Month: August 2008

MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCE OF NKR PRESIDENT

Azat Artsakh Daily
08 Aug 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

Artsakh and the entire Armenian people suffered a great bereavement. An
outstanding famous scholar, lawyer and public figure, Yuri Barsegov,
has departed this life. Mr.Barsegov was one of the leading experts
in of international public law. The UN General Assembly elected
him a member of the commission on the codification and progressive
development of international Law.

Yuri Barsegov took an active part in the Karabagh Movement since its
beginning. His articles and practical advises on legal aspects of
the Karabagh issue have substantially contributed to the development
of the NKR’s stance and policy in the negotiation process. Professor
Barsegov had also inestimable contribution in the studies of the 1915
Armenian Genocide.

The people and authorities of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic have
rated high the input of Yuri Barsegov in scientific justification of
the right of the Karabagh people to self-determination as well as his
active participation in the negotiation process and have decorated him
with "Mesrop Mashtots" order. On behalf of the people and authorities
of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic I express my deepest condolences to
all the relatives and friends of Yuri Barsegov. We will hold his in
remembrance forever.

With deep regret, Bako Sahakyan

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

LERNIK HAKOBYAN – MINISTER OF CULTURE AND YOUTH

Azat Artsakh Daily
08 Aug 08
Republic Of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

On 7 August President Of The Nagorno Karabagh Republic Bako Sahakyan
Signed a decree appointing Lernik Hakobyan minister of culture and
youth affairs of the NKR.

VILLAGE HEADMEN’S INSTITUTE SHOULD STILL TAKE PLACE

NKR Government Information and Public Relations Department
August 02, 2008

The address of the next regular working visit of the NKR Prime Minister
Ara Haroutyunyan was Martakert, where on August 1, the head of the
NKR Government was present at the session of the regional council
adjunct to the regional administration, then visited a number of
construction objects of Martakert.

A.Haroutyunyan had a concerned participation in the discussion of
issues included into the session agenda.

Speaking on the report about the situation existing in energetic
system of the region the Premier emphasized, that it is necessary
to decrease the quantity of recorded technical and commercial losses
and reducing it to an average republican index. He noted that in the
result of weak management great sums continue to be misappropriated
and dispersed still. Importance was attached to equipping the system
with modern techniques and replenishment with qualified specialists.

At the session of the regional council a report on implementation
of the community budget 2008 in the first half year was
presented. Collection of private incomes has increased, though many
communities have still considerably underfulfill the tasks. The
inhabitants repay the received credits very slowly. In comparison
with the same period in 2007 the collected credit sums are very
small. Responsible persons of the region explain it by the fact that
many of large-scale credit borrowers are out of Artsakh at present
and it is difficult "to call them to order". Today Martakert region
has 189 mln drams credit debts.

In the information about harvesting in the region it was noted that
crop capacity this year forms 20.1 centners per a hectare which has
nearly doubled in comparison with the index of the previous year. Hay
mowing is being conducted without losses and will soon come to an
end. On lack of agricultural techniques in some villages was also
spoken. To which the Prime Minister A.Haroutyunyan commented that it
is necessary to apply for state assistance in time.

In view of forthcoming autumn sowing works, the NKR Vice Prime
Minister, Minister of Agriculture Armo Tsatryan spoke on present state
programmes. The main principle was repeated like a serious warning:
only those land users and communities will receive state assistance
who keeps (observes) rules and terms of land cultivation and who has
no credit debts. It was emphasized that henceforth parallel to corn
production special attention will be attracted to maize cultivation
too. In 2009 for this culture sowing the state will render compensation
equal to 35 thousand drams per a hectare.

The theme was continued and the Prime Minister has mentioned that now
great state sums are assigned at the development of agriculture and the
aim of each community head is that people conduct efficient activities
in their land areas. Martakert region has all the best conditions for
successful agricultural activities, and for prosperous solution of
the problem is on their responsibility. In the Premier’s estimation
the institute of active village headmen’s in Artsakh hadn’t come
about yet, though their activities must be spurred. A.Haroutyunyan
has announced that this year a competition of village headmen’s
will be conducted, and the main mark for the work will be given in
accordance with agricultural results. Singled out village headmen
will be greatly honoured.

After the regional council session the Prime Minister had a talk to
those community heads, having irrigable areas with high crop capacity
perspective for maize cultivation. A.Haroutyunyan assigned the village
headmen with task to conduct explanatory work among land users and
spur their activity in this way.

Then the NKR Government head had visited territory of new hospital
being under construction, separate sections of water passage and
gas pipeline exacted the proceeding of works and gave corresponding
assignments to competent officials.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by the NKR NA Vice-Chairman
R.Hyusnuts, the Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Agriculture
A.Tsatryan, the NKR Deputy Minister of Agriculture V.Zakiyan, the
head of Martakert regional administration S.Ohanyan, and responsible
officials of "Artsakhgaz" and water industry companies.

SOCIETY WILL BE INFORMED ABOUT LEGAL ACTS

NKR Government Information and Public Relations Department
August 05, 2008

On August 5, a regular session of the NKR Government chaired by the
Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan took place.

Before passing to agenda issues, the head of the Government
congratulated all those present at the session with lossless
harvesting completion in the Republic, in the result of which more
than 73 thousand tones of bread grains were stored. The Prime Minister
expressed gratitude to all those who had organized and assisted in
haymaking successful completion.

Words of gratitude were also said to the NKR Defence Army,
Rescue Service, regional administrations and representatives of
communities. "We had worked together and achieved good results. Not
a single hectare of harvest was burnt or lost",- A.Haroutyunyan
emphasized.

Passing to the agenda issues, the Executive, first of all, adopted
a number of resolutions concerning introduction of changes into
previously affirmed resolutions on State property privatization and
alienation. In particular, the tenement dwelling building in Shoushi,
in 63 Ghazanchetsots Street and the former tourist centre were passed
into management of the NKR Defence Ministry. The State Property was
privatized by "Razmik", "Grunt" companies and other privately owned
enterprises by means of direct sale, which will carry out investments
at tens of millions drams in the objects passed to their management
in the defined terms and in accordance with their shares and must
create new work places.

>From July 1, 2008, the NKR Ministry of Economic Development is
allowed to alienate different types of property being an estimated
state property of different departments (a number of motor-cars and
equipment of "Artsakhkap" CJSC) by means of classic auction.

The Government had introduced changes and additions to the 446
resolution "On Lotteries" dated 2004 with the aim to provide
implementation of the NKR law. According to the new order a license
owner is obliged to keep guarantee deposit at the rate of not less
than 6 mln drams in the bank during the period of all its activity.

By presentation of the NKR Minister of Finance S.Tevosyan the Executive
had adopted a whole pack of resolution projects by which issues
connected with maintenance, replenishment, examination, evaluation,
usage and stock-taking of precious metals and stones in the national
treasury will be systematized.

The Minister of Finance had noted that though such treasury is not
yet founded, but formation of needed legal and normative base is
necessary for continuing further works.

At the session the Government had affirmed the new list of state bodies
and organizations in subordinated objects of which state safeguard
will be carried out. To the former list of objects the office on
Human Rights, National Statistic Service, Museum of local lore,
history and economy and the Republican Library will be also added.

The order of stock-taking and notification of legal acts were also
adopted at the session. Notification must be provided within a month
period from the date of official publication.

The Executive proposes additions and changes to the NKR law "On
Geographical Place-Naming" According to the approved law project naming
and state recording of the name-changing of the NKR geographical
objects are conducted by authorized bodies on the basis of adopted
legal acts. In particular, naming or name-changing of a region,
a community, a settlement is retained the NKR NA.

Changes and additions to the resolution 13 of the NKR Government "On
Affirming Form of Licensing and Order of Licensing of Activities on the
NKR Topographic and Cadastre Cartography, Estimation of Immovables",
dated 2002, were introduced.

The Executive had introduced changes into the temporary scheme
of land use in the village community of Dahrav in Askeran region
too. 1.7 hectares of agricultural importance land were converted from
pasture into the category of habitable for public constructions and
for alienation in 2008 through auction.

The Government had adopted resolutions on appointing regular and
extraordinary elections of community leaders and elders’ council
members in some village communities.

The last issue of the session agenda concerned the sphere of education.

The Executive had attached strategic and experimental importance
to programmes on foundation of high school in the NKR. Passing to
12 year secondary school in the Republic is one of transitional
undertakings of the reform, realization of which had started in 2006
and is foreseen to be completed in 2012. Within the frames of this
process from 2009-2010 school year introduction of three-year high
school is foreseen. This year implementation of the new proigramme’s
sample stage will start in schools N1 in Martakert and Martouni. The
Prime Minister had charged the NKR ES Ministry with a task to conduct
explanatory work among the population of the Republic, specifying
the essence and the importance of the reform in details.

***

After the Government session, the Prime Minister A.Haroutyunyan had
conducted a conference with participation of authorized officials
with regard to autumn swing and urban planning issues. Heads of
regional administrations of the Republic had reported information
on started fallowing, the first ploughing and works proceeding in
constructing objects.

A.Haroutyunyan had notified once again that state crediting will be
rendered to those land users who will finish the first ploughing
for autumn sowing by September 10. Then he had assigned a task to
the Mayor of Stepanakert and heads of regional administrations to
justify the list of objects to be included into the programme of
capital construction 2009. The Premier had announced that current
not voluminous repair works of objects will be retained to regional
administrations a Stepanakert city administration. From now on the
predominant part of construction will be competitive,- the head of
the Government stated.-It will reduce the corruption risks and will
facilitate the supervision over construction proceedings.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SPECIAL ATTENTION TO RESTORATION OF INFRASTRUCTURES

NKR Government Information and Public Relations Department
August 06, 2008

As the NKR President Staff’s Chief Infirmational Department informs,
on August 5, a conference, with participation of the Republic’s
Prime Minister, Ministers of Finance and Urban Planning, Mayor of
Stepanakert and heads of regional administrations, was convoked at
the NKR President Bako Sahakyan.

Works realized in the Republic during the last months were presented
to the President. Special attention was paid to the spheres of
agriculture and construction. Bako Sahakyan expressed satisfaction
with high indices of the harvesting results and had noted that stable
crop capacity growth is one of main characteristics of increase of
the country’s agricultural level.

The President, had attached importance to necessity of conveying new
impulse to works aimed at restoration of infrastructures in Martakert
and Shahoumyan regions, suffered from flood. He had also emphasized
that while conducting any construction works accomplishment activities
are undeviatingly necessary, without it all works and activities
would be incomplete. In that concern Bako Sahakyan had especially
emphasized the role of mass media and TV, in particular.

***

The same day the head of the country had visited a number of objects
located in the capital and its suburbs.

In "Artsakherksermet" CJSC Bako Sahakyan got familiarized with modern
construction techniques, in "Dorojnik" company – with production of
plastic pipes, and in the territory of former furniture factory –
with works on construction of dwelling buildings complex.

The Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan and other officials accompanied
the head of the country during the visit.

ARMENIAN MINISTER URGES KARABAKH’S INVOLVEMENT IN TALKS

Mediamax News Agency
Aug 8 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 8 August: Armenian Defence Minister Seyran Ohanyan today
said that "Nagornyy Karabakh’s mandatory active participation in the
negotiating process" is necessary.

Ohanyan said this in Stepanakert [Xankandi] today following a meeting
with the president of the Nagornyy Karabakh republic (NKR), Bako
Sahakyan, during which they discussed wide-ranging issues concerning
the defence building, the situation on the contact line [between the
Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces] and the negotiations process,
Mediamax reported.

SOUTH OSSETIA DISPUTEHISTORY BEHIND THE BREAKAWAY REGION’S PUSH FOR INDEPENDENCE
Helen Womack in Moscow

guardian.co.uk
August 08 2008

Article history Why has fighting broken out in South Ossetia?

The South Ossetians and Georgians have been sniping at each other,
both with words and guns, for several weeks now, and patience on both
sides has finally snapped. South Ossetia and Georgia’s other breakaway
region, Abkhazia, have had de facto independence since the early 1990s,
but Tbilisi has never recognised the loss of its territory. The dispute
between Georgia and the two regions was called "the frozen conflict"
because the issues remained unresolved but there was no fighting. The
ice began to melt, and the heat to rise, earlier this year when the
west recognised Kosovo, against Russia’s advice. The South Ossetians
and Abkhazians argued that if Kosovo could be independent, then so
could they, and renewed their struggle for freedom.

What is the basis of the regions’ claim to independence?

The Ossetians are descendants of a tribe called the Alans. Like the
Georgians, the Ossetians are orthodox Christians, but they have their
own language. In Soviet times the Ossetians had an autonomous region
within Georgia. The Georgians say the Ossetians cooperated with the
Bolsheviks and tended to be more pro-Soviet. Their ethnic kin live
across the border in the Russian region of North Ossetia, so they feel
more drawn to Russia than to Georgia – and many have Russian passports.

Abkhazia on the Black Sea coast also had autonomy within Georgia
during Soviet times. Because of its sub-tropical climate, it was the
playground of Soviet leaders and is popular with Russian tourists
today. It has a mixed population of Abkhazis, Mingrelians, Greeks,
Armenians, Russians and Georgians, and a small but significant Muslim
minority. Thousands of ethnic Georgians fled their homes in Abkhazia
during the civil war at the beginning of the 1990s and now live as
refugees in Tbilisi and Moscow.

Why has Russia become involved?

Russia says it cannot stand aside because many of the people in
the breakaway regions are now its citizens. Georgia says Russia is
meddling in its internal affairs and supporting the separatists,
although Russia’s peacekeepers are supposed to be neutral. Georgia
accuses Russia of double standards in suppressing its own separatist
rebellion in Chechnya while encouraging separatists in Georgia. Russia
has become more engaged in the region since Georgia expressed an
interest in joining Nato, an idea that Russia staunchly opposes.

What might happen next?

So far, this has been a proxy war, with Russia encouraging
the separatists, but Moscow and Tblisi could find themselves
in direct conflict. Russia’s prime minister, Vladimir Putin,
today accused Georgia of aggression and warned that a response
was inevitable. Georgia said Russian jets had started bombing its
territory.

What are the wider implications?

The conflict could widen to bring in other Soviet republics, the US and
Europe. The root of the problem is that the international community
cannot agree on rules for the independence of small regions. Russia
said that granting independence to Kosovo would set a dangerous
precedent. Moscow now seems determined to prove it was right all along.

SALZBURG HONOURS SWISS COMPOSER HUBER

AUSTRIA TODAY
August 8, 2008 Friday 3:56 PM

Swiss composer Klaus Huber has been awarded the renowned "Musikpreis
Salzburg 2009". It was announced on Thursday that Huber would
receive 80,000 Euros, while Armenian-French composer Franck Christian
Yeznikian, as recommended by Huber, has been awarded the "Prize of
Appraisal" worth 20,000 Euros. Huber said that he had recommended
39-year-old Yeznikian because "he is, like me, no careerist and
has no interest in making a market for himself. But he is a serious
composer who is not only interested in the product but also in its
background." The jury justified their decision saying: "Klaus Huber is
a middleman for existential and political messages shaped by a belief
in a better world. Huber´s work is complex and comprehensive. Huber
has created poetic worlds of sound in which Arabic music merges with
Christian and also Communist elements." Huber said that the award
was the greatest honour he had ever received. The 83-year-old joked
around, saying: "The reason might be that [the very common German name]
Huber isn’t a good name with which to have a big career as a composer."

–Boundary_(ID_j7kdf3nueHY9N3rKWq ogug)–

ARMENIA DENIES INTELLIGENCE COOPERATION WITH IRAN

ArmInfo News Agency (in Russian)
Aug 7 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 8 August: The Armenian Foreign Ministry has described
as absurd reports by the Azerbaijani press alleging that the
Armenian and Iranian intelligence services "have started full-scale
cooperation". "This is an absolutely absurd ‘report’, and it does not
require comments due to its absurdity", the head of the mass media
relations department of the Armenian Foreign Ministry’s press service,
Tigran Balayan, told the Arminfo news agency.

Baku’s Ekho newspaper maintained that Iran and Armenia had started
full-scale cooperation of intelligence services, many aspects of
which are directly or indirectly aimed against Azerbaijan. "During
record short time, Iran has stationed an impressive infrastructure
of technical intelligence in Armenia, including a unique system of
optical radars and passive optical-electronic range sensors.

"A network of intelligence ‘stations’ has been established, which
controls practically all countries of the region adjacent to [Armenia]
it: Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia," the paper says. According to the
source [Ekho], Armenia and Iran also intend to cooperate in the
"intelligence and terror" [as published] sphere.

HISTORY BEHIND THE BREAKAWAY REGION’S PUSH FOR INDEPENDENCE
Helen Womack in Moscow

guardian.co.uk
August 08 2008 10:51 BST

Q&A: South Ossetia dispute

WHY HAS FIGHTING BROKEN OUT IN SOUTH OSSETIA?

The South Ossetians and Georgians have been sniping at each other,
both with words and guns, for several weeks now, and patience on both
sides has finally snapped. South Ossetia and Georgia’s other breakaway
region, Abkhazia, have had de facto independence since the early 1990s,
but Tbilisi has never recognised the loss of its territory. The dispute
between Georgia and the two regions was called "the frozen conflict"
because the issues remained unresolved but there was no fighting. The
ice began to melt, and the heat to rise, earlier this year when the
west recognised Kosovo, against Russia’s advice. The South Ossetians
and Abkhazians argued that if Kosovo could be independent, then so
could they, and renewed their struggle for freedom.

WHAT IS THE BASIS OF THE REGIONS’ CLAIM TO INDEPENDENCE?

The Ossetians are descendants of a tribe called the Alans. Like the
Georgians, the Ossetians are orthodox Christians, but they have their
own language. In Soviet times the Ossetians had an autonomous region
within Georgia. The Georgians say the Ossetians cooperated with the
Bolsheviks and tended to be more pro-Soviet. Their ethnic kin live
across the border in the Russian region of North Ossetia, so they feel
more drawn to Russia than to Georgia – and many have Russian passports.

Abkhazia on the Black Sea coast also had autonomy within Georgia
during Soviet times. Because of its sub-tropical climate, it was the
playground of Soviet leaders and is popular with Russian tourists
today. It has a mixed population of Abkhazis, Mingrelians, Greeks,
Armenians, Russians and Georgians, and a small but significant Muslim
minority. Thousands of ethnic Georgians fled their homes in Abkhazia
during the civil war at the beginning of the 1990s and now live as
refugees in Tbilisi and Moscow.

WHY HAS RUSSIA BECOME INVOLVED?

Russia says it cannot stand aside because many of the people in
the breakaway regions are now its citizens. Georgia says Russia is
meddling in its internal affairs and supporting the separatists,
although Russia’s peacekeepers are supposed to be neutral. Georgia
accuses Russia of double standards in suppressing its own separatist
rebellion in Chechnya while encouraging separatists in Georgia.

Russia has become more engaged in the region since Georgia expressed
an interest in joining Nato, an idea that Russia staunchly opposes.

WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN NEXT?

So far, this has been a proxy war, with Russia encouraging the
separatists, but Moscow and Tblisi could find themselves in direct
conflict. Russia’s prime minister, Vladimir Putin, today accused
Georgia of aggression and warned that a response was inevitable.

Georgia said Russian jets had started bombing its territory.

WHAT ARE THE WIDER IMPLICATIONS?

The conflict could widen to bring in other Soviet republics, the US and
Europe. The root of the problem is that the international community
cannot agree on rules for the independence of small regions. Russia
said that granting independence to Kosovo would set a dangerous
precedent. Moscow now seems determined to prove it was right all along.