“BAZE” HOVERS IN HIGHLANDS OF NAGORNO KARABAKH
AZG Armenian Daily #143, 01/08/2006
Culture
Currently, “Baze” All Armenian Youth Festival is in full swing in
Nagorno Karabakh. The annual festival launched on July 26. This is
the first time that the festival is held in Nagorno Karabakh and
this conditions the utmost encouragement and enthusiasm of NKR young
people. Moreover, most of the NKr young people are engaged in the
sports cultural arrangements within the framework of the festival. 5
teams in the festival represent Artsakh, while Javakhk and Diaspora
have one team each. There are also two other teams shaped from the
winners of the singing, dancing, fashion, and intellectual and sports
competitions.
The festival activities show that the teams spare no efforst to win
the competitions.
Various NKR and Armenian high-ranked officials participated in the
opening ceremony of the festival, namely, NKR and RA Cutlure Ministers,
kamo Atayan and Hasmik Poghosian, General -Lieutenant Seyran Ohanian,
NKR Defence Minister, and many others. Mr. Ohanian stated in his
welcoming speech that the young Armenians should accumulate forces
and braveness to undertake the mission of their homeland’s liberation
and protection from the elder generation. He emphaszied that such
festivals will greatly contribute to achieving that very goal.
NKR President Arkady Ghukasian also welocmed the participants of
“Baze 2006.” In particular, he stated in his welcoming speech that
“the state should support and encourgae any kind of arangemetns or
initiatives that may contribute to the rebirth of national force
among the younger generation, including “Baze” annual festival.”
Artur Soghomian, head of the festival’s board, stated in the interview
to the Public TV of Artsakh that “Baze” arranegements will be held
both in the regions of Armenia and in Javakhk.
“Baze” festival junites the Armenian young people around the idea
of the national unification of the world spread nation. Soem of the
participanst pay their first visit to Artsakh, but there are also
others that visit Artsakh as a sacred tradition. The program of the
festival includes visits to the regions and the sightseeing places
of NKR in the last days of July.
“Baze 2006” is finishing on July 31. It is envisaged that teh
closing ceremony of the festival will take place in Rebirth Square
of Stepanakert. The participants and the winners of the competitions
will be awarded with prizes and medals.
By Kim Gabrielian, Stepanakert

TWO-DIGIT GROWTH IS A COMPROMISE BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE CRIMINAL RESOURCE
Lragir.am
31 July 06
The government of Armenia stopped taking pride in the rate of economic
growth in Armenia long ago. The president of Armenia has not cut red
tapes and visited factories for a long time. In fact, it does not
mean that there is no economic growth or the rate slowed down. By
official statistics, two-digit economic growth goes on, and in the
first half of 2006 it totaled over 11 percent. For the government this
has become something usual, however. So usual that they are already
ashamed of talking about it. Moreover, this shame has two levels. The
first is that the two-digit growth remains the decoration of tables
of a group of people. Hence, it is definitely inappropriate to feed
people with official statistical achievements for the simple reason
that people cannot eat it. After all, the elite must realize that it
is even disgusting to eat meat all the time, let alone numbers. It is
not a secret, however, that only one source of shame is hardly enough
to cause a feeling of discomfort among the Armenian government. It is
even too little. Fortunately, there is the second level, however. By
its two-digit rate Armenia is no longer a tiger in the region, or it
is not the only tiger in the region. Especially, compared with our
main rival, Azerbaijan. The GDP of Azerbaijan grew by 40 percent
in the first half of 2006. It is official statistics, of course,
but we have no reason to state that theirs is a lie, ours is not. In
other words, when the government continues supplying the public with
boring figures about the economic growth, it is sure to find itself
in a curious situation because they arouse a smile whenever they are
compared with the Azerbaijani indices.
Unfortunately, the government continues doing something. It continues
persuading the public that despite oil underlying the Azerbaijani
economy the state of Armenia is the best in the region. This thinking,
which is consistently instilled in the public, pursues an aim which is
clear. It “reassures” the public, guaranteeing unchangeable situation
for the government. Therefore, they have stopped feeding the society
with numbers, for it may cause the opposite reaction. They merely
reconcile them with the situation, in other words, they help to stomach
the figures. But it is the case when successful digestion may deeply
ruin the health of the public, and consequently the country. To stomach
this situation means to agree that the level of corruption, black
economy, protectionism that is now will persist. Therefore, generation
of economic growth becomes almost impossible, remaining on the same
sustainable level. As for the distribution of growth, it is impossible
due to the abovementioned vicious phenomena. Definitely, the same
situation is in Azerbaijan, and it would not cause worries if there
were not for the oil factor and 40 percent growth. According to the
Armenian government, this growth does not have a quality. Maybe. But
considering that the absolute volume of the Azerbaijani economy
exceeds the Armenian economy twice, we may say that 40 percent growth
of that economy is equal to 80 percent of economic growth in Armenia.
In other words, in this comparison we may conclude that the economic
growth in Azerbaijan exceeds Armenia nine times. And this quantitative
difference is sure to become qualitative advantage one day.
In such a situation this “reassurance” preached in Armenia and
reflected in the economic policy of the Armenian government directly
threatens national security. Export of several tons of apricots,
building of several elite buildings and use of several information
technologies is not economic quality. The underlying component of
the quality of economy is the possibilities of the persons who have
the wish and ability to participate in this economy. The quality
of the economy is its agents, consumers and producers, and their
relation generates growth. And the fact that economic growth in
Armenia is between 11 and 13 percent over the past 5-6 years shows
that the relationship between the agents of the economy is highly
conventional and highly limited. And if there is a non-quality economy
both in Armenia and in Azerbaijan, it is clear that quantity will
be deciding. And if everything relies on the quantity, it is clear
in what situation Armenia may appear in several years, despite the
quality of elite apartments. It seems that it should be clear for the
government because only the lazy do not say that Armenia should launch
real economic reforms and democratization of the public life to oppose
to oil. This point seems indisputable, and it can be the only path when
the society will not argue with the society. However, the Armenian
government prefers not to argue with the administrative criminal
resource and make a compromise over 11-13 percent growth. In this
case, there is no way out other than that the Armenian society wage
a liberation war for the economy. After all, we defeated Azerbaijan,
and it reports 40 percent economic growth. Let us imagine what a rate
of growth we would report if we defeated ourselves.
JAMES HAKOBYAN
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC GREW
Lragir.am
31 July 06
Although in the first half of 2006 the rate of crime grew by 434 or
9.9 percent compared with the first half of 2005, state crimes went
down by 250 or 22.4 percent.
With the rate of crime growing, the rate of disclosure of crimes went
down from 87.6 percent to 83.8 percent. Along with the decline in the
rate of state crime the rate of disclosure went down from 757 of the
first half of 2005 to 517 as of early 2006. Cases of misuse of power
went up from 9 to 10. Of course, it is hard to believe that only 10
cases of misuse of power were reported in six months in the country
of the first decade of the 21st century but these are the figures
from the official statistics of the procuracy of Armenia.
By the way, according to Attorney General Aghvan Hovsepyan, the
reported 756 cases of trafficking in drugs are only a small part of the
real picture. The Attorney General did not say anything about misuse
of power but it does not mean that ten cases of abuse of power are
the real picture. Reporting in press over the past six months shows
the contrary. The procuracy also declines to say how many of these
10 cases were revealed.
In 2006 cases of assault on representatives of the government decreased
from 23 to 18 and crime against person decreased from 540 to 524. The
procuracy is again silent about the rate of revealed cases of assault
on representatives of the government. The rate of disclosure of
crimes against person decreased as well. Only 27 out of 540 cases in
the first half of 2005 and 22 out of 524 cases in the first half of
2006 were disclosed.
Along with the decline of the rates of the abovementioned types of
crimes, crimes against public security and crimes against public
health grew by 48.7 percent, mounting to 1072 from 721 of the first
half of 2006. The rate of disclosure decreased by one percent.

ARMENIAN CITIZENS TRY TO ENTER GERMANY ILLEGALLY
Panorama.am
15:44 31/07/06
Law officials of Germany have detained 27 foreign citizens trying
to enter the territory of Germany illegally. Referring to federal
police, German web-based “e100” reports that the illegal persons
tried to cross the border of Frankfurt hiding themselves in two truck
trains. One of the trains carried 3 men and 5 women from Armenia,
Vietnam and Egypt. The other train carried 14 men and 5 women. The
police have not identified their citizenship yet./Panorama.am/

RA OMBUDSMAN APPEALS TO OMBUDSMAN OF GEORGIA TO HELP
80 ARMENIANS STUCK NEAR GORY-TSKHINVAL BORDER
AZG Armenian Daily #143, 01/08/2006
Home Issues
Recently, Armen Haroutiunian, RA Ombudsman, received an appeal
to render assistance to 80 Armenians that are stuck near the
Tskhinval-Gory border. In his turn, Mr. Haroutiunian, appealed to
Sozar Subari, People’s Ombudsman of Georgia, with the request to
settle the issue.
Besdies, Mr. Haroutiunian, sent a letter to Yervand Zakharian, Mayor
of Yerevan city. The letter includes the suggestion of Mr. Ombudsman
concerning the approval of the right for property of the Kozern
district residents.
By Sousana Margarian

TURKISH AUTHORITIES MAKE CHARGES AGAINST WRITER ELIF SHAFAK
Panorama.am’ 14:43 31/07/06
The Turkish authorities made charges against writer Elif Shafak,
who is also professor of Arizona University (USA). Ms. Shafak is
charged for insulting the dignity of Turkish nation, United Press
International reports.
The criminal prosecution, facing her the prospect of three years
of imprisonment, is launched against Shafak for writing a piece of
literary art. Arizona Republic reports that the story touches upon
the subject of 1915 Genocide, killing 1.5 million Armenians.
This is the first time ever Turkey prefers a charge under this article
for a work of art, the newspaper writes. /Panorama.am/

Armenian community in Lebanon is well organized
Interview conducted
by Karine MANGASSARIAN
Yerkir.am
July 28, 2006
Editor in Chief of “Aztag” Newspaper in Beirut Shahan Gantaharian
told us about the situation with the Armenian community in Lebanon
and the organization of assistance for the refugees.
Q: What can you tell us about the developments of the last several
days? A: The war started by Israel against Lebanon has been going on
for fifteen days. The war has brought tremendous destruction and the
damage it has caused is estimated at billions of dollars. The military
actions of the last several days were concentrated in the southern
border territories. There are serious clashes between Hezbollah
and the Israeli army. Israel has bombed the military units of the
Lebanese army dislocated to the North of Beirut and the broadcasting
station of Radio Lebanon. It is not yet known whether they bombed
it from the air or from the Israeli military ships located near the
Lebanon shore. There is no information as to the number of dead or
injured. The perspective for a cease fire is still very vague since
the preconditions the sides put forward are very different.
Q: We were informed that an inter-party meeting was held in Beirut that
sent an appeal to the Armenian community. What issues were discussed
at this meeting? A: The Armenian community in Lebanon is organizing
assistance to the refugees. An inter-party meeting was held on Monday
in which representatives of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Party, Ramkavar Liberal Party and Social-Democrat Hnchakian Party
participated. At the end of the meeting the parties came up with an
appeal to the Armenian community to stay united around the Armenian
political parties.
On July 25 the delegation of ARF’s Central Committee in Lebanon
visited Vehapar Aram I, the Armenian Ambassador to Lebanon Vahan
Ter-Ghevondian and the leaders of the Armenian Catholic and Evangelical
Churches. Consultations were held during these meetings and issues
of development and revitalization of the Armenian community life
were discussed. Ambassador Vahan Ter-Ghevondian informed Azdak that
Armenia will provide humanitarian assistance to Lebanon, mostly
medicines. The Armenian assistance will reach Aleppo on July 28 and
will be transported to Lebanon from there.
Q: What is the situation with assistance to the refugees?
A: The coordination body established by ARF continues to work
intensively organizing assistance. There are many problems awaiting
solution. People listen to the calls made by this body and have their
contribution to the organization of humanitarian works. Armenian and
foreign media are constantly in touch with Azdak newspaper. They have
noted that the dynamic updates on Azdak’s website are very important
for them. I would like to inform that we have already published on our
website the video materials prepared by Yerkir Media’s Lebanon office
and ARF’s office. These materials mostly tell about the assistance
programs implemented in the community.

Baku’s militaristic fantasies seem to have no end
Yerkir.am
July 28, 2006
By Gayane MOVSESSIAN
OSCE Minsk Group American Co-Chair Mathew Bryza’s planned visit to
the region raises different expectations among the conflict sides.
Yerevan, according to Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian, expects
that Washington will succeed in convincing Baku to return to the
negotiations table to continue discussion of the document developed
and recently publicized by the mediators.
Baku on the other hand expects that Bryza will bring new proposals. The
Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov stated that if Baku sees in
Bryza’s proposals any possibility for progress in the negotiations
it will agree to hold a meeting of Azeri and Armenian Foreign
Ministers. However, the American Co-Chair cannot bring any radically
new proposals since it would take much time to come up with such
proposals and to discuss them with the other two Co-Chairs.
Besides, the Co-Chairs have indicated in one of their statements that
they have exhausted their imagination and are expecting new ideas
and decisions from the Armenian and Azeri presidents. The American
Co-Chair’s visit aims at understanding in what direction the mediators
should move further. Mr. Bryza will brief his colleagues on the results
of the visit during their meeting in Paris in the beginning of August.
It should be noted that Bryza will visit not only Yerevan and Baku
but also Stepanakert. Even though this visit cannot be expected to
cause any changes in the Co-Chairs’ approach to the conflict, it is
possible that Mr. Bryza will see on the ground that no arrangement in
the framework of the Armenian-Azeri dialog can be made and implemented
without active participation of Karabakh.
Mr. Bryza’s meeting with another overlooked side of the
conflict, the Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan, can also be
interesting. “International Rights of Refugees”, a civil society
network organization, has appealed to the American Ambassador in
Armenia John Evans with a request to organize such a meeting.
The network includes eight organizations that represent the interests
of refugees from the former Azerbaijani SSR and Nakhijevan. If this
meeting is held Mr. Bryza will receive much information to think
about and to recharge his Minsk Group colleagues’ imagination. The
prospect for Nagorno Karabagh Republic ‘s participation in the resumes
negotiation process as well as the prospect of long-term settlement
of the conflict will depend on how the international mediators will
use such information.
It is obvious that Baku will be against such a turn in the developments
around conflict settlement. Baku is usually against any initiative
aimed at the settlement of the conflict. Lower-ranked officials and
experts from Azerbaijan openly say things that official representatives
of Baku do not always state, “The present plan for peaceful settlement
(referring to the document containing the main principles – editor)
is not in Azerbaijan’s interests…
First of all, taking into consideration that Azerbaijan will not
have full control over Lachin and Kelbajar as well as the presence
of Armenian troops in the conflict zone, Azerbaijan partially loses
its territorial integrity. Secondly, there are no guarantees that
if a referendum is held in 15 or 20 years the Armenian community
in Nagorno Karabagh that would significantly improve its economic
situation through international assistance and Azerbaijan’s oil
money will not demand independence again. Thirdly, if this plan is
implemented Azerbaijan will lose one of its main leverages – the
possibility of military settlement of the conflict.”
Baku is still expecting that it will have a new opportunity to
resort to aggression against Nagorno Karabagh and Armenia. “There
was a time when the small Armenia was allowed to do everything… In
the new international order Azerbaijan can always have a chance of
settling the conflict through another war,” member of Azerbaijan’s
Soros Foundation Board Ilhar Mamedov stated.
Azerbaijan is afraid that if no results are achieved through
negotiations the international community will be in a position to
force a peaceful settlement upon the parties.
This is why Azerbaijan is trying to win some time. For the sake of
winning some time Azeri experts even advise the government to engage
in negotiations with Nagorno Karabagh. “In terms of strategic issues,
Azerbaijan will show to the international community its willingness
to reach an agreement, its readiness for compromises.
This will somewhat isolate Armenia from the negotiation process
and will show to the community in Nagorno Karabagh the benefits of
economic cooperation with Azerbaijan. Besides, engagement of the
Armenian community in Karabagh into the negotiations process will
mean additional rounds of discussions which will take some time. This
in its turn would mean postponement of a forced peace agreement, a
‘South Caucasus Dayton’,” they write.
The Azeri experts explore the possibility of members of the Azeri
parliament visiting Nagorno Karabagh. “It is noteworthy that the
Azeri parliamentarians want to go to Karabagh not through Armenia
but directly crossing the frontline.
The parliamentarians to participate in this visit might include
Nizami Bahmanov (the head of the Azeri community in Karabagh),
the deputy elected to the Mili Mejlis from Khankendi (Stepanakert)
precinct, members of the Azeri delegation to the PACE, journalists
and others. Such a delegation would not allow the Armenians to claim
that Azerbaijan recognizes the so-called “Nagorno Karabagh Republic”
since the parliamentarians are not representing the executive power.
The Armenians would hardly reject such a proposal since it would be
rejection of negotiations and would indicate unwillingness for mutual
compromises. It would result in a very negative response from the
international community and will be an advantage Azerbaijan could
use in further negotiations. In this way Azerbaijan would have more
arguments to convince the international community that Armenians are
not ready for mutual compromises”.
In the best case scenario, the visit is planned as another act of
propaganda. Even worse, if our “peace-loving” neighbors are trying
to provoke a break of the ceasefire which we believe is much closer
to the reality. It is not difficult for them to start shooting and
then blame Karabaghi population for everything.
Their imagination, as opposed to that of the mediators, does not seem
to be exhausted at all. The Minsk Group Co-Chairs had better try to
revive their imagination instead of merely calling on the leaders
of the conflicting sides to prepare their peoples for peace and not
for war. They should better think about how to calm down the Azeris’
militaristic fantasies.
Director of the International Crisis Group’s European Program Nicolas
White and ICG Caucasus Project Coordinator Sabina Freiser made a
statement on this, “Russia, Europe and USA should make a statement
on unacceptability of war…
Some representatives of Azerbaijan hope that geopolitical interests
would make the international community allow a military campaign to
regain the territories lost in 1994. Russia, Europe and USA should be
absolutely clear on this issue if the mediators’ last statement fails
to send this message. They should indicate that resort to military
action would eliminate prospects for any assistance in economic and
political spheres. If the international community does not succeed in
bringing peace to the South Caucasus it should make a clear statement
on unacceptability of another war.”

NKR Foreign Ministry: The current format of negotiations
does not reflect the core of the conflict
Yerkir.am
July 28, 2006
The talks for Nagorno-Karabakh are not an end in itself but the NKR
authorities stand ready to discuss any issue that would not violate the
interest of the Karabakh people and threaten its security, NKR Foreign
Minsiter Georgy Petrossian said during his meeting with Vice Speaker
of the British Parliament’s House of Lords Baroness Caroline Cox.
“The Nagorno Karabakh conflict is a complicated one, as a great number
of interests are coming into collision here, which acquire a special
urgency from the standpoint of the recent events in the region and
in the world on the whole,” Georgy Petrossian said.
The Minister noted that the existing format of the negotiations on the
Karabakh conflict settlement did not reflect the core of the conflict.
“Unfortunately, today, the mediators focused their attention not on
the essence of the conflict but on the liquidation of the conflicts’
consequences. We emphasize once more that without the participation
of Nagorno Karabakh – the most suffered party to the conflict,
the achievement and realization of any agreements are impossible,”
Georgy Petrossian said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Corruption decreases in some countries but not in Armenia
Yerkir.am
July 28, 2006
The World Bank has recently released its third report called
‘Anticorruption in Transition 3- Who is Succeeding… And Why.” The
report concludes that efforts to tackle corruption in former socialist
countries have yielded positive results but to prevent regression
sustainable reforms are needed.
Armenia’s scores in comparison with other countries
WB experts say Armenia should continue tackling bribery. According
to the report, in 2005, the 200 Armenian companies surveyed have
continued to pay bribes in the same frequency as in 2002 courts but
is still below the average for countries of the CIS. Meanwhile, the
bribery incidences have increased in tax and customs bodies as well
as in courts.
The survey showed that the businessmen in Armenia (as well as in
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) do not consider corruption to be a serious
problem as they colleagues in other CIS countries do. The report
also indicated that while the portion of the ‘tax burden’ is lower
for the companies in Armenia, Croatia, Lithuania and Moldova, the
overall volume of the bribes paid is much bigger due to the rapid
growth of economies in those countries.
In Armenia – as well as in Georgia and Moldova – the incidences of
bribery are more frequent for registering companies and taxation
process, and in Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgizstan,
the problem of tax administration is more acute.
WB experts have concluded that in Armenia, Albania, Russia and
Azerbaijan, the bribery has significantly grown on the legislative
level where the “rules of the game” are frequently distorted to fit a
small number of the privileged. Meanwhile, in those terms a significant
improvement has been seen in Bulgaria, Lithuania, Slovakia, Ukraine,
Georgia and Slovenia.
The survey said the in Armenia the bribery in the tax administration
has risen from the previous low level to the middle.
Noteworthy is a conclusion made in the report that Armenia launched a
” Anticorruption Strategic Program” in 2003 and in 2004 a high-level
anticorruption commission was set up headed by the country’s prime
minister. But several corruption indicators have even degraded. In
contrast, a National Anticorruption Strategy was launched in Georgia
followed by Actions Plan. This plan has been applied in conjunction
with aggressive anticorruption policies and institutional reforms,
which have resulted in reduction of bribery and change in society’s
tolerance towards corruption.
By Mher Ohanian