Fifty House members call to maintain military aid parity to Armenia and Azerbaijan
17.03.2006 15:01
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Congressmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and George
Radanovich (R-CA) were joined by forty-eight of their House colleagues
on March 16 in urging the leadership of the House Foreign Operations
Subcommittee to support pro-Armenian provisions in the fiscal year
2007 foreign aid bill, reported the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA).
Members of Congress cosigned a letter, addressed to the panel’s
Chairman Jim Kolbe (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY), which
would strengthen the hand of pro-Armenian members of the Subcommittee,
most notably Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Joe Knollenberg, Steve Rothman
(D-NJ), Mark Kirk (R-IL), and John Sweeney (R-NY). Rep. Sweeney, who
joined the panel last year, is one of only two Members of Congress
of Armenian heritage.
The letter notes that members of Congress are “deeply troubled”
that the Administration’s request for military aid for Azerbaijan is
considerably higher then the request for Armenia.
By signing the letter, legislators will add their voice to the effort
to ensure that the agreement struck in 2001 between the White House
and Congress to keep aid levels to these two countries equal is fully
respected. In addition, the letter calls for a hard earmark of at
least $75 million for Armenia, a one-year $5 million allocation for
Nagorno Karabagh, and the preservation of Section 907 of the Freedom
Support Act.

Minister Vartan Oskanian interviewed by Second Armenian TV Channel
17.03.2006 12:20
Question: Mr. Oskanian, what issues did you discuss with the high-level
representatives of the State Department?
Oskanian: Today, in our meeting with the high-level representatives
of the US State Dept, we focused on three areas: bilateral issues,
energy-related issues and of course the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
resolution process.
Regarding the first, the upcoming Millennium Challenge Compact signing
ceremony is of course uppermost in everyone’s mind. The Minister
of Finance will sign the compact in Washington on March 27. I’ll be
present during the ceremony. We are truly fortunate to have these kinds
of significant resources made available to us. This is a very serious
program that offers us the opportunity to make huge infrastructure
improvements, and it’s related directly to our democratization
process. This program will put Armenia-US relations at a new level.
Energy issues, too, are obviously, very important today. It was
interesting to hear the US thinking on this subject. For Armenia, the
diversification of energy sources is a matter of utmost priority. Our
energy security depends on our being able to maintain the nuclear
resource, and we discussed all of these topics.
Finally, the Nagorno Karabakh issue: Here the fundamental issue is that
negotiations continue. After Rambouillet and the backtracking that we
sensed there, the challenge is to preserve the positive achievements
and build on those. The co-chairs will meet soon and then it will be
clearer what might happen next. Our discussions today revolved around
how we might do that in a way that tries to find solutions for the
deadlocked situation in which we find ourselves today.
Question: What do you make of Aliev’s statements, including those
today, extolling their increasing military capability?
Oskanian: It must be exactly because of their huge military budget
that they have been working overtime at the border and repeatedly
violating the ceasefire. They must have extra bullets to spare.
But let’s look at this from a global context. Today, in the
civilized world, peoples and states don’t compete over the size
of their military budget. That’s not what they take pride in when
they compare themselves with their neighbors. Today, the spheres
of competition are elsewhere. And in all those spheres, Armenia is
ahead of Azerbaijan. So far ahead that there is really no room to
compare. Beginning with the UN’s human development index, Armenia is
ahead of Azerbaijan. The international index that gauges Armenia’s
investment climate puts Armenia way ahead of Azerbaijan. They’re not
even a member of the WTO. There is no comparison in level of democratic
development, human rights protections or press freedoms. In indexes
that measure economic freedoms and development, and transparency and
gains in the battle against corruption, Armenia is disproportionately
better than Azerbaijan. Despite the fact that it’s how many years
now that Azerbaijan produces 400,000 barrels of oil, the per capita
income in Azerbaijan still hasn’t reached Armenia’s. It is better that
Azerbaijan tries to reach Armenia’s levels in these fields, than try
to compete and take pride in being ahead with its military capacity.

Scandals eclipsed by mercenaries issue
By KIPKOECH KOMUGOR
Kenya Times, Kenya
March 16 2006
The mercenary sub-plot has been so captivating the original drama,
the attack on the Standard Group by hooded police officers, from
which the new succulent saga broke, has completely been pushed to the
periphery. Not only has the main plot been ignored, other previously
hot issues like the Anglo Leasing, Goldenberg and Ndung’u Land Report
have had to contend with playing supporting roles as the mercenary
drama takes over the starring role on the national stage.
Perhaps it’s got something to do with the swashbuckling mannerisms
of the alleged dogs of war. Watching them walk to the VIP lounge on
Monday, one couldn’t help feeling that he was watching a blockbuster
movie unfold live on location. Like the really bad guys in a film,
the men in their heavily accented English bragged of their money bags
status (they can’t pay us but we can pay them… your country’s budget
cannot afford our services even if we were mercenaries), dropped names
( they apparently are family with the Armenian president or something
and one of them is set to vie for one such big post next year).
They are living in Runda which is easily one of the poshest addresses
in the city, they move around in fast flashy cars, they are dripping
gold from the neck and wrists… it can make the sleepiest head
want to stay up late and watch the movie. Mr. Artur Margaryan and
Artur Sargsyan are built alright. But they don’t look like your
run-of-the-mill, River Road musclemen for hire. Nor do they give the
impression of struggling businessmen from the former Soviet Union
out to try their luck for an honest buck or two in some backwater
African country. They cut the image of thoroughbreds who are used to
doing business with the high and mighty. They look rough in a smooth,
refined way.
But the most intriguing thing about the mercenary story has been its
flow. Too many unexpected twists and turns. Too many loose ends. And
the number of people it has been able to suck into the cast in a
very short time has been truly amazing. It opened with a claim by
former Cabinet Minister Raila Odinga a few days after the attack
on the Standard that some of the people involved in the operation
were foreigners from Russia whom he termed as mercenaries hired by
powerful people in Government to eliminate some undesirables in the
ODM. Raila’s claim (though it could have been easily dismissed then
as the now commonplace crying wolf ramblings the ODM leader has made
a career of) seemed to ring a bell. According to some employees of
the Standard Group who witnessed the attack on their offices on the
morning of March 2, the gang that raided their office on the fateful
Thursday night were being ordered around by people speaking in a
foreign accent probably Arab or something close.
Pressed by the police spokesman Jasper Ombati to record a statement
with the police over his allegations, Raila refused but later gave in
and met the Police Commissioner Hussein Ali. Later, Raila recorded
a statement where he claimed he had given police crucial leads into
the whereabouts of the alleged hit men. Raila followed his statement
with the release of passport copies to the Press showing that the
men were actually Armenians and not Russians as he had claimed earlier.
Raila seemed to have the whole story down to the minutest details. He
claimed he knew where the men lived and who their Kenyan associates
were. The most interesting name there was obviously one of a Narc
activist. Raila did not need to give details of the particular
activists since that title in Kenyan’s minds has come be associated
with one influential woman who has been linked to State House before.
State House has however taken the trouble more than once to deny
in the Press that the said woman was in any way associated to the
President’s family.
Raila was to go the whole hog later by dragging State itself into the
mess with claims that the two men had in fact been to the country’s
most important address. State house didn’t take this allegation with
the trademark silence. Instead the PPS fired off a prompt statement
warning Raila to desist from dragging State House in the mercenary
saga. By making public copies of the passports of the two men,
Raila had clearly yanked the cover off the two foreigners for no
sooner were the documents in the public domain than the men were out
facing the cameras and telling their side of the story. They didn’t
waste time sucking Raila into the labyrinth making it even more
complicated. Suddenly Raila was no longer a concerned spectator. He
was a major actor. According to the two Armenians, they had met Mr.
Odinga and his fellow ODM luminary Mr. Kalonzo Muyoka sometimes
last year.
And no it was just a meeting. They had done business with the two .
The ODM leaders had apparently asked for some funds towards the
referendum campaigns and later a vote of confidence in Kibaki’s
Government. The two claimed they refused to give Raila and Kalonzo
the money but loaned Raila some 108 million shillings on humanitarian
grounds. The LDP leader, they alleged, was in a financial fix over
a matter concerning a girlfriend.
As expected, Raila and Kalonzo were swift to rubbish the Armenian’s
story even as the latter admitted having met the them in unclear
circumstances. Raila was, however, adamant that he had never met the
alleged mercenaries. The former ministers have had to record statements
with the police, Raila for the second time and Kalonzo for the first
time. The game of swapping blame has been on for the past week. While
Raila and Co. are accusing the Government of retaining the mercenaries
to do their dirty work like the attack on the media and assassinations,
the government wants to turn the tables on Raila and Kalonzo.
They have been quick to seize the two men’s claims that they knew the
LDP leaders on a first-name basis as prove that they were connected
to the Armenians. A group of Government of |National Unity (GNU) MPs
have accused Raila of using the mercenary claims as a red herring to
divert attention from the investigations into the Ndungu Land report in
which Raila’s name appears in connection to the controversial Kisumu
Molasses Plant. On the other hand the opposition side is suggesting
that the whole saga is a smokescreen to divert people’s attention
from the Anglo Leasing Scandal.
While the “mercenary” have become so hot a potato that no one wants
to hold, so far the Government story seems to have the widest holes.
Most leads appear to be pointing to the direction of the Government.
The Monday drama at JKIA where one of the Armenians claimed to have
just arrived in the country to clear his name turned that it may have
been just that- a well choreographed drama. It later emerged that
there were no documentary evidence to show that the man had used a
Kenya Airways flight as he had claimed. Then the story of the private
jet came in to do damage control but it was too late.
Another glaring hole is the embarrassing failure by a group of police
officers to act on the two after visiting their Runda residence on
Tuesday. After trying to obtain statements from the one of the men in
vain, the officers were reportedly ordered to call off the operation
by a senior officer. The division in the police force over this matter
has also been out in the open with the Police commissioner ordering
an investigation

Mystery deepens
By MAXWEL MASAVA
Kenya Times, Kenya
March 16 2006
LANGATA lawmaker Raila Odinga last evening emerged from the Kilimani
Police station with confidence saying he had provided the police with
enough details to unveil the truth about the so-called mercenaries.
The former Roads and Public Works Minister maintained that he had
never met the two Armenians, saying statements issued by Messrs Arturs
Margaryan and Artur Sargysyan reflected how dangerous they were..
And Raila threatened to sue Environment Minister Prof Kivutha Kibwana
over his recent remarks that linked him to the mercenaries.
Addressing journalists soon after recording a statement with the
police, Raila said he had provided the detectives with more “vital and
urgent information that would greatly help them demystify the issue.”
Some of the information he had given to the police, Raila said, was
how he came across the documents related to the mercenaries that he
provided to the press. “I have brought to the attention of the police
further information that has come to me in the past few days which
is crcucial and important for the investigations.”
The former minister said he had decided to visit the police station
on his own, a fact that was confirmed by the officer in charge of
investigations Isaiah Osugo who had to be recalled to record his
statement.
Raila, who was the first one to bring the issue to the public, denied
claims by the two Armenian brothers that he had met them in Dubai
and later in Kenya where he allegedly received a loan advance of Sh
108 million.
“I am really astonished with the statement that I met them in Dubai.
This is part of a wider government plot to hide the truth about the
issue,” Raila told journalists.
Raila was accompanied by five MPs, among them his lawyer Kenneth
Marende, Reuben Ndolo, William Omondi, Paddy Ahenda and Orwa Ojodeh.

LSK challenges Govt on Armenians
By KEN LANGAT
Kenya Times, Kenya
March 16 2006
LAW Society of Kenya, Kericho branch, has challenged the Government to
come out clean over the presence of the alleged Armenian mercenaries
in the country.
The branch secretary Gideon Mutai said the mercenaries saga was a
security risk to the country and the sooner the Government comes out
with a clear statement over the issue the better.
Mutai lauded Langata Member of Parliament Raila Odinga for disclosing
the presence of the mercenaries in the country, describing him as
a leader who has the welfare of this country at heart on matters
pertaining to security.
Mutai asked other legislators to emulate Raila and come out strongly
in his support by intensifying pressure on the Government to take
necessary action against the aliens before any damage is done to
the country.
Said he: “By this time, the Government should already have arrested
the two Armenians while investigations were being conducted with the
assistance from those who claimed their lives are being endangered
by the duo.”
“It is deplorable to note that the two are yet to record statements
with the police and continue to enjoy State protection,” he added.
Speaking to the Press in his office, Mutai wondered why the Government
was quick to order some Opposition MPs to record statements while
the Armenians did not do so, especially after they admitted that they
had been approached by Raila and Kalonzo Musyoka to scheme and fund
on a plot to oust the Government.
He said Kenyans are more enlightened now than ever before and can no
longer be cheated by cheap propaganda.
He said the characteristic of the Armenians left a lot to be desired
whether they are business men or not saying right from the way they
dressed and work.
“Do business men have time to wear neckties, gold, bracelets, golden
wrist watches the way the Armenians are? These are normally the type
of people we usually see in movies and theatres,” he said.
He castigated lawyers who are associated with the Armenians saying
there is no advocate-client relationship in an act of wrongdoing
especially on matters touching the country’s security.

State protecting duo, says ODM
By David Ochami & Benson Amollo
Kenya Times, Kenya
March 16 2006
ORANGE Democratic Movement (ODM) yesterday released details of what it
claimed demonstrate deeper Government involvement in the activities and
protection of the two Armenians associated with mercenary activities.
The dossier, released by Emuhaya MP Kenneth Marende, is based on
statements taken by Nairobi deputy PCIO Isaiah Osugo from Langata
MP Raila Odinga and his Mwingi North counterpart Kalonzo Musyoka on
Wednesday and private investigations.
But Government spokesman Alfred Mutua denied this and said the
Armenians are innocent investors who will be investigated if need
arises.
Mutua said at his weekly press briefings that the Government is
undertaking comprehensive investigations into all the allegations
and would interview more people alongside Kalonzo and Raila.
He confirmed that the two brothers were issued with permits to invest
in Kenya in December 2005.
“The two individuals do not and have never worked for the Government
of Kenya nor undertaken any business with or for the government of
Kenya,” said Mutua.
ODM claims State House was sucked into a conspiracy with the foreigners
late December last year who were then secretly offered full security
details.
The two, Artur Sargysyan and Artur Margary are alleged to have been
involved in the raid at the KTN studio at I&M Building, and the
Standard printing press at Likoni Road, industrial area, on March 2.
Marende’s statement, read in the presence of Odinga and Musyoka,
also demonstrated that more other foreigners, among them Tanzanians,
including a woman identified only as Shifana, have been hired by the
Government to do its dirty work.
The Tanzanians are identified only as Robert and Julius.
The statement also indicated that the role the police had played in
their protection and concealment of facts goes higher into State House.
Apart from protection, Marende said that 13 cars and other state
largesse have been placed at the foreigners’ disposal.
It reinforces ODM’s allegations that Monday’s press conference at
the JKIA where the foreigners claimed Odinga and Musyoka had sought
their help to bring down the Kibaki regime was stage managed by the
government to hide its role in the saga and divert attention from
the Anglo Leasing corruption.
Marende claimed the Armenians, two Tanzanians and the woman were
issued police certificates and guns by a CID officer, which they used
to plan the raids on the Standard.
They surveyed the Standard’s I&M Building and the newspaper’s press
in Nairobi’s Industrial area before making the attack.
Mr Margaryan commanded the March 2 raids which, according to the
statement also involved the Tanzanians and Ms Shifana, who then carried
away computers in cars registered as: KAQ 010W, KAU 838Y (white Lexus)
and KAP 448Z , a blue Mitsubishi and KAR 453H, a green Toyota Prado.
The blue Mitsubishi pick up was later used to ferry the foreigners to
Runda and later transport the vandalised computers to KICC on March 3.
The MP also said that the following cars have been availed to the
foreigners:
– KAH980M, a blue Mercedes Benz 320.
-KAS 501S also a Mercedes Benz.
-KAQ010W and KAU 838Y, both white Lexus
-KAT 333J, a red Mitsubishi lancer.
-KAJ 333P, a white Volvo.
-KAR453H, a green Toyota Prado.
-KAU 801P a grey Landrover Discovery.
-KAT 285Y, a blue Peugoet 406 saloon car.
-GK A333G, a grey met Mercedes Benz.
-GK A222H a white Subaru.
-KAS 847F, a blue Mercedes Benz
-KAQ 215J, a blue Subaru and
-KAP 448Z, a blue Mitsubishi.
The ODM also claimed that the foreigners were driven to the JKIA
press conference in a GK car registered as GK A333G and left in a
KAQ 215 Subaru. ODM then claimed that the foreigners are protected
by presidential guards. “…Two officers from the presidential
escort unit (have been)…deployed as bodyguard and driver to the
foreigners.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“YOUTH” FOOTBALL CLUB ESTABLISHED IN ARMENIA
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 16 2006
YEREVAN, March 16. /ARKA/. The “Youth” football club, which was formed
by the Federation of Football of Armenia (FFA), will take part in the
matches of the 1st league of national championship. The FFA press
service reports that the club was formed of the candidates for the
national team under 17.
FFA president Ruben Hayrapetyan pointed out that the 2006 qualifier
matches of the European football junior championship will be held in
Armenia. He stressed the importance of the Armenian team’s high-level
participation. According to Hayrapetyan, this will allow coaches to
form a team from both sport and moral-psychological aspects, which
a pledge of success. P.T. -0–

ARMENIAN FINANCE MINISTER TO TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON FOR SIGNING
AGREEMENT WITH MILLENNIUM CHALLENGES CORP
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 16 2006
YEREVAN, March 16. /ARKA/. Delegation headed by Armenian Finance and
Economy Minister Vardan Khachatryan is to tour Washington on March
25 to 30 to attend the ceremony of signing agreement with Millennium
Challenges Corp, Armenian Finance and Economy Ministry press service
told ARKA News Agency.
Millennium Challenges-Armenian group will hold open discussions in
Armenian Finance and Economy Minister over the matter on March 20.
Millennium Challenges Corporation approved a five-year program
worth $235.65mln for Armenia in late 2005. The program is focused on
irrigation infrastructures and community roads restoration. M.V. -0–

ARMENIAN FM, US ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE DISCUSS ARMENIA’S ENERGY SECURITY
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 16 2006
YEREVAN, March 16. /ARKA/. RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan and
US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Daniel Fried
discussed issues of Armenia’s energy security.
In this context, the sides pointed out that the settlement of the
South Caucasian conflicts will allow the region’s potential to be
properly used in the future.
The sides discussed the situation round Nagorno Karabakh and exchanged
views on further negotiations as part of the Prague process.
The sides also addressed Armenian-Turkish relations, particularly,
prospects for re-opening the Armenian-Turkish border and resuming
communication.
The sides also discussed the “Millennium Challenges” program, as well
as issues of Armenia’s democratic development.
The meeting was attended by the US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group
Steven Mann. P.T. -0–

ARMENIAN CEMETERY IN OLD JUGA TURNS INTO MILITARY GROUND
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 16 2006
YEREVAN, March 16. /ARKA/. The Armenian cemetery in Old Juga,
Nakhichevan, Azerbaijan, does not exist any more and is being turned
into a military ground. The press and information department, RA
Foreign Office, reports that the last 3,500 out of 10,000 cross-stones
that had been preserved by December 2005 have now been completely
destroyed.
After clearing the territory, Azerbaijan turned it into a military
ground from March 2006.
Mass destruction of Armenian khachkars (cross-stones) was recorded
in Old Juga in 1998. After the vandalism was condemned by the
international community, it was stopped, but was resumed in 2003.
The last report on the destruction of Armenian monuments was provided
in December 2005.
The destruction of Armenian monuments was condemned by representatives
of PACE, European Parliament, UNESCO, and other international
organizations.
A PACE delegation is expected to visit Azerbaijan this spring to
examine the state of cultural values. P.T. -0–