PRESS RELEASE
UCLA Armenian Graduate Students Association
Kerckhoff Hall Room 316
308 Westwood Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Contact: Haig Hovsepian
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
USC ASA welcomes UCLA AGSA members to speak about graduate studies
Westwood, CA – On Thursday, November 11th, a group of UCLA graduate
students will be taking a trip across town to speak about pursuing
graduate degrees. Organized by the UCLA Armenian Graduate Students
Association at the request of the USC Armenian Student Association,
the mentorship event will provide an opportunity for undergraduates to
learn more about the ins and outs of graduate studies while networking
with graduate students in their fields of interest. While the UCLA
AGSA continues to organize its annual mentorship events for the UCLA
ASA and campus, this marks the first time that it will be taking its
program on the road.
“It is the natural evolution of our effort to reach out to the
undergraduate student community,” explained Haig Hovsepian, Project
Director for the mentorship event. “When we first started these
mentorship events, we focused on our own backyard. But with the
fast growth of the UCLA AGSA in terms of membership, capabilities,
and resources we felt it was time to go beyond Westwood.”
Though many Bruin undergraduates continue their graduate studies at
UCLA, the campus also attracts a large number of undergraduates from
local universities including many Trojan alumni.
“It is especially important that we make sure that the Armenian
community learns about the opportunities that await them in graduate
school,” noted Hovsepian. “We also want to let them know that the
UCLA AGSA will also be there to support even greater academic and
professional development once they arrive on campus.”
Established in the 2001-2002 academic year, the UCLA AGSA provides
an opportunity for the currently enrolled graduate students at UCLA
of various fields to network, facilitates mentorship, and serves as
a forum through which graduate students can make use of their field
specific skills to promote academic as well as professional development
by means of participation in events that increase awareness of Armenian
culture, communities, and issues.

ARMENIA TREE PROJECT
57/5 Arshakunyats Street
Yerevan, Armenia 375026
Contact: Bella Avetisyan
Telephone: (374 1) 44-74-01
Press Release For Immediate Distribution:
2004-11-09
NOUBARASHEN SCHOOL #11 RECEIVED ORCHARD FROM HSBC BANK
AND ‘ARMENIA TREE PROJECT’
YEREVAN– Sunday, November 7, 2004, the children of
the Noubarashen School #11 for the mentally disabled
yesterday beautified their school grounds with the
help of their friends from HSBC bank and the Armenia
Tree Project. The tree planting was initiated by HSBC
Bank as a part of their community outreach.
A total of one hundred trees, including 30 apricot, 30
apple, 20 peach, 15 cherry and 5 quince trees were
planted at the event, which started at 11 a.m. The
Republic of Armenia’s Ministry of Science and
Education oversees the Noubarashen School #11, which
was established in 1973. Daily the school provides
education, accommodations and nutrition for 125
students, 110 of whom are permanent residents.
Over the past five years, HSBC and the Armenia Tree
Project have successfully collaborated on similar tree
planting projects. Together, they provided the
Noragyugh Rehabilitation Center with a total of four
hundred trees in 2000, 2001 and 2002 years. To date,
these seedlings are thriving, with an above average
survival rate of 72%. Since its first Armenian branch
opened in March of 1996, the HSBC group has shown
support for both education and the environment.
Sunday’s event at the Noubarashen School #11 served as
a true forum for the integration of these two ideals.
Susan Yacubian Klein, Country Director of Armenia Tree
Project, welcomed all who arrived that day and showed
their active participation by planting trees. In her
brief welcome speech Ms. Klein thanked HSBC Bank
management for their community minded spirit in
bringing their staff to plant trees with the residents
and teachers of Noubarashen School. She stressed that
both HSBC Bank and the Armenia Tree Project consider
as part of their missions active involvement with
community members in improving their environment.
The planting of the trees yesterday will not only
bring fruit for the children’s nutritional needs but
also serves as a teaching tool about care and
preservation of trees, she concluded.
Nick Gilmour, Chief Executive Officer of HSBC Bank
Armenia, greeted guests and expressed hope for the
long lasting HSBC-ATP partnership. “I think our
collaboration in greening Yerevan’s different sites
will continue due to the already formed tradition of
our annual tree-plantings. Joining our forces we can
improve the living conditions in communities”, Mr.
Gilmour said in his later interview to reporters.
HSBC Bank Armenia is supporting Noubarashen School by
furnishing it and providing clothes and supplies to
schoolchildren.
Meroujan Yengibaryan, Noubarashen Boarding School
Director, speaking to those assembled added:
“HSBC-ATP partnership resulted in this wonderful gift
for our school. We’re all looking forward to seeing
these children collecting fruit from their own garden
in 3 – 4 years’ time. Let God give long life to
witness future generations gathering fruit from the
trees planted today”.
After a ceremonial tree planting by the initiators of
the event, the children and staffs of the school, HSBC
and ATP joined in planting the fruit tree seedlings. A
total of 100 seedlings were planted, according to the
instructions given during a demonstration from the ATP
specialists.
HSBC Bank Armenia:
The HSBC Group opened for business in March 1996 as
Midland Bank cjsc and was renamed to HSBC Bank Armenia
cjsc in 1999, as a part of global re-branding
exercise. Nowadays HSBC has two full service branches
operating in Yerevan. Now HSBC is Armenia’s leading
bank by market share and profitability. The Group also
maintains branches in other CIS countries including
Russia and Kazakhstan. The bank offers a full range of
products and services to both commercial and personal
customers resident in Armenia and overseas. Since its
establishment, HSBC has focused its community support
on areas of education and theenvironment. The Bank has
been involved in sponsoring the Noubarashen orphanage,
Vardashen special educational centre, Armenian Society
for the preservation of Historical Monuments, Armenian
Philharmonic Orchestra, Isabel centre of the Talented
Children’s Concert, a Health walk in coordination with
the Armenian Mammography centre, the children’s
international play ground, as well as a tree planting
project in the Children’s Rehabilitation Centre. HSBC
staff are true community citizens and give fully, and
freely, of their time and energy in supporting the
many worthwhile causes in Armenia that need our
support in both financial and humane ways.
For information please contact:
HSBC Bank Armenia cjsc
9 V. Sarkissian Street, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel. 58 70 88
HSBC Bank Armenia cjsc
3 Komitas Avenue, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel. 22 25 96, 22 87 57
e-mail: [email protected]
web:
Armenia Tree Project (ATP):
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 by now planted and rejuvenated
538,000 trees at more than 450 sites ranging from
Gyumri to Goris.
For additional information, please, contact Bella
Avetisyan, ATP Public Outreach Coordinator Assistant
at [email protected]
Web:

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
11/08/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Ghukasian Open to Start Negotiations with Azerbaijan 2) Kocharian Names New National Security Service Chief 3) Safarov Trial Set to Begin 4) Akhtamar Church Targeted for Shooting Practice, Treasure Hunts 5) Erdogan Says Human Rights Report Never Disclosed to the Prime Ministry 6) Armenia Tightens Control over Radioactive Materials 1) Ghukasian Open to Start Negotiations with Azerbaijan YEREVAN (Combined Sources)Referring to the two resolution strategies"step-by-step" and "package" accordthat have been proposed by the conflicting sides, Mountainous Karabagh Republic President Arkady Ghukasian stated on November 8 that "Karabagh is ready to conduct negotiations with Azerbaijan within the context of any formatwith or without Armenia." "We are ready to discuss any issue with Azerbaijan," noted the president while elaborating on his government's stance, which he considers to be "very productive." Ghukasian stated that Azerbaijan's ability to settle the conflict is currently inhibited, however, by its "hostile political stance," adding that Azerbaijan's policies will not impact the position of the OSCE Minsk Group chairmen, who will be able to realistically gauge the proposals offered by each side. 2) Kocharian Names New National Security Service Chief YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Gorik Hakopian, the former Deputy Director of Armenia's National Security Service, has been appointed by President Kocharian as the new chief of Armenia's National Security Service. Hakopian, 58, who took one of the most powerful government positions in Armenia, was born in Gyumri. He has graduated from the Higher Courses of Soviet KGB. A statement from Kocharian's office says, "Hakopian worked in the security system from 1970...Since December, 2002 Hakopian worked as Deputy Director of National Security Service." 3) Safarov Trial Set to Begin YEREVAN (Armenpress)--The trial of Ramil Safarov, accused of killing Gurgen Margarian in Hungary on February 19, 2004, is set to begin on November 23. Both were officers participating in an English-language course at the Hungarian University of National Defense as part of NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program. The Armenian officer Margarian, 26, was axed to death in his sleep by Safarov, who is an Azeri. Safarov is accused of premeditated murder with unusual cruelty and may face a sentence 15 years to life imprisonment. Attorney Nazeli Vardanian will represent the Margarian family. The Armenian International Union of Lawyers has created a team of lawyers to assist Vardanian in the case. 4) Akhtamar Church Targeted for Shooting Practice, Treasure Hunts VAN--The Istanbul-based Marmara Armenian newspaper reports that sculptures on the Akhtamar Church, located on Akhtamar Island, in Western Armenia, are being used as targets for shooting practice by visitors. A photo accompanying the article in the Turkish Newspaper Milliyet reveals the pierced images. Reporting from Van, writer Cukran Bakan says that a guard is posted at the historical site only during visiting hours, and only during the summer season. Though visitors routinely arrive to the island to practice their shooting, visitors have also begun to dig underneath the church for hidden treasure. A professor of Ancient Studies at Van's Yuzuncu Yil University says that people have the notion that there are treasures buried in Van. A guard at the Akhtamar Church was even caught and arrested for digging for treasure. Marmara also laments a reference in the first paragraph of the Milliyet article that refers to the Akhtamar Church as a 1,000 year-old sacred site for Christians and Jews. "There is nothing left for us to say," writes the Armenian paper. 5) Erdogan Says Human Rights Report Never Disclosed to the Prime Ministry ISTANBUL (Combined Sources)--Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a minority report released by the Human Rights Advisory Board had been drafted without instructions from him. "It was unethical to disclose the report to the press before informing us, that is, the Prime Ministry," Erdogan said. The report broadened the definition of minorities in Turkey and criticized the government's policy towards minorities, which has drawn criticism from various circles. Erdogan responded to questions at a press conference in the Black Sea province of Rize on Saturday. He emphasized that the minority report should have been submitted to the prime minister or the deputy prime minister before it was released to the press. "After the public debate, the report was again discussed by the board and amended. Later it was sent to the Prime Ministry. This [sequence of events] is ethically wrong," said Erdogan. Asked about criticism alleging that he had signed the European Union Constitution in Rome on Oct. 29 without reading it, Erdogan said those who released such news were not aware of the content of the constitution and how it was drafted. Drawing attention to the fact that the Inter-parliamentary Conference had drafted the constitution, Erdogan said: "Turkey participated in studies on the drafting of the constitution, which is not legally binding on Turkey. It will be binding on us when we become a full member of the EU." The report on ethnic minorities in Turkey, released by an advisory body linked to the office of the Turkish Prime Minister, has led to debates in Turkey. Issued in Late October, the report recommends greater recognition be given to ethnic minorities in Turkey. Currently, only three ethnic minorities--the Jews, Armenians, and Greeks--are officially recognized. Chairman of the Human Rights Advisory Board Ibrahim Kaboglu, said the report had been submitted to the Prime Ministry, but government officials denied having anything to do with it. 6) Armenia Tightens Control over Radioactive Materials YEREVAN--The Armenian government approved the licensing order of radioactive materials to prevent illegal shipments of materials and equipment containing them, reported RIA-Novosti. Armenian authorities arrested a man last month carrying radioactive cesium-137 in the trunk of his car. The highly toxic material is capable of contaminating large areas if used as a dirty bomb. Yerevan resident Gagik Tovmasian was arrested on charges of illegal trade in radioactive materials. It was unclear how the man obtained the material which is used in Armenia in density gauges and for machine calibration. Devices containing cesium-137 can cause serious radiation exposure if broken and held. Depending on the amount and form, experts say a dirty bomb made with cesium-137 could spread intense radioactivity over a section of a city, making it uninhabitable. The AP reported that a powerful source of radiation was found last February on the Armenian-Iranian border, amid scrap metal headed for Iran. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PERSONAL BUSINESS POISONING THE SOCIETY
A1 Plus | 14:14:17 | 08-11-2004 | Social |
Yerevan Municipality Monitoring Group for Conservancy studied activity
of 35 managing subjects in Yerevan and fixed: there are no sewer
outlet networks in 26 of them. As a result the industrial waste of
the establishments – chemical, food and sewerage, are thrown into
Getar and Hrazdan River. 7 out of 26 are located in Hrazdan Canyon.
Romik Kosemyan, head of Municipality Department on Conservancy,
has informed today that the owners of the subjects have been
fined. According to Kosemyan, Municipality has worked out a project,
under which all the managing subjects running in Yerevan will be
brought to the legislative field beginning from 2005.

THOSE HAVING DOLLARS CAN CUT TREES
A1 Plus | 14:29:00 | 08-11-2004 | Social |
Irrigation line 135 kilometers at length was drawn for preservation
of the green zones and protection of them from fires. Romik Kosemyan,
head of Municipality Department on Conservancy, assures the action
will enable to take care of the green zone of about 600 hectares.
In case of illegal cutting of the trees registered in “The Red Book”
Municipality will apply a new price for damage compensation – $1000
for each tree cut. For the time being the old punishment is still
valid – a fine of up to 100,000 drams in case of causing damages.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri officer killed in Armenian truce violation – TV
Lider TV, Baku
8 Nov 04
[Presenter] The Armenian side has broken the cease-fire on the front line
again and an Azerbaijani officer has been killed. Lider TV’s special
correspondent for the Karabakh region, Teymur Zahidoglu, reports that Lt Bahaddin Abdiyev
was shot dead in the territory of Agdam District at an early hour today. He
had been conscripted by the military enlistment and registration office of Tovuz
District. We are now having a link-up with the Karabakh region for the
details. Our correspondent Teymur Zahidoglu is to be on the phone. Hello, Teymur.
[Teymur Zahidoglu speaking over the phone] Good day, Rasad.
[Presenter] Teymur, how did the incident happen?
[Correspondent] Armenian army units in the occupied village of Yusifcanli in
Agdam District fired on the Azerbaijani army positions in the village of
Hacimammadli in Agdam District from assault rifles and machine guns on the night
leading to 8 November. As a result, an Azerbaijani army officer, Lt Bahaddin
Abdiyev, aged 24, was shot dead. There are no other casualties among the military
or local civilians.
[Passage omitted: repetition]
Other front line villages of the district are being subjected to fire from
small-calibre guns intermittently every other day. Back to you, Rasad.
[Presenter] Thanks, Teymur. It was Lider TV’s special correspondent in the
Karabakh region, Teymur Zahidoglu.
The head of the press service of the [Azerbaijani] Ministry of Defence, Ramiz
Malikov, has already confirmed the reports on the death of the Azerbaijani
officer and said that an investigation is under way.

ARMENIA TRIES TO ACHIEVE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS
A1 Plus | 16:52:07 | 08-11-2004 | Social |
Today the Ministry for Coordination of Territorial Administration and
Infrastructure Operations of Armenia and United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) inaugurated a new project on the Establishment of
the Municipal Service System.
The aim of the project is to support decentralization and help
strengthen communities by focusing on the legislative, educational,
technical and operational systems that are necessary to ensure viable,
accountable and effective local administrations.
Within the framework of the project launched by Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan,
Minister for the Coordination of Territorial Administration and
Infrastructure Operations, and Ms. Lise Grande, UN Resident Coordinator
and UNDP Resident Representative, a package of legal acts aimed at
ensuring viable municipal service systems will be introduced. Steps
will also be taken to introduce performance-based budgeting at the
local level and training on fiscal decentralization will be provided
to community heads, members of local councils and municipal civil
servants.
“Together with the Government of Armenia we are trying to strengthen
local communities. This is particularly important because small
villages and former industrial towns have suffered enormously during
the past decade. Their economic viability has been undermined and large
parts of their populations have been forced to emigrate. To ensure that
Armenia remains strong and unified and that no one is left behind,
the country needs effective and accountable local administrations,
capable of providing public services and supporting the general needs
of the community”, Ms. Grande noted.
The Establishment of Municipal Service System project is a
two-year project with a budget of USD 312,700. To ensure successful
implementation, a Steering Committee will be formed comprised of
representatives of UNDP, Ministry for Coordination of Territorial
Administration and Infrastructure Operations, the Public Administration
Academy of Armenia and other partners.

Armenian troops kill Azeri officer near disputed Karabakh region
AFP: 11/8/2004
Agence France Presse
Nov 8 2004
BAKU (AFP) – Armenian troops shot dead an Azeri army officer along the
tense border that separates the two warring former Soviet republics,
Azerbaijan’s defense ministry revealed.
Bahaddin Abdiyev, a 24-year-old lieutenant, was killed on Sunday
evening during an exchange of fire with Armenian troops in the Agdam
region of southern Azerbaijan, a spokesman told AFP.
Armenian and Azeri forces have been locked in a tense stand-off
since fighting a war in the early 1990s over the disputed territory
of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is now under Armenian control.
The two sides are observing a ceasefire but crossborder shootouts
are a frequent occurrence.
The latest violence brings the Azeri death toll to close to a dozen
soldiers since the start of the year.

ISN, Switzerland
Nov 8 2004
Moscow proposes joint S Caucasus railroad
Russia seeks to revive the South Caucasus Railroad and gain control
over its operations in Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.
By Vladimir Socor for The Jamestown Foundation (08/11/04)
The Russian government proposes to create a joint entity of the
Russian, Georgian, Armenian, and Azeri railways for operating the
South Caucasus Railroad, from the Russian-Georgian border via
Abkhazia to Tbilisi, Yerevan, and Baku. If created, such a joint
company would give Russia a preponderant role in the operations of
the three countries’ main railroad artery. Visiting the region on 1-3
November, Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin and Russian
Railways president Gennady Fadeyev discussed the project with top
government officials there. It envisages setting up a joint operating
company to manage and upgrade the railroad, and a joint bank to
finance restoration and upgrading, particularly of the Abkhaz section
in Georgia. The governments of Russia and the three South Caucasus
countries would finance part of that work and would also invite
private capital investments into the joint company. The whole project
hinges on reconstructing that section, which was severely damaged and
idled during the 1992-1993 Russian military intervention in Georgia.
As a result, Armenia and Azerbaijan lost their rail links to Russia.
In the intervening decade, Armenia was hardest hit by the loss. The
Russian government did not attach high priority to restoring the
connection, but does so now as part of an effort to establish a
North-South transport corridor and land bridge to Iran.
A response to EU West-East transit corridor?
Levitin and Fadeyev characterized the initiative as part of Russia’s
answer to the EU’s planned West-East transit corridor to Asia via the
South Caucasus. Moscow seeks to undercut it through a North-South
transit corridor via the South Caucasus and Iran. Levitin and Fadeyev
called for urgent action on the railroad, moving ahead of the EU: “If
we don’t start dealing with problem, we could lose huge transport
flows […] This project’s defining significance is a geopolitical
one.” In September this year, the state-owned Russian Railways
reopened the Abkhaz section for partial service from the
Russia-Georgia border station Vesyolaya to Sokhumi. The “reopening”
is in fact a seizure of Georgian state property on Georgian territory
without consulting Tbilisi, and indeed over its protests. Fadeyev
attended triumphant celebrations of the reopening, and Russian
Railways now runs the line as part of its network. The move has also
completed the erasing of the Russia-Georgia border in the Abkhaz
sector, now Russian-controlled on both sides. In Yerevan, Fadeyev
signed letters of intent with his counterpart, Ararat Khimrian, and
with Prime Minister Andranik Margarian on the two countries’
participation in the proposed four-country joint company. Moscow and
Yerevan will urgently task an expert group to draw up investment and
business plans and will contribute to reconstruction of the
railroad’s Abkhaz and Armenian sections. This approach reflects
Russia’s proprietary attitude toward the Georgian state railway’s
Abkhaz section. Moscow expects Yerevan to continue lobbying with
Tbilisi to go along with this. Russia also seems to expect that
Armenia can afford to co-finance or borrow for the project.
Downplaying the political implications for Georgia
In Tbilisi, Levitin signed with Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania
and Economics Minister Kakha Bendukidze a memorandum of understanding
on creating expert groups for the project, focusing on restoration of
the railroad’s Abkhaz section. Bendukidze seemed to embrace this
initiative. A free-market, free trade enthusiast, he
characteristically downplayed the project’s political and policy
implications for Georgia. By contrast, Zhvania called for caution,
citing Abkhazia’s unstable political situation. He suggested
postponing not only the decision, but even the creation of the expert
group, pending clarification of the situation in Abkhazia. Moscow’s
initiative in effect discards the Russian-Georgian March 2003 Sochi
agreement, whereby reconstruction of the Abkhaz section was to
proceed in accord with the Georgian government and “in a synchronized
manner” with the safe return of Georgian refugees to their homes in
Abkhazia, beginning with the Gali district. The seizure of the
Vesyolaya-Sokhumi railroad stretch canceled a part of the Sochi
agreement. The whole agreement would be destroyed if the
reconstruction-repatriation linkage were broken. Georgian Foreign
Minister Salome Zourabishvili insists on maintaining that linkage to
promote Georgia’s minimal objectives in Abkhazia: return of refugees,
Georgian-language schools, and a Georgian police presence in Gali.
Apart from the reconstruction-repatriation linkage, Georgia currently
has almost no leverage to achieve those goals. Moreover, the
Vesyolaya-Sokhumi link, fully under Russian and Abkhaz control, might
become the railway equivalent of the Roki highway tunnel in South
Ossetia – that is, an avenue for contraband, unchecked migration, and
arms deliveries. Russia’s apparent sense of urgency – in its
perceived geopolitical interests – to rebuild that railroad gives
Georgia an opportunity to seek three elementary quid-pro-quos
(pending a political settlement in Abkhazia): safe return of
refugees, Russian recognition of Georgian ownership of the railroad’s
section in Abkhazia, and joint control of the Vesyolaya-Sokhumi line.
–Boundary_(ID_fRhIx49mXWT6hu1VKRZNDA)–

New project strengthens Georgian-EU relations
By Anna Arzanova
The Messenger, Georgia
Nov 8 2004
The presentation of a European Union funded project, which envisages
the strengthening and deepening of cooperation between the EU and
Georgia, was held in Tbilisi on November 5.
The project is aimed primarily at increasing the ability of state
institutions to support the implementation of the 1999 Partnership
and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), which is the main instrument for
developing mutually beneficial relations between Georgia and the EU,
as well as democratic and structural market reforms in the country.
To achieve this, the one year project, which is also aimed at building
awareness of European integration in Georgian society and will cost
700,000 Euros, will “assist governmental agencies to prioritize,
coordinate, manage and monitor the PCA implementation process,” “build
the relevant human resource capacity through tailor made training,”
and ” build the government’s communication capacity, targeting both
the government and civil society.”
Within the framework of the project, a group of European and Georgian
experts will deliver advice and training in accordance with the
objectives of the project. Study visits to one of the new EU member
states and to Brussels will also be organized. The project will make
a technical needs assessment and supply government offices working
on EU issues with IT and communication technologies.
The project partner is the governmental commission for European
integration, while the beneficiaries of the project will include the
State Minister’s Office for European Integration, those ministries
participating in the PCA implementation process, relevant parliamentary
committees, media, the business community, and NGOs.
State Minister for European Integration Tamar Beruchashvili said that
November 5 was an important date for the country because it was the
beginning of a project which would help create effective resources
in Georgia. “Priorities of domestic foreign affairs are not just a
declaration, but a very precise concrete plan which we are going to
implement,” she stated.
According to Beruchashvili, a special council has been created which
will include virtually all those NGOs, expert groups, university
scholars and others who are assisting the Georgian government to
integrate into the EU.
“The main problem is a lack of well-trained human resources and
this project is going to help solve this problem and thus help the
government to implement the partnership and cooperation agreement
between Georgia and EU, the main objective of which is to make
Georgia an attractive country for the EU, to harmonize Georgian and EU
jurisdiction and to ensure resources which will serve this mechanism
and will make it more active,” she said.
Beruchashvili stressed that it is very significant that they are
able to speak in professional language to their European partners,
to understand how the European institutions work, to be involved
actively in this work, to defend their interests and to find their
place in the European family.
Executive vice-president of the think-tank Georgian Foundation for
Strategic and International Studies Temur Iakobashvili said at the
press conference Friday that “The project envisages the implementation
of a framework of access to partnership and cooperation agreement
and to create resources within the ministry so that they can work
with European partners,”
Iakobashvili added that this is the first time that Georgian
organizations have participated in the consortium, and he underlined
the good will of the Georgian government shown in involving so many
people in the process. “Integration into the European Union is not
the mission of organizations but also of the people as well,” he said.
Head of Operations of the European Commission’s delegation in Georgia
and Armenia Adriana Longoni expressed her great satisfaction in
being able to present the project. “The goal of the project is to
create a working environment for political dialogue in order that
Georgia consolidate its democratic, economic and market processes,”
Longoni said.
“This project can be adapted to the requirements of both parties.
This is one more very important step in our relations,” Longoni
stated, adding that the European Commission decided in 2004 to create
a neighborhood program for Caucasus countries, what means that after
enlargement, new mechanism of cooperation should be created.
“This also will support the consistent development of the country
to approach the European Union,” Longoni said. She thinks that it
is also very important to achieve the aims of this project, as well
as progress in adherence to the law, protection of human rights and
development of a market economy.
Longoni said that the progress of the project is based on a working
plan. “Within the framework of this, I want to welcome the first
meeting, which is also a starting point in the new environment after
the revolution to improve the processes of implementation. The new
neighborhood policy is very important for the creation of a people’s
group who are informed regarding these processes,” Longoni noted.
MP and Head of the Parliamentarian Committee of Foreign Affairs Kote
Gabashvili expressed his opinion that “this agreement is the biggest
achievement in relations with the EU.”
“It is a very significant project for us in approaching the EU. We can
see the special attitude of the EU and interest in Georgia,” he said,
expressing his confidence that their ambitions will help Georgia to
advance and to meet all the criteria, which will be quite difficult
but which will guarantee the survival of the country.
Team leader and Deputy Team leader of the Support of PCA Implementation
process Mats Nystrom and Kakha Gogolashvili also participated in the
launch on Friday.