Author: Karapet Navasardian

New Europe supports Turkey’s EU bid with greater expansion in mind
Agence France Presse
October 4, 2004 Monday
BY: Jean-Luc Testault
PRAGUE
The European Union’s newest members are giving their backing to
Turkey’s EU bid as a way of achieving their aim of a greatly enlarged
Europe that would include the Balkans, Ukraine and Belarus, and even
Georgia.
Most leaders in the new EU member countries consider it reasonable to
give Turkey what they themselves obtained, especially since the Muslim
country has been a candidate since 1987, well before the fall of
communism in eastern Europe.
“The current Turkish government has achieved much in reforming the
country and it would be fair that these efforts are recognised with
the opening of EU membership talks,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister
Antanas Valionis told AFP.
Even the government of Cyprus is not deeply hostile to Turkey’s
admission, despite the presence of 35,000 Turkish soldiers in the
north of the island, which has been divided for 30 years.
The Greek Cypriot side, which joined the EU on May 1, hopes to benefit
from Turkey’s bid to bring about reunification of the island.
In former communist Europe too, support for Turkey’s entry is seen as
a way of paving the way for the admission of Ukraine.
“The debate on Turkey’s European integration is a good opportunity
also to discuss Ukraine’s accession,” said Maciej Grabowski, spokesman
for the liberal PO, the main opposition party in Poland.
“Some European countries oppose the accession of Turkey, Ukraine’s
accession also has its opponents and it would be good to engage in a
debate on this theme,” he added.
“If you look at a map, you can see that Belarus and Ukraine make up
part of Europe and I don’t see why we would refuse others that what we
were generously given,” said Estonian Foreign Minister Kriistina
Ojuland.
Polish leaders avoid talking openly of bringing Belarus into the EU
because of the current dictatorial regime of Alexander Lukashenko. But
in several months ago former Czech president Vaclav Havel called on
the EU to offer a perspective to democrats in Belarus.
“I think that the future of Belarus is solidly bound to that of
Europe, the door has to stay open,” he wrote in a newspaper column.
A tireless advocate of Ukraine, Polish President Aleksander
Kwasniewski dreams openly of a Europe which also encompasses Moldova
and the Caucasus.
These ambitions however will meet strong opposition within the
European Union, already digesting its historic enlargement to 25
members.
The current commission planned fixing the borders after the eventual
integration of Turkey and the Balkans.
And if in the new EU countries the Turkish question is not generating
huge debate at the moment, voices are beginning to be heard.
“The situation (of Turkey) is not comparable with that of the new
members since they are, without discussion, European countries with
standard democratic systems,” said Pavol Hrusovsky, the Christian
Democrat president of the Slovak Parliament.
In the Czech Republic one of the most pro-European personalities is
campaigning against Turkey’s admission.
“The EU will have borders with Syria, Iraq, Iran, Armenia and Georgia,
these are infinitely explosive regions,” Josef Zieleniec, European
member of parliament and former foreign minister said last week in his
article “The cradle of a new threatening crisis”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ITAR-TASS, Russia
Sept 21 2004
Armenia adheres to Karabakh peace settlement principle

YEREVAN, September 21 (Itar-Tass) – Armenia is keeping adherent to
the principle of peace settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh problem,
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan stated speaking at a government
reception on the occasion of the country’s Independence Day on
Tuesday evening.
`The settlement should be based on objective realities formed in the
process of USSR disintegration and especially on the basis of the
undeniable fact of existence of Nagorno Karabakh Republic,’ stated
the president.
According to Kocharyan, `Preserving peace in our complicated region
is a vital task.’
`We believe that diversified cooperation between all countries of the
region is an effective means for that,’ stressed the Armenian
president.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
Sept 20 2004
PRIME MINISTER ANDRANIK MARGARIAN’S ADDRESS ON THE OCCASION OF
INDEPENDENCE DAY
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 20, ARMENPRESS: Armenian prime minister
Andranik Margarian addressed today a complimentary message to his
country fellows on the occasion of Independence Day, marked on
September 21. It runs as follows:
“Dear country fellows, I extend my congratulations to you on the
occasion of Armenia’s Independence Day. After making their choice
thirteen years ago our people set to the devoted work of building and
strengthening an independent and democratic state. The road to it was
not easy and at different periods we faced numerous difficulties,
which are not few now, but our unbending will and the ability to
unite our efforts at crucial times for solving out national problems,
and the desire to live freely in our homeland have helped us to
surmount them. The civilized nations are faced today by new
challenges in the restless world, which threaten to escalate further
the situation, to stir up new clashes among nations and states. By
showing our intolerance towards such phenomena and in close
cooperation with all interested nations we have to be at the same
time as prudent as possible to keep our newly independent state
immune from such dangers.
I am confident that by joining our efforts in Armenia, Nagorno
Karabagh and Diaspora we shall be able to withstand all ordeals and
challenges. By strengthening our state we pay respect to our
dedicated heroes, who sacrificed their lives to pave the way for our
independence.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Athens 2004, Olympics Official Website
Aug 22 2004
Nazarian aims for third gold in third weight class
ATHENS, 5 August – Two-time Olympic champion Armen NAZARIAN of
Bulgaria will be attempting to become the second Greco-Roman wrestler
in Olympic history to claim a title in three different weight
classes.
Nazarian, 30, won gold at the 1996 Olympic Games at 52 kg, when he
competed for his birth country, Armenia. At Sydney, he took gold at
58 kg. At the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, he will compete at 60 kg.
Sweden’s Carl Westergren is the only Greco-Roman wrestler who has won
gold medals in three different weight classes.
Cuban Filiberto Aguilera Azcuy won Greco-Roman gold at 74kg at the
1996 Games, moved down to 69 kg to take gold in Sydney, and has now
returned to 74kg.
Hamza YERLIKAYA, 28, of Turkey won Greco-Roman gold at 82 kg in 1996
and at 85 kg in 2000, and has returned to 84 kg for Athens.
Only four Olympic wrestlers have won three gold medals, only two
achieving the feat in consecutive Olympic Games.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A NUMBER OF ARMENIAN ECOLOGICAL NGOs COMPLAIN OF ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION
OVER YEREVAN’S GREEN AREAS
YEREVAN, JULY 24. ARMINFO. A number of Armenian ecological NGOs are
collecting signatures to apply to court with facts of illegal
construction over Yerevan’s green areas.
The leader of Social-Ecological Party of Armenia Armen Dovlatyan says
that the claim will be filed as soon as 5,000-10,000 signatures are
collected. A number of political forces among them Justice bloc,
Communist Party, Ramkavar Azatakan, Liberal Progressive Party,
National Democratic Bloc have agreed to join the action. Dovlatyan
says that in court the facts will be qualified as high treason.
He says that the NGOs are also going to apply to foreign embassies in
Armenia particularly he embassies of Canada and Switzerland so that
they prevent the construction projects carried out by their respective
citizens at the detriment of Yerevan’s green zones. Particularly, the
Armenian office of Frank Mueller i planning to carry out some
construction in the Dalma orchards while some Canadian has launched a
construction project in the area of the Victory Park. Also building
in Dalma are businessman Ruben Hayrapetyan, football player Khoren
Hovhannissyan, Armenian-Italian company Renco-Armenia.
Building in the Victory Park are Territorial Administration and
Infrastructure Coordination Hovik Abrahamyan, Center community prefect
Gagik Beglaryan and many other officials.
Dovlatyan says that if necessary the NGOs are ready to ask European
structures particularly the European Parliament’s Ecological
Commission to hold a monitoring in Armenia. “We have repeatedly
offered cooperation to the government but have received no response,”
says Dovlatyan.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

US ENVOY TO ARMENIA WARNS AGAINST RESUMPTION OF HOSTILITIES IN KARABAKH
Arminfo
22 Jul 04
YEREVAN
A resumption of hostilities in the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict will be
disastrous for the whole of the South Caucasus, and there will be no
winner in this war, which is obvious to all the sides to the conflict,
the outgoing US ambassador to Armenia, John Ordway, told a final press
conference today.
He said it is high time to switch from big declarative statements to
an immediate settlement process. At the same time, the US diplomat did
not agree with the fact that the OSCE Minsk Group has lost its
significance and the sides to the conflict can resolve the problem
independently.
The latest events, frequent visits to the region by the cochairs,
their meetings with the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents and other
factors show that the OSCE Minsk Group intends to resolve the Nagornyy
Karabakh problem with the help of the political will of the sides to
the conflict.
“There can be absolutely different opinions about the settlement, I
have not conducted an opinion poll, but one thing is indisputable –
all the sides to the conflict are interested in establishing security
and prosperity,” the US ambassador to Armenia said. The longer the
unsettled conflict drags on, the greater is the danger that the
hostilities will resume.
At the same time, Ordway said that despite this, the current status
quo is better than a resumption of the hostilities.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri Diplomat Refutes Russian Co-chairs Statement
Baku Today 16/07/2004 17:20
A top Azeri diplomat on Thursday voiced protest against the idea of
involving the self-proclaimed republic of Nagorno-Karabakh into the
peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The Russian co-chairman of the Minsk group of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Yuri Merzlyakov, had said
while in Yerevan a few days ago that Nagorno-Karabakh’s participation
in the talks could contribute to finding a peace.
`Russia and other co-chairs of the Minsk Group should act under
theOSCE mandate, which doesn’t envision the participation of the
Armenian community of Nagorno-Karabakh in the negotiations,’ Ramiz
Novruzov, head of the International Relations Department at the
Presidential Apparatus, told reporters, according to Assa-Irada news
agency.
Novruzov added that the Armenian community may take part in the talks
only if the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh is also involved
in the negotiations.
The Azeri diplomat also refuted a statement by Merzlyakov that the
Nagono-Karabakh Armenians signed have the May 1994 cease-fire
agreement along with Azerbaijan and Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Business Opportunities and Challenges: Spotlight on Armenia,
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine
REMINDER
BISNIS
JULY 8, 2004
The Event is organized by:
The Office of the Governor, Economic Development & Tourism
U.S. Department of Commerce – BISNIS
Austin U.S. Export Assistance Center
WHEN: Wednesday, July 14, 2004
8:30 a.m. Registration
8:00-12:30 a.m. Presentations
12:30-1:30 p.m. Networking Lunch
1:30-3:30 p.m. One-on-One Meetings
WHERE: Austin Community College
5930 Middle Fiskville Rd, Room 201
Austin, Texas
FEATURED SPEAKERS:
Irina Mitchell, BISNIS Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
George Isayan, BISNIS Representative in Armenia
Asel Sulaimanova, BISNIS Representative in Kyrgyzstan
Iulian Bogasieru, BISNIS Representative in Moldova
Andryi Vorobyov, BISNIS Representative in Ukraine
Michele Smith, OPIC Investment Services Manager for Russia and the CIS
INDUSTRIES SECTORS TO BE COVERED: IT, Telecommunications, Construction, Agribusiness, Pharmaceuticals/Medical, Consumer Goods, Environmental Technologies and Banking/Finance.
COUNTRIES COVERED: Armenia, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine

Presentations: Speakers will provide executive briefings on the business climate in their countries, and present trade and investment leads, as well as information on promising projects. A Q&A session will follow the presentations, and then an opportunity for one-on-one meetings with individual BISNIS representatives.
For more information or to register, please contact Mortada Mohammed ([email protected]; tel:512-936-0530 or Karen Parker ([email protected] ; tel: 512-916-5939)
===============================================================
REGISTER DEADLINE: July 13, 2004!
IF INTERESTED IN ONE-ON-ONE APPOINTMENTS, please circle selected country:

Armenia Kyrgyzstan Moldova Russia Ukraine
Number of people attending Names of attendees
Company: __________________________________________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________ _________________________
Phone: _____________________ Fax: __________________ E-mail: __________________________
============================================================== =
WHAT IS BISNIS?
BISNIS (), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce,
was founded in 1992 to assist in the economic development and
transition of the countries of the former Soviet Union by helping
U.S. companies to export to and invest in the region. BISNIS has 20
representatives posted throughout Eurasia, including 11 in Russia. In
addition, BISNIS has 10 trade specialists in Washington, DC. BISNIS
mainly assists U.S. and Eurasia companies by identifying and
disseminating trade and partner leads, preparation of regional
overviews, commercial news updates, and industry reports, counseling
U.S. companies interested in entering Eurasian markets, and referrals
to U.S. government programs as well as sources of financing and other
resources. Since 1992, BISNIS has helped U.S. companies generate over
$3.5 billion of export and investment transactions. In FY03 alone,
BISNIS facilitated transactions exceeding $204 million. In 2002,
2003, and 2004, BISNIS was recognized by Forbes Magazine as “One of
the Best of the Web” for information on Eurasia. The BISNIS website
gets over 1 million hits per month.
PROGRAM SPEAKER PROFILES
· Irina Mitchell is an International Trade Specialist at BISNIS
Headquarters in Washington, D.C. She is covering Construction/Real
Estate, Transportation, Customs and Certification portfolios for all
Eurasian (a.k.a. NIS) markets. She also manages one of BISNIS core
trade facilitation programs – Trades and Tenders and the newest BISNIS
PartnerLink Eurasia initiative. Irina also covers Northwest Russia
region working closely with BISNIS representative located in
St. Petersburg, Russia as well as the country of Moldova. Irina’s
current responsibilities are a continuation of her educational
background in Civil Engineering and previous private-sector experience
in the realm of contract procurement, logistics and operations
management. She has extensive hands-on experience in importing goods
into Russia and exports to Middle East and Japan.
· Asel Sulaimanova – BISNIS Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic
Ms. Sulaimanova has worked for BISNIS in the Kyrgyz Republic since
late 2002. Before joining BISNIS, she worked both in the private
sector and for international donor institutions. Specifically, she was
Project Manager for the European Union Program “Small and Medium
Business Development” and an international consultant for several
Asian Development Bank projects in the Kyrgyz Republic. Her commercial
experience has been gained through working for several foreign
companies doing different businesses in the Kyrgyz Republic. She
graduated from Kazakh State Economic University in Economics and later
received an MBA from the Bishkek International School of Management
and Business in 1995.
· Andriy Vorobyov – BISNIS Representative in Ukraine
Andriy Vorobyov has worked for BISNIS in Kiev since October 2000. He
has a background in agriculture, having graduated from the National
Agricultural University of Ukraine. His previous work experience
includes agribusiness and food processing, and work for the Department
of Foreign Economic Relations at the Ukrainian Ministry of
Agriculture. His recent reports for BISNIS have covered the Ukrainian
Construction Sector, Trade and Project Financing in Ukraine, Customs
Procedures in Ukraine, and overviews of several Ukrainian
regions. Last year, Mr. Vorobyov accompanied a delegation of 25
Ukrainian companies to the International Builders Show in Las Vegas,
and he has organized a number of U.S. Product Literature Centers at
the largest Ukrainian trade events, including construction,
automotive, food processing, pharmaceuticals shows.
· Iulian Bogasieru – BISNIS Representative in Moldova
Iulian Bogasieru joined BISNIS in December 2000. His previous
experience includes working with the Moldovan Agency of Enterprise
Restructuring ARIA as a consultant for three years on World Bank and
European Union projects. His responsibilities were analyzing markets
and providing turnaround management consulting for Moldovan
businesses. Mr. Bogasieru graduated from the Academy of Economic
Studies, Chisinau, Moldova, with bachelor degree in foreign economic
relations. He speaks English, Russian, Romanian and Italian. Among his
achievements as BISNIS representative, he organized three catalog
shows of U.S. products in Moldova, which resulted in U.S. export
contracts.
· George Isayan – BISNIS Representative in Armenia
George Isayan has represented BISNIS in Yerevan, Armenia, since
January 1998. During 1989-1992, he worked in Armenia’s Chamber of
Commerce as the head of business information department. In 1992-1997,
Mr. Isayan worked at a private export-import company in Prague, Czech
Republic, covering the company’s financial issues. As BISNIS
representative, Mr. Isayan accompanied delegations of Armenian
companies at Comdex IT show in Las Vegas (2000), BILISIM IT show in
Istanbul (Turkey) in 2001, International Builders’ Show in Dallas,
Texas, in 1999 and 2000, and SviazExpoComm ICT show in Moscow, Russia,
in 2002, 2003, and 2004. Mr. Isayan speaks Russian, Armenian, English,
Czech, and Arabic fluently.
· Michele Smith, OPIC Investment Services Manager for Russia and the CIS
Michele R. Smith is the Investment Services Manager for Russia and the
CIS at the Overseas Private Investment corporation (OPIC) in
Washington, D.C. In this capacity Ms. Smith develops and reviews
investment opportunities across all sectors in project finance and
political risk insurance with U.S. and international businesses.
Ms. Smith is scheduled to manage OPIC’s new investment development
office in Moscow, Russia later this year.
Ms. Smith holds an MBA from Thunderbird, The Garvin School of
International Management, in Glendale, Arizona where she specialized
in international finance. Prior to this she managed business outreach
for the Port of Portland in Oregon; served as the co-director of an
international development organization in Vladivostok, Russia; and
managed housing and real estate reform projects in the Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia. She received her BA from the College of
William and Mary, Virginia, where she majored in Economics and
International Relations.
COUNTRY OVERVIEWS
Armenia
Area: 29,800 sq. km. (11,500 sq. mi.); Population (est.): 3 million;
GDP growth rate: 13.9% (2003)
Natural resources: Copper, zinc, gold, and lead; hydroelectric power;
small amounts of gas and petroleum.
Agriculture: fruits and vegetables, wines, dairy, some livestock.
Industry: chemicals, electronic products, machinery, processed food,
synthetic rubber, and textiles.
2003 Trade: Exports-$678.1 million (81.3% to countries outside CIS):
diamonds, scrap metal, machinery and equipment, brandy, copper
ore. Export partners-Belgium 18.3%, Israel 21%, Russia 13.9%,
U.S. 8.3%, Iran 3.3%. Imports-$1.269 billion (73.6% from countries
outside the CIS): natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products,
foodstuffs, diamonds. Import partners-Russia 16.4%, Belgium 10.2%,
Israel 9.7%, Iran 5.3%, U.S. 8%.
Approximately 70 U.S.-owned firms currently do business in Armenia,
including such multinationals as Procter & Gamble, M&M-Mars, Xerox,
Dell, and IBM. Recent major U.S. investment projects include the Hotel
Armenia; the Hotel Ani; Tufenkian Holdings (carpet and furnishing
production, hotels, and construction); several subsidiaries of
U.S.-based information technology firms, including Viasphere
Technopark, an IT incubator; a Greek-owned Coca-Cola bottling plant;
petroleum exploration by the American-Armenian Exploration Company;
jewelry and textile production facilities; a large perlite mining and
processing plant; and the joint venture Jermuk, which produces one of
the more popular brands of mineral water in Armenia.
Recent BISNIS efforts have facilitated U.S. sales to Armenian private
firms of medical diagnostic equipment and construction materials
equipment, as well as the signing of an exclusive dealer contract
between Ford and an Armenia company.
***************
Kyrgyz Republic
Area: 77,181 sq. mi; Population: 5.03 million: GDP Growth Rate: 6.7% (2003)
Natural Resources: coal, oil, natural gas, antimony, gold, tungsten,
tin, mercury, uranium, zinc, lead, rare earth metals, copper, iron,
bauxite, hydropower, water resources.
Agriculture: Tobacco, cotton, wheat, vegetables and fruits, berries;
sheep, goats, cattle, wool.
Industry: small machinery (electric motors, transformers); light
industry (cotton and wool processing, textiles, food processing),
construction materials (cement, glass, slate), shoes, furniture,
mining, energy.
Trade (2002): Exports-$4485.5 million: Precious metals, minerals,
textiles, tobacco, hydropower. Partners: Switzerland 19.4%, Russia
16.2 %, United Arab Emirates 13.5 %, China 8.8%, U.S. 7.9%, Kazakhstan
7.8%. Imports: $586.7 million: oil and gas, machinery and equipment,
foodstuffs. Partners: Kazakhstan 21.5%, Russia 19.5%, Uzbekistan
10.2%, China 10%, US 8.2%, Germany 5%, Netherlands 2.8%.
Major foreign investments: Hyatt Regency Bishkek Hotel (renovation),
Metromedia International (cable TV venture), Marvel worldwide Ltd. (80
% of VLKSM Garment Factory), WimmBillDann (dairy, juices), Kumtor
(gold mining), Coca-Cola (bottling), Philips (light bulb manufacture &
equipment), Malaysian Company (semiconductor production plant)
Recent BISNIS efforts have facilitated establishment of an office in
Bishkek for a small U.S. firm seeking contracts with the U.S. airbase
in the Kyrgyz republic – the company has already won one tender and
has additional projects in the pipeline for FY04, sales of restaurant
equipment to Kyrgyzstan, assistance to a U.S. company to set up
production in the Bishkek free economic zone.
***************
Moldova
Area: 33,843 sq. km. (13,000 sq. mi.); Population: 4.4 million: GDP
real growth (Jan.-Sept. 2003): 7.0%
Natural Resources: Lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone.
Agriculture: vegetables, fruits, wine and spirits, grain, sugarbeet,
sunflower seeds, meat, milk, tobacco.
Industry: Processed foods and beverages, including wine and refined
sugar; processed fruit and vegetable products, including vegetable
oil; dairy and meat products; tobacco items; metal processing and
production of machinery; textiles and clothing, shoes; furniture.
Trade (2002): Exports $644 million (of which 46% go to countries
outside the former Soviet Union): foodstuffs, wine, tobacco, textiles
and footwear, machinery, chemicals. Major export markets: Russia,
Ukraine, Italy, Romania, Germany. Import: $1,039 million (of which 61%
come from countries outside the former Soviet Union): gas, oil, coal,
steel, machinery and equipment, chemical products, textiles,
foodstuffs, automobiles, and other consumer durables. Major suppliers:
Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Germany, Italy.
U.S. companies active in Moldova include McDonalds, FoodPro
International, Food Master International, Coca-Cola, Trans Oil Invest,
Europharm, MetroMedia International, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, KPMG,
Caterpillar, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Proctor & Gamble, John Deere,
General Electric, and Apple Computer.
Recent BISNIS efforts have facilitated sales of
U.S. telecommunications equipment and medical diagnostic equipment to
Moldova, as well as assisted in the development of ties between North
Carolina and Moldova and supported efforts of OPIC and TDA to find
projects for possible financing.
***************
RUSSIA
Area: 17 million sq. km. (6.5 million sq. mi.); about 1.8 times the
size of the United States. Broad plain with low hills west of Urals;
vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains
(Caucasus range) along southern borders.
Cities: Capital–Moscow (pop. 8.3 million). Other cities–St. Petersburg
(4.6 million), Novosibirsk (1.4 million), Nizhniy Novgorod (1.3 million).
GDP: 7.3% during 2003 to 13.255 trillion rubles or U.S. $460
billion. (Purchasing power parity estimated at $1.27 trillion in 2002)
Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, timber, furs, precious and
nonferrous metals.
Agriculture: Products– Grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, meat,
dairy products.
Industry: complete range of mining and extractive industries producing
coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building
from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles;
shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications
equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction
equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment;
medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles,
foodstuffs, handicrafts
Exports (F.O.B.): $$134.4 billion (2003 est.)
Export commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas,
wood and wood products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of
civilian and military manufactures
Export partners: Germany 7.5%, Italy 6.9%, Netherlands 6.7%, China
6.3%, US 6.1%, Ukraine 5.5%, Belarus 5.4%, Switzerland 5% (2002)
Import (C.I.F) $74.8 billion (2003 est.)
Import commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods,
medicines, meat, sugar, semifinished metal products
Import Partners: Germany 14.3%, Belarus 8.9%, Ukraine 7.1%, US 6.4%,
China 5.2%, Italy 4.8%, Kazakhstan 4.3%, France 4.1% (2002)
***************
Ukraine
Area: 603,700 square miles; Population: 48 million: GDP real growth
(2003 est.): 5.5-6.0%
Natural resources: Vast fertile lands, coal, ironstone, complex ore,
various large mineral deposits, timber
Agriculture: Products-Grain, sugar, sunflower seeds.
Industry: Types-Ferrous metals and products, coke, fertilizer,
airplanes, turbines, metallurgical equipment, diesel locomotives,
tractors.
Trade (2002): Exports-$17.95 billion: Ferrous and nonferrous metals,
mineral products, chemicals, machinery, transport equipment, grain,
and textiles. Imports-$16,97 billion: Energy, mineral fuel and oil,
machinery and parts, transportation equipment, chemicals, textiles,
and paper.
More than 300 U.S. companies are represented in Ukraine. Among the
major U.S. companies are: Apple Computer, Avon Cosmetics, Automobile
Group (Cadillac, Chevrolet, Hummer), Bechtel National, Inc., Citibank,
Colgate-Palmolive, General Electric, Kraft foods Motorola, Monsanto,
Mary Kay Ltd.
Recent BISNIS efforts have facilitated sales of U.S. machinery and
machine tools, as well as medical, printing, and telecommunications
equipment to Ukraine, as well as creation of joint projects in the
financial services sector. telecommunications equipment to Ukraine,
as well as creation of joint projects in the financial services
sector.
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********** Provided by: **************************
Irina C. Mitchell, International Trade Specialist
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Tel: 202/482-3729, Fax: 202/482-2293
e-mail: [email protected]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CSTO countries discuss collective security in Kazakh capital
ITAR-TASS News Agency
June 18, 2004 Friday 12:22 AM Eastern Time
ASTANA, June 18 — Leaders of the Collective Security Treaty
Organisation (CSTO) member states at their summit here on Friday
discussed collective measures of security building and CSTO
strengthening.
Presidents of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and
Tajikistan, as well as the CSTO Secretary General, Nikolai Bordyuzha
began a round-table discussion in a narrow format.
Journalists attended only the summit’s opening ceremony and after
that the session was continued behind closed doors.
Russian president’s aide Sergei Prikhodko said earlier that the leaders
of the six countries would discuss in greater detail the situation
in the Middle East, including, possibly, the U.S. Greater Middle
East initiative, proposed at the recent Group of Eight (G8) summit,
the situation in Afghanistan, interaction in fighting terrorism,
and in combating drugs trafficking.
In this connection, Putin will inform the other presidents of the
results of the G8 summit. The Heads of State will touch upon matters
concerning the CSTO cooperation with other organisations, the United
Nations and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe,
in particular.
Prikhodko mentioned the following three most important items on the
agenda of the CSTO summit: a real coordination of foreign policies
within the framework of international organisations, the establishment
of real functioning of the structures of the CSTO itself and joint
actions of air defence systems.
Heads of six CIS countries – Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan signed the Collective Security Treaty in
Tashkent in 1992. Azerbaijan, Georgia and Belarus joined the treaty
in 1993.
The treaty came into force for all nine countries in April 1994. But
in April 1999 Azerbaijan, Georgia and Uzbekistan decided not to sign
a protocol on the treaty’s prolongation.
In 2002, the treaty was transformed into a valid international
organisation-CSTO.
The CSTO regulation said the member-countries take joint actions to
form an efficient collective security system within the framework of
the Organisation, create regional military groupings and coordinate
their efforts in fighting international terrorism, drug and arms
trafficking, organised crime, illegal migration and other threats.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EURASEC Inter-State Council meets in Astana at summit level
ITAR-TASS, Russia
June 18 2004
ASTANA, June 18 (Itar-Tass) – A session of the Inter-State Council of
the Eurasian Economic Community (EURASEC) opened here on Friday. The
presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan
are attending it. The president of Armenia, which has observer status,
is also present at the session.
The first meeting of the Council has been held in a narrow format,
without delegation members.
Presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko has told Itar-Tass that the
session’s agenda has about 20 items. These include the coordination
of positions at the negotiations for accession to the World Trade
Organisation, the implementation of the basic orientations of the
earlier approved fundamentals of the EURASEC cross-border (cooperation)
policy, a draft agreement on cooperation on the markets of securities,
and EURASEC interaction in the development of water and energy
resources in the catchment areas of the Amu-Darya and Syr-Darya rivers.
The candidacy of Chairman of the EURASEC Inter-State Council will be
considered separately at the summit, Prikhodko said. Russia suggests
that President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan keep the post. The
leaders will also discuss candidacy of Chairman of the EURASEC
Integration Committee.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress