CHINA’S NATIONAL TEAM WON FIRST INTERNATIONAL CHESS INTERNET-TOURNAMENT

RIA Novosti, Russia
Dec 24 2004

YEREVAN, December 24 (RIA Novosti) – The national team of China won
the world’s first international chess Internet-tournament devoted to
the 75th birthday anniversary of ninth world chess champion Tigran
Petrosian (1929-1984).

The national teams of Russia, Armenia and France participated in the
tournament along with the host team.

China’s squad took first place with 14 points and received $20,000
for the victory.

The team of France consisting of Joel Lautier, Laurent Fressinet,
Christian Bauer and Alexander Nataf scored 13 points and took second
place, receiving $15,000 of prize money.

The team of Russia which included Pyotr Svidler, Alexei Dreyev,

Alexander Khalifman and Vadim Zvyagintsev also scored 13 points
but ceded to the French according to the additional indicators. The
Russians’ prize money is $12,000.

Armenia’s squad, composed of Levon Aronian, Smbat Lputian, Gabriel
Sarkisian and Artashes Minasian, failed to achieve a success, scored
only 8 points, and took the last place. The Armenians received $8,000.

The tournament was held in two rounds – every entrant played with
one opponent with White and Black. Every participating country
was represented by one arbiter picked by the Armenian side as the
organizer.

On the tournament’s web site chess lovers all over the world could
watch the matches online. The contents of the web site are in five
languages – Armenian, Russian, French, Chinese and English. Around
$80,000 was spent on holding the tournament which was organized by
Armenia’s chess academy and the Chess Federation of Armenia.

Tigran Petrosian, having emerged victorious in the challengers’
tournament in 1962, won the right to play a match for the world
title against Mikhail Botvinnik, defeated him 12.5 – 9.5 in 1963,
and won the world title. “The practical benefit of Petrosian’s style,
based on the original and refined comprehension of the position,
lies in the fact that, as he gained experience, hebecame increasingly
dangerous to his partners, and his supremacy in understanding the
position – a permanently operating but not fortuitous factor – had to
manifest itself some day,” defeated Botvinnik commented on Petrosian’s
performance. In 1966 Petrosian defended his champion title winning
the championship match against Boris Spassky 12.5 – 11.5. Petrosian’s
play was distinguished not only by profound positional ideas but also
by high tactical skill.

In 1969 Petrosian lost the match for the world champion title to
Boris Spassky 10.5 – 12.5.

ARMENIAN, AZERI FOREIGN MINISTERS WERE ONE STEP AWAY FROM STRIKING PEACE DEAL

ArmenPress
Dec 24 2004

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS: In an interview with Russian Regnum
news agency Russian cochairman of the OSCE Minsk group, Yuri Merzlyakov
said foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan were one step away
from striking a peace deal during their recent meeting in Prague that
would put an end to more than a decade-long Armenian-Azeri opposition
over Nagorno Karabagh.

Merzlyakov said provisions of a draft agreement, reached by the
ministers in Prague were to be considered by presidents Robert
Kocharian an Ilham Aliyev after their meeting on the sidelines of
a CIS summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, together with the Minsk group
cochairmen to make the final decision “to either accept it or not.”

The Russian diplomat said Azerbaijan’s decision to push for a debate
at the UN General Assembly on the “situation in Azerbaijan’s occupied
territories” has spoiled all plans.” Merzlyakov praised the UN for
suspending debates, adding that Azerbaijan’s motion has blocked the
conflict resolution for several months, but despite this the Russian
diplomat said he hoped that next year meetings of Armenian and Azeri
foreign ministers in Prague would produce positive results.

“I believe that the 2005 will become a decisive year to mark a
breakthrough in the conflict resolution,” he said.

U.N.: ‘Almost a million refugees face hunger’

Baku Sun: Azerbaijan
Dec 24 2004

GENEVA (AP) – Around a million refugees could face hunger and
malnutrition next year because of meager donations from governments
of more prosperous countries, the United Nations said Tuesday.

Several hundred thousand refugees are already struggling to survive
because aid agencies have had to drastically reduce rations to ensure
there is enough to go round, said Ron Redmond, spokesman for the U.N.
high commissioner for refugees.

“We are especially worried for refugees in Africa,” Redmond told
reporters.

In Zambia, handouts already have been halved in the past two months
and soon will be slashed again, putting 87,000 people at risk of
malnutrition.

“Already, we are hearing reports of refugee women resorting to
prostitution to support themselves and their children,” Redmond
added. “Field offices in Zambia also report there has been a marked
increase in children dropping out of school, presumably to help their
families find food.”

In Tanzania, rations were cut by a quarter in October. UNHCR and the
World Food Program found last month that malnutrition is rising among
some 400,000 refugees from Burundi and Congo who live in Tanzania’s
camps.

Malnutrition also threatens some 118,000 refugees in Ethiopia, and
another 224,000 in Kenya, Redmond said.

In conflict-ravaged Congo, WFP says that next month it will need to
make ration cuts of almost one third, Redmond noted.

“Africa is not the only continent facing a breakdown in the food
pipeline,” he said.

In January, 140,000 displaced a decade ago by conflict between Armenia
and Azerbaijan face a complete cut in rations — just two months after
handouts were halved.

Non-U.N. aid agencies also have sounded the alarm, but some have
chastised the United Nations for failing to respond fast enough
to crises.

On Monday, U.S.-based Refugees International said the world body was
moving too slowly to hand out food to people who fled the conflict
in Ivory Coast.

–Boundary_(ID_/r+1LxpfzhAgRvatPbnSVg)–

RUSSIA TO ASSIST ARMENIA IN 1988 EARTHQUAKE ZONE HEATING SYSTEM REVIVAL

RIA Novosti, Russia
Dec 24 2004

YEREVAN, December 24 (RIA Novosti) – The Armenian government has given
consent for the Armenian Urban Planning Ministry and the Russian
Federal Agency for Construction, Housing and Utilities to sign an
agreement on cooperation in reconstruction work in Armenia’s Shirak
region, the Armenian governmental PR service reported.

In 2005-2006 Russia will assign about $4 million for Armenia to
reconstruct the heating systems of a number of facilities of the
country’s second largest city, Gyumri (former Leninakan), the center
of the Shirak region, Minister of Urban Planning Aram Arutyunyan
stated earlier.

According to the official, Russia and Armenia have reached preliminary
agreement, and the issue has been placed on the agenda of the
Russian-Armenian interstate commission for economic cooperation.

Among the facilities included in the program the minister mentioned
the Gyumri State Pedagogical Institute, a hospital, a physical culture
school, four churches and blocks of flats.

Gyumri is one of the cities most damaged in the devastating earthquake
which happened in December 1988 in Armenia.

CCS okays revised cost estimate for Kaveri engine

Sify, India
Dec 24 2004

New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Saturday approved
the revised cost estimate of Rs 2,800 crore for the Kaveri Engine
Project for India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Tejas. This was
stated by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee after the CCS meeting
chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The CCS “approved the revised cost estimate of Kaveri engine” which
has been placed at Rs 2,800 crore, Mukherjee said adding that Rs
1,300 crore had already been spent earlier on the indigenous project.

Two prototypes of LCA , being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited (HAL), Bangalore, have been test flown including at supersonic
speeds.

LCA, a versatile, light weight and multi-role combat aircraft, is
expected to be ready for induction in the Indian Air Force in another
three years time.

Mukherjee said the CCS approved a defence cooperation agreement with
Armenia which had been reached by the previous NDA regime in May
last year.

Armenian parliament approves sending military specialists to Iraq

Itar-Tass, Russia
Dec 24 2004

YEREVAN, December 24 (Itar-Tass) – The Armenian parliament has ratified
a bill on sending military specialists to Iraq.

The decision was made after seven hours of closed-door debates.
Ninety-one deputy supported the bill, 23 voted against, and one
abstained. The Justice opposition bloc and the Dashnaktsutyun party,
which is a member of the ruling coalition and holder of ministerial
portfolios, objected to the bill.

Thus, Armenia joined the memorandum on mutual understanding in the
formation of the South-Center multinational division led by Poland
and stationed in Iraq. The document signed between Poland and another
19 countries last July regulates relations in the division.

Armenian Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisyan said they would send up to
50 military drivers, sappers and medics to Iraq. Their mission will
be purely humanitarian and voluntary. Contracts will be signed with
the Armenian servicemen, he said.

Armenia will make several reservations before sending its personnel to
Iraq, Sarkisyan said. Firstly, they must not take part in operations
together with Azerbaijani units. Secondly, they must be engaged only in
defensive and humanitarian actions. In case of demining handmade bombs,
America must supply Armenian sappers with robots, the minister said.

Times of India, India
Dec 24 2004

J&K enjoys more freedom than PoK: Survey
CHIDANAND RAJGHATTA

WASHINGTON: The Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir has a greater
degree of freedom than Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the think-tank
Freedom House has said in a survey.

In a significant pronouncement in the Freedom of the World 2005
report, the think tank classifies PoK as “Not Free” compared to J&K’s
“Partly Free” status, thus diminishing military-ruled Pakistan’s
frequent charges of Indian oppression in J&K and calls for
“self-determination” for the state.

In fact, India, with a ranking of 2.5, is only country in South Asia
that is classified as “Free.” Pakistan at 5.5 is deemed “Not Free,”
which would suggest its status is worse than that India’s “Partly
Free” J&K.

Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal all rate better than Pakistan with
their “Partly Free” status. The annual ranking is based on political
rights and civil liberties, and Freedom House is evidently not
impressed by Gen Musharraf’s claims of democracy.

In an assessment of what Freedom House considers “disputed
territories,” only northern Turkish Cyprus is rated “Free.” J&K,
along with Nagorno-Karabakh (disputed between Armenia and Azarbaijan)
is rated partly free. PoK, Tibet, Israeli-occupied territories,
Palestinian-occupied territories, Chechnya and Kosovo are considered
“Not Free.”

According to the survey, 89 countries are Free. Their 2.8 billion
inhabitants (44 percent of the world’s population) enjoy a broad
range of rights. Fifty-four countries representing 1.2 billion people
(19 percent) are considered Partly Free. Political rights and civil
liberties are more limited in these countries, in which corruption,
dominant ruling parties, or, in some cases, ethnic or religious
strife are often the norm.

The survey finds that 49 countries are Not Free. The 2.4 billion
inhabitants (37 percent) of these countries, nearly three-fifths of
whom live in China, are denied most basic political rights and civil
liberties. The worst rated countries include close US ally Saudi
Arabia, Turkmenistan, Libya, North Korea, Cuba, Sudan, Syria and
Burma.

Most of Western Europe and the United States topped the freedom chart
with a ranking of 1. India with its 2.5 ranking was in the company of
Brazil, Philippines and Thailand, and below Greece, Japan, South
Africa, Taiwan, South Korea and Israel among others.

The New Star of the European Union: Does It Shine in France?

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Dec 24 2004

The anxiety, fear, curiosity.. These are still dominant feelings in
France after the big day, 17th December, in Brussels. The negative
voices are still very loud. The question marks did not find their
results. What will happen? Will Turkey be successful in its “Europe
journey”? What will be the stance of French government and Chirac?
It can be said that the Turkey issue separated not only the public
but also the politicians. Turkey is now a political apparatus in
France that controls and manipulates the domestic and foreign affairs.

The President Chirac continues to defend his pro-Turkey stance. As
he has hesitations because of the presidential election while the
majority of the public are against the membership of Turkey to the
European Union, he stated that Turkey will be successful in its journey
that will start on 3rd October 2005. He also added that this will be a
long and difficult way, as Le Monde reported. However, he highlighted
that he wishes a happy “marriage” between Turkey and European Union.

The other side of the coin, namely against Turkey side, is still
anxious. As Le Figaro reported, the politicians of UMP, the party of
Nicolas Sarkozy, declared their negative opinions on the expense of
challenging the President. They declared that a parliamentary debate
should take place as soon as possible. Another important actor of
the Assembly, the Prime Minister Jean Pierre Raffarin, declared his
opinion about Turkey’s entry to the EU. In his speech made in the
National Assembly, he stated that the position of France has been
shaped by the President. The general opinion in his speech was clear:
he opposed Turkey’s entry. Even he stated that the membership of Turkey
will be beneficial for EU, he has lots of question marks about Turkey
and its development, or in other words, its success during the journey
to the EU.

Besides Raffarin, some figures are much braver (!) while they declare
their opinion about Turkey. The foreign Minister Barnier used the
Armenian card just before the 17th December summit. While the members
of the French government are cautious in using the term “genocide”,
Barnier was the first who used it in the parliament. As they do
not want to lost Armenian citizens’ votes they are very careful on
this issue.

As it is mentioned above Turkey has become one of the significant
state affairs’ tools. In every debate “this political tool” is used
by political and state elites. They can not “imagine” the Union with
Turkey. According to them this potential star of Europe can not be as
shiny as the other 25 stars. They can not get rid of the prejudices.
In my point of view, if Ankara and Brussels can not meet in a common
point, Turkey may find prospective star groups in the endless sky…The
crucial point is the success of this star during its journey and its
positive impacts on the sky that it belongs…

Selin Akyüz, ISRO

–Boundary_(ID_SQepwtQxFenTzHNzZ8Fr+w)–

Iran calls for closer ties

Baku Sun: Azerbaijan
Dec 24 2004

BAKU (AP) – Iran’s defense minister on Wednesday called for closer
military ties between his country and Azerbaijan.

Ali Shamkhani’s visit to neighboring Azerbaijan is the second in
less than a week by a top Iranian security official. Last week,
Iran’s Minister for Intelligence Ali Yunesi met with Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliev, announcing that the two neighboring countries
were working together on security.

“Azerbaijan’s security is our security. Our defense capability is your
defense capability,” Shamkhani told his Azerbaijani counterpart, Safar
Abiyev. “We have all possibilities for broadening our relations. A
statement released by Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said the two
ministers exchanged opinions on a wide range of issues concerning
the development of military ties.

Abiyev said Iran should help to resolve the dispute surrounding the
Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, whose status sparked a war between Armenia
and Azerbaijan in the 1990s. The two Caucasus countries continue to
have tense relations.

Shamkhani was also expected to meet with Aliev and other top Azeri
officials.

Earlier this month, several top Iranian diplomats as well as Iran’s
health and environment ministers made official visits to Azerbaijan.

CENN – DECEMBER 24, 2004 DAILY DIGEST

Table of Contents:
1. SOCAR Thinks Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline May be 11 % Over Budget
2. BP, TNK-BP Discuss Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipe
3. Detained Poacher has Wounded Employee of Ministry of Ecology and
Natural Resources
4. Ceremony Marks Opening of Aerial Tramway at Tsakhkadzor Resort
5. Iranian gas pipeline to ensure diverse energy sources for Armenia
6. Unluckiest Village in Armenia
7. Armenia Eligible to Receive Loan from OPEC Fund for International
Development
8. UNECE seminar of the Working Group on IWRM of the Water Convention
9. USA Ambassador in Azerbaijan Mr. Reno Harnish Expressed Concern About
the Events Taken Place in Azerbaijani advocacy

1. SOCAR THINKS BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN PIPELINE MAY BE 11 % OVER BUDGET

Source: EINnews, December 23, 2004

The cost of building the nearly completed Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil export
pipeline could hit $ 4 bn, SOCAR said, just days after Azerbaijan’s
state oil company downplayed the extend of cost overruns. The pipeline
was originally budgeted to cost $ 3.6 bn.

“Total expenses may increase by $ 350 mm-$ 450 mm,” SOCAR General
Director Natik Aliyev said. “We’ve reached the conclusion that costs may
reach $ 4 bn.” Aliyev said the pipeline could exceed its budget by 5 %
to 7 %. Costs of $ 4 bn represent an 11 % increase.

One reason for the increase is the rising price of oil. After a pipeline
is built, the operator must fill it with the requisite minimum amount of
oil that’s to be in the pipeline at all times. BP, which leads the
consortium of companies that own the pipeline, originally estimated that
it would have to spend $ 40 a barrel on this so-called technical crude,
Aliyev said.

Pipeline shareholders plan to buy 10 mm barrel of oil from the nearby
Azer-Chirac-Guneshli project to fill the pipeline in the first stage.

“But now it’s impossible to tell what the price will be in January or
February of next year,” he added. “It could be $ 60 a barrel, or it
could fall.”

Rising global demand and political instability in the Middle East have
caused prices to rise to as high as $ 55 a barrel in the past several
months. Other reasons behind the cost overruns include responding to
protests by nongovernmental organizations, a temporary work stoppage in
Georgia, a rise in the costs of transporting pipes from Japan and an
increase in the price of those pipes.

The falling dollar also played a role, Aliyev said.

“Most of the equipment was procured in Europe, and its
dollar-denominated price rose” with the falling dollar, he said.

Apart from BP, SOCAR, ENI, Itochu, Unocal, Statoil, ConocoPhillips and
Total are shareholders in the project.

2 BP, TNK-BP DISCUSS BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN PIPE

Source: Interfax, December 21, 2004

British Petroleum and TNK-BP are discussing the possibility of
transporting TNK-BP oil through the Baku- Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, BP
Azerbaijan President David Woodward said.

He said that they have not yet reached the stage of discussing volumes
and transport schedules and that they are only discussing transport
options and possibilities.

He said that one potential option for transporting Russian oil through
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline might be to reverse the Baku-
Novorossiisk pipeline to Baku. David Woodward also said that it is
possible to supply oil by sea from Astrakhan to Baku, for further
transportation through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline.

3 DETAINED POACHER HAS WOUNDED EMPLOYEE OF MINISTRY OF ECOLOGY AND
NATURAL RESOURCES

Source: State Telegraphic Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azertag,
December 22, 2004

During a raid aimed at revealing of the illegal facts of hunting, which
was held by the 2nd Territorial Department of the Ministry of Ecology
and Natural Resources in territory of Duyarli village of Shamkir region
was detained by poaching the resident of region Samir Ismailov.

As informed correspondent AzerTAj from the press-service of the
Ministry, the poacher who has not obeyed requirements of ecologists, has
opened fire and wound the employee of department Elmar Aliyev. The case
investigated by the Office of Public Prosecutor Shamkir region.

4 CEREMONY MARKS OPENING OF AERIAL TRAMWAY AT TSAKHKADZOR RESORT

Source: President.am, December, 2004

President Robert Kocharian participated in the opening ceremony of the
newly renovated aerial tramway at the Tsakhkadzor resort.

Kocharian hailed the completion, adding that the last section of the
tramway would be ready by next year, meeting all international
standards. “The new aerial tramway is built on a higher level than
Tsakhkadzor’s entire infrastructure. We should encourage businesses and
investors to build new hotels here, introduce services and leisure
places to make Tsakhkadzor a true tourist attraction. Only in that case
can we claim that we reached our goal,” Kocharian stressed.

The 2500 meters long aerial tramway has been renovated by a prominent
Swiss company specializing in assembling aerial tramways and other
construction works. The Tsakhkadzor resort is on the eastern slope of
Mount Teghenis and is famous for its numerous lodges and sport
facilities

5 IRANIAN GAS PIPELINE TO ENSURE DIVERSE ENERGY SOURCES FOR ARMENIA

Source: Mediamax news agency, December 22, 2004

Yerevan, December 22, 2004: The possible transit of gas by the
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline is “an issue of the future”, Armenian Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanyan said in Yerevan today.

Oskanyan told a press conference at the National Press Club that the
main goal in the construction of the gas pipeline is to have diverse
energy sources for Armenia.

Asked if Russia could interfere in this issue, Oskanyan said “Armenia is
always taking into account the interests of the neighbouring countries,
but is acting, first of all, in line with its own interests”.

Commenting on a project to construct a railway between Iran and Armenia,
Oskanyan said the project requires large funds. However, he said as the
trade between Armenia and Iran is growing day by day, there is a need
for a railway between the two countries.

“This issue needs to be discussed and analysed seriously,” Oskanyan
said.

6 UNLUCKIEST VILLAGE IN ARMENIA

Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting, December 22, 2004

The New Year will not be a cheerful one in Vanand. Outside it may be the
21st century, but the villagers will be celebrating the arrival of 2005
as they have done for centuries – in the dark without electricity, gas
or running water.

Vanand is located in the Armavir district of western Armenia right on
the border with Turkey. It has a population of 500, with the same number
having left over the past decade, mainly for Russia.

Like nowhere else, this place feels the impact of the seasons, being
very hot in summer and bitterly cold in winter. In cold weather they use
whatever comes to hand to heat their houses, mainly timber and dry dung.

Winter can be easier than summer. Karine Hakopian, a mother of three,
said, “Maybe nature will take pity on us and we will get a snowy winter.
Then we can melt the snow and there will be water for us and our
animals.”

Drinking water is worth more than gold here. Ohanes Margarian, a
40-year-old villager, told IWPR that water is brought into the village
once or twice a week in churns. “We can’t even drink an extra cup of
coffee, let alone have a hot meal,” he said. “Because of lack of water
we often have to eat dried food. I believe that the local authorities
are to blame that we live in such primitive conditions. They couldn’t
care less about us. This is a border village and they can’t be bothered
with it.”

That makes the hot season especially hard. Javan Manukian, the head of
the community, said that last summer they had been given irrigation
water on just three occasions, even though temperatures at that time of
year in the Ararat valley, where Vanand is located, can rise to 50
degrees centigrade.

When the villagers asked the local authorities for help, they were told
they had to pay for the water. “And where can people get money from?”
Manukian asked. “There’s no work and no harvest. Take a look yourself,
all the trees in the peasants’ plots have withered. The peaches, apples
and grapes have gone because of the lack of water.

In 2003, the Armenian government adopted a programme on improving the
socio-economic condition of border villages with plans to provide them
with gas and water. Parandzem Karapetian, head of administration in the
Armavir mayor’s office, said, “We do what we can but our capacities are
limited.”

Meri Harutiunian, head of the Armenian government’s press office, said
that Vanand was on a list of border villages which were entitled to
government investment in a special programme due to begin next year. But
details of the plan are still sketchy.

The villagers say they have never had gas, but before independence in
1991 they at least did not have the mass unemployment they have now.
The bread factory worked properly and there were farms that employed
local people. Nowadays the bread factory works at five per cent of its
capacity and the farms are just memories.

A gas supply is just a distant dream. Shushan Sardarian, press secretary
of the gas company ArmRosgazprom, told IWPR, “Today we are laying gas
pipes in the towns and big villages of Armenia. Only when that is
completed can we begin to talk about gas supplies for outlying
villages.”

Karine Hakopian’s two school-age children, Arevik and Araik, go to
school ten kilometres away in the next village of Artamet on foot. If
the road is blocked by snow, they do not make it to school at all.
And even when they get there, it is hard to call it a school at all. It
is a collection of railway carriages, each holding a class, some with as
little as two pupils.

Some children in Vanand and Artamet do not go to school at all because
their parents can’t afford to clothe them. “My son hasn’t been going to
school since September,” said Ripsime Danielian. “My husband recently
went to work in Russia and he can’t help us at the moment. And the boy
is ashamed of going in old clothes. Never mind, he can help me round the
house for the time being and next year if things get better in our
family he can start his studies again.”

The Danielian family is, like most households in this village, headed by
the mother because the father is away in Russia, sending home occasional
remittances.

They get electricity once a day and sometimes less than that. “We’re
used to it,” said Ripsime. “We use wood-burning stoves. Though wood
costs money too, it’s hard for us to get it. Some people get help from
relatives, others get by somehow. We pass the long winter evenings by
kerosene lamps. It’s not so bad for us adults but I feel sorry for the
children who have to live in the dark. I don’t know who should answer
for the way we live in the Stone Age.”

Despite all the hardships of living in Vanand, IWPR found that people
are still planning to stay here. “Those who wanted to leave have already
done so. As for me, I’m not going anywhere,” said Seiran Muradian.

“A few times people have given my family the chance to move to the town
and offered them help with moving and finding a flat. But I can’t leave
the land where my ancestors are buried. And after all our village is
right on the border with Turkey. It’s like a wall and we are the
defenders of our country.”

“Our young men went off to war from here,” said a young woman named
Srbui. “Many of them didn’t come back. We put up memorials to them.
We are poor but at least the cemetery is well looked after. I love my
village and my neighbours and I hope that life will sort itself out
here. There ought to be a party one day on our street too.”

7 ARMENIA ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE LOAN FROM OPEC FUND FOR INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT

Source: ArmenPress, December 22, 2004

United Arab Emirates-chaired OPEC Fund for International Development
announced December 21 it approved loans worth a total of USD
157.4million at a recent board of governors meeting in the Fund’s Vienna
offices.

Jamal Nasser Lutah, the board’s chairman and assistant undersecretary of
Industry at the UAE Ministry of Finance and Industry (MOFI), unveiled
the details of the loans. He said: ‘The board has approved 17 loans
totaling $157.4 million to offer credit finance for projects in Angola,
Armenia, Bosnia, Congo, Jordan, Turkey and Turkmenistan.”

The loans are for as long as 20 years. The first five years offer a
grace period and the interest payable varies from 1 per cent to 1.75 per
cent.’

The announcement did not say how much Armenia is expected to get. The
Armenian finance and economy ministry said it did not discuss yet how
the loan could be used.

The OPEC Fund for International Development was established in January
1976 by the member countries of the Organization of the Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC). The Fund was established to support
low-income countries in their efforts to make economic and social
progress. It aims to promote cooperation between member countries of
OEPC and other developing nations.

8 UNECE SEMINAR OF THE WORKING GROUP ON IWRM OF THE WATER CONVENTION

Dear Friends,

At the UNECE seminar on ecosystems as water suppliers (13-14 December
2004 in
Geneva)(),
the annexed draft decision on Integrated Management of Water Resources
for the 23rd session of the Governing Council of UNEP (Nairobi, Kenya,
21-25 February 2005) was given to the Swiss delegation for consideration
by the Mexican delegation.

Given the importance of water-related ecosystems for water management
that was demonstrated during the seminar Switzerland proposed to
distribute the draft decision to all of us, participants of this seminar
and the meeting Working Group on IWRM of the Water Convention that took
place on 15 December 2004.

As participant of mentioned seminars I just received e-mail from Sibylle
Vermont, Head of mentioned working group for comments to attached draft
documents.

If you are interested in providing comments you can send them to me. I
will collect them and send them to her.

They need your support on this decision. Our region has a lot of
experience on the relation of ecosystems and water. It is time now to
promote it to other regions and stimulate further work on the topic.

My personal opinion regarding to this document is positive and in order
to corporate it with the Statement of UNEP which is sent to you by me
two days ago I would suggest to add following comments:

– Importance for UNEP to work on the implementation of JPOI and EU water

– initiative and support:
– Development of IWRM plans in all countries;
– Actively support and promote involvment of civil society in this
process

You cal also add comments on transboundary(national level) issues like:

Support and promotion of upstream and downstream level data exchange,
dialoge and activity coordination;

Best regards and I wish you all Happy New Year!
Rafig Verdiyev,
ECORES
E- mail: [email protected]

9 USA AMBASSADOR IN AZERBAIJAN MR. RENO HARNISH EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT
THE EVENTS TAKEN PLACE IN AZERBAIJANI ADVOCACY

Dear Colleagues,

Please find the statement of USA Embassy in Azerbaijan concerning the
establishment of advocacy in Azerbaijan.

Statement of USA Embassy in Azerbaijan:
Ambassador in Azerbaijan Mr.doc

Intigam Aliyev,
Co-chairman of Azerbaijan Lawyers’ Forum

Tel.:(994 12) 498-81-75, 498-94-80
Mob.: (994 50) 204-70-10
Email: [email protected]
Address: 199 Shamil Azizbeyov str, Apt. 7
AZ 1010, Baku, Azerbaijan

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CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)

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

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