Author: Tvankchian Parkev

THE RIGHT TIME TO SLAM THE DOOR BEHIND
Lilit Poghosyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on July 09, 2008
Armenia

How does SARGIS MOURADKHANYAN, Vice Chair of the National Unity
Party, estimate the activity of the interim parliamentary committee
investigating the March 1 events? Doesn’t he feel constrained that,
unlike the "genuine members", he is participating in the activities
of the committee only by the right to advisory vote?"

"There’s nothing of the kind. We all are equal and have the right to
express our ideas openly. There’s no essential difference whether the
committee member is an MP or a representative of an extra-parliamentary
faction. I believe the committee ensures full equality, and Mr. Nikoyan
is strictly guided by that principle: to listen to everybody, consider
the opinion of each member and make coordinated decisions."

"Doesn’t the committee go beyond its competences by making
assessments on the court decisions and mediating in the process of
the inquest? Whether this won’t become a subject of speculations and
be used with the purpose of intensifying the atmosphere of the public
distrust in the inquest, considering the factor of publicity?"

"We are not entitled to mediate in or change the decision of any court
and use pressure against it. Neither are we making any attempts in
that dirction. As a result of relevant studies, the committee forms its
opinion with regard to different issues and submits it to the relevant
bodies as well as introduces it to the public, and at the end, it
certainly reports the National Assembly on its activities accomplished.

As to the further developments with regard to our conclusion which
reflects the opinions of all the members, it’s quite a different
matter. I am sure that the conclusion will be substantiated, and the
NA leadership and the other state-government bodies will do their
best for the results of our studies to undergo relevant procedures."

"Whereas ‘Heritage’ faction, in the person of Raffi Hovhannisyan,
yesterday expressed its distrust of the committee again."

"As far as I know, Mr. Hovhannisyan has recently developed a new
feature of character – to slam the door behind. It would have
been much better if Mr. Hovhannisyan had slammed the door when the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was discussing the
issue of Azerbaijan and passing anti-Armenian clauses in a resolution
that had nothing to do with Armenia.

If he had slammed the door then and left the hall, there might still
be an impression that Raffi Hovhannisyan, a politician armed with the
ideas of American democracy, is really introducing true democratic
traditions in Armenia.

As regards the viewpoint that the activities of the committee might
be justified if we invited the three Presidents here, I believe Raffi
Hovhannisyan is experienced in that. A couple of years ago he addressed
Robert Kocharyan through some newspapers and offered him to answer
two dozens of questions. What prevents him from doing the same now,
instead of labeling the committee with different names?"

TIGRAN HAROUTIUNIAN: WE SHOULD CONSOLIDATE OUR FORCES TO OVERCOME RESISTANCE TO REFORMS

NOYAN TAPAN

Ju ly , 2008

"The problem of media plurality in Armenia has not emerged in
the recent months, PACE has been declaring for many years that
Armenia does not completely fulfil PACE requirements in that issue,"
Francisca Klopfer, the Adviser of the Programs of Legislation and
Human Rights Development Department of Council of Europe Human Rights
and Legislation General Administration, stated at the international
conference under the title Plurality in Armenian Media organized on
July 8 by Yerevan Press Club, Council of Europe European Commission,
and OSCE. Andrew Macintosh, the Head of the PACE Media Sub-committee,
attached importance to existence of an independent regulating body
in the issue of establishment of free press and plurality. He also
considered it important that not only "speech, but also practice"
correspond to European standards. According to him, the PACE last
resolutions oblige the authorities to immediately ensure return of
the A1+ TV company on the air. "Unless actions are done until January,
Armenia will be deprived of its vote," he said.

Naira Zohrabian, the Vice-Chairwoman of the NA Standing Committee for
Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Affairs, said that the
package of legislative amendments has been sent for an international
expertise, after the end of which it will be submitted for public
discussion.

NA ARFD member Gegham Manukian said that the level of media freedom
in RA cannot satisfy first of all society, press is extremely
polarized, and society is deprived of a possibility to receive total,
all-embracing information. Hovsep Khurshudian, the Spokesperson of the
Zharangutiun/ Heritage party, said that "the Noyan Tapan TV company has
been closed with no less if not with more gross violation, in reopening
of which the authorities see no problem." He expressed discontent that
under the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights in favor of
the A1+ TV company, the sum of 30 thousand euros should be paid at
the expense of tax-payers, no one has been punished for violations
resulting in the TV company’s closure. "The television sphere will
be abruptly improved with the opening of the two TV companies,"
he gave assurance. Meaning the current TV companies, he said:
"press does not need regulated freedom, if there is another order,
they will again tighten their belts."

Levon Zurabian, a representative of the National Movement
extra-parliamentary opposition, the former Spokesperson of the
first President, had not come to the discussion, he had addressed a
written text to the conference. The Movement repeated its demands:
to release the political prisoners, to return A1+ on air, to make an
abrupt change in the Public TV and Radio Company’s activity, to change
the proportion of staff of the Company’s Board and of the National
Commission of Television and Radio, by equally electing members from
the authorities and the opposition in it.

RA Ombudsman Armen Haroutiunian emphasized that in most cases
the problem is not in the laws, but in culture and environment:
the law should form proper culture. The problem also needs a system
solution. He said that lately the Ombudsman has presented proposals
of 21-page amendments to the Electoral Code: in particular, if the
National Commission of Television and Radio does not properly fulfil
its function of controlling the air, the respective figures should
have a right to apply to the court, and the court within a seven-day
term should make a decision on commission’s control activity.

Tigran Haroutiunian, the Director General of the Noyan Tapan Media
Holding, said that the current situation creates certain ground for
reforms. However, for that, it should be first of all cleared up
whether the formed situation is the consequence of incompetence,
wrong perception of democratic principles, bad and careless work
of experts and deputies or the result of actions deliberately done
by the authorities, the consequence of which was to be the current
situation in media and especially the lack of plurality.

Haven’t the authorities formerly strained special efforts to, on the
one hand, speak about democracy, human rights, freedom of expression
and integration to the European family, and on the other hand, leave
loopholes in laws regulating activity of media for establishing total
control of media and especially electronic media. If yes, it should
be first of all admitted, a legal estimation should be given to that
phenomenon and only then we should consolidate through all constructive
forces for fulfilment of reforms and overcoming resistance to them.

ARMENIA DOES NOT RAISE THE ISSUE OF ENTRANCE INTO NATO

WPS Agency
July 9, 2008 Wednesday
Russia

Armenia does not even consider entrance into NATO, it simply cooperates
with the alliance. Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandyan,
announced this today at a joint press conference with Czech foreign
Minister Karl Schwarzenberg in Yerevan. Nalbandyan said, "Armenia
does not put the issue of entrance into NATO on its foreign policy
agenda." He added, "the two-year program of individual cooperation
of our country with NATO was accomplished recently. After that,
representatives of Armenia and NATO had meetings and negotiations
in Brussels. Our cooperation was considered to be positive. A new
two-year cooperation program is being worked out."

RUSSIA’S URANIUM BREAKTHROUGH

RIA Novosti
20:07 | 08/ 07/ 2008

Russia has overtaken Niger to become the world’s fourth largest uranium
producer, after Canada, Australia, and Kazakhstan. Russia received
its new rating in 2007, when it produced 3,527 tons of uranium.

It has ambitious plans to mover even further up the league, based
on promising deposits in Eastern Siberia and other regions, and
opportunities for mutually advantageous cooperation with countries
rich in uranium ore.

Today, the uranium market is very busy and full of optimism. It is
characterized by a high-level of monopolization – three quarters of
all uranium is produced by five countries. Having placed its stake
on nuclear energy, Russia has left itself no choice but to replenish
its uranium reserves under a clear-cut and rational program.

In 2006, Russia launched cooperation with Kazakhstan. It owns 49% of
shares in the Zarechnoye Joint Venture (JV), which is in charge of
a 19,000-ton uranium deposit. Last year, Russia signed a bilateral
agreement with Australia, which will supply it with one million
dollars worth of uranium for civilian purposes every year.

Also last year, Russia set up joint ventures with Canada’s Cameco
Corporation to undertake uranium prospecting and extraction in both
countries. Potential for uranium production has also been assessed in
Armenia; and Russia and Armenia have signed an agreement on uranium
prospecting and production.

Mongolia may also occupy a major place in the global nuclear
industry. In theory, its uranium resources are the biggest in the
world, and it only remains to explore and produce them.

Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation, Rosatom, will
have to work hard to guarantee the steady growth of its nuclear
industry. Expansion is encouraged by uranium prices that are growing
even faster than those for oil and gold.

The world is not short of uranium. On the contrary, nature has
preordained a future atomic renaissance. Experts believe that there are
billions of tons of uranium ore in the entrails of the earth – much
more than silver or mercury. It was the nuclear industry that stood
behind the dazzling career of the modest 92nd element in Mendeleyev’s
Periodic Table, having invented technologies that release enormous
amounts of energy from it. Against the background of the global energy
crisis, this soft, silver-white metal has become highly precious. One
cubic centimeter of uranium is equivalent to 60,000 liters of gasoline,
110-160 tons of coal, or almost 60,000 cubic meters of natural gas.

The Priargun mining and dressing plant in the city of Krasnokamensk
in the Chita Region in Russia’s Far East produces 93% of Russia’s
uranium. The deposit’s proven reserves are estimated at 150,000 tons,
with 2,500-3,000 tons mined annually using expensive conventional
methods. Another seven percent are extracted more cheaply by
underground leaching in the Kurgan Region (Dalur), and the Republic
of Buryatia (Khiagda). These deposits are enough to meet the national
demand for uranium, but this is about it.

Meanwhile, Russia has to supply uranium to nuclear power plants that
were built abroad in Soviet times, and it also has export contracts for
uranium enrichment and processing. If we take into account all these
factors, the gap between demand and supply adds up to 6,000 tons a
year. Russia currently makes up for the shortfall with uranium from
"secondary reserves" – depots of fissionable materials, converted
nuclear weapons, and so-called "depleted uranium tails" (uranium ore
used twice). But these secondary reserves, which every nuclear power
has stockpiled since the start of the nuclear era, are disappearing
fast. They will last no more than 10 or 15 years.

Aware of the situation, Russia is building up its uranium ore
production.

The process is carried out by Rosatom’s uranium monopoly,
Atomredmetzoloto.

This year, the company plans to produce 3,880 tons of uranium,
bringing its extraction to 20,000 tons by 2024.

Russia has some 564,000 tons of proven uranium reserves, including
its biggest deposit at Elkon (344,000 tons) on the shores of the Aldan
River in the north of Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). This deposit is hard
to access; it is located in permafrost, and the ore lies deep. But
the requirements of the nuclear Renaissance are tough and call for
extreme efforts. Russia wants to extract no less than 5,000 tons of
uranium from the Elkon deposit by 2020.

At the same time, it is planning to increase uranium production at
its joint ventures in Kazakhstan.

Experts believe that Russia’s total uranium potential (natural and
weapons-grade) will enable it to enrich 45% of the world’s uranium
for nuclear power plants by the year 2030.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s and do not
necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.

RA FM: AZERBAIJAN’S ATTEMPTS TO PRESENT ITS STAND AS OPINION RECOGNIZED BY INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SERIOUSLY HAMPER NEGOTIATION PROCESS

DeFacto Agency
July 8 2008
Armenia

"Azerbaijan’s attempts to present its stand as an opinion recognized
by the world community via various international organizations
and a number of countries seriously hamper and threaten negotiation
process", RA FM Edvard Nalbandian stated commenting Azerbaijan party’s
speculations on supremacy of principle of territorial integrity in
the Karabakh settlement context, on Armenpress Agency’s request.

According to RA MFA Press Office, the RA FM noted that real stand of
OSCE Minsk group Co-Chairs and international community on the issue
had found its reflection on March 14 at the U. N. General Assembly,
in the course of a vote on a draft resolution presented by Azerbaijan:
OSCE MG Co-chair countries voted against, while the overwhelming
majority of states, including EU member countries, refused to support
the resolution, that is to say they had refrained.

"The talks are currently proceeding on the basis of OSCE documents
and basic principles: Article 2 of Helsinki conclusive act on
non-use of violence or threat to use violence, Article 4, where
territorial integrity is mentioned, and Article 8, where the right
to self-determination is fixed", RA FM stated.

SARGSYAN INVITES TURKISH PRESIDENT TO WATCH FOOTBALL MATCH IN YEREVAN

Interfax News Agency
Russia
July 4 2008

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has formally invited Turkish
President Abdullah Gul to visit Yerevan in early autumn, Armenian
president’s spokesman Samvel Farmanian told Interfax on Saturday.

"The Armenian president has sent a formal invitation to his Turkish
counterpart to visit Yerevan on September 6 for a football match
between the Armenian and Turkish national teams as part of the
qualifying tournament for the 2010 FIFA World Cup," Farmanian said.

It was reported earlier that Sargsian told of his plans to invite the
Turkish president to Yerevan at a meeting with the Armenian diaspora
in Moscow.

There are no diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey,
Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993. As a precondition
for establishing their relations Turkey demands that Armenia stop
seeking international recognition for the Armenian genocide in the
Ottoman Empire in 1915 and withdraw its troops from the Nagorno
Karabakh region.

DISCOVERING POLAND’S HERITAGE AT ST JAMES CAVALIER

Malta Independent Online
Monday, July 07, 2008
Malta

As part of the activities to mark the European Year of Intercultural
Dialogue 2008, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland is hosting the
exhibition A Commonwealth of Diverse Cultures: Poland’s Heritage at
the Atrium of St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity in Valletta.

The exhibition was inaugurated by President Edward Fenech Adami,
in the presence of Jerzy Chmielewski, Ambassador of Poland,
and Michael Fenech, chairman of St James Cavalier Centre for
Creativity. Distinguished guests, including Polish residents in Malta,
attended the official opening, and witnessed a taste of Poland’s
unique heritage on film.

"The Polish-Lithuanian Union, which existed until late 18th century –
which we for the purpose of this exhibition, call Commonwealth – was
an extraordinary state in terms of political, religious and cultural
criteria that had no counterpart in European history. Visitors
to the exhibition have the opportunity to become acquainted with
the traditions from Lithuanian, Jewish, German, Islamic, French,
Ruthenian, Armenian and Italian origins that played an important role
in our history," said Mr Chmielewski.

A Commonwealth of Diverse Cultures: Poland’s Heritage is an
international educational exhibition which presents the history of
tolerance and coexistence of various ethnic groups in the territory
of the Polish-Lithuanian Common-

wealth.

The multi-media presentation at the Atrium consists of 10 documentaries
carried out by the National Library in Warsaw in collaboration with
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the occasion of the European Year
of Intercultural Dialogue 2008.

Each presentation features different traditions and collections
of precious literary works. The documentaries are narrated by
distinguished speakers, such as Professor Shevah Weiss in the Jewish
spot and Professor Norman Davies, who gives a short talk about Polish
Commonwealth’s history.

A piano recital by the pianist Pawe Mazurkiewicz from Poland preceded
the opening of the exhibition. He performed works by Bach, Chopin,
Scriabin, Grieg, Gershwin and Debussy.

Prizewinner of the prestigious Swiss music prize, Prix Credit Suisse
– Jeunes Solistes 2003, Pawel Mazurkiewicz was born in Warsaw and
graduated with distinction from the Frederic Chopin Academy of Music
in Warsaw in 2000. In 2004 he graduated also with distinction and with
Eduard Tschumi Music Prize from the University of Arts in Bern. He is
currently assistant professor of the Piano class at the University
of Arts in Bern, Switzerland. He has started composing, arranging
and performing jazz music as an addition to his classical repertoire.

Valletta is the second capital after Rome where the exhibition is
being presented. The multimedia collection will be touring France,
Holland, Turkey and other European countries.

A Commonwealth of Diverse Cultures: Poland’s Heritage is organised
by the Embassy of Poland with the support of St James Cavalier Centre
for Creativity, Valletta, and is open till 20 July.

Original sender: Alexandra Kalatozishvili <[email protected]>

Press conference Wednesday 2nd July 2pm
NATO initiative

Statement

Multinational Georgia launched the initiative ‘Multinational Georgia and
NATO Expansion’ because we were concerned about the lack of information
about and support for Georgia’s bid for NATO membership in the regions
where minorities live compactly. The most important thing is that
Georgia’s ethnic minorities are consulted, rather than excluded, in the
pre accession negotiations, and that their interests therefore be
accounted for by the authorities and NATO.

Our main motive is that we do not want to see two separate political
directions emerging as regards NATO membership, so that popular feeling
among minorities and the centre become alienated from each other. In
recognising that some minority communities are strongly opposed to
Georgia’s bid for NATO membership we developed the initiative to conduct
research in the minority communities in order to produce a coherent set
of policy recommendations, for NATO representatives, NGOs and the
government, to ensure the inclusion of Georgia’s minorities into the
NATO agenda.

It should be noted that we are confident that, as Multinational Georgia
already has an established reputation and network of contacts in these
regions, we are better equipped to conduct such research than someone
from the government or NATO.

The initiative will involve a number of stages.

Firstly, we are directly mapping, through local consultations, how
people feel about NATO, what is important to them and what tools can be
applied to support this agenda.

Secondly we will be working on producing the policy recommendations. We
will be particularly focusing on how to reconcile the recommendations
proposed by NATO in order that Georgia will be ready to join the
alliance, (MAP), with those that emerge from our research as being
critical in minority regions.

Another aspect of the initiative is that we will be seeking the approval
of the Georgian Ministry of Defence to provide specific multicultural
training seminars for Georgian soldiers who will shortly be posted to
Iraq. We consider this to be another crucial aspect that already
NATO-trained Georgian troops are prepared for working in regions
populated by minorities in Iraq, some of these minorities are also
present in Georgia.

I would like to comment also on the results of the first step in this
process, in which two representatives of YUPMMG held focus group
discussions with the population of Samstkhe Javakheti. This was
completed on 23rd /24th June, in Akhalkalaki. Samstkhe-Javakheti as you
know is a region which hosts a large number of ethnic Armenians, many of
whom reside in compact settlements. We selected to hold consultations
with representatives of the following focus groups, who were invited to
attend discussions at the media centre established by PMMG for the
purpose of election monitoring:
Youth
NGOs
Mass media representatives
Teachers
Political elite

Attendance was very encouraging- the group sizes varied between 5 and
18, so we were able to speak to 35 community representatives in total.
The focus groups encouraged attendees to discuss their fears openly and
allowed us also to present some positive information about NATO, in
order to allay directly some misleadings they already had.

We learnt three key results from this series of focus group discussions.

. The lack of information amongst the community about NATO as an
organization in general and what it should mean for Georgia was clear.
Although everyone involved had heard of NATO most knew only about its
military activities, associated it with the coalition war in Iraq and
were unaware of specific benefits NATO membership could bring for the
Georgian armed forces. Throughout the discussion forums we gathered
feedback from attendees on what methods of spreading information would
work here, such as what mass media resources to employ and how to
involve teachers. Further details of these specific recommendations will
be in the final recommendation paper. After meeting with local political
elites we also learnt that some meetings had been held, prior to the
recent elections, by Georgian authorities and by NATO representatives,
to inform them about what NATO membership would mean for the region but
that the only people invited to these meeting were 10 local politicians.
Teachers, meanwhile, do not have the information or the training
available to even answer questions about NATO, even though the children
are often curious.

. Political fears about expansion that emerged were contrary to initial
expectations. Rather than being worried that joining NATO would mean the
establishment of Turkish bases in the region, attendees were primarily
concerned about the negative impact joining NATO could have on their
traveling to and working in Russia, as well as the neighborhood
relationship with Armenia. Their main interest is that they can maintain
both economic and familiarial ties with both Russia and Armenia. It is
good to note that this is not evidence of a widespread ethnically
hostile feeling towards Turkey but reflecting economic priorities of the
relations with their neighbours. For some people we spoke to the concern
that the road to Turkey will be re opened and this will bring Turks
through the region was a distant, though emotive concern- but this is
contrasted against a feeling this is an inevitable change.

. The critical economic aspect for this particular municipality is that
until recently a Russian base operated there which provided valuable
economic input into the community. With that gone, the residents of
Akhalkalaki and its surrounding villages are markedly worse off, and
therefore more dependent on Russia, as many of their relatives and
friends work there and most of the goods they can afford are Russian. If
NATO will construct a new base here or if they can affect these problems
directly remains an open question. But we can make specific
recommendations about how to best impact the community should a base be
established.

What we have learnt from these focus groups is being fed into the
process we have now started which is to formulate a practical set of
recommendations on how policy makers should proceed, with the intention
that the same process will also be undertaken in respect to ethnic
minority residents living in Kvemo Kartli region and Pankisi.

We are focusing particularly on feasible ways of disseminating the
information about NATO which the community needs-as we are establishing
exactly what that information should be. We are also underlining for
policy makers what minority interests need to be taken into specific
account within the pre accession negotiation process.

When we have compiled sufficient information to make the recommendations
we will have an additional press conference as well as publicizing the
recommendations on our website,

RA Government delegation visits Artsakh

armradio.am
05.07.2008 14:40

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan’s working visit to the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic started on July 5. The delegation headed by RA Prime
Minister comprises the Ministers of Finance, Energy and Natural
Resources, Education and Science, Culture, Agriculture and the Mayor of
Yerevan. In the morning the Prime Minister had a meeting with his
counterpart Arayik Harutyunyan. Simultaneously the Armenian and NKR
Ministers met to discuss issues of mutual interest.

Following the meeting the Prime Ministers and members of government of
the two countries held working consultations, followed by a sitting of
governments in an extended format. Participants of the sitting summed
up the results of the previous meetings and discussions, set the future
directions and programs of cooperation. At the beginning of the sitting
NKR Prime Minister Arayik Harutyunyan thanked the Armenian Government
and its leaders for interested and fruitful discussions and the
willingness to cooperate.

Speaking about the aims of the visit, RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
noted that the objective is to form the agenda including the fields of
cooperation and find joint solutions to those agenda issues. The
Armenian Prime Minister attached importance to the implementation of
second-generation reforms in NKR. `In Armenia we have new initiatives,
which already yield positive results. In his pre-election platform RA
President has proposed the idea that we should be able to make maximal
use of the potential of the whole Armenian nation, which means that
first of all we must show our citizens the spheres and programs where
they can make investments. We should not rely only on state means, but
create a favorable atmosphere for attracting investments from the
private sector.’

During the joint sitting of RA and NKR Governments the Ministers
presented the problems existing in their spheres, the directions of
cooperation targeted at their solution and development programs.
Following the sitting members of government of the two countries
visited the Memorial to the victims of the Artsakhi war and laid a
wreath of flowers.

In the evening Tigran Sargsyan will have a meeting with NKR President
Bako Sahakyan. Tomorrow morning the Armenian government delegation will
participate in the opening of the water network in Khramoti and
Kolkhozashen villages.

Panorama.am

14:43 05/07/2008

DAY OF ARMENIAN CONSTITUTION

Today the Day of RA Constitution is celebrated.
The principle laws of Armenia have been adopted in July 5, 1995
through the all national voting.
After ten years another constitutional voting has been conducted in
Republic of Armenia in November 27, 2005. Here the citizens of Armenia
affirmed the changes made in the document.
The Constitutional Court of Armenia organizes official ceremony
devoted to the day.
According to the law `about holidays and memorial day of Republic of
Armenia’ and the decision made in July 24, 2001 Day of Constitution is
celebrated on July 5. The day is announced as day off.

Source: Panorama.am