INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISTS ELIGIBLE FOR POSTGRADUATE COURSES
International Journalist’s Network
Aug. 14, 2006
There is still time to apply for the next round of postgraduate
courses at the Caucasus Media Institute (CMI), a journalism training
center based in Armenia. The application deadlines are September 1
for international applicants or September 8 for those in Armenia.
Classes start on September 15 at the center in Yerevan, taught by
experts from Armenia and abroad. The programs include courses on
journalism, language and style, regional studies, photojournalism,
and other topics.
There are three tracks available: a two-year master’s program in
journalism, a one-year postgraduate course in journalism, and a
one-year postgraduate course in Caucasus Studies – an interdisciplinary
program that is unique to CMI. For the postgraduate courses, classes
take place in the mornings so that journalists can return to their
newsrooms in the afternoons.
The institute says it does not offer financial aid, but it can
work with students to help find assistance. For more information,
including application forms in Armenian and Russian, contact Anna
Karagulyan at [email protected], [email protected], or
visit

AZERBAIJAN NOT TO TOLERATE CREATION OF SECOND ARMENIAN STATE ON ITS TERRITORY
Baku Today, Azerbaijan
Aug. 14, 2006
Nagorno Karabakh’s status can be discussed only after liberation of
the occupied territories and the return of refugees to their native
land, Ilham Aliyev said today, at his meeting in the Foreign Ministry
with Azerbaijan’s ambassadors abroad.
He said that Azerbaijan stands for settlement of the conflict within
the framework of the Prague process, which envisages stage-by-stage
settlement of the conflict.
“Azerbaijan’s territories must be liberated from occupation, refugees
must return to their native lands, including Nagorno Karabakh, and
only after that we can discuss Nagorno Karabakh’s status,” stressed
Aliyev. The norms of international law and positive world experience
must be assumed as the basis for this, he added.
Aliyev said Armenia advocates principles of nations’ right to
self-determination to isolate Karabakh from Azerbaijan, yet this is
completely baseless. “Azerbaijan will not tolerate the creation of
a second Armenian state on its own territory,” said Aliyev.
President stressed that Armenia’s arguments do not stand up to any
criticism; using their logic the idea of creating an Armenian state in
California, Marseilles, Krasnodar or Georgia could also be put forth.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AGSHIN MEHDIYEV: “OSCE DOCUMENT ON ILLEGAL TRANSFER OF ARMENIANS TO NK HAS SERIOUS MISUNDERSTANDINGS”
Today, Azerbaijan
Aug. 14, 2006
“It is expedient to propose sending of a monitoring group to the
occupied Azerbaijani territories during the Council of Europe
Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) autumn session and it would be
successful,” head of Azerbaijan’s permanent representative office at
the Council of Europe Agshin Mehdiyev told journalists.
Mr.Mehdiyev said enough there were enough materials on the arsons
committed by Armenians in the occupied Azerbaijani lands in the summer
session. It is questionable whether this issue will be raised again
in the autumn session.
Mehdiyev said the OSCE document on Armenia’s illegally transferring
its citizens to the occupied Azerbaijani territories has serious
misunderstandings and makes it difficult to prepare a new document
on its base. He also expressed dissatisfaction with the activity of
international organizations.
“International organizations demonstrate double standards regarding
Azerbaijan. Therefore, it is difficult for Azerbaijan to achieve
success in almost all issues while Armenians enjoy special privileges,”
he said, APA reports.
URL:
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SITTING OF COUNCIL OF BENEFICIARIES OF “MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE ACCOUNT – ARMENIA” PROGRAM TO LAUNCH AUGUST 17
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Aug. 14, 2006
YEREVAN, August 14. /ARKA/. A regular sitting of the Council of
beneficiaries of the “Millennium Challenge Account – Armenia” program
will be held in Yerevan on August 17, the member of the Council Levon
Barsegyan reported. He said that the Council plans to approve the
statue of the Council of beneficiaries during the sitting.
The Council of beneficiaries under the “Millennium Challenge Account –
Armenia” program was organized on May 2, 2006. It consists of nine
NGO representatives, two representatives from the associations of
water consumers, beneficiary communities and farming economies.
The agreement on giving Armenia $235.5mln loan for five years under
the “Millennium Challenge Account” American corporation was signed
in Washington on March 27.
The corporation was founded at the beginning of 2004 under the State
Department’s program, aimed at developing economies and reducing
poverty in the world.

ARMENTEL COMPANY MUST INFORM POPULATION ABOUT PROBLEMS WITH TELECOMMUNICATION
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Aug. 14, 2006
YEREVAN, August 14. /ARKA/. ArmenTel Company must inform the
population about problems with telecommunication. President of
“Consumers’ Rights Protection” NGO Abgar Yeghoyan told journalists
that the Commission for Regulation of Public Services of Armenia
(CRPS) made such decision over two months ago.
“However, ArmenTel has not made any progress regarding that,” he said.
Yeghoyan reported that the NGO received three complaints over that
period and appealed to the CRPS for taking relevant actions.
“If problems are not solved on the spot, without delay, they can
become more complicated afterwards,” he said.
Over the last week, Armenia has experienced serious problems with
internet connection due to a number of major accidents with the only
cable in Georgia that connects Armenia to the Internet.

303,000 CARS IN ARMENIA
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Aug. 14, 2006
YEREVAN, August 14. /ARKA/. There are 303,000 cars in Armenia, RA
First Deputy Minister of Transport Hrant Beglaryan told reporters.
He pointed out the necessity of legislative regulation of the transport
sphere. Beglaryan reported that the sphere has so far been regulated
by the outdated Law “On motor transport communication”.
New laws will give an impetus to the sphere’s development, he said.
Beglaryan pointed out that necessary conditions are currently being
created for the submission of bills “On motor transport” and “On
motor inspection” to the Armenian Parliament.
Beglaryan reported that the development of 57 conveyer lines for
licensing motor transport vehicles is under way. He said that 20 of
the conveyers will be in Yerevan.
The Armenian Government approved a number of bills regulating the
motor transport sphere, particularly bills “On motor transport” and
“On motor inspection” as well as introduced amendments into the Laws
“On licensing” and “On state duty”.

AZERBAIJAN FORWARDED RESOLUTION PROJECT TO UNO REGARDING FIRES IN NK – AZERI DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER
Author: E.Javadova
TREND, Azerbaijan
Aug. 14, 2006
Azerbaijan has forwarded a resolution project to the United Nations
Organization regarding the fires committed by Armenians in Azerbaijan’s
territories occupied by Armenian armed forces, the deputy foreign
minister of Azerbaijan Araz Azimov told journalists, Trend reports
with reference to “Lider” TV.
“In relation with fires, Azerbaijan will take additional measures
together with international organizations. But it needs to take
into consideration that it is impossible to achieve something in
this direction, using the potential of one organization. Therefore,
there is a need for the support of UNO, OSCE and other organizations,”
Azimov told.

EVICTED FAMILIES DISMISS KOCHARIAN’S EXTRA CASH PLEDGE
By Ruzanna Stepanian
Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
Aug. 14, 2006
Disgruntled families whose old houses have been torn down in an
ongoing redevelopment in downtown Yerevan on Monday bristled at
President Robert Kocharian’s pledge to slightly raise compensations
paid to them by his government.
In televised remarks broadcast late Friday, Kocharian announced
that the government was wrong to controversially levy a 10 percent
income tax from the already modest sums paid to hundreds of displaced
families. He said proceeds from the tax, worth about 1.3 billion drams
($3.3 million), will be given back to them in the next few months.
Kocharian’s remark that “the issue will be closed” with the payment
of extra cash seems to have angered those former house owners who
feel that the compensations offered to them were well bellow the
market value of their demolished properties. Vachagan Hakobian, head
of a group representing their interests, said it does not represent
a fundamental solution to their grievances.
“We are not fighting for 10 percent,” Hakobian told RFE/RL. “We just
want the amount of compensation to be revised [upwards] and individuals
who committed illegal acts to be punished.”
“They won’t deceive us with that sum. Of course, we will take the cash
because it was stolen from us. But we will continue our struggle to
the end,” he said.
The pledge of extra money was Kocharian’s first public statement
on the controversy surrounding his government’s handling of the
redevelopment program that was effectively declared illegal by
Armenia’s Constitutional Court in April. Angry evicted residents,
backed by human rights activities, opposition politicians and
prominent public figures, have for months protested outside his
officials residence in the hope of clinching heftier sums.
The Armenian constitution stipulates that private property can
be confiscated by the state “only in exceptional cases involving
overriding public interests, in a manner defined by law, and with a
prior commensurate compensation.” The court backed critics’ argument
that the process, marred allegations of high-level corruption,
has been regulated only by a government directive and is therefore
unconstitutional. Still, it stopped short of ordering the authorities
to return the increasingly expensive land to their former owners.
Some of those residents were baffled by the timing Kocharian’s
announcement and saw political motives behind it. “Elections are
coming up,” one of them, Aleksandr Safian, said. “The president has
gone public to present himself in a better light. We don’t believe
in fairy tales.”
Another man, Zohrab Vahanian, claimed that the Armenian authorities
are worried about lawsuits filed by several disgruntled families to
the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. “They have realized
that we can’t do anything against them only in Armenia and that things
work a bit differently there [in Strasbourg,]” he said.
Kocharian’s statement, whatever its motives, is totally irrelevant
to Gohar Gharibian and her family that were offered $14,000, barely
enough to buy a tiny apartment in a Yerevan suburb, for their now
demolished house in the city center. They rejected the sum and now
hope for a “just” verdict by the Strasbourg court.
“We didn’t sign any [compensation] agreements,” said Gharibian. “They
came and threw us out. Our case is now considered by the European
court. That’s why I don’t care about that 10 percent.”

ANNUAL GROWTH OF MAJOR CONSTRUCTION IN ARMENIA OVER LAST FEW YEARS 30%
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Aug. 14, 2006
YEREVAN, August 14. /ARKA/. Over the last few years, the annual growth
of major construction in Armenia amounts to 30%, Armenian Minister
of Urban Development Ara Harutunyan told journalists on the occasion
of the celebration of the Day of Builder in Armenia on August 13.
He pointed out that over the last five-six years, serious construction
companies have appeared in Armenia, receive applications for serious
construction both inside and outside the country.
“You know what we have inherited, and in what sad plight there
construction companies were. That is why, a situation that could
allow implementation of construction work should have been created,”
the minister said.
Harutunyan said that this sector is distinguished not only
by highly-skilled specialists, but also by being technically
well-equipped. In this context, he pointed out the significance of
continuing investment programs.
“Construction is a business, and one should gain profit here and make
investments in it,” the minister said.
According to the National Statistical Service, the major construction
in Armenia in January-June 2006 totaled AMD 165,624.9mln, 31.8%
increase compared with January-June 2005.

AZERBAIJANIS TAKE SIDES IN ISRAELI-LEBANESE WAR
By Fariz Ismailzade
Eurasia Daily Monitor, DC –
Aug. 14, 2006
The ongoing military operations between Israel and Lebanon have
sparked popular protests and heated debates in Azerbaijan. Although
a predominantly Muslim country, Azerbaijan prides itself on being
a secular country and having strong ties with Israel and the United
States. Nevertheless, the high rate of poverty and the influence of
foreign radical Islamic groups have resulted in the establishment
and gradual growth of Islamic groups in the country.
Right after the launch of the war in Lebanon, the Azerbaijani Islamic
Organization for the Freedom of Religion attempted to stage protest
marches in front of the Israeli and U.S. Embassies in Baku. Similar
action was taken in front of the UN office in Baku. Local police
managed to disperse the crowd of about 200 people, yet this did not
discourage the group’s members from attempting a second rally. This
time, several people were arrested.
The group is headed by Ilgar Ibrahimli, a well-known Shia imam from the
Juma mosque, who made news three years ago for advocating on behalf of
the opposition candidate in the presidential election and subsequently
being evicted from the mosque for using religion in politics. Since
then, Ibrahimli has been a loud critic of the Azerbaijani authorities
and on several occasion has organized mass rallies to protest the
Danish cartoons against the prophet Mohammad, U.S. anti-terror
operations, and the presence of Azerbaijani military personnel in Iraq.
On another occasion, the residents of Nardaran, a village about 19
miles northwest of Baku, staged a protest meeting in the village’s
central square to criticize Israeli policy in the Middle East.
Protestors used slogans such as “Stop aggression! Bush and Israel are
full of blood!” Nardaran is one of the most conservative areas in the
country, where all women cover their heads and the street signs are
in Arabic. Clashes erupted between police forces and the residents of
the village in 2002, and since then Nardaran has remained an Islamic
stronghold on the outskirts of Baku.
Not all voices in the country, however, offer such emotional shows
of support for Muslim solidarity with Lebanon. Several Azerbaijani
newspapers, such as Azadliq, Echo, and Zerkalo, have questioned the
need to support Lebanon due to the close links between Azerbaijan’s
archrival Armenia and official Beirut. In fact, Lebanon has recognized
the 1915 Armenian genocide thanks to the lobbying efforts of the
Armenian diaspora in Lebanon, while Israel has refused to acknowledge
the event for many decades.
“How can ASALA [the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia,
which targets Turkish diplomats and citizens] and Hezbollah co-exist
in one town?” exclaims the popular news portal Day.az, referring to
the fact that ASALA is headquartered in Beirut and gets a significant
amount of funding from Lebanon.
Similarly, some political experts and analysts believe that Azerbaijan
should not take an open stance in the Israeli-Lebanese war due to
the strategic importance of Israel to Azerbaijan. Both nations have
a long history of warm relations, and there are some 8,900 Jews in
Azerbaijan. Israel can serve as a vitally needed voice for Azerbaijan
in the United States and Europe by explaining Azerbaijani national
interests to foreign policy leaders. Israel’s military and economic
expertise could also be very useful for Azerbaijan’s rapidly growing
economy.
For these very reasons the Azerbaijani ruling elite has taken a very
cautious approach toward the latest conflict. The Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry has issued a very mild statement about the Israeli-Lebanese
war and President Ilham Aliyev decided not to travel to Malaysia to
participate in the August 3 emergency session of the heads of state
of members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Instead, the
lower profile prime minister, Arthur Rasizadeh, was sent to the event.
Similarly, Sheikh Allahshukur Pashazade, head of Muslim clergy in
the country, has been criticizing Arab unity since his return from a
conference in Tehran, and has reminded the Azerbaijani public that
not all Islamic nations have supported Azerbaijan in the ongoing
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.
Instead of loud diplomatic statements and openly taking sides,
Azerbaijan has so far preferred to send humanitarian assistance to
the suffering people of Lebanon. With images of victims, especially
children, broadcast on television daily, the people of Azerbaijan are
not likely to remain indifferent. Yet the more pragmatic analysts in
Azerbaijan believe that Israel is more important to secular Azerbaijan
than is Lebanon.
icle_id=2371379