ACCORDING TO INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP, EUROPEAN UNION MUST BE INVOLVED IN SETTLEMENT OF SOUTH CAUCASUS CONFLICTS DEEPER
Noyan Tapan
Mar 21 2006
TBILISI/BRUSSELS, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. For guaranteeing its own
security, the European Union must be involved in settlement of the
South Caucasus conflicts deeper for those don’t break up as wide-spread
wars in the neighborhood of Europe. Such an opinion was expressed
by the International Crisis Group in its March 20 message. The
“Conflicts Prevention in South Caucasus: Role of European Union”
new report of the International Crisis Group studies efforts of
the European Union to touch upon the strengthening round Nagorno
Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Osetia and points out its possible
additional activities. “Brussels started to touch upon the challenge
of a deeper involvement only recently. There were few promising steps
but there is still a long way to pass,” Sabine Freizer, the Caucasus
Project Director of the International Crisis Group stated. Mentioning
that the UN in Abkhazia and the OSCE in Nagorno Karabakh and South
Osetia were engaged in conflicts settlement till the recent times,
but the negotiations having lasted for dozens of years didn’t reach
all-embracing agreements of peace, the International Crisis Group
expresses confidence that the European Union has a greater role to
play and can complete the UN and OSCE efforts “having authority of an
“honest mediator,” different soft and rough levers of influence and
possibility of proposals to be deeper integrated into Europe.” For
avoiding instability of its own borders, the European Union wants to
create round it a circle of effectively rulled countries. This is
interested in South Caucasus also for the reason that it wants to
secure accessibility of oil and gas of the Caspian region, develop
transportation and communication corridors between Europe and Asia
and limit such dangers as smuggling, trafficking and degradation
of environment are. According to the International Crisis Group,
as the European Union will hardly propose membership to Georgia,
Armenia and Azerbaijan in the nearest time, it must find newest means
to stipulate its assistance a!
nd use influence. The Actions Plans of the European Neighborhood policy
is at the stage of summing up what, according to the message, creates
a proper opportunity for strengthening the EU role, especially if
the peaceful settlement of conflicts is defined as an obligation. The
International Crisis Group expresses opinion that the newly appointed
EU Special Representative must be an observer in negotiations going on
round Abkhazian, South Osetian and Karabakh conflicts. The European
Commission made significant allocations for reconstruction works in
South Osetia and Abkhazia. It must estimate how it may start to do
more on Nagorno Karabakh and round it. “The European Union attempts to
define its role in the new neighborhood where there is neither peace
nor war. If the European Union isn’t able to fulfil its imagination
of a safe neighborhood, its confidence in the region and in general,
compared with Russia and the U.S., will suffer. It’s more worrying if
the conflicts in South Caucasus continue to strengthen, the European
Union may be unready for the issue of finding a response to wars of
its neighbors,” Nicholas Whyte, the Europe Program Director of the
International Crisis Group stated.

ETHNIC MINORITIES’ COUNCIL CREATED ATTACHED TO OMBUDSMAN OF GEORGIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 21 2006
AKHALKALAK, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Ethnic
Minorities’ Council was created attached to the Ombudsman’s staff
of Georgia. According to the “A-Info” agency, Beka Mindiashvili,
the general expert of the “Tolerance” center attached to the
Ombudsman’s staff regulates works of the Council. According to the
expert, the goal of creating the Council is formation of a civil
forum of ethnic minorities of Georgia. Though the Council has no
executive levers, according to B.Mindiashvili, it can have an active
role in the authorities-ethnic minorities relations. The European
Center for Minorities Issues in Georgia gave the idea of forming
the Council. According to the declaration made public beforehand,
the Council staff is open for organizations representing people
belonging to ethnic minorities as well as for organizations working
in the sphere of protection and civil integration of ethnic minorities.

INFORMATION PROGRAMS OF AKHALKALAK AND NINOTSMINDA TV COMPANIES TO PASS TO SELF-FINANCING
Noyan Tapan
Armeninans Today
Mar 21 2006
AKHALKALAK, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The “Objective”
and “Andradardz” (Reflection) everyday information programs broadcast
by the Akhalkalak ATV-12 and Ninotsminda “Parvana” TV companies
will pass to self-financing from now on. Only two years ago those
programs started to be broadcast by financial-technic assistance of the
Tbilisi Office of the OSCE Commissioner for Ethnic Minorities and the
“Internews.” According to the “A-Info” agency, today the project has
already been completed, and the TV companies themselves will decide
the future of the information programs. According to ATV-12 Director
Vahrad Tkoyan and “Parvana” Director Kostandin Vardanian, in spite
of difficulties, an attempt will be made to keep the information
programs for there are of great demand among the local inhabitation.

ARMENIAN-INDIAN COOPERATION MUST BE IMPLEMENTED IN ALL SPHERES OF CULTURE, RA MINISTER OF CULTURE EMPHASIZES
Noyan Tapan
Mar 21 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. Gevorg Gevorgian, the RA Minister
of Culture and Youth Issues received on March 21 the Indian
cinematographers who are on a working visit in Yerevan. The Armenian
and Indian cinematographers discuss issues of shooting Indian films
in Armenia as well as development of the Armenian-Indian joint film
industry. Touching upon the two peoples’ historic ties and contacts,
RA Minister of Culture and Youth Issues Gevorg Gevorgian mentioned
that today this friendship starts to develop consonant to the new
times. The Minister expressed confidence that the Armenian-Indian
cooperation must be implemented in all spheres of culture, including
the sphere of film industry. G.Gevorgian appreciated the Indian
cinematographers’ wish to shoot Indian films in Armenia, but,
according to the Minister, development of the joint film industry is
more important. Producer Ashok Mehta, the owner of the “Bollywood”
Indian great studio mentioned that during the initial period they
will shoot only Indian films for what they, first of all, need to get
acquainted with the nature and sightseeings of Armenia. Besides, they
want to get acquainted with the Armenian cinematography closer. Ashok
Mehta is sure that development of the Armenian-Indian joint film
industry will be beneficial for producers of the two countries, and
the result will be perceptible. He mentioned that Bollywood has great
financial resources and shoots 1000 films a year. Film Director Arman
Manarian, pointing out the Armenian-Indian historic contacts, proposed
to shoot a joint historic film. And director Haroutiun Khachatrian, the
“Golden Apricot” International Film Festival Director, mentioned that
the festival directorate has a great wish to have Indian films in their
programs and to invite their authors to Armenia. H.Khachatrian invited
the Indian cinematographers to participate in the “Golden Apricot”
festival to take place in summer. The Indian cinematographers will
visit the “Hayfilm” studio on the same day to get acquainted with the
technical capabilities and films of the film library.

ISSUE OF CLEANING OF CULTURE VERY IMPORTANT FOR RA MINISTER OF CULTURE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 21 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Gevorg Gevorgian,
the RA Minister of Culture and Youth Issues, has no information about
getting flats of the cream of the Cinematographers’ Union of Armenia
from the many-storied being built on the Cinema House. Even more, as
the Minister informed journalists during the March 21 meeting taken
place in the Ministry, he has had no contacts and meetings with anybody
during the recent two months. “I’m continuously engaged in problems
of the Ministry, have no contacts with my friends as well. As for
the Cinema House, I had a phone conversation with R. Gevorgiants,
the Chairman of the Cinematographers’ Union. The latter said that
this is done in the name of the cinema union, which will enlarge
the territory of the Cinema House by few times. Besides, the owner
of the building promised more than 200 thousand dollars by which
the Cinema House will be re-equiped with dolby stereo system. If it
is so, then it will be good. As for giving flats, I don’t think,”
G.Gevorgian emphasized. According to the Minister, at the meeting
with representatives of the creative unions of the country recently,
everyday issues weren’t discussed but a dispute concerning perspectives
of development of culture was promoted. “For me the issue of cleaning
of the culture is very important as a regress, introduction of
alien elements and continuous fall of the national are noticed in
all the spheres,” Gevorg Gevorgian mentioned. The Minister informed
that according to the preliminary agreement, programs of the Russian
“Kultura” TV will soon be broadcast 24 hours in Armenia. According to
G.Gevorgian, it’s also envisaged to give 8 hours of that TV channel
to similar Armenian programs. And the RA Minister of Culture didn’t
like composer Armen Martirosian’s “Without your Love” song performed
by singer Andre for the “Eurovision” concert program.

TURKS’ DEMONSTRATION IN LYONS NOT TURN INTO DISORDERS ONLY OWING TO INTERFERENCE OF LEGAL BODIES
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 21 2006
LYONS, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Getting the
agreement of the Lyons Mayor’s Office, Turkish organizations held a
demonstration in the city on March 18, officially formulating that
as an action directed against contsructing the monument to the 1915
Armenian Genocide victims. But, as Noyan Tapan was informed by the ARF
Dashnaktsutiun “Nor Seround” youth union, it became clear just at the
beginning of the demontration that it pursues just another goal, to
insist that “Armenians are liars, and the victims are Turks.” Starting
just from this moment, the “Nor Seround” union started a spontaneous
responding action. The by-passers joined the small group of “Nor
Seround,” exclaiming: “Not to Fascism, Yes to History.” Young people
representing most different nations and political movements expressed
their solidarity to heirs of the Armenian Genocide victims. “We
must ask ourselves a question about the real inspirators of Turks’
gathering,” Tade Karapetian, the head of the ARF “Nor Seround” union
stated. “This event coincides in a strange way with strengthening
of the betrayal mission in Europe which is financed by the Turkish
state,” he emphasized. It’s mentioned in the information of the ARF
“Nor Seround” union that the Mayor’s Office endowed the demonstration,
in spite of alarms expressed by the union. Those alarms were justified
as the demonstration participants headed by an extreme grouping,
meeting participants of the peaceful anti-demonstration on their way,
provoked red-tapes which weren’t continued only after the legal bodies’
interference. “It’s intolerable that the French state <...> allows
holding of a betrayal and Fascist demonstration in its heart. Did
France forget that it has recognized the Armenian Genocide?” Armen
Serobian, the “Nor Seround” union speaker stated. He emphasized that
only the inhabitants of Lyons who come to oppose such a gathering
reminded that democratic values are still secured in France.

HRAZDAN TPP PROPOSES TWOFOLD INCREASE IN TARIFF OF GENERATED ELECTRICITY
Noyan Tapan
Mar 21 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The Hrazdan Thermal Power Plant
(TPP) recently submitted a bid for a twofold increase in the tariff
of generated electricity to the RA Public Services Regulatory
Commission. According to the bid, the current tariff of 11.36
drams (0.025 USD) for 1 kwh of electricity should be risen to 21.36
drams. The ground for such an increase is the rise of the gas price. To
recap, the Hrazdan TPP generates electricity by using gas. The
commission may consider the bid within 90 days, however, according
to NT’s information, the bid will be examined within the next few days.

DATE OF USING BAN ON EXTERNAL CIGARATTE ADVERTISING POSTPONED
Noyan Tapan
Mar 21 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA National Assembly on March 21
adopted 9 draft laws and a legislaive package which were discussed
the day before. All the drafts, except the draft law on precious
metals which was passed in the second reading, envisage amendments and
additions to a number of laws. Particularly, the legislative package
on making amendments and additions to the Law on Advertising and the
Law on Local Duties and Payments enisages postponing the use of the
ban on external cigarette advertising until October 1, 2006. The local
duties for permission to advertise strong alcoholic drinks and for
poster panels with a blank space have also been reviewed. The package
of amendments to the Land Code and the RA Law on Repressed Persons
which was passed in the first reading, envisages extending the term
of allocation of land plots to repressed persons with the right of
ownership until June 30, 2007. In addition, it is stipulated that
in case of absence of land plots representing the property of the
state and communities, land plots shall be purshased for repressed
persons in order prescribed by the RA government. According to the
amendments and additions to the Law on Licensing which were adopted
in the first reading, the veterinary-sanitary expert examination, as
well as the production and sale of the main and biological means of
plant protection are considered to be a complex licensed avtivity. The
amendments to the Law on State Duty, which were passed in the first
reading, abolish the current duties for transporting the animals under
state vetrainary control, cattle-breeding production, raw materials,
forage and loads from one administrative territory to another. A state
duty in the amount of 200 state basic duties was set for production
of biological preparations, sera and disinfection means used in the
vetrainary sector.

TWO-DAY ARMENIAN-GERMAN INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONSULTATION ON FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION STARTS IN YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
Mar 21 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. A two-day Armenian-German
intergovernmental consultation on financial and technical cooperation
started in Yerevan on March 21. The consultation is chaired by
the RA Minister of Finance and Economy Vardan Khachatrian and the
represenative of the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and
Development Rolf Baldus. According to a press release submitted to NT
by the press service of the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy, the
German Ambassador to Armenia Ms Heike Renate Peitsch, representatives
of various Armenian ministries and the KfW Bank Yerevan Office are
participating in the consultation. The consultation participants
are discussing financial and technical programs, which are being
implemented by the German government in such sectors of Armenia
as energy, health, environmental protection, infrastructures and
the mortgage market development. The cooperation programs between
Armenia and Germany were launched in 1993 – at first as technical
assistance programs, later – in 1995, also as financial assistance
programs. Since 2001 – after intergovernmental negotiations, regional
programs have also been implemented within the framework of the
Caucasian Initiative. The Armenian-German finnacial cooperation is
focused on the three main sectors: energy, financial/private sector,
and water supply and water sewerage. Some relatively small-scale
grant programs are also being carried out in the spheres of health
care and environmental protection. In addition to bilateral programs,
new regional programs “The Caucasian Initiative” were launched. They
include financial and technical cooperation programs in the three South
Caucasian countries in such spheres as energy and private business
sectors, fight against tuberculosis, and biodiversity protection. It
is already envisaged to implement programs aimed at developing the
mortgage market through the Armenian-German cooperation. So far, about
185 mln euros has been allocated to Armenia within the framework of
the Armenian-German financial cooperation.

CONSEQUENCES OF LANDSLIDE IN MUSHEGH HARUTYUNIAN STREET OF KAPAN NOT ELIMINATED YET
Noyan Tapan
Mar 21 2006
KAPAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The project on elimination of the
consequences of the landslide in Mushegh Harutyunian Street of Kapan
has not yet been implemented. The project worth 150 mln drams (about
340 thousand USD) was developed by the Japanese company Jaika under the
program on landslide management. According to a preliminary agreement,
the Japanese government was to earmark 100 thousand USD of this amount,
while the remaining money was to be allocated from the state budget,
by the government and other donor organizations. Armen Sargsian,
Chairman of the Union of Kapan Communities, told NT correspondent
that the Japanese government agreed to pay 79 thousand USD instead of
the 100 thousand, whereas Kapan Mayor’s Office is ready to allocate
its share in full. The mayor’s office has prepared all the design
estamates and submitted them to the RA government for financing. After
solution of the financial problems, a tender will be held to choose
the organization to carry out the construction work, after which the
anti-landslide measures will start.