Caucasus Environmental NGO Network
(CENN)
Weekly Digest
October 5, 2005
News From Georgia
Environment Protection Inspection Detects Illegal Timber Processing In
Samtskhe Javakheti Region
Source: Prime-News Agency, September 25, 2005
The officials of the inspection Ministry of Environmental Protection and
Natural Resources of Georgia detected facts of illegal timber processing
in
<; more BTC SOLEMN CEREMONY DUE IN GEORGIA Source: AzerTag, September 28, 2005 As is stated, on the occasion of achievement of the border of Turkey by the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Main Export Pipeline, there will be held a solemn ceremony on October 12. <; more Government refuels to take Million from BP Source: `24 Saati' (`24 Hours'), September 30, 2005 `Government refuses to defense the lives of its citizens,' - declared the representatives of Association of Young Lawyers. The problem concerns the inhabitants of Dgvari Village, Borjomi region, were situation is critical due to the activation of landslides. Although landslides are characteristic for this area, after the construction of BTC this natural disaster became more frequent. <; more News From Azerbaijan NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS IN PREPARATION Source: AzerTag, September 27, 2005 A three-day seminar in preparation of the national program for Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants commenced at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. The seminar is attended by experts of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), representatives of the ministries and non-governmental organizations. <; more POVERTY LEVEL TO DIMINISH TO 35% IN AZERBAIJAN IN 2005 Source: Turan, September 27, 2005 The Minister of Economic Development, Farkhad Aliyev, stated that the poverty level would most probably decrease to 35% in Azerbaijan in the end of this year. He said this index had decreased from 49% to 40.2% in the last two years. <; more News from Armenia RISE OF LAKE SEVAN COULD DRAIN ARMENIA'S TREASURY Source: Environment News Service (ENS): By Arevhat Grigorian, September 26, 2005 Armenian ecologists fear a rare environmental triumph is in danger of going wrong. Buildings and beaches around Lake Sevan are rapidly disappearing under water as efforts by scientists and environmentalists to reverse the decline of this huge freshwater reservoir pay off more quickly than expected. <; more Armenia Becomes ADB Member Source: ARMENPRESS, September 27, 2005 Armenia has become the 64th member of Asian Development Bank (ADB). Armenia's membership became effective on 20 September 2005 upon completion of all formalities. <; more ARMENIA RECEIVES 260.000 TOURISTS ANNUALLY Source: AZG Armenian Daily #173, September 28, 2005 These six months 108.517 people visited Armenia of which only 20.474 people stayed at the hotels. The rest of them preferred staying at their friends and relatives or to rent apartments. The tourism agencies are really concerned about this statistics. <; more Armenian Government Approves Program on Restoration of Lake Sevan Ecosystem for 2006 Source: ARMINFO, September 28, 2005 The Armenian Government has approved a program of actions on restoration of the ecosystem of Lake Sevan for 2006. <; more Gyumri to be Cleaned of Rubbish Source: A1+, September 29, 2005 Japan, the Armenian government and the Gyumri city administration joined efforts to eliminate household rubbish by means of processing. A Japanese delegation arrived in Gyumri for the purpose. <; more Kocharian Noted Importance of Armenia- Georgia Energy Cooperation Source: PanARMENIAN.Net, September 30, 2005 Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian met with Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli, who arrived in Armenia for the participation in the 4-th sitting of the Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, RA President's press center reported. Presenting the outcomes of the Yerevan sitting to Robert Kocharian the Georgian Premier stated <; more International News Are The Millennium Development Goals Out Of Reach In Europe And Central Asia? Source: The World Bank Group News, September 24, 2005 A new World Bank report, Millennium Development Goals: Progress and Prospects in Europe and Central Asia, measures how far countries of the region have come toward attaining such internationally agreed goals as halving extreme poverty by 2015, reducing maternal mortality, achieving universal primary education, and arresting the spread of HIV/AIDS. <; more CO2 Storage May Minimize Climate Change Source: UNEP press release, September 26, 2005 A new assessment report finalized here today by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes that capturing and storing the carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by power plants and factories before it enters the atmosphere could play a major role in minimizing climate change. <; more Quarry owner prosecuted for illegal disposal of waste Source: Environmental Agency: By Mike Dunning, September 26, 2005 The owner of a Somerset quarry has been ordered to pay £1,350 in fines and costs for illegally storing and burning waste timber. The case was brought by the Environment Agency. <; more Connecting for Biodiversity: Countdown 2010 at European Nature Conference in Apeldoorn Source: The World Conservation Union (IUNC), September 27, 2005 The World Conservation Union together with other European environmental organizations have issued the Apeldoorn Appeal, a joint call on the European Commission, governments and civil society to achieve the 2010 biodiversity commitment. The appeal came out of the European Nature Conference, which took place from 21-25 September 2005 in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands. The conference, hosted by the Dutch NGO Natuurmonumenten to celebrate its 100th-anniversary this year, brought together 620 participants from 39 countries. <; more CHINA TO LAY PRIVATE OIL PIPELINE TO RUSSIA Source: AzerTag, September 28, 2005 China's first private oil pipeline to import oil from Russia is expected to be completed and start operation next year, reported PTI. <; more Illegal dumping and burning of waste lands man in court Source: environmental Agency: By Mike Dunning, September 28, 2005 A man who dumped waste furniture in a field in Cornwall and then set fire to it was today ordered to pay £1,000 in fines and costs in a case brought by the Environment Agency. Acting on a tip off from a member of the public, an Environment Agency officer went to a small field near Little Lancarrow Farm, Four Lanes, Redruth on October 20, 2004. <; more Los Angeles Study Finds Higher Pollution Death Risk Source: By Kevin Krolicki, Reuters , September 28, 2005 The risk of dying from air pollution in parts of traffic-clogged Los Angeles appears sharply higher than previously believed, according to a study comparing the risks of living in affluent, beachfront neighborhoods to the hazy and fast-growing inland area. <; more China GMO Rice Unlikely This Year - Scientists Source: Planet Ark, September 30, 2005 China, the world's biggest producer and consumer of rice, is close to approving a genetically modified version of the staple, a state newspaper said on Thursday, but scientists denied any breakthrough was imminent. <; more Seminars, conference and meetings BEIDS Briefing 2005-35- Specialist Seminar on dockyard waste waters in Hamburg Source: Ecological North West Line (ENWL), September 29, 2005 The Specialist Seminar Environmental decision-making exemplarily applied to dockyard waste waters will be held in Hamburg on the 24th November 2005. The event is organized as part of the project Green North Sea Docks (GNSD), <; more Announcement Explore Georgia with Caucasus Travel - Surroundings of Tbilisi Source: The Messenger, September 23, 2005 This tour leads us to the surroundings of Tbilisi to explore beautiful landscape, lush forests, and cool springs of the Betania area. W will drive up a hill, where a beautiful view of Tbilisi will be open to visitors. The first stop of day will he the Betania monastery, complex, where monks are living even today. <; more Invitation to the Regional Meeting of Environmental NGOs of the South Caucasus Invitation to the Regional Meeting of Environmental NGOs of the South Caucasus States `Building a Regional NGO Platform in the South Caucasus for Involvement of Civil Society in Formulation and Implementation of European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) Process' <; more ******************************************** ******************************** Subscribing Information CENN lists are created to maintain e-mail discussions of Caucasus Environmental NGO Network members. CENN has been distributing information since 1998. All the published digests and bulletins issued in both English and Russian languages present incredibly rich environmental information base that give the reader the whole picture of the environmental process taking place during the recent 5 years in the South Caucasus region as well as abroad. 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Armenian Youth Federation
104 N. Belmont St. #206 — Glendale, CA 91206
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release ~ September 26, 2005
Contact: Razmig Haroun (818) 507-1933
3rd Annual AYF Little Armenia Cleanup Gathers Hundreds for Volunteer Service
(Little Armenia, CA September 25, 2005) – Well over two-hundred Armenian
youth gathered in the “Little Armenia” district of Los Angeles Sunday
providing their volunteer service to the AYF’s 3rd Annual Little Armenia
Cleanup. Volunteers from all over Northern and Southern California;
including Fresno and San Francisco, helped remove thousands of pounds of
trash from major streets in Little Armenia, bringing the three year total to
over 23.5 tons of trash removed by the AYF.
Organized by the Armenian Youth Federation and cosponsored by Los Angeles
City Council member Eric Garcetti’s Office, the cleanup attracted volunteers
from the public at large and community organizations such as the AYF,
Homenetmen Los Angeles Chapter, and the ARF Badanegan Organization.
Before the clean up began Nora Ounjian relayed the AYF Central Executive’s
message to the youth. “The AYF will remain at the forefront of serving our
community and, in particular, will continue to provide our youth with
opportunities of social service,” said Ounjian. Reverend Father Vicken
Vassilian representing his Grace Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
of the Western Prelacy Armenian Church, blessed both the effort of the AYF
and the volunteers’ willingness to serve the community.
Los Angeles City 13th District Council member Eric Garcetti thanked the
volunteers for their efforts and welcomed the initiative of both the
volunteers and the AYF. The Council member awarded the AYF with a desktop
plaque that carries the seal of the city of Los Angeles and reads Little
Armenia.
In the coming weeks many “Welcome to Little Armenia” light-post banners will
be added to the existing 63 erected from past years. Depicting the
Tri-color, Sardarabad Monument, and Mount Ararat, the banners have added a
touch of Armenia to the community.
The Armenian Youth Federation would like to thank the volunteers and the
official sponsors of the Little Armenia Clean Up, without whom the event
would not have been the success that it was. Adin of California, Asbarez
Daily Armenian Newspaper, Horizon Armenian Television, Nor Hayastan Daily
Newspaper, USA Armenian Life Magazine, Closet World, Color Depot, Donoyan
Insurance Agency, Sylvie’s Costumes, Carpet Show, Sun Work’s Tanning, Eric
Garcetti’s Office and staff, and the A.R.F. Hollywood Karekin Njteh Gomideh,
played a fundamental role in the success of this public service effort.
The Armenian Youth Federation of Western United States strives to serve
Armenian American Communities west of the Mississippi through education,
athletics, political activism, cultural activities and social settings. To
learn more about the Armenian Youth Federation please log on to

Sunday, October 02, 2005
*********************************
MEMO TO OUR FUND RAISERS
************************************
If you send me any more letters with Comrade Panchoonie’s punch line – “Mi kich pogh oughargetsek” (Send us a little money) – I will discard them into the nearest wastepaper basket. And if some day I hit the jackpot and can’t spend it all, I will follow Baruir Massikian’s example and leave the unused balance “to a bordello in Cairo,” or Mexico, or Sao Paolo – anywhere but Yerevan. I don’t want to promote prostitution there. Besides, our pimps are the last men on earth in need of financial assistance from the likes of me. My sources tell our pimps in the Homeland are as loaded as some of our national benefactors in the Diaspora.
#
Monday, October 03, 2005
*********************************
If you are born in a Christian or Muslim country you will be either a Christian or a Muslim. The same applies to all organized religions and belief systems in general. Under Stalin, all communists were atheists. We don’t chose our gods; geography does that for us. Nothing could be more absurd than to say my religion is better than yours is, or I am closer to god because I live on this side of the river, mountain, or sea.
*
Something similar could be said about our understanding of the past. As children we are taught not history but propaganda, and as adults we continue to cling to our childhood illusions and believe our version of the past to be closer to reality or truth than all other versions.
*
A headline in our local paper reads: “FATHER OF SLAIN TEEN SAYS HE FORGIVES DAUGHTER’S KILLER.” In our environment such a father would be accused of entertaining unArmenian sentiments and ostracized.
#
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
**************************************
We see this happening almost daily in American and Canadian politics: the guiltier the bureaucrat the louder his assertions of innocence. By contrast, our crooks don’t even feel the need to assert innocence because their accusers soon give up in disgust and they either emigrate or assimilate, thus leaving the field to the dupes who will say “Yes, sir!” to anyone who is on top, be a he a sultan, pasha, commissar, or mullah. As for our so-called revolutionaries: once upon a time they were to the left of the Sultan, they are now to the right of Genghis Khan. How to explain this?
*
In August Wilson’s obituary today I read: “Wilson’s plays dealt primarily with the effects of slavery on succeeding generations of black Americans.” What have been the effects of six centuries of subservience to sultans and commissars? If so far our writers have failed to explore this theme it may be because they have concentrated too much on documenting the nightmare to analyze its aftereffects.
#
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
***************************************
Writing for Armenians feels like working for minimum wage and offering financial assistance to millionaires.
*
To be popular, think like a propagandist and speak like a pundit.
*
Recycling propaganda is not just repeating hearsay evidence but parroting perjury.
*
Enlightenment comes only after the realization that you have been living in darkness.
*
Ritual is choreographed propaganda.
*
Massacres are not historic events but daily occurrences. Top dogs may pretend otherwise but underdogs know better.
*
Every belief system generates non-believers and the men at the top decide who is right who is wrong, and ultimately who lives and dies.
#

GIOVANNI DI STASI OFFERS TO ESTABLISH LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT REGIONAL CENTER
Pan Armenian
05.10.2005 11:18
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian met
with President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
of the Council of Europe Giovanni Di Stasi. The Armenian leader
welcomed the establishment of business relations between the Council
of Europe Congress and the RA government. “The formation of the
local self-government is an important factor for the stability of
a state”, Robert Kocharian noted. In his words, decentralization is
the principal direction of regional policy and this direction found
reflection in the draft constitutional amendments. During the meeting
the parties exchanged opinions on the regional development. In this
view Giovanni Di Stasi offered to found a regional center of the
local self-government, which will contribute to the establishment
of economic, social and cultural cooperation. The Armenian President
welcomed the idea noting that Armenia has always supported regional
cooperation.

NATO PA ROSE-ROTH SEMINAR STARTING IN YEREVAN OCTOBER 6
Pan Armenian
05.10.2005 11:01
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ RA National Assembly and NATO PA Rose-Roth joint
seminar will be held in Yerevan October 6-8, RA NA press center
reported. Armenian Parliament Speaker Artur Baghdassaryan, chairman
of the parliamentary commission on defense, national security and
home affairs Mher Shahgeldian, RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
as well as NATO PA Secretary General Simon Lunn and UK Special
Representative for the South Caucasus Sir Brian Fall are expected to
address the seminar. The first day will finish in discussion of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the role of international community
in its settlement. “Armenia and the South Caucasus: international
viewpoint”, “Defense reforms in the South Caucasus”, “Armenia:
internal political situation” will be the topics of October 7. On
October 8 the participants will discuss the regional cooperation and
Russia’s role in the South Caucasus.

WHERE ARE THE VOTES OF THE RELATIVES?
A1+
| 15:51:22 | 05-10-2005 | Politics |
Member of the National Democratic Union Party administration Atabek
Vardanyan held a press conference today in the party office in order to
complain of the forgeries in the Yerevan Shengavit community elections
of aldermen.
“The party promised to participate in the elections of Local governing
bodies in fall, so I decided to put forward my candidacy as alderman”,
said the NDU member and started to complain, “Even in the electoral
areas where my relatives live and I was supposed to have at least
50-100 votes. I had none”.
Atabek Vardanyan called those who had “stolen” his votes “foxes
stealing hens” and expressed his special discontent with the heads
of the committees who had been the organizers of forgeries.
“In the electoral area N11 the elections have been announced invalid,
and according to my information the leader of the Orinats Yerkir
Party Arthur Baghdasaryan and the Shengavit community head have had
a finger in it”, he said.
Let us remind you that the Shengavit community elections of aldermen
have been announced invalid and new elections have been fixed for
October 9.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE INTERESTS OF ARMENIA AND GREECE COINCIDE
A1+
| 14:37:44 | 05-10-2005 | Official |
Today the RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan received the Greek
National Defense Minister Spilios Spiliotopulos and his delegation.
Andranik Margaryan and Spilios Spiliotopulos underlined that the
strategic interests of Armenia and Greece in the region coincide. The
approach is the same as to the membership of Turkey to EU, according
to which the long process of negotiations will make the country
more controllable; both countries will try to use the fact in order
to solve many problems – the recognition of Cyprus, the opening of
Armenian borders and others.
The RA Prime Minister and the Greek Defense Minister also agreed that
one of the main aims of recognizing the Armenian Genocide is to avoid
suchlike crimes in future and to protect the humanity from them.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ACT OF COMPLAIN IN A WRONG PLACE
Panorama
13:57 05/10/05
Today a group of residents from the “Union of volunteer gardening
in the Nor Nork, Berdazor and Kaqavadzor areas” were demonstrating
opposite the Ministry of Justice. They are all trying to protect
their lands.
At last the head of the Control Department of MJ Vardan Stepanyan
received a few demonstrators and advised them to apply to court for
solving the problem. According to our information the Prosecution
department of Yerevan brought a suit to the Court of the Nor Nork
Community for taking away the lands.
So It’s interesting, why the residents were demonstrating in front
of the MJ and not a bit far in front of the Prosecution /Panorama.am/

OSKANYAN MEETS LENMARKER
A1+
| 16:13:20 | 05-10-2005 | Official |
Today RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan received the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly President’s special representative on Nagorno
Karabakh affairs Goran Lenmarker who has arrived in Yerevan to
participate in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly seminar.
Lenmarker represented the results of the OSCE PA Washington annual
sitting of July, during which the OSCE PA President’s special
representative made speech. The Minister evaluated the report as
positive mentioning that it represented the real state of the procedure
of peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Oskanyan
and Lenmarker also exchanged thoughts about the perspectives of
peaceful settlement.
The RA Foreign Minister and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President’s
special representative also referred to the present state of the
Armenian-Turkish relations and their perspectives, as well as to the
negotiations of Turkey on membership to EU.

THE ONLY WAY OUT IS UNITY BETWEEN ARMENIA AND DIASPORA
A1+
| 15:07:50 | 05-10-2005 | Politics |
Today during the reception in the Armenian Center for National and
International Studies in connection with the 11th anniversary of the
Center the RA ex Foreign Minister Raffi Hovannisian who has never
had a strictly oppositional attitude made a speech about the present
political state in the country.
The leader of the Heritage party criticized severely the authorities
“which have privatized the foreign policy and the economy
of the country and are not even able to make simply political
calculations”. “The authorities who tell tales on democracy abroad
evict the people of their houses inside their own country in order
to build houses for the so-called elite”.
Raffi Hovannisian also reminded those present about the Mass Media
field where after banning “A1+” and Noyyan Tapan of air the television
has been privatized too filling it with programs testifying to the
lack of taste of their makers.
“There can be no void in the nature, and if there is no democracy,
usurpation comes to take its place”, announced Raffi Hovannisian and
noted that Armenia which has become a totalitarian country has lost
its place in the international community. “Our voice is no more heard
in the world”, he announced and reminded that the first step to euro
integration was made the very first year of independence, when he
himself as the first RA Foreign Minister made the step. And today,
according to him, Armenia is moving farther and farther of Europe.
As for the economy of the country, Raffi Hovhannisyan noted that
both in rich America and in poor Armenia petrol costs 80cents. And
in Armenia the sums taken from the people are used by several families.
Referring to the Constitutional reforms, Raffi Hovannisian noted
that they were made under the CoE pressure, but it is not possible
“to cover cracked up walls with Euro repairing”. The only way out of
the situation created, according to Raffi Hovanissian, is unity not
only inside Armenia but also that between Armenia and the Diaspora.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress