Author: Emil Lazarian

MATTHEW BRYZA TO PAY VISIT TO KARABAKH CONFLICT REGION
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.06.2006 13:04 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Newly appointed U.S. Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk
Group will pay a visit to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict region,
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov stated. In his words,
June 22 in Vienna the Co-chairs will report to the OSCE Permanent
Council on the current stage of the settlement. “The Co-chairs
have already proposed to hold a new meeting at the level of FMs and
received my consent. In Vienna Matthew Bryza will officially assume
his duties. After this he will alone visit Baku and Yerevan,” the Azeri
FM said. “The U.S. government has not lost hope for progress. Matthew
Bryza is aware of the region and being well informed of the Karabakh
conflict he won’t need time to get familiarized with the problem,”
Elmar Mammadyarov said, reported Day.az.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NETHERLANDS ATTACHES HIGH IMPORTANCE TO ARMENIA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.06.2006 13:25 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In 2006 the Dutch government will assign a grant
totaling in 5 million euros to Armenia, Dutch Minister of Development
and Cooperation Agnes Van Arden said upon completion of the meeting of
the Dutch Group, International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. In
her words, the aid will be rendered in Armenia follows the economic
path it has chosen. She remarked that Netherlands has been cooperating
with Armenia since the time the republic became independent. “We have
rendered budget assistance and implemented programs targeted at the
development of small and middle business in Armenia,” Agnes van Arden
underscored adding that high importance is attached to the economic
growth of the republic. The Dutch leadership prefers the cooperation
between the state be exercised on only at governmental level but at
the level of businessmen as well. “We would like Armenian and Dutch
entrepreneurs establish joint ventures, develop the small and middle
business and create work places,” she said, reported IA Regnum.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UKRAINE TO PARTICIPATE IN RECONSTRUCTION OF ARMENIAN HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.06.2006 14:53 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Ukraine will participate in the reconstruction
of the Armenian hydroelectric power plants, Ukrainian Ambassador
to Armenia Alexander Bozhko said. The issue was discussed today
during the visit of Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian to
Kyiv. According to the Ambassador, the equipment for the Armenian
hydroelectric power plants was produced by Kharkov-based “Turboatom”
plant and now Armenia is interested in participation of specialists
of the plant in tenders for reconstruction of the energy sector. “We
have already sent the essential documents to the Ukrainian Ministry
of Economy,” Bozhko said, reported RBC-Ukraine.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE NETHERLANDS GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE CREDIT OF 5 MLN EURO TO ARMENIA
Panorama.am
14:39 19/06/06
The government of the Netherlands will provide Armenia with a credit
of 5 mln Euro on preferential terms by the end of this year if the
country does not turn down its planned economic indicators, Agnes van
Arden, minister on development of cooperation of the Netherlands told
a press conference in Yerevan.
In her words, the funds will be directed to enlarged business ties
between the entrepreneurs of both countries and mutual attraction of
investment. She noted that joint ventures are highly preferable with
subsequent new employment opportunities.
It should be noted that in 2005 the Netherlands has provided Armenia
with a credit of 4.7 mln Euro. The funds were directed to fund
management in state sector, democratic development and establishment
of civil society.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanARMENIAN.Net
Dual Citizenship Important for Unifying Interests of
RA Citizens and Diaspora
17.06.2006 15:08 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Dual citizenship is one of the most important tasks
for Armenia, RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said in Yerevan. In
his words, the problem arouses concern, since it refers to the
whole Armenian nation. “Dual citizenship is very important for the
unification of interests of the RA citizens and Diaspora. This is the
issue of pride and responsibility. The current state of Armenianhood,
specifically its division into Armenia and Diaspora is an imposed
state,” the RA FM said.
In his words, a number of events forced the Armenian nation to
it, these being the Genocide, establishment of the Soviet regime,
collapse of economy after obtaining independence and the war in
Karabakh. “Now Armenia, as a state, should return its citizens all
what they lost. A new state was formed in Armenia and it should be
strong and democratic. When speaking of rendering dual citizenship
to Armenians one should not forget that a great deal of work has been
carried out and the issue of military service and the right to elect
or being elected remain the only items unsettled,” Vartan Oskanian
said, reported Novosti-Armenia.

Presidents Putin and Aliev discuss the Karabakh issue
ArmRadio.am
17.06.2006 15:02
In the framework of the consultation summit on means of cooperation
and trust in Asia held in Almati, Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan
Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliev discussed issues related to economy
and the situation in Eurasia. The Presidents showed full mutual
comprehension of the processes in the post-Soviet field, Russian
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the journalists. They appreciated
the rapid pace of rise of turnover of goods. The Presidents discussed
also the schedule of the future meetings and issues related to the
Karabakh conflict settlement.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

63rd Rose-Roth seminar of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to be held in
Sochi
ArmRadio.am
17.06.2006 14:15
The 63rd Rose-Roth seminar of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly will
be held in Sochi, Russia June 22-24. The participants will exchange
views on the following topics: “Security issues in the South Caucasus,”
“Frozen conflicts in the South Caucasus: the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict”
and others.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Nation, Kenya
June 17 2006
58 passes are cancelled in Armenians row
Story by PATRICK NZIOKA and BERNARD NAMUNANE
Publication Date: 6/17/2006
All the 58 airport security passes that were irregularly issued in
the Armenian brothers’ saga have been cancelled.
“Disciplinary action will be taken against all those who violated
the rules in issuing the passes,” Transport assistant minister Cecily
Mbarire said yesterday.
A committee appointed by President Kibaki to investigate an incident
in which the Artur brothers breached security measures at the Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport is expected to point out those involved.
The assistant minister, who is in charge of civil aviation at the
ministry, said more people would be affected once the committee
completes its work.
She defended the Government against claims that only junior officers
were punished.
“The committee will be able to come up with recommendations on who
is responsible for disciplinary action to be taken,” she said after
a tour of the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority premises at the airport.
Initial investigations had revealed that a senior Kenya Airports
Authority official issued 41 security passes, including those held by
the Armenian brothers – Mr Artur Margaryan and Mr Artur Sargasyan –
and their accomplices. The two have since been deported.
A list obtained by the Nation last week indicated that Mr Margaryan
was among 184 people, including politicians and directors of companies,
who had unrestricted access to all the airports in Kenya.
The assistant minister denied claims that the British high commission
had protested to the Kenyan Government following the security breach
at country’s main airport.
She added that such a protest note had not reached her ministry
“if indeed it was delivered to any arm of the Government”.
Ideally, a protest note of that nature would reach her ministry as
it was the parent ministry in charge of airports, said Ms Mbarire.
The two controversial Armenian brothers were deported following an
attack on a customs officer at the airport as they resisted attempts
to inspect bags of an accomplice, who had arrived from Dubai.
Guns were drawn inside the airport’s arrivals hall, where the customs
officer was assaulted.
But Ms Mbarire said the incident took place at the airport’s parking
lot. She further assured users of the airport that it was secure.
—————————————– —————————————
Two parliamentary committees will jointly seek to unravel the story
behind the deported Armenians.
The national security and administration of justice and legal affairs
committees ended their tussle yesterday and agreed to work as a unit –
in public interest.
There was a stand-off between the two committees early in the week
over which had the right to investigate the saga surrounding the entry,
stay and deportation of the Armenians.
They met at County Hall in Nairobi yesterday and resolved to launch
the investigations – which touch on senior members of the Government –
as a unit.
Said Mr Paul Muite, the chairman of the committee on justice: “The
issues relating to the two Armenians are cross-cutting the mandates
of the two committees. We have agreed that the best way forward is
to act as a team in carrying out the investigations.”

The Nation, Kenya
June 17 2006
Row over Armenians’ container
Story by PATRICK MAYOYO
Publication Date: 6/17/2006
A tug of war erupted yesterday over the verification of goods in a
container belonging to the Artur brothers, which is still awaiting
clearance at Mombasa port.
The row pitted Trade ministry officials against the Customs department,
as the latter was accused of failing to follow procedures and
overstepping its mandate.
A police officer, with assistance of a sniffer dog, examines goods
in the container belonging to the two Armenian brothers during the
verification at the port of Mombasa yesterday.
Trade ministry officials said their department, which is responsible
for authenticating weights and measures, were locked out during the
verification.
Standard procedures for examining goods under dispute required that
all the items in a container had to be displayed and verified before
being cleared.
But this was not done for the goods belonging to the Artur Margaryan
and Artur Sargasyan.
During the verification all the goods were removed but they were not
checked item by item or a stock taken before they were re-packed into
the container. “A 100 per cent verification requires that goods being
subjected to such an exercise should all be removed from a container
and a stock taken before being returned in the container but this is
not what happened,” said one of the Trade ministry officials.
The officials, who did not want to be named, also said cases of false
imports declarations were handled by Trade ministry and not Customs.
The latter was responsible for cases of under-valuation of goods.
“All matters related to false entries on Import Declaration Form
(IDF) are dealt with under the Trade Descriptions Act and this was
the case with the Artur brothers’ container,” the officials said.
But the Kenya Revenue Authority officials defended their action,
saying it was not compulsory that all the items in the container be
inspected and their inventory done.
The senior deputy commissioner in charge of Southern region, Mr
Ntogaiti Muronga, confirmed that the goods found in the Armenian
brothers container were not what they had declared.
“The declaration form indicated that the goods were colour televisions
but we have found in the container generators, gas cookers, DVDs,
music systems and mobile phones,” he said.
Three mattresses were also among the imported goods, raising questions
why the Artur brothers had to import mattresses yet they could buy
them locally.
Questions were also raised over the failure to check the bottom of
the container as there was suspicion that it had a false compartment.
But a senior police officer said the search by the sniffer dog cleared
doubts of contraband goods being in the container.
Mr Muronga said KRA had also launched investigations into reports
that there were 29 containers linked to the Artur brothers which
had entered the country but which are suspected to be still waiting
clearance or could have been cleared without correct duties being paid.
He said that out of the 29 containers said to have been brought into
the country by the Artur brothers, KRA had located three and was
still looking for more.
“Upon verifying one the three containers in our custody, we have
established that the Government could have lost more than Sh3 million
in taxes,” he said.
Mr Muronga confirmed that the three containers belonged to Kensington
International Ltd in which the Artur brothers are directors.
Immediately after their deportation last week, one of the Artur
brothers refuted reports that the container was carrying contract
band goods, saying it had generators he wanted to donate to Mama Ngina
Children’s Home. Before the verification, there was an attempt to bar
journalists from the place. They were only allowed to stay on after
they protested.
The verification started shortly after 9am when all the goods were
removed from the container before and randomly checked. It ended
at 1.30pm.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Uproar in House over Armenians
BY EDWIN MUTAI
Kenya Times, Kenya
June 17 2006
PARLIAMENT early this week was in uproar, accusing the government
of attempting to cover up the true circumstances surrounding the
stay and deportation of Brothers Artur arising from the mayhem the
Armenians had caused at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
In a motion of adjournment, legislators from both sides of the House
accused trying to cover up real issues by going for “small fish”
instead going for the big ones implicated in the fiasco. They also
trashed the commission of inquiry set up by President Kibaki to look
into the matter.
Agitated MPs also faulted the deportation of the duo whose activities
in the country remain shrouded in a mystery even as it emerged that
they jetted out of the country in a business class flight headed for
the United Arab Emirates contrary to legal procedure. Parliament also
heard that their passports were never stamped.
The debate under the motion of adjournment saw Leader of the Official
Opposition Uhuru Kenyatta rally legislators to lash out at the
government’s failure to protect the integrity, security and dignity
of the sovereign republic.
Internal security John Michuki’s bid to exonerate the government from
any dealings or protection of the controversial aliens was met with
outright rejection even as a section of MPs booed him. Efforts by
Ministers Martha Karua (Justice and Internal Affairs) and her Trade
counterpart Mukhisa Kituyi to absolve the State from alleged cover
fizzled in rejection from legislators who accused the President of
allowing the country to be “governed by foreigners as the Police
force remained divided down m the middle.”
Kenyatta in moving the motion charged that the security , integrity,
dignity, honour and sovereignty of an independent self governing
nation is at great stake and scorn among the community of nations. He
put questions which were unanswered by Michuki as he hit out at the
government for allowing the foreigners to access unrestricted security
passes at the airport, brandish weapons and secure the release of
unchecked luggage.
He asked Michuki to tell Kenyans the relationship between the
Standard/KTN raid which he owned up to have ordered carried out and
the Artur brothers possession of the Quick Response Unit uniforms,
caps and hoods which were recovered from their Runda residence.
The Gatundu South MP demanded to be told why guns belonging to
security forces, Identity Cards identifying the Armenians as assistant
commissioners of police, Kenyan passports, government, diplomatic and
civilian car plate numbers among others, were giving to them and who
gave them and for what reasons.
“We must ventilate the anger of Kenyans on this Armenians issue who
have insulted us. We as a House have a responsibility to restore the
integrity, dignity, honour and sovereignty of our people is this
government has failed. We are not a banana republic,” charged an
emotional Kenyatta.
Michuki in his ministerial statement narrated the Armenian fiasco that
has been raging on since March this year, saying that the attention
of government was attracted to them when questions were raised on
their motives after being alleged to be mercenaries whose mission
was to assassinate political leaders.
He said investigation was launched by the police during which several
leaders and the Armenians were interrogated and statements recorded
and with the assistance of Interpol, the foreigners were found to be
in the country legally as businessmen.
The Minister said the two Armenians were arrested on Friday last week
on his instructions after they wrecked havoc at JKIA the previous
evening. But which MPs were not convinced.
In the search undertaken by police, Michuki said two forged passports
and other identification cards, 13 vehicles, three vehicle plate
numbers for GK, Diplomatic and civilian, three bullet proof vests
and facial masks were recovered.
After the find, the government reached a conclusion that Margaryan and
Sargasyan were a threat to national security and therefore should be
expelled from Kenya and that the immigration minister moved to deport
and declare the duo persona non grata.
Legislators Anyang’ Nyong’o (Kisumu Rural), Joseph Nkaissery (Kajiado
Central), Billow Kerrow (Mandera Central), Paul Muite (Kabete),
Orwa Ojode (Ndhiwa), Moses Wetangula (Sirisia), David Musila (Mwingi
South), Charles Kilonzo (Yatta), Kirugi M’Mukindia (Imenti Central),
William Ole Ntimama (Narok South) and nominated MP Amina Abdallah
accused the State of cover up and demanded the sacking of government
officials involved in the controversy.
“Mr Speaker, the highest echelons of this country is compromised
and it can not, therefore, be its own judge. We demand independent
investigations and the President must come out and sack these
ministers,” charged Nyong’o. Nkaissery termed it an act of terrorism
and that “a government that defends defilement of national security
has no place governing.”
Said M’Mukindia; “I am ashamed that the respectable and well known
John Michuki would cower in front of foreigners. That somebody coming
from Kangema in Murang’a would crawl in front of foreigners is a big
shame and the whole country has been let down by this government.”
Muite accused the government of protecting the deported due and
dismissed the inquiry set by the State as escapist and elusive since
“who doesn’t know that the proposed chair Kiruki, a former Police
Commissioner has no face before Kenyans. He was himself sacked as a
Police Commissioner and there cannot be any impartiality.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress