ARKA News Agency
Oct 22 2004

Delovoi Mir new newspaper in Armenian is issued in NKR

Women in Armenia are isolated from the participation in activity in
state institutions and private sector

The RA Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Director of the
French MFA Department of the Continental Europe discuss issues
relating to bilateral cooperation

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister and representatives of UK Parliament
discuss issues of Armenian-UK cooperation

*********************************************************************

DELOVOI MIR NEW NEWSPAPER IN ARMENIAN IS ISSUED IN NKR

STEPANAKERT, October 22. /ARKA/. Delovoi Mir new newspaper in
Armenian is issued in NKR. The newspaper is issued twice a week with
2 thsd. circulation of copies. According to ARKA’s reporter in
Stepanakert, Delovoi Express is not going to limit up with the
information about the economy, but will cover also social -spiritual
and other problems of the society and become a tribune for
professional talks and discussions. In the first issue of the
newspaper an interview with the representatives of business circles
of NKR is published, as well as materials on the process of mine
clearing on the territory of the republic.
The editor of the newspaper is Kim Gabrielyan, the Chairman of the
NKR Union of Reporters. A.H. –

*********************************************************************

WOMEN IN ARMENIA ARE ISOLATED FROM THE PARTICIPATION IN ACTIVITY IN
STATE INSTITUTIONS AND PRIVATE SECTOR

YEREVAN, October 22. /ARKA/. Women in Armenia are isolated from the
participation in activity in state institutions and private sector,
as UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in
Armenia Lise Grande stated during the seminar on gender issues held
in Yerevan. She noted that Armenian women are isolated from political
decision- making processes. In the meantime, Grande finds that the
role of women is very important, especially, when settling social,
economic and public problems that the country faces. `Equality
between a man and a woman is a very important factor for the
development of all countries, including Armenia’, she said. According
to Grande, it’s necessary to start a dialogue between state officials
and civic society to improve the state of women in the country and to
strengthen their role in the civic society.
On October 22-23, an International Conference `For the Advancement of
Women – National Plan in Action’ is held in Yerevan. The conference
is organized by the RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs jointly
with the Armenian Office of UNDP, the information office of the
Council of Europe in RA, OSCE and Sweden International Development
Agency. A.H. -0–

*********************************************************************

THE RA DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE
FRENCH MFA DEPARTMENT OF THE CONTINENTAL EUROPE DISCUSS ISSUES
RELATING TO BILATERAL COOPERATION

YEREVAN, October 22. /ARKA/. The RA Deputy Minister of Foreign
Affairs Tatul Margaryan and the Director of the French MFA Department
of the Continental Europe Jan Fransua Teral discussed issues relating
to bilateral cooperation. According to RA MFA Press Service
Department, in the curse of the meeting the parties considered also
issues of regional cooperation and the perspectives of conflicts
settlement.
According to the press-release, Margaryan expressed his gratitude to
the French side for their balanced position on Nagorno-Karabakh
problem. He highly appreciated the input of France as a
country-co-Chairman of OSCE Minsk Group in keeping peace and
stability in the region. A.H. – 0–

*********************************************************************

ARMENIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER AND REPRESENTATIVES OF UK PARLIAMENT
DISCUSS ISSUES OF ARMENIAN-UK COOPERATION

YEREVAN, October 22. /ARKA/. Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Tatul
Margaryan met representatives of UK-Armenian Friendship Group of the
UK Parliament. As Armenian Foreign Ministry Press and Information
Department told ARKA, during the meeting the sides discussed a wide
agenda of the Armenian-UK cooperation, the process of integration of
Armenia into the European structures and possible role in this
process of the UK parliamentarians. Margaryan presented to the
parliamentarians Armenia’s position around regional and international
developments as well as the steps undertaken for solution of current
problems in Armenia.
Touching upon the process of settlement of the Karabakh issue,
Margaryan assured that Armenia is committed to principles of the
peaceful settlement. He expressed tanked the UK parliamentarians,
particularly Baroness Cox for
`providing diversified support in implementation of fair aspirations
of people of Karabakh’. T.M. -0–

Interfax
Oct 21 2004

Armenia discusses commitments to Council of Europe

Yerevan. (Interfax) – A Wednesday conference with Armenian President
Robert Kocharian discussed the fulfillment of promises Armenia made
when it joined the Council of Europe in 2001, the presidential press
service told Interfax.

“Once again we have to find out at what stage of fulfilling our
obligations we are and to adopt a new timetable helping us fully
carry out these obligations,” the press service said.

Parliamentary deputy speaker and head of the Armenian delegation to
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Tigran
Torosyan gave a report on the issue. He said parliament is working on
a new electoral code taking due account of the opinion of the Venice
Commission.

A major commitment that has not been fulfilled is a constitutional
referendum, which is expected in 2005.

The conference also discussed plans for reforming the judicial system
and the system of provincial government and approved a schedule for
fulfilling them, the press service said.

In May 2003, Armenia held a constitutional referendum, but the
proposed reforms were rejected by the public.

Radio Free Europe, Czech Rep
Oct 22 2004

Armenians `Offered To Bid For Georgian Ports’

By Shakeh Avoyan 22/10/2004 11:04

Georgia has invited Armenian businessmen to participate in the
planned privatization of its Black Sea ports that serve as Armenia’s
main commercial conduits to the outside world, it was claimed on
Thursday.

Arsen Ghazarian, the chairman of Armenia’s biggest business
association, said the call for proposals was received by the Armenian
government recently and will be on the agenda of President Robert
Kocharian’s official visit to Tbilisi that begins on Friday.
Economic issues are expected to dominate his talks with President
Mikhail Saakashvili and other top Georgian officials. Kocharian and
Saakashvili will open an Armenian-Georgian business forum on Sunday.
In addition, more than two dozen Armenian firms will exhibit their
production in Tbilisi.

Ghazarian is one of more than 30 entrepreneurs that will accompany
Kocharian on the three-day trip. He said international tenders for
the Georgian ports of Poti and Batumi will take place within the next
six months and voiced his strong support for Armenian participation
in them.

`I we manage to make Armenian investments there it would be very good
because psychologically we will feel more confident [in external
trade],’ he told RFE/RL. `I am sure that the Georgians are making a
honest and sincere bid for investments. We will hold discussions with
them at the business forum.’

`I’m sure that Russian industrial groups as well as Western and
Turkish companies will also show interest. So the competition will be
tough,’ he added.

Ghazarian admitted that Armenian-based investors would stand little
chance of winning that competition without teaming up with their
wealthier counterparts from the Armenian Diaspora in Russia and the
West.

The Poti and Batumi facilities handle the bulk of cargo shipped to
and from Armenia. Their significance has grown further since the
closure of the land border between Georgia and Russia almost two
months ago.

Ghazarian, who owns one of Armenia’s biggest freight companies, said
the privatization will benefit Armenian traders regardless of its
outcome, arguing that the ports need substantial private investments
to increase their cargo-processing capacity.

AzerTag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Oct 22 2004

FOREIGN MINISTER OF AZERBAIJAN MET AMBASSADORS OF EU AND OIC
MEMBER-COUNTRIES IN BAKU
[October 22, 2004, 10:47:13]

Foreign minister of the Azerbaijan Republic Elmar Mammadyarov has met
the EU member-countries’ ambassadors in Baku – Italy, Greece,
Romania, Great Britain, Norway, Germany, Poland, France and OIC
member-countries – Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Libya,
Iraq, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in Baku, 21 October, AzerTAj said.

Minister Elmar Mammadyarov updated the ambassadors on the illegal
actions of the Armenians in the occupied Nagorny Karabakh region and
adjacent territories of the Azerbaijan Republic. Expressing concern
with latest developments in the occupied territories, in particular,
with the facts of artificial resettlement by Armenia of these areas,
has reminded that these illegal actions of the Armenian side have
been many times stated at high level, as well as in the statement of
President of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev at the 59th session
of General Assembly of the United Nations in New York.

Noting that these steps of Armenia have negative influence on peace
settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict, the
foreign minister said that the Republic of Azerbaijan had requested
to include the item, `On situation in the occupied territories of the
Azerbaijan Republic’, in the agenda of the 59th session of UN General
Assembly.

Foreign minister of Azerbaijan stated that Turkey and the OIC
member-countries already had supported the idea and he expressed hope
that the countries that the ambassadors represent in the meeting,
would also back it, to stop illegal inhabiting of the Azerbaijan
territories by Armenia and including the said item in the agenda of
session of the General Assembly. The Minister also stated that he
adheres peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny
Karabakh conflict in the frame of international law and by the OSCE
Minsk Group, underlining, this meeting was organized to prevent
illegal commitments of Armenia to impede settlement of the problem.

Noting that Azerbaijan respects international legal norms, Mr. Elmar
Mammadyarov expressed confidence that the world community and UN
member-countries would also demonstrate respect and honor for the
international legal principles and back Azerbaijan in prevention of
inhabiting by Armenia the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

Anadolu Agency
Oct 22 2004

Yakis: We Request Support Of Belgian MPs To Turkey’s EU Bid
Anadolu Agency: 10/22/2004

BRUSSELS – “We have asked Belgian parliamentarians to convince
deputies of other EU member states regarding Turkey`s EU membership
bid,“ said Yasar Yakis, chairman of the Turkish Parliamentary
Commission for Adjustment to the EU.

Yakis and accompanying delegation are currently in Belgium for a
working visit. Yakis told reporters, “we have met senators, deputies
and members of the European Parliament. We have expressed our
concerns about progress report which was published about Turkey by
European Commission on October 6th.“

Meanwhile, Sukru Elekdag, a member of the commission and a Republican
People`s Party (CHP) deputy, told reporters that leaving entry talks
open-ended would cause indefiniteness. He added, “we will have
difficulty in explaining the policies of the government to people.
This condition will affect Turkey`s foreign policy as well.“

Noting, “we are very uneasy about the possibility of permanent ban
on free movement of Turkish labor force,“ Elekdag said, “it is
against the philosophy of the Union.“

Upon a question, Elekdag and Yakis said that they wanted historians
to come together to research so-called Armenian genocide but
Armenians did not want to open their archives to researchers and
discuss them.

Armenianow.com
Oct 22, 2004

Interference: Radio Free Europe chief tells Kocharyan TV station was yanked
by “pressure”

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty President Thomas A. Dine today sent a letter
to Armenian President Robert Kocharyan this week, denouncing the
“Soviet-style” cancellation of the new RFE/RL Armenian Service news and
analysis program, “Azatutiun” by the private Armenian television station
Kentron. Dine urges President Kocharyan “to denounce this contemptible
Soviet-style act, and to help return “Azatutiun” to the air.”
In his letter, Dine asserts that he is “determined to get “Azatutiun” back
on the air and will make every effort to make that happen — including
raising this issue with the Bush Administration, the U.S. Congress, the
Council of Europe, and non-governmental organizations worldwide.”

“Azatutiun,” a new television program created by and featuring news and
analysis from RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, was abruptly pulled from the
schedule of the local Armenian television station “Kentron” on October 13,
three days after it debuted to rave reviews on Kentron. (See related story.)
Although the television station’s management has made no comment on the
decision, it is widely suspected that Kentron was pressured to suspend
further broadcasts of the program, either by official interests or local
media competitors.
The suspension of the “Azatutiun” program has been widely covered in the
Armenian press. On October 14, “Aravot” daily alleged that the head of
Armenian state television and radio, Aleksan Harutiunyan, was instrumental
in the ban because he wanted RFE/RL to lease airtime from his channel and
pay for it. Harutiunyan, in an interview published by “Aravot” on October
15, denied any involvement in the suspension of “Azatutiun”. In his letter
to President Kocharyan, however, Dine states that he has been “personally
informed that this cancellation was the result of pressure from a high-level
Armenian government official.”
RFE/RL’s Armenian Service broadcasts four hours of programming a day to
Armenia, produced in Prague and the service’s Yerevan Bureau and transmitted
to listeners via shortwave, satellite and FM, AM, Cable Radio, UKV and
long-wave signals provided by local affiliate stations.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenianow.com
Oct 22, 2004

Faith Fight: Church goes on defensive against Jehovah’s Witnesses

By Marianna Grigoryan
ArmeniaNow Reporter

The Armenian Apostolic Church appears to be mobilizing to stop the spread of
Jehovah’s Witnesses and other “sects” in Armenia.
On Tuesday (October 19), the Ararat Patriarchal Diocese hosted a roundtable
discussion to address concerns raised since Jehovah’s Witnesses became an
officially registered religious body in Armenia, October 8. (See related
story).
“The problem is not only the sect’s registration that has extremely
embarrassed the youth and us,” said Father Zohrab Kostanyan. “It is rather
the danger of sectarianism for our country.”
(According to information from the Armenian Apostolic Church, there are some
6 million Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide. Many beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses
are similar to traditional Christian religions. But they part from the
traditional faith on matters such as the Trinity. For related information:
; )
Officially, there are some 20,000 registered Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armenia.
Unofficially, the number is put at about 80,000 by the Apostolic Church.

Members of Armenia’s main Church are concerned about the “sect”.
“The Armenian Apostolic Church has 160 clergymen in Armenia,” Father
Kostanyan says. “And notwithstanding such a small number of clergymen and
very little funds, our Church, it could be said, works miracles. However in
this context we should be alert and attentive.”
The participants are sure that the number of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armenia
was growing underground while the sect was still illegal in Armenia. But
now, as Council of Europe requirements have forced the government to accept
a variety of faiths, traditional religious groups worry that sects will
spread more quickly and thoroughly.
Elza Manukyan, head of the press office of the Ararat Patriarchal Diocese,
says that after the sect was given an official status, different layers of
the society have expressed their discontent.
“We were periodically receiving alarm calls about this problem from young
men, so we decided to make an arrangement and assemble everyone to find a
solution,” she says.
The roundtable was attended by representatives of more than a dozen
university student councils, various youth organizations and clergymen.
Jehovah’s Witnesses “do not accept the Church, think that man has no soul
and that the soul dies with the body and they put forward a number of such
arguments that totally refute the Armenian Apostolic Church and our creed,”
Manukyan says.
But the danger, according to Manukyan, from the activities of the Jehovah’s
Witnesses is their proselytizing. She says they go from one apartment to
another knocking at doors and alluring passers-by on streets and entice
these persons into their sect by ruining their families and life.
Theater Institute representative Emin Torosyan accused the Jehovah’s
Witnesses of espousing a belief that encourages suicide. “We should do our
best to protect especially the youth,” he said.
Hayk Akarmazian, representative of the Engineering University, says that
their student council has implemented certain programs aiming at directing
young people to be faithful to the traditional Armenian variant of
Christianity.
Karen Avagyan, representing the Medical University, says his council will
picket the Ministry of Justice to protest the registration of Jehovah’s
Witnesses.
The Armenian Apostolic Church plans to pay special attention to the
provinces, where it believes residents are more vulnerable to proselytizing.
“Several phone lines will be on for giving comprehensive answers and
protecting the rights of people,” Manukyan said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Messenger
Friday, October 22, 2004, #201 (0725)

Electricity imports set for October
By Christina Tashkevich
Georgia will be able to receive imported electricity from Armenia already
this October.
The negotiations on the imports of energy from Armenia are currently
underway, and according to the Minister of Energy Nika Gilauri, these
imports are necessary in order to avoid an energy crisis in the country.
Talking to reporters on Thursday, he added that imports should have been
started in November but the process was sped up because of the latest
sabotage on the high-voltage line Kartli-2.
“We want to make this winter much better for the population as far as
electricity supplies go,” said the minister. He adds there should not be any
problem of supplying Tbilisi with 24-hour light if not for some force majeur
situation.
On October 9 the Kartli-2 transmission line was knocked out of operation
because of an explosion that officials blame on saboteurs. To transfer
electricity from western Georgia to the east, officials have been forced to
use 200-kilovolt low transmission lines instead of the 500-kilovolt
Kartli-2.
Meanwhile the repairs on the Kartli-2 are underway. According to Shota
Maisuradze, the General Director of SakRusEnergo who is in charge of the
repairs, the line will be operational again in one week. “One tower of the
line is almost repaired, the other is half repaired,” he told journalists on
Thursday.
Gilauri is sure that the energy system needs full rehabilitation. “There has
not been a serious rehabilitation of the system which was working in force
majeur state,” he said adding there has already been four cases of sabotage
on the high voltage line in the last two months.
Currently the energy sector plans to provide Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Rustavi and
Zugdidi with better energy supply. “We can offer only eight-hour supply for
other regions of Georgia,” says Gilauri.
Meanwhile the government reports the sabotage group which attacked the
Kartli-2 line was eliminated by Georgian special forces. “We will secure the
system so that there is no other sabotage acts in Georgia,” President
Mikheil Saakashvili declared at a Wednesday briefing after announcing that
the group was captured.
Without mentioning where, when or how, President Saakashvili explained to
journalists that “trespassers” were destroyed by Georgian law-enforcers.
“The members of this gang planned to make the same type of sabotage along
other sections of the power line but our law-enforcers foiled their plans,”
Saakashvili said.
According to him, a special forces unit was sent to the whereabouts of
saboteurs, but “the gang members refused to surrender and opened fire.” As a
result of the gunfight, the group was forced to surrender.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT APPOINTS NUCLEAR WATCHDOG

A1+ web site
22 Oct 04

The Armenian Ecology Ministry will be responsible for
non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. The government has decided to
fulfil Armenia’s commitments undertaken in line with an agreement with
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The minister of ecology has been instructed to set up a data registry
by 10 October 2004 in line with the requirements of an additional
protocol signed on 27 September 1997.

ARMENIAN, GEORGIAN PRESIDENTS SET TO COOPERATE WITH EU

Mediamax news agency
22 Oct 04

YEREVAN

The presidents of Armenia and Georgia, Robert Kocharyan and Mikheil
Saakashvili, today discussed coordination of the two countries’
efforts with the European Union within the framework of the Wider
Europe – New Neighbourhood policy.

Our special correspondent reports from Tbilisi that Kocharyan said
that the presidents had agreed to continue discussions of this issue
during tomorrow’s trip to Borjomi. “We want our cooperation with the
EU under the new programme to be efficient and not to be of a
declarative nature,” the presidents of the two states said.

In this context, the Armenian and Georgian leaders mentioned
cooperation of the South Caucasus countries with the Baltic countries
in the 3+3 format.