Author: Dabaghian Diana

British baroness vows to continue aid to Nagornyy Karabakh
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
15 Sep 05
[Presenter] More people should visit Nagornyy Karabakh in order to
understand why the Armenians cannot accept Azeris [forced to leave the
region during the conflict] back, the deputy speaker of the British
House of Lords, Baroness Caroline Cox, has said. This is the 60th
visit of the baroness to Artsakh [Karabakh]. She has visited the
conflict zone during the most difficult years.
[Correspondent] Paying 60 visits to the same country means being in
true love with it. The baroness has been with the Artsakh people
during the hardest days of the conflict and now she is proud to see
the development of this liberated country.
[Caroline Cox, speaking in English with Armenian voice-over] People
who come to Artsakh for the first time do not believe that there was a
war a few years ago. I am proud to see that things are being restored
quickly and a democratic country is being built.
[Correspondent] The baroness never comes alone. Every time she comes,
she brings along many people from various countries of the world.
[Cox] It worries me that the international community does not
understand why the Armenians cannot accept Azeris back. Every time I
come, I bring along new guests to introduce them to true history and
to explain that the Armenians are the owners of this land.
[Correspondent] Caroline Cox came to Artsakh as part of a pilgrimage
with a delegation of 20 people from the USA, UK and Switzerland.
[Passage omitted: guests speak about Karabakh]
The guests were impressed how war veterans are treated. The
international Christian peace organization opened a rehabilitation
centre in Stepanakert seven years ago with the help of Caroline Cox,
where many war veterans are being treated. The sponsors are working to
improve the centre and Caroline Cox has a special role in helping the
centre, which was named after her.
The baroness said that she will continue to render assistance to
Artsakh and to pray that the international community finally
recognizes the independence of Nagornyy Karabakh.
Narine Agabalyan, Artur Nersesyan, “Aylur”, Stepanakert.
[Video showed the speaker of the Nagornyy Karabakh republic, Ashot
Gulyan meeting Caroline Cox, Cox’s visit to the rehabilitation centre]

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]:
PRESS RELEASE
16-09-2005
Bilateral Meetings of the Foreign Minister Oskanian in New York
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian held several bilateral meetings on his
first working day in New York, where he is accompanying Prime Minister
Andranik Margaryan to the 60th anniversary of the UN General Assembly.
On Thursday, the Foreign Minister met with Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European
Union Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy.
They spoke about the ENP. The Minister briefed the Commissioner on the
current state of negotiations regarding the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
Minister Oskanian also met with George Iacovou, Minister of Foreign Affairs
of Cyprus. They discussed regional issues as well as cooperation in
international organizations. Later, Minister Oskanian met with Ahmed Aboul
Gheit, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt. Minister Oskanian presented to
Minister Aboul Gheit President Kocharian?s letter of congratulations to
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The two discussed developments in the
Middle East, and in the Caucasus.
Minister Oskanian spoke with Pierre Chevalier, Belgium?s special envoy to
the OSCE. The Minister explained Armenia?s cooperation with the OSCE at
various levels, expressing Armenia?s appreciation for OSCE support in
various areas, including democratic development, regional development. The
Minister briefed Ambassador Chevalier on the ongoing Karabakh talks and
prospects for a resolution.
In the margins of the UN General Assembly, the Francophonie Association held
a high level meeting. Minister Oskanian participated in the meeting which
focused on ways the developed world can help the developing world to
alleviate poverty.
The Minister also held a working meeting with OSCE Minsk Group US co-chair
Ambassador Steven Mann.
Prime Minister Margaryan will address the General Assembly on Friday,
September 16, and Foreign Minister Oskanian will do so on Sunday, September
18.

THIRD SITTING OF PACE SUBCOMMITTEE ON KARABAKH TO BE HELD DECEMBER 14
Pan Armenian News
14.09.2005 02:53
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The second sitting of the PACE Subcommittee on
Nagorno Karabakh was held in Paris Yesterday. Member of the Azeri
delegation to PACE and Subcommittee member Asim Mollazade informed
that the Minsk Group Russian and French Co-Chairs, Special Envoys of
the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents for Nagorno Karabakh as well
as EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie
addressed the sitting. According to Mollazade, a round table with
the participation of representatives of Russia and the CE will be
held during the PACE Fall Session. The third sitting of the PACE
Subcommittee on Karabakh is scheduled on December 14
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA AMBASSADOR TO UK TO COMBINE OFFICE IN IRELAND
Pan Armenian News
14.09.2005 04:24
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ According to the decree signed today by Armenian
President Robert Kocharian, RA Ambassador to the UK Vahe Gabrielian
will combine office in Ireland, RA President’s press center reported.

Second sitting of the interim subcommittee on the Karabakh conflict
of the Parliamentary Assembly of the CE was held
Today, Azerbaijan
Sept 13 2005
13 September 2005 [11:27] – Today.Az
Second sitting of the interim subcommittee on the Karabakh conflict
of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) was
held in Paris yesterday.
The OSCE Minsk group co-chairmen, rapporteur on the Karabakh conflict
of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Swedish parliamentarian Goran
Lenmarker, other representatives of the OSCE member countries,
members of the Azerbaijani and Armenian delegations in PACE, special
representatives of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia on
regulation of the Karabakh conflict participated in the sitting. The
member of the Azerbaijani delegation in PACE, parliamentarian Asim
Mollazade made a speech in the sitting.
A.Mollazade informed APA that he demanded implementation of 4
resolutions adopted by the UNO Security Council in connection with
the Karabakh conflict in his speech.
Besides it, he expressed his gratitude to PACE for observing the
principle of pre-eminence of the right on the Karabakh conflict,
respecting human rights and expressing its opinions on violation
of rights of Azerbaijani citizens in a mass and rude form during
the Karabakh conflict. ~SI informed that it is important to speed
solution of the conflict in a peaceful way and in stages. We offered
that firstly refugees and displaced people must return to their native
lands, their security must be ensured, then communication lines must
be opened, and normal and civil relations must be established between
the two sides. Only after this the question of juridical solution of
the conflict must be reviewed~T.
According to the words of A.Mollazade, the head of the Azerbaijani
delegation in PACE Samad Seyidov, members of the Minsk Group, OSCE
raporteur on the conflict also made speeches in the sitting. Then
the sitting was continued in a closed form.
A.Mollazade informed that declarations of the special representatives
of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia and a document on the
result of the sitting of the subcommittee will be prepared at the
end of the sitting. The working plan on the Karabakh conflict of the
subcommittee will also be asserted in the close sitting.
A.Mollazade will participate in the sitting of the PACE subcommittee
on Chechnya and PACE Political Committee tomorrow. He was intended
to make speeches in these sittings as well.
URL:

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Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Contact: Talin Gregorian
Tel: (818) 500-1918
CALIFORNIA-ARMENIA TRADE OFFICE BILL PASSES STATE ASSEMBLY AND SENATE
— Bill Now Awaits the Signature of Governor Schwarzenegger
SACRAMENTO, CA – The International Trade and Investment Office:
Yerevan bill (SB 897), introduced by California State Senator Jack
Scott (D-Pasadena) in February of this year, recently passed in both
the California State Assembly and Senate, announced the Armenian
National Committee of America-Western Region (ANCA-WR). The bill
passed the chambers of the legislature with overwhelming bi-partisan
support, having gained a vote of 77-1 in the Assembly and 32-1 in the
Senate. The bill was enrolled and sent to the desk of Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger on September 8th for his signature.
`Once again through the leadership of Senator Scott and his tireless
staff, Californians and Armenians alike can move forward towards
establishing closer business and trade relations with one another
which will benefit both peoples equally,’ said Steve Dadaian, Chairman
of the ANCA-WR. `We look forward to Governor Schwarzenegger’s approval
of this commonsense measure aimed to allow the State of California to
properly operate its trade office in Armenia.’
For over five years, the ANCA-WR has worked to improve trade relations
between California and Armenia. SB 897 aims to extend the sunset date
for the creation and operation of the California International Trade
and Investment Office in Yerevan, Armenia which was established by
state statue in 2002. The current sunset date for the trade office is
set for January 1, 2006. However, the bill would extend this deadline
to 2008. SB 897 was introduced by Sen. Scott, with principal coauthors
Senators Chuck Poochigian (R-Fresno) and Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo),
Assemblymembers Juan Arambula (D-Fresno) and Dario Frommer
(D-Glendale), as well as coauthors Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto),
and Assemblymembers Greg Aghazarian (R-Stockton) and Carol Liu
(D-Pasadena). Last month, ANCA-WR Government Relations Director Armen
Carapetian delivered testimony in the Capitol to secure passage of SB
897 in key committees and met with Assemblymembers and staff to
galvanize support for the measure.
The ANCA is the largest and most influential Armenian American
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United
States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA
actively advances the concerns of the Armenian-American community on a
broad range of issues.

Institute for War & Peace Reporting
Sept 9 2005
ARMENIA: THE POWER OF RUMOUR

Confusion over whether the Russians had bought or just leased
Armenia’s electricity company adds to underlying fears about losing
strategic assets.
By Naira Melkumian in Erevan

A deal under which Armenia’s electricity grid could be sold to a
Russian-owned energy giant has led to an outcry from opposition
politicians who are worried about who controls the country’s
strategic assets.
Under a deal signed in June, the Russian electricity firm United
Energy Systems, UES, has agreed to run the power network in Armenia
on behalf of the Canadian-owned and British-registered company
Midland Resources Holdings Ltd, which acquired 100 per cent of
Electricity Networks of Armenia, AEN, in a privatisation deal in
2002.
Midland Resources has made it clear in remarks emailed to IWPR that
it retains ownership of AEN, but that in the long term it would like
to sell it to UES.
In Armenia, initial reports about the nature of the deal were
contradictory, and as rumours of an immediate Russian takeover
started circulating, the government appeared not to know about the
long-term goal of transferring shares in the national power company
to UES.
The first news reports said simply – and accurately – that
Interenergo, part of the UES group, was to manage AEN, under a
99-year lease from Midland Resources.
Neither the energy ministry nor the regulatory body for the public
sector in Armenia appear to have been informed of the move, because
technically there was no requirement for this.
AEN told IWPR that it was under no obligation to tell the government.
`We are only obliged to notify the government if we sell shares in
the company. This was a management transfer and not a sale of shares.
That is why we did not inform the government,’ AEN press officer
Margarita Grigorian told IWPR.
Even at this point, critics of the Armenian government were put on
the alert.
`Any fool can see that handing over management of a company for 99
years means only one thing – the [future] sale of the company,’ said
Aram Sargsian, a member of parliament who heads the Democratic Party.
Sargsian said the AEN deal would make Armenia even more dependent on
Russia. He noted that UES’s company holdings already accounted for 75
to 80 per cent of Armenia’s energy production – and now it was
seeking control of distribution as well.
`It’s patently obvious. Whoever controls the switch controls the
country,’ he said.
The issue became confused after people began reading UES’s annual
financial report for 2004 (dated June 28), saying that in June 2005,
Interenergo had acquired 100 per cent of AEN’s shares for 73 million
US dollars.
The reported sale of a key national asset stoked concerns in Armenia,
fuelled by the government’s resolute silence.
Eduard Aghajanov, an economist at Armat, a political science
institute in Yerevan, said any sale of AEN to a foreign company was
contrary to national strategic interests.
`The owner of the power grid will dictate his terms to both producer
and consumer, and that is an unacceptable situation,’ Aghajanov told
IWPR.
Victor Dallakian, of the opposition Justice faction, went further,
warning that `Armenia will be under the threat of energy terror’.
International institutions were perturbed at the lack of clear
signals from the Armenian government about what was going on.
Roger Robinson of the World Bank’s Armenia mission told a press
conference on July 8 that he considered `the regular provision of
transparent and official information on events concerning this sphere
[electricity distribution] very important’.
This week, Robinson told IWPR that those remarks were intended to
`press the red alarm button to alert people, especially the
government, that the due process of law should be observed’.
He believes his strategy paid off, `That press conference really
galvanised a lot of people.’
On July 18, the United States government’s development agency USAID
followed suit with a press release expressing concern `that a
transfer of the ownership of AEN may have taken place without
following important Armenian government regulations which exist to
protect Armenian consumers’. USAID said it `would review its
assistance portfolio to Armenia in light of any revised AEN ownership
or lack of due process in changing that ownership agreement’.
On July 25, Mikhail Mantrov, the deputy director of UES subsidiary,
Inter RAO UES, which owns Interenergo, retracted the group’s earlier
statement and corrected the record, telling a press conference that
AEN was the subject of a management transfer rather than a purchase.
Midland issued a statement on July 20 confirming that it remained
AEN’s owner.
After talking to the companies involved, Armenia’s Public Sector
Regulatory Commission concluded on August 22 that all of AEN’s shares
did indeed remain with Midland Resources.
This week, Midland Resources president Alex Shnaider told IWPR by
email that the company did hope to sell AEN to the Russian firm
eventually, once all the legal requirements had been met. He insisted
that his firm had been punctilious in meeting its obligations to the
Armenian government.
`The aim of the transaction is to sell 100 per cent of Midland’s
shares in AEN to RAO [UES],’ he said. `The deal is divided into two
stages. First, in order to prepare for the transaction, both parties
will study the company’s assets and create joint management
provisions for the company in consultation with the Armenian
government. During this stage, Midland will remain the sole owner of
AEN’s shares.
`The second stage of the transaction will involve the transfer of the
shares. This can only occur following approval from the government,
as outlined in the initial contract between Midland and the
government of the Republic of Armenia.’
Shnaider said was not aware of any unresolved issues with the
Armenian government and he did not feel there were any solid grounds
for further inquiries. `To the best of our knowledge, the
declarations made by UES and Midland have fully satisfied the
government commission. Midland always fulfils its contractual
obligations and has fully complied with the laws of the Republic of
Armenia,’ he told IWPR.
The deal is worth a total sum of `upwards of 70 million dollars’, he
added.
The government has instructed its legal experts to check the nature
of the transfer of AEN’s management to UES.
`We want to study the contract, comprehend the deal that’s taken
place, and compare what’s happening with what was set out in the deal
the Armenian government signed with Midland resources in 2002,’
Deputy Energy Minister Areg Galstian told IWPR
`Until then [completion of the study], we will refrain from drawing
any conclusions.’
But the public perception that the government failed to reveal what
it did – or did not – know about the deal has laid it open to
accusations of lack of transparency.
`Since independence, almost all the [privatisation] deals done in
this country have taken place under a veil of secrecy… This is no
exception,’ said opposition deputy Sargsian.
Repeated requests by IWPR to government spokespersons to comment on
the deal have not resulted in any further clarifications, or even in
an official acknowledgement that Midland’s ultimate goal is to sell
its AEN shares to UES.
In Yerevan, World Bank representative Robinson said he had still
received no official confirmation that AEN was to be sold to the
Russian energy group.
But he said he was less concerned about the potential buyer being
Russian-owned than about ensuring the Armenian government is
satisfied that the purchaser possesses the right energy-industry
expertise, has sound financial management and will act with
integrity.
If the government adheres to its own procedures on these matters, and
to the international rules on transparency, Robinson sees no obstacle
to the World Bank continuing its current programme in Armenia.
In political circles, the issue of Russian control over key Armenian
assets is likely to rumble on. Government allies like Vahan
Hovhannisian, the deputy speaker of parliament, argue that because
the two countries are allies, `there is no threat to our national
security’ from UES’s engagement in Armenia’s power industry.
But opposition parties are unlikely to pass up the chance to attack
the government the moment the Russians open negotiations on acquiring
AEN.
Naira Melkumian is an independent journalist in Yerevan.

AZERI CEC LAUNCHING ELECTION DISTRICT FOR KARABAKH POPULATION – OPEN PROPAGANDA MOVE
Pan Armenian News
06.09.2005 05:17
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The decision for the Central Electoral Commission
(CEC) of Azerbaijan to launch an electoral district is an open
propagandistic move, head of the Department of Conflictology and
Migration of the Institute of Peace and Democracy Arif Yunusov
stated in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net. In his words, “the
decision to reserve places for Azeri deputies in Nagorno Karabakh
(NK)was a similar one in its time, as everyone knew and understood
well that Azeris will not take part in the vote in NK.” Now it
is clear that Armenians will not participate, he noted. “Moreover,
the actions of Azeri authorities are very inconsequent. If they have
announced creation of an electoral district for NK population, let
them admit Armenian observers to monitor the election first. But they
announced creation of districts and then denied Armenian journalists
(if I am not mistaken) entry to Baku to observe the election due
to them being on the opposed side,” A. Yunusov added. In his words,
Azeri authorities have to change many other things as well. “At least
they should not hamper contacts between populations, representatives
of NGOs, etc. This is for the sake of peace and our peoples,” the
political scientist summed up.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VATICAN REACTS TO ARMENIAN MONASTERY DESECRATION
Financial Mirror, Cyprus
Sept 6 2005
A decision by the Turkish occupation regime to grant a “license” to
operate a recreation centre in the Armenian Monastery of Surb Makar
(Saint Makarios) in the Halefka area, north of the Turkish occupied
village of Kythrea, has spurred a strong reaction by the Vatican.
Cypriot Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said today that
the government totally agreed with the Vatican’s reaction, noting
that it was after moves by the government that the desecration of
the monastery had come to the attention of the Vatican.
The Spokesman noted that “various protests were made and there has
been a reaction on behalf of the Vatican, which says and stresses
in its verbal note that the attention of the competent Turkish
authorities has been drawn to the specific case, as well as other
lamentable incidences.”
Chrysostomides added that this was “a severe response, which is not
customary on behalf of the Vatican, and the language used is also
stern against the occupation authorities.”
“We totally agree and it is after actions by the government that the
desecration of the monastery has come to the attention of the Vatican,”
the Spokesman pointed out.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENTEL WANTS TO REVISE FIXED TELEPHONES TARIFFS
Armenpress
Sept 5, 2005
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS: ArmenTel telephone operator that
holds legal monopoly on fixed telephones and Internet services in
Armenia, has confirmed today it has sent a package of proposals to
transport and communication ministry calling for revision of tariffs
for fixed telephones.
A spokeswoman for ArmenTel said a state commission for protection of
economic competition has to examine the company’s proposals and make
a decision within next 45 days.
The commission in turn has said that ArmenTel paid a $400,000 fine
levied on it for the more than month-long breakdown of its network
that caused widespread anger among its nearly 300,000 subscribers
from June 30 to July 10.