Author: Hambardsumian Paul

MHER SHAHGELDIAN: THERE IS NO OFFICIAL AGREEMENT ABOUT EXTENSION OF
RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, JUNE 8, NOYAN TAPAN. There is no official arrangement or
agreement between RA and RF about moving Russian military bases from
Georgia to Armenia, there in no official agreement about the extension
of Russian military base in Armenia, either. Mher Shahgeldian,
Chairman of NA Standing Committee on Defence, National Security and
Internal Affairs, reported this at the June 8 press conference.

According to him, the Russian military base dislocated in Armenia is
replenished from time to time, including replenishment with military
equipment and ammunition. “As I know, in this case the replenishment
was carried out not from Russia but from bases dislocated in Georgia,”
the MP mentioned.

Answering a journalist’s question, Shahgeldian said that he has no
information about moving of 15 wagons of Russian ammunition to
Armenia.

Pan Armenian News

CONGRESSMEN URGED BUSH TO RAISE ARMENIAN BLOCKADE ISSUE

08.06.2005 05:34

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In the days leading up to Wednesday’s meeting between
Pres. Bush and Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, members of the
US House of Representatives raised serious concerns about Turkey’s 12-year
blockade of Armenia, reported the Armenian National Committee o America
(ANCA). In a June 3rd letter, Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) were joined by Reps. Adam Schiff
(D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA) in urging Pres. Bush and Secretary of
State Rice to “again call upon Turkey to comply with your Administration’s
long-standing position that in order to restore economic, political, and
cultural links with Armenia, Turkey should immediately lift its ongoing
blockade with Armenia.” The House members detailed the high cost of Turkey’s
blockade on Armenia’s struggling economy. “A recent State Department report
estimated that the blockade is inflating Armenia’s transportation costs by
30-35%, thereby stifling its trade and economy,” noted the letter. “This
report also stated that opening the border would catalyze commercial
opportunities for Turkey and Armenia in the fields of energy, trade and
tourism, valued at $1 billion per year.”

AZG Armenian Daily #103, 07/06/2005

Diaspora

ARMENIAN COMMUNITY AFTER ROSE REVOLUTION IN GEORGIA

Journalists accompanying Prime Minister Andranik Margarian’s delegation at
the CIS summit of prime ministers in Tbilisi got in touch with the
representatives of the Armenian community of Georgia. I managed to find time
to meet my relatives whom I hadn’t seen for 10 years as well. They had a new
member in their family — a grandchildren whom they named Dato. The last
name of the family was also georgianized: Armenian Hasratian turned into
Hasratashvili.

Ill attitude towards Armenians has become more evident after the rose
revolution. Belief that Armenians still remain Russia’s closest ally
somewhat stands for that. Post-Soviet Georgia is feverously rubbing off all
remnants of Kremlin’s influence. There are even no signboards in Russian
language.

The forces of Georgia’s special police beat recently 6 Armenians in Khuschi
village of Tsalka region. They even beat deputy Hayk Meltonian who tried to
intervene. The deputy who told us about those events noted that the
villagers had done nothing illegal. None of the Georgian televisions covered
the events in Khuschi village. Meltonian though held back to paint the
thrashing into the colors of ethnic hostility. “There is no national
discrimination in what happened. The reason is that the special police is
out of control; everybody feels as though a chief”.

The withdrawal of Russian military bases will put Armenians of Javakhk
before a new reality. The 62d base in Akhalkalak was the only place to
secure population with jobs; there are no factories or plants in the region.
Armenian deputy from the region, Hamlet Movsisian, is optimistic
nevertheless. People are also hopeful that they will be employed in new
would-be Georgian bases. Former servicemen that were provided with
apartments fear that they will lose their flats once Russians leave.

There were 80.000 Armenians in Akhalkalak 10-15 years back. Today their has
decreased to 60.000. The total number of Armenians in Georgia is 0.5
million. Unemployment is the most painful issue for most of Georgians and
Armenians in post-revolutionary country.

Only in Tbilisi there are around 100.000 Armenians. The Armenian occupying
the highest position in Georgia’s government is deputy economy minister Gena
Muradian. The deputy representative of Samtskhe-Javakhk region is also
Armenian. In order to occupy such high positions one should be fluent in
Georgian. The authorities are trying to include Georgian language as a
compulsory subject in the school curriculum. There are 145 Armenian schools
in Georgia, 9 of them are in Tbilisi.

Hamlet Movsisian tells that the rose revolution brought many changes in the
lives of Armenians as well. In the past the merchants not only traveling
from Georgia to Armenia but also those trading within the country’s
boundaries had to overcome dozens of obstacles. Traffic officers used to
openly take bribes. For the Armenians, as well as for Georgians, the reforms
in this system are one of the brightest turns that the rose revolution
granted.

The number of religious sects in Georgia is very scant. The lawmaker says
that they, particularly Jehovah’s Witnesses, are active in Akhalkalak. But
active involvement of Armenian clergy in the region has considerably revived
the Armenian community. The number of churchgoers increased, and people
restored national and religious ceremonies.

Hamlet Movsisian sees the reason of appropriation of Armenian churches by
Georgians in the fact that Armenians have left them desolated. “We ourselves
do not care for our historic values, our churches, most of them lie idle,
even the 2 Armenian churches of Tbilisi, Surp Gevorg and Surp Etchmiadzin,
are in a very bad condition, panting for repair”, he says.

The next meeting of Armenian and Georgian prime ministers will be entirely
devoted to practical issues. As we have already informed, they will meet in
Javakhk in July-August. The Georgians will present their project, and the
Armenian government will inform how much money it will assign for the
project. The prime ministers will travel into the southern regions of
Georgia to see for themselves how serious the issues of road network,
irrigation and drinking water are.

By Karine Danielian

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
June 6, 2005, Monday

FRADKOV: WITHDRAWAL OF THE RUSSIAN BASES FROM GEORGIA TO ARMENIA
DOESN’T POSE A THREAT TO AZERBAIJAN

Movement of some Russian military bases from Georgia to Armenia
doesn’t pose a threat to Azerbaijan, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail
Fradkov told the journalists in Tbilisi after his meeting with
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili; Fradkov noted that Russia is
withdrawing the bases under the specified schedule and all problems
would gradually be solved. (…) With regard to a note of protest
lodged by Azerbaijan, which displayed its anxiety for movement of
extra armaments to Armenia, the Armenian Defense Ministry came out
with a statement which reads that movement of some military hardware
from Russian military bases in Georgia to Armenia is regulated by the
bilateral Treaty on military cooperation and location of Russian
military bases to Armenia and commitments on the quotas envisaged in
the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. (…)

CEPF MANAGEMENT SURPRISED AT RA GOVERNMENT’S POSITION ON CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAY THROUGH SHIKAHOGH RESERVE

YEREVAN, JUNE 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The management of the Critical
Ecosystems Partnership Foundation (CEPF) is surprised at the position
of RA government in the issue of construction of the Meghri-Kapan
highway through the territory of Shikahogh reserve. CEPF started to
implement its first projects in Armenia. Dan Martin, Foundation’s
Chief Executive Director, informed at the June 1 press conference that
2 out of 6 projects on Armenia concern strengthening of regimes of
Khosrov and Shikahogh reserves. Dan Martin, in particular, mentioned
that he doesn’t understand the position of the state structures,
which, on the one hand, approve a strategic program on creation of
new protected territories and, on the other hand, discuss a project
quite opposite to it. In any case, according to him, the Foundation
is a non-state and non-political organization and can’t exert any
pressure upon the government. “We will continue implementing projects
contributing to nature conservation,” he said. Karen Manvelian, CEPF
project Coordinator in Armenia, emphasized that there is an alternative
project of a strategic highway passing over the reserve. According
to him, RA Ministry of Transport and Communication groundlessly
exaggerates the costs on laying of the alternative highway and doesn’t
take into account the ecological and economic damage expected in case
of implementation of the road construction project through Shikahogh.

VARTAN OSKANIAN RECEIVED GRECO MONITORING COMMISSION

Pan Armenian News
03.06.2005 09:25

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On 3 June, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian received
the GRECO monitoring commission headed by Mr. Carlo Chiaramonte,
a member of the GRECO Secretariat. Minister highly valued the work
of the commission and noted that Armenia seriously understands the
need to take necessary steps to make the fight against corruption
more effective. During the last five days, the GRECO delegation had
met with officials and specialists responsible for the fight against
corruption, through legislative reforms and other steps. During the
next six months, the commission will draft a report with conclusions
and recommendations for steps to be taken in Armenia to overcome this
obstacle to democratic and economic development.

The Messenger, Georgia
June 3 2005

CIS leaders in Tbilisi but not optimistic

Ukrainian PM thanks Georgia for paving the way for Orange Revolution
By Keti Sikharulidze

On the eve of the CIS conference in Tbilisi on Friday, leaders from
organization’s member states have mixed feeling about the future of
the alliance.

Political leaders from throughout the former Soviet Union arrived in
Tbilisi on Wednesday and Thursday in preparation for the June 3 CIS
Summit. Nine countries reportedly will send representatives to the
meeting and 34 documents are on the agenda, although Georgia will
participate in just nine of those discussions.

On Thursday the Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko arrived and
was met personally by President Mikheil Saakashvili. At the airport,
she thanked the Georgian people, the president and the media for their
support during the revolution. “I cannot imagine the Orange Revolution
without Georgia,” she said before leaving with the president for a
trip to the Tsinandali Wine Factory in Kakheti.

Timoshenko is the only summit guest the president has met at the
airport personally, and he said the attention was protocol and also
a tribute to their countries’ friendship.

“She promised to visit Georgia first as the PM, then I though she
was joking, but as I see she kept her word and visited Georgia,”
said Saakashvili. The Ukrainian prime minister postponed her maiden
trip to Moscow on April 15-16 for unclear reasons though it was
speculated the Russian prosecutor had threatened the prime minister,
who is wanted by Russian law enforcement.

Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova and Uzbekistan all sent representatives
as well.

The Prime Minister of Tajikistan Akil Akilov expressed optimism about
the upcoming meeting. According to him, countries should live with
the hope that everything will be all right, something that included
the cooperation of states. “We should cooperate with each other for
the welfare of our people,” he said.

Other representatives were more pessimistic. “It is too hard to
speak about big results in economical cooperation [when] in a number
of countries there are different positions,” the Prime Minister of
Moldova Vasile Tarlev told journalists. “But to just criticize or
not to meet is not the best decision. [Since] there is no progress
in CIS space, such summits are necessary.”

Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze agreed with Tarlev. “I have never
expressed optimism regarding the CIS Summits, as the best decisions
were too often left on paper,” she said. “Or there were cases, when
issues that needed to be discussed were not discussed or were simply
ignored, which caused the weakening of this organization.” She added
that while there might be some economic agreements during the meetings,
she believes the organization’s days are numbered.

Burjanadze also met with another participant of the CIS Summit,
the Prime Minister of Armenia Andranik Markarian. The two reportedly
discussed important issues for both countries.

The main issue of the negotiations were the living conditions of
residents of Armenians living in Akhalkalaki, the majority of whom rely
on a Russian military base for jobs and work. According to Burjanadze,
the government intends to introduce social and economic projects in
the region.

“We had very constructive negotiations with Markarian regarding this
issue. I explained to him that the situation in Samtkhe-Javakheti
region was much different from the situation in other regions in the
rest of Georgia, but I told him about the plans we intend to develop
in the region,” Burjanadze told journalists after the meeting.

Commenting on the bases Markarian clearly noted that he saw no problem
concerning them. “All issues regarding bases were already solved by
the Georgian side,” he said.

According to Burjanadze, they also discussed the building of a new
high-voltage line between Georgia and Armenia.

“We agree and now the working groups will begin implementing the
project,” Armenian PM Andranik Markarian said. “The line is to be
built later this year and will allow Georgia to regularly receive
additional electricity from Armenia,” he added.

The speaker raised the issue regarding the demilitarization of
Russian-Georgian boarder, which Burjanadze said affects both Georgia
and Armenia. “This issue can be used by other forces to [create]
a tense situation between our two countries,” said Burjanadze.

They also discussed the issue of building a railway linking Russia,
Georgia and Armenia via Abkhazia. Burjanadze thinks it possible to
rehabilitate this line, under a guarantee to simultaneously implement
the repatriation of IDPs to Abkhazia.

Markarian raised the problem of protecting Armenian churches in
Georgia. It is has been widely reported that there is controversy
over churches which are currently Georgian Orthodox but Armenia
claims were originally Armenian Apostolic. According to Burjanadze,
the issue will be difficult to resolve without the help of historians.

Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc’s Washington Visit
View: Ali H. Aslan

Zaman, Turkey
June 3 2005

A visit by Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc to Washington,
before Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rendezvous with
President Bush next week, was first received with a little caution
among circles which consider the improvement of Turkish-American
relations important. We even heard rumors that Prime Minister Erdogan
and Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul were not thrilled about
this visit. But worriers can be at ease, because Arinc’s engagements
last week were quite successful and contributed to the Washington
landing of the Justice and Development Party (JDP) administration,
which seems willing to renew the friendship with the US.

Before the visit, the question, “What kind of a welcome would the
Speaker of a Parliament that rejected the deployment motion get from
Washington?” was crossing the minds of many. First of all, Arinc
receiving an invitation from his American counterpart, House Speaker
Dennis Hastert, showed the determination of the American side to
focus on the dimensions of positive relations, from now on. Moreover,
without waiting for Arinc to defend the Turkish Parliament’s decision
against the motion, Hastert made a nice gesture by saying that
the differences of approach between the legislative and executive
bodies should be considered as normal in democracies. Another sign of
respect and goodwill was that Hastert, the No. 3 man in the official
US hierarchy, had a long meeting with Arinc that lasted for an hour.

These were not the only nice gestures. The real surprise came at the
White House. Vice President Richard Cheney took part in Arinc’s meeting
with National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley. It is a tradition in the
White House for superiors to step into the room and say “welcome” as a
gesture and chat for a few minutes when valued guests are there. But,
as if this gesture was not enough, Cheney participated in the greater
part of the 45-minute talk.

>>From what Arinc told us at the press conference, we understand
there were no different topics of discussion on the agenda other
than what we already know and no progress was made on the disputed
issues. But high-level dialogues, especially if they are held in a
warm and constructive atmosphere, are generally useful. Hence, Turkish
diplomats, including Turkey’s Ambassador to Washington Faruk Lologlu,
all had smiling faces.

It was a very wise thing on the part of Arinc to have brought one of
the best simultaneous translators in Turkey along with him. Moreover,
his clear talk with a soft tone, decorated with cheerful jokes, left
a positive impression on even listeners who do not know Turkish.
Besides, straightforwardness and honesty are virtues even enemies
would appreciate. I hope, as a result of this performance by Arinc
in Washington, some circles that see or try to portray JDP leaders
as fundamentalist monsters have learned their lessons as well.

Surely, the content of a dialogue at least is as important as its
style. One of my American friends, whom I asked how he liked the speech
Arinc made at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
and the Q&A session, responded, “Not bad,” adding, “Looks like they got
the message particularly about the support for the democratic reforms
in the region.” Within the circles I am in contact with, Arinc’s
presentation was described as more successful than that of Foreign
Ministry Undersecretary Ambassador Ali Tuygan. A US administration
official told me that they very much appreciated Arinc choosing a
position in favor of the freedom of speech and thought, regarding
the controversial Armenian Conference at the Bogazici University.

So, why was there so much interest in Arinc in Washington? Is he
well liked? Or are American-Turkish relations, which were problematic
until yesterday, back on track? The answer to the questions above is
“No.” The Washington administration would have contradicted itself if
it had not shown the necessary respect to the Parliament Speaker of
Turkey, which is one of the most democratic states within the Islamic
world, when they have declared that they have launched a campaign
for freedom and democracy in the world and are pursuing an urgent
reform policy in our region. Moreover, the Grand National Assembly of
Turkey is an institution, which has proven its commitment to Turkey’s
European Union (EU) membership process, one of the most important
strategic goals of the US, by enacting a record number of reform bills.

Americans would like to open a new chapter in ties with Turkey by
leaving aside the deep disappointment and resentment as a result
of March 1 motion period, in which they could not match Ankara in
terms of administrative style or outcome, and the rhetoric from the
government’s and Parliament’s most authoritative mouthpieces, which
escalated the anti-Americanism among the public, in short, attitudes
they were not expecting from a friend and ally. They seem pleased with
the recent public statements from the government, which highlight the
importance of Turkish-American relations, Incirlik Base permission,
goodwill gestures like the Lockheed Martin bid and attempts to increase
dialogue. However, they think that there wasn’t enough time to narrate
these positive developments to prove continuity. In short, they have
the view that more time is needed for relations to fully recover.

In this context, Arinc’s visit was helpful. If the bilaterals of
the executive body also go well next week, and the will to hold
friendship and cooperation tight perseveres, we might look to the
future of Turkish-American relations with a little bit more hope…

AZG Armenian Daily #101, 03/06/2005

Visit

COOPERATION WITH FOCUS ON ECONOMY

Traditions of Armenian-Georgian Relations Returning

“We want not only to preserve but also to cement all good traditions,
especially those traditions that CIS states enjoyed before gaining
independence. Every state is treating its political issues as Armenia and
Georgia do. Part of the CIS states is heading for European integration. We
think that we have many things in common to join Europe. I think that each
meeting is a step forward”, Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margarian
evaluated the meeting of heads of CIS governments in Tbilisi.

Andranik Margarian met yesterday Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nugayideli
and parliament speaker Nino Burjanadze. The joint meeting of CIS government
leaders will take place today. Dozens of economic and political issues that
needed a closer look were discussed during the meetings with Georgia’s
leadership. Parliament speaker of Georgia was particularly happy with the
agreement of prime ministers on reformulating Georgia’s debt to Armenia.
Nino Burjanadze dwelt on as she said “the painful spot of Armenia: reopening
the Abkhaz railroad”. “There are many uncertainties, but we have changed our
approach. We used to think of settling the Abkhaz conflict first and then
consider reopening of the railway. Now we want simultaneously to reopen the
railway and to find solution to the Abkhaz conflict”.

The speaker was just back from Javakhk and named socio-economic problems of
the region with new enthusiasm. The first issue demanding urgent solution is
the issue of road network. Burjanadze also mentioned the absence of water
supply system in the region and said that they will try to solve the issue
at least in some areas of the region. Burjanadze emphasized that everything
that they will do for Javakhk is not in view of relations with Armenia but
because “Javakhk is our country and our homeland and we have to think of
social condition of the locals”.

The speaker thinks that the hubbub over Armenian cultural monuments is
puffed up saying that “despite separate sad facts, that is likely to be a
provocation of forces that are displeased with Georgian-Armenian peaceful
relations”. Nino Burjanadze did not say what “forces” she meant, saying that
she leaves it for journalists’ analysis.

The important achievement of Armenian Prime Minister’s visit is that the
sides agreed on building Armenia-Georgia high-voltage electric power line
that requires $10 million. Thanks to it Georgia will get 1.5 times more
electricity. Georgian minister of energetics will head a delegation to
Armenia in near future to discuss the matter. The electric power line is
scheduled to be exploited by the end of the current year.

Georgia shows signs of being interested in construction of Armenia-Iran gas
pipeline. But its unlikely that Georgia can join the project at the moment
as the first stage is set to satisfy Armenia’s inner demand. “Today it’s not
economically beneficent for us to build a pipeline with a greater diameter.
This line is supposed to serve ‘Nairit’ and chemical plant of Vanadzor. But
we do not exclude that the second line may be built in future”, Armenian PM
answered to Georgian expectations.

As a result of Georgian visit, a special group will discuss the new
socio-economic project for Javakhk. Armenia will take part not only in
implementation but also preparation phase of the project. “This can be
considered a huge progress. Georgian side always talked about it but never
took practical steps. We’ll try to advance this year”. Andranik Margarian
promised.

The joint Armenian-Georgian group will work in Javakhk in July and August.

By Karine Danielian

Armenia wants OSCE to back democratic reforms – foreign minister

Mediamax news agency
2 Jun 05

Yerevan, 2 June: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan met
Christian Strohal, director of the OSCE Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in Yerevan today.

Oskanyan and Strohal exchanged views on Armenia’s efforts to promote
democratic processes and protect human rights, Mediamax learnt from
the Foreign Ministry press service today.

Oskanyan expressed his confidence that the ODIHR would support
democratic reforms in Armenia, including “the establishment of a
democratic atmosphere in the region as a whole”.