AZERBAIJAN STRESSES COOPERATION WITH RUSSIA, IRAN IN ELECTRICITY

Asia Pulse
Oct 21, 2004

BAKU, Oct 21 Asia Pulse – Azerbaijan`s First Deputy Prime Minister
said here Tuesday that Baku attaches immense importance to its
cooperation with Iran and Russia in the electricity sector.

Speaking at an electricity seminar in Baku, Yaqob Yaqobev said that
Azerbaijan has signed several agreements with Iran and Russia on
electricity which is an economic priority for Azerbaijan.

Several electricity projects including `Astara` 10 kilowatt
electricity transfer line between Iran and Azerbaijan will make
available the needed electricity in the Azerbaijan southern region.

An Iranian delegation is also attending the seminar as observers.

Iran is considering connection of its power grid to European and
Russian electricity networks in the near future, Iran`s Energy
Minister Habibollah Bitaraf said here last week.

Bitaraf said that grounds should be paved for Iran`s connection to the
electricity networks in Europe and Russia in future, in addition to
connection to the neighboring countries.

Given that a great amount of electricity is exchanged in the networks
of Europe and Russia, Iran`s connection to these networks would bring
about many advantages for the energy market, he added.

Iran`s electricity network is presently connected to those of Turkey,
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iraq, with the voltage of 130
KV, the minister explained

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARY VICE SPEAKER COMMENTS ON REFORMS IN ELECTION SYSTEM

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMINFO. Changeover to 100% proportional system
of elections to the Armenian Parliament will rather bring damage than
benefit, Vice Chairman of the Armenian Parliament Tigran Torosyan said
at a press-conference at the National Press Club today.

Touching upon the forthcoming reforms in the Election Code of Armenia,
Torosyan said that the Council of the political parties included in
the ruling coalition has repeatedly considered the above
issue. However, sharp changes must be ruled out in order not to damage
the whole reforms. It is not a secret that political parties in
Armenia cannot be called full-fledged, that is why a full changeover
to the proportional principle will become a peculiar obstacle in the
way of “oligarchs running for the parliament on majority constituency,
they will successfully prove to be in the party lists, and it happened
to all the parties without an exception during the last parliamentary
elections in 2003,” Torosyan said.

He refused to bring any specific figures of single-mandate and ticket
seats in the Armenian Parliament, calling it untimely. Vice Speaker
touched upon the recent actively spread issue on possible advancement
of Robert Kocharyan’s candidature for a third term. He said that this
issue was not discussed either during consideration of the package of
constitutional reforms in 2003 or in the course of the current
discussions. As regards freedom of native mass media, Torosyan said
that this sphere like the others in the country is not perfect.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FIRST INTERNATIONAL AGRIFORUM TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA OCT 28-31

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20. ARMINFO. The First International Agriforum will
be held in Yerevan on October 28-31 with participation of more than 18
countries: Russia, the USA, Italy, Holland, Lithuania, Germany,
Argentina, Thailand and others.

Talking to ARMINFO, Head of the Department for International Relations
and Management Agricultural Ministry of Armenia, Andranik Petrosyan,
said that deadline for applications for participation in the forum is
Oct 28. He said that 5 large international agri-industrial companies
and 100 foreign businessmen have applied for participation in the
forum by present. Petrosyan said that under the agriforum, reports on
4 topics will be heard: agricultural technologies and development of
agri-tourism, the tasks of agrarian industry and producers,
investments for development of agrarian science, education and
information service, agrarian reforms.

In his turn, Director of Agribusiness Development Center LTD Armen
Davtyan said that under the forum, the 4th international exhibition
“Armprodexpo-2004” will be organized with participation of 60 native
foodstuffs producers and 8 Armenian- Russian, Ukrainian, Cyprian,
Cuban, French and others JVs. It should be noted that Agriforum is
organized with support of the Agricultural Ministry, Foreign Minister
of Armenia, Yerevan Municipality, Armenian Chamber for Commerce and
Industry, and Agribusiness Development Center LTD.

NEW NEWSPAPER “BUSINESS WORLD” ISSUED IN NKR

STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 20. ARMINFO. A new Armenian-language newspaper is
issued in NKR twice in a week with a circulation of 2,000 samples.

The newspaper’s editorial says that it will not only cover economic
sphere, but also touch upon social and spiritual and other problems of
the public, becoming a tribune for professional talks and discussions.
The first issue of “Business World” contains interviews with
representatives of business circles of NKR as well as a material on
demining process of the country’s territory. The editor of the
newspaper is Kim Gabrielyan, Chairman of the NKR Union of Journalists.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Second Armenia-Iran power cable to be built by year-end

21.10.2004 14:10:00 GMT

Yerevan. (Interfax) – The Iranian energy company Sanir is to complete
building a second high-voltage power cable between Armenia and Iran by
the end of 2004, Saak Abramian, general director of Armenia’s ZAO
High-Voltage Power Cables, told Interfax.

He said that the second line would make it possible to double the flow
of electricity between Armenia and Iran.

He said that the cable is being built based on an energy cooperation
memorandum between Iran and Armenia, signed in Yerevan in July
2002. Under this memorandum, Iran provided Armenia with a credit of
$8.4 million to build the second power line, which will be repaid with
electricity supplies from Armenia.

In summer Armenia supplies electricity to Iran, and imports
electricity from Iran in winter.

Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsisian said earlier that a third
line might be built, along which Armenia could supply electricity to
pay for gas supplied through the Iran-Armenia pipeline, which should
start no later than January 2007.

Azeri TV reports continuous truce violation on Armenian border

ANS TV, Baku
21 Oct 04

The Azerbaijani military positions in the village of Alibayli in Tovuz
District [northwest Azerbaijan, borders on Armenia] again was
subjected to intensive fire from Armenia’s Shamshadin District for
about three hours last night. Only large-calibre guns were used this
time. No casualties have been reported.

It has been the third attack on the village of Alibayli in three days,
the Tovuz district executive authorities have told the ANS bureau in
Ganca. Bahruz Rustamov, head of the public and political department of
the Tovuz district executive authorities, presumes that the Armenians
have become active because of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline
construction and that they have been trying to resume hostilities in
the region.

[Passage omitted: Details of previous truce violation on 20 October]

OUR CITIZENS ARE “HOSTAGES”

A1+
21-10-2004

‘What is the state looking at while our citizens are kept
hostages-Many Armenians have been facing a deadlock in the
Russian-Georgian frontier for more than a month. Isn’t it possible to
move those in the gravest situation to an airport nearby and to
transport them to Armenia in a special flight, `A1+’ receives many
e-mails like this.

What do Authorities do in fact? They just carry on telephone
negotiations. As a result of them frontier is periodically opened for
a few minutes, several cars are let out and the boundary is again
closed. No other kind of state support is provided to our citizens in
the frontier.

During the conversation with us a high state official said:
`Peopleimport cars and make profit by their business. Why should we
worry about it?â=80=9D.

`EXISTENCE OF ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH ENDANGERED’

A1+
21-10-2004

Members of `Ramkavar’ Party of Armenia are alarmed for the atmosphere
around the Armenian Apostolic Church. They think existence and further
activity of Church are doubtful.

‘Establishment of Anthilias Diocese in Canada, bombing of the Armenian
Church in Iraq, the `traditional’ curses addressed to the
ecclesiastics in Jerusalem and disappearance of Deacon Zorik Abeshyan
in Vladikavkaz, Russiaserved as bases for such a
conclusion. Legalization of various sects, including `Jehovah’s
Witnesses’ activity paves the way for deceiving Armenian people joined
around the Armenian Apostolic Church of 1700-year-long history’, Party
statement says.

Respecting the basic norms of human rights, Republican Department of
`Ramkavar ‘ Party considers unacceptable registration of the religious
organizations, which activity is lined to harm forming of the civil
society and health of individuals.

Taking into account all the circumstances, Republican Department of
`Ramkavar’ Party expresses willingness to support all the Dioceses of
Saint Echmiadzin Church both in the homeland and Diaspora through all
the `Ramkavar’ structures in Armenia. `Ramkavar’ also calls upon
social, political and cultural organizations to join the action.

IPA Calls for Amendment to Turkish Penal Code

International Publishers’ Association sent a letter to the Presidency of
the EU and the Commission seeking their assistance in calling upon the
Turkish Authorities to abandon the Armenian Genocide, a measure
jeopardizing freedom of expression

IFEX
07/10/2004

BIA (Geneva) – Publishers call out to Romano Prodi and successor José
Manuel Barroso to put an end to the criminalization of the expression of
the Armenian Genocide

On 4 October 2004, the International Publishers’ Association (IPA) sent
a letter to the Dutch Presidency of the European Union (EU) and to the
President of the EU Commission, Mr. Romano Prodi as well as incoming
President José-Manuel Barroso, seeking their assistance in calling upon
the Turkish Authorities to abandon the criminalization of expression of
the Armenian Genocide, a measure jeopardizing freedom of expression and
freedom to publish.

According to Article 306 of the new Turkish Penal Code adopted on 27
September 2004, a citizen who demands the withdrawal of Turkish soldiers
from Cyprus or declares that the Armenian genocide actually took place
during the First World War can be pursued by virtue of Article 306.
Prison sentences range from “three to ten years”.

Says Lars Grahn, President of the IPA Freedom to Publish Committee: “The
criminalization of the expression of the Armenian Genocide amounts to an
unjustified limitation of ‘freedom of expression’, a fundamental right
which is guaranteed under numerous international instruments to which
Turkey is a party”.

Says Ana Maria Cabanellas, President of the IPA: “The many reform
packages adopted in Turkey thus far are in part designed to improve
Turkey’s freedom of expression record by amending various provisions of
Turkey’s major legislation. IPA welcomes these changes. However, it is
fundamental that these legislative measures are implemented effectively.
This effort must now include amending Article 306 of the new Penal
Code”.(YE)

**For further information on Turkey’s bid to join the European Union,
see IFEX alerts of 4 October, 23 July, 15 June 2004**

AZERNEWS

October 20 – 26, 2004

Nation

Russia adds Azerbaijan to North-South project

Azerbaijan has officially joined the agreement on the North-South
transport corridor. The issue was discussed on Friday during Russian
Minister of Transport Igor Levitin’s visit to Baku. He said that Russian
Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov has already signed a relevant document
on the entry of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Syria into the project.
The North-South transport corridor project envisions transportation of
cargo between Europe and South Asia through the Persian Gulf, Caspian
Sea ports, Russia’s water channels and railways.

Levitin emphasized that the entry of the new countries into the project
will allow to expand the geographic area for cargo transportation.
However, he failed to explain how Armenia’s joining the project is
possible while this country occupies the territories of Azerbaijan,
through which the route lays.

Along with Russia, Iran and India, also participating in the agreement
are Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Oman. The route will allow to
reduce the time needed for cargo transit by 10-12 days, as compared to
the delivery of goods through the Mediterranean Sea and Suez Canal,
which takes 35 days, and to cut transportation costs by some 20%.
Analysts say that the volume of cargo transported annually along the
North-South corridor may reach 12-15 million tons in the next five years
and 40 million tons in 10 years.

Russia, Azerbaijan boost transport co-op

On Friday, Azerbaijan and Russia signed a protocol on cooperation in the
area of transport upon conclusion of Levitin’s visit to Baku.

Transport Ministers of Russia Igor Levitin and of Azerbaijan Ziya
Mammadov voiced their satisfaction with the outcome of the talks. “The
parties worked fruitfully and prepared a protocol on negotiations as
framework for further relations”, the Russian minister said. Mammadov
said A zerbaijan expects the meeting to contribute greatly to improving
cooperation in the area of transport.

In the document signed the two countries gave a positive assessment to
the existing ties in the area of transport, stressed the need to hold
regular meetings to solve the outstanding problems, and collaborate in
upgrading transport infrastructure.

The parties also pointed out the importance of setting up a working
group to prepare a draft agreement on cooperation between the two
countries’ transport ministries and said they would like to step up
efforts to develop international transport communications, such as
West-East and North-South. Russia informed the Azeri party of the
procedures needed inside the government in light of Azerbaijan’s joining
the North-South project. Azerbaijan and Russia also agreed to cooperate
in international combined cargo transportation.

Also discussed were preparations for signing an inter-governmental
agreement on commercial navigation in the Caspian Sea. Russia proposed
to continue work on the agreement covering the five Caspian littoral
states – Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran and Turkmenistan.
The parties also agreed to establish a joint working group to address
problems and outline activities at improving the efficiency in using the
Caspian Sea and Russia’s internal waters to ensure commercial navigation
between Russia and Azerbaijan.

—