Month: November 2006

ISRAEL IS INTERESTED IN BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN PIPELINE
AZG Armenian Daily
03/11/2006
Israel is displaying certain interest in Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey
pipeline. The country wants to join the pipeline as a user and as a
further transfer point for the energy carriers, Benyamin Ben-Eliezer,
Minister of Israel’s National Infrastructures, stated in the course
of the conference in energetics in Haifa. Ben-Eliezer added that the
oil and gas pipelines may develop in the following way: they begin in
Azerbaijan, pass through Georgia and Turkey, and the Mediterranean sea
and end in Israel. Anyway, the minister stated that Israel is ready
to both make large-scale purchase of energy carriers and offers its
territory for spreading the Caspian oil in the Asian markets.
Mikhail Saakashvili, President of Georgia, who participated in the
conference, once again touched upon the Russian-Georgian relations
and emphasized that Russia conducts anti-Georgian policy.

SMALL HPS TO GENERATE 10-15% OF COUNTRIES ELECTRICITY
By Ara Martirosian
AZG Armenian Daily
03/11/2006
During the last 3 years 17 small hydro power stations (HPS) were built
in Armenia as against 18 HPSs in 2004, Robert Nazarian, head of the
Commission Regulating Public Services, said at a seminar dedicated
to issues of financing projects for construction of small HPSs. He
also said that by 2010 50 more small HPSs will be built making their
total number 97. The small HPS will generate 10-15% of the countries
electricity in 4 years.
A department chief at the Commission, Abgar Budaghian, presented
in details the tendencies of development in the sphere of small
HPSs. He informed that currently the small HPSs account for 2-2.5%
of electricity. Most of the 51 HPSs that are being built today are
located on, irrigation systems and drinking water sluices. In 2010
their combined power will amount to 175 megawatt and 644 million
kilowatt-hour a year. To reach this index 47 million drams is needed
to be invested in the sphere.
Electricity tariff during 15 years for the HPSs built on natural
currents will amount to 4.5 cents for 1 kilowatt-hour (without VAT);
for the HPSs built on irrigation systems it will be 3 cents and 2
cents for those on drinking water sluices. This means that risks for
investors are reduced to minimum to attract finances for development
of the sphere.
Tamar Babayan, representative of Armenia’s Regenerative Energetics
Fund, presented the small HPSs loan mechanisms. She said that the
World Bank, International Development Association and the European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development participate in financing
of the project. The minimal amount of the loans is $30 thousand and
maximal is $2 million. Loans are available both in USD and AMD. Money
needed for construction of a small HPS is $500 thousand. The loan
can be granted on terms of increasing the amount of generated energy,
raising stations’ power to 10 megawatt etc.

SYSTEM OF A DOWN TO TAKE PART IN MTV EUROPE MUSIC AWARDS
AZG Armenian Daily
03/11/2006
Yesterday night the 13th MTV Europe Music Awards took place in
Copenhagen, Denmark, RFE/RL reports. One of the key performers in
two successive years have been the System of a Down rock band which
is struggling to get the best alternative band title this year two.
Last year the band not only won in this nomination but also became
one of the revelations of the Lisbon contest and was granted the right
to close the ceremony. All 4 members of this American rock band have
Armenian origin – Serge Tankian, Daron Malakian, Shavo Odajian and
John Dolmayan.

A NIGERIAN STUDENT KILLED IN KIEV
By Petros Keshishian
AZG Armenian Daily
03/11/2006
First Racial Crime committed in Ukraine
The prosecutor’s office of Darnica community of Kiev instituted a
lawsuit on the murder case of Godnrouz Mieev, Nigerian citizen. He
was killed in the evening of October 25 near the “Poznyak” underground
station in Kiev.
Komersant Ukrainian newspaper wrote that the witnesses stated 5
skinheads came out of the underground station and attacked the Nigerian
young man. The passers-by called the emergency and the police. But the
Nigerian citizen died of the knife wound he got on his back, before
the police and the emergence arrived. The criminals managed to escape.
Godnrouz Mieev lived in Ukraine for a year. He had graduated from
the National Economy Institute and had a degree in Economics. He was
married to a Ukrainian woman. The witnesses state that the skinheads
would shout “Save Ukraine from the Ugly” in Russian and Ukrainian
languages when attacking the Nigerian.
After the murder, a number of rights advocating organizations stated in
their web sites that the murder was done on the grounds of racism. The
fact that the criminals didn’t touch $400 and personal belongings of
the victims is another proof that testifies to this statement.
The Darnica prosecutor’s office refuses to make any comments to
journalists.

97 SMALL ELECTRIC POWER STATIONS TO FUNCTION IN 2010
Panorama.am
12:56 02/11/06
By 2010 the number of small hydroelectric power stations will reach 97
with total capacity of 175.5 Mvatt, Abgar Budagyan, head of investment
department of the commission on regulating public services, told a
seminar today.
In his words, 47.4 billion drams will be needed for the construction
of the power stations. From 1997 to 2004 18 small hydroelectric power
stations were built and from 2004 to 2006 another 17 were built in
Armenia. Budagyan said the hydroelectric power stations produce 2%
of the total energy output, which is planned to grow up to 10% in
2010.

CHAIRMAN OF UNITED JAVAKHK DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE SET FREE AFTER 20 DAYS OF IMPRISONMENT
Panorama.am
14:47 02/11/06
After spending 20 days in the Yerevan-Kentron prison which is known
as KGB basement, Vahagn Chakhalyan, chairman of United Javakhk
Democratic Alliance, writes poems. Chakhalyan was indicted for
illegally crossing Georgian-Armenian border. Chakhalyan refrained
from commenting on the incident in a press conference today, saying,
“the case is under investigation yet.”
He said no violence is used against him in the prison cell. Asked
by a reporter if he was warned by authorities to be careful while
talking to mass media outlets, he said, “I do not know. I was not
told anything.”

INFORMATION OFFICE OF CoE LAUNCHES FILM SHOWS
Panorama.am
16:18 02/11/06
Information Office of the Council of Europe has launched an advocacy
program with its three films: “Human being is not subject for sale,”
“Let’s build Europe with children and for children,” and “Everybody
different, everybody equal.” The program will kick of on November 4.
The office organizes film shows on trafficking, violence against
children and racial discrimination together with the Armenian National
Gallery film project.

GOVERNMENT BANS ADVERTISEMENT OF NON-LICENSED MEDICAL SERVICES
Panorama.am
17:43 02/11/06
The government issued a decision, which bans promotional ads of
people who have no medical education or medical services which are
not licensed by the state. Up to today, all medical services had the
right to advertise themselves. The new government decision ensures
new requirements for medical service promotion.
Suren Krmoyan, adviser to the minister of health on legal issues,
told a briefing today saying, “Non registered medicine is prohibited
to be advertised similar to drugs and special prescription medicine,”
he said.
The government imposes lighter requirements for the advertisement of
medical equipment.
Krmoyan said the ministry of health has the right to grant the
permission for advertisement within 20 days.
After 20 days the applicant has the right to post his/her advertisement
in any mass media outlet.
Krmoyan said the ministry will collect no money for giving the
permission.

ARMENIAN DRAM APPRECIATED 15.2% AGAINST US DOLLAR IN OCTOBER 2006 ON DECEMBER 2005
Noyan Tapan
Nov 02 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. A 2.5% growth in consumer prices was
registered in Armenia in October 2006 on December 2005. The settlement
exchange rate of the Armenian dram against the US dollar declined
by 15.2% (the dram appreciated) in the indicated period. There
was a 3.5% and 7.6% decline in consumer prices and the settlement
exchange rate respectively in October 2005 on December 2004. The 0.2%
inflation registered in the Armenian consumer market in October on
September 2006 was accompanied by a 1.7% decline in the settlement
exchange rate of the Armenian dram against the US dollar. The average
settlement exchange rate of the Armenian dram against the US dollar
made 381.26 drams in October 2006, which is lower by 15.3% than the
index of October 2005 (449.28 drams).

TURKEY STRUGGLING MIGHTILY WITH FREEDOM
By Howard Eisenstat
Topeka Capital Journal (subscription), KS
Nov 3 2006
At first glance it might seem that the Turkish government under Prime
Minister Tayyip Erdogan, once so determined to join the European
Union (EU), has had a change of heart. With an overwhelming majority
in Parliament, Erdogan’s Justice and Development (AK) Party pushed
through a series of liberalizing reforms early in its administration
that went far beyond those contemplated by previous governments.
Taken as a whole, they seemed to promise a new, more democratic and
pluralistic country. In those heady days in 2003 and 2004, it seemed
that Turkey was poised to achieve its long-term goal of membership in
the European Union and — given Erdogan’s moderate Islamist base —
a potential place of leadership for reforms within the Muslim world,
as well.
For the past year or two, however, such hopes have seemed increasingly
Pollyannaish as reforms have stumbled. Most dramatically, a steady
stream of Turkey’s most prominent intellectuals, journalists and
authors have been brought to trial under infamous “Article 301” of
the Criminal Code, which makes it a criminal offense, punishable by
as many as three years in prison, to “denigrate Turkishness.” Should
a citizen be found guilty of doing so while abroad, the time served
may be increased by one-third.
The result has been a serious blow to Turkey’s reputation. The
international stature of many of the accused has ensured widespread
media coverage of the trials and a steady decline in national stature
abroad. For example, Orhan Pamuk, Turkey’s most celebrated novelist
and recipient of the 2006 Nobel Prize for Literature, was brought to
trial in 2005 for saying “Thirty thousand Kurds and a million Armenians
were killed in these lands and nobody dares to talk about it.” The
case against Pamuk was eventually dropped, but new cases are brought
up on a regular basis. No intellectual can write confidently on the
wide range of issues that considered “hassas konular,” or “sensitive
issues,” without the fear of possible prosecution. These issues range
from the role of minorities in history and society to the rights
of conscientious objectors. Turkish democratization – and Turkey’s
international reputation — are dying from a thousand small blows.
In fact, this public embarrassment appears to be part of a concerted
effort by members of the old elite within the bureaucracy and military
and their allies to sabotage both the Erdogan government and Turkey’s
European aspirations. The liberalization promised by the Erdogan
government — and demanded by the EU — placed elements of the old
elite in a dilemma. Many in the bureaucracy — and particularly within
the military — believe it is their right and duty to shepherd Turkey
toward modernization. Elected officials are seen as too corrupt, the
populace as too ignorant and fickle to be trusted with stewardship of
the nation. When legal limitations are insufficient for maintaining
control, a murky system of patronage, strong-arm tactics and outright
violence that the Turks refer to as the “Deep State” can be relied
on to keep both politicians and ordinary citizens in line. The
liberalization demanded by the EU and the reforms implemented early
on by the Erdogan government all seemed to threaten this monopoly on
real power.
Thus early reforms went only half way. Though many were courageous,
there were significant concessions to the powerful old guard. Since
then, the enemies of liberalization have been busy, exploiting these
weaknesses. They play on nationalist sentiment, giving ammunition
to enemies of Turkey’s bid to membership in the EU and making the
government look far weaker than its strong majority in Parliament
would suggest.
Article 301 has become a weapon for Turkey’s most retrograde
elements: a weapon against the government, against Turkey’s EU
ambitions, against further reforms and against the burgeoning civil
society. If recent media reports are correct, the Erdogan government
is considering addressing the question of Article 301 again in the
near future. Government officials need to do so quickly. And this
time, they need to avoid the half-measures that have burdened them
so far. This time, they need to cut out the root and branch, the
anti-democratic language that Article 301 represents.
Howard Eissenstat teaches Middle Eastern History at Seton Hall
University in New Jersey and is a Turkey Country Specialist with
Amnesty International USA. Founded in 1961, Amnesty International
is a Nobel Prize winning grassroots activist organization with over
one-million members world wide —
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