Armenian opposition leader slams anti-corruption campaign

Arminfo
8 Feb 05

Yerevan, 8 February: The fight against corruption in Armenia today
is nothing but “fiction and lies”, Ruben Torosyan, the leader of the
Human Rights – Democracy Party and of the Supreme Council club of MPs,
told a news conference today.

He lambasted both the anti-corruption council led by the Armenian
prime minister [Andranik Markaryan] and the commission to monitor the
implementation of the strategic programme to fight corruption headed
by presidential advisor Bagrat Yesayan. The monitoring commission
announced the creation of 12 working groups comprising representatives
of 120 public organizations in various spheres, Torosyan said. It
is still unclear which organizations or groups they are talking
about. “I, myself, found out from Aravot newspaper that I am a member
of a working group dealing with the judicial system,” Torosyan said.

He also noted that the recent annual report on the activities of the
commission in 2004 is an outright “lie”. The commission itself has no
basic understanding of the situation with corruption in the country. As
to the data revealed by Yesayan at a news conference concerning some
tax officers who were allegedly fired for corruption, nobody knows
anything about that and it has not been confirmed anywhere, Torosyan
said. He noted that the strategic programme makes no reference either
to the ruling “elite” or to numerous employees at foreign diplomatic
missions “who are partaking in corruption in Armenia with pleasure”.
Let alone the most obvious signs of political corruption as election
fraud and the establishment of a political coalition which was
established in violation of all constitutional norms and is in
itself an act of corruption, Torosyan said. The way out, he says,
is to hammer out a new strategic programme to comba t corruption and
set up a socio-political anti-corruption council.

Armenian foreign minister meets OSCE Karabakh mediators

Arminfo
8 Feb 05

Yerevan, 8 February: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan, the Russian
co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, Yuriy Merzlyakov, the French co-chairman,
Bernard Fassier, as well as (?Elizabeth Rudy), the assistant of US Co-Chairman
Steven Mann, discussed a number of organizational issues today.

The co-chairmen, who accompanied the OSCE factfinding mission in Nagornyy
Karabakh, arrived in Yerevan from Stepanakert [Xankandi] yesterday, the public
relations department of the Armenian Foreign Ministry told Arminfo news agency.
The meeting, in particular, discussed prospects for the holding of a meeting
between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Prague format.

Vardan Oskanyan said he was ready to take the first opportunity available to
meet again his Azerbaijani counterpart, the report said.
From: Baghdasarian

Russian mediator says Azeri refugees cannot return to Karabakh yet

Arminfo, Yerevan
8 Feb 05

Stepanakert, 8 February: It is still premature to talk about the return
of refugees to their original place of residence, Arminfo has quoted
the Russian co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group for the settlement of
the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, Yuri Merzlyakov, as telling a meeting
with refugees deported from Azerbaijan in Stepanakert yesterday. French
Co-Chairman Bernard Fassier and the personal envoy of the OSCE
chairman-in-office, Andrzej Kasprzyk, also took part in the meeting.

“Can you imagine a situation, in which Azerbaijan says that refugees
should return to their homes and the Armenian side supports it,
saying that yes, let them return?! I cannot. It is much the same
way as if Azerbaijan tells Armenian refugees to return to Shaumyan ,
will you return?” the Russian co-chairman asked.

He noted in this regard that issues such as ensuring the basic
private security of returning people and creating the necessary living
conditions for them should be resolved first.

“Since this is not the case, I think these calls are only propaganda
or self-deceit or deception of others,” Merzlyakov said.

Meanwhile, the Russian co-chairman said that the issue of refugees
is a constituent part of the future settlement of the conflict and
cannot be taken lightly.

During the meeting the chairman of the committee for refugees of the
Nagornyy Karabakh Republic, Sanasar Saryan, said that the international
community does not help refugees of Nagornyy Karabakh at all, while it
recognizes refugees in Azerbaijan, who, according to statistics, have
received 530m dollars in assistance from international humanitarian
organizations over the past 10 years. In addition, Saryan noted
that the Soviet republic of Armenia paid over 16,000 Azerbaijanis
compensation of approximately 110m dollars for their property left
in Armenia.

“Refugees of Nagornyy Karabakh, who actually number almost half a
million, have been spread around the globe now. They do not have
relevant rights and cannot rely on any benefits,” Saryan said.

In response, Merzlyakov said that “if you think that the mediators
feel somehow detached, you are wrong. We are meeting refugees here
and there and listen to everything that is being said. But on the
other hand, as you understand, we cannot declare that, say, you are
right and you are wrong. We have to be impartial, but you should not
accuse us of having no feelings.”

For his part, Fassier said that he had faced difficulties related
to the problems of refugees in his diplomatic career in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, as well as in Georgia’s Gali District (he used to be
the French ambassador to Georgia) and had seen what happened when
refugees returned in an untimely manner and without the necessary
conditions in place.

“It was useful for me to visit Karabakh and meet people. I found
out that many are living in extremely hard conditions in these
territories. I fully understand your pain. As for the status of
refugees, I do not know yet how to resolve this issue. But I am sure
that it is important to tackle it,” the French mediator said.

[Passage omitted: law in breakaway republic on refugees adopted
last year]

SPEAKER OF FRENCH PARLIAMENT PROPOSES THAT INDEPENDENT
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTION CONDUCT RESEARCH INTO ALLEGATIONS OF SO-
CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE.

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7. ARMINFO. The Speaker of the French Parliament
Jean Louis- Debre has proposed that an independent international
institution conduct research into allegations of the so-called
Armenian genocide. Still continuing his official Turkey visit, Debre
voiced his proposal at a meeting with Turkish Parliamentary European
Union (EU) Adjustment Committee Yasar Yakis and other commissioners.
Debre proposed research be undertaken into the so-called genocide
allegations by an independent international institution. Expressing
that a group of researchers from The United Nations (UN), the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and The Council of Europe along
with a Swiss group could conduct this independent research. Debre noted
that this may be the only way to reveal whether or not the genocide
allegations are true. Yakis, on the other hand, stressed that any
assessments based on the hypotheses that an Armenian genocide did occur
without any analysis on the validity of some events that are described
as “genocide” would be erroneous. Yakis said that Turkey is not opposed
to the historians’ research and studies, it has opened the archives on
this issue; however, it is the Armenian side that has not open their
archives. A commissioner and a Republican People’s Party (CHP) member
deputy Onur Oymen also announced that a similar meeting regarding the
issue was previously held in Vienna; however, the Armenian historians
did not attend the second meeting even though Turkey had opened its
archives regarding the issue and presented all information, including
records and documents for examination. Oymen asked: “To which country
had this proposal of yours been made before?” and emphasized that
making political decisions over historical events paves the way for
erroneous outcomes. Debre in response to Oymen’s question of “Why did
you pass a law in your parliament without having research or studies
done on the issue of Armenian genocide?” with, “Let’s put this aside.
We have to forget the past. We want to assist you on your way to
the EU.”

OSCE FACT-FINDING MISSION TO SEVEN REGIONS UNDER CONTROL OF NKR DEFENSE ARMY OVER

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 7. ARMINFO. OSCE mission on ascertaining the
facts of settlement of the 7 regions under control of NKR Defense
Army has completed its work.

According to ARMINfo’s special correspondent to Stepanakert, the
experts of the group examined the above territories and interrogated
the residents to ascertain how much assertions of Azerbaijan about
mass settlement of these territories by Armenian people are proved.

On February 6, OSCE monitoring group met the residents of Stepanakert
and Shushi deported from Azerbaijan. To remind, Emili Margaret Haber,
Director of the OSCE German Department, heads the expert group. The
group consists of experts of Finland, Italy, Sweden and Germany.

OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs were also in the region. Steven Mann
returned to Washington on the third day of the monitoring.

Emili Margaret Haber said the monitoring was of technical nature.
OSCE Misnk Group will make the political assessment of the situation on
the basis of the report of the group. In his turn, NKR Foreign Minister
Arman Melikyan expressed hope that the mission would be satisfied
with the result of its work. He said that the contribution to the
mission made by the local authorities <is a display of good will with
respect to the peaceful efforts of the international community>. The
minister called the level of cooperation of the NKR authorities and
the monitoring group satisfactory and allowing a solution to all the
issues. A report for the OSCE Minsk Group will be prepared as a result
of monitoring within 1-2 months.

UK GOVERNMENT DE FACTO ACKNOWLEDGES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7. ARMINFO. For the first time the UK government
has de facto acknowledged the Armenian Genocide.

According to the official site of the UK Government, political
leaders in Wales and religious representatives will mark Holocaust
Memorial Day in an event also reflecting on the 90th anniversary of
the Armenian genocide

This is for the first time ever, an UK government web-site has referred
to the “Armenian Genocide” and “Armenian Holocaust”

Meanwhile UK Ambassador to Armenia Thorda Abbot-Watt told ARMINFO
that she knows that in Armenia there are many archive records of
the events of 1915-1917. She said that the UK has not changed its
position on the issue. She preferred not to touch on this delicate
and painful subject for the Armenian nation.

ZURAB ZHVANIA’S FUNERAL FINISHED IN GEORGIA

Arminfo
7 Feb 05

TBILISI. Georgia’s Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania’s funeral came to an
end in Georgia.

He was buried in the Didube Pantheon of Eminent Public Persons of
Georgia. The Pantheon was created in XIX century; It is the home
for famous persons working in science, culture, writers and public
persons. All in all there were 100 graves in the Didube Pantheon. Grave
of Zurab Zhvania is the 101th in Didube Pantheon.

The Ceremony was accompanied by artillery that fired volleys. Family
members of the premier, Georgia’s president Mikheil Saakashvili,
vice premier Giorgi Baramidze, state minister Giorgi Khaindrava and
Zurab Zhvania’s relatives were at the burial ceremony.

At about 15:30 the coffin was taken to Rustaveli Avenue at the
parliament building of Georgia. Those present paid a minute of silence
in honor of the prime minister. After this the orchestra played the
national anthem.

The servicemen of 11 brigade of Shavnabada battalion took the coffin
from the Rustaveli Avenue to the cathedral of Sameba.

Thousands of people gathered at the building of parliament. Ceremony
was attended by the president of Georgia, spokesperson of parliament
Nino Burjanadze, members of the government, MP, public persons,
representatives of international organizations, ordinary citizens.

After the ceremony at the parliament representatives of the government
and foreign delegations brought flowers to the place where the coffin
with Zurab Zhvania’s body was rested.

Over 50 delegations including heads of diverse international
organizations from different countries arrived for the funeral,
including delegations from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Germany,
Russia, the USA, Turkey, Ukraine, France, Finland, Czechia. To note an
Armenian delegation headed by Vice Speaker of the Armenian Parliament
Tigran Torosyan also attended the ceremony. The delegation consisted
of Minister for Transport and Communication Andranik Manukyan,
Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharyan, other officials, as well as the first
president of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrosyan and the former speaker of
the Parliament Babken Ararktsyan.

Georgian government received dozens of condolences from different parts
of the world in connection with the death of Zurab Zhvania. Among
them are heads of international organizations, well-known public
persons. One of the first persons to express his condolences was
president of Ukraine Victor Yushenko; President of Russia Vladimer
Putin sent a telegraph; condolences were also received from the
president of Turkey Taip Rejeb Erdogan, President of Azerbaijan Ilham
Aliev, European Commission, European Union and other organizations;
Georgia’s president received a personal call from the State Secretary
of the US Condoliza Rice.

Despite cold whether – it’s been snowing in Tbilisi for a few days
already – the funeral ceremony was attended by thousands of people
from all the corners of Georgia.

DURING LAST 5 YEARS NUMBER OF OPERATIONS WITH REAL ESTATE
IN ARMENIA HAS ALMOST TRIPLED

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8. ARMINFO. During the last 5 years the number of
operation with real estate in Armenia has almost tripled, reaching
98,345 in 2004.

ARMINFO was informed in the press office of the State committee of
cadastre of real estate, in 2000 number of deals with realty totaled
33,233, in 2001 – 44,792, in 2002 – 60,874, in 2003 – 71,797 deals.
98,345 deals with real estate were registered in 2004, their number
increased by 37% as against 2003. The monthly growth made up in
average 2.6%. The lion’s share of the bargains (38.4%) falls to
apartments. 44.4% of the deals are registered in Yerevan. Out of
the total number of the deals with real estate 41.5% (40,793) are
amortization, 16.7% – primary registration, 9.3% – rent, 7.8% – pledge,
0.4% – privatization, 8.6% – inheritance and 15.7% – other types.

As compared to 2003 in 2004 the total number of deals on amortization
increased by 27.2%. In the period under review out of 14,546 deals
on purchase and sale of apartments were registered in Yerevan. This
showing has increased by 2.8% as compared with the indicator of
last year.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DEMOCRATIC ARMENIA PARTY ACCUSES AUTHORITIES OF NEGATIVE
TURNING POINT IN ISSUE OF KARABAKH CONFLICT’S RESOLUTION

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8. ARMINFO. The party Democratic Armenia lays the
whole responsibility for the turning point in settlement of Karabakh
conflict negative for the Armenian party on the president and the
three parties of the coalition who have seized the power. The party
distributed such statement, Tuesday.

According to the source, PACE Resolution on Nagorny Karabakh,
the statement of its author David Atkinson denying the right of
Karabakh people for self-determination, formation and the visit of
OSCE mission to the <occupied territories> testify the failure of
the Armenian authorities’ foreign policy. The Armenian people have
faces an alternative, that is, either democracy for the welfare of
Karabakh and regional security or dictatorship sheltered by the idea
of Karabakh, which may result in loss of Karabakh, the party says.
According to the statements, the only way out of the crisis is a new
quality and content of the public life.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA THIS WEEK

Monday, February 7, 2005

In this issue:

Armenian Assembly sends condolences to Georgia’s leader

Armenia expresses condolences, anxiety over Zhvania’s death

U.S., Armenia cooperate in the Embassy briber investigation

Senior Azeri officials linked to terrorism, drug smuggling

February 3, 2005

His Excellency Mikheil Saakashvili

President, Republic of Georgia

Tbilisi, Georgia

Dear President Saakashvili,

It was with great sadness that we learned of the tragic and untimely
death of Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania. We extend our heartfelt
condolences to Prime Minister Zhvania’s family, to the Georgian people
and to you and your colleagues.

The entire world has taken notice of the sweeping reforms you, the Prime
Minister and your colleagues have initiated throughout Georgia. During
meetings with Prime Minister Zhvania, we had discussed ways in which the
Georgian-American community and the Armenian Assembly of America could
work together to improve the lives of the Georgian and Armenian peoples,
thereby contributing to a stable and flourishing region. We remain
committed to this.

Mr. Zhvania’s legacy will live on as you continue building a strong and
prosperous Republic of Georgia.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, Board of Directors, members and
staff of the Armenian Assembly of America, we extend our deep
condolences to the Georgian people.

With compassion,

Hirair Hovnanian Anthony
Barsamian

Chairman, Board of Trustees Chairman,
Board of Directors

[AAA Note: Chairman of the Assembly Board of Directors Anthony Barsamian
and Armenia Director Arpi Vartanian visited Georgia and met its leaders
last June.]

ARMENIA EXPRESSES CONDOLENCES, ANXIETY OVER GEORGIAN PRIME MINISTER’S
DEATH

President Robert Kocharian and other Armenian leaders have expressed
shock and grief over the sudden death of Georgia’s Prime Minister Zurab
Zhvania last week. According to the official report, Zhvania, 41 and a
close friend and colleague 25-year-old Raul Yusupov, were found dead of
carbon monoxide poisoning at a Tbilisi apartment. Georgian police said
that deaths were accidental and no foul play was involved.

Kocharian’s message said the news was received “with pain in Armenia. We
share the grief of this loss with you.” He further noted Zhvania’s role
in strengthening Georgian-Armenian relations. There is also anxiety in
Armenia that the death may bring back instability to Georgia. The
Georgian government appointed over a year ago and led by Zhvania has
cracked down on rampant corruption, reducing the barriers to travel and
trade with and through Georgia, on which Armenia depends. Reflecting
these changes, Armenia’s trade with Georgia grew by 50 percent last
year, faster than with any other country. Zhvania also made a personal
contribution to the bilateral relationship, admonishing Georgian
politicians who in the past frequently engaged in xenophobic,
anti-Armenian rhetoric and declaring to the Georgian Parliament that he
was proud that his mother, accomplished physicist Mariam
Antonova-Zhvania, is an ethnic Armenian.

Zhvania had the most political experience of the leaders of the Georgian
opposition movement that forced out President Eduard Shevardnadze in
November 2003. Long seen as a political successor to Shevardnadze,
Zhvania for six years served as Parliament Speaker before breaking ranks
with Shevardnadze in 2001. While at the helm of the Parliament, he is
credited with attracting young, Western-educated cadres, such as the
future President Mikhail Saakashvili, to serve in the government.
Zhvania played a key role in what became known as Georgia’s “revolution
of the roses,” the subsequent anti-corruption drive and diffusing
tensions in Ajaria and South Ossetia last year.

Many Georgian commentators have questioned the official version of the
Prime Minister’s death. Some pointed to the deadly bomb blast earlier
last week outside the police station in the town of Gori near the South
Ossetia region, which saw renewed fighting last year, as somehow
connected. Others have linked an apparent suicide by the Georgian
President’s staff member 32-year-old Giorgi Khelashvili and murder of a
Russia-based Georgian businessman Mamuka Jincharadze, just days after
Zhvania’s death, as possibly linked. According to the U.S. Ambassador to
Georgia Richard Miles, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will
send a special team of experts to study the circumstances of Zhvania’s
death, as well as the recent blast in Gori. (Sources: Armenia This Week
4-2-04, 1-24; Noyan Tapan 2-3; Regnum 6-10-04, 2-4, 5, 6, 7; Civil.ge
2-4, 5, 6, 7; BBC News 2-5; Daily Telegraph 2-6)

U.S., ARMENIA COOPERATE IN EMBASSY BRIBERY INVESTIGATION

A former U.S. consular official in Armenia has been charged with bribery
and visa fraud, an indictment jointly released by the Departments of
Justice and State said last week. Piotr Zdzislaw Parlej, who pleaded
guilty, faces between 5 and 15 years in prison for bribes he allegedly
took from visa applicants while working at the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan
until last month. The case was jointly investigated by the U.S. State
Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Embassy in Yerevan and
Armenia’s law-enforcement authorities. In a statement issued last week,
the U.S. Embassy in Armenia praised Armenia’s National Security Service
“for their invaluable assistance” in the case. (Sources: Mediamax 2-4;
Noyan Tapan 2-4)

SENIOR AZERI OFFICIALS LINKED TO TERRORISM, DRUG SMUGGLING

Recent publications in Azerbaijan’s opposition-leaning press have
renewed accusations that senior government officials are linked to
terror groups and drug trafficking. A publication last week said that an
unnamed “head of a state committee and a patron of various sports” had a
private army, elements of which have fought against the U.S. in
Afghanistan and Iraq to “gain experience.” Another publication alleged
that the head of the State Customs Committee Gen. Kamaleddin Heydarov
and Border Guards commander Gen. Elchin Guliyev are complicit in
narcotics trafficking.

Azerbaijan reportedly lies at the crossroads of the opium and heroin
trade stretching from Afghanistan and Pakistan to Russia and Western
Europe. A State Department report issued last March suggested that while
drug trafficking is a significantly smaller problem in Armenia than in
the neighboring states, it could potentially exacerbate should borders
with either Turkey or Azerbaijan open. (Sources: Armenia This Week 6-18,
10-4, 25; Monitor 12-25; Azadliq 2-1)

A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY THE ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA

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