WB to provide over $200 million to Armenia in 2004-2007

PanArmenian News
Sept 23 2004

WB TO PROVIDE OVER $200 MILLION TO ARMENIA IN 2004-2007

23.09.2004 17:25

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Within the next four years the World Bank’s policy
in Armenia will be directed to the realization of programs in social,
public health and educational fields, head of the WB Yerevan Office
Roger Robinson stated. In his words, the WB activities in Armenia for
2004-2007 may be assessed $200-220 million. The WB representative
also noted that the WB Factor Monitoring Administration highly
estimated both the work of the Yerevan Office and the efficiency of
the programs, which are being carried out in Armenia. To note, since
1992 the World Bank has rendered to Armenia credits totaling in
$820.8 million.

Sept 23 2004

Speaker of Armenian Parliament and Special Envoy of OSCE Chairman
discuss issues of settlement of Karabakh problem

Presentation of a Media Law Manual held in Yerevan

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SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT AND SPECIAL ENVOY OF OSCE CHAIRMAN
DISCUSS ISSUES OF SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH PROBLEM

YEREVAN, September 23. /ARKA/. Speaker of the Armenian Parliament
Arthur Baghdasaryan and Special Envoy of current OSCE Chairman Filipp
Dimitrov discussed the issues related to the settlement of Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. As Armenian Parliament Public and Press Relations
Department told ARKA, during the meeting Dimitrov mentioned that OSCE
considers this issue truly complex and difficult to solve, at the
same time he expressed a hope that the sides will be able reach
success in the negotiations. In his turn, Speaker stressed that
Armenia always favored the peaceful settlement of the conflict thru
political negotiations. He considers the public opinions in the
conflict party states important, mentioning the necessity of contacts
between representatives of various social strata around this issue.
As it is mentioned in the press release, the sides stressing the
importance of regular meetings between Armenian and Azerbaijani
Presidents, also mentioned the necessity of development of
inter-parliamentary contacts. T.M. -0–

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PRESENTATION OF A MEDIA LAW MANUAL HELD IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, September 23. /ARKA/. Presentation of a Media Law Manual was
held today in Yerevan. The Media Law Manual was developed and
published within the framework Armenian representative Office of
American Bar Association Central European and Eurasian Law Institute
(ABA/CEELI), OSCE and Media Law Institute (MLI). According to Karen
Kendrick, ABA/CEELI Country Director for Armenia, the project that
was initiated a year ago, consists of three stages. Two first stages,
as she mentioned, included developing and publication of the manual.
The third stage, in her words, will include 8 week training courses
attended by 15 media lawyers protecting journalists and mass media.
After this, the lawyers attended the courses will teach their
colleagues and finally there will be held a big group of specialists
that will be able protecting rights and freedoms of mass media and
journalists as per international standards. In parallel to this, as
Kendrick said there will be held education courses for 15
journalists, after which the joint education courses for journalists
and lawyers will start. In her words, the manual will be distributed
to journalists, lawyers as well as juridical faculties of
universities and offices providing free of charge legal support.
In his turn Head of OSCE Yerevan Office Vladimir Pryakhin said that
the program implemented is targeted at establishing of a strong
democratic society and stimulation of a freedom of expression and
press in Armenia. He added that his office considers freedom of
information and the processes stimulating it of great significance.
`It can be stated without exaggeration that freedom of information is
guarantor of the society freedom’, Pryakhin mentioned. In his words,
OSCE Yerevan Office supports the Armenian authorities and the civil
society in Armenia in stimulation of freedom of information in the
country. Also, as he said, his organization provides expertly support
to eth Armenian Parliament in processes of developing laws aimed at
stimulation of the dialogue among mass media and the authorities and
the society. He added that OSCE Yerevan Office to apply all efforts
for securing professional protection of journalists and freedom of
expression.
The Medial Law Manual consists of eight chapters that, among other
topics legal regulation of mass media; freedom of expression and the
right to privacy and its legal guarantees, journalistic ethics. The
Manual contains sections on Armenian and international media law
theories and regulations. It also includes exercises on each topic,
giving readers the opportunity to practice applying and interpreting
the theories and regulations first-hand.
ABA/CEELI is a public service project of eth American Bar Association
that advances the rule of law by supporting the law reforms process
in Central and Eastern Europe and new democracies of the former USSR.
In the frames of the program these states are provided with the US
and European expertly and technical assistance. CEELI is functioning
in Armenia since 1996. T.M. -0–