Author: Emil Lazarian

RUSSIANS COMPLETE TAKEOVER OF ARMENIAN POWER GRID
By Astghik Bedevian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Sept 26 2006
After months of negotiations Russia’s national electricity company
completed late Tuesday its controversial purchase of Armenia’s power
distribution network that will boost the already strong Russian
presence in the Armenian energy sector.
The shares in the Electricity Networks of Armenia (ENA) were
formally transferred to an offshore-registered subsidiary of the
state-controlled RAO Unified Energy Systems (UES) in the presence of
Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian and other senior Armenian officials.
The high-profile ceremony took place in Yerevan one year after the
announcement of the $73 million deal. The Armenian government agreed
to ENA’s sale in September 2005 on the condition that the Russians
assume the investment commitments and liabilities of the network’s
previous owner, the British-registered Midland Resources Holding.
Alexei Rapoport, the UES vice-chairman present at the ceremony, said
the Russian giant will invest $20 million in ENA during the first
year of its operations. He said the deal was initiated by the Armenian
government and emphasized Sarkisian’s personal role in the process.
It is still not clear why the transfer of shares has taken so long.
The Russians were reportedly having second thoughts about the takeover
after a former Armenian Energy Ministry official implicated the ENA
management in large-scale fraud. In a bombshell February interview
with two Armenian newspapers, Felix Tadevosian, alleged that an
official audit of ENA found that Midland has grossly inflated its
capital investments in the network and ran up more debts than was
previously thought. ENA strongly denied the allegations.
The Russian takeover of ENA was first made public and presented in
June 2005 as a “management contract” signed by UES and Midland. The
legality of the deal was seriously questioned by the World Bank
and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). But the
Western donors acquiesced when Midland and UES decided two months
later to formalize the sale of ENA and seek the Armenian authorities’
formal approval of the deal.
UES already controls, in one way or another, several major power
plants that provide 80 percent of Armenia’s electricity, including
the nuclear power station at Metsamor.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MEDIA GROUPS SEE CONTINUED GOVERNMENT GRIP ON BROADCASTING
By Ruzanna Khachatrian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Sept 26 2006
Armenia’s leading media associations brushed aside on Tuesday a
government bill which is designed to make a powerful body regulating
broadcasting more independent of President Robert Kocharian.
The bill stems from one of the recently enacted amendments to the
Armenian constitution which stipulates that the Armenian television
and radio stations must be regulated by an “independent” state body.
The existing National Commission on Television and Radio (HRAH),
which has the exclusive authority to issue and revoke broadcasting
licenses, has until now been single-handedly formed by Kocharian and
is widely believed to be controlled by him. Under the government bill
in question, the Armenian parliament and president would each appoint
four of its eight members for a six-year term. The current members
of the HRAH would be allowed to complete their tenures defined by
the existing Armenian law on television and radio.
The commission would also be required to “substantiate in a proper
manner” the distribution and withdrawal of television and radio
frequencies.
Justice Minister David Harutiunian, who presented the draft law to the
National Assembly, said these changes would help to reduce government
influence on to private broadcasters. Virtually all of them are loyal
to Armenia’s leadership at present.
The only TV channel that frequently broadcast criticism of the
government, A1+, was controversially pulled off the air by the HRAH
in April 2002. Its repeated attempts to resume broadcasts have since
been blocked by the regulatory body headed by a former senior member
of the presidential administration. Domestic and international media
watchdogs view this as a vivid indication of the government’s tight
grip on the Armenian electronic media.
In a joint statement, the Yerevan Press Club, the Armenian Union of
Journalists and three other groups said the proposed changes do not
ensure the HRAH’s independence and therefore “cause serious concerns
regarding freedom of speech and a fair and objective regulation of
the market for television and radio broadcasting.” They argued in
particular that it would take years before the composition of the HRAH
changes significantly. They suggested that the new commission have
16 members, half of whom would be appointed by the parliament at once.
The signatories complained that the legal amendments were drafted
by the government “hastily” and without consultation with local
journalists and organizations defending their interests. They urged the
parliament to delay the debate on the bill pending “public hearings”
on the issue.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PLATVOET: PROGRESS CAN BE ACHIEVED IN FINDING MISSING PERSONS IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Sept 26 2006
“We can achieve progress in finding the persons missing as a result of
the conflicts in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia,” said Leo Platvoet,
PACE rapporteur on prisoners of war and missing persons, APA’s Europe
bureau reports.
Mr.Platvoet said he believes progress will be achieved in the solution
of the problem on missing persons after his visit in Nagorno Garabagh
and Abkhazia.
“I arrived at a conclusion during my visit in Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan
in June that the interested sides want to deal with this issue in
terms of humanitarian sphere not politics,” the rapporteur underlined.
Platvoet’s report on missing persons in the South Caucasus will be
discussed at January session of PACE.

AZERBAIJANI INTERIOR TROOPS’ SPECIAL FORCES SUITABLE FOR MILITARY OPERATIONS IN NK
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Sept 26 2006
Commander of Interior Troops Zakir Hasanov: I advocate public and
democratic control on the Army
The APA interviewed Commander of Interior Troops, General Lieutenant
Zakir Hasanov.
-Azerbaijan has professional Interior Troops who are ready to fulfill
errands given by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. The main thing is that
our military personnel know their duties very well and ready to fulfill
them. The Interior Troops’ officers are mastering experiences of both
military body and law enforcement bodies. We are working on this issue.
-What countries and international organizations do the Interior Troops
cooperate with?
-We have been closely cooperating with Turkey’s Gendarmerie since
1997. Under the protocol, Turkey supports equipping, training of
personnel of the Interior Troops. Our Troops meet modern standards by
the assistance of the Turkish Gendarmerie. We are also cooperating
with China, Italy, Russia, U.S., Germany, Romania as well as with
NATO and FIEP. We conduct joint trainings.
Our main task is to conform the Interior Troops to European standards.
-The assessment mission from the Association of the European and
Mediterranean Police Forces and Gendarmeries with Military Status
(FIEP) has visited Azerbaijan recently. What do you expect from the
talks. Whendou think the Interior Troops will become FIEP member?
-The FIEP assessment group familiarized with the service,
professionalism and social condition of the Interior Troops. They
get a certain idea of the Troops. The assessment group is preparing
a report for the member countries. This report will be discussed at
the FIEP secretariat and the decision on membership will be discussed
at the meeting of FIEP authorities.
-Are there any plans on increase of defense expenditure?
– The logistics of the Interior Troops is in high level. Great majority
of social problems have been solved in the past two years thanks to
the head of state’s and Interior Minister Ramil Usubov’s care. The
personnel, in particular soldiers of the Troops have been ensured
wide opportunities today. All the military units and military camps
meet modern standards. We opened a hostel for officers in Baku in the
past one year. The construction of hostels in Sheki and Guba is about
to be completed. We also established a holiday-resort for officers
in Nabran. 136 billion manats (AZM) have been allocated for us from
the budget. Our budget is increasing every year. We are planning to
implement social programs in 2007-2008.
-Some countries benefit from the opportunities of Interior Troops and
similar bodies in solving problems like the Nagorno Garabagh problem.
How do you assess the Interior Troops’ preparation for operation
against the separatist forces in Garabagh?
-Besides, the separatist regime, there are Armenian Armed Forces in
Nagorno Garabagh. If there were only separatist forces, the Nagorno
Garabagh conflict could have been solved in a short period of time.
It is not so difficult to neutralize a small gangster. We had to
resist large-scale forces of Armenia and their supporters. They have
been supplied with heavy weapons and therefore, they can be defeated
by large-scale military operations. However, the Interior Troops
are prepared to interfere in this armed conflict any time. We have
high professionalism, equipment and first of all high spirit in our
military personnel. We will also undertake responsibilities if the war
starts. These responsibilities can be neutralization and disarmament of
gangsters in the liberated territories, patrol services or organizing
diversions behind the enemy to support our Army’s attack in mountainous
areas and so on. Our operation regiments can be involved in the battles
together with the Army. The special forces of Interior Troops are
being trained to be suitable for military operations in very Garabagh.
-However, the special forces are said to be used as riot squads to
suppress rallies and unrests most of all.
-These forces are used to fight both armed crimes and preserve
public order. Their professionalism is always on focus. Our special
forces are cooperating with Turkish Gendarmerie. Our officers attend
training courses in Turkey. As coming to rallies, The Interior Troops
do not engage in politics, their function is to defend our state from
criminal and outlaw attempts. We participate only in preventing mass
unrests. The practice shows some outlaw forces organize mass unrests.
We are ready to fulfill our duty. I am convinced that no outlaw force
can violate stability in Azerbaijan today!
-The Military Prosecutor’s Office says there is a high level corruption
in the Armed Forces. Is there such a problem in the Interior Troops?
-I am not informed of the processes in other bodies. There should be
a strong control to prevent corruption. No officer or ensign of the
Interior Troops has been called to account for corruption or bribery
since 2002. The Troops are being overseen by the Interior Ministry
and several other bodies. The officers of the Prosecutor’s Office
regularly visit our military units. Corruption is unacceptable in a
military body.
-The Council of Europe is also concerned over events contrary to
the Regulations of Armed Forces. What actions are taken to remove
such events?
– Legal framework prevents contrary to the Army’s Regulations. If
there is a right behavior to a soldier, there will be no problem. We
need to cooperate with parents. Our body is open to parents. We invite
parents of soldier to the military units every weekend, and I attend
these meetings too. We advocate public and democratic control on the
Army. Then the problems will be removed. Since, we are integrating
into Europe, this control is necessary.
-Do the parents complain of something?
-The complaints are due to leave and permission of soldiers to go
home for a short-term. Taking into account possible events, we cannot
allow soldiers to the city as they do not know the city well. They are
from province. We allow them in groups and take leave in accordance
with legislation. We rarely receive complaints on relationships
among soldiers.
-What about the establishment of the peacekeeping party in the
Interior Troops?
-A peacekeeping party is to be established in the Interior Troops
in the framework of the cooperation program with NATO. Preliminary
measures have been implemented for this. The officers have been
trained, staff meeting NATO standards has been established. The
party has been supplied with weapons and equipment. There remains
some measures to be implemented regarding purchasing of communication
facilities that are used in NATO forces. This problem will be addressed
in the context of mutual relations, and the peacekeeping party will
be ready early in 2007.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN WRESTLERS TO PARTICIPATE IN WORLD WRESTLING CUP IN AZERBAIJAN NEXT YEAR
Today, Azerbaijan
Sept 26 2006
Unpleasant events happened in the International Wrestling Federation
(FILA) congress held in Guangzhou, China.
Azerbaijan Youth and Sport minister Azad Rehimov and Wrestling
Federation president Abbas Abbasov took part in the congress too.
FILA deprived Azerbaijan of organizing the World Championship 2007
due to the country’s not being able to ensure safety of all sportsmen.
The cause is the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the sportsmen
of these countries not participating in the competitions hosted by
Baku and Yerevan, APA reports.
The other cause is the letter of the International Olympic Committee in
which Azerbaijan was shown as problematic region. FILA President Rafael
Martinetti said Azerbaijan cannot host competitions that issue license.
Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Ismayil Ismayilov told that
Azerbaijan prepares for the World Cup. He stated the possibility of
Armenian sportsmen’s participation in the tournament.
“Everything is possible. The problem is being solved now,” he said.
Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation’s president Metleb Abdullayev told
that the World Cup 2007 will take place in Azerbaijan.
“The Federation will create an opportunity for Armenian sportsmen
to participate in the tournament in Baku. If they refuse to come,
they will benefit from “fall cart” and will gain license to Olympic
Games,” he said.
According to the regulations, 1/4 finalists of the world championship
gain direct license to Olympic Games.
URL:
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER CONTINUES MEETINGS IN NEW YORK
SANA – Syrian Arab News Agency, Syria
Sept 26 2006
Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem met South Africa’s Foreign Minister
Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma on the sidelines of the 61st UN General
Assembly’s session.
Talks during Monday meeting dealt with the bilateral relations between
the two friendly countries and means of bolstering them.
The Foreign Minister also discussed with his Armenian counterpart
Vartan Oskanian the bilateral relations between Syria and Armenia
and the agenda of the current session of the UN Assembly.
Al-Moallem discussed with Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov the necessity of enhancing relations between Syria and
Azerbaijan and activating the role of the Organization of Islamic
Conference (OIC) as Azerbaijan is the duty president of the current
session of the OIC Ministers.
He also discussed with Executive Director of the UN Developmental
Program Kamal Darwish the activities which the Program is carrying
on in Syria, and prospects of cooperation between Syria and the
UN agencies.
The Foreign Minister congratulated Sheikha Haya Rashed al-Khaleifa,
President of the 61st Session of the UN General Assembly on electing
her as the first Arab woman to chair this office, asserting the
importance of enabling the UN to achieve real reforms inside the
organization during the current session in a way that achieves
democracy in the international relations.
Deputy Foreign Minister Dr. Faisal Miqdad attended the meetings.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DINK FACES NEW TRIAL UNDER ARTICLE 301
Turkish Daily News , Turkey
Sept 26 2006
A prosecutor in Istanbul filed an indictment against Turkish Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink, saying that he had committed the crime of
“insulting Turkishness” under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code
(TCK).
The case was opened for remarks Dink made in an interview with a
foreign news agency in which he said the killings of Armenians
in Turkey around the time of World War I constituted genocide,
Anatolia news agency said yesterday. The remarks were published in
Agos newspaper, of which Dink is the editor in chief, on July 21, 2006
Dink could face up to three years in prison if convicted.
Two other executives of Agos newspaper, Arat Dink and Serkis Seropyan,
are also facing the same punishment.
This is the second case Dink faces a court under Article 301, which
the European Union says restricts freedom of expression in Turkey.
In July, the Supreme Court of Appeals agreed to approve Agos a
six-month suspended sentence for Dink for “insulting Turkishness.”
The ªiºli Second Criminal Court had found Dink guilty of insulting
Turkishness and sentenced him to a six-month suspended sentence. The
Supreme Court of Appeals Ninth Bureau had reversed the suspension,
arguing there was no doubt Dink was guilty of committing the crime.
The decision to suspend the sentence by the ªiºli Second Criminal Court
was appealed by Dink, who is seeking acquittal rather than suspension,
and the complainants. The Supreme Court of Appeals Prosecutor’s Office
had sought annulment of the sentence, arguing that the material and
emotional elements of the crime “insulting Turkishness” had not taken
place. The Ninth Bureau said there was no doubt Dink’s statement,
“The clean blood that will replace the poisoned blood of the Turk is
present in the honored veins that will be established between the
Armenian and Armenia,” insulted Turkishness. “It is impossible to
justify belittling a society while praising another with the freedom
of expression as defined by the European Convention on Human Rights,”
the bureau said. Dink had argued that what he meant by the statement
was that Armenians had the strength to overcome their destructive
hatred of Turks.
–Boundary_(ID_1HCbXzW1xheOYyVkcuY49w)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

STATE PENSION DIVESTMENT BILL SIGNED
By Nancy Vogel, Times Staff Writer
Los Angeles Times, CA –
Sept 26 2006
The law requires the teachers and public employees retirement systems
to withdraw funds from firms aiding Sudan’s government.
SACRAMENTO – California’s giant public pension systems must rid
themselves of investments in companies that help the Sudanese
government, under a measure that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed
into law Monday.
University of California students and others who led a campaign for
divestment said they hoped that it would persuade other states to
do the same. Ultimately, they want to pressure the Arab-dominated
government of Sudan, which is blamed for the deaths of at least
200,000 non-Arabs since 2003 and the displacement of more than 2.5
million people in the nation’s western Darfur region.
ADVERTISEMENT “Divestment will show our defiance against the murderers
and their inhumanity,” Schwarzenegger said at a bill-signing ceremony
at the Hilton Burbank Airport and Convention Center, recalling that
a similar divestment movement two decades ago helped end apartheid
in South Africa.
Joining him at the ceremony were actors Don Cheadle and George Clooney,
and UC student activist Adam Sterling. “State by state, pension fund
by pension fund, your genocide will not occur on our watch and it
will not occur on our dime,” Sterling vowed.
When the law takes effect in January, it will require the California
Public Employees’ Retirement System and the California Teachers’
Retirement System to liquidate their holdings in certain companies
that operate in Sudan if, after 90 days’ warning, the companies fail
to halt business activities there.
About two dozen oil, energy and telecommunications firms – most of them
Chinese, Russian, Malaysian, Indian or French – are the targets of the
divestment, said Jason Miller, a UC San Francisco medical student who,
with Sterling, helped create the Sudan Divestment Task Force.
The bill, AB 2941 by Assemblyman Paul Koretz (D-West Hollywood), is
narrowly tailored to force divestment of only those companies that
provide revenue or weapons to the Sudanese government and refuse to
change their practices.
No American companies are on the list for potential divestment, Miller
said, and American companies must get U.S. permission to do business
in Sudan because the nation is considered a state sponsor of terrorism.
Miller conceded that divestment of the two state pension systems
won’t be enough to change the stock price of any potential divestment
targets.
But he and others see the Koretz bill as model legislation that
may spur enough divestment nationwide to pressure the companies and
thus Sudan.
Said Clooney: “As more states begin to adopt it, and they just might,
then perhaps we can take a giant step in making sure that a government
that systematically eliminates its citizens at the very least doesn’t
profit from it.”
Four other states – Illinois, Maine, Oregon and New Jersey – also
have ordered pension funds to divest from companies operating in
Sudan. Legislation that is modeled on the Koretz bill is pending in
15 other states, Miller said.
“It’s a more sophisticated route than a couple of other states have
tried,” Koretz said. “If it’s too broad of a brush, you wind up
picking up companies that are there and doing good.”
The legislation, which passed with the opposition of 13 Republicans in
the Assembly and seven Republicans in the Senate, hastens a movement
already underway at the teachers and public employees pension systems
and the University of California.
In March, pressured by student activists, UC regents voted to liquidate
holdings, worth tens of millions of dollars, in nine foreign companies
that do business with Sudan. The governor signed another, related bill,
AB 2179 by Assemblyman Tim Leslie (R-Tahoe City), that indemnifies
UC regents, employees and investment managers from litigation that
may arise out of the Sudanese divestment.
The teachers pension system on Monday reported holding $12 million
worth of stock in 10 companies operating in Sudan, including Sinopec
Corp., PetroChina Co., Bharat Heavy Electrical of India and Sudan
Telecom Co. Those companies are targeted for divestment under a policy
the teachers pension board adopted in April.
“They have gone through quite an extensive back-and-forth with
a number of these companies,” teachers pension system spokeswoman
Brenna Neuharth said. “The bill just speeds the process along.”
Public employees pension system spokesman Brad Pacheco said the fund,
with $207 billion in assets, has invested in 39 companies doing
business in Sudan, none of them the nine companies from which UC has
divested. He said he could not estimate how much the system may need
to divest under the legislation because system officials are still
trying to determine the nature of the firms’ Sudanese operations.
Last December, the public employees pension system warned three
European companies that it would sell its hundreds of millions of
dollars worth of shares if they did not sever ties with the Sudanese
government. “We’re still working with those companies” to achieve
change, Pacheco said.
Phil Angelides, the Democratic candidate for governor, who as state
treasurer sits on the public employees pension system board, has
pushed for several years for divestment in firms complicit in what
the U.S. Congress has declared genocide.
He praised the signing of the Koretz bill, saying, “Californians have
a moral responsibility to help end the genocide in Sudan.”
On Monday, Schwarzenegger also signed a bill that would allow any
Californian who was a victim of the Armenian genocide or an heir
or beneficiary of a victim to sue financial institutions to recover
assets stolen or lost between 1890 and 1923. Under SB 1524 by Sen.
Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough), Californians of Armenian descent
would have through 2016 to file claims.
Schwarzenegger signed another bill that would require insurance
companies to disclose how much money they are investing in low- and
middle-income communities. Some insurers had opposed the bill, as had
the governor’s insurance advisor, Kathleen Webb, a former State Farm
official. In May, Webb sent a letter to the author, Assemblyman Mark
Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles), stating her office’s opposition.
“The question is, what is there to hide?” Ridley-Thomas said.
“Disclose what you’re doing: the good, the bad and the ugly.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MAMMADYAROV: THERE ARE TWO COMPONENTS THE PARTIES CANNOT AGREE UPON
Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 26 2006
Speaking about the negotiation process over the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict at the 61st session of the UN General Assembly,
the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov declared that
“there areas still two components, which the parties cannot agree upon.
These include the final status of Nagorno Karabakh and withdrawal
of Armenian troops from the occupied territories.” In his words,
“there is a common agreement, according to which the status should be
determined by participation of representatives of both Armenian and
Azerbaijani communities.” “But for this the Armenian forces should
withdraw from current positions, and residents of the occupied
territories must return to safe lands,” Mammadyarov added.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SAMVEL TER-SAHAKYAN THE CHAMPION OF EUROPE IN UNDER 14 COMPETITION
Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 26 2006
Armenian chess player Samvel Ter-Sahakyan achieved European
Champion’s title in the under 14 blitz chess competiion. Earlier
Samvel Ter-Sahakyan had achieved the same title in the blitz chess
tournament in Hertseg Novi city of Chernogoria.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress