Month: July 2007

PARANOID, AND LOVING IT

Strategy Page –
June 24, 2007

July 2, 2007: Russia will veto a Kosovo independence vote in the UN,
fearing that the dismemberment of Serbia will encourage separatists
in Russia and some of its neighbors (Georgia, Armenia and Moldova).

Russia also fears that an independent Kosovo will become a refuge
for Islamic terrorists, as it believes Bosnia has.

July 1, 2007: The government has passed laws that make it more
difficult for new political parties to be formed, and to operate. In
addition, existing parties are complaining of many hacker attacks
on their web sites and network access. This is seen as a government
Cyber War capability, which the government denies, but which keeps
showing up when the government needs it.

June 30, 2007: There are still terrorist incidents in Chechnya, but
they occur about once a week, about as frequently as new arrests
of terrorists are made. Most of the surviving Chechen terrorists
have moved to neighboring areas, or farther abroad. The Chechen
government, now run by Chechens, wants to end the amnesty program,
because those who were serious about using it have, and those who
haven’t just use the amnesty program to catch a break between bouts
of terrorist activity.

June 28, 2007: After several failures, there was a successful test
of the new ballistic missile, the Bulava. This is a naval version of
the Topol-M ICBM, which has finally entered mass production. Topol-M
uses solid fuel, and is similar to the American Minuteman.

June 26, 2007: Russia does not believe Iran would be stupid enough
to fire missiles at Europe. Therefore, the Russians cannot believe
the American anti-missile system being installed in Eastern Europe
can be anything but a sneaky way to begin construction of a missile
defense against Russian rockets. After all, Russia knows it is hated
and feared in Eastern Europe, which is why those nations offered to
host parts of the anti-missile system. Russians love a good conspiracy,
and this missile defense situation fits the bill.

June 24, 2007: Russia is pouring billions of dollars into research,
reviving the vast research organization that existed throughout
the Soviet period. Most of the Soviet research institutes were
inefficient, and only 3,500 of them, containing about 600,000
researchers, survive. But many of these are operations that adapted,
and found work in a market economy. Modeling their government research
efforts on programs used successfully in Western nations, Russia sees
the possibility of finally taking the lead in many key areas, like
nanotechnology. Any technology edge can be translated into a military
edge, because Russia has managed to keep key defense industries
intact. New weapons are being produced, and future ones developed.

AGO GROUP ARRIVING IN ARMENIA TODAY

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.07.2007 12:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The delegation of monitoring group of the CoE
Committee of Ministers, the Ago Group, led by Swedish ambassador
Per Sjogren is arriving in Armenia July 2. The delegation includes
ambassadors from Sweden, Austria, France, Germany, Russia, Romania,
Latvia and other officials of secretariat of the Committee of Ministers
of the Council of Europe.

The delegation members are scheduled to meet with Armenian President
Robert Kocharian, NA Speaker Tigran Torosian, Prime Minister Serge
Sargsyan, Constitutional Court Chairman Gagik Harutyunyan, Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian, Justice Minister Gevorg Danielyan and
Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan, the RA MFA press office reported.

AZERI CITIZEN DETAINED AFTER CROSSING KARABAKH BORDER

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.07.2007 13:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ June 30, the NKR Defense army officers detained
an Azeri citizen in the Aghdam direction of the contact line of
the Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijani armed forces. The NKR state
commission on missing and POWs said the detained man did not have
any identity documents.

The Azeri said his name is Samandar Namaz ogly, 35. He was born in
Shushi and lives in Uch settlement of Aghdam region.

The appropriate NKR bodies are clarifying the motives of the
trespasser. The state commission on missing and POWs informed the
OSCE Office and the ICRC of the incident, the NKR MFA reported.

THE VISIT OF THE ARMENIAN AND AZERI INTELLECTUALS TO KARABAKH, YEREVAN AND BAKU WAS OF GREAT SIGNIFICANCE TO ALL THE PARTIES AND NECESSARY MORE THAN EVER

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.06.2007 GMT+04:00

The President Ilham Aliyev as always was faithful to his principles. He
announced, "The conflict may be resolved exclusively on the bases of
the principles of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan with high
autonomy granted to Karabakh."

After the meeting of the President of Armenia and the President of
Azerbaijan held in Saint Petersburg, something definitely was to
happen. The meeting was to lead either to war, or to some peaceful
methods of conflict resolution. War wasn’t unleashed, but the visit of
the representatives of the Armenian and Azeri intellectuals was a great
shock to the Azeri society; Arkadi Ghukasyan from a "separatist leader"
became the President of "self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh" in no time.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "I consider that Nagorno-Karabakh must participate
in peace talks. Even if you call Ghukasyan a separatist, he is the
President of Nagorno-Karabakh and must participate in negotiations.

This is my personal opinion. According to some information disseminated
by press I left Karabakh with my eyes bent. I declare with all
the responsibility that I have nothing to be ashamed of and have
no fear from anyone at all. My viewpoint is based on the actions I
take presently, and I think it is necessary to carry on establishing
similar contacts," said Polad Bul Bul oghlu, who turned out to be the
most honest person among the Azeri Delegation. He, by the way, denied
the information which said that his father had been shot. Perhaps
Karabakh should have the chance to receive as many Azerbaijanis as
possible, for them to see how the Azeri Press and Akif Nagi try to
throw dust on their eyes.

According to RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Vartan Oskanyan, the
initiative of the Armenian and Azeri Ambassadors to RF Armen Smbatyan
and Polad Bul Bul oghlu is positive and very timely. "This visit may
become the basis of reestablishment of confidence between the nations,
which has been discussed during the negotiations more than once. The
OSCE Minsk Group has nothing to do with the organization of the visit.

During the meeting in Saint Petersburg the Ambassadors appealed to
Robert Kocharyan and Ilham Aliyev with the suggestion, which was
accepted," said Vartan Oskanyan.

According to the President of Nagorno-Karabakh Arkadi Ghukasyan,
it is necessary to enter into dialogue and create an atmosphere of
confidence between the nations. "The initiative of the Ambassadors
may create a healthy and constructive atmosphere in the process of
Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict resolution," said Ghukasyan, confirming that
the artificially created intolerance and call to war only impede the
conflict regulation process. In the opinion of the President of Armenia
Robert Kocharyan, the establishment of contacts and the atmosphere
of mutual confidence between the two nations built by means of the
very contacts will have their irreplaceable asset in the process of
Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict resolution. "In spite of existing problems,
it is very essential to find common borders, and Armenia is well
willing to assist the process," mentioned the President of Armenia.

As for the President of Azerbaijan, he as always was faithful to his
principles. He announced, "The conflict may be resolved exclusively on
the bases of the principles of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan
with high autonomy granted to Karabakh."

Yet what happened in Baku can’t be left unmentioned; Akif Nagi tried
to upset the press-conference of the representatives from Azerbaijan;
however the police took away the members of "Karabakh Liberation
Organization" from the hall.

The visit immediately gave birth to different comments, which lead
to one and the same opinion; the visit of the Armenian and Azeri
intellectuals was of great significance to all the parties and
necessary more than ever. Eldar Namazov thinks that the authorities
of Azerbaijan must explain the aim of the visit, forgetting that
Ilham Aliyev gives explanations only when he thinks it necessary
himself. And the viewpoint of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Azerbaijan is quite incomprehensible. According to the Head of the
Press-Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Khazar Ibrahim,
Polad Bul Bul oghlu and Armen Smbatyan realized this visit "in the
course of their personal initiative as former ministers of culture
of Azerbaijan and Armenia". One thing is not clear though; how can
the Ambassador who is appointed by the President of the country visit
this or that country "in the course of personal initiative"?

In Armenia the visit was taken the way typical of any civilized
society. By the way, in times of Heydar Aliyev Armenian journalists
and experts often visited Baku, however everything ended during Aliyev
Junior, who believing in the power of oil, thought that he could
solve his problems on his own, not thinking that the world community
can finally turn down Baku’s oil, which in fact is needed by Turkey
only. After all 0.6% of world oil supply doesn’t change much. It is
not difficult to prove the President of Azerbaijan the above mentioned
fact, and the present visit is one of the most evident proves.

DELEGATION HEADED BY ARMENIAN PRESIDENT VISITED ROSTOV-ON-DON

ARMENPRESS
Jul 2, 2007

ROSTOV-ON-DON, JULY 2, ARMENPRESS: Delegation headed by the Armenian
President Robert Kocharian was in Rostov-on-Don on a working visit
from June 30 to July 1 to participate in the non-official meeting of
the heads of the CIS countries.

The Armenian delegation consisted of Vice Prime Minister, Minister
of Territorial Governance Hovik Abrahamian, Armenian Consul General
in Rostov-on-Don Ararat Gomtsian and other officials.

On June 30, in the afternoon, Robert Kocharian together with his
CIS counterparts, was present at the horse race for the prize of
the Russian president. By the way at the horse race present was the
President of Venezuela Hugo Chavez who has paid visit to Russia.

After the event the delegation headed by President Kocharian visited
Armenian-populated village of Chalter.

At the St. Hambardzum church of the village Kocharian was met by
the deputy governor of the Rostov province Jivan Vardanian, head
of Myasnikian region Khachatur Anosian, Primate of New Nakhijevan
and Russian Diocese of the Armenian church Yezras Nersisian,
representatives of Armenian community.

In the village the head of the community Karapet Khaltamajian said that
almost all the branches of economy are developed in the village and it
is among leading villages of the province. He said at least two roads
are being constructed in the community annually, it is already the
second year when the bridges of the community are being reconstructed.

"Our wealth is our working people," Khaltamajian said. According
to him, four secondary schools are functioning in the village,
soon another school will be constructed. The village also has
cultural ensembles. He said close ties are being maintained with
Homeland. According to him, annually they receive text-books from
Armenia.

Visiting St. Hambardzum church the Armenian president got acquainted
with its history, reconstruction works conducted here. At present
it is being reconstructed with the donations of the members of the
Armenian community. It will be completely renovated in the coming year.

Kocharian and the delegation headed by him visited Historic-Ethnologic
museum of Myasnikian region.

Director Anahit Ghalghldian presented to the guests the history of
the local Armenian community, traditions, cultural heritage. The
museum presents all the phases of the history. Afterwards Armenian
president visited monument to the Armenian soldiers who participated
in the Great Patriotic War and put wreath to the monument.

In the evening Kocharian met with the representatives of the Armenian
community, got acquainted with their issues, presented Armenia’s
foreign and inner policy, directions of economic development.

On July 1 Robert Kocharian visited Storocherkask.

On the second half of the day the delegation headed by the president
returned back to Yerevan.

DAGESTANI ACTIVISTS CONFRONT AIDS IGNORANCE
By Anya Zhuzhleva in Makhachakala

A1+
[01:59 pm] 30 June, 2007

A pioneering group tries to turn around public attitudes on
HIV-infection.

Introducing themselves, they give false names: Marat, Amina, Albina
and Kazbek. The four form the backbone of the organisation SVOI
(the Russian word means "our own" and is also an abbreviation for
"freedom of expression of common interests".)

The quartet have sent themselves a breathtakingly difficult goal – to
turn around public attitudes towards HIV-infection in one of Russia’s
most traditional and conservative regions, the mountainous autonomous
republic of Dagestan.

After learning about their HIV diagnosis, Marat, Albina and Kazbek
(Amina is not infected, but she is married to Marat) initially tried
to cope with their problems on their own. They joined forces in May
2005 to found an organisation bringing together people diagnosed with
HIV that aims to halt the spread of the infection and increase public
awareness about it.

"Although the information about the infection and ways of contracting
it are readily available, we constantly encounter ignorance about
HIV," said Amina. "For instance, many believe that HIV-positive people
cannot give birth to healthy children. But this isn’t true!

The family Marat and I have is proof of that – our three kids are
absolutely healthy."

For HIV sufferers, a slight cold can be potentially fatal. "That is
why when we come to beauty salons, saunas, restaurants and cafes,
we check if the conditions are sanitary," said Amina. "We do this to
reduce the risk of my husband and other guys catching diseases that
are dangerous for them, rather than to prevent the spread of HIV."

The pattern of the disease is changing. Doctors say that HIV-infection
in Dagestan is no longer a condition that affects only drug-addicts
and prostitutes and that housewives are becoming infected as well.

"The most common form of infection is parenteral transmission (through
injection into the blood)," said Zuvuzhat Tukayeva of the Republican
AIDS Centre.

"After that comes sexual transmission. Along with drug-addicts,
an increasing number of women from remote mountainous villages,
who got HIV from their husbands, have been coming to us."

Albina was infected by her husband. He insisted he was not a sufferer
until there was no denying the fact.

Albina’s family turned their backs on her and she was sacked from
her job. Her husband was also made redundant.

"I appear on television and radio programmes and collaborate actively
with newspapers," said Marat.

"Thanks to this, my life has changed drastically. The telephone rings
non-stop. The people who call do not ask me how they can avoid getting
the infection. They just pour out their hearts to a man, who is one
of them, complaining that even the closest people have turned away
from them."

The Republican AIDS Centre reports that there are 879 people infected
with HIV and AIDS in Dagestan, the largest autonomous republic in the
North Caucasus with a population of around two million. Most of them
are drug-addicts. The latest upsurge of infection occurred in 2005,
when the number of intravenous drug abusers increased abruptly in
southern Dagestan.

In a conservative region where there are strong taboos about
HIV-infection, the real figures may be much higher.

"Currently, there are around nine thousand people dependant on weed
(cannabis) or a syringe in Dagestan," said Raisat Sagidova, who
heads the ambulatory-polyclinic department of the republic’s drugs
dispensary. "And the figure is increasing with geometric progression."

Marat, Amina, Albina and Kazbek say they try to help everyone who
wants assistance, irrespective of how those people got the infection
and what their life was before this happened.

"We have reasons for concealing our names," said Marat. "Dagestani
society is not ready to accept people who are HIV-positive yet. And
most of our problems stem from our fear of confessing to ourselves
and those around us that something has happened.

Innocent people suffer as a result."

"For example, a young man, who is infected with HIV, but won’t tell
his parents about this, gets married and infects his young wife. But
in the long run, people will find out about his disease."

Doctors in Dagestan have identified a high-risk group that comprises
prostitutes, homosexuals and drug abusers – people considered to have
the greatest chance of getting infected. However, most of those who
come to SVOI do not belong to this group. That is why the organisation
focuses on the prevention of HIV and receives support not only from
newspapers, radio and television, but also from religious bodies,
such as the official Spiritual Board of Muslims of Dagestan.

"These people propagandise a healthy life-style," said the press
secretary of the Dagestan Mufti, Magomedrasul Omarov. "They are not
fighting to halt the spread of the disease, but also help each other.

That is why we, of course, approve their activities."

Since SVOI started work in Dagestan, posters with the phone numbers
of the organisation have been posted on public transport and on the
walls of buildings in Makhachkala, Kizilyurt and other towns.

"As a matter of fact, I am frequently asked to stick advertisements
on my vehicle’s windows," said the driver of a mini-bus, Jamil. "And
frequently I refuse.

But these people are offering help. That is why I do not remove SVOI’s
advertisement. Let them stay there.

Maybe, it will help save someone".

"We should always remember that HIV-positive people are not lepers,"
said psychologist Yelena Mkrtchian.

"They should not be ostracised."

Currently, SVOI boasts more than 30 members.

Locals have long become accustomed to reading about the organisation in
the republic’s newspapers or hearing about it on television. However,
Marat, Amina, Albina and Kazbek still prefer to remain anonymous,
never showing their faces during their appearances on television.

Despite their success and changing public attitudes, they are still
afraid of revealing their true identities in public.

Anya Zhuzhleva is a correspondent with Biznes-Zhurnal newspaper
in Makhachkala.

Institute for War and Peace Reporting’s Caucasus Reporting Service

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY: OPEN AIR JAZZ CONCERT IN YEREVAN

Lragir.am
02-07-2007 16:04:01

Combating racism, xenophobia and promoting intercultural dialogue
are the main themes of the Council of Europe All Different-All Equal
youth campaign.

The aim of this campaign is to inspire people across our continent
to be more involved in constructing pluralistic societies based on
respect for diversity and inclusion.

Originally launched in 1995 by the Council of Europe to mark the
fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War, the campaign
was re-launched on 29 June 2006 in Strasbourg and has become an
important mobilizing tool for young people across Europe to act
jointly against racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia and intolerance.

To celebrate diversity and inclusive democratic participation, the
Council of Europe Information Office in Armenia together with the
Cafesjian Museum Foundation are organizing an open air concert of
live jazz music.

The concert will take place on Thursday, 5 July, from 20:00 to 22:00
at the Cascade park area. Armen Martirosyan’s Armenian Jazz Band
will perform well-known tunes by famous musicians that cut across
cultural boundaries, in celebration of the diversity and richness of
international culture.

The event will be opened by Armen Baiburtyan, RoA Deputy Foreign
Minister, and Bojana Urumova, Special Representative of the Secretary
General of the Council of Europe.

Tolerance and intercultural dialogue are at the heart of the Council
of Europe activities and form significant part of the Organisation’s
conventions. In this regard Armenia has signed and ratified the
European Cultural Convention, the European Charter for Regional and
Minority Languages, the Framework Convention for the Protection of
National Minorities and the European Convention on the Protection of
the Archaeological Heritage (Revised).

Armenia has signed but not yet ratified the Convention for the
Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe and the Council
of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage
for Society.

Other related conventions – which have yet to be signed by the South
Caucasus countries – are the European Convention on Offences Relating
to Cultural Property and the Convention on the Participation of
Foreigners in Public Life at Local Level.

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) is
the Council of Europe’s independent human rights monitoring body
specialised in questions relating to racism and intolerance.

ECRI has issued two reports on Armenia. In its second report the
Commission recommends that the Armenian authorities adopt a law on
national minorities which takes into account, as much as possible,
national minorities’ suggestions and points of view. It recommends that
the Armenian authorities take more steps to address the problems faced
by the Yezidi community, particularly with regard to policing, land,
water and grazing disputes. ECRI also urges the Armenian authorities
to take measures to ensure minority access to the country’s public
and political life and ensure better access to higher education.

GEORGIA PROMOTES ITS MAN IN SOUTH OSSETIA

A1+
[01:50 pm] 30 June, 2007

"Alternative" South Ossetian leader addresses parliamentarians
in Brussels By Dmitry Avaliani in Tbilisi (CRS No. 398 28-Jun-07)
"Europe always remained a faraway dream for us, especially during the
years of grave armed confrontation," Dmitry Sanakoyev told a meeting
at the European Parliament last week.

"Georgia is returning to Europe, which has always been its natural
milieu. Together with Georgia, my homeland South Ossetia should return
to Europe, too."

This speech by Sanakoyev, the man the Georgian government has
designated the head of "the provisional administration in South
Ossetia", was the latest step in a campaign to gain legitimacy for
the newest player in a dispute over the breakaway republic that dates
back to 1990.

Sanakoyev is a former defence minister and prime minister in South
Ossetia’s unrecognised administration, but is now a firm ally of the
Georgian government, which wants to restore control over the territory.

After winning an "alternative" presidential election in South Ossetia,
Sanakoyev set himself up in opposition to Eduard Kokoity, the leader
of the breakaway region. He is based in Kurta, an ethnic Georgian
village a few kilometres down the road from the capital Tskhinvali.

On June 26, Sanakoyev attended a meeting of the Georgia-Europe
Parliamentary Cooperation Committee in Brussels, at the invitation
of committee chairs Marie-Anne Isler-Beguin, a Euro MP, and David
Bakradze, head of the Georgian parliament’s committee for European
integration. Sanakoyev addressed the parliamentarians in the Ossetian
language for 15 minutes.

Sanakoyev says he sees the Ossetians’ future as part of a united,
democratic and stable Georgia in which minority rights are protected.

"There’s only one solution – to ensure a direct dialogue between the
Georgian and Ossetian peoples, to neutralise external and internal
destructive forces and replace them with the international democratic
community’s healthy and effective support," Sanakoyev said in Brussels.

Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili appointed Sanakoyev as
head of the "interim administration" in May, and is now urging the
international community to recognise the new position.

Saakashvili recently predicted that the South Ossetia dispute was
heading for resolution, with Sanakoyev the key to a peaceful outcome.

"Kokoity’s presidency is drawing to a close, and we will solve all
the problems once and for all within a few months, showing to the
world the way interethnic conflicts should be handled," he told
journalists in Baku on June 19, after a summit of the Democracy and
Economic Development Organisation of GUAM, a grouping of regional
states including Georgia.

Saakashvili said there were no problems between the Ossetian and
Georgian peoples, and that the obstacles that existed were "created
by criminal structures".

The de facto authorities in Tskhinvali rejected this out of hand,
sticking to their line that South Ossetia seceded from Georgia in the
early Nineties and now wants fully recognised independence. They call
Sanakoyev a "puppet" who has no public backing.

The de facto foreign ministry of South Ossetia said Sanakoyev’s
visit to Brussels was part of a "propaganda operation founded on
the illusions of the Georgian leadership that the Georgian-Ossetian
conflict can be resolved by its puppets, excluding the Republic of
South Ossetia… and ignoring the will of its citizens".

The Russian foreign ministry also released a statement which ruled
out contact with Sanakoyev. "In Moscow, people understand where the
power really lies in South Ossetia, and whom the overwhelming majority
of the population really supports," it said.

Tensions have been running high in the conflict zone in the last
month. On June 27, Russian peacekeepers blocked a Georgian operation
to build a road between the villages of Nikozi and Avnevi, avoiding
several Ossetian villages. The troops placed several armoured vehicles
across the road to stop construction machinery driving past.

On the same day, residents of the Georgian village of Nikozi blocked
the main highway, demanding the restoration of their drinking water
supplies. The South Ossetian authorities in Tskhinvali had shut off
water supplies to the area after saying their own water supplies were
blocked by Tbilisi.

The water dispute has continued with recriminations and accusations –
and the occasional agreement – for several weeks.

Georgian experts are generally positive about the Sanakoyev phenomenon,
although they do not expect him to get international recognition any
time soon.

"Sanakoyev’s visit to Brussels is the right move," said political
analyst Paata Zakareishvili, a member of the opposition Republican
Party. "One point to be noted is that this visit is not any initiative
by western organisations. He just took part in the Georgia-EU dialogue
in the capacity of a member of the Georgian delegation."

Archil Gegeshidze of the Strategic and International Studies Foundation
told IWPR that the final goal must be the peaceful reintegration of
South Ossetia into Georgia.

In order to achieve this, he said, the Georgian authorities should
take three factors into account.

First of all, efforts must be made to secure local legitimacy for
Sanakoyev by ensuring that his administration has broad public support
in South Ossetia. "The support Sanakoyev currently enjoys is mainly
among the region’s Georgian population," he said. "It is essential
that his administration is recognised by the entire population. That
is a long process, which I hope will conclude successfully."

Gegeshidze said the Georgians needed to work hard to secure success for
their strategy with many different partners. "The Georgian authorities
need a serious, well-coordinated strategy of actions both within the
region and in the diplomatic arena," said Gegeshidze.

Magdalena Frichova, Caucasus project director with the International
Crisis Group, which recently produced a report entitled "Georgia’s
South Ossetia Conflict: Make Haste Slowly", sounded a more cautious
note. She told IWPR that the Georgians risked creating increased
tensions by trying to force the pace of change in the peace process.

"Georgia’s desire to change the dynamics in the conflict resolution
process by non-violent and development-oriented means is positive,
but the determination to solve the conflict on its own terms only and
perhaps too quickly could backfire and lead to a dangerous rise in
tensions – as the events over the last couple of months indicate,"
said Frichova.

"At the same time Tbilisi should consider carefully to what degree
Sanakoyev is now representative of the wider Ossetian constituency,"
she said. "Tbilisi promotes him as someone who expresses the views
of the Ossetian public, but for most Ossetians in the conflict zone,
that is not the case. For many in Tskhinvali-controlled areas, it
is not a given that Sanakoyev could genuinely be an advocate for
their interests"

"The Georgian government should engage with all actors, and negotiate
not just with those who agree with Tbilisi’s position but primarily
with those who don’t."

Dmitry Avaliani is a journalist with 24 Hours newspaper in Tbilisi
and a member of IWPR’s EU-funded Cross-Caucasus Journalism Network
project. Institute for War and Peace Reporting’s Caucasus Reporting
Service

DO NOT BREACH CONSTITUTION!

A1+
[12:34 pm] 02 July, 2007

July 2, at 10:30 a.m., a number of NGOs organized a protest action at
Freedom Square in support of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. They
moved from the square to the National Assembly. To remind, today
the NA is to hold a hearing on the scandalous bill endangering the
further transmission of the radio station.

HERITAGE MEETS WITH EUROPEAN AMBASSADORS

A1+
[01:03 pm] 02 July, 2007

Yerevan-Today Raffi K. Hovannisian, Larisa Alaverdian, and Stepan
Safarian represented the Heritage Party’s parliamentary group
in a meeting with a visiting delegation of Council of Europe
ambassadors. They discussed the challenges of Armenia’s democratic
development, conflict resolution in the Caucasus and throughout Europe,
as well as regional and geopolitical security. After presenting
his overview of these issues, Hovannisian expressed regret that, in
violation of both accepted intermutual custom and Armenia’s national
commitment, Heritage and other opposition MPs were not included in
Armenia’s delegation to the current session of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The official delegation from Strasbourg included seven Permanent
Representatives to the Council of Europe: Ambassadors Wendelin Ettmayer
of Austria, Bruno Gain of France, Eberhard Kolsch of Germany, Peteris
Elferts of Latvia, Stelian Stoian of Romania, Alexander Alekseev of
Russia, and Per Sjogren of Sweden.