Author: Emil Lazarian

A1 Plus | 14:07:07 | 06-05-2004 | Politics |
KOCHARYAN AGAIN BREAKING A LAW
“Breaking the 30th article of the Law on “Military Service”, Robert
Kocharyan nominated Hovik Hoveyan who didn’t serve the Minister of
Culture and Youth”, Ruben Torosyan, Chair of “Supreme Soviet” Deputy
Club, says.
Being guided by NN 159-163 articles of the Armenian Civil Trial Code,
Ruben Torosyan demands to declare nomination of Hoveyan a Minister
invalid as it runs counter to the law and to press on him to fulfill
the requirements of N 30 article of the Law on “Military Service”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RIA OREANDA, Russia
Economic News
May 5, 2004 Wednesday
New Minister of Culture Appointed in Armenia
YEREVAN
The other day Ovik Sveyan, Writers Union Secretary has been appointed
Armenian Minister of Culture and Youth, Robert Kocharyan has already
signed the correspondent decree.
Tamara Pogosyan was reportedly dismissed from the post of Minister of
Culture by the presidential decree, according to the Armenian
President press-service.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Associated Press Worldstream
May 4, 2004 Tuesday
Armenians protest, demand authporities fulfill European recommendations
YEREVAN, Armenia
Thousands of Armenians took to the streets Tuesday for the latest in
a series of protests against the government, calling on authorities
to release people who were detained during previous demonstrations
organized by the political opposition in the Caucasus Mountain
country.
Protesters also called on the government to carry out other
recommendations made last week by Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe, the continent’s leading human rights watchdog. The
assembly urged authorities to allow peaceful demonstrations,
investigate any reported rights abuses and create fair conditions for
the media.
About 8,000 people turned out for the rally, which was not approved
by authorities in Yerevan, whose mayor said frequent rallies and
marches deter investment.
After the rally, several thousand protesters marched toward the
headquarters of the police and chief prosecutor, demanding the
release of opposition activists.
Police forcefully broke up a rally outside the presidential palace on
April 13, detaining more than 100 protesters. Most were released, but
some remained in custody.
Opposition supporters have held several protests this month, calling
for the resignation of President Robert Kocharian.
Kocharian won a second term in presidential elections a year ago that
sparked mass protests, including nearly daily demonstrations between
the first round of voting in February 2003 and the runoff in early
March. Opposition groups alleged widespread violations in both rounds
of the election.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency
May 5 2004
WB to make serious efforts for improvement of business sphere in
Armenia
The office of Children of Armenia Fund opened in Yerevan
*********************************************************************
WB TO MAKE SERIOUS EFFORTS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF BUSINESS SPHERE IN
ARMENIA
YEREVAN, May, 5. /ARKA/. WB will make serious efforts for improvement
of business sphere in Armenia, Director of WB Yerevan Office Roger
Robinson stated today. According to him, for improvement of business
sphere Armenia needs to make large amount of works. Robinson said
that the results of the analysis of business atmosphere will be
prepared soon, however it is already obvious that some sphere have
problems. Particularly, businessmen complaint on tax and custom
administration. `Business sphere in the country is improving, however
it does not mean that the process is over’, Robinson said.
Talking about the role of Diaspora in the economy of the country,
Robinson said that recent 5-10 years its contribution in Armenia was
high as in the view of humanitarian aid, so other assistance. L.D.
–0–
*********************************************************************
THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN OF ARMENIA FUND OPENED IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, May, 4. /ARKA/. The ceremony of opening the office of
Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) took place in Yerevan. According to
the COAF Chairman Garo Armen, the organization aims at working out
programs concerning the areas of development of children in Armenia
and alleviating their economic conditions. According to Armen, first
of all these programs concern the children, living in rural areas,
for whom COAF is going to create a simpler access to education and
health systems. He stated that within 2004, COAF together with UNDP
will implement the program in Karakert village (Armavir region)
estimated at about $1 mln. According to Lise Grande, the Resident
Representative of UNDP in Armenia, `UNDP has successfully implemented
some projects aimed at decentralization and development of the RA
communities for the recent years. COAF is going to become such
organization’. COAF NGO was founded in 2000. A.H. -0 –
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NKR FM Accuses Azerbaijan of Lack of Interest to Solve Karabakh
Arminfo
4 May 04
YEREVAN
Azerbaijan is trying to explain its own lack of interest in the
speediest resolution of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict by the activity
of the OSCE Minsk Group, the foreign minister of the Nagornyy Karabakh
Republic, Ashot Gulyan, told journalists today when speaking about
Azerbaijan’s negative attitude towards the organization’s work.
However, Gulyan said that the mediators’ attitude towards the
settlement had changed long ago and their position is that the sides
should find a settlement themselves, while the mediators should focus
on facilitating such a settlement.
The Karabakh minister did not rule out that the replacement of the US
cochairman of the Minsk Group could contribute to speeding up the
process of settlement. However, he said this change was only a part of
the principle of rotation within the Minsk Group.
(Passage omitted: known details)
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
May 4 2003
Thousands Protest Against Armenian President
4 May 2004 — Around 6,000 people today demonstrated in Armenia’s
capital Yerevan calling for President Robert Kocharian to resign.
Protesters also called for the government to implement
recommendations made by the Council of Europe last week that urged
Armenian authorities to allow peaceful protests, create fair
conditions for the media, and to investigate claims of rights abuses.
Armenia’s opposition accuses Kocharian of rigging last year’s
presidential election and has been staging regular protests calling
for his removal from office.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1 Plus | 14:14:30 | 05-05-2004 | Politics |
PROSECUTOR OFFICE SEARCHING WRONGDOERS
Police has already wrapped its investigation into the last month’s violence
against journalists and handed it over to Yerevan’s Prosecutor Office, said
the Prosecutor General Office’s official Gurgen Abrahamyan on Wednesday.
He declined to confirm or deny the information, according to which Deputy
Armenian Police Chief Hovhannes Varyan had been formally charged in
connection with the incident, saying further investigation would give
answers to all questions.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Karabakh negotiations continue says Azerbaijani president
Mediamax news agency
5 May 04
YEREVAN
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev said in Baku today that “the
negotiating process on the Nagorno Karabakh settlement continues
though it does not bear active character.’
Ilham Aliev recalled that Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents have
already held two meetings, the Foreign Ministers of the two countries
have also held consultations and will soon meet again, Trend [news
agency] reports. Azerbaijani President called these meetings
“positive” reminding us that the two countries have practically held
no talks during the last one and a half years.
“Each of the sides adheres to its own positions which are known to the
community,” Ilham Aliev said. “Each side is trying to defend its
position, substantiate it, put into practice in the future,” he noted.
Commenting on the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen, Ilham
Aliev said that “they are sincerely engaged in solving this problem,”
and expressed hope that the mediators’ efforts will turn out to be
effective.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

World Bank Approves Three Credits For Armenia
Contacts:
In Yerevan: Vigen Sargsyan, (374 1) 524-884
[email protected]
In Washington Miriam Van Dyck (1-202) 458-2931
[email protected]
WASHINGTON, May 4, 2003-The World Bank’s Board of
Executive
Directors today approved three credits for Armenia: a US$10.15
million equivalent credit for the Public Sector Modernization Project,
a US$20 million equivalent credit for the Municipal Water and
Wastewater Project, and a US$1.74 million equivalent for a
supplemental credit for the Agricultural Reform Support Project.
The US$10.15 million equivalent Public Sector Modernization Project
will assist the government in its efforts to improve the transparency,
accountability, effectiveness and efficiency of public sector
management. This is the first World Bank-supported project focused on
public sector reforms. The project will support civil service reforms,
and will make specific innovations in core public institutions, which
should become a catalyst for further modernization efforts.
While the first phase of public sector reforms in Armenia can overall
be considered to be completed, the government is currently entering
into the second, more challenging phase of institutional and
governance reforms. The project will support the government in
implementation of the second phase of public sector reforms, primarily
aimed at strengthening the management systems of state institutions,
and improving policy development and service delivery processes both
at central and local levels.
The US$20 million Municipal Water and Wastewater Project will assist
the Government in its efforts to improve water and wastewater
services, in terms of coverage, quality and efficiency with a focus on
areas outside the capital city. It is the second IDA-financed water
and wastewater project in Armenia, after an initial Municipal
Development Project (MDP) to support Yerevan’s Water and Sanitation
Company. The Municipal Water and Wastewater Project will build on the
accomplishments of the Yerevan MDP and continue sector reforms beyond
the capital city by strengthening the Armenia Water and Sanitation
Company (AWSC) through financial and technical rehabilitation of
Armenia’s water and wastewater systems.
The project will extend improvements recently achieved in Yerevan to
other parts of the country, and will lead to several key technical and
commercial outcomes. It will improve the reliability and quality of
drinking water, increase hours of service, and provide for greater
operating efficiency. In addition, the project will result in improved
relationships with customers, capable management and qualified staff,
and increased water company cash generation through reform of billing
and collection.
The US$1.74 million supplemental credit for the Agricultural Reform
Support Project will finance assistance to smallholder farmers whose
vineyards and orchards were damaged by the frosts of December 2002 as
well as continued operation of critical agricultural support
services. This includes about 1,000,000 grapevine seedlings and
400,000 fruit tree seedlings for the rehabilitation of about 370 ha of
smallholders’ vineyards and 1,130 ha of smallholder’s orchards;
continued operation of the rural extension service and the regional
agricultural service centers; the adaptive and applied agricultural
research program; the integrated pest management (IPM) program; and
the market information service until June 2005.
The orchard and vineyard replanting program will benefit up to 10,000
of the most severely affected small farmers, helping them to recover
from the devastation of their grapevines and fruit trees and to
upgrade the genetic diversity and quality of their grape and fruit
tree stock. The continued funding of essential agricultural support
services will ensure that farmers continue to receive the critical
advisory, information and technical assistance needed to improve their
productivity and incomes. The original IDA Credit for the
Agricultural Reform Support Project, for US$14.5 million, was approved
in 1998.
The credits 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$786.9 million for 33 operations.
For more information on the World Bank’s activities in Armenia,
please visit:
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Interfax
May 5 2004
World Bank approves $35 mln in loans for Armenia
Yerevan. (Interfax) – The World Bank board of directors on Tuesday
approved three new credit programs for Armenia totaling about $35
million, Roger Robinson, director of the World Bank office in
Yerevan, said at a press conference Wednesday.
The World Bank will allocate $10.15 million for public sector
modernization, $23 million for water supply and sewage system
restoration in 300 municipalities, and $1.74 million on agriculture
reform and compensation for industry losses caused by bad weather, he
said.
The programs are planned to last four to five years. Loans will be
disbursed according to the standard easy terms offered by the
International Development Association (IDA) with repayment in 40
years at 0.5% per year with a 10-year grace period, Robinson said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress