CONSOLIDATION OF LAND PLOTS WILL LEAD TO POVERTY GROWTH IN RURAL
AREAS, CESTRAD EXPERTS STATES

YEREVAN, MARCH 25, NOYAN TAPAN. There is currently a tendency towards
consolidation of agricultural land plots in Armenia, the outcomes
of which are hard to foresee. Prof. Max Spur, an expert of the Hague
Institute of Social Research (CESTRAD), stated this on March 25. In
his analytical essay, “Land Reforms, Rural Poverty and Inequality:
Social Approaches of Land Policy”, he notes that the completion of the
land privatization process will promote development of the land market
and stimulate the process of land consolidation. At the same time he
points out that economically vital farms will emerge as a result of
this. However, according to M. Spur, later this will also lead to
poverty growth, bringing about a rapid consolidation of land plots
in the hands of small groups. It was indicated that the differences
have already grown – the farms with land plots of 15-500 ha sell their
produce completely, those with 1.5-5 ha – 50% of their harvest, while
extremely vulnerable close farms – up to 20%. If in 1998 agricultural
lands of 268 ha were sold in Armenia, in 2003 this figure made 3,312
ha. Yet, as the research shows, although the number of land sales has
increased, over the last 6 years only 2% of the private agricultural
land plots was sold. According to M. Spur, in 2003, the poor made up
31.8% and the extreme poor – 24.4% of the population of the Armenian
cities. This index made 40.7% and 6.8% in rural areas. According to the
RA President’s Chief Advisor Vahram Narsisian, the analytical essay
was prepared on the initiative of the UNDP and contains proposals
that can be used for developing a land policy strategy in the future.

Turkish Daily News
March 27 2005

Nationalism gripping Turks ahead of EU talks
Sunday, March 27, 2005

‘Now, as the United States and the EU are openly critical of the
government for various reasons, it seems that the conservative and
military bureaucracy has found that it is prudent to help bring to
the fore the deep divisions in the country between the Euro and
AKP-skeptics and those in favor of full integration with the Western
world with or without the AKP government,’ says Cizre

ANKARA – Turkish Daily News

One can easily make a guess as to the content of a public argument
in Turkey if it starts with the words, “Turkey’s special
circumstances,” a phrase usually employed to explain that governments
should always be authorized to take extraordinary measures against
those who want to “undermine the country’s unity” or against others
who might want to reverse “80 years of secular rule.”

The last two weeks’ perspective — regarding the strong official
and popular reaction to incidents of disrespect to the Turkish flag
in Nevroz demonstrations, a re-visitation of the Armenian issue, a
re-emphasis on national commemorations and, in some cases, a revival
of those long forgotten combined with harsh criticism from the Land
Forces commander about the lack of an official policy on Iraq and his
warning of an increase in the number of militants from the outlawed
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) entering Turkish territory from Iraq
— raises questions about the timing and driving forces behind them
and also cause one to wonder about the motivations prompting the
nationalist-conservative community to display their sentiments at
this particular point in time.

Despite the 15-year-long terrorist war in predominantly
Kurdish-dominated southeastern Anatolia having virtually ended since
the 1999 capture Abdullah Öcalan, leader of the outlawed PKK, most
Turks are still receptive to the generals’ warnings against
separatism.

An escalating discourse of nationalist-conservative themes in the
country and remarks from generals bring to mind the question of
whether there is a power vacuum and whether the generals have been
using the “nationalism card” at such a time.

Also, the seeming convergence of the ruling Justice and Development
Party (AKP) on this nationalist wave raises the question as to what
has happened to its power-wielding appearance. Has it lost the
momentum it was maintaining with its reforms towards alignment with
the European Union, and is it this weakness, which is being exploited
by anti-EU and anti-AKP military and civilian forces, that has been
lying in wait for this moment?

Change in international support for AKP:

Political scientist Ãœmit Cizre told the Turkish Daily News that in
seeking an answer, one first needs to accept the sociological fact
that Islam-friendly politics in Turkey is, by its nature, not
disposed to absolutely transcending the militarism and nationalism
that pervade the country.

“On the contrary, while passing radical reforms, the AKP has always
come remarkably close, though not completely converging, with many
elements of the secular establishment in accusing the West of
supporting Turkey’s terrorists or harboring intentions of
dismembering the country or employing double standards on the issue
of Turkish entry into the EU,” Cizre said.

Cizre indicated that one answer is the changing international
support for the government’s policies. The AKP government did not
have to try hard to ingratiate itself with the West, and the United
States’ preferential backing of the AKP on the basis that it serves
as a geopolitical “Muslim democratic model” in the region also
undermined the military’s ability to challenge the government, she
added.

“But now, as the United States and the EU are openly critical of
the government for various reasons, it seems that the conservative
and military bureaucracy has found that it is prudent to help bring
to the fore the deep divisions in the country between the Euro and
AKP-skeptics and those in favor of full integration with the Western
world with or without the AKP government.”

Who guards the regime?:

Cizre emphasized that the military and its civilian empathizers
clearly have not renounced their role as the ultimate guardians of
the regime and that the greatest paradox for the military
establishment has been that an Islam-sensitive government has taken
over the military’s “vanguard” role. “After all, EU membership was
supposed to be the intended endpoint of the republic’s vision of
generating sufficient modernization to eliminate the Islamist threat.
This also explains why the party’s appropriation of the military’s
vanguard mission has produced moderation on the part of the high
command on the EU issue, despite initial resistance.”

Yet glancing at what the future could hold for government and
Turkish military relations, especially during the difficult process
of negotiations with the EU, Cizre doesn’t paint a pessimistic
picture. She believes there is a genuine trend towards a more
democratic civilian-military equilibrium.

The changes that have occurred have now gathered a momentum of
their own, in some regards autonomous from the will of the AKP. More
importantly, the seeds of doubt have been sown in the public mind
over whether the real motive behind the military leadership’s
resistance to further political liberalization and EU entry is its
radical doubt about the intentions of the AKP or its concern that
Brussels-imposed reforms would transfer political power to elected
civilians.

–Boundary_(ID_vLd46F00RRJLzCXhsWeX2Q)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CATHOLICOS ARAM I CALLS FOR DIALOGUE AND NATIONAL UNITY

ANTELIAS, LEBANON, MARCH 25, NOYAN TAPAN: On the occasion of Palm
Sunday, His Holiness Aram I, Armenian Catholicos of Cilicia, gave
a special speech to the believers gathered in the St. Gregory the
Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias on Sunday, March 20. During his
speech he spoke about the current political situation of Lebanon and
focused on the role expected from the Armenian Community. According
to the Press Office of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, His Holiness
said that Lebanon is currently facing difficult times, pointing out
that after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri,
popular protests and statements by politicians have left the people
worried and confused. “Lately, some people started to ask about
where the Armenian Community of Lebanon stands in this situation,”
His Holiness said, adding: “We are with Lebanon in the full and the
true understanding of the word. The Lebanese-Armenian Community is not
indifferent or neutral towards the events unfolding in Lebanon. It
has a clear view and a position that is based on its deep loyalty
and strong attachment to Lebanon and true love for it.” The Pontiff
assured that as a community comprising the vast Lebanese society,
the Armenians are with “Lebanon’s unity, integrity, sovereignty
and independence.” “We truly believe that Lebanon’s only road to
salvation is the unity of its people. Our community acted on and
defended this principle for thirty years.” The Catholicos added that
Armenians also support the harmonious cohabitation of the Christian
and Muslim communities. “Throughout Lebanon ‘s most difficult times
the Armenians of Lebanon tried to become a bridge between all sides
for the sake of preserving the cohabitation of the Lebanese society.
Now as well, this is the role of our community,” he said. His Holiness
emphasized that the Armenian community is with the preservation of
liberties and justice. Pointing out that Lebanon is a democratic
country and a country of freedom, Aram I highlighted the importance
of protecting these principles. He also said that the truth should be
revealed about the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri
and an investigation must be conducted by the United Nations. “We are
with the full and exact implementation of the Taef Accord. Let’s not
forget that the Arab World and the international community support
the accord, which was signed with the participation of representatives
from all the communities of Lebanon,” said His Holiness, emphasizing
the imperative of the quick and full implementation of the Taef
Accord. Aram I assured that the Armenians support the establishment
of good neighborly relations between Lebanon and Syria, based on
the principle of mutual recognition of each country’s independence,
integrity and sovereignty. His Holiness reminded that the Armenians
of Lebanon have with the national consensus concerning the Hezbollah;
and he praised the initiative of the Lebanese people to unite under
the Lebanese flag with the same expectations, principles and the same
vision for Lebanon’s future. Aram I also said that the time has come
for the issues raised by the people to be discusses around the table of
dialogue. “The Armenians of Lebanon are ready to actively participate
in all the initiatives that spring from the approaches and principles
we already stated. We are continuously consulting with the different
parties in order to bring the country out of its current stalemate,” He
said. He praised the patriotic approach of the leaders of the Armenian
Community and advised them to continue their full participation in
strengthening Lebanon’s internal unity, sovereignty and integrity.

BUSINESSMAN DEMANDS CALLING TO ACCOUNT OFFICIALS WHO GRPOUNDLESSLY
DEPRIVED HIM OF FREEDOM

YEREVAN, MARCH 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Hakob Tcharoyan, a businessman, accuses
the former prosecutor of Gegharkunik marz, member of the RA Council of
Justice Albert Margarian of corruption. H. Tcharoyan, whom the court
found guilty of an attempt to lay hold of the property of another
person by fraud, demands that a new investigation be conducted,
his property returned, and the guilty officials be prosecuted. At
the March 23 press conference H. Tcharoyan said that Margarian and
the investigators of the Gegharkunik prosecutor’s office Hovsep
Sargsian and Vardan Avetisian took a bribe from his former partner –
the community head of the village Tchotchkan (Lori marz) Varuzhan
Tamazian and opened a trumped-up criminal case against him, according
to which he alone (without Tamazian) made an attempt, by forgery, to
take the possession of a flour mill being sold at auction. According
to T. Tcharoyan, the investigator H. Sargsian demanded a bribe from
him as well, and upon Tchroyan’s refusal, he fabricated evidence
against him. Later H. Sargsian refused to investigate the case,
whereas the next investigator Vardan Avetisian also produced false
evidence. H. Tcharoyan considered the decision made by the court of the
first instance of Lori marz (chaired by Judge Vahan Hovhannisian) to be
the result of an order and an obviously ufounded one. Before getting
to the above mentioned court, the case was examined by the court of
the first instance of Gegharkunik marz. The first judge declined to
examine thre case, the second judge was challenged by the prosecution
(since, according to Tcharoyan, this judge realized the case was a
fabricated one), the third judge ruled the case should go to the court
of the first instance of Lori marz – allegedly, to prevent the regional
prosecutor’s office from putting pressure on the court. H. Tcharoyan
was sentenced to 4.5 years’ imprisonment and spent 3 years and 3 months
in prison. After much delay, the highest court left his court sentence
unchanged. Thus H. Tcharoyan has exhausted all means of achieving
justice in Armenia and intends to apply to the European Court of Human
Rights. The businessman stated that the charge of attempting to lay
hold of the valuable property of V. Tamazian by means of fraud and
abuse of confidence was an ungrounded and trumped-up one. According
to him, the point is that Tamazian and he came into conflict over
the property, and Tamazian decided to retain the mill by getting rid
of Tcharoyan. According to the RA Office of Prosecutor General, no
sufficient evidence has been obtained to open a criminal case based on
the bribe taking fact mentioned in H. Tcharoyan’s application. The
refusal to open a criminal case was motivated by the absence of a
crime – the investigators of the Gegharkunik prosecutor’s office
denied having demanded or taken a bribe, while V. Tamazian denied
that he had given one. H. Sharoyan refused to name the source that
had informed him about Tamazian’s bribing the prosecutors.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

False “Armenian genocide” to be marked in Poland

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
March 26 2005

Baku, March 25, AssA-Irada — A rally dedicated to the 90th anniversary
of the so-called “Armenian genocide” will be organized outside
the Turkish embassy in Warsaw on April 22, according to Armenian
sources. Similar protest actions will be held in Lublin and Krakow.

Polish and Armenian religious leaders are expected to meet in Poland
on April 10 on the occasion.

The Armenian government has allocated $300,000 to solemnly mark the
false “Armenian genocide”.*

YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS DEMAND TO CANCEL PHILIP KIRKOROV’S CONCERTS IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, NOYAN TAPAN. On the initiative of the ARF “Nikol
Aghbalian” student organization, ARF Armenian Youth Union and Armenian
youth unions, on March 24, nearly 30 youth and student organizations
sent a letter-complaint to the organizers of Philip Kirkorov’s concerts
in Armenia demanding to cancel them. The demand is motivated by the
following facts: Kirkorov has an obvious anti-Armenian, moreover,
pro-Turkish position and he publicly insulted and cursed an Armenian
journalist disdainfully stressing her origin. According to the
report of the youth unions, the initiators of the complaint consider
that the invitation of the singer “propagandizing Turkish music”
to Armenia is immoral, especially on the eve of the 90th anniversary
of Armenian Genocide, therefore, this is an inadmissible step. “The
national and human dignities are to stand higher than the material
profit expected from the concert,” the statement read. The youth and
student organizations declare that unless the concerts are cancelled
they reserve for themselves the right to take practical steps aimed
at failing the concerts.

SCOTISH “RENAISSANCE” AND ARMENIAN “HOVER” CHAMBER CHOIRS’ JOINT
CONCERT TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 25, NOYAN TAPAN. A joint concert of Edinburgh University
“Renaissance” and Armenian “Hover” (Cools) chamber choirs will be held
in Yerevan Komitas Chamber Music House on April 3. As Noyan Tapan was
informed from “Hover” chamber chorus, works by Komitas, Marentsio,
Ligetti and other composers will be performed at the concert.

LEVON MKRTCHIAN: “WHAT HAPPENS IN KYRGHYZSTAN IS FAR FROM BEING
QUALIFIED AS REVOLUTION”

YEREVAN, MARCH 25, NOYAN TAPAN. “The situation that is present in
Kyrghyzstan, doesn’t at all look like the situation that was in the
Ukraine, and all the more as in our region,” stated Levon Mkrtchian,
the head of the NA “ARF” faction at the March 25 briefing. According
to him, possible comparisons of the situations after the elections
of Kyrghyzstan and particularly, of Armenia, search of similarities,
are inappropriate. “What took place in Kyrghyzstan, considers quite
other logical developments, and almost all the important countries of
the world have great anxiety concerning development of uncontrolled
actions in Kyrghyzstan,” MP mentioned. According to Levon Mkrtchian,
“what happens in Kyrghuzstan today, is far from being qualified as a
revolution: since yesterday a robbery has started, in the conditions
of absolute anarchy.”

VIKTOR DALLAKIAN: ARMENIA’S RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA BECAME VASSAL

YEREVAN, MARCH 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The relations with Russia are important
but as a result of the policy carried on by the Armenian government
they have turned into “vassal relations.” Viktor Dallakian, Secretary
of NA Ardarutiun (Justice) faction, expressed such an opinion at
the March 25 parliamentary briefing. The MP mentioned that first
of all he means the “Property for Debt” transaction, according to
which the Russian side was obliged to make investments amounting to
more than $107m, which wasn’t done and the enterprises transferred
to the Russian side aren’t working. According to Dallakian, Russia
also plays a negative part in connection with the Iran-Armenia gas
pipeline. According to him, if Armenia was given a possibility of
becoming a transit territory the sums received from this could exceed
the country’s budget twice. But Armenia doesn’t manage this because
of the Russian pressure, which also binds to use the Iranian gas in
Armenia exceptionally for the purpose of producing electricity. The
projects of Russia-Azerbaijan-Iran railway, as well as the project
of foundation of a common electric system with these countries show
that Armenia is again left out of the regional development programs,
Dallakian mentioned. The speaker also expressed anxiety about the
circumstance that the delegations representing Russia in different
international organizations don’t support the Armenian delegations in
connection with the Nagorno Karabakh issue. Viktor Dallakian assured
that the events dedicated to the Year of Russia in Armenia are called
up to keep the balance as events dedicated to the Year of Azerbaijan
are simultaneously being held in Russia.

Kyrgyzstan to send troops to Tajik-hosted CIS military exercises

ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow
26 Mar 05

Dushanbe, 26 March: The Kyrgyz side has confirmed that it will
participate in the large-scale Rubezh-2005 military and staff exercises
of the Collective Security Treaty Organization [CSTO; members are
Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Russia],
which will be held from 29 March to 6 April, the head of the Tajik
Defence Ministry international department, Maj-Gen Maruf Hasanov,
told an ITAR-TASS correspondent today.

He said an agreement had been reached with the Kyrgyz military
leadership that both stages of the drills – command and staff training
and the military stage would be held at the southern Tajik firing
range of Eshak Maydon.

Training drills are currently under way at the firing range, with
subunits of the Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik and Russian armed forces
taking part. The Kyrgyz side is represented by 30 servicemen and two
helicopter crews.

The Tajik general stressed that the main goal of the drills was to work
out the collaboration of and raise the preparedness of the CSTO member
states to counteract international terrorism and other challenges.

The manoeuvres will also involve military sub-units, air squadrons,
armoured vehicles and a total of more than 1,000 servicemen.

Tajik Defence Minister Col-Gen Sherali Khayrulloyev has been entrusted
with commanding the exercises.