Author: Karapetian Hovik

RUSSIA DEMANDS YEREVAN TACKLE CRIMINAL TYCOONS – ARMENIAN PAPER
by Ovanes Galadzyan

Iravunk, Yerevan,
2 Nov 2006 p 1

"The most important ‘property’ for Russian ‘debt’"

Certainly everybody in Armenia thinks that Robert Kocharyan’s working
visit to Moscow was very important. Although the official reason for
the visit was the opening of a monument to [Armenian composer] Aram
Khachatryan, it was clear to everybody that the Armenian president
went to Moscow with a more serious agenda.

The Russian president’s remarks that it is a shame Russia comes only
third among investors in the Armenian economy have already become
widely know. Robert Kocharyan’s reply was mainly about his readiness
to turn the Armenian strategic energy facilities into the Russian
ones. But they discussed not only the energy issues. Thus, it is not
accidental that exactly during Kocharyan’s visit the Armenian "gas
leaders" raised the problem of stealing of the Russian gas while it
went via Georgia to Armenia.

Undoubtedly, this has a political context concerning Armenian-Georgian
relations, or more precisely, Russian expectations with regard to
this relationship. We can say that the Russian and Armenian foreign
ministers have hinted that even though there is no demand from Armenia
to worsen its ties with Georgia, the neutrality of Yerevan will come
to an end.

The general tendency is the following: the "property for debt"
process continues to deepen, and this "debt" means not only financial
assistance from Russia, but also Moscow’s political kindness or backing
in certain issues. In this case Robert Kocharyan expected support
from Vladimir Putin so that he will be able to keep everything under
control in Armenia before the presidential election in 2008. And one
can say for sure that handing over the Armenia-Iran gas pipeline to
Russians is part of the price for Putin’s support.

That is to say, the policy of "complementarity" limits Armenia’s
actions even when it comes to relations with Iran, a country which
does not seem to have a foreign policy vector much different from that
of Russia. Surely, this does not mean that all the programmes and
arrangements made with Americans will remain on paper. Simply put,
in Moscow they made Robert Kocharyan understand that relations with
Uncle Sam should be agreed with uncle Putin.

There is another interesting piece of information, according to which
during the two-day working visit to Moscow Kocharyan was told to cede
in a short period of time and in return for Russia’s "political debt"
a very important "property" – the criminals who have gathered around
[Defence Minister] Serzh Sarkisyan. In a nutshell, the Armenian
president received a thinly-veiled hint that if Russia is fighting
its criminalized system of tycoons, then Armenia should follow the
suit. Naturally, Kocharyan was pleased with this demand, but speeding
the process up would require the president to use bigger resources and
this could have dangerous ramifications. But that is a different story.

DO NOT INTERFERE WITH EACH OTHERS’ BUSINESS

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 2 2006

It is up to the political forces of Armenia what problems will be
raised in the pre-election period in 2007, stated Vahagn Chakhalyan
November 2 at the Pakagits Club, one of the leaders of the United
Javakheti Alliance, who was released from the remand prison of the
National Security Service, where he was kept on charges of illegal
crossing of the border. In answer to the question what he thinks
about the prospect that the question of Javakheti can become one of
the manipulated topics of the Armenian election in 2007 and maybe enen
the central topic, Vahagn Chakhalyan said this is the business of the
participants of the election. However, Vahagn Chakhalyan personally
thinks that it would be better if the political forces present their
standpoint of Javakheti beside other questions.

There is a political party in Armenia, which often appears as
an advocate of the interests of Javakheti independent from the
pre-election period. This political party is the Hzor Hayrenik Party,
which was condemned by the members of United Javakheti for its efforts
to interfere with the home affairs of Javakheti from Armenia.

Unlike his allies, Vahagn Chakhalyan was reserved in speaking about
the Hzor Hayrenik Party and only announced that it is a political
party operating in Armenia and he would not like to interfere with
the home political developments. Of course, this evaluation hints
that the Hzor Hayrenik Party should not try to interfere with the
internal problems of Javakheti.

OSCE-ORGANIZED CONFERENCE GATHERS SCIENTISTS TO DISCUSS ARMENIA’S CAPACITY TO CONFRONT NEW SECURITY THREATS

Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE)

Nov 3 2006

YEREVAN, 2 November 2006 – Scientists and researchers from Armenia,
Russia and the United States met in Yerevan for a two-day conference,
organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan, to talk about Armenia’s
capacity to deal with new threats and challenges to security.

"This event, which is a follow-up to a similar conference held in
November 2004, is meant to bring together Armenia’s academia and
beyond and to give them an opportunity to exchange their views on
human security challenges in Armenia and the wider Southern Caucasus,"
said Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, Head of the OSCE Office.

"Functioning democratic institutions and the rule of law play an
important role in preventing threats to human security worldwide.

This is where the OSCE comes in: respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law are at the core
of the OSCE’s comprehensive concept of security," he said.

One of the key recommendations emanating from the event was to
connect with the so-called Byurakan Symposia on Global Challenges,
which served in the 1960s and 70s to promote international contacts
of Armenia’s scientific community and civil society. It is hoped that
the event will be held on an annual basis.

MONUMENT TO WORLD-WIDE FAMOUS COMPOSER KHACHATURIAN OPENED IN MOSCOW

PanARMENIAN.Net
31.10.2006 18:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A monument to world-wide famous composer Aram
Khachaturian opened in Moscow Tuesday.

Russian President’s spouse Lyudmila Putina, Armenian President Robert
Kocharian and Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov took part in the opening
ceremony. The bronze monument made by sculptor Georgy Frangulyan and
architect Igor Voskresensky shows the maestro surrounded by musical
instruments at a moment of creative inspiration.

"The monument symbolizes friendship between our peoples and I am sure
that natural flowers will always be laid to its pedestal," Lyudmila
Putina is convinced.

Armenian President, who arrived to the ceremony with his spouse Bella
Kocharian, noted that the life of Khachaturian, his fate and creation
is "a brilliant example of interweaving of the fates of our peoples."

It is very important that the image of Khachaturian remind us of the
happy future of our peoples." Yuri Luzhkov, who cut the ribbon along
with President Kocharian, underscored that the monument was opened
in an important year for Russians and Armenians – that of Armenia in
Russia, reports RIA Novosti.

AMERICAN EXPERTS TRAIN ARMENIAN JUDICIARY

Panorama.am
15:37 30/10/06

American judicial system representatives organized trainings for
prosecutors, advocates and judges of Armenia. U.S. Justice Department
experts will present their experience of European Court of Human
Rights and the case law to their Armenian counterparts.

Particularly, they will discuss articles 4 and 6 of Human Rights
European Convention. Armenia has ratified the European Convention on
Human Rights in 2002.

Reports say the European Court receives more and more applications
from Armenia. The number reached 340 in 2005 as against 89 applications
in 2003.

Article 6 of European Convention on Human Rights provide for fair
trial. Mher Khachatryan, chairman of Criminal Cases Chamber of the
Appeal Court believes that fair trial must also deal with punishment
apart from court procedures.

TO WHOM ARE MILITARY EXERCISES IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH ADDRESSED?
by Nurani
Translated by Pavel Pushkin

Source: Echo (Baku), October 26, 2006, p. EV
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
October 30, 2006 Monday

Saber Rattling Against The Background Of Negotiations;
Azerbaijani Observer Is Afraid Of Armenia’s Provocations In Nagorno-Karabakh;

Negotiations of foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Paris
are accomplished.

Despite that the ministers agreed to continue the dialog in Brussels
on November 14, many observers hurried to announce that negotiations in
Paris were fruitless. Really, the region already heard more than enough
conversations about "constructive meetings," "interested discussion"
etc but there was no real progress in the dialog.

At any rate, another thing is more possible. During the days of the
latest round of negotiations in Paris dedicated to resolving the
conflict and held at the level of foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and
Armenia, Senor Asratyan, press secretary of the Defense Ministry of
self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic announced that the army
of Nagorno-Karabakh was conducting preplanned tactical exercises
"aimed at improvement of interaction between the branches of armed
forces and troops formations in the course of counterattacking and
defensive combat operations and improvement of skills of personnel
and commanders." Representatives of the separatist regime developed
impressive media activeness around these military exercises.

Practically simultaneously with the meeting of the ministers in Paris
it was announced in Yerevan that between October 30 and 31, President
of Armenia Robert Kocharjan would visit Russia and a significant
part of the agenda would be again dedicated to military and military
technological cooperation. Such unambiguous readiness of Russia for
"asymmetric" military cooperation in the region definitely pushes
Yerevan towards a new "dance with sabers" against the background
of negotiations. Yerevan also drew unambiguous conclusions about
the stance of another co-chair – France too. Whereas Paris states
that disagreement with the thesis about "genocide of Armenians"
is a crime that Yerevan may not be afraid of harsh reaction on the
part of Paris. Against this background apprehensions about possible
provocative actions of Armenia are far from being ungrounded.

ACCORDING TO FORECASTS, OVER 400 THOUSAND TOURISTS TO VISIT ARMENIA IN 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 28, NOYAN TAPAN. According to some forecasts, over
400 thousand tourists will visit Armenia in 2006 against 320 thousand
in 2005. RA Deputy Minister of Trade and Economic Development Ara
Petrosian stated this at the first international conference "The Role
of Youth in Heritage Preservation and Development of
Cultural-Familiarization Tourism" that opened on October 27. In his
words, a growth has been registered in the outgoing tourism as well –
20-25% annually. Tourism experts and students from Armenia, Russia,
Georgia, Belarus, Ukraine, Iran, France and Switzerland are
participating in this two-day event held on the intitiative of the
UNESCO Armenia Office, the RA Ministry of Culture and Youth Issues and
the Armenian Tourism Institute – the Armenian branch of the
International Tourism Academy (Russia). RA Minister of Culture and
Youth Issues Hasmik Poghosian said that the aim of the conference is
to promote tourism in Armenia through joint discussions and exchange
of experience with other countries. She attached great importance to
the involvement of young people in this process. The presentation of
the book "Touristika" by Igor Zorin, Rector of the Russian
International Tourism Academy (in Armenian translation) took place
during the conference.

Oneworld, Netherlands
Oct 27 2006

ARMENIA/AZERBIJAN, PROGRAMME COORDINATOR D&P
ICCO Personnel Co-operation

ICCO is the Dutch inter-church organisation for development
co-operation. Together with its partner organisations in Asia,
Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Central
Asia, ICCO works towards a world without poverty and injustice.
ICCO’s partner organisations comprise local church-based and secular,
non-governmental development organisations. Annually, ICCO spends
over Euro 100 million on support to development programmes of these
organisations, that stimulate people to create a just and safe living
environment for themselves and for others.

ICCO’s Personnel Co-operation focuses on supporting capacity
strengthening initiatives of ICCO’s partner organisations, through
the provision of personnel (on a short- or long-term basis) as well
as through co-funding local capacity strengthening programmes. The
department, therefore, mediates between requests for expertise from
organisations in the South and the availability of qualified experts
in the Netherlands or elsewhere. In 2005, around 75 experts were
working abroad through ICCO, while dozens of funding agreements and
short-term assignments were realised.

Applicants for vacancies through ICCO Personnel Co-operation have
specialised expertise and experience, but social involvement and
concern are of equal importance.

Armenia & azerbijan

ICCO invites qualified candidates to apply for the position of:

Programme Coordinator D&P Armenia and Azerbaijan

Duration: From January 2007 – December 31, 2008

Duty station: Tbilisi, Georgia

Background of the function
In the past years ICCO and IKV have supported Democratisation and
Peace building (D&P) initiatives of a number of NGOs in the South
Caucasus. In 2003 the capacity building program for the South
Caucasus started. This program was an intervention to support 7 peace
organizations from the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly network in
developing their organizational and institutional capacities. The
program was funded by PSO, through ICCO/Psa and IKV. In 2005 a mid
term review was carried out.

On the basis of the outcome of the MTR in 2006 a second phase for the
above mentioned capacity building program is being developed for the
period 2007-2008. The programme will be embedded in the overall ICCO
D&P programme, addressing both HCA’s as well as other ICCO-partner
organisations in Armenia and Azerbaijan. The programme is titled
"Civic Engagement in Peace building and Enhancement of Human Rights
in Armenia and Azerbaijan", the programme will have a focus on civic
engagement in peace and human rights issues and stimulating
constructive public debate and dialogue. The programme of the HCA
network, addressing the Nagorno Karabach conflict, is part of this
programme. This program will exist of two components: (1) monitoring
on the role of the army and (2) influencing programs of political
parties.

ICCO is main responsible for the program. IKV is involved as an
advisory party, and will support the capacity building interventions
related to the peace building program through its own expertise and
networks.

Job Description

For the management, implementation and further development of the
program, a program coordinator will be based in Tbilisi in an
independent office, to facilitate relatively easy access from all
partners.

Main tasks fields

Programme development (policy and strategy) including linking and
learning between partner organisations
Facilitate the process of implementation of the programme by partner
organisations
Capacity building of partner organisations
Management of Capacity building funds and raise additional funding
Office management of the (small) office in Tbilisi
Monitoring and evaluation of the programme achievements
Maintain external relations with International NGOs and participate
in lobby initatives

Requirements

The programme coordinator has several years of experience abroad,
preferably in D&P programmes and capacity building. Some experience
with personnel management (coaching and on-the-job advising) and
financial management is requested.

Knowledge based competencies

Ø Democratisation and Peace building

Ø Civil Society development

Ø Financial management

Ø PM&E

Ø Institutional Development and Organisational Strengthening
(ID/OS)

Ø Knowledge of the Russian language is an asset

Behavioural competencies

Ø Cross cultural communication

Ø Diplomacy

Ø Coaching and developing others

Ø Stress tolerance

Ø Practical approach to organisation of work

Conditions
The appointee will sign a labour contract with the requesting
organisation and a supplementary contract with the back-donor PSO
(). Remuneration will be in accordance with PSO terms and
conditions and includes a supplementary salary and a social security
and insurance package.

Inquiries about the position can be obtained from: Angelica Senders,
Regional Coordinator, ICCO Personnel Co-operation ([email protected] or +31
30 6927910). ICCO is open to applications from all nationalities, but
will not reimburse travel costs, from outside of The Netherlands, for
first interviews.

Applicants should send a letter and a CV in English, by e-mail,
before November 27th, 2006 to:

ICCO Personnel Co-operation
Mr. W. Schasfoort, Programme Leader
P.O. Box 8190
3503 RD UTRECHT
The Netherlands
phone: 00-31-(0)30 – 69 27 914
fax: 00-31- (0)30 – 69 25 614
e-mail: [email protected]
internet:

;jobo peningId=1194

BENEDICT WILL FACE TOUCHY ISSUES DURING TURKEY VISIT
By Edward Pentin – Register Correspondent

National Catholic Register, CT
Oct 25 2006

A look at the major issues that are involved, such as Catholic-Muslim
relations, issues involving the Orthodox, and also the effect the
trip might have on Turkey’s bid to get into the EU and particularly
the question of religious freedom rights in Turkey. Also, some
Italian commentators have suggested Benedict’s meeting with Armenian
Patriarch Mesrob II could fuel the ongoing controversy regarding
alleged Turkish genocide against Armenians in 1915.

October 29- November 4, 2006 Issue

VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI’s upcoming visit to Turkey is both a
diplomatic minefield and a sea of valuable opportunities.

Analysts say the trip is of major importance for three reasons: for
furthering religious freedom in Turkey and other Muslim-majority
states, for improving Muslim-Christian relations, and for advancing
the cause of Christian unity.

As the Register went to press, the details of the apostolic voyage
had yet to be finalized. But according to Asia News and Vatican
sources, the Pope is scheduled to arrive in the Turkish capital of
Ankara Nov. 28, where he will spend the day with the country’s
political authorities.

The following day, the Holy Father will travel to the port city of
Izmir near Ephesus where he will visit an ancient Christian
community, before moving on to Ephesus itself where he is expected to
visit Meryem Ana, a small house on a hilltop overlooking the Aegean
Sea where, according to tradition, Mary lived out her final years and
was assumed into heaven.

On Nov. 29, Benedict is scheduled to arrive in Istanbul, where he
will have a private audience with Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I,
the person who first invited the Pope to Turkey.

On Nov. 30, on the feast of St. Andrew, the Pope will attend a solemn
Divine Liturgy presided over by the patriarch. The Holy Father is
expected to deliver a discourse on the quest for Christian unity and
comment on this year’s resumption of the Commission of Theological
Dialogue between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

Before returning to Rome Dec. 1, the Pope will also meet with
Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II, who leads a Christian community that
has suffered intermittent persecution for centuries.

Religious Freedom

Turkish Christians still face discrimination, despite residing in the
country for 2,000 years (the Orthodox have few rights over their
property and are subject to special legal restrictions).

And while Turkey is ostensibly a secular state, in recent years it
has experienced a strong trend towards Islamism. The numbers of
attacks on Christians have risen, the most notorious being the murder
of Italian priest Father Andrea Santoro earlier this year.

"We have to hope that the Pope’s visit – to an ecumenical
patriarchate that is for all practical purposes controlled by the
Turkish government – advances the cause of religious freedom in
Turkey and throughout the Islamic world," papal biographer George
Weigel told the Register.

"No one should gainsay the difficulty of that project, however,"
Weigel said. "Not because of the Pope’s Regensburg lecture, which, in
fact, identified the crucial issues with precision, but because of
the current jihadist drift of too much Islamic thought and
sentiment."

A number of senior Vatican officials hope Benedict will be able to
reach out to Muslims during the trip by conveying the true message of
his Regensburg speech, which sparked intense anger in Turkey and
other Muslim countries.

Some observers recommended caution in addressing that issue.

"If he refers directly to it, I don’t think it will help because
Muslims are not ready to understand it," said Jesuit Father Samir
Khalil Samir, professor of Oriental theology at St. Joseph’s
University in Lebanon.

But others insisted that the focus of the Pope’s Regensburg address –
the need to reconcile faith and reason – is crucial to furthering
Muslim-Christian dialogue and to helping Muslims renounce violent
extremism.

"Why do we have to wait to discuss this?" asked Father Justo
Lacunza-Balda, rector emeritus of the Pontifical Institute of Arab
and Islamic Studies. "For years, we have not confronted these issues;
we have to begin somewhere."

EU Membership

Another touchy issue is Turkey’s bid to join the European Union,
which is linked to the issues of religious freedom and
Muslim-Christian relations. The matter is made more sensitive by
Benedict’s statement in 2004 that he was opposed to Turkey joining
the economic bloc.

A Turkish government spokesman told the Register Oct. 20 that the
Pope will probably have to "clarify" his position on the matter.

The meeting with Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II might also generate
friction. Some Italian commentators have argued that by meeting the
patriarch, the Pope will bear witness to allegations that Turkey
killed 1.5 million Armenians in a planned act of genocide in 1915.

The Turkish government strongly denies those charges.

Vatican officials, however, are playing down any such interpretation
of the meeting.

Benedict’s meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew I is likely to be much
less controversial, but potentially far more significant.

The patriarch told reporters Sept. 29 he was anticipating the visit
with "great brotherly love." That fraternal affection could be
decisive in reaching a constructive outcome now that formal
Catholic-Orthodox dialogue has resumed, and discussions have begun on
the key issue of papal primacy.

Security

Some Vatican analysts have expressed concern about the Pope’s
security in the wake of the Regensburg controversy. The Turkish
government spokesman stressed that Benedict will be welcomed as a
"foreign leader of a state" rather than a "religious leader," in
order to "give more importance" to the visit and ensure he is
"protected as a head of state."

The Turkish government has also moved to ease the security concerns
by noting that the country has hosted many world leaders without
problems, including President Bush in 2004.

The government spokesman said that Turks view the papal visit as an
opportunity for reconciliation, not confrontation.

"There is no opposition to his visit, but we have been heartbroken
and offended, recently after the Regensburg speech, but also
[through] the cartoon crisis and the war in Iraq and Lebanon," the
government spokesman said. "The hope is that he will bring healing,
and there are strong indications of that."

Edward Pentin writes from Rome.

FRENCH AMBASSADOR’S GOODBYE LESSON OR COLD SHOWER FOR ARMENIAN DIPLOMACY

Lragir, Armenia
Oct 20 2006

The French investors are becoming increasingly interested in the
Armenian economy, and I am happy that this happened while I was the
ambassador, said the French Ambassador to Armenia Henry Cuny in his
news conference on October 24. According to him, the Armenian market
is small and buying capacity is low, but it is of interest because
it is a door leading to other markets. Henry Cuny enumerates Asia,
the Near East and the Middle East, Russia as other markets.

However, everything would be different if the borders were open,
says Henry Cuny. And in this sense his next words, which were answers
to the questions of the news reporters, can be considered a lesson
for the Armenian diplomacy and certain social classes. It is clear
that the notion of the closed border concerns the Turkish border,
and the reporters asked Henry Cuny what France does to facilitate the
opening of the Armenian and Turkish border, and whether the law on
the genocide adopted by the lower chamber of the French parliament
favors the Turkish-Armenian reconciliation and opening of the border.

Cuny’s answer to this question was logical and surprising at the same
time. "When I had just arrived in this country, something astonished
me. Most people, including young people came up to me and said we
have a problem, what can you do for us. And my first message in the
meeting with the students of the French University in Armenia was your
future is in your hands, the keys to your future are in your hands,"
says Henry Cuny. This part of his answer was logical rather than
surprising. The continuation of the answer was surprising, which was
on the role of the adoption of the law on genocide in the Armenian
and Turkish relation.

"I am not supposed to interpret the law adopted by the French
parliament. At any rate, I hear what the Armenians and the Armenian
youth tell me. They tell me two main things, both are very important.

On the one hand, they say we are grateful for this attentive attitude
of France, and Armenia feels less lonely in these matters. But they
also say our future, the future of the young people living in Armenia
depends on our friendship with neighbors, and we think it will be much
easier for us to overcome disagreement through a dialogue rather than
through a confrontation," says Henry Cuny.

This is surprising, considering that the ambassador considers the
opinion of young people as very important and much more legitimate,
because they are going to live and work in Armenia. However, he also
says that in expressing their gratefulness to France these young people
emphasize one but according to which the dialogue with the neighbors
is much more important. Henry Cuny’s answer is at least strange
and controversial in the sense that the law adopted by the French
parliament does not promote the Turkish-Armenian dialogue. And from
the point of view of the official Armenian diplomacy and propaganda,
Henry Cuny’s answers are a lesson for the people in charge of
foreign policies in Armenia, who are delighted to announce about the
diplomatic victory of Armenia. "I think the Armenians and only the
Armenians should decide the fate of their borders, and I repeat that
it is highly important for me to listen to young people, because the
existence of the nation depends on the youth," says Henry Cuny.

The French ambassador to Armenia, who will not be an ambassador in
four days, hints, in fact, that the adoption of the bill has nothing
to do with the Turkish-Armenian relations, especially the prospect
of opening the borders, and pursued a quite different goal. In other
words, Cuny’s words crash the delight of the Armenian state propaganda
and foreign policy that was aroused by the lower chamber of the French
parliament, and prove that this law did not solve any problems for
Armenia, if it did not create new problems.