U.S. VISA APPLICATIONS TO BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY
A1+
[11:59 am] 26 September, 2006
The United States Embassy in Yerevan is making the transition from
hand-written visa applications to computerized visa applications. This
will mean that applicants will not have to wait as long for their
interviews once they submit their applications, because the consular
staff will not have to spend time entering their data into the
computers.
Starting immediately, applicants who submit the Electronic Visa
Application Form (EVAF) for U.S. nonimmigrant visas will be given
preference for appointments. And beginning November 1, 2006 the EVAF
will be required for ALL U.S. nonimmigrant visa applications.
The electronic form (EVAF) requires the same information as the
current, printed form, which is called the DS-156. The EVAF is
available on the Internet at at no cost.
The form must be filled out on-line. Then the completed form must
be printed and brought to the consular section at the time of the
visa interview.
Applicants using the EVAF must fill out the form before scheduling
a visa appointment, because they must give the EVAF barcode number
when scheduling.
When applicants use the EVAF, they help our consular posts improve
the visa services we provide our customers. The EVAF, which has been
online for more than three years, allows for quicker and more accurate
data entry. Our customers do not have to wait for us to enter the data,
and therefore can have their interviews more quickly.
Information must be typed into the EVAF in English.
However, instructions in Armenian and Russian are available on the
consular web site at There are many locations
where you can use a computer to access the Internet to fill out and
print the form. These include Internet cafes, schools, universities
and public-library computer centers, and the American Corners currently
located in Yerevan and Gyumri.
Beginning Nov. 1, 2006, only applications prepared using the EVAF
system will be accepted by the consular section in Yerevan.

WB AND ARMENIA NEGOTIATE TERMS OF SECOND JUDICIAL REFORM CREDIT PROGRAM
Armenpress
Sept 25 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS: Arthur Tunian, head of an office
set up to supervise implementation of a set of judicial reforms funded
by a World Bank credit, said the government of Armenia and the World
Bank are negotiating the terms of a second judicial reform credit.
Tunian said the second credit is expected to amount to $20-25 million
and will run for five years. He said an agreement on release of
$800,000 advance for preparation work was signed and sent to Armenian
National Assembly’s ratification.
The second credit will be used to repair around 30-31 court buildings
and construct 10-111 new premises. Apart from construction works the
second credit program envisages also purchase of new equipment.
Tunian said the government of Armenia and World Bank are pleased
with the outcome of the first $11.5 million worth credit program
that was used for construction, repair of court houses in Armenia
and furnishing them with new modern equipment.
He said part of the second credit will be used for installment of a
test voice system for recording of court hearings.

BREAKING IN BREAKAWAY REPUBLICS
Alan Kasayev
RIA Novosti
25/09/2006 13:22 MOSCOW
Although 15 years have passed since the dissolution of the Soviet
Union, the Russian, European and, to a degree, international public
are still undecided over the future of its most forlorn remnants –
the breakaway republics of Nagorny Karabakh, South Ossetia, Abkhazia
and Transdnestr.
When the former Soviet republics proclaimed independence and joined
the United Nations, nobody in that organization and outside it
wondered whether the rights of the new members of international law
were legitimate. It was at that time that Georgia, Moldova, Armenia
and Azerbaijan appeared on the political map as independent entities.
Those autonomous republics incorporated in the former Soviet republics
that were dissatisfied with the process spoke up against it. The
result was wars, which they won, but only de facto.
Officially, they are breakaway, unrecognized states, a status they
are desperately trying to shed.
The outcome of the Transdnestr referendum was predictable for the
republic’s population, Moldova, Russia, and many countries in Europe
and America. More than 90% of the population confirmed their desire
to continue building an independent state with a view to joining
Russia. Unfortunately, little will change for them in practical terms.
Russia, Ukraine, the OSCE, the European Union and the United States
have tried, separately and jointly, to settle relations between the
recognized Moldova and unrecognized Transdnestr. The latest idea
provided for maximum autonomy of Transdnestr as part of Moldova,
with its own parliament, interior offices and a kind of national guard.
These Transdnestr institutions are to be preserved if Moldova joins
the EU (hypothetically) and NATO (probably), or proclaims neutrality.
The possibility did not materialize, because of the actions of either
Transdnestr or Moldova or Russia. It does not matter now who was to
blame, because everyone is now waiting to see what will happen after
the referendum.
It is much easier to predict what will not happen. The military
conflict will not escalate, because Moldova will hardly want, or be
able, to fight anyone now. No decision will be made to incorporate
Transdnestr into Russia, because they do not have a common border,
and neighboring Ukraine does not need additional pockets of instability
on its border.
So why was the referendum held? The Transdnestr authorities want
to create a powerful internal impetus for a new stage of their
unrecognized existence. Besides, the referendum was expected to
remind the world about the Transdnestr and other similar problems
within the former Soviet borders, notably South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
These former autonomous republics of the Georgian Soviet Socialist
Republic want to resolve their age-old problems. South Ossetians want
to reunite formally and culturally with North Ossetians. Abkhazians are
proclaiming to Russia and the rest of the world their unwillingness
to be part of Georgia. The bloody clashes of 1991-1993 actually
resulted in independence for South Ossetia and Abkhazia, but the
international community continues to consider them parts of Georgia,
although belligerent and separatist ones.
South Ossetia has scheduled a referendum on its status for November
12. It can be marred by bloodshed, which is an unacceptable price
for independence. The unstable Georgian government might proclaim
the referendum illegitimate and plan a powerful lightning military
strike to resolve the problem.
Meanwhile initiators of referendums hope that the population’s will
expressed in them will be respected by international organizations.
The recent referendum in Montenegro resulted in a new state that
became a UN member. A referendum in Kosovo is approaching, which may
create another recognized state in the Balkans. The United States
and the European Union, leading sponsors of the Kosovo peace process,
do not conceal their interest in this outcome. At the same time, they
refuse to support similar referendums in Transdnestr and South Ossetia.
Nagorny Karabakh somehow stands out among self-proclaimed republics.
Unlike Abkhazia, Transdnestr, and South Ossetia, it has long been a
separate issue on the international agenda due to active involvement
of a UN member state, Armenia. But the Nagorny Karabakh issue
strengthens the position of those who believe that we are witnessing
another escalation of a very important problem in global politics,
and theoretical and practical international law. When shall we be
guided by the UN Charter’s fundamental principle on a nation’s right
to self-identification and when do we abide by the 1975 Helsinki
Declaration, which guarantees European borders from changing?
Since the UN was established in 1945, over 70 new countries have
appeared in the world, or one sovereign member a year on average.
Each time a candidate needed an influential sponsor to achieve
international recognition. The Soviet Union used to be one during
the de-colonization era. When its influence faded, the United States
continued in this role. In fact, the Helsinki agreements have been
violated many times since 1989, first in Yugoslavia, then in East
Germany, and later in the Soviet Union. But the UN still recognized
them as legitimate. Does it mean that the Montenegro and Kosovo
scenario is in line with today’s mainstream global policy and that
Transdnestr, South Ossetia, Abkhazia and, perhaps, Nagorny Karabakh
will be recognized?
This outcome is not at all certain. In the 1990s, national and
territorial changes were accompanied by the collapse of the world’s
bipolar structure and supported the emerging unipolar world with
America’s hegemony. The reforms in the Balkans do not so much follow a
scenario of the U.S., which fully dominated the world just five years
ago, as they abide by the interests of the new international power
center represented by the stronger EU. With Washington’s consent,
of course. So…
So the fate of true independence and recognition of Transdnestr
and other territories around Russia will not be decided through
referendums. It will depend on whether Russia becomes a real partner
for the EU and the U.S., at least in Greater Europe, from the Atlantic
to the Urals, in the near future. So far we have seen Moscow’s powerful
advance towards the heights of global politics. But there is still
a long way to go. Russia has recovered a consultative vote with the
right of veto. Neither the European Union nor the U.S.
can settle the Kosovo issue or any other national and territorial
problem without taking Moscow’s opinion into account. But they are
still unable to fully accept its views. So the best decision is not
to make any unequivocal decisions.
The most important goal is to prevent a bloodshed. Moscow, Washington
and Brussels agree on this. Will they be heard in Chisinau, Tiraspol,
Tbilisi and Tskhinvali?

PETER SEMNEBY ARRIVING IN ARMENIA OCTOBER 2
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.09.2006 12:51 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ EU Envoy for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby
will pay a call to Armenia October 2, Mr Semneby personally told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.
The EU Envoy is arriving in Yerevan with the EU Troika. He also
informed that he will possibly visit Armenia late October or early
November 2006.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONFLICT BETWEEN GEORGIANS AND ARMENIANS TOOK PLACE IN JAVAKHK
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.09.2006 13:20 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A conflict between young Armenians from
Samtskhe Javakhetia and Georgian soldiers took place at the road
to Bakuriani (Georgia). 6 Georgian military guarding a sector of
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline stopped an Opel belonging to
22-year-old Vladimir Miradian. Checking the documents and finding
out that the driver and the passengers are Armenians and do not speak
Georgian the soldiers started insulting them. A brawl burst out between
the soldiers and Artyusha Iratsyan and Hambartsum Ovakiamian. The
soldiers started threatening with weapons, afterwards the young men
drove back to the village of Tabatskhuri, reported A-info.

RUSSIA WON’T LET GUAM ‘PEACEKEEPING MISSION’ TO CIS CONFLICT REGIONS
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.09.2006 13:25 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “The GUAM is planing a peacekeeping mission not
only for Abkhazia and South Ossetia but also for Nagorno Karabakh and
Transnistria, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov told Kathimerini
Greek newspaper. In his words, such ‘peacekeeping service’ offered
by a deliberately engaged union cannot be adequately perceived by
all of the sides of the settlement process.
Certainly, Russia that stands for a political settlement of the
conflicts, will take appropriate measures to prevent development by
this scenario,” the Minister underscored.

ARMENIAN PIANIST WINS JAZZ COMPETITION
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.09.2006 13:35 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian pianist Tigran Hamasyan was announced the
winner of the 20th Anniversary Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition. As
reported the press office of the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan, Hamasyan
was awarded a $20 thousand prize for original performance of Cherokee
by Ray Noble and Solare by Miles Davis.
19-year-old pianist was born in Gyumri and currently studies jazz
in the California University. Tigran Hamasyan took part in various
contests, festivals and concerts in Europe. Not long ago he won the
contest of jazz soloists in Monaco.

ARMENIAN SOLDIER SHOT DEAD FROM AZERI POSITIONS
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.09.2006 13:47 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A ceasefire violation by the Azeri armed forces
was fixed September 23 at 1.30 p.m. local time.
As reported by the press office of the RA Defense Ministry, ensign
Garnik Melyan aged 42 was wounded in the chest and died.

GEORGIA DELIBERATELY DELAYS KARS-AKHALKALAKI RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.09.2006 14:06 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgia deliberately delays the start of the
Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway construction, a Turkish senior
official said.
According to him, despite the efforts of Turkey and Azerbaijan to start
the building, Georgia slows down the process by all means. “Turkey
is ready to allot $220 million for the construction and Azerbaijan
has already assigned its share. We do not ask Georgia for money
while it’s the country that will derive a greater benefit from the
project. Despite this, Tbilisi poses various bureaucratic obstacles to
delay the constriction. It’s incredible,” the Turkish diplomat said,
reported APA news agency.

PACE TO DISCUSS ESTABLISHMENT OF EUROPEAN CENTER FOR REHABILITATION OF ETHNIC CLEANSING VICTIMS
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.09.2006 14:27 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ October 3 RA National Assembly delegation will
depart for Strasbourg to participate in the PACE winter session,
delegation member, chair of the standing parliamentary commission for
foreign relations Armen Rustamian told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In
his words, the session participants will discuss establishment
of a European center for rehabilitation of victims of ethnic
cleansings. This issue directly regards Armenia, where the refugees
who suffered from ethnic policy of Azerbaijan live. The session will
also focus on national minority issues, the Kosovo settlement and
some other European problems,” Armen Rustamian said. The Armenian
delegation will return to Yerevan October 7.