Author: Antonian Lara

Armenian govt forecasts 6%-7% GDP growth in 2005-2007
Interfax
June 21 2004
Yerevan. (Interfax) – The Armenian government is forecasting growth
in GDP in 2005-2007 of 6%-7% per annum and average yearly inflation in
this period is planned at not more than 3%, Armenian Finance Minister
Pavel Safarian said at a press briefing.
He said that in absolute terms GDP in 2005-2007 would amount to 1.953
trillion dram, 2.133 trillion dram and 2.33 trillion dram respectively.
The deputy minister said that the government approved a mid-term
program for expenditure in 2005-2007. He said that priority would be
given to expenditure on education, healthcare and social welfare.
Armenian GDP in 2003 increased 13.9% year-on-year to 1.62 trillion
dram. The Armenian Central Bank forecasts that inflation in the
republic in 2004 will not exceed 3%. Consumer prices increased 8.6%
in 2003.
The official exchange rate on June 17 was 545.63 dram to the dollar.

Leko shocks Anand as Armenia fights back
Sify, India
June 15 2004
Moscow: Former World Champion Viswanathan Anand suffered a shock defeat
at the hands of Hungarian Grandmaster Peter Leko in the fifth and
penultimate round of Armenia versus Rest of the World chess contest at
Hotel Hyatt Ararat on Monday. Smbat Lputian also struck back firmly
to help Armenia stage a remarkable recovery in the closing stages of
this match being organised to celebrate the 75th Birth Anniversary
of late Armenian World Champion Tigran Petrosian.
Team Armenia eventually coasted home to a 4-2 victory, their first so
far in the six-game match, and narrowed Worlds lead down to two points.
With just one more round of six games remaining in the Scheveningen
event, the World team is still the favourite to win. The scores now
stand at 16-14 in favour of the World.
After five straight black victories, it was the turn of the first
player to do the damage and coming out triumphs was Leko who played
an energy-filled end game to put it across Anand.
Playing the white side of a Sicilian Tiamanov, Leko opted for the
structure akin to the English attack and ensured himself a better
end game after the queens got traded very early in the middle game.
Anand’s game plan did not succeed in the later stages even as pieces
got exchanged at regular intervals and the players arrived at rook
and pawns end game with equal strength.
However, the pawn structure of the Indian was earlier dismantled by
the Hungarian star and Anand found hard to cope.
Knocking down one pawn by force, Leko displayed excellent technique
to romp home in 68 moves.
Lputian had a dubious record thus far in the event with three losses
and a draw but the lowest rated Armenian player in the match held on
to his own to succeed over young Spaniard Francisco Vallejo Pons who
had to pay heavy dividends for his over ambitious play.
It was a position akin to the Queens gambit accepted after the opening
and Vallejo had a comfortable position on board after he won a pawn.
The just result should have been a draw as white had more active
pieces but trying harder, Vallejo went for an exchange and got two
menacing passed pawns on the queen side.
However, just as it appeared Vallejo was cruising, Lputian came up
with some dour defence, denying further liberty to his opponent.
As it turned out in the end, the better decision might have been a draw
by repetition that Vallejo refused vide repetition after the exchange.
Lputian handled the end game pretty well to score his first victory
at a crucial moment for his team. The game lasted 76 moves.
All the remaining four matches were drawn and the quickest of the
day was between Adams and Gelfand who signed truce in just 20 moves
of a Sicilian Nazdorf.

Chessbase News, Germany
June 14 2004
Meeting the King’s Indian – with Petrosian
13.06.2004 To commemorate the 75th birthday of the late world
champion Tigran Petrosian our Internet trainer Dennis Monokroussos
will look at his distinctive way of meeting the King’s Indian
Defense. Join him on Monday night, especially if you would like to
add a new anti-King’s Indian weapon to your repertoire. Catch it on
the Playchess server.
Dennis Monokroussos writes: “This Thursday, Tigran Petrosian, the 9th
World Chess Champion, would have been 75. In Armenia, his home
country, a match between those with a connection to Armenia or
Petrosian against a Rest of the World team is taking place to
commemorate the occasion, and we’ll use this week’s show to
commemorate it in our own way. In particular, we’ll look at his
distinctive way of meeting the King’s Indian Defense and some of its
most notable successes over the years (its victims include Fischer
and Kasparov!). So please join us tonight, especially if you would
like to add a new anti-King’s Indian weapon to your repertoire, as
well as to take a look at one of the great geniuses of positional
chess of all time.”
Dennis Monokroussos is 37, lives in South Bend, IN (the site of the
University of Notre Dame), and is writing a Ph.D. dissertation in
philosophy (in the philosophy of mind) while adjuncting at the
University.
He is fairly inactive as a player right now, spending most of his
non-philosophy time being a husband and teaching chess. At one time
he was one of the strongest juniors in the U.S., but quit for about
eight years starting in his early 20s. His highest rating was 2434
USCF, but he has now fallen to the low-mid 2300s – “too much blitz,
too little tournament chess”, he says.
Dennis has been working as a chess teacher for seven years now,
giving lessons to adults and kids both in person and on the internet,
worked for a number of years for New York’s Chess In The Schools
program, where he was one of the coaches of the 1997-8 US K-8
championship team from the Bronx, and was very active in working with
many of CITS’s most talented juniors.
When Dennis Monokroussos presents a game, there are usually two main
areas of focus: the opening-to-middlegame transition and the key
moments of the middlegame (or endgame, when applicable). With respect
to the latter, he attempts to present some serious analysis culled
from his best sources (both text and database), which he has checked
with his own efforts and then double-checked with his chess software.
Dennis Monokroussos’ Radio ChessBase lectures begin on Mondays at 9
p.m. EDT, which translates to 02:00h GMT, 03:00 Paris/Berlin, 13:00h
Sydney (on Tuesday). Other time zones can be found below. You can use
Fritz or any Fritz-compatible program (Shredder, Junior, Tiger,
Hiarcs) to follow the lectures, or download a free trial client.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
June 10 2004
AZERBAIJAN ENHANCE RELATIONS WITH VATICAN
[June 10, 2004, 11:52:30]
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Republic Elmar Mammadyarov
met with apostolic nuncio of Vatican to Georgia and Azerbaijan Claudio
Gugerotti on June 9.
During the meeting, Minister stressed that Azerbaijan stands for
strengthening relations and business ties with Vatican.
Claudio Gugerotti highly rated the friendly relations between the
countries and noted that Vatican attaches great significance to
cooperation with Azerbaijan in all spheres. He reported that the aim
of his visit to Azerbaijan is the familiarization with the construction
of Catholic Church in Baku.
Then, E. Mammadyarov updated the guest on the Azerbaijan-Armenia,
Nagorny Karabakh problem and activity of international organizations
in this direction.

CENN — JUNE 9, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. Technip Expects to Get Contract for Shah Deniz Platform
2. Japan to Invest in Yerevan Power Plant
3. Yerevan Adamant In Delaying Metsamor Closure
4. Armenia Undecided on Closure of Nuclear Plant – Minister
5. With A Visit To Armenia’s Largest Dump, UNDP and The Ministry Of
Nature Protection Launch Environment Week
6. NGO Letter Protests Against Weakening of WB Standards fyi
7. EIA Report of the Project on “Processing of the Sand Deposit in
Khashuri Region” by “Progress-2″ Ltd
8. EIA Report of the Project on ” Project on Capture and Bottling of the
mineral spring in Tbilisi ” by “Progress-2” Ltd
9. The Internet Conference
1. TECHNIP EXPECTS TO GET CONTRACT FOR SHAH DENIZ PLATFORM
Source: Interfax, June 8, 2004
France’s Technip-Coflexip expects to win a contract to build a second
production platform under Stage-2 of the Shah Deniz gas field project,
stated company manager for the project Sterling Marshal.
“We hope to get the contract for the construction of the second
platform, but that all depends on the speed and quality of work on the
first platform. So far the work is on schedule. We expect the first
shipment of blocks for the platform in September from Singapore. All
construction work will be completed in January 2006,” he said.
Technip-Coflexip has signed two contracts worth $300 million under
Stage-1 of the Shah Deniz project. Once contract includes the design of
a TPG-500 offshore platform to be installed at the field, supply of
materials and equipment, the transport and set up of the platform at
sea, and the other is for the assembly of the platforms at a
construction site in Baku.
Keppel Fells is building the platform in Singapore. The platform will be
delivered in sections to Baku for assembly by Technip.
The contract to develop Shah Deniz field was signed in Baku in June 1996
and ratified by parliament in October of that year. BP is the operator
with a 25.5% share in the project, Statoil holds 25.5%, the State Oil
Company of the Azerbaijani Republic (SOCAR) has a 10% share, LukAgip has
a 10% share, NICO holds 10%, TotalFinaElf holds 10%, and Turkey’s TPAO
holds 9%.
The field holds an estimated 625 billion cubic meters of gas and 101
million tonnes of condensate.
Stage-1 includes the production of 178 billion cubic meters of gas and
34 million tonnes of condensate. Production in later stages is planned
at about 16 billion cubic meters of gas a year.
2. JAPAN TO INVEST IN YEREVAN POWER PLANT
Source: Interfax, June 8, 2004
The Japanese government plans to invest $4.5 million in the construction
of a thermal power plant in Yerevan with a capacity of 1.5 megawatts
based on a waste incineration plant, Armenian Natural Resource Minister
Vardan Aivazyan told journalists on Monday.
He said that the ministry has approved the construction of the plant and
thermal power plant at the Nurabshen dump, which covers an area of over
60 hectares. Talks are currently underway between a potential
subcontractor for the project – Japan’s Shimizu – and the Yerevan
Mayor’s Office.
Aivazyan said that the project would involve the use of up to 800 – 900
cubic meters of rubbish per day to produce methane to be used in
electricity production.
The minister said that recently Armenia set an output tariff for
electricity produced from burning biogas of $0.08 per 1 kWh. The
investor is happy with this tariff.
He said that the talks should be completed by September 10, after which
construction should begin.
Diana Arutyunyan, the national coordinator of the project, told Interfax
that the Japanese state company New Energy and Industrial Technology
Organization plans to finance the project.
She said that Shimizu has already completed the first stage of work on
an audit and preparation of a feasibility study. She also said that the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is interested in this
project.
Electricity production in Armenia fell 0.29% to 5.5 billion kWh in 2003.
3. YEREVAN ADAMANT IN DELAYING METSAMOR CLOSURE
Source: Radio Free Europe, June 8, 2004
The Armenian government remains determined not to close the Metsamor
nuclear power plant in the near future and reaffirmed this position
during talks with senior officials from the European Union last week,
Industry Minister Karen Chshmaritian said on Tuesday.
Chshmaritian headed a delegation of government officials who represented
Yerevan at a regular meeting of an Armenia-EU “cooperation committee”
which took place in Brussels on Friday. The issue of Metsamor’s future
was high on its agenda. “The European side wants Armenia to set a date
[for Metsamor’s closure],” Chshmaritian told a news conference.
“However, Armenia can not set a date without having financing resources
[to replace the facility] and clarifying the entire procedure for the
closure.”
The EU has long been arguing that the plant is located in a seismically
active area and that its Soviet-built nuclear reactor does not meet
modern safety standards. The bloc’s executive European Commission has
offered to grant Armenia 100 million euros ($123 million) in return for
the decommissioning of the plant which generates about 40 percent of the
country’s electricity.
Chshmaritian reiterated Yerevan’s rejection of the offer, saying that as
much as $1 billion is needed for safely shutting down Metsamor safely
and putting in place an alternative source of inexpensive energy. “The
Energy Ministry presented its calculations [to the EU], according to
which the total cost of the work would be worth that much,” he said. He
added the Armenia-EU body decided to set up a working group that will
look into the issue in detail and present its findings by the end of
this year.
The government wants to keep Metsamor operational for at least another
decade despite its past promise to the EU to decommission the plant in
2004. The European Commission now seems to be stepping up pressure on
Yerevan to do that as soon as possible in line with its policy of
phasing out all Soviet-designed reactors remaining in Eastern Europe.
Still, an EU spokeswoman in Brussels told RFE/RL last week that the bloc
will continue to finance further measures to improve Metsamor’s
operational safety “up to its closure.”
4. ARMENIA UNDECIDED ON CLOSURE OF NUCLEAR PLANT – MINISTER
Source: Mediamax News Agency, June 8, 2004
Armenia will not name the precise date for the closure of the Armenian
Nuclear Power Station until all technical and financial issues are
clarified, Armenian Minister of Trade and Economic Development Karen
Chshmarityan said in Yerevan today.
He said this issue was discussed during the fifth session of the
Armenia-EU cooperation committee in Brussels on 4 June. The minister
stressed that representatives of the European Union expressed their
readiness again to allocate 100m euros to Armenia if a decision is made
to close down the Nuclear Power Station.
Karen Chshmarityan stated that the closure of the Nuclear Power Station
is a complicated process linked to technical difficulties. The minister
pointed out that according to preliminary estimations, 1bn dollars will
be required for providing Armenia with alternative sources of energy.
5. WITH A VISIT TO ARMENIA’S LARGEST DUMP, UNDP AND THE MINISTRY OF
NATURE PROTECTION LAUNCH ENVIRONMENT WEEK
United Nations Development Programme Country Office in Armenia
14, Karl Liebknecht Street, Yerevan 375010, Armenia
Contact: Aramazd Ghalamkaryan
Tel: (374 1) 56 60 73
Fax: (374 1) 54 38 11
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
UNDP COUNTRY OFFICE IN ARMENIA
June 7, 2004
Yerevan, Armenia
Today, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry
of Nature Protection officially marked World Environment Day by
organizing a media event in the country’s largest waste disposal site in
Nubarashen, near Yerevan. In close cooperation with UN Agencies and
local and international organizations, UNDP and the Ministry of Nature
Protection jointly initiated Environment Week, an advocacy campaign
aimed at raising public awareness on environmental issues. Mr. Vardan
Ayvazyan, Minister of Nature Protection, Ms. Lise Grande, UN Resident
Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, representatives of the
Government, civil society and the mass media participated in the event.
Nubarashen waste disposal site receives almost all the solid waste
produced in Yerevan city and suburbs. As much as 340 tones per day, or
102,000 tones per year, is deposited in the site. Most of the waste in
Nubarashen is domestically produced by the approximately 1,280,000 who
live in these areas. Industrial waste accounts for only a small
proportion. Large quantities of landfill gas, mainly methane gas, are
produced by the waste and discharged into the atmosphere without being
fully utilized.
According to Ms. Grande: “It is very fortunate that Armenia has achieved
high rates of economic growth in the last decade. At this stage in the
country’s transition, is it critically important to focus on the
environmental aspects of economic growth. The sustainable management of
natural resources and a clean environment are key to the country’s
medium and long-term development. If the environment is destroyed or
damaged, the country will suffer. UNDP is currently one of the major
donors in the area of nature protection and we are confident that our
partnership with Government authorities and the civil society will help
to ensure a healthy environment for a healthy people.”
Background: Armenia has acceded to a number of international treaties
and conventions focused on the environment. UNDP’s National Capacities
Self-Assessment (NCSA) project aims to support the Government in
identifying gaps in meeting the requirements of these global
conventions. The goal of Environment Week, a joint advocacy initiative
of UNDP Armenia and the Ministry of Nature Protection, is to: promote
environmental activities at the community level; raise public awareness
of ongoing initiatives in the area of nature protection; highlight
existing environmental issues; and initiate a public debate on the
linkages between human development and nature protection. Environment
Week also aims to bring together major actors in nature protection and
help find solutions to very urgent and important environmental problems
facing the country and the whole Transcaucasian region.
UNDP is the UN’s global development network. It advocates for change and
connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people
build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with
them on their own solutions to global and national development
challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of
UNDP and our wide range of partners.
Aramazd Ghalamkaryan
Information and Resource Mobilisation Associate/
Support to UN Resident Coordinator
UNDP/UN Armenia
14 Karl Liebknecht St., Yerevan, 375010, Armenia
Tel: +3741 56 60 73 + 121
Mob: +3749 43 63 12
Fax: +3741 54 38 11
URLs: ;
6. NGO LETTER PROTESTS AGAINST WEAKENING OF WB STANDARDS FYI
The following letter was sent to the World Bank’s Board of Directors
today. It protests against the weakening of social and environmental
standards through the Bank’s proposed middle-income country strategy,
and requests that a Mexican pilot project for the new strategy not be
approved as long as there is no agreement about the overall strategy.
The letter was endorsed by 186 NGOs from 60 countries at short notice. A
clear majority of the signatories is from borrowing countries.
Peter Bosshard, IRN
International NGO letter to the World Bank Board of Directors:
International Rivers Network (USA)
Centro de Investigaciones EconÑmicas yPolÌticas de AcciÑn (Mexico)
Manthan Adhyayan Kendra (India)
CEE Bankwatch Network (Georgia)
Kalpavriksh (India)
African Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (Nigeria)
June 7, 2004
International civil society letter regarding the World Bank’s safeguard
policies
International Standards for International Projects
Dear Executive Director,
Civil society groups in the South and North are concerned about proposed
measures that would weaken the social and environmental standards
applied in World Bank projects. The following letter expresses concerns
of 186 organizations from 60 countries. A clear majority of the
signatories are NGOs from borrowing countries.
Our letter responds to the Bank’s proposed new middle-income country
strategy (MIC strategy), and the pilot project in Mexico that has been
submitted to the Board. The MIC strategy proposes that future World Bank
projects in many countries rely on national social and environmental
standards rather than the Bank’s own safeguard policies. The strategy
also proposes that in such projects, the role of the Inspection Panel
will be linked to national standards rather than the Bank’s safeguard
policies. The World Bank argues that these measures would “remove
obstacles to timely quality lending”. (For a detailed critique of the
proposed MIC strategy, see International Rivers Network, The World
Bank’s Safeguard Policies Under Pressure, May 2004, available at:
<;; Civil society groups express the following concerns regarding the proposed changes: § Compliance with national and World Bank standards: It is self-evident that all World Bank projects should comply with the national standards of borrowing countries. We support a strengthening of national social and environmental standards and capacities. But being an international institution with a development mandate, the World Bank must also comply with its own safeguard policies. Ultimately, we believe that all policies of the World Bank, other international financial institutions and governments should reflect the international environmental and human rights standards that governments - i.e., the members of the World Bank - have established through the framework of the United Nations. § Confusion about applicable standards: The World Bank expects national standards to be 'equivalent' to its own safeguard policies. It is not at all clear what this means in practice. The Bank is currently preparing the Decentralized Infrastructure Reform and Development Project (DIRD project) in the state of Guanajuato/Mexico as a first pilot project for the reliance on national standards. The project would bring about a significant weakening of applicable standards. Its components may cause involuntary resettlement. Yet neither Mexico nor the state of Guanajuato have resettlement laws. The World Bank and the borrower have instead prepared an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) that is supposed to reflect the 'spirit of Bank safeguard policies'. What can affected communities do if the DIRD project violates the World Bank's Resettlement Policy (OP 4.12), but not Mexican laws and the ESMF? § Access to information: Several safeguard policies require the World Bank to provide civil society with timely access to important project documents. Examples are Environmental Assessments under OP 4.01, and instruments such as the Resettlement Plans under OP 4.12. It is unclear where civil society could get access to such documents when future projects rely on national standards rather than the Bank's safeguard policies. § Role of the Inspection Panel: In most countries, governments can be legally and politically held accountable for the projects that they implement through the judicial system and through elections. The only mechanism through which affected people can hold the World Bank accountable is the Inspection Panel. The Panel was created to investigate the role of the World Bank, and not governments, in projects that harm local communities. It is questionable whether national governments would indeed allow their actions to be investigated by an international body such as the Inspection Panel. The role of the Panel would be significantly weakened in the proposed Mexico pilot project. For the Panel to remain effective, it must continue to hold the World Bank accountable, and its point of reference must continue to be the World Bank's safeguard policies, not national standards and procedures. § Need for strengthening social and environmental standards: The experience of affected communities, World Bank evaluations and Inspection Panel investigations all document that the World Bank's safeguard policies must be strengthened and more strictly supervised and complied with. This has been confirmed by the report of the Extractive Industries Review. It will also be important to strengthen the role of the Inspection Panel in the follow-up to its investigations. We welcome the recommendations of the EIR, and the measures that private banks and export credit agencies have recently taken to strengthen their own standards. Many of these standards are still inadequate, and are often not implemented in practice. The process of strengthening the social and environmental standards of financial institutions must therefore continue. It is worrying that the World Bank management intends to undermine this trend by shying away from complying with international standards in Bank projects. § Administrative burden: The administrative inconsistencies of the procedures of international financial institutions create an unnecessary cost and burden for borrowing governments. The MIC strategy does not resolve this problem. It proposes that national standards be analyzed and certified regarding their equivalence with World Bank standards. Subjecting national standards to international certification could create additional costs and delays. In the case of the Mexico pilot project, the borrower for example had to prepare, and will need to comply with, a new Environmental and Social Management Framework, in addition to national laws and state regulations. While we support an administrative harmonization of lending procedures, we are opposed to any 'harmonization' process that will weaken social and environmental standards but will not create any real administrative benefits for borrowers. In conclusion, we support a strengthening of national social and environmental standards and capacities, but will oppose any measures that will weaken the World Bank's safeguard policies, and the accountability of the Bank regarding compliance with these policies. We strongly recommend that the Board of Directors postpone a discussion of the Mexico pilot project until it has had the opportunity to discuss a revised version of the MIC strategy. The existing safeguard policies have been adopted based on extensive consultation with international civil society. Any proposed changes that affect these policies should therefore be made public for meaningful discussions by civil society before they are presented to the Board of Directors. Thank you for your attention to these concerns. Yours sincerely, Peter Bosshard, International Rivers Network, USA Gustavo Castro Soto, Centro de Investigaciones EconÑmicas y PolÌticas de AcciÑn Comunitaria (CIEPAC), Mexico Shripad Dharmadhikary, Manthan Adhyayan Kendra, India Manana Kochladze, CEE Bankwatch Network, Georgia Ashish Kothari, Kalpavriksh, India David Ugulor, African Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Nigeria cc. James D. Wolfensohn, President, The World Bank This letter has been endorsed by the following groups and individuals: Endorsements from national and international NGOs: Jorge Carpio, Foro de Participacion Ciudadana (FOCO), Argentina Elba Stancich, Taller Ecologista, Argentina Kate Walsh, AidWatch, Australia Paul Bourke, Australia Tibet Council, Australia Cam Walker, Friends of the Earth Australia Elfriede Schachner, AGEZ - Arbeitsgemeinschaft Entwicklungszusammenarbeit, Austria Hildegard Wipfel, Koordinierungsstelle der Oesterreichischen Bischofskonferenz fuer internationale Entwicklung und Mission (KOO), Austria Zakir Kibria, BanglaPraxis, Bangladesh Arup Rahee, LOKOJ, Bangladesh Saskia Ozinga, FERN, Belgium Elisangela Paim, Amigos da Terra, Friends of the Earth Brazil Marcus Faro de Castro, Rede Brasil sobre Instituicoes Financeiras Multilaterais, Brazil Alcides Faria, Rios Vivos Coalition, Brazil Petko Kovatchec, Center for Environmental Information and Education (CEIE), Bulgaria Anelia Stefanova, Za Zemiata, Bulgaria Akong Charles Ndika, Global Village Cameroon Graham Saul, Friends of the Earth Canada Ian Baird, Global Association for People and Environment, Canada Michael Bassett, Halifax Initiative, Canada Juan Pablo Orrego, Alianza AysÈn Reserva de Vida, Chile Jenia Jofre, CODEFF (Comite Nacional pro Defensa de la Folra y Fauna), Chile Peter Hartmann, Comite Ciudadano por la Defensa de Aisen Reserva de Vida,Chile Cristian Opaso, Grupo de Accion por el Biobio (GABB), Chile Yu Xiaogang, Green Watershed, China Margarita FlÑrez, Instituto Latinoamericano de Servicios Legales (ILSA), Colombia Maria Cristina Umbarila, Fundacion Nueva Republica, Colombia Betsy Mayelis Romaßa BlandÑn, Red Nacional de Mujeres Afrocolombianas KambirÌ, olombia MarÌa Elena Unigarro Coral, Taller Abierto Cali, Colombia Manuel LÑpez & Isaac Rojas, COECOCEIBA - Amigos de la Tierra Costa Rica Klara Sutlovicova, Center for Transport and Energy, Czech Republic Pavel Pribyl, Hnuti Duha, Czech Republic Carlos Zorrilla, DECOIN, Ecuador Ricardo Navarro, CESTA - Friends of the Earth El Salvador Peep Mardiste, Friends of the Earth Estonia Tove Selin, Finnish ECA Reform Campaign, Finland SÈbastien Fourmy, Agir ici, France SÈbastien Godinot, Les Amis de la Terre, Friends of the Earth France Sharon Courtoux, Survie, France Annie Girard, RÈseau Foi & Justice Afrique-Europe, France Sophiko Akhobadze, Black Sea EcoAcademy, Georgia Nino Gujaraidze, Green Alternative, Georgia Keti Dgebuadze, International Information Center of Social Reforms, Georgia Kakha Nadiradze, World Youth Bank Network Georgia Dorothy-Grace Guerrero, Asienhaus, Germany Martin Gueck, KAIROS Europa, Germany Tsewang Norbu, Tibet Initiative Deutschland, Germany Knud Voecking, Urgewald, Germany Carole Werner, World Economy, Ecology and Development (WEED), Germany Richard Koranteng Twum Barimah, Volta Basin Development Foundation, Ghana uefa fifa Arni Finsson, Iceland Nature Conservation Association, Iceland Birsingh Sinku, B.I.R.S.A. Human Rights & Training Center, India Justin Imam, B.I.R.S.A. Mines Monitoring Center, India Bina Stanis, Chotanagpur Adivasi Sewa Samiti, India Roy Laifungbam, CORE (Centre for Organisation Research & Education), India Ramamurthi Sreedhar, Environics Trust, India Leo Saldanha, Environment Support Group, India Bulu Imam, INTACH, India Alok Agarwal, Jan Sangharsh Morcha, India Sushil Barla, Jharkhand Mines Area Coordination Committee (JMACC), India Smitu Kothari, Lokayan, India Ravi Rebbapragada & Xavier Dias, mines,minerals & PEOPLE, India Medha Patkar & Chittaroopa Palit, Narmada Bachao Andolan, India Ajita Susan George, Oman Mahila Samiti, India Sanjai Bhatt, Pairvi, India A. Latha, River Research Centre, Chalakudy River Protection Council, India Himanshu Thakkar, South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People, India Malavika Vartak, South Asia Regional Programme, Habitat International Coalition, India Shanti Sawaiyan, Women & Mining Network, India Anggara, Bandung Legal Aid Institute, Indonesia Binny Buchori, International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID), Indonesia Gita Meidita, NADI - Natural Resource And Development Initiatives, Indonesia Laura Radiconcini, Amici della Terra, Friends of the Earth Italy Jaroslava Colajacomo, Reform the World Bank Campaign, Italy Yoshihito Miyakoshi, A SEED Japan Ikuko Matsumoto, Friends of the Earth Japan Yuki Tanabe, JACSES, Japan Satoru Matsumoto, Mekong Watch, Japan Kalia Moldogazieva, Tree of Life, Kyrgyz Republic Alda Ozola, Friends of the Earth Latvia Saulius Piksrys, Community Atgaja, Lithuania Ana Golovic, Ecosens, Macedonia Wong Meng Chuo, IDEAL (Institute for Development of Alternative Living), Malaysia Julian Manduca, Moviment ghall-Ambjent, Friends of the Earth Malta Arturo Morales Tirado, Sociedad Audubon de MÈxico, Guanajuato, MÈxico Jose Manuel Arias Rodriguez, AsociaciÑn Ecologica Santo TomÀs A.C., Mexico Susana Cruickshank, Equipo Pueblo, Mexico Rodolfo Chavez Galindo, Frente por los Derechos Economicos Socio-Ambientales yCulturales de los Pueblos, Mexico Fernando Melo, Trasparencia Sociedad Civil, Mexico Anabela Lemos, JustiÃa Ambiental, MoÃambique Daniel Ribeiro, Livaningo, MoÃambique Bertchen Kohrs, Earthlife Namibia Prabin Man Singh, Arun Concerned Group, Nepal Bed Prakash Bhattarai, Kali Gandaki A Affected Concerned Committee, Nepal Arun Kumar Shrestha, National Concerns Society, Nepal Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists (NEFEJ), Nepal Arjun Dhakal, Nepal Network for Sustaininable Development (NNSD), Nepal Roy Laifungbam, South Asian Solidarity for Rivers and Peoples (SARP), Nepal Gopal Siwakoti 'Chintan', Water and Energy Users' Federation-Nepal (WAFED), Nepal Filka Sekulova, A SEED Europe, Netherlands Johan Frijns, BankTrack, Netherlands Henneke Brink, Both Ends, Netherlands Ricardo Navarro & Janneke Bruil, Friends of the Earth International, Netherlands Donald Pols, Friends of the Earth Netherlands Gordon Abiama, Africa Centre for Geoclassical Economics, Nigeria George-Hill Anthony, Commonwealth of Niger Delta Youths, Nigeria Uche Igwe, Community Level Environmental Action Network (CLEAN Nigeria), Nigeria Aliyu Noma Usman, Dam Communities Coalition, Nigeria Bassey Ekpenyong, Initiative Development Network (IDN), Nigeria, Akpan Anthony Johnson, Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE), Nigeria Chibuzo Ekwekwuo, Public & Private Rights Watch, Nigeria Mimidoo Achakpa, womens right to education programme education programme, Nigeria Tonje Folkestad, FIVAS (Association for International Water and Forest Studies), Norway Muhammad Nauman, Creed Alliance, Pakistan Sarah Siddiqi, Karachi Administration Women Welfare Society (KAWWS), Pakistan Damien Ase, Center for Environmental Law and Community Rights/Friends of the Earth Papua New Guinea Jorge Urusoff, Coordinadora de Barrios Afectados por la Entidad Binacional YacyretÀ, Paraguay ElÌas DÌaz Peßa, Sobrevivencia, Friends of the Earth Paraguay Carlos Abanto, Asociacion Civil Labor - Amigos de la Tierra Peru Nilton Deza, Ecovida, Peru Joan Carling, Cordillera Peoples Alliance, Philippines Lidy B. Nacpil, Freedom from Debt Coalition, Philippines Clemente Bautista, Kalikasan-People's Network for the Environment,Philippines Leonor Briones, Social Watch Philippines Joji Carino, Tebtebba Foundation, Philippines/United Kingdom Andrzej Gula, Institute for Environmental Tax Reform, Poland Robert Cyglicki, Polish Green Net, Poland Piotr Dynowski, Polish-Tibetan Friendship Association, Poland Renato Roldao, EURONATURA - Centre for Environmental Law and Sustainable Development, Portugal Aboubacry Mbodj, Co-ordination for Senegal River Basin (CODESEN), Senegal Demba Moussa Dembele, Forum for African Alternatives, Senegal Rencontre Africaine pour la DÈfense des Droits de l'Homme (RADDHO), Senegal Peter Mihok, Center for Environmental Public Advocacy (CEPA), Slovak Republic Liane Greeff, Environmental Monitoring Group, South Africa Philip Owen, Geasphere, South Africa Gillian Addison, groundwork, South Africa Rosa Sala, Intermon Oxfam, Spain Hemantha Withanage, Centre for Environmental Justice, Sri Lanka Sri Lankan Working Group on Trade and IFIs, Sri Lanka Penny Davies, Diakonia, Sweden GÆran Ek, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, Sweden Christine Eberlein, Berne Declaration, Switzerland Sonja Ribi, Pro Natura - Friends of the Earth Switzerland Peter Niggli, Swiss Coalition of Development Organizations, Switzerland Caroline Morel, Swissaid, Switzerland Benedict Chacha Peter, Foundation HELP, Tanzania Prasittiporn Kan-onsri (Noi), Community University, Assembly of the Poor, Thailand Chana Maung & Carol Ransley, EarthRights International (Southeast Asia), Thailand Shalmali Guttal, Focus on the Global South, Thailand/India Chainarong Sretthachau, Southeast Asia Rivers, Thailand Sena Adessou, Jeunes Volontaires pour l'Environnement, Togo Frank Muramuzi, National Association of Professional Environmentalists, Uganda O.C Afunaduula, Save Bujagali Crusade, Uganda Francis Kidega, Uganda Youth Network, Uganda Hannah Ellis, Friends of the Earth England, Wales & Northern Ireland Najib Afsar, Anti Mangla Dam Extension Action Committee, United Kingdom/Jammu Kashmir Jeff Powell, Bretton Woods Project, United Kingdom Nicholas Hildyard, Corner House, United Kingdom Marcus Colchester, Forest Peoples Programme, United Kingdom Geoff Nettleton, Indigenous Peoples Links, United Kingdom Richard Harkinson, Minewatch, United Kingdom Clare Joy, World Development Movement, United Kingdom Rick Rowden, ActionAid USA Bruce Jenkins, Bank Information Center, USA Beverly Bell, Center for Economic Justice, USA Nancy Alexander, Citizens' Network on Essential Services, USA Stephen Hellinger, The Development GAP, USA Payal Sampat, Earthworks/Mineral Policy Center, USA Bruce Rich, Environmental Defense, USA Jon Sohn, Friends of the Earth USA Paula Palmer, Global Response, USA Douglas Norlen, Pacific Environment, USA Wenonah Hauter, Public Citizen, USA Michael Brune, Rainforest Action Network, USA Douglas Hellinger, Structural Adjustment Participatory Review International Network (SAPRIN), USA Lhadon Thetong, Students for a Free Tibet, USA Daphne Wysham, Sustainable Energy & Economy Network, USA Robert Jacobs, Tibet Committee of Fairbanks, USA Tashi Tsering, Tibet Justice Center, USA Sonam Wangdu, U.S. Tibet Committee, USA Mark Dubois, WorldWise, USA Individual endorsements: Jeannie Martin, University of Western Sydney, Australia Geraldo Browne Ribeiro Filho, Brazil Prof. Jan Andersson, WestfÄlische Wilhelms-UniversitÄt MÝnster, Germany Susan George, Author and Associate Director, Transnational Institute, France Heidi Hawkins, University of Cape Town, South Africa John Riggs, South Africa Prof. Angana Chatterji, California Institute of Integral Studies, USA Prof. Jonathan Fox, University of California, USA Arif Gamal, USA/Sudan Rafael Friedmann, USA 7. EIA REPORT OF THE PROJECT ON "PROCESSING OF THE SAND DEPOSIT IN KHASHURI REGION" BY "PROGRESS-2" LTD Source: "Sakartvelos Respublica" ("Republic of Georgia"), June 3, 2004 In accordance with the Georgian legislation, "Progress-2" Ltd. submitted EIA report to the Ministry of Environment of Georgia to obtain an environmental permit for the activity of second category – Processing of the Sand Deposit in Khashuri Region. EIA report is available at the press-center of the Ministry of Environment (68, Kostava str., VI floor) and at the Department of Environmental Permits and State Ecological Expertise (87, Paliashvili Str., Tel: 25 02 19). Interested stakeholders can analyze the document and present their comments and considerations until July 27, 2004. Public hearing will be held on July 27, 2004 at 12:00, at the conference hall of the Ministry of Environment. 8. EIA REPORT OF THE PROJECT ON " PROJECT ON CAPTURE AND BOTTLING OF THE MINERAL SPRING IN TBILISI " BY "PROGRESS-2" LTD Source: "Sakartvelos Respublica" ("Republic of Georgia"), June 3, 2004 In accordance with the Georgian legislation, entrepreneur Bagrat Mezurnishvili – Black Georgia submitted EIA report to the Ministry of Environment of Georgia to obtain an environmental permit for the activity of second category – Project on Capture and Bottling of the Mineral Spring in Tbilisi. EIA report is available at the press-center of the Ministry of Environment (68, Kostava str., VI floor) and at the Department of Environmental Permits and State Ecological Expertise (87, Paliashvili Str., Tel: 25 02 19). Interested stakeholders can analyze the document and present their comments and considerations until July 27, 2004. Public hearing will be held on July 27, 2004 at 12:00, at the conference hall of the Ministry of Environment. 9. THE INTERNET CONFERENCE Dear colleague, As you might know the development of the "Georgian Business Code of Conduct" within the Business Ethics Program is coming to an end. On June 7 2004, under the same program we started up the web conference on the topic: "Georgian Business Code of Conduct Implementation" on The Internet Conference will discuss the issues of the implementation of Georgian Business Code of Conduct in Georgia. The program of seminars will be announced for the businesses. Those organizations and/or individuals who have websites can provide information support of the web conference. More detailed information you can find here: ;act=ST&f=7&t=56. Please note, we have now 32 supporters. So you and your colleagues can visit the website, register and take part in the discussions. With respect, Tariel Zivzivadze Business Ethics Program Director - AmCham Georgia Tel: +995 77 73 79 64; Mail: [email protected]; Web: -- ******************************************* CENN INFO Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN) Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46 Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47 E-mail: [email protected] URL:

PRESS RELEASE
The National Citizens’ Initiative
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 375033, Armenia
Tel: (+374 – 1) 27.16.00, 27.00.03
Fax: (+374 – 1) 52.48.46
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
June 3, 2004
National Citizens’ Initiative Examines Armenia’s Road to Democracy
Yerevan — The National Citizens’ Initiative (NCI) today convened
a specialized policy discussion on “Armenia’s Current Phase
of Democratization: The Backdrop of European Integration.” The
assembled policy experts and public figures addressed the specific
characteristics of the Republic and its integration into the European
family of nations, as well as the three-year track record of its
Council of Europe membership and further development prospects.
Raffi Hovannisian, founder of NCI and the Armenian Center for National
and International Studies (ACNIS), greeted the capacity audience
with opening remarks. “Against the background of national interests
and geopolitical transformations, European integration has become
a principal part of Armenia ‘s policy agenda. Given the results of
ACNIS’s recent expert opinion surveys, the integration inclinations
prevalent in Armenian society are viewed largely within the context
of safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and preserving its national
value system,” Hovannisian said.
In a paper on “The Three-Year Track Record of European Integration:
Advance or Retreat?,” parliamentarian Shavarsh Kocharian, who serves
in Armenia’s delegation to the Council of Europe, focused on the fact
that the Armenian public shares the pivotal principles of the Council:
development of democracy, establishment of the rule of law, honoring
of minority rights, maintenance of unique cultural heritage, and other
provisions of the European system of standards which correspond to our
national mindset and historical experience. “We had rather favorable
conditions to integrate into all European institutions, ensuring
advancement in all relevant spheres. Unfortunately, our authorities
and a certain segment of society do not realize the real significance
of the Council of Europe, and thus the last three years have turned
into a period of lost opportunities,” Shavarsh Kocharian held.
Tigran Jrbashian, executive director of the Armenian-European
Policy and Legal Advice Center, delivered an illustrated lecture
on “Armenia in the Conception of ‘Enlarged Europe’: Promises
and Prospects.” European integration paves a way to the future,
he asserted, as the new and wider Europe is aimed at enhancement of
democracy and security of peoples. “Membership in the enlarged Europe,
apart from accounting for serious material support, offers an excellent
chance to partake in common European programs such as cultivation of
socioeconomic policy and close cooperation in the fields of energy,
transport, culture, science and education, and, most importantly,
the refinement of our own institutional values.”
MP Armen Rustamian’s presentation on “Armenia’s Fulfillment of Its
Council of Europe Commitments” did not take place because of his
absence, but the ensuing discussion considered in detail all the
issues flowing from it.
The second session was completely devoted to exchanges of views
and policy recommendations among the public figures and policy
specialists in attendance. Noteworthy were contributions by former
prime minister Khosrov Harutiunian of the Christian Democratic Union;
former ambassador and current Yerevan State University professor
Davit Hovhannisian; Haik Sargsian, dean of the economics faculty of
Yerevan State University; Hrant Khachatrian of the Constitutional
Law Union; Mushegh Lalayan of the Republican Party; Petros Makeyan
of the Democratic Fatherland Party; Levon Zourabian of the Capital
Markets Development Project; Vardan Khachatrian, theology professor
at Yerevan State University; Tamar Gevorgian of the United Labor
Party; law professor Hrair Tovmasian; and many others. The speakers
attached prime importance to democratization within the framework of
European benchmarks, institutional reforms, legislative improvements,
and Armenia’s fulfillment of its Council of Europe commitments.
ACNIS analyst Hovsep Khurshudian closed the seminar with summary
remarks and words of gratitude. “Armenia’s drive toward European
integration is not an end in itself,” he said. “It is based on
Armenia’s own vital interest, and among all else helps to resolve
its security concerns. In this respect, today’s deliberations have
been very useful.”
The National Citizens’ Initiative is a public non-profit association
founded in 2001 by former foreign minister Raffi K. Hovannisian,
his colleagues, and fellow citizens with the purpose of realizing
the rule of law and overall improvements in the state of the state,
society, and public institutions. The National Citizens’ Initiative
is guided by a Coordinating Council, which includes individual
citizens and representatives of various public, scientific,
and educational establishments. Five commissions on Law and State
Administration, Socioeconomic Issues, Foreign Policy, Spiritual and
Cultural Challenges, and the Youth constitute the vehicles for the
Initiative’s work and outreach.
For further information, please call (3741) 27-16-00 or 27-00-03;
fax (3741) 52-48-46; e-mail [email protected]; or visit

Turkish Daily News
June 1 2004
Minority newspapers in Turkey – Part Two
Nor Marmara – the first Armenian newspaper on the Internet
`We believe that the number of our readers decreases with each death
announcement. Unfortunately, we don’t believe that a birth
announcement will bring us a new reader’
`Today Turkey’s biggest newspapers see minorities through a different
perspective. They feel attracted to them; they are defenders of
minorities against injustice, this pleases us greatly. The Turkish
Daily News is one of the newspapers that has approached minorities
sympathetically’
GUL DEMIR
ISTANBUL – Turkish Daily News
The Nor Marmara newspaper was established in 1940 by well-known
Armenian journalist Suren Samliyan. It was a weekly newspaper
initially but later became a daily because of the people’s intense
interest. Rober Haddeler took over the responsibility for the
newspaper in 1967 and it has now been published as a daily in
Armenian for 63 years. Nor Marmara, which cannot be published on
Sundays due to difficulties created by distribution, has four pages
and is published six days a week.
Rober Haddeler tries to keep Nor Marmara alive despite difficulties
in finding reporters, as well as with printing and advertising,
although the paper does now benefit from today’s technological
opportunities. Haddeler has turned over the day-to-day running of the
newspaper to his elder son Air with his younger son Ayk involved in
the management of the newspaper. Nor Marmara, which publishes a
supplement in Turkish on Fridays for Armenian citizens who cannot
read Armenian and for those who are interested in the life of
Armenians. The main goal of the newspaper is to keep the Armenian
language and culture alive while at the same time informing their
community of the latest news stories, discussing political issues in
Turkey and give snippets of information about the life of Armenians.
Rober Haddeler, who has had 50 to 60 books published so far and who
speaks English, French, Armenian and Turkish, is a graduate of the
Pangalti High School established by “Mihitarist” priests and the
Istanbul University Faculty of Letters Department of Philosophy.
Column articles in Nor Marmara are translated into Turkish by his
daughter-in-law Karolin Haddeler and published in the weekly Turkish
supplement.
TDN: How did you get started in journalism?
HADDELER: Actually, I am a man of letters, I was a writer before
becoming a journalist. I started writing Armenian stories in 1946. As
I am interested in literature, we prepared pages of literature in Nor
Marmara with a few friends between 1946-1967. In 1967, the former
owner of the newspaper Bedros Zobyan went abroad for the education of
his daughter. They asked me to take responsibility for the newspaper
for one or two years. I didn’t want to do it because I thought that
it was difficult to publish an Armenian newspaper in Turkey and I
didn’t want the responsibility, but I accepted it as a favor to my
friend. Because my friend did not return, whether I liked it or not,
I was forced to continue working on the newspaper. I must say that I
enjoyed it and I’ve never regretted it, it’s a pleasure to publish an
Armenian newspaper in Turkey. It makes one feel proud.
TDN: Have the winds of change blowing around Turkey and the world had
an influence on your newspaper?
HADDELER: It is a very big change but unfortunately we see this
change as deterioration. Everything is developing so fast in Turkey
with European standards being adopted. These developments bring many
things to Turkey but cause some minorities and groups to lose
something. Young Armenians are fascinated by Turkish television,
Turkish newspapers and radio. They think that it is unnecessary to
read an Armenian newspaper instead of a Turkish one because they
don’t expect the same thing from a newspaper as we do. Additionally,
we don’t compete against television and the rich Turkish press and we
lose our own readers. Also, our cultural publications don’t enthuse
the younger generation. They seek more popular culture.
Unfortunately, there is a permanent deterioration and decrease in the
number of our readership. I don’t know how long this can continue.
TDN: A decrease in the number of readers means a decrease in
circulation. What is the reason of this decrease?
HADDELER: When I took over responsibility for the newspaper, it had a
circulation of 3,500-4,000. It remained at this level for a long
time. In the last five-to-six years there has been a significant
decrease and today we have a circulation of below 2,000. However,
these figures are not important to us because 60 percent of our
newspapers are sent to relatives living abroad after being read by
our readers in Istanbul. They pass from hand to hand there. There is
one reason for the decrease in our circulation; the fact that
Armenian citizens living in Istanbul can’t read the Armenian language
or don’t want to read it. Generally, the number of those who want to
read in Armenian is very high but they can’t because of problems
caused by the Armenian alphabet. That’s why they read Turkish
newspapers. Additionally, for the first time in five years an
Armenian newspaper has been published on the Internet. We can make
our voice heard all over the world.
TDN: What is the most difficult thing in publishing the newspaper?
HADDELER: Although all the minorites have similar problems, the
Armenians have difficulty because they have a unique alphabet. It is
the richest and the most difficult one among the world’s alphabets.
If the young generation don’t wish to learn it then it is very
difficult for teach them. Teachers in the 15-18 schools of our
communty encounter lots of difficulties in teaching Armenian. We
believe that the number of our readers decreases with each death
announcement. Unfortunately, we don’t believe that a birth
announcement will bring us a new reader. In recent years there has
been a search for identity among people in the 20-30 year age group
but this does not overcome our difficulties. It is difficult enough
to find a reporter, and yet even if we do so, can he or she write in
Armenian?
TDN: Some laws relating to minorities living in Turkey were amended
in the EU adaptation process. As a journalist, you must know the
problems of your community. What are these problems?
HADDELER: Unfortunately, our community does have some problems. We
have called the state’s attention to these difficulties via our
patriarch and the managers of our community. We expect solutions. I
can say that today’s government is tolerant towards these issues. In
the EU adaptation process, important laws relating to property
acquisition were made, but none of these laws were put into effect.
Our community’s demands relating to property acquisition have yet to
be fulfilled, but even if they are fulfilled they cannot be put into
practice. We remain hopeful and believe these issues will be
resolved, and when they are resolved, Turkey won’t lose anything,
only win, because people abroad attach great importance to
unimportant things. We don’t think about applying to places like the
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). We believe that such methods
will overshadow our citizenship. We prefer to overcome these
difficulties with our own state. We believe that they can easily be
overcome but they continue because of reasons that we don’t
understand. I can list these difficulties; Minority foundations are
not given the possibility of surviving. Many rights given to Turkish
foundations are not given to minority foundations. We have 30
churches today but if we want to build a 31st church we can’t do it,
so we have to forget about building a new church, we can’t even add a
storey to one of the properties of our churches or construct a
building on empty land belonging to one of our churches in order to
obtain income. This is one of the biggest problems for us.
Additionally, when rich citizens want to donate some of their
property to their own foundation it is not accepted, they have to
sell their property and give the money to their foundation. You know
that money and property are different things, money is quickly used
up, but property remains permanent.
Besides this, we hold two kinds of elections every four to five years
to elect the administrators of our community. We have some problems
regarding these elections. For example, it is a condition that
candidates and electors must be from the same district but we have
churches in some districts where no Armenians live. Who will take
responsibility for these beautiful treasures that helps to create
Turkey’s richness? We have many problems such as this.
TDN: When you compare the past and present, what has changed in the
attitude of the Turkish press towards minorities?
HADDELER: Unfortunately, the minorities received three or four blows
during the period of the Republic. First, among minorities only men
above 20 were enlisted during the war. This was an unforgettable
event for us because many families ran into difficulties and
dispersed. Later, the Wealth Tax was imposed causing many Armenians
to become very poor followed by the September 6-7 [1955] events. I
experienced it and still don’t understand how it was done. If the
target was only Greeks, why were other minorities chosen as a target?
Their properties and wealth were plundered. Because of this event
many friends left Turkey within a year or two. This caused our
community and Turkey to lose many things. All these things may be
seen as the necessities of politics at the time.
Today the press’ attitude towards minorities is sympathetic, the
turkish press did not feel so attracted to minorities in the past.
For example, when an Armenian was found guilty of a crime it was
stressed over and over again in the press. There was enmity. Today,
Turkey’s biggest newspapers see minorities through a different
perspective. They feel attracted to them; they are defenders of
minorities against injustice, this pleases us greatly. The Turkish
Daily News is one of the newspapers which has approached the
minorities sympathetically. When I met you, its Istanbul office
representative, I felt better. I said that we would see love if there
were such friends in Turkish press. The Armenian press abroad closely
follows the Turkish Daily News because it is accepted as one of the
newspapers reporting events the best.
TDN: Does Nor Marmara newspaper have future plans?
HADDELER: In my opinion we publish a high-quality newspaper. We have
no future projects because we just think about tomorrow. We don’t
have the opportunity to think ahead a few years. We let sleeping dogs
lie. Let’s see how the life of our community will go on. Maybe we can
publish our Turkish newspaper two to three days a week while
publishing our Armenian newspaper. Maybe we can publish a separate
Turkish newspaper. But is an advantage for Turkey that a newspaper
like Nor Marmara is published in Turkey. We are admired by all people
who like Turkey or not, they are astonished, exclaiming, “Such a
newspaper is published in Turkey!” People in Diaspora are interested
in Turkey the most. This makes us work harder. If the Armenian
community living abroad is taken into consideration, we are one of
the factors that reflects Turkey’s image best. Nor Marmara newspaper
is the one which is sought and read most. It is said, “It is true if
the Marmara newspaper writes it.”

Armavir unit of Russian Border Troops marks 80th jubilee
By Tigran Liloyan
ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 30, 2004 Sunday
ARMAVIR (Armenia), May 30 – The Armavir unit of the Russian Border
Troops, which is stationed on the Armenian-Turkish frontier, is
celebrating the 80th jubilee.
The 26th separate border battalion was formed on the basis of the 2nd
division of the Red Army after the Soviet regime had been established
in Armenia. The battalion was transformed into a border unit on May
25, 1924. The unit command was moved to Yerevan, Artashat and later
on to Oktemberyan (currently Armavir).
Border unit commander Col. Sergei Kuklin said they had detained 904
border trespassers since 1943. Four Heroes of the Soviet Union served
with the unit.
The Armavir unit “has always been a school of courage, patriotism
and internationalism,” Commander of the Armenian Border Troops Col.
Vyacheslav Voksanyan said. Head of the Armavir regional administration
Albert Geroyan said that the local residents and authorities are
actively cooperating with Russian border guards. Local businessmen
sponsor the border unit.
Yerevan regards the presence of Russian border guards and a Russian
military base in Armenia as an important component of the national
security.

US Azeris should have close ties with Congress, congressman tells Azeri TV
Space TV, Baku
25 May 04
US Congressman Curt Weldon, vice chairman of the House Armed Services
Committee, has urged American Azeris to be more active and to support
the Azerbaijani caucus in the US Congress, Azerbaijani Space TV said
on 25 May.
In a live link-up with the studio of Space TV and a panel of
experts, the head the Azerbaijani caucus called on the US Azeris
to “have relations with Congress members and ask them to join the
Azerbaijani caucus” which is “a small group of 10 people”. “However,
we are growing. The caucus has representatives of both parties,”
Weldon said, adding that the Israeli and Armenian caucus are much
stronger because they take this issue seriously.
Curt Weldon said that the caucus was set up to inform US congressmen
of Azerbaijan and to prevent any laws “directed against your country’s
interests” from being adopted. “This is the best way of establishing
cooperation between the two nations,” he said. “In some cases,
this is a kind of bridge to help to avoid conflicts and perhaps,
some negative feelings your people or other nations might have about
the USA,” Weldon said.
“The US congressmen want to bring together the Azerbaijani and Armenian
leaders and tell them that we want to be friends with both nations
and both countries. Do not force us to take sides. We do not want to
do that,” he said.
Questions were asked about the amount of the US aid to Armenia which
is larger than that to Azerbaijan especially in view of Azerbaijan’s
active involvement in the US-led antiterror fight. In reply to the
question, Weldon said that his “country and president highly values
Azerbaijan’s role in the fight against terrorism”.
Weldon added that “Azerbaijan’s decision to send its military force to
Iraq is highly appreciated as well as the fact that the Azerbaijani
sons and daughters are taking part in that side-by-side with the
Americans. The Americans should be made aware of this. As for your
question whether the US Congress is aware of Azerbaijan’s role
in the fight against terrorism, I would say that most of them are
not. The purpose of the caucus is to better inform them. You asked
me why Armenia receives such extensive support. This is because the
Armenian caucus is strong. There are a couple of reasons for that. The
Armenians have had their caucus for many years. Hundreds of thousands
of Armenians live in the USA. They have close relations with their
congressmen. The US Armenians are very active and ask congressmen to
work with Armenia on significant issues. The US Azeris should be more
active with their congressmen.
“What we do not want is to be pro-Armenian against Azerbaijan
or pro-Azerbaijani against Armenia. We want the US congressmen
to understand both countries well and to make friends with both
countries and their peoples. To achieve this, we would like Armenia
and Azerbaijan to understand each other better. We want something
similar with other countries as well,” Weldon said.
The deputy speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament, Ziyafat Asgarov;
a member of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Council of Europe,
MP Asim Molla-zada; the head of the section of the presidential
executive office for work with Azerbaijanis abroad, Rustam Mammadov;
and the editor-in-chief of the Russian-language newspaper Ekho and a
Space TV correspondent, Seyran Mammadov, were all members of the panel.
The “Ekspert: Azerbaijan-USA TV bridge” programme was broadcast on
Space TV at 1630 gmt on 25 May and also at 0730 gmt on 26 May and
hosted by Sevinc Mirzayeva.

BOXING: Team USA’s Vanes Martirosyan Grabs First Win at Athens Test Event
Sports Features Communications (press release), FL
May 28 2004
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. – United States welterweight (152 lbs/69 kg)
Vanes Martirosyan recorded a win in his first bout of the Athens Test
Event on Thursday evening at the Peristeri Olympic Boxing Hall in
Athens, Greece. Martirosyan defeated Bulent Ulusoy of Turkey, 23-14,
in their quarterfinal match-up, and the first bout of the tournament
for both Martirosyan and the U.S. team.
Despite early nervousness in the contest, Martirosyan pushed
through a tough first round to pull out the preliminary victory.
Martirosyan’s Armenian background contributed to his nervousness,
knowing the battles that his homeland had faced with Turkey, but
strong advice from his father helped Martirosyan turn his attention
back to business in the ring.
“My dad told me to forget about the past and have fun, and that’s
what I tried to do,” Martirosyan said. “I knew that my opponent was
very good, but I listened to the instructions from my corner and used
my jab. ”
Head Coach Basheer Abdullah praised his boxer’s victory in his first
bout of the competition, but saw room for improvement. “Overall I
give him a B-,” Abdullah said. “It was a good start for Vanes. He was
a little nervous and it showed but he put it all together and pulled
out the win.”
Martirosyan will face Cuban World Champion, Lorenzo Aragon in
Saturday’s semifinal action, and the 18-year-old Olympian is ready
for the challenge.
“I feel great, and I am going to go into the ring with a lot of
confidence on Saturday,” Martirosyan said.
Middleweight (165 lbs/75 kg) Andre Dirrell of Flint, Mich., will
be the next U.S. boxer to compete in Athens when he faces off with
China’s Dabateer Ha on Friday evening.