NOTHING KNOWN YET ABOUT ROMANIAN JOURNALISTS KIDNAPPED IN IRAQ

YEREVAN, MARCH 31. ARMINFO. Nothing is known yet about the fate of the
three Romanian journalists kidnapped in Iraq Mar 28, reports Armenia’s
FM.

To remind, one of them is 36-year-old Armenian Ovidiu Oganessyan
working with the Romania Liberia newspaper. The journalists were
kidnapped the day after Romanian President Traian Basescu visiting the
Romanian peacekeeping forces in Iraq. Basescu says that Romania will
do its best to have the journalists back. The kidnappers have not yet
laid any claims.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Vladimir Putin Tries to Keep Armenia as the Last Ally of Russia

KOMMERSANT Daily
MARCH 31, 2005

The official part of a visit of the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, to
Armenia has begun. The formal pretext for the visit was the opening of the
Year of Russia in Armenia. In actual fact, the agenda goes beyond the
framework of protocol and cultural functions: it will include the Karabakh
problem, cooperation in the gas sphere, and the use of Armenian territory
for the deployment of Russian military bases which will be withdrawn from
Georgia within the next few years.

The President of Russia, together with his Armenian colleague, Robert
Kocharyan, will take part in the official opening of the Year of Russia in
Armenia and attend a gala concert. The pompous protocol functions serve as a
smokescreen for a very important dialogue on the burning issues of the day.
Alarmed by a whole series of “Rose”, “Orange” and other revolutions, Russia
is afraid of losing one of the last of its bulwarks in the area of the
former USSR.

In the context of the deepening of their strategic partnership the
presidents of the two countries will discuss the problems of resolving the
Karabakh conflict, as well as the prospects of deploying the Russian
military bases on Armenian territory, which should be withdrawn from Georgia
within the next few years.

As regards the first problem, Moscow tries to soften the position of Yerevan
in order to avoid the exacerbation of the relations with Baku. The Kremlin
hoped to bring the President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, and the President
of Azerbaijan, Ilkham Aliyev, to negotiations during the celebration of the
60th anniversary of Victory in the last war in Moscow in May. However,
judging by information coming in from Baku, President Aliyev will hardly
come to Moscow for the occasion.

The question of the withdrawal of Russian troops and arms from Georgia has
been solved, in the main, as a result of negotiations with the Georgian
leadership, although the deadlines have not been fixed. The most probable
time will be 2007. After that Russia hopes to deploy its military units on
Armenian territory, in the vicinity of the Russian base No 102. Yerevan
agrees to it, but puts forward a number of conditions.

The main one is a solution to the problem of the transport blockade of
Armenia. This is why both Moscow and Yerevan hope to work out a concerted
policy aimed at obtaining Georgia’s consent to a free transport corridor by
commissioning the Novorossiisk – Poti sea ferry, and also resuming the
railway connection through the territory of Abkhazia.

Naturally, the questions of military cooperation will also be discussed.
Armenia receives arms and ammunition from Russia at preferential prices. To
date more than 500 Armenian army officers study in Russia free of charge,
that is, at the expense of the Russian budget. This figure can be bigger.

A range of problems to be discussed deal with the relations between Russia,
Armenia and Iran. Teheran remains an important regional partner of Moscow,
but it views rather cautiously the plans to build a gas pipeline between
Iran and Armenia, which will later be one of the channels of supplying
Iranian gas to Ukraine and Europe. But the deputy foreign minister of
Armenia, Gegam Garibjanyan, has said that Russia should take part in the
negotiations on the matter. President Putin will, no doubt, raise the
question of “Gazprom” taking part in the implementation of this project.

by Boris Volkhonsky

Russian Article as of Mar. 25, 2005

A1 Plus | 16:58:01 | 31-03-2005 | Politics |

WE WILL IMPROVE THE SITUATION BY OWN STRENGTH

It’s three years already since A1+ TV Company was deprived of air. Today
a press conference was held in the House of Journalists to officially
announce that April 2 at 12.00 p.m. local time on the initiative of
several public organizations a protest procession will start from Grigor
Lusavorich 12 and finish at the monument to Komitas.

To remind, April 2, 2002, the National TV and Radio Committee held a
contest and deprived A1+ of air. “The problem is not that our team has
not worked for three years already; we have deliberately lowered the
standards”, Director of the A1+ TV Meltex LTD. Mesrop Movsisyan stated
when commenting of the professional level of the journalists. In the
beginning of his speech he recollected that three years ago he foretold
that 2 or 3 years later the closed company will become even more
dangerous for the incumbent leadership. In Movsisyan’s opinion, his
forecast has come true.

During three years A1+ has 8 times participated in TV frequency tenders
and 8 times it was rejected. For over a year the National TV and Radio
Committee has not announced any tenders alleging the absence of free
frequencies. Minister of Transport and Communications Andranik Manukyan
also states that the International Telecommunication Union does not
provide frequencies. “The Union has provided Armenia with 21-69
frequency range while the Minister making statements of the kind has
forgotten that presently there are 9 free frequencies – 33, 43, 53, 54,
65,66, 67, 68, 69”, Mr. Movsisyan said. “We are losing our culture, our
people and ourselves in this country”, he added noting that the protest
actions have been initiated not for the sake of A1+ only. The aim of the
public journalist organizations is to find a way for settling the
situation, as the authorities “are not absolutely unwilling to find a
way-out”.

To note, A1+ can also remain roofless. April 5 in the Economic Court
will hear the suit brought by the National Academy of Sciences. Lawyer
Tirgan Ter-Yesayan representing the interests of A1+ noted that the
proceedings will be «hot». The NAS chairman took into court as it failed
to fulfill the order of the government and the decree 39 by the RA
President of 02.10.03. “The government decided to convey the building
from one party to another neglecting the interests and rights of the
organizations acting in it, Tirgan Ter-Yesayan said. “If the court
officers take our property out into the street, not A1+ but the
President and Prime Minister should be ashamed, since they will
demonstrate their attitude towards press», Mesrop Movsisyan stated.

It should be also noted that the A1+’s suit is already being heard in
the European Court. The company has already informed the court of the
advisability of presence of its representative at the hearings.

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

MARCH 25-31, 2005

HIGHLIGHTS:

EIGHTEENTH “PRESS CLUB” SHOW

JOURNALISTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS GETTING READY FOR “A1+” SUPPORT
ACTIONS

COMPETITION TO FILL IN VACANCIES AT THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON TELEVISION
AND RADIO ANNOUNCED

EIGHTEENTH “PRESS CLUB” SHOW

On March 28 on the evening air of the Second Armenian TV Channel the
eighteenth “Press Club show was issued. The cycle is organized by Yerevan
Press Club under a homonymous project, supported by the OSI Network Media
Program.

The representatives of the leading media and journalistic associations of
Armenia discussed the results of the visit of the Russian President Vladimir
Putin to Armenia. As the program participants expect, this week the Armenian
media will focus on the hearing at the RA National Assembly on the problem
of Mountainous Karabagh, the results of the mayor elections in Ijevan, the
investigation of the explosion on March 24 by the building of the State
Customs Committee in Yerevan. Of the international affairs the media will
continue discussing the events in Kyrgyzstan, the “Press Club” participants
suppose.

JOURNALISTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS GETTING READY FOR “A1+” SUPPORT
ACTIONS

On March 31 at Journalists Union of Armenia a press conference of the
representatives of the country’s several journalistic and human rights
organizations was held. The event announced the start of “A1+” support
actions, devoted to the three years of the TV company’s loss of air. On
April 2, 2002 National Commission on Television and Radio did not provide
“A1+” with the broadcast license, and the numerous attempts of the TV
channel (taking part in licensing competitions) for regaining air failed
over these three years.

At the meeting with the journalists, initiators of “A1+” support actions
called for participating in the procession and rally on April 2, 2005. The
procession will start at 12.00 from “A1+” TV building (15 Grigor Lusavorich
St., Yerevan) and will end up in a rally at the Yerevan Freedom Square. A
campaign will be held there on gathering signatures for the petition to RA
Ministry of Transport and Communication to allocate a vacant frequency for
conducting a new broadcast licensing competition.

On March 31, Journalists Union of Armenia, Yerevan Press Club, Internews
Armenia public organization, Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression and
Helsinki Committee of Armenia adopted a joint statement. The statement noted
in particular that assessing “A1+” bids in all the eight competitions as
lower than competitive ones, National Commission on Television and Radio
proceeded not from their content or professional level of the TV company,
but complied with the political order of the authorities. The signatories
supported the demand of “A1+” action initiators urging the NCTR and RA
Ministry of Transport and Communication as well as other competent bodies to
allocate a vacant frequency and conduct a new – open and transparent –
licensing competition. The statement of the five public organizations ended
with the call for supporting this civil claim and filing similar addresses
to the National Commission on Television and Radio.

COMPETITION TO FILL IN VACANCIES AT THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON TELEVISION
AND RADIO ANNOUNCED

On March 24 the RA President Robert Kocharian signed a decree on conducting
a competition to fill in vacancies at the National Commission on Television
and Radio. The competition commission includes: the chairman Armen
Harutiunian (the Rector of the RA State Administration Academy); the
secretary Irina Ghulinian (Deputy Head of the Public and Media Relations
Department of the Administration of the RA President); commission members –
Naira Manucharova (Deputy Chief Editor of “Novoye Vremya” newspaper), Arthur
Yezekian (President of “Shant” TV company) and Elinar Vardanian (Executive
Director of “Center of Public Dialogue and Development” NGO). The
competition can accommodate citizens of Armenia who have many-year
experience in journalism, broadcasting, technology, culture, arts, science
and law, higher education and command of Armenian language. The deadline for
applications is April 4, 2005.

The competition to fill in vacancies in the National Commission on
Television and Radio was announced due to the expiration on March 19, 2005
of the four-year terms of three NCTR members – Simavon Andreasian, Mushegh
Hovsepian and Ara Tadevosian.

The competition for NCTR vacancies is announced in Armenian for the first
time and is due to the amendments into the RA Law “On Television and Radio”,
adopted on December 3, 2003 by the RA National Assembly. According to the
amendments, the formation of the broadcast regulating bodies should be
formed by a competition. However, the members of these bodies are still
appointed by the President of the country – now from the competition
winners. In February 2005 a similar competition was held for vacancies in
the Council of Public TV and Radio Company.

When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.

You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]

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this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]

Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
____________________________________________
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
375007, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 1) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 1) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EURO-ATLANTIC PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL RECURRENT MEETING OPENS IN YEREVAN TODAY

31.03.2005 04:01

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today the recurrent two-day meeting of the Atlantic
Policy Consultative Group of the NATO Euro-Atlantic Partnership
Council opens in Yerevan, the Press Service of the Armenian Defense
Ministry reported. 65 representatives of the 38 NATO member and
partner states will take part in the meeting.

The agenda includes Euro-Atlantic region security issues. Such
meetings are held annually and they yield only to the ministerial
meetings on their political significance. It should be noted that the
meeting will be chaired by Assistant Secretary General for Political
Affairs Gunter Altenburg.

NATO PA SPRING SESSION AGENDA DOES INCLUDE KARABAKH PROBLEM

31.03.2005 05:57

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The spring session of the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly, in which Armenian MPs will also take part, will be held in
Ljubljana, Slovenia, May 27-31, Yerkir newspaper reported. Azerbaijani
Milli Mejlis Vice-Speaker, head of the NATO PA parliamentary
delegation Ziyafet Askerov stated that the Assembly has to display its
attitude towards the Nagorno Karabakh problem, thus Azerbaijan will
raise the NK issue at the session. When commenting on these
statements, head of the NATO PA Armenian delegation Mher Shahgeldian
noted that the session agenda does not provide for discussion of the
Nagorno Karabakh problem. Nevertheless, in case the issue is raised,
the Armenian party will present grounded arguments, the head of the
Armenian delegation assured.

CAUCASIAN FOUR SPEAKERS TO MEET IN TBILISI APRIL 22-24

31.03.2005 04:14

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The recurrent meeting of Speakers of the Parliaments
of the Caucasian Four (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Russia) is
scheduled in Tbilisi April 22-24, Regnum news agency reported. The
Speakers intend to discuss the social and political situation in the
countries, issues of development of regional and inter-parliamentary
cooperation, settlement of conflicts. The meeting will be organized on
the initiative of the Georgian Speaker Nino Burjanadze.

The `Caucasian Four’ format was instantiated by Russia in 1996. Since
then several meetings of the Presidents, Ministers of Internal
Affairs, Security Council Secretaries, as well as the Speakers of the
four countries have been held.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT MET WITH US EUROPEAN COMMAND DEPUTY COMMANDER

31.03.2005 02:24

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian met Deputy
Commander, Headquarters US European Command Charles F. Wald, the Press
Service of the Armenian leader reported. In the course of the meeting
the parties discussed Armenian-American military and technical
cooperation, as well as matters relating to conflicts that are in
focus of the international community. The interlocutors also discussed
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement and the possible developments.
Charles Wald thereupon noted that sustaining peace and stability in
the South Caucasus is highly important both to the US and Europe.

OSCE chief warns against “aggressive rhetoric” on Karabakh conflict

Mediamax news agency
31 Mar 05

YEREVAN

The OSCE chairman-in-office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij
Rupel, has said in Yerevan that “the Nagornyy Karabakh problem is a
special case and this conflict cannot be compared with other frozen
conflicts”.

Rupel said this during a news conference in Yerevan on the evening of
30 March, commenting on his address to the meeting of the UN Security
Council on 4 March, in which he called Nagornyy Karabakh a “disputed
territory”, Mediamax news agency reports.

The OSCE chairman-in-office said that “reports about frequent
cease-fire violations on the front line cause serious concern”. “I
hope that everything possible will be done to alleviate the existing
tension,” Rupel said. For this purpose, he noted, the parties must
refrain from “aggressive rhetoric”. Rupel said that he intends to
discuss the situation on the contact line between the parties during
his talks with the Azerbaijani leadership.

“The OSCE does not know any ‘other methods’ of settling conflicts than
peaceful ones,” Rupel said, commenting on Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev’s recent statement that “Azerbaijan will resort to other
methods” if the peace talks on the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict fail.

The OSCE chairman-in-office said that the settlement of the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict topped the agenda of his talks with Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan and Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan. Also
on 30 March, Rupel met the president of the Nagornyy Karabakh
Republic, Arkadiy Gukasyan.

Armenian Foreign Minister Oskanyan expressed his confidence that the
Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents would meet either in Moscow or
Warsaw in May this year. He expressed his hope that the meeting would
be productive and allow the foreign ministers of the two countries to
speed up their dialogue.

Ethnic Armenians protest against closure of Russian base in Georgia

Rustavi-2 TV, Tbilisi
31 Mar 05

The Armenian population of Akhalkalaki [southern Georgia] is
protesting against demands for the withdrawal of the Russian military
base there. They have gathered in the centre of the town and are
supporting the Russian military base. Their demands include the
opening of a passport office in Akhalkalaki and repairs to local
roads, but the main issue is Russian military support for the
town. The protesters are waving banners in the street.