AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK UP: WHO DO WE HELP BY THAT?
By Karine Mangassarian
Yerkir/arm
March 10, 2006
If you follow the statements made by some Armenian politicians after
President Kocharian expressed his recent position on the issue of
Nagorno Karabagh you might get an impression that they have never
heard the position expressed by the Azeri leadership in the media.
Meanwhile, the Azeri side usually refers to the military settlement of
the conflict and increasing funding allocated to the army by millions
of dollars.
We are sure that this approach also underlies Azerbaijan’s position in
the negotiation process. Meanwhile, when negotiations do not yield any
results some politicians in Armenia start claiming that our country
again lost in the negotiations.
We are sure that such statements made by the former leadership of the
country or by the present opposition forces derive not from their
concern about the settlement of the Karabagh conflict but by their
desire to take every opportunity to criticize the government and the
president at the same time warning the population that another was
is possible.
Why didn’t they ever respond to Azerbaijan’s similar statements
in the past? Why is this sudden activation today? What is this –
a tactical move to help the other side? Don’t they understand that
such statements reach the Azeri side as well and give them another
playing card to use in the negotiation process?
An ‘excellent’ example of such a statement was the opinion expressed
yesterday by the leader of the Armenian Democratic Party Aram Sargsian
saying that the Armenian president lost at a certain stage of the
negotiation process and this is why he is making such militaristic
statements. A question arises – what is then the logic underlying
the militaristic statements Azerbaijan has been making for a long
time? If the Azeri side is losing in the negotiation process who is
then in a more favorable position?
Why are some political forces in Armenia criticizing the Armenian
president’ s response to Azerbaijan’s militaristic statements saying
that the president has chosen the wrong strategy? Answering this
question leader of National Revival Party Albert Bazeyan said,
“I think we should not make any statements about withdrawing from
the negotiation process. Let Azerbaijan do this.”
Bazeyan says Azerbaijan does not accept any compromises and the state
which declares its decision to withdraw from the negotiation process
first will have to deal with the pressure from the international
community. “Meanwhile, Armenia has to exert diplomatic flexibility
and resume the talks,” Bazeyan noted.
Head of ARF’s parliamentary faction Levon Mkrtchian recently expressed
an opinion that the opposition forces in Karabagh, especially in
the Karabagh parliament, have adopted a more balanced approach on
this issue.
The joint statement adopted by all forces included in the Karabagh
parliament is a proof of this point. However, the same cannot be said
about the opposition forces outside the parliament – their approach
is very different.
As to the statement made by the president, Mkrtchian believes it was a
commensurate response to Azerbaijan’s militaristic stance. We should
not forget that Armenia never resorted to such measures during the
negotiation process and this was a goodwill act aimed at ensuring
the continuation of talks.
“No one can scare us with perspectives of war because we have defended
our homeland. The side that starts a war now will be trying to conquer
the territory of another nation,” Mkrtchian said.
Head of Orinats Yerkir Party’s parliamentary faction Mher Shahgeldian
also believes the president’s response followed the recent statements
made by Azerbaijan. As vice speaker of the National Assembly Vahan
Hovhannissian stated in the press, we should by no means neglect the
statements made by the Azeri side.
Hovhannissian believes these statements show that Baku is not even
thinking about any concessions and it is important to counter
Azerbaijan’s political propaganda with a commensurate political
response while at the same time continuing to strengthen our army.

LET’S GIVE NOT ONLY FLOWERS AND PERFUME
Yerkir/arm
March 10, 2006
The National Library has launched a new initiative of restoring the
old tradition of giving books as presents.
“No one is against men giving flowers or expensive gifts to women,”
says Davit Sargsian, the director of the library. “But giving books
is also a good tradition. Before, we would buy books and give them
as gifts to our friends.”
He made this remark during a news conference at the National
Library. Two books were presented, both dedicated to mothers. The
first one was Levon Lachikian’s “Ode to Mothers,” which contains
poetry and stories dedicated to mothers.
The other one was “ABC of Mother Tongue” published under sponsorship
of the Armenian Apostolic Church’s Eastern US Diocese.

FOREIGN DEBT UNDER MICROSCOPE
Yerkir/arm
March 10, 2006
The foreign dept of the Republic of Armenia will make $1.215 billion by
the end of the year. It will grow by $107.5 during the year. Though
the debt is growing the burden will be only 21 percent this year
against the last year’s 24 percent.
The foreign political context
Armenia has almost reached the countries with so-called low level of
foreign debt burden. Mostly it was due to the fact that 5 enterprises
were transferred to Russia against Armenia’s $93 million debt. Many
say the deal was more politics than business: the fact that these
companies do not work is the proof.
Russia is perfectly using the foreign financial leverage to gain
political dividends. For instance, Russia gave up the $3 billion debt
of the 14 poorest African countries in exchange for the G-7 countries
to accept it in their club and reached its goal making the G-7 a G-8.
In fact, the incredibly high prices of oil in the world market have
made Russia rich and generous for Africa. As for the partners in
the CIS, the relations here are developed under the traditional
scenario. But here, Russia is using gas instead of oil.
Nevertheless, the Armenian government has managed to ease the debt
burden thanks to successful agreements with the other CIS creditor
– Turkmenistan. In 1999-2003, Armenia signed several agreements to
refinance the debt under better conditions. As a result, the share
of low-interest and no-interest loans in the country’s foreign debt
is now 98 percent. For the coming three years Armenia is planning to
borrow at less than 1.5 percent.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

US GOVERNMENT DONATES PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO HELP ARMENIA TO COMBAT AVIAN INFLUENZA
Armenpress
Mar 13 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS: On March 13, 2006, U.S. Ambassador
John Evans met with Armenian Minister of Agriculture Davit Lokyan
to officially mark the donation of 1,500 set of personal protective
equipment from the United States of America to the government of
Armenia.
The equipment, which includes coveralls, latex gloves, protective
boots, goggles and masks, is designed to be used by individuals
involved in avian influenza surveillance and response efforts. The bulk
of the equipment, 1,125 complete sets, will be given to the Ministry
of Agriculture to support Armenia’s efforts to develop an active
agricultural surveillance program. The remainder of the equipment,
375 complete sets, will be given to the Ministry of Health for use
as needed by laboratory staff and health care workers.
This donation is part of an on-going effort by the United States to
assist the Armenian government in responding to the threat of avian
influenza. The United States has also provided and continues to
provide technical and other types of assistance to support this effort.
Avian influenza is a global threat that does not respect
national boundaries. No country is immune, and every country has
a responsibility to be prepared. The United States government is
actively engaged with foreign partners around the world to combat
this threat. This donation is evidence of our commitment to assist
Armenia in responding to the threat of avian influenza.

LEVON ARONIAN WINS LINARES CHESS TOURNAMENT
Armenpress
Mar 13 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian grandmaster Levon
Aronian won the elite tournament in Linares, Spain, on Saturday,
after Hungary’s Peter Leko faltered and lost the last two games.
The final standings in Linares: Aronian 8 1/2 points in 14 games,
Veselin Topalov and Teimur Radjabov 8 points, Leko 7 1/2 points, Peter
Svidler and Vassily Ivanchuk 6 1/2 points, Etienne Bacrot 6 points,
Francisco Vallejo Pons 5 points. Aronian will now travel to Monaco
to participate in a big new event, the 5th Amber Rapid and Blindfold
Chess Tournament at the Fairmont Monte Carlo Hotel from March 18-30.

GRECO PUBLISHES REPORT ON ARMENIA
Armenpress
Mar 13 2006
STRASBOURG, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS: The Council of Europe’s Group of
States against Corruption (GRECO) has published its evaluation report
on Armenia, with the agreement of the Armenian authorities.
The report concludes that in Armenia corruption is considered a major
problem. The judiciary, the police, the customs service, the tax
inspectorate, education, healthcare, licensing and privatizations
are particularly affected. Despite the adoption of a number of
anti-corruption measures, shortcomings still prevail in the existing
anti-corruption legislation and its implementation, as well as in
the organization of the justice and law enforcement systems.
The existence of serious obstacles to collecting evidence,
depriving offenders of the proceeds of corruption together with
the almost total absence of significant results in prosecuting
and indicting individuals involved in serious cases of corruption
call for substantial efforts. In this respect, problem areas include
legislation on banking secrecy, special investigative means, training
for members of the law enforcement agencies, witness protection,
assets declaration and the anti-money laundering regime.
Immunity enjoyed by judges, prosecutors, parliamentary candidates,
members of electoral commissions and even candidate mayors and
candidates for membership of the council of elders (local council)
is also a matter of concern.
As for public administration, there is an urgent need for implementing
measures that deal with situations where personal/financial interests
or activities may raise issues of conflict or partiality with regard
to public officials’ duties and responsibilities.
It is also necessary that public officials be informed and, above
all, trained on how and when to report instances of corruption,
or suspicions thereof, which they come across in their duty and,
to establish adequate protection for public officials who report
instances of corruption (whistleblowers) in good faith. The Armenian
legal system does not provide for corporate liability, so there is
a need to establish it for offences of bribery and money laundering
and to provide for effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions,
in accordance with the Council of Europe’s Criminal Law Convention
on Corruption.

OSCE MG: SPRING 2006 IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.03.2006 18:33 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Spring 2006 is an important milestone in resolution
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, US Department of State Senior
Advisor for Eurasia, OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Steven Mann stated
upon his arrival in Baku. “We think we will achieve considerable
results in 2006,” Mann said, reporting that during the two-day visit
to Baku he is scheduled to have meetings with Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. The discussions
will focus on the resolution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. He is also
scheduled to hold meetings with representatives of civil society and
entrepreneurs. Mann accompanies Assistant Secretary for European and
Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried during the latter’s regional visit to
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, and Turkey. On March 14-15, Assistant
Secretary Fried will meet with Georgian officials, while March 15-16
he will hold talks in Yerevan. On March 16 Mr. Fried will depart
for Ankara, Turkey, and will return to the United States on Friday,
March 17, Trend agency reports.

BAKU DEMANDS THAT EUROVISION “RESPECT TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY” OF AZERBAIJAN
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.03.2006 18:54 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan
has sent a letter of protest to organizers of Eurovision song
contest. The Azeri Ministry of Culture “being extremely concerned”
that biography of Andre, a singer, who comes from Armenia, notes he
was born in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, sent a letter to organizers
of the contest. The letter says, “the fact should be considered as
disrespect of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and provocation
that can be interpreted as contest organizers’ supporting Armenia’s
aggressive policy.”
The letter emphasized that “Nagorno Karabakh is an inseparable part
of the Azerbaijani Republic. The world society knows that since
1988 Azerbaijan suffered from Armenia’s aggression. Resulting from
hostilities Nagorno Karabakh and adjacent territories that make 20%
of the territory of the Azerbaijani Republic were occupied. Over one
million people were driven out and became displaced persons.”
The message further notes that “the international community now focuses
on the peace talks with the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group, and
facts like this one can have a negative impact on the process.”
Concluding, the letter expresses “confidence that organizers of
the contest, which serves to dialogue of cultures, will be able to
manage the misunderstanding and will display respect to territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan, recognized by the international community,”
Day.az reports.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NKR MFA: ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST TRANSNISTRIA INADMISSIBLE
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.03.2006 19:48 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic is seriously concerned over exacerbation
of the situation around the Transnistrian Moldovan Republic. The NK
MFA believes that introducing economic sanctions against Transnistria
is inadmissible. According to an official statement of the Ministry,
introducing economic sanctions against the people of Transnistria
prompts humanitarian catastrophe. “NK has experience blockade of
many years, imposed by Azerbaijan, which inflicted severe economic
and humanitarian losses to the population, only confirms these tools
are unfounded in conflict settlement,” the statement says.
The NKR MFA also pays attention to the change of the political
conjuncture around Transnistria, which upsets the general settlement
and can provoke exacerbation of the conflict. “The Ministry of
Foreign Affairs hopes that interested parties will display wisdom,
will refuse from not productive methods of pressure and will realize
the inevitability of discussion of problems accumulated at a bargaining
table, and will highlight political, economic and social rights of
the multi-ethnic people of the Transnistrian Moldovan Republic,”
says the statement of the NKR MFA.

ATTACK AGAINST ARMENIANS IN TSALKA RESULT OF INCORRECT ETHNIC POLICY OF GEORGIAN AUTHORITIES
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.03.2006 19:49 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ March 11 thousands took part in a protest rally
in Akhalkalaki against murder of Gevorg Gevorgyan, 23, in Tsalka
town. Participants of the rally in the administrative center of
Georgian Samtskhe-Javakheti region, mostly populated by Armenians,
censured the murder and noted it is a direct outcome of incorrect
ethnic policy of Georgian authorities. Those present adopted a
statement addressed to Georgian authorities, Armenians living in that
country and the international community, urging the authorities to
stop policy of pressure upon Armenians.
“Analyzing latest occurrences in Georgian regions populated by
Armenians, specifically provocative actions in Tsalka on March 9
and being concerned over security of the Armenian population and
sustaining stability, we urge Georgian authorities to stop settling
regions populated by Armenians with other ethnic groups, which results
in tension, solve problems in Javakheti by means of democratic tools,
ensure actual security for local Armenians, review law on state
language, for Armenian to be a state language in Samtskhe-Javakheti
equal to Georgian,” the statement says.
At that authors urge all peoples living in Georgia to “recognize
that inter-ethnic tension does not fit anyone’s interests.” They also
urge Europe and the international community not to let democracy and
human rights be defied in Georgia. According to A-Info agency, after
the meeting a number of young persons headed for the regional court
building in Akhalkalaki and the branch of Tbilisi State University
(TSU). This was due to the dismissal of ethnic Armenian judges and the
TSU not admitting Armenian students. In the words of representative of
the Union of Armenian NGOs Khachatur Stepanyan, the youth procession
was not planned by the organizers of the rally and had nothing to do
with them.