Category: News

Armenia exempts Russia from paying $6.2m
RosBusinessConsulting, Russia
May 11 2004
RBC, 11.05.2004, Yerevan 13:40:45.The parliament of Armenia
exempted the Russian Economy Ministry from paying VAT totaling $6.2m
within the framework of a deal on including the assets of Razdan
thermal power station in the authorized capital of Razdan Energy
Company. According to the ARKA news agency, the Armenian parliament
adopted a corresponding bill on the second reading. The final stage
of transferring the Razdan thermal power station to Russia implies
including its property in the authorized capital of Razdan Energy
Company, a legal entity, which is being established by Russia in
Armenia.
According the legislation of Armenia, Russia had to pay a 20-percent
VAT from the cost of the property ($31m), which amounted to $6.2m. As
a result, Russia faced unforeseen expenditures and the Armenian side
decided to introduce changes to legislation, which imply VAT relief
for establishing Razdan Energy Company.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenia president to pay working visit to Russia
ITAR-TASS, Russia
May 11 2004
YEREVAN, May 11 (Itar-Tass) – – President Robert Kocharyan of Armenia
will pay a working visit to Russia on May 13-15, press secretary of
the president Ashot Kocharyan said.
“Relations with Russia have the character of strategic partnership
and are an important factor of ensuring economic development and
security of Armenia,” Ashot Kocharyan said.
As the press secretary recalled, Robert Kocharyan’s official visit
to Russia in January last year, during which a dialogue between the
two countries’ presidents was continued, became an important stage
in intensifying bilateral relations.
According to Ashot Kocharyan, at present priority importance is
attached to economic cooperation. In this context, the sides will
consider prospects for economic development and broadening of economic
relations, the press secretary said.
The Armenian president will meet in Moscow with leaders of the
Russian companies supplying natural gas to the republic and other
representatives of business circles.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agenda for Armenian ruling coalition-opposition dialogue to be set 13 May
Mediamax news agency
11 May 04
Yerevan, 11 May: The agenda of the political dialogue between the
representatives of Armenian ruling coalition and the opposition will
be formulated on 13 May.
Armenian National Assembly speaker Artur Bagdasaryan issued this
statement in Yerevan on the evening of 10 May, Mediamax reports.
“I hope that the political forces presented in the Parliament will
do everything possible to establish a new political situation in the
country and will achieve the resolution of the existing difficult
problems by means of a dialogue,” the speaker said.

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION DERAILS DEMOCRATIZATION
A1 Plus | 19:36:12 | 11-05-2004 | Politics |
“Violence and election fraud have become dangerously commonplace in
our country and all illegalities are being committed amid growing
informational blockade”, said participants of For and Against Civil
Will forum held by 40 organizations on Tuesday in Yerevan.
Karen Hakobyan, a member of Hope organization, is convinced the time
came, when each citizen must feel himself guilty for the situation
created.
Chair of Armenian Helsinki Association Avetik Ishkhanyan says the
community let the authorities ruin the whole nation.
Today, the forum came up with a statement saying human rights violation
derailed democratization process in Armenia and illegalities committed
by the authorities created the atmosphere of impunity in the republic.
In their statement, the forum participants demanded to release all
political prisoners, to prosecute all those officials, who violated
constitutional law, provide right for receiving information to citizens
and to return broadcasting license to A1+ TV Company.

BAKU: Separatist, former minister not included in pardon by Azeri president
Assa-Irada news agency
10 May 04
Baku, 10 May: On Monday, President Ilham Aliyev issued a decree,
pardoning 363 prisoners. However, former defence minister Rahim
Qaziyev and separatist Alikram Humbatov, who attempted to establish
the “Talis Mugan Republic”, were not among those pardoned.
Qaziyev and Humbatov have been sentenced to life imprisonment for their
high treason, committing crimes against the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan and collaborating with special service bodies of foreign
countries.
Qaziyev, who once headed a group of military troops in Susa District
and had no military education and rank, was appointed defence minister
by certain forces. During his activity as defence minister, the
Azerbaijani army conducted unsuccessful military operations. Besides,
Susa and Lacin districts were occupied by Armenian military troops.
Humbatov, who did not get any military education either, managed
to receive the rank of colonel within a short period thanks to his
foreign supporters and former defence minister Qaziyev.
Humbatov, who declared himself the president of the self-proclaimed
“Talis Mugan Republic”, was sentenced to life imprisonment after Heydar
Aliyev came to power. Qaziyev played “a great role” in carrying out
Humbatov’s separatist actions.

BAKU: Azeri, Armenian foreign ministers to discuss Karabakh in Strasbourg
Bilik Dunyasi news agency
11 May 04
Baku, 11 May: Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov will
meet Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan in Strasbourg tomorrow.
The sides are expected to discuss the issue of restoring transport
and communications lines between Azerbaijan and Armenia in exchange
for the liberation of Azerbaijan’s seven occupied districts.
According to Mammadyarov, the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group
and special representatives of the two countries’ presidents, Araz
Azimov and Tatul Markaryan, will also take part in the negotiations.

BAKU: Jailed Azeri officer’s case to be handed to Hungarian prosecutor
ANS TV, Baku
10 May 04
[Presenter] An investigation into the case of the Azerbaijani officer
Ramil Safarov, jailed in Budapest, has ended. Lawyer Adil Ismayilov
and ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova met him today.
[Correspondent over video of Safarov’s photo] The investigation into
the case of Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov charged with killing
Armenian officer Gurgen Markaryan ended today. In an interview with
ANS, lawyer Adil Ismayilov, who is in Budapest because of the case,
said that the investigation material would be handed over to a
prosecutor after he familiarized himself with them. Ismayilov said
that they would appeal to the prosecutor over two issues.
[Ismayilov, on the phone] Ramil said that he wanted an Azerbaijani
interpreter. [Sentence indistinct] They wanted us to inform the
prosecutor of this.
[Correspondent over video of Ismayilov speaking] Ismayilov said the
issue had not been resolved yet. He added that another unresolved
issue was his participation in the trial. This appeal had not been
responded to either. However, the Hungarian ombudsman promised to
help them in this issue. Let us recall that Ismayilov and Azerbaijani
ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova today visited Safarov.
[Ismayilov, on the phone] Elmira xanim [form of address] and I visited
the prison with the assistance of the Hungarian ombudsman. Our meeting
lasted for about an hour. He is in good health. His moral state is
good. He feels better. He has no problem with [word indistinct]
[Correspondent, over video] According to Ismayilov, it is not known
precisely when the trial will be held. Ismayilov said that Hungarian
lawyer Peter Zalay was familiarizing himself with the case.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PARLIAMENT SPEAKER HOPES FOR SITUATION IN ARMENIA TO SETTLE “VIA POLITICAL
DIALOGUE”
11.05.2004 15:42
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ All political forces represented in the
Parliament of Armenia will do their best to establish a new
political situation in the country and will solve the problems via
political dialogue. Chairman of the National Assembly of Armenia Artur
Baghdasarian told it to journalists yesterday, after the completion of
the recurrent phase of political consultations between representatives
of the ruling coalition and the opposition over the settlement of
the domestic situation in the country. In his opinion, the political
consultations, which began after hard four-month discussions in
the Parliament, have born first fruits. Representatives of the
Republican Party of Armenia, Orinats Yerkir and Dashnaktsutyun,
People’s Deputy group, United Labor Party faction, Justice bloc
and National Unification faction have agreed to start political
dialogue. Thereupon a corresponding agenda will be formed on May
13. As Secretary of Justice opposition faction Victor Dallakian
told journalists in his turn, “coalition representatives asked for
two days to express their attitude to the opposition proposals.” In
his words, May 12 the coalition will present a corresponding written
proposal. Having discussed it, the opposition will decide whether to
continue the talks or not. It should be reminded that the question on
“the ways of overcoming the political crisis formed in Armenia after
the presidential election in 2003” is included in the agenda of the
negotiations.

AUTHORITIES KEEP ON IGNORING PACE RESOLUTION
A1 Plus | 20:40:50 | 11-05-2004 | Politics |
Justice, a 16-party opposition alliance, issued a statement on Tuesday,
pointing out the authorities’ steps taken in a clear breach of the
PACE 1374 resolution.
1. The authorities didn’t abandon their practice of arresting people
as so called administrative punishment.
2. Those arrested for participation in unauthorized rallies haven’t
been released immediately. 14 citizens have been taken in police
custody for political reasons. One of them, Martin Ghazaryan, is
already convicted and sentenced to one year in jail.
3. Those responsible for violence against people and human rights
violations have not been prosecuted.
4. Legislation on administrative offenders hasn’t been amended.

JUSTICE MINISTER REACTS ANGRILY TO NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CONTROL CHAMBER’S REPORT
A1 Plus | 21:10:44 | 11-05-2004 | Politics |
Serious abuses in implementation of justice system improvement program,
which received a credit from World Bank, have been mentioned in the
National Assembly Control Chamber report.
Amount of more than 4 million USD was allocated for the repairs of
20 court houses. Only 9 of them were repaired.
The report prompted Justice Minister David Harutyunyan’s discontent. He
is unhappy about the fact that increase in building materials prices
hasn’t been taken into account in the report.
He called the report as a populist one.
Responding to that, National Assembly Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan said:
“We shouldn’t plunge in impunity. Abuses were disclosed and those
forged papers must stand trial”.