THIRD ROUND OF TALKS ON PREPARATION OF NATIONAL ACTION PLAN WITHIN EUROPEAN NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY MAY BE HELD IN JULY
Author: I.Khalilova
TREND, Azerbaijan
June 29 2006
European Union (EU) submitted to Azeri Foreign Ministry the project
of National action plan within the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP),
Mahmud Mammadguliyev, Azeri deputy foreign minister, Told Trend.
According to him, at the moment discussions are being held and the
date of conducting the third round of talks on preparation of action
plan within ENP will be defined in the near future.
According to the Ministry of Economic Development and Coordination
Bureau of the technical assistance program to Azerbaijan of EU
(Tacis), the date of conducting the meeting has been scheduled
for the first half of July. The third round had to be held on May
15, but it was annulled due to disagreement upon several aspects
of the document. The document didn’t include the issue that the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be regulated on base of territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan. EU took out this point from the document,
but Azerbaijan was dissatisfied with this. The position of Azerbaijan
was that if this point isn’t included in the document, Azerbaijan
will not continue that talks. Although this point remains open in
the submitted document, there is an agreement with EC and the text
will be formed at the next meeting.
80-90 percent of the economical part of the document has been agreed
and there isn’t special divergence of opinion. But there are several
technical aspects, as long as the issue of Azerbaijan’s entrance to
European Charter on small entrepreneurship and System for business
registration remains open. The proposals of Azeri side in this
direction were not accepted by EU.
It is intended that the third round will be the final. After an
agreement is reached on the document, indicator programs will be
prepared, for 2-3 years. The finance of EU will start from 2007 and
it will be conducted within the two programs – Tacis and MEDA. The
budget of ENP for 2007-2013 is intended in amount of 15 billion euros.

KNIGHT FELLOW ORGANIZES WORKSHOPS IN ARMENIA
International Journalist’s Network
June 29 2006
Young people in Armenia are getting some new journalism skills,
as they start up newspapers and Web sites in their communities with
help from local trainers.
Three Armenian journalists are instructing youth clubs and students
in various cities, as part of their own training in educating fellow
journalists. The training is part of an effort – led by the Knight
International Press Fellowships at the International Center for
Journalists (ICFJ) – to develop more qualified journalism trainers
in Armenia.
Suren Deheryan, a reporter for the ArmeniaNow online newspaper,
talked to students in the village of Lchashen about the “5-Ws.”
Yerevan State University journalism student Siranouish Gevorgyan
discussed reporting techniques with youth leaders in the village of
Vahagni. Finally, fellow YSU student Sara Khojoyan led a discussion
with the youth club in Dilijan, which publishes its own newspaper
and plans to start a community radio station.
Timothy Spence, a Knight fellow working with journalists and trainers
in Armenia, organized the sessions with help from the Academy for
Educational Development (AED). The academy sponsors youth clubs
throughout the country.
For more information on the training, contact Spence at
[email protected].
ICFJ organizes the Knight Fellowships with support from the John S.
and James L. Knight Foundation. The program sends veteran journalists
abroad to train their colleagues around the world. For more
information:

LLOYD: “I WILL PAY MY FIRST VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN AS A RAPPORTEUR IN SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER”
Today, Azerbaijan
June 29 2006
“I’ll take up my duty at once. As rapporteur on Azerbaijan, I’ll pay
my first visit to the country to get acquainted with the situation
in September or October this year.”
“I have much to do,” the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
Monitoring Committee new co-rapporteur on Azerbaijan, British
parliamentarian Tony Lloyd stated.
Mr.Lloyd said all issues related to development of democratic
institutions are interesting and important for him.
“I’ll bring to a focus effecting reforms in the rule of law and legal
system and improving of electoral legislation. Thus, next elections
are upcoming,” the co-rapporteur said.
Lloyd refused to comment on the current situation in Azerbaijan saying
he can do it only after visiting Azerbaijan and having talks there.
Regarding the Nagorno Karabakh conflict to be very serious and
dangerous issue not only for Azerbaijan and Armenia but for the entire
region, the co-rapporteur said he is not yet ready to comment on this
problem either, APA reports.
URL:

NKR DM: “ARMENIANS DO NOT FEAR WAR”
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
June 29 2006
The OSCE Minsk group Co-Chairs should find points of contact with
RA and AR Presidents, resume the negotiation process and find the
issue’s peaceful settlement, Nagorno Karabakh republic (NKR) Defense
Minister Seyran Ohanyan stated while talking to journalists.
In his words, the issue cannot be resolved by force – “it was
resettled by force once – in 1994”, REGNUM reports. “No one wants
a war, especially servicemen, as the first strike is carried out at
them”, stated Seyran Ohanyan and added the meetings held between the
two countries’ Presidents showed that the Azeri party did not wish
to conduct talks.
Touching upon AR Minister of Defense Safar Abiyev’s statement,
according to which “Armenians fear war”, Seyran Ohanyan stated,
“Armenians do not fear war, and, beginning with 1988 up to today,
we have such defense that we are completely sure of ourselves”. He
remarked bellicose statements made by Baku are oriented exclusively
towards inner consumer.

June 29, 2006 03:14:28 PM | <; Archive | <; Russian | < ot_news.html> Hot News |
<; Vacancies in Georgia | <; CENN | 29.6.2006 News From Georgia < > >>

The Fate of Georgian Forests is still unclear

On June 13, 2006 session of Georgian Parliament Committee of Environmental
Protection and Natural Resources has been held. On the session were invited
the representatives of Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural
Resources (MoE), NGOs and experts of this field. On agenda among other
issues was Forest Policy Concept developed by MoE (Document: Position of the
Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Georgia on the
Reform of Governance and Usage of Resources of the State Forests; also
called Concept of Reform).

Legislators wanted to understand the position of MoE on the Forest Reform,
as they were not informed on that issue (MoE has submitted the document to
be reviewed only the day before). At great surprise only one representative
of MoE attended the session – Deputy Minister Mr. Irakli Gvalazde. Besides
informative vacuum confusion of the committee members have been extended due
to the fact that two different documents (“Georgian Forest Policy and
Strategy” and “Concept of Reform”) have been messed up. As Committee was not
satisfied by the answers received from representative of MoE, it was decided
to hold the session dedicated to the Forest Sector of Georgia in the nearest
future.

As Irakli Macharashvili (Association Green Alternative – GA) informed Zviad
Cheishvili, Head of Sustainable Development Department (at MoE) declared
that he was not acquainted with the document that Irakli Gvaladze
represented on the Parliament Committee session, and he is preparing other
presentation on this issues to bring on the State Session (Public Radio;
June 15, 2005 – Debates held between I. Macharashvili and Z. Cheishvili).

Background: On May 30, 2006 State Minister Kakha Bendukidze, the First
Deputy Minister of MoE David Chantladze and Head of Sustainable Development
Department Zviad Cheishvili declared that legislative amendments allowing
state owned forests long-term leasing (for 49 years) were to be brought up
on the agenda of State Session (Rustavi 2).

The First Deputy Minister D. Chantladze declared the aim of this concept is
that after leasing the forest will have the owner (Radio Liberty; May 30,
2006). Z. Cheishvili, Head of the Sustainable Development Department agrees
on that issue: “The Concept of the Forestry Management System Reform means
the change of the current institutional structure; in particular it is
implementation of forestry long term lease. Long term lease leads to
sustainable use of forests because a businessman who has leased the forest
will not unsustainably log the trees. He will be interested in the rational
use of leased resources.” (Georgia Today, 22-29 June, 2006).

Minister of MoE George Papuashvili considers that first of all forest
inventory should be conducted and afterwards it is rational to lease the 20%
of the State forest. As Mr. G. Papuashvili declared on the briefing held
after State session (May 31, 2006) he is planning to raise this issue on the
nearest State Session. At the same time Z. Cheishvili is sure that forest
inventory is not needed; but only categorization should be conducted (Public
Radio; June 15, 2006).

I. Matcharashvili agrees that the reform in the forest sector is necessary,
but to him, it should be implemented properly. I. Matcharashvili is sure
that the reform should be implemented after forest inventory and total
economic valuation of Georgia’s forests.

“NGOs require the conducting of full and detailed description of every tree
in the forests. We are not going to spend time and money for it,” said Z.
Cheishvili (Georgia Today, 22-29 June, 2006).

On the state session Minister Mr. G. Papuashvili have declared that forest
inventory process and forest utilization concept will be developed until the
end of the year. In his words basing on the results of the forest inventory
forest will be categorized and, afterwards the conditions and initial prices
will be estimated. Mr. Papuashvili also declared that partly the areas that
would be never leased were identified; these are areas at high risk of
flooding and Borjomi-Bakuriani Forest Park. He considers that economically
and ecologically long-term leasing is justified. In the case of long-term
leasing forest protection conditions would be strict and MoE will monitor
the implementation of contact condition on annual bases or in each two year.
(Newspaper “Khvalindeli Dge” (Tomorrow), #61 (933); June 17-19, 2006).

It has to be mentioned that in accordance with the agreement between MoE and
UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) before the finalization of the
document: Georgia’s Forest Policy Concept (Goals, Principles and Objectives)
– no serious changes has to be undertaken in the forest sector. On the
meeting held in Gudauri, Georgia (May 22-24, 2006) Deputy Minister, Sopiko
Akhobadze declared that on the basis of this document state statement would
to be developed that would confirm priority principles of forest politics;
Afterwards development of politics document was to be launched that finally
would be approved by President and Parliament statement.

GA considers that reform is going in non transparent way that raises
misunderstanding and confusion not only among general public but also in
members of parliament. All these give government opportunity to manipulate
and ignore all comment/remarks (GA Press Release, June 23, 2006). In the
official letter of GA to the Head of Georgian Parliament Mrs. Nino
Burjanadze (June 19, 2006; #-04/05-31) is written: “Association Green
Alternative twice has held – December 27, 2005 and March 7, 2006 –
discussion of the paper. Although invitation was sent to the Parliament
Committee of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, unfortunately
committee members did not attend the meetings.” (Association has applied
with official letter to the Head of Georgian Parliament Mrs. Nino Burjanadze
(Georgian version of this letter can be seen on the following web site:
nadze.pdf ).

In their Press Release Association Green Alternative expresses its concern
on this issue and hopes that “Georgian Parliament will play positive role in
the fate of Georgian Forests and will contribute to the transparency of the
reform process.”

Prepared by CENN
2006-06-28

< > Tender Announcement –
Special License on Wood Processing
< > Georgia to receive
additional natural gas for shah-deniz
< > International Corporation
< p?ca=Georgia> MCG Signs a Service
Contract with Georgian Gas
< > Civil sector and the
government argue over Georgia’s forests

< a en.php?ca=Georgia&g t; TBILISI NATIONAL PARK REVIVAL has been Launched < > ENERGY MINISTRY CONSIDERS
ACQUIRING ADDITIONAL AZERI GAS BY GEORGIA
< > EU
< gia> EXPERTS IDENTIFYING
POTENTIAL PRIORITIES OF AID TO GEORGIA IN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
< > Tbilisi Water gets ISO
certificate
< > Georgia to transit 25
million tons of crude oil
< > Czech company’s purchase
of energy assets sparks controversy

29.6.2006
News From < jan> Azerbaijan >>

Azeri official says subsea pipeline “realistic” before Caspian status agreed

Source: Turan News Agency, 2006-06-23

Azerbaijan considers that the construction of a subsea pipeline in the
Caspian Sea is possible before the determination of the sea’s legal status,
the Azerbaijani president’s special representative on the Caspian issues and
deputy foreign minister, Xalaf Xalafov, has told journalists.
“We consider the implementation of trans-Caspian projects quite realistic.
If the coastal Caspian countries and interested states have political will,
projects of this kind could be implemented,” he said commenting on a
possible construction of a trans-Caspian pipeline between Azerbaijan and
Kazakhstan.

As for the construction of subsea pipelines in the Caspian Sea, Xalafov
believes that the countries interested in these projects “consider this
possible” despite various opinions and positions on this issue.

Some opponents of the project on the construction of the trans-Caspian
pipeline between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan claim that the consent of all the
Caspian countries is needed for this. But it is difficult to agree with
this: it was sufficient to reach an agreement between Russia and Turkey when
a subsea gas pipeline between these two countries was built in the Black
Sea.

< jan> Azerbaijan calls tender
for iron ore mine
< jan> Oil tanker shipments –
The shortest-term default for Trans-Caspian oil
29.6.2006
News From Armenia < > >>

GLOBAL GOLD MINING TO INVEST $10 MILLION IN ARMENIA

Source: ARMENPRESS, 2006-06-23

The US-based Global Gold Mining company has invested around $65. million in
the last several years in prospecting Armenian mines. The chief manager of
its Armenian subsidiary, Ashot Poghosian, said the volume of investments
will rise to $9.6 million before the end of 2006.

In 2004 the company was granted a license to prospect mines in Armenian
Tukhmanuk, Hankavan and Getik areas and in Marjan. Poghosian told a news
conference today that prospecting in Tukhmanuk was nearly over. He said some
75,000 tons of gold ore are supposed to be extracted this year. Experts
estimate that every one thousand ton of ore there contains 6 grams of gold
and 12 grams of silver.

He said the company was not planning to prospect uranium ore deposits, for
which a special permission of the government is needed. But he said if
deposits of uranium are found during general prospecting the company would
ask the government to allow it to extract uranium.

< > Canadian Company to Search
for Oil and Gas in Armenia
< > LOSS OF WATER IN GYUMRI

29.6.2006
International < tional> News
>>

U.S. SUPREME COURT AGREES TO HEAR GLOBAL WARMING CASE

Source: ENS, 2006-6-27

The U.S. Supreme Court announced today that it is prepared to wade into the
global warming debate and consider a lawsuit that aims to require the
federal government to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas
emissions from motor vehicles. The court’s decision was hailed by a
coalition of states and environmental groups who have long battled for
mandatory federal regulation of emissions linked to global warming.

Full article is available at :

< tional> Oregon Regulators
Adopt Californian Car Emission Rules
< tional> INTERVIEW – British
Climate Change Envoy Sees China as Key
< tional> IEA Says Expanded
Nuclear Power Can Curb Emissions
< tional> EU Consumers Say GMO
Food is Risk to Society – Poll
< tional> Ukraine Emissions
Dive, Risk Swamping Kyoto
< tional> Greening our cities
< tional> New Policy Measures
Needed to Reduce Energy Use in the Home
< tional> BALTIC SEA
COMMISSION TAKES 11 HOT SPOTS OFF POLLUTED LIST
< tional> EU Way Off Course
For Meeting Kyoto Targets Say Latest Figures
< tional> HELCOM announces the
elimination of several major pollution Hot Spots in the Baltic Sea region
< tional> Khalaf Khalafov: “We
plan to hold meeting on Caspian Sea status”
< tional> U.S., EUROPEAN
LEADERS INITIATE DIALOGUE TO AVERT CLIMATE CHANGE

29.6.2006
< ement> Announcement >>

Alert: Stop the commercial planting of genetically engineered plums-the
first temperate GE tree

(Please follow the directions at the bottom of this email to inform the USDA
of your opposition to GE plum trees before July 17th. )
The US Department of Agriculture is accepting public comments between now
and July 17, 2006 on a petition that would allow commercial growing and
marketing of the first genetically engineered (GE) plum trees. If approved,
this would remove all regulatory oversight of this GE variety, a
virus-resistant plum tree known as the Honey Sweet Pox Potyvirus Resistant
plum. This would open the door to GE varieties of many other related stone
fruits, such as peaches, apricots, cherries and almonds, that are
susceptible to the same virus. Ironically, this virus is not even found in
the US today according to the USDA, and is certainly not a significant
agricultural problem here.

The USDA admits that this GE plum will contaminate both organic and
conventional non-genetically engineered plum orchards if it is approved.
Since all commercial plum trees are cultivars that are relatively cross
compatible within the same species, Prunus domestica, contamination via GE
plum pollen carried by bees and other insects will infiltrate the plum
orchards of organic and conventional growers. The proposed buffer zones
between GE plums and other plums will not prevent genetic contamination from
being spread by pollinating insects.

Because this GE plum tree is also the first genetically engineered temperate
tree proposed for commercial planting, it also opens the door to the
commercialization of GE varieties of other temperate trees such as poplars,
pines, and walnuts.

The one GE fruit tree that has previously been approved, a virus resistant
Hawaiian papaya, has caused extensive contamination of organic, conventional
and wild papaya orchards on most of the Hawaiian Islands in just a few
years. This contamination has spread far more quickly than the USDA
predicted in its initial assessment. Once native and cultivated plum
varieties are contaminated with transgenic pollen, there is no calling it
back.

This petition has implications for all other GE tree species, as the USDA
and the industry want to gauge what the public’s reaction will be. It is
critical that all concerned about the threat of GE foods and GE trees
respond to this USDA petition.

[Comments to submit below. Please add any additional comments of your own.]

The following comments are in reference to Docket No. APHIS-2006-0084

I oppose the deregulation of genetically engineered plum trees for the
following reasons:

1. Genetic contamination is a serious threat. Flowers and fruit in organic
and conventional plum orchards will become contaminated with GE plum genes
via pollen transported by bees and other insects that travel many miles in
search of pollen. The result is that organic and conventional plum growers
will lose their markets for non-GE plums as DNA testing confirms the
contamination, as it has with GE papayas in Hawaii. An organic tree might
remain organic itself, but the fruit and seeds will become contaminated.

2. The approval of GE plums would be a precedent setting step by USDA,
opening the floodgates for more GE trees including fruit, nut, ornamental,
and paper-pulp species, as well as trees engineered for soil remediation,
and other traits. Approximately 80 species and varieties of trees are
currently undergoing gene splicing research and development for commercial
use.

3. There is a serious concern about the genetic stability of the inserted
genes in GE plum trees. USDA claims that the plum pox viral resistance gene
and other inserted genes are sufficiently genetically stable, but the
testing has only been performed over ten years and not the entire
pollen-producing life span of a plum tree. Over the life of a tree, an RNA
virus such as plum pox is susceptible to many cycles of recombination,
leading to the creation of new plant viruses that could infect a wide
variety of plants. This can also occur with the viral DNA that has been
inserted into these plums.

4. The plum pox virus is not currently known to exist in the US as a problem
for plum growers. Thus there is no justification for exposing other trees,
plants, insects and people to the various hazards posed by GE plums.

5. The deregulatory petition completely ignores potential effects on bees
and other pollinator species. There are no studies that would allow us to
evaluate the potential hazards of GE tree pollen for a variety of insects,
or for consumers of honey. We also do not know how animals and insects that
browse on plum leaves might be affected.

6. The USDA’s environmental assessment admits that the GE plum readily
hybridizes within its species. Thus, there is a significant potential for
gene flow into native plum varieties. Wild plum trees are perennial species
living for several decades and populations exist in dozens of states from
coast to coast. GE plum trees will be long lived, and capable of
contaminating orchards and native plum tree populations for several decades.
One GE plum tree will be able to produce thousands of GE seeds and extensive
quantities of GE pollen, and will be capable of spreading fertile GE plum
seeds and pollen into the environment for many years. The petition did not
adequately evaluate the relative fitness of GE plum varieties as compared to
native plums; it is possible that the GE varieties would become more
successful in natural settings, and out-compete non-GE varieties. We
challenge the USDA spurious claim that contamination would be positive by
reducing potential reservoirs for harboring the plum pox virus in the wild.

7. There has been no short-term or long-term safety testing or feeding
trials for toxicity and other adverse effects of the genes inserted into the
GE plum trees. GE plums have not been tested on animals, birds or humans for
safety. Toxicity tests are necessary since unintended genetic effects are
known to occur with gene splicing. USDA has ignored the need for scientific
studies of gene splicing and for comprehensive studies of the environmental
consequences of GE plantings.

The US Department of Agriculture is accepting public comments between now
and July 17, 2006 on the petition to formally deregulate and allow
commercial growing and marketing of GE plums.

To submit your comments, send an original and three copies with your name
and address to Docket No. APHIS-2006-0084, Regulatory Analysis and
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. If you wish to submit a comment using the
Internet, go to In the “Agency” box, select
“Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service” from the drop-down menu; select
“NOTICES” as the Document Type and APHIS-2006-0084 as the “Keyword or ID.”
Then press “submit” to submit or view public comments as well as the
agency’s supporting materials; click just beneath “Add Comments” and scroll
down to submit your letter.

Feel free to copy and paste any or all of the 7 points above, along with any
comments of your own. Please forward this widely among your friends and
other contacts.

Thanks for helping us STOP the genetic engineering of trees!

STOP Genetically Engineered Trees Campaign
<; A project of Global Justice Ecology Project P.O. Box 412 Hinesburg, VT 05461 U.S. +1.802.482.2689 ph/fax [email protected] globaljusticeecology.org <; ---------------------------------------------- Biotechnology Project c/o Institute for Social Ecology P.O. Box 93 Plainfield, VT 05667 [email protected] --------------- ------------------------------- 29.6.2006 Subscribing Information CENN lists are created to maintain e-mail discussions of Caucasus Environmental NGO Network members. CENN has been distributing information since 1998. All the published digests and bulletins issued in both English and Russian languages present incredibly rich environmental information base that give the reader the whole picture of the environmental process taking place during the recent 5 years in the South Caucasus region as well as abroad. To subscribe or unsubscribe from CENN mailing list service, please send an email to [email protected] and place the “subscribe” or
“unsubscribe” command as the first line of the message body.

If you would like the information about your organization and activities to
be distributed via the CENN mailing lists (the current number of CENN
mailing list members represents 11049), if you want your voice to be heard
around the world, please send your information at the following email:
[email protected].

For more information about the program, please visit CENN web-page:

Caucasus Environmental NGO Network 2006
< l?taya&0&digest> BannerDots
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CENN INFO
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URL: <;

Armenian Catholicos Karekin Investigated
By Cihan News Agency
Published: Thursday, June 29, 2006
zaman.com

;alt=&trh 060629&hn=34365
An investigation has been launched by the Istanbul Chief Public
Prosecution Office into the world leader of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, Catholicos Karekin II, following claims that he ‘denigrated
Turkishness’ in remarks made during his recent visit to Istanbul. A
complaint was lodged at the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecution Office
by both Recep Akkus and the strongly-nationalist Turkish Lawyers
Union. The Istanbul Prosecution Office has opened an investigation
into the matter. Catholicos Karekin-II stated last Sunday evening at
a press conference at the Turkish Armenian Patriarchate in the Kumkapi
quarter in Istanbul that Turkey must recognize the Armenian claims of
genocide during the final years of the Ottoman Empire. In his remarks
Sunday, the Armenian Catholicos expressed his wishes for more progress
in Turkish-Armenian relations. Remarking that the issue of genocide
had been debated by researchers for 90 years, Karekin-II said: “For
our people it is not a subject for research. It is an event that took
place and it must be recognized.” He said that the genocide issue was
one of the problems that had to be solved for the normalization of
relations between the two countries. Armenian Catholicos Karekin
arrived in Istanbul on Tuesday of last week as the guest of Turkey’s
Armenian Patriarchate Mesrob II and the Fener Greek Orthodox
Partriarchate Bartholomeos. He has since left Turkey for Armenia. The
fate of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire during WWI and after is
still a sensitive issue in Turkey. Armenians claim that 1.5 million
Armenians living under the Ottoman Empire were killed as part of an
intentional and systematic genocide campaign during World War I.
Turkey denies the allegations that 200,000 Armenians died during
forced migrations due to cold weather and bad transportation
conditions. For further information please visit

Dark Secrets of Armenian Brothers Begin to Emerge
tml
The East African Standard (Nairobi)
NEWS
June 29, 2006
Posted to the web June 28, 2006
By Biketi Kikechi
Nairobi
Details of the dark secrets of the Armenian brothers – which the
Government kept from Kenyans – started to emerge as the Kiruki
Commission began its sittings in Nairobi.
It emerged that since March 18, the Government knew that the Artur
brothers could be international crooks on the run with forged Armenian
passports. Even more shocking, the police knew that the man presenting
himself as Artur Margaryan could be a dangerous criminal using a
passport reportedly stolen in Armenia, making his real identity a mystery.
These damning revelations are in a report relayed to Nairobi by
Interpol. However, Kenyan police failed to act on the March 18 alert.
The details came out on Wednesday when Immigration minister Gideon
Konchella took to the stand at the Commission of Inquiry appointed by
President Kibaki to investigate the activities of Margaryan and Artur
Sargasyan.
They point to the fact that the Government knew all along that the
Armenians were questionable characters, even as its own officials put
out statements variously defending the duo as investors, consultants and
law-abiding citizens. The Government, heavily criticised for bungling
the affair, instantly found itself on the receiving end only moments
after the proceedings started.
International criminals
Konchella, who has displayed remarkable inconsistency every time he has
spoken on the Armenian saga, slipped deeper into the vortex of
contradiction when he admitted the duo were criminals.
“All I can say is that these were dubious international criminals,” he
told the inquiry sitting at the Kenyatta International Conference
Centre, Nairobi. The minister said Kenyan passports recovered from the
Arturs’ house in Runda were stolen from the Immigration offices at Nyayo
House.
Assisting Counsel Dorcas Oduor gave Konchellah evidence to show that the
Kenya Revenue Authority also allocated them Personal Identification
Numbers for civil servants.
Interpol wrote another letter to their Kenyan counterparts dated April
3, which read in part: “Please be informed that we have all the grounds
to think that the person who presented himself as Margaryan Artur in
your country is, in fact, another person who uses the passport of Artur
Margaryan which got lost in 2002”.
The Kenyan passports were registered in the names of Sargasyan Arman
number A1031195 and Sargasyan Arturk A 1031196, with both Armenians
describing themselves as Kenyans.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Konchella admitted that the two brothers
were deported to Dubai instead of their country of origin.
Contents from the Interpol letters showed that the Armenian authorities
were particularly keen to know whether any criminal proceedings had been
preferred against the brothers. At one point, Interpol expressed
surprise that no action had been taken against the duo.
Interpol report
The letter from Interpol Yerevan read in part: “It is therefore
surprising that no action was taken against the alleged crook since
March when Kenyan police were furnished with photographs of the real
Artur Margaryan”.
Former Police Commissioner Shedrach Kiruki chairs the three-man
commission. The other members are Bishop Horace Etemesi and lawyer Ahmed
Hassan Issak.
Taking Konchella through the evidence-in-chief, Oduor sought to know the
requirements for entry and exit in Kenya, visa application, passports,
work permits, citizenship and deportation. Konchella said he first
learned about the Armenian saga on March 14, while working in western Kenya.
“The journalists asked me who they were and my response was that they
could have been Czechs or from some eastern European country but I
clarified five days later when my officers told me they were actually
Armenians,” said Konchella.
He said that according to records at the Immigration Department, the two
were consultants in marketing, business development and finance.
Konchella was given the Interpol report, which contained details that
the real Artur Margaryan was born on January 15, 1973, in Yerevan city,
Armenia. He is holder of Armenian passport number 0631173 issued on
October 11, 2002, given to him after he lost his first passport number
0322223 issued in Sokhi City, Russian Federation.
Deportation order
Interpol said Artur had never been to Africa or Kenya and was at the
time, March 18, living in Armenia.
Armenian police said Artur Sargasyan also lived in Yerevan before
relocating to the United Arab Emirates with his family.
They had no relationship with the Armenian prime minister, a claim made
by their alleged namesake in Kenya. They provided Kenyan police with
pictures of the real Margaryan and Sargasyan for comparison with the
persons who were introducing themselves by those names.
“Inform us whether a criminal case is instituted against the persons in
subject, the accusations and details of the case,” demanded the Interpol
office in Armenia.
They expressed concern because the mass media in their country was
already in possession of stories about the alleged mercenaries from
their country. Konchella said Immigration officers issued passports and
other documents like work permits.
He said he did not know much about the Armenians until he signed their
deportation order on June 9, 2006.
“I dealt with their case again on June 9, 2006, when the Principal
Immigration Officer called to tell me that the Commissioner of Police
had demanded the deportation of four people.
Konchella said he complied and signed the order on the same day because
the law allows him to deport anyone considered undesirable.
Oduor then demanded to know why his deportation order said they were
Armenians yet they were deported to Dubai.
Excerpts of the proceedings:
Oduor: Look at your order, it says they were Armenians and yet they were
deported to Dubai, do you see that?
Konchella: I authorised that according to Section 8 (1) F and I also
later learned from the Principal Immigration Officer that they had
requested to be deported to Dubai.
Oduor: Did you confirm that they came from Dubai?
Konchella: Yes, we learned from reliable information that they actually
lived there.
Oduor: What about Alexander Pack and Dimitri Tasch?
Konchella: Alexander was to be deported to Russia while Dimitri was to
be deported to Moldovia.
Oduor: Our information is that they were also deported to Dubai, is that
right?
Konchella: I was told that they all requested to be transferred to Dubai.
Oduor: Is it also true that Margaryan left on a different passport and
not the one he used when coming to the country?
Kiruki: Can the minister answer that?
Oduor: I just want him to tell the commission if he was aware but if
not, he is free to say so.
Kiruki: The minister may not know that.
Oduor: Yes, that is true, but I just want to hear if he knew.
Konchella: Yes, I’m aware that one had a passport and the other didn’t have.
Oduor: What about their Tanzanian bodyguards?
Konchella: I heard they were taken to the border and handed over to
Tanzanian police.
Oduor: Did you sign their deportation order?
Konchella: I did not sign and they were not deported. They were just
escorted to the border by police and sent away.
Oduor: What about the two Kenyan passports recovered from their house in
Runda?
Konchella: Yes, I heard that the passports were recovered from their
house in Runda.
Oduor: Look at the first passport, the names are Arman Sargasyan number
A1031195, did you see it?
Konchella: No, this is the first time I’m seeing that but they are
genuine Kenyans passports. I did not sign them. These were forged documents.
Oduor: Let us look at the second passport and the name there is Arturk
Sargasyan number A1031196 and again he describes himself as a Kenyan and
his place of birth as Russia.
Konchella: They are genuine Kenyan passports, but what I can say is that
three passports got lost from the Immigration Department. We reported
the matter to all border points, and circulated information to our
foreign missions and other agencies on May 2. One of those passports is
still missing.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian General Benevolent Union Inc.
Dr. Rita Kuyumjian
Chairperson
805, Manoogian street
Ville St-Laurent, QC H4N 1Z5
Tel: 514-748-2428
Fax: 514-748-6307
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Montreal, June 29, 2006 – The AGBU Montreal Scouting movement held a very
successful summer camp at Camp Tamaracouta in the Laurentian region of
Quebec. Over one hundred twenty members of the movement including very
young beavers, cubs, scouts and a group of dedicated leaders and volunteers
camped at the historical campsite. The program ended with a successful
campfire in front of hundreds of parents and an appreciating audience.
The campfire was attended by several of AGBU Montreal executive board
members, including the newly elected chairperson, Dr. Rita Kuyumjian. In
her address to the present, Dr. Kuyumjian highlighted the importance of the
scouting movement within the AGBU and expressed the hope that, following the
example of our president Mr. Berge Setrakian, future presidents of the AGBU
would come from our scouting ranks as well.
As a yearly tradition, a group of dedicated senior volunteers designed and
built a large flagpole structure using only rope and wooden logs. This
year’s structure was by far the most complicated and the largest ever. It
weighed over a ton and its highest flagpole was made of a single 40-foot
high tree trunk, breaking most of the tree line of the campsite. The
structure was in the form of a large sail boat with the flag post as its
main mast.
“I am very proud of our team of builders”, said Viken L. Attarian, the
designer of the structure, “What is even more noteworthy was that the whole
thing was completed in one day. In fact, most of the rope weavings were
completed by young scouts including some of our cubs. Their mastery of
scouting techniques is amazing, proving once more why our group is tops in
Quebec and one of the best in Canada.”
The staff at Camp Tamaracouta was so impressed by the size and elegance of
the structure that they expressed the hope that it would be left there
permanently. “I am proud to say that our team has decided to donate this
structure to this historical campsite,” said Aline Egoyan-Pederian,
chairperson of the AGBU Montreal Scouts’ Council. “This camp has an
important historical significance for the world scouting movement and it
contains the memories of generations of AGBU scouts in Montreal. This is a
very fitting gesture on our part.”
Since its opening in 1912, Tamaracouta Scout Resereve (TSR) is the oldest
continuously running scout camp in the world and is second only to the
oldest in the world after the original Brownsea camp run by the founder of
scouting Sir Robert Baden Powell in 1907. Baden Powell’s original footprints
are immortalized in a bronze monument at the entrance of TSR. Information
about Camp Tamaracouta can be found at
For further information, please contact the AGBU at 514-748-2428 at
[email protected]; for photos, visit our website at
.

June 28, 2006

PRESS RELEASE
Glendale Ghapan Sister City Association
CONTACT: Ani Asatryan
(818) 618-1299
[email protected]
or
aniasatryan@a ol.com

GLENDALE RECEIVES MAYOR FROM GHAPAN SISTER CITY
Armen Karapetyan to Visit City Sites Including New Police Building
GLENDALE – Mayor Armen Karapetyan from Ghapan, Armenia arrived in
Glendale on Tuesday for his 15-day reciprocal visit to the sister city
for a cultural exchange of ideas and to familiarize himself with the
city’s infrastructure.
Karapetyan is touring the city under the auspices of the Glendale
Ghapan Sister City Association (GGSCA) formed in 2002 after a
resolution passed in City Council officially named Ghapan Glendale’s
sister city.
“We are very enthusiastic about the Mayor’s visit. It was a privilege
to visit Ghapan in 2003 and we are eager to show him our city,” said
Artin Manoukian, President of GGSCA.
Karapetyan’s itinerary includes several stops to various city
departments which started with a tour of City Hall and the Police
Department Wednesday followed by tours of the power plant, Central
Library, Parks and Recreations, Public Works, and Fire Station 21 on
Thursday and Friday.
“We are thrilled to see the fruits of our labor and the mission of the
GGSCA – to foster goodwill and to help cultivate economic cooperation
and cultural exchanges between the two cities – come alive today with
the visiting mayor of Ghapan,” said Pierre Chraghchian, Armenian
National Committee of Glendale member whose organization was
instrumental in establishing formal ties between the two cities.
While noting that Ghapan had made positive strides since the collapse
of the Soviet Union, Mayor Karapetyan intimated there is much to be
gained from his visit to Glendale. “I’d like to familiarize myself
with how this well oiled machine – the City of Glendale–is managed,”
said Mayor Karapetyan. “I would like to compare Glendale’s
infrastructure to that of Ghapan’s and hopefully implement change that
would enhance the services of our city,” continued the visiting mayor.
Kareptyan is accompanied by council advisor Avedik Hampartsumyan and
hopes to visit and personally thank several businesses that sponsored
the GGSCA projects throughout the years.
Karapetyan will also be present at the City Council meeting on July 5
for a special presentation to the city for its Centennial Anniversary.
“It is rewarding to have both cities grasp an understanding of the
other with this visit,” said Manoukian. “This can only lead to
stronger ties, better cooperation, and bigger projects between the two
cities in the future.”
The GGSCA has sponsored several gift drives and delivered thousands in
hospital supplies to the city already. It is currently working on a
hospital revitalization project as well as preschool sponsorship
projects.
####
GGSCA is a non-profit organization that aims to foster goodwill and
understanding through cultural, educational, economic cooperation
between the people of Glendale and Ghapan. The GGSCA was established
through the joint effort of the Armenian National Committee of
Glendale, the City of Glendale, and the City of Ghapan, to help
cultivate economic cooperation and cultural exchanges between the two
cities. Glendale City Council passed a resolution recognizing Ghapan
as a Sister City in December of 2002. GGSCA has identified three areas
of focus in Ghapan: schools, healthcare and community
infrastructure. For more information or to contribute to GGSCA, please
contact (818) 828-8882 or email at [email protected]

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:
PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, June 29, 2006
LADIES AUXILIARY COMMITTEE OF ATHENS HOSTS MOTHER’S DAY CELEBRATION
On May 22, 2006, the Ladies Auxiliary Committee of the AGBU Athens
Chapter hosted an exciting comeback event, their first in nearly two
years, with a Mother’s Day celebration. The program attracted more
than 160 attendees and was held in the AGBU Artaki Kalpakian School’s
Hrant & Louisa Fenerjian Hall.
The festive occasion began with a welcome speech by the Chairman of
the Auxiliary Committee, Evi Tomboulian. Mrs. Tomboulian then
introduced the keynote speaker, Ani Demirjian, who described the
important role Armenian mothers play in keeping the Armenian language,
spirit and culture alive.
Reviving one of the Committee’s longstanding traditions, the title of
Honorary Mother of the Year for 2006 was awarded to Julia
Jelalian. Mrs. Jelalian was recognized for her steadfast support of
the Committee, her dedication to the Armenian culture and heritage,
and her role as an exemplary Armenian mother.
The Mother’s Day celebration came to a fitting end with a commitment
from the Ladies Auxiliary Committee to increase their activities with
a focus on cultural and social events.
The Mother’s Day celebration came to a fitting end with a commitment
from the Ladies Auxiliary Committee to increase their activities with
a focus on cultural and social events. Established in 1911, AGBU
Athens is committed to preserving and promoting the Armenian heritage
and culture through educational, cultural and humanitarian
programs. For more information, please email, [email protected].
For more information on AGBU and its youth programs, please visit
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress