THE EU AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS
A1+
07:14 pm 20 March, 2006
Tbilisi/Brussels, 20 March 2006: To guarantee its own security,
the EU must become more engaged in resolving the conflicts in the
South Caucasus lest they ignite into full-fledged wars in Europe’s
neighbourhood.
Conflict Resolution in the South Caucasus: The EU’s Role,* the latest
report from the International Crisis Group, examines the EU’s efforts
to address tensions over Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia,
and points out how the EU can do more.
“Greater engagement is a challenge Brussels has only just begun
to address”, says Sabine Freizer, Crisis Group’s Caucasus Project
Director. “There have been a few promising steps, but there is a long
way to go”.
Thus far, others have taken the lead in promoting conflict settlement
in the region, but over a decade of negotiations led by the UN in
Abkhazia, and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) in Nagorno-Karabakh and South Ossetia, have not produced
comprehensive peace agreements. With its reputation as an “honest
broker”, access to a range of soft and hard power tools, and the lure
of greater integration into Europe, the EU has a greater role to play,
and offers added value to compliment the UN and the OSCE.
To avoid instability on its borders, the EU seeks a ring of
well-governed countries around it. It is further interested in the
South Caucasus to ensure access to Caspian oil and gas, develop
transport and communication corridors between Europe and Asia, and
contain such threats as smuggling, trafficking and environmental
degradation.
As the EU is unlikely to offer membership to Georgia, Armenia and
Azerbaijan any time soon, it must identify innovative means to
impose conditionality on its aid and exercise influence. European
Neighbourhood Policy Action Plans are being finalised. These offer
a chance for the EU to enhance its role especially if the peaceful
resolution of the conflicts are defined as commitments.
The new EU Special Representative should observe ongoing negotiations
for the Abkhazian, South Ossetian and Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts. The
Commission has allocated significant funding to rehabilitation in
South Ossetia and Abkhazia. It should assess how it can start doing
more in and around Nagorno-Karabakh.
“The EU is trying to define its role in a new neighbourhood which is
neither at war nor at peace”, says Nicholas Whyte, Director of Crisis
Group’s Europe Program. “If the EU fails to implement its strategic
vision for a secure neighbourhood, its credibility in the region, and
generally vis-a-vis Russia and the U.S., will suffer. More troublingly,
if the South Caucasus conflicts continue to deteriorate, the EU may
find itself unprepared for responding to wars among its neighbours”.

TREES WERE CUT
A1+
08:26 pm 20 March, 2006
According to trustworthy sources, nine poplars were chopped down in the
area called “Ttujur” of the city of Gavar. The trees were sold as raw
material. A criminal case has been aroused in connection with the fact.
The Ecological administration of the Gegharqounik region does not
exclude the possibility of the repetition of suchlike cases as an
area of about 150 hectares factually does not have an owner.
“Qyavar” TV Company of Gavar.

ARMENTEL WILL APPEAL THE DECISION
A1+
08:32 pm 20 March, 2006
The State Committee of Economic Competition Defense had made a
decision to fine “ArmenTel” on the basis of the application of
“Gh-Telecom”. “ArmenTel” has not paid the fine as they are going to
appeal the decision.
“ArmenTel” has not carried out the second demand of the Committee: it
has not ceased to allot bonuses to those who remained subscribers of
“ArmenTel” during the year 2005.
The Company did not give us details about the appeal.
Let us only add that the deadline for the appeal is tomorrow.

BITTER FRUITS OF REFERENDUM
Panorama.am
14:23 20/03/06
Today the for-day sessions of the National Assembly began with
the bitter recollection of the referendum of constitutional
amendments. The Parliamentary minority, particularly “Ardarutyun”
(Justice) representative Victor Dallakyan suggested to his
parliamentary colleagues to form a temporary committee to “carry out
corresponding examination and give a political estimation to what
had happened.” Hmayak Hovhannisyan had an analogical speech. Yet the
dream of the parliamentary minority did not come true as after the
voting for the question the image was as follows: 20 for, 0 against,
and 27 abstained form voting. The result of the voting made Aram
G. Sargsyan think: “The unpunished crime is fraught with the danger
to be repeated.”
Victor Dallakyan came to the following conclusion: “In this way the
Parliamentary majority proved that they took part in falsification
of the referendum.” In reply to these ideas of the oppositional
representatives NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan said: “The committee
were to give the estimation that already exists. And voting is the
right of every political body.”

“THE RAILWAY GYUMRI-KARS IS THE PROBLEM OF THE ARMENIANS”
A1+
06:20 pm 20 March, 2006
“The problem of the railway Gyumri-Kars is that of your country. One
can’t be so naïve as to think that Georgia can have an influence on
Azerbaijan and Turkey when the OSCE Minsk group cannot do it. The
railway Kars-Akhalqalaq is a sort of hostage in the Karabakh issue. If
you manage to solve the problem, Georgia will be glad, but we will
not interfere with it”, the Georgian Ambassador extraordinary and
plenipotentiary to Armenia Revaz Gachechiladze announced in the
National Press Club.
The Ambassador also mentioned that Georgia is not guilty for the
non-exploitation of the railway Gyumri-Kars and it must not become
a reason for depriving Georgia of the Kars-Akhalqalaq railway.
According to him, the Armenian must be very glad as in case the
Kars-Akhalqalaq railway is exploited Akhalqalaq will become a
transitional center, “Just fancy: the railway Paris-Beijing will
pass through Akhalqalaq. This means that there will be new jobs
in Akhalqalaq”.
According to Revaz Gachechiladze, Georgia does not have personal
dislike for the national minorities living in Georgia, including the
Armenians. By the way, the Ambassador sympathized with the Armenian
nation in connection with the Armenian Genocide. He mentioned that
after the international situation is cleared up Georgia will do
everything possible for the recognition f the Armenian Genocide. The
Ambassador also referred to the incident in Tsalka as a result of
which an Armenian was killed, “It was an act of hooliganism and has
nothing to do with the Georgian Government. Georgia will not allow
acts of hooliganism towards the representatives of any nation.”
–Boundary_(ID_sDFte1oE2Yt04j5CldV5Tg)–

NAIRI HOUNANYAN NEEDED A DOCTOR
A1+
07:53 pm 20 March, 2006
Nairi and Karen Hounanyans who have been sentenced to life imprisonment
in connection with the “October 27” case needed a doctor several
months ago. It is not known what specialist they needed and what
for. The RA Justice Minister David Haroutyunyan informed “A1+” about
it when we tried to learn something about the group which was guilty
in the October 27 crime.
“They asked for a doctor. I can’t say what the reason was, but they
themselves asked for a doctor. I did not hear any other complaints”,
David Haroutyunyan said.
According to him, Nairi and Karen Hounanyans are in isolated
cells. “I’m not aware of the other members of the group as it is the
inner affair of the criminal institution and the Minister has nothing
to do with it. As for Hounanyan, I was simply informed about it”.

BUILDING TO BE BUILT ON HOUSE OF CINEMATOGRAPHY WILL PROBABLY BE 21-STOREYED
Panorama.am
14:26 20/03/06
“A multifunctional complex is expected to be built in the place
of House of Cinematography keeping the cultural centre,” announced
Yerevan chief architect Samvel Danielyan at the news briefing today.
The latter assures all favorable conditions will be offered for
Cinematography House further activity. At present the city government
only allowed to carry out only the destruction works. And what refers
to the height of the building to be built S. Danielyan informed that
the information published in the mass media about the number of storeys
doesn’t correspond to the reality: “The complex is going to have not
24 but 21 storeys.”
As S. Danielyan said the projects of building has been introduced to
the discussion of City Building Council.
Representatives of Public Organizations are also going to be involved
into the discussion.
But at least a number of questions arise in concern with what has been
said above. First, the Chief Architect doesn’t find the information
about the height of the building published in the press right, yet
he himself mentions that the number of storeys will be finally fixed
after the project of breaking down into zones is approved. Thus, one
can mention 21, the other 24, a third 16 for the number of storeys as
far as that number is not finally fixed. Moreover, it becomes clear
from S. Danielyan’s words that the building to be built simply has
no plan yet.

SPRING AGGRAVATIONS IN THE NA
Panorama.am
14:48 20/03/06
Today the agenda of the for-day NA sessions from March 20-23 has
been passed with the majority of voices of more than 100 NA Deputies
“registered” in the hall of the NA. And the agenda is rather rich in
bills: 39 issues and 28 international agreements.
Today the Members of Parliament adopted amendments made to 7 laws as
well as laws about making changes.
Among them were amendments made to laws about “Scientific and
Scientific Engineering Activity”, “Higher and post Graduate
Professional Education”.
To remind, by these changes it was envisaged to develop armenology
in Armenia and make Armenian History a subject of final examination
at schools.
The Deputies have also ratified 8 international agreements including
the agreement between Armenia and Iran “About Principles and Bases
of Cooperation”, the agreement between RA Government and NATO about
“Cooperation in Armenia in the form of Notes about Officers”, the
agreement about “Protection of not Material Cultural Heritage” and
so on.
The other questions are being discussed at the moment, and the vote
will be carried as soon as possible, i.e. when quorum is held in the
hall.

COMMUNITIES TO HAVE WHAT LEGALLY BELONG TO THEM
Panorama.am
14:20 20/03/06
“Yerevan Municipality is going to work out the projects of breaking
down the city communities into zones during the current year,” informed
Yerevan Chief Architect Smavel Danielyan at the news briefing today.
As he said the above projects are going to be worked out according
to the requirements of Yerevan new plan.
This action aims at fixing the city building standards and norms
in each of Yerevan communities. Besides, as the chief architect
mentioned, the city government has to prepare projects of greenery
planting envisaged by the plan.
The verification of the architect is especially remarkable for the
fact that as he says in the coming 15 years the Municipality will
try not to wander away from the main lines of the plan. The first
remarkable thing about the announcement is that the map of the city
is a specific city building Constitution one mustn’t wander away
from. The second remarkable fact is that judging by S. Danielyan’s
words the city Government is not going to change in the coming years.
Otherwise, why is he giving guarantees for the forthcoming years
only?

AZERI MILITARY CONVICTED OF “COLLABORATION WITH ARMENIAN SPECIAL SERVICES”
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.03.2006 19:55 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The investigations showed that junior sergeant
Ruslan Bekirov aged 21 called up by the Shamkir military commissariat
and held captive by Armenians February 15 – May 7, 2005 was “secretly
collaborating with the Armenian special services, reported APA news
agency citing the Azerbaijani Ministry of National Security. It was
found out that February 15, 2005 being mislead by Armenians Ruslan
Bekirov, Hayal Abdullayev and Hikmet Tagiyev committed group desertion
to the detriment of the state security, sovereignty, territorial
integrity and defense capacity of Azerbaijan.”
Bekirov was released with the mediation of the International Committee
of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Immediately after returning he confessed in “collaborating with
Armenians”. However it was cleared up that Bekirov’s testimony was “a
part of the plan elaborated by the Armenian special services”. Later
he said Armenians carried out a purposeful work with him, Abdullayev
and Tagiyev. 7 meetings were held with him after what he was
given pseudonym Ramin. Armenians promised $3000-4000 for each task
fulfilled. Member of the Armenian special services, who introduced
himself as Rudik, instructed Bekirov how to set explosion on the route
of the Azerbaijani President, on Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and
in the international airport after Heydar Aliyev as well as how to take
photos of the Azeri strategic objects and then send them to Armenia.
The above mentioned facts were completely proved by the investigation
and court. The Military Board of the Court on grave crimes Bekirov
and Abdullayev were sentenced to 12 years and Tagiyev to 11 years
of imprisonment.