Azeri route still one without
alternatives for Georgia, and Azerbaijan still has to decide how much
gas produced from Shahdeniz deposit it will allot to Georgia.
Alyev’s visit to Europe and his high-profile meetings on energy
issues in Brussels eclipsed the issue of Russia’s proposed energy
alliance and its impact on Georgia’s suppliers. And the question of
Georgia’s energy supply has become much more important to Moscow than
what Alyev promised to European leaders.
Russian Kommersant reports that Alyev told Europeans that Azerbaijan
cannot become an alternative to Russia. Alyev told Putin that he
prefers to partner with Russia and would not give energy guarantees
to European leaders. After receiving such assurances, Putin will
not require Azerbaijan to mount pressure on Georgia, especially as
Alyev does not show any inclination of doing so. Alyev said that the
strained relations between Russia and Georgia has spilled over into
Azerbaijan, and that he hopes that Georgian-Russian relations will
improve in the near future as Azerbaijan “plans to expand strategic
cooperation” with both countries.
The latest developments leave room for hope that Georgia’s negotiations
with Azerbaijan will be successful and that Georgia will receive
additional supplies from Shahdeniz pipeline if Russia turns off its
gas taps to Georgia.

TUSIAB SAYS NO COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 14 2006
Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’ Association -TUSIAD-, based in
Istanbul, which cooperates with Armenian businessmen, has no relations
to the Union of Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen-TUSIAB,” TUSIAB
issued a statement to make clear the article “TUSIAD establishes new
union to expand business relations with Armenia” spread by APA news
agency quoting Turkish Daily News.
TUSIAB said the news misled public and was misunderstood.
“TUSIAB condemns and is against any political, cultural social or
commercial relations with aggressor-Armenia until the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan is restored,” the Union stated, adding there
is no connection between TUSIAD and TUSIAB.
The previous news said the TUSİAD-led Union of Black Sea and
Caspian Confederation of Enterprises (UBCCE) will hold its first
general assembly on Nov. 27 to which executives from the Armenian
Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association have been invited,
APA reports quoting Turkish Daily News.
The union was established with the aim of developing economic and
commercial relations among neighboring Black Sea and Caspian countries.
TUSİAD President Omer Sabanci initiated the establishment of the
union with the aim of developing economic and commercial relations
among neighboring Black Sea and Caspian countries. A decision was
made at preparatory meetings in May and June of this year to locate
the headquarters of the 12-member UBCCE in Istanbul.
The union was formed with the participation of several TUSİAD
counterparts from member countries. Armenia became a member of the
union with the Armenian Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association.
The UBCCE general assembly will be held at Istanbul’s Sail Halim
Paşa Yalisi on Nov. 27, at which Armenia will be represented by
Arsen Gazeryan, head of the Armenian Industrialists and Businessmen’s
Association and also co-chairman of the Turkish-Armenian Business
Council.
TUSİAD’s Brussels representative, Bahadir Kaleagasi, said the
UBCCE was formed after intensive studies around the Black Sea and
Caspian region. The preparatory meetings of the confederation have
been completed. Armenia is a member of the union, and they have been
invited, he said.
Turkish-Armenian Business Development Council deputy head Noyan Soyak
said TUSİAD and the Turkish-Armenian Business Council had been
exchanging views since 2000. Gazeryan served as a bridge between the
business worlds of the two countries, both in his capacity as head of
the Armenian association and as co-chairman of the council, he noted,
adding that Gazeryan and TUSİAD were in constant contact with
each other.
“Armenian businessmen are informed of every development in
TUSİAD. When Sabanci was elected president, Armenian businessmen
congratulated him. We, as the council, also organize meetings where
Turkish and Armenian businesspeople come together,” he said.
The meeting in November aims to develop Turkey’s relations with its
neighbors, Soyak said.
“Armenia is invited within this context. We see this as the
continuation of previous meetings. In the upcoming meeting, the
launching of bilateral talks between the two countries may come up,”
he said.
Turkish business circles said nay commercial or economic cooperation
with Armenia doesn’t serve the interests of Turkey and those
cooperating with Armenian businessmen are Jews and Armenians by
origin.

KAZAKHSTAN’S SECURITY TIES GROWING IN THE MIDDLE EAST
By Roger McDermott
Eurasia Daily Monitor, DC
Nov 15 2006
Kazakhstan is seeking to diversify its security interests, looking to
Middle Eastern states for assistance. This trend was evident during
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s first state visit to Kazakhstan
on November 7. Kazakh officials also explored potential security
cooperation with Jordanian Defense Minister Maruf al-Bakhit in talks
in Astana on November 9.
A security dimension to the bilateral relationship between Kazakhstan
and Egypt emerged alongside efforts to emphasize burgeoning trade
links. Following the bilateral talks, Vladimir Shkolnik, Kazakhstan’s
trade and industry minister, and his Egyptian counterpart, Rashid
Husayn, signed a protocol allowing Egyptian goods and services free
access to Kazakhstan’s markets. Bilateral trade currently stands at
approximately $14.5 million in the first eight months of 2006. Trade
agreements envisage the deepening of bilateral trade in various
sectors of the economy, including textiles and pharmaceuticals
(Kazakhstan-Interfax, November 7).
Taking full advantage of Mubarak’s visit, Kazakh President Nursultan
Nazarbayev, explained, “We agreed on many issues during the meeting
today. First of all, they concern economic and political relations
between the two countries. The bilateral meeting discussed topical
international problems, including regional problems in the Middle
East, Iraq, and Afghanistan and the situation in Central Asia”
(Kazakh TV First Channel, November 7).
On November 8 Amangeldy Shabdarbayev, chairman of the Kazakh National
Security Committee (KNB), met Colonel-General Umar Sulayman, director
of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, in Astana. They
reportedly discussed ways to establish mechanisms for information
sharing. “During the meeting, the heads of the special services
expressed their intention to further develop interaction to counter
international terrorism and religious extremism, as well modern
threats and challenges,” according to the KNB’s press service
(Kazakhstan-Interfax, November 8).
Kazakhstan’s Middle Eastern diplomacy has been intense and pointed,
and Astana has steadfastly continued to deploy elements of its
peacekeeping battalion (KAZBAT) in Iraq. Kazakh Prime Minister
Daniyal Akhmetov met his Jordanian counterpart, al-Bakhit, in Astana
on November 8. “We attach special importance to stepping up the work
of the Kazakh-Jordanian intergovernmental commission [for trade and
economic cooperation]. Agriculture Minister [Akhmetzhan] Yesimov will
be heading the commission from the Kazakh side,” Akhmetov confirmed
after his talks. The prime minister believes Kazakhstan can offer
Jordan a wide range of products in the metallurgy, chemistry, oil,
and agricultural sectors. Kazakhstan’s markets are open for trade with
both Egypt and Jordan, and there is clear interest in Kazakhstan’s
energy sphere. Nazarbayev has been invited to visit Jordan in late
November, when he is likely to explore these issues further.
Kazakhstan’s Defense Minister Mukhtar Altynbayev expressed interest
in military-technical cooperation during talks with his Jordanian
counterpart. “During the meeting, the sides discussed issues relating
to international and regional security, as well as prospects for
developing bilateral military and technical cooperation,” the Kazakh
Defense Ministry disclosed (Interfax, November 9). Astana’s efforts
to foster security links with Egypt and Jordan appear to be at a
tentative stage, but there is reason to believe that they will make
practical progress. The KNB agreement on cooperating with Egyptian
intelligence may presage wider defense cooperation, as Kazakhstan’s
national security interests are identified.
While Kazakh officials were conducting Middle Eastern diplomacy,
the government was keeping a close eye on the political unrest in
Kyrgyzstan. Security officials in Astana fear the consequences for the
region, should their southern neighbor become a dysfunctional state
and a breeding ground for terrorism and extremism. Such concerns are
currently driving the exploration of new themes in Kazakh security
cooperation trends; Nazarbayev is keen to learn from Egypt and Jordan
about ways to tackle the terrorist threat.
These are some ways in which Astana is changing the established
cooperation dynamics in the region. But there are also other indicators
that regional security dynamics may again shift or realign in the
near future. The first joint anti-terrorist exercises held between
the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states will be held in Russia
in spring 2007. “Peaceful Mission-Border 2007” will take place in
May 2007 at the Chebarkul testing ground in Chelyabinsk region.
China and Russia will each send a battalion, while Kazakhstan,
Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan will contribute a company and Kyrgyzstan
will send a platoon. Armenia and Belarus will participate as
observers. Russia and China will reportedly provide the largest
contingents of troops to the forthcoming maneuvers, with each sending
a battalion. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan each intend to
send a company, and Kyrgyzstan intends to send a platoon. Armenia
and Belarus, which are not SCO members, will attend the maneuvers as
observers (Avesta, November 8).
Joint CSTO and SCO anti-terrorist exercises will once again raise the
profile of these organizations within the region. How far it will
strengthen the pro-Russian security trends in Central Asia remains
unclear. Meanwhile, analysts are speculating about what dividends
Nazarbayev could extract from security cooperation in the Middle
East that he cannot get by concentrating on his partnership with
Western countries.

EU-AZERBAIJANI CO-OPERATION TO BE DISCUSSED IN BRUSSELS
Author: E.Huseynov
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Nov 14 2006
The 8th meeting of the EU-Azerbaijan Co-operation Council will take
place on November 14 in Brussels. The meeting will be held in the
building of the Council of Ministers of the European Union, Trend
reports with reference to the Azerbaijani Embassy in Belgium.
The Azerbaijani delegation in the meeting is headed by the Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. The EU is represented at the meeting by
the Foreign Minister of Finland (EU President Country) Erkki Tuomioja,
EU High Commissioner for Foreign Policy and Security Javier Solana,
European Commission Commissioner for Foreign Relations Benita
Ferrero-Waldner, German State Minister Gunter Gloser, EU Envoy
for South Caucasus Peter Semneby and others. As a result of the
negotiations, an Action Plan will be adopted between EU and Azerbaijan
within the European Neighborhood Policy.
In the second half of the day, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister will
meet the Armenian Foreign Minister, Vardan Oskanyan and co-chairs of
the OSCE Minsk Group.

FROZEN CONFLICTS ARE KEY CHALLENGE FOR SOUTH CAUCASIAN COUNTRIES – AZERI FOREIGN MINISTER
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Nov 14 2006
The Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov and Armenia
Foreign Minister, Vardan Oskanyan are willing to achieve a progress in
the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during the negotiations
in Brussels, the Foreign Ministers said in the joint press-conference
in Brussels in the evening of November 13, Trend reports quoting
ITAR-TASS.
On November 14, Action Plans within the European Neighborhood Policy
(ENP) will be signed in Brussels between the European Union and three
countries of South Caucasus – Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. After
the signing of the documents, the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign
Ministers will meet for bilateral negotiations. Both Ministers voiced
their confidence that signing the Action Plans will become a good
opportunity for achieving progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov called the frozen
conflicts as “key challenge for the countries of South Caucasus”. He
shared optimism of his Armenian colleague, but said that the progress
in settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is observed extremely
careful.
The Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said that the Action
Plans will keep the common vision of the situation in the region.
“After their signing, we will go to another room to discuss
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and this will be principally a new stage
of the negotiation process,” emphasized, adding that “we do all the
best to achieve a progress and prepare the meeting of our presidents
on this problem”.

JUSTICE ARMAND ARABIAN RECEIVES 2006 FERNANDO AWARD
By TINA BAY, Staff Writer
Metropolitan News-Enterprise, CA
Nov 15 2006
Former California Supreme Court Justice Armand Arabian has been named
recipient of the 2006 Fernando Award, given annually to a San Fernando
Valley resident for volunteer efforts on behalf of the community.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced Arabian’s selection
at the 48th Annual Fernando Award Finalists’ Recognition Dinner last
Friday, after secret ballots cast by members of the Fernando Award
Foundation placed him above four other finalists.
Arabian, 71, told The MetNews yesterday receiving the recognition was a
“very touching experience.”
He explained:
“You do things from the heart and most of the time there’s no
acknowledgement of it, and it’s not expected. This [honor] is very
meaningful to me because most of my adult life has been centered
around the Van Nuys Civic Center.”
Upon his admission to the State Bar in 1962, he worked for a year
as a deputy district attorney in Van Nuys and then entered private
practice in that city until then-Gov. Ronald Reagan appointed him to
the Municipal Court there in 1972. He was later elevated by Reagan to
the Superior Court and remained in Van Nuys for 10 years, including
service as supervising judge before then-Gov. George Dukemejian
appointed him to the Second District Court of Appeal in 1983.
After six years as an associate justice on the Supreme Court from
1990 to1996, Arabian set up an office across from the Van Nuys Civic
Center, where he works as a private judge for ADR Services, Inc.
In keeping with Fernando Award tradition, Arabian will have his name
inscribed on two statues commemorating the honor, a decades-old bronze
monument located in the Valley Civic Center in Van Nuys and another,
installed in 1996, that stands at Warner Park in Woodland Hills.
A formal celebration dinner will be held sometime in February, the
justice said.
The award does not include a cash prize, but award foundation president
Brad Rosenheim said Arabian will be asked to designate a high school
in the San Fernando Valley to which the foundation will award a $2,000
scholarship for one of its graduating students.
The annual Fernando Award honors an individual from the San Fernando
Valley who, “through a life of volunteerism encompassing personal
commitment and involvement, has worked to improve the quality of life
in the San Fernando Valley.”
Fourteen individuals were nominated this year by community
organizations and leaders. A screening committee narrowed the field
to five finalists.
At the award ceremony Friday, Arabian was recognized for being a
national leader in the reform of rape laws, specifically for his work
in bringing about recognition of the sexual assault counselor-victim
privilege.
The justice said his work in rape reform sparked his desire to be
involved in the community:
“I was somewhat isolated in my 24 years of service on the court, but
the work that I did in rape reform which was outside my judicial duties
took me into a world of seeing pain and need,” he said. “After I left
the court, I’ve been gone for 10 years, I’ve become far more involved.”
He is involved in the presentation of various awards and scholarships
that encourage community service, such as the “Armand Arabian Leaders
in Public Service” awards and scholarships presented annually by the
Encino Chamber of Commerce.
In 1999, he donated funds to create Lawyers Resource Centers in the
Van Nuys and San Fernando superior courthouses.
Last December, the Justice Armand Arabian Reception Hall was dedicated
in his honor at the Chatsworth Superior Courthouse.
A New York native and the son of Armenian immigrants who survived the
Turkish Genocide, Arabian graduated from Boston University and Boston
University School of Law. He also holds a master of laws degree from
the University of Southern California.
He said his legacy is demonstrating that “there’s always something
to be done if you have the heart and soul to accomplish it.”
“There is no such thing as ‘I didn’t know where to put myself,'”
he said. “I always summarize it by the phrase, ‘Make a difference.’
Everyone can make a difference if they choose to.”
ab111406.htm
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NKR PRESIDENT URGED DIASPORA TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE TV MARATHON TARGETED AT FUND RAISING FOR KARABAKH
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Nov 14 2006
As it has already been reported, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
President Arkady Ghoukassian is in the U. S. in connection with the
preparation of a TV marathon to be held November 23. The marathon
is targeted at fund raising for the Nagorno-Karabakh’s further
development. In the course of a solemn measure conducted in the U. S.
Arkady Ghoukassian urged those present to actively participate in the
TV marathon, thus promoting Artsakh’s Revival program’s implementation.
According to the information DE FACTO got at the Main Department of
Information under the NKR President, a distinguished American lawyer
of the Armenian origin Marc Kirakos, who had participated in the event,
appealed to the present to contribute to the NKR’s development.
RA Ambassador to the U. S. Tatul Margarian, RA representative
to the U. N. Armen Martirosian, the U. S. Diaspora’s influential
representatives and Armenian religious figures were present at the
reception.
Within his visit’s frames the NKR President also met with the Eurasia
Group consulting company’s leadership, the Armenian Assembly of
America (AAA) governing council members Edil Hovnanian and Van
Krikorian. During the talk Arkady Ghoukassian familiarized the
meetings’ participants with the perspectives of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict settlement, the process of state construction in the NKR
and the development of democracy in the Republic. The NKR President
expressed his gratitude to the AAA for the efficient work with the
U. S. Congress on the lobbying of the Nagorno-Karabakh’s interests.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OPPOSITION LEADER PROTESTS PROSECUTOR’S STANCE ON ILLEGALITIES AGAINST HIS PARTY
By Astghik Bedevian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep
Nov 15 2006
A major opposition party wants the Prosecutor-General to institute
a criminal case over what it sees as repeated illegal actions aimed
against its activities.
Together with several fellow partisans the leader of the
Zharangutyun (Heritage) party Raffi Hovannisian protested near the
Prosecutor-General’s Office on Tuesday demanding a reply to the action
the party filed more than a month ago.
“On March 4, they illegally entered our office and we were locked
out. Four days later, at midnight, they entered the office and stole
our computer network and all our internal information from databases.
We demand that a case be brought for the illegal closure of our office
and the stealing,” Hovannisian said, adding that pressures are already
being put on some of the most active members of the party.
He claimed that the actions connected with the office closure and
their eviction had been directly orchestrated from the presidential
palace. “I think the truth will be revealed if there is an unbiased,
comprehensive and normal investigation,” Hovannisian said.
Hovannisian says the pressure is the result of authorities’ fear that
Heritage may prove a major opponent in next year’s election.
“Today, we have to do with a crime that has grounds for impeachment.
Names are not important, what’s important is that the institution
of the president of the Republic of Armenia has allowed a chain of
illegalities that go far beyond the framework of the constitution.”
Computers from the Heritage office were taken for police expertise
after the party reported the trespassing.
Zaruhi Postanjian, a Heritage lawyer, says: “The expertise found that
the computers had been tampered with, monitors of unknown types had
been connected to them and some of the information had been subjected
to modification. We think that to have these findings and not to
institute a criminal case is illegal.”
The Prosecutor-General replied that a new probe should be made and
only after that will it be decided whether to institute a criminal
case or not.

ARMENIA APPROVES VIMPELCOM’S TAKEOVER OF TELECOMS CO. ARMENTEL
RIA Novosti, Russia
Nov 14 2006
YEREVAN, November 14 (RIA Novosti) – Armenian authorities have approved
the sale of a 90% stake in telephone company Armentel, held by a
Greek firm, to Russia’s VimpelCom [RTS: VIMP] for $438.9 million,
the state commission for public services regulation said Tuesday.
As well as buying the stake from Greek telecoms group Hellenic
Telecommunications Organization SA (OTE), Russia’s second largest
mobile operator, best known for its Beeline brand, will take on
Armentel’s debt totaling around 40 million euros ($51 million).
VimpelCom, controlled by Russia’s Alfa Group and Norway’s Telenor,
beat Russian mobile market leader MTS [RTS: MTSS] at the tender for
the Armentel stake, which will give it 40% of the Armenian mobile
telecommunications market. The takeover will be completed by the end
of 2006, VimpelCom said.
The Armenian government ceded its right to purchase the stake from
OTE on November 9.
Before receiving the authorities’ approval, VimpelCom and OTE had
closed the deal, worth 341.9 million euros ($438.9 million).
Armenian Communications Minister Andranik Manukyan earlier said
the government will sell VimpelCom the remaining 10% stake, on the
condition that the company does not attempt to monopolize the South
Caucasus country’s telecoms market.
Greece’s OTE bought Armentel in 1997 for $142.5 million, and has
since invested $300 million in the company, whose earnings in 2005
stood at 110 million euros ($140 million).
Armentel has about 600,000 fixed-line and 400,000 mobile service
subscribers, and uses the GSM 900 and CDMA standards.
As well as Russia, VimpelCom operates in the former Soviet republics
of Kazakhstan, Georgia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.