PM MEETS WITH US SENATOR

IPR Strategic Business Information Database
June 2, 2005

According to “Star”, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan received
US Senator Chuck Hagel. Present also at the one-hour meeting were
Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul and US Deputy Commander for US Forces
in Europe Gen. Charles Wald. Bilateral relations, regional issues,
as well as the fight against terrorism and the Cyprus issue were
reportedly taken up during the talks. Hagel stated that US officials
were looking forward to Erdogan’ds planned US visit next week. In
addition, the Turkish premier praised President George W. Bush and the
US Congress’d recent stance against the Armenian genocide allegations.

Turkey bans Macedonian football team from flying over its territory

Deutsche Presse-Agentur
June 2, 2005, Thursday
23:17:07 Central European Time

Skopje

The Macedonian national football team failed to reach the Armenian
capital Yerevan Thursday when Turkish air traffic control banned
the team’s Macedonian plane from flying over Turkish territory,
local media reported.

The Macedonian footballers, who are scheduled to play a Group One
World Cup qualifier against Armenia on Saturday, were forced back to
Skopje without clear explanation for the decision.

The Ankara-based Turkish air traffic control ordered the Macedonian
national carrier MAT plane to return to Skopje roughly 90 minutes
after it entered Turkish air space, the report said.

Skopje media attributed the incident to uneasy political relations
between Turkey and Armenia. An official explanation from Ankara
is expected to be delivered to Macedonian footballing officials
Saturday. dpa ra gj

No new agreements have to be inked for taking Russian military hardware from Georgia to Armenia – Armenian Defense Ministry

YEREVAN
June 2, 2005
RIA Novosti
Gamlet Matevosyan

The moving of Russian military equipment from Georgia to Armenia will
not necessitate the conclusion of new agreements, press secretary
Colonel Seiran Shakhsuvarian of the Armenian defense minister told
RIA Novosti on Thursday.

The lifting to Armenia of part of equipment from the Russian military
bases stationed in Georgia is regulated by the Armenian-Russian
agreement on military cooperation and the disposition of the Russian
military bases in Armenia, the quotas obligations provided for in
the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, he said.

“For this reason there’s no need to conclude a new document or a new
agreement between the sides for bringing Russian military equipment
to Armenia,” Shakhsuvarian said.

On Tuesday a trainload of military equipment and ammunition had set
off from the Batumi base to the Armenian town of Gyumri, he recalled.

Simultaneously, Shakhsuvarian noted that relocation of Russian
servicemen from Georgia to Armenia has not yet been spoken of.

Back in 1995, in keeping with the Armenian-Russian interstate
agreement, the Russian 102nd military base was deployed near Gyumri and
is now doing combat duty within the framework of the united air-defense
system of countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

The base is subordinated to the Transcaucasian group of troops of the
Russian North Caucasian military district. The base has an aircraft
missile system S-300 and MiG-29 fighters, a 5,000-strong personnel.

The possibility of relocating Russian military bases from Georgia
to Armenia has worried Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. It believes
that the relocation will not be conducive to settling the drawn-out
Armenian-Azeri conflict around Nagorny Karabakh, an Armenian enclave
in Azerbaijan.

President Klaus grants eight pardons

Czech News Agency (CTK)
June 2, 2005

PRAGUE, June 2 (CTK) — President Vaclav Klaus has granted pardons
to another eight people, mostly for humanitarian reasons such as the
health state or family situation of the convicts, or their need to care
for disabled relatives, Klaus’s spokesman Petr Hajek told CTK today.

Those pardoned include Maria Matousova, who took out a loan in 1992
but failed to repay it completely. Klaus took Matousova’s high age
and bad health condition into account.

Klaus forgave the rest of the sentence to Gilbert Tum M’Pong, who
repeatedly sold marijuana in 1999. According to the UNHCR, M’Pong’s
serving a part of his sentence had the desired correctional effect.
Klaus also took into account that M’Pong has been living in the Czech
Republic as an asylum seeker since 1995 and that his children have
had good school results.

According to the asylum centre concerned, M’Pong’s family is decent
and largely integrated in Czech society, and its forced return to
Angola would be rather difficult.

Klaus also softened the unconditional prison sentence to conditional
for Ingrid Kudrikova, who was sentenced for the theft of a few shampoos
and a purse for 14 months. Kudrikova has two small children.

Another convict Klaus has pardoned is Michal Krabicka, sentenced to
five months. Krabicka’s disabled wife is confined to a wheelchair
and dependent exclusively on her husband’s care.

Klaus has forgiven the remaining five months in prison to Svatoslav
Hanzel, who did not support his underage children in 1999-2002.

Klaus has forgiven the sentence of expulsion to Zaven Oganyan, who
is serving a two-year sentence for failing to prevent blackmail and
robbery. Oganyan’s family has acquired a Czech residence permit. They
have no more relatives in Armenia or Russia.

Klaus has granted several tens of pardons since he was inaugurated
as president in March 2003.

P U B L I C A F F A I R S O F F I C E NEWS RELEASE

EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AMERICAN AVENUE 1
YEREVAN, ARMENIA
TELEPHONE (+374 10) 46 47 00; 46 47 01; 46 47 02
E-MAIL: [email protected]
June 1, 2005

U.S. EMBASSY INSTALLS BOILER AT ARABKIR KINDERGARTEN AS PART OF
“COMMUNITY SELF-HELP FUND” PROJECT

On June 1, the U.S. Embassy inaugurated the new boiler house of the
Kindergarten in Arabkir, Yerevan. A grant of $12,000 from the U.S.

Government and contributions from the local community funded the
procurement of two heavy-duty boilers and installation of piping in
the kindergarten building which had been capitally renovated with
the contributions from the local government and community leaders
earlier this year.

This project is one of a series of U.S. Government “Community Self-Help
Fund” initiatives in Armenia. At a formal grant ceremony on November
9, 2004, the U.S. Embassy announced the second round of Community
Self-Help Fund projects, including the Kindergarten in Arabkir. The
second round of projects awarded grants to ten communities in eight
marzes.

The Community Self-Help Fund assists local communities to
implement small, grassroots projects that address their most urgent
needs. Communities themselves help decide which projects deserve
attention from the donor community and must garner the support of
local businesses and communities if a project is to be considered
for a grant. In the case of the Kindergarten, members of the Arabkir
District of Yerevan contributed significant time and resources in
order to ensure the success of this project. The U.S. Embassy would
like to thank the community of the Arabkir District as well as the
Yerevan Mayor’s office for their commitment and partnership toward
this project. This project has proved once more that only through
strong cooperation between community members, local government and
donors it is possible to achieve sustainable results that will benefit
Armenia in the long-term.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) manages
the project through their implementing partner, Save the Children. For
further information about the program, please contact Save the Children
(tel. 56-23-35, or on the web at ).

Children at Arabkir Kindergarten perform during a ceremony celebrating
the installation of two boilers and the renovation of the kindergarten.

Two boilers that were procured with the help of a U.S. Government
grant.

David Letteney, Economic Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan,
speaks about the U.S. Government’s “Community Self-Help Fund”.

MONITORING OF PRISONS IN NKR

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
01 June 05

The Centre for Civil Undertakings operating in Stepanakert since
October 2002 directs its efforts toward forming a civil society,
developing democratic institutions and defending the basic rights and
liberties of the citizens in Karabakh. The director of the centre is
Albert Voskanian. The main direction in the work of the centre is
monitoring of prisons in Nagorno Karabakh. In 2003 the Centre got
the permission of the NKR authorities to visit the penitentiaries
and hold regular monitoring there. The results of monitoring are
reflected in the report which is extended to the Council of Europe,
the UN Commission on Human Rights, the International Red Cross, the
OSCE and other international and human rights organizations, as well
as the relevant organizations of Nagorno Karabakh. The Centre for
Civil Undertakings endorses the abolition of capital punishment in
NKR in autumn of 2003. The Prison of Shushi situated on the outskirts
of the town of Shushi, has been operating since 1995 on the basis
of the local prison (the prison was built in 1896). The prison has
been guided by the Correctional Code, the Internal Regulations and
the orders of the Police of Nagorno Karabakh. The prison institutes
5 regimes: minimum-security, medium-security, special, prison and
maximum-security. The prison was designed for 350 inmates. The jail
under the Police of Nagorno Karabakh is located in Stepanakert, near
the building of the department of home affairs of the police. The
building (built in 1989), consists of 31 lock-ups, 6 cells for 2
inmates, 3 solitary sells, and 15 administrative units. The cells
are situated along the both sides of the long corridor on all the
three floors. The jail is separated from the administrative part of
the building with bars. It was designed for 200 prisoners. It is a
minimum-security jail, as instituted by the corresponding decision
of the Police of Nagorno Karabakh. According to the director of
the Centre for Civil Undertakings, over the past two years the
situation has improved. The moral and psychological state of the
inmates is improving. There is growing trust among the inmates in
the Centre. They often tell the members of the centre about their
problems. The centre discusses their problems with the staff of
the jail to solve the problem, if possible, on the spot. “We are,
in a way, intermediaries,” says Albert Voskanian. The psychologist
of the centre constantly works with the inmates, which also produces
positive results. On the initiative of the Centre the rights of the
inmates were placed beside the list of their duties. Besides, the
centre gave a computer to the inmates of the jail. This is the first
case in the entire South Caucasus. Together with Mesrop Mashtots
University the centre organizes computer courses for the staff of
the jail (the university cooperates with the centre) who will in
their turn teach the inmates. After the courses the inmates will
take an exam and receive certificates. The centre collected books
for the prison of Shushi and the jail of Stepanakert, as well as
organized subscription of newspapers and magazines. When needed,
the centre supplies the prisoners with medicine. According to
A. Voskanian, who has visited prisons in Armenia, Georgia, one of
the Azerbaijani prisons in the Soviet Union, the penitentiaries of
Nagorno Karabakh positively differ from them, although they are far
from the European standards. A. Voskanian added that an Azerbaijani
human rights defender who visited the prison of Shushi twice stated
that the conditions in the prisons of Karabakh are better than in the
Azerbaijani prisons. However, the prisons of Karabakh, and especially
the administrative bodies need fundamental reforms. Another important
reform is the transfer of penitentiaries from the jurisdiction of
the Police to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice. During
the monitoring the prisoners make complaints, usually of the prison
regime. However, in order to change the regime, it is necessary to
change the laws first. They do not complain of food. The inmates have
three meals a day, and once a month their relatives may send them 50 kg
parcels with food. If they do not have relatives, the Red Cross takes
care of them. The latest monitoring was held on May 21. The monitoring
is held once a month, but in April the Centre failed to hold it for
a number of reasons. Like during the previous visits, the members of
the Centre talked to the prisoners. The psychologist is currently
working with four inmates. According to Albert Voskanian, several
problems were solved on the spot, the others need time. The director
of the Centre is satisfied with the results of the latest meeting.

EVIKA BABAYAN. 01-06-2005

SUMMER WITH PLENTY OF WATER

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
01 June 05

In summer the need for water grows twice, and the problem of
water persists in the capital, therefore, the inhabitants of
Stepanakert are worried. We talked to the director of Water and
Sewage CJSC Vladimir Arzumanian. Srbuhi Vanian: “Mr. Arzumanian,
what expectations will the inhabitants of the capital have from
water supply?” Vladimir Arzumanian: “We promise the inhabitants of
Stepanakert plenty of water this summer. There may be cut-offs for
the reason of maintenance but for short periods. In the recent years
we have not had such high rates. Instead of 80-90 litres per second
we receive 3000 cubic metres of clear water. This is, first of all,
determined by plenty of snow this winter. By the way, the lack of
water is often caused by the inhabitants of the capital themselves.
On the outskirts of the city almost every family grows vegetables
in their gardens, and uses the water from the main pipeline. Taking
into account the social state of these families (these are families
of killed soldiers, poor families, sole pensioners), we do not take
strict measures. As a result, the water is not distributed evenly,
and there are people who remain without water. Besides, an enormous
amount of water is lost because of broken taps. I assure that the
daily amount of water flowing into the city is enough to provide
12-16 hour water supply, if not 24 hour.” S.V.: “However, we have to
acknowledge that often water supply is stopped because the pipelines
are out of order.” V.A.: “Damaged pipelines are increasing day by
day. At present, 4 brigades are repairing the pipelines. However,
the pipes are very old and are often damaged. Our first problem is
prevention of breakdowns in the system and repairs of damaged pipes,
which costs 12 million drams.” S.V.: “Maybe it would be better to
replace the damaged pipes with new ones than repair them?” V.A.:
“Maybe yes, but replacing the old pipes requires great expenses. We
are not subsidized by the government and we cannot get such large sums
at a time. This year we will replace 420 metres of pipes in one of the
quarters of the capital, which will cost 2 million drams. Generally,
projects of this scope are implemented by the government.” S.V.:
“Through the winter the quarter did not have drinking water and the
inhabitants had to bring water with buckets from the springs situated
rather far from them. What is the reason, and will this repeat
next year?” V.A.: “The cause of the problem of water supply of the
quarter is that 90 per cent of the pipeline is built above ground,
and weather and other factors immediately impact the pipes. That is
to say, they are less protected. This winter, for instance, we made
great efforts to warm the frozen pipelines but failed. Water supply
was resumed only in March. The problem is grave, for besides the
costs, it is impossible to take machines to those rocks.” S.V.: “You
touched upon 24 hour water supply. The question has been discussed
by the government for a number of times. What steps are taken in
this direction?” V.A.: “This is a separate issue that the government
attends to. As far as I know, next year the programme of 24 hour
water supply will be instituted in one of the large quarters of the
city including Hekimian, Mashtots and Isakov streets.” S.V.: “What
problems is the company facing at present?” V.A.: “Our aim is to supply
people with clear water. There are, of course, a number of problems,
the solution of which depends on our efficiency. We have raised the
question of acquiring sand catcher but have got no answers. This
year we have to try to repair our old sand catcher, operating since
1936. We do not know how and how long it will operate. People should
help to solve our problems by not wasting water, paying for the water
they use and not spoiling the springs and fountains in the city,
which we have to repair several times a month.” S.V.: “Does Water
and Sewage CJSC manage to collect the fees for water in time?” V.A.:
“As compared to the previous years, the rates are reassuring. I think
the problem will be solved only after using hydrometres. Only then
will the inhabitants economize water and pay the fees in time.”

SRBUHI VANIAN. 01-06-2005

NO NEW PROPOSALS EXPECTED

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
01 June 05

As the radio channel “Liberty” informed, the president of
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Arkady Ghukassian stated that no new
proposals are expected from the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. “All the
possible variants are on the table. The process continues. The sides
need to become mature, first of all Azerbaijan,” mentioned Arkady
Ghukassian. He also excluded the possibility of consideration of the 7
areas adjacent to Nagorno Karabakh in the talks. “This is not a serious
approach because the issue of the areas cannot be considered outside
the whole context. We base the talks on the issue of status, while the
Azerbaijanis – on the issue of territory. The two points do not fit,
and I cannot tell when they will fit,” said the president of NKR,
asserting his belief that the problem must be solved through talks.

PANARMENIAN.
01-06-2005

CONTROL AND AUDIT SERVICE

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
01 June 05

According to Article 27 of the NKR Electoral Code, on April 19 the
Control and Audit Service was set up under the NKR Central Election
Committee to control the adequate use of the means provided for the
election committees, the election deposits and expenses. The head of
the service is the vice chairman of the Central Election Committee,
Seyran Hayrapetian. According to the member of the staff of the
service, Rita Alexanian, almost all the political parties running for
the election have opened special temporary accounts in Artsakhbank.
Of the 111 candidates standing for parliament under the majority
system 55 have opened bank accounts. According to the NKR Electoral
Code, the election costs are covered on the private means of the
candidate, the means provided by the political party which nominates
the candidate, voluntary payments by natural and legal persons.
According to Rita Alexanian, candidates have the right to deposit a
sum equal to the minimum salary 200 times, the alliances of political
parties – the minimum salary 500 times. Natural persons can
deposit a sum equal to the minimum salary 10 times, and legal persons
– the minimum salary 30 times. In the election campaign
candidates may spend not more than a sum equal to the minimum salary
1000 times, and the party – not more than the minimum salary
12000 times. The Control and Audit Service receives information about
the payments to the election deposits of candidates and political
parties from Artsakhbank every three days.

NVARD OJANJANIAN.
01-06-2005

INSTITUTE OF CIS COUNTRIES COMMENTS

The member of the Russian State Duma, the director of the Institute of
the CIS Countries Constantine Zatulin’s visit to Nagorno Karabakh on
May 18 gave rise to a storm of emotions in the Azerbaijani press. The
newspaper “Echo” was especially fast, interviewing K. Zatulin on the
very next day of his visit by cell phone. Why, Constantine Zatulin is
pleased with the attention of the mass media of Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh toward his visit. He hopes that in the future, too,
he will provide the press with topics. Pointing out the perseverance
of the correspondents of “Echo”, the director of the Institute of
the CIS Countries added that his interview had been published without
major changes. However, there is need for editing, for small things
may often change a lot. The interview published in “Echo” contains a
lot of quotation marks. K. Zatulin did not mean to teach the grammar
of Russian to the Azerbaijani journalists. What the Russian member of
parliament says is that the editors of the newspaper took the majority
of his answers in inverted commas wherever they wished, following the
fashionable political trend in Azerbaijan. Thereby the “specialists”
of Russian of the newspaper “Echo” made an attempt to rank K. Zatulin
beside those who doubt the fact of independence and self-determination
of Nagorno Karabakh, the existence of a president, parliament and
political parties there. Whereas, Zatulin does not have doubts in
this reference. He is also sure that during his telephone talk with
the Azerbaijani correspondent he did not ask him to take his words in
quotation marks and make them doubtful. In the text of the interview it
is said, as if casually, that the areas of Nagorno Karabakh adjacent to
Azerbaijan are “occupied” by the troops of Armenia. In fact, K. Zatulin
spoke about the Defence Army of Nagorno Karabakh. The staff of the
newspaper “Echo” is hardly so naive not to realize the difference
between the two. And the director of the Institute does not want to
be taken as a naive person in the Azerbaijani press either. Part of
the answers of K. Zatulin were omitted or distorted. In particular,
speaking about the genuinely democratic elections in Nagorno Karabakh
as distinct from false democracy in a number of CIS countries, he
brought interesting examples of “democracy” when the political order
is based on the succession from father to son. Unfortunately, in
this case the readers of “Echo” were not given a chance to assess the
delicacy of the arguments of Zatulin. In another case, in reference
to granting independence to Nagorno Karabakh as expansion of the
territory of Armenia Zatulin gave the example of Cyprus and Greece.
Although it seemed that the conflict of Cyprus and the division
of Cyprus into Turkish and Greek parts would result in its rapid
unification with Greece, Cyprus and Greece continue existing as
separate recognized states represented in the UN and the European
Union. The Russian member of parliament regretted that this part of
the interview had been incidentally omitted.

AA. 01-06-2005