Author: Harutyunian Christine

Russia upset by decision to not privatize gas pipeline
By M. Alkhazashvili

The Messenger, Georgia
May 18 2005

One week before U.S. President George Bush’s visit to Georgia, Minister
of Energy Nika Gilauri announced that, following an agreement from
the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) that USD 40 million will
be allotted by the corporation for repairs to the trunk gas pipeline,
the government had decided not to privatize the pipeline after all.

The government had initially suggested that the pipeline would need to
be sold as it was unable to pay for the cost of its rehabilitation. The
Russian energy giant Gazprom expressed its interest in buying the
pipeline, and this led to opposition both within Georgia and from
the United States to the sale.

Local experts expressed concern that selling the pipeline to a Russian
state-owned company would put Georgia in a position of even greater
dependence on energy imports from its northern and not always friendly
neighbor. U.S. officials, meanwhile, concerned that the trunk pipeline
might prove an eventual competitor to the U.S.-funded South Caucasus
pipeline, also expressed opposition to the pipeline’s sale.

Nevertheless, without any alternative course of financing the vital
rehabilitation work, the possible sale of the pipeline remained on
the agenda, leading critics to wonder about the presence of shady,
pro-Russian forces within the government, or else equally shady
figures with a personal interest in its sale.

Conservative MP Kakha Kukava, for example, said, “I am sure that the
Georgian government has corrupt and financial interests in the issue.
I do not think that the government came to such a decision because of
being pro-Russian. In this case it was not the political but corrupt
interests. If there exist pro-Russian interests in the government
than even these interests have financial rather than ideological or
strategic motives,” as quoted by Akhali Taoba.

The government of course denies such accusations, stating that it was
only possible to take the pipeline off the market once the Millennium
Challenge funding had been won. It could be added that, given obvious
U.S. animosity to the sale of the pipeline, keeping the sale on the
agenda was a useful way of persuading the MCC that rehabilitation of
the pipeline was a project worth supporting.

Following the decision not to sell the pipeline, the government was
eager to stress that it was not a “decision against the Gazprom or
Russia,” 24 Saati quotes Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli as saying.

Nevertheless, the decision has clearly upset Moscow. Russian MP
Konstante Zatulin, for example, said that this was yet another U.S.
measure to drive a wedge between Russia and other CIS countries, by
reducing the level of dependence of countries like Georgia on Russia.

Russian expert Aleksandr Blokhinin complains that the U.S. has no
economic interests in the gas pipeline, and is merely interested in
interfering in reducing Russian influence in the Caucasus region.

Blokhinin underlines that through the pipeline Russian gas is transited
to Armenia – to the only country strongly loyal towards Russia in
the region. “The amount of transited gas to Armenia is not sufficient
for Gazprom. It should be mentioned that by refusing to sell the gas
pipeline to the Gazprom America is separating Georgia from Russia,”
Blokhinin said as quoted by 24 Saati.

FOREIGN MINISTER OF AZERBAIJAN SAYS SIDES DECIDED TO CARRY ON NEGOTIATIONS WITHIN PRAGUE PROCESS
2005-05-16 12:10

Azerbaijan News Sevice
May 16 2005

Foreign minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov informed ANS that
Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia held meeting in Warsaw with
participation of OSCE Minks group co-chairs and foreign ministers of
France and Russia. Presidents were reported of the so-called Prague
process. Heads of states of Azerbaijan and Armenia instructed foreign
ministers to carry on negotiation process after they met tet-a tet.
According to Elmar Mammadyarov though there is agreement in certain
issues yet the sides need to determine positions regarding certain
issues. As to the following meeting of the foreign ministers of
both countries Mr. Mammadyarov said “Meeting with foreign minister
of Armenia is not so much important for us. Achieving any results of
these meetings is important for us. In the end Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity must be restored”. Mr. Mammadyarov considers it important
for Armenia initially to withdraw forces from 7 occupied regions and
internally displaced persons return their homelands.

THE 21ST SESSION OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL COUNCIL ON COOPERATION IN THE
AREA OF CONSTRUCTION AMONG THE CIS LAUNCHED IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, May 20. /ARKA/. The 21st session of Intergovernmental
Council on Cooperation in the Area of Construction among the CIS
was launched in Yerevan. According to RA Minister of Urban Planning
Aram Harutyunyan, discussions of construction policy in the CIS,
current legislation, possibilities to attract investments, apartment
blocks management, process of simplification of granting licenses
for building constructions are planned in the framework of two-day
session. According to the Minister, the policies in the area of
construction in the CIS are identical, so it’s important to discuss
the development of normative-technical documents, housing and communal
services, urban planning, hypothec construction, where new approaches
are being developed, including those to ensure seismic safety of
apartment blocks. Harutyunyan emphasized that the decisions taken in
the course of the session will contribute to the further development
of national construction complexes, harmonization of legal field, CIS
construction activity, implementation of specific intergovernmental
projects in the area of construction in the CIS.

In his turn RF Minister of Regional Administration Vladimir Yakovlev
noted that in the course of the session the work done will be resumed
and the further steps determined. He emphasized that the profession of
a constructor is based on adherence to the basis for the development
of a society. The most important is “in interaction with colleagues
from the CIS”, without which the processes will not proceed easily.

Representatives of Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan
and Moldova participate in the session. The participants will meet
RA President Robert Kocharyan, RA NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan,
RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan. Also, bilateral meetings are
planned in the framework of the session. The place and agenda of the
next session was determined.

The previous session of the Council was held in August 2004 in
Moscow. A.H. –0–

NEW RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH TO BE BUILT IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 19. ARMINFO. A new Russian Orthodox Church will be built
in Yerevan. A decision on allotment of a5 ha land nearing Admiral
Isakov avenue was made by the Armenian Government today. The land lot
will be leased to the Russian Embassy in Armenia for 99 years without
any tender. The project of the construction will be financed by the
Russian party. The decision on allotment of the land was made as a
sigh of gratitude to the Russian for assistance in implementation of
a similar project in Moscow last year.

The parish in the Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church in Armenia
gathering in the Virgin Church built in Kanaker-Zeytun community yet
in 1913 number 50-100 and even 1,000 people on religious holidays.

AZG Armenian Daily #090, 20/05/2005

Home

DRAFT ELECTORAL LEGISLATION ADOPTED

Yesterday, the third reading of RA Parliament adopted the draft law on
making changes to the electoral legislation. The draft law now includes
44 new paragraphs. The new laws provide more rights to observers and
empowered bodies. Voting-papers will be more protected. The unpleasant
process of spraying electors’ fingers with invisible ink was removed
from the legislation: lawmakers’ Armenian mentality adamantly turned
it down. Deputy Gurgen Arsenian’s offer to place the ballots in
non-permanent boxes was accepted.

A national register is envisaged to be set. All political powers and
organizations will have one common list of the electorate.

By Karine Danielian

Russian analyst predicts ultimate future of former USSR – paper

Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Moscow
17 May 05

The political elite is clearly seriously frightened by events in the
CIS and is continuing to speculate on whether a “colour” revolution
threatens Russia. As a rule the answer is in the negative. However,
yesterday Stanislav Belkovskiy, the director of the National Strategy
Institute, came up with the following prediction: in the next few
years the wave of revolutions in post-Soviet space could encompass
the remaining Asian countries of the region and then spread to Russia.

“Armenia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan – revolution is most
likely in these countries,” the political analyst said, including
the states in the top risk category. And the brutal suppression of
the uprising in Uzbekistan’s Andijon will merely be the precursor to
a revolution in the country which will peak in two years’ time. “In
the absence of specific ideologies, Islam will fill the vacuum created
by Karimov,” Belkovskiy said.

He rejected suggestions that revolutions in the countries of the former
USSR were being implanted from outside with the participation of the
United States, although it was the Americans who had seized the status
of regional power from Russia. The coups were being provoked primarily
by internal factors, while external factors were secondary. The
replacement of ruling corporations with the participation of the
masses is taking place for the following reasons: the blocking of
vertical mobility in the regime; the lack of legitimacy of the regime;
the splitting of elites; the lack of a positive image of the future;
the existence of an opposition; the regime’s unpreparedness to use
force; unresolved ethnic and religious problems; the merging of the
bureaucracy with state power. All these conditions, the political
analyst believes, are present to some degree or other in the countries
of post-Soviet space.

As for Russia, which was included by Belkovskiy in the second risk
category along with Azerbaijan, so far a revolutionary scenario
does not threaten it. The Kremlin’s traditional legitimacy, formed
in our country many centuries ago back in the days of the monarchy,
is shoring up the country. But that certainly does not mean that this
state of affairs will remain in the future. In addition, some of the
above symptoms are already manifesting themselves.

In Russia revolution will be the finale to the delegitimization
of the regime as a result of the country’s disintegration. The
most likely territories which could split from the country are the
large national republics and also Siberia. In five years’ time the
Chinese population in Siberia will be such that they will be able to
form their own political forces. “Preventing a revolution in Russia
and preventing Russia’s disintegration is one and the same thing.
Revolution in Russia is possible only if everything collapses,”
Belkovskiy is convinced.

An alternative to revolution in Russia could be a peaceful state “coup”
by which the political analyst means a constitutional transfer of power
within the framework of presidential and parliamentary elections. The
political analyst sees the advent to power of a left-nationalist
coalition as most likely.

Belkovskiy believes that Russia will not be a classic parliamentary
republic because of existing traditions. Consequently, an acceptable
model of presidential power must be created which will stand outside
the economy. And a parliamentary majority government and the people’s
elected representatives themselves must be responsible for the economy.

On the other hand, the political analyst believes that Belarus and
Turkmenistan should be the least afraid of revolutions. However
much the West may call the regimes that have taken shape in these
countries dictatorships, the regimes here are maintained on the basis
of the state leaders’ charisma. But despite their unshakeableness,
[President] Alyaksandr Lukashenka and [President] Saparmyrat Nyyazow
should prepare for internal plots within their own elites – their
closest associates could in fact prove to be potential revolutionaries.

Turkey donates equipment to Azeri army

Anatolia news agency, Ankara
13 May 05

Commenting on the importance of military cooperation between
Azerbaijan and Turkey, Brig-Gen Omer Bayrakli, the TSK [Turkish Armed
Forces] attache in Baku [title as published], said: “As our Great
Leader has pointed out, Azerbaijan’s grief is our grief, and its joy
is our joy.”

Speaking at a ceremony marking the delivery of various materials and
equipment – such as 10 mobile ovens and portable field radios –
donated by the TSK to the Azeri army, Brig-Gen Bayrakli said that
training and logistics support to Azerbaijan would continue. He added:
“Our support for Azerbaijan is at the forefront of Turkey’s activities
with countries across the world on the issue of partnership for
peace.”

Expressing his gratitude to the Turkish and Azeri leaders and military
echelons who have contributed to the development of cooperation
between the two countries, Bayrakli said that the TSK did not yet have
most of the items donated today, and that they were produced with the
application of the latest technology.

Stating that the aid given cannot be explained with economic
motivations, Bayrakli said that he was proud to be delivering the
equipment.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Col Piri Israfilov, commander of
provisions in the Azeri Army and deputy head of the Logistics
Department of the Azeri Ministry of Defence, described the importance
of the aid provided by the TSK.

Later officials from the two sides signed the transfer documents of
the donated equipment. The donated items, worth approximately 2m
dollars, include 10 mobile ovens installed on field vehicles, fully
operational portable field radios, and other similar equipment. The
transfer ceremony was originally scheduled for the morning hours but
was held in the evening.

A1plus

| 16:32:30 | 13-05-2005 | Social |

THE LEADER WILL BE CHOSEN BY COMPETITION

Today the final phase of the program `Training in the field of international
relations’ took place. In this connection deputy head of the International
Relations Institute Daniel Worner held a press conference.

The program is a complex of intensive courses lasting two weeks in which 18
officials of Armenia and Georgia take part. The program is realized by the
Geneva International Relations Institute in cooperation with the
organization CINEMA. Its aim is to train Armenian, Georgian and Azerbaijani
officials in the international field, and bring close the state structures
of the three countries.

Since 2001 the courses have been organized twice a year in Tbilisi, and in
Yerevan they have been organized since 2004 October.

According to Daniel Worner, up to now 60 officials from Armenia have taken
part in the program. By the way, in order to encourage the graduates in 2005
a competition was announced titled «Awards for Leadership». The winners (2
from each country) will leave for Switzerland for 2 weeks.

Pan Armenian News

US SATISFIED WITH COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA ON COMBATING TERROR

13.05.2005 08:46

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans stated today that
official Washington is satisfied with the US-Armenia cooperation on
combating terror. In his words, the cooperation includes the defense of the
state borders and is targeted at prevention of import and spreading of
weapons of annihilation and other forbidden elements in Armenia. The
Ambassador also noted that US-Armenia defense cooperation will expand. He
reminded of the positive estimate the experts of the US European Command
gave in early May to the Armenian Armed Forces.

Armenian paper critical of coalition-proposed constitutional amendments

Haykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
12 May 05

Text of unattributed report by Armenian newspaper Haykakan Zhamanak on
12 May headlined “Super president”

One can say for sure that if under the current constitution the head
of the country has great power, in accordance with the constitutional
amendments submitted by the coalition [to Armenian parliament] we will
get not only a strong but a super president.

Let us mention several additional powers that the president might
gain. While under the current constitution the president can appoint
somebody to civil posts, under the coalition’s draft, he will have the
right to make appointments to state posts as well. While under the
current constitution the president has to approve the
prosecutor-general of Armenia nominated by the prime minister, under
the draft amendments, he can appoint the prosecutor-general without
consulting anybody.

The president has been invested with one more right: he will
coordinate the state structures’ activity in the sphere of defence. It
is clear that this will give the president the right to coordinate the
activity of any state structure. While under the current constitution
the president appoints the top command staff, under the submitted
draft he appoints the top command staff of other troops as well. This
means that any moment “other” troops necessary for the authorities may
be created.

While under the current constitution the president has the right to
veto a government decision, under the submitted draft the president
has the right to veto a government decision for a month and to apply
to the Constitutional Court to verify whether these decisions are in
line with Armenian laws. Moreover, if under the current constitution
the government appoints local governors, under the coalition’s draft
amendments, the president appoints and dismisses governors according
to the prime minister’s suggestion.

Furthermore, the coalition’s draft envisages absolute dependence of
the government on the president: if the National Assembly is brave
enough not to endorse twice the programme of the government’s activity
submitted by the president, the president has the right to dissolve
the parliament.

Next week the authorities of Armenia will introduce all these super
powers to international experts as a means to counterbalance and
separate branches of authority.