40 APPLICANTS CHOSEN FOR WORKING IN QATAR

ArmenPress
Dec 24 2004

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS: The government-affiliated department
for refugees and migrants has shortlisted 23 hospital nurses and 27
programmers from a pool of hundreds of applicants who are likely to
travel to Qatar to get there high-paid jobs for at least one year.

The head of the department, Gagik Yeganian, told a news conference
today the final decision will be made by a Qatar official who is
going to visit Yerevan soon to conduct interviews with each of the
applicants.

The Qatar side will pay their travel expenses along with providing them
with housing. The recruiting was made in accordance with a bilateral
agreement. The applicants must be fluent in English and have at least
a three-year experience.

CENN – DECEMBER 23, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. Monsanto introduces triple trait tech
2. Harvest of Hope?
3. Yerevan Airport Operator Expands Into Agribusiness
4. Eduardo Ernekian Invests in Armenia’s Agricultural Sphere
5. Regional Civil Society Meetings towards the 6th Global Civil Society
Forum (19-20 February 2005, Nairobi, Kenya)

1. MONSANTO INTRODUCES TRIPLE TRAIT TECH

Source: CropBiotech Update, December 22, 2004 (Via Agnet)

Monsanto Company will make available the first triple trait offering,
YieldGard Plus with Roundup Ready Corn 2 technology, for 2005 season
planting in the United States. The new product will offer corn growers
in-seed protection against harmful corn insects and the flexibility of
herbicide tolerance in one seed.

The latest technology provides corn growers both above and below the
ground protection against Western and Northern corn rootworm larvae and
the European corn borer, and weed control. Monsanto adds that corn
growers have benefited from the flexibility and convenience of Roundup
Ready and YieldGard and will now get more profits from its latest
product.

More on this new technology from

2. HARVEST OF HOPE?
Agriculture is a colossal environmental problem; genetic science could
be part of the solution

MENDEL IN THE KITCHEN
A Scientist’s View of Genetically Modified Foods
By Nina Fedoroff and Nancy Marie Brown
Joseph Henry Press, 370 pp., $24.95

Reviewed by Richard Manning

A young postdoctoral student in a molecular biology lab once told me the
problem with her line of work is that she can’t explain to her mother
what she does. This is more than a personal problem. If the rest of us
benighted laypeople could get some sort of idea of what is being done in
those labs, we would better understand the depth of the world’s
environmental problems and the character of life itself. Indeed, those
scientists who tinker with DNA have drifted into isolation from the rest
of us, simply because they see something we cannot.

One of the things we need to see is that the controversy about
genetically engineered foods is misguided. The problem is not
genetically engineered crops; it is crops. The world is in terrible
trouble because of the fundamental design of agriculture. Genetic
science is finally developing some tools that may at least help with a
redesign that is sustainable.

Still, when the world in general thinks about gene science, it thinks
about genetic engineering. I wish we could get beyond this, and we will,
but not because of any sudden outbreak of rationality. We will get
beyond it because gene science has moved on to something far bigger and
more profound than genetic engineering.

For the Full Text Please See:

3. YEREVAN AIRPORT OPERATOR EXPANDS INTO AGRIBUSINESS

Source: RFE/RL Armenia Report, December 21, 2004

The ethnic Armenian owner of an Argentine company that runs Armenia’s
main international airport unveiled on Tuesday, December 20, 2004 plans
to invest millions of dollars in the country’s agribusiness sector as he
set up a joint venture with a local firm.

Senior executives from Tierras de Armenia, a Yerevan-based company
belonging to billionaire Eduardo Eurnekian, and Max Group said they are
joining forces to develop 6,000 hectares of arid land in the southern
Armavir region into fruit orchards. They pledged to invest up to $25
million in the venture in the next few years.

`In the next five or six years we will also set up a fairly big fruit
processing plant in the area,’ said Mher Bagratian, a major Max Group
shareholder.

`We believe that this is going to be a long-term business project that
could assist in the country’s further development,’ said Marcelo Vende,
the chief executive of Yerevan’s Zvartnots airport who represents
Eurnekian.

Max Group’s activities are quite diverse, ranging from fuel imports to
agribusiness. One of its two other owners is Harutiun Pambukian, a
wealthy parliamentarian close to President Robert Kocharian.

Senior government officials present at the signing of the deal welcomed
Eurnekian’s decision to expand his business presence in Armenia into
agriculture. `Agriculture is gradually becoming a profitable area for
doing business,’ Agriculture Minister David Lokian told RFE/RL.

Eurnekian is primarily known as the main owner of a consortium operating
33 airports across Argentina and elsewhere in South America. He also
owns 200,000 hectares of land and food processing factories in northern
Argentina.

Eurnekian’s Corporacion America runs Zvartnots in accordance with a
30-year management contract that it signed with the Armenian government
three years ago. The company launched last June the construction of a
new terminal that is supposed to bring the airport into conformity with
international standards. It estimated the total cost of the project at
more than $40 million.

4. EDUARDO ERNEKIAN INVESTS IN ARMENIA’S AGRICULTURAL SPHERE

Source: Noyan Tapan, December 21, 2004

On December 21, 2004 at Zvartnots Airport Director of the Tiera de
Armeni company Anna-Christina Shirinian and shareholder of Max Group
Khachik Manukian signed an agreement on joint activities. According to
the agreement, at least 1,600-1,700 hectares of apricot orchards,
200-300 hectares of peach and plum orchards and 500 hectares of
grapevines are to be planted in the area of 6 thousand hectares (3
thousand ha was sold to Tiera de Armeni) located near the settlement of
Baghramian (Armavir marz) and belonging to Max Group. According to
Khachik Manukian, it is envisaged to start the construction of a fruit
processing plant with a processing capacity of 40 thousand tons of fruit
per year at the end of 2005. The harvest is expected in 5 years;
meanwhile 20-25 million dollars will be invested. Eduardo Ernekian owns
Tiera de Armeni, which was recently registered in Armenia. The American
International Airports Company also belonging to the multimillionaire
from Argentina implements the management of Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport.
Max Group, one of Armenia’s big multiprofile companies, has 15 thousand
200 hectares of land in the country’s various marzes. Its shareholders
are Khachik Manukian, Harutyun Pambukian (both deputies of the NA) and
Mher Bagratian. Kh. Manukian also stated the two sides will make equal
in amount investments, the Argentinian side will implement the
management of the business and the Armenian side will carry out the
agricultural work. The Airport lawyer Armen Ter-Tachatian announced that
profit made by Tiera de Armeni would not have a commercial significance,
it will go to a special fund established by Ernekian and used to develop
the agriculture.

5. REGIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY MEETINGS TOWARDS THE 6TH GLOBAL CIVIL SOCIETY
FORUM (19-20 FEBRUARY 2005, NAIROBI, KENYA)

In November -December 2004, each regional office of UNEP hosted a civil
society meeting (six in total) in preparation of the 6th Global Civil
Society Forum (GCSF). Gathering around 40 civil society representatives,
each forum had a special focus on international environment governance
(IEG), the UNEP work programme 2006-07 and UNEP capacity building
cooperation with civil society. On December 3, 2004, two civil society
organizations from each region gathered in Nairobi to elaborate a global
civil society statement based on the regional outcomes.

I also attended civil society meeting in Geneva and actively
participated in adoption of regional statement. I had informed
attendants about activities in the sphere of information dissemination,
activities of working groups on GMO, European Plan on Environment and
Health and Ecostrategy.

First of all I had driven attention of attendance to water, sanitation
and human settlement issues and I am happy to say that everybody
supported to include this important (mainly for the South Caucasus
region) issue into the statement which describes the importance of UNEP
participation in realization of EU Water Initiative(See page 5 of the
attached statement of UNEP ROE)

On February 19-20, 2004 more than 100 civil society representatives from
all over the world are expected to attend the 6th GCSF. The event,
organized back to back with the GC-23/GMEF, February 21-25, 2005 is the
main venue for civil society to participate in UNEP decision-making
process.

The regional and the global statements will be distributed to
governments in in view of the twenty-third session of UNEP Governing
Council/ Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC-23/GMEF) and are also
available online().

By decision of UNEP ROE I will be among those who will present mentioned
statement to the 6th Global Civil Society Forum (February 2005, Nairobi,
Kenya).

Best regards

Rafig Verdiyev, ECORES, UNEP NC, Azerbaijan

—
*******************************************
CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)

Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:

–Boundary_(ID_zU35AE+eXLBpmNLjge+f/g)–

Turkey has a long way to go

Mideast Mirror
December 23, 2004

Despite agreement on a date to begin accession talks, Turkey faces a
hard road on the way to full EU membership, says Saba’ Bahbiri
in al-Watan

Turkey has finally succeeded in persuading the European Union to give
it the chance to begin accession talks, writes Saudi commentator
Saba’ Bahbiri in the Saudi daily al-Watan.

CONSIDERABLE CONCESSIONS: But the Turks realize that they still have
a long way to go before they are accepted as full EU members; even
more optimistic Europeans say that it might take Turkey 15 years to
fulfill conditions for membership.
This is in spite of the considerable concessions Ankara has already
made, such as the major changes it introduced to its laws and the
many rights it gave to its (mainly Kurdish) minorities that it used
to see as detrimental to its national security.
After a successful visit to Paris last summer (during which he signed
a deal to purchase 36 Airbus planes), Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan managed to reduce French opposition to Turkish
membership. Erdogan also promised France that his country will
consider buying French technology for nuclear power stations. Erdogan
thus won over one of the most vehement opponents of Turkish EU
membership.
Austria is another European country bitterly opposed to Turkish
accession. The Austrians cannot forget the fact that it was they who
defeated the Ottoman army at the gates of Vienna more than 300 years
ago and thus saved the entire European continent from being overrun.
Although there is some support for Turkish EU membership among
mainstream Austrian politicians, the opposition maintains that the
Turks have never demonstrated their affinity to Europe and that even
Turks born in Austria have stubbornly clung to their Muslim identity
and never made the effort to integrate into Austrian society. Worse,
they insist, the Turks have exploited Europe’s tolerance and freedom
in order to spread Islam in the continent.
Opponents of Turkish membership in Austria and other European
countries have been urging their parliamentary representatives to
raise the issues of human rights in Turkey (especially concerning
Ankara’s treatment of its Kurdish and Armenian minorities) and the
possibility that Turkey would become a source of illegal migration
from Asia and the Middle East to the EU-which might even include
Muslim terrorists.
Germany, which enjoys historical ties with Turkey (the two nations
were allies in two world wars, which they lost), and which plays host
to a large Turkish community, while supporting Ankara’s bid to join
the EU (hoping that that would strengthen its hand against other
countries such as France) still cannot hide its apprehension.
With its 70 million inhabitants, Turkey would immediately become the
largest EU country, with voting rights to match. The number of
European Muslims would multiply overnight, which will have profound
effects on educational and social policies throughout the EU. Italy
and Spain in particular are worried that Europe’s Christian identity
might be diluted if Ankara was admitted to the EU.
In exchange, the Turks have been trying to entice the Europeans with
the potential material benefits they might gain if they accept Ankara
as a full EU member. Europe would also be able to benefit from
Turkey’s excellent ties with the Muslim world. With its proximity to
central Asia, Turkey can act as a conduit for European exports to the
burgeoning markets of the region. Thanks to its ample natural
resources and skilled labor force, Turkey is an ideal destination for
investors keen to establish bases from which to compete with cheap
Asian manufacturers.
The Turks have been trying to reassure Europe of their seriousness in
becoming true Europeans. They have radically altered their judicial
code, bringing it more into line with European laws (in spite of the
potential negative fallout this might have on the political parties
which instigated such changes), and greatly restricted the role
traditionally played by the Turkish military in political affairs.
The media has been given more freedoms, and the Turkish government
succeeded in gaining control of the country’s large budget deficit
and in keeping inflation below ten percent.
But all this has had little effect in reassuring ordinary Europeans
whose point of view was recently expressed by Austrian minister Franz
Fischler: ‘Turkey is oriental in culture and Asiatic in location. Its
entry into Europe might well detriment the direction of European
strategy.’ The fact that part of Turkey lies in Europe is neither
here nor there.
In an opinion poll recently conducted by Time/CNN, 56 percent of
French people expressed opposition to Turkish entry while in Holland
the figure was 41 percent, in Germany 46 percent and in Britain 52
percent. A Dutch MP spoke for the opposition camp when he said: ‘It
cannot happen. Turkey is a Muslim country that has no place in
Europe. I would prefer countries like Canada and Australia joining,
but not Turkey.’
Among the more vehement opponents of Turkish EU membership is Italian
writer Orianna Fallaci. In a recent book The Power of Reason, Fallaci
calls for restricting and reducing the Muslim presence in Europe.
‘Europe,’ she writes, ‘is no longer Europe, but Eurabia.’ The
intricate social fabric of the old continent has been altered such
that Europe has become a Muslim colony.
Such opinions have been steadily gaining ground in Italy, which has
borne the brunt of illegal Muslim migration mainly from North Africa
and Albania.
Responding to such extreme positions, Turkish Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul says: ‘We are only talking about starting talks. These
talks will take a long time, perhaps years. We are realists and
accept that fact.’ Determination and reassurance in equal measure.
Turkey has been trying to gain entry into Europe for more than forty
years, and has been rebuffed several times. The latest breakthrough
does not mean that Turkish membership of the EU is guaranteed by any
means. Turkey still has a long and uncertain road to travel.

–Boundary_(ID_tIQEzhuN1s7LKYorB2w89Q)–

Iranian, Azerbaijani defense ministers survey

IRNA, Iran
December 22, 2004 Wednesday 8:47 PM EST

Tehran, December 22 — Defense ministers of Iran and Azerbaijan
met and conferred here on Wednesday evening about regional armies`
cooperation to boost joint security in Caucasus region.

Islamic Republic of Iran`s Defense Minister Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani
referred to the two nations` shared historical, religious and cultural
backgrounds during the meeting, considering them the “huge capital
that can serve to boost bilateral ties.”

He referred to the deep bilateral understanding and mutual trust,
as well as comprehensive defense and security consultations, as main
prerequisites for establishment of a comprehensive bilateral defense
cooperation.

Shamkhani added, “Joint efforts aimed at boosting regional peace
and stability is the main axis for Iran-Azerbaijan comprehensive
cooperation.”

The Iranian defense minister said, “Presently terrorism, narcotic
drugs and arms smuggling, organized crime, and vast presence of foreign
forces are biggest threats against regional security and such threats
cannot be eliminated, except through effective regional cooperation
and constant consultative interactions.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, stressing that the Islamic Republic of
Iran considers the Caspian Sea the “sea of peace and friendship”,
Shamkhani added, “This region`s security is in need of collective
cooperation and mutual trust.”

Elaborating on Iran`s stand about Karabakh conflict, Rear Admiral
Shamkhani said, “Iran favors peaceful resolution of the Karabakh
conflict and is ready to continue its mediation efforts in that
regard.”

He referred to President Seyyed Mohammad Khatami`s state visit of
Azerbaijan and President Elham Aliev`s upcoming state visit to Tehran
as beset signs of both countries` officials` strong determination to
take advantage of all opportunities at service of boosting ties.”

The Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiev, too, appreciated his country`s
ever-improving ties and cooperation with Iran and considered the
Iranian defense minister`s visit of Baku “a very effective move in
further strengthening bilateral ties.”

He emphasized, “Late Azeri President Geidar Aliev`s 2002 state visit of
Iran opened a new chapter in Tehran-Baku relations, agreeing with his
Iranian counterpart on the point that shared historical and cultural
backgrounds of the two nations serve as an excellent foundation for
boosting comprehensive ties.”

Abiev added, “The Islamic Republic of Iran was among the first
countries in the world to recognize the independence of Azerbaijan
Republic and the Azeri nation will never forget that.”

The Azerbaijan Republic is situated in eastern Transcaucasia, on the
western coast of the Caspian Sea.

To the South it borders Iran, to the West Armenia, to the North-West
Georgia, and to the North the Republic of Dagestan, in Russia.

The Nakhichevan autonomous Republic is a part of Azerbaijan, although
it is separated form the rest of Azerbaijan by Armenian territory.

Azerbaijan also includes the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast,
which is largely populated by the Armenians, but does not legally
constitute a part of Armenia.

Armenian parliament approves troop dispatch to Iraq

Agence France Presse — English
December 24, 2004 Friday 6:58 PM GMT

YEREVAN Dec 24 — The Armenian parliament Friday approved a
controversial government plan to send 43 troops and medics to join
the US-led coalition in Iraq.

Ninety-one deputies voted in favour of the proposal with 23 against
and one abstention, despite fears from opposition groups that the
deployment would endanger the large Armenian diaspora in the Arab
world.

Opposition parties and youth organizations have warned that insurgents
could target the some 20,000 ethnic Armenians in Iraq if the troops
join the US-led campaign.

Under the plan backed by President Robert Kocharian, the non-combatant
troops including doctors, mine-clearers and drivers would serve under
Polish command south of Baghdad for one year.

They are expected to arrive in Iraq in February.

Israel’s nuclear whistleblower to enjoy his first Christmas as a free man

Agence France Presse — English
December 23, 2004 Thursday 4:58 AM GMT

JERUSALEM Dec 23 — After 18 years of spending Christmas within the
four walls of an Israeli jail cell with nothing more than a television
for company, Mordechai Vanunu is about to celebrate his first Christmas
as a free man.

“For me, this is a very big Christmas. It’s my first Christmas after
18 years in prison,” says the nuclear whistleblower who was released
in April after serving a lengthy prison term for leaking top-secret
details about Israel’s nuclear programme to Britain’s Sunday Times.

“In terms of my faith, it’s the first time I’m celebrating a real
Christmas among friends. I hope this Christmas will be a new beginning
for peace and non-violence, and for following the way of Jesus,”
he told AFP.

Widely reviled as a traitor throughout Israel, Vanunu has also incurred
the wrath of the Jewish public for converting to Christianity shortly
before he was kidnapped and subsequently jailed in 1986.

“I was baptised in Sydney and a month after that, I was kidnapped,
so I have never celebrated Christmas before.”

Since his release on April 21, Vanunu has taken refuge in St George’s
Anglican cathedral in occupied east Jerusalem, where he is free to
practise his faith.

For a man whose only link to Christmas has been watching the Bethlehem
midnight mass on Arabic television in his prison cell, there is
an almost childlike excitement in seeing the dazzling display of
Christmas decorations at the plush American Colony hotel just down
the road from the church.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a Christmas tree in real life,”
he admits with a grin.

“We’re going to decorate the tree in the cathedral a week before
Christmas and we’re also planning to go to Bethlehem for midnight
mass,” he says, while admitting it is unlikely he will get there
given Israel’s heavy restrictions on his movement.

“When I was in prison, I used to celebrate with tapes of Christmas
music. People would send me thousands of Christmas cards and I would
watch the midnight mass on Arabic television.

“From the start, my faith was very strong and I used it to protect
myself from the Israeli psychological warfare,” he said. “I survived
in prison by proclaiming my faith.”

Although Christmas is not celebrated in the Jewish state, Palestinian
Christians in Arab east Jerusalem and the Old City have made an effort
to enter the festive spirit, despite the ongoing economic depression
brought on by more than four years of intifada.

Through the largely empty streets of the Christian and Armenian
quarters, local residents have done their utmost to enter into the
Christmas spirit. Shops and restaurants are aglow with tinsel and
fairy lights, the strains of Nat King Cole’s Christmas Song filtering
onto the rain-swept alleys.

And the few shops selling glittering Christmas ornaments and artificial
trees appear to be doing a brisk trade with a colourful array of
customers, among them monks, nuns and foreigner workers.

Yet ask Vanunu what he most wants for Christmas and his answer
is simple: complete freedom — preferably abroad, far from the
ever-watchful eye of Israel’s powerful security services.

Since his release, Vanunu has been subjected to a series of sweeping
restrictions, including a ban on travelling abroad as well as holding
unauthorized meetings with foreigners, particularly journalists.

“All I want for Christmas is for them to set me free. I don’t feel
safe and I’m not enjoying total freedom. My existence is like being
under occupation, I feel like a Palestinian,” he admits.

“At the end of the day, the real end to 18 years in prison will be
when I get out of Israel’s power.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
December 24, 2004, Friday

POLITICAL INDOCTRINATION LESSONS FROM ILHAM ALIYEV[]

SOURCE: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, December 21, 2004, p. 5

by Rauf Mirtadyrov

PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV IMPLIES THAT THE
RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN COOPERATION INTERFERES WITH KARABAKH CONFLICT
SETTLEMENT

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev is critical of the role Russia
is playing in the Karabakh conflict settlement. Commenting on the
state of the Armenian-Azerbaijani talks on the subject, Aliyev
praised the progress in the relations between Baku and Yerevan made
in the course of the talks of their foreign ministers in Prague.
Foreign ministers Elmar Mamedjarov (Azerbaijan) and Vardan Oskanjan
(Armenia) chose Prague as the site of their regular talks. Four
meetings resulted in accords on fundamental principles of settlement.

Aliyev is convinced that progress is undeniable. What counts is that
Armenia and Azerbaijan “agree on the principles of settlement” and
this agreement was reached in the course of Prague consultations, he
said. “Should the negotiations remain constructive and should Armenia
stick to the accords as it already did more than once in the past, we
will make progress.”

At the same time, Aliyev is convinced that the Russian-Armenian close
cooperation may interfere with the process. Commenting on Duma
Chairman Boris Gryzlov’s visit to Yerevan last week, he said. “Duma
chairman called Armenia Russia’s bulwark in the southern part of the
Caucasus, the other day… We have always regarded Armenia as a
state. It turns out that this is but a bulwark.” Aliyev continued,
“So, who are we supposed to discuss things with now – the bulwark or
its master?” Aliyev is convinced that Yerevan must decide for itself
and only that will set favorable conditions for continuation of the
talks. “Armenia’s conduct as an independent state will enable us to
reach an accord in the near future,” Aliyev said.

It was the opinion of Azerbaijani experts that disgusted with the
Russian diplomacy’s fiasco in Ukraine, Aliyev would certainly
distance himself from Moscow, and pointedly turn to the West and
first and foremost to the United States. “Nobody expected it to
happen so fast,” independent political scientist Metin Yasharogly
said. “And nobody expected Aliyev to begin talking about Russia’s
destructive role in the Karabakh settlement.”

Comments on Aliyev’s statements in Yerevan were made on the level of
the president of Armenia. President Robert Kocharjan at a press
conference in Lori advised his Azerbaijani counterpart not “to
concern himself” with the Armenian-Russian relations. “The impression
is that Azerbaijan is constantly irked by the high level of our
relations with Russia,” Kocharjan said. “This jealousy is out of
place because there is nothing to prevent the Azerbaijanis from
building up similar relations with Russia.”

It seems, however, that Aliyev has chosen another way. Local experts
say that when Aliyev preached his political indoctrination lessons
for the benefit of Yerevan and Moscow, he sided up with the
pro-Western part of the Azerbaijani opposition that blames Russia’s
clout with Armenia for interfering with Karabakh settlement.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ESTONIA HANDS OUT EUR 511,000 IN FOREIGN AID IN 2004

Baltic News Service
December 24, 2004

TALLINN, Dec 24 — Estonia gave international development and foreign
aid to the tune of eight million kroons (EUR 511,000) from the state
budget in the outgoing year, mostly to support eastern and southeastern
Europe and southern Caucasus.

Estonia handed out a total of more than 1.5 million kroons in
humanitarian aid through international organizations, the daily
Postimees reported.

So Estonia supported victims of the Beslan hostage drama, civil war
refugees of the Sudanese Darfur area, earthquake victims in Iran
and children in the Russian Pskov region who were given hepatitis A
vaccine, Foreign Ministry press secretary Anneli Kimber reported.

Kimber added that 6.5 million kroons was spent on development aid,
which consisted in the transfer of material aid as well as technical
knowhow.

“So we have invited to Estonia public servants from Georgia, Uzbekistan
and Ukraine to share with them eurointegration experience, to inform
them how to negotiate with the World Trade Organization, and have
helped Armenia develop its emergency centers and communications
network,” Kimber said.

She said Estonia was sharing its experience in the sphere of public
administration, institutional development, development of the
information society, accession to international organizations and
environmental protection.

In the transfer of its knowhow Estonia mainly centers on areas where
processes similar to the reforms carried out in Estonia lie ahead or
are already in progress.

Next year the Foreign Minstry has set its foreign aid target at
the same level as this year, Kimber said. She said the main target
countries would be the same as previously, the most important of them
being Georgia and Ukraine.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian parliament approves deploying 46 non-combat troops to Iraq
By AVET DEMOURIAN, Associated Press Writer

The Associated Press
December 24, 2004, Friday, BC cycle

YEREVAN, Armenia — Armenia’s parliament voted Friday to send
46 non-combat troops to Iraq, a move that was backed by President
Robert Kocharian but drew sharp criticism from many Armenians and
opposition groups.

After more than seven hours of debate behind closed doors, lawmakers
in the National Assembly voted 91-23, with one abstention, to send
the contingent, which will include bomb-disposal experts, doctors
and transport specialists.

The troops could be deployed to Iraq as early as next month and could
serve in Iraq for up to a year, said Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisyan,
adding that the contingent would only conduct humanitarian operations.

“There is not, and will not be an Armenian military presence in
Iraq,” Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said. “In the humanitarian
aspect, it is preferable for Armenia to contribute to the postwar
reconstruction of Iraq, in establishing democracy in this country
which has important significance for the region and which could have
an impact on the Caucasus.”

The troops would serve as part of the Polish-led multinational force,
officials said. That force operates in a belt of territory south of
Baghdad, though Armenia has not specified where its troops will deploy.

The Constitutional Court ruled earlier this month that Kocharian’s
plan to send non-combat troops to Iraq did not violate the country’s
constitution.

Kocharian has sought to portray the decision to send troops to Iraq
as a way to boost ties with Europe.

But the proposal had been widely criticized by opposition parties,
many Armenians and even the 30,000-strong Armenian community in Iraq,
which feared being targeted for attacks if the troops were sent.

“We shouldn’t even be sending humanitarian troops to Iraq, because we
can’t jeopardize the security of Armenians living Iraq, said Viktor
Dalakyan, a leader with the opposition party Justice. “Moreover their
lives are already being threatened.”

In August, an Armenian Apostolic church in Baghdad was hit in a wave
of attacks on Iraq’s minority Christians that that killed 11 people
and injured more than 50.

The troops will join a multinational division that includes troops
from other former Soviet countries, such as Georgia and Armenia’s
archrival, Azerbaijan.

Other former Soviet republics that have also sent troops to Iraq are
Ukraine, Georgia and the three Baltic countries.

Armenia to decide on sending troops to Iraq

ITAR-TASS News Agency
December 23, 2004 Thursday

YEREVAN, December 24 – The Armenian parliament will decide Friday
whether to send military servicemen to Iraq. On Thursday the
parliamentary committee on foreign relations and defense recommended
to approve the move.

Yet in June Armenian Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisyan said some 50
military drivers, engineers and doctors may be sent to Iraq. He said
the volunteers will engage exclusively in humanitarian missions.

Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oganesyan rejected allegations that
Russia was pressing Yerevan to refrain from sending servicemen to Iraq.

US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans said the US administration welcomed
the Armenian plans to send troops to Iraq.