Author: Emil Lazarian

Eurasia Daily Monitor — The Jamestown Foundation
Thursday, April 6, 2006 — Volume 3, Issue 67
IN THIS ISSUE:
*President of Adygeya disappears after conflict with Kremlin
*Moscow targets joint Armenia-Iran energy projects for takeover
*Russia, Kazakhstan ink new deals on energy and military cooperation
KREMLIN PLAN TO MERGE ADYGEYA MEETS UNEXPECTED OBSTACLE
On April 4, the second session of the newly elected parliament of
Adygeya, a region in the western section of the North Caucasus, ended
abruptly when President Khasret Sovmen announced his resignation.
The Adygei leader had come to parliament to observe the process to
select the chairmen of 12 parliament committees. Fierce debate erupted
between members of the pro-Kremlin United Russia Party, which has 30
seats in the Adygei legislature, and the opposition Communist and
Russian United Industrial Parties, which have a total of 13 seats.
Sovmen asked for the floor, presumably to broker a compromise. However,
parliamentary chair Ruslan Khadzhibekov refused to allow the Adygei
leader to speak. Then Sovmen handed the speaker a written statement. But
instead of reading it aloud, Khadzhibekov said that the statement would
first be reviewed by the Political Council of United Russia; both Sovmen
and Khadzhibekov are members of the pro-Kremlin party.
Despite the speaker’s obvious resistance, Sovmen managed to take the
floor following a break. His speech stunned the assembled deputies. “I
have decided to resign,” he declared. “Moscow does not understand me.
Even if I step down from the president office, I will provide the
republic with economic and social help.” Sovmen wished the parliament
good luck and suggested possible successors, including Adam Zhane,
minister of health, and Murad Kudaev, the head of Adygeya’s
Krasnogvardeisk district (Kommersant, April 5).
Sovmen left the parliamentary chamber after his speech, accompanied by
several loyal deputies. According to Kommersant, Sovmen went to the
Government Palace to await a phone call from the Kremlin. He did not
have to wait for long; the phone call from Moscow came within 30 minutes
and radically changed the situation.
Following Sovmen’s conversation with Moscow, the Adygei presidential
office issued a press release. “The deputies and journalists
misunderstood the statement made by the president,” it read. “There are
no grounds for broadcasting information about his resignation.”
According to press secretary Abrek Chich, “The president reacted too
emotionally to what was going on during the session. When he entered the
parliament, some deputies defiantly did not stand up and when Khasret
Sovmen saw that the deputies had no common ground and synergy, he
announced that there was no use trying to work with such an attitude.”
Several hours later the United Russia parliamentary faction held a
special meeting and appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to
extend Sovmen’s authority by another term.
The next day, April 5, the political crisis in Adygeya took a disturbing
turn: Sovmen disappeared. Vedomosti reported that even officials from
Putin’s administration were unable to locate him. An unnamed source in
Putin’s administration described Sovmen’s behavior as “unclear
vacillation that destabilizes the situation in the region.” The source
also said that Sovmen’s resignation might be accepted as early as the
end of this week (Vedomosti, April 5). However, another source in the
Kremlin left open the possibility that Putin would reappoint Sovmen
(Kommersant, April 5).
Russian pundits offered a variety of explanations for Sovmen’s demarche.
Kommersant reported that the Kremlin was dissatisfied with Sovmen’s
economic policy and that he was resisting a proposal to incorporate
Adygeya into Krasnodar Krai, which is dominated by ethnic Russians (see
EDM, April 29, 2005). According to political observer Oksana
Goncharenko, “The danger now is that the local parliament will split
into equal parts, including followers and opponents of Sovmen” (Novye
izvestiya, April 5). The opposition, consisting mostly of ethnic
Russians, advocates holding a referendum in Adygeya on the issue of
unification. This would be the easiest way for the Kremlin to dissolve
Adygeya, as the majority of the population in the republic consists of
Russians who would vote for such unification. According to Alexander
Konovalov from the Institute of Strategic Estimates and Analyses, the
president of Adygeya was called to Moscow where attempts were made to
persuade him to agree to the unification. Instead, he went to parliament
to resign in protest.
The new Adygei parliament, elected on March 12, has only one chamber,
unlike the previous body. It will be much easier to push the referendum
law through a unicameral parliament, which had been blocked by the upper
chamber of the old legislature. Adopting the referendum law opens the
door for unification, which the Kremlin has long tried to engineer.
Parliamentary speaker Khadzhibekov is loyal to the Kremlin and will not
resist Adygeya’s incorporation into Krasnodar Krai. Relations between
Khadzhibekov and Sovmen are strained, because Moscow sees Khadzhibekov
as the region’s next president. This explains why Khadzhibekov did not
let Sovmen speak first at the session and why the Adygei leader
mentioned two regional politicians as his preferred successors.
Understanding that the Kremlin wants to get rid of him to clear the way
for the merger, Sovmen decided to play an all-or-nothing game,
knowing that Moscow has not yet decided what to do with him and with
Adygeya. The Adygei president’s bold move may have been intended to
frighten Putin, who often moves tentatively to avoid making missteps.
Sovmen’s open threat to resign demonstrated that the Adygei leader
continues to be an independent regional political figure, a quite rare
species in Putin’s Russia. But Sovmen must act boldly, as the Adygei
people would not forgive him if he betrays the idea of Adygeyan
autonomy.
–Andrei Smirnov
BLESSING ARMENIA’S DEBT SERVITUDE
On March 31 in Moscow, the Foundation for the Orthodox Peoples’ Unity
bestowed its annual award on Armenian President Robert Kocharian and
Russia’s Gazprom company for their support to Russian spiritual and
religious values (Noyan Tapan, March 31). By fortuitous coincidence,
Gazprom doubled the price of gas to Armenia, effective April 1. The
price hike will deepen Armenia’s economic dependence and structural
indebtedness to Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had personally announced in December
2005 that the gas price to Armenia would double as of January 1. In
early January, however, Putin granted a reprieve until March 31, so as
not to hit allied Armenia too hard in winter, but also to negotiate
another transfer of Armenian infrastructure and energy-sector assets to
Russia as payment for the higher gas bill after April 1. On April 5,
Kocharian publicly hinted that such an arrangement is in the making
(Armenian Public Television, April 5).
The gas price has now risen from to 0 per one thousand cubic meters
delivered at Armenia’s border. As a result, the price of gas consumed in
Armenia is rising in one fell swoop by 52% to households and by 85% to
industrial and commercial enterprises, effective on April 10. Armenia’s
Public Utilities Regulatory Commission approved the new rates already on
March 10 — an indication that Moscow was not prepared to grant any
further short-term reprieve.
Furthermore, the Russian-controlled, gas-fired Hrazdan electrical power
plant — the largest in Armenia — has announced its intention to raise
the price of electricity by 90% for households and enterprises, in
connection with the price hike on gas. Russia’s Unified Energy Systems
(UES) operates the Hrazdan plant under a 99-year lease, as part of the
debt-for-assets deal that settled Armenia’s debts to Russia in
2002-2003. Six Armenian industrial enterprises were ceded to Russia in
that deal as well.
Previously, Armenia had ceded control of the national gas transport and
distribution system to a mixed company, ArmRosGaz, in which Gazprom
holds a 45% stake, Gazprom’s affiliate Itera another 10%, and Armenia’s
Energy Ministry the remaining 45% stake, which may now be further
eroded. Moscow wants the handover process to continue, so as to render
Armenia’s economic dependence complete and irreversible.
Moscow is now making an offer that, by its reckoning, the destitute
Yerevan can hardly refuse. It proposes either temporary price relief on
gas, or a temporary price-offsetting mechanism to alleviate the social
impact, on the condition that Yerevan transfers additional assets to
Russia. These could include: part of Armenia’s remaining stake in
ArmRosGaz, or Armenia’s stake in the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline under
construction, or the fifth power bloc under construction by Iran at
Hrazdan. That fifth bloc, Hrazdan’s largest and most modern, is co-owned
by Armenia and Iran independently from the four Russian UES-operated
blocs and is valued at some 0 million in the ongoing discussions.
If Yerevan hands over such assets, Moscow could recalculate the price of
gas downward to or per one thousand cubic meters; or, alternatively,
Yerevan can use the proceeds from such handovers in order to compensate
the populace for the doubling of the gas price. According to credible
reports, not denied by Armenian officials and partly corroborated by
some of them, Yerevan and Moscow are now discussing a solution along
those lines, to apply for a two-and-a-half year period. The Hrazdan
plant’s fifth power bloc alone — the largest and most modern, co-owned
by Armenia and Iran separately from Russia’s UES — is valued at some 0
million in these discussions.
Gazprom and Itera supplied Armenia with 1.7 billion cubic meters of gas
in 2005 and intend to deliver 2 billion cubic meters in 2006. This gas
originates in Turkmenistan, reaching Armenia by pipeline via Kazakhstan,
around the northern bend of the Caspian Sea and through the North
Caucasus and Georgia. This is the pipeline that was blown up
(simultaneously with another pipeline and an electricity transmission
line) by never-identified saboteurs on Russian territory in January,
causing severe hardship to Georgia and Armenia.
Until 2005, Gazprom and Itera were buying Turkmen gas at per one
thousand cubic meters and reselling it to Armenia at to . This year,
Turkmenistan sells its gas for per one thousand cubic meters to Russia.
Thus, the Russian price hike to Armenia is highly disproportionate to
the Turkmen hike.
Apparently, Moscow feels free to resort to economic extortion of Armenia
and takes its political loyalty as an ally for granted. Moreover, by
targeting the joint Armenia-Iran energy projects for takeover, Russia
intends to rule out for the long term any alternative to its own
monopoly in Armenia. For its part, the Armenian leadership seems content
to accept the type of short-term price relief that goes together with
long-term insecurity and debt servitude for the country.
(Interfax, Noyan Tapan, Armenpress, Mediamax, PanArmenianNet, March
30-April 6; Haikakan Zhamanak, March 29, 31; see EDM, January 17, 20)
–Vladimir Socor
NAZARBAYEV’S GROWING CONFIDENCE ON VIEW IN VISIT TO MOSCOW
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev received a warm welcome during his
April 3 visit to Moscow. Friendly relations were emphasized when
Nazarbayev dedicated a new monument to the 19th-century Kazakh poet Abai
Kunanbayev, a devoted Russophile. Speaking at the ceremony, Russian
President Vladimir Putin noted that this event, as well as the erection
of a similar monument to Russian poet Alexander Pushkin in Astana,
symbolizes the long tradition of friendship between the two countries.
Nazarbayev and Putin signed seven bilateral agreements covering energy
and fuel cooperation, the use of the Saryshagan test site by the Russian
military, and cooperation between Kazakhstan’s Eurasian Industrial Group
and Russia’s Vneshekonombank, and between the Foreign Ministries of the
two countries. Moscow also pledged to help Astana putting the first
Kazakh satellite — Kazsat — into orbit (Khabar TV, April 5).
The Kremlin is using every pretext to secure a strong military foothold
in Kazakhstan following Tbilisi’s repeated demands for the Russian
military to withdraw from its bases in Georgia. Astana regarded Russia’s
recent ban on imports of Georgian and Moldovan wines (see EDM, March 28)
as a response to swelling anti-Russian sentiments in these countries.
With an amazing promptness, just before Nazarbayev’s trip to Moscow, the
Sanitary Inspection Department of the Kazakh Ministry of Health ordered
an inspection of imported Georgian and Moldovan wines. The head of the
department, Anatoli Belonog, said that, if the wines pose health
hazards, such imports might be banned in Kazakhstan as well (Megapolis,
April 3).
The current military and political ties between Russia and Kazakhstan
are hardly conducive to fostering friendship among equals. In Astana,
the Kazakh government sporadically comes under fire from nationalists
for granting Russia a 50-year lease on the Baikonur launch site, which
is in the environmentally vulnerable Kyzylorda region. The lease on the
Saryshagan test site is likely to draw additional protests.
But these sacrifices and concessions are inevitable for Kazakhstan,
which is desperately seeking to build up its military force with Russian
help. At a press conference in Astana the chairman of the Committee for
Scientific and Technological Development of the Ministry of Industry and
Trade, Meyram Kazhyken, announced plans to set up a Russian-Kazakh joint
venture to assemble Kazakh Ansat and Aktay helicopters based on the
Russian MI model. Some helicopter parts may be manufactured in the
former munitions plants of Aktobe, Almaty, and Petropavlovsk. But
Kazhyken pointed out that it would take 10-15 years before even 30% of
the production could be relocated to Kazakhstan (Sayasat, April 1).
The price for Russian assistance in modernizing the Kazakh army is
political loyalty to the Kremlin. Aware of this pitfall, Astana seeks to
diversify its military partnerships and avoid relying entirely on Moscow
for sophisticated weapons. For example, Kazakhstan inherited a
well-developed Soviet space-flight monitoring system that could be used
to modernize its air defense system with help from Singapore
Technologies.
Astana has also made significant steps toward greater energy
independence from Moscow by bidding for stakes in the Yukos-owned
Mazeikiu Nafta complex in Lithuania. Ironically, on the eve of the
Nazarbayev-Putin talks in Moscow, the Lithuanian newspaper Lietuvos
Rytas announced that the Lithuanian government was seeking to buy back a
57.3% stake in Mazeikiu Nafta from Yukos and then sell it to
Kazakhstan’s state owned company, KazMunayGaz (Vilnius BNS, March 31;
also see EDM, April 5). Kazakhstan’s closer ties with China also help
counterbalance Russia’s drive to monopolize hydrocarbon transportation
routes through Kazakhstan.
Astana has enthusiastically embraced the idea of a “Greater Central
Asia” region and Kazakh Foreign Minister Kasymzhomart Tokayev recently
went to Afghanistan to attend an international conference on
“Partnership, Trade, and Development within Greater Central Asia,”
sponsored by Johns Hopkins University. He also made sure to extend a
personal message of friendship from Nazarbayev to Afghan President Hamid
Karzai. Tokayev said that Greater Central Asia, which includes a
politically and economically diverse grouping of Iran, Afghanistan, and
Azerbaijan, parts of China, Western Siberia and the Urals of Russia,
particularly interests Kazakhstan as a promising energy transportation
route extending from Central Asia to the Persian Gulf via India and
Pakistan. The Kazakh foreign minister stressed that Afghanistan should
be part of Greater Central Asia linked with Almaty, Bishkek, and
Dushanbe
via a Trans-Afghan highway running through Kabul to Kandahar. Kazakhstan
also offered to train Afghan medical workers and engineers
(Kazakhstanskaya pravda, April 4).
Tokayev addressed the conference on behalf of all Central Asian states
without fearing any criticism from Kazakhstan’s neighbors. It is a clear
sign of Astana’s growing confidence in spearheading an alliance of
Central Asian countries. Nazarbayev’s March 19 visit to Tashkent also
contributed much to the rapprochement between Uzbek President Islam
Karimov and Putin, and Karimov spoke in favor of a Kazakh-Uzbek alliance
and putting priority on a partnership with Russia in foreign policy (see
EDM, March 22). However, Astana takes a more cautious approach toward
Moscow and tries to neutralize the Kremlin’s attempts to return the
Central Asian states to the Russian fold. Kazakhstan’s foreign policy
program for 2006 -2008 points out that Kazakhstan “will pursue a
balanced and responsible foreign policy.” The Kremlin should not be
overly optimistic regarding “eternal friendship” with Astana.
–Marat Yermukanov
The Eurasia Daily Monitor, a publication of the Jamestown Foundation, is
edited by Ann E. Robertson. The opinions expressed in it are those of
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PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
April 10, 2006
___________________
ARMENIAN SCHOOL PROGRAM MARKS ANNIVERSARY OF ALPHABET
They took the stage with pride on Saturday, March 18, 2006, celebrating not
just an historic anniversary, but also an entire culture.
Dedicated to the 1,600th anniversary of the creation of the Armenian
alphabet, students from New York’s Khrimian Lyceum program of the Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) performed in “Dagh oo Daghant”, a
showcase of Armenian language, culture, performance, and fine arts.
The Khrimian Lyceum is a monthly educational program for graduates of local
parish Armenian schools. In addition to the program in New York City, the
Diocese offers Khrimian Lyceum sessions in Boston and Chicago. Along with
teaching Armenian language and history, the program also focuses on
expanding the students’ cultural and artistic expression, as well as other
public-speaking and leadership skills.
“These are the young leaders who will be tomorrow’s Armenian community
leaders and professionals, painters and singers, dancers and musicians,”
said Gilda Buchakjian-Kupelian, the Diocese’s coordinator of Armenian
studies who oversees the program. “To see their confidence grow as they go
before a crowd, speaking and singing in Armenian, is wonderful. It shows
their true dedication to the Armenian culture.”
More than 150 friends, family, and community members attended the evening of
poetry, song, dance, music, and theater. Also on display were student
drawings and paintings inspired by the work of Toros Roslin and Ayvazovsky,
thanks to art teacher Susan Kirby.
Two young students, Lori Khrimian and Laurie Dabaghian, were mistresses of
ceremonies for the evening. The program featured a choir of young singers,
conducted by Maro Partamian, and accompanied by Florence Avakian on the
piano, with soloists Anita Apanossian and Markrete Krikorian. Rosine
Ghichlian and Nayad Manukian read poems in Armenian about their living
native tongue. Deanna Gulmezian played “Vagharshabadi bar” on the piano.
The students performed two traditional Armenian dances, under the guidance
of dance instructor Nayra Lazarian and with thanks to the Shushi Dance
Ensemble of St. Vartan Cathedral, which provided costumes.
There was also a theatrical presentation based on Goriun’s “Vark Mashdots,”
directed by Vartan Garniki and featuring performances by Nayad Marukian,
Lori Khrimian, Sareen Jebejian, and Christine Shahian. The story traced the
invention of the alphabet from Mesrob Mashdots to the spread of Christianity
throughout Armenia.
Khrimian Lyceum teachers also performed, with Shakeh Kadehjian reciting
readings in Armenian and Maro Partamian singing songs by Gomidas.
— 4/10/06
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Students from the Diocesan Khrimian Lyceum in New York
City recite in Armenian during Dagh oo Daghant, the talent show held at the
Diocesan Center on March 18, 2006.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): Maro Partamian, one of the instructors of the Khrimian
Lyceum, leads a chorus of young singers during Dagh oo Daghant.
PHOTO CAPTION (3): The instructors of the Khrimian Lyceum, the Diocesan
educational program for graduates of local Armenian schools.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERI VANDALISM HAS FOUND ITS EXPRESSION ALSO IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH
ArmRadio.am
10.04.2006 15:17
The infringements of Azeris against Armenian cultural monuments and
the desire to present these as their own have found their expression
in Nagorno-Karabakh as well. Khachkars from the ruined churches of
Tsar village serve as materials for Azerbaijani schools and other
constructions. The historic monuments in Karvajar or, as it is common
to say, Kelbajar region of Nagorno-Karabakh have not been properly
investigated. However, the region has been rich in inhabitable
caves, temples, cathedrals and churches. These monuments are not
even mentioned in the literature, historians and archaeologists
say. Moreover, from early 1980s Azeri scientists have been carrying
out their investigations, naturally presenting the Armenian cultural
monuments as their own. Some investigations have been carried out
and publicized by some clergymen. Thus, a rich piece of work has been
published by Makar Bishop, who visited also Tsar village.

ARMENIAN PREMIER SAYS SALE OF POWER PLANT’S UNIT TO STRENGTHEN ENERGY SECURITY
Mediamax news agency
10 Apr 06
Yerevan, 10 April: The sale of the fifth unit of the Razdan thermal
power plant is “the most successful deal in the energy sphere which
will strengthen Armenia’s energy security”, Armenian Prime Minister
Andranik Markaryan said in Yerevan today.
The head of the government said that the decision to sell the fifth
energy unit of the Razdan thermal power plant to the ArmRosGazprom
close-type joint-stock company is not connected with an increase in
the price of Russian gas supplied to Armenia, Mediamax reported.
Andranik Markaryan said that the decision to sell, upgrade and put
into operation the unfinished energy unit was planned long ago.
Andranik Markaryan noted that apart from money to be paid for
purchasing the facility, the Russian side pledged to invest 140m
dollars in two years’ time in the reconstruction and upgrade of the
fifth energy unit of the Razdan thermal power plant.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ANDRANIK MARGARYAN: NO ONE CAME CLOSE TO FIFTH GENERATING UNIT
Lragir.am
10 April 06
The more the Armenian high officials comment on the deal of selling
the fifth generating unit of the Thermal Power Plant of Hrazdan to
Russia to compensate for the price of gas, the more obscure, mysterious
and a little ridiculous the deal seems. On April 10 news reporters
had an opportunity to enquire from Prime Minister of Armenia about
the sale of the fifth generating unit of the Thermal Power Plant,
especially that Andranik Margaryan had stated that the problem of
gas would not be settled through transfer of property.
“We did not transfer the fifth generating unit to cut the price
of gas, for as you know the price of gas remains 110 dollars. The
sale has nothing to do with the price of gas. It is a deal, and I
think a successful one, for years ago when we wanted to transfer the
generating unit to repay the debt, one of the stipulations was to give
the generating unit for free for them to build it. They did not agree
to this. We put it out to international tender. No one came close
to the fifth generating unit,” says Andranik Margaryan. The first
strange thing about his words is that years ago Russians refused to
take the fifth generating unit for free, whereas now they pay 250
million dollars to buy it at rigorous stipulations, as the members
of the government of Armenia state.
Besides, amazingly for Armenia it is more convenient to sell than to
reconstruct its property on a soft loan and keep the fifth generating
unit. The government of Iran had offered such a loan. “We had an
agreement with Iran on offering us a loan for 20-25 years, which
we would repay in money or electricity,” says the prime minister,
adding that Iran did not want any property from Armenia. Apparently,
Armenia does not want property either.
“And besides, it was a good deal. We sold it at 250 million dollars,
one of the stipulations is to invest 140 thousand million dollars
within two years to operate a 450 megawatt generating unit; this
enhances our energy security rather than threatens it,” says the
Prime Minister of Armenia. It seems that the prime minister does not
worry that the energy sector of Armenia is transferred step by step
to Russia. “But to the private sector, not the government,” he says
in answer. Apparently, only the prime minister knows how private RAO
EES or Gasprom and their daughter companies are.
Andranik Margaryan does not hide that the fifth generating unit of
the Thermal Power Plant simply solved a social problem, allowing
the government to keep their word and not to let life of people and
producers become expensive.
“We will try to keep the price or let it increase but little within
three years. I have promised, and we will not increase the price of
electricity. If hopefully we manage to keep the price of gas on the
same level next year, it will hardly go up in the next three years,”
states Andranik Margaryan.
However, his words reveal that apart from social problems the sale of
the fifth generating unit solved a strategic problem. “We rendered our
industry competitive. In all the other countries, all our neighbor
countries the price of gas caused costs to go up. We managed to
compensate and keep our industries in a mode when they are more
competitive than the other CIS countries,” says Andranik Margaryan.
This is something new in the world economy; Japan or Korea would have
even envied our resourcefulness, and China would have hidden behind the
wall out of shame. Imagine what would happen if we sold everything we
have and compensated. The world economy would fall to our feet, asking
not to make them bankrupt. This is, however, for future, and in the
meantime, in three years, before we will get to future, future in the
face of Gasprom may come to Armenia. The Russians committed to keeping
the price of gas the same within the next three years. And Gasprom
does not come but to increase the price or to demand something. In
this case Armenia has to start thinking what is going to happen to our
competitive industry and poor people when Gasprom comes in three years.
“It is possible that the budget will have funds, and it will partly
be compensated, because this time, when I announced last year, we
had relied on the budget. We had to call a halt to certain projects,
ensure revenues to afford to compensate. That is, it had nothing to
do with the sale of the fifth generating unit, what we had promised,
the government had promised. It was simply a good opportunity,
which enabled us to compensate for more. Otherwise we might not have
been able to offer so much compensation, and it could have been 80-85
thousand, it could have been symbolic. But if there is an opportunity,
it would be better to spend the money for social purposes.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SUBBOTNIK ON THE EVE OF EASTER
A1+
[04:01 pm] 10 April, 2006
“What’s the use of the tree planting if young and old trees are
periodically chopped down?” This sort of questions were asked during
the municipality briefing in which Romik Kosemyan participated. The
head of the Municipality ecological administration gave details about
the course and results of the tree planting this year.
According to the information, in early 2006 the municipality intended
to plant 30 thousand trees and 40 thousand bushes, together with the
reconstruction of the irrigation systems in the same places. The
municipality decided to join the famous program “Joint Tree
Planting”. Together they will plant 90 thousand trees.
According to Kosemyan, about 260 hectares of non-irrigated land has
been included in the joint program. The municipality has allotted
about 200 million AMD for the realization of the project.
Let us also add that April 15 is announced a subbotnik.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS WORK SEPARATELY
A1+
[04:08 pm] 10 April, 2006
OSCE Minsk group French co-chair Bernard Fassier has started a regional
visit. According to “Trend” agency, he arrived in Azerbaijan this
morning. He intends to carry out consultations in Baku about the
peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict.
During the visit Bernard Fassier will meet Azeri President Ilham
Aliev. Tomorrow he will render a press conference in the French
Embassy in Azerbaijan. The journalists were informed in the Embassy
that after the Baku visit Fassier will arrive in Yerevan.
Besides this, another regional visit will be organized soon: on
April 18 OSCE Minsk group American co-chair Steven Mann will visit
the region. This information was given by the Azeri Foreign Minister
Elmar Mamedyarov.
Mann will try to get acquainted with the attitudes of Armenia
and Azerbaijan towards the US offers about the settlement of the
conflict. Let us remind you that this visit will be the second after
the Rambouillet meeting of the two Presidents.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS VARTAN OSKANIAN CONCLUDED A ONE-DAY WORKING VISIT TO THE SYRIAN CAPITAL
Panorama.am
14:00 10/04/06
In Damascus, on April 8, Minister Oskanian met with Syrian Foreign
Minister Walid al-Moualem. During that meeting, the two spoke at
length about bilateral as well as regional matters. They specifically
focused on cooperation in international forums, educational and
economic exchange, as well as institutional cooperation. They also
spoke at length about the Nagorno Karabakh negotiation process,
Armenia-Turkey relations, as well as the situation in Iraq and other
matters in both regions.
Earlier in the day, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also received the
Armenian delegation. Minister Oskanian informed him about political
and economic developments within Armenia and in the region.
President Assad expressed his appreciation at the traditionally warm
relations between Armenians and Syrians and said that should serve
as a foundation for deepening ties, especially in the economic sphere.
The Minister’s Damascus visit concluded with a reception at the
embassy, attended by representatives of community organizations and
religious leaders.
On Sunday, the Minister will be in Aleppo at the 100th anniversary
celebration of the Armenian General Benevolent Union and the 75th
anniversary celebration of the Armenian Youth Association.
Press and information department of Ministry of foreign affairs of
the Republic of Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE STATEMENT OF NKR MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Lragir.am
10 April 06
Recently cases of violation of the ceasefire at the front line have
become more frequent due to the lack of an adequate appraisal of
top-level militaristic statements voiced in Azerbaijan.
The border incidents, which caused the number of casualties to go
up, deepen mutual mistrust and may lead to a serious escalation of
tensions in the zone of conflict over Nagorno Karabakh, threatening
stability in the entire region. With regard to this Nagorno Karabakh
Republic confirms its standpoint on a peace settlement of the conflict
and commitment to the maintenance of cease-fire, set down in the
February 6, 1995 agreement signed by the defense ministers of NKR,
the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan.
We call the other two parties, the Republic of Azerbaijan and the
Republic of Armenia, which signed the abovementioned agreement,
for joining our initiative, and we hope that by cooperative effort
and mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, as well as other
international mediators and interested parties, it will be possible
to confirm commitment to this agreement and fulfill the instruments
set down in the document for localizing incidents at the front line.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PACE SPRING SESSION TO START TODAY IN STRASBURG
ArmRadio.am
10.04.2006 10:24
The spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe will start today in Strasburg. Two issues immediately related
to Armenian are included in the agenda, i.e. the state of refugees
and displaced persons in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan and the
rights of servicemen.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress