Balkanalysis.com, AZ
Nov 10 2004

Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict, Infighting Dominate Political Agenda (Part 1)

Posted on Saturday, February 28 @ 12:15:00 EST by balkanalysis

C Deliso writes ” Eurasianet.org reports that talks between
Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed province of Nagorno-Karabakh
have ground to a halt. Speaking at a conference in Geneva, Armenian
representatives “…flatly rejected Baku’s recent suggestion to restart
the process ‘from scratch,’ according to Armenian journalist Emil
Danielyan.

In addition, says Danielyan, “…Armenian leaders have threatened to
freeze direct contacts with Azerbaijan if Baku refuses to revive
agreements reportedly reached by the two countries three years ago.”

This is in reference to a supposed deal reached in Key West, Florida
by Armenian president Robert Kocharian and his late counterpart,
Heydar Aliyev.

This echoed Interfax’s report of 18 February, quoting Kocharian as
ruling out restarting talks “from scratch:”

“…over the years, we have invested significant efforts in laying the
groundwork for resolving the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict… I will not
throw away that effort.

…I do not think that the Azerbaijani president opposes any changes
but in the 10 years of peace, a situation has emerged in which the
two sides are reconciled to facts, so a change of the status quo is
more dangerous than maintaining it.”

Brief history of Nagorno-Karabakh

An almost kidney-shaped, mountainous area within Azerbaijan but
populated by an Armenian majority, Nagorno (‘Upper’) Karabakh has
been the subject of contentious dispute for many generations.
Somewhat like Bosnia, it was a Christian region partially Islamicized
by the Turks. In the 11th century, the low-lying eastern parts of the
Christian province fell to the Seljuk Turks, who left the mark of
religion and language on people who were “the direct descendents of
present-day Azerbaijanis,” according to Armenian-American scholar
Ronald Grigor Suny.

Through the many centuries of different empires that ruled in the
Caucasus, Nagorno-Karabakh changed hands several times but, says
Suny, “semi-independent Armenian princes” ruled there until the early
19th century, when the Russian Tzar annexed the region from Iran.

A century later, with the coming of the Russian Revolution, the
Armenian-dominated province tried to reunify with Soviet Armenia, but
the Turkish-supported Azerbaijanis forced them to remain part of
Azerbaijan. The communist Kavbiuro promised in 1920 to return the
region to Armenia, and resolved to do so on 3 July 1921. However,

“…mysteriously, two days later, the bureau reversed itself
‘considering the necessity of national harmony between Muslims and
Armenians, the economic linkage between upper and lower Karabagh, and
its permanent ties to Azerbaijan.”

Stalin had already found it useful for his greater Soviet strategy to
preserve this localized enmity, thus preventing either Armenia or
Azerbaijan from becoming too powerful or independent. Suny adds,

“…For sixty years Karabagh remained an enclave within Azerbaijan, an
anomaly in the Soviet system- the only autonomous national region
with a majority that was of the same ethnicity as a neighboring
Soviet republic yet was not permitted to join that republic.
Discontent with Azerbaijani rule grew, as discrimination against
Armenian language, culture, and contacts with Soviet Armenia became a
persistent practice. Armenians believed that Azerbaijan preferred to
invest economically in regions where its own nationality were a
majority rather than in Karabagh where 75 to 80 percent of the
population was Armenian.

…The city of Shusha, once an Armenian cultural center, became almost
entirely Azerbaijani. In 1959 Armenians made up 84.4 percent of
Karabagh’s population. Twenty years later they were just under 76
percent.” (pp. 194-5)

After Stalin’s death, nationalist ferment increased among Armenian
politicians, intellectuals and the people. This phenomenon was
mirrored in Azerbaijan. Both sides have long lists of grievances
detailing the murders, perfidy and general transgressions allegedly
carried out by the other side.

As could have been expected, the demise of the Soviet Union saw the
explosion of this long-suppressed, localized cold war. The rekindled
national zeal of both Armenians and Azerbaijanis led to open fighting
in 1992, which raged for two years, resulting in additional
grievances for the list-keepers.

According to Baku, 700,000 Azerbaijanis were forced to leave their
homes in Nagorno-Karabakh because of the war, as were 300,000 ethnic
Azerbaijanis then living in Armenia proper. Yet this had been
preceded by the expulsion of up to 300,000 ethnic Armenians from
Azerbaijan from 1988-90, when re-unification desires began to
intensify.

The current state of play

An international mediating committee called the Minsk Group, headed
by France, the United States and Russia, was set up in 1995. Yet
Nagorno-Karabakh is quite possibly one of the region’s great
unresolvable issues. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan consider the area
their historically rightful property, the former because they have
always lived there and the latter because their co-religionists, the
Turks and Iranians, ruled over the area for long periods.

Now, Azerbaijan is indignant because of alleged Armenian violations
of cease-fire agreements. For their part, Armenians are especially
incensed because of apparent Azerbaijani greed. Azerbaijan already
has official ownership of the Nakhichevan province, an
Azerbaijani-majority area on Armenia’s border with Iran- and one
completely cut off from any physical connection with Azerbaijan, a
situation comparable only to Russia’s ownership of the similarly
geographically estranged city of Kaliningrad. There is a sentiment
that due to this reality Armenia has already given away far too much-
especially considering the much earlier loss of the majority of its
historical territories to the Turkish state.

While the situation remains unresolved, Armenia feels it now has the
upper hand in Nagorno-Karabakh. The province is largely free of
Baku’s interference. Armenia also claims that a nearly-finalized deal
between the two countries, made by Kocharian and the late President
Aliyev, should be honored.

Key West: the agreement that almost was

According to Eurasianet’s Emil Danielyan, Armenia and Azerbaijan

“…have engaged in lots of political maneuvering in early 2004. Aliyev
and other leaders in Baku complained that existing Minsk Group
proposals fail to ensure that Karabakh would remain part of
Azerbaijan, going on to accuse the international community of tacitly
wanting to reward ‘Armenian aggression.’

Armenian officials, in turn, have repeated their claim that Karabakh
is now an ‘integral part’ of Armenia. ‘Our aim is to win
international recognition of the aforesaid, but it is difficult to
say when we will achieve this,’ Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian told
Yerevan TV on February 12. Armenian insists the only way to break the
existing impasse is to return to the agreement reportedly reached by
Kocharian and Ilham’s late father and predecessor, Heidar Aliyev,
during April 2001 talks on the Florida resort island of Key West.”

The reason Armenia will not consider returning to negotiations ‘from
scratch’ is that they believe Key West constituted a breakthrough,
and one that should be honored as final:

“Armenian officials say the Key West framework would effectively
transfer Karabakh to Armenia in return for Armenia’s withdrawal from
occupied territories in Azerbaijani proper. Armenia would also have
to guarantee unfettered transport and communication — and possibly
open a permanent land corridor — between the Nakhichevan exclave and
the rest of Azerbaijan. According to the chief US negotiator on
Karabakh, Rudolf Perina, the parties were ‘incredibly close’ to a
deal. ‘The issues of principle have been decided, and what is left
are technical differences,’ Perina told a conference in Washington in
May 2002.

In the aftermath of the Key West talks, according to the Armenian
version of events, Heider Aliyev suddenly and without explanation
backed away from the agreement. Today, Baku maintains no formal deal
ever existed. Azerbaijan’s presidential Chief of Staff, Novruz
Mammadov, said during a live video link between Baku and Yerevan on
February 13 that ‘there is no {Key West agreement] and there cannot
be any such document.'”

Despite the affirmation of the negotiations by American
representative Perina, Baku denies that an agreement was ever
reached. Instead, claimed Azerbaijani Presidential Chief of Staff
Novruz Mammadov Friday, “…certain people thought they could impose
some ideas on us, but we rejected them at once.”

Baku argues that Washington actually favors its own side: right now,
Azerbaijan is making hay of this year’s US State Department February
25 report on human rights, claiming that it supports its position
over Nagorno-Karabakh:

“…as usual, the Department of State recognized the continuing
aggression of Armenian against Azerbaijan.

…In the Report on human rights, it is noted that occupation of the
Azerbaijan territories is one of the major factors impeding
democratic and economic development of Azerbaijan. Further, it is
noted that the repeated violation by the Armenians in 2003 of the
ceasefire regime led to death of the civilians and militaries.”

Despite stepped up diplomatic efforts from the internationals,
prospects for peace remain distant. The young and untested
Azerbaijani president is more concerned with issues like the economy.
Recent provocations have not helped, either.

For example, Baku gleefully reported recently that its spy rings in
Yerevan have yet to be cracked:

“‘…Not a single agent of [Azerbaijani] Ministry of National Security
has ever been found in Armenia. This network is still functioning,’
Azerbaijani Minister of National Security Namiq Abbasov told
reporters. The minister didn’t rule out the possibility that the arch
foe neighbor, Armenia, also has infiltrated spies into Azerbaijan,
but said those spies would be gradually found out.”

Abbasov’s comments came in reaction to the recent Armenian
announcement that 5 Russian nationals had been arrested in Yerevan,
and charged with betraying military secrets to the Azerbaijanis.

Most galling for the Armenians, however, was the perceived
‘heroicization’ of an Azerbaijani soldier who hacked to death an
Armenian colleague on 19 February- ironically, at a NATO ‘Partnership
for Peace’ conference in Hungary. Emil Danielyan relays that for the
Yerevan daily ‘Aravot,’ “…this is a political murder provoked by that
country’s government which has been pursuing a policy of hatred
towards Armenians and filling Azerbaijani hearts with hostility.”

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–Boundary_(ID_QiAWJvN3+K9gz9ggZCypxA)–

Balkanalysis.com, AZ
Nov 10 2004

Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict, Infighting Dominate Political Agenda (Part
2)

Posted on Sunday, February 29 @ 09:00:00 EST by balkanalysis

CDeliso writes “Political infighting between Armenian coalition
parties have intensified during the past month, as have threats from
the opposition, just as talks for a final solution over
Nagorno-Karabakh broke down on Friday in Geneva (see part 1 of our
Armenia special report).

As usual, corruption charges have proven the easiest ‘in’ for the
politically disenfranchised. Pro-establishment vehicles such as
RFE/RL have spilled plenty of ink on championing the issue.

Two weeks ago, opposition parties demanded the resignation of
President Robert Kocharian, making the ridiculously derivative
prediction of a ‘revolution of white carnations.’ This florid prose
alludes directly to Georgia’s recent ‘revolution of roses,’ a
Soros-backed adventure which saw the mysterious importing of
thousands of roses for publicity’s sake, during a season when they
could not possibly be grown locally. So much for the spontaneous
uprising of the people. The Armenian opposition had better wait ’til
spring- or hope that FTD can deliver.

The flower power pronouncement came from Aram Karapetian, leader of
the ‘New Times’ oppositionist party on 12 February. Karapetian’s
party, together with the National Unity Party are boycotting
parliament. The speaker was, however, a little on the vague side,
prophesying that “…the president will announce his resignation on
television. The change of power could take place within the next few
days or in a year from now.”

Not only that, reports Eurasianet.org, but Kocharian’s own coalition
partners are accusing his party of “massive vote fraud” in last
summer’s parliamentary elections. According to the article, the
broadside was fired by Hrant Markarian, a leader of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF, or Dashnaktsutiun) at a party
conference:

“…In his speech, repeatedly interrupted by rapturous applause from
delegates, Markarian also expressed dissatisfaction with the
Kocharian administration’s record, pointing to rampant corruption and
the ‘deepening social polarization’ of Armenia’s population. He went
on to accuse Kocharian of having ‘tolerated the triumph of corruption
and injustice,’ adding that the president lacked the will to rein in
business tycoons and ‘other apolitical elements.'”

The chief targets of this criticism- Prime Minister Andranik
Markarian’s Republican Party (HHK) and Parliament Speaker Artur
Baghdasarian’s Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) Party- made no
official responses right away, but augured retaliation. Said HHK
parliamentary leader Galust Sahakian in a newspaper interview:

“…If it turns out that the accusations contained in Hrant Markarian’s
speech are the official opinion of Dashnaktsutiun, then that opinion
could lead to quite serious consequences.”

The report suggests that, corruption and fraud aside, more
fundamental differences lay behind Dashnaktsutiun’s frustration.
Unlike this historically nationalist party, the president “…does not
subscribe to the ARF leader’s calls for neighboring Georgia to grant
autonomous status to its Armenian-populated Javakheti region.” And,
unlike the ARF, Kocharian is in favor of normalizing relations with
traditional foe Turkey. While the nationalists demand Turkey must
first officially recognize the 1915 killings of 1.5 million Armenians
by the Ottomans as genocide, Kocharian and his party do not. They are
aware that winning such a symbolic concession from Turkey is
extremely unlikely, to say the least, and hope that a formal
rapprochement will re-open borders shut by Turkey in 1993. The Turks
blockaded the border after the 1992-1994 war broke out between Muslim
ally Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.

However, in the opinion of Eurasinet.org’s Emil Danielyan, the
initially cautious reaction from Kocharian to Markarian’s accusation
“…indicates that he is reluctant to turn against one of the country’s
oldest parties and one of his chief pillars of political support
during his presidency.” Dashnaktsutiun enjoys a venerable legacy of
being the upholder of Armenian nationalism since the 19th century,
and has taken a strong stance against Turkey and especially
Azerbaijan since then.

According to the analysis, despite its belly-achings the ARF will
probably not give up its share of power. However, it may prove an
obstacle to negotiations with Turkey, which has renewed its
dedication to dialogue. Speaking in Russia on Friday, Turkish Foreign
Minister Abdullah Gul lamented that “…Turkey-Armenia relations are
far away from the desired level.” According to TurkishPress.com, Gul
blamed the Armenian diaspora especially for stymieing progress, by
fueling the ARF’s position on genocide-recognition:

“…those who are living a comfortable life outside Armenia do not
contribute to improvement of relations between Turkey and Armenia
with their attitude. Historians should deal with events of the past.
The Ottoman Empire had never perpetrated any massacre or assimilation
intentionally.”

Gul no doubt raises an apt point, but his inclusion of the word
‘intentionally’ is sure to only provoke Armenians who feel that
Turkey is conscious of the crime, but refuses to admit it.

In any case, diaspora influence or not, the historical issue is less
an impediment than Turkey’s insistence that rapprochement involve the
return of up to 1 million displaced Azerbaijanis to Karabakh- an
unappealing sell for any Armenian politician.

;file=article&sid=275

–Boundary_(ID_wXVGqiSyLjG+NWBpUiK/sg)–

Azerbaijan Announces Major Military Spending Boost

Agence France Presse
Nov 10 2004

ASTARA, Azerbaijan — Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said Nov. 9 that
defense spending in Azerbaijan would grow by nearly one third in 2005,
after rival Armenia unveiled plans to significantly boost its own
military budget.

“Our parliament is discussing next year’s budget, where spending
will grow by 25 to 30 percent, and this includes military spending,”
Aliyev told reporters.

Aliyev’s comments followed a proposal made Monday by Armenia’s
parliament to raise defense spending by 20 percent to $99 million
in 2005.

Aliyev gave no dollar figure for defense spending in Azerbaijan,
but a finance ministry source said that military spending in 2004
amounted to just under $150 million.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a border war, as the Soviet Union
broke up, that killed 35,000 people and displaced about one million
civilians. It ended with an uneasy ceasefire in 1994, with Armenian
forces in control of the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, which under
international law is a part of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan still claims the territory and the two countries remain
locked in a state of war, with gunfire between the two sides exchanged
periodically.

ARMENIA: REPORT SHOWS SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN POVERTY
Haroutiun Khachatrian: 11/09/04

Eurasianet Organization, USA
Nov 10 2004

A recent economic survey in Armenia, showing a significant decline in
the number of citizens living in poverty, has placed President Robert
Kocharian’s administration in a somewhat awkward position. While
Kocharian has been eager to show Armenians that living standards
are improving, the report’s findings could complicate the Armenian
government’s efforts to secure international aid for poverty-reduction
programs.

The annual survey of household incomes by the National Statistical
Service, a non-governmental agency, contained a full range of startling
statistics. Among the most surprising: the percentage of Armenians
living below the poverty line fell from 50 percent in 2002 to 42.9
percent in 2003. Similarly, the number of poorest Armenians – those
who earn less than 7,742 drams (about $15) per month – also took a
surprising plunge — from 13.1 percent of the population in 2002 to
7.4 percent in 2003. At the same time, the survey indicated that the
country’s income gap between rich and poor narrowed slightly.

The statistics reveals that the poverty reduction rate in Armenia
far exceeds the government’s projections as outlined in its Poverty
Reduction Strategic Paper (PRSP) released earlier this year. In the
PRSP, for example, officials estimated that that it would take until
2012 before the so-called “very poor” could be reduced to less than 8
percent of the population. The NSS figures show that this benchmark has
been surpassed a full eight years ahead of the government’s schedule.

Given the NSS findings, questions are already being raised about the
accuracy and potential effectiveness of the government’s anti-poverty
blueprint. While officials have been happy to tout the reduction
in poverty, already one government minister has disputed the NSS
findings. At a recent news conference, Vardan Khachatrian, the minister
of finance and economy, described the results as difficult to trust
and too optimistic.

Some economic experts share Khachatrian’s doubts. “I cannot see the
reasons which could bring about such a drastic change in the percentage
of the population made up by the very poor,” said Ruben Yeganian, a
researcher at Yerevan’s Institute of Economic Problems. The decrease
was particularly improbable for 2003, when Armenia’s inflation rate
soared in response to an increase in foreign grain prices, Yeganian
asserted. That year, bread prices increased by 31 percent between
January and December, causing an overall 8.6 percent increase in the
consumer price index, compared with a 2-percent rise the previous year.

A recent report by the International Crisis Group (ICG) echoes
Yeganian’s assessment. The October 18 study, titled “Armenia:
Instability Ahead,” states that while the market reforms of the
1990s may mean Armenia is now enjoying a relative boom, relatively
few Armenians have seen a vast improvement in living standards. “The
benefits of economic recovery are not equally shared,” the report
found. “There is little sign of poverty decreasing.” [For additional
information see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Contradicting the NSS, the ICG report cited statistics that show 55
percent of the population lives in poverty, with wealth concentrated in
Yerevan and in “circles close to the government.” Meanwhile, the exodus
of educated, well-trained workers — one of the main obstacles to an
Armenian economic comeback — continues. Favored labor markets include
Russia, Central Europe, Ukraine and Turkey, where potential salaries
are higher than the $78 average monthly salary to be had in Armenia.

The poverty issue has figured prominently in the ongoing power struggle
between Kocharian and opposition political parties. [For background
see the Eurasia Insight archive]. In an attempt to outflank his
critics, Kocharian unveiled a 12-year plan for fighting poverty in
June. Yeganian speculated that the government may have cast doubt
on the NSS findings in order to prevent a decrease in foreign aid
programs. An additional factor feeding official concerns, Yeganian
suggested, is the decrease in value of the US dollar against the
Armenian dram over the last year. As a result, the incomes of
Armenians, when denominated in dollars, appear to have increased.

The Armenian government counts heavily on international aid to
promote economic stabilization efforts, including anti-poverty
programs. Armenia hopes to receive $100 million for various economic
development schemes in 2004 from the US Millennium Challenge Account
program, aid monies that are contingent the country’s record for
democratic reform and human rights. Also in support of Kocharian’s
agenda, the World Bank has pledged to deliver $250 million by November
2004 for work on rural schools, infrastructure and irrigation systems.

Some representatives of the NSS themselves have admitted to being
caught off guard by the survey’s results. Hovik Hohannisian, head of
Food Security Statistics, raised questions about the criteria used
to determine who is “very poor,” saying that the food basket used to
determine purchasing power was actually more like a “bread basket.”

Meanwhile, one of the country’s main creditors, the World Bank,
said it saw no reason to doubt the NSS data, the Bank’s Yerevan
spokesperson, Vigen Sargsian, told EurasiaNet. Aside from the World
Bank, the NSS’s data is routinely cited by international organizations,
including the International Monetary Fund. The NSS also receives
advice from representatives of the European Union and the US Agency
for International Development.

Editor’s Note: Haroutiun Khachatrian is a Yerevan-based writer
specializing in economic and political affairs.

In interview with VOA, Azerbaijan’s President, Ilham Aliyev, calls
his country ‘dynamic & fast-growing’

Voice of America, DC
Nov 10 2004

In the interview, conducted on 9 Nov., the President declared that
“in the last year, nearly 100 thousand new jobs have been created,
and the production of oil has gone up by 2.4 percent.”

Aliyev also addressed the Azeri-Armenian conflict and the participation
of Armenian delegates in the forthcoming annual conference of NATO’s
Parliamentary Assembly in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku. “We cannot
isolate ourselves,” he said. “We want international events – seminars,
conferences – to be held in Azerbaijan.”

More details from the interview will be available at
and

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Nov 9 2004

VISIT OF THE PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV TO THE SOUTH
REGIONS OF REPUBLIC
[November 09, 2004, 22:48:47]

President of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev on 9 November has
visited south regions of country.

Head of the Azerbaijan State was warmly greeted at the railway
station of Astara, south region of the Republic. At the Heydar Aliyev
Square, he met representatives of public and residents of the region.
Here, the Head of State had a warm meeting with residents of Astara.

Then, speaking were representatives of farmers who thanked the Head
of State for care and attention for the residents, for creation of
working places in the region. They, in particular, have highly
estimated expedient policy of President Ilham Aliyev for employment
of people, development program of the regions of Republic.

Then, President Ilham Aliyev made speech.

In his speech, the Head of State reminded that residents of Astara
had confided in him a year ago during the presidential elections and
now he tries to realize his promise he gave to them. President of
Azerbaijan spoke of the socio-economic reforms conducted in the
country, development of economy, which enables to open new working
places. Noting that during a year there has been opened over 100
thousand of working places, 70 thousand of which are constant working
places. “Today, according to the development rate, Azerbaijan has
become one of the most dynamically developing country not only in the
region, but also over the world. The large economic projects being
realized in the Republic enables Azerbaijan to strengthen its
position in the world community”, the President emphasized.

As a result, the international organizations positively treat and
support position of the Republic in settlement of the painful problem
of our people – the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh confect.
Many influential world organizations back fair cause of the Country.
The stronger is economy of the country the stronger is its position
in the world, the Head of State underlined.

Newly-elected SB speaks of its priorities

Editorial
Yerkir/arm
November 05, 2004    

Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s (ARF) Armenia Supreme Body (SB)
representative Armen Rustamian, and SB member and National Assembly’s
ARF faction leader Levon Mkrtchian held a news conference on Wednesday,
following the ARF Armenia organization’s 8th Supreme Convention,
held last weekend.

Rustamian noted that the convention was unique since it was the first
time the ARF was a part of the government.

The convention pointed out that a large part of priorities included in
the ruling coalition’s memorandum has not been fulfilled, Rustamian
said, adding that coalition, however, was successful in easing the
political tension following the elections, and strengthening the
stability in the country.

Rustamian also said the convention was not satisfied with the pace
of anti-corruption measures of the government.

Rustamian underscored that “making the national course irreversible”
will be the pivotal goal for the newly-elected Supreme Body. “We have
continuously stated that since 1998 the course of the country has been
changed, but we need serious steps to make that course irreversible,”
he said.

“To reach that goal we have decided to continue our presence in the
coalition government.” He, however, added that his party “reserves
the right to review its presence in the coalition government if the
objectives and the conditions of the coalition, set in the memorandum,
are violated.”

As regards the Karabakh conflict, the convention has underscored
the imperative of Karabakh’s full participation in the peace talks.
In respect of the Javakhk issue, the convention has stated that the
Javakhk Armenians are in dire socio-economic state which results in
growing exodus, Rustamian mentioned. The Armenian government should
work with the Georgian government to change the situation.

The convention has also considered the Armenian-Turkish relations,
concluding that Turkey is not ready for joining the European
Union. Turkey should firs admit to the Armenian Genocide, and maintain
neutrality in the Karabakh confrontation.

Touching upon the issue of sending Armenian troops to Iraq, Rustamian
said the convention has stated that Armenian government should be
guided by the UN resolutions, but meanwhile practice caution in order
to prevent Armenian communities of the Middle East from becoming
targets of international terrorism.

Concluding the news conference, Rustamian said the convention also
has discussed the relations between the government and the opposition,
as well as issues related to the reforms of the constitution and the
Electoral Code.

Regarding the latter, Rustamian pointed out that the ARF may consider
its further presence in the coalition in case the EC is not changed
to increase the portion of National Assembly members elected under
party lists.

–Boundary_(ID_NTh0vhLDPCOasWzZJIvzpQ)–

The larger the role of government, the greater the divide among us
By Walter Williams

SunHerald.com, MS
Nov 10 2004

Recent elections pointed to deepening divisions among American people,
but has anyone given serious thought to just why? I have part of the
answer, which starts off with a simple example.

Different Americans have different and intensive preferences for
cars, food, clothing and entertainment. For example, some Americans
love opera and hate rock and roll. Others have opposite preferences,
loving rock and roll and hating opera. When’s the last time you heard
of rock-and-roll lovers in conflict with opera lovers? It seldom,
if ever, happens. Why? Those who love operas get what they want,
and those who love rock and roll get what they want, and both can
live in peace with one another.

Suppose that instead of freedom in the music market, decisions on
what kind of music people could listen to were made in the political
arena. It would be either opera or rock and roll. Rock and rollers
would be lined up against opera lovers. Why? It’s simple. If the
opera lovers win, rock and rollers would lose, and the reverse would
happen if rock and rollers won. Conflict would emerge solely because
the decision was made in the political arena.

The prime feature of political decision-making is that it’s a zero-sum
game. One person or group’s gain is of necessity another person or
group’s loss. As such, political allocation of resources is conflict
enhancing while market allocation is conflict reducing. The greater
the number of decisions made in the political arena, the greater is
the potential for conflict.

There are other implications of political decision-making. Throughout
most of our history, we’ve lived in relative harmony. That’s
remarkable because just about every religion, racial and ethnic
group in the world is represented in our country. These are the very
racial/ethnic/religious groups that have for centuries been trying to
slaughter one another in their home countries, among them: Turks and
Armenians, Protestant and Catholic, Muslim and Jew, Croats and Serbs.
While we haven’t been a perfect nation, there have been no cases
of the mass genocide and religious wars that have plagued the globe
elsewhere. The closest we’ve come was the American Indian/European
conflict, which pales by comparison.

The reason we’ve been able to live in relative harmony is that for
most of our history government was small. There wasn’t much pie to
distribute politically.

When it’s the political arena that determines who gets what goodies,
the most effective coalitions are those with a proven record of
being the most divisive – those based on race, ethnicity, religion
and region. As a matter of fact, our most costly conflict involved
a coalition based upon region – namely the War of 1861.

Many of the issues that divide us, aside from the Iraq war, are
those best described as a zero-sum game, where one group’s gain
is of necessity another’s loss. Examples are: racial preferences,
Social Security, tax policy, trade restrictions, welfare and a host
of other government policies that benefit one American at the expense
of another American.

You might be tempted to think that the brutal domestic conflict seen
in other countries at other times can’t happen here.

That’s nonsense.

Americans are not super-humans; we possess the same frailties of other
people in other places. If there were a severe economic calamity,
I can imagine a political hustler exploiting those frailties here,
just as Adolf Hitler did in Germany, blaming it on the Jews, the
blacks, the East Coast, Catholics or free trade.

The best thing the president and Congress can do to heal our country
is to reduce the impact of government on our lives. Doing so will not
only produce a less divided country and greater economic efficiency
but bear greater faith and allegiance to the vision of America held
by our founders – a country of limited government.

Dr. Walter E. Williams is professor of economics at George Mason
University in Fairfax, Va. You may write to him at Creators Syndicate,
5777 W. Century Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045.

IN THIS ISSUE:

*** NGOs 2004 CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION

***SUPPORTING THE ELDERLY

*** GARNI AESTHETIC EDUCATION SCHOOL REOPENED

*** STEPANAVAN YOUNG LEADER RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL AWARD

*** VISITING MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN

*** SIXTH ASSEMBLY OF ARMENIAN ASSOCIATION OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS

*** NGO AGAINST PESTICIDES

*** NGOs 2004 CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION

On October 15-17, the Academy for Educational Development, with financial
support of USAID and in collaboration with World Learning and the AAA NGO
Training and Resource Center, organized the NGOs 2004 Conference and
Exhibition. Almost 280 NGOs from all regions of Armenia participated in this
event, introducing their programs and discussing new ways of networking with
stakeholders. Representatives of state structures, international and donor
organizations and experts also participated in the event, which highlighted
various sectors of NGO activities. NGO representatives shared their
experience and knowledge and discussed common issues. Among the topics
addressed during 14 working sessions/roundtables of the conference were NGO
Collaboration with State and Local Governments, NGO Collaboration with
International Donor Organizations and Diaspora, NGO Collaboration with the
Business Community and Mass Media, Developing Regional and Community-Based
NGOs, NGO Code of Conduct, NGO Legislation, NGOs and Poverty Reduction, NGOs
and Fighting Against Corruption. During the conference, NGOC specialists A.
Lazarian, N. Harutiunyan and A. Kurdova spoke respectively on the Armenian
Picture of NGO-Business Cooperation: Analysis and Suggestions; Strategic
Approach to Fundraising; NGO Legislation and Taxation.

Contact: Academy for International Development
10 Aygedzor St.
Tel.: (374-1) 26-69-36; 26-69-87
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

***SUPPORTING THE ELDERLY

On the occasion of the International Day of the Elderly, the AAA NGO Center
organized a visit on October 7 for representatives of Armenian Mass Media to
Martuni town to become acquainted with NGO activities carried out in support
of the elderly. The Martuni Women’s Community Council NGO meets the urgent
social needs of the lonely elderly by providing various social services, and
developing self-assistance mechanisms of cooperation in the community.
Providing food and hygiene products, primary healthcare services to those
who have no opportunity to go out of their homes, other care, household
services, legal consultancies, preparing legal documents, creating a day
center for social and psychological support of the elderly – this is the
list of services provided to the elderly in this community. As stated by one
project beneficiary, “We – sick and isolated people – now feel that we are
being cared for and that we are part of the community.” The project is
implemented with financial assistance received from the AAA NGO Training and
Resource Center through USAID.

Contact: Anahit Gasparyan
Martuni Women’s Community Council NGO
Martuni, 8 Proshian St.
Tel.: (374-62) 4-43-00; 4-36-04
E-mail: [email protected]

*** GARNI AESTHETIC EDUCATION SCHOOL REOPENED

Through the efforts of the Gifted Children Charitable NGO, the Aesthetic
Education School of the Garni village of Kotayk region was reopened after
previously suspending its activities because of scarcity of resources.
Within the framework of the NGO’s Way to the Arts project, implemented with
the assistance of the Jinishian Memorial Foundation, community members
mobilized efforts to restore the school building. These activities
contributed not only to developing mutual trust within the community, but
also to forming social partnership between the NGO, local self-governing
body and commercial companies. To provide smooth functioning of the school,
the Gifted Children NGO provided necessary literature, consultancy and
methodic materials. For comprehensive aesthetic education and leisure time
of the Garni village children, the NGO plans to restore and renovate the
first floor and yard of the school, contributing to implementation of
educational and cognitive projects, as well as holding exhibitions,
meetings, performances and other events.

Contact: Victoria Keshishyan
Gifted Children Charitable NGO
7 Tigranyan St.
Tel.: (374-1) 22-25-93; 56-54-59
E-mail: [email protected]

*** STEPANAVAN YOUNG LEADER RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL AWARD

The goal of the YouthActionNet international program is to develop the
leadership skills of young people, and promote and contribute to their
active participation in community processes leading to positive change.
Annually, the program recognizes 20 outstanding young leaders, aged 20-28,
with awards. This year, for the first time, a representative from Caucasus
and Armenia was among the winners – Lilit Stepanyan of the Stepanavan Youth
Center NGO. For the award giving ceremony, winners from various continents
were invited to Argentina, where a seven day seminar was organized aimed at
development of their skills. “If we are afraid of and avoid difficulties,
instead of facing and overcoming them, there will be no progress and
development”, says Lilit Simonyan.

Contact: Lilit Simonyan
Stepanavan Youth Center NGO
Stepanavan, 13 Meghapart St.
Tel.: (374-56) 3-22-91; 2-21-16
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

*** VISITING MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN

On October 14, the Armenian Assembly of America’s trustees, within the
framework of their visit to Armenia, visited the Prkutiun Center of Disabled
Children NGO, beneficiaries of which are mentally retarded children. In the
NGO’s day center, according to their capabilities, the mentally retarded
children learn reading and writing, as well as receive food and individual
and group assistance of a psychologist and defectologist. Through a grant,
received from the AAA NGOC, integration groups function within the center
allowing the mentally retarded children to learn painting, needlework,
rice-grain decoration and computer skills together with healthy children. On
October 14, the mentally retarded children sang, danced, recited for guests
and presented their handicrafts. At the end of the program, AAA trustees
provided some financial assistance to the NGO. Prkutyun will use it for
renovation activities and obtaining food and presents for the beneficiaries.

Contact: Arpenik Abrahamyan
Prkutiun Center of Disabled Children NGO
33 Chekhov St.
Tel.: (374-1) 42-78-50; 42-65-84; (374-9) 38-34-81
E-mail: [email protected]

*** SIXTH ASSEMBLY OF ARMENIAN ASSOCIATION OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS

On October 22-23, the sixth assembly of the Armenian Association of Family
Physicians NGO was held with participation of Association members,
representatives of interested state structures, NGOs, international
organizations and pharmaceutical companies. During the assembly, issues
related to the introduction of family medicine were discussed. The assembly
had scientific and practical direction: number of issues on disease
management within the primary healthcare system were discussed. The
Association’s activities for the past five years and its future plans were
discussed. The problem of an imperfect relevant legislative framework was
particularly emphasized; it was especially noted that despite the fact that
there are 250 physicians with certificates of family physicians, not
everyone works as a family physician in Armenia. As stated by the NGO
Chairman S. Hovhannissyan, with the assistance of the Association members,
the relevant legislative framework is being gradually developed, which will
contribute to the widespread and optimum introduction of family medicine in
Armenia.”

Samvel Hovhannissyan
Armenian Association of Family Physicians NGO
49/4 Komitas St.
Tel.: (374-1) 23-48-51
E-mail: [email protected]

*** NGO AGAINST PESTICIDES

On October 11, 2004, on the initiative of the Armenian Women for Health and
Healthy Environment NGO, a theatrical performance was held in the Verin Dvin
village school of Ararat marz. The performance, the message of which was
using foods free of pesticides, was part of the NGO’s For A Toxic-Free
Future In Armenia project. Its goal is to reduce the risk of exposure of
pesticides on human health and environment in Ararat marz. Dissemination of
factsheets, information sheets, posters, newspaper articles and organizing
TV programs and performances are aimed at raising the awareness of the
population of ten villages on pesticides and their harmful impact on health.
To promote cooperation with local and regional authorities, healthcare
institutions and NGOs, seminars, lectures and other meetings on the topic
Preventing Exposure of Pesticides are organized. The project is implemented
with financial assistance received from AAA NGO Center through USAID.

Contact: Elena Manvelyan
Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment NGO
24 Saryan St., #65
Tel.: (374-1) 62-66-20
E-mail: [email protected]

__________________________________________________________________________

Armenian NGO News in Brief is a publication of the NGO Training and Resource
Center (NGOC) issued in the Armenian, English and Russian languages for
electronic dissemination inside and outside Armenia. Primary funding for the
NGOC, which is a project of the Armenian Assembly of America, is provided by
the United States Agency for International Development (USAID.) Individual
NGOs are welcome to submit information for publication to the NGOC. The NGO
Center is not responsible for the clarity of information provided by
individual NGOs.

Dear Readers,

The not-for-profit, non-governmental sector of Armenia is rich with diverse
civic initiatives and activities. This electronic publication, though far
from covering all activities of the sector at any given period of time, is
intended to contribute to raising awareness, both inside and outside
Armenia, of the activities of Armenian not-for-profit, non-governmental
organizations.

Your comments and feedback about this electronic publication are greatly
appreciated.

Thank you.
NGOC staff.

Contact Information:

In Armenia:
Armenian Assembly of America
NGO Training and Resource Center
39 Yeznik Koghbatsi St.,
Yerevan 375010
Tel.: (374-1) 54-40-12; 54-40-13; 53-92-04
Fax: (374-1) 54-40-15
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

In the United States:
Armenian Assembly of America
NGO Training and Resource Center
122 C Street NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001 USA
Tel: (202) 393-3434
Fax: (202) 638-4904
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

OPPOSITION OFFICIAL CHIDES ARMENIAN HEAD FOR LACK OF PROGRESS IN KARABAKH
TALKS

Noyan Tapan news agency
9 Nov 04

Yerevan, 9 November: “I think (Armenian President Robert) Kocharyan’s
complexes are to blame for the transformation of the Karabakh conflict
into a territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Kocharyan
believes that his successor in the post of president of the NKR
(Nagornyy Karabakh Republic) is unable to conduct negotiations since
he is not as clever as he is,” Aram Sarkisyan, member of the political
council of the Anrapetutyun (Republic) Party and former prime minister,
has said.

He thinks that Robert Kocharyan, who has transferred the Karabakh
conflict into a territorial dispute, has driven this issue of big
politics into a deadlock.

“The public and political parties consider it necessary for Nagornyy
Karabakh to return to the negotiations process. Other points of
views are out of the question since the problem is precisely about
Karabakh’s self-determination,” Aram Sarkisyan said.

He thinks that the major task of the peaceful settlement of the
conflict should be not to make any of the sides feel themselves losers
since the realization of defeat, at least, indicates an approaching
wave of dissatisfaction. In this context, the former prime minister
thinks that the Armenian side should put the accent on the right
of the people of Nagornyy Karabakh to self-determination. The
Karabakh people should themselves decide whether they want to be
part of Armenia, remain independent or enjoy any other status, Aram
Sarkisyan said. “After all, it is up to them to decide. It is clear
that a settlement should be legally based on the right of the nation to
self-determination, rather than, as the Council of Europe says, filing
a suit with a court which will decide who is right and who is wrong.”

In the meantime, Aram Sarkisyan noted that neither the Armenian nor the
Azerbaijani public were ready for mutual compromises. He said that it
was necessary to prepare the public and in this context, for a start it
is necessary to continue contacts at the level of public organizations.

He is confident that delaying the problem harms both sides. “The time
of behind-the-scene talks has passed, the talks should not be an end
in itself but should produce a concrete solution to the problem. But
the authorities in Armenia and Azerbaijan have neither enough resources
nor the political will for that,” Aram Sarkisyan said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress