Le Figaro, France
01 décembre 2004

Turquie
Le Parlement européen refuse le «partenariat»

Bruxelles : de notre correspondante Alexandrine Bouilhet
[01 décembre 2004]

La commission des affaires étrangères du Parlement européen a refusé,
hier, d’envisager l’option d’une «troisième voie» pour la Turquie
dans le cadre de ses négociations avec l’Union européenne. Appelés à
voter sur un texte décisif, qui sera adopté en plénière le 15
décembre puis soumis aux chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement à Bruxelles,
les eurodéputés ont rejeté les amendements préconisant un
«partenariat privilégié» et non une adhésion pure et simple.

Ce vote des députés, pourtant dominés par la droite allemande, est un
camouflet pour les élus français. En France, l’idée d’un «partenariat
privilégié» est défendue par Nicolas Sarkozy, Valéry Giscard
d’Estaing et François Bayrou. Elle a été relayée en commission des
affaires étrangères à Bruxelles par Jacques Toubon (UMP), Marielle de
Sarnez (UDF), Alain Lamassoure (UMP) et Nicole Fontaine (UMP). La
pression est telle qu’elle a contraint Jacques Chirac à évoquer, à
son tour, une possible «troisième voie» pour la Turquie en Europe.

Le Parlement européen n’a pas autant d’états d’me. Malgré le dépôt
de 500 amendements, visant pour la majorité à durcir la position de
négociation de l’Union, les eurodéputés ont suivi l’avis de la
commission. Ils recommandent aux chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement des
Vingt-Cinq «d’ouvrir les négocia tions» d’adhésion avec la Turquie
«sans délais inutiles». Seule concession aux sceptiques de la
candidature turque : les négociations qui doivent débuter en 2005,
disent-ils, ne doivent pas mener «automatique ment» à l’adhésion.
«L’objectif des négociations avec la Turquie est l’adhésion à
l’Union, insistent les députés dans leur résolution, mais la
réalisation de cette ambition dépendra des efforts menés de part et
d’autre ; l’adhésion n’est donc pas une conséquence automatique du
début des négociations.»

Le Parlement européen suit la recommandation de la Commission Prodi.
Les députés ont refusé d’évoquer le génocide arménien, appelant
simplement les autorités turques et arméniennes à se réconcilier, en
dépassant «l’expérience tragique du passé». Là encore, les élus
français, de droite comme de gauche, réclamant la reconnaissance par
la Turquie du génocide arménien, ont été mis en minorité. Les
eurodéputés ont préféré insister sur le respect des droits de
l’homme, qu’ils placent au centre des premières années de
négociations. Ils mettent l’accent sur la «tolérance zéro» à l’égard
de la torture, le droit des femmes, «trop souvent soumises à des
violences conjugales», mais aussi des Kurdes et des minorités
religieuses, qu’elles soient «chrétiennes» ou musulmanes «non
sunnites».

Sur Chypre, le Parlement est en phase avec les capitales européennes
décidées à hausser le ton. Avant d’ouvrir les négociations, ils
exigent d’Ankara la reconnaissance officielle de la République de
Chypre, et le retrait des troupes turques de la partie nord de l’île.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Dec 1 2004

Armenian opposition regards discussions on Upper Garabagh in UN as
Azerbaijan’s success

The UN General Assembly discussed the issue on the occupied lands of
Azerbaijan at its 59th session on November 23.
Chairman of the Assembly said after the discussions that approval of
the wording of the resolution on Upper Garabagh prepared by the UN
General Assembly has been adjourned.
The Armenian opposition told local media following the discussions
that President Kocharian’s foreign policy is bound to failure. They
also assessed the discussion of the Upper Garabagh conflict at the
United Nations as the success of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy.
Chairman of the Armenian National Democratic Party Shavarsh Kocharian
said that although the discussions on the Upper Garabagh conflict may
be assessed as Azerbaijan’s success, the adjourned approval of the
resolution can be regarded positive for Armenia.
`Armenia must take steps to impede the approval of the resolution,’
he said.
Kocharian noted that the postponement is mainly related to the fact
that the UN General Assembly supports the Upper Garabagh conflict
settlement strictly within the OSCE Minsk Group.*

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Dec 1 2004

Construction of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline starts

Construction of the Armenian section of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
started on Tuesday.
Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markarian and Iranian Energy
Minister Habibola Bitaraf met in Suyinik province of Armenia to
consider the issue. The Iranian delegation will hold meetings in
Yerevan on Wednesday to continue discussions on the project.
The 41km-long Armenian section of the 72mm-diameter gas pipe with a
total length of 141 kilometers, due to be commissioned by 2007, will
be constructed by Iran’s Sanir firm. The gas to be transported
through the pipeline is earmarked only to meet Armenia’s domestic
demand.
The construction of the Armenian section will be financed on a $30
million loan to be allocated by an Iranian bank under the agreement
reached during Iranian State Minister’s visit to Armenia this July.
Iran will spend $100 million to construct the 100-km section of the
pipeline in its territory.
The agreement to build the gas pipeline was signed by Iran and
Armenia in 1992 and a map-plan of the pipe route approved in 1995.
Under the agreement, Iran will annually supply 500 million cu m of
gas to Armenia starting in 2007. The figure will reach 1.2 billion cu
m in 2010. Armenia, in turn, will supply electricity to Iran in the
future.
Meanwhile, there were reports saying that Iran intends to transport
its gas to European markets through Armenia. The issue was discussed
during the last visit by Iranian President Mohammad Khatami to
Armenia as well.
The Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Afshar Suleymani said that the
Iranian side has not forwarded any proposals to Armenia, which
imports Russian gas through Georgia, and wants to buy the Iranian gas
as well. It is still to be determined through which country the
Iranian gas will be transported and analysis is under way to choose
the economically viable route, Suleymani underlined.
`Europe is keen on importing Iran’s gas. Iranian gas may be taken to
Europe via two routes: either through Turkey and Greece or via
Armenia and Ukraine,’ the ambassador said.
Touching upon transportation of the Iranian gas through Azerbaijan,
Suleymani said that the Azerbaijani side has not made a proposal in
this regard.
`If Azerbaijan puts forth a relevant proposal, Iran will approve it,
as a pipeline exists which used to take Iranian gas to Georgia and
Russia through Azerbaijan in the Soviet times,’ he added.*

AIDS Day Is Observed Around the Globe

By ALEXANDER G. HIGGINS
.c The Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) – From Armenia to Zambia activists turned out by the thousands
for World AIDS Day on Wednesday, singing in mighty cathedrals, lighting
candles in city squares and playing sports.

The United Nations has dedicated this year’s observance to improving
protection for women and girls. Nearly half of the 39.4 million people infected with
HIV worldwide are female.

“Prevention methods such as the ABC approach – Abstinence, Be faithful and
use Condoms – are good, but not enough to protect women where gender
inequality is pervasive,” said Peter Piot, head of UNAIDS.

“We must be able to ensure that women can choose marriage, to decide when
and with whom they have sex and to successfully negotiate condom use,” Piot
added.

As the day began in Asia, where the disease has claimed 540,000 lives this
year, campaigners in Japan and South Korea handed out condoms. Thailand,
Vietnam, and Bangladesh had marches, and the Philippines a promotion for HIV
testing.

The Chinese government ordered local officials to learn about the disease
and televised a rare visit by President Hu Jintao to AIDS patients in a
hospital.

China, which has an estimated 840,000 infected with the AIDS virus, has been
criticized for reacting too slowly to the threat of AIDS. The U.N. AIDS
agency has warned that China could have as many as 10 million people infected by
2010 if it doesn’t take urgent action.

An Indian cricket match against South Africa, whose players wore red ribbons
to show their support for the anti-AIDS campaign, was dedicated to promoting
AIDS awareness.

In Pakistan, about 400 aid workers discussed how to empower women in a
region where men usually have a dominant role in society.

At the forefront of the pandemic in southern Africa red ribbons were tied to
lamp posts and draped over buildings. Zambians gathered for a candlelight
memorial service in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in the capital, Lusaka.

Soccer matches in Botswana were dedicated to the campaign.

Anglican Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane of South Africa appealed for
tolerance.

“HIV/AIDS is not God’s punishment of the wicked,” Ndungane told a rally in
Cape Town. “AIDS is a preventable, treatable and manageable disease – no
more, no less.”

Malawi’s President Bingu wa Mutharika said he wants at least 1 million of
his 11 million people to test for HIV by the end of next year so his government
can determine how many need anti-retroviral treatment.

“We want to have 80,000 people on ARVs by the end of 2005,” he said at an
event in the central border district of Nchinji. That would be nearly 10
times the number of Malawians receiving free treatment.

Eastern Europe, where AIDS figures have jumped since the collapse of the
Soviet Union, joined in the observance. Events in Armenia included a concert
with well-known local artists.

Serbia-Montenegro, where the number of infected people has risen sharply,
had live radio and television programs to increase awareness of how the disease
spreads.

In the Croatian capital of Zagreb activists handed out condoms and selling
Christmas cards made by AIDS-infected children.

In Estonia, where 4,356 of the 1.4 million residents are HIV positive, the
biggest event was an “Open Your Eyes” concert in the Kaarli Church, in the
capital, Tallinn.

Polish campaigners were out to halt the trend of growing infections. In the
northern city of Sopot they lit red candles in the shape of a ribbon, and in
nearby Gdansk they distributed condoms.

Portugal, which has one of the highest rates of new AIDS infections in
western Europe, opened the new headquarters of an association to support AIDS
patients.

A televised five-hour dance-a-thon, which was held simultaneously in the
Dutch city of Arnhem and in Cape Town, South Africa, raised money to fight AIDS.

One candle was lighted for each of the 1,800 people who have died of AIDS in
Denmark during a ceremony in a Copenhagen square.

Victor Mooney, 40, of Woodhaven, N.Y., kicked off a campaign in Rome to
raise $200,000 by selling bracelets to fund his rowing trip from Senegal to New
York next year to raise AIDS awareness.

Piot took his message about improving the chances of women to the United
Nations’ commemorative event at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York
City. Hosted by actors Gloria Reuben and Alan Cumming, the event featured
singer Mary Wilson and South Africa’s Sinikithemba Choir.

Piot said laws must be passed everywhere against domestic abuse and rape and
to make sure women are educated and have property rights because that will
make them more secure and “far less vulnerable to HIV.”

“We will not be able to stop this epidemic unless we put women at the heart
of the response to AIDS.”

On the Net:

UNAIDS:

12/01/04 11:08 EST

AllAfrica.com
Dec 1 2004

Equatorial Guinea: Mercenary Trial Was Unfair, Legal Observers Say

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks

December 1, 2004
Dakar

Specialists in international law and human rights who observed the
recent trial of alleged coup plotters and mercenaries in Equatorial
Guinea said on Wednesday that it had been conducted unfairly and in
breach of international conventions.

Lengthy prison sentences were handed down by a court in the capital
Malabo last Friday against 20 people, 11 of them foreigners.

All were convicted of plotting to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang
Nguema by helping to prepare an abortive invasion of the oil-rich
West African nation by South African mercenaries .

Marise Castro, who observed the proceedings for Amnesty
International, told IRIN by telephone from London that “it was not in
our view a fair trial.”

Mark Ellis, Executive Director of the London-based International Bar
Association which also sent an observer to the hearings, said “the
trial fell short of international fair trial standards.”

Five South Africans and six Armenians were found guilty of
involvement in the failed coup against President Teodoro Obiang
Nguema and were sentenced to between 14 and 34 years in jail. Two
Equatorial Guineans who appeared in court received lighter sentences.

Castro said the 15 foreign nationals arrested on 8 March in the
capital Malabo – one of whom died in custody nine days later – had
been held “day and night since their arrest in handcuffs and (ankle)
shackles that weren’t even removed to go to the toilet.”

“That in itself is torture,” the Amnesty observer said.

Castro added that the prisoners had been deprived of adequate
medicine and food during their eight months in detention and had not
been allowed proper access to their families,

Ellis said the court’s refusal to take into consideration allegations
of torture by the defendants and their lawyers was “a fundamental
breach of internarional law.”

Former South African soldier Nick du Toit, the alleged leader of the
group and the sole defendant to have initially confessed to a role in
a conspiracy, said his confession had been obtained by torture. The
defendants said they had signed statements under duress.

“But the court just ignored that,” Ellis said. “That is inconsistent
with international law. A court must record such an allegation and
order an investigation if necessary.”

Castro quoted one of the defence lawyers as saying “the defendants
still had marks on their bodies.”

Two of the defendants said in court that German national, Gerhardt
Merz, also arrested in March, had died in front of them as a result
of torture in Black Beach prison. The authorities said he died of
cerebral malaria.

Ellis said the government of Equatorial Guinea also violated
international law by failing to notify defendants of the charges
during the pre-trial period and then denying them access to legal
counsel until three days before the trial began last August.

Both the IBA and Amnesty International criticized the court’s failure
to provide professional interpretors and translations of statements
both during the investigation and during the hearings. These were
conducted in Spanish, the official language of Equatorial Guinea.

The small country of 500,00 people consists of Bioko, a mountainous
volcanic island formally known as Fernando Poo, and a nearby block of
jungle-covered territory on the African continent. It was ruled by
Spain until independence in 1968.

Castro said some of the defendants’ claims of torture “were not even
translated into Spanish by the interpretor, who was biased. ” She
noted that he was the Attorney General’s official interpretor.

The Amnesty observer also noted that one of the South African
defendants in court spoke only Portuguese. The court was not aware of
this and had not provided an interpretor, she added. A Russian
interpretor was provided for the Armenian defendants. A delegation
from Yerevan is currently in Equatorial Guinea discussing their fate.

Castro and Ellis both lamented that the prosecution had failed to
present any evidence to substantiate the charges, bar the defendants’
own statements.

“Weapons produced by the prosecution were shown as examples of the
type of guns they intended to buy in Zimbabwe,” Castro said.

She said no warrants had been issued for the arrest of the accused
and their statements had been taken by the attorney general, not by
investigating magistrate as prescribed by the country’s own legal
system.

The IBA stressed the fact that the court had broken Equatorial
Guinea’s own judicial rules by deciding two weeks ago to also place
on trial nine exiled opposition leaders in absentia alongside the
original defendants.

It was unclear whether any of these individuals who were tried in
their absence had been informed of the charges against them and
whether any effort had been made to bring them before the court,
Ellis said.

Severo Moto, the Spanish-based leader of a government-in-exile, was
sentenced to 63 years in jail at the trial. It was the third time
that a court in Equatorial Guinea had convicted him of political
offences and imposed a prison sentence on Moto in his absence

The accused were found guilty of preparing the way for an abortive
mercenary invasion last March by a planeload of mercenaries who were
intercepted in Zimbabwe on their way to Malabo.

The plane, carrying 67 mainly South African mercenaries, was
prevented from reaching Equatorial Guinea after it was detained
during a stopover in Harare to pick up weapons.

Although many of the defendants in the trial in Malabo were sentenced
to long prison terms, the court ignored prosecution calls for the
death sentence to be imposed against du Toit, the alleged leader of a
mercenary group already placed inside in the country, and Moto, the
exiled opposition leader who would allegedly have become president
had the coup succeeded.

Obiang, the present head of state, has been widely accused of
corruption and human rights abuse. He has ruled Equatorial Guinea
since he deposed and killed his uncle, Macias Nguema, in a 1979 coup,
accumulating considerable personal wealth from oil revenues which
have poured in over the past decade.

Equatorial Guinea now produces 350,000 barrels per day of oil and has
become Africa’s third-biggest oil producer after Nigeria and Angola.

The state prosecutor alleged during the trial that plot to overthrow
Obiang and install Moto in his place, had received support and
finance from prominent individuals in South Africa, Britain and
Spain, including Mark Thatcher, the son of former British prime
minister Margaret Thatcher.

AINA (Assyrian), CA
Dec 1 2004

Australian Liberal Party Condemns Iraq Church Bombings, Calls for
Safe Haven for Christians

(AINA) — The Liberal Party of Australia, NSW division, issued a
statement condemning the bombing of churches in Iraq, and calling for
a Christian enclave.

The Young Liberal Movement of NSW is the most influential youth
political organisation in Australia, and is the youth wing of the
centre-right conservative Australian Liberal Party, led by the
current Prime Minister of Australia, The Hon. John Howard MP. On
Saturday the 27th of November the state council, a meeting of
branches from the state of NSW gather to discuss policy, issued a
policy motion made by the Smithfield branch, which has many Assyrian
members and is located near Fairfield, which has the largest
concentration of Assyrians in Australia.

The Statement states:

The Liberal Party of Australia, NSW Division condemn the hideous and
unjustifiable attacks on the Assyrian and Armenian Christian churches
in Baghdad and Mosul that killed 15 worshipers and injured another
65. These attacks are a crime not only against Iraqi Christians but
all Iraqis who seek a free and democratic Iraq. The Liberal Party of
Australia, NSW Division further deems that the formation of a
Christian enclave in the north is necessary to safeguard the
country’s Christian minority, who makeup 3% of the total population.

The motion was passed unanimously by over 100 delegates in the
presence of Federal members of Parliament and is now a part of the
official policy of the NSW Young Liberals.

A1 Plus | 13:48:53 | 01-12-2004 | Official |

PRESIDENT CONGRATULATING

Robert Kocharyan has today received Ishkhan Zaqaryan, Chairman of State
Committee for Physical Training and Sport and Gagik Tsarukyan,
newly-elected Chair of National Olympic Committee of Armenia.

Kocharyan congratulated Gagik Tsarukyan on his election for the post.

Issues regarding activity of National Olympic Committee and coming plans
were discussed at the meeting.

CENN – NOVEMBER 29, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. State Oil Fund to Set Aside Azm 105 bln for BTC Pipeline Construction

2. 4 Million Tones of Oil Needed TO Fill BTC Pipeline
3. Credit Agreement in Force
4. Environmental Ministers of Eastern European, Asian and Caucasian
Countries Meet in Baku
5. Bendukidze Lashes out at Forestry Department Head
6. US Company to Ship Oil from Azerbaijan Via Georgia Ports
7. Illegal Villas in Tsaghkadzor
8. Minister Sees ‘Natural’ Economic Slowdown

1. STATE OIL FUND TO SET ASIDE AZM 105 BLN FOR BTC PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION

Source: Source: State Telegraphic Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
Azertag, November 25, 2004

The Azerbaijan Republic State Oil Fund is going to set aside 105 billion
manats to finance Azerbaijan’s share in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
export pipeline construction, Fund executive director Samir Sharifov
told AzeTAJ correspondent.

2. 4 MILLION TONS OF OIL NEEDED TO FILL BTC PIPELINE

Source: Source: State Telegraphic Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
Azertag, November 25, 2004

According the press service of BP Azerbaijan, as soon as
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline construction ends 4 million barrels of
oil will be needed to fill the pipe out, BP said. The pipe will be
filled with 11 million tons of oil extracted from the
Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli field.

3. CREDIT AGREEMENT IN FORCE

Source: Source: State Telegraphic Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
Azertag, November 25, 2004

Azerbaijani side is going to start repaying its credits taken to finance
its share in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline construction as soon
as the batch of oil is dispatched from Ceyhan seaport in 2006, State Oil
Company of Azerbaijan reported. In this respect, credit agreements
remain in force.

4. ENVIRONMENT MINISTERS OF EASTERN EUROPEAN, ASIAN AND CAUCASIAN
COUNTRIES MEET IN BAKU

Source: Source: State Telegraphic Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
Azertag, November 25, 2004

In the office of Regional Ecological Center (REC) of Caucasus in
Azerbaijan was held a meeting dedicated to results of the recent
conference of the ministers of environment of the countries of Eastern
Europe, Asia and Central Caucasus (EEACC) in Tbilisi.

Noting that in the period after the ministerial conference on the topic
`Environment For Europe’, passed in Kiev in May 2003, real conclusions
on improvement of the environment and regional cooperation a notable
result was not achieved in this direction, presiding at the meeting,
head of the Society `For Sustainable Development’ Fikrat Jafarov and
participants of Tbilisi conference from Azerbaijan spoke of positive
reaction of all attendees in the event of speech of the minister of
ecology and natural resources of Azerbaijan Huseyngulu Bagirov.

Discussed was also the importance of elaboration of the national plans
on eco-strategy of EEACC, focused suggestions on realization of tasks,
put forward by the ministerial forum in Kiev and Tbilisi.

It has to be noted that in the EEACC countries, there are functioning
five Regional Ecological Centers (REC) – in Hungary, Russia, Kazakhstan,
Moldova and in the Caucasus, which are to implement sustainable
partnership on realization of EEACC strategy.

5. BENDUKIDZE LASHES OUT AT FORESTRY DEPARTMENT HEAD

Source: The Messenger, November 26, 2004

Minister describes plans for rehabilitating tourist infrastructure and
removing IDPs from hotels

Minister of Economic Development Kakha Bendukidze hit out at the Head of
the Forestry Department Bidzina Giorgobiani over disagreements between
the two regarding the privatization of Georgia’s forests.

Although Mr. Giorgobiani said in an interview with the media that
government members had been able to come to an agreed view regarding
forestry reform at lat week’s government session and that there were no
longer any questions on the issue, Bendukidze told the media on Monday
November 22, 2004 that `it seems Mr. Bidzina has forgotten that he is
working at the government.’

`The government has not yet made any decision with regard to forestry
reform. When Mr. Giorgobiani talks about the `government view’, he means
the view of him and his deputy,’ the minister said.

`The forestry department is a part of government and it is the
government which is responsible for making decisions on this issue,’ the
minister added.

Mr. Bendukidze says that the position of his ministry is to be maximally
careful in creating new state owned enterprise with new functions, such
as looking after the forests.

`As a rule, state owned enterprises are badly managed and a source of
corruption. If we want to create a joint stock or limited company
someone should write a special plan concerning its functions. Creating
some kind corporation does not mean that the problem is solved,’
Bendukidze said.

Also on Monday the minister addressed the issue of the possible transfer
of Trade Union property to the state, property that includes numerous
hotels throughout the country that are currently inhabited by IDPs.

Mr. Bendukidze said, ‘There is no talk of Trade Union property being
transferred to the state. We are saying that there are very many hotels
and sanitariums in the ownership of the Trade Union, where over 11, 000
refuges are living. That is why we agreed to create a special fund that
will be called the Fund for Developing Resorts.’

According to the minister, ‘the National Fund for Developing Resorts
will be charge of management the hotels and sanatoriums, developing the
tourist infrastructure and removing the refugees from these building,’
adding that some of assets under the ownership of the Trade Union will
also be included in the fund.

`The Trade Union expressed the desire to finish rehabilitating some of
these assets and the National Fund will provide funding for the
realizations of their aims,’ he said.

He said that Tkhaltubo and Borjomi regions would be the main
beneficiaries from this process.

`Tskhaltubo as a resort town is `dead’, as over 6000 refugees are living
in the sanatoriums located there. We should do something with regard to
these people. So we are moving to a new mechanism of managing the
property and we have also offered this to the Trade Union,’ said Mr.
Bendukidze.

6. US COMPANY TO SHIP OIL FROM AZERBAIJAN VIA GEORGIAN PORTS

Source: RIA Novosti, November 29, 2004

ExxonMobil subsidiary, Exxon Azerbaijan Ltd., has made a deal with the
Azerbaijanian Azpetrol Holding on shipping part of its oil from Azeri
and Guneshli (Azerbaijan) deposits via Georgian seaports.

Novosti-Georgia reports with reference to a press release of the US
Company that according to the agreement, oil is to be shipped along the
Baku-Batumi (Georgia) railway in the amount of ten million tons during
five years.

Despite being a participant in the project to develop sea oil deposits
Azeri-Chyrag-Guneshli, ExxonMobil at a time did not find it necessary to
become a shareholder in BTC Co. that builds the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
pipeline. For this reason, ExxonMobil is considering all possible
options for exporting oil from Azerbaijan, including the northern
(Russian) route of the Baku-Novorossiisk oil pipeline.

Oil pumping through the BTC pipeline will cost $3-odd per barrel on the
average. But these tariffs will only be applicable to the companies that
participated in constructing and financing the oil pipeline as
shareholders of the BTC company. Other companies wishing to transport
their oil through BTC will have to pay more.

Azpetrol Holding shipped over 15 million metric tons of oil and oil
products via the South-Caucasus transport corridor when it began
operating (2001). In 2003 alone, this company transported 4,045,656
metric tons of oil and oil products along the Baku-Batumi route.

7. ILLEGAL VILLAS IN TSAGHKADZOR

Source: , November 24, 2004

Members of Parliament Gagik Tsarukyan and Levon Sargisyan, Head of the
State Customs Department Armen Avetisyan, and Deputy Head of the State
Police Department Armen Yeritsyan have all built houses in the
recreation areas and forest reserves of Tsaghkadzor.

How did these men build their villas? Gagik Tsarukyan, one of the
richest men in Armenia, began illegal construction work in the resort
town of Tsaghkadzor during the 2003 parliamentary elections. Both the
municipal administration and the law enforcement agencies knew about
this, but neither did anything to stop it. At the same time Tsarukyan
was unlawfully building his two houses, he was also campaigning for a
seat in Armenia ‘s legislature.

But now, said the mayor of Tsaghkadzor, Garun Mirzoyan, the buildings
“have been legalized in accordance with Armenia ‘s Law on the
Legalization of Unauthorized Constructions. Some time ago an
unauthorized building was constructed; we legalized the construction,
transferring quite a large amount of money to the state budget. The
territory amounts to 1.4 hectares. Both buildings were legalized in the
name of Gagik Tsarukyan, based on his written applications.”

I asked the mayor if there had been any discussions with community
members, any public hearings conducted prior to the legalization. “There
is no such provisions in this law. What were we supposed to discuss
after the houses had been built?” he answered. “[Tsarukyan] had built
the houses, and appealed to the State Cadastre to legalize the
construction. Naturally, since the State Cadastre didn’t have the
necessary documents it applied to the Mayor’s Office asking us to pass a
decision on legalizing the construction. Thus there was no point in
discussing the matter with the community,” Mayor Mirzoyan explained.

The mayor said Tsarukyan’s buildings had been legalized in mid-2003, at
a price of 2,000 drams per square meter of construction, plus the
cadastre value of the land. “Mr. Tsarukyan paid about 15 million drams,”
he added.

The truth is the Mayor’s Office was in a position to turn down
Tsarukyan’s request, or to oblige him to pull down one or both of the
illegal buildings. But instead, “We found it appropriate and legalized
the construction,” Mayor Mirzoyan told us. The Mayor’s Office did not
risk opposing Gagik Tsarukyan. They say there’s only one man in Armenia
who can – the president of the republic. They also say that Tsarukyan
built one of the houses for a certain senior official. Just who that
official is, time will tell.

“The forests of Tsaghkadzor are situated on steep slopes, 45 degrees
minimum, and are of great value from the perspective of preserving the
land and regulating the flow of water,” Srbuhi Harutiunyan, the chairman
of the Social Ecological Association, explained. “According to the
forest cadastre, these forests have defensive significance. Because of
the construction work in the Tsaghkadzor forests, the integrity of the
forest has been violated, the specific composition has suffered, and the
functions of the land have been impaired.”

“According to municipal zoning, two-thirds of the land in Tsaghkadzor is
for recreational use,” Mirzoyan said. In reality, half of this land is
already occupied by constructions. According to Article 22 of the Land
Code of Armenia, any activity impeding the intended use of recreation
land is forbidden. Construction work in Tsaghkadzor deprives the people
of Armenia of an unspoiled vacation area and damages the forests on the
steep slopes.

The mayor justifies what’s going on by saying that the building is only
taking place in areas that used to accommodate camps. But that’s not
true. Furthermore, talking with the people who live here, I found out
that they had not been informed about the planned changes that would
affect their lives. “In fact, the Kotayk Governor’s office and
Tsaghkadzor Mayor’s office failed to inform the public in advance, as
they are required to do by Articles 13 and 14 of the Law on Town
Planning and by the October 28, 1998 Government Decision # 660,” Srbuhi
Harutiunyan said.

If every parliament member, government member, judges and or prosecutor
decides to build a villa in the forests of Tsaghkadzor, who will stop
them? Unfortunately, no one. The construction work keeps going on.

8. MINISTER SEES ‘NATURAL’ ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN

Source: Radio Free Europe, Czech republic, November 25, 2004

Economic growth in Armenia, which hit a double-digit rate last year,
will slow down in the coming years but will remain strong in relative
terms, Finance and Economy Minister Vartan Khachatrian predicted on
Wednesday.

Khachatrian said the country’s Gross Domestic Product is on course to
expand by up to 11 percent this year and 8 percent in 2005, down from 13
percent reported by the government in 2003. Official figures put GDP
growth in the first nine months of 2004 at 10.3 percent.

“There is a tendency of [growth rate] decrease and that is natural. The
greater the economic base, the slower its further growth,” Khachatrian
told RFE/RL.

“Many countries and organizations hold up Armenia as an example,” he
added. That is especially true for the World Bank and the International
Monetary Fund that have praised the country’s macroeconomic performance,
rewarding its government with more multimillion-dollar loans. The World
Bank described that performance as “exemplary” in a statement last week.

The key question arising from the rosy macroeconomic data is their
impact on still low living standards. Many local and foreign economists
believe that the growth has mostly benefited a small number of wealthy
Armenians that continue to routinely evade taxes.

But Khachatrian repeated the government view that the benefits are
beginning to trickle down. “The poorest section of the population may
still not be happy but it does feel change,” he claimed.

According to official statistics made available to RFE/RL in September,
the proportion of Armenians living below the official poverty line fell
from 49.7 percent to 42.9 percent in the course of last year. They also
showed the rate of “extreme poverty” tumbling from 13 percent to 7
percent during the same period.

The credibility of the latter figure, based on household income surveys
by the National Statistical Service, was seriously questioned on
Wednesday by Hranush Kharatian, a prominent sociologists and the head of
a government department on minority affairs. “I think most experts find
this figure extremely suspicious,” she said. “If I’m not mistaken, even
the Finance Ministry has asked for a repeat of that survey.”

Other experts say that the official poverty line is set too low.

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

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

PRESS RELEASE

UN Department of Public Information, Yerevan Office
14 K.Liebknekht, Yerevan 375010, Armenia
Contact: Armine Halajyan, UN DPI Information Assistant
Tel.: (374 1) 560 212
Fax/Tel.: (374 1) 561 406

WORLD AIDS DAY IN ARMENIA

Although the name of Armenia has not been mentioned in the recently launched
AIDS Epidemic Update, 2004 but Armenia falls in the geographical region
where rapid growth of the epidemic has been registered. According to this
Report, 2004 – the number of people living with HIV in Eastern Europe and
Central Asia has risen dramatically in just a few years-reaching an
estimated 1.4 million [920 000-2.1 million] at the end of 2004. This is an
increase of more than nine-fold in less than ten years. And most of the
epidemics in this region are still in their early stages-which means that
timely, effective interventions can halt and reverse them.

According to the UNDP report Reversing the Epidemic, Facts and Policy
Options, 2004, only a few years ago it was hoped that Central and Eastern
Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) would avoid the
devastation of AIDS. For at least some countries in this region, these hopes
are set to fail.

HIV has a young face in Armenia. Almost 80 percent of people living with HIV
are from 20-39 years old. In 2001 the first cases of HIV/AIDS among children
were registered.

As of October 2004 296 cases of HIV/AIDS were reported out of which 217
people (77.5%) are male, 63 women (22.5%) and 4 children. However, according
to the National HIV/AIDS Center despite these official figures, other
HIV/AIDS assessments indicate that the real number of people living with
HIV/AIDS in Armenia is closer to 2,800 – 3,000.

Speaking about the mode of transmission – injecting drug use is on the rise
in this part of the world, Armenia included. Before 1999, transmission in
Armenia via sexual contacts exceeded transmission through injecting drug
usage with a ratio of 41:22. However, from 1999 to mid 2004, the ratio
became 58:113. Almost half of the cases of the reported infections now are
of this mode and among young people (52.5%), all of whom are men, the
majority of whom have probably been infected with HIV while temporarily
living in the Russian Federation and the Ukraine. In addition, the majority
of all the male HIV carriers (66.5%) are individuals who practice injecting
drug usage, whereas the main transmission mode for women is heterosexual
contacts (94.4%). And the overall registered cases transmitted by
heterosexual transmission makes 38.9%.

>From the beginning of the epidemic 42 cases of death from HIV/AIDS have been
registered in Armenia, 6 of them in 2003 and 8 in 2004.

The maximum number of HIV carriers was reported in Yerevan(the capital): 137
cases, constitute almost half of all registered cases. Lori Marz (in the
north of the country) is placed second, where the HIV prevalence rate is 8%.

As a response to the situation in the country a Sentinel Epidemiological
Surveillance and Rapid Assessment was conducted in 2000, HIV/AIDS
Situational Analysis and Response Analysis were prepared, on the bases of
which a National Programme on HIV/AIDS Prevention was approved by the
Government in 2002.

Besides, the Theme Group in Armenia comprising of the Heads of UN Agencies
and a Government Representative supports the National Programme carrying out
a variety of activities to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS among vulnerable
groups and the general population such as advocate and support one
coordination mechanism in the country, increase monitoring and evaluation
capacities and strengthen the potential of the Government, Parliament and
civil society to respond to the challenge of HIV/AIDS.

The press conference devoted to the World AIDS Day was held on 1 December
2004 in UN Conference Hall. World Health Organization has initiated to
organize the World AIDS Day on 1 December 1988. On this day leaders of many
countries all over the world delivered their speeches containing the special
slogans on the radio and TV.

Starting from that day, every year the whole world commemorates 1 December
as a World AIDS Day to draw attention of the wide sectors of population to
the problem of HIV/AIDS, to involve new organizations, groups and
individuals in the implementation of preventive activities. This day is
commemorated by different slogans every year marking crucial issues. The
World AIDS Campaign slogan of this year is “Women, Girls and HIV/AIDS”.

The press conference was opened by Mr. V.Tkatchuk, UN DPI Representative. It
was attended by Mr. Lars Olof Kallings, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary
General on HIV/AIDS for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Mr. N.Davidyan,
Minister of Health of the Republic of Armenia, Ms. L.Grande, UN Resident
Coordinator, UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. R.Ehmer, UNAIDS InterCountry
coordinator for Southern Caucasus, Dr. S.Grigoryan, Director of the National
Centre for AIDS Prevention.

Mr. Lars Olof Kallings, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General on
HIV/AIDS for Eastern Europe and the Central Asia has met with government
officials and people living with HIV during his visit. Dr. S.Grigoryan,
Director of the National Centre for AIDS Prevention presented
epidemiological situation on HIV/AIDS in the world, region and Armenia.

The National Programme on HIV/AIDS Prevention was approved by the Decision N
316 of 1 April 2002 of the Government of the Republic of Armenia. Starting
from the year of 2003 the National Programme on HIV/AIDS Prevention has been
implemented with the support of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis
and Malaria. Ms. R.Ehmer, UNAIDS InterCountry coordinator for Southern
Caucasus mentioned that the Government had taken several measures to prevent
the further spread of the epidemic which are supported also by UN Agencies
and other international organizations.

UGAB (France)
AGBU (New York)
11, square Alboni
Aline Ekmekji
75016 Paris
Tel. : ++ 12 12 319 6383
Tel. : ++ 33 1 45 20 03 18
extension 132 ou par email
Fax : ++ 33 1 40 50 88 09
[email protected]
Email : [email protected]

BULLETIN DE LIAISON DE L’UGAB-FRANCE / Décembre 2004

Stages d’été de New York : les candidatures sont ouvertes

L ‘UGAB annonce que les candidatures à ses stages d’été
de New York (New York Summer Internship Programme, ou NYSIP) sont
maintenant ouvertes. Les dossiers de candidatures sont disponibles en
ligne ou sur demande. Les stages d’été de New York ont
été conçus pour fournir une opportunité aux
étudiants des collèges et universités, d’où qu’ils
viennent, d’acquérir une expérience professionnelle dans les
meilleures conditions.

Depuis sa création en 1987, le programme a constitué un point
de départ de carrière solide et enrichissant, dans des
entreprises d’excellente réputation.

L’édition 2004 des stages d’été a rassemblé 34
étudiants de 7 pays (d’Europe, d’Amérique du Sud et des USA)
aux profils divers. Le programme éducatif et culturel qui
accompagnait les stages a couvert des sujets divers, allant de
séminaires de formation à la rédaction de CV, à la
préparation à l’entretien d’embauche ou au développement
des capacités de direction d’une équipe, en passant par des
conférences sur les effets psychologiques du génocide, avec
Anie Kaladjian, ou une introduction à la littérature
arménienne, avec Arthur Nersesian et Nancy Kricorian, et des
occasions de participer à la vie de la cité par des actions
bénévoles.

600 stagiaires ont déjà bénéficié du programme
depuis sa création. Le processus de sélection est assez
exigeant, mais permet à ceux qui ont été
sélectionnés de travailler au sein d’entreprises et
d’institutions de premier plan comme les Nations unies, Merril Lynch,
NY1 News, l’Hôpital de l’Université de Columbia, New Line
Cinema, et bien d’autres.

Les Stages d’été de Paris

En parallèle aux stages de New York, l’UGAB France organise des
stages d’été à Paris. Les candidatures pour ces stages
sont ouvertes depuis le 1 octobre 2004.

Organisé dans un esprit analogue à celui des stages de New
York, le programme donne aux étudiants (deux années
réussies à l’Université au moins) une occasion unique
d’accéder à des stages de qualité, de vivre une
expérience inoubliable dans la Ville Lumière en compagnie
d’autres jeunes arméniens d’Europe et d’ailleurs, et enfin
d’apprendre et de se divertir grâce à un programme social
fourni.

Les Stages de New York et de Paris : Infos pratiques

Stage de Paris*

Stage de New York**

27 juin – 13 août (7 semaines)

Juin – août (8 semaines)

Date limite de soumission des candidatures

31 janvier 2005

14 janvier 2005

Précisions sur les programmes proposés

Choisir downloadable forms

Contacts

UGAB (France)

AGBU (New York)

11, square Alboni

Aline Ekmekji

75016 Paris

Tél. : ++ 12 12 319 6383

Tél. : ++ 33 1 45 20 03 18

extension 132 ou par email

Fax : ++ 33 1 40 50 88 09

[email protected]

Email : [email protected]

*A partir de la deuxième année d’étude
réussie

** Etre inscrit à l’université

De nouvelles orientations pour l’UGAB

Papiers d’Arménie, Le Dauphiné Libéré, du dimanche
31 octobre 2004

Par Iskouhi Abattu. Article reproduit avec la permission du journal

A l’aube de son centième anniversaire, l’organisation
philanthropique entend relever les défis du XXIe siècle, tout
en conservant ses valeurs fondatrices.

L’Union générale arménienne de bienfaisance (Ugab) vient
d’officialiser la passation de pouvoirs entre les présidents de
Valence. L’événement a eu lieu au cours d’un dîner auquel
assistaient plus de 100 personnes et en présence du président
national Denis Ketchedjian. De retour d’Arménie où il
assistait à l’assemblée générale de l’association,
celui-ci s’est exprimé longuement sur la mission et les objectifs
de l’UGAB et ses nouvelles orientations.

Représentant les autorités civiles, religieuses ou
associatives, de nombreuses personnalités avaient répondu
à l’invitation : l’église apostolique était
représentée par le révérend père Antranik
Maldjian. Marlène Mourier députée suppléante,
représentait Patrick Labaune, député de la Drôme.
Noubar Kéchichian, adjoint au développement
socio-éducatif, Annie-Romy Koulaksézian,
déléguée au projet du centre du patrimoine, et Paul
Bagdassarian représentaient Lena Balsan, maire de Valence. Parmi
les associations étaient notamment représentées l’amicale
de Malatia, le Fonds arménien de France, Idjeval [association
chargée de promouvoir les relations entre Valence et la ville
d’Idjevan, avec laquelle elle est jumelée, NLDR], Arménia, La
Maison de la culture arménienne, la Croix Bleue, l’Ucfaf, etc.

Accueillis par le nouveau président Philippe Panossian- qui
succède à Varoujean Varvarian- les convives ont partagé
un dîner émaillé de prestations musicales et de
discussions. Ainsi, Ã en croire l’intervention de Nicolas Tavitian
sur les projets européens, et de Denis Ketchedjian, président
national, de grandes choses devraient se réaliser bientôt.
Afin de relever ces nouveaux défis et satisfaire aux besoins du
XXIe siècle des jeunes gens multi-culturels sont encouragés
à s’engager sur les grandes voies européennes. C’est le cas de
Nicolas Tavitian, originaire de Bruxelles, qui a parlé des nouveaux
projets et des objectifs de développement envisageables au niveau
européen. De nombreuses conférences sont d’ailleurs inscrites
au programme des prochaines semaines.

Respect pour l’héritage

Denis Ketchedjian a retracé les principales missions accomplies par
l’UGAB, qui poursuit ainsi l’Å`uvre colossale entreprise depuis sa
création en 1906. L’organisation construit dispensaires et
orphelinats, elle continue de gérer des externats où sont
inscrits près de 8000 élèves, des écoles du samedi
en Amérique, en Europe, au Moyen-Orient et en Australie. Grâce
à l’association, plus de 6500 élèves ont une meilleure
approche de leur identité. Outre ses propres écoles, des
dizaines d’autres ont été aidées sur le plan financier.
Depuis l’indépendance [de l’Arménie] en 1991, elle a joué
un rôle de plus en plus important entre la Diaspora et le pays.
Elle s’est employée à moderniser ses programmes afin de
répondre aux besoins en évolution permanente. Des écoles,
des centres, des bourses en passant par les stages d’entreprise Ã
New York, des soupes populaires aux activités culturelles ou
sportives, elle rassemble, motive et réunit chacun sous la
même identité. A l’aube de son centième anniversaire elle
se fixe de nouveaux objectifs, encore plus ambitieux.

Le nouveau Comité de l’UGAB-Valence est présidé par Me
Philippe Panossian.

L’UGAB Ã Valence : 6, rue Faventines.

Tél. : 04 75 43 50 48

Ecole de Vienne : Reprise des cours

Les élèves de l’Ecole de l’UGAB à Vienne ont repris les
cours à la mi-octobre cette année.

Une vingtaine d’enfants de 8 à 13 ans se sont retrouvés ainsi
dans un climat de réel enchantement. Les cours de langue et de
chant arméniens y sont dispensés les mercredis de 14h00
jusqu’Ã I7h00.

Pour tous renseignements, contacter Monsieur Charles Paltobedrossian.
Tél. : 04 74 85 20 48. Email : [email protected].

Dates à retenir :

2004

– =8F 3 Décembre, à Bruxelles : `
L’Arménie et l’Europe au XXIe siècle. ‘

Conférence sur les perspectives et le potentiel économique de
l’Arménie organisée en partenariat entre
l’UGAB et le Think-Tank Armenia 2020.

2005

Paris

Р=8F 31 Janvier : Cl̫ture des candidatures aux stages
d’été de l’UGAB à Paris.

– =8F Lundi 7 Février à 20h (salle Cortot) : Premier
concert ` Jeune Talent d’Arménie ‘, avec Suzi
Yeritisan au violon, accompagnée de sa pianiste.

Р=8F 14 Avril, Paris : Conf̩rence au M̩morial de la Shoah
à l’occasion du 90e anniversaire du génocide
arménien.

– =8F Mercredi 20 Avril à 20h (Salle Cortot) : Concert de
commémoration à l’occasion du 90e anniversaire du
génocide arménien, avec Gérard Gasparian au piano.

– =8F Vendredi 15 Mai à 20h (salle Cortot) : Deuxième
concert ` Jeune Talent d’Arménie ‘, avec
Saténik Khourdoyan au violon et Vartouhi Yeritzian au piano.

– =8F 20 Juin au 13 Août : stages d’été
à Paris.

MARSEILLE

– =8F 2 Juillet, à Marseille : Célébration du 95e
anniversaire de l’UGAB à Marseille en présence des
présidents de l’UGAB France et de l’UGAB
Internationale.

– =8F Les Colonies de l’UGAB

-ª 20 au 27 Février, à Ancelle : Séjour de ski
pour les jeunes.

-ª 4 au 25 Juillet, Ã Ancelle : Colonie de vacances de
l’UGAB pour les jeunes de 7 Ã 14 ans.

Contact : <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
ou tél. 06 76 48 58 73

A l’étranger

– =8F 27-29 Janvier, à Barcelone : Conférence `Les
Diasporas d’Europe et la Citoyenneté Européenne
‘.

Une conférence sur l’avenir des diasporas d’Europe
dans le contexte de l’intégration européenne.

Р=8F 14 Janvier : Cl̫ture du d̩p̫t des candidatures
aux Stages d’Eté de New York.