Author: Badalian Vardan

PanArmenian News, Armenia
July 11 2005
PRE-ELECTION SITUATION AFFECTED BAKU POSITION ON KARABAKH ISSUE
11.07.2005 04:06
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In the opinion of OSCE Minsk Group former Russian
Co-Chair Vladimir Kazimirov the proposal by official Baku on joint
operation of the transport communications is addressed to the voters
and international community. `Azerbaijan is preparing for the
parliamentary elections and the calculations already affect Baku’s
strategy on the negotiation process’, Vladimir Kazimirov said in a
conversation with Vremya Novostey Russian newspaper. In his words,
Armenians who are not influenced by the elections are more restrained
in assessing the negotiation process. Kazimirov also noted that
despite its belligerence Azerbaijan started mentioning of some trust.
V. Kazimirov reminded of Baku’s proposal on joint control over the
highway connecting Aghdam and Nakhichevan. `The problem of
communication in the conflict region is important, however it is not
the key to the conflict settlement. Official Baku wishes to partially
control the Lachin corridor connecting Armenia and Karabakh. During
17 years Azerbaijan has been imposing blockade on Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh and the blockage tells on other states as well. He also
noted that the status of Karabakh and the `liberation of the
territories seized by Armenia 11-2 years ago during the hostilities’
still remains the core of the dispute.

ECONOMIC GROWTH TO AFFECT THE TAX-PAYERS
A1+
11-07-2005
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID/Armenia)
is launching a new five-year project to advance tax reforms in
Armenia. {BR}
The Tax Improvement Project (TIP), which is being implemented through
a contract with Booz Allen Hamilton, will focus on improving the
management of the State Tax Service (STS) in order to raise Armenia’s
tax/GDP ratio. Building on the impressive growth of Armenia’s economy
for the past three years, USAID/Armenia will work with the STS to
increase tax revenues, thus providing the state with additional funds
for health, education and other critical expenditures. While the
project’s emphasis will be on tax administration, TIP will also work
on tax policy as well as on providing the Armenian public with greater
information on the tax system.
The preparation of the Tax Improvement Project benefited from
significant cooperation among the Government of Armenia, USAID and the
International Monetary Fund (IMF). Both donor organizations consider
revenue increases in Armenia as one of the most important
macroeconomic priorities.
Dennis Melton, who brings with him 24 years of experience in the U.S.
Internal Revenue Service, is the Director of the USAID Tax Improvement
Project. Mr. Melton has also served as a U.S. Tax Attaché in Riyadh
and Singapore. Armen Alaverdayn, Deputy Head of the Armenian Tax
Service, also played an important role in the preparation of the
project.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #126, 09/07/2005
Karabakh issue
TERRY DAVIS: ARMENIA OCCUPIED AZERBAIJAN’S LANDS
According to the Azeri Press, CE Secretary General stated that if any of the
sides in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict unfolds military actions, it will be
excluded from the CE. In 2001, when becoming CE members, Armenia and
Azerbaijan obliged to solve the conflict through peaceful settlement.
“Notwithstanding the approach of the Armenian political figures to the
Nagorno Karabakh issue, we all know that Armenia occupied the Azeri
territories laying between the two countries,” Terry Davis said.

Armenpress
PARLIAMENT RATIFIES TWO AGREEMENTS
YEREVAN, JULY 8, ARMENPRESS: Before wrapping up an extraordinary session
today lawmakers approved a German-Armenian agreement, whereby the government
of Germany commits to allocate a 6 million euro credit to Armenia for
implementation of a renewable energy program and a 1.6 million euro grant to
back up the program technically.
The credit will be given by German KfW bank with a 40-year maturity and
10-year grace period at 0.75 percent interest rate. The money will be used
for reconstruction and repair of power plants. The parliament also ratified
another agreement between Armenia and International Development Association
(IDA) for implementation of a $20 million worth water supply and waste water
removal improvement project. This project is supposed to be accomplished by
2010.

A1plus
| 20:38:49 | 06-07-2005 | Social |
JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES RENOUNCE ALTERNATIVE MILITARY SERVICE
In contrast to the previous mobilization, this year no member of the
organization `Jehovah’s Witnesses’ went to the Gyumri mental hospital for
alternative military service. And the two believers, who had gone there in
spring of 2004, left the hospital without finishing their service, `Tsayg’
TV Company reports.
Witnesses of Jehovah Taron from Vanadzor and Sargis from Yerevan were
mobilized last year. At the beginning of their service they did not have any
complaints of the hospital. Nevertheless, according to the head of the
hospital Nadia Vardanyan, about a month ago they applied to them and said
that although they are pleased with the work and with the attitude of the
doctors towards them, they do not want to continue their service. The reason
was that they were against the control of the military police.
According to Nadia Vardanyan, a criminal case has been aroused and the boys
will probably be tried.

AZG Armenian Daily #124, 07/07/2005
Cinema
‘ATOMIC TRUTH’ IN KARLOVI VARI
At the 40th international film festival in Czech health resort of Karlovi
Vari Armenian-American film director Atom Egoyan represented his “Where the
Truth Lies” new film. In his speech that followed featuring, Egoyan said
that his film has been already shown at the Cannes Festival but only to
journalists. In fact, this was the first public featuring. “I was deeply
touched to see through the window of Termal Hotel young men running into the
hall”, Egoyan said to a press conference the next day. The scenario of the
film is based on the novel by Nero Wolf, which received best American novel
prize in 2004. The film is the story of Lanny Morris (Kevin Bacon) and
Vincent Collins (Colin Firth), the hottest showbiz duo of America in 1950s.
It is built on the contrast of private and public lives and discloses wicked
sides of show business, explores the dark, beguiling, and inevitably
destructive side of fame and fortune. The film was shown on the sidelines of
Horizons program separately from the festival agenda. It received the
spectators’ wild applause, and the daily newspaper of the festival dubbed it
and “atomic truth”.
By Hakob Asatrian in Karlovi Vari

AMENDMENTS TO BE INSERTED INTO LAW ON SOCIAL CARDS TAKING INTO ACCOUNT
INTERESTS OF CITIZENS NOT WISHING TO GET THEM
YEREVAN, JULY 6. ARMINFO. Some amendments will be inserted into
Armenia’s law on social cards, taking into account interests of those
citizens not wishing to get them. The agreement was reached during a
meeting of Armenia’s Minister for Labor and Social Affairs Aghvan
Vardanyan with Kh. Stamboltsyan and A. Grigoryan.
As ARMINFO was informed in Ministry’s press-service, the law should
specify that the individual data of citizens collected in the
information data-base of social cards will be limited enough. The law
also supposes to register the absence of connection between the social
cards system and citizens’ religious views, as well as to register a
provision according to which the figure printed on the social card
will be its number. According to Ministry’s representatives, all the
reasons for discontent will be eliminated as a result of the mentioned
amendments.

AZG Armenian Daily #123, 06/07/2005
Armenian Genocide
IF TITLED ‘ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’, THE RESOLUTION WOULD NOT PASS
Christoph Bergner Claims
On June 16, the April 24 Group organized by the Central Board of Germany’s
Armenians held a dispute in Berlin to exchange thoughts on why the German
Federal Parliament avoided the word “genocide” in its resolution. The
lawmakers — Christoph Bergner from CDU/CSU, Markus Meckel from SPD,
representative of Green Party Weishuhn — were to express their opinions.
Views of the participants rather varied: Prof. Otto Luchterhandt, for one,
called Bundestag’s resolution “schizophrenia”, pointing out at the
difference of words “massacres” and “genocide” in the title and in the
confirmatory part. Opposing professor, the lawmakers said that Luchterhandt
bears no political responsibility and that makes it easy for him to
criticize. Bergner reminded of the appeal on Armenian Genocide submitted to
Bundestag back in 2000 and said that the main reason why it was voted down
was due to the “genocide recognition” expression. If the resolution bore the
heading “genocide recognition”, it would not be also accepted even by
CDU/CSU. We could pass a law condemning the Genocide but that would be of no
avail, representative of Christian Democratic Union said adding that we aim
at establishing mutual trust between the two states and launching a dialogue
to improve their relations.
The lawmakers stated that they understand that Turkey is simply gaining time
and that they rely more on far-outer Turkish historians either in or out of
the country. Asked whether the reason of eschewing the word “genocide” came
because of the fear to lose votes of the Turkish electorate, deputies Meckel
and Weishuhn gave no answer. Explaining why the Armenian Genocide issue
appeared in the spotlight only a year ago, Christoph Bergner, head of the
South Caucasian Faction of the Bundestag, said that he felt that a
resolution should be adopted while visiting the region.
Allegedly, this step was directed firstly at establishing relations with
Armenia, secondly, many EU states have already adopted resolutions on
Armenian Genocide and avoiding would set Germany apart. Not less important
was the fact that the Genocide issue can be a precondition for Turkey’s EU
accession.
If the resolution of Bundestag has no force of law what can it provide? The
vital thing, the German side thinks, is that it opens doors for Genocide to
enter history textbooks of German Federative Republic. It must be noted
though that the education ministries of 16 German regions are independent in
setting their curriculums. Journalist Raffi Kandian thinks that all federal
states will include the Armenian genocide in their history textbooks
following the example of the State of Brandenburg. Kandian also said that
Germany’s self-condemnation in the resolution, being somewhat reserved,
sends an appeal to its former ally Turkey to follow its example.
Turkey is, certainly, very far from following in Germany’s footsteps. In
April of 2005, a khachkar (cross-stone) was erected in Bremen in memory of
the victims of Armenian Genocide. Giving in to Turkish resistance, mayor of
the town, Henning Scherf (SDU), promised to organize an Armenian-Turkish
dialogue. On June 30, an Armenian-Turkish dispute took place at the
initiative of the mayor with the participation of Turkish consul-general to
Hanover, Emine Birgen Kesoglu, Ali Syoylemezoglu, Mustafa Colak and from the
Armenian side — Raffi Kandian and Otto Luchterhandt. The dispute proved
that the Turks of Germany are far from revising their history. Mayor Scherf
said in his turn that the Germans occupied their place in civilized world
after having criticized their history.
By Anahit Hovsepian in Germany

RA STATE BUDGET REVENUES IN JANUARY-MAY EXCEED INDEX OF SAME PERIOD OF
2004 BY 27.2%
YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. In Janury-May, 2005, the RA state budget
revenues grew by 27.2% on the same period of last year and made 131.5
bln drams (about 297.7 mln USD), with tax revenues increasing by 24.2%
to 111.3 bln drams and nontax revenues – by 71.3% to 11 bln 860.1 mln
drams. State duty revenues fell by 4.8% to 5.8 bln drams in the period
under review. According to the RA National Statistical Service, in the
first five months of 2005, the state budget expenditures made 122 bln
762.9 mln drams, which exceeded the respective index of last year by
22.5%. The surplus of the budget made 11 bln 676.2 mln drams in the
same months.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr. Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
HIS HOLINESS MEETS WITH PATRIARCH SFEIR
His Holiness Aram I held a meeting with Patriarch Sfeir on July 2 in
Bekerki. The personal visit became an opportunity for the two spiritual
leaders to discuss the internal situation of Lebanon and the challenges it
faces particularly after the parliamentary elections.
Aram I and Sfeir emphasized the importance of devising a new election law,
forming a national unity government and strengthening the cooperation
between the different confessions in Lebanon.
His Holiness Aram I also had a meeting with the president of the Republic of
Lebanon, HE General Emile Lahoud.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.