Daily Nation , Kenya
March 12 2006
More questions over alleged squad of mercenaries
Story by SUNDAY NATION INVESTIGATIONS TEAM
Publication Date: 03/12/2006

Police detailed to investigate the alleged presence of Russian
mercenaries in the country have not questioned any of the suspects –
despite circulation of copies of Armenian passports of two of the
men.
“We only saw some documents displayed on a news report on television
on Friday evening but police have not received any document,” a
senior CID officer said.
The Sunday Nation can reveal today that the men Langata MP Raila
Odinga claims are mercenaries working for the Government are two
Armenian “businessmen.”
Travel documents indicate the two men – aged 33 and 36 – arrived in
the country early this year from Dubai, but have also visited Kenya
in the past on missions that remain a mystery.
Investigations have established that the suspects have changed their
residence four times since they arrived in Kenya separately on
January 23 and January 24.
On arrival, they booked in at a five-star city hotel before they
moved to the upmarket Runda Estate in early February.
A leading city hotel confirmed yesterday that one of the men had been
a guest there on different occasions since 2003.
They allegedly moved to Lenana Road after Mr Odinga gave details of
the Runda house to police.
Runda residents in the vicinity of the single-storey mansion
confirmed to Sunday Nation that a truck pulling a 40-ft container
entered the estate at around 9.15 pm on Thursday night and moved all
the household goods.
The relocation from Runda capped a week of dramatic happenings in the
palatial residence and its vicinity, including an assault on an
alleged police officer in circumstances that remain unclear.
Not interviewed yet
Police have not interviewed the two men despite the furore and have
dismissed Mr Odinga’s claims even after inviting him to record a
statement on Wednesday.
On arrival in January, the two men were granted a two-year category H
permit, which is for professionals or foreigners investing in the
country.
They paid Sh60,000 each and posted a bond of a similar amount for the
permits.
A Mombasa politician and businessman yesterday denied being among
those who had been seen in the company of the alleged mercenaries.
Following the March 2 raid by hooded police officers on the Standard
Group offices, there have been claims of involvement of foreigners.
Mr Odinga displayed faded photocopies of the passports of the two
foreigners on Friday, saying they were Armenians and not Russians as
earlier claimed.
But police say they have not received such documents and do not,
therefore, know who the alleged mercenaries are.

“We have not received any documents or fresh information regarding
the presence of mercenaries. We only saw some documents displayed on
a news report on television on Friday evening but police have not
received any document,” a senior CID officer said.
It would be easy for police, through the Immigration Department, to
find out who the people are, how they entered the country and who
posted bond for them when they entered the country. The category ‘H’
visa issued to them would also identify the kind of business they
intend to engage in and the name of the company, if any.
On Friday, police officers led by the Deputy Nairobi Provincial
Criminal Investigations Officer, Mr Isaiah Osugo, began
investigations into the alleged existence of mercenaries as ordered
by the Commissioner of Police, Maj-Gen Hussein Ali.
But even as the investigations were going on, the CID boss Joseph
Kamau were dismissing the story of the alleged mercenaries as a lie.
CID boss Joseph Kamau, whose team is supposed to investigate Mr
Odinga’s allegations, on Wednesday dismissed the mercenary claims as
“untrue” and urged Kenyans not to take them seriously.
Mr Kamau said this as Mr Odinga made a formal complaint to the
Commissioner of Police, Maj-Gen Hussein Ali.
Mr Kamau said the MP was spreading propaganda, which should not be
taken seriously.
In a statement signed on his behalf by Senior Superintendent Gideon
Kibunja, Mr Kamau dismissed the MP’s dossier as “baseless, wild,
unsubstantiated.”

JAPANESE GOVERNMENT GIVES SMALL GRANTS TO THREE ARMENIAN NGOs
YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Recently the Japanese government made
a decision to give small grants to three Armenian NGOs – Human Health
NGO, Goris Youth Union and Nor Hayastan (New Armenia) Center for Human
Support. The ceremony of signing programs between Shigehiro Mimori,
Adviser of Japanese Embassy in Armenia (residence Moscow), and NGOs’
Chairmen took place on March 10 at RA Foreign Ministry. It was
mentioned that the Goris Youth Union will buy school furniture for 4
comprehensive schools of Vayots Dzor and 6 of Syunik region with the
grant amounting to 78 thousand USD. The Nor Hayastan Center for Human
Support will build 5 children’s playgrounds in 3 Yerevan communities,
in Charentsavan and Gyumri with the grant of 73 thousand USD allocated
to it. And the Human Health NGO will furnish Yerevan special school N
15 with the grant of 90 thousand USD.

LICENCE TO IMPLEMENT ENCASHMENT ACTIVITY TO BE GIVEN BY POLICE FROM NOW ON
YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The ways and methods of implementing
the encashment as well as the transport means used at present don’t
correspond to norms necessary for that activity. Colonel Hayk
Militonian, the Chief of the RA Police Chief Department on Criminal
Investigation stated about this at the March 10 press-conference,
responding the question concerning the case of the murder of the
“Hayinkasatsia” (“Armencahsment”) empolyee and stealing much money
recently. He informed that from now on the Police will give the
licence for implementation of the encashment activity.

Karabakh’s self-determination key to settlement – minister
13:38 | 11/ 03/ 2006
( tml)
YEREVAN, March 11 (RIA Novosti) – The right of the breakaway region of
Nagorny Karabakh to self-determination is crucial for a peace
settlement, the Armenian foreign minister said Saturday.
“Whether Azerbaijan likes this or not, it will have to deal with the
problem as it is on the agenda, and in this context, Azerbaijan is
coming under considerable pressure,” Vardan Oskanyan said.
“If we can reach a compromise solution, I think we could restart the
peace process,” he said.
Earlier, the Armenian defense minister said that Azerbaijan’s attempts
to extend the settlement in the conflict surrounding the breakaway
region of Nagorny Karabakh beyond the current framework posed a
potential threat to Armenia.
“These attempts are accompanied by a disinformation campaign conducted
by Azerbaijan’s propaganda machine, which Baku uses to score points
with international organizations unfamiliar with the conflict,” Serge
Sargsyan, who is also secretary of the Armenian president’s National
Security Council, said in his report on the country’s security
strategy.
The Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Minsk Group
was set up in 1992 to facilitate peace talks between Azerbaijan and
Armenia. It is co-chaired by Russia, France, and the U.S. and has
representation from Turkey, the U.S., several European nations,
Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
The conflict between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and
Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh, an Azerbaijani region with a largely
Armenian population, first erupted in 1988, when the region claimed
independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia.
Over 30,000 people were reported dead on both sides between 1988 and
1994, and over 100 others died after a ceasefire was concluded in
1994, leaving Nagorny Karabakh in Armenian hands, but tensions between
Azerbaijan and Armenia have persisted.

PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia & New Zealand
10 Macquarie Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
AUSTRALIA
Contact: Laura Artinian
Tel: (02) 9419-8056
Fax: (02) 9904-8446
Email: [email protected]
12 March 2006
ARMENIAN PRIMATE AMONG A TEN-PERSON DELEGATION FROM AUSTRALIA ATTENDING THE
REGIONAL INTER-FAITH DIALOGUE IN CEBU, PHILIPPINES
Sydney, Australia – No sooner has the Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of Australia and New Zealand, His Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian
touched down in Sydney after participating in the World Council of Churches
9th General Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil from 13-24 February followed by
the Meeting of the Supreme Ecclesiastical Council in the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin from 1-3 March, he will head off to Cebu in the Philippines on
13 March, 2006 as part of a 10 person delegation representing Australia.
The Conference will be co-hosted by the Governments of the Philippines,
Indonesia, New Zealand and Australia.
The Dialogue on Interfaith Cooperation began as a joint Australia-Indonesia
initiative between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries, the Hon
Alexander Downer MP and HE Dr Hassan Wirajuda at the ASEAN meeting in July
2005. The broad objective of the Dialogue is to convene discussion among
world denominations and to foster greater understanding and cooperation
between the various faith communities in the region, to potentially resolve
the challenges that face communities today.
As a member of the Australian Delegation to the first Dialogue held in
Yogyakarta, Indonesia in December 2005, Archbishop Baliozian’s valued
contribution to the forum has initiated a second invitation from Mr Downer
to be included in the upcoming Australian delegation that will meet with
participants from fourteen other countries in the Asia-Pacific region in
Cebu, Philippines from 14-16 March.
Entitled “Cebu Dialogue on Regional Interfaith, Cooperation for Peace,
Development and Human Dignity” will build on the first Conference –
“Dialogue on Interfaith Cooperation: Community Building and Harmony”.
Workshop sessions at the Conference will consider four themes in the context
of interfaith cooperation: including regional peace and security, human
dignity and development, the role of education and promotion; and the role
of media in promoting interfaith cooperation.
It is expected that the number of participants from the Asia-Pacific region
contributing to the Dialogue will be about 150.
In the present world climate, with a myriad of diverse attitudes, values and
ideals, Dialogues such as this provide opportunity to foster better
understanding and tolerance at a regional level with the ultimate goal of
ensuring peace and harmony to blend societies and nations. There is no
better disseminator, leader or promoter of such important principles within
communities than interfaith bodies and faith groups.

PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia & New Zealand
10 Macquarie Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
AUSTRALIA
Contact: Laura Artinian
Tel: (02) 9419-8056
Fax: (02) 9904-8446
Email: [email protected]
12 March 2006
PRIMATE RETURNS TO SYDNEY FROM INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS
Sydney, Australia – In the late evening of Thursday, 9 March, 2006 His
Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of Australia and New Zealand was welcomed at Sydney airport by Church
clergy and Church Council members after a journey of international
assemblies and fraternal meetings. Before returning to the Prelacy, a
prayer service, led by His Eminence and accompanied by Very Reverend Father
Vardan Navasardyan was held in the Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy
Resurrection thanking the Almighty for safe passage and return.
In early February, Archbishop Baliozian left Sydney commencing his 5-week
journey with a fraternal visit to the Diocese of Argentina as a guest of His
Eminence Archbishop Kissag Mouradian. This visit would be a prelude to his
travels in South America where he subsequently joined the delegation from
the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin for the 9th Assembly of the World Council
of Churches held in Porto Alegre, Brazil from 14-23 February. The
delegation of the Armenian Apostolic Church comprised of 14 ordained, lay,
women and youth representatives.
At the Assembly, His Grace Bishop Vicken Aikazian and Yeretsgin Paula
Devejian from Etchmiadzin were elected to the Central Committee of the WCC
with Bishop Aikazian elected to the Executive Committee. His Eminence
Archbishop Aghan Baliozian completed his term as a member of the Central
Committee representing the Armenian Apostolic Church since 1998.
At the conclusion of the Assembly, Archbishop Baliozian left for Sao Paulo
to visit with His Eminence Archbishop Datev Gharibian and the Armenian
Community before embarking on his passage to the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin for the Supreme Ecclesiastical Council Meeting that was held
between 1-3 March.
Presided by His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, the Catholicos opened the Meeting with the Lord’s Prayer and in
his welcoming address appealed for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead
the participants in the decision-making process. The Meeting primarily
examined issues relating to the daily life of the Church.
The Supreme Ecclesiastical Council is made up of His Holiness as President,
the Patriarchs of Jerusalem and Constantinople as Chairmen, 12 clergy and 8
laymen. The function of the Council is decision-making on matters
pertaining to the Armenian Church and an advisory role to the Catholicos.
Archbishop Baliozian made his return journey to Australia via the United
States with a brief stay in Los Angeles where he paid a fraternal visit to
His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of
the Armenian Church of North America.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agence France Presse
10 mars 2006 vendredi 5:13 PM GMT
Conflit entre Eglises orthodoxes arménienne et géorgienne
EREVAN 10 mars 2006
L’Eglise apostolique arménienne a protesté officiellement vendredi
contre la création d’une éparchie (diocèse) orthodoxe géorgienne dans
le nord de l’Arménie.
“Le conseil spirituel suprême de l’Eglise apostolique arménienne
exprime son étonnement au sujet de la décision prise le 6 février par
l’Eglise orthodoxe géorgienne de créer une éparchie dans les régions
nord de l’Arménie et de ne pas en informer la partie arménienne”,
indique un communiqué de l’Etchmiadzine, le siège du chef des
orthodoxes arméniens.
“Cette décision est d’autant plus étonnante que la nouvelle éparchie
est proclamée sur un territoire où l’Eglise géorgienne n’a pas de
fidèles”, ajoute le communiqué.
Le porte-parole de l’Eglise arménienne Vagram Melikian a rappelé par
la même occasion que la Géorgie refusait de rendre aux Arméniens 6
églises arméniennes existant sur son territoire et d’enregistrer une
éparchie arménienne, “proposant d’enregistrer les églises arméniennes
comme sociétés par actions”.
La minorité arménienne en Géorgie est estimée par Erevan à quelque
400.000 personnes, groupées surtout dans la région de Javakheti.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agence France Presse
10 mars 2006 vendredi 4:48 PM GMT
Forte hausse des tarifs du gaz pour la population arménienne
EREVAN 10 mars 2006
Le gouvernement arménien a annoncé vendredi une forte hausse des
tarifs du gaz pour la population à partir du 10 avril à la suite de
l’augmentation du prix du gaz fourni par la Russie à cette
ex-république soviétique du Caucase.
Les tarifs pour les particuliers vont passer de 59.000 drams (130
dollars) pour 1.000 m3 à 90.000 drams (200 dollars). Pour les
entreprises qui consomment plus de 10.000 m3 de gaz par mois, le
tarif se fixe à 146,51 dollars pour 1.000 m3 contre 79,1 dollars
auparavant.
En 2006 l’Arménie compte importer 1,7 milliard de m3 de gaz russe
dont la moitié est consommée par les particuliers.
Le monopole du gaz russe Gazprom a augmenté les prix du gaz à
l’Arménie à 110 dollars pour 1.000 m3 à partir du 1er avril contre 56
dollars auparavant.

Agence France Presse
10 mars 2006 vendredi 3:31 PM GMT
Recommandations du Conseil de l’Europe à l’Arménie minée par la corruption
STRASBOURG (Conseil Europe) 10 mars 2006
La corruption reste un problème majeur en Arménie, selon un rapport
publié vendredi à Strasbourg par le Conseil de l’Europe.
Le document des experts du Groupe d’Etats contre la corruption
(GRECO) constate que la justice, la police, les douanes, les impôts,
l’éducation, la santé, les services des licences et le secteur des
privatisations “sont particulièrement affectés”.
“Malgré l’adoption de mesures, des lacunes subsistent dans leur mise
en oeuvre et l’organisation des systèmes judiciaire et répressif”
selon les experts.
Le rapport constate ainsi “l’absence quasi-totale” de résultats dans
les poursuites et la condamnation des personnes impliquées, “ce qui
témoigne du long chemin qui reste à parcourir”.
L’immunité des juges, procureurs, candidats aux élections
législatives, membres des commissions électorales constitue une
source de préoccupation pour le Greco.
Il recommande d’organiser une protection adéquate pour les
fonctionnaires qui signalent de bonne foi des cas de corruption.
Enfin, le rapport estime nécessaire d’introduire la responsabilité
des personnes morales en matière de corruption, trafic d’influence et
blanchiment de capitaux et de prévoir des sanctions efficaces et
dissuasives.
Vingt-quatre recommandations ont été adressées aux autorités
arméniennes qui devront rendre compte de leur mise en oeuvre d’ici
septembre 2007.

MAP DRAWING PROCEEDS WITH SERIOUS OMISSIONS IN NOYEMBERIAN
NOYEMBERIAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The Council of Aldermen of the
city of Noyemberian made a decision to apply to the State Committee of
the Real Estate Cadastre with a proposal for extending for at least
5-6 months the term of recognizing the community’s right of property
of agricultural significance land and term of the map drawing. NT
correspondent was informed in Noyemberian that the reason for taking
such a decision is that the cartography data is almost completely
wrong. According to Noyemberian mayor Seryozha Amirkhanian, the map of
a 2,350-ha land was drawn, including 428 ha in border areas. Although
not all land plots have been checked by the mayor’s office, 298
mistakes have been revealed. For example, the map of the area
bordering Azerbaijan was drawn with mistalkes – there was no
landowners and cartoghraphers there because of this area being
dangerous and laid with mines. In 1991, 141 ha was privatized by 301
farms in the border area of the marz, and now the map of 230 ha
belonging to 983 farms was drawn. Such a growth in the indices is
conditioned by the fact that the cartographers are paid by the number
of land plots whose maps were drawn.