POLITICAL WILL

Aravot.am
07 April 06
Passionate speeches of the authority about corruption, GRECO and
GOPAC, seminars and conferences will give results only in a case if
the authority and all official and non official structures want indeed
to realize that fight. It is spoken of «political
will». But just its demonstration seems to me from the sphere
of fantastic.
Let’s observe some characteristic cases. I’m one of the officials of
the ruling clique of the country and support the business of
destroying the House of Cinematography and Writers and building a
multistory building instead. I have supported such business for the
last 3-4 years and earned millions. Why should I display a `political
will’ and won’t earn next million and not support for destroying for
example Opera House or Matenadaran.
Or, for example, I’m a chief of `cadastre’ or `tax service’ and drive
a car which I can’t buy by my 300 year celery. What can me make
display a ` political will’ and not to change my `Mercedes’ with
`Hummer’.
Or, I’m a principal of a school and make the teacher gather money from
the parents of pupils. Where should I find a `will’ inside me not to
do it?
Especially when I’m very important person for the ruling clique
because as the chairman of regional commission, I take part actively
in the falsification of elections.
We approached to a problem in solving which we need in a political
will. It is said that the authorities should display political will
for holding fair elections. But it is as unreal as the case of
corruption is. If I’m an oligarch and fill a post, I’m a wealthy
person and have businesses, why should I refuse of all these for the
reason that some people fill some papers into ballot boxes. I will do
everything for being reelected and for the candidate of the authority
become the president.
In short if a person have something it is excluded that he will
display a will for refusing of it. If certainly he isn’t mad and isn’t
under influence of Tolstoy’s heroes. But those persons are very few in
all over the world.
Aram Abrahamian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 8 2006
US suggests new proposals to continue the Prague process of the
Karabakh conflict regulation

Source: Trend
Author: S. Agayeva

08.04.2006

The United States have suggested new proposals to continue the Prague
process of the Karabakh conflict regulation, the Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister, Elmar Mammedyarov told in his interview to Azertaj.
The proposals are interesting, the minister said. Official Baku will
analyze them and tell its opinion at the coming visit to the region
of the OSCE Minsk group co-chairman, Steven Mann.
A decision has been made during the talks in Washington to promote
US-Azerbaijani relations at the highest level, he said. This decision
is in accordance with the Azerbaijani national interests. America
regards Azerbaijan as a leader in the region, Mammedyarov concluded.

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 8 2006
Elmar Mammadyarov: `Official Baku will express opinion on US latest
proposals on settlement of the conflict’
[ 08 Apr. 2006 13:48 ]
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov is visiting the
United States (APA).
The Minister had talks with American co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group
Steven Mann and Assistant Secretary of State for European and
Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried at the State Department yesterday.
Mammadyarov also had talks with National Security Adviser Stephen
Hadley in the White House.
The Foreign Minister told Azertag agency that the US high ranking
officials expressed willingness to deepen relations with Azerbaijan.
`It meets Azerbaijan’s national interests. The American side approves
President Ilham Aliyev’s prescient strategic policy on the country as
well as on the region,’ Mammadyarov said. `The United states thanked
to Azerbaijan for its contributions to the counterterrorism
coalition. Washington considers Azerbaijan as the leader in the
region,’ he added.
The Minister also said that during the talks in the State Department,
the American side put forward some proposals regarding the Prague
process to settle the Nagorno Garabagh conflict.
`They are interesting proposals. The Official Baku will analyze and
express opinion on them during Steven Mann’s visit to the region on
18 April,’ Mammadyarov said./APA/

Le Figaro, France
08 avril 2006
Accord gazier entre la Russie et l’Arménie
L’ARMÉNIE vient de céder son gazoduc Arménie-Iran, encore en l’état
d’achèvement, au géant russe en échange d’un gel du prix du gaz pour
Erevan jusqu’en 2009. Le monopole russe avait prévenu l’année
dernière qu’il allait augmenter ses tarifs pour l’Arménie, dernier
pays de l’ex-URSS dans le Caucase sud resté proche de Moscou. Gazprom
vient de s’engager à modérer cette hausse en maintenant ses tarifs à
110 dollars les milles mètres cubes jusqu’à fin 2008 alors que le
prix actuel est de plus de 230 dollars pour l’Europe occidentale, y
compris l’Ukraine.
Cet accord stabilise donc la facture énergétique de l’Arménie. Mais
il lui fait en contrepartie renoncer à une réelle possibilité de
diversification de ses approvisionnements énergétiques. Accès vers
les marchés européens L’accord ne fait pas non plus l’affaire de
l’Iran pour qui ce futur gazoduc constitue un accès vers les marchés
européens. Après cet accord «l’or bleu» iranien devra transiter par
le réseau de transport du monopole russe. Un passage obligé qui ne
fait certes pas l’affaire de l’Iran mais dont Téhéran doit
s’accommoder, la Russie étant un allié dans le bras de fer nucléaire
qui l’oppose à l’Occident. Le gagnant de l’opération est Gazprom qui
verrouille un peu plus les canalisations de gaz vers l’Ukraine et la
Géorgie, deux pays sortis de l’orbite de Moscou.

Azeri foreign minister, US secretary of state discuss Karabakh
Zerkalo, Baku
8 Apr 06
Excerpt from information department report by Azerbaijani newspaper
Zerkalo on 8 April headlined “‘Azerbaijan is a close US partner,’
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said during the meeting with Elmar
Mammadyarov”
“We would be very glad to see Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in
Washington. The expanding of cooperation between the USA and
Azerbaijan meet both sides’ interests,” US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice said at the meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov yesterday [7 April in Washington]. During a
three-hour meeting the sides discussed details of President Aliyev’s
forthcoming visit to the USA.
Rice said that Azerbaijan was one of the close US partners in the
South Caucasus. She noted that the USA and Azerbaijan had close
positions and highly assessed Azerbaijan’s steps to fight terrorism.
She also said that the USA wished a speedy and peaceful solution to
the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict because such a problem delays the
regional development as a whole. She noted that the year 2006 might be
a decisive year for the conflict’s resolution and that the USA was
ready to provide comprehensive assistance to the sides to tackle the
problem.
Mammadyaraov thanked Rice for a warm reception and told her that the
Azerbaijani authorities had intensified their efforts to resolve the
conflict. He said that Karabakh was an integral part of Azerbaijan and
called on Washington to take a more active part in the resolution of
this regional problem.
The interlocutors also discussed Iran’s nuclear programme. Mammadyarov
said that our country backed the idea of holding talks on the basis of
mutual understanding and offered a mediation role in these talks.
He said that Azerbaijan’s economic development was connected with
security of the country and the region as a whole. With this purpose,
Azerbaijan is ready to continue cooperation with the US
administration.
[Passage omitted: At his meetings with US congressmen, Mammadyarov
discussed regional situation, Caspian energy security, bilateral ties]
As part of the visit, Mammadyarov delivered a speech at the US
Heritage Foundation. He said that although certain forces did not want
speedy resolution of the Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijan still believes
that it is impossible to change existing state borders in the modern
world which does not accept expulsion of people from territories where
they have lived for centuries.
[Passage omitted: Mammadyarov also met OSCE Minsk Group’s US
co-chairman Steven Mann, Assistant Secretary of State for European and
Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried and Bush national security adviser
Steven Hadley]

COMPUTER NET FOR EXCHANGING PASSPORT DATA TO BE CREATED
YEREVAN, APRIL 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Government affirmed at the April
6 sitting the program of computer exchange of passport data among the
RA Police Department on Passports and Visas and territorial
services. As Ararat Mahtesian, the First deputy of the RA Police Chief
informed after the sitting, a global computer net of giving
information on data will be created according to that program. This
net will give possibility to all the passport offices of the republic
to exchange necessary data. Besides, a classified computer data bank
will be created at the department. According to A.Mahtesian, owing to
the computer net, it will be possible to quickly and most exactly get
electoral lists at place. A.Mahtesian mentioned that by the draft law
“On Passport System” the Police must get operative information about a
citizen’s, person’s death, one’s absence from the country what will
exclude falsification of electoral lists.

Armenpress
PARLIAMENT MEMBER SAYS ARMENIA MUST RESPOND ADEQUATELY
TO BAKU’S PLANS TO BOOST ITS MILITARY SPENDING

YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS: A senior member of
Armenian parliament slammed today Azerbaijani leaders
for continued war rhetoric and their plans to double
the country’s military spending to $600 million.
Mher Shahgeldian from Orinats Yerkir party of
parliament chairman Arthur Baghdasarian, who is
chairman of a parliament committee on defense and
security issues, told a news conference that Armenia
should likewise take appropriate action to boost its
military. He said Azerbaijan’s military activity was a
gross violation of Conventional Forces in Europe
agreement. He said under the agreement all OSCE member
countries have assumed obligations which they cannot
violate. He said Azerbaijan was the first OSCE member
to declare publicly it was going to breach this
agreement.
Shahgeldian urged Armenian diplomats to raise this
problem at international organizations, adding that
neither Armenia nor superpowers want a new war in this
region, which many believe would entail catastrophic
consequences. Shahgeldian commended the latest
intensified efforts of the USA to help resolve the
Karabakh conflict. He also spoke in favor of including
Karabakh authorities in the talks, citing the example
of Serbia and Kosovo, saying it would have a positive
impact on the talks, but speculated it should stem
‘from the logic of the negotiation process.”
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Armenpress
ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT AND WORLD BANK SIGN AGREEMENT ON
RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT
YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Finance and
Economy Minister Vartan Khachatrian and World Bank
Resident Representative Roger Robinson have inked
today an agreement whereby the World Bank will release
a credit to Armenia for a Renewable Energy Project.
The total amount of the project is US$25.050
million, including a US$5 million International
Development Association (IDA) credit, and a US$3
million grant from the Global Environment Facility
(GEF). The project will also be supported by
co-financing of US$7 million from EBRD, US$3 million
from the Cafesjian Family Foundation, and US$7.050
million from the government and local financial
institutions This project will assist the government
to increase privately owned and operated power
generation utilizing renewable energy and to reduce
greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide) emissions by
overcoming barriers to the development of renewable
energy.
IDA and grant funds will be channeled through the
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund, which
will provide finance to private investors through a
financial intermediary. By the time of completion, the
project is expected to contribute to the development
of about 80MW of additional renewable energy
generation capacity, adding 200GWh annual renewable
generation to the electricity generation mix. In
addition, carbon dioxide emissions are expected to be
lowered by around 130,000 tons annually. The Credit
will be made to Armenia on standard IDA terms,
including 40 years maturity and a 10-year grace
period.
Since joining the World Bank in 1992 and IDA in
1993, the commitments to Armenia total approximately
US $921 million for 42 operations.
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Armenpress
KARAKERT CELEBRATES COMMUNITY DAY
KARAKERT, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS: Today, the Children
of Armenian Fund (COAF) and the Armenia Tree Project
(ATP), together with the local residents, celebrated
Community Day in Karakert. The event marked the
conclusion of the site development and landscaping of
the school and kindergartens through the planting of
trees and bushes. The day also marked the symbolic
transfer of ownership of these fully renovated and
refurnished educational institutions to the community.
Within its overarching goal of greening Armenia,
ATP donated 200 trees and 150 shrubs for planting on
the School and Kindergartens #1 and 2 grounds.
Additionally, as part of its poverty reduction
program, ATP donated 400 apricot trees to 200
underprivileged families in the village. This
partnered project with ATP is a part of COAF’s larger
Model Village project in Karakert. In September 2005,
COAF had successfully completed the reconstruction of
the local School #2 and Kindergartens #1 and 2, fully
refurnishing them with high-quality school furniture
and equipment.
The Karakert Community Day also created the aura
characteristic of healthy communities. The villagers
were content and proud to volunteer for the
improvement of their village. Dressed in working
clothes and carrying their gardening tools and
buckets, young and old arrived on the designated sites
to participate ? to touch the soil, to turn the
ground, to plant a shrub, or to water a just-planted
tree. In the words of Marina Bareyan, a parent from
Karakert, “Such events make us more and more hopeful
as we witness the signs of our total revival. I am so
happy for our children, so happy that they will grow
in a safer environment and have a better quality of
life.”
COAF and ATP staff and guests were pleased to
witness the enthusiasm of the villagers in planting
the trees and shrubs on the grounds of the school and
kindergartens. Armenia Tree Project was founded in
1994 to advance Armenia’s development by planting
trees. Trees ? sustainably managed ? deliver a steady
bounty of tangible benefits like flowers, fruits.
Children of Armenia Fund was founded in 2000 with
the aim to reduce poverty through the revitalization
of rural Armenia and the realization of projects that
are instrumental for the revival of communities. With
the introduction of its novel approach to clustering
in February 2006, COAF is currently implementing the
Model Cluster working in six villages in the
Baghramyan region of the Armavir District.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Lavrov: OSCE MG Working at Proposals on Karabakh Issue

07.04.2006 23:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Russian and Armenian Foreign
Minister exchanged views on the settlement process of
various conflicts available near the Armenian and
Russian borders. They discussed the situation in the
Near East and Iran’s nuclear program, Russian FM
Sergey Lavrov stated at a joint press conference with
Vartan Oskanian.
In his words, everything within the limits of the
possible should be done to secure the diplomatic
settlement of the problems available. `This refers to
the situation in the Balkans and the negotiation
process on Kosovo. We certainly discussed the Nagorno
Karabakh settlement as well. Russia is one of the
three Co-chairs assisting the parties to reach
mutually admissible agreements. There are some
sketches submitted by the mediators and they are being
considered by the parties at present,’ the RF FM
remarked, reported the RF MFA press service.
Sergey Lavrov also noted that the OSCE MG is
constantly working at the proposals that can be then
submitted to the parties’ consideration. `Over some
understandable reasons we not reveal the details,
since they refer to the parties to conflict only. We
believe that the mediating mission will help the sides
to reach agreement. This is the key to the
settlement,’ the Russian Minister said.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress