Author: Maghakian Mike

Alcatel says no plans for EADS to join Alcatel/Finmeccanica space alliance
AFX News
Friday, January 28, 2005
PARIS (AFX) – Alcatel SA chief executive Serge Tchuruk said there are no
plans for Astrium, the satellite unit of the European Aeronautics
Defence and Space Co, to join the newly-formed space alliance between
Alcatel and Finmeccanica SpA.
He was speaking at a press conference after this morning’s confirmation
of the merger of the satellite and other space activities of Alcatel and
Finmeccanica. Last summer, Tchuruk had indicated that he is ready to
discuss a space alliance with Astrium ‘if they want to.’
Alcatel and Finmeccanica are already partners in the Eurel consortium
that is bidding for the 3 bln eur Galileo satellite positioning system
contract.
They are in competition with iNavSat, a consortium consisting of EADS,
Inmarsat and Thales.

ARAM SARGSYAN: IT IS EXTREMELY NECESSARY TO HOLD EARLY ELECTIONS IN
ARMENIA TO FORM LEGITIMATE POWER IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMINFO. It is extremely necessary to hold early
elections in Armenia to form a legitimate power the international
community recons with, Leader of Armenia’s Democratic Party, Deputy of
Armenia’s Parliament from opposition “Justice” bloc Aram G. Sargsyan
stated today at the press-conference at the discussion club “Azdak.”
According to him, it was illegality of power that resulted in PACE’s
resolution on Nagorny Karabakh unfavourable for Armenia. DPA Leader
did not consider the opposition guilty in adoption of that
resolution. He disagreed with an opinion that the whole last year, the
opposition representatives in the Armenian delegation to PACE were
engaged in complaints at R. Kocharyan’s administration instead of
working on Karabakh problem. “The Europeans watched themselves upon
elections, fixed violations, asked the report and we gave it them. The
opposition repeatedly proposed various versions on Karabakh problem,
but no one listen to us”, Sargsyan stressed. -R-

AMIC’s Newsletter, Montreal, Canada
AMIC’s Info-Flash
2340 Chemin Lucerne # 30
Ville Mont-Royal, Quebec
H3R 2J8
Tel : (514) 739 8950
Fax : (514) 738 2622
Web:
Email: [email protected]
December, 2004
1. Article 1: “Making a Difference in the Health Sector in Armenia:
Canadian-Armenian Health Administration Training Project”.
2. Article 2: “85 People Register as Donors at the Armenian Prelacy of
Canada Bone Marrow Drive”
3. Article 3: “Vocation Awards”
4. Article 4 : “The Armenian Medical Association”
5. Article 5: ” September-October 2004 Medical and Scientific Meetings in
Armenia
6. Article 6 : “What is AMIC?”
****************************************************************
News from Canada
1. Making a Difference in the Health Sector in Armenia: Canadian-Armenian
Health Administration Training Project.
Since May 1996, the Canadian International Development Agency has supported
an initiative of the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH), aimed
at helping Armenia reform its health sector. Working closely with the
Canadian-Armenian Medical Relief Committee of Ontario , the CSIH has managed
the Canadian-Armenian Health Administration Training Project.
The project allows Armenian health professionals to visit Canadian health
organizations and facilities, such as NGOs, federal and provincial
ministries of health, community health centers, universities and hospitals,
accreditation councils, and professional health associations. Canadian
health experts have also traveled to Armenia as part of this project, to
meet with officials from the Ministry of Health and also with university
personnel, to consult on issues that have been identified following the
in-depth study tour in Canada.
The Armenian health community is interested in studying the Canadian model
as part of its efforts to rebuild that country’s health care system. Armenia
faces many challenges as its government and the emerging private sector
attempt to reform the delivery of health care to its citizens. Under Soviet
rule, health care in Armenia was highly centralized and dependent on
hospitals for basic health services. Both the government and health care
professionals now envisage a decentralized and privatized health care
system, one that would emphasize primary health care and would strengthen
linkages between clinics in rural areas and clinics and hospitals in urban
areas. The opportunity to learn about the Canadian health care system and
the “ins and outs” of Canada’s approach to the delivery of health services
will allow Armenia to make a more informed decision as they move forward in
their own health reform process.
“The CSIH is pleased to help the Canadian Armenian Medical Relief Committee
of Ontario on this project” said Charles A Shields Jr., Executive Director
of the CSIH. “It allows the CSIH to build on the lessons we have learned
through the Partners in Health program that CSIH manages in Ukraine. It also
allows us to understand similar issues that Armenians and Ukrainians are
concerned about”
****************************************************************
2. “85 People Register as Donors at the Armenian Prelacy of Canada Bone
Marrow Drive”
Info-Flash received the following communiqué from the Armenian Prelacy of
Canada.
“Montreal (Qc) – Canada. 85 donors registered in the Armenian Bone Marrow
Project organized jointly by the Armenian Prelacy of Canada and the Armenian
Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) during the first weekend of December.
The youngest clergy member, Rev. Fr. Karnig Kouyounian, Pastor of Sourp
Hagop Armenian Apostolic Cathedral, was one of the first people to provide a
sample of blood for the Bone Marrow Project.
Armenian Prelacy of Canada Executive Council and Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (ARF) Canada Central committee members also participated in the
drive, as well as school officials and members of the Montreal and Laval
chapters of the ARF Youth Organization Committee of Canada and Homenetmen
Gamk (the scouting and athletic organization).
The Bone Marrow Project is a mission of crucial importance, which was put
into place to ensure that every Armenian (and others) struck with leukemia
or other blood related diseases have the hope of finding a genetically
suitable match for a bone marrow transplant, which often is the only and
final life-saving procedure for the patient.
However, due to the lack of Armenian donors in other registries and due to
the unique genetic make up of Armenians, finding a bone marrow match is more
likely to occur among other Armenians, rendering the ABMDR the greatest hope
for Armenians, particularly since only one match is projected for every 200
donors.
Established in 1999, the ABMDR is an internationally accredited,
independent, non-governmental, non-profit organization and currently has
more than 150 patients in need of a transplant.
Founded by Dr. Frieda Jordan and Dr. Sevak Avagyan, the ABMDR is a member of
the World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) and the World Marrow Donor
Worldwide (WMDW), and although it shares its database information with other
registries around the world, it still needs as many donors as it can
recruit.
It is not too late to become a donor, for all those interested, please visit
for further information.
****************************************************************
News from Armenia
3- Vocation Awards
The AMIC office in Yerevan, and Mrs. Lilit Ohanyan
([email protected]) both sent the following text. For any further
information, please contact Mrs. Ohanyan.
” The National Television of the Republic of Armenia which represents the
“Health” popular science, an informative educational medical program (aired
every Saturday, and repeated on Mondays and Fridays) and “Vocation” non-
governmental organization are currently engaged in the organization of the
“Vocation” national award, with the participation of the best physicians or
clinics of Armenia and the Diaspora, and the non medical professionals or
organizations who have made significant contributions to the development of
medicine.
Provisions of the “Vocation” Award
1. Award Description
“Vocation” is awarded to the best physicians or clinics, as well as to the
non-medical professionals or organizations that have made significant
contributions to the development of medicine.
1.2 Prize shall be awarded annually. Nominations do not carry over one year
to another. To be considered for a particular year, the candidates must be
nominated for that particular year.
The deadline for the submission of nominations is February 15, 2005.
1.3 Each prize presented to the laureate shall consist of a statuette, a
certificate
in the winner’s name containing the Award winning nomination, and
prize
amount (cash award)
1.4 A prize shall be awarded to the winner or winners of each category.
1.5 Cash prize shall be awarded to the winner at the presentation ceremony.
The cash award shall be divided in equal shares between all the winners in
case the nomination has more than one winner. Cash award cannot be awarded
posthumously (Posthumous rewarding may not include cash award).
2. “Vocation” Award Categories
2.1 For conducting a Unique Operation which saved a human life. Awarded to a
surgeon who conducted a unique operation of which, at least a year after the
operation, the remote results are known.
2.2 For the introduction of an innovative curative methodology. Awarded to
physicians for the development or implementation of a unique curative
methodology that shortens the treatment duration and/or makes it more
affordable
2.3 For generating a new diagnostic method. Awarded to physicians who have
generated a new diagnostic method. The prize shall be awarded at least in a
year after the implementation of the method.
2.4 For establishing a new discipline (direction) in medicine. Awarded to
physicians and clinics that have created new disciplines or services in the
field of medicine.
2.5 To representatives of fundamental sciences and non-medical professionals
for significant contributions in the medicine development. Awarded to
non-medical professionals for drug and medical equipment development and
implementation. All the developments shall have corresponding certificates
of conformity and undergo relevant trials.
2.6 For great devotion to the profession. Awarded to physicians who have at
least fifty years of medical practice and made significant contribution to
the development of the field.
2.7 A special prize awarded to physicians who deliver help to war, terrorist
act and natural misery victims. Awarded to physicians who rendered
(delivered) professional help under martial conditions, natural disasters
and terrorist acts.
2.8 The best medical clinic or staff
3. Award nominating order
3.1 The nominee for the award may be presented by a group of physicians or
one physician, a group of patients or one patient, an administration of
curative and preventive, educational or scientific medical institutions. It
is possible to self-nominate. The nominee may compete for only one category.
3.2 All the nominees shall fill in a special questionnaire confirmed by the
Board of Trustees. The questionnaires of the nominees competing for the
second, third, forth, and fifth categories shall enclose special
certificates, licenses and other credentials which confirm the
implementation of clinical trials and permit to use the methods in medical
practice.
3.3 Supplementary information about the health condition and location of the
operated patient shall be enclosed in case of competing for “the unique
operation” category.
3.4 The nominees for the sixth and seventh categories are introduced by the
Board of Trustees decision and shall not have an alternative. Each year this
nomination is awarded to a physician or physicians introduced by the Board
of Trustees.
4. Examination procedure.
4.1 The organizing committee delivers the questionnaires and relevant
credentials, received from the nominees to the “Vocation” award experts.
Upon the receipt of the first negative notice the nominee shall be dismissed
from any further participation to the contest.
4.2 Upon receiving the first positive notice the nominees undergo the
experts’ evaluation again. Upon receiving a negative notice during the
second evaluation the nominee is dismissed from further participation to the
contest as well.
4.3 Nominees who possess two positive notices undergo the third and the
final evaluation. During the third evaluation of the experts, the nominee is
dismissed from the contest upon receipt of a negative notice.
4.4 Nominees recommended for the sixth and seventh categories are exempt
from the experts’ evaluation.
5. Selection procedure of winners.
5.1 Only the nominees who possess three positive notices may participate in
the secret balloting for the winner’s selection.
5.2 The winners are selected by secret ballot from the members of the Board
of Trustees.
5.3 The Board of Trustees members have the right to vote only for one
participant in each category.
5.4 The results of the voting are promulgated during a special closed
session of the Board of Trustees.
5.5 The Board of Trustees reserves the right to grant the award to one of
the nominees or to share it between two persons in case both nominees
collect equal votes in the appropriate category.
5.6 The results of the voting shall not be announced before the official
ceremony of the “Vocation” award. Special envelops with the names of the
winners shall be opened during the presentation ceremony.
6. The Experts Panel Activities Order
6.1 The leading specialists of all the medical disciplines are recruited to
the composition of the Experts Panel.
6.2 The “Vocation” award organizing committee recruits the experts into the
Experts Panel activities.
7. The Board of Trustees Activities Order
7.1 The “Vocation” award organizing committee establishes the Board of
Trustees.
7.2 The Board of Trustees executes the final selection of the winners from
those nominees who have received three positive notices. The “Vocation”
award organizing committee reserves the right to make changes in the Board
of Trustees composition without stating the reasons.
7.3 The Chairman of the Board of Trustees is elected during the session of
the Board of Trustees by means of voting by show.
8. The “Vocation” Organizing Committee Activities Order
8.1 The “Vocation” award organizing committee disseminates the credential
package informing about the award and provides the rules of award
nomination. It also accepts the questionnaires of the nominees, submits them
to the experts evaluation, sends ballot papers to the Board of Trustees
members, calls off the Board of Trustees sessions.
8.2 The founders of the “Vocation” non-governmental organization shall
establish the “Vocation” award organizing committee.
8.3 The president of the “Vocation” non-governmental organization assigns
the “Vocation” award Chairman.
****************************************************************
4- The Armenian Medical Association
Since 2002, The Armenian Medical Association has been trying to raise the
overall standard of medicine in the Republic of Armenia. Founded by a small
group of progressive physicians in Armenia, the organization has been able
to build organizational infrastructure, set up an office, and in just the
last year alone has doubled their membership to over three hundred.
The organization is now composed of physicians from a broad background of
specialties from throughout the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh.
The organization gives its members a window into the international medical
community, greater insight into and a forum for discussing the medical
problems in Armenia and Armenian healthcare issues and sets standards for
good medical practice.
One of many ambitious efforts of the Armenian Medical Association is a
hypertension survey, which is currently being conducted throughout the
nation. The organization also provides a wonderful network for doctors to
become informed about informational conferences in Armenia and abroad,
sponsors the education of physicians, and provides short to long-term
internships for premedical and medical students of Armenian origin via
Birthright Armenia, a non-profit organization that hopes to create valuable
links between the Diaspora and Homeland in all sectors. Also, in 2005, the
Armenian Medical Association will release the first volume of the Armenian
Medical Journal, the first English-language medical journal to be published
in Armenia. This journal will hopefully provide a new standard of academic
works in Armenia. The journal will be peer-reviewed by an international
group of physicians and will be published bi-yearly.
While still a small organization, the Armenian Medical Association holds
great promise for the future of medicine in Armenia. The organization has
set itself up to take on many roles and may be the mechanism by which
resources can be more adequately supplied, medical issues can be more
readily addressed and the overall standard of healthcare in the Republic of
Armenia can be bettered.
For further information, please contact Dr. Yaghjyan ([email protected]) or
go to
****************************************************************
5- September- October 2004 Medical and Scientific Meetings in Armenia.
(Message received from Mrs. Ruslana Kevorkian from the Ministry of Health of
Armenia)
-22 September 2004: The third meeting of the
Transcaucasian countries’oncologists
took place in Yerevan. The Minister
of Health, Dr. N. Davitian presided the
meeting.
-24 September 2004: The Association of Stomatologists of
Armenia, with the help of the
International Federation of
Stomatologists, organized specialized
courses at the Medical Faculty, with
the collaboration of specialists from
Sweden and New York University
(Dr. Bedros Yavrou).
-27-28 September
2004: An International Forum of
Neurologists took place for the first
time in Armenia, honoring during one
of its sessions, the well known 75
years old Dr. Levon Badalyan.
Specialists from Russia, the United
States, Great Britain, Israel, Germany
were in attendance.
Presentations, discussions and new
methods of treatment of neurological
disorders were conducted.
11-13 October 2004: The Erebouni Medical Center
organized an International
Congress of Cardiology at the
Business Center of the American
University of Armenia. A cardiology
center has been operating at the
Erebouni Hospital for the last year,
under the direction of Dr. Vatche
Kasparian, who specialized in
Singapore (See Info-Flash No 1,
April 2003). Specialists from around
the world (Singapore, Monaco,
France, Spain, United States, Russia)
were present.
13-15 October 2004: The financial and medical management
of the health care services in Armenia
was examined during a two day
conference held at the Business
Center of the American University of
Armenia. Topics under discussion
included financial revenues, expenses
by specific services, the social
categories benefiting from the health
services, and the educational and
theoretical amendments to be
introduced.
6- What is AMIC?
The Armenian Medical International Committee was created fourteen years ago.
It is an umbrella organization that unites Armenian medical associations
throughout the Diaspora, creating thus a large network through which
information and data are exchanged.
AMIC organizes Armenian Medical World Congresses. So far eight have been
held in different cities of the Diaspora. In 2003, “The First International
Medical Congress of Armenia”, organized by Armenia, was held in Yerevan from
July 1 to July 3.
The 9th AMIC Congress will be held in 2005 (from June 29 to July 3), in San
Francisco (USA). You can have the latest news by visiting the website
AMIC publishes since 1998 an online newsletter and sends it freely to all
Armenian Health Care professionals. If you are a health care professional
and are interested in receiving Info-Flash, please send us your e-mail
address ([email protected]). To all those who already receive the Info, please do
not forget to send us your new e-mail address when you change it.
For further information, visit our website:
A useful information to remember: you can send freely from wherever you are
located, medical equipment/medicine through the services of the United
Armenian Fund; President Mr. Harout Sassounian ([email protected])
Note from the Editor:
This last issue of December 2004 of the Info-Flash was delayed, due to a
very bad flu of Info’s Editor, Aida Boudjikanian.
AMIC’s Executive President, Dr. Jean Arakelian, and Members, send to all the
Info-Flash readers their best wishes for a New and fruitful New Year.

PERMANENT MISSION OF ARMENIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
Contact: Dziunik AGHAJANIAN
Minister-Counsellor
Deputy Permanent Representative
119 East 36th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
Tel: 1-212-686-9079
Fax: 1-212-686-3934
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
January 24, 2005
PRESS RELEASE
MINISTER OSKANIAN ADDRESSES UN SPECIAL SESSION
Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vartan Oskanian was among a select
group of foreign ministers who addressed the UN 28th Special Session, on the
60th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Nazi Concentration Camps. The
session was held just a few days before the 60th anniversary of the
liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, by Soviet troops, near the
end of World War II.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan spoke about the role of the UN, which was
founded immediately following the Second World War. The massive violations
of human rights during the war were an impetus for the formation of this
international institution, 60 years ago, he explained.
The Secretary General was followed by Holocaust Survivor, writer, Nobel
Prize Winner for Peace, Professor Elie Wiesel, and former UN Undersecretary
Sir Brian Urquhart. Elie Wiesel evoked images of the horrors that
concentration camp inmates had to endure, and repeatedly expressed amazement
at humanity’s capacity for such evil, and for such indifference. Sir Brian,
then a member of the Allied Forces that liberated the camps, stressed
humanity’s collective responsibility in the prevention of genocides and in
bringing to justice the perpetrators.
They were followed by Silvan Shalom, the Foreign Minister of Israel, the
Special Representative of Poland, Mr. Bronislaw Geremek, Vladimir Lukin, the
Commissioner for Human Rights of the Russian Federation, Paul Wolfowitz, US
Deputy Secretary of Defense, Jean Asselborn, the Minister of Foreign Affairs
of Luxembourg, on behalf of the European Union, and Marcello Pera, Speaker
of the Italian Senate.
Together with Minister Oskanian, also on the rostrum were other foreign
ministers: Joschka Fischer, Germany, Michel Barnier, France, Pierre
Pettigrew, Canada, Ilinka Mitreva, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as
well as representatives of Greece, Romania, Norway, Austria, Hungary, the
Netherlands and Great Britain.

HEAD OF GUGARK DIOCESE AWARDED WITH GOLD MEDAL AFTER FRIDTJOF NANSEN
YEREVAN, January 21 (Noyan Tapan). Bishop Ter Sepuh Chuljian, the Head
of the Gugark Diocese, was awarded with a gold medal after Fridtjof
Nansen. According to the press divan of the Gugark Diocese, Felix
Bakhchinian, the Chairman of the “Fridtjof Nansen” Foundation, handed
the medal to the holy father. The medal awarding ceremony was solemnly
held at the residence of the Gugark Diocese with the participation of
the clergymen of the Diocese.

RA PRESIDENT ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO ESTABLISHMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE COURTS
YEREVAN, January 19 (Noyan Tapan). The necessity of establishment of
administrative courts and elaboration of the legislative package as
quickly as possible is important in the context of reforms of court
and legal system. RA President Robert Kocharian said this during the
January 19 working meeting with Davit Haroutiunian, RA Minister of
Justice. During the meeting it was mentioned that the system of
administrative courts widely used in international practice will give
an opportunity to protect citizens’ and juridical persons’ interests
in arguments with officials’ staffs through specialized courts. It’s
envisaged to put the administrative courts into operation in Armenia
starting from 2006. According to the RA President’s Press Service,
D.Haroutiunian also represented other directions of work planned in
the system for 2005. The directions, in particular, attached
importance to successful fulfilment of the next stage of reforms in
court and legal sphere and considerable improvement of work of
services on obligatory execution of penitentiary and legal acts.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
January 20, 2005 Thursday 4:27 AM Eastern Time
Burgas-Alexandroupolis-optimum way of pumping Russia oil to West
By Sergei Latyshev
ATHENS
A Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, plans of whose construction
came to the fore in the recent past, is the cheapest and safest way
of transporting Russian oil to the West, bypassing the Bosporus
Strait, said here on Wednesday evening Greek Deputy Foreign Minister
Evripidis Stilianidis.
He spoke before members of the country’s business and academic
communities with information on aims of the country’s chairmanship in
the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation. “The
Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline is the cheapest and safest
version of transporting oil to the West, bypassing the Bosporus
Strait, and plans of its construction received a new impetus in the
recent past,” the deputy minister emphasized. Greece actively strives
for the implementation of this tripartite project whose participants
also involve Russia and Bulgaria.
The high-ranking diplomat noted that the main aim of Greece’s
presidency in the Black Sea organization is to ensure rapprochement
between Black Sea countries and European structures as well as the
European Union. Greece gives much attention to its presidency in the
Black Sea organization, ending next April. “I can say that we regard
it as important as the presidency in the EU,” he stressed.
Members of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation include
Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Moldova,
Ukraine, Russia, Romania and Turkey.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
January 18, 2005
___________________
ST. VARTAN CATHEDRAL HOSTS HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY CLASS
On Wednesday, January 12, 2005, New York City’s St. Vartan Cathedral
played host to 80 students from Fairfield High School in Fairfield, CT.
The history students, three teachers, and the school’s principal were in
New York City as part of a class focused on the history of the Middle
East and Asia Minor. To better understand the religious history of the
area they visited St. Vartan Cathedral, Central Synagogue, and the New
York Mosque.
The students were given a tour of the St. Vartan Cathedral complex by
Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean of the cathedral, who also answered their
questions about the Armenian culture and faith. After the tour they
were treated to Armenian baklava.
“The St. Vartan Cathedral, in many ways, serves as a representative of
the Armenian people. We always welcome anyone to come, visit, and learn
about our faith and our Armenian traditions,” Fr. Chevian said.
— 1/18/05
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News
and Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean of St. Vartan Cathedral,
answers questions from more than 80 students, teachers, and the
principal of Fairfield (CT) High School during the class visit to
religious sites in New York City on Wednesday, January 12, 2005.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): On a tour of New York City’s St. Vartan Cathedral on
Wednesday, January 12, 2005, students studying Middle Eastern history at
Fairfield (CT) High School pass by portraits of Armenian saints and
historical figures.

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
January 14, 2005, Friday
ARMENIA CHUMS UP WITH NATO
SOURCE: Voyenno-Promyshlenny Kurier, No 1, January 12 – 18, 2005, p.
3
by Samvel Martirosjan
Meeting of the working team of the NATO Military Committee took place
in Yerevan in December 2004. Representatives of 34 states, (23 NATO
members and 11 partners) attended it. Ukraine and Georgia represented
the Commonwealth.
The meeting reiterates the assumption that the Alliance is keeping
Armenia in the focus of its close attention. Co-operation between
Brussels and Yerevan was on purely familiarization terms for years,
until last year in fact when the former Soviet republic began an
active drift towards integration into structures of what once had
been the enemy of the Soviet Union. NATO ran its Co-operative Best
Effort exercise in Armenia in summer 2003. In 2004, it cancelled a
similar exercise in Azerbaijan because the local authorities refused
to permit Armenian servicemen to participate.
By the way, activities of the working team of the NATO Military
Committee in Yerevan may be viewed as another meaningful gesture. At
first, meetings were planned in all capitals of the southern part of
the Caucasus. Azerbaijan however, refused to deal with the Armenian
delegation and Brussels decided that official Baku had to be
punished.
In the meantime, co-operation between Yerevan and the Alliance is
broadening. In 2004, representatives of the Armenian Defense Ministry
participated in approximately 40 functions (including five exercises)
within the framework of the NATO’s Partnership for Peace Program. In
2005, Russia’s ally in the Caucasus intends to participate in 50
functions (including eight exercises).
The same rapprochement can be seen on the political plane as well.
The Armenian National Assembly ratified a number of documents that
provide a legal basis for broader co-operation with NATO. Another
document is being worked on because Yerevan volunteered to join the
Individual Partnership Action Plan in 2004. Twenty-three objectives
of this partnership were discussed and adopted within the framework
of PARP consultations in Brussels (19 1 i.e. NATO plus Armenia).
Armenia began participating in NATO peacekeeping operations in 2004.
A platoon of Armenian servicemen (subunit of the Greek contingent)
set out for Kosovo on February 13. Scheduled rotation of the unit
took place on September 8.
Yerevan wants more than that. Addressing the NATO Military Committee,
Deputy Defense Minister Lieutenant General Arthur Agabekjan announced
that his country intends to form a peacekeeping contingent in line
with NATO standards for fully-fledged participation in exercises and
peacekeeping operations within the framework of the NATO’s
Partnership for Peace Program. “It will enable us to form units
compatible with NATO troops,’ Agabekjan said, “They will be able to
perform all sorts of missions and participate in peacekeeping
operations.”
“Armenian-NATO relations moved to a wholly new plane. We are
advancing them in accordance with the policy of European integration
and on the basis of mutual trust and mutual welfare,” Agabekjan
continued. The officer proceeded to air the official opinion that
Yerevan’s interest in co-operation with Brussels was a corollary of
its long-term plans to build statehood and security. Armenia proceeds
towards integration with the European security framework but the lack
of stability in the southern part of the Caucasus interferes with the
process, Agabekjan said. “Our suggestions on co-operation in the
sphere of defense are negated by Azerbaijan that always comes up with
conditions and sometimes even ultimatums,” Agabekjan said. This
tactic preferred by official Baku collides with the spirit of
European security and does not align with NATO’s position.
Serzh Sarkisjan, Defense Minister and Secretary of the Security
Council, brought up the same subject several days later. Sarkisjan
emphasized in his program statement that membership in NATO was not
on the Armenian foreign political agenda. “At the same time, our
country takes a pragmatic look on the situation in the region.
Instead of coming up with untimely statements, we develop relations
with the Alliance systematically. From this point of view, it will
not be wrong to say that the Armenian-NATO relations play their own
important role in the system of national security, “Sarkisjan said.
According to the minister, Armenia follows the road of European
development and NATO is the central institution of European security.
As far as Euro integration is concerned, the minister’s opinion does
not differ from the major social tendencies in Armenia. Results of
the opinion poll conducted by the Center of National and Strategic
Studies indicate that 64% of the population and 92% of experts would
like to see Armenia a member of the European Union.
Back to Sarkisjan. The minister outlined the frontiers of
co-operation with the Alliance. “… It should be noted that
relations with NATO will develop unless some serious discord between
our international obligations crops up,” he said. “I’d like to point
out therefore that the Charter of the Organization of the CIS
Collective Security Treaty does not restrict its member’s freedom of
co-operation with foreign countries and international organizations.
At the same time, undeniable rapprochement of the positions of the
Organization and the Alliance on a number of issues and presence of
common threats and problems permits me to say that the potential of
development of our relations with NATO is quite considerable. It will
not be a mistake to say that co-operation within the framework of the
Organization of the CIS Collective Security Treaty and co-operation
with NATO are mutually complementary since they create additional
guarantees of security for Armenia and the region as such.”
Sarkisjan emphasized it is the Armenian-Russian relations that
maintain military security and regional parity. The minister referred
to the CIS United Antiaircraft Defense System to illustrate. “Along
with that, strategic relations between Armenia and Russia cannot
serve as an obstacle to the process of Armenian Euro integration.
Moreover, the Russia-EU rapprochement enables Armenia to combine
these two priorities, perfecting our national security and the
regional security framework as such,” Sarkisjan said.
Translated by A. Ignatkin

Moscow Times
Jan 14 2005
Bush Has a Packed Agenda for Putin
By Simon Saradzhyan
Staff Writer
The White House is not conducting an official review of its Russia
policy over the Kremlin’s drive to consolidate power, but President
George W. Bush will voice his concerns over Moscow’s record on
building democracy when he meets with President Vladimir Putin at a
summit next month, a senior U.S. State Department official said
Thursday.
“This is not accurate in a sense of a headline,” said Elizabeth
Jones, assistant U.S. secretary of state for Europe and Eurasia, when
asked to comment on recent reports in the U.S. press that a Russia
policy review is under way in the Bush administration.
Jones — who is leaving her post together with Secretary of State
Colin Powell and a number of other senior officials — also said she
does not foresee any fundamental change in the Russia policy in the
second Bush administration. Bush has nominated national security
adviser Condoleezza Rice as the next secretary of state.
Jones, speaking via a video link that connected her Washington office
with Moscow, Rome and Bratislava, Slovakia, called the news
conference to talk about a trip by Bush to Europe in February that
will include NATO and European Union meetings as well as bilateral
talks with Russian and Belgian leaders.

Official statements from the Kremlin about the summit between Bush
and Putin have so far largely been limited to a statement that the
two will meet in Bratislava on Feb. 24. The Foreign Ministry has yet
to hold a briefing on the summit.
>From Washington’s point of view, the main tracks of U.S.-Russian
cooperation are “very clear,” Jones said. The Bush administration
will continue to count on Russia as an important partner in the
struggle against terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction and their technologies, she said. And the presidents will
discuss ways to advance cooperation on these international security
issues as well as Russia’s bid to join the World Trade Organization.
While determined to advance security and economic cooperation, Bush
also plans to prod Putin over a lack of “progress in the democratic
transformation of Russia,” Jones said. “[There] doesn’t seem to be as
much progress there as it would have been expected when the two
presidents first met in Ljubljana almost four years ago,” she said.
Asked what worries Bush most about the future of democracy in Putin’s
Russia, Jones said, “There is a deep concern on the part of many,
including in Russia, about … the balance between the civil society
and the government, about increased consolidation in the government.
“What happened to the great abundance of media in Russia? What about
that? There are very serious concerns about the plight of NGOs in
terms of increased state control.”
Putin explained to Bush at length his elimination of gubernatorial
elections and plans to scrap independent State Duma races when the
two met in Chile in November, according to a senior U.S. official’s
account of their meeting. At the time, the two agreed to discuss the
issue further.
The Bush administration also has questions about the rule of law in
the Yukos saga. “What is really Russia’s intention there? What is
really under way there in the retroactive use of the tax code?” Jones
said, referring to multibillion-dollar back-tax bills slapped on
Yukos and confirmed by Russian courts.
While concerned about parts of the Kremlin’s domestic policy, the
Bush administration is pleased with bilateral cooperation in the
struggle against terror and arms proliferation. Jones commended
Russia for “working cooperatively in connection with the situation in
Iran.”
Iran’s nuclear program, which Washington insists is designed to
develop nuclear weapons, has been one of the thorniest issues in
U.S.-Russian relations. Russia, which is building a nuclear power
plant in Iran, recently put pressure on Iran to accept more
comprehensive inspections by the UN nuclear watchdog and is now
insisting that Tehran agrees to return all spent nuclear fuel used in
the plant back to Russia.
While appreciative of Moscow’s toughened stance on Iran, the Bush
administration remains worried about Russia’s policy with its
neighbors. In particular, it is concerned about Russia’s failure to
put pressure for peace settlements on the self-proclaimed republics
of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in Georgia, Transdnestr in Moldova and
Nagorny Karabakh, Jones said.
She said these four regions would be discussed at the summit. “It is
in Russia’s interest for these areas — whether it is Transdnestr,
Abkhazia, South Ossetia or Nagorny Karabakh — to be stable, for
corruption to end there, for criminal secessionists who rule there to
be removed,” she said.
Washington intends to encourage other former Soviet republics
neighboring Russia to engage in NATO’s Partnership for Peace Program
and the EU’s new Neighborhood Policy, Jones said, singling out
Ukraine as a priority. “We are looking forward to finding ways to
strengthen Ukraine’s integration into Europe and the transatlantic
community,” she said.
The United States and the EU threatened to slap sanctions on Ukraine
if it upheld the results of the Nov. 21 presidential election, which
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and other
international observers declared unfair and flawed.
Jones even summoned the Russian ambassador to explain why Putin had
congratulated pro-Russian candidate Viktor Yanukovych in the
election. Yanukovych lost a repeat of the election in December.
Jones on Thursday was careful not to mention Russia’s role in the
Ukrainian election or warn it against putting pressure on other
former Soviet republics where elections will be held this year. She
did say, however, that the parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan and
Moldova need to be fair and free.
While presenting a rather lengthy list of the issues that will be
discussed by Bush and Putin, Jones said she was unaware of any plans
for the two to sign any official documents. “This is a summit that is
primarily focused on intellectual discussion. We don’t need to sign
documents to prove that we have a relationship.”
The heaviest security measures in Slovak history are planned for the
summit, Slovak Interior Minister Vladimir Palko said Wednesday. He
said some 5,500 Slovak policemen and 400 firefighters will be on
duty.