Author: Jidarian Alex

BREAKAWAY REGIONS LOOK TO KOSOVO PRECEDENT

Reuters
Thu Feb 14, 2008 12:25pm EST

powered by Sphere(Reuters) – Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica went
on national television on Thursday to brace Serbia for the imminent
secession of its historic Kosovo province, which he said Serbs would
never accept.

The West supports independence for the Albanian-majority territory,
but insists it would not set a precedent. Other breakaway regions
around the world disagree. Following are a few that might look with
interest at the Kosovo case:

TRANSDNIESTRIA – Moldova

** A tiny sliver of land on the Dniestr river, Transdniestria broke
away from Moldova in September 1990. A brief war killed hundreds before
Russian troops intervened. The region of 550,000 people is dominated
by Russian-speaking Slavs, who pressed for independence fearing
Moldova’s Romanian-speaking majority would one day join Romania to
the south. Around 1,200 Russian troops remain. Transdniestria covers
one eighth of Moldovan territory but is home to the bulk of Moldova’s
industrial base.

ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA – Georgia

** Home to 200,000 people, Abkhazia is sandwiched between the Black
Sea and the Caucasus mountains and was once a renowned tourist
destination. It fought a 1992-3 war against Georgia and effectively
rules itself. It was isolated for years after the war but has since
forged closer ties with Russia, which has given Abkhaz residents
passports and pensions. South Ossetia fought to throw off Georgian
rule in the early 1990s. A ceasefire was signed but the violence has
threatened to reignite. Russia has peacekeepers in both regions.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH – Azerbaijan

** Sporadic clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh between Azeri and local ethnic
Armenian irregulars began in 1998, escalating by 1992 into full-scale
hostilities between Azeri forces and troops from Armenia. About
35,000 people died and hundreds of thousands fled before a ceasefire
was signed in 1994. The territory remains part of Azerbaijan but
is controlled by Armenian forces. A major BP-led pipeline linking
Azerbaijan’s Caspian Sea oil fields to world markets passes a few
kilometers from the conflict zone.

PAPUA – Indonesia

** In the remote eastern province of Papua, activists have led a
campaign for more than 30 years to break away from Indonesia, while a
low-level armed rebellion has been rumbling for decades. Critics say
military abuses and dissatisfaction over Jakarta’s distribution of
wealth generated by the mineral- and gas-rich province has fuelled
grievances. A 30-year insurgency in Aceh province, killing 15,000
people, ended in a European Union-monitored peace accord in 2005.

BASQUE COUNTRY – Spain

** Basque separatist movement ETA has spent the past four decades
fighting for an independent Basque state in northern Spain and
southwestern France, killing more than 800 people. The semi-autonomous
Basque region in northern Spain is home to 2.1 million people. More
than 750 suspected members have been detained since 2000. ETA declared
a ceasefire last year, but the Spanish government scrapped peace talks
in December 2006 after ETA bombed Madrid airport, killing two people.

THE KURDS – Turkey/Iraq/Syria/Iran

** Around 20 million Kurds are scattered between northern Iraq,
Syria, Iran and Turkey, describing themselves as the world’s largest
stateless minority.

Most live in southeastern Turkey, where Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK) guerrillas have fought an insurgency since 1984 in which more
than 30,000 people have died. A ceasefire was called in 1999, but
fighting resumed in 2004. Turkey fears that Kurds in northern Iraq
plan to set up their own state, stirring tensions among Turkish Kurds.

WESTERN SAHARA – Morocco

** The Polisario movement of Western Sahara fought a low-level
war for independence after Morocco annexed the desert territory
with the pullout of colonial power Spain in 1975. U.N. troops have
monitored an uneasy peace since 1991. It is Africa’s oldest territorial
dispute, over land the size of Britain, inhabited by 260,000 people. A
U.N. ceasefire agreement in 1991 promised a referendum on the fate of
the territory, but it never took place and Morocco now rules it out,
saying autonomy is the most it will offer.

EIGHT ARMENIAN TV COMPANIES MOST OF ALL AND ALMOST ONLY NEGATIVELY PRESENT LEVON TER-PETROSIAN

Noyan Tapan
Feb 14, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. In the period from January 31 to
February 9, the balance of coverage of the RA presidential candidates
has been kept by the H1, ALM, Armenia, H2, Yerkir Media, Kentron, Shant
TV Companies, and by Public Radio. Boris Navasardian, the Chairman of
Yerevan Press Club (YPC), reported at the February 14 press conference
presenting the results of the third stage of monitoring of coverage
of presidential elections by broadcast media. The monitoring is held
by YPC with the participation of the Team Research Center and with
the financial assistance of the Open Society Institute.

According to B. Navasardian, the election campaign of first RA
President Levon Ter-Petrosian was most of all covered in that period
(37 016 seconds) and the campaign of Aram Haroutiunian, the Chairman
of the National Accord party, least of all (8 725 seconds).

After L. Ter-Petrosian the above mentioned media payed most attention
to RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsian (32 786 seconds). According to
B. Navasardian, if the coverage of S. Sargsian’s official activity
is excluded from the total airtime allocated to the candidates, in
terms of aggregate airtime Serge Sargsian would fall behind three more
candidates, Artur Baghdasarian (29 963 seconds), Tigran Karapetian
(25 706 seconds), and Vahan Hovhannisian (25 601 seconds).

B. Navasardian said that a polarized attitude to S. Sargsian and
L. Ter-Petrosian is noticed in materials broadcast by the above
mentioned media. Thus, 83 out of 107 connotation references to Serge
Sargsian were positive, 24 negative, and as for L. Ter-Petrosian, 143
were negative and 3 positive. The YPC Chairman said that the Kentron
TV Company distinguishes itself by negative coverages dedicated to
the first RA President, at that, 30 of references fall to the program
"What do the newspapers write?"

According to B. Navasardian, only candidates enjoying support of the
"power" or leading TV companies or those being owners of a TV channel
have a positive balance.

According to the monitoring results, the index of presidential
candidates’ participation in disputes broadcast by TV is also
low. In spite of the active period of election campaign, within
ten days observed in eight TV companies the candidates or their
representatives only 28 times took part in such broadcasts. As
B. Navasardian estimated, this is evidence that they are not ready
for a public dialogue.

Lragir, Armenia
Feb 14 2008

MINISTER OSKANIAN PARTICIPATES IN EU – BSEC MINISTERS’ JOINT MEETING

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian is in Kiev to participate
in a Special Session of the EU and Black Sea Economic Cooperation
Foreign Ministers Meeting.

During the meeting, where Ukraine’s President Viktor Yuschenko made
the opening remarks, the ministers discussed deeper cooperation
between the countries of the two regions in the areas of energy,
ecology and transport. Minister Oskanian’s statement at that meeting
focused on the challenges and opportunities of such collaboration.

The Ministers passed a joint declaration at the conclusion of the
session. During the conference, Minister Oskanian signed a Memorandum
of Understanding on the development of waterways in the Black Sea
region.

Within the margins of the conference, Minister Oskanian held several
bilateral meetings. He met with Georgia’s newly-appointed Foreign
Minister David Bakradze and discussed issues of concern to the two
countries, noting the two sides’ commitment to deepen relations and
to support mutually beneficial projects in all areas. Acknowledging
the two countries’ differing approaches to conflict settlement, they
reaffirmed that they would continue to be circumspect in their
policies, intending to buttress as much as possible Armenia-Georgia
relations which is at the basis of South Caucasus stability. Minister
Oskanian highlighted that it is important for both countries to be
engaged in regional transport programs. The two colleagues also spoke
about current international issues including Kosovo’s expected
declaration of independence and its consequences. Also, the Georgian
Minister presented prospects for Georgian-Russian relations.

Minister Oskanian also met with Serbia’s Foreign Minister Vuk
Jeremic. The two highlighted the friendly relations between the two
peoples. They discussed the Kosovo issue and related developments,
the approaches of interested parties on the settlement of existing
conflicts. Minister Oskanian spoke about domestic Armenian issues,
including the upcoming presidential elections.

Minister Oskanian’s meeting with Ukraine’s new Foreign Minister,
Vladimir Ogrizko is expected on February 15.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Feb 15 2008

Dashnaktsutyun willing to cooperate with all political parties to
ensure fair presidential election

YEREVAN, February 15. /ARKA/. Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Dashnaktsutyun is willing to cooperate with all political parties to
ensure fair presidential election, Hrant Margaryan, a member of the
party board, said on Friday at a press conference.

`We have already voiced our wish to create united opposition
headquarters for combating election fraud. However, there are no
proper conditions for that in the country’, he said.

Margaryan said that three or four political parties would be needed
for that.

‘We would make it with joint efforts with Heritage or Orinats Yerkir
parties, but this didn’t happen for various reasons’, he said.

He stressed that Dashnaktsutyun Party will make every effort to
ensure just election.

The presidential election is scheduled for February 19. Nine
candidates are racing for presidency. M.V.-0–

THE ARMENIAN REVOLUTIONARY FEDERATION: AN "ALTERNATIVE" TO POLITICS AS USUAL?

Gayane Abrahamyan

EurasiaNet
rmenia08/news/021308.shtml
Feb 13 2008
NY

In a metaphysical tangle of politics, the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation is part of Armenia’s current government while claiming to
be running a presidential campaign in opposition to it. Some analysts
say voters may not see the distinction.

"We are the alternative," declared Armenian Revolutionary
Federation-Dashnaktsutiun (ARF) presidential candidate Vahan
Hovhannisian at a February 11 rally in the Ararat region, local media
reported. "You want to change something in your life, to change the
structure, we can do that. Neither the ex-government [candidate Levon
Ter-Petrosian], nor today’s [candidate Serzh Sarkisian, the current
prime minister] can succeed, as they will change only the names."

"One of them tries to win [voters] over by hatred and regime change.

The other one tries to keep the status quo by using the state’s
leverage and pressure," elaborated Hrant Margaryan, an ARF leader.

"We try to win over both [camps.]"

The nationalist-socialist party, Armenia’s oldest, supported outgoing
President Robert Kocharian following the 1998 and 2003 presidential
elections and was until 2007 a part of Armenia’s governing coalition.

On the eve of the 2007 parliamentary elections, it adopted
opposition-style slogans while still holding three ministerial
portfolios in the government. In the end, it declined to join
Prime Minister Sarkisian’s Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and
the Prosperous Armenia Party in a formal coalition, but gained
four ministerial posts: Agriculture, Education and Science, Labor,
and Healthcare.

Some pro-government politicians question how a party can be part of
the government, and yet criticize it. "I said it long ago: It’s like
staying a virgin and having sex at the same time," commented veteran
RPA parliamentarian Galust Sahakian. "That’s not possible."

Given the party’s 117-year history, much of the population sees the
Dashnak – the popular name for the Armenian Revolutionary Federation –
as a strong political force, but analysts say it is difficult to tell
whether or not that translates into making Hovhannisian a viable
"alternative" candidate. The campaign of Hovhannisian, a deputy
speaker of parliament, is the first presidential campaign undertaken
by a Dashnak leader since 1991.

"People see the ARF as a part of the government, since for already 10
years they have been in the government and parliament," said political
analyst Nune Mkrtchian. "However, since there have been many positive
changes in the spheres which they control, specifically in the Ministry
of Education, people tend to trust the ARF."

Some critics, though, would argue that the party’s working partnership
with the RPA is not limited to politics alone.

Hovhannisian’s daughter is married to the nephew of Prime Minister
Sarkisian. Supporters of rival candidate Ter-Petrosian have alleged
that Hovhannisian is trying to attract opposition voters in order to
"share" them with Sarkisian in a run-off vote.

In a January 30 campaign appearance, Hovhannisian termed such a
suggestion as "a mean and insidious lie." He insisted that he is his
own candidate. "We will go all the way to the end, and I won’t give
the votes I win to anyone."

The criticism, though, comes not only from the Ter-Petrosian camp.

Pro-government television stations have aired Soviet-era anti-Dashnak
films where the party is shown as an "enemy of the nation." Dashnak
supporters have blamed government obstructionism for causing power
failures at two February 11 rallies. Officials have not responded to
the charges.

But if voters are confused about the ARF’s identity ("No to the Past,
No to the Present," proclaim slogans), a handful of campaign novelties
introduced by the party have at least gained it notoriety.

Among them: a take-off on a US party primary (with only two candidates,
though; Hovhannisian won), the introduction of "contracts" with voters
and a three-hour-long television Q&A with viewers.

The Hovhannisian campaign claims that some 229,352 citizens have
already signed an individual agreement with the deputy parliamentary
speaker in which he commits to fulfill individual promises – primarily
related to social equality, accessible healthcare, fair elections
and rule of law – if elected president. Some party members have gone
so far as to claim that citizens can take their contracts to court
and petition for a judgment against Hovhannisian, in the event he is
elected and does not fulfill the commitments. Officially, however, the
party maintains that these so-called contracts are not legally binding.

Regardless, sociologist Aharon Adibekyan comments that the measures
strengthened the party’s position among voters; opinion polls done
by Sociometer (widely criticized as a pro-government pollster)
between November and December 2007 show a 2 to 3 percent increase
in Hovhannisian’s standing. [For background see the Eurasia Insight
archive].

A survey of 1,500 citizens run by British pollster Populus for Armenian
Public Television between January 21 and 29 put Hovhannisian in fourth
place, with 7.6 percent of the vote.

Whatever Hovhannisian’s true standing, for many voters who signed the
Dashnak candidate’s agreement, the polls do little to diminish their
need to believe that the deputy parliamentary speaker will keep his
word. "When a person signs his name under his promises," said Narine
Simonian, a 54-year-old doctor, "I believe that he undertook this to
complete his work and will not forget that we will keep it and show
it after the elections."

ARMENIAN RAILWAYS HANDED TO CONSENSUS MANAGEMENT

Panorama.am
13:46 13/02/2008

Today the contract was signed to hand "Armenian Railways" CSJC to
consensus management of "South Caucasus Railways" CSJC. Note that
"South Caucasus Railways" CSJS is the daughter company of "Russian
Railways" OSJC. The contract was signed by the minister of transport
and communication Andranik Manukyan and the president of "Russian
Railways" OSJC Vladimir Yakunin.

By the decision of Armenian Government "Armenian Railways" will be
liquidated, and the loan duty towards IDA will be rejected.

n 21 December, "Russian Railways" published a financial proposal,
according to which the Russian side was ready to invest 572 million
dollars in this project taking into account that Armenia is in a
blockade by Azerbaijan and Turkey. 220 million dollars of the whole
sum will be invested in the first 5 years. In case the boarder with
Turkey are opened this figure will rose to 610mln dollars and with
Azerbaijan – 1.8 billion dollars. It planned to invest 2.2 billion
dollars if the Abkhazian railway is exploited.

MEMBERS OF ELECTORAL COMMISSIONS OF ARMENIA PARTICIPATE IN TRAININGS ON ORGANIZATION AND REALIZATION OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Mediamax
February 13, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Secretary of the Central Electoral Commission
(CEC) Abram Bakhchugalian stated today that, starting from January 30
of 2008, 15 384 members of the electoral commission of Armenia have
been participating in trainings on organization and realization of
presidential elections.

Mediamax reports that at the meeting with the journalists in Yerevan,
Abram Bakhchugalian stated that trainings are realized in 40 regions
of the country.

The classes the training groups realize consist of two stages:
review of a film and practical training on distribution of ballots,
vote count and protocol composition, the CEC Secretary stated.

The trainings are carried out at the assistance of OSCE Yerevan Office
and IFES.

APPELLATE CIVIL COURT KEEPS UNCHANGED SENTENCE ON CASE OF NOT GIVING CERTIFICATE TO ARAM KARAPETIAN

Noyan Tapan
Feb 12, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. On February 12, the Appellate
Civil Court presided over by judge Karine Hakobian made a decision
to keep unchanged the sentence pronounced by the first instance
court on the case of the lawsuit of Nor Zhamanakner party Chairman
Aram Karapetian against the Passport and Visa Department of the RA
Police. A. Karapetian appealed against the department’s decision not
to give him a certificate on 10 years’ permanent residence in Armenia.

RUSSIAN RAILWAYS TO SIGN DEAL TO MANAGE ARMENIAN RAILWAY WED

Prime-Tass English-language Business Newswire
February 11, 2008 Monday 6:53 PM EET

Russian Railways President Vladimir Yakunin and Armenian Transport
and Communications Minister Andranik Manukyan will sign Wednesday a
concession agreement, whereby Russian Railways will manage Armenian
Railway, the Russian company said in a statement Monday.

Russian Railways was awarded a 30-year concession to manage Armenian
Railway at a tender in January. The concession can be extended for
20 years after the first 20 years of operations.

Russian Railways’ wholly owned subsidiary South Caucasian Railway
will manage Armenian Railway starting the second half of the year.

KILLERS OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN JOURNALIST SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE SAYS EUROPEAN MP

NTV MSNBC
Feb 11 2008
Turkey

The trial of those accused of involvement in Dink’s murder resumed
on Monday.

ISTANBUL – It was vital for Turkey’s credibility that those responsible
for the murder of prominent Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink
were brought to justice, a leading member of the Euorpean Parliament
said Monday.

It was important that those who masterminded Dink’s killing should also
be tried, said Joost Lagendijk, a member of the European parliament
and co-chairman of an inter-parliamentary committee between Turkey
and the European Union.

Speaking to reporters outside an Istanbul court house where 19 suspects
in the January 19, 2007 assassination of Dink were on trial, Lagendijk
said uncovering the forces who are believed to be behind the Dink
murder was an important development for Turkey as a rule of law.

"Turkey’s credibility as a rule of law might be seriously harmed at
the international level unless the reality was brought to the day
light," Lagendijk said.