Author: Vardapetian Ophelia

FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway

The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one’s belief or religion
The right to join together and express one’s belief

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Monday 21 March 2005
ARMENIA: NEW WAVE OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESS SENTENCES

Five young Jehovah’s Witnesses are known to have been imprisoned for
refusing military service so far in March, the largest number in a single
month since last October and in continuing defiance of Armenia’s
commitment to the Council of Europe to end imprisonment of conscientious
objectors. One, Arman Agazaryan, a 28-year-old dentist, is the only
breadwinner in his extended family of six, his lawyer Rustam Khachatryan
told Forum 18 News Service. Khachatryan also complains of the treatment of
Jehovah’s Witnesses who have opted for the alternative military service,
saying they remain under military control, have to serve far longer than
those in the army and are banned from joining their fellow Jehovah’s
Witnesses for worship. There is no civilian alternative service.

ARMENIA: NEW WAVE OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESS SENTENCES

By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service

In the biggest wave of sentences of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armenia since
last October, at least five young men have been handed prison terms of up
to two years since the beginning of March, Forum 18 News Service has
learnt. All five refused to serve in the army or do the alternative
military service, which they argue is not the genuine civilian alternative
which Armenia is committed to provide. Among them is a 28-year-old dentist
from the capital Yerevan, Arman Agazaryan, who was called up in the wake
of a defence ministry order last November that doctors who had previously
been exempted from serving in the army after studying medicine at the
academy can now be drafted up to the age of 35. “He was deliberately
targeted for conscription and sentenced because he is a Jehovah’s
Witness,” his lawyer Rustam Khachatryan told Forum 18 from Yerevan on
18 March. “No other dentists have been taken.”

After Agazaryan refused to be drafted into the army on grounds of
religious conscience, he was arrested on 23 December 2004 and was tried in
Yerevan in mid-March, receiving a prison sentence of one and a half years.
“Agazaryan supported his wife, his seven-year old son, his parents
and his wife’s mother on his income,” Khachatryan told Forum 18.
“Now they have lost their only breadwinner to prison.” He is
being held in Nubarashen prison, where most other Jehovah’s Witness
prisoners are incarcerated.

Like all but one of the current prisoners, Agazaryan was sentenced under
Article 327 part I of the criminal code, which reads: “Evading a
recurring call to emergency military service, or educational or military
training, without a legal basis for being relieved of this service, shall
incur a fine in the amount of 300 to 500 minimum [monthly] wages or arrest
for up to two months or imprisonment for up to two years.”

Sergei Hovhanissyan was sentenced to one and a half years in prison in
early March and is now held at Nubarashen. Gevork Manukyan was sentenced
to two years’ imprisonment on 16 March and is now in Nubarashen. Arsen
Gasparyan was sentenced in the town of Vedi in Ararat region to one and a
half years in prison on 17 March. He too is imprisoned at Nubarashen. Also
sentenced to two years’ imprisonment in March was Ashot Torgomyan.

Armenia last year introduced the alternative military service of three and
a half years’ duration (compared to two years’ military service) under
defence ministry control, which became available from 1 July. The
government insisted that this met its commitment made to the Council of
Europe when it joined to introduce a civilian service of non-punitive
length by January 2004. Its refusal to meet its obligations to provide a
non-punitive civilian service have repeatedly been condemned by officials
of the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in
Europe and human rights groups (see F18News 19 October 2004
).

Some Jehovah’s Witnesses have been prepared to do the alternative service,
believing that although it was not ideal the actual work handed to those
doing it was non-military and therefore did not violate their pacifist
beliefs. However, Khachatryan insists that all but one of the 18 Jehovah’s
Witnesses who opted for this alternative service are
“discontented”. “They remain under military control –
which means it is not civilian service, the term of three and a half years
is not in line with European norms and while serving all but one of them
have been banned from attending Jehovah’s Witness meetings,” he told
Forum 18. “It’s worse than the army.”

He said that as lawyer to four of the young men carrying out their
alternative service at a mental hospital in Yerevan, he had gone to see
the hospital head, Karapetyan, and the chief doctor Aleksanyan. “They
told me categorically the four were doing military service under the
control of the defence ministry,” Khachatryan told Forum 18. “Dr
Aleksanyan told me they wouldn’t be allowing the men to have a quiet
life.”

Khachatryan complained that the four were allowed no contact with their
fellow Jehovah’s Witnesses, and were banned from preaching their faith or
meeting for worship. Nor are they granted any holiday.

Although the four are not being given military training, they must wear
special dark blue alternative service uniforms. “By law they
shouldn’t be looking after the mentally ill at all, as special training
for this should be given,” he added. “They’ve been given no
training.”

Meanwhile, two Jehovah’s Witnesses – Hovhannes and Arsen (last names
unknown) were beaten on the street by the deputy police chief of the
southern town of Megri, Khachatryan also told Forum 18. While the two were
talking on the street, a car pulled up and out got the deputy police chief
and two other men, who beat the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They then left.
Shortly afterwards, police officers returned and took the pair to the
police station, where they were held for an hour and again beaten before
being freed.

Khachatryan said the two were lodging complaints to the minister of the
interior and the prosecutor’s office.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses – who claim that up to 15,000 people attend
their meetings in Armenia – have faced widespread official and
popular opposition to their activity over the past decade. Last October,
after a nine-year battle, the group finally managed to get state
registration (see F18News 12 October 2004
).

A printer-friendly map of Armenia is available at
las/index.html?Parent=asia&Rootmap=armeni
(END )

© Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved. ISSN 1504-2855

You may reproduce or quote this article provided that credit is given to
F18News

Past and current Forum 18 information can be found at

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TURKEY ELABORATES NEW STRATEGY ON FIGHT AGAINST ARMENIAN CLAUSE

YEREVAN, MARCH 18. ARMINFO. During the sitting of the Coordination
Council on fight against “groundless ideas of the Genocide of
Armenians in Ottoman Turkey”, which was held in Ankara under the
chairmanship of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Abdullah Gul,
the participants elaborated a news strategy on fight against the
Armenian clause. Turkish daily Hurriyet informs.

According to the resource, within the framework of the measures on
fight against Armenian clause Turkey particularly intends to intensify
the propaganda activities on the international arena and present to
the world “the real fact of the events of beginning of the 20th
century”, as well as to open a museum telling about “the tolerance of
Ottoman Turks”. Besides, the authorities of Turkey intend to make
efforts towards removal from several text-books of France, the USA, as
well as other countries provisions accusing Turkey of genocide of
Armenia.

Sabah (Turkey) via BYEGM, 18 March 2005
March 18 2005

Depending on the Intentions: On Turkey’s EU Membership Bid
by Erdal Safak

Columnist Erdal Safak comments on Turkey’s European Union membership
bid. A summary of his column is as follows:

`Turkey is now concerned over its European Union membership talks
since Brussels decided to postpone entry talks with Croatia due to
its failure to arrest a top war crimes suspect. `Will this decision
be a precedent for other candidate countries?’ our diplomats are now
asking. According to our Foreign Ministry, the issue has nothing to
do with Turkey’s membership talks.

However, the international community has interpreted the decision as
a powerful signal to other would-be EU members that they must fully
respect human rights. For example, French Foreign Minister Michel
Barnier said that the EU’s decision is a precedent for Turkey,
proving that Brussels would never give any ground on human rights. In
addition, Joost Lagendijk, the co-president of the Turkey-EU Joint
Parliamentary Commission, stated that Turkey must take the decision
to heart. `On Oct. 3, Brussels will examine the list of conditions
that it stipulated had to be completed by that date,’ he added. `If
Ankara fails to fulfill even one of them, Brussels can decide to
postpone the country’s accession talks, as in the case of Croatia.’

The final statement of last December’s Brussels summit covered
Croatia in three paragraphs. In the first, Brussels praised the
country’s preparations for EU membership. In the second, Brussels
urged Zagreb to surrender a Croatian former general to the UN war
crimes tribunal for trial. The last paragraph underlines that this is
the only precondition to start the nation’s accession talks.

What about the paragraphs on Turkey? There are seven articles on our
country, from which there seem to be two preconditions: First, the
amendment of the Ankara Agreement in line with the EU’s current
members. In other words, Ankara must recognize the Greek Cypriot
administration. Second, six laws must be approved by the Parliament
by Oct. 3.

However, there are also certain sentences that could be interpreted
as preconditions as well, depending on the intentions of the reader.
For example, Brussels will closely monitor both Turkey’s reform
process to ensure the protection of human rights and basic freedoms,
and Ankara’s progress on political reforms in line with the Accession
Partnership Document.

Moreover, the statement also stressed that Brussels noted the earlier
European Parliament decision on Turkey, which lists a number of
preconditions for Turkey’s membership talks such as Ankara’s official
recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide, opening the Armenian
border, reopening the Heybeliada Seminary and ending compulsory
religion courses in schools. If the EU leaders said that they noted
this EP decision, should we see these as further preconditions or
not? As I said, everything hinges on the intentions. If Brussels has
good intentions towards Ankara, the only problem we’ll have is the
Customs Union. However, if the EU leaders decide to see the summit
statement through another, wider-angle lens, then everything will
grow much more complicated…’

Source: Sabah via BYEGM, 18 March 2005

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
March 17 2005

AZERBAIJANI AND CZECH PARLIAMENTS INTENDS TO CLOSELY COOPERATE
[March 17, 2005, 19:38:59]

Ian Vidim, head of the parliament committe on defence and security
issues of the Czech Republic, met on March 17 with his Azerbaijani
colleague – vice speaker of Milli Majlis Ziyafat Askarov, reported
azerTAj correspondent.

Having underlined a friendly ties between two countries, Ziyafat
Askarov said that MP’s are sucessfully collaborated in the frame of
international organizations, as well as NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
He noted that today Azerbaijan is the most developed country of the
region. But the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
occupation of 20 percent of the country’s territories and one million
of refugees and IDPs ousted from their homelands seriously impede
this development. The aggressor, Armenia ignores the resolutions
adopted by the United Nations, the Council of Europe Parliamentary
Assembly related to the problem.

Ian Vidim said that both country having a large potential for
expanding a mutual relations. There were some agreements for
developing a economical and trade relations between Czechia and
Azerbaijan. He noted that Czechia is support a peacefull settlement
of the problem over Nagorno Karabakh.

Council of Europe/European Union backing for steps to improve mutual
co-operation

Strasbourg, 17.03.2005 – High-level representatives from the Council
of Europe and the European Union have expressed their support for a
number of concrete measures aimed at boosting co-operation between the
two organisations.

The participants at the 21st Council of Europe/EU Quadripartite
meeting in Brussels yesterday(*) underlined the key role of
multilateral organisations in tackling modern-day problems, and
expressed their hope that the forthcoming Council of Europe Summit of
Heads of State and Government (Warsaw, 16-17 May 2005) should lay the
foundations for a new institutional set-up in Europe.

In particular, the participants:

– agreed to begin work, as soon as possible, on the arrangements for
the EU’s accession to the European Convention on Human Rights;
– stated their willingness to strengthen coherence between the Council
of Europe’s conventions and the EU’s legal acquis;
– backed an EU proposal for a review of consultation and co-operation
mechanisms at all levels;
– expressed their support for a memorandum of understanding setting
out arrangements for enhanced co-operation and politicaldialogue in
concrete terms;
– welcomed the recent appointment of a European Commission
representative to the Council of Europe.

New joint projects in the South Caucasus, Ukraine and South-East
Europe were also discussed, as were a number of topical issues
including the recent elections in Moldova and forthcoming votes in
Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The full text of the concluding statement can be found at

—————–
(*) The Council of Europe representatives at the Quadripartite meeting
were Secretary General Terry Davis and Jan Truszczynski, Secretary of
State at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representing the
Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. The EU
was represented by Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn,
representing the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the
High Representative for the CFSP and Secretary General of the Council,
Javier Solana, and External Relations Commissioner Benita
Ferrero-Waldner.

Press Release
Council of Europe Press Division
Ref: 139a05
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60
Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11
[email protected]
internet:

Azeri, Chinese leaders sign five cooperation accords, expected to sign more

MPA news agency
17 Mar 05

Baku, 17 March: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met his Chinese
counterpart Hu Jintao today, MPA reports. The sides discussed ways of
developing relations between Azerbaijan and the People’s Republic of
China.

The communique signed by the presidents of the two countries reflects
issues related to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and Beijing’s
support for the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway system.

During the Azerbaijani president’s visit to China, five documents were
signed on cooperation in the area of youth policy, television
broadcasting, communications and information technologies,
collaboration between the two countries’ Olympic committees and
justice ministries.

Today, the sides are expected to sign an agreement on extradition, a
memorandum on the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s technical assistance to
the Azerbaijani ministry, an agreement on trade and economic
cooperation (which envisages assistance to the tune of 1.8m dollars),
a document on economic and technical cooperation, agreements on
avoiding double taxation, cooperation in the area of customs, and
contacts in the area of culture and arts in 2005-2009.

PanArmenian News
March 15 2005

ACADEMICIAN OF ARMENIAN NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES NOMINATED FOR
DIRECTOR OF UNITED INSTITUTE FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH

15.03.2005 07:22

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and
the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, professor Alexey
Sisakian is nominated for Director of the United Institute for
Nuclear Research (he is now Deputy-Director of the UINR), Dubna town
administration Press Service reported. The election of the new
director will be held in the course of the session of the Committee
of the Plenipotentiary Representatives (CPP) of the United Institute
for Nuclear Research states. The session will be held in Dubna March
17-18. Today 18 states of the world are members of the United
Institute. Questions of UINR activities in 2004 and its plans for
2005, the fulfillment of the recommendations of the Scientific
Council and CPP decisions, UINR financial and innovation activities
will be on the agenda of the Committee session.

The Messenger

Tuesday, March 15, 2005, #046 (0820)

Credit line to boost lending for SME’s

KfW and Bank of Georgia ink deal for USD 4.5 million credit line
By Christina Tashkevich

Bank of Georgia CEO Lado Gurgenidze and KfW’s representative in
Tbilisi, Christian Calov, sign the agreement on Monday Bank of Georgia
signed a USD 4.5 million credit guarantee agreement with KfW, the
German development bank, on Monday.

According to the agreement, the Georgian bank will get access to the
specially created Credit Guarantee Fund (CGF). The CGF allows Bank of
Georgia to borrow in international capital markets up to USD 4.5 million.

The bank then must loan these funds to small and medium enterprises.

“I am delighted that Bank of Georgia has been selected as a partner bank at
a time when the bank is in the process of implementing a series of strategic
initiatives aimed at providing better financing opportunities for its
clients in the small and medium business sector,” said the bank’s Chief
Executive Officer Lado Gurgenidze.

He hopes the guarantee will enhance “the bank’s ability to draw upon
international funds to on-lend to the SMEs with loan maturities of up to
five years.”

On his part, KfW’s representative in Tbilisi, Christian Calov, said KfW is
demonstrating through this project that it uses its knowledge so that
Georgia can be closer to international markets. “The CGF helps Georgian
banks move closer to European standards and it gives European banks an
opportunity to work in the Caucasus region,” he said on Monday.

Calov added that the Bank of Georgia is dedicated to the “further
strengthening of its already significant presence in the SME sector.”

According to KfW representative, the CGF will also provide technical
assistance to Bank of Georgia in training of staff and advice on lending
procedures. The non-profit Savings Banks Foundation for International
Cooperation will provide support to the Bank of Georgia in the establishment
of lending procedures.

The Bank of Georgia was selected in KfW tender announcement in 2004. In
addition to Bank of Georgia, two other local banks-TBC Bank and Bank
Republic have been selected for participation in the CGF.

KfW is implementing the CGF project in Armenia and the KfW says one may be
launched in Azerbaijan in the near future.

Last Wednesday the Bank of Georgia introduced two new commercial projects.
Microloan Plus is designed for the owners of small businesses. According to
the bank, when receiving a loan under this project a person also will get
VISA Electron and Maestro debit cards. They also automatically get life and
workers-compensation insurance.

The bank says it is the first project of its kind in Georgia and that it
will soon spread to all Georgian regions.

In addition, the Bank of Georgia also announced last week it launched
enhanced current accounts for individuals and corporate clients,
specifically designed with a new nine-digit account numbering system for
easier use internationally.

Baku Today

Emergency monitoring due on the frontline

AssA-Irada 15/03/2005 13:01

An emergency monitoring will be carried out on the Azerbaijan-Armenia
frontline in the coming days due to the recent persistent ceasefire
violations, the OSCE chairman’s special envoy Anzhei Kaspshik told local ANS
TV.

He did not elaborate on the precise date of the monitoring but said it aims
to eliminate the current tensions on the frontline. Kaspshik noted, however,
that personally, he will not take part in the process.

The OSCE chairman’s envoy said that talks are currently underway with
Armenian Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs over the ceasefire
violations, expressing a hope that the frontline tensions would be
eliminated after the talks.

ArmenPress
March 11 2005

KOCHARIAN VISITS ARMEN CARPET ENTERPRISE

YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS: Armenian president Robert Kocharian
described today a rug producing company, Armen Carpet, as a brilliant
example of a successful privatization deal after taking a stroll
through its workshops.
The company was built on the remnants of a Soviet era,
carpet-weaving enterprise known as Hay Gorg (Armenian Carpet). After
the disintegration of the U.S.S.R., lack of managerial skills and raw
materials brought rug production to a standstill. Most of the weaving
centers throughout the country became idle, resulting in the loss of
thousands of jobs. It began experiencing a renaissance after the
Megerian family of New York, well known for their expertise in
antique and decorative rug reproductions, which has made their name
synonymous with quality, led the charge in bolstering the traditional
Armenian creativity and rebuilding the industrial infrastructure.
Kocharian said Armenian rug production has not only revived old
traditions but has also excelled in designing new patterns. According
to him, the existence of this company, along with another company,
revived by another Diaspora-based Armenian businessman, the Tufenkian
Family, is a good sign that this branch will have a bright future.
The Megerian family has already invested $ 2 million in the
enterprise. Last year it produced 12,000 square meters of carpets and
rugs, 23 times more than in 2001. Ninety-two percent of rugs are sold
in Switzerland, Turkey, Egypt, China, Pakistan and Romania. It
employs 1,500 people whose average monthly wage is about $70.