Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

STATE TO CONSIDER RESURRECTING TRADE OFFICES
By Judy Lin — Bee Capitol Bureau
Sacramento Bee,CA
June 15 2006
Sen. Jack Scott, D-Altadena, salvaged a California Armenia Trade
Office. It’s funded through private donations.
Sacramento Bee file, 2000/Randy Pench
California’s foreign trade offices — taxpayer-funded enterprises
disbanded three years ago amid scandal and budget woes — are staging
a comeback despite lingering questions about their usefulness.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and some legislators are once again
trumpeting the value of trade promotion for the sixth-largest economy
in the world. In recent months, the governor has established an
undersecretary for international trade, while lawmakers have proposed
resurrecting outposts in Seoul, South Korea, and Johannesburg,
South Africa.
In coming weeks, the Legislature is expected to take up bills that
call for developing a comprehensive trade strategy and moving the
state back into the business of operating trade offices.
Such a move has raised eyebrows among trade experts who believe former
state offices were mismanaged. Some have questioned whether the state
should even have trade offices.
“Historically, they have not been very successful. In fact, they have
been somewhat disastrous,” said trade consultant Jock O’Connell.
“There’s this feeling in the state Capitol that California needs to
be represented by the state. The real California is superbly well
represented in the form of 57,000 exporting companies.”
California’s 12 trade offices were shut down in 2003 — along with the
rest of the Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency — after critical
news reports and damaging audits appeared.
At the time the state had more than 90 workers spanning the globe,
from Hong Kong to London. Their charge was simple: Help California
businesses sell their products abroad while luring foreign investment
to the state. Last year, the state exported $116.8 billion worth
of goods.
But the legislative analyst’s office and the state auditor’s office
questioned the effectiveness of such offices.
The offices were accused of taking credit regardless of how much
involvement they had in facilitating a deal.
“For instance, an office may only have provided a list of foreign
companies potentially interested in a product developed by a California
business. However, the agency counted the total value of a subsequent
export agreement,” according to one legislative analyst report.
The Orange County Register quantified the overstated benefits at
$44.2 million for one year.
In the end, only one trade office survived. The California Armenia
Trade Office was subsequently transferred to the authority of the
Business, Housing and Transportation Agency, where it remains today.
Sen. Jack Scott, D-Altadena, salvaged the trade office by requiring
that it thrive on private donations. Scott’s district is home to the
largest Armenian community in America.
Scott considers the Armenia office a pilot project that could, perhaps,
become a model for future trade offices. Unlike its predecessors,
the office is funded through $75,000 in private donations, must
file evaluation reports, and will automatically close in 2008 unless
reauthorized by the Legislature.
“We’re learning from mistakes of the past,” Scott said.
But experts say accepting private donations is bad public policy.
Jeffrey Gersick, former managing director of the state’s trade offices
in London, Frankfurt, Germany, Johannesburg, and Jerusalem, said the
state’s priorities can be muddled by those who “pay to play.”
Rather than putting offices where there’s growth potential, Gersick
and others say, the practice could hold the state hostage to special
interests looking to leverage the state’s seal for their own cause,
creating a case of “country du jour.”
The director of the Armenian Trade Office, Arthur Khachatryan, said
he reports to the Foundation for Economic Development, a nonprofit
Armenian group based in Glendale handling the state contract.
However, the trade office keeps the state abreast of its work through
biweekly phone calls and progress reports.
“The ultimate responsibility rests with the state,” Khachatryan said.
“But on day-to-day questions, of course, we work with the foundation.”
Critics also question the reliability of private money. Already Scott
had to seek an extension when the Armenian community failed to raise
$75,000 in time to launch the office. Donor restrictions may have
been blurred, too.
When the Armenian National Committee, an Armenian lobbying group, sent
two $10,000 checks on Feb. 22, 2005, it exceeded a $10,000-per-quarter
fundraising restriction in the law.
Undersecretary Garrett Ashley, who was appointed by Schwarzenegger
four months ago, said it was a clerical error because the checks were
not sequential and had different dates.
Sen. Kevin Murray, D-Culver City, said he believes private donations
are the way to go. He is carrying two bills to install trade offices
in Seoul and Johannesburg, both of which are modeled after the Armenia
trade office.
Murray and Scott argue that the private-funding model deserves a
chance before being tossed out.
“If you can generate far more business than the cost of the trade
office, I can’t see how you’d lose,” Scott said.
Lawmakers are trying to consolidate all trade office bills, and they
hope to develop an overall trade strategy for the state.
Assemblyman Juan Arambula, D-Fresno, chair of the jobs committee,
has written a bill that would give Schwarzenegger’s Business,
Transportation and Housing Agency $140,000 to develop an overall
state policy on trade. Assembly Bill 2601 is being supported by
the Republican governor after another bill to give the agency legal
control of trade offices failed.
Concerned that there won’t be enough oversight, Sen. Gloria Romero,
D-Los Angeles, has written a bill that would also develop a strategy
for the state. However, Senate Bill 1513 allows the Legislature to
decide where to put trade offices and requires them to be funded
through private donations.
Both bills require public disclosure of donations, but Romero’s
requires them to be posted on the Internet.
Business, Transportation and Housing Secretary Sunne Wright McPeak
said the governor has made trade promotion a priority, citing his
trade missions to Baja California, Japan and China. However, she said
the agency will be reluctant to spend taxpayer dollars.
Instead, McPeak said the agency has begun coordinating with trade
associations and the U.S. Commerce Department as a cost-effective
approach to trade promotion.
Agency officials say that even if the Legislature fails to pass a bill,
the administration intends to develop a trade strategy for the state.
Howard Shatz, a research fellow at the Public Policy Institute of
California, a nonpartisan think tank, said lawmakers will have to be
careful in formulating a plan with reliable performance measures.
Trade experts say the state should take advantage of existing resources
like the Commerce Department, look to countries with the most growth
potential, and assign trade offices clear mandates, then measure
their achievements accordingly.
“It needs to be done right because they are going to be scrutinized
given the history of trade offices,” Shatz said. “The last thing you
want is another scandal.”

G-8 JUSTICE MINISTERS DISCUSS TERRORISM, INTERNET CRIME AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
Pravda, Russia
June 15 2006
Franco Frattini, the European Union’s justice and home affairs
commissioner, told reporters that he would propose that each EU and G-8
member state establish a central national unit to prevent cybercrime
in order to create “a real international network of cooperation.”
Frattini said he would also discuss new measures to combat illegal
immigration, focusing on the countries where migrants start their
journeys as well as transit countries. He called the black labor market
“the most dangerous pull factor for illegal immigration to Europe.”
Frattini said the EU had recently flown its first joint repatriation
flight out of Europe, an Austrian-organized mission to return dozens
of Georgian and Armenian crime suspects to their home countries,
the AP reports.
At the outset of Thursday’s meeting, Russian presidential chief of
staff Sergei Sobyanin called illegal immigration a pressing problem
for G-8 member countries.

ARMENIAN INTELLECTUALS CONDEMN ACTS OF VIOLENCE TOWARDS ARMENIANS IN RUSSIA
Noyan Tapan
Jun 13 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The representatives of Armenian
creative unions and scientific circles condemn the acts of violence
towards Armenians in Russia, in consequence of which a great number
of Armenians were killed. The intellectuals call for undertaking
effective measures for stopping these phenomena. They criticized RA
Foreign Ministry at the June 13 meeting. According to the speakers,
the Ministry does not properly struggle against this phenomena through
its diplomatic canals.
Maria Babayan, Head of RA Foreign Ministry RF Department, said that “we
all are anxious about the existence of such a problem in Russia.” But
she does not agree that the Foreign Ministry undertakes no steps
against this. According to her, in case of any act of violence the
Armenian foreign political department responds, sends letters to their
Russian colleagues, and there are affirmations that the criminals
will be disclosed and punished.
The intellectuals are also going to make a statement, as well as to
send a message to RF President Vladimir Putin.

MEETING DEDICATED TO PREPARATORY WORKS OF ARMENIA-DIASPORA THIRD CONFERENCE TAKES PLACE IN FRANCE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 13 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 13, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A meeting with the
French Armenian Organizations’ Coordinating Commitee took place at the
RA Embassy’s invitation in France on June 10. All French Armenian main
structures are in the staff of the committee. The meeting was dedicated
to preparatory works of the Armenia-Diaspora Third Conference.
RA Ambassador to France Edvard Nalbandian presented issues on agenda
to be discussed at the conference, especially drawing attention to
one of main themes of the conference, to program of development of
rural communities of Armenia, also touched upon the forum entitled
“New Solutions for Old Problems for Nation-State of XXI Century.”
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, opinions were exchanged at the meeting on
securing proper participation of the French Armenian community in the
conference and on issues of involving French experts in the program
of development of rural communities.
Issues relating to formation of the French Armenian delegation at the
conference, preparing reports and proposals on themes on the agenda
were discussed.
At the Ambassador’s request, the French Armenian Organizations’
Coordinating Committee undertook organization issues connected
with participation of the Armenian community of France in the
Armenia-Diaspora Third Conference and committed itself to prepare
for the conference in the best way.

WEST SHOW OF IRAN ISSUES POLITICALLY-MOTIVATED: ARMENIAN DAILY
Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran
June 11 2006
The West has always shown the domestic affairs of Iran in line with
its political goals, Armenian daily `Alik’ wrote on Sunday.
Alik editor-in-chief Dernik Malekian Mehr made the remark while
pointing to a news by Western media claiming that religious minorities
in Iran are obliged to carry a badge on their dresses to be distinct
from Muslims.
In line with the West’s anti-Iran propaganda, the Western media publish
news on alleged violation of human rights in Iran every year, he said,
adding this time they have focused on violation of rights of religious
minorities in Iran.
He said minor social and economic problems of religious minorities
in Iran have reduced during the past 27 years after the victory of
the Islamic Revolution.
He added religious minorities were exposed to no pressure in Iran.
The editor-in-chief further stated if religious minorities faced
problems in Iran, they would raise them through their representatives
at Majlis (Parliament) and the MPs did their utmost to settle the
problems.
He added the West has always launched such propaganda against Iran
over the past 27 years but to no avail.
Today, the communities of religious minorities in Iran face no
problem with respect to interaction with the government, he said,
adding there is no room for the West to distort realities in Iran.
Religious minorities, like every Iranian individual, can rought up
their political, social and economic problems with their deputies at
Majlis, he added.
Malekian Mehsr said the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran
has always tried to settle problems of religious minorities.
There are, however, problems in Iran which are not limited to just
religious minorities rather all Iranians are faced with them, he
said, adding these problems caused no displeasure between religious
minorities and the Iranian government.

SWITZERLAND TO CONTRIBUTE TO TURKISH-ARMENIAN RELATIONS
Lragir.am
12 June 06
Switzerland has recognized the Armenian genocide, adopted a law
prohibiting the denial of the genocide, and condemned the massacres
of Armenian khachkars in Old Djolfa. Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline
Calmy-Rey stated June 12 that their relations with Turkey did not
become tense in the aftermath though there were some trials.
Switzerland is simply interested and willing to contribute to the
improvement of Turkish-Armenian and Armenian-Azerbaijani relations
and foster the use of diplomatic methods to settle the conflict and
sustain democracy in the South Caucasus. The resolution of the Karabakh
conflict will both regulate the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and
indirectly foster Turkish-Armenian relations.
Switzerland has always made efforts to foster dialogue between
Armenia and Turkey but has failed so far, said the deputy chair of
the Federal Council of the Swiss Confederation, Foreign Minister
Micheline Calmy-Rey.

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
June 9, 2006 Friday
AFTERWARD TO THE JUBILEE MEETING OF THE CIS COUNCIL OF DEFENSE
MINISTERS;
Moscow is prepared to strengthen its positions in the post-Soviet
republics
Russian Defense Minister held the 50th meeting of the CIS Council of
defense ministers in Baku last week.
Unfortunately, the majority of the CIS defense ministers failed to
attend the meeting. No one was surprised that representatives of
Georgia, Moldova and Turkmenistan did not arrive they always ignore
such meetings. However, it’s unknown why the defense ministers of
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan refused to attend the meeting.
They sent their representatives. The Ukrainian defense minister
participated as an observer. The delegation from Armenia did not
arrive, though this country is an active participant in military
cooperation within the framework of the CIS. Armenian representatives
feared that Azerbaijan would not ensure their security. This is a
reasonable argument. There was a tragic precedent: an Armenian
officer sent to a course in English in Budapest was murdered by an
Azerbaijanian officer. Azerbaijan declared the murderer person of the
year in 2005…
Only four ministers (from Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan)
participated. However, the meeting proved to be very fruitful. They
discussed the progress of realization of the Conception of military
cooperation within the CIS until 2010. The ministers focused on the
joint anti-aircraft system and the CIS coordinating committee in
charge of anti-aircraft issues. In particular, they considered issues
linked with funding the anti-aircraft system in 2007. There are plans
to allocate around 240 million roubles for its development.
The ministers analyzed the performance of the CIS coordinating
committee of meteorological services and determined its tasks until
2010. In addition, they passed joint requirements to the
communications system and discussed planning of joint operational
exercises in 2007.
The ministers analyzed the performance of the peacekeeping contingent
in the zone of the Georgian-Abkhazia conflict and decided to extend
its commander’s term in office for six months.
Sergei Ivanov made a range of important statements about Moscow’s
policy in the post-Soviet republics after the end of the summit.
He noted that 1,500 peacekeepers stationed in the Trans-Dniester
territory prevent military conflicts between Moldova and the
Trans-Dniester territory. Several hundred servicemen guard ammunition
depots of the former 14th army.
The minister said that Russia has withdrawn heavy weapons from the
Trans-Dniester territory in compliance with the conventional arms
agreement. However, he noted that Russian servicemen must remain in
this region in order to prevent terrorists from obtaining the
remaining ammunition in the Trans-Dniester territory.
The Russian minister noted, “We will be protecting these ammunition
depots until a political solution to the Trans-Dniester problem has
been found.”
To all appearances, this means that Moscow has begun to defend its
interests in the post-Soviet republics. It’s no secret that many
Russian politicians reproach the government for being too diplomatic
in solving some problems, for instance with Georgia and Ukraine.
The demonstration of such serious a position is probably linked with
the fact that the OSCE chairman, who arrived in Moldova, stated that
the OSCE is prepared to allocate EUR10 million for the withdrawal of
Russian weapons from the Trans-Dniester territory. The OSCE chairman
said that his organization intends to make Russia withdraw troops
from Moldova.
Sergei Ivanov again noted that the West uses double standards for
evaluating Russia’s and the US’ military presence abroad. In
particular, he focused on the agreement reached by the US and
Bulgaria to create an US military base in this country. The strength
of the base (2,500 servicemen) can be doubled in critical situations.
In addition, the US will be able to store heavy military vehicles at
the base. The US states that this is “insubstantial military
presence”. At the same time, the US demands that Russian withdraw
peacekeepers from the Trans-Dniester territory.
Sergei Ivanov stated that at a conference in Vienna, Russia noted
that the mechanism of control over conventional arms in Europe won’t
work. This makes Russia worry because Moscow meets its commitments,
including in the North-Caucasus.
It should be noted that the OSCE chairman informed the Moldovan
reintegration minister that Kosovo and Montenegro can serve as a
precedent for the Trans-Dniester conflict. The Trans-Dniester
territory disagrees. Its president Igor Smirnov stated that the
Trans-Dniester territory will organize a referendum concerning its
independence by October. He noted that the Trans-Dniester territory
may join the CIS. The Abkhazian leader has similar plans.
Ukrainian defense Minister Anatoly Gritsenko met with his
Azerbaijanian counterpart Safar Abiyev in Baku. The Ukrainian
minister announced the idea of creating a peacekeeping unit within
the framework of GUAM.
Some media called this statement a sensation. GUAM allegedly will
weaken Russia’s positions. It’s not new that GUAM competes with
Moscow and its allies. In principle, such a turn of events cannot be
ruled out. However, many political analysts state that the political
union of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova died long ago.
Such statements encourage Russia to more active moves. Sergei Ivanov
noted in Baku that in the prospects peacekeeping units will be sent
to Nagorny Karabakh because this problem cannot be solved. It should
be noted that Russia previously made similar statements. This is why
it’s possible that Moscow will soon initiate the issue of sending a
peacekeeping group to this region. The Russian Ground Force has a
peacekeeping brigade consisting of contract servicemen. One of its
battalions is deployed in the zone of the Georgian-Abkhazian
conflict.
The Russian defense minister held a meeting with his Ukrainian
counterpart Anatoly Gritsenko. They determined the destiny of the
An-70 project – Russia will not build this transport plane. The Black
Sea fleet became the main topic of negotiations.
Anatoly Gritsenko said that Sergei Ivanov plans to visit Ukraine in
summer in order to discuss this issue with the Ukrainian military
leadership.
Ukraine was stirred up by preparations for the Sea Breeze
international exercise in which Ukraine has been participating since
1997. Ukrainian residents protest against the exercise. They state
that the Ukrainian leadership seeks to join NATO and deploy a
military base of the alliance in the Crimea. The Crimean local
government bodies support the protesters.
In other words, the summit and statements made by some defense
ministers in Baku testify that military problems remain one of the
main issues in the relations between the former Soviet republics.
Russia has a lot of problems with some CIS nations. These problems
aggravate. Anyway, Moscow seeks to react to these problems.
Meanwhile, Moscow will probably have to make more decisive moves in
order to solve these problems and defend its interests in the
post-Soviet republics.
Source: WPS observer

VARDAN OSKANYAN: THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY ALWAYS EXISTED
ArmRadio.am
08.06.2006 16:35
“The dialogue between Armenia and Turkey always existed,” declared
RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan in response to the question about
Turkish media reports on secret talks between Armenia and Turkey.
According to the Foreign Minister, there have always been ties between
the two countries, there have been meetings on different levels,
even on the level of Foreign Ministers.
“There is no secret here,” Minister Oskanyan said. At the same time
he refuted that the contacts started after the correspondence between
the Prime Minister of Turkey and RA President.
“The meetings are not linked to these letters. Ties have always
existed and will probably exist in the future also. At this point,
however, there are no novelties in Armenian-Turkish relations,”
the Minister noted.

ANOTHER SENATOR IS FIRED: THE KREMLIN TARGETS THE LEADER OF KALMYKIA
By Andrei Smirnov
Eurasia Daily Monitor, DC
June 8 2006
Russia continues to be rocked by purges of the Federation Council,
the upper house of the Russian parliament, where deputies (often called
“senators”) represent regional governments.
On May 14, Sergei Mironov, speaker of the Federation Council,
dismissed four members of the Council. The ousted senators represented
a northern region (Nenets autonomous okrug), two Siberian regions
(Yamal-Nenets autonomous okrug, and Khakassia), and a region in the
Far East (Primorsky krai). After some local resistance, regional
parliaments approved Mironov’s decision (see EDM, May 25).
However, it soon became clear that more resignations were in the
pipeline. On June 2, Senator Levon Chakhmakhchyan was arrested by
officers of the Federal Security Service (FSB) on charges of bribery.
Chakhmakhchyan represents Kalmykia, a region in southern Russia is
and vice-president of the Association for Russian-Armenian Business
Cooperation. Chakhmakhchyan and Igor Arushanov, chief accountant
for the Association, were arrested at the headquarters of Transaero
Airlines. FSB officers confiscated a bag containing $300,000, which
they claimed was a bribe.
Chakhmakhchyan was arrested after meeting with Alexander Pleshakov,
the chairman of the Transaero board of directors. The senator said that
he had visited Pleshakov “to discuss a Transaero advertising campaign
in Armenia and Transaero’s possible membership in the Association”
(lenta.ru, June 5). After the meeting, Pleshakov told the senator to
take a bag sitting under the table; Chakhmakhchyan thought the bag
contained souvenirs for him. FSB officers were waiting outside and
detained the senator and the accountant as they left the office.
Speaking to Ekho Moskvy radio on June 5 Chakhmakhchyan said, “As soon
as the two of us were out of Pleshakov’s office, we were stopped by FSB
officers. The reasons for the detention were not given. My demands for
release and the arguments that I am a member of the Federation Council
were ignored. The agents behaved rudely and cynically, used physical
violence, treated me with contempt, including [making] comments of
nationalistic nature. Only two and a half hours later was I released.”
According to the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office, the money
confiscated from Chakhmakhchyan and his associate were part of a
bribe to an official in the Russian Federation Board of Accounting
to close a case of tax evasion against Transaero. Armen Oganesyan,
Chakhmakhchyan’s father-in-law, works at the Board, so the senator had
suggested to Pleshakov that he could assist in solving the problem
for Transaero. Pleshakov, however, complained to Sergei Stepashin,
chairman of the Russian Board of Accounting, that Board officials
had blackmailed him.
Stepashin got in touch with FSB Director Nikolai Patrushev,
who ordered a special operation to arrest Chakhmakhchyan and his
father-in-law. Chakhmakhchyan was released due to his immunity as a
member of the Federation Council, but the next day proceedings were
initiated at the Federation Council to withdraw his mandate. On June
5, Mironov’s press service issued a statement saying that the speaker
had sent a representative to the parliament of Kalmykia recommending
that Chakhmakhchyan be recalled from the Federation Council before
his term expired (Interfax, June 5).
Despite the accusations of corruption, many observers and politicians
in Kalmykia and in Moscow regarded the attack on Chakhmakhchyan as an
attack by the central authorities on Kirsan Ilumzhinov, the president
of Kalmykia. According to Kommersant newspaper, Chakhmakhchyan and
Ilumzhinov are close friends, and Chakhmakhchyan helped Ilumzhinov
during the 2002 presidential elections in Kalmykia, which the latter
won despite resistance from the Kremlin. In 2004 the Kalmykian leader
returned the favor by helping Chakhmakhchyan to be elected by the
local parliament to represent Kalmykia in the Federation Council
(Kommersant, June 5).
“One can only regret this unpleasant accident,” Ilumzhinov said,
commenting on the arrest of Chakhmakhchyan. “I believe that the guilt
of the senator should be proved by the court.” At the same time,
the Kalmykian president added, “I have no grounds not to trust Sergei
Mironov. If he demanded the senator’s recall, it means he had grounds
for this.” However, Ilumzhinov also stressed that Chakhmakhchyan’s
guilt should be determined in court and he also pointed out that the
senator “did a lot of useful things for Kalmykia” (strana.ru, June 6).
Apparently Ilumzhinov does not have enough power to help his
old friend this time. He is under great pressure from the Kremlin
himself. The Russian authorities regard the Kalmykian leader as a too
independent regional governor. Moscow thinks that maverick governors
such as Ilumzhinov could be a problem as the Russian parliamentary
and presidential elections approach. President Vladimir Putin’s
administration is not sure that such governors will guarantee a
“correct vote count” during the elections.
The Kremlin was especially enraged by the Kalmykian leader’s recent
meeting with Garry Kasparov, the world chess champion and the
leader of the United Civic Front, a radical, democratic, anti-Putin
organization. On June 4, Ilumzhinov was reelected chairman of the
World Chess Federation. In his interview with Sport Express, Russia’s
leading sports newspaper, Ilumzhinov thanked Kasparov for providing
help in the elections (Sport Express, June 7). This statement was a
direct challenge to the Kremlin, and the Kalmykian leader flaunted
his independence by mentioning Kasparov.
The arrest and firing of Chakhmakhchyan may prove to be the Russian
authorities’ first steps in an anti-Ilumzhinov campaign. However,
there are no doubts that the campaign will not be easy, since the
president of Kalmykia has proven to be a formidable adversary for
the powerful Kremlin bosses.

LAW ON POSTAL COMMUNICATION AGAIN IN THE AGENDA OF MASS MEDIA
Panorama.am
15:22 08/06/06
“The practice of the law has indicated that the concept of “postal
communication services” has been misinterpreted since subscription
services is also understood under it. Those organizations that offer
only subscription services are equalization with organizations that
offer wide variety of other postal services. Therefore, they are
charged for licensing similar to complex postal services – 5 mln
Armenian dram. Such approach will cause liquidation of subscription
services and will end up in monopoly in the field, Boris Navasardyan,
head of Yerevan Press Club said today. According to him, the law
is unfavorable in terms of economy and contradicts to a number
of legal acts, including article 27 of the Armenian Constitution
which protects freedom of information. He said small subscription
services cannot afford AMD 5 mln license fee. “They will withdraw
from the market soon,” he said. After all, the service will be
concentrated in the hands of the national operator – Haypost and
the field will be monopolized. Armen Davtyan and Rafael Tadevosyan,
representatives of Bliz Media and Press Attache also doubted the
logic of the law. “Suppose, I take a credit and pay AMD 5 mln. But
then I have to increase my service fees and in the end the burden
will lay with the customers,” A. Davtyan said assuring that this is
not in the interest of the government proclaimed policy to support
small and mid size businesses.
The interest in the law is connected with the proposal of United
Working Party to make amendments in the law on postal service. The
draft gives solutions to the abovementioned problems and satisfies the
people concerned, as Navasardyan said. The people interested, however,
are concerned that the government will downplay the bill.