CENN – MARCH 24, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Content:
1. Association Green Alternative
2. Two Construction Companies To Work on Georgian Site of Oil Pipeline
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
3. Baku -Supsa Pipeline Turns 5
4. YBC Concerned Over Possible Spread of Phylloxera in Ararat Valley
5. Uprooted and Ruined: Greed crisis does more damage than energy crisis
to Yerevan ‘s `green belt’
6. UNDP Launches Kazakhstan InfoBase
1. ASSOCIATION GREEN ALTERNATIVE
STATEMENT
March 22, 2003 — Green Alternative lost the court case in the Appeal
(Regional) Court against the Ministry of Environment of Georgia and the
BTC Co.
Last year Green Alternative filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of
Environment and the BTC Co claiming that constitutional rights of
Georgian citizens, as well as rights determined by the Aarhus
Convention, which provide for proper access to information and
meaningful participation in the decision-making process were violated
when the decision was taken by the Georgian Government to grant
environmental permit for the construction of the Georgian section of the
BTC pipeline.
In the opening speech BTC Co representative stated that Green
Alternative has no `moral right’ to feel abused and bring any
allegations, since Green Alternative was one of the most active NGOs
participating in the process and it is not fair to bring such
allegations against one of the most prominent, environmentally friendly
company with high corporate ethics. The `strongest’ argument against the
GA’s claim was that cancellation of the environmental permit would harm
the national interests of Georgia. BTC Co representative also declared
that BTC Co took all the necessary measures to ensure proper access to
information and the public participation, met all its obligations and
even more, met the obligations of the Ministry of Environment of
Georgia. He argued that the most important is the fact that the
obligations are met, it does not matter who was responsible to meet
them.
During hearing the representative of the Ministry of Environment could
not refused the fact that the ministry did not follow the requirements
of the Georgian law. He admitted that the ministry did not make any
public announcement and hold public meeting before taking decision to
grant environmental permit, as the law required it. However, this
statement was not taken into account by the judges. The fact that the
judges were biased became more obvious when they gave `interpretation’
of the articles of the Georgian Constitution and the Aarhus Convention
stating, that it does not matter when you (GA) got the information,
before or after the decision was taken. The only thing that a matter is
that at the end you (GA) got it.
The court took the decision on dismissal of Green Alternative’s
complaint substantiating its decision by the argument that the rights of
Green Alternative were not violated, since Green Alternative actively
participated in the process and was provided with all necessary
information.
Green Alternative keeps right to apply to the Supreme Court of Georgia
as well as to the Aarhus Convention compliance mechanism.
For contacts:
Manana Kochladze
Nino Gujaraidze
Visiting address: Rustaveli avenue. 1. Entrance I. Floor 4
Mailing address: Chavchavadze 62, Tbilisi, Georgia, 380062
Tel: 99532 93 24 03, 99 04 72
Fax: 22 38 74
E-mail: [email protected]
2. TWO CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES TO WORK ON GEORGIAN SITE OF OIL PIPELINE
BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN
In a few days Indian company Ponch Lloud will join construction works
conducted by the French Spie-Capag Petrofac, according to the
information providede by BP, company-operator of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
oil pipeline construction project. Presumably, the company will work on
the Tsalka (the Kvemo Kartli region) and Akhaltsikhe districts (the
Samtskhe-Javakheti region).
Sarke, March 23, 2004
3. BAKU-SUPSA PIPELINE TURNS 5
The 833-km western export pipeline Baku-Supsa beginning from the Baku
terminal Sangachal and ending at the Supsa terminal of the Black Sea
coast of Georgia consists of six pumping and two pressure stations.
The first oil was pumped into the pipe on December 10, 1998 and it
reached the destination on March 11, 1999. The first tanker was
dispatched from Supsa in late March.
Since launching, the personnel has not made any mistakes and missed a
working day.
Hitherto, 200 million barrels of crude have been exported through the
pipeline whose throughput runs out at 200 million barrels a day. In
total, 216 tankers were sent to world markets including 32 tankers with
profitable oil of Azerbaijan. The personnel consist of Azerbaijani and
Georgian citizens. They safely ensured the shipping of Caspian oil to
world markets, vice-president of BP-Azerbaijan on Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli
operations Nil McKlieri.
AzerTag, March 23, 2004
4. YBC CONCERNED OVER POSSIBLE SPREAD OF PHYLLOXERA IN ARARAT VALLEY
The Yerevan Brandy Company (YBC) is concerned over possible spread of
phylloxera in vines of the Ararat valley.
According to the YBC managers, who share the concern expressed by
Professor P. K. Aivazyan of the Armenian Academy of Agriculture, the use
of trellises poses a serious risk of the spread of phylloxera, so it can
endanger the vines of the Ararat valley and, therefore, the production
of Armenian brandy.
The YBC managers believe that the sale of trellises imported from
phylloxera-struck regions must be immediately stopped. The YBC considers
important urgent measures to restrict the area where the trellises have
been sold and quarantine it. The YBC is carrying out explanatory work
among the vine-growers of the Ararat valley.
ARMINFO, March 22, 2004
5. UPROOTED AND RUINED: GREED CRISIS DOES MORE DAMAGE THAN ENERGY CRISIS
TO YEREVAN ‘S `GREEN BELT’
The dramatic proliferation of street cafes in recent years has inflicted
twice as much damage on Yerevan ‘s green belt as the severe energy
crisis of the early 1990s that had forced many residents to cut trees
for heating purposes, according to environmentalists.
The Social-Ecological Association, a local non-governmental
organization, estimates that more than 700 hectares of green areas have
been lost in the construction boom. The trees chopped down a decade ago
covered only 300 hectares of land.
The head of the association, Srbuhi Harutiunyan, stated that the total
area of the capital’s greenery has shrunk from 570 hectares to 507
hectares over the past year alone. `That has mainly been due to
construction carried out in parks and other green areas’.
Yerevan ‘s former presidentially appointed mayor, Robert Nazaryan,
effectively admitted shortly after his sacking last October that he was
often ordered to make land allocations by more powerful officials. He
also said that almost all caf? owners flouted their license terms by
grabbing more land that was rented to them and constructing illegal
premises on it.
The authorities have not made public the amount of revenues the city
gets from the mushrooming eateries. The current mayor, Yervand
Zakharyan, suspects that the municipality is being cheated by the
businesses. Zakharyan, according to his deputy Kamo Areyan, has issued
subordinates with a `
Some NGOs claim that Narek Sargsyan, the municipality’s chief architect
who has kept his job under three different mayors, is key to the land
grab. `He ensures the continuity of the process,’ said Gohar Oganezova
of the Armenian Botanical Society.
Oganezova also complained that relevant government officials usually
blame the problem on their predecessors or other government agencies.
Environment Minister Vartan Ayvazyan appeared to do just that on march
23, 2004 when he claimed to lack the authority to curb the destruction
of trees in Yerevan. `Protecting tress in the city is the municipality’s
job,’ stated Gohar Oganezova.
Environment Minister Vartan Ayvazyan also stated bluntly that his
ministry is often reluctant to bring offenders to book because it does
not want to hinder Armenia ‘s ongoing construction boom.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
6. UNDP LAUNCHES KAZAKHSTAN INFOBASE
UNDP Kazakhstan has launched Kazakhstan InfoBase, an online database of
expanded MDG indicators, which provides an integrated overview of human
development in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan InfoBase was elaborated in cooperation with other donor
agencies to provide free and easy access to statistical data for the
wider community in and outside the country.
Kazakhstan InfoBase is analyzed and sorted by seven thematic areas and
presents data in tables and illustrative charts. Most of indicators are
accompanied with a definition and calculation methodology. The database
is searchable by keywords, contains a glossary and a list of sources
used, both national and international.
We hope that Kazakhstan InfoBase will prove useful and serve for the
benefit of the people of Kazakhstan and a wider international community.
Alma Nurshaikhova
Development Coordination Assistant
UNDP Kazakhstan
—
*******************************************
CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:

ArmenPress
March 24 2004
ARMENIAN WOMEN CHESS PLAYERS AMONG LEADERS OF EUROPE CHAMPIONSHIP
DRESDEN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS: Armenian chess women players, Lilit
Mkrtchian, Elina Danielian and Nelly Aghinian have overcome their
rivals in the third round of Europe’s individual championship in
Germany’s Dresden. Lilit Mkrtchian overcame Antoinette Stefanova of
Bulgaria, Elina Danielian snatched the victory from Papadopulo from
Greece and Nelly Aghinian beat Zimina from Russia.
Lilit Mkrtchian with three points is among the leaders, Danielian
and Aghinian won each 2.5 and 2 points.

ArmenPress
March 24 2004
INFORMATION AND TRAINING CENTER OPENS AT AGRICULTURE MINISTRY
YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS: Today, the Government of Armenia
and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) opened the
Information and Training Center at the Ministry of Agriculture and
signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining the support that UNDP
will provide for the “First Agro-Forum” International Conference. Mr.
Samvel Avetisyan, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of
Armenia and Ms. Lise Grande, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident
Representative presided over the event.
By supporting the Information and Training Center, UNDP is
assisting the Ministry of Agriculture to strengthen its capacity in
information management. Internet services will be provided at the
Information Center, helping the Ministry access the most up-to-date
and important information on agricultural issues from around the
world, and training will be conducted to ensure that Ministry staff
have advanced information skills.
In addition to supporting the establishment of the new Center,
UNDP is also supporting the country’s “First Agro-Forum”
International Conference, organized by the Ministry of Agriculture.
The aim of this important conference is to promote agricultural
development in Armenia by introducing the most progressive and
innovative agricultural methods from around the world. An official
website is being developed for the Conference and an information
campaign will be conducted. The fourth “AgroProdExpo” International
Exhibition will be held at the same time as the Conference.
According to Ms. Grande: “The development of agriculture in
Armenia cannot be underestimated. A large part of the population
lives in rural communities and agriculture is the main source of
income for many Armenian families. By strengthening the capacities of
the Ministry of Agriculture and helping to promote agricultural
development, we are helping to reduce poverty and inequality in
Armenia. We hope that the Ministry staff will use this new
Information Center to successfully communicate with the general
public, including the mass media.”
Mr. Avetisian noted: “Our cooperation with UNDP has a long
history, and we are grateful that resolution of the problems raised
by the Ministry is always supported by our counterpart. The
Information Center, the network and the website will promote the
Ministry of Agriculture worldwide, and we are confident that this
will help us forge effective partnerships with international and
local organizations, bilateral donors, foreign governments and
private companies.”
The “First Agro-Forum” International Conference and the fourth
“AgroProdExpo” International Exhibition will be held in Yerevan on
October 28-29, 2004.

ArmenPress
March 24 2004
$544 MILLION TRANSFERRED BY ARMENIANS ABROAD IN 2003 TO RELATIVES
YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS: The amount of cash sent home by
Armenians working abroad, the main source of income for thousands of
families, reached last year some $544 million, as much as Armenia’s
budget was, showing an $85 million growth over the previous year.
According to Armenia’s Central Bank, Russia accounts for most of
the remittances increasingly handled by local commercial banks. Some
$395 million were remitted from Russia, followed by the USA- almost
$60 million, Germany-$13.1 million and Switzerland-$10.2 million.
The amount of money transfers to USA from Armenia last year was
$63.5 million, to Russia-$56.7 million, $40 million were remitted to
the United Arab Emirates, $26 million to Turkey and $23 million to
Iran.
Commissions charged for such services have considerably dropped as
a result of growing competition among the local banks specializing in
the business.

Houston Press
March 24 2004
Capsule Reviews
A picture of our opinions on local exhibitions

“Arshile Gorky: A Retrospective of Drawings” Born in Turkish Armenia
in 1904, Vosdanik Adoian would grow up to be Arshile Gorky, one of
America’s most important and influential artists, but he would never
forget the land of his birth and the village of his difficult
childhood. This intimate retrospective at the Menil Collection
follows Gorky’s progress from his apprenticeship to the masters
through his cubist exercises to his breakthrough in the 1940s. Aided
by a return to drawing from nature and abetted by the surrealists,
Gorky experienced a creative explosion as he filtered the world
before him through his imagination and memory — he drew on his
agrarian childhood for the sinuous shape at the heart of the lyrical
The Plow and the Song. The vitality and energy of his drawings make
their abrupt cessation (Gorky committed suicide at age 44) all the
more poignant. As installed in the Menil, the exhibit has been
judiciously edited down from the ungainly sprawl and visual overload
of the Whitney’s version. Don’t miss the drawings of his mother,
especially the portrait on loan from the Art Institute of Chicago, or
the Nighttime, Enigma, and Nostalgia series. Through May 9. 1515 Sul
Ross, 713-525-9400.

PRESS RELEASE
March 24, 2004
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: [email protected]; Web:
Pan Armenian Cultural Festival to be held in Armenia on August 14-23, 2004
A pan-Armenian Cultural Festival will be held in Yerevan, Armenia on August
14-23, 2004. The festival is organized by the Armenian Ministry of Culture
and Youth to promote cultural ties and cooperation between Armenian
organizations and individuals in Armenia and Diaspora, present modern and
traditional Armenian art forms, and promote expression of artistic and
creative spirit in Armenia and Diaspora.
Participation in the festival is open to all cultural and artistic groups
and individuals, as well as representatives of cultural organizations, and
cultural liaison officers of the Armenian communities. The program of the
festival will be finalized in July, after applications from the participants
and suggestions are reviewed.
The deadline for applications is July 1, 2004. For detailed inquiries and
application forms, please contact the Embassy of Armenia, or the Ministry of
Culture and Youth, Government House 3, Yerevan, 375010, Armenia, Tel.
(+374-1) 521972, 526065, fax: (+374-1) 523922, email: [email protected], Web:

RIA Novosti
March 24 2004
RUSSIA’S LEADING FOREIGN TRADE BANK GETS ARMENIAN SAVINGS BANK
CONTROL BLOCK
YEREVAN, MARCH 24. (RIA NOVOSTI). The Moscow-based Vneshtorgbank will
acquire 70 per cent stock of the Armenian Savings Bank. Mikhail
Bagdasarov, the latter’s board president, and Andrei Kostin, his
counterpart of the Vneshtorgbank, signed a respective contract in
Yerevan today.
The Armenian block comes as a first-ever sizeable Vneshtorgbank
acquisition in the post-Soviet area, Mr. Kostin said to the media
after the signing ceremony.
Armenia has regained domestic political stability, and its economy
needs ever more money. Then, there are big Russian-based companies
with interests in Armenia, and they must be encouraged, he remarked
to substantiate the deal.
The Vneshtorgbank, or VTB, has ambitious plans for the Armenian
Savings Bank now that it is principal stockholder. Thus, it intends
to increase the authorised capital fivefold, and spectacularly
enhance the range of services, added Andrei Kostin.
Today’s transaction is Armenia’s most lucrative throughout the
post-Soviet years, Mr. Bagdasarov said, in his turn. Armenia still
has its 30 per cent stock, and no big decisions can be taken without
its consent, he emphasised.
Mikhail Bagdasarov described the deal as “not merely mutually
lucrative but necessary for unhampered progress of Armenian-Russian
economic contacts”.

Times Union, NY
March 24 2004
State court administration’s loss is Russia’s gain
Albany– Tireless Joseph Traficanti Jr., who oversaw operations in 57
counties, takes on challenge overseas

By MICHELE MORGAN BOLTON, Staff reports

Joseph Traficanti Jr. was known for his sterling character, keen
intellect and tireless enthusiasm in his 13 years as an Office of
Court Administration deputy administrative judge, his soon to be
ex-boss said Tuesday.
The 61-year-old Kingston resident oversaw court operations in 57
counties outside New York City, staffed by more than 3,000 judges and
6,000 court personnel, and always took on additional work cheerfully,
Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan Lippman said.

But now he’ll use those skills to help developing nations establish a
solid court structure, Lippman said. Traficanti announced his
departure for a career with the U.S. Agency for International
Development project in Russia — and the World Bank project in
Armenia.
“I really am leaving the best job in the world,” Traficanti said
Tuesday. “But if I’m ever going to do something different, it’s
time.”
Traficanti said he knows he will be leaving tangible proof of his
efforts behind.
The court-mandated drug treatment initiative he led now numbers 114
alternative-to-incarceration programs statewide, with another 71 in
various planning stages.
Sharp reductions in criminal and civil caseload backlogs, as well as
alternative dispute resolution initiatives across the state also made
a difference, he said: “This is a new mountain to climb. It’s
frightening and exciting.”
Albany County Judge Stephen W. Herrick called Traficanti’s departure
a great loss.
Herrick has run the county drug court since February 2002, a program
he also started in Albany City Court in 2000.
“I don’t know how anyone can replace him,” Herrick said. “He’s just a
wonderful human being.”
Court of Appeals Chief Judge Judith Kaye added: “I have no doubt that
his vast experience in court administration will be a great asset to
other nations in the fledgling stages of democracy and in modernizing
their judicial systems.”
Traficanti began his career as the town attorney of the town of
Rochester. He also served in the Ulster County district attorney’s
office and conducted a private practice.
He ascended to the bench in 1982 as Ulster County surrogate judge and
has served as acting state Supreme, County and Family Court justice.
He leaves for Russia in May.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
March 24, 2004 Wednesday 8:26 AM Eastern Time
Armenia ready to develop economic ties with neighbouring states
By Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
Armenia is ready to establish and develop economic relations with all
neighbouring countries without any preconditions, Prime Minister
Andranik Margaryan said.
In his meeting with EU Special Envoy to the South Caucasus Heikki
Talvitie on Wednesday, Margaryan said these relations would provide a
foundation for the peaceful settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenia’s membership in the Council of Europe and the compliance of
obligations before the CE will allow the country to hope that it will
be able to integrate into a European family, the Armenian prime
minister said.
In his view, the EU efforts to strengthen economic cooperation with
European countries and reforms in Armenia prove that these are real
goals.
Talvitie said the European Union was discussing a possibility of
involving the South Caucasus in Wider Europe/New Neighbours
Initiative. Ambassador Talvitie said he is hopeful that this process
would yield positive results. He is in Yerevan on a four-day visit as
part of an extended regional tour
In order to achieve this goal the EU envoy stressed that it would
necessary to develop regional cooperation, encourage economic
relations between the region and West European countries, and settle
the existing conflicts, in particular the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Talvitie said he is ready to help find a peaceful solution to the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
March 23, 2004 Tuesday
Group of illegal immigrants to be deported from Russian Far East
By Marina Shatilova
VLADIVOSTOK
Over 30 illegal immigrants, most of them citizens of the People’s
Republic of China will be deported from the Russian Far-Eastern
Maritime territory shortly as part of a special operation codenamed
Illegal Immigrant, press officials at the territorial administration
said.
The operation began a mere three days ago, and yet it has helped
expose hundreds of people who broke Russia’s immigration laws.
The press officials said inspections had embraced 120 enterprises
that hired foreign workers, as well as more than 1,200 foreigners
having jobs here.
In about 400, encroachments on the foreign citizens sojourn
regulations were exposed.
Another goal of the operation is to identift the foreigners who
illegally get jobs in the Maritime territory.
Sources at the interior department here say over 16,000 foreigners
were brought to responsibility for different offences last year
alone. Most of them were holders of Chinese, Azerbaijani and Armenian
passports.
Of that number, 120 people were detained for criminal offences and
700 more, for getting illegal jobs.