KENYA: BILLIONS AT RISK AS 18 EU MISSIONS DISCUSS SECURITY BREACH
Cyrus Kinyungu, Benson Kathuri, Joseph Murimi and Noel Wandera
The Standard, Kenya
June 20 2006
The Government was last night under intense local and international
pressure to absolve itself from blame over the security lapse at Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) almost two weeks ago.
At risk is the Sh50 billion tourism industry, the multi-billion
shilling airline industry and up to Sh29 billion in budgetary support.
In question is the integrity of Kenya’s law-enforcement institutions
and the Government’s commitment to international security standards.
Eighteen European Union (EU) heads of mission meeting in Nairobi
on Monday discussed and expressed “concern” over the incident’s
implications on the tourism and airline industry.
Although they have not collectively decided on when or how to engage
the Government over the issue, Britain, Germany and the US (which is
not an EU country) have separately asked the Government to explain
reports of the security breach.
List of witnesses
At the same time, two parliamentary watchdog committees released
names of those they would question over the Armenian saga.
They include State House officials, senior civil servants, Government
ministers and MPs, business people, an activist and Opposition
politicians.
Among them are Internal Security minister John Michuki, Kenya
Airports Authority (KAA) managing director George Muhoho, State House
Comptroller Hyslop Ipu, Police Commissioner Maj-Gen Hussein Ali,
businessman Kamlesh Pattni, Othaya Narc activist Mary Wambui and MPs
Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka.
Saying the security breach at Kenya’s premier airport on Thursday,
June 8 – during which two foreigners drew guns on Customs officials
– was an indicator of a bigger problem in the country’s security,
Roland Hauser said the EU viewed it as a threat to their citizens
visiting Kenya.
“Security for all passengers and airlines is important for Kenyans,
the tourism industry and the Kenyan economy as a whole,” Hauser noted,
adding: “We want tourists from our countries to come to Kenya because
it is a beautiful country. But on the other hand, we need to have
assurances that they are safe.”
Incident might affect tourism
Hauser is the chairman of the EU Heads of Mission in the country.
He told The Standard: “The security lapse at the airport is of concern
to EU countries as it is to other countries. We want to be part of
the solution and not the problem. Kenya stands to lose if tourists
stop visiting the country due to security fears. It is not in our
interest for this to happen.”
Germany had earlier in the day turned the heat on the Government
over the Artur brothers’ saga when its ambassador, Walter J. Lindner,
demanded an explanation over the airport incident.
Lindner said his Government was concerned about the security of German
tourists in Kenya and wondered how two foreigners could be allowed
to disrupt operations at an airport of the calibre of JKIA.
“Of course there are (other) questions such as how the (alleged
Armenians) got their security passes and how they entered high security
airport areas armed.”
Lindner was speaking at the Treasury during the signing of a Sh5.6
billion agreement in which Germany will support social services,
including free primary education and water services.
House committees
Lindner, however, expressed doubt that his Government would disburse
any further funds in budgetary support: “It is possible to say we are
not going to spend the money now because the two – let me not mention
their names – have been in the country and acting (in a scary manner).”
He was referring to Artur Margaryan and Artur Sargasyan who were
deported early this month after assaulting and threatening to shoot
Customs officials at JKIA.
Two house committees announced that they would question Immigration
minister Gedion Konchella, Pattni, suspended CID Director Joseph Kamau,
President Kibaki’s strategic adviser Stanley Murage, Ipu, Michuki,
Muhoho, Wambui and her daughter Winfred Wangui.
Also to be questioned are Raila, Kalonzo, Ali and Nairobi Provincial
Criminal Investigations Officer Isaiah Osugo.
Others are Customs officers, employees of the Runda residence of the
Arturs, Baktash Akasha, suspended KAA deputy managing director Naomi
Cidi, directors and shareholders of Kensington Holdings Ltd and Kenya
Ports Authority managing director Abdala Mwaruwa.
Western source markets
Making the announcement at County Hall, Nairobi, on Monday,
the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Security and Local
Authorities, Mr Ramadhan Kajembe, said the team was inviting anyone
with information on the two Armenians to volunteer it. Kajembe’s
committee will work closely with the Paul Muite-led Parliamentary
Committee on the Administration of Justice and Legal Affairs.
Their sittings begin on Tuesday. Investigations by The Standard reveal
that nearly 30 per cent of Kenya’s tourism earnings are from three key
Western source markets that have expressed concern over the security
of their nationals visiting Kenya through JKIA.
Germany, Britain and US together contributed some Sh14 billion to
the tourism kitty last year. In 2005, over 230,000 out of a total
683,000 international tourists came to Kenya, helping the tourism
sector contribute Sh48.9 billion. About 42 per cent of the 75,000
Germans who visited Kenya last year came through JKIA, while the US
visitors topped 73,000.
Britain, which has traditionally been Kenya’s leading market, had their
share of arrivals up 33 per cent. Contacted, the Kenya Tourist Board
(KTB) chairman, Jake Grieves-Cook agreed that the issue of security
at the airport was paramount.
“I am sure there will be lessons learnt just like anywhere else in
the world,” said Grieves-Cook.
Travel advisories
However, he did not foresee any drastic action being taken, such as
issuance of travel advisories, “as already, the people concerned have
been dealt with.”
However, admitting that the EU was concerned about the security
situation, Hauser was non-committal on what action it would take.
“It is true that the issue of the security lapse at the airport
was one of the items on our agenda during today’s ordinary monthly
discussions,” Hauser said soon after the heads of mission meeting at
Muthaiga country club, Nairobi.
“But we’ve not decided on how to engage the Government about it.”
Among countries represented at Monday’s meeting were Britain, Germany,
Austria, Poland, France, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, Greece, and Romania.
Hauser said EU and the Kenyan Government had agreed to be raising
issues of “mutual concern” to both parties directly and not through
the Press.
It is on this understanding based on the Cotonou Agreement that the
embassies will engage the Government, Hauser explained. However,
he said, issues of great concern to the public are raised in public
through the Press.
After The Standard Group raid in March, the EU countries publicly
condemned the Government’s action and demanded a commitment that such
an incident would not happen again.

LESSONS START AT CALCUTTA ARMENIAN PHILANTHROPIC ACADEMY WITH NEW TEACHERS ARRIVED FROM ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 20 2006
CALCUTTA, JUNE 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Lessons started on
June 19 at the Armenian Philanthropic Academy of Calcutta after the
summer holidays.
Iranian Armenian students returned Calcutta after having had their
holiday in families, taking with them a new student.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Academy, the academic year was
marked with another important event as well: Mr. and Mrs. Martik and
Greta Sargsian arrived in Calcutta from Armenia on the previous day,
with blessing of Karekin II Catholicos of All Armenians. They will
teach the Armenology subjects from now on at the Academy.
After the united pray in the morning, Manager of the Academy
Archimandrite Oshakan Gyulgyulian wished good return to everybody,
passing blessing and appreciation of the Catholicos of All
Armenians. His Holiness informed gladly and thanked everybody
that 4 graduates of this year of the Philanthropic Academy passed
successfully the demanded state exams and will start from now on
their future education at local schools. He emphasized that the
above-mentioned is the greatest success of this year and evidence
of the irrefutable truth that by the got results, the strategy of
the new administration of the Academy is right and justified in the
educational and other spheres. He expressed a hope that the Academy
will start and continue the academic year with the same spirit,
more enthusiastically and enviously, fixing progress in history of
the 185-year educational institution especially in the educational
sphere. His Holiness expressed his happiness that today the Academy is
completed with new Armenian teachers arrived from Armenia, emphasizing
importance of the Armenology subjects in every Armenian’s life.

ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF SLOVAKIA HAS GOOD EXPERIENCE OF JOINT WORK WITH FIVE OF SIX PARTIES ENTERED NATIONAL COUNCIL OF COUNTRY
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 20 2006
BRATISLAVA, JUNE 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The
Social-Democratic “Smer” party won at the elections of the National
Council of Slovakia held on June 17 as a result of what serious changes
are expected in this counrty. The left came to take the place of the
previous coalition of the right orientation. The coalition authorities
proposed by the left must still be affirmed by the President of the
country. The Christian-Democratic Party cooperating with the local
Armenian community also gathered the necessary votes, and it will be
clear during the coming days if it will have a place in the coalitional
government or will become opposition after the eight-year power.
Ashot Grigorian, the Chairman of the Armenian community of Slovakia
informed in the interview to the Noyan Tapan correspondent that five of
the six parties entered the National Council “has a good or very good
experience and results” of the joint work with the Armenian community
and its Chairman. But, according to A.Grigorian, it is very desirable
to see in the coalition “especially the Christian-Democratic Party
(KDH) and the “For Democratic Slovakia” (HZDS) movement, joint work
with which promises wider horizons in the sphere of solution of
Armenian issues.”

RA FOREIGN MINISTER MEET WITH UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, PRIME MINISTER AND FOREIGN MINISTER IN KIEV
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 20 2006
KIEV, JUNE 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Armenian Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian’s official meeting to Ukraine started with the
ceremony of laying flowers to the monument to the 1932-1933 Golodomor
(starvation) victims.
Then Vartan Oskanian’s meeting with Boris Tarasyuk, the Minister
of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine took place. Issues concerning the
Armenian-Ukrainian bilateral relations were discussed. The necessity
of a periodical political dialogue between the sides was bilaterally
mentioned. Expressing satisfaction with the level of cooperation in the
comercial and economic sphere, particularly with the speed of increase
of the goods circulation, the Armenian-Ukrainian Intergovernmental
Commission’s role in that issue was attached importance to and was
mentioned that the commission’s regular sitting will take place in
the autumn, 2006, in Yerevan.
For activization of cooperation in the sphere of culture, Ministers
Oskanian and Tarasyuk decided to undertake jointly with the Culture
Ministries of their countries holding of culture weeks of Armenia
and Ukraine correspondingly in Ukraine and Armenia.
Armenian and Ukrainian Foreign Ministers exchanged opinions concerning
the European direction of the foreign policy of their countries,
presented peculiarities of the present stage of their relations with
the European Union and NATO to one another.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, issues relating to the energy security and
regional transport problems were also discussed.
Boris Tarasyuk presented the essense of the mediator’s mission of
Ukraine in the issue of settlement of the Pridnestr conflict.
Minister Oskanian presented the present stage of settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
The two Minister’s joint press-conference took place at the end of
the meeting.
President of Ukraine Victor Yuschenko and Prime Minister Yuri
Yekhanurov received RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian on the
same day.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKISH REGIONAL POLICY CAPTIVE OF RELATIONS WITH AZERBAIJAN
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.06.2006 15:21 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “In fact, Turkey’s regional policy, which got stuck
on Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline, promotes freezing of the
Azeri-Armenian conflict,” Turkish researcher Burcu Gultekin writes in
a book titled Prospects of Regional Cooperation in NATO South-Eastern
Borders: Development of the Turkish-Russian Cooperation in the South
Caucasus. In the author’s opinion, policy of prevalence of interests
of “security at the expense of economy” between Turkey and Azerbaijan
strongly limits Turkish diplomacy in the region. “Turkish regional
policy has become captive of relations with Azerbaijan, i.e. pro-Azeri
position is the price to be paid for implementation of the BTC oil
pipeline,” she believes.
In Burcu Gultekin’s opinion, opening of borders may promote improvement
of Turkey’s image in the Armenian society, lead relations between the
two countries out of today’s crisis. The book also reads, “In 1920
the Soviet authorities joined Nakhichevan with Azerbaijan in spite
of the protest of Armenia. Georgia, Armenia, Nakhichevan, situated
on the Caucasus-Turkey border, are a knot of network communication
and are situated in the center of North-South and East-West corridors.
The Caucasus has the potential of becoming a bridge between Turkey
and Russia,” the research book says.
The Turkish scholar comes against international transport projects,
planned in the region, i.e. East-West: Kars-Akhalkalaki and
North-South: Kazvin-Resht-Astara leaving out Armenia. “It would be
expedient to restore and use the already available Kars-Gyumri and
Sochi-Sukhumi-Yerevan-Julfa railways.
Burcu Gultekin believes that laying new railways will only aggravate
the situation in the region and will freeze the conflicts available.
The book caused acute negative response in Azerbaijan.

HOLDING DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS TO SERVE FURTHER EUROINTEGRATION OF ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.06.2006 15:46 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At today’s meeting between Armenian Speaker Tigran
Torosyan and German Ambassador to Armenia Heike Renate Peitsch matters
of cooperation between the Parliaments were discussed. Torosyan
drew special attention of the Ambassador to work to make changes
in Armenia’s legislation to make it comply with the reformed
Constitution. He said some 60 drafts are under consideration of
the Parliament. Tigran Torosyan also remarked that making changes
in the Electoral Code of Armenia is insufficient for improving
political atmosphere in the country. He underscored hostility among
political forces of Armenia is inadmissible. In the Speaker’s opinion,
holding democratic elections will serve further European integration
of Armenia. The parties also discussed matters of Armenian-German
cooperation and activities of German foundations in Armenia, reports
the NA Press Service.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

REPORT ON AGO GROUP VISIT TO ARMENIA TO BE HEARD TOMORROW
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.06.2006 17:12 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Tomorrow a sitting of the Committee of Ministers
of the Council of Europe (CE) will be held in Strasbourg at the level
of permanent representatives. The oral report of the Chair of the Ago
monitoring group chair, Germany’s Permanent Representative to the CE,
Ambassador Roland Wegener on the outcomes of the visit to Armenia
June 9-10 and Azerbaijan June 13-14 will be heard at the meeting.
During its regional visit the Ago group studied the process of
fulfillment of commitments to the CE by Azerbaijan and Armenia.

56 TURKISH MAYORS MAY FACE 10-YEAR IMPRISONMENT FOR SUPPORT OF KURD TV
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.06.2006 17:24 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey’s Office of Prosecutor General has sent
prosecution materials for mayors of 56 towns in the south-east of the
country, which support a Kurdish TV channel. Heads of those towns,
where Kurdish population forms a majority, have sent a letter to Danish
PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen asking not to closeRoj TV, broadcasting for
Kurds. They asked not to give in to Turkish Government’s pressure.
Turkish authorities consider that town mayors, who signed the letter
to Rasmussen, thus assisted Kurd rebels, specifically the Kurdish
Working Party, banned in the country. In the opinion of Turkish
officials, Roj TV is engaged in propagating that Party. In case the
court announces mayors of Turkish towns are guilty, they may face
10 years of imprisonment. At a meeting with representatives of EU
member states Danish PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen noted that prosecution
of mayors for that letter runs counter to values of the united Europe,
Times Online reports.

OSCE SEC. GEN. TO DISCUSS REGIONAL CONFLICTS IN MOSCOW
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.06.2006 17:48 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During talks with OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin
de Brichambaut in Moscow regional topics may be touched upon, Russian
MFA official representative Mikhail Kamynin said. “We proceed from
strict observation of agreements being key to conflict settlement in
OSCE territory,” he remarked. Kamynin added that the OSCE supports
parties to conflict searching for mutually acceptable outcomes, full
use of potential of negotiation and peacemaking formats to solve
conflicts, reports Russian MFA Press Service.
June 21-22 OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut will
pay a working visit to Moscow.

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS LEFT FOR ISTANBUL
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.06.2006 16:37 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On the invitation of the Constantinople Patriarch
of the Armenian Apostolic Church, archbishop Mesrop Mutafyan and
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinope Bartholomew I Catholicos of All
Armenians Garegin II left for Istanbul on a ministerial visit. During
the 7 days of his stay Garegin II will visit Armenian sacred places,
will bless the Armenian community of Istanbul, will meet with Armenian
intelligentsia and youth. June 25 the Supreme Patriarch will serve a
liturgy in Surb Astvatsatsin Cathedral in Istanbul. The Catholicos
of All Armenians will also meet with Istanbul Governor, reports
St. Echmiadzin Press Service.