International Water Power and Dam Construction, UK
Aug 24 2005
EBRD funding for Armenian project
24 August 2005
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is
lending US$1.3M to set up a small hydro plant on the Yeghegis river
in Armenia.
Bazenc CJSC will use the loan to install a second turbine at the
Yeghegis plant which, while only working for three summer months,
will increase the company’s total electricity production by 23%. The
electricity will be sold to the Armenian government, under guarantees
lasting until 2016, at prices negotiated once a year.
Energy supply has been a critical issue for Armenia since
independence in 1991. The EBRD is also supporting Bazenc in acquiring
a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) status for its mini-hydro
projects under the Kyoto Protocol on reducing greenhouse gas
emissions and limiting global warming.
;storyCode30669

AZG Armenian Daily #149, 24/08/2005
Refutation
KAREN ARISTAKESIAN: NO BRIBE WAS OFFERED TO JURY
Daily Azg published an article about disqualification of Anush Grigorian on
August 20. The article also said that Karen Aristakesian, chairman of “Miss
Armenia” national agency, offered bribes to the jury. Our article was based
on the press release send by the Beauty International Organization from
Panama to our newspaper. Learning about the accusation from our article, Mr.
Aristakesian came to our office and handed his refutation to Azg. Below we
present it as it was:
As a jury member at the final round of Miss Intercontinental, I defended my
country and its representative at the contest. I see this precedent as the
result of clashes of interests (no matter between states or individuals).
I bribed no one and had no negotiation with any jury member on this subject
before the contest and after it. Anyone aware of the technology of beauty
contests will immediately understand what has happened. A beauty contest is
a peculiar game. The contest organizers have taken back from “Miss Armenia”
national agency the only thing they gave – the contest licenses. (Anush
Grigorian being forth in the contest did not even receive $1.000 and the
ribbon indicated the place she won).
That’s their right and no one can take it from them as no one can grab our
national beauty and dignity. Even if they did not demand the licenses back,
the agency would not participate in any further contests organized by the
World Beauty Organization. It was only this year that Armenian beauties
achieved such great results in international contests. Frankly speaking,
this precedent speaks well for the victory of our country and its
representative. The beauties of Armenia, as well as Anush Grigorian, will
take part in other international contests.

AZG Armenian Daily #149, 24/08/2005
Diaspora
‘ISSUE OF NATIONAL MINORITIES IS AN INNER ISSUE’
Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople States
Mesrop II Mutafian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, participated in
the 20th celebration of Youth International Day in Cologne, Germany, Turkish
Hurriyet newspaper informed in its August 21 issue.
He said that some people trouble them by touching upon the issue of national
minorities every time. “We are Turkish citizens. If we have any problems, we
will turn to the Turkish authorities. Those issues should be settled in
Turkey. The Turkish community of Germany also has problems. The Turks living
in Germany have problems with carrying out their religious ceremonies; they
have no clergymen and teachers to pass their native language and the culture
to the next generations. The Armenians dwelling in Turkey have the same
problems. The EU is a certain means, in this respect. But the most important
issues for Turkey are its Education and economy and not the national
minorities,” he added.
By Hakob Chakrian

AZG Armenian Daily #149, 24/08/2005
Home
SPECIAL DEPARTMENT OF PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE PUTS UP FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION
To be more productive in its fight against corruption, the Chief
Prosecutor’s Office of Armenia set a special anti-corruption department on
June 30 of 2004. “Hakastver” NGO organized yesterday a meeting entitled
“Authorities of the Prosecutor’s Office In Fight Against Corruption” to
discuss the work of the department during last 8 months. During this period
of time the department having only 8 employees opened 5 criminal cases,
restarted 1 unfinished case and received 100 citizens. The criminal cases
had to deal with bribery in diverse state institutions, particularly
land-survey agency. The head of the department urged citizens to be more
active in helping corruption fighters disclose criminals.
By Gohar Grigorian

Armenpress
RUSSIA DECLINES ARMENIAN PROPOSAL
YEREVAN, AUGUST 23, ARMENPRESS: Gagik Mkrtchian, head of a trade and
economic development ministry department dealing with jewelry and goldsmith
industry, said Russian finance ministry has declined an Armenian proposal
asking for a permission to re-export fifteen percent of raw diamonds it
receives from Russia.
Mkrtchian said the Russian ministry cited various reasons to turn down
their proposal, one of which was that re-exported Armenia diamonds could
compete with Russian diamonds at foreign markets. Mkrtchian said Armenian
companies have received 150,000 carats of Russian raw diamonds out of
450,000 carts envisaged for Armenia for 2005 by an intergovernmental
agreement. However, he said, some small companies in Armenia are not now
able to buy Russian diamonds after Russian Alrosa, the main supplier of raw
diamonds, raised its prices.
“I think Russia would not like to lose a market that is able to process
annually 1 million carat of raw diamonds in a friendly country,’ he said.
Raw diamonds are also supplied to Armenia by Belgium and Israel.

Armenpress
STRONG WINDS AFFECT ALSO SHIRAK PROVINCE
GYUMRI, AUGUST 23, ARMENPRESS: A strong wind that caused serious damages
to Armenian province of Aragatsotn on August 21, has affected also another
province of Shirak in the north-west of the country destroying crops in
several rural communities.
The wind bursts with a speed of 20 meters per second have ripped away
roofing of houses, causing also damages to high-voltage power lines blacking
out the town of Artik and several villages and disrupting also telephone
communication.
The biggest damage is said to have been sustained by those rural
communities which have not yet gathered crops, which was destroyed almost
completely in some areas. Shirak governor has set up two commissions to
assess the overall amount of damages and submit its findings to the
government

Armenpress
MISS ARMENIA OFFICE DENIES BRIBE ALLEGATIONS
YEREVAN, AUGUST 23, ARMENPRESS: Karen Aristakesian, director of Miss
Armenia national agency, denied today allegations that the Armenian sponsors
of Anush Grigorian paid 10,000 euros in bribes to judges at a Miss
Intercontinental beauty contest in China last month to help her finish
fourth . In an interview with Armenpress Karen Aristakesian described what
had happened as “a clash of interests.”
“As a judge at Miss Intercontinental beauty contest I voted in favor of
Armenian representative and before the contest and after it I gave no bribes
to anyone and never negotiated it with any of the rest of judges,”‘ he said.
The first report about the incident was published by a local daily Azg, y
which said that the head of the European branch of the World Beauty
Organization has resigned over the allegations. Azg also said Anush
Grigorian has been barred from participation in an upcoming international
beauty contest in Panama. According to Aristakesian, the organizers of Miss
Intercontinental contest in China had demanded that Miss Armenia national
agency give back its licenses and refused also to give the money prize set
for the fourth place and even the band confirming that Anush Grigorian came
forth.
“But even if the licenses had not been demanded back, the agency had no
intentions to further participate in beauty contests organized by the World
Beauty Organization and I told about our intention to some of its
officials,” he said Describing the beauty contest in China as ‘a peculiar”
game, Aristakesian denied Armenian press reports that Anush Grigorian was
banned from further participation in such contests, saying she was
disqualified only from participation in next context due in Panama.

Armenpress
TURKEY AWAITS OUTCOME OF ARMENIAN-AZERI TALKS
YEREVAN, AUGUST 23, ARMENPRESS: The New Anatolian Magazine in Turkey
quoted an unnamed diplomatic source as saying that Ankara is awaiting the
outcome of Armenian-Azerbaijani talks over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict to
decide whether to start the process of normalization of relations with
Yerevan or not.
The magazine said Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders are expected to make
progress in the conflict regulation efforts and agree on a proposal
envisaging the withdrawal of Armenian troops from five of 7 Azeri regions,
controlled by Armenian troops, while the status of Karabakh will be decided
in a referendum within next 15 years. The magazine said Turkish officials
were pondering over lifting Armenia’s transport blockade after Armenian
troops pulled out of the occupied regions. It also said Armenian occupation
of Azeri territories was one of the main obstacle to normalization of ties
between Yerevan and Ankara.
“Though Armenian authorities implicated recently that they were ready to
give its foreign policy line for recognition of so-called genocide
allegations, special ties between Azerbaijan and Turkey are hindering
Turkish government to open its borders with Armenia unless a solution is
found to the Karabakh dispute,” the New Anatolian said.

AZG Armenian Daily #149, 24/08/2005
Karabakh issue
PACKAGE YET STEP-BY-STEP SOLUTION TO KARABAKH ISSUE
Why Aliyev Turns Skeptic? – Analysts Comment
The Foreign Affairs Ministry of Armenia responded to the last statement of
Azerbaijani President on Saturday. Vartan Oskanian replied to the Azeri
comprehension of Karabakh regulation methodology, to “arming race” in the
neighboring state and to aggressive and belligerent statements of Ilham
Aliyev.
“Everybody is well aware, including the Azeris, that the status of Nagorno
Karabakh is primary in the Karabakh regulation and it should be decided
based on the right of people of Karabakh on choosing its own destiny. Other
issues – elimination of conflict aftereffects, return of territories and
refugees – stem out of the primary one and will follow it. The package
regulation, certainly, can be realized step by step, and we can and are
ready to display flexibility”, Armenian foreign minister told Armenpress.
What shall we understand from Oskanian’s comment? Davit Babayan, political
analyst from Stepanakert, voices his opinion: “This means that the
conflicting sides come to an agreement, sign a peace treaty itemizing all
necessary issues of regulation – status of Nagorno Karabakh, territories
under Karabakh control, refugees, blockade etc. They settle secondary issues
through step-by-step alternative. The package regulation is to be applied
for the status of Karabakh as recognition is of declarative character, i.e.
Baku should recognize Karabakh as part of Armenia or as a sovereign state.
All other issues, demanding technical preparation and finances, can be
settled gradually”.
Stepan Safarian, expert at the Armenian Center for Strategic and National
Research, thinks that Oskanian’s approach suggests the following: reaching
written agreement over all issues, including status, but informing the
public about the phases and realizing them gradually in course of time. “In
that case, Aliyev can avert serious problems with the public opinion on the
threshold of parliamentary elections. Moreover, first steps regarding
territories and refugees can be in favor of the Azeri society. Those issues
will be settled once Azerbaijan agrees to present guarantees for the status
of Karabakh”, Safarian says.
Armenian foreign minister explained earlier what he means by “flexibility”.
“We tend to document the right of self-determination of the people of
Karabakh and can be flexible as regards the time of the final
materialization”. This means that self-determination can be realized in
10-15 years, otherwise Azerbaijan may refuse the status that Yerevan and
Stepanakert strive for, once getting Karabakh-controlled territories.
“If we settle issues concerning conflict aftereffects without deciding the
status of Karabakh, then one of the sides may reject its obligations
changing thus military-political situation”, Babayan says.
A few days prior to Kazan meeting between Armenian and Azeri presidents,
Ilham Aliyev displays skepticism over negotiation process. The Azeri
President noted in particular that “he tends to peaceful regulation”. “But,
as you can see, there is no visible progress here. Therefore we should be
ready to liberate our lands by force if needed. To do that, Azerbaijan has
to be twice as powerful as Armenia”, Aliyev said, pointing out that the
Prague Process suggests step-by-step regulation and, regarding the status,
Karabakh can get the highest autonomy within Azerbaijan.
“Azerbaijan, as a rule, either picks at the Minsk group or expresses
skepticism over the talks process whenever it fails to get what it wants.
Regarding the Azeri definition or estimation of the Prague Process, they
pose their wishes as reality”, Oskanian told Armenpress.
Stepan Safarian explains the reason of Ilham Aliyev’s skepticism: “Aliyev
pleases Russia by hinting at the prospect of no soon regulation, especially
when the immediate regulation is somehow connected with the prospect of
locating US military bases in Azerbaijan, regarding which America expects
Aliyev’s reply (in an interview to News Week Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan
“is no outpost to any country”). The Azeri President, in this regard, tries
to make the US understand that it is not satisfied with current agreements
and wants more for the price of “its agreement”.
Besides, the expert thinks, Aliyev tries to demonstrate “his own rebellion”
against the West’s pressure in demanding Azerbaijan to hold democratic
elections and in supporting the opposition.
Vartan Oskanian also noted in his comments that “the increase of
Azerbaijan’s military budget owing to dollars from oil does not give them
much in essence”. “Azerbaijan can neither attract us with oil, nor, even
more so, frighten us. Armenia always has the capacity to counterbalance any
military budget of Azerbaijan. In fact, the privilege of the Armenians is
not in the military expenses or arming but in being just in their claim.
Armenians believe in their righteousness in the Karabakh issue and in case
of a war will fight for their land and home – something that the Azeris did
not do and will not do”, Oskanian said.
By Tatoul Hakobian

European group leader says elections will test Azerbaijan’s democracy
.c The Associated Press
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) – The president of a European organization said
Tuesday that November parliamentary elections would test democracy in
Azerbaijan, while an opposition leader accused authorities of seeking
to undermine his campaign by running candidates with the same name.
“The upcoming elections are a test case for your country,” Rene van
der Linden, president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe, told a news conference at the end of a two-day visit to the
politically tense Caucasus Mountain nation.
Referring to the Nov. 6 elections in Azerbaijan and a constitutional
referendum in neighboring Armenia, he said that “for both countries
it’s a real opportunity to show the international community that you
are willing and able to fulfill the commitments of free and fair
elections.”
Van der Linden also urged Azerbaijan’s opposition to act responsibly
and “approach the elections in the constructive spirit of
democracy,” and called on law enforcement organizations to solve the
March slaying of opposition magazine editor Elmar Huseinov.
Tensions are high before the vote, with opposition groups fearing
fraud on the part of the government.
A leader of the opposition alliance Yeni Siyaset, Eldar Namazov, said
two candidates who shared his name have been nominated to run in his
district – one a businessman and the other a prison guard – in what he
called a bid to draw votes away from him by confusing voters.
Accusations of vote-rigging after the October 2003 presidential
election erupted into violence in the oil-rich former Soviet
republic’s capital, Baku.

08/23/05 16:21 EDT