Arka News Agency, Armenia
Oct 26 2006
MONITORING OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN ARMENIA FORMAL
YEREVAN, October 26. /ARKA/. The monitoring of the human rights
sector in Armenia is formal, Chairman of the Helsinki Committee of
Armenia Avetik Ishkhanyan told reporters today. He pointed out that
the values proclaimed in Armenia are mostly declarative.
Ishkhanyan reported the human rights sector has been long closed for
surveys, and only since 2001, after Armenia’s admission to the
Council of Europe, monitoring of human rights has become systematic.
He said that the availability of conducting monitoring at
institutions of confinement since 2001 can be considered the
progress.
“However, a group of public observers does not have a possibility to
visit police departments, but only places of imprisonment before
trial, though lawless actions take place mostly at police
departments,” he said.
Ishkhanyan also pointed out that the close structure for monitoring
are still the armed forces of the country, in spite the fact that
they are included in the list of obligations before the CE.
“Some public organizations have access to the armed forces, however
the army infrastructure is mostly closed for the public. We learn
about happenings in the army from parents and relatives of the
servicemen, mostly about tragic incidents,” he said.
In this relation, the HCA chairman said that monitoring of human
rights is aimed not only at revealing the situation in a specific
sector, but first of all making an impact on it. R.O. -0–

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Oct 26 2006
CRIME MOST SERIOUS OBSTACLE ON ARMENIA’S WAY TOWARD DEMOCRACY: NSDU
LEADER
YEREVAN, October 26. /ARKA/. Crime is the most serious obstacle on
Armenia’s way toward democracy, Leader of the National
Self-Determination Union party (NSDU) Paruir Hairikyan told reporters
Thursday.
“Crime has its roots in all the power structures of the country. All
political forces should join to combat this evil,” he said.
Hairikyan reported that the parliamentary elections 2007 are an ideal
opportunity to eradicate the crime in the power structures solely by
taking the letter of the law into account.
The NSDU leader points out that his party and he personally have
experience in combat against crime, lawlessness and “other cases of
antidemocratic nature”.
In this context, Hairikyan stated that he is ready to do his utmost
for the sake of this goal. R.O. -0–

Panorama.am
17:42 26/10/06

LOCAL PRODUCTION OF VODKA BOLSTERED
Soon equal conditions will be created for local producers and
importers of vodka which will promote local production. The government
made changes in several laws today, including on Customs Code, On
State Tariffs, On Excise-Tax, On Licensing.
Vakhtang Pirumyan, state incomes policy department head of the staff
of the ministry of finance and economy, told a briefing shortly after
the government session that the customs duty for import of vodka will
be raised which is 240 Armenian drams per one liter
today. /Panorama.am/

Panorama.am
17:47 26/10/06

HAIRIKYAN SAYS HIS PARTY TO RUN FOR ELECTIONS IN ALLIANCE
National Self-Determination Union (NSDU) will run for elections in the
alliance. `All those who say that they will combat in elections alone
add water to the water-mill of the criminal elements,’ NSDU Chairman
Paruir Hairikyan told a press conference today.
In his words, it will be a betrayal from the side of the people if
they do not use his and his party’s great experience. Hairikyan is
ready to cooperate with all forces, even with Armenian National
Movement (HHSh) and Communist Party, if they declare about their
readiness to fight for the sake of democracy and rule of law in
Armenia. /Panorama.am/

Panorama.am
18:56 26/10/06

CAUCASUS-POTI TO WORK ALSO FOR ARMENIA
It is most likely that Caucausus-Poti ferry crossing will work also
for Armenia in December, 2006 or January of the next year, Arsen
Ghazaryan, chairman of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs,
told reporters today
In his words, this ferry rout can transport 52 goods wagons. `It is
rather profitable with such capacity,’ Ghazaryan noted. In his words,
trade turnover between Russia and Armenia through ferry routs makes up
some $ 650,000, which may reach $1 million. /Panorama.am/

Armenpress
WORLD BANK SUPPORTS ARMENIAN SOCIAL INVESTMENT FUND
TARGETING THE POOR

WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 27, ARMENPRESS: The World
Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved October
26 a credit of US $25 million equivalent for a Social
Investment Fund III (ASIF III) Project for Armenia.
The World Bank said in a press release this project
will assist the Government of Armenia in its efforts
to improve the living standards of the poor and
strengthen institutions at the local level.
So-called “infrastructure gaps,” including schools
and primary health clinics or ambulatories that are in
need of repair or reconstruction, are most acute in
the rural areas, especially in the remote and isolated
communities. While unmet demands remain throughout
Armenia, the needs of earthquake zone communities are
large, and include potable water and special schools.
For high mountainous communities, potable water
remains a high priority, along with community centers.
The new project will help to meet these and other
needs over the medium-term.
“The main strength of ASIF is its capacity to
penetrate into remote, isolated, and poor communities,
provoke effective discussion on their perceived
priorities, and to bring the project proposals to
serve their needs,” said Caroline Mascarell, Head of
the World Bank team designing the project. Thus, the
Fund will support the improvement of basic social and
economic infrastructure, short-term employment
opportunities, community participation, and local
capacity building and empowerment, she noted.
The ASIF III Project will benefit from the effective
institutional and implementation arrangements already
in place under the ASIF I and II projects. ASIF has
successfully been in operation for the last decade; so
far, 587 micro-projects in 271 rural and urban
communities have been completed under the project,
reaching up to 1.7 million beneficiaries all over
Armenia.
The ASIF III project has two main components. It
would support community investments in the poorest
communities of Armenia through basic small-scale
social and economic infrastructure rehabilitation. The
project would also compliment community investment
through local level institutional strengthening,
monitoring and evaluation. It is designed to increase
the competencies and accountability of municipal
administration in such areas as financial management,
budgeting, accounting, and asset management.
By the time the project is completed, more than a
hundred of the neediest communities (of small and
medium size, and mostly rural) would benefit from
newly constructed and renovated schools that are
warmer during the winter; specialized schools for
orphanages, handicapped children, and art students;
sports facilities; community centers; potable water in
homes; and rehabilitated irrigation systems.
The credit is provided on “hardened” IDA terms,
with a maturity of 20 years and a grace period of 10
years included. Since July 1, 2006 Armenia has been in
the process of graduating from IDA eligibility.
Since joining the World Bank in 1992 and IDA in
1993, commitments to Armenia have totaled
approximately US $952.25 million for 44 operations.

Armenpress
HAYRUSGAZARD EYES IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 27, ARMENPRESS: The chief manager
of the Russian-Armenian joint venture that delivers
Russian natural gas to Armenia via Georgia, said
yesterday the company asked the government to let it
take the management of a second gas pipeline that
stretches from Iran to Armenia.
Karen Karapetian, the chief manager of HayRusGazArd
company, said the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline will have
to be connected to HayRusGazArd network. Karapetian
denied media allegations that the Iran-Armenia gas
pipeline will be handed to a Russian company. He said
the question is whether Iran-Armenia pipeline will be
an independent company or will be given to
HayRusGazArd. He said handing the Iran-Armenia
pipeline to HayRusGazArd was logical.
Forty-five percent of shares in HayRusGazArd are
owned by Russian Gazprom, 10 percent are owned by
another Russian-owned group ITERA and the remaining 45
percent belong to the Armenian government.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Oct 27 2006
AZERBAIJANI SPEAKER MEETS WITH VICE PRESIDENT OF OSCE PA
[October 27, 2006, 11:07:40]
Chairman of the Milli Majlis (the Parliament of Azerbaijan) Oqtay
Asadov met with visiting Vice President of the OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly Oleg Bilorus (Ukraine).
Mr. Asadov spoke of the history of Azerbaijan’s relationship with
Ukraine, saying that ties between the two countries have strengthened
during the years of independence and reached the level of strategic
partnership.
The Azeri Speaker stressed the important role both countries’
presidents played in developing the bilateral relations.
Oqtay Asadov also touched on the Azerbaijan-Ukraine
inter-parliamentary relations.
He said he believes this visit will give an impetus to further
development of Azerbaijan’s cooperation with Ukraine and OSCE.
On the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, Oqtay
Asadov stressed Armenia’s non-constructive stance on this dispute.
The Speaker said he believes Ukraine will continue supporting
Azerbaijan’s equitable stance on this issue.
Oleg Bilorus, for his part, said this is his first visit to
Azerbaijan, adding it is aimed at discussing the prospects of further
boosting the bilateral relations between the two countries as well as
their cooperation with OSCE.
* * *
Afterwards, Mr. Bilorus met with Deputy Chairman of the Parliament,
head of Azerbaijan’s delegation to OSCE PA Mrs. Bahar Muradova,
chairman of the Milli Majlis standing commission on international
relations and inter-parliamentary ties, head of the permanent
delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Samad Seyidov, and head of the Azerbaijan-Ukraine Inter-Parliamentary
friendship group Farrukh Zeynalov.
The discussions were focused on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, ways
of further strengthening the cooperation between Azerbaijan and
Ukraine as well as cooperation with OSCE, and other topics.
* * *
Later same day, Oleg Bilorus visited Darnagul refugee camp in Baku to
familiarize himself with living conditions of the internally
displaced persons.

A1+
ARMENIAN KHACHKARS TO BE EXHIBITED IN THE LOUVRE
[08:40 pm] 26 October, 2006
Armenian khachkars will be exhibited in the Louvre
within the framework of the year of Armenia in France.
Today, the RA Government decided to transport over 27
Armenian khachkars to France, provided they are taken
back after the exhibition. The Armenian khachkars will
be exhibited in the 2007 exhibition in the Louvre.
The marzpets of Aragatsotni, Ararat, Armavir,
Ghekharquniq, Kotayk, Syunik and Vayots Dzor were
assigned to render assistance in connection with the
transportation of the khachkars.
The RA Government ensures the safe transportation of
the khachkars.

A1+
GALUST SAHAKYAN, «REAL CRIMINALS ARE NOT PUNISHED»
[01:01 pm] 27 October, 2006
more images Today the NA deputies started their day putting wreaths
to the memorial to the victims of October 27, 1999.
«Regardless of the fact that seven years have passed by, those who
knew the victims, those who worked with them, and those who were in
the Parliament hall that day will never forget the pain they
suffered», NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan said.
He is convinced that hatred and malice lay in the basis of the October
27 tragedy. «Those people who died that day lived for ideas, for plans
and principles. The best tribute to their memory will be the
development of Armenia, the realization of the plans and ideas for
which they lived».
Head of the Republican Party faction Galust Sahakyan informed that
seven years after the tragedy they suffer because they lost their
friends, but they also strive for the realization of their
plans. Galust Sahakyan thinks that the main criminals guilty for
October 27 are not punished yet, «and one day we will learn who
delivered the blow».
The head of the faction is sure that the blow was from outside. As for
the announcements of the October 27 criminals that the present RA
authorities realize their plans, Galust Sahakyan answered, «They are
not Marx or Engels; I am not supposed to study their words or comment
on them».