Author: Antonian Lara

U.S.: KARABAKH CONFLICT PARTIES CLOSE TO SETTLEMENT AS NEVER
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.05.2006 14:19 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European
and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza stated that “the parties to the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict are as close to the settlement as never”. In
his words, the U.S. considers the next several months to be a real
“window of possibilities”. Matthew Bryza also remarked that the
Armenian and Azerbaijani governments should demonstrate political
courage to overcome the discrepancies.
According to another U.S. State Department representative David
E. Appleton, progress can be proved by the fact that Baku requested
the U.N. Refugee Agency to develop a program for the return of refugees
after the signing of a peaceful agreement, reported RFE/RL.

GENOCIDE STATEMENT ‘FREE SPEECH’
Sunday Times, Australia
May 16 2006
A VICTORIAN MP’s parliamentary speech accusing Turkish people of
ignoring acts of genocide more than 80 years ago was a sign of free
speech at work, Victorian Premier Steve Bracks said today.
Jenny Mikakos, the parliamentary secretary for justice, whose ethnic
background is Greek, has accused Turkey of ignoring the killing of
hundreds of thousands of ethnic Greeks between 1916 and 1923.
In a short speech to the Victorian upper house during the last session
of Parliament, Ms Mikakos reportedly said: “On May 19, the Pontian
community in Victoria and around the world will commemorate the 87th
anniversary of the Pontian genocide that occurred in present-day
Turkey.
“Between 1916 and 1923, over 353,000 Pontic Greeks living in Asia
Minor and in Pontus, which is near the Black Sea, died as a result of
the 20th Century’s first but less-known genocide,” Fairfax reported
her as saying.
“Over a million Pontic Greeks were forced into exile. In the preceding
years, 1.5 million Armenians and 750,000 Assyrians in various parts
of Turkey also perished.”
Two Labor MPs of Turkish descent, Adem Somyurek and John Eren,
interjected but Ms Mikakos continued speaking.
“The Turkish government must begin the reconciliation process by
acknowledging these crimes against humanity. The suffering of the
victims of the Pontian genocide cannot and will not be forgotten,”
she said.
The comments, made under a system of 90-second free statements for
MPs established by the Bracks Government, have outraged Turkish and
Jewish groups.
But Mr Bracks today said Ms Mikakos, one of two members for the safe
Jika Jika province in Melbourne’s north, was free to make the speech.
“Free speech is something that we uphold, and I understand that,
and the freedom to criticise someone who makes a statement is also
appropriate as well,” he told Southern Cross Broadcasting.
“As to the interpretation of those events, that is a matter which,
really, other people can judge, but this is something she obviously
felt passionate about.
“It’s up to her. She is a member of parliament who can submit those
things to the Parliament.
“But equally, people have the right to vigorously disagree with her
point of view.”

Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
May 14 2006
Turkey Threatens Sanctions Over Armenian ‘Genocide’ Law

May 14, 2006 — Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is today
quoted as threatening France with trade sanctions if it adopts a bill
making it illegal to deny that the 1915-17 massacre of Armenians in
Turkey was “genocide.”
The Turkish newspaper “Hurriyet” quotes Erdogan as saying sanctions
will be imposed if French lawmakers pass a bill making denial of the
“Armenian genocide” liable to a five-year jail term and a 45,000 euro
($58,000) fine.
Legislators are expected to vote on the measure on May 18.
Armenians allege up to 1.5 million of their kin were slaughtered in
orchestrated killings between 1915 and 1917, while the Ottoman Empire
was falling apart.
Turkey rejects the claim that the killings were systematic.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Orinats Yerkir to Participate in Parliamentary and Presidential
Elections in Armenia

12.05.2006 16:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Orinats Yerkir party will participate in the
forthcoming parliamentary and presidential elections in Armenia, party
leader, RA NA chairman Artur Baghdassaryan stated at today’s press
conference. `Orinats Yerkir’s secession from the ruling coalition
doesn’t mean that we abandon the political arena. We will take part
both in the parliamentary and presidential election,’ he said. At
that, he said, it’s premature to speak of possible political allies at
the upcoming elections.

TURKEY TRIED TO HEAD OFF PM’S VERDICT ON ‘GENOCIDE’
Brian Laghi
Globe and Mail, Canada
May 11 2006
The Prime Minister of Turkey sent Stephen Harper a letter last month
asking him to not characterize the mass killing of Armenians in the
early 1900s as a genocide and instead support an academic inquiry
into the matter.
One day later, Mr. Harper went ahead with the statement, sparking a
diplomatic contretemps that led to the recall of Turkey’s ambassador
to Canada and the country’s decision to withdraw from a military
exercise in Alberta.
The Turkish letter, an unofficial translation of which was obtained
by The Globe and Mail, says that a push by the Armenian community
to have the mass killing of Armenians recognized as a genocide has
clouded Turkish-Canadian relations.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan also asked that Mr. Harper instead
support a Turkish initiative to have scholars from Turkey and Armenia
study the matter and issue a report to the international community.
“As you know, the allegation of ‘genocide’ is a sensitive issue for
both the Turkish people and Turkish Governments,” the letter said.
“In fact, the events that took place in 1915 constitute a period
which historians consider as contentious.”
The letter is being made public after Turkey’s decisions this week
to recall its ambassador for consultations and to pull out of an
international military exercise that is to begin in Cold Lake, Alta.,
next week. Turkey is upset about Mr. Harper’s affirmation of a free
vote of Parliament two years ago in which a majority of MPs voted to
condemn the brutal treatment of the Armenians. However, the cabinet
of the day voted against the motion and it was considered non-binding.
About two dozen other countries have recognized the deaths of 1.5
million Armenians as a genocide. Turkey maintains the deaths were
caused by civil strife, diseases and famine during the turmoil of
the First World War while Armenia was under Turkish Ottoman control.
The Turkish Prime Minister’s letter was dated April 18.
The letter said that although Armenia has yet to respond positively
to Turkey’s proposal for an academic study, Mr. Erdogan hoped that
Mr. Harper would support the idea.
He said that while bonds between Canada and Turkey have deepened —
including co-operation on stabilizing Afghanistan — “the Armenian
lobby in your country has not given up its intentions to create
problems in Turkish-Canadian relations.”
Turkish authorities confirmed yesterday there had been
correspondence. They would not say how Canadian officials replied,
if at all, although government sources said yesterday that officials
informed the Turkish embassy in advance of their plans.
Conservative sources have said that the move is not an effort to win
the votes of the Armenian diaspora in Canada, of whom there are about
70,000. Rather, the issue is seen by many in the Conservative caucus
as a historic wrong.
Conservative MP Jason Kenney, parliamentary secretary to Mr. Harper,
and a long-time supporter of the Armenian viewpoint, said yesterday
that the Prime Minister was simply acknowledging the House of
Commons vote.
“I think that personally the Parliament was right to take the decision
and the Prime Minister had no option but to recognize that decision,”
Mr. Kenney said. “I’m hopeful that the government of Turkey will have
as much respect for the decisions of the Parliament of Canada as our
government does.”
Mr. Kenney said the idea of having the two sides co-operate in a
study should not involve Canada.

TURKISH PM SAYS FRENCH PARLIAMENT WON’T PLACE VIRUS BETWEEN US
NTV MSNBC, Turkey
May 11 2006
The Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he would hold talks
with French officials during his visit to Austria.
Guncelleme: 15:40 TSÝ 11 Mayýs 2006 PerþembeANKARA – Turkey’s ties
with France have a long history and will not be permanently damaged
by a proposal before the French parliament to make it a criminal act
to deny the so-called Armenian genocide.
Speaking at a press conference in Ankara’s Esenboga Airport before
flying to Austria to attend a summit of European Union and Latin
American leaders, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he did not
believe the French parliament would vote in favour of the proposal,
which he described as a ‘virus’.
Responding to a question from journalists as to whether there would
be bans on French products stemming from the proposed legislation,
Erdogan said that it was possible the draft laws outlawing the denial
of the Armenian genocide might be rejected.
Erdogan said he had not held talks with French officials over the issue
but added that in meetings he had had with high level French investors
in Turkey the common view was that the legislation was a major mistake.
–Boundary_(ID_H2DhYyb+HatZowfQM+jwnQ)–

AZERI PRESSURE GROUP BLAMES INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP FOR PRO-ARMENIAN BIAS
Azerbaijani news agency APA
10 May 06
Baku, 10 May: The Karabakh Liberation Organization [KLO] issued
a statement today condemning the remarks of the Caucasus project
director of the International Crisis Group [ICG], Sabine Fraizer,
on the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, the KLO press
service has told APA.
The statement says that the ICG’s approach to the settlement of
the conflict favours a defeatist peace. The ICG has been promoting
Armenia’s political ideas from the very beginning, and therefore,
is demanding that the peace talks continue, it said.
The KLO also said that it is unacceptable to deploy peacekeeping troops
in this process: “By using tension on the front line as an excuse,
Sabine Fraizer is trying to distract public opinion in Azerbaijan from
the war and has achieved this in some way. Since Armenia started the
war against Azerbaijan, peacekeepers can be deployed only along the
border between the two countries.”

14 ATTEMPTS OF TRANSGRESSING ARMENIAN-IRANIAN BORDER REGISTERED IN 2005
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 10 2006
MEGHRI, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. 14 attempts of
transgressing the state border between Armenia and Iran were registered
in 2005, at that two of the transgressors were arrested thanks to
cooperation of local population with the law-enforcement bodies. This
was informed to the “Syunyats Yerkir” newspaper by Colonel Vilsur
Zyanchurin, Commander of Meghri frontier detachment. According to
the Colonel, 3 out of 8 transgressors detained in 2004 were caught
immediately on the border. i.e. their attempt to penetrate into
Armenia bypassing the check-point was prevented. At the same time,
the frontier detachment carries out control over crossing the border
by citizens and transport means on the Karchevan check-point. Thus,
in 2004-2006 one unit of gas arms, 146 units of cold arms, 5.1 kg of
poisonous substances, 0.1 kg of drugs, 11 units of goods not envisaged
for realization were revealed and confiscated by the established
order by the frontier detachment on the state check-point.
31 attempts of contraband transportation of goods amounting
to 55 thousand dollars were prevented. The Commander of Meghri
frontier detachment considers improbable bringing of drugs through
the Karchevan check-point as the border between Iran and Armenia is
hardly accessible, is safely protected by the engineering and technical
structures, i.e. everything is in appearance and is being controlled.

CHANNEL ONE NOT TO STOP BROADCASTING
Panorama.am
14:31 10/05/06
Russian Channel One will not stop broadcasting in Armenia , TV 1 Head
Aram Arzumanyan, told Panorama.
am. “We have licensed the broadcasting and are not going to code the
air,” he said.
According to information on the official site of the TV company,
satellite signals from Russian Channel One will be coded as of May 25,
2006. The decision was based on the requirements of the international
law on author’s rights and standards set by International Broadcast
Union. .
According to IA REGNUM, piratical broadcast of Channel One will be cut
in Kirgizstan by coding of the signals. The Channel One CIS will not
differ in its programs from Channel One. Channel One CIS will broadcast
in Middle East, Caucasus, including Armenia, PR Manager of Marketing
Department of Channel One Russia WorldWide Dmitri Bazilevich said.
According to a press release on the official site of the company
“Channel One CIS is specially created for Middle East and Caucasus” and
meets all international requirements for a TV product.

May 10, 2006 12:33:48 PM |
<; News From Georgia < ia> >>
GEORGIAN GLASS & MINERAL WATERS CO. STOPS BORJOMI SHIPMENT TO RUSSIA
Source: Informational Agency Sarke (Mirror), 2006-05-05
Georgian Glass & Mineral Water Co. has said it has stopped the shipment
of
mineral water Borjomi to the Russian Federation from today. The
transportation of export containers has been postponed for an uncertain
time, the company reports.
10.5.2006
News From < aijan>
Azerbaijan >>
BTC ACTIONS UNDERWAY
Source: AzerTag, 2006-05-05
On May 4, participants of the action Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline named
after Heydar Aliyev v guarantor of peace, security, stability and
development arrived in Samsung /Turkey/.
They were welcomed by the deputies of fraternal country, members of
Women
Council of Justice and Development Party, heads of municipalities of
Trabzon, Riza and Samsung, Milli Majlis member Malahat Hasanova told
AzerTAc
correspondent.
On the same day, participants arrived in the capital of Turkey.
Employees of
the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Ankara handed letter of the head of
Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev over the action participants to read at the opening
ceremony in
Ceyhan port. Address by Mehriban Aliyeva, President of Heydar Aliyev
Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO, MM deputy to the region women
will be also heard at the ceremony.
On May 5, women-deputies of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey left for
Adana.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister of Turkey is expected to attend the
ceremony as well.
10.5.2006
News From Armenia < ia> >>
MORE THAN 20 THOUSAND TREES ALREADY PLANTED THIS SPRING IN 20
COMMUNITIES OF
TALIN REGION
Source: Noyan Tapan, 2006-05-03
More than 20 thousand trees have already been planted since early this
spring in more than 40 communities of the region of Talin, Aragatsotn
marz.
As Ashot Hovhannisian, the Governor’s authorized representative to the
region of Talin informed Noyan Tapan, the Nature Protection and
Agriculture
Department of the Governor’s Office staff gave plants of neccessary
quantity
and professional assistance.
10.5.2006
International < mational>
News
>>
NOAA: GLOBAL GREENHOUSE GAS CONCENTRATIONS ROSE IN 2005
Source: ENS, 2005-05-01
Levels of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmsphere have increased over
the
past 12 months relative to a 1990 benchmark, according to the Annual
Greenhouse Gas Index issed today by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. NOAA’s network of five global baseline observatories and
about 100 global cooperative sampling sites extends from the high Arctic
to
the South Pole.
10.5.2006
New Publications < cations>
>>
New publication released: “Vital Caspian Graphics: Challenges Beyond
Caviar”
Publisher: UNEP/GRID-Arendal
Order on-line at Earthprint.com
ISBN: 82-7701-039-7
Data of Publication: April 2006
For further information, please contact: [email protected]
Vital Caspian Graphics: Challenges Beyond Caviar examines very complex,
yet
fascinating issues affecting the environment of the Caspian Sea and the
surrounding areas. Illustrated with more than 50 maps and diagrams, it
provides a well-researched, well-documented and up-to-date analysis of
the
geopolitical, economic, environmental, population and security
conditions
that have resulted to a blend of competition and reluctant collaboration
among nation states, complex economic interests, as well as legal,
political, and ideological struggle in the region. It also features a
number of earlier published newspaper articles that are relevant to the
issues addressed.
We often associate the Caspian Sea with caviar that is legally or
illegally
finding its way to our tables, but overlook the footprints left by a
number
of industries installed on shores of the Caspian that are serving the
world
wealthiest market demands. The struggle for access to the vast resources
of
this unique and fragile ecosystem and the development of new
transportation
routes between Europe and Asia continue to shape the geopolitical and
security conditions in and around the world’s largest body of inland
water.
These and other developments pose complex challenges in the efforts of
countries to improve the damaged ecosystems that the local communities
are
depending on.
In view of the profound significance of the Caspian Sea region to global
and
regional environmental security, Vital Caspian Graphics will be an
invaluable tool for individuals, academics, governments, and
corporations.
More information:
Ieva Rucevska
UNEP/GRID-Arendal
Longum Park, Service Box 706,
N-4808 Arendal, Norway
Tel.: +47 370 35 738
Fax.: +47 370 35 050
10.5.2006
< gt; Job / Internship / Study Opportunity >>
Training in Marketing from European School of Management (ESM)-Tbilisi
European School of Management (ESM)-Tbilisi, the leading institution in
business education in Georgia is pleased to announce the training course
in
Marketing from 22nd of May.
The training course is designed to equip you with advance knowledge and
skills in Marketing Management that will enable you to successfully
manage
the marketing activities in business organizations.
Topics of the training program
Our training program devotes to the following marketing topics:
* Marketing: Managing profitable customer relationships
* Developing marketing strategies and plans
* Conducting marketing research and forecasting demand
* Creating customer value, satisfaction and loyalty
* Analysing consumer and business buyer behaviour
* Identifying market segments and targets
* Creating brand equity
* Crafting the brand positioning
* Creating competitive advantage
* Setting product strategy
* Designing and managing services
* Developing pricing strategies and programs
* Designing and managing value networks and channels
* Designing and managing integrated marketing communications
(Advertising, Sales Promotion, Public Relations, Personal selling and
Direct Marketing)
*
Who should attend this training course?
This training course will be equally suitable for marketing
practitioners
from industrial and service companies as well as anyone who wants to
acquire
or increase marketing knowledge and skills.
Our Approach:
During the training course there will be used interactive lectures,
exercises and cases. Finally, we will evaluate results to ensure
effective
knowledge and skill transfer.
The graduates will receive ESM-Tbilisi Certificates
Training Time Frame: From 22nd of May to 21st of June, on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays.
Timing and Duration of Session: 19:00-21:45
Fee: 450 GEL
Contact Person: Zurab Liluashvili
Tel:+995 32 39 27 62
Mobile: +995 99 50 22 46, +995 93 30 35 50
E-mail: [email protected]
URL: <; 10.5.2006 Grant/Tender < s> >>
South Caucasus Youth Councils Initiative
Request for Proposals in Support of Regional Youth Activities
General Information
Within the South Caucasus, Catholic Relief Services operates in Armenia,
Azerbaijan, and Georgia. CRS/Caucasus works to strengthen local
partners,
advocates for social change, and promotes peace and reconciliation in
the
region. The CRS/Caucasus regional office is located in Tbilisi, Georgia.
CRS is implementing the third year of its project, South Caucasus Youth
Councils Initiative (SCYUI). The SCYUI maintains the primary goal of
supporting the development of youth in the South Caucasus who value
positive
social change.
Within the scope of the SCYUI, Catholic Relief Services/Georgia office
is
pleased to announce a call for proposals and invites local Georgia based
NGOs, as well as youth and educational institutions to submit
cross-border
youth projects (i.e., involving at least 2 countries) for funding
consideration.
CRS/Georgia is seeking proposals for small projects that promote the
following theme:
“Expanded role for youth in cross-border school or community-based
initiatives
The call for proposals aims to support the development of projects in
the
region seeking to link youth throughout the South Caucasus. Activities
might
include but are not limited to helping youth do the following:
=9E Build bridges, linkages or relationships with
each
other through joint participation in workshops, trainings, exhibitions,
web-based forums, academic competitions, essay/creative writing, etc.;
=9E Facilitate active engagement of youth in
improving
their schools and communities;
=9E To develop skills for engaging their peers in
cross-border volunteer or leadership related activities that foster
increased civic participation.
Criteria for submission:
1. Applicants must be a local NGO or educational
institution registered in Georgia.
2. Budget requests should not exceed 8,000 USD for
proposals that target beneficiaries from only two countries and 12,000
USD
for proposals that target all three countries.
3. Projects should have a 2-4 month implementation
timeline.
4. Project implementation should be started from July
1,
2006.
5. Collaborative projects are encouraged.
6. Cost-share contributions by applicants are
encouraged.
7. Applicants should budget minimal administrative
costs,
with primary costs supporting direct activities.
Please note that proposals should be submitted in English and be no more
than 7 pages in length. The required templates for proposal format and
budget are attached for completion. No other submitted formats will be
considered.
For more detail information please see
< licitation%20Application%20form%2 0and%20Templates .zip> YC Grant Solicitation Application form and
Templates.zip.
Proposals can be submitted in electronic version to the following e-mail
address: [email protected] with Subject Title: “South Caucasus Youth
Councils Initiative”
Proposals must be received by 6:00 pm on May 29, 2006. Inquiries
regarding
proposal-related issues can be directed to the above email address with
same
title in subject. No phone inquiries will be accepted.
10.5.2006
Announcement < ncement> >>
summer training camp
Dear friends,
I am pleased to introduce new summer training camp which will be
organized
in June 2006 by the Non Formal Education Youth Centre “Sunny House” with
the
cooperation with the OSCE Mission to Georgia.
The training camp will take place in June 2006 in Poladauri natural
reserve
and will involve 30 young people living in the regions as well as the
capital of the country. The core issue of the training which will be run
during the camp will be Personal and Professional Success and Its
Strategies.
The deadline for the submission of the forms is June 8, 2006.
Non Formal Education Youth Centre “Sunny House”
Address: 31, Gamsakhurdia ave., flat 39, Tbilisi, Georgia
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel.: (995 32) 37 13 40
Contact Persons:
Natia Mjavanadze
Cell: (995 99) 26 82 84
Natia Giorgadze: (995 93) 53 53 05
10.5.2006
Subscribing Information
CENN lists are created to maintain e-mail discussions of Caucasus
Environmental NGO Network members. CENN has been distributing
information
since 1998.
All the published digests and bulletins issued in both English and
Russian
languages present incredibly rich environmental information base that
give
the reader the whole picture of the environmental process taking place
during the recent 5 years in the South Caucasus region as well as
abroad.
To subscribe or unsubscribe from CENN mailing list service, please send
an
email to [email protected] and place the “subscribe”
or
“unsubscribe” command as the first line of the message body.
If you would like the information about your organization and activities
to
be distributed via the CENN mailing lists (the current number of CENN
mailing list members represents 11049), if you want your voice to be
heard
around the world, please send your information at the following email:
[email protected].
For more information about the program, please visit CENN web-page:

Caucasus Environmental NGO Network 2006
< l?marketge&0&digest>
BannerDots Network
< pl?digest>
CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
Tel:+995 32 75 19 03/04
Fax:+995 32 75 19 05
E-mail: [email protected]
URL: <;