PRESIDENTS OF KAZAKHSTAN, ARMENIA AND UZBEKISTAN CONGRATULATE VIKTOR YANUKOVICH

RIA Novosti, Russia
Nov 25 2004

KIEV, November 25 (RIA Novosti) – President of Kazakhstan Nursultan
Nazarbayev has congratulated Viktor Yanukovich with his victory in
the Ukrainian presidential election, the Ukrainian government’s press
service informed the Novosti-Ukraina agency.

“I congratulate you with all my heart on your election to the highest
post in Ukraine. Your victory stands for the nation’s choice of unity,
democracy and economic progress,” the statement says.

The Kazakh head of state was echoed by his Armenian counterpart Robert
Kocharyan, the press service reported.

“I would like to congratulate you on this occasion. I hope Armenia
and Ukraine will continue developing and enhancing the relations of
friendship and mutual understanding for the good of our states and
nations,” the greeting says.

Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov followed suit.

“It is my strong conviction that your occupying the highest post will
secure Ukraine’s independence, enhance the country’s prestige on the
world arena and provide for the welfare and prosperity of the people
of Ukraine,” Karimov stated.

Pressure group starts protest actions

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov 25 2004

Over 50 members of the Garabagh Liberation Organization (GLO) held
an action at the Samad Vurgun garden in Baku at noon on Wednesday in
protest against the Armenian parliament members’ intended participation
in the NATO Rose Roth seminar due in Azerbaijan late in November.

The protesters held posters saying “Shame on those allowing Armenians
in Baku”, “Keep away Armenian invaders” and “NATO, stop supporting
Armenia!” and released some 100 black balloons in the air, the GLO
chairman Akif Naghi said.

After interference by the police, four protesters were taken to the
Sabayel police precinct, and released two hours later.

About 30 GLO members held another action in front of the Baku Airport
Terminal exit door at 3 p.m. on the same day and read out an appeal
to the airport workers.

“You also represent the Azerbaijani people and should prevent the
entry of aggressor Armenians to Baku”, the document said. GLO will
continue protest actions on Thursday.*

OSCE report on Garabagh conflict to be discussed in Baku

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov 25 2004

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly special envoy on the Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict Goran Lennmarker is scheduled to visit Baku on Friday. The
goal of the visit is to discuss with Azerbaijani officials his report
on the Upper Garabagh conflict.

The OSCE envoy is expected to meet with President Ilham Aliyev,
Speaker of the Milli Majlis (parliament) Murtuz Alasgarov and Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

Baku has expressed discontent with some provisions of the report,
head of the Azerbaijani delegation at OSCE PA Sattar Safarov has
said. During Lennmarker’s visit, these disputed provisions will be
clarified and a final version of the report agreed upon, Safarov
added.*

Business wire (press release)
Nov 25 2004

Announcement by the Government of Armenia, OTE and Armentel

ATHENS, Greece–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nov. 25, 2004–The Board of
Directors of Hellenic Telecommunications Organization SA (ASE: HTO,
NYSE: OTE), the Greek full-service telecommunications provider,
issued the following announcement:

On November 25 2004, after a period of intensive negotiations, the
Government of Armenia, OTE and Armentel settled all outstanding
disputes between them.

The settlement package includes the mutual dismissal of an
arbitration proceeding between the Government and OTE in London, the
issuance of a second GSM license as well as an amended license to
Armentel with rationalized build-out obligations.

The Government, OTE and Armentel agreed to a compromise from their
respective positions, in order to replace a costly and
confrontational relationship, with one which is founded on
cooperation and the efficiency of the regulatory and business
environment, which will lead to the offering of consumer-oriented
services.

As a result, the Armenian consumer will benefit from an enhanced
competitive offering of telecommunication services rendered.

On the other hand, Armentel will function under an equitable
regulatory framework, which will enable the implementation of
high-quality services based on rapidly evolving technologies.

With the support of the Armentel customers and the stabilization of
the regulatory and business environment for the investor, this new
chapter in the field of telecommunications will significantly
contribute to the growth of the economy of the Republic of Armenia,
and the prosperity of the population.

The Government of Armenia OTE Armentel JV,
JSC

About OTE

OTE is a provider of public, fixed switch domestic and international
telephony services in Greece. With local, long distance and
international communications services in addition to mobile
telephony, internet services, and high-speed data communications, OTE
provides consumers and businesses the ability to communicate globally
through its extensive network infrastructure. In addition, OTE has a
number of International investments in the South East European region
and addresses a potential customer base of 60 million people.

Listed on the Athens Stock Exchange, the company trades under the
ticker HTO as well as on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker
OTE. In the U.S., OTE’s American Depository Receipts (ADR’s)
represents 1/2 ordinary share.

Additional Information is also available on

Contacts:
OTE: Dimitris Tzelepis- Head of Investor Relations,
Tel: +30 210 611 1574 / 1429
email: [email protected]

Nikos Kallianis – Senior Financial Analyst,
Investor Relations Tel: +30 210 611 5070;
email: [email protected]

Daria Kozanoglou – Communications Officer,
Investor Relations Tel: +30 210 611 1121;
email: [email protected]

Taylor Rafferty: London: +44 20 7936 0400, New York: +1
212-889-4350;
email: [email protected]

AZERBAIJAN FAILS AT UN

Azg/arm
26 Nov 04

This Is No Victory for Armenia and Karabakh

During discussions of the issue of “condition on Azerbaijanâ~@~Ys
conquered territories” at the UN General Assembly, foreign minister of
Azerbaijan singled out the situation in Lachin region, which as he put,
“was inhabited by the Azeris before the war and 13 thousand Armenians
were settled there recently”. “750 thousand Azeris were forced out from
the conquered territories of Azerbaijan”, Mamediarov said. He noted
that the Armenians are renaming Azeri towns and that the Armenian
armed forces had a hand in creation of two new settlements in Qelbajar.

Suzan Moor, US representative at the UN, opposed on behalf of the
OSCE Minsk group co-chairmanship to Bakuâ~@~Ys initiative thus proving
that the Minsk group does not approve of transmitting Nagorno Karabakh
issue to the UN.

It is still uncertain when the formula will be put to the vote. Minsk
group co-chairs were supposed to meet Mamediarov on November 24. Last
time Karabakh issue was discussed at the UN was in 1993 during torrid
battles in Karabakh. UN Security Council adopted 4 formulae.

Permanent representative of Armenia to UN, Armen Martirosian, addressed
the Assembly reminding that it was Azerbaijan who began pogroms of
Armenians in Baku, Sumgait and Kirovabad in 1988-1990 and made 400
thousand Armenians flee their homes particularly in the regions of
Shahumian, Getashen and Northern Martakert.

Martirosian stated in his speech that Nagorno Karabakh had never
been in the structure of independent Azerbaijan, Armenian population
of Karabakh won its right of freedom in a legitimate way through a
referendum in 1991. He also noted that first and foremost issue is
to reconcile Karabakh and Azerbaijan but Baku has been turning down
Minsk groups suggestions since 1998.

Since Aliyev seniorâ~@~Ys presidency Azerbaijan has been constantly
attempting, sometimes successfully, to make diverse institutions
adopt formulae on Karabakh that are not desired for Armenia and
Karabakh. So, the European Parliament adopted a formula on Karabakh
issue in January of 2004, the PACE Commission on Political Issues
and NATOâ~@~Ys Parliamentary Assembly adopted formulae too.

The Karabakh war of 1992-1994 is not included in all those formulae
thus distorting the essence of the issue. Armenian diplomacy failed
to make the world community understand that the Karabakh issue emerged
in Azerbaijan as a result of Karabakh peopleâ~@~Ys legal wish to gain
independence, it also keeps silent of the fact that Azerbaijanâ~@~Ys
Supreme Council took a decision on November 26, 1991, to clear Nagorno
Karabakh off Armenian population and secure Azeris.

Azerbaijan succeeded in convincing the world community that it is the
victim of aggression, has lost 20 percent of its territory and has
more than 1 million refugees. Most of the territories controlled by
Armenian forces were once presented to Azerbaijan by Moscow. In 1923,
when Stalin created “Red Kurdistan” (breaking overland connection
between Armenia and Karabakh) newly formed unit included Armenian
Qashunik (Kubatlu), Qarvachar (Qelbajar), Qashatakh (Lachin) regions
that were populated by Turkish-speaking Kurds.

It is very important that the UN General Assembly voted
Azerbaijanâ~@~Ys initiative down. Such sentences of the formula as
“continues occupation of Azeri lands”, “condition in the occupied
territories” were unacceptable for Armenia. Though Azerbaijan failed
in UN that can be no relief to Armenia and Karabakh.

By Tatoul Hakobian

–Boundary_(ID_Gj5carxjR6swCZ22qnWQaA)–

Al-Ahram Weekly, Egypt
Nov 25 – Dec 1, 2004

Way to go

It is now eight years since an innovative programme was set up in
Sinai to preserve and nurture the heritage of a local community.
Jenny Jobbins reports on the St Catherine’s Bedouin project

St Catherine’s new Visitor Centre

THIS IMAGE of the Archbishop of Sinai drinking tea with Bedouin in
the garden of the Monastery of Saint Catherine by Bruce White is
one of many unique photographs that grace a new publication from the
American University in Cairo Press. Saint Catherine’s Monastery: Sinai,
Egypt — a Photographic Essay is a handsome book on the Greek Orthodox
monastery and its buildings containing many newly-commissioned colour
photographs. The concise and informative text by Helen C Evans is
preceded by a special introduction by His Eminence Archbishop Damianos
of Sinai, abbot of the monastery. (Published by the Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York. Distributed in Egypt by AUC Press)

Egypt’s national parks were set up primarily to protect the country’s
natural heritage. St Catherine’s, however, is also safeguarding a
historical and social legacy. The St Catherine’s Bedouin project is
centred at the small village near the famous monastery. It happens
to be the only town or village in Egypt to fall within a national
park, and its advantage of location places it in a special position
vis-ˆ-vis conservation.

When the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) established St
Catherine’s as a protected area, it found itself guardian not only
of the mountains of Sinai but also of the village that had grown up
round the Greek Orthodox monastery, largely peopled by the monastery’s
Bedouin servants and their dependents. Dozens of smaller settlements
also fell within the new park. And like the natural heritage which
the EEAA is fighting so hard to protect, the cultural inheritance
of the South Sinai Bedouin is under threat from the changes brought
about by modernisation and global shrinkage with its consequent influx
of tourists.

St Catherine’s National Park encompasses virtually all the mountainous
area of South Sinai, from the Taba-Mitla road in the north to the
borders of the Ras Mohamed National Park in the south, and from the
inner rim of the coastal plateau in the west to the Taba, Nabq and
Ras Abu Galum Managed Resource Areas in the east and north east (in
all the protected areas encompass 30 per cent of South Sinai). Its
establishment in 1996 came some time after the foundation of the
Ras Mohamed National Park, but while attention there was focussed
on ecosystems and aspects of protecting the coast and coral reefs
from mass diving and recreational fishing, it was realised that
St Catherine’s not only enveloped a stunning landscape and local
biodiversity, but also a huge number of prehistoric sites and a local
population whose way of life was under threat.

The St Catherine’s covers an area of 5,750 squared kilometres, or
20 per cent of South Sinai. It contains Egypt’s highest mountain,
St Catherine’s (2,624 m), as well as Mount Sinai — held sacred as
the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments — Mount Serbal,
Mount Um Shomer and Mount Tarbush. The mountains are composed of
igneous rock between 500 and 1,000 million years old — one of the
most violent periods of activity took place in the Pre-Cambrian era
about 800 million years ago. The towering granite crags overlooking
St Catherine’s Monastery are some of the oldest in the world.

The mountains enclose wadis (dry valleys) studded with acacias and
other vegetation, while higher in the rocks are clefts where water
gathers seasonally, forming pools and nurturing the variety of herbs
and desert shrubs from which the Bedouin draw nutritional supplements
and medicinal remedies. Forty- five per cent of all the plants in
Egypt are found in Sinai: of these 320 species 19 are unique to Sinai
(including a native primrose) and more than 100 have a medicinal use.

Wildlife includes the Nubian ibex, Dorcas gazelle, Striped hyena,
Red fox, Fennec fox, Wolf, Wild cat, Sinai leopard, Rock hyrax,
Rodents, Geckos, Skinks, Hedgehogs and Hares. There are 46 reptile
species, 15 of which are found nowhere else in Egypt, among them
two species of snake, the Sinai banded snake and the Innes cobra,
which are found only in the National Park. There are 150 species of
migrating birds, including about 40 raptor species. Sinai is also
home to the smallest butterfly in the world, the Sinai Baton Blue,
half the size of a fingernail and confined for eternity to the top
of one mountain since it cannot live below a certain altitude, and
its tiny wings cannot carry it as far as the next peak.

The growing popularity of the Red Sea coastal resorts and their
proximity to the monastery has resulted in increasing numbers of
visitors. Protecting the natural and cultural values of the area was
a primary goal in the declaration of the park. A parallel aim was to
enhance the quality of local tourism by promoting its environmental
and cultural aspects.

There are more than 500 historical sites and buildings in Sinai,
dating from the round stone nawamis built about 4,000 BC to structures
from the Bronze Age and Nabatean, Byzantine and Islamic periods. There
are abundant foundations of tombs, houses, storehouses, animal traps,
and evidence of copper smelting. The sites have yielded Bronze Age
jewellery and amulets and tools and pottery from all ages. In 2002
UNESCO declared St Catherine’s a World Heritage Site.

Visitors have long been drawn here. Overlooking the village is a
palace built by the Khedive Abbas II and still used as an official
rest house. Each day 1,000 people visit the St Catherine’s Monastery,
and it is hoped that the new Visitor Centre will encourage many of
them will pause there to learn more about the park and its resources.
To maximise public access, the centre has been built on the main road
close to the village. Designed by architect Hani Manyawi of Adapt
Egypt, and built in local materials by local labour, it is housed
in seven small buildings modelled on houses left in the area 2,000
years ago by Nabatean forebears. The simple buildings in local stone
blend both architecturally and spiritually into the surrounding crags.
Built into the complex is a model of the base of a Bronze Age house,
a small circle of large, flat stone slaps up-ended; these would have
been topped by poles supporting the upper walls and a roof of wood
or palm fronds.

The Visitor Centre took a year to build with funding support from the
EU. Entry is free of charge up to the end of the year, after which
it will cost three dollars for foreign visitors and three pounds
for Egyptians.

Mohamed Nada, a member of the EEAA’s enthusiastic and knowledgeable
team and administrator of the park’s Visitor Management Programme,
guided us round the Visitor Centre. The first of the six small halls
is the Reception room, which offers an explanation of the aims of
the park. From there a path leads to the Geological hall, where we
learn that the Red Sea cleft began to form 25 million years ago,
tearing Sinai from Africa, and that it still widens at the rate of a
centimetre a year. A fascinating geological column in the hall gives
geological timelines and a stylised representation of the rocks,
including the grey granite which formed 800 million years ago and
red granite from 200 million years later.

Birdsong erupts as the door of the next hall is opened. This section
features wildlife, including the Baton Blue Butterfly, and shows the
workings of the camera traps the EEAA has placed in the park. The
trap mechanism triggers a flash — a literal shot in the dark — and
have captured on film among other animals Ibex, Gazelle, Ruppell’s
sand fox, the Fennec fox and Striped hyena.

Local history is featured in another hall, and the Monastery in
another. Here a model of the complex is painted in pastel shades to
represent the periods of construction. A sanctuary was originally
founded here by Queen Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine, on
the spot considered to be where Moses came across the burning bush
— the supposed bush is carefully tended in an inner courtyard. The
monastery was built 200 years later — between 527 and 565 — by
the Emperor Justinian to house the remains of St Catherine, who was
martyred in 315 in Alexandria but whose perfectly preserved body (a
sign of her holiness) had only recently been found on the summit of
the nearby mountain which afterwards bore her name. St Catherine’s
may be the oldest continuously inhabited monastery in the world, and
is the second largest repository for illuminated manuscripts after
the Vatican. The collection contains some 3,500 volumes in Greek,
Coptic, Arabic, Armenian, Hebrew, Slavic, Syriac and Georgian. In
the early part of the 11th century the monks escaped the persecution
of the Fatimid Caliph Al-Hakim by incorporating a small mosque into
the complex.

The Bedouin cultural hall contains photographs, costumes and musical
instruments illustrating the lives led by the members of the local
communities. Most of the Bedouin in the area belong to the Jabaliya
tribe, whose original members were installed by the Emperor Justinian
to guard and serve the new monastery. The main local occupation now is
tourism. The Jabaliya and other Bedouin work as tour guides on camel
safaris, one reason why they are keen to preserve their wild animals,
birds and flora.

Local knowledge works both ways. Since the visitor programme involves
the local community, it enhances their awareness of their locality and
this proves useful when they are guiding visitors or archaeologists.

Many members of the community, such as the Community Guards, receive
a salary from the EEAA. The park also employs a dozen rangers from
various backgrounds ranging from a geologist through an anthropologist,
biologists and entomologists to a business studies graduate. They help
run the Bedouin Support Programme, which comprises nine sections:
health, veterinary services, community guards, traditional crafts,
the acacia programme, dam construction, the wildlife and botany
monitoring programme, visitor management and the awareness education
programme. In just one example of the project’s effect, the landscape
management plan — which incorporates the dam construction and clean
water projects — has successfully reduced the number of stone quarries
in operation from 72 to 24.

About 7,000 people live around St Catherine’s. While the largest
number belong to the Jabaliya tribe, others are from the Muzeina,
Gharaja, Sawalha, Aligheit, Awlad Said and Beni Hassan. All are Arabs
— that is, coming originally from the Saudi Peninsula — apart from
the Jabaliya, who were brought to Sinai from the vicinity of Macedonia
in the sixth century to provide security and service to the monks at
the new monastery. Over the generations the Jabaliya married members
of other tribes and gradually converted from Christianity to Islam,
but continued to work at St Catherine’s Monastery.

The park’s founders believed that a sustainable project must have a
built-in source of revenue, and that local support was essential. The
EU’s then representative, John Grainger, deemed it important to
ascertain the Bedouins’ needs, and in 1996 members of the seven local
tribes assembled for a meeting with environmentalists to discuss what
role they might play in the new national park. They asked for dams,
health care, and a women’s craft centre.

The health programme has proved extremely beneficial. A doctor with
a mobile 4×4 clinic travels to all 77 settlements in the park in
rotation, visiting each one every 45 days. Under the women’s health
education programme, women from each settlement are trained to train
others in community nursing and health care. Each representative is
responsible for the rest of the women in her settlement. The veterinary
programme has also proved effective in the care of livestock. All
camels are now inoculated and numbered.

The dam construction — through which rain water is chanelled and
collected to minimise wastage — and acacia rehabilitation projects
involve a large local workforce. Acacias have been so over-harvested
that the lush groves pruned of dead growth for firewood are a thing
of the past. With the aim of regenerating this essential resource,
seeds are collected and, once generated, are replanted in chosen
spots. So far 34,000 seedlings have been planted.

The medicinal plant programme — funded separately by the United
Nations Development Project (UNDP) –runs in cooperation with the
EEAA in growing medicinal plants for local use. Training is given in
cultivating, packaging and marketing the plants, while at the same time
Bedouin and ethno- pharmacologists cooperate in correlating indigenous
knowledge. Fifty-five families work on the acacia and flora programmes.

“The Bedouin themselves are natural conservationists, it’s part
of their heritage,” says Youssreya Hamid, an anthropologist with a
Master’s degree in sustainable development from South Bank University,
London. “They have a system of alliance through which they protect
wild plants and animals. They will close a certain valley for three
to six months to prevent grazing until it has regrown, to respect
sustainability. The health, craft, human and animal medical and acacia
programmes have all been well received by the Bedouin.”

Bedouin are also occupied in tourism, from running and guiding camel
and wilderness camping safaris to operating accommodation services.
These include five hotels, two main tourist camps and the St
Catherine’s Ecolodge, also built to a Nabatean design and run by a
Bedouin cooperative under EEAA supervision. Twenty-six experienced
Bedouin work as Community Guards, policing the wilderness to watch
out for infringements of EEAA rules.

Of all the projects at St Catherine’s, perhaps the best known outside
the park is the women’s cooperative. The 40 women who were initially
involved started with traditional items such as scarves, beading,
necklaces and sugar bags, but gradually they modified these ideas
into fashionable, marketable items. In 2000 the traditional programme
became a separate project under the name of Fansina. Now 350 women
are marketing their handicrafts here and internationally. They still
prefer to work with the raw materials at home in the time-honoured way.

British textile artist Sally Hampson was involved from the very early
stages. “My job was to see what the women were already making and how
they were accessing materials and selling their projects,” Hampson
says. “What was happening was that the women would make things and
the men would be working close to the people at the monastery and
taking tourists on treks, and they would sell them the things the
women made. It was all very ad hoc. When this programme was set up
the women showed a desire for support in their textile production.”

Hampson’s job was to assess what was going on and find out how the
system worked. She had to become acquainted with the crafts including
some unfamiliar to her, such as beadwork.

“The most pressing need they had was accessing materials, and because
of where they were they depended on passing traders — men selling
household goods and sometimes carrying wool and sewing thread. The
women were in the hands of what these vans had on board. The variety
and quality wasn’t there. It seemed important to give the women access
to good quality materials, like colourfast cotton.”

Some of the first items they sewed together were the embroidered sugar
bags they made for their husbands, sons and brothers to take on their
trips into the mountains to graze flocks or gather herbs. The bags
were of white cotton and had a little inside pocket for the tea. “They
drew their inspiration for their embroidery from their surroundings,”
Hampson says. “They stitched little desert plants, camels and other
animals, stars and the sun, fish and flowers, both stylised and
abstract. Tourists wanted to buy them, and it evolved from there.

“I was trying to get them to work with good materials but keep the
narrative. For tourists this becomes part of the story they bring
home — it isn’t just an anonymous bag.”

Everything the women made had a reason and a purpose. “It’s not
that they can just knock up this and that. I was very cautious about
not dictating the design. I know I had things to offer because as a
Westerner I had sensibilities for the people who buy this, so I was
trying the bridge the two. But for myself, I want something genuine.”

A Bedouin woman’s dress is a sign of her social standing, her hairstyle
of her age or marital status. Every unmarried Bedouin girl, for
instance, sports a lock across her forehead, but this is substituted
by a plait in an elderly woman. Married women of the Jabaliya tribe
wear a black shawl ( Al-ghurna ), unmarried girls a white one ,
( Al-malfah ). A married woman wears a long face veil ( Al-burgah
), a bride a short one until she has had her first child. In North
Sinai women wear an open veil, a beaded breastplate ( Al-mallab ),
and metal accessories given by her husband in the first months of
her married life.

Hamid stresses the strong position held by women in Bedouin society.
“From my point of view women are equal to men,” she says. “Each has
her own job, and the women keep their own money.”

While the craft programme has brought new economic strength for the
women, the health programme has also brought benefits, improving
maternity services and reducing the infant mortality rate.

Hamid, a native of Alexandria, has worked at St Catherine’s since 1998,
taking a year off to study in London. She also teaches environmental
education to children at the 30 primary and local secondary schools
within the protected area. As part of the educational programme, a
traditional healer teaches the children how to find, recognise and use
plants. Bedouin knowledge is thus being used to protect the natural and
cultural resources of the area, and transferred down the line. “Being
forgotten because of the interaction with other cultures would be a
tragedy,” Hamid says. “It needs to be transferred to new generations.”

In eight years the EEAA’s care and intervention has meant a great deal
to the area, and the local Bedouin are backing the programme to the
hilt. The village, though founded on the pickings of the monastery,
has taken up a mantle of its own.

However St Catherine’s Park is constantly growing and taking shape.
The national parks recently made the transition from EU to Egyptian
stewardship, and one of the services disrupted by the changeover has
been the Bedouin-staffed mountain rescue service, temporarily suspended
because of logistical use of equipment, notably mobile phones. But
the park staff see such blips are minor. “The programme is working
well, and it serves as an inspiration and a model for similar areas
in Egypt and elsewhere,” Nada says.

–Boundary_(ID_6EHs31K0IPlwk7J7cLVG6w)–

Mark Thatcher’s trial postponed until April
By ELLIOTT SYLVESTER

AP Worldstream
Nov 25, 2004

A South African court on Thursday postponed Sir Mark Thatcher’s
trial for allegedly helping finance a foiled coup attempt in oil-rich
Equatorial Guinea until April 8 for further investigation.

Thatcher, the 51-year-old son of former British Prime Minister Margaret
Thatcher, appeared smiling and relaxed during the brief hearing. He
was not asked to plead.

Magistrate Awie Kotze granted the delay at the request of
prosecutors. He also extended Thatcher’s bail conditions, which require
that he remain in the Cape Town area and report daily to police.

Thatcher, who has lived in South Africa since 1995, was arrested at
his suburban Cape Town home on August 25 and charged with violating
this country’s anti-mercenary laws.

He also faces charges in Equatorial Guinea, where 19 other defendants
are already on trial in connection with an alleged plot earlier this
year to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who has ruled
Africa’s third-largest oil producer for the past 25 years. Officials
there have said they will seek Thatcher’s extradition from South
Africa.

On Wednesday, the Cape High Court ruled Thatcher must answer questions
under oath sent by Equatorial Guinea.

Thatcher’s lawyer, Alan Bruce-Brand, said Thursday the legal team had
not yet decided whether to appeal. Earlier, he told The Associated
Press that his client would most likely answer the questions before
a magistrate on Friday.

Equatorial Guinea alleges Thatcher and other, mainly British financiers
worked with the tiny country’s opposition figures, scores of African
mercenaries and six Armenian pilots in a takeover attempt foiled in
March. Thatcher maintains he played no part in the alleged conspiracy.

Simon Mann, a former British special forces commander accused of
masterminding the plot, was arrested and convicted with 67 accused
accomplices in Zimbabwe on weapons and other minor charges. Three
others later pleaded guilty to violating South Africa’s Foreign
Military Assistance Act as part of a plea bargain under which
they agreed to give evidence in court against other alleged coup
participants.

Georgian deputy defence minister interviewed on relations with Russia

Georgian State Television Channel 1, Tbilisi
24 Nov 04

Georgian Deputy Defence Minister Davit Sikharulidze has praised Russia
for agreeing to hand over to Georgia a tank repair plant in Tbilisi. He
said that it was one of the very few examples of “fruitful” military
cooperation between the two countries recently. He also said that how
soon Russia agreed to close its remaining bases in Georgia remained
“the central issue”, which would determine the future of bilateral
relations. The following is the text of Aleksandre Parulava’s interview
with Sikharulidze on 24 November, broadcast live by Georgian TV;
subheadings have been inserted editorially:

Tank repair plant

[Question] Russia today agreed to hand over to Georgia its tank
repair plant in Tbilisi. Our guest today is Georgian Deputy Defence
Minister Davit Sikharulidze. Thank you for coming to our studio. It
would be interesting to know how you managed to reach this agreement
at a time when Russia is refusing to honour its other commitments,
for example those relating to the closure of its bases.

[Sikharulidze] Good evening. I am pleased to say that this was one
of the few examples, if not the only recent example, of fruitful
cooperation between our delegations. This was preceded by the eighth
round of Georgian-Russian talks, Defence Minister Giorgi Baramidze’s
visit to Moscow and his meetings with [Russian Defence Minister Sergey]
Ivanov and the chief of the Russian General Staff at which this issue
was agreed in principle. But, as you know, in our relations with
Russia there is often a long way to go from agreement in principle
to implementation in practice.

In general, I am pleased with this example of cooperation because both
sides have demonstrated goodwill. The Georgian side was flexible and
showed that it was very important for it to reach agreement. For its
part, the Russian side also showed goodwill, making this agreement
possible.

[Question] What about the plant itself? We understand that this
plant has served Russian forces in the Transcaucasus. Naturally,
a large part of these forces are based in Armenia. How does Russia
see its future here? Does it mean that it is preparing to withdraw
from the Transcaucasus?

[Sikharulidze] That is our dream. We want Georgia to be gradually
freed from Russia’s military presence.

In the case of this plant, we hope that it is in better condition
than other installations we have received this year. There are about
15 such installations. Your film crew visited these installations and
saw that their value as military installations was not great and they
were in terrible condition. With the help of law-enforcement agencies
we have been able to monitor this place and we hope that it will not
be handed over to us asset stripped. Our team will go and inspect
the plant tomorrow.

[Question] What is the timetable for the handover of the plant?

[Sikharulidze] The process should be completed by 30 January. It is
important, however, that we have agreed on the joint protection of
this installation in the meantime.

[Question] How will this plant help Georgia’s defence capability?

[Sikharulidze] It will be a very important plant for us. Repair and
servicing of all Soviet-made tanks and armoured vehicles can take place
there. As you know, most of our equipment is Soviet made. Georgia
does not have such a plant. We hope that it will soon be able to
serve our armed forces. We may also consider repair and servicing
requests from other countries.

[Question] In what financial state will you inherit this plant? We
know that this plant has some debts to the state. Will they be written
off or not?

[Sikharulidze] Under the protocol we have signed, the Russian side
will have to clear the wage debt as well as its income tax and social
liabilities, despite the fact that it is giving us this valuable plant
free of charge. There were also other liabilities but we agreed that,
if the plant was handed over to us in working condition, the Georgian
side would not demand certain payments from the Russian side. This
mainly applies to late tax payment penalties.

Closure of Russian bases

[Question] Georgia still has not signed the framework [friendship]
treaty with Russia. How soon will it be possible to sign this treaty
and will the Georgian side be able to defend its interests in this
treaty?

[Sikharulidze] I think the most important and fundamental condition
is that the Russian military bases should be removed from Georgian
territory as soon as possible. That is the central issue at all
our talks. It is the unshakeable will of the Georgian people
that they do not wish to see Russian military bases on Georgian
territory. Therefore, Russia’s willingness to meet us halfway on
this issue will determine the success of this treaty and, generally,
the future of our relations.

Naturally, the entire world accepts the fundamental principle that
one country can only station its forces in another country if there
is a desire for that on the part of the latter. We have been clearly
telling Russia that there is no desire in Georgia for the stationing
of its military here, so they should do their utmost to leave Georgian
territory as soon as possible.

[Question] As deputy defence minister, what do you think about the
timescale for the closure of these bases? There is often a lot of
debate between Georgia and Russia on this issue. What would be the
optimal timescale for the Georgian side and what will be the final
decision?

[Sikharulidze] It would be hard to give an unequivocal answer to
this. This is an issue for talks between diplomats. However, I can
tell you that, technically, two months is quite sufficient for Russia
to withdraw the personnel and equipment it currently has on Georgian
territory. Two months is a realistic period.

Georgia has been very flexible on this issue and is ready to make
concessions by extending this period. However, there are limits to
Georgia’s patience –

[Question] What about money? There has often been talk about how
expensive it is.

[Sikharulidze] I do not think that, for example, the withdrawal from
Vaziani base cost them a lot because there was a special fund set
up by the United States. It was a 10m [dollar] fund. As far as I can
remember – I hope I am not mistaken – it cost them 4m-5m to withdraw
from this base and this sum came from the fund.

In addition, Georgia is ready to help. We can make more
concessions. For example, we can help them cut their transport costs
as much as possible.

Russian base in Abkhazia

[Question] What about the base at Gudauta? We understand the importance
of it being closed. Can the current situation in Abkhazia speed up
the closure of this base?

[Sikharulidze] As regards Gudauta base, you know that the Russian
side undertook to close it together with Vaziani. They have
formally announced that the base has been closed, but neither we nor
international monitors and the international community can ascertain
this.

[Question] I meant that, since pro-Russian forces are being defeated
in Abkhazia, will this speed up the closure of this base?

[Sikharulidze] It is hard to tell. I would not like to link these two
issues. All I can say is that Russia should honour this obligation,
which is an obligation it has made not only to Georgia but also
to the international community. It is the failure to honour these
commitments that makes it impossible for the Adapted Conventional
Forces in Europe Treaty to come into force. That is why our partners
are not pleased with the progress of these talks.

Ukraine

[Question] Finally, I would like to ask you about the situation
in Ukraine. The position of the military is important in any
revolution. The Georgian military declared its position this time
last year. What do you think will happen in Ukraine? What will the
generals and, therefore, the army do there?

[Sikharulidze] I am a civilian, so I will allow myself to comment
on the steps the military may take. I think that the Ukrainian army
is an inalienable part of the Ukrainian people and they will never
decide to go against their own people. I hope, I am almost convinced
that that is how it will be.

CENN – NOVEMBER 24, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. Call for Papers Dedicated to the Environment and Health of the
Caucasus
2. Plans for A Fifth and Sixth/Seventh Reactor in Finland
3. Uncorrected Transcript of Oral Evidence To be published as HC 1275-I
4. Government Admits Failing BP Pipeline was Experimental Engineering
5. Water Level of Threatened Armenian Lake Continues to Rise
6. UNICEF Says Health Condition of Children at Special Schools is
Alarming
7. AEN Reconstruction Tender Results to be Announced Next March
8. Armenian Genetic Registry to be Created in 2007
9. Energy Minister comments on energy reforms
10. UMCOR Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Activities in Armenia
11. Senate Passes Bill Granting Armenia Permanent Normal Trade Relations

12. Armenia Gets Fresh World Bank Loan
13. Armenia and UNDP Sign Memorandum of Cooperation on Development of
National Housing Concept to the Sum of $30 Thousand
14. Nairit’s Restarting Unreal
15. Newspaper Editor’s Car Blown Up
16. RAO UES of Russia off to discuss winter energy supply to Georgia
17. Iran’s Ambassador Says Iran-Armenia Projects to Raise Regional
Stability and Extend Peace

1. CALL FOR PAPERS DEDICATED TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH OF THE
CAUCASUS

Dear colleagues!

As you probably know, CENN (Caucasus Environmental NGO Network) together
with Armenian and Azeri partners, is publishing quarterly regional
environmental magazine – “Caucasus Environment”, which has scientific,
educational, popular character.
().

The “Caucasus Environment” is bilingual (English and Russian)
publication. The aim of CENN is to create an independent high quality
publication on environmental issues – a magazine that could educate,
inspire and empower Caucasus citizens to make a difference for the
environment. The regional magazine covers not only purely ecological
matters, but also issues concerning the environment as a whole. These
include the natural environment, social environment (the interconnection
between the environment and poverty, gender issues, demography, health,
historical cultural heritage, ethnography, archaeology, geopolitical
issues, etc.), industry & environment, agriculture, tourism, land use,
cadastre and all types of characteristics and peculiarities of the
Caucasus region, defining environment in a broad sense. The Magazine is
distributed worldwide.

The coming issue of the “Caucasus Environment” Magazine is dedicated to
the ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH of the Caucasus. (Caucasus – meaning not only
Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, but also southern regions of Russia,
Iran and Turkey).

Due to large number of articles we receive for each issue, we have
worked out the Rules of submission:

1. Preliminary letter of interest, describing theme of article and its
brief abstract should be submitted latest on 3 January 2005. Please,
submit your letters as early as possible, so that we have time to work
on the article! Articles and letters can be sent to the following
addresses: [email protected]; [email protected]
Letters and articles can be sent in English and/or Russian language.

2. The article itself should be submitted latest on 20 January 2005. We
may not accept articles that are sent without preliminary notification
letter (3 January), or the articles that are sent after the final
deadline (20 January 2005).

3. Please note that generally we do not accept articles that were
already published (though there could be exceptions), we do not accept
statistical materials, or the articles that contain only well known
data.

4. The size of article should be 2 pages (4 000 symbols), each language.

5. Priority is given to the articles that are prepared by regional
efforts (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Caspian
States etc.).
Priority is also given to the articles that contain photos, are prepared
in both languages (Russian and English).

6. Contact with authors: as the topics are finalized, we provide all
authors with edited and proved versions of their articles, and wait for
their approval for 3 working days. After this time, we have the right
either to use or reject the article on our own decision. On request of
an author, we can place his/her contact address, e-mail or phone in the
article. For NGOs, we can place advertisement of their production
(“green” products, juices, fruit, solar power etc.) with special price.
Contact us on e-mail or phone for details.

7. Please, let us know, if there is something you specially like/dislike
about our magazine, as we always look for better communication ways and
opportunities.

We encourage all of you to send us your articles, as it is a best chance
to let the World know about your country, your activities, your NGO and
yourself! It is a good way to find reliable partners, friends, donors,
ideas, programs and – last not least – the most actual and updated
information about our common house – the Caucasus. We will be happy to
have articles not only from Caucasus – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Iran, Turkey, Russia, but also articles provided by the specialists and
scientists interested in this region.

Looking forward to receive your feedback!

2. PLANS FOR A FIFTH AND SIXTH/SEVENTH REACTOR IN FINLAND

We in Finland urge you to join the “1 million signature campaign”
against nuclear power and Euratom. We need signatures from all over
Europe.

Please sign the petition at the homepage:

and urge all your friends to sign.

The figure, 1 million signatures, is based on an article in the draft
for an EU Constitution.

“Article 46: The principle of participatory democracy

4. No less than one million citizens coming from a significant number of
Member States may invite the Commission to submit any appropriate
proposal on matters where citizens consider that a legal act of the
Union is required for the purpose of implementing the Constitution.

A European law shall determine the provisions for the specific
procedures and conditions required for such a citizens’ initiative.”

We strongly believe that if the anti-nuclear movement would be the first
group to make use of article 46 we could get publicity and put pressure
on the politicians.

It will be very, very hard to stop the project for the fifth reactor in
Finland, a 1.600 MW EPR prototype. But we must at least do our utmost to
stop the plans for the sixth and also seventh reactors already mentioned
by the Finnish minister for traffic and communications in a speech at
the Technical University. Ms. Leena Luhtanen stated that she fully
supports the construction of a fifth reactor and looks forward to the
application for a sixth reactor.

If Finland opens up for more nuclear power, other countries will follow
– especially in Eastern Europe.

Please support the campaign!

Ulla Kloetzer, Women against Nuclear Power – Finland

3. UNCORRECTED TRANSCRIPT OF ORAL EVIDENCE To be published as HC 1275-i

House of COMMONS

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE

TAKEN BEFORE

TRADE AND INDUSTRY COMMITTEE

ECGD Support for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline

Tuesday 16 November 2004

ECGD

MR JOHN WEISS, MR ROGER GOTTS and MR DAVID ALLWOOD

Please see the following link:

4. GOVERNMENT ADMITS FAILING BP PIPELINE WAS EXPERIMENTAL ENGINEERING

PRESS RELEASE FROM:

Baku-Ceyhan Campaign

Corner House

Friends of the Earth

PLATFORM

For Immediate Release November 24 2004

Government Admits Failing BP Pipeline was Experimental Engineering

New Article Revealing Cover-up over Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline Safety
Published Today

In a remarkable new article published today by the Baku-Ceyhan Campaign,
investigative journalist Michael Gillard lays bare the extent of the
cover-up by government agencies and the British oil giant BP of major
safety problems with BP’s embattled Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil
pipeline

The article is available at
In the piece, Gillard, the journalist behind the original revelations of
safety concerns with BTC in the Sunday Times earlier this year, reveals
that:

The government now admits that the coating system for the BTC pipeline
has no track record, directly contradicting claims made to Parliament,
local governments and NGOs. BP was aware more than a year before it
chose the coating that the system would not work, leading to corrosion
of the pipeline, widespread leakage and possible explosions. BP fired
its senior consultant, Derek Mortimore, when he raised the problem.

Competitors allege corruption and fraud in the procurement process. The
chosen coating was put through testing procedures a second time after
the contract was awarded; it failed all major tests. More on Gillard’s
findings over alleged procurement fraud is available at
This evidence is available under
parliamentary privilege. BP has withheld damaging information from the
parliamentary committee investigating the UK government’s support for
the BTC project. BP is also trying to cover up the extent of safety
problems by limiting testing and burying the pipeline without ensuring
its integrity.

There is a schism within BP, whose Operations department is unwilling to
take responsibility for such a flawed project. Unless Operations
certifies the pipeline as fit for purpose by year’s end, BP cannot
offload the vast liabilities for the BTC project onto commercial banks.

For more information, contact:

Michael Gillard 07949 964354
Nicholas Hildyard 01258 817518
Anders Lustgarten 0797 3164363

5. WATER LEVEL OF THREATENED ARMENIAN LAKE CONTINUES TO RISE

Source: RFE/RL Newsline, November 18, 2004

The water level of Armenia’s Lake Sevan has risen by more than one meter
over the past year and is likely to rise a further six meters over the
next three decades, Environment Minister Vartan Ayvazian told RFE/RL’s
Armenian Service on 17 November. Excessive use of water from Sevan for
irrigation purposes and hydroelectricity in the 1960s and 1970s reduced
the water level by some 19 meters and severely damaged the lake’s
ecosystem. A tunnel was built in the 1970s to channel water from a
mountain river into the lake to reverse the damage, but that was offset
by the continued use of lake water for power generation, which was
finally prohibited by a law enacted in 2002. A second tunnel to increase
the inflow of water into Sevan was completed last year. The water level
rose by 45 centimeters in 2002 and a similar amount in 2003, and now
threatens to submerge some of the privately owned villas built illegally
on its shores.

6. UNICEF SAYS HEALTH CONDITION OF CHILDREN AT SPECIAL SCHOOLS IS
ALARMING

Source: Armenpresss, November 18, 2004

Children with special needs placed at special/boarding schools in
Yerevan face myriad health and development problems, according to the
Assessment of Health Condition of Children with Special Education Needs
conducted upon the request from the Ministry of Education and Science of
the Republic of Armenia by the Children’s Health Care Association with
UNICEF’s support.

The study which provides an in-depth analysis of health and development
problems of children was carried out at Nubarashen No. 1 and 11 schools
for children with mental retardation, school No. 9 for children with
hearing impairments and Nubarashen No. 18 special school for children
with behavioral problems. The objective of the study was to assess
health condition of children, identify whether children are placed in a
proper special school and meet new admission criteria recently adopted
by the Ministry of Education and Science.

Out of 514 children registered in the surveyed schools, only 391 (76%)
were available for screening. Over 60% of children were from Yerevan,
while the rest were from neighboring regions. The screening revealed
that along with children with special educational needs, schools also
accepted their siblings without such needs solely on the basis that they
belonged to the same socially vulnerable families. On the average for
16% (62 children) of the surveyed children the schools that they were
placed in were not appropriate. However, the reintegration of those
children into mainstream education is already impossible.

According to the study findings, poverty (50% of children) and family
problems (62 % in Nubarashen No. 18 special school) are major causes for
placement of children in a special school.

Many of the children suffer from chronic diseases, including cases which
require immediate medical intervention. In particular, up to 17% of the
surveyed children have hearing problems caused by chronic tonsillitis
and otitis. In many cases, however, school administrations were not able
to provide relevant medical assistance to the children due to the lack
of qualified medical personnel and absence of legal power to authorize
specialized medical intervention.

In addition, the study indicates that out of 391 children 28 (7%) were
subjected to physical violence within their families, whereas 9 children
(2%) were subjected to violence at the schools.

The assessment once again brings up the importance of regular medical
checkups of all children in special schools as well as the need to
revise curriculum in those institutions. Moreover, the development of
the state policy on early identification of childhood disability and
early intervention will lead to timely integration of children with
disabilities into the society, thus preventing many children from being
placed in special schools.

7. AEN RECONSTRUCTION TENDER RESULTS TO BE ANNOUNCED NEXT MARCH

Source: Armenpresss, November 18, 2004

A senior official of EnergoInvest company told Armenpress that an
international tender announced for choosing a sub-contractor company for
carrying out a $38 million worth reconstruction project of Armenian
Electricity Networks (AEN) will be wrapped up in 2005 March.

The $38 million worth credit was provided by the Japanese Agency for
International Cooperation for upgrading thirty-three 110-kilowatt
capacity sub-stations in Armenia and supplying 150,000 bi-phase
electricity meters for insecure families.

Japanese Sitomo Corporation, “Mizzu and Co, German Siemens AG and
“Arevaenergy Technic GMBA and Italian “Ittocho Corporation, which have
qualified for the tender will have to present their proposals before
February 1, 2005.

The loan is provided for a 30-year repayment period and 1.8 percent
interest rate.

8. ARMENIAN GENETIC REGISTRY TO BE CREATED IN 2007

Source: Armenpresss, November 18, 2004

Tamara Sarkisian, the director of a National Academy of Sciences
affiliated medical genetics registry center, told Armenpress that the
national genetic registry will be set up in Armenia in 2007 that will
allow to have the overall genetic picture of Armenians. She said the
center was officially opened in 1999, though researches had been made
since 1997.

She said genetic studies allow more precise diagnoses of illnesses,
their origin and to carry out preventive measures. The center, the sole
one in the region, was created with the assistance of the government and
international donor organizations. Tamara Sarkisian said the center
cooperates with counterpart organizations in Europe, USA and Russia.

9. ENERGY MINISTER COMMENTS ON ENERGY REFORMS

Source: RosBusinessConsulting Database, November 18, 2004

The issue of handing control over assets of RAO UES to the Federal
Network Company will be solved after the plan for liberalizing the
market for electrical energy is clear, Russian Energy Minister Viktor
Khristenko told journalists. According to him, the future of foreign
assets of RAO UES is not clear as yet. Currently RAO UES subsidiary
Inter RAO UES controls operations of the holding related to imports or
exports. The company may be restructured into a subsidiary of the
Federal Network Company.

RAO UES owns Armenian and Georgian assets and plans to acquire energy
companies in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

10. UMCOR CELEBRATES 10-TH ANNIVERSARY OF ACTIVITIES IN ARMENIA

Source: ArmenPress, November 19, 2004

The United Methodist Committee On Relief (UMCOR) celebrated today its
decade-long activity in Armenia with a tree planting in the “Motherhood
Park” at Malatia-Sebastia Community Site in cooperation with the Armenia
Tree Project (ATP).

UMCOR has donated a total of 1,000 trees to this park; a portion of
which has already been planted and the remained part was planted today
by the heads and members of UMCOR, ATP and other guests at the event.
Among the planted three were thujas, ashes and junipers, that will serve
as a beautiful gift from UMCOR to the local community, ensuring future
generations with a flourishing dense green park, in place of the site’s
current deserted land.

Invited to participate in the ceremonial tree planting were
representatives from UMCOR’s partners and friends, government
ministries, and over 55 local and international organizations who have
shown support for the Armenian transition over the years.

Following the welcome speeches planting commenced supervised by
agriculture specialists from ATP, who explained and demonstrated the
methodology of tree planting in order to secure the survival of each and
every seedling.

The hope of this event was to foster community awareness of the urgent
environmental need to restore disappearing green areas.
Furthermore, the event established a basis for further UMCOR-ATP
collaborations with respect to community outreach and poverty reduction
programs throughout the city.

UMCOR and ATP already have had an opportunity to collaborate with each
other. It was in June 2000, when 3 volunteers through UMCOR’s “Global
Justice Volunteer” program joined ATP staff doing volunteer work in
ATP’s programs. These volunteers were hosted by ATP employees’ families
and they spent their time helping and supporting ATP in its daily
activities.

11. SENATE PASSES BILL GRANTING ARMENIA PERMANENT NORMAL TRADE RELATIONS

Source: UNINFO.GOV, November 19, 2004

Senate Passes Bill Granting Armenia Permanent Normal Trade Relations
Bill also includes provisions on Laos, dumping law repeal, tariff
Suspensions Washington — The Senate has passed a bill that would make
normal trade relations (NTR) — otherwise known as most-favored nation
status — permanent for Armenia. The bill would also extend NTR to Laos
and repeal a 1916 law that was ruled by the World Trade Organization
(WTO) as a violation of U.S. obligations.

President Bush is expected to sign the bill into law.

The 299-page bill, passed by the House of Representatives October 8,
comprises hundreds of tariff suspensions on imports of goods not
produced domestically and traded in small volumes.
A provision of the bill would grant permanent NTR for Armenia, which has
had temporary NTR, approved year-to-year by the president. “I hope that
we will be able to consider similar treatment for Azerbaijan in the very
near future,” said Senator Chuck Grassley, Republican chairman of the
Finance Committee.

12. ARMENIA GETS FRESH WORLD BANK LOAN

Source: RFE/RL Armenia Report, November 19, 2004

Citing a continuing `strong macroeconomic performance,’ the World Bank
announced on Friday the release of a fresh $20 million loan to Armenia
that will be used for financing its government’s budget deficit.

An agreement on the disbursement of the `poverty reduction support
credit’ (PRSC) was signed by Finance Minister Vartan Khachatrian and the
head of the World Bank’s Yerevan office, Roger Robinson. It followed a
meeting of the bank’s governing board in Washington late on Wednesday.

The board’s decision also paved the way for the release of a $5 million
budgetary grant to Armenian from the government of Holland.

`This money is in direct support to our budget [for this year] and will
be used for various expenditures,’ Khachatrian said.

`The project will assist the government to implement the ambitious
Poverty Reduction Strategy over the coming years,’ Saumya Mitra, a
senior World Bank official, said in a separate statement. `It will also
support the government’s drive to improve the quality in the delivery of
essential public services.’

The PRSC is aimed, among other things, at `sharpening competition and
entrenching property rights’ in Armenia, the statement said. The credit
is part of the World Bank’s new `country assistance strategy’ approved
last summer. Yerevan is expected to get up to $220 million in loans
under the four-year program. It has already borrowed more than $800
million from the bank since independence.

World Bank loans and donor grants have been the main source of
deficit-funding for the Armenian government and the next year will be no
exception. The government’s 2005 budget deficit is projected at 47
billion drams ($94 million).

Robinson endorsed the main parameters of the draft budget, singling out
a planned major increase in government expenditures on education, health
care and social services. The government wants to spend more on
education than defense.

`In the modern history of Armenia this is the first time that has
happened since 1990,’ Robinson told reporters. `I think this is very
symbolic.’

13. ARMENIA AND UNDP SIGN MEMORANDUM OF COOPERATION ON DEVELOPMENT OF
NATIONAL HOUSING CONCEPT TO THE SUM OF $30 THOUSAND

Source: ARKA, November 19, 2004

The RA Ministry of Urban Development and UNDP signed today the
memorandum of understanding on cooperation in developing the national
housing concept. According to Lise Grande, UN Resident Coordinator and
UNDP Resident Representative, the program to the overall sum of $30 thou
will be implemented through co-financing, where the share of UNDP will
make 70%, the rest 30% will be provided by the RA Ministry of Urban
Development. She said that the program is designed for 4 months and
provides for the development of the concept that will underlie the
strategic program of housing improvement for the most vulnerable strata
of the society.

“According to the conducted studies, after the earthquake in 1988 in
Armenia many families remained homeless. Our estimates show that today
there are 13 thou families living in temporary dwellings, which do not
correspond to technical standards”, said Grande.

In his turn, Aram Harutunyan, the RA Minister of Urban Development noted
that, the concept of the housing strategy will allow creating basis for
the implementation of accommodation of the poor. “In particular, the
concept includes two elements – analysis of the existing housing complex
of Armenia and the development of standards for the housing to be
granted to the poor”, said Harutunyan. He noted that, according to the
latest data of the Ministry, there are about 10 thou families in Armenia
which remained homeless as a result of natural or man-caused disasters,
however this sphere still requires a profound study.

14. NAIRIT’S RESTARTING UNREAL

Source: ARMINFO, November 20, 2004

The present statements that the chemical giant of Armenia Nairit will be
restarted soon are unreal, as the plant’s has no owner, says the
director general of Electrical Power Networks of Armenia CJSC Yevgeny
Gladunchik.

If the plant is restarted in 2005 Armenia will begin to consume more
electricity but still less than in 2004. “If Nairit starts operating we
are ready to discuss restructuring its debts. We are ready to negotiate
with the real operator. But there is no such operator yet,” says
Gladunchik calling not serious the proposal that his company can become
Nairit’s shareholder in exchange for debt annulment. “Nobody says how
many shares we may be given.”

The main thing for a buyer is to know what he is buying, says
Gladunchik. He says that Nairit is now buying as much electricity as he
needs for ensuring its technological security. But even if the plant
resumes its work it will face the problem of sales as he has lost his
key sales markets. The plant’s three suspensions have lost it its real
clients to other more reliable producers of rubber even if they sell it
at higher price. “I don’t think that Dupond or Bayer will be happy that
Nairit is restarted and will begin to battle for the markets they
already have,” says Gladunchik.

15. NEWSPAPER EDITOR’S CAR BLOWN UP

Source: Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, November 22, 2004

A car belonging to the editor of Armenia’s best-selling daily newspaper
critical of the government was destroyed late Monday in an explosion
that he said was as an assassination attempt engineered by a wealthy
businessman.

The Russian-made Niva parked just outside the editorial offices of Nikol
Pashinian’s “Haykakan Zhamanak” (Armenian Time) daily in central Yerevan
burst into flames at 8:40 p.m. after the blast heard by the newspaper
staff. A team of firefighters was called in to put out the fire that
gutted the car’s front section, including the driver’s seat. Police
officers also rushed to the scene and launched an immediate
investigation.

Speaking at an improvised news conference in his office, Pashinian said
he believes he stayed alive by accident. “In the last three months I
have normally finished work at between 8:30 and 9 o’clock in the
evening,” he said. “Today I worked longer than usual.”

“Haykakan Zhamanak,” which is sympathetic to Armenia’s former
leadership, is known for its hard-hitting coverage of President Robert
Kocharian and his government. The paper’s most recent harsh attack on
the ruling regime appeared on the front page of its Friday edition which
poured scorn on the chief of the Armenian police, Hayk Harutiunian, for
defending last spring’s government crackdown on the Armenian opposition.
The paper was particularly scathing about the authorities’ failure to
investigate the police beating of its two reporters that covered the
violent dispersal of the April 13 opposition rally in Yerevan.

Pashinian, however, was quick to make it clear that he does not believe
that the apparent bomb attack was the work of the law-enforcement or
other government agencies. He instead pointed the finger at Gagik
Tsarukian, a parliament deputy and millionaire businessman close to
Kocharian.

“I propose to the law-enforcement bodies to investigate the theory about
the blast being organized by Multi Group chairman Gagik Tsarukian,” the
young editor declared.

Pashinian suggested that he first incurred Tsarukian’s ire in August
after publishing a derogatory cartoon that featured the tycoon,
Kocharian and the chairman of Armenia’s National Olympic Committee,
Ishkhan Zakarian. The images were attached to an article that deplored
Armenia’s poor performance at the Olympic games in Athens.

Tsarukian was the deputy chairman of the Olympic Committee at the time
and replaced Zakarian as its head earlier on Monday.

Pashinian claimed that the businessman repeatedly sought to meet with
him after the August article. He said Tsarukian was also infuriated by a
recent “Haykakan Zhamanak” story that accused him of illegally cutting
trees to build a villa in the resort town of Tsaghkadzor.

There was no immediate reaction to the allegations from Tsarukian.
Police officers investigating the explosion declined a comment.

The incident is certain to prompt a strong condemnation from Armenia’s
leading journalist associations. They have repeatedly expressed concern
about violence against local journalists which has increased
dramatically this year.

16. RAO UES OF RUSSIA OFF TO DISCUSS WINTER ENERGY SUPPLY TO GEORGIA

Source: Itar-Tass, Russia, November 22, 2004

Member of the RAO UES of Russia board Andrei Rappoport arrived on a
one-day working visit in the Georgian capital on November 22, 2004. He
heads the federal network company that is a daughter company of the
energy holding.

“The goal of Rappoport’s visit is to discuss energy supplies to Tbilisi
in the winter period,” a source in the Tbilisi energy distribution
company Telasi told Itar-Tass. RAO UES of Russia owns 75 percent of the
Telasi stock since the summer of 2003. Rappoport will hold a meeting
with Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania.

Telasi provides energy supply to Tbilisi. This company imports energy
from Armenia to Russia in conditions of the energy crisis in the
autumn-winter period. Telasi imports 100 megawatt of energy from these
countries the other day.

The Georgian government and RAO UES of Russia signed a memorandum on
energy supplies to Georgia in autumn and winter this year in Tbilisi on
October 1.

17. IRAN’S AMBASSADOR SAYS IRAN-ARMENIA PROJECTS TO RAISE REGIONAL
STABILITY AND EXTEND PEACE

Source: ArmenPress, November 22, 2004

Iran’s ambassador to Armenia, Ali Reza Haqiqian, described bilateral
relations between the two nations as “very good.” In an exclusive
interview with Armenpress Mr. Haqiqian said the 2001 visit by Armenian
president Robert Kocharian to Iran and Iran’s president, Mohammad
Khatami’s visit to Armenia in 2004 have played a crucial role in
boosting diverse Armenian-Iranian ties.

The ambassador said the construction of the 40-km long Armenian section
of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline will start very soon. The official ceremony
will be attended by high-ranking officials of the both sides. The
ambassador said the tender for construction of the 100 km-long section
on the Iranian side was wrapped up to be followed soon by starting its
construction.

The ambassador said also the second high-voltage line, intended for
electricity swap between Armenia and Iran will be accomplished soon and
start operation in December. The new line will allow both countries to
increase the volume of swapped electricity to 800 megawatt. Mr. Haqiqian
stressed the importance of energy cooperation between the two countries
and said that the government officials of both sides are working now to
prepare the agreement for construction of the third line.

Iran is also building a wind power station in Armenia’s north-east. The
Iranian Sanir firm plans to accomplish its construction by the end of
this year. The wind power station will have four turbines and will
produce about 2.6 megawatt electricity.

The ambassador also spoke about enabling roaming system between the two
countries’ mobile phone systems, which he said will play a great role in
improvement of communication between Iran and Armenia.
Mr. Haqiqian said also that construction of a hydro power plant on the
border river of Arax is high on the agenda of bilateral talks, as well
as construction of Kajaran tunnel. The latter is expected to give the
shortest overland route from Armenia to Iran and vice versa.

At the end of his interview the ambassador expressed hope that these
projects promoting Armenia’s economic growth and benefiting the entire
region will extend peace and stability in the region.

—
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CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)

Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
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Armenian president decrees holding year of Armenia in France

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
25 Nov 04

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has signed a decree on setting
up a state commission to coordinate the preparations for holding the
year of Armenia in France in 2006-2007 [as heard].

Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan was appointed chairman of
the commission.

The foreign minister, Vardan Oskanyan, the chairman of the board of
directors of Armenian Public Television and Radio Aleksan Arutyunyan,
the Armenian ambassador to France, Eduard Nalbandyan, the culture
minister, Ovik Oveyan, the director of Matenadaran [Manuscripts
Institute], Sen Arevshatyan, and others are members of the commission.