CODE OF GOOD AIMS AND CORRUPTION RISK
Lragir.am 20 July 06
On July 20 the government of Armenia adopted the Technical Code
of removal of the fertile layer of soil and requirements on its
preservation and use. The representatives of the Ministry of
Environmental Protection assure that this completes the enactment
of the Land Code of Armenia. The code really has good aims but it
contains corruption risk.
The technical code will cover all kinds of land works in Armenia. If
the fertile layer of soil is removed and, for instance, a mine is
operated, either the soil must be preserved or given to others
for use. The latter contains a corruption risk. Deputy Minister
of Environmental Protection Simon Papyan and Juliet Ghlichyan, a
senior official of the ministry, explained in detail that standards
of maintenance and removal of the fertile layer of soil have been
set down. But the problem is that if the head of the community or
the marzpet (the head of the regional administration), in case the
land does not belong to communities, can prove that they do not lack
fertile soil, they can give fertile soil to everyone they want. And
since in accordance with the Land Code of Armenia fertile soil is not
for sale, the head of the community or the marzpet officially will
not get anything in return for this favor, but if they need a layer
of fertile soil, there will always be another head of community or
another marzpet, who would answer their favor.
And since our officials are mainly guided by the principle “a post
stops being attractive unless you abuse it”, it is beyond doubt that
the head of the community or the marzpet will give the land to those
who would have “a kind eye on them”. Simon Papyan agrees that there
is such risk.
Statistics shows that fertile soil is highly demanded in Armenia:
about 70 percent of the territory of Armenia is on the verge of
erosion, the majority of land of the Ararat Valley is salinated and
unusable. Since Soviet times 7500 hectares of land is bad.
In order not to leave the responsibility for cultivation of this
land on the shoulders of the government, businesses have to present a
clear plan of cultivation of land with clear timing, and during its
economic activities it transfers money to the capital intended for
this very aim. And if this business is unable to prove that it can
provide necessary conditions for preservation of the removed layer
of fertile soil, it has to give it to someone else. In other words,
companies also need to get on well with heads of communities or
marzpets, who have a layer of fertile soil.

STATEMENT OF THE NKR MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
18 July 2006
>>From the beginning of June 2006 the fires on Nagorno Karabakh
territory bordering with Azerbaijan have been taking place. The
situation is a subject of serious anxiety for Karabakh authorities as
it poses a threat for the security of the NKR and its population. A
special commission for studying circumstances and revealing reasons
of the inflammation was established in the NKR. Representatives of
ministries and departments responsible for security issues were
in the commission. For the purpose of localization the centers of
the inflammation and non-admission of fire spreading the subunits
of fire-prevention service and the NKR Department for Emergency
Situations, as well as the leadership of local administrations and
population were mobilized. A twenty-four-hour duty was organized
in all the communities with the object of averting emergency
situations. Nevertheless, the situation in these regions, which in
connection with the ongoing fires is becoming worse, is fraught with
unfavorable long-term consequences for agriculture and food security
of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The number and area of the fires
of wheat fields in the adjoining with Azerbaijan territories have
sharply risen. As a result of the work of the NKR special commission,
the incontestable data, indicating the fact that the reasons of
the fires were intentional hostile activities of Azerbaijani side,
were received. By these actions the official Baku pursues a goal to
undermine the economy of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and prevent from
advancing development. For screening its activities the authorities
of Azerbaijan from the very outset launched a wide-ranging propaganda
trying to lay the blame on Karabakh side both in local and foreign
mass media, which is a continuation of a propaganda and psychological
war against the people of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and is an
awkward attempt to draw a veil over the aggression act. We would
like to remind that as early as 2001 the leadership of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic suggested through the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen
on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement a package of steps on
establishing confidence between the parties to the conflict, in
particular, cooperation on non-admission of ignition of pastures
and agricultural lands in the adjoining regions to Azerbaijani
side. Unfortunately, at that time the initiative of the official
Stepanakert was not supported in Baku and was not honored with proper
attention by the OSCE Minsk Group. Moreover, as early as June 15,
2006, the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed to the Office
of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in Office with a
request to conduct a crisis-monitoring in the territory bordering with
Azerbaijan to estimate the real situation on the spot and disprove
far-fetched accusations of Azerbaijani side. We would like to draw
the attention of the international community and, in particular, the
co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group to the circumstance that if they do
not to take measures concerning the hostile activities of Azerbaijan
the official Stepanakert will have the right to undertake adequate
corresponding activities for ensuring security of the republic. July
17, 2006
AA. 18-07-2006

NKR NATIONAL STATISTICS SERVICE PRESS RELEASE
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
19 July 2006
Harvest of grain crops continues. Already 42,758 ha was harvested
as on July 17, which is about 76.6 percent of total land under crop,
about 55,814 ha. 53.68 thousand tonnes of grain was threshed, yield
per hectare totaled 12.6 metric centners, including in Askeran 9683
ha, 1197 thousand tonnes, 12.4 metric centners, in Hadrut 7200 ha,
9.07 thousand tonnes, 12.6 metric centners, in Martakert 7060 ha,
10.89 thousand tonnes, 15.4 metric centners, in Martuni 11,564 ha,
16.05 thousand tonnes, 13.9 metric centners, in Shushi 830 ha, 356.9
tonnes, 4.3 metric centners, and in Kashatagh 6421 ha, 5.33 thousand
tonnes, 8.3 metric centners. The yield of grain crops declined by 8.5
percent or 1.1 metric centner compared with 13.7 metric centners as
on July 18, 2005.
AA. 19-07-2006

BAZE IN ARTSAKH
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
19 July 2006
This year Baze 7th Pan-Armenian Youth festival will be held in
Artsakh. Baze in Artsakh Pan-Armenian Youth Foundation decided that
about 220 young people aged 18-30, including 100 viewers will take
part in the festival including song, dance, reciting, art, sculpture
contests, brain tests, as well as chess, table tennis, volleyball
and football tournaments, which will last from July 26 till August
1. The NKR Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport reported that 5
groups will participate in Baze from Artsakh, two groups from Armenia
and one group from Javakheti and Diaspora each. During the festival
round-table meetings will be organized. The participants will meet
with the NKR president, prime minister and other officials.
ZARINE MAYILIAN. 19-07-2006

FIRST CHURCH OF CAPITAL IS BUILT
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
19 July 2006
Stepanakert does not have a church, and many people say this is one of
the reasons why sects multiply. Several months ago the construction
of a church started on Hekimyan Street. The place of the church was
chosen by the Primate of the Artsakh Diocese. The church bears the
name of Patriarch Saint Hakob of Mtsbin. The church is built on the
donation of an Armenian from the United States, who had promised
several years ago to build a church for his son Hakob who died
untimely. Father Minas says the church will be a great stimulus for
reaching great aims, and will help struggle against sects.
ANAHIT MANUCHARIAN. 19-07-2006

Regional Basketball Federation of CIS and Baltic states to be established
ArmRadio.am
20.07.2006 16:14
During the meeting in Druskininkay, Lithuania Presidents of Basketball
Federations of Armenia, Russia, Lithuania, Moldova and Belarus agreed
to establish a regional basketball federation of CIS and Baltic
states. This will provide an opportunity to basketball players of
these countries to hold joint tournaments.
President of RA Basketball Federation Hrachya Rostomyan informed
that the corresponding agreement is to be signed in September. Most
probably, Estonia and Latvia will also joint the contract.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Stepan Grigoryan: Mutual concessions should be based upon the reconciliation of the sides
ArmRadio.am
20.07.2006 17:05
Attaching importance to the role of experts in the process of
settlement of the Karabakh issue, the “Armenian Association for Peace
and Conflict Studies” and the “Social Communication” Organization
arranged a workshop today, where different opinions on the settlement
of the Karabakh conflict were voiced.
The disclosure of the principles of the Karabakh conflict settlement
by US CO-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza became a matter
of active discussions.
Head of the Chair of Philosophy of Yerevan State University Alexandr
Manasaryan criticized the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group, saying
that the latter have taken an incorrect course, since they try to
somehow resolve the conflict instead of discussing the core of the
problem. In his opinion, the suggestions of the OSCE Minsk Group for
the resolution of the Karabakh conflict are unacceptable. What is
acceptable, is the suggestions of the Dartmouth conference group.
To remind, the agreements of the Dartmouth group were reached
last year between representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Nagorno-Karabakh. Manasyan himself was representing Nagorno Karabakh.
Political scientist Stepan Grigoryan turned to the statement by RF
President Vladimir Putin during the G8 summit in Saint Petersburg,
which, in his opinion, means that the mutual concessions should be
primarily based upon the reconciliation of the sides.
“The document should be signed when the societies are prepared to it,”
the political scientist noted.

Informal CIS Top Summit Opening in Moscow July 21
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.07.2006 13:40 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 2-day informal summit of the leaders of the CIS
member states is opening in Moscow tomorrow. Turkmenistani President
Saparmurat Niyazov, who seems to avoid such meetings lately, is
most likely not to arrive in the Russian capital. The arrival of
Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko is also doubted. The agenda of
the summit includes two principal issues – the assessment of global
developments and the CIS reformation. “Being the CIS chairman the
Russian President invited his counterparts to arrive in Moscow for
an informal summit without a precisely outlined agenda and discuss
the ways of CIS reformation,” said assistant to the Russian leader
Sergey Prikhodko, reported Vzglyad.
Presidents of Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are expected to attend the summit.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RAO UES of Russia Purchases Electric Networks of Armenia
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.07.2006 13:31 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The RA public service commission gave ok to
the selling of 100% stocks of the Electric Networks of Armenia,
ENA spokesman Magratita Grigoryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter. “Presently Midland Resources Holding Ltd, the owner of
the ENA, is negotiating with the RAO UES of Russia. As soon as an
agreement is signed the ENA will announce of the bargain and furnish
information,” she said.

No Armenian Citizens among Killed in Lebanon
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.07.2006 14:01 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “According to the data we possess, there are no
Armenian citizens among those killed in hostilities in Lebanon,” RA
MFA Spokesman Vladimir Karapetian told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In
his words, 250 Armenian citizens accompanied by two representatives
of the RA Embassy in Lebanon and a member of the Armenian Consulate
General in Aleppo (Syria) have been conveyed to the Lebanese-Syrian
border. The Armenian citizens evacuated from Beirut will arrive in
Yerevan by two special flights on July 20 evening.