HOUSE, SENATE NEGOTIATORS INCLUDE ARMENIA PNTR IN LARGER TRADE BILL:
BOTH CHAMBERS SET TO VOTE NEXT
WASHINGTON, October 11 (Noyan Tapan). One of the Armenian Assembly of
America’s (AAA) highest legislative priorities – normalizing trade
relations between the United States and Armenia – took a major step
forward on October 9 as House and Senate conferees for a key trade
measure agreed to attach legislation extending permanent normal trade
relations (PNTR) to Armenia. “The Assembly welcomes today action
to attach Armenia PNTR to the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical
Corrections Act and thanks House Ways and Committee Chairman Bill
Thomas for including it in this conference report,” said Assembly
Board of Trustees Chairman Hirair Hovnanian. “We commend him and the
Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone,
Jr. (D-NJ) for their leadership and steadfast efforts to deepen the
U.S.-Armenia trade relationship.” “The ongoing Turkish and Azeri
blockades are two strikes against Armenia’s ability to prosper as
a free-market economy, so any U.S. trade benefits, such as those
resulting from the removal of the trade restrictions, are helpful,”
Hovnanian added. “It is our hope Congress will pass this legislation
at its earliest opportunity.” PNTR, known as “permanent normal trade
relations”. would remove a nearly 30-year-old provision requiring
Armenia and other countries to periodically obtain presidential
approval for continued access to low tariffs. In so doing, it would
signal an upgrade in Armeniaâ^À^Ùs status as a trading partner and
should lead to additional trade agreements between the United States
and Armenia. Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chairmen Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) first introduced the
legislation known as H.R. 528 in February 2003, which passed the House
of Representatives later that year. The Assembly for its part, helped
push the measure through by working to secure the co-sponsorship of
more than 100 lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle. Last
year, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) along with Senators Paul
Sarbanes (D-MD) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) introduced S. 1557, which
was modeled after the House version of Armenia PNTR. This measure
has the bipartisan support of over 20 cosponsors. The next step in
the legislative process is for the House-Senate conference report to
go the floors of both Chambers for a final vote.

BRAZILIAN WRITER OPENS FOR HIMSELF CHARM OF ARMENIAN CULTURE
YEREVAN, October 11 (Noyan Tapan). Paolo Coelio has been the most
readable writer for twenty years now, and his novels, though in
Russian, were available to the Armenian reader. RA Minister of
Culture and Youth Affairs Hovik Hoveyan said about it during the
October 8 meeting with the world-famed writer. P. Coelio said that
there are a few translated works of Armenian writers, that’s why he
is acquainted with the Armenian literature poorly. But during his
visit to Yerevan he had time to visit the House-Museum of Parajanov,
walk along the streets of Yerevan and this, according to him, opens
for himself the charm of the Armenian culture.

STATE LIST OF HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL MONUMENTS OF YEREVAN APPROVED
YEREVAN, October 11 (Noyan Tapan). The RA government approved the state
list of immovable historical and cultural monuments of Yerevan. Lists
of monuments in two regions should be also specified for the approval
of the full list of immovable monuments in the territory of the
republic. After the approval of the list the work will start on
projecting the zones of monuments protection. According to RA Deputy
Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs Gagik Gyurjian, the old list of
historical and cultural monuments of the republic was approved in 1984
and included 33,000 monuments, which are situated in the territory
of 20,000 hectares. According to him, list of monuments approved by
the decision of the Soviet of Ministers of the Armenian SSR doesn’t
correspond to the assessment criteria and methods of elaboration of
information and integration, common requirements of the cadastre. These
monuments will gain a certain status and will be considered not only
as town-planning entities but also will be protected by the law “On
Protection of Monuments” after the specification and approval of the
list in the whole territory of the republic.

ARMENIA HAS SPECIAL PLACE IN OUR HEARTS: NORWEGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
YEREVAN, October 11 (Noyan Tapan). Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian and his Norwegian counterpart Jan Petersen held a
joint news conference on October 11 dedicated to the issues of the
present level of Armenian-Norwegian bilateral relations, prospects
of deepening links between the two countries, as well as assessment
of the fulfillment of commitments Armenia has pledged before the
Council of Europe. We would remind you that currently Norway is
the chairing country in the CE Ministerial Council and will be
replaced by Poland in November. Both ministers highly appreciated
the current level of bilateral relations between Armenia and Norway
and expressed willingness to enlarge cooperation. “Jan Peterson’s
visit is a stimulus for further development of our relations,”
Vardan Oskanian stated. The ministers said the sides have agreed to
deepen cooperation in the spheres of culture and energy. The Norwegian
foreign minister stressed a number of Norwegian energy companies are
interested in cooperation with Armenia, first of all in the sphere
of hydroenergy. During the visit he studied the process of fulfilment
of the program on provididing refugees with houses being implemented
by the Norwegian Council on Refugees. The two ministers spoke for
continuing and enlarging this program. “The Norwegian people are
following the developments in your country attentively and Armenia
has a special place in our hearts,” the Norwegian minister said. In
relation to Armenia’s fulfilling the commitments before the CE,
Jan Peterson said it is first of all important for Armenia itself.

TURKEY DOES NOT DESERVE THE RIGHT TO TALKS FOR EU MEMBERSHIP: VARDAN OSKANIAN
YEREVAN, October 11 (Noyan Tapan). “We are somehow concerned over
Turkey’s accession to the European Union,” Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian told an October 11 news conference. According to him,
the point of departure for Turkey’s readiness to become an EU member
is much lower than that of the other countries that have joint the
organization. “The country that has closed the border with Armenia and
whose Criminal Code stipulates punishment for anyone recognizing the
Armenian Genocide or supportive for bringing out the Turkish troops
from the teritory of Cyprus does not deserve the right to talks over
the EU membership. We believe that Turkey is not ready for accession,”
the Armenian foreign minister stated.

DAVIT SHAHNAZARIAN: ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES ARE PURSUING POLICY AIMED AT
NON-SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT
YEREVAN, October 11 (Noyan Tapan). The NKR authorities are now pursuing
a policy of non-settlement of the Karabakh conflict aiming to prolong
their tenure, ANM (Armenian national Movement) board member Davit
Shahnazarian made this statement during his October 9 meeting with
reporters at the “Azdak” (“Stimulus”) club of the “Constitutional
Right” Union. According to him, Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev
are just making another attempt to “imitate” a settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Testifying to this are the agreements
reached between the two foreign ministers in Prague which were later
declined by the presidents. As for the Astana meeting held with the
mediation of Russia, it gave occasion to a tougher position on part of
both countries. According to the speaker, the solution to the problem
should be based on mutual compromise and aimed at ensuring territorial
integration, because it is impossible to increase the living standards
of the Armenian population whithout it. The conflict, according to him,
should be settled stage by stage, since “there is no other alternative,
and the package version is just a way of non-settlement.” That is to
say, “as long as we have a an opportunity to cede anyhting and get
something else instead we must agree to this kind of settlement.” The
territories surrounding Karabakh, Shahnazarian said, are solving the
problem of Karabakh’s security, “and if we cede anything, if we give
a small part of territory, we should get security guarantees instead,
and it is the international community rather than Azerbaijan that
should give those guarantees.” As a result, Azerbaijan returns some
territories, and returns refugees to those territories, instead the
blockade against Armenia is lifted and the country gets a chance to
participate in the regional integration processes, Karabakh receives
security guarantees, whereas the issue of its status is put off on an
unknown period of time. Both Kocharian’s and Aliyev’s positions over
the Karabakh settlement, Shahnazarian stated, are beyond real politics,
and the current situation seriously jeopardizes the security of both
Karabakh and Armenia. The non-settlement policy gives occasion to new
complications, especially, the possibility that Azerbaijan may shift
from the status of an agressor to that of a victim. In connection
with closing Verin Lars’s border-crossing point by Russia, Davit
Shahnazarian said Russia has taken this step in reply to Armenia’s
decision to send a military unit to Iraq. The speaker also said
Armenia should not obstruct Turkey’s accession to the EU and should
not make the Armenian Genocide a “small change” in the two countries’
relations. Turkey is playing quite a great role in ensuring security
in the Caucasian region and opening Armenian-Turkish border will have
a positive influence on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

German “Chenbach” Company To Participate In Modernization Of “Armenal”
YEREVAN, October 11 (Noyan Tapan). The “Rusal” company, the owner of
“Armenal”, signed the agreement on the implementation of the program
of the modernization of the complex with the Germany “Achenbach”
company on October 8. Alexander Livshits, Deputy Director General of
“Rusal”, mentioned that according to the program it is expected that
the equipment for aluminum rolling will be completely modernized
and they will pass to closed production cycle. 6-9 microns thick
aluminum foil, which is in good demand on the market, will be produced
after the modernization of the enterprise. At the same time, it
was mentioned that the implementation of the program will give an
opportunity to reach the annual volume of the production of thin
foil till 18 thousand tons and the production of domestic foil till
7,000 tons. It is expected that the first pilot batch of 150,000
tons of production will be released in late 2005. The total amount
of the program will make 70 mln dollars, 25 mln dollars of them
are the own means of the “Rusal” company, and 45 mln dollars will
be attracted at the expense of credits. During the modernization
“Achenbach” will perform sub-contractor orders of 100 mln dollars
at the Armenian enterprises. According to A. Livshits, by the way,
the fact of the closing of the Russian-Georgian border will have no
impact on the investment attractiveness of Armenia, and his presence
in Armenia is the evidence of it.

AGBU IS GOING TO IMPLEMENT NEW BENEVOLENT PROGRAMS IN ARTSAKH
STEPANAKERT, October 11 (Noyan Tapan). Representatives of the
Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) paid a visit to Artsakh on
October 8 with the purpose of reaching concrete agreements on the
implementation of benevolent programs there. According to the Head
Information Department attached to the NKR President, the guests
visited Gandzasar historical-architectural memorial complex, as well
as the Hadrut region to get acquainted with the work carried out in
the village of Norshen established there with the support of AGBU. On
October 9, the group departed to Yerevan from Stepanakert.

VARDAN OSKANIAN STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF PROGRAMS BEING IMPLEMENTED IN ARMENIA
BY EURASIA FOUNDATION
YEREVAN, October 11 (Noyan Tapan). The ten-year graant program being
implemented in Armenia by the Euurasia foundation addresses almost
all the spheres of civil life, President of the foundation Charles
Maynes and members of the board of trustees told at their October
11 meeting with RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian. Many of the
initiatves the organization has taken, the meeting participants
said, were unprecedented in the history of Armenia. Here belong the
university-level business management program, the first large-scale
program for municipal reforms, the first program for crediting
small enterprizes, the first campaign of national dialogue, and
the independent publishing system aimed at encouraging the freedom
of press. Minister Oskanian hailed the foundation’s activities in
Armenia stressing the importance of such programs for a country at
the transition stage. The RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information
Department reported to NT, the minister then outlined the general
regional state dwelling upon the recent developments of the Karabakh
conflict settlement and Armenian-Turkish relations. The Eurasia
foundation has been acting in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzia, Moldova, Russia, and Tajikistan. The headqaurters
is situated in Washington. The foundation has been acting in Armenia
since 1995.

CATHOLICOS KAREKIN II APPRECIATES HIGHLY SUPPORT OF NORWEGIAN PEOPLE PROVIDED
TO ARMENIANS DURING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND 1988 EARTHQUAKE
ECHMIADZIN, October 11 (Noyan Tapan). Catholicis of All Armenians
Karakin II spoke about the way passed by the Armenian church and
its current challenges, when receiving the Foreign Minister of
Norway Jan Peterson in the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin on October
10. Covering the issue of relations between the two countries, Hos
Holiness mentioned with gratitude Norway’s support for the Armenian
people during the 1915 Armenian genocide and the 1988 earthquake. He
also touched upon the issue of current relations between the Mother
See of Holy Echmiadzin and the Norwegian Church. According to the
Information System of the Mother See, Jan Peterson expressed hope
that as a result of his visit to Armenia the relations between the
two countries will become closer and more effective.