Category: News

AzerTag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Aug 6 2004
PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN RECEIVES KUWAITI DELEGATION
[August 06, 2004, 17:58:00]
President of Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev received a delegation
of Kuwait led by the country’s Minister of Religious Endowments And
Islamic Affairs Dr. Abdullah Maatouq Al-Maatouq, 6 August.
Greeting the quests, the Head of State expressed satisfaction with
both meetings the Kuwaiti delegation had held in Baku, and generally,
the existing close cooperation between the two countries. President
Ilham Aliyev also appreciated the relief projects implemented by
Kuwaiti Fund in Azerbaijan.
Pointing out the good level of Azerbaijan-Kuwait political links, the
Azerbaijani leader recalled his meeting with the friendly county’s
Prime Minister, and asked Dr. Al-Maatouq to convey his sincere
greetings to the Head of the Kuwaiti Government.
Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh,
which has resulted in the appearance of over one million refugees and
internally displaced people, the Azerbaijani President expressed
gratitude to the Kuwaiti government for the support of the
Azerbaijan’s stance on the issue within the Organization Islamic
Conference.
Having thanked the President Ilham Aliyev for the warm meeting, Dr.
Abdullah Maatouq Al-Maatouq let him know that the delegation had
visited the tomb of nationwide leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev,
and stressed that this genial person had saved Azerbaijan from great
troubles, and made invaluable contribution to the development of the
country.
The Minister then conveyed to Azerbaijani President greetings and
invitation to visit Kuwait from the county’s leadership. He
reaffirmed that the Government of Kuwait had always supported
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and would
advocate Azerbaijan’s fair stance in the future.
The guest described the goal of his present visit to Azerbaijan as
strengthening and expanding relations between the two countries. He
also expressed confidence that the Asian Islamic Organization would
continue its charitable activity in Azerbaijan.
The meeting was attended by Chairman of the Board of Caucasian
Moslems Shaik ul-Islam hajji Allahshukur Pashazadeh.

Baku Today
Aug 6 2004
Elections in Nagorno Karabakh May Harm the Negotiations
Baku Today 06/08/2004 18:07
Illegal elections to be held in Nagorno Karabakh may lead for
complication of the negotiations on Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict,
Azeri Foreign Affairs Minister, Elmar Mammadyarov, told journalists
on Thursday.
`In one hand Armenian side expresses its wish for peaceful settlement
of the conflict and in other hand runs provocative actions,’ said
Mammadyarov, Turan reported on Friday. `But in present it’s quite
important to continue the negotiations.’
On August 3, Abdelouahed Belkeziz, Secretary General of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) sent letter to the
Azerbaijani FM expressing his deep concern on the upcoming elections
for local authorities in Nagorno Karabakh on August 8.
And on August 4, Walter Schwimmer, Secretary General of the Council
of Europe, regretted that local self-government elections would again
be held in Nagorno Karabakh.

MOSNEWS, Russia
Aug 6 2004
Russia Will Sell Arms to Central Asia at Discount Prices
The arms and military equipment Russia sells to its CSTO (Collective
Security Treaty Organization) allies, including the Transcaucasian
Armenia and Central Asian Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan will
be delivered at `domestic’ prices, Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov
said at a news conference, RIA Novosti reported.
Other countries Russia deals with in military equipment are, for
example, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, India, Brazil, and Persian Gulf
countries, along with countries in Africa, presumably at export
prices.
Russia also has plans to develop an air base in Kyrgyzstan, investing
in the project.

Boxing News
Aug 6 2004
Boxing at Quiet Cannon!
August 6, 2004
By Francisco Salazar

Boxing returns to the Quiet Cannon in Montebello, CA tonight as All
Star Boxing presents a six bout card loaded with action.
In the main event, Bantamweight Karen Hartyunyan will face
hard-hitting Gilberto Bolanos in an eight round fight. The bout
headlines a “Battle of the Rising Stars” card.
Hartyunyan, (11-1-3) from Glendale, CA by way of Yerevan, Armenia, is
undefeated in his last 12 fights. Hartyunyan has not lost a fight in
almost four years, when he lost by a four round majority decision to
Sergio Espinoza.
In his last fight, Hartyunyan defeated Romel Aguilar by an eight
round unanimous decision in June in Irvine, CA. Hartyunyan once wrote
Fightnews.com
Hartyunyan, who mostly fights at Super Bantamweight, makes for
exciting fights and always gives it his all in every fight.
Bolanos, (9-7-1, 9 KO’s) from Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico, is
coming off a majority draw against undefeated Rudy Dominguez last
month in Temecula, CA.
Bolanos has faced some of the talented prospects in the lower weight
classes. He hopes to upset the young Hartyunyan on Friday night.
In the co-feature, Tia Greenberg will face Ku’ulei Kupihea In a fur
round female Welterweight bout.
Greenburg, (1-2, 1 KO) from Huntington Beach, CA, will fight for the
first time in almost three years. Greenberg has not fought since
losing to Gail Muzzey in Irvine, CA.
Kuihea, (0-1) from Honolulu, HI, is looking for her first
professional victory. Her only defeat was at the Quiet Cannon last
year.
Undefeated fighters will go at it as Freddie Barrera will face
Alfonso Figueroa in a four round Lightweight bout.
Barrera, (3-0) from Colton, CA, is coming off a four round unanimous
decision victory over Alejandro Nungaray last month in Pala, CA.
Barrera has fought all of his professional fights this year and in
California.
Figueroa, (1-0) from Los Angeles, should make this an interesting
fight of undefeated fighters.
In other bouts:
– Francisco Zepeda, (1-2-2) from Los Angeles, will take on Martin
Esparza in a four round Welterweight bout. Esparza, from Los Angeles,
is 0-2.
– Joey Aragon (2-1) will take on Terry Anderson, who will be making
his professional debut in a four round Middleweight bout.
– Justin Mercado will make his professional debut against Carlos
Tovar (0-3-1) in a four round Junior Welterweight bout. Tovar is from
Fontana, CA, while Mercado is from Hawaii.
Former world title challenger and actor Art Aragon will be the
special invited guest for All Star Boxing action-packed card.
Tickets for these fights go at $35 and $50. To purchase tickets, call
All Star Boxing at (323) 837-0038 or (323) 816-6200. Doors to the
venue open at 6:30PM, with first bell scheduled for 7:30 PM.

UEFA.com
Aug 6 2004
Bringing football to children
UEFA’s charity partner Cross Cultures has just completed the training
of 1,800 prospective coaches for its popular and long-running Open
Fun Football Schools concept in the Balkan and Caucasus regions.
Association help
Together with 1,500 trainer assistants and more than 500 football
clubs, the coaches are now ready to welcome 25,000 boys and girls
aged between eight and 12 to an Open Fun Football School. The
trainers have been educated in co-operation with the football
associations of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia,
Georgia, F.Y.R. Macedonia, and Serbia and Montenegro.
Charity portfolio
Cross Cultures’ Open Fun Football Schools are part of UEFA’s charity
portfolio, and are also backed by the governments of Denmark, Norway,
Sweden and Finland, as well as by the Novo Nordisk healthcare
enterprise. Last November, UEFA presented a cheque for 400,000 to
the Open Fun Football Schools project. The funds were drawn from
fines imposed by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body in UEFA
competitions during the 2002/03 season.
1998 start
In 1998, the project started in war-torn Bosnia-Herzegovina with 12
football schools involving 2,252 boys and girls, and 189 coaches and
school leaders. In summer 2003, Open Fun Football Schools staged a
total of 78 schools involving 16,000 youngsters (13,000 boys and
3,000 girls) and 1,400 trainers and school leaders from
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, and Serbia and Montenegro. Schools
were also set up for the first time in Croatia, Georgia, Armenia and
Azerbaijan.
Charity programme
“We are a charity programme that wishes to bring football to all
children regardless of talent, skills, ethnic or social background,”
said Cross Cultures director Anders Levinsen. “And as initiator, it
is fantastic to see how this idea is supported by enthusiastic and
dedicated people.”
Girl support
As a charity programme, Open Fun Football Schools’ requirement is
that a minimum 50 per cent of all children taking part are boys and
girls who are not yet members of a football club, but who would love
to become members. Furthermore, the Open Fun Football Schools also
wish to promote girls football, and given the many new female coaches
Cross Cultures has trained this summer, the organisation expects a
minimum 25 per cent of all participants in the Balkans to be girls.
Community work
Along with the programme, Cross Cultures is distributing 27,000
footballs, trainers’ clothes and other equipment for the
participating football clubs. “By implementing our many trainer
seminars and by leaving all the equipment behind, we hope we can
motivate and encourage the local football clubs to continue their
important community work in organising grassroots football for their
children all year around,” Anders Levinsen concluded.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Center for National and International Studies
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 375033, Armenia
Tel: (+374 – 1) 52.87.80 or 27.48.18
Fax: (+374 – 1) 52.48.46
E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
Website:
August 6, 2004
ACNIS Releases Public and Expert Opinion Results on
Armenia’s National and International Security
Yerevan–The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS)
today issued the results of both a specialized questionnaire and a public
survey on “Armenia’s National and International Security in the Next
Decade,” which it conducted between July 15 and August 2 in Yerevan and all
of Armenia’s regions. More than 50 experts and 2021 citizens took part in
them. Do the Armenian citizens trust the reliability of their country’s
national security? What are the major military, political, economic, and
social dangers that will threaten Armenia in the next 5 years and to what
extent do state authority bodies take the necessary steps to prevent,
abolish, or control these dangers?
ACNIS director of administration Karapet Kalenchian greeted the invited
guests and public participants with opening remarks. “These deliberations on
national security, together with the public and expert survey preceding
them, aim to present public and professional perceptions of national
security problems and draw the attention of responsible bodies to them,” he
said.
ACNIS legal and political affairs analyst Stepan Safarian presented “The
Results of the Survey,” focusing in detail on the findings of the expert and
public opinion polls. According to the findings, the majority of the
surveyed citizens (45.1%) assert that Armenia’s national security is
partially provided, 27.5% think it is not provided at all, 18.1% feel secure
enough, and 9.1% find it difficult to answer. In the expert opinion poll,
these indices read 24%, 76%, 0%, and 0%, respectively.
27.2% of citizens think that Armenia should first of all strengthen 2its
army’s combatibility in the next 5 years, 43.5% its economic potential,
and 6.8% its democratic potential. As for the expert survey, 58% hold
that democratic potential should be strengthened first of all, 24%
economic potential and only 10% army’s combatibility.
Among the broader public, 3.1% point to the presence of Russian military
bases in Armenia as the major military danger that will threaten Armenia in
the next 5 years, 11.2% the withdrawal of these bases from Armenia, 47.5%
the outbreak of war with Azerbaijan, 2.8% Armenia’s accession to NATO, 7%
Turkey’s military invasion of Armenia, 11.7% civil war, 1.7% possible
military conflict with Georgia. Only 13.6% think there is no military
danger. In the expert opinion poll the corresponding findings are 18%, 4%,
44%, 2%, 8%, 4%, 2%, and 18%.
As for the major political danger that will threaten Armenia in the next 5
years, 21.8% of respondent citizens point to confrontations between
authorities and people, while 30% of experts point to falsification of
election results. Furthermore, 4% of citizens and 24% of experts find danger
in the restriction of Armenia’s sovereignty, 9.8% and 14% in the limitation
of political and civil rights, 11.6% and 0% in a possible attempt of revolt,
6.5 and 6% in political terrorism, 14.2% and 0% in provocation of political
tension by the opposition, and 2.9% and 10% in Armenia’s absence from
regional programs. Only 6.8% and 0% are convinced there is no political
danger.
Both groups of respondents find corruption to be the major economic danger
that will threaten Armenia in the next 5 years (41% and 42%). 11.2% and 12%
think it is foreign debt, 19.8% and 14% financial economic crisis, 5.5% and
10% the maintenance of Azerbaijan’s and Turkey’s economic blockade on
Armenia, and 11.6% and 8% plunder of foreign loans provided for the state.
22.8% of citizens and 12% of experts cite emigration to be the major social
danger, 19.3% and 6% poverty, 23.8% and 0% unemployment, 13.4% and 34%
illegality, 8.9% and 30% immorality, and 2.2% and 12% reduction of birth rat
e. 1.4% and 0% of respondent citizens and experts, respectively, suggest
that there is no social danger.
In response to the question, “To what extent do state authority bodies take
the necessary steps to prevent, abolish, or control these dangers?,” 2.6% of
citizens and 0% of experts think fully, 41.2% and 12% partially, 48.8% and
88% not at all, and 6.9% and 0% find it difficult to answer. The majority of
citizens (76.9%) think that from the viewpoint of security, Armenia’s
relations should be developed with Russia, whereas experts (88%) choose the
European Union. As for the United States, the figures are 35.6% and 76%, for
Iran 31.9% and 48%, and for Turkey 16% and 64%. 49% of respondent citizens
and 52% of specialists think that Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia should be
in a united system of security, 26.2% and 30% think they should not, and
23.9% and 18% find it difficult to answer. 42.8% of citizens and 64% of
experts have positive attitudes toward opening the Armenian-Turkish border,
34.8% and 24% have negative attitudes, and 21.3% and 12% find it difficult
to answer.
In regards to foreign military presence, 46.9% of citizens are convinced
that only Russian military bases should be in Armenia in the next decade,
while 40% of respondent specialists think Russian and NATO military bases
should. In contrast, 20.8% and 0% think military bases of Russia and CIS
member-states should be in Armenia, and 2.5% and 12% only NATO military
bases together. 13.2% of citizens and 30% of experts are for the withdrawal
of all foreign military bases from Armenia.
The second item on the day’s agenda was a presentation by Stepan Safarian,
who addressed the causes of the sometimes differing, sometimes similar
polling numbers of the experts and the citizens. “We may deduce from the
results that citizens are more interested in and affected by internal
issues, while experts are more concerned with external problems,” he
emphasized.
The formal presentations were followed by contributions by former minister
of state Vahan Shirkhanian; Edward Antinian of the Liberal Progressive
Party; Asbed Kotchikian, post-graduate student from Boston University;
Vahagn Khachatrian of the “Armat” center; Giro Manoyan of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation; Yerevan State University professors Vardan
Khachatrian and Aram Harutiunian; Artashes Ghazakhetsian of Armenia 2020
program; Petros Makeyan of the Democratic Fatherland Party; Tevan Poghosian
of the International Center for Human Development; ACNIS economic and
diaspora affairs analyst Hovsep Khurshudian; Artak Zakarian of the
Republican Party; National Press Club chairperson Narine Mkrtchian; Davit
Petrosian, political analyst for Noyan Tapan news agency; and several
others.
44.5% of the respondent citizens are male and 55.5% female; 7% are 21-30
years of age, 24.1% 31-40, 22.7% 41-50, 34.6% 51-60, 11.6% 60 or above.
42.2% of the citizens surveyed have received a higher education, 8.6%
incomplete higher, 20.9% specialized secondary, 24.6% secondary, and 3.7%
incomplete secondary training. 46.1% are actively employed, 9.5% are
pensioners, 1.4% welfare recipients, and 6.6 students. According to their
income, 44% consider themselves middle class, 32.1% below average, 7.6%
above average, 11.1% poor, 2.6% extremely poor, 0.5% rich, and 1.2%
well-off.
Among the experts, 74% are male and 26% female; 16% are 21-30 years of age,
36% 31-40, 30% 41-50, 18% 51 or above. All the experts surveyed have
received a higher education, 4% are full professors (PhD), 24% candidates of
sciences, 68% hold a Master’s degree, and 4% have earned a Bachelor’s
degree.
Founded in 1994 by Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi K.
Hovannisian and supported by a global network of contributors, ACNIS serves
as a link between innovative scholarship and the public policy challenges
facing Armenia and the Armenian people in the post-Soviet world. It also
aspires to be a catalyst for creative, strategic thinking and a wider
understanding of the new global environment. In 2004, the Center focuses
primarily on public outreach, civic education, and applied research on
critical domestic and foreign policy issues for the state and the nation.
For further information on the Center or the full graphics of the poll
results, call (3741) 52-87-80 or 27-48-18; fax (3741) 52-48-46; e-mail
[email protected] or [email protected]; or visit or

Kavkaz Center, Turkey
Aug 6 2004
“Russia’s time in the Caucasus is up…”

Interview with Nodar Natadze, Ph.D., Chairman of People’s Front of
Georgia.
The South Ossetian roundabout has started going around an endless
circle, and many in Georgia are worrying about what is going on and
who is trying to achieve what. These are the questions that Kavkaz
Center reporter asked the Leader of People’s Front of Georgia Nodar
Natadze.
KC: Mr. Natadze, please tell us what is really going on? Who is
trying to achieve what? On the one hand, they are saying that the war
would have been a big mistake, but on the other hand, the way to
dismember Georgia through the so-called ‘federalization’ seems to be
just as dangerous. So, where is the way out, and why the Georgian
central government, the official Tbilisi went for the aggravation,
while anticipating today’s outcome?
N.Natadze: Before I answer your questions, this is what I would like
to mention: I am very concerned and tragically shocked by the fact
that the Georgian leadership allowed a joint patrol of
Georgian-Chechen border. If it’s just tactics and a short-term
action, it’s all right. But if it is strategy, then it is tragedy.
For me it is one of the most tragic among the most recent phenomena.
Russian border guards have nothing to do in jointly patrolling the
Georgian-Chechen border. Too bad that they are stationed on the
Chechen side. But why would they need to be on this side as well? It
is fundamentally unacceptable.
There can be no Georgian-Russian joint war on terror, because those
who are called terrorists in Russia are not terrorists here.
And now let me answer your questions. There is no Ossetia south of
the Caucasus Mountain Range in existence, and there can never be any.
Russian invaders were the ones who came up with the Ossetian word to
call sections of that territory in the 19th century. And the word was
an adjective and not a noun.
It was called Ossetian District. This is what they were calling the
territories in the upper reaches of the Aragvi River and a little
area southwest of it. And another Ossetian District was the territory
north of the Caucasus Mountain Range, which used to belong to Georgia
during Georgian kings. It is the Ardon vicinity, etc.
Mainly, the Ossetians started settling on Georgian territories since
1864, when serfdom was abolished in Georgia. Georgian nobles and
princes lost their serfs but the lands remained theirs. In order to
till these lands when serf labor was no longer available, they
started inviting Ossetians from the northern slopes of the Caucasus
Mountains.
KC: But still, maybe it was a political issue instead of an agrarian
one? Let’s just recall how during the same period of time in
Javakhetia [Southern Georgia] 40 thousand families of Georgian
Muslims were expelled to Turkey and Armenians were moved to these
lands later. Then some Georgian lands were inhabited by Germans,
Greeks, etc.
N.Natadze: Ossetians came to Georgia as agricultural workers. As the
ones who were given shelter. Thus, the Russian census conducted in
the end of the 19th century lists 15 thousand Ossetian families in
Eastern Georgia. All of them were doing agricultural work, but none
of them owned any pieces of land. This is how a critical agrarian
conflict was created. There was agricultural population, who had no
property or land of their own.
By using these purely agrarian tensions, the Bolsheviks organized an
armed Ossetian uprising in the northern part of central Georgia back
in 1918. It was a rebellion against Georgia, which back then was
independent. Under the guise of a national movement. But really it
was an agrarian movement of agricultural workers. It was taking
pretty brutal forms.
Georgian side took police measures against the armed uprising. But
these measures were brought to naught. After Russia invaded Georgia
in 1921, the Caucasus Bureau of the Bolsheviks decided to complete
the job and set up the South Ossetian Autonomous Region.
Even for one hour Ossetian territorial autonomy on the Georgian soil
has never existed and will never exist without the presence of
Russian regular forces. Two Soviet regiments were stationed there
back during the Soviet times. A helicopter regiment and an
engineering regiment. They were the ones who maintained control of
the situation. Right now, as a result of traitorous signature of
Shevardnadze [former Georgian president], who was nothing but a
usurper at that time – under the guise of being a chairman of an
illegal State Council (no one else had elected him), these Russian
troops are still stationed there. Then the document was signed: the
agreement on inviting the so-called ‘peacekeepers’ to the Tskhinvali
area in order to keep the sides separated. And these days these armed
forces are using the traitorous signature of Shevardnadze as the
pretext. They have no other grounds.
Russia has always been promoting Ossetinization of those territories.
When that administrative region was being created, Ossetians had
always been a minority. Most of the Georgian population had to leave
their lands and now they are in the position of refugees. Russia was
pursuing the same policies in Javakhetia, with the only difference
that it was being done bloodlessly. 30 thousand Armenian families
were moved to that area to replace ousted Georgian Muslims. During
the war of 1928-1929 Georgian Muslims left that seat of war. And once
the peace agreement was signed, they were not allowed to return
there.
It’s been a while since Moscow has been persistently pursuing the
policies of ‘Georgia without Georgians’. This line was even adopted
in the midst of the so-called Russian intellectuals, let alone
representatives of the authorities.
There was a time when even Academician Sakharov (supposedly a
democrat and a human rights activist) even admitted it. When he was
young he used to visit one of the mountaineer camps in the North
Caucasus every summer. Famous Georgian mountaineer Sandro Gvelia was
the leader of that camp. They had wonderful friendly relationship.
And all of a sudden Sandro asked Sakharov: «Why you don’t like
Georgia?» And he answered: «Why, why… We do like Georgia, we just
don’t like Georgians». This is the essence of the Russian policies.
As far as the present-day situation goes, it is now developing under
the pressure of objective processes. Regardless of what we do, Russia
is now vacating the South Caucasus. The West has a vital interest in
having a free access to Central Asia, which is not controlled by
Russia. If the West makes it on time, it would be good. If it
doesn’t, then the World War III will certainly take place. And the
frontlines of this war will be at the Caspian Sea.
If the West manages to gain a firm foothold in the South Caucasus,
then the war will either not happen due to the absence of the
adversary, or its frontlines will be located between Central Asia and
China.
It is of vital interest to the West. Not imperial or economic
interest, but vital interest. Russia has no such interests in the
Caucasus. It only has its imperial interest. So, the interests of the
West are greater than Russia’s interests are.
But Russia wants to retain some even tiny piece of territory for the
future, — by actively using many of its agents in Georgia. Just in
case. For instance, it wants to set up the status of the Tskhinvali
[capital of South Ossetia] and Abkhaz zones in a way that these
territories could be virtually independent from Georgia and so that
Russia could be the guarantor of that status. Russia wants these time
bombs on the body of Georgia.
And now Georgia’s problem is to make Russia leave without leaving
these bombs. This is what we are interested in. The West doesn’t
really care about it.
KC: And how would it be possible?
N.Natadze: It depends on how loyal the Georgian government is to the
people. War or negotiations based on force is actually all the same.
There will be no result without superiority in forces.
What is our superiority in forces guaranteed by? First of all, by
proper political steps. The government of Georgia must make a clear
statement that this is not a Georgian-Ossetian war, but a
Russian-Georgian war, and that the Tskhinvali zone is now occupied by
the Russian troops. Georgian government must abolish the status of
Russians as being ‘peacekeepers’. These steps will either prevent
military intervention from the North or make it least likely.
Georgia has to be so strong, so that it could make a military
intervention least likely. Georgia will not be able to defeat Russia
if Russia starts attacking Georgia’s positions when using Ossetian
banners. Maybe we are weaker, but we have to overpower this form of
intervention.
KC: Is it already the issue of a new war, or is it the continuation
of the war of 1992-1993?
N.Natadze: Russian-Georgian war has not stopped ever since. The enemy
took our territories and is now occupying these lands after being
assisted by Shevardnadze, who committed high treason. Right now our
mission is to stop this invasion.
KC: President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili probably has started
looking at Russia more soberly. He is very close to such
formulations. The first time he started calling things by their
proper names was when he said the word aggression, etc. But so far
there is no clear and comprehensive definition of the essence of
confrontation, and nor there is a clear definition of who the enemy
of Georgia is. Nor it is clear how far the promises of the
authorities to change the mandate of ‘peacekeepers’ will go.
Many are also concerned about the relations between the US and Russia
on the Georgian issue. Do you think some deals may be taking place
behind Georgia’s back?
N.Natadze: The decision has already been made that Russians will not
be present in the Caucasus. Russia’s time in the Caucasus is up.
There is nothing that can stop this process. Concerning the US help
to Georgia. First, it is the Western factor that keeps Russia from
conducting a direct strike against Georgia.
On the second day American unofficial diplomatic elite and diplomatic
community gathered when Mr. Saakashvili made his famous statement.
They were professional diplomats. There are very influential people
among them. They had a long and productive discussion on this subject
and all of them were unanimous that it must be recorded that Russia
and Georgia are the ones fighting the war in the Tskhinvali zone and
in Abkhazia. And not Ossetians or Abkhazians with Georgians.
This approach has already been recorded in the minds of the society.
In the West public opinion is only a step away from the official
opinion. So the decision has virtually been made.
I’d like to add something else. In 93 after my strong speeches during
the negotiations on the framework agreement, I had a meeting with the
new staff of Defense and Security Committee of the Russian State Duma
[parliament]. And one of the members said, it was in May 1993, this
is what he said: «We will lose the North Caucasus, but we will have a
war with them».
I started laughing and I said, «We’ve been living together for three
thousand years, but we never had a war with them. So why would a war
start today?»
All of it shows that Russian political elite knows full well that it
is going to lose the North Caucasus. They know it is inevitable. They
want to stretch out this process somehow, and get something in
exchange for their surrender by the time that day comes. They
perfectly know that the war for retaining the North Caucasus under
their control has no future. And the South Caucasus for them has no
future even hundreds of times more. Politicians know about it, only
an average Johnny doesn’t.
KC: In the war with Georgia Russia has been actively using the factor
of temporarily lost territories, but Georgia has a political
nightstick, which is just as strong. I mean Chechnya. Why is the
official Georgia quiet about it? Georgia is afraid to talk about
Chechnya even when it is being choked and all kinds of vile methods
are used?
N.Natadze: Your question is the central question to characterize the
situation. My answer will be very sad. The whole problem is in
Georgian government’s loyalty to their state and their people. There
is nothing else I can say.
Only through its one representative in the UN Georgia can start a
storm of pressure on the Russian policies in Chechnya without
violating the legal norms even for a milligram. But that seat is not
occupied by our man.
KC: What do you think about the all-Caucasus ideas?
N.Natadze: Union of the Caucasus countries and nations is surely a
great idea. It has very promising future. Power-wise. But this power
has its limits. This is why the work in this direction must fit into
the global context, whether we want it or not.
KC: Your optimism and your faith in the help from the West are very
strong, and unfortunately, yours truly has great doubts about it.
N.Natadze: It’s not my faith, this is what I know.
KC: Anyway, we are always interested to listen to you, and we have
great respect for your opinion. Thank you.
Conversation was conducted by Data Tutashkhia, Tbilisi, Georgia.
For Kavkaz-Center

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
 
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 6, 2004
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]
CONGRESSMAN HUNTER PLEDGES MEMBERSHIP TO ARMENIAN CAUCUS
Assembly-led Meeting Secures California Rep.
El Cajon, California – Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) in a meeting today
with the Armenian Assembly of America pledged to join the Congressional
Caucus on Armenian Issues, locking up San Diego’s entire representation on
this all-important body.
“We’re pleased that Congressman Hunter has pledged to join the Armenian
Caucus,” said Assembly Western Office Director Lena Kaimian, who led the
meeting with community activists. “Congressman Hunter is keenly aware of
the issues facing the Armenian-American community, having championed
legislation recognizing the Armenian Genocide and calling on Turkey to
acknowledge the atrocities of 1915.”
Kaimian added that the Assembly delegation raised several issues of utmost
importance during the meeting – namely the need for Congress to maintain
military aid parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Fiscal Year (FY)
2005 Foreign Operations bill. The group said that attempts to provide
Azerbaijan $6 million more than Armenia in military financing would disrupt
the careful balance between the neighboring countries.
Congressman Hunter, who is Chairman of the influential House Armed Services
Committee and a member of the Select Committee on Homeland Security,
commended Armenia’s efforts on the war on terror and its participation in
Iraq.
The meeting at the Congressman’s El Cajon office also included Reverend
Father Datev Tatoulian of St. John’s Armenian Church, Assembly Fellow
Trustees Rouben Avsharian and Gary Takessian and Affiliate Members Serop
Karoglanian and Joanie Schwarz.
“One of the best ways we can support the work of the Armenian Assembly is by
meeting with our elected officials and encouraging their involvement and
support on issues facing our community and homeland,” said Takessian.
Fellow Trustee Anoush Miridjanian of La Jolla, CA, was also instrumental in
informing Congressman Hunter on Armenian issues and “encouraging him to
advocate on behalf of his Armenian-American constituents,” according to
Kaimian.
Congressman Hunter is a 12th-term Republican representing eastern and
northern San Diego County. His pledge to the Assembly group today makes him
the fifth and remaining Congressman to join the Caucus. The news follows
Congresswoman Susan Davis’ (D-CA) commitment to Caucus membership during a
meeting Wednesday with Kaimian and the activists above. That meeting also
included Assembly Fellow Trustees Steve Kradjian and Rose Snyder.
The Armenian Caucus has focused on strengthening the U.S.-Armenia and
U.S.-Karabakh relationships, searching for a peaceful solution to the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict, ending the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades of
Armenia and Karabakh and reaffirming the U.S. record on the Armenian
Genocide.
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
NR#2004-071
Photograph available on the Assembly’s Web site at the following link:
Caption: L to R: Assembly Western Office Director Lena Kaimian, Rouben
Avsharian, Reverend Father Datev Tatoulian, Congressman Duncan Hunter
(R-CA), Joanie Schwarz, Serop Karoglanian and Gary Takessian in El Cajon,
California on August 6.

CENN- DAILY DIGEST AUGUST 6, 2004
Table of Contents:
1. 2004 World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings — update for CSOs
2. Healthcf Journalism Workshop
3. Internship Programme
4. World Bank Sets New Rules for Oil Projects
5. Another Biodemocracy Victory in Northern California
6. OCA Organizing Film Premier/House Parties Across the U.S. September
11-12
7. Help the OCA Fight the Counter-Attack by Monsanto and the Farm Bureau
8. Vacancy Announcements
1. 2004 WORLD BANK/IMF ANNUAL MEETINGS — UPDATE FOR CSOS
Dear Civil Society Colleagues,
We would like to update you on the upcoming 2004 Annual Meetings of the
World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The dates of the Annual
Meetings have shifted slightly, and the Annual Meetings will now be held
over the weekend of Friday, October 1 – through Sunday, October 3 and
will take place at Bank/IMF Headquarters in Washington DC.
The Program of Seminars sessions will be held on Friday as well as the
G24 and G7 meetings. The International Monetary and Financial Committee
(IMFC) and the Development Committee (DC) will meet on Saturday. The
Plenary Session as well as the meeting of the G10 will be held on
Sunday. For more information and the schedule of events, please go to:
In an effort to address the major development challenges and in response
to requests coming from civil society, a number of Policy Dialogue
Sessions for interested CSO representatives will be organized between
Wednesday, September 29 and Tuesday, October 5. Please send your
proposals to World Bank Civil Society Team at:
[email protected]. Details of these dialogues will be posted,
as they are scheduled, on the Bank’s website for CSOs located at:
Please visit this website
frequently closer to the date to obtain the most current information and
schedule of the dialogues.
As you may know, representatives of civil society organizations, as all
visitors, must apply for accreditation in order to gain access to the
Annual Meetings venues and related events. For the 2004 Annual Meetings
CSOs are able to request accreditation through a new web-based
accreditation system. The system was launched on July 1 and the
applications for accreditation from interested CSOs will be accepted
through no later than September 3. Please note that no requests will
be considered after this date. If you are interested in participating
in the Annual Meetings and policy dialogue sessions for CSOs, please
apply for accreditation as soon as possible, and immediately proceed to
obtain a visa to enter the US, should you need one.
More information on the accreditation process can be found at:
Below please find the press release issued on August 5 announcing the
final timing of the 2004 Meetings.
Inga Paichadze
External Affairs
World Bank Office Tbilisi
Tel.: + 995 32 91 30 96 / 91 26 89
Fax: + 995 32 91 34 78
E-mail: [email protected]
2. HEALTH JOURNALISM WORKSHOP
EJC will be running a Health Journalism workshop again in Maastricht
from 27-30 September 2004 for 10 Central and East European journalists.
The trainer is Oliver Wates (former Reuters). It will be a practical
workshop. Participants will write exercises on medical and general
public health issues and they will discuss and analyze the technical
process of constructing the story, how to explain complex subjects,
ensure balance, avoid scare mongering etc.
The workshop will be made possible due to the financial support of the
Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. It covers travel,
hotel accommodation and subsistence. (In some cases we might ask the
media the participant is working for to contribute to the flight costs).
We are looking for:
– young English speaking and writing journalists
– three years of experience (not necessarily in health reporting)
– preferably printed press
– independent press
– specialization in health reporting is not necessary, but a strong
interest is essential
– no purely medical journalists that work for medical magazines, but
journalists that work for mainstream newspapers and magazines (respected
media, no tabloids)
Would you be able to advertise this information among your colleagues
who might be interested in attending this workshop. They can send their
application (CV and letter of recommendation from their employer) to my
email address: [email protected]. They should do this before 1 September,
if possible.
Marjan Tillmans
Project coordinator
European Journalism Centre
Regional Press Institute
Tel/fax: +7 (812) 272-4672
70 Nevsky Prospect, room 41
Phone: +7 (812) 273-4733
191025 St. Petersburg RUSSIA
E-mail: [email protected]
3. INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME
Objective: The Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus Internship
Programme offers an opportunity to last year students and graduates from
relevant academics departments from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to
acquire basic knowledge of environmental issues, office and project
management skills through a two week competitive training scheme, as
well as specific work experience.
Scope: Internship Programme consists of two stage competitive training
courses including: 2 week general capacity building training in Tbilisi.
Participants in the training will undergo a test, and selection will be
made from among the winners to fill the vacancies of interns in the
on-the-job training course at the REC Caucasus offices.
Dates:
Two-week general training course September 13-26, 2004
One month on-the-job training September 27 – October 25, 2004
Financial support: Selected candidates for the general training shall be
provided with full travel and accommodation support by the organizers.
The selected interns will be offered a stipend for the one month period.
Criteria for participants:
o Applicant is to be a last year undergraduate student or graduate
student at the time of application;
o Applicant is to specialize in the field of biology, chemistry,
geography, journalism, economics, law, agriculture, architecture,
management and social sciences;
o Applicant is to possess good knowledge of the language of the country
whose citizen he/she is, also of the English and Russian languages.
Computer literacy and ability to work in multicultural environment is a
must;
o Applicant is to be a resident of Armenia, Azerbaijan or Georgia.
How to apply:
Candidates must submit, an updated curriculum vitae (CV) and a letter of
motivation describing his/her interest in the REC Caucasus Internship
Programme (not more than 500 words). CV, letter of motivation and other
relevant documents (recommendation letters, certificates, etc.) are to
be delivered by post or via e-mail to:
Nino Gvazava
74, Chavchavadze Ave., office 901, 0162 Tbilisi, Georgia
Tel/Fax: +99532 253649 / 253648
E-mail: [email protected]
Deadline for the application is 22 august 2004
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the interview
—————————————————–
REC Caucasus
74, Chavchavadze Ave., office 901
0162 Tbilisi, Georgia
Tel/Fax: +99532 253649 / 253648
E-Mail: [email protected]
4. WORLD BANK SETS NEW RULES FOR OIL PROJECTS
The World Bank, the world’s largest lender to poor nations, has agreed
to new rules meant to prevent revenue from oil and gas projects going to
corrupt regimes, rejecting a call for it to pull out of those projects
altogether, reports The Calgary Herald (Canada). The Bank will require
companies and countries to disclose oil payments, and it will reveal its
internal analysis of corruption in a country before approving a loan for
an oil or gas project. The Bank must still rework some changes in the
next few weeks before they are formally adopted, Kaldany said. The
Montreal Gazette, Neue Zýrcher Zeitung, (Switzerland), Die Tageszeitung
(Germany), The National Post (Canada), Inter Press Service, and
Greenwire, also report.
Meanwhile, in a letter to the editor of The Financial Times, members of
several UK-based Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) write that, by
agreeing to the World Bank’s management response, the Bank’s board has
again taken the easy option and sided with big business and big
governments, rather than standing up for indigenous peoples, the poor
and the environment by requiring a more environmentally and socially
responsible industry for the 21st century. The letter was signed by Tony
Juniper, Executive Director, Friends of the Earth; Barbara Stocking,
Executive Director Oxfam GB; Stephen Tindale, Executive Director,
Greenpeace UK; Jonathan Glennie, Senior Policy Officer, Christian Aid;
Simon Counsell, Director The Rainforest Foundation UK; Andrew Simms,
Policy Director, New Economics Foundation; Geoff Nettleton, Director,
Indigenous Peoples Links; James Leaton, Extractive Industries Policy
Officer, WWF; UK Jeff Powell, Co-ordinator, Bretton Woods Project;
Richard Harkinson, Co-ordinator, Minewatch’ Frances Carr, Director, Down
to Earth: the International Campaign for Ecological Justice in
Indonesia; and Nick Hildyard, The Cornerhouse.
The CSO members write that, rather than insisting on strong pro-poor
conditions being in place prior to investment to ensure transparency and
local consent, the Bank has promised merely “ongoing improvements”.
Rather than a decisive step-change in investments in renewable forms of
energy, the bank has promised a small increase. And rather than
insisting on the rights of indigenous people to decide what occurs on
their lands, the bank has promised merely to “consult”, the writers say.
All the evidence supports the need for the implementation of the EIR,
say the writers. The Bank’s response, supported by the UK government, is
a disgrace. Despite the rhetoric of concern for poor people and the
environment, it appears that today more than ever the greed of the
powerful overrides the needs of the powerless. The World Bank’s failure
to respond to the recommendations of an EIR process that it commissioned
raises fundamental questions about the sincerity of the bank in
launching this and other so-called multi-stakeholder processes.
Janneke bruil
Coordinator international financial institutions program
Friends of the earth international
Tel: +31 20 622 1369
5. ANOTHER BIODEMOCRACY VICTORY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Trinity County California Votes to Ban Genetically Engineered Crops
Source :Organic Consumers Association: Biodemocracy News & Action Alert,
August 4, 2004
It was another bad day for Monsanto and the Biotech Bullies and another
victory for the grassroots. Today, August 3, 2004, Trinity County,
California became the second county in the nation to ban the production
of genetically engineered (GE) crops and animals. By a vote of three to
one, Trinity County Supervisors moved to ban GE crops and animals in
order to protect Trinity’s local economy, including its growing organic
sector, and the environment. Today’s decision comes in the wake of a
March 2 ballot victory by voters in another Northern California county,
Mendocino, banning GE crops.
In November four more of California’s 59 counties (Marin, Butte,
Humboldt, and San Luis Obispo) will be voting on ballot measures to ban
genetically engineered organisms (GMOs). Monsanto, the Farm Bureau, and
the Bayer Corporation have vowed to crush this growing “Biodemocracy”
movement, but public opposition to gene-altered crops has put the
industry on the defensive. On May 10, Monsanto was forced to cancel
plans to commercialize GE wheat, while other GMOs in the
pipeline–including trees, fish, and biopharmaceutical crops, are facing
increasing opposition, not only in the U.S., but across the world.
Trinity’s GE Ban has been supported by a broad cross-section of county
residents, including organic consumers, farmers, businesses, home
gardeners, nurseries, social workers, students, church people, teachers,
environmentalists, government employees, and investment, computer, and
health professionals,
“Today’s vote follows 25 years of tradition in Trinity County, regarding
the passage of common-sense ordinances that protect the well being of
local citizens,” said Susan Bower, local farmer and ban proponent.
6. OCA ORGANIZING FILM PREMIER/HOUSE PARTIES ACROSS THE U.S. SEPTEMBER
11-12
Source :Organic Consumers Association: Biodemocracy News & Action Alert,
August 4, 2004
Host a house party! Meet up with other anti-GE activists in your
community. Help spread GE-Free Zones nationwide. Join the OCA September
11 and 12 to host a Biodemocracy fundraiser/house party, featuring a
premier screening of the powerful documentary, “The Future of Food,” by
Debra Koons Garcia.
“The Future of Food” provides an in-depth investigation and critique of
genetically engineered foods and crops, including interviews with farmer
activists such as Percy Schmeiser, and scientific critics such as Dr.
Michael Hansen.
For a donation of $25 dollars, the OCA will send you a video or DVD of
the documentary, an OCA house party manual, and an action guide on how
to spread GE-Free Zones in your local area or region.
OCA’s goal is to have 300 simultaneous house parties across America
September 11-12. Join us to make this goal a reality!
For more information, email Ryan Zinn in the OCA’s San Francisco office
[email protected] or call 415-271-6833.
OCA is now working with grassroots activists in over 30 counties across
the country to create GE-Free Zones. But we need more volunteers and
local Biodemocracy committees to help pass GMO bans. If you wish to
volunteer, please email or call us.
7. HELP THE OCA FIGHT THE COUNTER-ATTACK BY MONSANTO AND THE FARM BUREAU
Source :Organic Consumers Association: Biodemocracy News & Action Alert,
August 4, 2004
Trinity County’s vote comes on the heels of a vicious attack in the
corporate agribusiness farm journal, Western Farm Press, on the
Biodemocracy Alliance and the OCA–accusing us, among other things, of
fear-mongering and eco-terrorism
(). But we will
not be libeled nor intimidated. Corporate agribusiness and the Gene
Giants are attacking us, not because they are confident, but because
they are scared. We and the people of the world are starting to win the
battle against GMOs and usher in a new era of safe food, family farms,
and a sustainable environment. But we need your support to defend
Mendocino and Trinity’s victories, as well as to spread Biodemocracy
across California and the Americas. Please take the time now to send us
a donation.
8. VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS
8.1. AGRO-BIODIVERSITY TERMS OF REFERENCE FRUIT SPECIALIST
UNDP/GEF Project:
Recovery, Conservation, and Sustainable Use of Georgia’s Agricultural
diversity
Project Summary:
The project’s goal is the conservation and sustainable utilization of
threatened local plant genetic resources important to food and
agriculture. The project has two immediate objectives. The first is the
on-farm conservation of selected local agricultural biodiversity in
Samtskhe-Javakheti, historically the main granary of Georgia, on a pilot
demonstration basis. The second is to develop and implement a strategy
for replication of best lessons learned in conservation and utilization
of local agricultural biodiversity to other Georgian regions.
The project will address threats and root causes by concentrating its
technical and financial resources along 5 main avenues of actions.
First, it will establish sources of primary seed and planting material
for the threatened crops and fruit varieties. Second, it will strengthen
farmers’ own organizational structures (e.g. farmer association) as main
vehicles for production and distribution of seed and planting material
and experience sharing. Third, it will assist farmers in accessing
markets, including markets for organic products. Fourth, it will enhance
access to information on local agricultural biodiversity to farmers,
authorities, research stations, donors and other stakeholders and
promote information sharing among them. Finally, the project will ensure
that best lessons from project activities in Samtskhe-Javakheti are
replicated to other regions of Georgia.
Responsibilities
The Fruit Specialist will be responsible to the Project Manager. He/she
will work in close cooperation with the Agrobiodiversity Program Officer
under supervision of the Project Manager and provide needed expertise to
the Project. His/her responsibilities include but are not limited to:
– Working closely with the Project manager, program officer and other
staff of the project;
– Develop recommendations on technology for growing the targeted field
crop varieties.
– Participating in the farm works and assisting the participating
farmers with carrying them out properly and in the timely manner.
– Managing all farm operations on the project seed/planting material
multiplication fields
– Monitoring the project sites and farms regularly. Collect and analyze
all necessary data (soil, weather, diseases, pests, etc.)
– Planning and conducting survey field missions;
– For preparation of the targeted field surveys examining existing
information on globally significant agricultural diversity, including
wild relatives, their localization and level of vulnerability;
– Providing written reports of findings, including detailed map of
results.
– Consulting the participating farmers on all agronomy and farm
management issues related to the growing of the targeted plant species
– Investigating and assessing traditional knowledge possessed by the
farmers
– Providing recommendations on the type and level of training needed for
farmers or other conservation related personnel involved in the project
– Providing recommendation for a management plan for on farm
conservation measures, collection plots, nurseries and mini reserve(s);
– Assisting the Program Officer in development of agricultural diversity
data-base, brochures, handouts, booklets, other publications.
Outputs
– Work-plans and field mission plans
– Field Missions, mission reports
– Reports, maps, recommendations, photo-documentation
– In situ and ex situ conservation sites
Qualifications
– Recognized expertise in related subject;
– At least 10 years of experience in professional or academic position
– Experience working with in situ conservation of agricultural diversity
– Proven ability to effectively analyze situations and communicate
results well
– At least 1-year experience of working in donor-funded projects
– Working knowledge of computer (MS Office applications)
– Working knowledge of English is a preference
Education
– Advanced University degree in related discipline
Duty Station
Tbilisi with frequent travels to project sites in Samtskhe-Javakheti
Period of work
1 year with a view of extension of the contract up to three years.
Deadline for CV submission
August 12, 2004
Please deliver your CVs/send electronically according to the following
contact information:
ELKANA
III Delisi str. Nakveti 16
Tel: 536487 (contact person: Rusudan Nemsadze)
Fax: 536484
E-mail: [email protected]
And
UNDP
Mariam Shotadze
Program Analyst
UNDP, Georgia
Eristavi Str. 9, Tbilisi,
Tel: 25 11 28/29 or 31
Fax: 25 0071/72
E-mail: [email protected]
Important note: Interviews will be scheduled with the short listed
candidates only.
8.2. AGRO-BIODIVERSITY TERMS OF REFERENCE FIELD CROP SPECIALIST
UNDP/GEF Project: Recovery, Conservation, and Sustainable Use of
Georgia’s Agricultural diversity
Project Summary:
The project’s goal is the conservation and sustainable utilization of
threatened local plant genetic resources important to food and
agriculture. The project has two immediate objectives. The first is the
on-farm conservation of selected local agricultural biodiversity in
Samtskhe-Javakheti, historically the main granary of Georgia, on a pilot
demonstration basis. The second is to develop and implement a strategy
for replication of best lessons learned in conservation and utilization
of local agricultural biodiversity to other Georgian regions.
The project will address threats and root causes by concentrating its
technical and financial resources along 5 main avenues of actions.
First, it will establish sources of primary seed and planting material
for the threatened crops and fruit varieties. Second, it will strengthen
farmers’ own organizational structures (e.g. farmer association) as main
vehicles for production and distribution of seed and planting material
and experience sharing. Third, it will assist farmers in accessing
markets, including markets for organic products. Fourth, it will enhance
access to information on local agricultural biodiversity to farmers,
authorities, research stations, donors and other stakeholders and
promote information sharing among them. Finally, the project will ensure
that best lessons from project activities in Samtskhe-Javakheti are
replicated to other regions of Georgia.
Responsibilities
The Field Crop Specialist will be responsible to the Project Manager.
He/she will work in close cooperation with the Agrobiodiversity Program
Officer under supervision of the Project Manager and provide needed
expertise to the Project. His/her responsibilities include but are not
limited to:
– Working closely with the Project manager, program officer and other
staff of the project;
– Developing recommendations on technology for growing the targeted
field
crop varieties.
– Participating in the farm works and assisting participating farmers
with carrying them out properly and in a timely manner.
– Managing all farm operations on the project seed/planting material
multiplication fields including tillage, irrigation, weed and pest
control, rouging, yield harvesting, measuring and storing.
– Monitoring the project sites and farms regularly. Collecting and
analyzing all necessary data (soil, weather, phenology, diseases, weeds,
pests, yield, etc.) for its further utilization in technology
improvement and extension.
– Planning and making survey field missions.
– In preparation for the targeted field surveys examining existing
information on globally significant agricultural diversity, including
land races and wild relatives, their localization and level of
vulnerability;
– Conducting verification surveys of known sites of agricultural
diversity to provide up-to-date information on existing agricultural
diversity;
– Providing written reports of findings, including detailed maps of
results;
– Consulting participating farmers on all agronomy and farm management
issues related to the growing of the targeted crop varieties.
– Investigating and assessing traditional knowledge possessed by the
farmers;
– Providing recommendations on the type and level of training needed for
farmers or other conservation related personnel involved in the project.
– Providing recommendation on the management plan for on farm
conservation measures, collection plots, nurseries and mini reserve(s);
– Helping the Program Officer in development of agricultural diversity
data-base, brochures, handouts, booklets, other publications.
Outputs
– Work-plans and field mission plans;
– Field Missions, mission reports;
– Reports, maps, recommendations, photo-documentation;
– In situ and ex situ conservation sites established and became
operational.
Qualifications
– Recognized expertise in related subject;
– At least 10 years of experience in professional or academic position;
– Experience working with in situ conservation of agricultural
diversity;
– Proven ability to effectively analyze situations and communicate
results well;
– At least 1-year experience of working in donor-funded projects;
– Working knowledge of computer (MS Office applications);
– Working knowledge of English is a preference.
Education
Advanced University degree in related discipline
Duty Station
Tbilisi with frequent travels to project sites in Samtskhe-Javakheti
Period of work
3 Years (part-time)
Deadline for CV submission
August 12, 2004
Please deliver/send electronically your CVs according to the following
contact information:
ELK ANA
III Delisi str. Nakveti 16
Tel: 536487 (contact person: Rusudan Nemsadze)
Fax: 536484
E-mail: [email protected]
With CC: to
Mariam Shotadze
Program Analyst
UNDP, Georgia
Eristavi Str. 9, Tbilisi,
Tel: 25 11 28/29 or 31
Fax: 25 0071/72
E-mail: [email protected]
Important note: Interviews will be scheduled with the short listed
candidates only.
Important note: Interviews will be scheduled with the short listed
candidates only.
—
*******************************************
CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:

Iranian President meets Speaker of Azerbaijan’s National Assembly
IRNA news agency, Tehran
6 Aug 04
Baku, 6 August: President Mohammad Khatami here 6 August referred to
parliament as the cornerstone of democracy and symbol of sovereignty
and said that placing focus on parliament indicates respect for the
nation.
Speaking in a meeting with the Speaker of Azerbaijan’s National
Assembly Murtuz Alasgarov, he pointed to the decisive role of the
parliaments of both countries in expansion of mutual ties and urged to
implement the mutually signed agreements, despite bureaucratic
problems.
Turning to Iran-Azerbaijan historical, religious and cultural
relations, he said that Iran’s bolstering ties with Caucasus area,
particularly its Muslim neighbours including Azerbaijan Republic is
part and parcel of Iran’s foreign policy principle.
“Given plenty of potentials for cooperation in various fields,
high-ranking officials from both countries are determined to further
broaden the current relations,” he added.
The president noted that security, stability and progress in
Azerbaijan is linked to security in the Islamic Republic of Iran and
hoped that Karabakh clashes will lead to sustainable peace.
Appreciating the steps taken to establish a legal Caspian regime, he
said that Majlis is quite serious on the issue.
The chief executive hoped that a comprehensive plan securing the
interests of the Caspian littoral states will soon be drawn up.
He turned to the Caspian environmental problems and the health of its
aquatics as a key to healthy life in the regional countries and urged
the protection of its environment considering its unique position in
the world.
“The convention on the Caspian Sea environment inked by the littoral
states will soon be examined by Majlis. We expect Azerbaijan’s
National Assembly will take a similar step,” he added.
The president expressed the satisfaction of Iranian nation with the
independence of Azerbaijan and said that Iran was the first country
officially recognizing it as an independent country.
For his part, Alasgarov expressed pleasure over the president’s visit
and said that dialogue between the high-ranking Iranian delegation and
Azeri officials will help expand mutual ties.
The speaker pointed to parliamentary relations between the two
cooperation.
Turning to the unrest in Karabakh region and its partial occupation by
Armenia as an obstacle interfering with Azerbaijan’s progress, he
underlined that his country will not let Armenia take even a small
part of its territory.
Alasgarov also appreciated Iran’s approach towards Karabakh issue on
the international scene and said, “We believe that Iran will take
measures towards seeking a peaceful solution to the problem.
President Khatami heading a high-ranking political and economic
delegation arrived in Azerbaijan Republic capital of Baku on Thursday
afternoon on an official visit in response to the invitation of his
Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev.
Officials of the two countries, during Khatami’s visit, are scheduled
to sign eight cooperation agreements and issue a joint political
communique.
The Azerbaijan Republic is situated in eastern Transcaucasia, on the
western coast of the Caspian Sea. To the south, it borders on Iran, to
the west Armenia, to the north-west Georgia, and to the north the
Republic of Dagestan, in Russia.
On the last day of his stay in the Central Asian country, Khatami will
visit the historical city of Ganja to pay tribute to the 12th century
prominent Iranian poet Nezami Ganjavi, who has been buried in the
city. He is also to visit the historical Shah Esma’il Mosque in the
city.