Month: May 2008

RUSSIA WARNED OVER GEORGIA MOVE

BBC
KarabakhOpen
01-05-2008 10:42:46

Nato has warned Russia that its recent troop build-up in Georgia’s
two breakaway regions undermines its neighbour’s territorial integrity.

Russia’s moves in Abkhazia and South Ossetia were raising tensions
in the area, a Nato spokesman said.

Moscow has accused Georgia of preparing to invade Abkhazia, and
says it is also boosting Russian peacekeeping forces there and in
South Ossetia.

Tbilisi has described the Russian move as "irresponsible".

"The steps that have been taken and the rhetoric have increased
tensions and undermined Georgia’s territorial integrity," Nato
spokesman James Appathurai said.

He also urged both Moscow and Tbilisi to avoid harsh rhetoric.

US National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe on Wednesday
said Washington was "concerned abut reports from the region".

The European Union has appealed for caution, saying to increase troop
numbers would be unwise given current tensions.

Over recent weeks Russia appears to have been significantly turning
up the pressure in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the BBC’s diplomatic
correspondent Jonathan Marcus says.

He says that many Western diplomats see these moves as part of a more
assertive Russian policy in the wake of Western recognition of the
independence of Kosovo in February.

The row over Moscow’s support for separatist enclaves in Georgia now
threatens to provoke a more serious strain between Russia and the West,
our correspondent adds.

‘Aggressors’

Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned
that Moscow would take "retaliatory measures" if Georgia used force
against its breakaway regions.

Russia said Georgia was massing 1,500 soldiers and police in the
upper Kodori Gorge, the only part of Abkhazia which remains under
government control.

In response, Moscow said it was increasing Russian peacekeepers in
both Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Mr Lavrov said that Russia had to protect Russian-passport holders
in the two regions.

Georgia denies any build-up of its own forces in the area, and says
that Russia is taking provocative action.

"We think that this step, if they take it, will cause extreme
destabilisation in the region," said Georgian Prime Minister Lado
Gurgenidze.

"From now on, we consider every soldier or any unit of military
equipment coming in as illegal, potential aggressors and potential
generators of destabilisation."

Kosovo precedent

Russia has kept a peacekeeping force in Abkhazia and South Ossetia
under an agreement made following the wars of the 1990s, when the
regions broke away from Tbilisi and formed links with Moscow.

There are around 2,000 Russians posted in Abkhazia, and about 1,000
in South Ossetia.

Tensions between Russia and Georgia have flared up recently, despite
Russia lifting economic sanctions against Georgia earlier this month.

Last week, Georgia accused a Russian plane of shooting down an unmanned
Georgian spy plane – which Russian authorities insisted was shot down
by Abkhaz rebels.

And on Tuesday, Georgia said it was blocking Russia’s entry to the
World Trade Organization.

Many in Abkhazia believe that Kosovo’s announcement of independence
from Serbia in February provides a precedent for it to be recognised
as an individual state.

Although it has its own flag and postage stamps, it is not
internationally recognised.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MINISTER NALBANDIAN READY TO MEET WITH HIS TURKISH COUNTERPART

armradio.am
01.05.2008 13:12

RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian is ready to meet his Turkish
counterpart if the latter wants so. "In the recent period certain
positive rends are noticeable in both Armenia and Turkey in the
direction of normalization of relations. I clearly stated about
Armenia’s readiness for constructive dialogue, which will lead to
the improvement of relations.

This was followed by the congratulatory message of the Turkish Minister
of Foreign Affairs, which also expressed readiness for constructive
dialogue, which I assess rather positively, Edward Nalbandian told
Armenpress.

The Minister expressed hope that it will be possible to move forward
from words to deeds for this dialogue to produce results. "I think
we cannot continue acting as before, since we reached no success
before. We should apply new approaches and move forward. I’m ready to
meet my counterpart some, if expressed such wish, to discuss all the
questions we are interested and concerned with. We can find solutions,"
the Minister noted. Edward Nalbandian conveyed his readiness to meet
In the response letter to his Turkish counterpart.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN ON THE OCCASION OF LABOR DAY

armradio.am
01.05.2008 13:26

Dear Compatriots,

I congratulate you on the occasion of Labor Day.

May 1 is traditionally celebrated as the day of all working
people. Respect toward work and working people has always been held
high In Armenia. This is the holiday of those who by their diligent,
day-by-day work contribute to the advancement of our country and
development of the Armenian economy.

We realize that the Armenian workers anticipate that the new
authorities will solve the issues of new jobs, improvement of the
job market, regulation of the legal base of work, and increase of
wages. All these issues are in the center of our attention, and all
these issues are solvable.

Once again congratulating all of us with the Labor Day, I wish you
peaceful and creative work for the well being of your families and
our country.

AZERBAIJAN IS TRYING TO IMPOSE ITS CONDITIONS ON IRAN AND RUSSIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.04.2008 GMT+04:00

It is not clear, why a country having a lot of unsolved political
and economic matters needs another problem.

Lately in the relationship between Azerbaijan and Russia some kind
of tension regarding Iran, or to be more exact, regarding the nuclear
power-station equipment supply. Thermal equipment for the first Iranian
nuclear power-station coming from Russia was detained in Azerbaijan
about a month ago. On March 29 Russian road-train carrying thermal
equipment, destined for "Busher" nuclear power-station in Iran was
detained in "Astara". The negotiations of the representatives of
"Rosatom" with Azerbaijan about the equipment have been no success
so far.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At first Tehran decided not to interfere in the
process, declaring that problem should be solved by the general
contractor of the construction of the station; the Russian company
"Atomstroiexport". According to the official representative of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran Mohamed Ali Hussein, the Russian
party is trying to solve the problem as soon as possible. "In our turn
we demanded from the Azerbaijani Ambassador in Tehran also to take
some steps for the equipment to be in Iran as soon as possible. This
equipment is transported to Iran in the frames of international norms
and there should be no obstacle for that," said the Iranian diplomat.

The Azeri Ambassador in Iran Abbasali Hasanov is called to the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Iran regarding the detention of the Russian
road-train on the Azerbaijani border. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Iran expressed his protest to the Ambassador regarding the created
situation. Tehran demanded from Baku to allow the transportation of
the equipment through Azeri-Iranian border.

The Azeri party confirms that Russia has not presented all the
necessary documents describing the character of the special equipment
intended for the construction of "Busher" nuclear power-station. The
Russian party in its turn says that the load has completed the
process of export control and the UN sanctions do not apply to
it. Earlier Russian sources in Moscow, which are familiar with the
created situation, said to RIA Novosti, that the road-train detained
in Azerbaijan is nothing but a political decision of the authorities
of the country.

After the detention of the equipment "Atomstroiexport" did not receive
any official inquiry from Azerbaijan concerning this load. Later the
Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan
Khazar Ibrahim announced that the republic has made inquiry about
the load to Russia.

"Azerbaijan calls upon Iran to keep from abrupt announcements
contradicting the diplomatic norms. No country has the right to talk to
Azerbaijan with ultimatum. This contradicts the relations between Iran
and Azerbaijan, as well as all diplomatic and ethnic norms. Azerbaijan
takes measures only in the frames of its legislation and international
regulations," said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan. He
also mentioned that Azerbaijan will take a decision after receiving
an answer from the Russian party on the inquiry about the character
of the load.

The scandal definitely gains more and more attention and even had the
interference of the Department of States of the USA. According to
the Head of the Press-Service of the US Department of States Shown
McCormack, the question of the load for the nuclear power-station
construction in Iran, detained on March 29 on the border of
Azerbaijan and Iran must be solved by the governments of Russia and
Azerbaijan. "The USA has no reasons to suspect that the transportation
of load was against the UN Security Council," he said.

The measures of the official Baku are totally based on the policy
of Ilham Aliyev, who thinks that his country is so independent,
that it can impose its conditions on if not on the entire world,
at least on Russia and Iran. Of course realizing that the detention
of the Russian load will not bring to any success, Baku immediately
started to justify itself saying the Russian party does not provide
with all the necessary documents. On the other hand one can understand
Aliyev; he wants to get support from the USA in case of the attack on
Iran. However, Baku has missed one important factor, the international
laws are necessary for every country and no military budget or oil will
be able to solve the problem. It is not clear, why a country having
a lot of unsolved political and economic matters needs another problem.

No matter how much the Azeri press tries to convince everybody,
it is very hard to live in a country rich with oil and gas. It is
very unlikely that offcial Baku is happy with the situation of the
country, but trying to shake the fist won’t do any harm. And also,
making a base out of Azerbaijan for the US attacks on Iran will have
a negative response in the entire Islamic world, and first of all in
Turkey and Iran, with which spoiling the relations would not be of
any good for Aliyev.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ANNE DERSE: "USA WILL SPEND OVER $3,000,000 FOR ASSISTANCE TO FAIR AND TRANSPARENT ELECTIONS IN AZERBAIJAN"

Today.Az
01 May 2008 [13:00]

The United States will assign over $3,000,000 for different programs,
aimed at fair and transparent elections in Azerbaijan.

The due announcement was made by the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan
Anne Derse.

She noted that these programs will aim at:

-strengthening of political parties; -observation of elections and
their monitoring; -conduction of political debates; -conduction of
various trainings; -conduction of an exit-poll.

"Our assistance is aimed not to separate parties or politicians but
for strengthening of democratic values in Azerbaijan. The coming
elections offer a unique opportunity to Azerbaijan to demonstration
the strengthening of these values. The United States want Azerbaijan
to attain its goal in development of modern democratic state and the
leader of the region. I think our programs will promote attainment
of these goals.

At the same time, Anne Derse noted that democratic development
primarily depends on the will of the state and people. She expressed
hope that the coming elections will be fair and transparent and the
events, which occurred in Armenia, will not repeat.

SMALL FARMS WILL CONTINUE BEING EXEMPT FROM VALUE ADDED TAX, MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE SAYS

Noyan Tapan
May 1, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 1, NOYAN TAPAN. In accordance with the requirements of
joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), starting from January 1,
2009, it is envisaged to collect value added tax (VAT) from farms in
Armenia. However, taking into account the low profitability of the
sector, productivity of lands in the country and other peculiarities,
the Armenian government has conducted negotiations with the WTO to
ease somewhat this obligation. The RA minister of agriculture Davit
Lokian said in the National Assembly on April 30 that an agreement
has been reached that small farms will continue being exempt from
VAN after the indicated date.

In his words, no VAT will be collected from Armenian farms and 3
thousand enterprises producing agricultural products. VAT will be
levied on 1,000 entities but the sums levied will be given back to
these farms in the form of subsidies and other services. D. Lokian
announced that this order will be in force within the next 5 years.

10-12% GROWTH OF STONE FRUIT HARVEST EXPECTED IN ARMENIA THIS YEAR

Noyan Tapan
May 1, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 1, NOYAN TAPAN. Spring sowing started earlier than usual
this year due to the unprecedentedly high temperature as compared
with the previous years, the RA deputy minister of agriculture Samvel
Galstian said at the April 30 press conference. According to him,
it is planned to sow 200-205 thousand ha with grain crops instead of
the previous 100 thousand ha.

He said that the first reproduction of elite barley seeds brought
from Ukraine last year will be used for spring sowing. Their average
crop yield made 45-50 centners in 2007.

In his words, the weather can be considered as favorable for
agriculture but if there are no rains in foothills and mountains –
along with a rising temperature, the agricultural sector will incur
losses.

The deputy minister said that no fruit trees or vines were harmed
by frost, except for a few early-ripening peach trees and vines. 260
thousand tons of fruit and 218.9 thousand tons of grapes was harvested
in 2007, and a 10-12% growth of harvest is expected this year.

6% INFLATION REGISTERED IN ARMENIAN CONSUMER MARKET IN JANUARY-APRIL 2008

Noyan Tapan
May 1, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 1, NOYAN TAPAN. 6% inflation was registered in Armenia’s
consumer market in January-April 2008. Inflation in April on March
made 1.1%.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, prices of food
commodities (including alcoholic drinks and cigarettes) grew by 0.5%,
prices of nonfood commodities – by 0.6%, tariffs of services – by 2.6%
in April on March 2008.

Inflation tendency in prices of bread, flour, butter and vegetable
oil continued in April. These goods make up 13.91% of the consumer
basket. Their overall inflation made 6%, contributing by 0.8% to
overall inflation of consumer prices in April.

The consumer price index made 106% in April 2008 on December 2007,
including the index of food commodity prices (including alcoholic
drinks and cigarettes) – 107%, of nonfood commodities – 101.6%,
the index of service tariffs – 106.3%.

The consumer price index made 110.7% in April 2008 on April 2007,
including that of food commodities (including alcoholic drinks
and cigarettes) – 113.8%, of nonfood commodities – 104.4%, of
service tariffs – 108.3%. The same indices in January-April 2008 on
January-April 2007 made 108.6%, 111.4%, 104.5% and 105.4% respectively.

US GROUP: TURKEY RANKED PARTLY FREE IN PRESS FREEDOM INDEX

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
May 1 2008

Although Western Europe has continued to boast the highest level of
press freedom worldwide, Turkey is the only country ranked as "partly
free" in the region following a two-point dip in the country’s score,
the US-based Freedom House announced in a report on Tuesday.

The survey, released annually in advance of World Press Freedom
Day on May 3, assessed the degree of print, broadcast and Internet
freedom in every country in the world. Out of the 2008 ratings of
195 countries and territories, 72 (37 percent) were rated "Free,"
59 (30 percent) "Partly Free" and 64 (33 percent) "Not Free." The
evaluations are based on an assessment of the legal, political and
economic environments in which journalists worked during 2007.

"The continued prosecution of large numbers of journalists and the
high-profile January 2007 assassination of Turkish-Armenian editor
Hrant Dink, apparently with some involvement by state actors, were
the primary factors behind a two-point decline in the score from
49 to 51," according to the report, titled "Press Freedom in 2007:
A Year of Global Decline."

Turkey’s legal and political environments were both ranked 20 and
its economic environment ranked 11. A lower number indicates more
freedom. "With heightened polarization regarding issues of secularism,
nationalism and separatism, reform efforts toward enhanced freedom
of expression stalled in 2007," the report said.

The report also noted developments related to the newly revised
Article 301, which restricts freedom of expression. "Convictions
against journalists are made much less frequently than are
prosecutions, but trials are time-consuming and expensive. A total
of six convictions were made for charges under Article 301 in 2007
(nine were acquitted). In a positive development, the Supreme Court of
Appeals confirmed a lower court’s prior decision to drop the Article
301 case against Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk in August."

Freedom House noted setbacks in press freedom outnumbered advances two
to one globally and that there was some improvement in the regions with
the least press freedom: the Middle East and North Africa. Gains in
these regions have been attributed to a growing number of journalists
who are willing to "challenge government restraints, a pushback trend
seen in other regions as well."

Western Europe continued to boast the highest level of press freedom
worldwide in 2007, with 24 countries (96 percent) being listed as
free, including top-ranked Finland and Iceland and lower-ranked
Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Sweden, Netherlands, Switzerland, Ireland,
Estonia, Germany, Portugal, the Czech Republic and the United
Kingdom. Countries registering declines included Portugal, whose
score worsened due to a new law that could strip journalists of their
right to protect confidential sources and gives employers the right
to reuse journalists’ work in any way for 30 days following initial
publication, as well as Malta, whose score deteriorated by several
points due to a series of a threats and attacks against journalists
covering public demonstrations and debates.

EU WELCOMES 301 AMENDMENT BUT CALLS FOR MORE

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
May 1 2008

The European Commission has welcomed the Turkish Parliament’s amendment
of a disputed law used to prosecute writers for insulting Turkishness,
but said it seeks more changes to ensure that such prosecutions come
to an end.

In the early morning hours on Wednesday Parliament approved the
long-awaited amendment to a penal code article criticized by
rights groups, activists and the European Union for limiting free
speech. However, intellectuals, journalists and writers say the
amendment is not sufficient.

"This amendment is, of course, a welcome step forward and the
commission now looks forward to further moves that change similar
articles in the penal code, because this article was not the only one
addressed … in order to ensure in fact that unwarranted prosecutions
stop," European Commission spokesman Amadeu Altafaj Tardio said
on Wednesday.

"Now the Turkish authorities need to focus on implementation of
the reform to guarantee full freedom of expression for all Turkish
citizens," he told a news conference. The EU has said easing
restrictions on free speech is a test of Turkey’s commitment to
political reform as Ankara looks to advance slow-moving membership
talks which began in 2005.

While Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn has welcomed the amendment of
301, labeling it "a step forward," Joost Lagendjik, the co-chairman
of the Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Commission, said, "It was
an acceptable compromise." Cautious in his positive reaction to
the amendment, Rehn drew attention to other articles in the penal
code curbing freedom of expression that should be changed. "This
amendment is a welcome step forward, and the commission looks forward
to further moves to change similar articles in order to ensure that
ungrounded prosecutions stop," Rehn said, signaling that he would
like to see the implementation before a full assessment. "Now the
Turkish authorities should focus on implementation of the reform
to guarantee full freedom of expression for Turkish citizens," the
enlargement commissioner added.

A strong critic of 301 since 2004, Lagendijk said the amendment was
an acceptable compromise in the face of fierce polarization within
the Turkish community. Expressing his hope that 301 would not be used
again, as the new version requires the permission of the minister of
justice, Lagendijk said, "The new version has now come, to a great
extent, to be parallel with other penal codes of EU members. There
are similar laws in the Polish and Italian penal codes." However,
Lagendijk made it clear that he was for the abolition of the article
once and for all. "This will not win the beauty contest of the legal
reforms. But I think the immediate effect will be that there won’t
be any more cases opened on the basis of 301," he added. Similar to
the words of the enlargement commissioner, he voiced his concern over
the other articles that could be used with the same purpose.

In its 2007 progress report on Turkey, the European Commission had also
cited certain other articles of the penal code that need to be amended.

Changes the amendment introduces

The change to Article 301 of the penal code was approved with 250
votes for and 65 against amid fierce criticism from the nationalist
opposition. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party),
which dominates the 550-seat Parliament with 340 lawmakers, was the
only party that voted in favor of the amendment, while opposition
parties voted against it. The amendment has to be approved by the
president before it can go into effect.

The article has been used to prosecute hundreds of writers, including
Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk, for insulting Turkishness.

After the reform goes into effect, it will be a crime to insult the
Turkish nation, rather than Turkishness, and the justice minister’s
permission will be required to open a case under 301. The maximum
sentence will be cut to two years from three.

Although no one has ever been sent to jail on a 301-related charge,
the publicity of such cases has done great damage to individuals who
were suspects in these trials. Some, such as Armenian-Turkish editor
Hrant Dink, have paid dearly. Dink, who was tried for insulting Turkish
identity in 2006, was shot dead by a militant nationalist in January
of last year.

Defending the reform against criticism from the opposition, Justice
Minister Mehmet Ali Å~^ahit said there would still be restrictions
on insulting Turkey. This change will not allow people to insult
Turkishness freely, he told Parliament.

Critics say Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose AK Party is
facing possible closure for allegedly violating secular principles,
is now keen to be seen as advancing Turkey’s EU bid.

Opponents of Article 301, meanwhile, say the government-proposed
changes are only cosmetic and will have little impact on Turkey’s
EU bid. They also state that there are other freedom-curbing laws in
Turkey’s penal code that need to be changed.

Parliamentary opposition to 301 reform

The bill, passed after eight hours of mostly late-night debate,
had been delayed several times amid stiff opposition from nationalists.

Turkey’s far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) accused the
government of betraying the country’s identity and instead pandering
to EU demands that it reform laws prohibiting Turks from insulting
their nation.

MHP leader Devlet Bahceli told a meeting of his party ahead of the
vote the reform would be a historical mistake. Slandering Turkey’s
honorable history, insulting the Turkish nation and the values of
Turkishness has become a habit in the AK Party’s political thinking,
which lacks a sense of identity, he said.

MHP Secretary General Faruk Bal, in a meeting of the MHP’s
parliamentary group on Monday, said the problem with 301 was its
image outside Turkey. He said 301 was introduced in the West as an
article that incited the murders of journalists, referring to the
death of Dink, who had been tried under Article 301. "Article 301 has
been accepted as the only obstacle to EU admission, which is a lie,"
Bal said.

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) also opposed the
reform. The pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), whose members
often end up in court for expressing views on the Kurdish issue,
wanted to abolish the article.

Article 301 has notably been used against writers such as Pamuk
for comments on the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in
1915-16. Turkey denies Armenian claims that the killings constituted
genocide.

–Boundary_(ID_InsJ1cxBfxcY v6VKOYbWFQ)–