Author: Karapetian Hovik

RA DEFENCE MINISTRY COLLEGIUM OUTLINES ISSUES WITH RESPECT TO WHICH
WORK IS TO BE CARRIED OUT IN 2005

YEREVAN, January 17 (Noyan Tapan). The issues of the fighting and
mobilization preparedness in the 2004 academic year, results of the
operative and fighting readiness of the troops and staffs, the state
of the military discipline and law and order, as well as the
objectives of the 2005 academic year were discussed at the January 14
session of the RA Defence Ministry Collegium chaired by the Defence
Minister Serge Sargsian. The Chief of the RA Armed Forces General
Staff made a summary report, followed by the statements made by
Deputies of the RA Minister of Defence and commanders of the
formations. According to the RA Defence Ministry’s Information and
Propaganda Department, the issues, with respect to which work must be
done this year, were outlined at the session. Summarizing the
session, the Defence Minister Serge Sargsian outlined the priorities
for 2005, underlining the personal responsibility of each commander
and officer in increasing the fighting readiness and the military
discipline of the army.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Jan 12 2005

ONE MORE FALSIFICATION OF ARMENIANS EXPOSED
[January 12, 2005, 22:28:56]

As was stated earlier, on January 9 and 11 this year in Amsterdam and
Hague, has taken place presentation of film of the Dutch director
Susanne Kroger `Hope Dies Last’ about the soldiers who are missing as
a result of the Armenia-Azerbaijan war. However, the theme mentioned
in film and the shown staff reflects the position of Armenians, are
covered biased and unilaterally.

Before preparation of director Susanne Kroger and Armenians to
presentation, the representative of the Azerbaijan Diaspora in the
Netherlands through the Internet have addressed the state and
non-governmental organizations of the Azerbaijan Republic with the
request for participation in discussions forthcoming in connection
with film and rendering of assistance with the purpose of wide
informing the Dutch public that film is unilateral and far from true.

The State Commission of the Azerbaijan Republic on the Affairs of
POWs, hostages and the Missing, has immediately reacted to the
information, having sent to our Diaspora in Europe documentary
materials reflecting evil deeds of the Armenians, on ruthless
treatment with Azerbaijani prisoners of war and the compatriots who
have appeared in hostages, including a copy of conclusion of the
Scottish professor Derrick Pander who has carried out examination of
bodies of ten Azerbaijanis killed in Armenian captivity in 1994, in
English.

More than 100 compatriots, attending the presentation of film, have
expressed sharp critical judgments, having noted inadmissibility of
demonstration of screen product in such a unilateral order.

Thus, due to timely and competent joint activity of the State
Commission, the Azerbaijan Diaspora and “Leader” TV, attempt of the
Armenians and their patrons once again has failed to impose to
Europeans false representation by demonstration of film.

In the letter addressed on January 11, by the Azerbaijan Diaspora in
the Netherlands to the State Commission, it is stated that actions
spent by Armenians face serious resistance and the protest of our
compatriots, that the materials sent by the Commission were brought
to the notice of founders and numerous spectators of the notorious
film. The letter also expressed gratitude for the operative
assistance rendered by the State Commission to our compatriots,
living in the Netherlands.

According to available information, the Dutch TVs have refused
demonstration of the said film.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
January 11, 2005 Tuesday 7:47 AM Eastern Time

Russia ready to mediate Karabakh problem settlement-Putin

By Viktoria Sokolova

MOSCOW

Russia’s is ready to act as a mediator of settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem, President Vladimir Putin told reporters
after his meeting with Turkish businessmen in Moscow on Tuesday.

“Russia will do everything in order to settle conflicts that have
left after the USSR. We shall do this as a mediator and guarantor,
with an understanding that accords should be reached between the
sides in the conflict – Armenia and Azerbaijan”.

Putin said he and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan “did not
discuss directly” at their talks on Tuesday settlement of the
Karabakh conflict.

However, they “touched in a general outline on the relations between
Russia and Armenia, Armenia and Turkey”.

Putin said he and the Turkish prime minister shared the idea that
“one should seek to establish friendly relations between neighbours”.

“We know the difficult history of the legacy between Turkey and
Armenia”, the president said, adding that Armenia “is looking for way
of improving relations” with Turkey.

Russia will help this process, Putin said.

Erdogan for his part said he was ready to establish the interaction
with Armenia.

Turkey will hold consultations in order to find a solution to the
issue, he said.

“I hope that there will be a constructive answer to our consultative
approach.”

Erdogan stressed the Turkey’s policy regarding Armenia was oriented
towards “settlement, and not a lack of settlement”.

He cited as the latest step to establish cooperation the opening of
the Istanbul airport for flights to Armenia.

The ground border between the two countries has not been opened so
far, as “answering movement has not been demonstrated” to proposals
of Ankara.

The efforts to establish the interaction with Armenia should be built
up, Erdogan said.

Turkey does not want to hurt the neighbours, he said.

South Caucasus Countries Discuss Regional Railway
/ Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 2005-01-10 10:04:53

Visiting Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin will discuss the issue of
restoring the Georgian-Russian railway link via Abkhazia with the Georgian
leadership.
Armenian and Azerbaijani governmental delegations are also expected to join
the talks in Tbilisi on January 10.
Last November, Russian Transport Minister, who visited Georgia and Armenia,
proposed that the countries of the South Caucasus set up a joint
Russian-Georgian-Armenian-Azerbaijani company which would restore traffic on
the Trans-Caucasus Railway, which ceased functioning after conflicts in
Abkhazia and Nagorno-Karabakh in the early 90s.
The railway, which stretched more than 2,300 kilometers during Soviet times,
connected Black Sea ports with central Russia, operated passenger services
and handled more than 15 million tons of transit cargo per year, according
to the Russian English-language daily The Moscow Times.
“It is not a simple issue, I mean, we do not face only technical problems
related to restoration of the railway. It is a comprehensive and difficult
political issue,” Lexo Alexishvili, the Georgian Economy Minister, said.

For the past decade the Georgian government’s policy has always linked the
issue of restoring the railway via Abkhazia to the issue of returning the
internally displaced persons to the breakaway region.
There are signs that the Georgian government is now ready to soften its
position, but the final shape of the Tbilisi’s policy towards the issue has
yet to manifest.
“If Georgian custom officers will be deployed at the Georgian-Russian border
[referring to the Abkhaz section of the border] then I see no problem in
restoring the railway connection,” Kakha Bendukidze, the State Minister for
Economic Reform Issues, told reporters on January 9.

Karabakh sets up trade union; elects chairman

Arminfo, Yerevan
10 Jan 05

STEPANAKERT

The constituent congress of the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic’s [NKR]
Federation of Trade Unions has been held in Stepanakert. It adopted a
programme and statute, and also elected the federation’s executives.

Ara Kagramanyan was elected chairman of the NKR Federation of Trade
Union in an open vote.

In an interview with journalists, Ara Kagramanyan noted that the
newly-established trade union federation is called upon to defend the
rights of the working citizens, to resolve a range of professional and
social issues and to help workers improve their skills.

IranMania, Iran
Jan 5 2005

Khatami lauds progress in electricity industry

LONDON, Jan 5 (IranMania) – President Mohammad Khatami said Tuesday
that it is imponderable to think of of life in today`s world without
electricity.

Speaking in ceremonies commemorating he 100th years of electricity
industry in Iran, he added that an important barometer of country`s
economic development is its production and consumption of electricity
as the most important category of energy.

The electricity production and consumption has grown by five and
eight-folds after victory of Islamic revolution which is a token of
far-reaching development.

He acknowledged that despite the rise in level of electricity
consumption as indicative of progress in industrial production and
availability, throughout the society its unfettered consumption has
to be reined in.

He also referred the a qualitative progress in the sector saying that
although 75 percent self-sufficiency in electricity is
impressive, “but, we are still need to take more technical progress.”

He further thanked the Energy Minister Habibollah Bitaraf and other
officials in the sector on the sector`s performance as a source of
government`s pride.

Khatami handed out prizes and plaques of appreciations to 15 pioneers
in the domestic electricity industry.

Electricity production of the country is expected to increase by
3,000 megawatts in 1384 (starting March 21, 2005), the deputy
minister for electricity said in November.

Talking to IRNA, Mohammad Ahmadian, who is also managing director of
the national power generation and distribution company TAVANIR, added
that implementation of new projects will raise the country`s
electricity capacity.

Ahmadian predicted that electrical consumption will also increase in
the next Iranian year.

He said that electrical consumption reached a peak of 29,000
megawatts in the past summer (June 21-September 22).

He said that there would be no problem in meeting the electricity
demands of the country if the fuel needed by power plants were
readily available.

Alluding to the electricity swaps with Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Turkmenistan, Ahmadian said that Iran imports more energy from these
countries that what it exports.

Iran exports 950 mln kw/h electricity to Armenia and Azerbaijan
annually, he added.

He said it imports 1.5 bln kw/h electricity annually from other
sources.

Ensuring spiritual security

Yerkir/arm
24 Dec 04

The condition for rehabilitation of spiritual feedback between
government and people is overcoming of the detachment of the nation
from it.

The link of the people to the government is the law which provides
equal rights and security.But it is necessary to make the laws serve
the people if you want the laws to carry out their function instead of
making them serve officials. In such cases people shape repulsion to
laws which is now actual in Armenia. Another condition for rise of the
spirit of state it the preservation of feedback in governing. This
means participation of the people in decision making thru governmental
and non-governmental institutions.

This is important for overcoming the gap between ruling elite and
people.In respect of this feedback, it is important to note the role
of collaboration between governmental and social institutions, where
governmental institutions provide transparent information to the
social ones. And the latter bring that information down to people who,
in turn, receive suggestions from the latter and forward them up.

Summarizing the whole thing, we can say that the role of the
government in preservation of spiritual security is about keeping
feedback with the society and regaining its trust thru collaboration
with social institutions.

Armenian parliament approves deploying 46 non-combat troops to Iraq
By AVET DEMOURIAN, Associated Press Writer

The Associated Press
December 24, 2004, Friday, BC cycle

YEREVAN, Armenia — Armenia’s parliament voted Friday to send
46 non-combat troops to Iraq, a move that was backed by President
Robert Kocharian but drew sharp criticism from many Armenians and
opposition groups.

After more than seven hours of debate behind closed doors, lawmakers
in the National Assembly voted 91-23, with one abstention, to send
the contingent, which will include bomb-disposal experts, doctors
and transport specialists.

The troops could be deployed to Iraq as early as next month and could
serve in Iraq for up to a year, said Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisyan,
adding that the contingent would only conduct humanitarian operations.

“There is not, and will not be an Armenian military presence in
Iraq,” Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said. “In the humanitarian
aspect, it is preferable for Armenia to contribute to the postwar
reconstruction of Iraq, in establishing democracy in this country
which has important significance for the region and which could have
an impact on the Caucasus.”

The troops would serve as part of the Polish-led multinational force,
officials said. That force operates in a belt of territory south of
Baghdad, though Armenia has not specified where its troops will deploy.

The Constitutional Court ruled earlier this month that Kocharian’s
plan to send non-combat troops to Iraq did not violate the country’s
constitution.

Kocharian has sought to portray the decision to send troops to Iraq
as a way to boost ties with Europe.

But the proposal had been widely criticized by opposition parties,
many Armenians and even the 30,000-strong Armenian community in Iraq,
which feared being targeted for attacks if the troops were sent.

“We shouldn’t even be sending humanitarian troops to Iraq, because we
can’t jeopardize the security of Armenians living Iraq, said Viktor
Dalakyan, a leader with the opposition party Justice. “Moreover their
lives are already being threatened.”

In August, an Armenian Apostolic church in Baghdad was hit in a wave
of attacks on Iraq’s minority Christians that that killed 11 people
and injured more than 50.

The troops will join a multinational division that includes troops
from other former Soviet countries, such as Georgia and Armenia’s
archrival, Azerbaijan.

Other former Soviet republics that have also sent troops to Iraq are
Ukraine, Georgia and the three Baltic countries.

Karabakh president names new foreign minister

Mediamax news agency
24 Dec 04

Yerevan, 24 December: Today the president of the Nagornyy Karabakh
Republic (NKR), Arkadiy Gukasyan, appointed Arman Melikyan, who held
the post of Nagornyy Karabakh’s permanent representative in Armenia,
new foreign minister of the republic.

Former NKR Foreign Minister Ashot Gulyan has been appointed minister
of education and culture, our Mediamax correspondent reports from
Stepanakert.

Presenting the new foreign minister to the Foreign Ministry staff,
Arkadiy Gukasyan noted that the decision on the staff reshuffle was
due to the necessity to speed up the work of the NKR Foreign Ministry
in the light of recent developments on the international scene.

According to Gukasyan, part of the NKR Foreign Ministry’s work should
be transferred to Armenia, where the representations of diplomatic
missions and international organizations are situated. In this
connection, he said that Arman Melikyan would also continue holding
the post of NKR permanent representative in Armenia for some time.

Today the NKR president also appointed Vahram Bagdasaryan minister
of agriculture. Earlier, Vahram Bagdasaryan held the post of deputy
minister of agriculture. Former Minister Benik Bakhshyan has been
appointed adviser to the NKR prime minister.

CENN – DECEMBER 22, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. Evaluation of CENN Activities During the Period of 2004-2005
2. CENN Launches Environmental Trainings/Workshops
3. BTC: No Need for Additional Financing
4. Contract on Transfer of Vanadzor Chemical Plant to Slovakian Company
SLZ TOL be Concluded on January 10, 2005
5. State Budget of Armenia for 2005 Envisages Over 1 mln Drams for
Solution Housing Problems in Lori Region: Armenian President
6. 10% GDP Growth Registered in Armenia in Jan-Nov, 2004

1. EVALUATION OF CENN ACTIVITIES DURING THE PERIOD OF 2004-2005

CENN – Caucasus Environmental NGO Network is conducting evaluation of
its activities for the period of 2004-2005 and would like to ask you to
participate in the study by answering this checklist as accurately as
possible. The information will help us assess the CENN activities and
improve our work in the future. We ask you to answer the checklist and
return it via e-mail till December 27, 2004.

Thank you for your cooperation!

The English and Russian versions of the checklists are available on the
following address:

2. CENN LAUNCHES ENVIRONMENTAL TRAININGS/WORKSHOPS
within the framework of the project “Raising level of public
environmental awareness and information in the transboundary region of
the South Caucasus Countries” implemented by five partner organizations

CENN launched first cycle of environmental trainings / workshops within
the framework of the ENVSEC Initiative project “Raising level of public
environmental awareness and information in the transboundary region of
the South Caucasus Countries” implemented by GTZ (GTZ Food Regional
Cooperation and Security (FRCS) project) and supported by the ENVSEC
Initiative (OSCE, UNEP, UNDP).

The trainings / workshops are focused to provide the participants with
the information on:
ž Natural resource and their use;
ž Sustainable development;
ž Environmental problems- result of non-sustainable use of natural
resources;
ž Environmental security as the cross-cutting aspect of human and
national security;
ž ENVSEC Initiative;
ž “Cause-Problem-Solution” of the local environmental problems;
ž Elaboration of environmental action plans for solution of the
environmental problems.

The project includes two cycles of trainings / workshops and
implementation of environmental actions / campaigns to take place in
transboundary districts of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. After the
workshops in a later stage, the local community associations will
establish Public Environmental Information Points / Centers. The Public
Environmental Information Points / Centers will work in close
cooperation on solution of local and regional environmental problems and
implementation of the Aarhus Convention on the local and regional levels
together with other organizations in the neighboring districts (e.g.
CENN Public Environmental Information Centers in Bolnisi, Kazakh and
Akhtala supported by the Eurasia Foundation).

For further information on the project, please contact: GTZ FRCS office:
[email protected]

For information on the environmental trainings and workshops, please
contact the CENN office: [email protected]

3. BTC: NO NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FINANCING

Source: The Messenger, December 22, 2004

British Petroleum and its partners in the Baku- Tbilisi- Ceyhan (BTC)
pipeline project will not ask international financial institutions for
an extra loan to cover the 10% increase of the project cost, BP
Azerbaijan President David Woodward said at a press conference in Baku
on Tuesday, December 21, 2004. The shareholders borrowed USD 2.6 billion
from foreign credits this February. Mr. Woodward said they borrowed more
than needed, so an extra loan was unnecessary. He said the stakeholders
would bear any extra expenses.

Projects like BTC always imply a 10-15% change from the initial estimate
and the increase of the Baku- Tbilisi- Ceyhan pipeline project cost does
not go beyond that, Mr. Woodward said.

He said over 90% of work had been done in the Azerbaijani sector of the
pipeline, over 85% in the Georgian section of the pipeline and 85% in
the Turkish sector.

4. CONTRACT ON TRANSFER OF VANADZOR CHEMICAL PLANT TO SLOVAKIAN COMPANY
SLZ TOL BE CONCLUDED ON JANUARY 10, 2005

Source: Arminfo, December 20, 2004

A contract on transfer of Vanadzor chemical plant to Slovakian company
SLZ will be concluded on January 10, 2005. Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan made this statement at a press conference after his visit to
Lori region on December 18, 2004.

He says that next year it will become clear whether it is possible to
exploit the plant with profits on the investments the Slovakian party
intends to attract. The transfer of the plant does not mean that its
work will be guaranteed as it is connected with a possibility of
receiving profits the following year, the president says. He emphasized
that the owner of Vanadzor chemical complex has invested funds in the
plant, but failed to put it into exploitation. “One should not make rash
steps in the big business, everything must be well-calculated here,” the
president says.

It should be noted that SLZ intends to reactivate the plant on February
15, 2005 and to restore the production of carbide, corundum and acetate
ribbon. For this purpose, the company intends to invest $880 mln for
purchase of raw materials and $600,000 for current expenses. The owner
of 100% of the plant’s shares is the OJSC “Zakneftegazstroy Prometey,”
which belongs to the Russian businessman, Armenian by origin, Senik
Gevorgyan. Vanadzor chemical complex consisting of the chemical plant,
the chemical fibre plant and Vanadzor thermal power plant was privatized
in the May of 1999 for $1.5 mln. It has been idling since then. The
owner has already invested some $20 mln in the enterprise.

5. STATE BUDGET OF ARMENIA FOR 2005 ENVISAGES OVER 1 MLN DRAMS FOR
SOLUTION HOUSING PROBLEMS IN LORI REGION: ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

Source: Arminfo, December 20, 2004

The state budget of Armenia for 2005 envisages over 1-mln drams for
solution to housing problems of rural residents of Lori region for the
first time. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan made this statement at a
press conference in the town of Vanadzor.

In his words, next year large-scale construction is planned in the rural
areas. Active construction in regional centers will start with various
facilities to be erected in the town of Spitak. Construction of dwelling
houses in Spitak will be continued as well. A special stress will be put
on the certificates due to which the above 1-bln drams will be
distributed. The logic is as follows: a flat in Gyumri costs some 3 mln
drams, while construction of the given flat requires 10 mln drams – due
to distribution of the certificates, the problem of the families which
have not received flats will be solved. The methodology of the given
action already exists. In Armenia it was introduced by Urban Institute
and USAID, the president says.

He notes that the roads Stepanavan-Tashir, Stepanavan-Odzun-Alaverdi,
Armavir-Gyumri (along the boundary), Gyumri-Amasia and Aparan-Artik will
be constructed within three years in the regions of Shirak and Lori.
Next year, funds will be allocated for reconstruction of the roads of
regional importance. By increasing the financing year by year, we shall
achieve a progress in the sphere, Robert Kocharyan says.

The president says that due to reforms in the taxation sphere, more
predictable conditions in the sphere of entrepreneurship have been
created. A great attention is paid to improvement of the living
conditions of the region’s population. As regards gas supply to the
country, on the whole, and in the region, in particular, the president
notes that the gas users in the country number more than 80,000 and
8-10,000 in Lori region. The same indicators are observed in Shirak
region. As regards water supply to the region, project works are in
process and 24-hour water supply will become real both in Vanadzor and
Gyumri within the coming 2-3 years. In Vanadzor 3 of 5 operating ATXs
are digital, the remaining two are being digitized. Considerable changes
are expected in the sphere of telecommunications, with the existing
inconveniences felt earlier because of the monopoly of ArmenTel company
were connected not only with its monopoly but also with poor management
and irresponsible attitude to its obligations. However, as compared to
many CIS member-countries, Armenia is among leaders, as to introduction
of digital tele-phone network, which can be called an achievement, the
president notes.

Besides, Robert Kocharyan informs that the budget for 2005 envisages
rather big sum (some 1 mln drams) to upgrade the level of social
well-fare of refugees as this issue is one of the priorities of the
program of refugees. The budget plans a rise in the wages of teachers,
militaries and medical personnel. Another 1 bln drams will be allocated
for construction work in the communities, including 800 mln to Lori
region as majority of the villages in that region have remained
unnoticed by the government. A community center will be built in
Stepanavan, and construction of a new municipality building and regional
center in Gyumri will start in 2006.

The results of 2004 will be summed up by the Statistical Service after
January 20, 2005. However, one can state that the government has
fulfilled its commitments for 2004, the president says in conclusion.

6. 10% GDP GROWTH REGISTERED IN ARMENIA IN JAN-NOV, 2004

Source: Arminfo, December 20, 2004

The highest GDP growth in Armenia was registered in Jan-Nov, 2004 –
10.0%. ARMINFO was informed in the press service of the National
Statistical Service of Armenia, according to preliminary data, in
November as against October the economic drop made up 22.2%. By the end
of November 2004 the GDP totaled 1,672.1 bln drams or ($3,109.5). The
GDP index-deflator grew by 6.0%. In January – November the AMD/USD
exchange rate was 537.74 drams against one U.S. dollar.

In January – November of the current year the volume of industrial
produce totaled 473.9-bln drams or $881.4 mln (or 27.2% out of GDP –
ARMINFO), increasing by 1.6% as against the same period of last year, in
Nov as against Oct it increased by 1.1%. Electricity generation in
January – November increased by 8.6%, and in Nov as against Oct it
increased by 16.5%, totaling 5,341.5-mln kW/h.

In January – November of the current year the Gross agriculture produce
increased by 14.3% as against the same period of 2003, totaling 412.5
bln drams or $767.1 mln and in Nov as against Oct it decreased by 41.5%.
Volume of construction increased by 9.1% in Nov as against Oct, and in
Jan-Nov it increased by 16.2%, reaching 229.3-bln drams or $426.5 mln.
Retail trade turnover totaled 699.9 bln drams by the end of Nov,
increasing by 9.2% in Jan-Nov as against the same period of last year,
and in Nov as against Oct it increased by 2.5%.

By the end of Nov, 2004 foreign trade turnover totaled $1.9 bln (1,001.6
bln drams), increasing by 4.5% as against the same period of 2003, and
in Nov as against Oct it decreased by 6.3%. In its structure the exports
increased by 3.2% in Jan-Nov as against the same period of 2003, and in
Nov as against Oct it increased by 14% totalling $645.9 mln. The imports
totaled $1,219.3 mln, increasing by 5.3% during the first eleven months
of the current year, and in Nov as against Oct it increased by 16.2%.
Negative trade balance was $573.4 mln by the end of Nov.

—
*******************************************
CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)

Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:

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