Author: Felekian Ara

NGO HEAD FLEES OVER ‘STUPID OVERSIGHT’
by David Nowak, Staff Writer

The Moscow Times
June 21, 2007 Thursday

On Jan. 21, Manana Aslamazian walked through customs at Sheremetyevo
Airport with a little more undeclared cash than is allowed.

Five months later, she faces a decade or more in prison, and the
nongovernmental organization she heads — the Educated Media Foundation
— is in tatters.

Little wonder that Aslamazian is on extended vacation in Paris.

"I am going to work in America, Asia, Africa and Europe, pay my
taxes in Russia, and wait until the court finally figures out why
my personal mistake, for which I am ready to accept a fair and
appropriate penalty, became the excuse for suspending the work of
a large organization that brought a lot of benefit to the country,"
the Armenian-born Russian said in a statement.

The Educated Media Foundation is a U.S.-funded NGO that trains
journalists, including those from state-connected media such as
NTV television.

Aslamazian could not be reached Wednesday, but her lawyer Viktor
Parshutkin said she would not be back in Russia until authorities
dropped the charges, which he in turn called "absolute rubbish,"
"a joke," and "politically motivated."

Aslamazian has acknowledged her guilt from day one, calling her
airport transgression a "stupid oversight."

After stepping off a flight from Paris, she failed to declare the 9,550
euros — which she said were a debt collected from a friend in France
— in her bag. Any amount worth more than $10,000 must be declared.

In Aslamazian’s case, that was around $2,400 too much. Aslamazian’s
money and documents were confiscated at the airport.

Three months later, about 20 officers from the Interior Ministry’s
economic crime department arrived at the NGO’s offices in central
Moscow with orders to search the premises and seize all documents
and computers.

Aslamazian said at the time that the officers had told her the
search was linked to a criminal investigation into the Sheremetyevo
incident. No further explanation was given, she said.

Then last month, tax authorities froze the NGO’s bank accounts,
citing incorrectly filed tax reports. Again, Aslamazian rejected the
charges as a coordinated effort to shut the group down.

Moscow’s Golovinsky District Court is expected to rule Thursday on the
legality of the raid. During a hearing Wednesday, lawyer Parshutkin
learned for the first time that his client had been officially charged
with smuggling, which carries a maximum five-year sentence.

Interior Ministry investigative committee official Natalya Vinogradova,
who was acting as a prosecutor in court, said Aslamazian was charged
on June 15, Parshutkin said.

"We have never received a piece of paper with any charges," Parshutkin
said.

He said he met Vinogradova on June 13 and she had asked to arrange
a meeting with Aslamazian. Partushkin said that was not possible.

Vinogradova could not be reached for comment late Wednesday.

Aslamazian could be hit with even more charges. Vinogradova told
the court Wednesday that she had found evidence of illegal business
activity and money laundering after inspecting computers and documents
seized from the NGO’s office in April, Parshutkin said.

"Vinogradova said she sent the material to the Prosecutor General’s
Office for further examination. It’s absolute rubbish," he said.

Convictions in all three charges could result in a prison sentence
of more than 10 years.

Court officials could not be reached for comment late Wednesday. But
Igor Tsokolov, head of the investigative committee of the ministry’s
organized crime department, told Kommersant in comments published
Wednesday that authorities were ready to charge Aslamazian with a
"gross violation" of the Criminal Code.

Aslamazian, Parshutkin and more than 2,000 media professionals recently
signed an open letter to President Vladimir Putin that complains
authorities view the foundation as a threat to Kremlin-friendly
reportage.

Parshutkin said Wednesday that authorities knew full well the April
raid was illegal. "Because of that, no court wants to deal with this
case," he said. "Everyone is passing the buck."

The Golovinsky District Court handed the case to the Savyolovsky
District Court because it was closer to the foundation’s offices and
therefore within its jurisdiction. After a delay to the case in May,
it was inexplicably sent back to the Golovinsky District Court.

A spokesman at the Prosecutor General’s Office, which is to examine the
computers and documents for evidence of money laundering and illegal
business activity, referred all questions to the Interior Ministry.

Pavel Klimovsky, a ministry spokesman, first said he knew nothing of
the case and later declined immediate comment.

The NGO law was tightened last year after Putin said he would not
tolerate foreign funds being used for political activities. The new
NGO law increased the amount of paperwork that NGOs must keep and
required them to reregister under stringent new guidelines.

Foreign-connected NGOs played key roles in regime changes in Georgia
in 2003 and Ukraine in 2004.

The skeletal staff that remains at the Educated Media Foundation,
the legal successor of Internews, say all financial transactions have
been meticulously documented.

TRIAL OF ZHIRAYR SEFILIAN TO START ON JULY 2

Noyan Tapan
Jun 22 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The trial of Zhirayr Sefilian,
coordinator of the social-civil initiative "Defence of Liberated
Territories", and Vardan Malkhasian, member of the "Fatherland and
Honor" Party, will start on July 2.

To recap, the trial will be chaired by Judge Mnatsakan Martirosian,
of the court of first instance of Yerevan’s Kentron and Nork-Marash
communities.

The court has examined and dismissed the defence’s petition to change
arrest as a measure of restraint and to quash the case. NT was informed
about this by Alina Yengoyan, spokeswoman for the RA Cassation Court.

The deadline for appointing the day of the trial’s start expires on
June 22.

Nevertheless, even at the end of the working day the office of
Judge Mnatsakan Martirosian – the secretary of court sittings, the
assistant to the judge and the judge himself – declined to provide
any information about the start of the trial.

VAHAN HOVHANNISIAN: ARFD IS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR BOTH AUTHORITIES AND OPPOSITION
Author: Karapetian Rita Editor: Eghian Robert

Noyan Tapan
Jun 18 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 18, NOYAN TAPAN. Vahan Hovhannisian, the NA Vice-Speaker
anf ARFD Bureau member, stated at the June 18 meeting with journalists
that the ARFD, having signed a cooperation agreement with the two
pro-governmental parties, the RPA and the BH, is an alternative for
both the authorities and the opposition. In his words, Dashnaktsutiun
differs from the authorities in some program provisions, specialists,
style of working, and from the opposition in its style of criticizing
the authorities and causing disputes.

In V. Hovhannisian’s words, despite the disagreement with some
points of the government’s new program, the ARFD hopes to reach an
agreement with the government. In V. Hovhannisian’s words, though the
new government will only be acting for eight months, the government
program is being commissioned to a greater extent with long-term
purposes in mind. As he declared, the government to be formed after
the 2008 presidential elections will not essentially change the
program of the current government.

The NA Vice-Speaker said that even it the newly appointed President
of the country is not from the RPA, the parliamentary majority will
be RPA, therefore, there will be no shocks in the country. It would
be a different matter if the appearance of an RPA representative at
the President’s post could break the domestic political balance and
in this sense the "election of an ARFD member as a President would
be more convenient."

In V. Hovhannisian’s words, the influence of foreign political factors
on voters, compared with the parliamentary elections, is usually very
weak during the presidential elections. That is why the results of
the presidential elections can vastly differ from the parliamentary
elections, as a result of which the RPA received absolute majority
at parliament.

STATE AND CHURCH TO JOINTLY REALIZE PEOPLE’S DREAMS

Noyan Tapan
Jun 18 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The progress achieved after the
re-establishment of independent statehood has already created an
opportunity to thoroughly think about the necessity of restoring
spiritual values. This was mentioned by Tigran Torosian, the Speaker
of the National Assembly, at the June 15 meeting with the Catholicos
of All Armenians Garegin II.

According to information provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA NA Public
Relations Department, Tigran Torosian mentioned that it is time to
fully appreciate the inheritance and importance of the church and
to reorganize spiritual and public life on that basis. He attached
importance to the inclusion of the provision concerning the Armenian
Apostolic church in the RA Constitution as a result of constitutional
amendments and the adoption of the RA Law on "The Relations of
the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Church". The NA
Speaker made assertions that the NA of the fourth convocation will
also contribute to the strengthening of spiritual bases in public life.

In the estimation of the Catholicos of All Armenians, important steps
were taken regarding state-church relations and the reforms should be
continued so that the expectations of the Armenian people living in
their homeland or in the Diaspora are justified and that Armenia will
become a truly desired home and fatherland. His Holiness expressed
hope that the issues that still need to be solved will find their
solutions in the legislative field and contribute to the strengthening
of spiritual and moral values in people’s daily routine and work,
and that the constantly developing state and the progressing church
will jointly realize the will of the people.

PETER SEMNEBY: EU ASSESSES THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS AS PROGRESS

ArmRadio.am
15.06.2007 16:16

June 15 RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian received the EU Special
Representative of the South Caucasus Peter Semneby.

During the meeting the parties discussed regional issues,
Armenian-Turkish relations.

Turning to the parliamentary elections in Armenia, the EU Special
Representative underlined that the European Union assesses the
elections as a progress and expects that the tendency will continue
during the forthcoming presidential elections.

The parties exchanged views on the resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, the results of the meeting of the two Presidents in Saint
Petersburg.

KOCHARIAN-ALIYEV MEETING MAY BE HELD AT CIS PRESIDENTS SUMMIT EARLY OCTOBER

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
June 14 2007

RA FM Vardan Oskanian does not rule out the possibility of one more
meeting between RA and AR presidents Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev
to be held current year. In an interview with "Kentron" TV company
Vardan Oskanian noted the presidents might meet at a current summit
of CIS presidents to be held current October. However, according
to RA Minister, there are no preliminary agreements concerning the
possible meeting yet.

Vardan Oskanian noted a three-page document containing all the possible
principles of settlement was on the negotiating table. The document
is the result of a two-year negotiation process at the level of RA
and AR FMs and Presidents. "The document is logical and compromising,
though it does not completely meet the parties’ requirements", Vardan
Oskanian stated.

In RA FM’s words, the issues referring to the Nagorno-Karabagh
people’s right to self-determination via a referendum, availability
of a corridor ensuring regular land communication between RA and
Nagorno-Karabagh, and ensuring Nagorno-Karabagh people’s security
should be resolved first of all, after which it will be possible to
consider other issues as well. RA FM stated the three above-mentioned
principles were a logical basis for the problem solution and not a
precondition. Positive shifts for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh have
been registered on all these principles, IA REGNUM reports.

ARMENIA HAS RESOURCES FOR MAINTAINING TWO-DIGIT ECONOMIC GROWTH RATES IN COMING YEARS, GAGIK MINASIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Jun 12 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia has resources for maintaining
its two-digit economic growth rates in the coming years. Gagik
Minasian, chairman of the RA National Assembly Standing Committee
of Financial, Credit and Budgetary Issues, RPA member, stated this
during the June 12 discussion with Khachatur Sukiasian, NA deputy,
nonpartisan, founder of Sil Concern.

According to him, the increase in tax collection and in the ratio of
taxes to GDP indicates the availability of such resources. G. Minasian
said that the latter index considerably grew in the first quarter of
2007 – by 15.7%.

In his opinion, improving the management of Armenian enterprises may
also help keep the economic growth rates.

K. Sukiasian noted that in case of promoting its exports, Armenia
will be able to miantain recent years’ economic growth rates for the
next 15-20 years. He attached importance to the creation of Armenian
products’ brands and their export to foreign markets just like in
case of Armenian brandy.

Such possibility exists, in particular, with respect to apricot,
rose hip, natural building stone, mineral waters, natural juices and
non-ferrous metals.

The founder of Sil Concern underlined the importance of securitization
of Armenian markets’ capitals, which will allow to attract more
domestic and foreign investments.

BOOK REVIEW: A HISTORY OF THE RISE AND FALL OF SILK IN U.S.
William Barry

Maine Today. Maine
June 11 2007

Book Review: "American Silk, 1830-1930: Entrepreneurs And Artifacts,"
by Jacqueline Field, Marjorie Senechal and Madelyn Shaw.

When one thinks of New England’s historic textile industries, cotton
and wool come quickly to mind; silk hardly ever. There were, though,
times when the latter played fascinating roles in our region and
state, as the handsome, eminently readable new volume "American Silk,
1830-1930" makes clear.

Written by three leading scholars, this tri-pronged approach is
flawlessly carried forth, offering insight into a variety of the
nation’s silk manufacturing and development. There is something for
everyone, from labor history to technology to trade with China and
later Japan, to some of the finest costumes in a Maine collection
(illustrated in color) and, in particular, Westbrook industry.

The book opens with an introduction by Jacqueline Field, former
costume curator and professor of textiles and design at Westbrook
College, and the continuing mainstay of knowledge and handling for
many institutional holdings in Maine. Her statement ties the subsequent
essays into a coherent whole.

The first section is deftly written by Marjorie Senechal, professor of
mathematics and history of science and technology at Smith College. She
opens with King James I’s aborted attempt to replace Jamestown’s
tobacco plantations with mulberry bushes and silk worms.

Early attempts to rid America of sot-weed persisted.

In the 1650s, the governor of Virginia hired Armenian experts, again
with scant results. Senechal then takes us north to Connecticut,
and eventually upriver to Massachusetts. There in the 1840s was
founded, a utopian agricultural group, the Northampton Association of
Education and Industry, a visionary anti-slavery group that included
Joseph Conant, the Stetson family and Sojourner Truth. What began
with the dream of communal self-sufficiency through silk culture led
to brutal child labor and financial disaster. Later reorganized as
Nonotuck Silk, under businessman S.L.Hill, the company provided just
the right strength silk thread for Isaac Singer’s new sewing machine
and the rest was, well history. Eventually purchased by Corticelli,
problems on the national and international levels led to the collapse
of the business during the early part of the Depression.

Perhaps the second section, written by Jacqueline Field, will be the
most consulted locally, in that it chronicles the rise and fall of
the Haskell Silk Co. in Westbrook, on the Presumpscot River. It is a
testament to the authors unrivaled research skills that she has been
able to re-create such a thorough, colorful and accurate history.

Briefly, in 1874, 66-year-old mill owner James Haskell passed the
Westbrook Manufacturing Co. (cotton) to his son Frank and started a
new mill on the opposite side of Sacarappa Falls. Field notes this
was perhaps "the prospect of a new challenge, or perhaps a legacy
for younger son Edwin." That is how it turned out, and using account
books at Harvard Business School, the Portland Board of Trade Journal,
surviving examples of Haskell silk at the Victoria Mansion and Maine
Historical Society she gives quite a full history.

The company was well-run and benefited from duty-free raw silk coming
in from Japan at just the right time. It expanded and found the
perfect niche up to the 1920s, when "Haskell silk fabrics garnered
their national reputation as the ‘standard’ for their trade" The
1920s marked a tough time for the conservative company and others
like it and, in spite of attempts by local boosters to reorganize, the
factory was done by the early 1930s. However, there is a great family,
community story preserved here, against the backdrop of changing,
international economic weather.

Madelyn Shaw, curator of the costume and textile collection at the
Rhode Island Scholl of Design Museum, offers a dramatic ending to the
book with H.R. Mallinson high end silk company, "the most innovative
and interesting of all American silk manufacturers, although it was
never the largest." Begun in 1895 and ended in 1937, it was founded
by M.C. Migel and H.R. Mallinson, two young salesman "who never worked
in a textile mill or had any firsthand knowledge of how to manufacture
silk yarns or cloth."

In 1912, Migel sold out to his partner, who quickly consolidated and
expanded operations under new management, hiring visionaries including
E. Irving Hanson and the wonderfully named Mrs. Carolyn Trowbridge
Radnor-Lewis. Through advertising and trips to European decorative
and industrial art expositions, they challenged the Paris fashion
industry in the 1920s and sold their "Mallinson print" designs in
the U.S., Europe and South America (Argentina was hot).

Indeed Mallinson established quite a name for itself, for American
design and for American silk. Still, times were changing, synthetics
were coming in, demand for silk as a luxury for the rich had spread
and was, well not, for a time in the ’20s, a luxury.

Finally, the Depression, lack of demand, price fluctuations and
other factors led to the end of Mallinson as well. The authors
state that the intention of their book was "to recover aspects of
the long neglected silk industry history and, by reviving interest,
to encourage further studies."

They have accomplished the first part with great skill and substance.

It is hard to imagine that researchers, like general readers, will
not be drawn into further explorations.

William D. Barry is a local historian who has authored five books,
including "Tate House: Crown of the Maine Mass Trade" and the novel
"Pyrrhus Venture." He lives in Portland.

Azeri media claim that Matthew Bryza has called Armenian journalists
‘idiots’

ArmInfo
2007-06-11 21:40:00

One more scandal is developing around the US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk
Group Matthew Bryza.

Azeri media say that during a speech on ATB TV channel Bryza refuted a
report by Amenian media and did that in a very tactless and provocative
way. He reportedly said that those who had made that report were
idiots. The sources do not specify what report Bryza meant but one can
guess from their comments what they are hinting at. They say that "last
week Armenian media said on behalf of Bryza that Azerbaijan has
occupied some territories of Nagorno-Karabakh."

During a press-conference in Yerevan last week a journalist asked if
the co-chairs, who kept talking about occupied Azeri territories, knew
that there were also Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenian territories
occupied by Azerbaijan. Bryza said that the co-chairs knew that but at
the moment they were discussing principles and he would prefer keeping
details secret as making them public would mean showing
disrespect for the negotiating parties.

This is not the first scandal around Bryza. Earlier, the US Department
of State ignored Bryza’s assurances to AzeriTag that it would make no
more changes to its report and made them.

From time to time Bryza appears with some "details" of the peace talks.
By the way, during the same press-conference in Yerevan Bryza said that
the reports that he makes some details public are
ridiculous. Everybody knows everything, don’t they? he wondered.

It seems that Bryza does not see any difference between statements by
political experts and parties to the negotiating process.

This time Bryza will most probably refute the report again and will say
that the Azeri journalists have misunderstood him. He will also
reiterate that he is optimistic about the prospects of the talks. But
he did make that insulting statement. Of course, his words might have
been distorted but he is a diplomat and must speak in such a way as to
exclude any possibility of anybody presenting his words as insult. But
why is Bryza so often misunderstood by journalists? Perhaps, the
problem is not with journalists?

Putin proposes adding ruble to int. payment system

13:02 | 10/ 06/ 2007

ST. PETERSBURG, June 10 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir
Putin proposed Sunday adding ruble transactions to the international
system of payments.

Speaking at an international economic forum in St. Petersburg, Putin
said the current financial system based on one or two currencies no
longer met the strategic needs of the global economy, where currency
fluctuations had a negative impact on economies.

"In answer to such a challenge [we] could introduce several reserve
currencies and several financial centers," Putin said.

Putin said the ruble, which almost became a hard currency after
currency restrictions had been removed in Russia, should be used more
extensively in international payments.

"It is time to consider switching to ruble payments for Russian
exports, when it is beneficial for both suppliers and customers," Putin
said.