Author: Emil Lazarian

Armenia wants to fund projects in Georgian border region
Mze TV, Tbilisi
25 Jul 05
[Presenter] The Armenian government is paying close attention to
Samtskhe-Javakheti [region in southern Georgia with a large ethnic
Armenian population]. The subject was discussed at length today
during the visiting Armenian prime minister’s meeting with Georgian
parliament speaker Nino Burjanadze.
Andranik Markaryan said Armenia would be willing to fund social and
economic projects in Samtskhe-Javakheti, such as ones involving the
renovation of schools, provision of textbooks and school equipment,
and the opening of health care centres.
[Markaryan, speaking to journalists, in Russian] Everything should be
agreed with the Georgian government. It will be part of our joint
programme for Javakheti’s economic development. [Passage omitted:
Markaryan says both Armenia and Georgia are interested in the region’s
development]
[Question] How much could Armenia allocate for this?
[Markaryan] This year we have sent 350,000 dollars to Javakheti from
our state budget. If your side agrees, we are ready to increase the
amount in the future.
[Presenter] At the meeting, Markaryan also raised the question of
ownership of several churches in Javakheti and Tbilisi which are the
subject of a dispute between the Armenian and Georgian churches.
[Burjanadze, speaking to journalists, recording starts mid-sentence] –
no demand, it was just a request that our government, the Armenian
government and our churches jointly decide, once and for all, on the
ownership of this or that church, so that we do not have
misunderstandings like the one which occurred in Samtskhe-Javakheti
several weeks ago [when local residents stopped visiting students from
Tbilisi carrying out restoration work at a church]. [Passage omitted:
Burjanadze says she is pleased with Markaryan’s “perfect”
understanding of issues discussed at their meeting]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian-Azeri talks at “very sensitive stage” – British envoy
Arminfo
27 Jul 05
YEREVAN
The process of negotiations between the Armenian and Azerbaijani
presidents over the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict is currently at a very
sensitive stage, the British ambassador to Armenia, Thorda
Abbott-Watt, has said in an interview with the Armenia television
channel.
The ambassador said that it would be reasonable “if others were a
little patient and waited for some time”.
A considerable role in the negotiating process is played by the
co-chairmen of the [OSCE] Minsk Group.
“Great Britain is not a party to the negotiations and it would be
wrong if I made any comments on their progress,” she said. However,
Thorda Abbott-Watt noted that Great Britain hopes the conflict will be
resolved soon because it hampers regional development. She added that
both sides have to make compromises to achieve a breakthrough.
The ambassador went on to say that she will not visit Nagornyy
Karabakh as British ambassador since “that would mean that Great
Britain recognizes the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic as part of Armenia”.
She added that she hopes to visit Nagornyy Karabakh in the future.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian foreign minister, IAEA head discuss nuclear plant security
Arminfo
27 Jul 05
YEREVAN
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan today received the
director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA],
Muhammad al-Baradi’i, who is paying a two-day visit to Armenia.
The sides discussed problems Armenia is facing in the energy sphere
and prospects for developing this sector of the economy.
After stressing the importance of cooperation between Armenia and the
IAEA, the sides discussed security issues, ways of boosting the
effectiveness of the Armenian nuclear power plant and the use of
alternative sources of energy.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Iranian minister says military attaches should pursue defence diplomacy
IRNA web site
27 Jul 05
Tehran, 27 July, IRNA: Defence Minister Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani
said at an biannual gathering of “Iranian military attaches in foreign
countries” that the military attaches are responsible for pursuing the
country’s defence diplomacy.
According to the Public Relations Department of the Defence Ministry,
he said military and strategic issues require constant follow up by
competent persons.
Referring to the achievements made over the past eight year by the
Defence Ministry, he said the ministry has defence cooperation in the
fields of software and hardware with over 70 countries around the
globe such as in Europe, Africa and Asia.
During the period the ministry has signed defence pacts with Russia,
Iraq, Kuwait, India, Pakistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Lebanon, Ivory
Coast, Austria, Senegal, Belarussia and South Africa, he said.
Benefiting from defence diplomacy and the role of mass media, the
ministry has taken concrete strides in promoting policies of detente,
trust-building, transparency and accountability, he underlined.
The military attaches should shoulder responsibilities to boost
defence relations, export of military items in line with the foreign
policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, he concluded.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Woman’s reward for accidental killing stirs controversy in Russia
Ekho Moskvy radio, Moscow
27 Jul 05
[Presenter] The story of Russian woman Aleksandra Ivannikova, who as
you all know killed a taxi driver trying to rape her about two years
ago, took a sensational twist today. The Izvestiya newspaper has
learnt that she received a reward of R50,000 [next to 1,750 dollars at
the current exchange rate] for the killing. The money was awarded to
Ivannikova by an organization called the Movement Against Illegal
Immigration, which has the [Russian] acronym PNI. This is how the
movement celebrated its third anniversary. [Passage omitted:
previously reported details of case]
I add that during the hearing the court fully upheld the civil suit
brought by the victim, the father of the killed [taxi driver Sergey]
Bagdasaryan. The court ordered the defendant [Ivannikova] to pay him
R200,000 as compensation for material and moral damages.
The Movement Against Illegal Immigration, which decided to give
Ivannikova the award for killing Bagdasaryan, believes that she rid
Russia of a rapist and therefore should be rewarded, not accused. This
should be done by the state, but as it has not done so, the movement
is rewarding Ivannikova for killing Bagdasaryan, an Armenian, the
movement’s PR coordinator, Aleksandr Belov, told our radio station in
an interview.
[Belov] As there aren’t any official awards, we thought that since
Ivannikova is from a not-very-well-off family and has a young child –
he is five months old – we should present her this award. And we gave
her the money that we had collected. She acted in self defence and as
a result of her action she rid Moscow of a rapist. Unfortunately,
particularly at the moment, over 50 per cent of the most serious
crimes are committed by immigrants from CIS countries and the far
abroad. These crimes are particularly linked to violence and we are
drawing attention to this fact.
[Presenter] Belov said that Ivannikova received the award [start of
quote] for all the suffering she has had to put up with from the
law-enforcement system over the last two years, end of quote.
Ivannikova’s husband, Oleg, confirmed that he and his wife had
received the money. The prize was a noble gesture which would have
been hard to turn down, Oleg Ivannikov said.
[Ivannikov] It wasn’t R50,00. Let’s say it was a certain sum. As far I
unde rstand, people just collected some money, regardless of whether
we wanted it, and gave it to Aleksandra. It wasn’t to pay off the
compensation or anything, it was just a kind gesture. It was awarded
for a brave act. I doubt whether it the organization has nationalist
roots. It is just spin from the media, not them. [Passage omitted:
Ivannikov says members of pro-Kremlin groups are in the movement,
presenter says they have denied this]
[Presenter] The award of the prize to Ivannikova is clearly a case of
inciting racial hatred, Seda Vermisheva, a member of the Russian Union
of Armenians, believes.
[Vermisheva] There were infringements from the very beginning of the
criminal case. A man has died but nobody knows what he did or didn’t
do. [Passage omitted] He can’t say anything in his defence. There are
no witnesses.
If she is given an award for this, the next criminal case should be
against this organization for inciting racial hatred. They themselves
will come under a criminal article.
It is amoral for her to accept money as a reward for killing a
person. At all times she should think about the fact that she killed a
person.
[Presenter] I remind you that Ivannikova has refused to comment.
The presentation of this award is not the only action by the
organization against illegal immigration in the Ivannikova case. The
movement threatened the parents of Bagdasaryan, who Ivannikova killed
in self defence, Svetlana Gannushkina, the head of the Civil
Assistance organization, told our radio station.
[Gannushkina] Ivannikova killed this person accidentally and that is
evidently why she was acquitted [as received]. So it is pointless to
reward her for what the Movement Against Illegal Immigration wants
from us. She didn’t intend to do what happened.
The dead man’s father phoned me and said that the family is being
threatened by none other than this Movement Against Illegal
Immigration. I think that they represent more of a threat to Moscow
than the criminal diasporas that they talk about.
[Presenter] The speaker of the Moscow city duma, Vladimir Platonov,
effectively agrees with Gannushkina. He believes that the
law-enforcement agencies need to pay particular attention to movements
like the Movement Against Illegal Immigration.
[Platonov] If an organization appears that in this way stimulates self
defence and helps the victims of violence, then this can probably be
welcomed. But if an organization uses this to fight ethnic groups, it
is sad and, in my view, unacceptable.
There are violent people from all ethnic groups. When passing and
implementing laws the authorities have to show that all possible
efforts are being made to fight crime by all ethnic groups in order to
prevent the emergence of organizations that have goals which are
dangerous for a multi-ethnic state.
[Presenter] Immigration is beneficial for any state, Platonov
said. Workers coming from abroad are a boon for any country.

Turkey summons Swiss envoy over genocide-denier’s detention
Anatolia news agency
27 Jul 05
Ankara, 27 July: Turkey has conveyed its uneasiness over Swiss
attitude against Labour Party (IP) leader Dogu Perincek by inviting
Swiss Ambassador in Ankara Walter Gyger to the Turkish Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (MFA).
According to sources, MFA Deputy Undersecretary Nabi Sensoy has
conveyed Turkey’s disappointment over Perincek’s being taken into
custody by Swiss prosecutor under charges that Perincek refused to
recognize the so-called Armenian genocide.
During the meeting between Sensoy and Gyger, Sensoy reminded Gyger
that the events of 1915 were not a genocide. According to the
international treaty of 1948 on the prevention and punishment of
genocide, in order to name an incident genocide, certain conditions
must prevail and an international court decides on the matter. To this
day, there is no decision by an international court that 1915
witnessed a genocide.
Sensoy informed Gyger that the Swiss attitude would block freedom of
expression and such an attitude would hurt bilateral ties.
Perincek was detained after making the remark that “Armenian genocide
is an international lie” in a press conference held in Swiss city of
Winterthur on 23 July.

Investment Opportunities in Armenia
BISNIS Armenia Update
26 July 2005
Contents:
1. Now on the BISNIS web site
2. Upcoming Events in Yerevan
3. News briefs and press releases
*****************************************************************************
1.) New on the BISNIS web site
The Product Certification Process in Armenia, see
List of Major Freight Forwarding companies in Armenia, see
Press release – EBRD lends $1 million to microbusiness in Armenia, see
************* ************************************************** **************
2.) Upcoming Events in Yerevan
Armenia EXPO 2005
September 14-17, 2005
Yerevan, Armenia
Organizer: LOGOS EXPO Center
Official support: – Ministry of Trade and Economic Development of the
Republic of Armenia – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of
Armenia – Union of Manufacturers & Businessmen of the Republic of
Armenia – National Association of Publishers of the Republic of Armenia
Website:
Includes:
– “EXPO Food & Drinks 2005” Third specialized exhibition
– “BUILD EXPO 2005” Third specialized exhibition
– “Industrial Armenia EXPO 2005” Fifth regional universal
trade-industrial exhibition
– “COMP_EXPO 2005” Third specialized exhibition
– “TRANS EXPO 2005” Third specialized exhibition
– “Polygraphy. Publishing. Advertisement. EXPO 2005” Fifth specialized
exhibition
*****************************************************************************
DigiTec 2005
September 30 – October 2, 2005
Yerevan, Armenia
DigiTec 2005 is an Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
exhibition for computing, communications systems and applications
dedicated to the ICT industry and the advancement of entire business
environment.
DigiTec 2005 exhibition profile includes IT Equipment,
Telecommunication, Wireless Networks, Software Applications, Banking
Technology & Financial Services, R&D, IT and general business, Internet
applications and e-commerce, IT and education, E-governance, Computer
graphics and multimedia etc.
DigiTec 2005 ensures non-stop presentations of international and local
companies where visitors and exhibitors can maximize their participation
and demonstrate products, technologies and innovations targeting both
Armenian and regional and NIS markets.
Website:
Press coverage of the event:
UITE to Present Armenian IT Sphere in New Perspective
Yerevan, July 22. /PanARMENIAN.Net/
The Union of Information Technology Enterprises (UITE-) is
going to radically change the perception of IT consumers by means of
Digitech 2005 exhibition, UITE Executive Director Karen Vardanian said
in a conversation with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, earlier
the attempts to hold such exhibitions were not successful, as similar
equipment was displayed. Digitech 2005 () will present
special exhibition sectors, which remained broach so far. It will
present not only hardware but also a wide range of ending solutions. In
part, solutions for information and communication technologies for
business, multimedia products, IT labor market with the information on
vacancies, job requirements and projects will be presented. IT in
banking sphere including the software companies and automation systems
of banks. Karen Vardanian informed that UITE is carrying out an active
work for attracting foreign organizations and is cooperation with the
Armenian Council of Informational Technologies of America and Armenian
diplomatic representations abroad. Companies from the U.S., Malaysia and
Iran wish to participate in the exhibition. `We also rendered 5 cubic
meters to the embassies for free’, he noted. Though the exhibition will
be the first in Armenia the organizers are going to make it traditional.
To note, Digitech 2005 will be held in Yerevan September 30 – October 2
with the assistance of Enterprise Incubator Foundation ().
During this period a number of events including Internet-search
contests, programming and e-contents will be organized.
*****************************************************************************
News Briefs
WORLD BANK APPROVES $20-MLN AGRICULTURAL LOAN FOR ARMENIA
YEREVAN. July 8 (Interfax) – The World Bank’s board of directors has
approved a $20-million agricultural credit for Armenia, Roger J.
Robinson, director of the World Bank’s Yerevan office, said at a press
conference on Friday.
He said the resources will be extended to the Armenian government to
implement the Rural Enterprise and Small-Scale Commercial Agriculture
Development program (RESCAD). The four-year program is aimed at
in-creasing productivity and revenue at farms.
The $20-million credit will be extended to Armenia on discount terms of
the World Bank’s International Development Association for 40 years at
an annual 0.75% with a delayed payment for the first ten years.
Robinson said the resources will not be allotted to big farms.
The official exchange rate on July 8 was 440.16 dram/$1.
*****
ARMENIAN FOREIGN TRADE UP 27% IN JAN-MAY
YEREVAN. July 5 (Interfax) – Armenian foreign trade in January-May 2005
amounted to $994.8 million, up 27.4% year-on-year, a source in the
National Statistics Service told Interfax.
Imports into the republic in January-May increased 27% to $650.4
million, with exports up 28.2% to $344.4 million.
The trade deficit in the first five months amounted to $306 million, up
25.7% year-on-year.
*****
Source: RFE/RL Newsline, 22 July 2005 ()
IMF LAUDS ARMENIAN ECONOMIC GROWTH
Speaking on 21 July at a press conference following two days of talks in
Yerevan with Armenian government officials, International Monetary Fund
(IMF) Deputy Managing Director Agustin Carstens praised Armenia’s
continuing high rate of GDP growth and progress in reducing poverty,
Noyan Tapan and RFE/RL’s Armenian Service reported. He noted that “very
few countries…have achieved such important progress in such a short
period of time,” and said the IMF “stands ready to assist Armenia with
policy and technical advice.” GDP in Armenia grew on average by 11
percent in each of the past four years, and by a further 8 percent
during the first six months of this year. At the same time, Carstens
pointed out that tax revenues still account for only a small proportion
of GDP, and he implied that some individuals or companies liable for
large tax payments seek to withhold them. He said an increase in tax
revenues would permit the government to increase spending on health
care, education, and infrastructure development. LF
*****
World Bank Press Release
Armenia: World Bank Supports Implementation of Government’s Urban
Heating Strategy
Contact
Washington: Miriam Van Dyck (202) 458-2931
Email: [email protected]
Yerevan: Vigen Sargsyan, (374 1) 524-884
Email: [email protected]
WASHINGTON, July 12, 2005. The World Bank’s Board of Directors today
approved an Urban Heating Project (UHP) for Armenia in the amount of
US$15 million. The project will support the implementation of the
Government’s Urban Heating Strategy for multi-unit apartment buildings
and will improve heating in urban schools.
The development objective of this four-year project is to increase the
use of clean, efficient, safe and affordable heating technologies in
urban schools and multi-unit apartment buildings. The project will
achieve this objective by removing barriers and creating market
conditions for the commercial provision of heating services; providing
long-term financing to service providers and consumers for their
investments in heat supply systems and energy efficiency measures;
building the capacity of local financial institutions in financing heat
supply and energy efficient systems to ensure sustainability after
project closing; promoting efficient and safe boilers, heaters, and
equipment to meter and control fuel and heat consumption; and
stimulating the creation and effective functioning of self-regulating
community organizations.
“We do hope that with the joint efforts of the Government of Armenia,
the World Bank, and other donors involved in the sector, that by the
completion of this Project the foundation for the sustainable
development of commercial heating services in Armenia will be laid,”-
said Gevorg Sargsyan, head of the World Bank team designing the Project.
— The Project combines investment, line of credit and technical
assistance financing:
— The technical assistance component will be targeted at community and
private sector mobilization and development of an enabling environment
for effective and safe provision of heating services, including the
improvement of the legal and regulatory framework, the development of
safety norms and standards, and the certification of suppliers and
equipment, capacity building of heat service providers, local financial
institutions, and home owner associations, implementation of broad
information campaigns and public education programs, etc.
— Investment financing for heating of residential buildings will be
supported under two subcomponents. The first subcomponent consists of
lending to heat providers, home owner associations, municipalities and
individual home-owners for heating infrastructure investments. It is
estimated that about 7,000 households in multi-apartment buildings
without access to operational heating services would benefit from these
investments. The second subcomponent consist of capital grants to
finance investments for the connection of gas, heat and hot water supply
to the apartments of the poor households. Roughly 10,000 poor households
are expected to be provided with a basic level of service from clean
heat sources.
–Installation and/or rehabilitation of gas-based local heating systems
for schools. Roughly 100 schools will receive funding under this
component. The primary focus of this component will be on urban schools
outside Yerevan.
The project will also be supported by a US$ 2.9 million co-financing
Grant from the UNDP/GEF project “Improving the Energy Efficiency of
Urban Heating and Hot Water Supply in Armenia”, which is designed as
technical assistance complementing the WB project.
The Credit will be made to Armenia on standard IDA terms, including 40
years maturity and a 10-year grace period.
Since joining the World Bank in 1992 and IDA in 1993, commitments to
Armenia total approximately US$896 million for 40 operations.
For more information on the World Bank’s activities in Armenia, please
visit:
********** Forwarded by: ***************************
Ellen S. House, BISNIS Trade Specialist for Armenia
U.S. Department of Commerce
Tel: 202/482-2284, Fax: 202/482-2293
NEED FINANCING FOR A PROPOSED SALE TO EURASIA?
BISNIS FinanceLink helps U.S. companies find financing for export
transactions where a Eurasian buyer has already been identified. For
more information:
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr. Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I COMMENDS THE PRESIDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ARMENIAN
AFFAIRS OF THE GULBENKIAN FOUNDATUION DR. MICHEL YESAYAN
His Holiness Aram I praised the president of the Department of Armenian
Affairs of the Gulbenkian Foundation, Dr. Michael Yessaian on the occasion
of the latter’s retirement.
In a letter he sent to Dr. Yessaian, His Holiness Aram I highlighted the
continuous hard work carried out by the director with dedication and an
outright expression of love for the nation. He pointed out that Dr. Yessaian
‘s activities have contributed to the survival and enhancement of the main
Armenian communities in the Diaspora.
“We are sure that your name will never be forgotten in the history of the
foundation. You will simultaneously remain a dear friend of the
Catholicosate of Cilicia, through which our united efforts turned into more
simple cooperation, greatly contributing to our educational and cultural
mission in the Diaspora,” said His Holiness in the letter.
His Holiness Aram I had awarded the Medal of “Cilician Knight” to Dr.
Yessaian in a ceremony held in the Catholicosate of Cilicia three years ago.
The long time cooperation between the Catholicosate and the foundation often
results in the realization of educational and cultural projects.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
July 25 2005
GRENADE SUSPECT SENTENCED TO PRE-TRIAL CUSTODY
TBILISI, JULY 25, ARMENPRESS: A court in Georgian capital Tbilisi
sentenced Vladimir Harutunian, who is suspected in Bush grenade
incident, to three-month pre-trial custody on July 23.
Criminal charges were brought against Harutunian, who is currently
in hospital, on July 22 for premeditated murder in the killing a
security official during the shootout when the police tried to
capture him late on July 20. No charges were brought against
Harutunian for grenade incident yet. Investigators are still
searching for a motive in the case. Georgian Interior Minister Vano
Merabishvili told the Tbilisi-based Rustavi 2 television on July 23
that the investigation into the Bush grenade incident “moves to an
end.”
“We are now trying to identify all the possible links of the
suspect, or his possible accomplices,” Vano Merabishvili said. The
Tbilisi Prosecutor’s Office said on July 22 that Vladimir Harutunian,
who is also suspected in tossing a grenade during U.S. President
Bush’s speech in May, will be charged with deliberate murder under
aggravated circumstances.

PanArmenian News Network
July 25 2005
ARMENIAN, AZERI AND GEORGIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS MEETING IN DUBLIN
25.07.2005 02:57
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Parliamentarians of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
are meeting in Dublin July 25. The Armenian delegation is headed by
Vice Speaker Tigran Torosian. As he noted, the meeting will follow
the negotiations held within the framework of the South Caucasian
parliamentary initiative with the participation of the Parliaments
Speakers of the three states. To remind, at that time the parliament
heads signed a memorandum on formation of the Interparliamentary
Assembly of the South Caucasus. According to T. Torosian, it will be
the key issue of today’s discussions though a number of complicated
questions are to be solved yet. The Azeri delegation claims that
efficient steps be undertaken only after the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict. `The Armenian delegation will insist on
parliamentary cooperation both at the South Caucasian level and
within the European integration processes. Europe supports such a
position and we will urge the proposals of the European structures be
perceived with ultimate earnestness’, Tirgan Torosian stated, IA
Regnum reports.