Author: Dabaghian Diana

PROFIT TAX REVENUES OF RA STATE BUDGET INCREASE BY 67.9% IN JANUARY-APRIL
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-April, 2005, the profit
tax revenues of the RA state budget increased by 67.9% on the
same period of 2004 and made 15 bln 243.5 mln drams (about 36.3
mln USD). According to the RA National Statistical Service, in the
months under review, VAT grew by 27.6% to 41 bln 946.4 mln drams,
while excise tax declined by 12.7% to 10 bln 558.9 mln drams. In
the same period, income tax grew by 25.8% to about 7 bln drams,
simplified tax – by 8.8% to 2.3 bln drams and fixed payments – by 14%
to 3 bln 926.7 mln drams. The customs duty revenues increased by 49.4%
to 4 bln 812.3 mln drams. Other tax revenues of the state budget grew
by 79.6% in January-April of 2005 and made 10 bln 930.9 mln drams.

Euro-reporters.com, Belgium
June 3 2005
Ukraine to seal Transnistria?
Written by David Ferguson in Brussels
Friday, 03 June 2005
“If the border is securely sealed the illegitimate authority in
Transnistria will soon lose the economic foundation of its existence,”
said Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Boris Tarasiuk. In an interview to
national news agency Ukrinform, Tarasiuk said there is a greater
chance, following the regime change in Kyiv, for a ‘breakthrough’
in the Transnistria conflict. The separatist regime along Moldova’s
frontier with the Ukraine led by Viktor Smirnoff in Tiraspol, and
backed by Moscow, has held out against central authorities in Moldova
since the early 1990s.
“The previous authority [in Kyiv] ignored the Moldovan leadership’s
messages and used Transnistria as a springboard for contraband of
goods because the money chiefly flowed to Kyiv,” Tarasiuk is quoted
by Ukrinform as saying. “The situation has changed now. Ukraine is
not interested in the existence of a ‘black hole’ on its frontier,
neither is Ukraine interested in capitalizing on the conflict in this
neighbouring state.” Tarasiuk sees tightened control of Ukraine’s
frontier along the Transnistrian segment of Moldova as a means of
“reducing the economic attractiveness” of the breakaway regime and
promoting a general resolution of the conflict.
Speaking last month in Warsaw at the Council of Europe’s Summit,
Moldovan president Vladimir Voronin warned fellow European leaders
of the threat to stability posed by the separatist region. “The most
recent example is the disappearance of missiles from former 14th Army
depots. Their explosive force is identical to a nuclear missile, except
for radioactive contamination. The problem is getting even worse as
the Russian Federation authorities cannot give any explanations on
how the above-mentioned missiles could disappear without trace.”
Voronin made a plea for greater European and international involvement
in solving the 13-year old conflict with the separatist Transnistrian
region. “The Transnistrian region is a real black hole starting
with the absence of democratic processes to illegal trafficking
humans and weapons, money laundering and more,” Moldova’s president
said. Voronin’s plea for help in bringing the separatist regime
under control has fallen on favorable ears in Kyiv. Yesterday, at the
Yaski border post near Odessa, Voronin met with Ukraine’s President
Viktor Yushchenko in order to hammer out the nitty-gritty of the two
countries new relations.
In Warsaw, Voronin told fellow European leaders that new peace
mediators are needed in the Transnistrian conflict: “It is so important
to have new participants, such as the USA and European Union, in peace
settlements for the Transnistrian conflict. That is why the proposal of
the President of the Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko to settle the conflict
by means of democratization of the region is so interesting for us.”
Ukraine’s changed position on Moldova, and other conflict areas in
the former Soviet Union, does not please Moscow that also supports
breakaway regions in Georgia. Moscow is also accused of supporting
the Armenian-controlled region of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan.
“Ukraine is vitally interested in regulating the conflicts in the
former Union nations primarily for reasons of its own security and
stability,” Tarasiuk told Ukrinform. “There can be no security and
stability in a nation if there is no security and stability at home.”

Turkey bans Macedonian football team from flying over its territory
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
June 2, 2005, Thursday
23:17:07 Central European Time
Skopje
The Macedonian national football team failed to reach the Armenian
capital Yerevan Thursday when Turkish air traffic control banned
the team’s Macedonian plane from flying over Turkish territory,
local media reported.
The Macedonian footballers, who are scheduled to play a Group One
World Cup qualifier against Armenia on Saturday, were forced back to
Skopje without clear explanation for the decision.
The Ankara-based Turkish air traffic control ordered the Macedonian
national carrier MAT plane to return to Skopje roughly 90 minutes
after it entered Turkish air space, the report said.
Skopje media attributed the incident to uneasy political relations
between Turkey and Armenia. An official explanation from Ankara
is expected to be delivered to Macedonian footballing officials
Saturday. dpa ra gj

ANOTHER CLAIM FOR SERIOUS STRUGGLE
A1plus
| 19:03:32 | 30-05-2005 | Politics |
Today the usual conference of the «Heritage» party took place. But
as it was expected, there were no sensational announcement about the
creation of a new bloc.
Moreover, those who made speech, reproached the political powers
putting in doubt the independence and sovereignty of our country. «If
there is a person who considers his country not the appendix of
another country but a real sovereignty, only in that case can we have
a powerful lawful country», said member of the Heritage Party Hrayr
Tovmasyan. He noted that today there is a political and legal crisis
in the country, and then he found the raising of public awareness
important. According to him, only thus can we overcome the situation.
The Party leader Hrachya Hakobyan criticized the acting opposition
which continues the fruitless struggle even after the 2003 Presidential
elections frauds, when, for example, Raffi Hovhannisyan announced
about his leaving the election campaign.
Justice bloc leader Stepan Demirchyan made a speech of welcome. He
greeted the party created after the elections and said that democracy
in Armenia is the demand of time and has no alternatives. Republican
party leader Aram Sargsyan reminded the participants of the conference
that we have inherited a country in blockade with corrupted
authorities, but we must leave the coming generations a country
with open borders, an active participant of democratic and regional
integration processes.
And leader of the Union for National Self-Determination Paruyr
Hayrikyan mentioned that our political field must learn to admit their
mistakes and give way to new powers. He reminded that although they
were the ideological soldiers of independence, today the independence,
of which he and his friend dreamed, does not exist. And he blamed
himself in it. Hayrikyan~Rs speech referred to the opposition which was
not able to defend their rights during the 2003 Presidential elections.
–Boundary_(ID_voaezXf6ycH6/UV/Hif9UA)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT MEETS WITH RF AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA
YEREVAN, May 30. /ARKA/. Speaker of the RA National Assembly
Artur Baghdasaryan has held a meeting with the newly appointed RF
Ambassador to Armenia Nikolay Pavlov. The public relations department,
RA Parliament, reports that speaker Baghdasaryan congratulated the
RF Ambassador, pointing out that the Armenian-Russian parliamentary
relations are at a high level. He appraised the activities of the
Interparliamentary Cooperation Commission as effective. He also
expressed his willingness to assist the RF Ambassador in carrying
out his diplomatic mission in Armenia.
In his turn, Ambassador Pavlov assured Speaker Baghdasaryan
that his mission will be aimed at developing Armenian-Russian
relations. P.T. -0–

Baku-Tbilisi-Cehyan pipeline begins to operate: beginning of an end for Aliyev clan?
Yerkir/arm
27 May 05
The solemn opening ceremony of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline on
May 25 was apparently the most important event in Azerbaijan this
week. However, Heydar Aliyev pipeline could become a bad surprise
for Ilham Aliyev.
The U.S.-Israeli analytical center Stratfor indicates that after
the post-Soviet regimes in Georgia and Ukraine were ousted, and
following the Kyrgyz president’s removal, the Azerbaijani president
has found himself in focus in the context of the upcoming November
2005 parliamentary election in Azerbaijan.
The experts of the Center say that Aliyev the son has received
instructions from Washington on the things he has to do in order to
keep his hold on power. On April 4, U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan
Reno Harnish told Aliyev that the U.S. is expecting that Azerbaijan
should take decisive steps towards democratization, economic reforms,
peaceful settlement of the Karabakh confrontation, as well as ensuring
the security of the “East-West energy corridor.”
The American diplomat also urged Aliyev to engage in a dialogue
with the opposition, and suggesting that the sides should sign an
agreement to hold free, fair and transparent parliamentary election.
But here is that the odd things began.
Aliyev told the U.S. diplomat that he is too interested in democratic
elections, surprising the Americans. First the Azerbaijani ruling
party in contrast to its leader and the opposition criticized the
U.S. proposal, calling it an interference with the country’s internal
affairs.
On May 21, the authorities brutally dispersed an unsanctioned
opposition rally, thus indicating that the Azerbaijani government is
not ready to keep to its promises. There is no doubt that the West
would remind this to Aliyev when needed. But it is too early to speak
of Aliyev’s failure in the upcoming election. “Azerbaijan has enormous
oil resources that ensure significant finances.
And those who are currently in power are not likely to relinquish the
profit they get,” Stratfor concludes. “In its turn, the U.S. does not
want to see a chaos in Baku similar to what happened in Kyrgyzstan
following the overthrow of President Akayev. Washington wants to make
sure that the Caspian oil flows westwards, expecting to get 1 million
barrels annually spelling in $3.5 billion.”
Stratfor analysts, however, mention that like it was the case with
Kyrgyzstan, the Azerbaijani opposition is too segmented, and what
is important, there is no charismatic individuals “to assume a
responsibility for a revolution.”
Given this, the analysts note, the U.S. would prefer to keep Aliyev
in power until the opposition parties become more organized. As soon
as Washington is satisfied with the state of things with the oil,
it would probably begin to work toward ousting Aliyev and getting
the country out of his corrupt influence. Aliyev too realizes this;
it is better to have a few years in power than just a few months
especially when he sees Akayev sitting in Moscow.
Was Heydar Aliyev realizing in the beginning of the 90’s when signing
the “deal of the century” that he was digging a political grave for
his son?
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri foreign minister, OSCE mediators discuss Karabakh conflict
ANS TV, Baku
27 May 05
The US, French and Russian co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group, Steven
Mann, Bernard Fassier and Yuriy Merzlyakov, have had about a four-hour
meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov over the
Karabakh problem.
The co-chairmen are visiting Azerbaijan within the framework of the
Paris talks. The meeting discussed preparations for the next meeting
of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents and results of the Warsaw
meeting between [Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev and [Armenian
President] Robert Kocharyan over the conflict settlement.
The co-chairmen have also met President Aliyev.
[Video showed OSCE mediators leaving the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry]

Kyrgyzstan may offer new base for regional security
AP Worldstream
May 26, 2005
MIKE ECKEL

Kyrgyzstan is considering establishing a base in the south of the
country to boost regional security, acting President Kurmanbek Bakiyev
said in an interview published Thursday in the Russian daily
Kommersant.
“If there is a need for it, a military base in Osh could be
established within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty and
Shanghai Cooperation Organization,” he said, without giving any
further details.
The six-nation Collective Security Treaty links Russia with Armenia,
Belarus and the three Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan
and Tajikistan.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization includes China, Russia,
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The group has set
up an anti-terrorism center in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, although
the move is viewed as largely symbolic.
Russia meanwhile said it was considering stepping up anti-terrorism
cooperation with Kyrgyzstan but that it had received no specific
requests to open a new base in the Central Asian nation.
Earlier this week, a regional Kyrgyz governor said Russia had
discussed opening a second base to help fend off terrorist
threats. Anvar Artykov, governor of the Osh region in southern
Kyrgyzstan, told a news conference on Tuesday that the Kyrgyz
government had yet to make a final decision on the issue.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko, however,
denied any request had been received.
Russia “does not have information about an official request from the
Kyrgyz side regarding the strengthening of the Russian military
presence in southern Kyrgyzstan,” he said in a statement. He added: “A
possibility to deepen bilateral interaction in the terrorism fighting
sphere is being tentatively considered.”
On Wednesday, meanwhile, a top Kyrgyz envoy pleaded at a meeting of
NATO and other nations for international support to help its new
leaders prepare for July elections and to prevent unrest in
neighboring Uzbekistan from spilling over.
Uzbekistan has been shaken by the May 13 riots in Andijan, where
troops fired on protesters. The borders of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and
Tajikistan converge in the densely populated Fergana Valley, where
poverty runs deep and radical Islamic groups are active.
Kyrgyzstan, which saw its longtime president ousted in a popular
uprising in March, hosts some 500 Russian military personnel along
with fighter jets and other aircraft at the Kant air base east of the
capital, Bishkek.
The United States operates a base at Bishkek’s main airport.

RA PRESIDENT RECEIVES HEAD OF “VNESHTORGBANK”
YEREVAN, May 23. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian received
President and CEO of Russian “Vneshtorgbank” Andrey Kostin. According
to the Press Service of Armenian President, Kocharian expressed
satisfaction with the program of cultural exchange, carried out by the
two countries with the assistance of “Vneshtorgbank”. He mentioned the
tour of Bolshoy Theatre currently held in Yerevan. In his turn, Kostin
noted that the bank is going to provide ongoing support for the
organization of tours of known Russian cultural groups in Yerevan.
The participants of the meeting also took up issues on “Vneshtorgbank”
participation in the activities of Armenian “Armsavingsbank”. At that,
Kocharian said that the dynamic development of Armenian banking system
and the reforms carried out during the recent years allow starting
activities in new areas of banking services, in particular, in
insurance, hypothec and leasing fields. Kostin also noted that bank is
to focus on expanding services, provided to individuals. The
agreement on obtaining 70% shares of “Armsavingsbank” by
“Vneshtorgbank” was signed in Yerevan in March, 2004. L.V.-0–

Pan Armenian News
ARMEN SMBATIAN ON MURDER OF THREE ARMENIANS: IT IS PROBLEM FOR RUSSIA FIRST
OF ALL
23.05.2005 04:02
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `I will watch the development of the case like our
delegation and our republic will do. This problem is not only Armenia’s but
Russia’s first of all’, Armenian Ambassador to Russia Armen Smbatian stated
when commenting on the murder of three Armenians in Verkhnyaya Pyshma. To
note, the law enforcers of the town have received a special order – to
provide security of the Armenian population.