Author: Badalian Vardan

Russia’s Gazprom Plans to Switch Attention From Iran to Armenia, Georgia
MOSNEWS, Russia
Nov 12 2004
MosNews
Russia’s natural gas monopoly has cancelled plans to take part in a
tender to construct facilities at the Iranian South Pars field, the
Itar-Tass news agency reports. The agency quoted Sergey Kuznets, an
official from Gazprom’s legal department, as saying that the company
“held preliminary talks and looked at the project’s economics and
decided not to send a binding application to take part in the tender”.
However, Kuznets said that Gazprom was interested in Armenian energy
projects. Gazprom is looking at the possibility of taking part in
the construction of a gas pipeline from Iran to Armenia and in the
privatization of Georgian pipelines linking Russia and Armenia.
Kuznets said that if privatization conditions in Georgia suit Gazprom,
the company will consider participation in the privatization of a
main gas pipeline and gas distribution organization as promising. For
Gazprom “this is important as these gas pipelines link Russia to
Armenia”.

ARMENIA TREE PROJECT
65 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472 USA
(617) 926-TREE (8733)
PRESS RELEASE
November 10, 2004
ATP Participates in International Forum on Farming and Agribusiness in
Armenia
YEREVAN–Hundreds of Armenian farmers and agribusiness owners joined
experts from 27 countries late last month for an international
conference on ways of boosting Armenia’s vital agriculture sector.
The three-day forum organized by the Ministry of Agriculture was
attended by senior Armenian officials and representatives of Western
donor agencies and other international institutions. The latter pledged
continued assistance to the sector, which generates at least 20 percent
of the Armenia’s Gross Domestic Product and employs approximately 40
percent of the labor force.
The October 28-30 conference, which was attended by more than 500
participants, included a report by representatives of the Armenia
Tree Project (ATP) titled “Community Driven Conservation Development:
Lessons Learned From the Armenia Tree Project.”
The paper was presented by Karla M. Wesley, PhD, on behalf of
ATP and co-authored by ATP staff members Mher Sadoyan and Anahit
Gharibyan. During the presentation, Dr. Wesley, an affiliated
researcher at the University of California at Davis, explored the
“community development lessons” learned from Armenians in nearly 500
locations throughout the country who planted over 530,000 trees with
ATP between 1994-2004.
Discussing its founding in 1994, she explained that ATP was created
to address the ecological and social importance of reforesting the
country. “The primary goal of ATP continues to be the assistance of
the Armenian people in using trees to improve their standard of living
and protect the global environment. As an extension of these projects,
ATP also aims to promote self-sufficiency, aiding primarily those
with the fewest resources first, and conserve Armenia’s indigenous
ecosystem,” she stated.
“ATP began an innovative program to establish social contracts
with individual communities through mayors and institutions,” she
continued. To be eligible, ATP sites must meet three key criteria: good
irrigation, sufficient soil quality, and a highly motivated resident
population. “This paper focuses on the significant importance of the
last criteria: resident motivation, or what experts in the development
field call ‘community buy-in,'” explained Dr. Wesley.
During her presentation, Dr. Wesley explained the method of coppicing,
in which ATP staff rejuvenate declining forests by cutting tree
stumps with intact root systems to select the strongest shoot for
successful rejuvenation. “Since 1999, these coppicing projects have
gradually grown from three hectares a year to 210 hectares in 2004,”
she emphasized.
Dr. Wesley also noted that ATP operates one-hectare nurseries in the
refugee-villages of Karin and Khachpar, employing 29 workers there
and producing a total of 50,000 seedlings each year. She also pointed
out that a six-hectare nursery was established this year in Vanadzor,
which is already growing 400,000 trees for mountain reforestation.
Finally, Dr. Wesley described ATP’s sustainable mountain development
program, which addresses the growing concern about Armenia’s
forest loss and addresses the severe socio-economic needs of rural
communities. Located in one of the poorest regions of Armenia,
the Getik River Valley north of Lake Sevan was chosen by ATP for a
model project, and 17 families in Aygut chose to participate in ATP’s
innovative backyard nursery project.
“Central to this reforestation project’s success has been its use
of social contracts to establish rules of interaction that encourage
self-determination and autonomy in communities traumatized by war and
severe poverty,” she stated. “But the greatest lesson to be learned
may be the willingness of the Armenian people to care about their
environment. Common beliefs that Armenians are not interested in
environmental issues have been disproven by the ATP experience.”
“By developing long-term relationships and providing Armenian
citizens with the necessary skills and tools, ATP helps Armenians
restore native tree species critical for Caucasian biodiversity while
reclaiming self-sufficiency for their families and communities,”
concluded Dr. Wesley.
After the presentation, ATP Deputy Country Director Mher Sadoyan
responded to questions from the audience. A number of international
forestry experts were in attendance, including Lara Peterson
and DeAndra Beck of the US Forest Service International Program
in Washington, and Zvi Herman, director of the Israeli Ministry
of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Center for International
Agricultural Development.
Mr. Herman responded quite positively to the presentation, and
he was especially delighted when he learned that one of ATP’s
nursery directors received training in Israel, and that Israeli
irrigation systems were being utilized at ATP’s nurseries. Ms. Beck
and Ms. Peterson were also enthusiastic about the presentation,
especially after having toured ATP’s Karin Nursery earlier in the week.
For additional information about the First International AgroForum
in Armenia, visit For information about Armenia
Tree Project and its programs, visit
PHOTO CAPTION (ATP at AgroForum.jpg): Karla M. Wesley (right) and
ATP Deputy Country Director Mher Sadoyan at the First International
AgroForum in Armenia

Azeri Pres urges to refrain from agitation arnd Armenian MPs visit
by By Sevinc Abdullayeva, Viktor Shulman
ITAR-TASS News Agency
November 9, 2004 Tuesday
MASALLY, Azerbaijan, November 9 — President Ilham Aliyev of
Azerbaijan has urged officials and public representatives to refrain
from agitation around a visit to the country by a group of MPs who
will take part in a Rose Road meeting of NATO parliamentary assembly,
scheduled for November 26.
“Azerbaijan cannot isolate itself from the world and the processing
happening abroad, and if we renounce such events [NATO parliamentary
meeting – Itar-Tass], we’ll only play into Armenia’s hands,” he said.
Aliyev recalled that Azerbaijan did not allow Armenian servicemen to
take part in the NATO-led field exercise Cooperative Best Effort’2004,
and the move produced a mixed reaction at various international
organizations.
“We firmly defended our position then, and I personally decided
Armenian army people won’t come to Baku because they belong to an
occupation army,” Aliyev said.
NATO took an eleventh-hour decision then to cancel the exercise
altogether due to Baku’s refusal to let the Armenians in.
Azerbaijani government will never make concessions on issues vital
for the nation, Aliyev said, adding however that Azerbaijan will
scarcely make any gains if it cancels such important events as the
NATO parliamentary meeting just because Armenian MPs take part in it.

Armenia strengthens control over radioactive material export-import
Bellona, UK
Nov 8 2004
This decision followed the smuggling attempt of cesium-137 in
October.
The Armenian government approved the licensing order of the radioactive
materials, RIA-Novosti reported. The new order should prevent illegal
shipment of the materials and equipment containing radioactive
materials and protect the population from the hazardous irradiation.
In October Armenian authorities had arrested a man found with
radioactive cesium-137 in the trunk of his car. The highly toxic
material, which could contaminate large areas if used in a “dirty
bomb”, was found on Friday and “rendered harmless”, Ashot Martirosian,
chief of the State Atomic Oversight department, said to AP. Yerevan
resident Gagik Tovmasian was arrested on charges of illegal trade
in radioactive materials, Mr Martirosian said. It was unclear how
the man obtained the material but there were various sources in
Armenia, a small former Soviet republic in the Caucasus Mountains,
Mr Martirosian said. Various industries use cesium-137 in density
gauges and for machine calibration. Devices containing cesium-137 can
cause serious radiation exposure if broken and held. Depending on
the amount and form, experts say a dirty bomb made with cesium-137
could spread intense radioactivity over a section of a city, making
it uninhabitable.
In February, Mr Martirosian said a powerful source of radiation was
found on the Armenian-Iranian border among scrap metal headed for Iran,
AP reported.

Georgian president announces new US military training programme
Georgian State Television Channel 1, Tbilisi
4 Nov 04
President Mikheil Saakashvili has announced a major new US-funded
training programme for Georgian troops. Speaking at a joint briefing
in Tbilisi on 4 November with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer, Saakashvili said that the programme would focus on
peacekeeping operations and involve double the number of Georgian
troops trained by US instructors so far. He also said that Georgia was
“getting closer to NATO” but stressed his willingness to work closely
with Russia on security issues. He refused to speculate on a possible
date for NATO membership, just saying that it would happen “much
quicker than many people expect”. De Hoop Scheffer said that Georgia
would have to travel “a difficult and long and winding road” to NATO
membership. The following is the text of the briefing, broadcast live
by Georgian TV; subheadings have been inserted editorially:
Presenter NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer arrived in
Tbilisi a few hours ago. He and President Saakashvili have begun a
joint briefing at the State Chancellery, which we now bring you live.
New US military training programme
Saakashvili, broadcast begins in mid-sentence The approval of the NATO
programme IPAP, Individual Partnership Action Plan happened much
earlier than we expected and I think this was recognition by NATO of
the progress Georgia has made in reforms and development in recent
months.
You know that Georgia is actively participating in the antiterrorist
coalition. We are taking part in peacekeeping operations. Our soldiers
are in Kosovo, we have a contingent in Afghanistan and we are
increasing the number of our people in Iraq.
We believe that not only are we making use of international security
but we are also contributing to it.
At the same time, precisely because we are involved in peacekeeping
operations, the USA has announced a major new training programme for
Georgians to be involved in peacekeeping operations. This programme,
in terms of the number of people involved, is double what Georgia has
had so far.
On the day before his re-election President Bush wrote a letter to
Georgia, and in the coming months the main nucleus of our army will be
finally formed with the help of American instructors and drawing on
the best international experience.
At the same time, we of course want to work with all our neighbours,
especially Russia. We have many proposals for working with Russia in
the security sphere. I should say we are very open in this respect.
We do not intend to allow the establishment of new foreign bases in
Georgia. We intend to set up international cooperation mechanisms
which provide for a reformed Georgian army, together with large-scale
integration into the Euro-Atlantic area, being the main element of
stability in the region.
Switches to English Again, I would like to welcome the
secretary-general here. I think we are bringing, getting closer to
NATO. Switches back to Georgian We are truly getting closer to
NATO. Do not ask when, whether in one, two or three years, because you
will certainly not get an answer to this question. It would be
inappropriate. But it will be much quicker than many people expect.
And it is possible I will still be in office when this happens.
“Long and winding road” to NATO membership
De Hoop Scheffer, in English Thank you. It gives me great pleasure to
be here. The president made one mistake: We have met four times,
because the president forgot Davos where we met for the first
time. But, I guess we – all jokes apart – it’s a great pleasure to be
here in Georgia, to be back in Georgia, I can say, for the first time
in my new capacity as NATO Secretary-General.
As you know, the NATO summit in Istanbul at the end of June decided to
focus on the Caucasus and Central Asia. In the meantime, I have
nominated a special representative for the Caucasus and Central
Asia. You see him there, against the wall, it’s Mr Bob Simmons whom
you will see frequently in the region. And, on top of that, there will
also be a liaison officer who will first come to Tbilisi.
The president has already mentioned the very important Individual
Partnership Action Plan, the IPAP document which was accepted by the
NATO Council ten days ago. That marks, again, a very important moment
in the relationship between Georgia and NATO. And, as I discussed with
the president, it will now be a question of doing homework, as we say
in school, and seeing that everything which is in the IPAP will so be
implemented. And then NATO can assist Georgia in this respect, NATO
will assist Georgia.
NATO is, of course, ladies and gentlemen, very much sure of and
respects the territorial integrity of Georgia. NATO sincerely hopes
that solutions will be found for the problems, the political problems
in Georgia affecting this territorial integrity. NATO values and
respects Georgia’s participation in different peacekeeping operations,
as the president has already mentioned. And NATO follows, of course,
with great interest – and this is also in the IPAP – the fundamental
defence restructuring Georgia has entered into.
I am a realist and I am an optimist. I’m a realist because I know that
– if we discuss Georgia’s NATO membership – this will be a difficult
and long and winding road. But I am optimistic as well because I see
an enormous drive in Georgia, with the government and with the
Georgian people, to fulfil the ambitions Georgia has vis-a-vis
Euro-Atlantic integration. This is exactly what the heads of state and
government of NATO said in the communique in Istanbul at the end of
June.
So, it was a great pleasure to speak to the president. I know how
committed he is to the other vital elements of the North Atlantic
alliance since its birth, and that is human values, human rights, and
respect for democracy. Because, let me make it very clear, I’ve not
come here and NATO hasn’t come here to compete with any other country
or to compete with any other organization. I’ve come here because NATO
has an open door for any nation, including Georgia, who wants to share
and defend those same values which have always been at the core of
NATO. So, I end by saying: Let’s get to work on the IPAP. Thank you
very much.
President Bush’s re-election
Question, in English Natia Goksadze, Mze TV company. First of all,
thank you Mr Scheffer, you gave an exclusive interview to us
yesterday.
My first question to our president: How would you congratulate Mr
George Bush on his victory?
Saakashvili, in English I am going to call President Bush tonight and
congratulate him personally, but I have to underline that for us this
victory was important. He is a man of great principles and of great
understanding of complicated issues in our region and a personality
without whom fight against terrorism in this part of the world would
have hardly been possible.
Georgia has agreed to dramatically increase our presence in Iraq, to
take part in the UN protection mission. This is our contribution to
the fight initiated by President Bush against international terrorism
and against infiltration of all kinds of illegal activities in our
region. And I believe that President Bush, with respect to Georgia and
with respect to many other countries in this region, has very reliable
coalition partners. Certainly, these coalition partners, we are
rejoiced to see the re-election of the US president because we have
always found him also to be a very good partner and a very
understanding man, and very sophisticated one on the issues of the
region. That’s my response.
Relations with Russia
Question, in English TV company Rustavi-2. Mr Secretary-General, Mr
President, Georgia has now its IPAP programme with NATO and this
programme includes the normalization of relations with Russia. How can
NATO assist Georgia to make Russia, push Russia to fulfil its
agreements? I mean the agreements in Istanbul from 1999, I mean make
Russia withdraw its military bases from Georgia.
De Hoop Scheffer, in English There can be no doubt that Russia has to
fulfill fully the commitments Russia entered into in 1999 in
Istanbul. NATO has a good relationship with the Russian Federation,
and the Russian Federation is very well informed about the NATO
position as I am stating it now. And, of course short break in
reception I very much hope that in the talks between the Russian
Federation and Georgia a solution will be found for these bases and
for these problems but, let’s say, the fundamental opinion cannot be
any other than that Russia has to fulfill the Istanbul commitments.
Saakashvili, in English That’s exactly the case where our position has
not changed. I mean we are firm. switches to Georgian It is quite
clear that all the treaties that have been concluded have to be
fulfilled by Russia and Georgia. We are ready to make very many
compromises with Russia but not a single compromise will be to the
detriment of Georgian territorial integrity, Georgian independence and
freedom of choice for the Georgian people, the population of Georgia,
all its ethnic groups. If someone has hopes that some kind of pressure
will make Georgia change its fundamental course, these hopes will not
be realized. But, at the same time, our fundamental course envisages
good relations with Russia as well.
No specific timescale for accession to NATO
Question, in English Giorgi Kepuladze, TV company Imedi. I have two
questions, two small questions to Mr Secretary-General. If Georgia
successfully fulfils IPAP, will we get MAP Membership Action Plan ,
for example, to 2006, the next NATO summit as heard ? One more
question –
Unidentified person, in English Unfortunately we don’t have time for
more questions.
De Hoop Scheffer, in English OK, let me just say that I entirely agree
with what the president has just said. I’m not going to give dates. By
the way, I don’t know there will be a NATO summit in 2006. I’m not
going to give dates because dates will, let’s say, deviate our
attention from what should be done now, make IPAP into a success. And
I talked about Georgia’s ambition and I know there is a tremendous
ambition and drive in the government and in society to make it work,
and NATO will assist and will help to make it work.
Unidentified person, in English Mr Scheffer, there is one more
question from the BBC, just the last question.
Question, in English Secretary-General, very briefly, can you just
reflect a little bit on what you hope to get out from your trip to the
Caucasus in general?
De Hoop Scheffer, in English First of all, as I said, bringing into
practice what the heads of state and government of NATO decided in
Istanbul. That means a focus on the region. And now in Georgia,
focusing on Georgia’s ambitions, focusing on IPAP, focusing on the
reforms in Georgia, defence restructuring. I mentioned them in other
answers. I’ll go to Armenia and Azerbaijan as well in the coming days,
tomorrow in fact, to see where they are in their relationship with
NATO, where they want to be in their relationship with NATO. Do not
forget every sovereign country is of course fully sovereign in
deciding itself where it wants to go vis-a-vis NATO. Some countries
have more ambition than others. I want to focus on this region, like
two weeks ago I was in Central Asia, because these regions
matter. These regions matter, they are of strategic importance, so
Georgia matters to NATO.
And on 9 December we’ll have a ministerial meeting of the EAPC, the
Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, and you can see my trip, of course,
also as a preparation for this ministerial meeting in Brussels.

Armenian presidential aide critical of Georgian “rose revolution”
Iravunk, Yerevan
2 Nov 04
Text of Lyuba Arutyunyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Iravunk on 2
November headlined “Isagulyan does not like the ‘rose revolution'”
“The domestic political situation and the situation in the Caucasus as
a whole today is creating a new reality,” the president’s advisor on
national security, Garnik Isagulyan, said at the Azdak club on
Saturday [30 October].
He also said: “It must be said that today changes in the major
processes in the Caucasus are conditioned by the ‘rose revolution’
that took place in Georgia recently, after which they started speaking
about a new reality and new developments in the region and in the
whole world. Everybody got an impression that the developments would
go only in the positive direction and there will be no new
problems. But life has showed that today in the Caucasus the ‘rose
revolution’ created not a different situation but new regional
conflicts. People’s expectations did not come true. From this point of
view it may be said that at present the political situation can change
very quickly.”
It should be noted that the Armenian president’s advisor Garnik
Isagulyan’s viewpoint on the “rose revolution” in Georgia differs from
that of [Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan, which he had an
opportunity to express in Tbilisi recently. This is surprising,
although this is not the first time when someone from the president’s
entourage did not agree with him.

RosBusinessConsulting, Russia
Nov. 2, 2004
Inflation rate in CIS averages 10%
RBC, 02.11.2004, Moscow 19:41:55.The inflation rate in the CIS
members averaged 10 percent from January to September, the Interstate
Statistics Committee announced. According to the provided data, Belarus
showed the largest inflation rate, namely 19.5 percent. Consumer prices
showed the slowest increase in Kyrgyzstan, where the inflation rate for
the period amounted to 4.6 percent. Russia ranked third with a
10.6-percent inflation rate. Moldova ranked second with 12.7 percent
inflation. In Ukraine consumer prices advanced 8.1 percent. Armenia
showed the inflation rate of 7.9 percent. Kazakhstani inflation
amounted to 6.8 percent. Tajikistan showed a 6.4-percent inflation rate
outpacing Azerbaijan with its 5.7 percent inflation. In Georgia
consumer prices grew 5.4 percent.

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Oct 28, 2004
RECEPTION IN MILLI MAJLIS
[October 28, 2004, 18:00:25]
On 28 October, Chairman of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan Republic
(Azerbaijan Parliament) Murtuz Alaskarov has received ambassador of
Turkey Ahmad Unal Chevigez on termination of his diplomatic mission
in Azerbaijan, correspondent of AzerTAj reported.
Greeting the guest, Mr. Alaskarov spoke of the role of the heads of
state in development of the relations between the fraternal countries,
of contributions of the national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev. He
noted that President Ilham Aliyev confidently continues the political
line of Heydar Aliyev to further strengthen these relations.
Noting especial role of the Ambassador in development of the political,
economic and cultural relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey, Speaker
of Azerbaijan Parliament dwelt on inter-parliamentary links, on the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict, on the fair position
of Turkey in this question, also appreciated that Turkey does not
open the borders with Armenia.
Mr. Alaskarov wished success in further activity of Ambassador,
expressed confidence that the people of Azerbaijan would not forget
him.
Ambassador Ahmad Unal Chevigez said he feels in fraternal Azerbaijan
as in Turkey, expressing his deep gratitude to the President of
Azerbaijan, government and people of Azerbaijan, for care and
attention he was shown during his mission. “On assignment of my
state I will go to other country and I will not forget Azerbaijan,
I will take this country in my heart, and try to solve its problems”,
the Turkish Ambassador stressed.
At the meeting, also were exchanged views on issues of mutual interest.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Oct 21 2004
Companies to provide cellular services in Upper Garabagh must contact
Ministry

If `Garabagh Telecom’ wants to provide mobile communication services
in the occupied Upper Garabagh region, it must appeal to the Ministry
of Communications and Information Technologies first, Minister Ali
Abbasov told AssA-Irada.
He said that the Ministry has appealed to the International GSM
Association over the illegal activity of Garabagh Telecom and that
the latter will lost its membership in the entity this July.
Abbasov said that this company has already filed an appeal in this
connection, and if it is approved, the company’s membership may be
restored.
`They allege that the Ministry is not capable of providing mobile
communication services in Upper Garabagh’, he said.
Abbasov added that the Ministry has approached the GSM Association
again saying that if Garabagh Telecom sends a proposal to the
Ministry on providing cellular communication services, it will be
considered.*

BRITISH MP PLEDGES ASSISTANCE TO KARABAKH
Artsakh State TV, Stepanakert
21 Oct 04
October
(Presenter over video of interview) After a meeting with the NKR
president, the head of the British interparliamentary union and member
of the House of Commons, Gordon Marsden, gave an interview to an
Artsakh Public TV correspondent and other journalists. He said the
following:
(Marsden, in English with Armenian voice-over) Our visit is not an
official one. However, we will inform our government about the result
of the visit. For us one of the most important questions is what kind
of assistance we can provide to Nagornyy Karabakh. I respect and
appreciate all achievements and difficulties which Nagornyy Karabakh
is facing. And our visit is just a proof of that.