Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

GEORGIA TRIES TO KEEP LID ON RUSSIAN WATER ROW
Lloyds List
Apr 25, 2006
Tensions fizz between countries over exports ranging from citrus
fruit to mineral water, writes James Brewer.
AS IF fears over Gazprom’s grip on gas prices were not enough, a
bubbling dispute over bottles of mineral water that everyone these
days loves to tote, or to sip at table, could turn relations toxic
between Russia and its neighbour Georgia.
Russia seems to be sending its messages in rejected bottles of wine,
brandy and potentially of water.
Tbilisi is already quavering over the head of steam built up by the
giant Russian energy company in raising its charges. Just a short
time after Gazprom almost doubled its price to $110 per 1,000 cu m,
there are fears in Georgia, as there are in several other countries,
that worse is to come.
It is possible that Russia’s next move will be to take the fizz
out of the huge import trade in Borjomi mineral water, produced by
a renowned spa in central Georgia, after centuries in which it has
been gulped in quantity byRussians of all walks of life. They enjoy
its taste and detoxicant powers.
Trade rows have been escalating since the beginning of 2006, and the
speaker of the Georgian parliament, Mrs Nino Burjanadze, has been
raising her country’s concerns in European capitals, most recently
in London, where she discussed them, alongside seeking support for
Georgia’s application to join NATO, with defence secretary John Reid,
foreign office minister Douglas Alexander, and many other politicians
during more than a dozen meetings.
Bottled water worries have bubbled to the surface following three
serious blows to the Georgian economy. In September 2005, Russia
introduced phytosanitary measures against imports of fruit and
vegetables.
In January 2006, at the height of winter, the gas and electricity
supply to Georgia was briefly cut off. Then on March 7, Russia banned
the import of wine from the mountainous Black Sea republic on the
grounds of ‘violation of health norms’ by wines containing pesticide.
Russia’s federal consumer protection inspectorate has impounded
more than 9,000 bottles of Nabeghlavi-brand mineral water in Moscow
district, to the outrage of producer Tsqali Margebeli.
Earlier the directorate announced that it had found a large quantity
of counterfeit and low-quality Borjomi mineral water. Georgia says the
ban on wine, and the fuss over mineral water Borjomi and Nabeghlavi
have licences from Russian laboratories is political, and a reprisal
for its pro-Western stance.
Mrs Burjanadze stressed that Georgia had offered dialogue with
the Russian Federation, but she said that Moscow had cancelled and
refused top level meetings. She said: ‘We appeal to the international
community to give adequate evaluation to Russia’s actions and ability
to behave as a reliable trade and energy partner in good faith, and
to honour its participation and commitments in the various agreements
and international organisations through predictable and transparent
trade policy.’
She added that lack of progress during bilateral and multilateral
talks created serious difficulties for Georgia’s support for Russia
joining the World Trade Organisation.
Action over gas ‘shows that Russia is trying to use its gas and oil
resources as the major mechanism for political pressure,’ warned
Mrs Burjanadze.
Such fears were underlined both by the dramatic shutdown of supplies
to Ukraine at the turn of the year, and more recently when Gazprom
executive Alexander Medvedev declined to rule out a further rise in
prices for Armenia and Georgia (pricing is similar for both countries)
towards European levels.
Representatives of European Union member states who were given a verbal
reminder of the power of Gazprom by its leader Alexei Miller recently,
will have had an ear to its attitude toward Georgia and other former
Soviet republics, given that the huge company controls almost all
the gas needs of central and eastern Europe.
Mrs Burjanadze has been at the centre of political life for the last
few years; she came to international attention when she was acting
president of Georgia after the downfall of Eduard Sheverdnadze,
welcoming what was known as the Rose Revolution. She is a law
graduate who studied in Tbilisi and Moscow, where her thesis was on
international maritime law, organisations such as Inmarsat, and the
export of oil. She told Lloyd’s List that part of her mission in
London was to inform the UK government about the way Georgia was
strengthening reforms and democracy, and striving for a peaceful
solution to the conflicts in the separatist influenced regions of
South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
The future of these regions is highly sensitive, and both Russia and
Georgia are keen to maximise leverage.
Paradoxically, Georgia is pleased with the progress made by Russia in
withdrawing from its military bases, but Mrs Burjanadze is concerned
the instability that could be caused by trade difficulties might
deter Western investors, at a time when a 12% uniform tax and more
liberal licensing has brought in growing foreign money.
BP has been the leading investor for the past few years, and is
expected to be so again in 2006, to the tune of $195m.
Mamuka Khazaradze, chief executive and owner of Georgian Mineral
Water ‘ Glass Co, told Lloyd’s List by telephone that he welcomed
the presence of Russian inspectors at his warehouses, but was anxious
about a potential ban.
His company is planning to export a total of 250m bottles of water
in 2006, of which it was planned to send 40% or 50% to Russia.
He pointed out that his company was one of the biggest taxpayers
in Russia.
In an attempt to strengthen energy supply security, meanwhile,
president Mikheil Saakashvili and his government are pressing for
the opening of new gas pipelines to transport Azerbaijaniangas from
Shah Deniz field via Georgia to Turkey, which will run parallel to
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline.
This is likely to prove just as political as the Russian decision a
short time ago to suspend entry visas for Georgian nationals.
Earlier this year, Russian president Vladimir Putin had something to
say about the crisis. It was this: ‘I feel very sorry, very sorry,
for the Georgians. This beautiful people to whom we feel close are
currently in a difficult situation,’ he told journalists.
‘Georgia is experiencing great economic difficulties and if some
people deem it possible to solve these kinds of problems by diverting
people’s attention into looking for external enemies, I think they
are on the wrong track.’

EU REP SAYS AZERBAIJAN HAS “SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE” FOR EUROPEAN ENERGY POLICY
MPA news agency
24 Apr 06
Baku, 24 April: Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has
received a delegation of the EU troika led by Austrian Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs Hans Winkler, MPA has learnt from the press
centre of the Foreign Ministry.
The EU attaches special importance to developing ties with the South
Caucasus countries and it is interested in further development of
relations with Azerbaijan in energy and other spheres, Winkler said.
Mammadyarov said that EU assistance to the resolution of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagornyy Karabakh on the basis of
the principles of international law is important and that the conflict
has a negative influence on the development of the region.
He said that the documents adopted by the international community on
the conflict must reflect the real situation. Emphasizing that it is
crucial to comply with norms of international law, sovereignty and
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, Mammadyarov said that otherwise
the negotiations will face difficulties.
At a briefing on the results of the meeting with the Azerbaijani
leadership, Winkler said that the EU views Azerbaijan as a potential
partner in supplying energy resources to Europe. The EU would like
to conduct an energy policy of its own and as it searches for ways to
diversify the sources and routes of the supplies of energy resources,
Azerbaijan assumes special significance.
The EU representative said that the recent controversy between Russia
and Ukraine over gas “was an alarm call for Europe” which is interested
in stable supplies of energy resources. “In this connection, it is
obvious that oil-producing and transit countries, like Azerbaijan,
start playing a special role for Europe,” he said.
The individual action plan of partnership between Azerbaijan and the
EU within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy is about
to be completed and its implementation will start soon. As part of
this cooperation, Azerbaijan will receive 20m euros annually from
the EU to support political, economic and social reforms, he said.

Armenpress
KARABAKH PARLIAMENT HOLDS HEARINGS ON THE CONFLICT
RESOLUTION PROSPECTS

YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS: Parliamentary
hearings on prospects for settling the Karabakh
conflict began today in the National Assembly of the
Nagorno-Karabakh republic. The hearings are attended
also by parliament members from Armenia.
Parliament chairman Ashot Ghulian said the presence
of counterparts from Armenia signified the importance
of the hearings. Foreign minister of Karabakh Georgy
Petrosian said this were the first hearings of that
type and they were important as they would allow
lawmakers to shape a clear-cut position on the ongoing
related process. He said the core of this problem is
that Azerbaijan did not respect the right of the
people of Karabakh to self-determination and
retaliated in 1988 by ethnic cleansing.
Petrosian said the international community’s
position on this issue is wrong because it did not
acknowledge so far the outcome of the 1991 referendum
in Karabakh that decided to separate from Azerbaijan.
Armen Rustamian from the Armenian parliament, said
Armenians have to foil Baku’s efforts to shift the
conflict resolution efforts from the OSCE to other
international organizations. He said the conflict
should be solved through diplomacy and peaceful means
and slammed Azeri leaders for their incessant war
rhetoric.

CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MET WITH FOREIGN DIPLOMATS
ArmRadio.am
19.04.2006 16:40
Today Chairman of the National Assembly Arthur Baghdasaryan met
representatives of Embassies of OSCE member states and international
structures accredited in Armenia.
Noting that it is the first time all political forces have
agreed upon the draft of the Electoral Code, the Speaker of the
Parliament thoroughly presented the basic changes, informing that
the draft has been already sent to the Venice Commission and OSCE
for expertise. Arthur Baghdasaryan noted that the joint group of
OSCE and Venice Commission experts is expected to visit Armenia in
June. During the visit discussions on the new Electoral Code and
administrative issues will be organized. US Ambassador to Armenia
John Evans, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan Vladimir Pryakhin,
Ambassador of the Republic of Italy Marco Clementi and UN Resident
Coordinator Consuelo Vidal stressed the importance of the provision
of legal bases and expression of political will for holding the 2007
and 2008 elections in commitment with international standards.

BAGDASARYAN: HOPES FOR FUTURE MORE IMPORTANT THAN SORROWFUL MEMORIES
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
April 19 2006
Armenia And Turkey Should Negotiate Openly And Freely
BERLIN – “Turkey and Armenia should talk to each other ‘openly and
freely’,” Armenian Parliament Speaker Arthur Bagdasaryan said on
Wednesday Anatolian Times reported.
In an exclusive interview with German Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
newspaper, Bagdasaryan reiterated allegations regarding the “so-called”
genocide, however indicated that, “nonetheless we should not waste our
future because of the past. Hopes for the future are more important
than the sorrowful memories of the past. Turkey also needs this
dialogue.”
Underscoring that he personally favored a dialogue with Turkey,
Bagdasaryan said, “we should sit around a table and resolve our
problems. Of course not all the Armenians share this view.” Turkish
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan had also invited the Armenian President
Kocharian to Turkey to discuss the matters between Turkey and
Armenia. Mr. Erdogan also called the Armenian side to establish a
commission to discuss the historical disputes.
The German newspaper said Bagdasaryan is one of the best placed
nominees that may succeed Armenian President Robert Kocharian whose
term in office will expire in 2008.
Similarly Assoc. Prf. Dr. Sedat Laciner, head of Ankara-based
Internationational Strategic Research Organization (USAK), argued
that Turkey and Armenia need each other and they should not waste
the future for the past:
“I do not mean that the past was not important. The past is important,
but today and tomorrow are more important. We have wasted a lot of
time and Armenians should realise that they have gained nothing. They
relied on French, British and Russians, and they lost their peace and
country. They lost their independence, and now they have another state,
Republic of Armenia. Independent Armenia is an opportunity for both
Turks and Armenians. We have reasonable partners now. The states are
not like the radical groups like the Tashnaks.
Turkey and the Armenian diaspora should protect the young Armenian
state. However the radical Armenians in the diaspora undermine
the Armenian state. As a matter of fact that there is a Genocide
Industry. Many Armenians in the diaspora abuses the problems between
Turks and Armenians. They see the problems as source of influence,
money etc. They know that if the Turks and Armenians solve their
problems no one would need them”.

TIGRAN TOROSIAN: PACE RESOLUTION WILL HELP TO PUT AN AND TO SPECULATIONS OF AZERIS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 17 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 17, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Resolution
adopted on April 13 at the plenary sitting of PACE on issues on
refugees and forcibly displaced people in Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Georgia will permit to put an and to the speculations
of Azerbaijan. Head of the PACE Armenian delegation, RA NA
Vice-Speaker Tigran Torosian expressed such an opinion at the
April 17 press conference touching upon the discussion of the issue
immediately concerning Armenia at April 10-13 PACE spring session
in Strasbourg. T.Torosian motivated his opinion by the fact that
the adopted document exactly stipulates the data of the UN Supreme
Commissar on issues of refugees, according to which there were a little
more than 83 thousand refugees during the conflict in Azerbaijan and
in late 2004 their number reached 8606. The number of the displaced
persons in Azerbaijan amounted to about 570 thousand people. Whereas,
he emphasized, in the recent years the Azeris have been trumpeting
about existence of 1 mln refugees in the country. He also mentioned
that the attempts of the Azerbaijani delegation to withdraw data not
favorable for them from the report failed. In total, 35 proposals
on the draft Resolution were submitted, 18 of them were submitted by
the Azerbaijani delegation. 5 proposals of editing character out of
the above-mentioned ones were adopted. As a result, the provisions
of the Resolution, according to which refugees can return to places
of their residence remained unchanged. This is a right fixed in the
international documents and not a commitment as the Azeris propose. The
proposal about cooperation among 3 South Caucasian countries for the
purpose of solving the issue of refugees was also preserved in the
document. Azeris spoke against this proposal. Tigran Torosian said
that reporter on the issue, Latvian Deputy Boris Tsilevich in his
speech informed that works connected with refugees are implemented
in Armenia at the high level. Meanwhile he expressed the hope that
if Armenia is provided with the proper international support it will
be able to solve the issue of refugees not within several years but
within only several months.

ARMENIAN TV TO BROADCAST EASTER DIVINE LITURGY INTERNATIONALLY
Armenpress
Apr 14 2006
ETCHMIADZIN, APRIL 14, ARMENPRESS: The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
and the Shoghakat TV Company, working in conjunction with the “First
Channel” of Armenian television (“H1”) have announced live global
telecast of the Pontifical Divine Liturgy on Easter Sunday in Holy
Etchmiadzin. The celebrant will be His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
Armenian communities throughout the world will be able to watch
Easter Divine Liturgy broadcast live from the Mother Cathedral of
Holy Etchmiadzin on Sunday morning, April 16, 2006, on the Armenian H1
“First Channel” available through satellite providers.

IT’S ALL THE SAME
Aram Abrahamian
Aravot.am
12 April 06
The businessman Levon Poghosian refused of his deputy mandate on
Monday as business and legislative activities are forbidden to
combine. Earlier the deputy Khachatur Sukiasian refused of any post
of “Sil Concern” even of the post of its president. These actions
of business, state and human ethics are exceptions, which affirm the
appropriateness. In general our deputies and officials are indifferent
towards all kind of demands of the law. The deputy Alexander Sargsian
was telling the journalists proudly about his business in the USA
but it left no trace besides the replies of the press.
If we try to describe the general figure of the NA oligarch deputy we
can say that a/ he is too impudent, b/ illiterate, c/ has birdbrain,
d/ is sponsored by one of the officials of the ruling clique. Those
persons even don’t want to give their lost money back to casino,
why should we trust them in the state budget? But we don’t, they live
without our confidence very well.
As we haven’t elected the president, deputies, they don’t have any
dependence from us and don’t want to please us, the citizens. I have
written for four times in the newspaper that mountains of garbage are
appeared in Hambartsumian Street in front of my house. The situation
of yesterday is produced in the photo. And as the district mayor
isn’t elected by the population and isn’t going to be elected later,
he doesn’t worry about what we think of him. The time of elections
will come to an agreement with the ruling clique, will bribe some
people, and will fill some ballot boxes and will be reelected.
So it’s all the same whatever you write.

ANNUAL OWN REVENUES OF GYUMRI INCREASE FROM 100 MLN TO 2.5 BLN DRAMS IN 6-7 YEARS
Noyan Tapan
Apr 11 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. 6-7 years ago the annual own revenues
of the city of Gyumri made about 100 mln drams, whereas in 2005 they
amounted to 2.5 bln drams (over 5.5 mln USD). According to Mayor
of Gyumri Vardan Ghukasian, this growth in the city revenues was
contributed by the fact that the number of land tax and profit tax
payers has significantly increased due to the urban development
programs being implemented since 2001. It was noted that the
revenues of the city budget are mainly spent on restoration of the
architectural monuments damaged by the 1988 earthquake and on asphalt
laying and repairs of Gyumri streets. V. Ghukasian said that the
mayor’s office provides the possible assistance for development of
small and medium business in Gynmri, thanks to which about 3 thousand
jobs are created in this sector annually. At the same time, there were
previously 75 thousand jobs, whereas now the number of the employed
is small since the big enterprises are not operating. With the aim
of restoring and developing the industrial capacities in Gyumri, the
mayor underlined the necessity of working out a special state program,
with the indication of local resources, opportunities and sectors, in
which the city and Shirak marz will develop. V. Ghukasian noted that
the land tax and property tax privileges, which were established by
the Armenian government for Shirak marz investors a few years ago,
are not quite efficient. In his opinion, in order to develop the
industry of Gymri, privileges (especially profit tax and income tax
ones) like those applied in free economic zones abroad should be set
for investors.

BAKU COMMITTED TO PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO KARABAKH CONFLICT
Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Military Newswire
April 11, 2006 Tuesday 2:15 PM MSK
Azerbaijan wants a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
as soon as possible, but warns that its patience is wearing thin, Ali
Gasanov, head of the Azeri presidential administration’s department
for public and political issues, told journalists on Tuesday.
“We have no territorial claims. We only want to get our lands back.
We have the right to it,” he said.
Commenting on a recent statement by a U.S. Department of State official
that a new war in the Nagorno-Karabakh region would make it difficult
for Azerbaijan to earn money implementing regional energy projects,
Gasanov said that other countries involved in such major energy and
transport projects do not want the Karabakh conflict to be resolved
through the use of force.
“We do not want that, either. But what are we supposed to do? We
have our own rights and we cannot allow the occupation of our lands
to continue. Our patience is not endless,” he said.
All the parties involved realize the negative consequences of a new
war in the region and are doing everything they can to find a peaceful
solution to the conflict, Gasanov said. The OSCE Minsk Group has also
stepped up its activities, he said.
“Armenia understands that it will have to liberate Azerbaijan’s lands
sooner or later,” he said.