Author: Kanayan Tamar

FOODnavigator.com
Aluminium foil sales hit all time high while costs rocket
16/03/2005 – Aluminium producers can expect a good year in 2005,with foil
sales hitting an all-time high, but packagers will have to deal with
all-time high costs, writes Anthony Fletcher.
Shipments of aluminium foil reached a record high in 2004 with deliveries
reaching 820,350 tons, an increase of 1.1 per cent over the previous year
(811,400 tons), according to the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA).
The association claims that the growth figures disguise an even better
picture when the ongoing practice of down gauging – decreasing thickness –
in aluminium foil rolling is considered. Over the last 30 years the average
down gauging effect in packaging applications was around 30 per cent.
However aluminium prices reached a ten-year high this week at $2,016 a tonne
according to the Financial Times, and strong global economic growth and
solid demand could continue to drive prices even higher – bad news for
packaging firms.
The higher metals prices caused both UBS and Merrill Lynch to up their
long-term price forecasts for metals. Merrill Lynch said this week
commodities were in a long-term bull market.
Despite the cost increase, EAFA believes that strong sales were driven as
much by exports as by sales within the EAFA region, which includes Armenia,
Bulgaria, Czech Republic, EU15, Hungary, Norway, Russia, Switzerland and
Turkey.
`We expect this trend to continue in 2005,’ said Bill Morris, president of
EAFA. `The level of demand of aluminium foil especially for exportation
outside the EAFA region underlines the global leadership of the European
foil industry in terms of quality and competitiveness.’
Approximately 75 per cent of aluminium foil is used in packaging where its
characteristics of strength, formability and barrier properties have made it
an essential part of many flexible packaging and container applications.
EAFA argues that the number of new products that feature innovative uses of
alufoil-based packaging indicates a healthy future for the material.
The solid sales figures come after a concerted effort by EAFA to better
communicate to food packagers the benefits of using the material. The
association has consistently argued that many of the benefits that aluminium
foil brings to packaging are hidden from both packer fillers and consumers
because it is often used in association with other packaging materials and
is frequently invisible to the naked eye.
This, says the EAFA, detracts from the fact that aluminium is the one of the
best solutions for any product that requires a barrier material that
provides the extra elements of extended shelf life and true impermeability
to gases, moisture, light and UV rays.
And despite the ten-year price high, the association claims that the
packaging industry should see the value and flexibility of the material.
`Production and manufacturing techniques have led to down-gauging – 20 per
cent decrease in thickness in 10 years – at the same time as maintaining or
even improving machineability and performance characteristics. All of which
provides increased productivity and added value to the conversion process,’
said Morris.
One major selling point of aluminium of course is that it can be recycled
repeatedly at a fraction of its original energy cost and modern separation
techniques mean aluminium foil in household waste can be extracted and
recycled. It is suitable for both separate and multi-material collection
systems according to national and local conditions.
The energy content of foil laminates can also be recovered by thermal
treatment.
With 123 members EAFA is the international body that represents the
interests of the major rollers, converters, household foil rewinders and
container manufacturers in Europe.

“AUTHORITIES WERE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN ATTACKS ON THE PRESS”
A1+
15-03-2005
Press conditions are deteriorating badly throughout Russia and most of
the other former Soviet republics, the Committee to Protect
Journalists detailsin its newly released analysis of press conditions
worldwide, Attacks on the Press in 2004.
Armenia
The Armenian government failed to protect journalists during violent
demonstrations in April against President Robert Kocharian. In some
cases, authorities were directly involved in attacks on the press.
On April 5, police stood by during an opposition rally while two dozen
men attacked several journalists and cameramen. A Yerevan court
convicted two men of the attack, fining them 100,000 drams (US$182)
each for “deliberately damaging property,” the journalists’
cameras. Some victims and the opposition media claimed that the trial
was merely a government attempt to create the appearance of
accountability, the U.S. government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty reported.
During another opposition rally the next week, police destroyed the
cameras of journalists from the Russian TV station Channel One and the
daily Haykakan Zhamanak (Armenian Time). At least four journalists
were injured when police officers used batons, stun grenades, and
water jets to disperse several thousand demonstrators.
The impunity surrounding these attacks made journalists more
vulnerable. In August, Mkhitar Khachatryan, a photojournalist with
Fotolur news agency whowas reporting on environmentally damaging
housing construction in central Armenia, was beaten by an unidentified
man who threatened him with death and forced him to hand over his
photos. Khachatryan had been taking photos near the mansion of a
former police chief.
Although a private citizen was sentenced in October to six months in
prison for the assault, a security guard for the police chief who
reportedly ordered the attack was neither detained nor charged, the
Yerevan-based Association of Investigative Journalists in Armenia
reported.
Television coverage of the spring opposition rallies and other
politically sensitive issues favored Kocharian, who ensured that TV
stations remained in the hands of government supporters or those who
would not criticize his policies. For the second year in a row,
politicized media regulators kept A1+, an independent and influential
TV station that has sharply criticized government policies, off the
air. The National Council on Television and Radioâ=80’a government
body that regulates broadcasting frequencies and is stacked with
Kocharian supporters-shuttered A1+ in April 2002 and has since
rejected eightapplications from the station for a broadcasting
license.
Broadcasting authorities also kept local television channels that were
moderately independent-such as Yerevan station Noyan Tapan, which was
also shuttered in April 2002-off the air. No new frequency tenders are
planned until 2009.
Unlike television, the print media enjoy greater autonomy from
government control, but most publications are controlled by political
parties and wealthy businessmen, compromising their editorial
independence and professional standards. According to the U.S.-based
media training organization IREX ProMedia, low salaries encourage
widespread corruption among reporters.
Journalists also faced declining legal protection, with the government
continuing to ignore calls from press freedom organizations, the
Council ofEurope, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe to repeal criminal defamation and insult laws added to the
Criminal Code in April 2003. The statutes threaten journalists with up
to three years in prison and have increased self-censorship, according
to IREX.

Nagornyy Karabakh Republic [NKR] to conduct population census
Mediamax news agency
14 Mar 05
YEREVAN
A preliminary population census will be held in some districts of
Stepanakert , as well as in the Askaran and Nerkin Oratag villages
between 21 and 23 March.
The major population census in the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic [NKR] is
scheduled for October 2005.
According to the NKR National Statistical Service, Nagornyy Karabakh
currently has a population of about 145,000 people.

AZERTAG
March 14, 2005
PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV RECEIVES DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER OF TURKEY
[March 14, 2005, 17:37:55]
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received a delegation
of Turkey led by the country’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Ambassador Ahmet
Uzumchu, March 14.
The Head of State said the friendly and brotherly Azerbaijan-Turkey
relations are developing in all fields, and recalling with satisfaction his
official visits to Turkey, highly appreciated the regular political
consultations between the two countries.
Noting the high standard of cooperation in the framework of international
organization, President Ilham Aliyev described the involvement of both
countries in the world-scale energy projects as very significant factor.
Touching upon the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over
Nagorno-Karabakh, the Azerbaijani leader advised the talks now taking place
in the framework of the Prague process are held at foreign ministers level.
President Ilham Aliyev expressed hope these talks would contribute to the
conflict’s resolution, and stressed the importance of more attention to the
problem from the international organization.
Mr. Ahmet Uzumchu first conveyed to the Azerbaijani President sincere
greetings from President of Turkey Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The guest confirmed that friendly and fraternal
relationship between Azerbaijan and Turkey is successfully developing in
political, economic, military and other spheres. As for the negotiations on
the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he noted that Turkey
regularly holds political consultations with the Foreign Ministry of
Azerbaijan towards peaceful solution to the problem.

The Messenger
Friday, March 14, 2005, #045 (0819)
Armenia, Georgia praise expanding trade, energy
In Armenia, Georgian PM discusses trade links, energy and Russian bases in
Georgia
By Christina Tashkevich
Zurab Noghaideli
The development of economic relations between Armenia and Georgia topped the
agenda during Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli’s two-day visit to Yerevan on
March 10-12.
Noghaideli and Armenian President Robert Kocharyan met on March 11 to talk
about cooperation in the energy sector and the expansion of trade links.
News agency Ria Novosti reports that Kocharyan expressed his satisfaction at
the meeting with Noghaideli that the Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental
commission on economic relations will continue its activities headed by the
prime ministers of the two countries.
“Armenian-Georgian relations have always included a wide spectrum of issues
of mutual interests,” he said. The commission will meet next in Yerevan.
The sides positively assessed the increase in trade turnover between the
countries last year, which according to Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Margaryan rose by 51.1 percent.
The National Department of Statistics of Armenia reports that trade turnover
between Armenia and Georgia equaled USD 78 million in 2004 compared to USD
51 million in 2003.
The two countries hope to further increase trade, however, and Noghaideli
made a report to his Armenian colleagues about the completion of the
construction of the road between Sadakhlo on the Georgia-Armenia border and
Marneuli. The sides also discussed the construction of a new border
checkpoint in Sadakhlo.
The prime minister was upbeat about energy cooperation between the two
countries, telling journalists that for the first time in recent years the
Armenian energy ministry of energy had not made claims against the Georgian
side.
“For the first time we discussed not past problems but issues of future
cooperation between Georgia and Armenia,” he enthused.
One issue of discussion during the prime minister’s visit to Armenia was the
construction of a gas pipeline linking Iran with Europe via Armenia, Georgia
and Ukraine.
Construction of the Iranian-Armenian segment of the pipeline has already
started, while the two countries are currently in negotiations with Ukraine
and Georgia. One issue likely to hold up the project is the exorbitant cost:
the prime minister of Armenia said the total cost of the pipeline was
estimated at USD 180 billion.
Noghaideli and Kocharyan also discussed the existing conflicts in the region
and their resolution, and the Georgian PM told journalists in Yerevan that
he was confident an agreement would be reached between Moscow and Tbilisi in
regard to the withdrawal of Russian bases on Georgian soil.
“In the nearest future we will agree with the Russian side on the withdrawal
of Russian military bases,” he said in Yerevan airport before returning to
Tbilisi.
News agency Regnum reports Noghaideli as saying he did not discuss this
matter with the Armenian side, although Armenian Prime Minister Margaryan
noted that the issue was important to Yerevan because of the predominantly
Armenian population living close to the base in Akhalkalaki.
“The only thing which is important for us is the provision of jobs and
resolution of social problems facing the Armenians living in Javakheti,” he
said, adding however that Armenia does not plan to interfere in Georgia’s
internal affairs regarding the issue of Russian military bases in Georgia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

El Pais, España
viernes, la 11 de marcha de 2005
Kasparov anuncia su retirada definitiva
LEONTXO GARCIA
Linares
El ruso Gari Kasparov, numero uno del mundo, anuncio ayer en Linares
(Jaen) que abandonaba definitivamente el ajedrez de competicion.
Kasparov, con sonrisa triste y un rostro entre alegre y preocupado,
dijo que la enorme presion que tiene en estos ultimos anos le han
hecho tomar esta decision. “Jugare al ajedrez, porque me gusta mucho,
pero no en plan profesional. Podre participar en simultaneas o en
partidas rapidas pero nada mas”, dijo con aire compungido. El ruso,
que cumplira 42 anos el proximo 13 de abril, anadio que los problemas
de los ultimos anos se han ido agravando y se quejo de que en
Federacion Internacional de Ajedrez (FIDE) nadie le haya apoyado.
De hacer efectivo su anuncio, su ultima partida habria sido una
derrota, la que cosecho ayer contra el bulgaro Topalov en la ultima
jornada del torneo andaluz.
Hijo de padre judio y madre armenia, se inicio en la practica del
ajedrez a los seis anos. A los trece se convirtio en campeon
sovietico juvenil y a los dieciseis se adjudico su primer torneo
internacional.
Su imparable progresion en el mundo del ajedrez se debio, en buena
medida, a los cuidados de Mijail Botvinnik, antiguo campeon mundial,
en cuya escuela estudio entre 1973 y 1978. A partir de esta ultima
fecha se puso a las ordenes de Aleksandr Nitkin. Maestro
internacional desde 1980, en 1985 se convirtio en el campeon del
mundo mas joven de la historia al derrotar a su compatriota Anatoli
Karpov. En 1996 vencio al potente ordenador Deep Blue.
–Boundary_(ID_fNqAXUcqbL4eFE4D9DZ10g)–

PanArmenian News
March 11 2005
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT ADVISED NOT TO MAKE FAR-REACHING CONCLUSIONS FROM
DIFFERENT REPORTS OR STATEMENTS ON KARABAKH
11.03.2005 06:55
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Presently Armenia has no reasons for anxiety over
the Karabakh conflict settlement process, Armenian President Robert
Kocharian said. In his words, the admitted format of international
mediators formed to settle the conflict does its work. The President
also advised not to make far-reaching conclusions from different
reports or statements on Karabakh.

Council of Europe

March 9 2005
Venice Commission discusses Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia,
Italy and Serbia
/noticias.info/ Strasbourg, 10 March 2005 ~V The constitutional
situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the powers of the High
Representative, judicial reform in Georgia and the status of South
Ossetia, media freedom in Italy – these are among the items on the
agenda of the plenary session of the Council of Europe~Rs Venice
Commission which will take place on 11 and 12 March in Venice, in the
Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista.
The efficiency and rationality of current constitutional arrangements
in Bosnia and Herzegovina, resulting from the Dayton Peace Agreement,
are the subject of a comprehensive document to be adopted by the
Commission. This opinion will outline major changes required if the
country wants to make further progress, and examine whether the
present practice of decisions by the High Representative is
compatible with European standards. A further opinion on Bosnia and
Herzegovina concerns the responsibility of the United Nations for the
dismissal of former police officers.
The Deputy Minister of Justice of Georgia, Mr Konstantin
Vardzelashvili, will inform the Commission on further developments on
the status of South Ossetia, following the recent visit of the
Commission to Georgia. In addition, the Commission will adopt its
opinion on the latest draft constitutional amendments relating to the
reform of the judiciary in Georgia.
The laws on the conflict of interest and on principles governing the
broadcasting system of Italy and the draft law on religious
organisations of Serbia are also on the agenda of the 62nd plenary of
the Venice Commission. It will also express its opinion on the law on
public meetings and on draft amendments to the electoral code of
Armenia.

Georgia’s foreign debts show signs of growth
By M. Alkhazashvili
The Messenger, Georgia
March 11 2005
In 2005 Georgia will again receive credits from the World Bank, from
the government of Germany and from the Japanese Development Bank. As
a result of this Georgia’s foreign debt will increase by USD 487
million and by the end of the year it will total USD 2.335 billion.
Georgia currently has debts to large financing institutions as well
as 15 states, and debt repayment remains a serious outlay for the
country.
According to Finance Ministry data, as reported in the newspaper 24
Saati, Georgia’s foreign debt by the end of 2004 was USD 1.857
billion. Of this, USD 1.68 billion is owed to international
organizations such as the World Bank, European alliances, the
International Agricultural Development Fund and the International
Monetary Fund. The biggest creditor is the World Bank with USD 677.61
million. The total debt to foreign governments totals USD 693.22
million, of which more than USD 157 million is owed to Turkmenistan.
Servicing debts is a major problem for the Georgian budget, while
repaying them is even more so. In recent years despite the chronic
budget deficit, fulfilling debt obligations remained a top priority.
In 2004 Georgia allotted approximately GEL 199 million to cover
foreign debts, GEL 150.441 million of which was allotted for
repayment and GEL 48.502 million to pay off interest.
This year GEL 217.38 million has been allotted for servicing foreign
debts (GEL 119.053 million – principal and GEL 43.85 million –
interest). The Finance Ministry hopes that if the revenues planned
from privatization are doubled, an additional GEL 39 million will be
allotted for foreign debts servicing.
The biggest debt that Georgia had was to Turkmenistan – approximately
USD 400 million. Turkmenistan did not permit the re-organization of
this debt, but did allow Georgia to repay in the form of goods and
services. This process began in 1998 and the debt now stands at USD
157 million. It was recently announced that Georgia is holding
negotiations with Russia, Armenia, and Kazakhstan regarding debt
repayment in a similar manner.
The newspaper 24 Saati speaks to economist Niko Orvelashvili who says
much of the money credited to Georgia was actually spent outside the
country. “Foreign assistance morally ruined society and especially
the ruling elite,” he said. “80 percent of this so-called ‘aid’ did
not even get to Georgia and was spent in the form of salaries,
honoraria, etc. Why it was called ‘aid’ I do not understand,”
Orvelashvili continued.
Given this, questions must be asked regarding the nearly USD 500
million in credits to be received this year. The representatives of
the post-Rose Revolution government state that this money will be
spent well and will be used to finance new investment projects that
occur in the country. If this happens, and the economy develops as a
result, the credits will be in Georgia’s interest; although even if
this is the case, future budget expenditure on debt servicing will
necessarily increase as a result of the loans.

Azeri church sparks political row
Armenians say the church is part of their heritage
BBC
10 March 05
The restoration of a centuries-old Christian church in predominantly
Muslim Azerbaijan is hanging in the balance amid a row over wall
inscriptions.
The local Udi people, a Christian community, removed lettering they
say was put there by Armenian Christians.
The white-stone building in the northern mountain village of Nij
is undergoing renovation with funding from a Norwegian charity, the
Norwegian Humanitarian Enterprise, but the organisation is unhappy
about the alterations.
The Udis say they erased the inscriptions over the entrance to the
church and next to the altar to right a historic wrong.
Armenians, they contend, put the lettering there long after the church
was built so they could lay claim to it.
‘Fake inscriptions’
“If those fake inscriptions are not erased, the renovation will lose
its importance,” the head of the Udi community told Azerbaijan’s
ANS TV.
The Udis, who number around 8,000, are keen to distance themselves
from Azerbaijan’s arch-foe, Armenia.
I regret that they have been erased. This was a chance for Azerbaijan
to set an example to the whole world
Norway’s ambassador Steinar Gil
“We live in Azerbaijan, and when people came into the church and saw
Armenian letters, they automatically associated us with Armenians,”
one of the village elders told the AFP news agency.
The Udis have struggled to separate their heritage from that of their
fellow Christian Armenians, who fought a war with Azerbaijan over
the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in 1988-1994.
The Armenians argue that churches with this type of inscription are
an indication of their long roots in the region.
‘Vandalism’
The Norwegians view the erasing of the inscriptions as “tantamount
to vandalism”, the Azeri newspaper 525 Qazet reported.
The Norwegian ambassador to Azerbaijan, Steinar Gil, said politics
should not play a role.
“Any historical monument should be protected. One should take care
of historical monuments despite political relations,” he said.
“I visited that village in November last year and saw the Armenian
inscriptions. I regret that they have been erased… This was a chance
for Azerbaijan to set an example to the whole world.”
And the head of the Norwegian Humanitarian Office in Azerbaijan,
Alf Henry Rasmussen, told the BBC that the organisation was now
reconsidering the whole restoration project.