STATEMENT OF THE PUBLIC RADIO AND TELEVISION COUNCIL OF ARMENIA

armradio.am
26.07.2007 10:49

For months the Public Radio and Television Council and the Public
Radio Company have been negotiating with Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty and the Broadcasting Board of Governors to discuss and solve
a number of contractual, financial and technical issues.

The statement of the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty dated July 24
includes a number of crucial inconsistencies and does not reflect
the essence and spirit of discussions between the Public Radio and
Television Council, the Public Radio Company and the Broadcasting
Board of Governors.

Taking into consideration that the statement of the Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty does not correspond to reality, the Public Radio
and Television Council and the Public Radio Company have to come
forth with a statement to provide clarifications about the statement
of the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

At the given moment there is no agreement between the Public
Radio Company and the Broadcasting Board of Governors or Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty on providing broadcasting services. Nevertheless,
demonstrating good will, the Public Radio Company continued
broadcasting the programs provided by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
and presented monthly bills for these services.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty made payments until February 2007,
after which the payments stopped although the bills were presented
every month.

Currently the debt of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty makes about USD
86 thousand. To put it otherwise, the broadcasting of the programs
provided by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has been financed by the
Public Radio at the expense of the means allocated by RA state budget.

The Public Radio has not denied the suggestions of Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty to make payments, but has presented a number of
notes demanding to pay the outstanding debts.

Taking into account the common international experience of Public
Television and Radio Companies, on July 6, 2007 the Public Radio and
Television Council and the Public Radio Company decided to suspend
the rebroadcast of programs of foreign and local broadcasters on
Public Radio and Public Television. In particular, with its decision
of July 6 the Public Radio and Television Council has instructed
the Public Radio and the Public Television to inform all local and
foreign broadcasters that starting August 9 their programs will not
be broadcasted by the Public Radio and the Public Television.

Such notifications have been presented to three broadcasters
– Mir TV Company, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Tsaig TV
Company. Therefore, all three broadcasters have been properly informed
about the Council’ policy and have been advised to attain agreements
by August 9.

In response to this notification, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
requested to extend the term. The Public Radio Company again
demonstrated good will accepted agreed to the suggestion. Furthermore,
both the Public Radio and Television Council and the Public Radio
Company expressed willingness to assist the Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty and promote the negotiations between private Armenian radio
companies and the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to ensure its
continuous broadcasting in Armenia.

The statement of the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty correctly presents
the delegation of the Broadcasting Board of Governors visited Yerevan
to settle some minor technical issues. These were connected with
the issue of ensuring the broadcasting of the programs provided
by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty through the networks of private
radio companies.

Based on the discussions with the Broadcasting Board of Governors last
week, the Public Radio and Television Council has discussed the option
of broadcasting the programs of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty through
the Ar Radio Intercontinental. To make such broadcasting possible,
the Public Radio must reduce its broadcasting on FM network of Ar Radio
for these hours to be allocated to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

The Public Radio and Ar Radio reached a preliminary agreement on these
technical matters, and on July 24 a note was sent to the Director
of the Broadcasting Board of Governors Gary Thatcher informing him
about these developments.

Immediately after the message to Mr. Thatcher, on July 25 the
Broadcasting Board of Governors presented the draft service agreement
on broadcasting of the programs provided by the Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty through the Ar Radio Intercontinental. The parties were
in the stage of final negotiations on the project, when Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty dissemninated its statement.

The inconsistencies in the statement and the attempts of Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty to politicize the contractual-legal and financial
issues caused the regret of the Public Radio and Television Council.

The Public Radio and Television Council and the Public Radio
Company have been building and continue building their relations
with colleagues, including the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, in
compliance with RA Constitution and Laws, and have always ensured
the variety of opinions.

The efforts of the Public Radio and Television Council and the
Public Radio Company have been highly appreciated in the reports of
international observers, including those from the OSCE, that were
issued after observing the parliamentary elections in Armenian in
May 2007.

Public Radio and Television Council and the Public Radio Company
reconfirm their will to continue the cooperation with the International
Broadcasting Bureau and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty for the sake
of friendship between the Republic of Armenia and the United States
of America.