CENN – OCTOBER 12, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. BP Awards Contracts for Environmental Investment Program along the
BTC Pipeline Route
2. Azerbaijan: Tourist Industry’s Own Goal
3. RUSAL Raises Investments in Foil Unit to $70 mln
4. Negotiations for Provision of Funds Under US Program Millennium
Challenges Continue Rather Successfully
5. Armenian Delegation to Take Part in Exhibition Conference Dedicated
to Tourism Development in Arab World
6. Armenia Has Chances to Became A Regional Youth Center, Youth Alliance
Chairman Says
7. ATP to Inaugurate Ohanian Environmental Education Center in Karin
8. The Future Alternative Energy in Armenia
9. EU is Urging Ukrainian Authorities to Postpone Completion of a
Shipping Canal in the Danube Delta, Citing Environmental Concerns

1. BP AWARDS CONTRACTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM ALONG THE
BTC PIPELINE ROUTE

BP as operator of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil export pipeline and
South Caucasus (SCP) gas pipeline projects is pleased to announce that
in September 2004 it has awarded a contract to the international NGO,
Save the Children, to implement the “Management of Small Grants Program
for NGO Capacity Building along the SCP and BTC Pipeline Routes”. This
is the third contract awarded in Georgia in the framework of the
Environmental Investment Program (EIP) for the BTC and SCP projects.

The principal objective of the EIP is the delivery of actions that are
of benefit in the promotion and conservation of biodiversity. The US$3
million EIP is divided into the number of themes, which were identified
through the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment studies and
through a transparent process of consultations with the national and
international stakeholders.

The overall goal of the project is to develop NGO’s capacities to engage
citizens in environmental awareness and education, and in social
development. To this end, the NGO sector will be strengthened in the
districts through which the BTC and SCP pipelines run. Six NGOs will be
selected and their capacity to function as long term Intermediary
Support Organizations will be built through Tailored Assistance
Packages, enabling them to provide training, information, facilities,
communications and office equipment, and any number of other services
that facilitate primary level NGOs to focus on their mandate of serving
people and the environment.

Through a locally based and transparent decision making process, another
26 NGOs will be grant aided to undertake projects addressing
environmental and /or social development needs. Such projects will have
to incorporate public education/awareness and participation components.
These 26 primary level NGOs will be supported throughout by the six
Intermediary Support Organizations. Extensive training to all will be
Save the Children and its partners.

Project activities commenced in September 2004 and will finish in
December 2006.

We believe that the Small Grants Program for NGOs Capacity Building
gives BP and the recipient NGOs a unique opportunity to develop the
skill base necessary to make a positive difference to the long-term
preservation of Georgia’s wildlife.

2. AZERBAIJAN: TOURIST INDUSTRY’S OWN GOAL

Source: Caucasus Reporting Service, October 6m, 2004

The room was already cold, so the draught that poured through the cracks
in the frame of the broad but rather murky windows only added to the
gloomy atmosphere inside. Its resident, Barbara Harrell-Bond, an
American writer and frequent visitor to Azerbaijan, is not impressed by
having to pay 80 US dollars a night for the privilege of staying in this
hotel in the centre of the capital Baku.

“I would like them to give me more comfort and more services for this
price,” she said, adding that the accommodation compared unfavorably
with that in neighboring Georgia, where she paid 50 dollars a day and
enjoyed a far higher quality stay.

Another American journalist, Harry Carpenter, eventually abandoned the
same establishment for a higher-priced privately-run hotel in the city,
where he received much better service.

According to Azerbaijan’s ministry of youth, sport and tourism, the
country has 240 hotels of various types, 37 of which are in the capital
and provide accommodation for 5,320 guests, which is clearly inadequate
in a city of nearly three million people which is currently enjoying an
oil boom.

This problem could come to a head very soon, as thousands of football
fans are expected to descend on the capital – and they will be looking
for places to stay.

On October 9, 2004 Azerbaijan’s national team plays Northern Ireland at
home in a qualifying match for the 2006 World Cup. Four days later, the
England football team arrives in Baku – and many of its supporters will
be hot on their heels.

However, most of the hotels in Baku are already almost completely booked
up.

Analysts fear that this lack of hotel places could seriously hamper the
development of a tourist industry in Azerbaijan. Economist Yelena
Starostina told IWPR that heavy investment and long-term planning will
be needed for a tourist infrastructure to develop. She said that
Azerbaijan badly needs private hotels to develop alongside and compete
with the country’s 80 state or recently privatised establishments.

“The state has shown itself to be extremely ineffective in running this
sector,” Starostina said. “Of course the state budget receives some
income from the hotels, but only if they make an official profit. “The
profit was a little more than 200 million manats (around 40,000 dollars)
last year, but it could be much more if it was generated by private
hotels as well.”

Mamed Orujev, who runs a private summer hotel on the Caspian Sea, said,
“I have been working with guest houses for 20 years now and I could
easily open a small private hotel in the capital. But unfortunately we
are not used to this kind of thing in our country.”

Of the country’s privatized hotels, once run by the state, Orujev said,
“The overwhelming majority either practically don’t work or give very
poor service.”

But Ilgar Nuri, administrator of one such privatized hotel, rejects
these accusations. “Today we have normal hotels and visitors want to
stay in them, not in private establishments,” he said.

Some analysts suspect that the state-sponsored hotels are simply wary of
any competition that would offer guests better accommodation at lower
prices. At the moment, no state programmes exist to develop private
hotels, and it is very difficult for potential hotel owners to get
official registration.

However the government has recently begun a drive to improve the
country’s hotels by introducing a certification programme.

Tourism industry spokesperson Abulfas Garayev said that the process
would be voluntary at first, and said that the certification commission
– which consists of both government and independent specialists – was
starting with the top echelon of hotels. Ten of them, including the
Hyatt Park and Crescent Beach, will be given a ranking in stars by the
end of the year.

Garayev said that if the commission identified problems with a hotel, it
would be allowed one month to correct them, before it was issued with
its star ranking.

Those hotels that did not come up to scratch will not be ignored,
Garayev warned. From 2006 on, measures will be taken against them to
force them to raise their standards, and information on those that do
not pass the certification procedure will be given to international
tourist firms.

In the meantime, the authorities say that they are determined to deal
with low-standard and potentially dangerous hotels.

Murad Husseinov, head of the fire department at the Azerbaijani interior
ministry, warned that most hotels are not properly equipped to deal with
fire and recommends that between three and five per cent of money spent
on hotel construction should go towards fire safety.

And health ministry spokesman Viktor Kasumov added that steps are being
taken to improve the low standard of sanitation in Azerbaijani hotels.
“This is unacceptable in a situation where there is a rise in the number
of infectious diseases here,” he said.

3. RUSAL RAISES INVESTMENTS IN FOIL UNIT TO $70 MLN

Source: Reuters, October 8, 2004

Russian top aluminium producer RUSAL will increase investments in
modernization of its Armenian foil unit, ARMENAL, to $70 million from
previously planned $34 million, RUSAL said on Friday.

“More sizeable than initially planned the programme will allow RUSAL
ARMENAL to improve the quality of foil products and raise the plant’s
profitability,” A RUSAL statement said.

RUSAL will invest $25 million of its own funds into the Armenian plant
and will take a $45 million long-term loan from a group of German banks,
headed by Bayerische Landesbank.

RUSAL has appointed German firm Achenbach GmbH as contractor to produce
a feasibility study and to implement the modernization programme.

The upgrade will permit ARMENAL to produce up to 25,000 tonnes of foil
per year including 18,000 tonnes of expensive thin foil. The first 150
tonnes of foil will be produced by the end of 2005.

ARMENAL produced 9,614 tonnes of foil in the first nine months of 2003.
The plant has been idle since November 2003.

4. NEGOTIATIONS FOR PROVISION OF FUNDS UNDER US PROGRAM MILLENNIUM
CHALLENGES CONTINUE RATHER SUCCESSFULLY

Source: Arminfo, October 8, 2004

The negotiations for provision of funds under the US program Millennium
Challenges continue rather successfully, Chairman of the Parliamentary
Commission for Credit-and-Finance, Budgetary and Economic Issues Gagik
Minasyan told ARMINFO.

However, Mr. Minasyan refrained himself from stating anything specific.
It should be noted that the Armenian Government submitted a package of
programs for a total of $900 mln to consideration of the corporation
Millennium Challenges. It should be noted that according to preliminary
estimations by Minister of Finance and Economy of Armenia Vardan
Khachatryan, under the program Millennium Challenges, Armenia expected
$700 mln, with first $100 mln of them by the end of 2004. On the whole,
the funds under the program are provided to stimulate political
freedoms; juts state governance and investments in human factor –
education, public health, and social sphere.

5. ARMENIAN DELEGATION TO TAKE PART IN EXHIBITION-CONFERENCE DEDICATED
TO TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN ARAB WORLD

Source: Arminfo, October 8, 2004

Official ceremony of opening of a conference-exhibition dedicated to the
tourism development in Arab world was held in Beirut on October 7, 2004
under the patronage of the president of Lebanon. Besides the
representatives from Cyprus, Egypt, Lebanon, India, Indonesia, Jordan,
Kuwait, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Syria, Tunisia and United Arab
Emirates, a delegation from Armenia takes part in the
conference-exhibition for the first time. ARMINFO was informed in the
press office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.

Representatives of the Armenian agency of tourism development, travel
agency “Yerkir-Nairi”, of hotels “Europe” and “Ani-Plaza”,
representatives of Ararat and Vayots Dzor regions of Armenia were in the
Armenian delegation staff. The conference-exhibition was organized by
the Ministry of tourism of the Lebanon and the company “Al Iktisad va al
Amal Group”. President of the Lebanon Emil Lahoud held the official
opening ceremony.

6. ARMENIA HAS CHANCES TO BECOME A REGIONAL YOUTH CENTER, YOUTH ALLIANCE
CHAIRMAN SAYS

Source: Armenpress, October 8, 2004

Supported by the European Council Youth Foundation, the Armenian
Alliance of Youth Clubs organized a seminar titled “Impact of conflicts
on environment” in Sevan on October 5-11, which discussed regional
conflicts. Delegates from Azerbaijan, Georgia and a number of European
countries participate in the seminar.

The chairman of the alliance, Atom Mkhitarian, mentioned that Europe
wants to see a coordinated youth policy in the region. The fact that
delegates from Azerbaijan also participate indicates that Armenia has a
chance to become a regional youth center that will contribute to
implementation of many youth projects.

The governor of Gegharkunik Stepan Barseghian spoke about the damages
caused to the region by the Karabagh conflict, saying that both the
economy and the ecology suffered from it. According to him, unemployment
is high in the region as some 15,000 refugees live there. Concurrently,
it was mentioned that agriculture has been developing in the region
recently. A whole-sale agricultural market is built near Georgian border
in Bagratashen where the farmers may realize their output.

In S. Barseghian’s opinion the war has changed the images of trust among
the regional nations and such seminars may help to recover it. Highly
evaluating the organization of the seminar, representatives from
Azerbaijan noted that special attention should be paid to environmental
protection issues. In their opinion, because the land is mined in the
conflict zone, it is impossible to use for agricultural purposes. Such
contacts may help to build understanding between the two nations when
the Karabagh conflict is resolved, they said.

7. ATP TO INAUGURATE OHANIAN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER IN KARIN

ARMENIA TREE PROJECT
57/5 Arshakunyats Street
Yerevan, Armenia 375026
Contact: Bella Avetisyan
Telephone: (374 1) 44-74-01

PRESS RELEASE
October 8, 2004

YEREVAN–Armenia Tree Project (ATP) is planning to inaugurate its
Michael and Virginia Ohanian Environmental Education Center in Karin,
Armenia, on Tuesday, October 12.

The establishment of this ATP educational center is the result of a
generous donation from Mrs. Virginia Ohanian of Belmont, Massachusetts,
in memory of her late husband, the late Michael Ohanian. Mrs. Ohanian
has been a devoted supporter of ATP for many years.

ATP established its tree nursery in Karin in 1996. As part of ATP’s
expansion of its programs, the organization has added environmental and
forestry education to its mission. Immediately after Mrs. Ohanian
learned about this program, this educational center was proposed and
established on the nursery site.

Already, nursery director Samvel Ghandilyan has taught six sessions of
courses with over 130 students this year at the Ohanian Education
Center. Most of the students have come from the Agricultural Academy, as
well as the local schools in Karin.

Mrs. Ohanian will be present at the inauguration, along with a number of
other ATP’s diasporan supporters traveling with the Armenian Assembly of
America Trustees’ Delegation to Armenia. After a ribbon cutting and
ceremonial tree planting by Mrs. Ohanian and her family, attendees will
be able to meet with ATP staff and tour the nursery, followed by a
luncheon.

The program, which will begin at 12:00 noon, will also include brief
remarks by ATP Executive Director Jeffrey Masarjian, along with a
presentation of the film created this year in celebration of ATP’s 10th
anniversary about the backyard reforestation nursery project in Aygut,
Armenia.

In addition to the nursery output and the critical environmental
education lessons provided for a wide range of students, one of the
highlights of the Ohanian Education Center is the Tree of Life–an 8-foot
bronze sculpture which includes the names of ATP’s Major Donors on each
leaf.

Armenia Tree Project was founded in 1994 during Armenia’s darkest and
coldest years with the vision of securing Armenia’s future by protecting
Armenia’s environment. Funded by contributions from diasporan
Armenians, ATP has planted and rejuvenated over 530,000 trees at more
than 450 sites ranging from Gyumri to Goris.

For additional information about this event, the Michael and Virginia
Ohanian Environmental Education Center, the Karin Nursery, or other
ATP programs, please contact Bella Avetisyan at [email protected] or
visit

IMPRESSIONS MAGAZINE

September/October/November 2004

8. THE FUTURE OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY IN ARMENIA

Source :IMPRESSIONS MAGAZINE ,
September/October/November 2004

With its Soviet-built nuclear power plant nearing the end of its life
and international pressure to `go green’, Armenia has the opportunity to
position itself at the forefront of environmentally friendly energy
production. Matthew Karanian and Robert Kurkjian explore the wind, water
and solar options available and assess their viability.

During the 1990s, Armenia grappled with how to resolve its energy
shortages.Since then, its nuclear power plant has been restarted,
financial and technical assistance has come from the international
community, natural gas imports have increased and the energy crisis has
been mitigated.

The country now relies upon a variety of sources, with nuclear energy
accounting for about 35% of its energy needs, but over the past few
years there has been increased pressure from the European Community to
shut the nuclear plant down.

The Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant is operated by a Russian company and
has two reactors with projected useful lives that will expire in a
decade. Only one of the reactors is operating, and there are many
reasons for shutting it down and keeping the other closed.

The most persuasive of these arguments is that the reactors sit in a
seismically active zone near a densely populated area, and they don’t
have a containment dome that would prevent the release of radiation
during an uncontrolled event.

The government has been studying energy issues since Armenia’s
independence.
Back in 1996, it projected that alternative sources of energy might be
developed within the next six to eight years.

At that time it was thought that those alternative sources might be
enough to make it possible to shut down the nuclear power plant as early
as 2004. Those alternative sources have not been developed – at least
not to the extent necessary for them to be considered a genuine
alternative to nuclear power.

Thermal power plants in Armenia, using a combination of oil and natural
gas, fuel approximately 45% of the country’s needs and hydropower
provides the balance. Strictly speaking, these are alternatives to
nuclear power, but the cleanest, most cutting edge alternative energy
sources available today are solar and wind.

These sources, also referred to as `renewable energy’, are cleaner than
traditional sources, such as coal or oil combustion. Solar and wind
power do have an impact upon our environment, but they don’t pollute the
atmosphere during operation. Instead, the environmental impact is from
the perceived blight upon the landscape created by a field of wind
turbines or solar panels.
Wind turbines have also been known to be harmful to birds and can be
noisy, but such environmental problems are relatively insignificant
compared to the problems that are created by nuclear and thermal energy
generation.

WIND ENERGY

Armenia doesn’t have a wind stream that is comparable to the Gulf Stream
that exists in the US, but there is nevertheless some wind potential.
Armenia is a mountainous country and strong winds frequently develop on
mountain ridges or in the saddles of mountain passes. Indeed, some of
these local wind currents are legendary.

According to fable, the stones of Armenia’s hot Ararat Plain were cooled
by a unique airflow pattern. 1700 years ago, that swept down from the
northern mountains and from the Lake Sevan region. The wind supposedly
made life a bit more comfortable for an embattled man named Gregory, who
was confined to a prison there. This man would later become a Saint, and
the wind pattern has since been known as the Saint Gregory Wind.

At present, it is estimated that the economically viable capacity for
wind energy is approximately equal to that of nuclear, about 500 MW, but
wind energy development in Armenia is in its infancy.

As part of a project funded by Gerard Cafesjian, an Armenian- American
philanthropist, engineers are studying the economic viability of
wind-generated electricity in Armenia. Testing is ongoing, but if wind
power proves to be feasible, then Armenia could add wind-generated
electricity to its portfolio of energy sources.

Windmills – actually large wind turbines – are sleek and aerodynamic.
They are made of aluminum, steel or plastic and often operate in large
fields. A wind-generated electricity project in Palm Springs,
California, for example, uses a field of 7,500 windmills. It’s too
costly to use one windmill to generate electricity for commercial
purposes, but a single windmill can power a mechanical pump, which is
how they are sometimes used in the US and places with extensive rural
areas – Argentina, for example, has an estimated 320,000 solo windmills
in operation.

Armenia has large tracts of rural areas, but one of the legacies of
Soviet industrialisation is that nearly every place in Armenia has
access to the electricity grid, so a remote location that might
otherwise need to generate its own energy simply doesn’t need to. The
future for wind power in Armenia, therefore, is in large wind farms that
generate electricity that is then added to the grid. The Armenian
government hopes one day to be able to generate as much as 10% of its
electricity in this way.

HYDRO POWER

Hydro power generates approximately 20% of Armenia’s energy needs.
Although this form of power generation does not emit atmospheric
pollution, there can be significant environmental impacts. The greatest
impacts are on water quality and quantity, and changes to the
surrounding environment. This is usually due to the construction of
dams, which causes flooding above the dam, and decreases the water flow
downstream.

Lake Sevan’s waters have been used for decades to generate electricity,
but at a cost to the lake’s ecosystem. The increased out-flow of the
lake’s water for use in hydroelectric generation has contributed to the
lake’s deterioration by reducing its volume by roughly 40%, increasing
the water temperature and impacting the fishing industry.

SOLAR ENERGY

Energy from the sun is typically more affordable than wind power for
individual residences. Solar is particularly economical for heating
water, and actually beats many energy alternatives, though widespread
implementation could take decades to achieve. Solar energy generation
capacity in Armenia is currently around 650 MW, but estimates for future
capacity are as high as 3,500 MW.

Dr Artak Hambarian, Director of the Engineering Research Center (ERC) at
the American University of Armenia (AUA), has been researching solar
energy and its applications for years. He estimates that it could take a
business 20 or 30 years to earn enough savings in energy costs to pay
for its investment in solar panels that are used to create electricity.

For nearly a decade, the ERC has been engaged in a variety of solar
energy related projects. Its project of perhaps greatest national
significance is its Solar Monitoring Station (SMS), which collects solar
radiation data to assist with evaluating and developing solar energy
devices.

Based on data from the SMS, engineers have calculated that one square
metre of land in Yerevan receives about 1,700 kWh of sun power annually.
It is said that Yerevan is sunny for 300 days each year, and at this
rate there is a great incentive for people to install solar panels on
the roofs of their homes in order to heat water. Additional solar data
collectors are proposed for installation at several locations around the
country to further research the applications of solar energy.

Limited practical applications of solar energy have proven cost-
effective for the AUA in recent years. The university is supplied with
hot water and with heating and cooling by a project that engineers from
ERC are working on. The project is known as DESODEC – the `Design and
Installation of a Solar Driven Desiccant Cooling Demonstration System.’

They have a solar water heater on the roof of the University’s six-floor
building, and the solar heater, together with the Desiccant Evaporative
Cooling system, provide the University with heat in the winter, and
cooling in the summer.

A solar photovoltaic system, also installed on the roof, provides
electricity to the system that makes the university building independent
from the electricity grid, and which serves to back-up the university
internet servers. The DESODEC is the first solar driven combined system
in the former Soviet Union, and one of a handful in the world.

WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM ALTERNATIVE ENERGY?

The thermal, nuclear and hydro facilities that Armenia inherited from
the Soviet Union now generate so much electricity that Armenia has been
able to sell some of it to the Republic of Georgia. But if Armenia were
to halt its nuclear program, could wind and solar generated power be
sold commercially, at a profit? How would the cost of producing wind or
solar energy compare with the cost of the existing nuclear energy
production in Armenia? According to energy consultant Serge Adamian, it
is not meaningful to compare the nuclear example with solar or wind
sources because Armenia isn’t paying for the nuclear power plant. It was
already there when the country gained independence, so comparing wind
and nuclear energy is therefore the `wrong paradigm,’ he says. Armenia’s
nuclear power plant is nearing the end of its productive life, and there
are other serious issues to consider, such as waste disposal and safety.
Analysts expect that the plant will be shut down within a decade, and
there is not a high probability of a new one being built.

All of this means that alternative sources may not be fully exploitable
today, but they will represent a far more practical solution if and when
Armenia scraps nuclear power. Over time, Adamian says, wind and solar
production will attract more support from the government and from
others. Iran’s support in 2004 for a wind farm on Lake Sevan’s
south-eastern shore is one such example.

The continued development and installation of alternative energy
resources will also lessen Armenia’s reliance on imported fossil fuel.
Air quality in Armenia will improve and there will be a reduction in
greenhouse gas emissions – two peripheral but significant advantages.

With an appropriate and comprehensive strategy, Armenia has an
opportunity to enter the international renewable energy market. In
contrast to other established industrial markets, the renewable energy
industry has not yet matured worldwide, which could provide an
opportunity for Armenia’s scientists, its manufacturing industry, and
associated businesses. The people of Armenia ultimately stand to
benefit.

9. EU IS URGING UKRAINIAN AUTHORITIES TO POSTPONE COMPLETION OF A
SHIPPING CANAL IN THE DANUBE DELTA, CITING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

Source: ENWL-eng, October 12, 2004

The European Union is urging Ukrainian authorities to postpone
completion of a shipping canal in the Danube Delta, citing environmental
concerns.

A statement from a EU expert panel that visited Ukraine this month urged
authorities not to launch the second phase of the project of deepening
and widening the 170-kilometer (105-mile) canal through the Danube’s
Bystre Estuary, one of Europe’s most important wetland sites.

The team, which also included U.N. environmental experts, urged
Ukrainian authorities to address the challenges related to many
environmental effects and trans-boundary impacts of such projects, the
statement issued Friday said.

The building of the channel linking the Black Sea and the Danube has
already drawn criticism from U.S. and European officials and has led to
a dispute between Ukraine and neighboring Romania, which repeatedly has
demanded a halt to the work.

At a conference in Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odessa last week, more
than 40 environmentalist organizations from Europe, Ukraine and Russia
warned the canal was built in a way that would endanger the environment.

Ukrainian authorities have so far refused to stop the project, arguing
that the canal is needed to improve access to the Black Sea and boost
the local economy.

The Danube Delta is divided between Romania, which has more than 90
percent of the territory with some 580,000 hectares (about 1.5 million
acres), and Ukraine, which has 46,000 hectares (113,600 acres).

Armenian MPs should attend NATO session in Baku – newspaper

Novoye Vremya, Yerevan
12 Oct 04

The participation of Armenian parliamentarians in the NATO Rose-Roth
seminar taking place in Baku on 27-29 November is still undecided. The
majority of Armenian parliament members are sure that it is necessary
to go to Baku.

The reason for such a position is the fact that Armenia officially
declared its readiness to cooperate with the alliance. So there should
be no doubts. As expected, any activity by the Armenian side in its
relations with NATO is not taken seriously by the Azerbaijanis –
it turns out that the Armenians simply dream of finding themselves
in Baku. They give numerous examples [to prove this point]. The
leader of the Karabakh Liberation Organization, Akif Nagi, who has
been discharged recently, repeats all the time that the “insistent
desire of Armenian deputies to arrive in Baku is an attempt to knock
Azerbaijan together with international structures and to create
tension in such a way.”

[Passage omitted: more instances of Azerbaijani opposition to the
visit]

It seemed that after cancellation of the Cooperative Best Effort-2004
exercises [scheduled for September in Baku but cancelled after
Azerbaijan refused to let in Armenian officers to attend], the alliance
should understand that Azerbaijan is not the most favourable place to
conduct such measures, and Baku understands the partnership in its
own way. But this did happen. “It is simply unacceptable for NATO
that any member country should dictate its own rules of the game,
and for this reason the action of the leadership of the alliance
is quite clear,” the leader of the Armenian delegation to the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly Mger Shakhgeldyan said to the Novoye Vremya
correspondent. According to him, certainly there is a problem with the
security of the Armenian deputies in Baku. “It is enough to remember
how easily an aggressive crowd managed to overcome a police obstacle
the last time. It was only thanks to the NATO security service that
we managed to avoid trouble.”

[Passage omitted: some Armenian politicians support and some oppose
the proposed visit]

Judging from the press, official Baku is impatiently waiting for
the Rose-Roth seminar, especially after the failed September
exercises. Some Abseron [referring to Azerbaijani peninsula]
politologists are calling on radical activists to take care to avoid
the cancellation of yet another event staged by the alliance and not to
damage once and for all the way people view the country. But even if
this happens, in Baku they will say that the Armenians, who “against
the will of the people wanted to step on sacred Azerbaijani land” are
guilty once again. Or they will say there was simply no seminar at
all. The Baku mass media acted just in this way when they explained
why Azeri deputies did not participate in the CIS Interparliamentary
Assembly in Yerevan.

TWO ARMENIAN-INDIAN JOINT COMPANIES TO OPEN IN ARMENIA

Azg/am
13 Oct 04

According to Martin Sargsian, chairman of RA Trade-Industrial House,
the most important result of the selling exhibition of Indian goods
and services were two agreements on opening Armenian-Indian joint
companies in Armenia. The first of the companies will produce car
details. The second will produce medicines. Martin Sargsian said this
after signing an agreement on Armenian-Indian economic cooperation
with Gutin, chairman of the Indian Confederation of Producers. Gutin
said that their Confederation has signed over 90 treaties with the
business structures of the world, it has offices in 18 countries of
the world and in the 40 regions of India.

Gutin expressed hope that their organization will soon open an office
in Yerevan, as well, and the signed agreements will be the first
step for the further cooperation between the Armenian and the Indian
businessmen. Gutin stated that in November their Confederation will
hold a large congress in India and they will invite their Armenian
colleagues to participate in it. The Armenian businessmen will
establish new relations with their Indian colleagues and elaborate
a program of priorities for the Armenian-Indian cooperation.

Martin Sargsian said that by signing the agreement on Armenian
and Indian economic cooperation they contribute to establishment of
joint companies, to holding exhibitions and to deepening the economic
relations between the two countries.

The businessmen present at the ceremony stated that during the last
two years the goods turnover between our countries grew. Indian goods
costing $3,3 million were imported to Armenia, while Armenian goods
amounting to $70 thousand were exported to India.

By Ara Martirosian

JEWS TO ATTACK ARCHBISHOP NURHAN MANUKIAN

Azg/am
13 Oct 04

Yaser Arafat, president of Palestinian National Authority, condemned
the Israelitesâ^À^Ù attack on Deputy Armenian Patriarch Archbishop
Nurhan Manukian. Arafat held a telephone conversation with archbishop
inquiring about his health following a wanton assault as he was leading
the religious procession of the Orthodox Armenians, Palestinian Wafa
news agency reports.

A group of Jews assailed the religious procession of the Orthodox
Armenians in the morning of October 10. The procession set off from
the Armenian Patriarchate and passed through Hebron Gate and Suwayqiyat
Allun to reach the Christian neighborhood where a mass was to be held
at the Church of Holy Sepulchre in the holy city of Jerusalem. They
ripped the cross off the archbishopâ^À^Ùs chest, slapped him and
threw his mitre on the ground in an extremely aggressive way that
showed disrespect for men of religion.

FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway

The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one’s belief or religion
The right to join together and express one’s belief

=================================================

Tuesday 12 October 2004
ARMENIA: WILL ARMENIA NOW FULFIL ALL ITS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITMENTS?

After repeated refusals over a nine-year period, the Jehovah’s Witness
community has finally received state registration. Hratch Keshishian, a
Jehovah’s Witness leader, told Forum 18 News Service that “when they
phoned us from the state registry to tell us that registration had been
issued I didn’t believe them.” But it is not known what impact this
will have on the Jehovah’s Witnesses serving prison terms for refusing
military service, thus breaking Armenia’s commitments to the Council of
Europe. Keshishian told Forum 18 that freedom to practise their faith as a
religious community is now the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ aim, as
“registration in itself doesn’t resolve all our problems.” For
example, under Armenia’s religion law, but against international human
rights obligations, only the Armenian Apostolic Church is legally permitted
to conduct missionary activity.

ARMENIA: WILL ARMENIA NOW FULFIL ALL ITS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITMENTS?

By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service

After a nine-year battle and repeated refusals, Armenia’s Jehovah’s Witness
community has finally received state registration. “We only got the
certificate yesterday,” Hratch Keshishian, a Jehovah’s Witness leader,
told Forum 18 News Service from the Armenian capital Yerevan today (12
October). “When they phoned us from the state registry to tell us that
registration had been issued I didn’t believe them.” Describing this
as “a great joy”, Keshishian said he did not know what impact the
move would have on the Jehovah’s Witnesses serving prison terms for
refusing military service.

The registration certificate, issued by the state registry of legal
entities on 8 October and signed by the deputy justice minister Tigran
Mukuchyan, came in response to the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ fourteenth
application, lodged on 9 September. Keshishian said the registration covers
the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ activity across the whole of the country. All
earlier applications had been rejected on various grounds, including that
the group’s beliefs or practices violated the law (see F18News 3 August
2004 ). The main reason
for rejecting one application earlier this year was that the Jehovah’s
Witnesses had forgotten to indicate the number of copies they were
filing.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses, who first applied for state registration in
Armenia in 1995, were the only significant religious community to have been
denied such registration. Without this they were not allowed to print or
import religious literature, rent places for meetings, hold conventions or
build places of worship, Kingdom Halls.

Registering the Jehovah’s Witnesses was a key demand of the Council of
Europe, although Keshishian insists that freedom to practise their faith as
a religious community is the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ aim. “Registration
in itself doesn’t resolve all our problems,” he told Forum 18. Under
Armenia’s 1997 religion law, even religious communities with registration
are not allowed to conduct missionary activity (Article 17 of the law gives
the dominant Armenian Apostolic Church a monopoly on missionary
activity).

Keshishian identified the Jehovah’s Witnesses current key aims as acquiring
religious literature legally and resolving the problem of their refusal to
perform military service on grounds of conscience. He told Forum 18 that it
is “too early” for them to think about building Kingdom Halls
across the country, not least because of money. “This is a question
for the future.” He reported that the “nearly 9,000”
Jehovah’s Witnesses have been meeting in small groups in private homes
“in nearly all parts of the country”.

Despite a new law on alternative military service, which came into force on
1 July, the Jehovah’s Witnesses remain unhappy. The alternative service
being offered is not in line with Council of Europe standards as it is far
longer than military service and is not genuinely non-military as
conscripts remain under the authority of the Ministry of Defence (see
F18News 3 August 2004 ).

As of 24 September, eight male Jehovah’s Witnesses were serving prison
terms of between one and two years for refusing military service, while a
further five were arrested and awaiting trial. Another three have had to
sign undertakings not to leave their home as they await trial. On 29 March,
Stepan Epremyan was sentenced to a fine of 300,000 drams (3,868 Norwegian
kroner, 471 Euros or 580 US dollars) for refusing military service.

Keshishian said it was their hope that the imprisoned conscientious
objectors would now be freed from labour camps and charges dropped against
those awaiting trial. “Our young men are ready to do an alternative
civilian service, but unfortunately that doesn’t yet exist,” he told
Forum 18. “The next call-up begins in November, and we don’t know what
will happen then.”

A printer-friendly map of Armenia is available at
;Rootmap=armeni
(END)

© Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved.

You may reproduce or quote this article provided that credit is given to
F18News

ARKA News Agency
Oct 5 2004

Karabakh conflict in the end leads to the issue of human rights
protection – RA NA Vice Speaker

Bulgaria is ready to play effective role in peaceful settlement of
Karabakh conflict

Presidents of Armenia and Bulgaria: Karabakh conflict settlement
should be reached only through peace

Presidents of Armenia and Bulgaria discuss level of bilateral
cooperation

The Secretary General of NATO: NATO to pay special attention to the
South Caucasus

A polling center to operate in Armenia for citizens of the ukraine to
participate in the presidential elections

The session of the standing committee on defense and national
security of CIS Interparliamentary Assembly will be held in Armenia
on October 6-8

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

KARABAKH CONFLICT IN THE END LEADS TO THE ISSUE OF HUMAN RIGHTS
PROTECTION – RA NA VICE SPEAKER

YEREVAN, October 5. /ARKA/. Karabakh conflict in the end leads to the
issue of human rights protection, RA NA Vice Speaker Vahan
Hovannisian stated at the meeting with Foreign Minister of Finland
Erkki Tuomioja. According to Hovannisian, more than 150 thousand
population of Karabakh tries to build their life on democratic
standards. “In case of elections they face the fact that
international organizationsdeclare them invalid”, he noted.
The parties stressed the importance of strengthening of
interparliament relations between Finland and Armenia. At this,
Hovannisian confirmed the invitation of Finnish Speaker in Armenia.
L.D. -0–

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

BULGARIA IS READY TO PLAY EFFECTIVE ROLE IN PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF
KARABAKH CONFLICT

YEREVAN, October 5. /ARKA/. Bulgaria is ready to play effective role
in peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict, the President of
Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov stated at the meeting with RA NA Vice
Speaker Vahan Hovannisian, RA NA told ARKA. Parvanov noted that
Bulgaria wants to develop relations with Armenia multilateral
political and economic links. “International organizations allow us
not only to communicate, but also support each other”, he said.
Hovannisian in his turn said that problems at Balkans and South
Caucasus are often similar and Bulgaria understands them and tries to
assist their settlement. He also stressed the necessity of
development of transport links between Armenia and Bulgaria. “It is
very important today, when Russia fighting against terrorism closed
Caucasus land road”, Vice Speaker said. L.D. –0–

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

PRESIDENTS OF ARMENIA AND BULGARIA: KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
SHOULD BE REACHED ONLY THROUGH PEACE

YEREVAN, October 5. /ARKA/. Armenia and Bulgaria share the opinion
concerning the peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
According to the Press Service Department of RA President, this was
stated in the joint announcement of Armenian and Bulgarian Presidents
Robert Kocharian and Georgi Parvanov. Tit says that Armenia and
Bulgaria welcome the activation of negotiation process on Nagorno
Karabakh settlement in 2004. Being country members of OSCE, Armenia
and Bulgaria support the efforts of OSCE Minsk group and its
Co-chairmen in search of a lasting and comprehensive solution
acceptable for both sides of the conflict. L.V.–0–

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

PRESIDENTS OF ARMENIA AND BULGARIA DISCUSS LEVEL OF BILATERAL
COOPERATION

YEREVAN, October 5. /ARKA/. Presidents of Armenia and Bulgaria,
Robert Kocharian and Georgi Parvanov, discussed level of bilateral
cooperation, RA President’s press office told ARKA. The parties
discussed all agenda of bilateral relations, different international
processes and regional issues. They expressed readiness considering
assistance to future deepening of bilateral political dialogue and
activation of bilateral cooperation.
After the meeting of the presidents the discussions of
Armenian-Bulgarian relations took place in expanding structure. The
parties considered opportunities of future activation of bilateral
economic cooperation. L.D. –0–

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

THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF NATO: NATO TO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE
SOUTH CAUCASUS

YEREVAN, October 5. /ARKA/. The newly appointed Ambassador of Armenia
to NATO Samuel Lazarian handed his credentials to Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer, the Secretary General of NATO. According to RA MFA Press
Secretary Department, in the course of the meeting the parties
discussed the details of the coming visit of J. Scheffer to Armenia.
The parties also touched upon the issues of Armenia-NATO cooperation,
the internal development processes in the South -Caucasus region, and
the issues of conflicts settlement. J. Scheffer assured that NATO
would pay special attention to the South Caucasus with the aim of
creating basis for ensuring stability in the region. A.H. –0–

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

A POLLING CENTER TO OPERATE IN ARMENIA FOR CITIZENS OF THE UKRAINE TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

YEREVAN, October 5. /ARKA/. A polling center will operate in Armenia
for citizens of the Ukraine to participate in the presidential
elections that will be held on October 31, 2004. According to the
Press Service Center of the Ukraine Embassy in Armenia, citizens of
the Ukraine will be able to participate in the election in polling
center ¹15 adjunct to the Ukrainian Embassy in Armenia (res # 5/1, 29
Arabkir Str., Yerevan,). The elections will be held on October 31,
2004 from 8.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m.
All citizens of the Ukraine, who are on a consular registration in
the Ukrainian Embassy in Armenia, are included into the lists of the
electors. Those citizens of the Ukraine, who are not on a consular
registration and have no documents enabling them to vote, can
personally submit an application to the commission of election center
¹15 till October 23, 2004 requesting their inclusion into the lists
of electors. In this case they will have to mention their address in
Armenia or abroad and the address in the Ukraine by submitting their
passports or the corresponding ID documents. In case of having a
document enabling them to vote, citizens of the Ukraine can any day,
including the day of voting, submit an application to the election
commission for their inclusion in to the lists. A.H. –0–

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

THE SESSION OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON DEFENSE AND NATIONAL
SECURITY OF CIS INTERPARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY WILL BE HELD IN ARMENIA
ON OCTOBER 6-8

YEREVAN, October 5. /ARKA/. The session of the standing committee on
defense and national security of CIS Interparliamentary Assembly and
the conference of the Chairmen of the CIS Parliamentary commissions
on defense and national security will be held in Yerevan on October
6-8. According to RA NA Press Service Department, on October 6 the
session of the standing committee on defense and national security of
CIS Interparliamentary Assembly will take place, and on October 7 –
the joint session of the Chairmen of the CIS Commissions on defense
and national security and of the corresponding commission of
Interparliamentary Assembly. On October 8 the session of the Chairmen
of the CIS commissions on defense and national security and the
session of the members of commissions of the Parliaments of
states-members of the Organization for Collective Security treaty
will take place.
The members of the delegations will meet RA President Robert
Kocharyan, the Catholicos of all Armenians Garegin the Second, the
Head of the Police of Armenia Haik Harutyunyan, and will put wreaths
to the memorial of the victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. A.H.
-0–

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

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:

PRESS RELEASE
October 12, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

SENATE ADJOURNS BEFORE ADOPTING
KEY U.S-ARMENIA TRADE PROVISION

— U.S. House Gave Final Approval Last Week to Extending
Permanent Normal Trade Relations Status to Armenia

— Post-Adjournment Session May Approve Measure After Election

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators left Washington yesterday to hit the
campaign trail before taking up a large trade bill that includes a
provision to permanently normalize trade between the U.S. and
Armenia, reported the Armenian National Committee Of America
(ANCA).

The failure of the Senate to act on this provision, which grants
Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status to Armenia, was due
to entirely unrelated concerns about other parts of the larger
trade measure, H.R.1047 – the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical
Corrections Act. The U.S. House passed this bill on October 8th.
The last opportunity for Congress to approve this measure during
the 108th Congress will be during a rare post-adjournment session
of Congress – either before or, more likely, after the November 2nd
election. This session will deal primarily with approving
appropriations bills and finalizing legislation on intelligence
reform.

Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) was the first to
raise the issue of Armenia PNTR in Congress. His legislation,
H.R.528, introduced last year was supported by the Armenian Caucus
and cosponsored 112 other Members of Congress. A companion bill
was introduced on the Senate side by Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
and cosponsored by 21 other Senators. The strong support for these
measures paved the way for serious consideration of their inclusion
by members of Congress negotiating the final version of the larger
trade measure.

“We want to thank Congressman Knollenberg, Senator McConnell and
all those who played a role in bringing Armenia PNTR to the brink
of final adoption,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
“While we would have liked to have seen the Senate act before
adjourning, we remain hopeful that this measure will be enacted
into law before the end of the 108th Congress.”

Over the past two years, the ANCA has worked, in Washington, DC and
in local communities throughout the country to generate bipartisan
support for this trade measure among legislators, including those
serving on key trade subcommittees. This trade bill represents a
core element of the ANCA’s efforts to expand bilateral economic
relations, provide new commercial opportunities, and further
strengthen the enduring bonds between the American and Armenian
peoples. Over ten thousand pro-Armenia activists sent ANCA
WebFaxes to Congress, thousands more made phone calls in support of
PNTR, and this important issue was raised in several hundred
Congressional visits, both in District Offices and the nation’s
capital. The sample ANCA WebFax letter for activists included
several reasons to support this legislation, among them:

* Increased U.S.-Armenia trade and investment advances U.S.
foreign policy by strengthening Armenia’s free market economic
development and integration into the world economy.

* Expanded U.S.-Armenia commercial relations will strengthen
bilateral relations and reinforces the enduring friendship between
the American and Armenian peoples.

* Adoption of PNTR for Armenia will help offset – at no cost to
U.S. taxpayers – the devastating impact of the dual Turkish and
Azerbaijani blockades, estimated by the World Bank as costing
Armenia up to a third of its entire GDP (as much as $720 million
annually) and half of its exports.

The Trade Act of 1974 excluded all Soviet countries from having
normal trade relations (NTR) status with the United States. One
particular provision of the Act, known as the Jackson-Vanik
amendment, required the President to deny NTR to those countries
that restricted free emigration. The policy was adopted, in part,
in response to Communist government restrictions on the emigration
of Jews. According to the terms of the Jackson-Vanik amendment,
when the President determines that freedom of emigration rights
have been reinstated in a country, normal trade relations may be
granted. To maintain NTR, the President must report to Congress
twice a year that Jackson-Vanik requirements have been met. While
successive Presidents have waived the Jackson-Vanik Amendment
restrictions on Armenia during the past decade, the passage of the
Knollenberg bill, would grant Armenia permanent normal trade
relations status, without the need for semi-yearly Presidential
determinations.

The depth of American support for Armenia PNTR was made clear in
the responses from around the nation to the multi-issue candidate
questionnaires circulated this election season by the ANCA.
Challengers and incumbents from both parties have stressed their
support for legislation that would grant Armenia Permanent Normal
Trade Relations (PNTR) status.

The text of the Armenia PNTR provision in H.R.1047 is provided
below:

Title II, Section 2001

Subtitle A – Miscellaneous Provisions

SEC. 2001. TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF TITLE IV OF THE TRADE ACT
OF 1974 TO ARMENIA.

(a) FINDINGS. ­ Congress makes the following findings:

(1) Armenia has been found to be in full compliance with the
freedom of emigration requirements under title IV of the Trade Act
of 1974.

(2) Armenia acceded to the World Trade Organization on February 5,
2003.

(3) Since declaring its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991,
Armenia has made considerable progress in enacting free-market
reforms.

(4) Armenia has demonstrated a strong desire to build a friendly
and cooperative relationship with the United States and has
concluded many bilateral treaties and agreements with the United
States.

(5) Total United States-Armenia bilateral trade
for 2002 amounted to more than $134,200,000.

(b) PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATIONS AND EXTENSIONS OF NONDISCRIMINATORY
TREATMENT.

Notwithstanding any provision of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974
(19 U.S.C. 2431 et seq.), the President may:

(1) determine that such title should no longer apply to Armenia;
and

(2) after making a determination under paragraph (1) with respect
to Armenia, proclaim the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment
(normal trade relations treatment) to the products of that country.

(c) TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF TITLE IV.

On and after the effective date of the extension under subsection
(b)(2) of nondiscriminatory treatment to the products of Armenia,
title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 shall cease to apply to that
country.

#####

House Passes Bill Repealing 1916 Dumping Law WTO Ruled Illegal

Normal trade relations for Armenia, Laos among hundreds of provisions

Washington File
12 October 2004

By Bruce Odessey, Washington File Staff Writer

Washington — The House of Representatives has given final passage to a bill
that would repeal a dumping law that was ruled illegal by the World Trade
Organization (WTO) and would extend permanent normal trade relations to
Armenia and Laos.

To become law the bill would have to be passed by the Senate and signed by
the president. Whether the Senate will consider the bill when Congress
returns November 16 from its election recess is not known.

Most of the 299-page bill, passed by the House late October 8 without
debate, comprises hundreds of tariff suspensions on imports of goods not
produced domestically and traded in small volumes.

Repeal of the 1916 antidumping law was slipped into the final version of the
miscellaneous tariffs bill by House and Senate negotiators even though
neither chamber had earlier passed such a provision.

The House Judiciary Committee had approved the provision, however, and U.S.
Trade Representative Robert Zoellick had urged its passage.

The WTO had ruled against the 1916 antidumping law, which was challenged by
the European Union (EU) and Japan. Under the law, never actually used from
1916 until the 1990s, U.S. companies can sue foreign producers for triple
damages for dumping goods on the U.S. market with the intent of injuring
U.S. industry.

To date no plaintiff has ever collected damages under the 1916 law. In May,
however, a U.S. federal court upheld a jury verdict ordering a Japanese
newspaper press manufacturer to pay its U.S. rival more than $30 million,
triple the damages from dumping as calculated by the jury. That case remains
under appeal.

The provision in the miscellaneous tariffs bill would repeal the 1916 law
but would not overturn any case already decided or pending under the law.
Whether Japan or the EU would accept such a nonretroactive change is not
known.

The WTO had already authorized retaliation by the EU against any final
judgment ordered under the law against an EU company.

Another provision of the miscellaneous tariffs bill would grant permanent
normal trade relations for Armenia. Normal trade relations (NTR), otherwise
known as most-favored-nation treatment, prohibit discrimination among a
country’s trading partners. Armenia has had temporary NTR, approved year to
year by the president.

The bill would also extend NTR to Laos, bringing into force a 1997 U.S.-Laos
trade agreement. Laos remains one of only four countries worldwide and the
only least-developed country to which the United States does not extend NTR.

Miscellaneous tariff bills typically pass each session of Congress
routinely, but this one was held up over a succession of issues for three
years. One senator from a southern textile-producing state delayed Senate
action, for example, until he achieved a change requiring clearer
country-of-origin labeling for socks.

Following are some other provisions of the bill:

— A provision that would correct a mistake in the Trade Act of 2002 that
inadvertently raised duties on Andean handbags, luggage, flat goods, work
gloves and leather wearing apparel under the Andean Trade Preferences Act
(ATPA).

— A provision that would clarify the African Growth and Opportunity Act
(AGOA), extending retroactively to October 2000 duty-free treatment for
collars and cuffs.

— A provision that would temporarily prohibit U.S. imports of
archaeological, cultural and other rare items from Iraq to prevent illegal
shipment of such antiquities.

— In line with a 2001 international agreement to eliminate testing of wine
for reasons other than health and safety, a provision that would amend U.S.
regulatory law concerning cellar treatment for both domestic and imported
natural wine.

The EU has refused to accept U.S. wine-making practices and has waived its
rules to allow wine imported from the United States but only through 2005.
Congressional negotiators have indicated they intended this provision as
leverage in U.S.-EU negotiations, which have achieved no agreement so far.

— A provision that would require the U.S. customs agency in the Department
of Homeland Security to establish integrated border inspection areas along
the U.S.-Canadian border. In these areas U.S. customs officers could inspect
vehicles before they entered the United States from Canada, and Canadian
customs officials could inspect vehicles before they entered Canada from the
United States.

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information
Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: )

ARKA News Agency
Oct 7 2004

RA Foreign Minister and Ambassador of Belgium to RA discuss bilateral
relations

Exhibition “Graphic Arts-Sculpture 2004” opens in Yerevan

Armenian ACRA Credit Bureau to become member of Association of
Consumer Credit Information Suppliers (Europe) (ACCIS)

Catholicos of All Armenian receives members of regular commission of
CIS Interparliament Assembly on Defense and Security

RA President receives famous Brazilian Prose Writer Paolo Coelho

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

RA FOREIGN MINISTER AND AMBASSADOR OF BELGIUM TO RA DISCUSS BILATERAL
RELATIONS

YEREVAN, October 7. /ARKA/. RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian and
newly appointed Ambassador of Belgium to RA Daniele del Marmol
(residence in Moscow) discussed bilateral relations, RA MFA told
ARKA. Oskanian noted close and productive relations of the two
countries and paid attention to deepening of trade-economic links and
realization of joint economic programs. The parties discussed also
perspectives of regional development in the frames of the EU new
neighborhood policy regarding South Caucasus. The parties discussed
present situation in South Caucasus, Karabakh settlement,
Armenian-Turkish relations and regional problems. L.D. –0–

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

EXHIBITION “GRAPHIC ARTS-SCULPTURE 2004” OPENS IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, October 7. /ARKA/. Exhibition “Graphic Arts-Sculpture 2004”
opened today in Yerevan. According to one of the organizers of the
exhibition, member of Artists Union Robert Manukian the main goal of
the exhibition is enrichment of spiritual world of people and
assistance to future development of Armenian art. He said that it was
decided this year to exhibit not only graphic works, but also
sculptures.
The exhibition represents works of about 250 Armenian sculptures and
graphic artists, including Grikor Agasian, Genrik Mamian, Karen
Agamian.
Note first exhibition of graphic arts was conducted in Armenia in
1926. After long break the exhibition opened again in 1991 and
represented the works of 160 participants. The idea of the exhibition
was restarted in 2003.
This year the exhibition will last till Oct 17. L.D. –0–

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

ARMENIAN ACRA CREDIT BUREAU TO BECOME MEMBER OF ASSOCIATION OF
CONSUMER CREDIT INFORMATION SUPPLIERS (EUROPE) (ACCIS)

YEREVAN, October 7. /ARKA/. Armenian ACRA Credit Bureau ACRA will
become the member of Association of Consumer Credit Information
Suppliers (Europe) (ACCIS). According to the Press Service of ACRA,
the agreement was reached during the visit of ACRA delegation to
Beijing, where the International Conference was held in September
organized by Association of Consumer Credit Information Suppliers
(Europe) (ACCIS), Consumer Data Industry Association (U.S.) (CDIA)
and Chinese Huaxia International Business Credit Consulting Co.
Armen Vardanyan, the President of ACRA Credit Bureau highly
appreciated the results of the conference and mentioned that the
forthcoming membership in ACCIS will give a chance to introduce
Armenia to the world as a country of low-risk business environment
and correspondingly favorable for investments.
Representatives of credit bureaus of all developed countries as well
as from some developing countries and countries with transition
economy- Romania, Croatia, Hungary, Estonia, Armenia Georgia and
Kyrgyzstan participated in the conference
First Armenian credit bureau ACRA was established in January, 2004
and is a 100% private organization. For consulting purposes ACRA
cooperates with Bosnian LRC Engineering Company. L.V. —

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

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIAN RECEIVES MEMBERS OF REGULAR COMMISSION OF
CIS INTERPARLIAMENT ASSEMBLY ON DEFENSE AND SECURITY

YEREVAN, October 7. /ARKA/. Catholicos of All Armenian Garegin II
received members of regular commission of CIS Interparliament
Assembly on Defense and Security, St. Echmiadzin press office told
ARKA. Garegin II paid attention to consolidation of efforts on fight
against terrorism, drug abuse and other evil that threatens humanity.
He said that similar cooperation is necessary for economic
development and prosperity of CIS people.
The Chairman of the Commission Viktor Voitenko thanked Armenian
Catholicos for warm welcome and told him about the works of the
Commission and future programs. L.D. –0–

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

RA PRESIDENT RECEIVES FAMOUS BRAZILIAN PROSE WRITER PAOLO COELHO

YEREVAN, October 7. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian received
famous Brazilian Prose Writer Paolo Coelho, RA President’s press
office told ARKA. Kocharian stressed that Paolo Koelho is the most
readable modern writer whose works continue best traditions of Latin
American literature. He noted with satisfaction that translation of
his book “Alchemist” in Armenian will make it accessible for wide
Armenian community. L.D. –0–

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

Karabakh premier visits USA

Artsakh State TV, Stepanakert
12 Oct 04

Nagornyy Karabakh Republic [NKR] prime minister Anushavan Daniyelyan is
in the USA on a working visit. The main purpose of his visit is to help
organize the coming telethon aiming at fund raising to assist the NKR,
and especially to complete North-South highway in Nagornyy Karabakh.

On 10 October premier Daniyelyan met representatives of Armenian
community of Fresno [in California]. Congressman George Radanovich
elected from Fresno also participated at the meeting and greeted
the NKR prime minister. On the same day Anushavan Daniyelyan gave an
interview to Armenian radio of Fresno.

On 11 October he visited the Armenian cemetery of Fresno and
laid flowers to the monument of the famous Armenian and American
writer William Saroyan. Anushavan Daniyelyan also visited Armenian
agricultural enterprises specializing in processing agricultural
products. He underlined the promising opportunities for such business
in the NKR and called on Armenian entrepreneurs to invest in the NKR
economy. On the same day premier Daniyelyan visited San Francisco
and met representatives of the Armenian community. He underlined
the importance of constructing the North-South highway for all
the Armenians in the world and also told the audience about the
socioeconomic situation in the NKR. In particular Anushavan Daniyelyan
noted that in recent years the total volume of foreign direct
investment in the NKR economy had constituted more than 50m US dollars.

The NKR permanent representative to USA Vardan Barsegyan is
accompanying Anushavan Daniyelyan during the meetings. NKR prime
minister’s visit to the USA is continuing.