ARMENIA TREE PROJECT
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Watertown, MA 02472 USA
(617) 926-TREE (8733)

PRESS RELEASE
November 10, 2004

ATP Participates in International Forum on Farming and Agribusiness in
Armenia

YEREVAN–Hundreds of Armenian farmers and agribusiness owners joined
experts from 27 countries late last month for an international
conference on ways of boosting Armenia’s vital agriculture sector.

The three-day forum organized by the Ministry of Agriculture was
attended by senior Armenian officials and representatives of Western
donor agencies and other international institutions. The latter pledged
continued assistance to the sector, which generates at least 20 percent
of the Armenia’s Gross Domestic Product and employs approximately 40
percent of the labor force.

The October 28-30 conference, which was attended by more than 500
participants, included a report by representatives of the Armenia
Tree Project (ATP) titled “Community Driven Conservation Development:
Lessons Learned From the Armenia Tree Project.”

The paper was presented by Karla M. Wesley, PhD, on behalf of
ATP and co-authored by ATP staff members Mher Sadoyan and Anahit
Gharibyan. During the presentation, Dr. Wesley, an affiliated
researcher at the University of California at Davis, explored the
“community development lessons” learned from Armenians in nearly 500
locations throughout the country who planted over 530,000 trees with
ATP between 1994-2004.

Discussing its founding in 1994, she explained that ATP was created
to address the ecological and social importance of reforesting the
country. “The primary goal of ATP continues to be the assistance of
the Armenian people in using trees to improve their standard of living
and protect the global environment. As an extension of these projects,
ATP also aims to promote self-sufficiency, aiding primarily those
with the fewest resources first, and conserve Armenia’s indigenous
ecosystem,” she stated.

“ATP began an innovative program to establish social contracts
with individual communities through mayors and institutions,” she
continued. To be eligible, ATP sites must meet three key criteria: good
irrigation, sufficient soil quality, and a highly motivated resident
population. “This paper focuses on the significant importance of the
last criteria: resident motivation, or what experts in the development
field call ‘community buy-in,'” explained Dr. Wesley.

During her presentation, Dr. Wesley explained the method of coppicing,
in which ATP staff rejuvenate declining forests by cutting tree
stumps with intact root systems to select the strongest shoot for
successful rejuvenation. “Since 1999, these coppicing projects have
gradually grown from three hectares a year to 210 hectares in 2004,”
she emphasized.

Dr. Wesley also noted that ATP operates one-hectare nurseries in the
refugee-villages of Karin and Khachpar, employing 29 workers there
and producing a total of 50,000 seedlings each year. She also pointed
out that a six-hectare nursery was established this year in Vanadzor,
which is already growing 400,000 trees for mountain reforestation.

Finally, Dr. Wesley described ATP’s sustainable mountain development
program, which addresses the growing concern about Armenia’s
forest loss and addresses the severe socio-economic needs of rural
communities. Located in one of the poorest regions of Armenia,
the Getik River Valley north of Lake Sevan was chosen by ATP for a
model project, and 17 families in Aygut chose to participate in ATP’s
innovative backyard nursery project.

“Central to this reforestation project’s success has been its use
of social contracts to establish rules of interaction that encourage
self-determination and autonomy in communities traumatized by war and
severe poverty,” she stated. “But the greatest lesson to be learned
may be the willingness of the Armenian people to care about their
environment. Common beliefs that Armenians are not interested in
environmental issues have been disproven by the ATP experience.”

“By developing long-term relationships and providing Armenian
citizens with the necessary skills and tools, ATP helps Armenians
restore native tree species critical for Caucasian biodiversity while
reclaiming self-sufficiency for their families and communities,”
concluded Dr. Wesley.

After the presentation, ATP Deputy Country Director Mher Sadoyan
responded to questions from the audience. A number of international
forestry experts were in attendance, including Lara Peterson
and DeAndra Beck of the US Forest Service International Program
in Washington, and Zvi Herman, director of the Israeli Ministry
of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Center for International
Agricultural Development.

Mr. Herman responded quite positively to the presentation, and
he was especially delighted when he learned that one of ATP’s
nursery directors received training in Israel, and that Israeli
irrigation systems were being utilized at ATP’s nurseries. Ms. Beck
and Ms. Peterson were also enthusiastic about the presentation,
especially after having toured ATP’s Karin Nursery earlier in the week.

For additional information about the First International AgroForum
in Armenia, visit For information about Armenia
Tree Project and its programs, visit

PHOTO CAPTION (ATP at AgroForum.jpg): Karla M. Wesley (right) and
ATP Deputy Country Director Mher Sadoyan at the First International
AgroForum in Armenia

ARMENIA TO SUE AZERBAIJAN IN EUROPEAN COURT

A1 Plus | 20:13:50 | 11-11-2004 | Official |

Armenia intends to file a lawsuit in European Court accusing Azerbaijan
of diving Armenians from their homes in Shahumyan and Getashen by
using force.

After military operations were carried out there in 1991-92 the above
mentioned territories got under Azerbaijan’s control.

Armenian side says evicted people’s right for property specified
in Article 1 of the European Convention’s first protocol has been
violated.

PRESS RELEASE
November 11, 2004
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: [email protected] ; Web:

Armenia Re-Qualified for Millennium Challenge Account for FY 2005

On November 10, 2004, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell hosted a ceremony
at the State Department to mark the selection of 16 countries, including
Armenia, as potential recipients of Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) funds
for Fiscal Year 2005. Armenia, together with 15 other nations, was already
selected as potential recipient of the MCA for Fiscal Year 2004. The
Millennium Challenge Account is a foreign aid distribution mechanism
introduced by the Bush administration, with a mandate to fund programs
submitted by eligible countries to promote the goals of poverty reduction
and economic development. In order to remain eligible for MCA funds, the
selected nations have to meet rigorous requirements in three categories of
indicators, namely economic freedom and reforms; governance practices; and
commitment to human and social development.

Ambassadors from 16 countries, including Armenian Ambassador to the U.S.,
Dr. Arman Kirakossian were present at the ceremony on behalf of their
countries, and had the opportunity to greet Secretary of State Colin L.
Powell who hosted the ceremony in his capacity as the ex-officio Chairman of
the Board of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which administers the MCA
funds. Also present were the CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation,
Paul V. Applegarth, members of the Board, officials from State Department
and other executive agencies, Members of Congress and Congressional staff,
as well as representatives of NGO’s and private sector.

Welcoming and congratulating the official representatives of the 16 nations,
Secretary Powell said in his remarks that the Millennium Challenge
Corporation “.selected 16 countries which have demonstrated through their
policies and practices that they rule justly, invest in their people, and
that they encourage economic freedom.” Quoting President George W. Bush,
Secretary Powell noted “that the Millennium Challenge Account was born of
the idea that we should provide greater resources to countries that are
taking greater responsibility for their own development and all of the
countries we have selected are doing just that.” He added that selection, in
and of itself, does not guarantee funding since each Millennium Challenge
Account country must first develop its own proposal to promote growth and
reduce poverty, setting clear goals and measurable benchmarks.

**************************************************
For more information on the MCC, please visit
For the text of Secretary Powell’s remarks, visit

STRIKERS OPPOSED ARMENTEL COMPLETE MONOPOLY IN IP TELEPHONY

A1 Plus | 14:36:19 | 11-11-2004 | Economy |

Some 100 enterprises will go on a one-day warning strike on Thursday.

From 17:00 local time IP telephony will halt their operations
protesting Armenian government’s recent decision to give ArmenTel
Armenian-Greek company sweeping control over IP telephony services.

The number of protesting enterprises is increasingly growing.

A series of protest actions including rallies and marches are planned
to be staged soon.

Armenian minister justifies choice of Karabakh Telecom as second operator

Aravot, Yerevan
10 Nov 04

Text of Aram Abramyan report by Armenian newspaper Aravot on 10
November headlined “Who, if not Karabakh Telecom?”

Interview with Armenian Transport and Communications Minister Andranik
Manukyan.

[Correspondent] A tender implies the involvement of several entities,
however, the tender commission headed by you has taken a hasty decision
to issue a licence to the Karabakh Telecom company. Why?

[Transport and Communications Minister Andranik Manukyan] The
government has set up a commission and has the right to determine
the procedure and conditions of the tender. According to the law, the
government has such an opportunity in exclusive cases. The commission
chaired by me drew up the procedure and conditions, and we considered
that Karabakh Telecom meets these conditions.

A package of investment proposals presented by the company
stipulates 50m-dollar investment in the development of cellular
communications. The establishment of this type of communications
in border districts is of special importance to us. At the same
time, Karabakh Telecom, unlike ArmenTel, provides a link of higher
quality. So we shall already have two cellular operators next year
and competition in this sector will lead to a fall in tariffs and
enhance the quality of the link.

I want to speak about another important circumstance that had an
undoubtful influence on the commission’s decision. The Karabakh Telecom
company has invested 15m dollars in Karabakh, which is considered to
be a risky zone, and under the licence we have issued, it undertakes to
invest another 10m dollars. Moreover, the company will pay 7m dollars
to the Armenian state budget only for the issuance of the licence.

Karabakh Telecom provides Karabakh’s roaming link with 88 countries,
promoting the recognition of Artsakh [Karabakh] by the leading
countries of the world in this sphere. It is well-known that
communications operators in the USA, Britain, France, China and other
developed countries have signed contracts with Karabakh Telecom.

Why should we not give this company an opportunity to become a
second operator in Armenia, and what’s more, with very limited
rights? Karabakh Telecom will only work in the cellular communications
sector. ArmenTel will provide all other remaining telecommunications
services.

Finally, owing to this and other previous steps taken by the
government, we managed to withstand huge work carried out by Azerbaijan
which aims to deprive our compatriots in Artsakh of the link with the
outside world. I hope that no Armenian wants these plans of Azerbaijan
to be realized. Therefore, I urge our opposition politicians to avoid
speculating on this issue.

[Correspondent] The word Karabakh in the name of the company tells
the public that the genuine owners of this business are high-profile
people from Karabakh.

[Manukyan] This is a dirty gossip. I hope that when the owner of
Karabakh Telecom, Arab businessman Pierre M. Fattouch arrives in
Armenia, you will have an opportunity to talk to him. With this,
these absurd doubts will disappear themselves.

[Correspondent] Is it true that you and Justice Minister David
Arutyunyan are at loggerheads over the recent events around ArmenTel?

[Manukyan] This is another myth. Arutyunyan and I are members
of the government and are obliged to present our approaches at
meetings. Sometimes they coincide, sometimes not. If all ministers
had the same approach to all questions, there would be no need to
exchange opinions. David Arutyunyan expressed his point of view,
I expressed mine. For the time being, we, as colleagues, are working
to implement these and other decisions that have been adopted.

Official says Armenia still holds thousands of Azeri POWs

Trend news agency
11 Nov 04

Baku, 11 November: Despite all their efforts, the Armenians will not
be able to conceal that they are holding up to 4,000 Azerbaijanis in
captivity, MP Rabiyat Aslanova, a member of the state commission for
POWs, hostages and missing persons, has told Trend.

Aslanova also denied the recent Armenian reports which allege that
there are Armenian POWs under false names in Azerbaijan’s prisons. She
said that although Azerbaijan returned all Armenian POWs to Armenia
several years ago, Armenia has not done this yet.

Aslanova said that most of the Azerbaijani POWs in Armenia were
taken hostage during the savage action carried out in Xocali on 26
February 1992. The rest are servicemen and civilians. She said the
Azerbaijani POWs are mainly children, women and old people and that
the state commission has appealed to all international organizations
to help release them.

Aslanova said that the issue of prisoners of war has repeatedly been
raised with the OSCE and the Council of Europe. She expressed the hope
that these organizations would respond to their appeals positively.

Kyrgyz foreign minister to attend CIS summit in Russia

AKIpress news agency web site
11 Nov 04

Bishkek, 11 November: A meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers
of the Collective Security Treaty Organization [CSTO; members are
Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Russia]
member states will be held in Moscow on 12 November.

A Kyrgyz delegation headed by Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Askar Aytmatov
will attend the meeting.

The military and political situation in the CSTO member states and
the CSTO’s tasks to step up the fight against terrorism are expected
to be discussed at the meeting.

The issue concerning a CSTO interstate commission for military and
economic cooperation is also planned to be discussed.

The meeting will listen to CSTO Secretary-General Nikolay Bordyuzha’s
report on the results of the first stage of the Kanal-2004
[Channel-2004] international antidrug operation in the CSTO member
states.

The CSTO foreign ministers are expected to sign a CSTO statement
concerning non-proliferation policy and also to approve an action
plan to coordinate the activities of the CSTO member states in the
post-war reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Azeri POW cleared of high treason charges, accused of torturing captives

525 Qazet, Baku
27 Oct 04

Many probably remember the report of the National Security Ministry
last year that Azerbaijani citizen Nadir Mahmudov, who was taken
prisoner near the village of Araz-Yaglivand of Fuzuli District in
October 1993 and remained in Armenian captivity until 11 December 1995,
had been convicted of high treason.

The report, which was in the media spotlight, said that Mahmudov
defected to the enemy on 23 October 1993 near the village of
Araz-Yaglivand of Fuzuli District occupied by the armed forces of the
Republic of Armenia and engaged in espionage. The indictment bill of
the investigations department of the Security Ministry said that while
at the Xankandi [Stepanakert] children’s hospital between December
1994 and 11 December 1995 (i.e. until he was released from captivity),
Mahmudov committed a crime against the state, beating up prisoners and
brutally treating them in order to create favourable living conditions
for himself and not to carry out physical work. While in captivity,
he seized clothing and food provided to the prisoners by the Red Cross
and handed them over to the wardens. The indictment also stressed that
while in captivity, Mahmudov met employees of the Armenian security
agency and persuaded some of the captives to spy for the enemy. It
must be noted that a detective of the investigations department of
the National Security Ministry, Sahib Alakbarov, was in charge of
the investigation.

The Grave Crimes Court examined the case last year, and under the
verdict issued by judge Alovsat Abbasov, Mahmudov was sentenced to
seven years in prison. The defence did not agree with the court
ruling and appealed to the Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals
decided on 22 October 2003 to uphold the decision of the court of
first instance. The defence then had to file complaints with the
Supreme Court and the Council of Europe.

It became known recently that in the plaintiff’s absence, the Supreme
Court collegium for criminal cases and administrative offences ruled on
14 September 2004 that there were no legal grounds to find Mahmudov
guilty of high treason and changed the 22 October 2003 decision
of the Court of Appeals. According to the final conclusion of the
Supreme Court collegium, Mahmudov’s actions in Armenian captivity fall
under Article 115.2 of the Criminal Code that envisages punishment
for torturing captives and people protected by humanitarian law and
for treating such persons brutally and inhumanely. For this reason,
the article under which he was held accountable for his deeds was
changed from 274 to 115.2.

Nadir Mahmudov’s lawyer Vaqif Samadov said in an interview with our
newspaper that the defendant’s appeal to the Supreme Court said that
he had been arrested without guilt.

[Passage omitted: details of Mahmudov’s appeals]

Samadov also commented on the unexpected decision of the Supreme
Court collegium for criminal cases and administrative offences:
“As far as I know, Mahmudov appealed to the Council of Europe over
his case. It seems that the case was reconsidered under pressure from
the Council of Europe.”

The lawyer believes that although the court changed the article,
it failed to consider the case comprehensively and impartially:
“Although the article has been changed, Mahmudov’s punishment has
not been commuted. As I said before, convicting civilians who have
been in captivity runs counter to the existing international legal
norms. Therefore, Mahmudov’s case was in the focus of the Council of
Europe’s attention. According to the law, the state is responsible
for the security of civilians. Nevertheless, since some officials in
the law-enforcement agencies lack professionalism, incidents that
damage our country’s image happen and the cases finally make their
way to the Council of Europe.”

[Passage omitted: rights activist says convicting an ex-POW is absurd]

European officials say EU not to be involved in Karabakh settlement

Ekspress, Baku
10 Nov 04

“The European Union [EU] will not render specific assistance to the
Nagornyy Karabakh settlement. This organization is not going to be
directly involved in the settlement process,” Stanislas Lefebvre
de Laboulaye, director-general of political and security affairs
at the French Foreign Ministry, and Michael Scheffer, diplomatic
director-general at the German Foreign Ministry, who are visiting Baku,
told a news conference yesterday [9 November]. They think that Europe
is simply ready to give “general support” for the sides in the peace
process and “there is a legal basis for this as well”. That is the
EU has accepted a “specific mission” by including the three South
Caucasus countries in Europe’s neighbourhood programme. The visit
by the German and French diplomats is linked to the EU’s increasing
interest in the South Caucasus, mainly in Azerbaijan. The guests
yesterday met Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and
leaders of three opposition parties. The talks focused on regional
security, the development of democracy and the issue of putting into
operation the EU’s New Neighbourhood policy.

Summing up the results of their visit, Scheffer said that “after
hearing opinions from the people we had met, we concluded that Europe
could immediately start implementing its New Neighbourhood policy”. He
said that Europe is ready for cooperation within the framework of
the neighbourhood programme.

“We all want to see expansion and benefits of expansion. At issue is
both economic and political cooperation,” he said.

[Passage omitted: the EU and Azerbaijan to start regular dialogue on
the development of democracy, judiciary system and stability in 2005]

Laboulaye drew attention to the fact that they had had “an open
dialogue” with Azerbaijani officials. He said that both government
and opposition representatives shared the same views on integration
into Europe. In turn, the EU thinks that the development of democracy,
supremacy of law and the protection of human rights are priorities for
cooperation. Saying that “we export democracy and regional stability”,
the representative of the French Foreign Ministry said that the EU
attached great attention to the development of civil relations and
maintenance of peace in the region. He said that thawing relations
among regional countries would “be definitely included” in the next
round of talks between Europe and Baku.

“The opinion of the Azerbaijani leadership about this issue
is interesting for us. For both France and Germany stability in
Azerbaijan means stability in Europe. Being the EU representatives,
we will do our best to give support to the conflicting sides to find
a solution to the conflict,” France’s Laboulaye said. He said that
both as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group and an EU member, Paris
“is always keeping in focus” the processes taking place in the South
Caucasus, specifically in Azerbaijan. The Nagornyy Karabakh conflict
should be resolved to establish internal stability in the country.

As far as the settlement is concerned, Europe “does not want to
intervene in the dialogue between the countries”. At the same time,
the EU is ready to help the sides if an agreement is achieved on the
restoration of peace and repatriation of refugees to their native
lands. However, the EU does not come to the South Caucasus to resolve
the conflicts. The EU is trying to achieve peace among the regional
countries. Laboulaye cited as an example historical disagreements
between Germany and France and added that Azerbaijan and Armenia could
learn from Europe’s experience. “In the EU’s history, neighbouring
countries haven’t been hostile to each other for a long time.”

The representatives of the French and German foreign ministries will
go to Georgia and then to Armenia today.

NKR President Met With Representatives Of Armenia’s Business Circles

MFO
Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
11 Nov 04

As it was already informed, today, November 11, President of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic Arkady Ghoukassian has left for the United
States of America for the participation in the telethon planned for
November 25 in the USA, and aimed at fund raising for the development
of Artsakh.

On November 10, in Yerevan, Arkady Ghoukassian met with representatives
of the business circles of Armenia. The meeting, initiated by the
Armenian Development Agency, was dedicated to the coming telethon.

It was noted that the raised funds, first of all, would be directed to
the construction of the “North-South” highway, strategically important
for the NKR. Arkady Ghoukassian emphasized the significance of the
road, both for the security guarantee and economic development of
Artsakh. He noted with satisfaction the readiness of the business
circles of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh to contribute actively to
the construction of the highway. The NKR President expressed his
confidence that this activity would also encourage the Armenian
Diasporaâ~@~Y s representatives.

The majority of those, who made speeches at the meeting, expressed
their opinion that the construction of the “North-South” highway was
a nation-wide goal. They expressed their readiness to contribute to
the programâ~@~Ys realization.

Issues related to the economic cooperation between Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh were touched upon at the meeting. In particular,
the necessity of a clear definition of the relations in the legal
field was stressed. A proposal on organizing a business forum in the
NKR was also made.

–Boundary_(ID_+pbNyRqWCkWaMb4A28ZLKg)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress