ELECTRICITY SUPPLY TO 19 VILLAGES OF ARMENIAN REGION OF VAYOTS DZOR RESTORED

YEREVAN, MARCH 23. ARMINFO. Electricity supply to 19 villages of
Vayots Dzor region cut due to heavy snowfall has been restored. The
press-service of the Armenian Governmental Emergency Situations
Department informs ARMINFO.

According to the source, in 7 villages restoration works are in
process, a total of 26 villages suffered electricity cut. Besides,
electricity supply to the villages of Narek and Kaghtsrashen, Ararat
region, has been restored. However, the telephone communication in
these villages has not been restored yet.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT ADOPTS BILL ON AMENDMENTS TO RA LAW ON EXPORT AND
IMPORT OF CULTURAL VALUES

YEREVAN, MARCH 23. ARMINFO. The Armenian Parliament adopted today
a bill on amendments to the RA Law on export and import of cultural
values in the first reading.

MP Hranuysh Hakobyan says that the bill proposes establishment of a
government body which will determine the list of the authors who died
during the last 50 years. Their works can be exported from the country
only in case of a state certificate for export. Head of the United
Labor Party Gurgen Arsenyan stated that the bill did not proceed
from the interests of our culture and that artists themselves were
against it.

To note, the law approved by the parliament in late 2004 was not as
tough as the former law. It reduces the state duties for the export
of cultural values and simplifies the procedure of their temporary
export-import. Also simplified is the uncertified export of pictures
and works of art if they are no more than 50 years old except for
the works by dead authors included in the government’s list. The bill
mentions the works that are not subject even to temporary exportation.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

India denies its companies operate in occupied region

AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
March 24 2005

India has stated its official position on the press reports saying
that Indian companies are engaged in business activity in the Kalbajar
District of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia.

“No Indian company officially registered in the country is operating
in Kalbajar”, the Indian embassy in Baku said in a recent statement.
Early in February, the Indian government asked Azerbaijan to give it
time to clarify the matter and started investigating it.

The Messenger, Georgia
March 24 2005

Georgia launches new ferry service to Russia
But questions remain over what will become of Abkhaz rail link

By M. Alkhazashvili

Poti Port (above) launched a new ferry
to Russia on Wednesday; Russia and
others still hope that a larger transit
link can be renewed via Abkhazia

The opening of the Georgian-Russian ferry between the ports of Poti
and Kavkaz on Wednesday, March 23, represents a new building block in
cooperation between the two countries’ transportation systems but is
overshadowed by the lack of certainty on reopening the Abkhaz rail
route.

The ferry crossing, which had been agreed to in January by the
Minister of Economic Development Aleksi Aleksishivli and the Russian
Minister of Transportation Igor Levitin, will operate every three
days according to its preliminary schedule.

The roll-on-roll-off (RO-RO) ferry is the fourth ferry route
operating out of Georgia – others go to Bulgaria, Romania, and
Ukraine – and will be able to carry 24 railway freight cars on each
trip.

While significant, railway officials say it cannot make up for the
loss of the Abkhaz section of the railway line in terms of shipping
goods in and out of Georgia. Restoration of the rail line is one of
the main issues upon which Abkhaz de facto president Sergei Baghapsh
has staked relations with Tbilisi. “Georgiaa-Abkhaz negotiations
should be started first with the operation of the railway,” he said
last week after returning from meetings in Moscow.

While Georgia is not against the reopening of the rail link –
shipping officials in fact are eager for it – the country is
unwilling to accept an unfavorable agreement as to how this should
happen. An agreement regarding the operation of the railway via
Abkhazia was signed during a Shevardnadze-Putin meeting held in Sochi
in 2002. At the time the Georgian government laid out its stance that
the reopening of the railway is conditionally tied to the secure and
protected return of Georgian refugees to Abkhazia, first of all to
Gali. In addition, Tbilisi demanded that former railway workers be
given their jobs back. While talks have proceeded over the
restoration of the railway and Russian officials have helped open a
line connecting Abkhazia with Russia, Tbilisi has been frustrated in
its efforts to return IDPs to the region.

Armenia is also interested in the restoration of the railway via
Abkhazia, seeing it as a desperately needed outlet to the Russian and
European economies. During meetings with Georgian counterparts over
recent months, the Armenian side has continually raised the issue of
the restoration of the railway. Their argument is simple: blockades
with both Azerbaijan and Turkey have reduced its ability to trade
beyond Georgia and Iran to a trickle.

The question facing Georgia, however, is whether the restored railway
will help settle the conflict and speed the restoration of its
territorial integrity. Many in the government fear that without
proper controls, the operation of the railway will economically
strengthen only separatist Abkhazia and have few benefits for
Tbilisi.

Another concern is that a working Abkhaz railway would only increase
Russia’s influence on the separatist regime. The demographic ‘vacuum’
created by exiling Georgians from Abkhazia could be filled by Russian
workers; in addition Tbilisi would resist legitimizing Russian
tourist and business activities in the region if there are no
mechanisms for Georgians to do the same. While increasing Russian
influence in the region is an understandable fear, increasing Abkhaz
economic condition would only improve negotiations as the region is
destitute.

Questions that remain are where to establish custom check points and
border controls; Tbilisi has constantly refused to establish custom
checkpoints inside its own territory on borders with separatists
states. In addition, funds must be allocated to rebuild and operate
the railway which is missing several bridges and entire lengths of
track in some places.

Disagreements over the Abkhaz railway was a catalyst of the region’s
war; it would now be ideal, though difficult, if its restoration were
a building block in ending the conflict.

Moonshine, My Fight and Croatia
By SELCUK GULTASLI

Zaman, Turkey
March 24 2005

Thanks to the Internet search engines, when you wake up in the
morning, you can find almost all news that include the word Turkey on
websites that day. You can take a look at all the news written about
Turkey from all over world, on wide-ranging scale, from the Anzac Bay
disputes in Australia to Turks who opened a bakery for tsunami
victims in Indonesia, that does not have the tradition of eating
bread at all.

The point I have always been curious about for a long time, when I
start my day, is how Turkey is mentioned that day around the world.
The hit news during last year’s spring season was the ruling Justice
and Development Party’s (AKP’s) political move over Cyprus, that
“shook Europe.” During the dates when the progress report was
released, “the Turkish government’s bold reform initiative” was
pretty popular. It was written and talked about on the eve of the
summit that the EU could not trigger such a successful transformation
in any other candidate country as it did in Turkey. Except a for a
few exceptions, the most noteworthy being the adultery debate, it is
possible to argue that Turkey was positively reflected in European
public opinion.

For a while now, this line has broken alarmingly. Those who died
after drinking moonshine have made banner headlines all over the
world, in news relating to Turkey, over the past month. Besides news
on the Internet, pictures of the women who were beaten on March 6
repeatedly were beamed across European TV screens, and this issue
also dominated some very tough debates. While the March 6 incident
seemed to have subsided, it is now being written everywhere that
Hitler’s book, “Mein Kampf” (My Fight), is the bestseller in Turkey.
In a year that coincided with the 60th anniversary of the liberation
of Auschwitz, it is being emphasized that “My Fight” is on the
bestseller list in a country, that is to start negotiations with the
EU on October 3.

I have to dwell on two more of these stories: One was a story which
was reflected in the European media as “Turks have begun an ethnic
cleansing of animal names,” and it was about changing names like fox,
deer, sheep, which are Kurdish and Armenian words into Latin forms.
The other was that of a Turkish man, who dressed as his dead mother
for years, to collect her pension.

But the most alarming things are that efforts in reinforcing Turkey’s
sick man image, which have begun to spread all over Europe, and the
government showing signs of exhaustion, occurred at the same time.
The government slowing down and the negatives emerging one after the
other overlap each other, and therefore help circles which oppose the
start of negotiations on October 3.

It is beneficial to evaluate the postponement of membership
negotiations with Croatia within this context. Saying, “Croatia does
not have any relevance to us” is once again not reading the issue
correctly. Turkey should impose the Croatia decision upon itself,
perhaps, even more than Zagreb does. Having been shielded with the
authority to stop negotiations at any moment through its good works
October 6 progress report and the December 17 EU Summit decisions,
the EU now has been strengthened and has become more powerful on the
Turkey front by the postponement of Croatia’s accession talks.

March 21, 2005
Brussels

Putin to arrive in Armenia on two-day visit

RosBusinessConsulting, Russia
March 24 2005

RBC, 24.03.2005, Moscow 10:51:08.President of Russia Vladimir
Putin will start today on his two-day working visit to Armenia.
During his stay in Yerevan, the President is to hold negotiations
with President of Armenia Robert Kocharian and lay a wreath to the
Tsitsernakaberd Memorial, commemorating victims of the Armenian
genocide. Presidents of the two countries are expected to attend
meetings of Russian and Armenian high-ranking officials. During his
visit, Putin will also take part in the opening ceremony of the Year
of the Russian Federation in Armenia.

The program of the Year of Russia in Armenia envisages around
120 joint political, economic, humanitarian, scientific, and
inter-regional events. Furthermore, the parties propose to arrange
industrial fairs and exhibitions, intensify economic information
exchange, and hold scientific conferences devoted to various issues
of bilateral and regional economic cooperation. The year 2006 will
consequently be announced the Year of Armenia in Russia.

Los Angeles Times
March 24, 2005

SPRING GARDENS ISSUE

What’s for dinner? Look out back

More people are growing edible plants, and they aren’t necessarily
garden-variety. Among the food choices: eggplant, sweet cucumber and even a
sugar substitute

By Tony Kienitz, Special to The Times

Throw on your grubby clothes, folks: The warm season is just offstage and
out in the kitchen garden, the cool weather crops are setting seed and the
compost pile is raring to go. Once again, it’s the season for planting
tomatoes, beans, papalo, sunflowers and good old corn.

Hold on. Papalo?

Papalo is a Bolivian herb that tastes distinctly like cilantro. If you’ve
grown cilantro, you know that it goes to seed as soon as the temperature
reaches 80 degrees. Hence, cilantro is short-lived here. By planting papalo
in the spring instead, you can toss together homemade chilaquiles and
garnish them with homegrown spice in the dead of August.

Well into my second decade of following the gardening maxim, “something old,
something new,” I’m wholly devoted to unearthing fresh things to grow. I’m a
gardener first and a farmer not at all, so I can play with my food. My list
of indispensable plants expands every season. And apparently, I’m not alone.

“People, I think, since 9/11, are starting to use their yards like they did
100 years ago,” says Jimmy Williams, owner of Hayground Organic Nursery.
“The interest in homegrown, edible gardening has quadrupled in just the last
year. I see young people, young teenagers, growing unusual tomatoes these
days. And I got a lady growing rat tail radish, which has a beautiful
flower. Not many ornamentals are prettier than that. We’ve got people trying
all kinds of different things. I’ve got a new, rare kohlrabi from Sweden.
Grows to 10, 20 pounds.”

Creamy-white Casper eggplants actually look like eggs. But if it’s truly
exotic eggplants you’re hankering for, such as the 6-foot-tall,
head-thumping, African Tree eggplant, talk to Williams at the Hollywood
Farmers Market on Sundays.

In the “something old, something new” philosophy, “old” might refer to the
Armenian cucumbers you’ll raise again this year. Great choice. But why not
try pepino dulce? Pepino dulce (meaning “sweet cucumber”) has a flesh that
reminds the taste buds of cantaloupe and cucumber, and an amber skin
squiggled with violet-purple graffiti. The fruit, close in size to a Roma
tomato, is a classy addition to both your garden and your plate. What’s
more, pepino dulce is vastly easier to grow in this town than thirsty cukes
are.

The amaranth you let go to seed seven or eight years ago will, as it always
does, poke up in the garden wherever it sees fit to. If it’s thoroughly out
of place, pluck it up and add it to the manicotti. Otherwise, let the
“keepers” grace your land with their gaudy summer plumes of burgundy and
gold, picking a few leaves, as needed.

Quinoa, like amaranth, is a South American grain crop possessing leaves you
can cook as a potherb. Planted from seeds available straight from the bulk
bins at Whole Foods, it requires semi-arid conditions for growing, which is
exactly what we’ve got. Quinoa is a goofy-looking plant and it gets fairly
tall, so inter-plant it with something traditional, perhaps Russian
sunflowers (whose young leaves you can cook up too).

Stevia, a non-caloric sugar substitute, embroiled in an ongoing debate as to
whether it is 200 times or 300 times sweeter than sugar, is a must-have
herb. Experts do agree that stevia grows quite nicely here (nicely enough to
be sold at hardware stores) and that it’s wicked cool to use a sprinkling of
stevia leaves in your homegrown, herbal iced teas. For example, this spring
pinches of new growth from your Camellia sinensis (a petite, white flowered
camellia) can be steamed and dried, then steeped with stevia for a delicious
pot of white tea. Your summertime choice might be the Long Life Tea, brewed
from the leaves of gotu-kola, a shade-tolerant groundcover. According to
“Cornucopia II, a Source Book of Edible Plants,” gotu-kola tea “was
regularly consumed by Professor Li Chung Yon, who reputedly lived 265 years
and married 24 times.” Who wouldn’t want some of that? Sweetened with
stevia, no less?

Jerusalem artichokes, commonly dug up and eaten by the Founding Fathers, are
often overlooked today. They’re not from Jerusalem and they’re not
artichokes, so, in a way, it’s fitting that they should be described as
“nutty.” The tasty rhizomes can be eaten raw, steamed or baked. Again,
starter roots can simply be bought from an organic market. They’re invasive,
so plant them in a big pot and thrill at the extra bonus Jerusalem
artichokes provide: flowers ~W jillions of little sunflowers. These plants
can tolerate light shade so they can also be used to brighten an otherwise
dappled corner of your world.

And, naturally, you’ll want tomatoes in your garden. To not plant tomatoes
in the kitchen garden is a scandalous act, an embarrassment to the
neighborhood. I’ll plant my old stand-by, Mr. Stripey, because I have grown
the lightning-struck fruit every year since discovering it at an heirloom
tomato sale. But there are new ones to try, ‘Black From Tula’ could be this
year’s choice if you are keen on the complex, smoky flavors of black
tomatoes. You’ll find all the tomatoes you need at Tomatomania, a weekend
festival at three different Southern California locations in April (see
above) but these days most nurseries carry a healthy selection of heirloom
and hybrid varieties. It’s almost too easy to find tomatoes in newfangled
shapes, sizes and hues.

David Diaz, whose nursery, Bountiful Gardens, sells heirloom tomatoes as
well as a whole slew of other hard-to-find flowering plants, believes that
“people are looking for the old flavors, the tastes they remember from when
they were kids. So, customers are planting what they can’t find in the
supermarket. It makes them happy.”

Maybe it’s just that. Maybe we experiment with dishes from other cultures,
plants from faraway lands, fruits from times long ago, because to do so
makes us happy. Is there any other reason necessary?

AzerNews
24/03/2005 11:41

Radical group calls on public to get ready for war

The Garabagh Liberation Organization (GLO) has called on the public
to get ready for war. This follows frequent ceasefire violations by
Armenia over the last month, which resulted in killing and wounding a
number of Azerbaijani soldiers. Although international organizations
have been informed of frequent ceasefire breaches by Armenia of late
and this country’s failure to return three Azerbaijani soldiers,
who accidentally passed to the Armenian side of the frontline on
February 15, they have not adequately responded to these facts,
the GLO said in a statement.

“These actions confirm that Armenia is unwilling to settle the Upper
Garabagh conflict peacefully and give up its policy of aggression. The
GLO believes that the future activity of international organizations
will yield no results either.”

Support

54.4% of young Azerbaijanis support settling the Upper Garabagh conflict
through military action, says a public opinion poll conducted by the local
National Youth Organizations Council.

Only 30.2% of respondents said they support resolving the conflict
peacefully, while 1.8% – using the pressure of international
organizations. 4.8% of the participants said they do not believe
in the conflict resolution, while 2.6% had difficulty answering the
question, and 6.2% made other proposals.

The poll was conducted among 1,500 people aged between 16 and 35. 500
respondents participated in the first stage of the poll covering
Baku. The poll showed that young people are mainly concerned with
the problems relating to education, unemployment, and financial
constraints.

The next stage of the poll will be held in Azerbaijani regions in April.

‘War possible’

President Ilham Aliyev said that a possibility exists for the launch
of war between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“The start of war is possible any time, as we have no peace agreement”,
Aliyev told journalists on Monday. The frequent ceasefire violations
do not meet Azerbaijan’s interests, he said.

Aliyev said that if the international community does not take steps
against Armenia to settle the Upper Garabagh conflict, Azerbaijan will
have to do so on its own, as there would be no other alternative. He
also stressed the importance of strengthening the country’s army and
economy for influencing Armenia.

Concern

The US ambassador to Azerbaijan Reno Harnish has expressed concerns
over the frequent ceasefire breaches.

“Washington is perturbed over the frequent ceasefire violations on
the Armenia-Azerbaijan frontline”, Harnish said. The conflict is not
frozen and major efforts should be made to settle it, he said.

The frequent ceasefire violations necessitate new approaches to the
conflict resolution, Harnish said. He emphasized the importance of
preventing such instances, highly assessing the activity of the OSCE
chairman’s special envoy Anzhei Kaspshik.

By Nazira Khankishiyeva
& Rashad Jafarov
Azernews Contributors

Local heroes honored for bravery
By Marshall Allen , Staff Writer

Pasadena Star-News, CA
March 24 2005

PASADENA — After a man went on a rampage and assaulted residents and
police officers, some witnesses declined to testify at his trial.
But not Eric Walker. The 30- year-old Monrovia man took the stand
three times once during a preliminary hearing and twice during the
trial under intense cross examination. His testimony led to the
conviction of Lewis Divens, 40, of Palmdale.

His testimony also resulted in a Courageous Citizens Award, presented
Wednesday by the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office.

“I didn’t do it because of an award, but for moral responsibility,’
Walker said of his testimony.

District Attorney Steve Cooley was present for the ceremony recognizing
six people whose heroic actions saved others from harm and led to
convictions of criminals. The event took place during the meeting of
the Rotary Club of Pasadena at the Hilton Hotel.

“Their courage and willingness to stand up for what’s right is an
example for us all,’ Cooley said.

Walker witnessed Divens’ rampage and almost became a victim on March
12, 2004. Deputy District Attorney Tal Kahana presented Walker with
his award and told the story of his bravery.

Walker, who has physical and developmental disabilities, was walking
to the video store when he saw a black pickup truck waiting at a stop
sign. For no apparent reason, a man later identified as Divens ran
to the truck and began punching its driver through an open window,
Kahana said.

Then Divens picked up a bicycle from the bed of the truck and threw
it through the back window, she said.

The pickup sped away and Walker, terrified, ran to the store, Kahana
said. Later, he left the store, unaware that the violent rampage was
continuing, she said.

As Walker passed a tire store he saw Divens assaulting an employee.
This time, Divens saw Walker and pursued him to his home, where Walker
called the police. Divens was eventually subdued after assaulting
officers, Kahana said.

At the trial, many witnesses refused to testify against the assailant,
Kahana said. But Walker testified at the preliminary hearing, and
twice at the trial. One time he was subjected to cross examination
by the suspect, who was representing himself, and another time by an
aggressive defense attorney, Kahana said.

“Others were intimidated and refused to come forward, but Eric,
you came forward,’ Kahana said.

After the awards presentation, Walker said he was not afraid to
testify against Divens, who was sentenced to six years in prison.

Other award recipients included Gilbert Bonus, 27, and Matthew Lennig,
20, both of Temple City; Domingo Najera, 21, of Pasadena and Jason
Tran, 19, of Monrovia. The four were employees of a Pasadena Best
Buy store who thwarted a would-be carjacker on May 11.

The suspect in the case, Larry Joe Bailey, 31, of Moreno Valley, tried
to carjack a vehicle as Tran was loading it with a TV, said Deputy
District Attorney Kathleen Gentry. The car belonged to three women,
including one elderly woman who was in the front passenger seat when
Bailey climbed into the driver’s seat, Gentry said.

The Best Buy employees pulled Bailey from the car and subdued him,
even as he struggled violently to escape, Gentry said. “You not only
saved and protected your customers, but you put yourself in harm’s
way,’ Gentry said to the men.

The final award was given posthumously to Raul Aguirre Jr., a
17-year-old senior at Hoover High School in Glendale, who was killed
by gang members on May 5, 2000. Aguirre, who was not a gang member,
intervened when Armenian gang members attacked a Latino gang member.
Because of Aguirre, the gang member survived the attack. The assailants
were convicted for the crime, prosecutors said.

ARMENIAN NGONEWS IN BRIEF

Volume 2, No. 52
January-February, 2005

*** EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO LIVE

*** DICTIONARY OF ARMENIAN SIGN LANGUAGE PUBLISHED

*** VETERINARY ASSISTANCE TO VILLAGE COMMUNITIES

*** NGOS MONITOR ANTI-CORRUPTION STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION

*** CIVIL SOCIETY INITIATIVES IN ROA MARZES

*** ARMENIA DEVELOPMENT GATEWAY PORTAL: IMPLEMENTATION PHASE YEAR II

*** WEBSITE OF THE ROA ECONOMIC COURT WAS CREATED

*** GYUMRI YOUTH ISSUES UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT

*** EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO LIVE

On January 27, 2005, the Association of Investigative Journalists NGO
addressed the issue of street people. Photographs taken by their
photojournalist and the Nameless Tombs documentary were presented, showing
the everyday life of street people. Yerkir-Media TV Company and Association
of Investigative Journalists NGO produced the documentary. The goal was to
draw the attention of the Government, international structures and the
public-at-large to the problems faced by street people and beggars and seek
support (food and shelter) for them. Results included: financial assistance
from the USA, material assistance from Yerevan, and medical assistance,
which will be provided to all of the street people in Yerevan, by three
physicians from the USA. The action contributed to the ROA Government’s
reviewing the draft Law on Social Support. The Law will take force in 2006.
However, as stated by the Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Issues,
providing street people with shelter may be realized now in case of relevant
financial assistance.

Contact: Edik Baghdasaryan
Association of Investigative Journalists NGO
2 Mashtots Ave., #40
Tel.: 56-31-49
E-mail: [email protected]

*** DICTIONARY OF ARMENIAN SIGN LANGUAGE PUBLISHED

This dictionary has been developed through the efforts of the Kamk and Korov
NGO of Young Disabled, with funding support received from OXFAM. The
dictionary will play an important role in improving the quality of education
for those with hearing impairments. Better application of signs will
contribute to the beneficiaries’ easier integration into and communication
with society. It will also help educate the public-at-large on these
opportunities. Young people with hearing impairments translators for the
deaf and dumb, and pedagogues of the deaf and dumb participated in the
development of the dictionary. The dictionary is also a training handbook,
certified by the National Institute of Education of the ROA Ministry of
Education and Science. The dictionary is intended for professors and
students of the Defectology Department of the Armenian State Pedagogical
University, those employees of special and secondary schools, who interact
with children with hearing impairments, their parents and the
public-at-large. The Dictionary of Armenian Gesture Language contains 1,118
signs, classified by topics. The signs are presented by photographs and word
explanations.

Contact: Mary Pahutyan
Kamk and Korov NGO Of Young Disabled
69 Y. Koghbatsi St.
Tel.: (374-1) 53-85-41, 53-85-23
E-mail: [email protected]

*** VETERINARY ASSISTANCE TO VILLAGE COMMUNITIES

On January 31, the Strategic Development Agency NGO presented the findings
of its recently completed Basic Veterinary Services Model project. The
program goal was to assist farmers of Syunik’s Noravan village community in
contributing to the food safety and development of the livestock sector. A
local veterinary service center was supplied with the necessary equipment,
medicines and a veterinarian.. The center carries out mandatory and ad hoc
preventive and medical activities. A revolving drug fund was created
enabling the farmers to utilize services of the veterinarian, free of
charge. Instead of the planned 30% community participation, 66% involvement
was registered. The project results are apparent: improved sanitary and
hygiene conditions of cattle-sheds, possible prevention of parasitical
diseases (particularly those transferred from animals to people), and more.
Based on the gaps revealed during one year of the project implementation and
specific needs of the village community, the NGO plans to apply its
successful experience in other communities of the republic as well,
replenishing the project with a number of new components. The project was
financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

Contact: Karina Harutiunyan
Strategic Development Agency NGO
29 Khanjyan St., #8
Tel.: (374-1) 54-09-96
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

*** NGOS MONITOR ANTI-CORRUPTION STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION

On February 16 and 18, the second sessions of the Protection of Economic
Competition (preventing anti-monopoly and conflict of interest) and the
Healthcare working groups of the ROA Commission on Anti-Corruption Strategy
Monitoring were held. The first working group unites 17 NGOs and the second
27. Representatives of interested departments and the ROA Ministry of Health
participated in the sessions. Draft laws on the Protection of Economic
Competition and Healthcare were presented and plans of the NGO working
groups for the first half-year of 2005 were discussed. Activities of the
working groups include: implementing anti-corruption strategy and monitoring
implementation of departmental anti-corruption projects; studying the
experiences of international organizations in anti-corruption efforts,
developing suggestions to improve the mechanisms used, conducting expert
review of legislative drafts, suggesting amendments and submitting those to
the Commission on Anti-Corruption Strategy Monitoring.

Contact: Abgar Yeghoyan: Commission member; Coordinator of the Protection of
Economic Competition working group
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

Greta Mirzoyan: Commission member; Coordinator of Healthcare working group
E-mail: [email protected]

Marianna Stepanyan: Commission exptert
E-mail: [email protected]

*** CIVIL SOCIETY INITIATIVES IN ROA MARZES

To raise the level of civic activism of the populations in Shirak and Syunik
marzes, the A. D. Sakharov Human Rights Protection Center NGO is
implementing the Civil Society Initiatives project, within the framework of
which Civil Society School #2 is operating. It will function as an
educational, consulting and resource center, increasing the professionalism
of representatives of NGOs, mass media, local self-government and regional
government bodies in Gyumri and Goris. The school will work towards creating
a cooperation network of NGOs and other players of the civil society. Within
the framework of the project, an institute of experts will be formed, which
will reveal and analyze problems in Armenia and specific marzes. Situation
reports and analyses on Shirak and Syunik marzes, as well as methodic
handbooks on organizing training of NGOs will be published.

Contact: Seyran Martirossyan
Sakharov Human Rights Protection Center NGO
1 Sarmen St.
Tel.: (374-1) 58-78-64, 54-29-36
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

*** ARMENIA DEVELOPMENT GATEWAY PORTAL: IMPLEMENTATION PHASE YEAR II

The Electronic Armenia Foundation NGO (EAF: www.e?armenia.am) is launching
the Implementation Phase II of the Armenia Development Gateway Project
(AmDG: ). The major priorities for the first six months of the
project implementation are: AmDG portal content (Community Gateways,
Knowledge Center, etc.) and functional development, and e-Development
initiatives, including DG market: localization (Armenian)
and the BIT@E newsletter development (Russian/English). The project goal is
to make the portal an effective information resource to contribute to
e?Development issues and present Armenia’s potential in using ICT tools.
During project implementation, the AmDG team will again connect with its
previous partnership network of project stakeholders, including Community
representatives presented on the portal (State, Civil Society,
International, Business, High-Tech and Diaspora). The project team is open
to cooperate with all interested counterparts to enlarge the network and
provide its target audiences with a comprehensive view on development
opportunities in Armenia.

Contact: Vahand Danielan
Electronic Armenia Foundation NGO
Tel: (374-1) 57-02-60
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

*** WEBSITE OF THE ROA ECONOMIC COURT WAS CREATED

The web-based information center of the Economic Court of Armenia
was created by the Armenian Public Relations
Association and Youth for Achievements NGOs with the assistance of the EU
European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights. The goal of the website
is to ensure accessibility of information on management and activities of
the judiciary system, particularly of the Economic Court, and enhance the
efficiency and quality of the information exchange between society and the
Economic Court. The authors of the project hope that this initiative will
contribute to increasing public awareness on court functions and raising the
legal awareness of the public.

Contact: Anush Begloyan
Armenian Public Relations Association NGO
7 Khorenatsi St.
Tel.: (374-1) 53-79-55
E-mail: [email protected]

*** GYUMRI YOUTH ISSUES UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT

In response to the lack of information available for Gyumri’s youth, the
Youth for Peace and Development NGO now publishes the Youth Initiative
bi-monthly electronic newsletter. It presents information on events taking
place in universities, other educational institutions, cultural structures,
NGOs and other spheres. Student journalists collect materials for the
newsletter. The newsletter also contains creations by gifted young people of
Gyumri. The publication is disseminated to young people throughout the
republic. To subscribe to the newsletter send your e-mail address to
[email protected].

It is worth noting that the Youth for Peace and Development NGO has
established a permanent commission to deal with youth issues and functions
by the Gyumri Avagani (local self-governing body.) Representatives of six
interested NGOs, members of Gyumri Avagani and state officials are
commission members. It is their responsibility to ensure the civic
participation of young people in decision making processes and that the
interests of various vulnerable groups of youth are represented in local
self-governing bodies. The two most urgent problems being addressed by the
commission today are youth employment and providing leisure activities for
youth.

Contact: Hovhanness Bayburtyan
Youth For Peace and Development NGO
Gyumri, 4 Gayi St., #4
Tel.: (374-41) 2-38-34
E-mail: [email protected]

__________________________________________________________________________

Armenian NGO News in Brief is a publication of the NGO Training and Resource
Center (NGOC) issued in the Armenian, English and Russian languages for
electronic dissemination inside and outside Armenia. Primary funding for
the NGOC, which is a project of the Armenian Assembly of America, is
provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Individual NGOs are welcome to submit information for publication to the
NGOC. The NGO Center is not responsible for the clarity of information
provided by individual NGOs.

Dear Readers,

The not-for-profit, non-governmental sector of Armenia is rich with diverse
civic initiatives and activities. This electronic publication, though far
from covering all activities of the sector per any given period of time, is
intended to contribute to raising awareness, both inside and outside
Armenia, of the activities of Armenian not-for-profit, non-governmental
organizations.

Your comments and feedback about this electronic publication are greatly
appreciated.

Thank you.
NGOC staff.

Contact Information:

In Armenia:
Armenian Assembly of America
NGO Training and Resource Center
39 Yeznik Koghbatsi St., Yerevan 375010
Tel.: (3-741) 54-40-12; 54-40-13; 53-92-04
Fax: (3-741) 54-40-15
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

In the United States:
Armenian Assembly of America
NGO Training and Resource Center
122 C Street NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001 USA
Tel: (202) 393-3434
Fax: (202) 638-4904
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress