Russian official says terror fight top of agenda in talks with Azeri leader

ANS TV, Baku
18 Oct 04

Presenter in studio A Russian Foreign Ministry official has disclosed
the issues to be discussed by the Azerbaijani and Russian presidents
tomorrow 19 October .

Correspondent Russia is ready to stand by any agreement Azerbaijan and
Armenia may reach towards a Karabakh settlement. The Russian Foreign
Ministry spokesman, Aleksandr Yakovenko, has said that Moscow welcomes
the continuation of talks between Baku and Yerevan at different
levels.

We think that parties to the conflict have got to reach an acceptable
agreement, end quote.

Aleksandr Yakovenko confirmed the readiness of Russia, also as a
country co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group set up in 1992 to try to
achieve a solution to the Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and
Armenia and consisting of the USA, Russia and France , to assist Baku
and Yerevan.

Touching on other aspects of Russian-Azerbaijani relations, the
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said an exchange of opinions was
currently under way on the issue of the legal status of the
Caspian. He said the sides were studying the prospects for conducting
the second summit of Caspian littoral states. The summit is likely to
be held in Tehran.

Aleksandr Yakovenko added that the focus of attention in
Russian-Azerbaijani relations was on the contributions that Azerbaijan
and Russia could make to the fight against international terrorism. He
said discussions between Moscow and Baku centred on prospects for
stepping up economic cooperation between the two countries, expanding
contacts in the trade, energy, machine-building and transport
sectors. Special attention is being paid to cooperation between
different parts of the Russian Federation and Azerbaijan.

Yakovenko said further that Russia considers Azerbaijan its main
partner in the South Caucasus. Moscow is paying special attention to
bilateral cooperation with Azerbaijan and the implementation of
agreements signed during the official visit by Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev.

Passage omitted: details of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent
visit to Tajikistan

ARMENIAN OFFICIALS, BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY GROUP DISCUSS COOPERATION

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
18 Oct 04

Armenian Speaker Artur Bagdasaryan received a British parliamentary
delegation led by Gordon Marsden. Baroness Caroline Cox (the deputy
speaker of the British House of Lords) is also a member of the
delegation.

A wide range of issues of Armenian-British intergovernmental and
regional cooperation was discussed at the meeting. The sides stressed
the importance of (British) Links organization which is playing a
great role in the development of Armenian-British intergovernmental
relations. This organization creates great opportunities for
parliament members of three countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Georgia) to meet regularly and discuss regional issues. It was
mentioned that the UK can support Armenia within the framework of the
programme Expanded Europe: New Neighbours.

The secretary of the National Security Council under the Armenian
president and the Armenian defence minister, Serzh Sarkisyan, also met
the members of the United Kingdom-Armenia friendship group led by
Gordon Marsden. He said that military cooperation between the two
countries is moving forward slowly but steadily. Sarkisyan said that
Armenia is ready to settle the Karabakh conflict peacefully and only
through compromises.

Speaking about Azerbaijan’s bellicose statements, Sarkisyan expressed
hope that Azerbaijan would change its tune and take a more reasonable
stance on the Karabakh problem as a new war in the region could have
irreparable harsh consequences.

(Video shows the meeting)

ARMENIAN LEADER, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSS TIES

Mediamax news agency
19 Oct 04

YEREVAN

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan met Chinese Foreign Minister Li
Zhaoxing in Yerevan today.

The Chinese minister noted that Kocharyan’s recent official visit to
China had great significance for further strengthening and deepening
of bilateral relations, the Armenian presidential press service has
told Mediamax news agency.

Armenia and China have great potential for cooperation as there are no
political problems between the states and Yerevan and Beijing have
similar positions on a number of important international problems,
Kocharyan said.

CYPRUS TO SUPPORT ARMENIA IN ITS EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

Noyan Tapan news agency
18 Oct 04

YEREVAN

A delegation led by the president of the House of Representatives of
Cyprus, Dhimitrios Khristofias, is in Armenia on a two-day (18-20)
official visit at the invitation of Armenian Speaker Artur
Bagdasaryan.

The speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, Artur Bagdasaryan, met
the president of the House of Representatives of Cyprus, Dhimitrios
Khristofias, on 18 October. The sides said that strategic cooperation
is being established between the two republics which have no
disagreements in relations, but there is potential which has not yet
been fully used. They noted the importance of continued cooperation
through international structures and also support by Cyprus, as a
member of the European Union for Armenia as a country involved in the
programme Expanded Europe: New Neighbours. The speakers of the two
countries talked about future cooperation.

The members of the House of Representatives and also members of a
business delegation led by Dhimitrios Khristofias met Speaker of the
Armenian National Assembly Artur Bagdasaryan, the deputy speakers of
the Armenian parliament, Tigran Torosyan and Vaan Ovanesyan, and heads
of the faction-groups and commissions of the Armenian National
Assembly.

The press service of the Armenian National Assembly told Noyan Tapan
news agency that a number of agreements has been reached during the
meeting. They also noted the importance of interregional and
interparliamentary cooperation in international structures, Cyprus’s
support for the process of Armenia’s integration into Europe within
the framework of the programme Expanded Europe: New Neighbours.

It was also decided to set up a group which would tackle the
abovementioned issues. It was noted that the Cyprus government will
continue training Armenian students for the tourism industry. They
expressed concern about the fate of the Cyprus educational institution
named after Melkonyan. It was noted that the Cyprus government is
taking steps to preserve this educational institution. Special
attention was paid to deepening relations in the cultural-educational
sphere and to sharing experience. They also stressed the efficiency of
the Armenia-Cyprus interparliamentary cooperation commission.

Touching upon Turkey’s membership of the European Union (EU), the
sides noted that the application of double standards does not help
solve the problem and Turkey may join the EU if it fulfils all the
commitments.

CIS STATES BEGIN AIR-DEFENCE EXERCISES

ITAR-TASS news agency
19 Oct 04

MOSCOW

Over 70 aircraft and helicopters from seven countries are taking part
in a command and HQ exercise of the CIS joint air-defence system that
began today. “Over 1,500 servicemen from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are involved,” the head
of the Russian Air Force press service, Col Aleksandr Drobyshevskiy,
told ITAR-TASS.

“Mig-31, Mig-29, Su-27, Tu-22, A-50 and Su-24 aircraft and also S-300,
S-75 and S-125 SAM batteries are taking part,” he said. “Over 10
issues concerning improvement of the way the CIS’s airspace is
defended will be tackled.”

The exercise is being overseen by Lt-Gen Aytech Bizhev, deputy
chairman of the CIS air-defence coordination committee. The CIS joint
air-defence system has been in operation since 1995.

Trade & Tender Lead in Armenia

BISNIS Chemicals Sector Update
19 October 2004

Contents

BISNIS Trade & Tender Lead in Armenia

– City of Yerevan, Armenia
– Company: Oval LLC
– Industry: Chemicals (Granular polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene)
– Purchase desired immediately
– U.S. Dollar Value: $800,000-$1,000,000

Oval LLC is involved in the production of plastic items, including
disposable cups, plates, and dishes.

Brief Description: Oval LLC would like to purchase 800 tons of product
and develop a long-term distributorship.

Company Contact Information:
Oval LLC
Attn: Mr. Varuzhan Khalatyan
96 Romanos Melikyan Street
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel: (374-1) 72-00-59
Email: [email protected]

For more information, visit

These opportunities are provided solely as an informational service and
do not represent an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Verification of these leads is the responsibility of the reader.

U.S. companies that wish to pursue these leads should directly contact
the NIS company via the contact information listed. A full listing of
BISNIS leads is available at

********** Forwarded by:
************************************************* **********
David G. Mullins, BISNIS Program Assistant for Chemicals Sector
U.S. Department of Commerce
[email protected]
Tel: 202/482-3100
Fax: 202/482-2293

Additional information on this sector in Russia and Eurasia is available
via BISNIS Online at

Social justice

Editorial

Yerkir/am
October 15, 2004

The efficiency of the political system is determined by the
qualitative and quantitative characteristics of demands presented to
the system and the system’ s ability to find operational solutions to
the demands presented.

Any material and political support to the existing political system
can contribute to the reproduction if that system if it is transformed
into a socially useful political decision.

However, experience shows that mutually beneficial cooperation between
the economic elite and the political leadership results in pressure
exerted by various interest groups on the political decision making
thus making it biased and failing to represent the interests of
economically weak and vulnerable segments of the society.

The institutional structures and processes of decision making are
under the influence of large businesses and social groups. As a result
of this the price for supporting the political system does not match
the benefits gained from the decisions being made.

The society pays a higher price. If we take into consideration that
the civil society institutions that can serve as interest groups for
the more vulnerable segments of the society do not work in Armenia, we
can say that the majority of the society does not have any impact on
the political decision making in return to the support it gives to the
political system.

In Armenia, the support to the political system (in the form of paying
taxes and public services fees, participation in the elections,
abiding by the laws, etc) is not commensurate to the feedback from the
political system (in the form of social security, ensuring equality
under the law, paying pensions, etc.).

In addition to this, an opinion prevails in the Armenian society that
the social-political elite provides less support to the political
system (by understating their incomes, avoiding military service,
etc.) while at the same time taking advantage of certain privileges.

Social justice is the pre-condition for constructive cooperation
between the political leadership and the citizens. Transition period
is sometimes used to justify political manipulations and failures.

When social justice is violated certain segments of the society are
deprived of the opportunity for material and spiritual
reproduction. In this case, such segments resort to isolationist
approach of interaction with the political system – they refuse to
participate in the political processes.

The social-economic and spiritual-cultural life of the country is
always influenced by the problems the nation is facing. Today, the
solution to these problems implies self-restriction, readiness for
sacrifices, unity and most importantly, organization at the level of
the state. Nothing is more dangerous for the country than the
privileged status of certain groups and classes against the general
background of self-restriction and sacrifice of the larger society.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Soul-hunting legalized in Armenia

Yerkir/am
October 15, 2004

Protection of rights of minorities of all kinds and colors has been so
widely spoken about in Armenia that it seems that either the majority
will soon have no rights at all or that to protect one’ rights one
will have to join a minority.

The Ministry of Justice gave another reason to think so by granting
official registration to Jehovah’s Witnesses. This registration will
no doubt be presented to the society in the context of freedom of
speech and freedom of conscience, adherence to European and universal
values and democracy. Some will try to present the registration
granted to the Jehovah’s Witnesses as another step forward on
Armenia’s way to integration with Europe.

This pathos will conceal the fact that the activities of religious
sects, especially Jehovah’s Witnesses, not only go against the
interests of our state and nation but pose a direct threat to our
statehood. Soul-hunting and open anti-national propaganda will now be
perfectly legal.

Refusal to serve in the army is also being legalized. Aren’t the
leaders of the country that is still in a situation of possible war
worried about this? Maybe they think that in case of a possible
attack on Armenia the documents protecting the rights of minorities
will protect the country as well.

LIGHTING CANDLES AGAINST JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

A1 Plus
19-10-2004

‘Rebelling against `Jehovah’s Witnesses’ comes to prove love of people
towards the Armenian Apostolic Church and does not oppose the
sectariansâ=80=9D, Clergyman Zohrab Kostanyan, Vice-Director of
`Shoghakat’ TVCompany said at the round table in Araratian Diocese.

Registration of JW caused his anxiety. `Law is imperfect. There aren’t
instruments to control activity of JW’, he says.

Robert Makaryan, Chairman of Student Board of Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, thinks JW was registered because there was the connivance
atmosphere of the society. He is sure marches and demonstrations must
be held to struggle against JW.

Karen Avagyan, Chairman of Student Board of Medical University
suggests launching student pickets. `As a result of them a committee
from social organizations must be set up, which will control all
these’, he said. Karen suggests holding pickets mainly in front of
Justice Ministry that registered â=80=9CJehovah’s Witnesses’.

Hayk Akarmazyan, Chair of Student Board of Polytechnic University has
another point of view. `We must not have any demand from our
Authorities and Justice Ministry regarding the problem. It’s the CE
demand to register them’, he says. Hayk is against the version of a
picket or a demonstration since he thinks the society is sick and
tired of it. The young activist has his own suggestion: `We will fight
against Jehovah’s Witnesses and any kind of sects through our belief’.

Emin, a young man had a concrete proposal: `We can hold a peaceful
march to Saint Sargis Church and light candles there’.

Young people together with Press Service of Araratian Diocese will
work out the common strategy of fighting and the results will later be
made public.

RFE/RL President Thomas Dine Urges Armenian President To Help Return
“Azatutiun” To TV Airwaves

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202-457-6900
Fax: 202-457-6992

CONTACT: Donald Jensen +1-202-457-6947
Sonia Winter +420-221-123-007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Prague/Washington — October 19, 2004) RFE/RL President Thomas A. Dine
today sent a letter to Armenian President Robert Kocharian, 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 Kocharian “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. 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 Harutiunian, was
instrumental in the ban because he wanted RFE/RL to lease airtime from
his channel and pay for that. Harutiunian, in an interview published by
“Aravot” on October 15, denied any involvement in the suspension of
“Azatutiun”. In his letter to President Kocharian, 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 longwave signals provided by local affiliate stations.
Armenian Service programming is also available via the Internet, at the
service’s website and at

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is a private, international
communications service to Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe; the
Caucasus; and Central and Southwestern Asia funded by the U.S. Congress
through the Broadcasting Board of Governors.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress