Author: Badalian Vardan

Sun 14 11 2004 20:17:24 PM

Artist Interviewed:: KASABIAN

I’m sitting in a mangy tour-bus with Karloff from Kasabian, guerilla
rock group rising in fame from their top 20 hit, Club Foot and support
from XFM. Whatever. What I am struck by is how the guys are into easy
reads in a big way, with at least three television magazines scattered
about the bus, as well as the Sun, and some Mr. Men books. Maybe I
need my priorities straightening out. Maybe this wasn’t what I was
expecting from young, anarchistic guerilla rockers. Where’s Young
Socialist? These are boys described by NME as `Edgy, euphoric and
electrifying.’

Kasabian came to fame in May when their song Club Foot became a
surprise top 20 hit, and more success followed when their album was
released in September. Kasabian had a top summer, playing at
Glastonbury and Summer Sonny in Japan, and are invading Great Britain.

Twenty minutes ago Kasabian were playing in their home town, Leister
at the Summer Sundae event to a large, openly enthusiastic audience,
not to mention a few besotted female fans. But while the other members
of the band are enjoying a beer in the sunshine, Chris Karloff has
kindly agreed to give me a few minutes for questions before they all
head-out to perform at Reading.

First of all, I ask Karloff about the unusual name for the group. The
group’s name was actually taken from Linda Kasabian, the star witness
who put Charles Manson in jail, but as Karloff tells me, it also has
“the significant meaning of `butcher’ in Armenian.” Their website,
which suits their music, is built out of a self-confessed `obsession
with guerilla shit’.

So how was the set?

My electrics blew up in stage in the first stage ‘cos my synth blew
up… But it’s good to come back at home. Generally it’s better to
play later, which would have been better. But it was good fun, I saw
people really getting into it.

Do you have a favourite track?

I love all of them, I do like Club Foot, because I like playing the
bass. I do also like Reason is Treason. It’s cool and good exercise
for my wrist.

Who’s the most famous person you’ve met ?

It would have to be Roger Daltry and Pete Townsend. It was unreal, we
were going to walk off and Roger Daltry carried on speaking to us. You
know – normal bloke after everything he’s done. And he’s done a lot.

Who’ve you been influenced by musically?

Everything from Jimi Hendrix to the Beatles to the Stones to Bob Dylan
– to name the obvious ones, to Pink Floyd pretty things, to film
scores: John Williams, Bernard Herman… loads and loads of stuff.

How do you come up with the music?

Me and Serge mainly. We just sit around on the computer and get
something down, a loop, a riff, whatever and add things on from
there. It’s just like a snowball.

So what’s with all the T.V. magazines?

We really like T.V.! Don’t get a chance to watch much of it though.

Final Life message:

Don’t be a miserable bastard, anybody do what you got to do, don’t
bottle it in. Cos you will regret it

And don’t listen to other people unless you know you can value their
opinions.

May the power of revolution stay with you, Kasabian.

CENN — NOVEMBER 16, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. “Investigative Journalists” Still Have a Chance to Win The Suit
Against Yerevan Municipality
2. IMF to Release Another $13 Million to Armenia
3. School is Built in Maralik on Assets of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
4. Alternative Energy in Armenia
5. Unlimited Electricity for Tbilisi
6. Awkwardly Successful
7. Water Supply Improves in Gegharkunik
8. SCADA System to be Installed by the End of November
9. Foreign Investments to Amount to $260-280 Million in Armenia This
Year
10. Experts fear Armenian Chernobyl

1. “INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS” STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN THE SUIT
AGAINST YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY

Source: Yerevan Press Club Weekly Newsletter, October 29 – November 4,
2004

On October 29, 2004 the RA Court of Cassation secured the suit of
“Investigative Journalists” NGO versus the municipality of Yerevan. On
September 23, 2004 the organization challenged with the supreme
jurisdiction body of the country the ruling of the RA Court of Appeals
of September 16, 2004, that had left the decision of the court of
primary jurisdiction of Center and Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan of
June 21 unchanged. As it has been reported, the courts of primary and
secondary jurisdiction did not secure the demand of the plaintiff to the
Yerevan administration to provide it with documents necessary for
journalistic investigation: the resolutions of the municipality of
1997-2003 on the constructions in the public green zone around the
National Opera and Ballet Theater (see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter,
September 17-23, 2004).

The Court of Cassation ruled to send the case back to the consideration
of the Court of Appeals with a new composition. Thus, the Investigative
Journalists” along with the public at large now have a chance to finally
get an answer to the question: what were the legal grounds behind the
boost in construction of entertaining institutions in one of most
beautiful and once the greenest spots of Yerevan?

2. IMF TO RELEASE ANOTHER $13 MILLION TO ARMENIA

Source: ArmenPress, November 4, 2004

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) office in Yerevan stated that the
Fund’s Executive Board is going to approve in early December the release
of $13 million to Armenian Central Bank as the last tranche of an $87
million credit, which is part of the Poverty Reduction and Growth
Facility (PRGF) Program.

The IMF Resident Representative James McHugh told a news conference the
money would arrive in Armenia in a couple of days after the Executive
Board approves the release. McHugh said the Armenian government and the
Fund are working now on prospects for implementation of new joint
projects, expressing also hopes that the relevant talks will start in
2005 January or February. He said it was so far difficult to define the
direction of new projects, but added that they would most likely apply
to tax reforms and administration improvement.

3. SCHOOL IS BUILT IN MARALIK ON ASSETS OF HAYASTAN ALL-ARMENIAN FUND

Source: ARKA, November 4, 2004

Hayastan All-Armenian Fund put into commission a school in Maralik
(Armenia). According to the Press Service of the Fund, the
schoolchildren previously studied in temporary buildings for 15 years,
as the school was completely ruined as a result of the earthquake.

The construction of the new school, which started in 2002, was carried
out with the assistance of Jan Pogosyan, Belgian sponsor of Armenian
origin. `Thus, the last school in Shirak Marz which was located in a
temporary building will be functioning in a modern, well-built and
comfortable building’, states the press release.

The school is designed for 964 schoolchildren. The construction of the
heat supply system will be completed by the end of the year.

4. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY IN ARMENIA

Source: Yerevan Times (Armenia), November 12, 2004

Since the 1990s, Armenia has been grappling with how to resolve its
energy shortages. Nuclear power delivers about 35 percent of Armenia’s
energy needs, but a government study several years ago determined that
it might be possible to develop alternative sources of energy to replace
nuclear as early as 2004.

If sufficient alternative sources were developed, then the nuclear power
plant could be shut down, according to an official who was the spokesman
for Armenia’s President Robert Kocharian at the time.

People sometimes hear what they want to hear, however, and so the
scuttlebutt for years was that Armenia had made a promise to
decommission its Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant by this year. They did,
sort of. The catch, of course, was that sufficient alternative sources
had to be available, first. The year 2004 is almost over, but those
alternative sources have not been developed – at least not to the extent
necessary to serve as an alternative to nuclear power. Some progress is
being made, however, especially with wind and solar-generated projects.

WIND

Renewable energy is cleaner than the traditional sources such as nuclear
and thermal power. Solar and wind power do have an impact upon our
environment, but they don’t pollute the atmosphere – unless one
considers the pollution that is emitted when the solar panels or wind
turbines are manufactured.

Armenia doesn’t have a wind stream that is comparable to the Gulf Stream
that exists in the US, but there is nevertheless some wind potential.
Armenia is a mountainous country, and strong winds frequently develop on
mountain ridges or on the saddles of mountain passes. Some of these
local wind currents are legendary.

At present, the economically viable capacity for wind energy is
approximately equal to that of nuclear, about 500 MW, but wind energy
development in Armenia is in its infancy. Still, wind energy is a strong
contingency plan for Armenia. Testing is ongoing, but if wind power
proves to be feasible, then Armenia could add wind-generated electricity
to its power sources.

Start-up costs for establishing wind, as an alternative energy source
would be insignificant compared to the cost of building a new nuclear
power plant. Building a wind farm with a 10-megawatt capacity could cost
$10 million to build, and another $1 million in legal fees. A new
nuclear power plant might easily cost $1 billion. Plus, storing the
radioactive waste – it cannot be `disposed’ of – is an expensive and
risky business.

Start-up costs are only part of the equation, however. In order to be
economically feasible, a site must have consistent annual wind speeds of
roughly 8 meters per second. After the infrastructure is built, the
price of wind power depends on the wind speed at the site. At 6 meters
per second, it cannot compete with nuclear, coal or gas. But an annual
wind speed of 8 meters per second beats coal, and starts to compete with
gas and nuclear energy. At 9 meters per second wind beats them all. At
this wind velocity, wind turbines can generate electricity for as little
as three cents per kilowatt-hour, which is quite inexpensive.

But whereas nuclear energy might continue to be a major contributor to
Armenia’s energy needs, wind might contribute no more than five percent
of the country’s electricity. Wind is therefore just one important
alternative among a portfolio of energy sources.

SOLAR

Energy from the sun is more affordable than wind power for individual
residences when the power does not get added to the country’s electric
grid. This is because the photo voltaic cells needed for solar power are
far too costly to be used for the national electrical grid but they are
more economical in areas that the electric grid doesn’t reach.

Artak Hambarian, the director of a solar energy project in Yerevan,
estimates that it could take a business 20 or 30 years to earn enough
savings in energy costs to pay for its investment in solar panels that
are used to create electricity.

Solar is especially economical for heating water, however. This is where
solar power beats wind power. Solar energy generation capacity in
Armenia is currently around 650 MW, but estimates for future capacity
are as high as 3,500 MW. Unfortunately, says Hambarian, `this could take
decades to achieve.’ Hambarian is the Director of the Engineering
Research Center (ERC) at the American University of Armenia (AUA).

Hambarian says it could take $10 billion to convert all of Armenia’s
energy generation capacity to solar – assuming that anyone wanted to do
that. `In the future it could all be solar,’ he says. `But it would be
too expensive.’

Limited practical applications of solar energy have proven
cost-effective for AUA, however. This University is supplied with hot
water and with heating and cooling by a project that its academic
engineers from ERC are working on.

A solar photovoltaic system, also installed on the roof, provides
electricity to a solar driven electric system that makes the University
building independent from the electric grid and which serves to back-up
the University internet servers.

WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM ALTERNATIVE ENERGY?

The thermal, nuclear and hydro facilities that Armenia inherited from
the Soviet Union generate so much electricity that Armenia has been able
to sell some of it to the Republic of Georgia. How might the cost of
wind or solar energy compare with the cost of the existing nuclear
energy program in Armenia? Could electricity generated by wind or solar
be sold commercially, at a profit?

It’s difficult to compare the profitability of wind and nuclear
generated energy in Armenia, because the nuclear energy that the country
generates and sells is from a plant that was already here when the
country gained independence. Wind-generated power would include start-up
expenses that nuclear didn’t have.

What this means is that wind might not be exploitable today, but that it
might become a better bargain when, or if, Armenia scraps nuclear power.

Over time, wind and solar productions may attract more and more donor
support from the government and from others.

Wind power generates about 13,000 megawatts of electricity worldwide,
with much of the increases of the past few years attributable to new
installations in Germany and Spain. At the current rate of new
construction, wind may surpass nuclear energy in total world capacity in
just a few years.

THE STONE GARDEN GUIDE TO ARMENIA, WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY TWO
INSIDERS

The photographers and authors of this story – Robert Kurkjian and
Matthew Karanian – have traveled extensively in Armenia and have just
released a new book about the region.

The travel guide highlights conservation efforts in Armenia, including
efforts at adopting renewable energy technologies, among its 304 pages.
The guidebook is unique among Armenian-subject guidebooks for its
beautiful color photography, its 25 color maps, and for the insider
perspective of its authors.

`The Stone Garden Guide: Armenia and Karabagh’ is available by mail
order from booksellers such as Amazon.com for $24.95. It is available in
Yerevan from Artbridge Cafe on Abovian Street. More information about
the book is available from

5. UNLIMITED ELECTRICITY FOR TBILISI

Source: The Messenger, Novemebr 15, 2004

Deputy Minister of Energy Aleksandar Khetaguri stated at a press
conference on Friday November 12, 2004 that Tbilisi will receive
electricity without limitations, and that the ministry will take all
measures to continue importing electricity from Russia and Armenia.

Meanwhile, Director General of TELASI Dangiras Mikolayunas applied to
the National Energy Regulation Commission (GNERC) to return the license
to import electricity from Armenia that was stripped from TELASI two
weeks ago. Mikolayunas told GNERC at a meeting on Friday November 12,
2004 that they should study a letter from Energy Ombudsman David
Ebrelidze to the General Prosecutor’s Office, which blames TELASI of
concluding an “unfavorable” agreement with Armenia.

Mikolyunas said the Commission must decide whether to give the license
to TELASI or not after studying this letter.

6. AWKWARDLY SUCCESSFUL

Source: Transitions Online, Czech Republic, November 15, 2004

The government beats its own poverty-reduction target eight years ahead
of schedule. From Eurasianet.

YEREVAN, Armenia–A recent economic survey in Armenia showing a
significant decline in the number of citizens living in poverty has
placed President Robert Kocharian’s administration in a somewhat awkward
position. While Kocharian has been eager to show Armenians that living
standards are improving, the report’s findings could complicate the
Armenian government’s efforts to secure international aid for
poverty-reduction programs.

The annual survey of household incomes by the National Statistical
Service contained a full range of startling statistics. Among the most
surprising: The percentage of Armenians living below the poverty line
fell from 50 percent in 2002 to 42.9 percent in 2003. Similarly, the
number of poorest Armenians–those who earn less than 7,742 drams (about
$15) per month–also took a surprising plunge, from 13.1 percent of the
population in 2002 to 7.4 percent in 2003. At the same time, the survey
indicated that the country’s income gap between rich and poor narrowed
slightly.

The statistics reveals that the poverty reduction rate in Armenia far
exceeds the projections that the government outlined in its Poverty
Reduction Strategic Paper (PRSP) released earlier this year. In one
example in the PRSP, officials estimated that that it would take until
2012 before the “very poor” could be reduced to less than 8 percent of
the population. The NSS figures show that this benchmark has been
surpassed a full eight years ahead of the government’s schedule.

Given the NSS findings, questions are already being raised about the
accuracy and potential effectiveness of the government’s anti-poverty
blueprint. While officials have been happy to tout the reduction in
poverty, one government minister has already disputed the NSS findings.
Vardan Khachatrian, the finance and economy minister, told reporters
that the results were difficult to trust and too optimistic.

Some economic experts share Khachatrian’s doubts. “I cannot see the
reasons that could bring about such a drastic change in the percentage
of the population made up by the very poor,” said Ruben Yeganian, a
researcher at Yerevan’s Institute of Economic Problems. The decrease was
particularly improbable for 2003, when Armenia’s inflation rate soared
in response to an increase in foreign grain prices, Yeganian asserted.
That year, bread prices increased by 31 percent between January and
December, causing an overall 8.6 percent increase in the consumer price
index, compared with a 2-percent rise the previous year.

A report published on 18 October by the International Crisis Group (ICG)
echoes Yeganian’s assessment. Its study, entitled “Armenia: Instability
Ahead,” states that while the market reforms of the 1990s may mean
Armenia is now enjoying a relative boom, relatively few Armenians have
seen a vast improvement in living standards. “The benefits of economic
recovery are not equally shared,” the report found. “There is little
sign of poverty decreasing.”

Contradicting the NSS, the ICG report cited statistics that show 55
percent of the population lives in poverty, with wealth concentrated in
Yerevan and in “circles close to the government.” Meanwhile, the exodus
of educated, well-trained workers–one of the main obstacles to an
Armenian economic comeback–continues. Favored labor markets include
Russia, Central Europe, Ukraine, and Turkey, where potential salaries
are higher than the $78 average monthly salary to be had in Armenia.

The poverty issue has figured prominently in the ongoing power struggle
between Kocharian and opposition political parties. In an attempt to
outflank his critics, Kocharian unveiled a 12-year plan for fighting
poverty in June. Yeganian speculated that the government might have cast
doubt on the NSS findings in order to prevent a decrease in foreign aid
programs. An additional factor feeding official concerns, Yeganian
suggested, is the decrease in value of the U.S. dollar against the
Armenian dram over the last year. As a result, the incomes of Armenians,
when denominated in dollars, appear to have increased.

The Armenian government counts heavily on international aid to promote
economic stabilization efforts, including anti-poverty programs. Armenia
hopes to receive $100 million for various economic development schemes
in 2004 from the U.S. Millennium Challenge Account program, aid monies
that are contingent on the country’s record for democratic reform and
human rights. Also in support of Kocharian’s agenda, the World Bank has
pledged to deliver $250 million by November 2004 for work on rural
schools, infrastructure and irrigation systems.

Some representatives of the NSS themselves have admitted to being caught
off guard by the survey’s results. Hovik Hohannisian, head of Food
Security Statistics, raised questions about the criteria used to
determine who is “very poor,” saying that the food basket used to
determine purchasing power was actually more like a “bread basket.”

Meanwhile, one of the country’s main creditors, the World Bank, said it
saw no reason to doubt the NSS data, the Bank’s Yerevan spokesperson,
Vigen Sargsian, told Eurasianet. Aside from the World Bank, the NSS’s
data is routinely cited by international organizations, including the
International Monetary Fund. The NSS also receives advice from
representatives of the European Union and the U.S. Agency for
International Development.

7. WATER SUPPLY IMPROVES IN GEGHARKUNIK

Source: ArmenPress, November 15, 2004

An 8.5 km long drinking water pipeline with a capacity of supplying 25
liters of water per second was inaugurated today in Armenia’s biggest
rural settlement, Vardenik in the province of Gegharkunik. The
construction cost was $88,000. The Armenian Social Investments Fund
released the bulk of money and the community raised ten percent.

According to community head Manuk Manukian, future plans include lying
of 53 km long inner pipeline and taking water to residents of newly
built boroughs of the village that has 10,000 population.

In a related development the inner drinking water network of another
village in the province, Norakert, was repaired as part of Poverty
Reduction Program. The repair budget, some $11,5000, was funded the
government of Great Britain.

8. SCADA SYSTEM TO BE INSTALLED BY THE END OF NOVEMBER

Source: ArmenPress, November 15, 2004

Armenian-Russian HayRusGazArd Company said today it would accomplish the
installation of SCADA system by the end of November. According to the
company’s deputy chief manager Ashot Hovsepian, the SCADA equipment cost
is $400,000, which does not include the cost of its installation and
putting into operation.

The SCADA system will allow collecting of updated information from all
main pipelines supplying natural gas to Armenia across Georgia. The work
for its installation began in 2003 October as part of TACIS assistance
to Armenia. The system will allow the company to maintain reliable
communication to ensure the safety operation of the pipeline and
decrease losses. The system will be the first one among former Soviet
republics.

9. FOREIGN INVESTMENTS TO AMOUNT TO $260-280 MILLION IN ARMENIA THIS
YEAR

Source: Azg/arm, November 16, 2004

Recently, the UNDP and RA Trade and Economic Development Ministry
represented World’s Investments Report 2004 at Armenian Development
Agency. Touching upon the report, Liz Grande, the UN representative,
informed that it is already the third year that the foreign investments
have decreased in the entire world, amounting to $560 billion. Moreover,
the biggest decrease is fixed in the EU countries and the North America,
amounting to $110 billion. While in Armenia, as well as in the region as
a whole, the investments have increased in the same period.

Tigran Davtian, RA Trade and Economic Deputy Minister, emphasized that
the growth of the foreign investments in Armenia is taking place on the
background of the decrease of the world’s investments. In the first half
of this year the foreign investments have increased by about 40 % and
they will amount to $260-280 million as it was envisaged for the end of
the year. Deputy Minister stated that a number of large investment
programs would be carried out in November-December of this year. He also
reminded that last year the investments made in Armenia amounted to $230
million.

Afterwards, they informed that the investments’ structure has been
changed. At present they have increased in the real sector of the
economy, in the light industry, mine industry, construction and in other
fields, too. The biggest investments in Armenia are made by Greece,
Argentina, the US and France. The local investments have increased as
well.

Tigran Davtian didn’t want to compare the investments made in Armenia
and Azerbaijan, saying that in Azerbaijan the investments are made in
one sphere only. As for Georgia, after the political changes the
interest of the foreign investors to this country has increased. The
deputy minister welcomed this phenomenon, saying for the most of the
foreign investors Armenia is considered a small market and that would be
beneficial to offer them the Georgian market as well. While the
activization of Armenian-Georgian economic relations inspire with hope
that in future it will be possible to establish an Armenian-Georgian
regional market, Tigran Davtian stated.

10. EXPERTS FEAR ARMENIAN CHERNOBYL

Source: The Times/UK, November 16, 2004

The Metsamor atomic plant looms menacingly behind Eduard Kenyasyan as he
offers a slice of homegrown watermelon on the end of his knife. `Nuclear
melon?’ He asks with a mischievous grin. After living next to this
Chernobyl-era power plant on a seismic fault in southern Armenia for 30
years, he is used to the threat of nuclear disaster. `If anything
happens, it will affect the whole country, not just me,’ he says,
shrugging.

The rest of Europe has not taken such a relaxed approach. The European
Union has lobbied hard for the plant, just ten miles from the border
with Turkey, to close this year. It says that the pressurized
water-reactor, based on first generation Soviet technology, may not
withstand another serious earthquake. Alexis Louber, the EU’s
representative in Armenia, caused an uproar recently when he said that
keeping the plant open was the same as `flying around a potential
nuclear bomb’.

Metsamor was built in the 1970s and shut down after a big earthquake in
1988, which killed at least 25,000 people in northern Armenia and hit
5.0 on the Richter scale around Metsamor. Yet the Armenian Government
reopened the plant’s second unit in 1995 because of severe power
shortages and now says that it can continue working until 2016 – and
possibly 2031.

The resulting dispute pits growing Western concerns over obsolete Soviet
nuclear facilities against Armenia’s determination to preserve its
independence and energy security. The EU has campaigned for the closure
of dozens of atomic plants in the former Soviet Union since Chernobyl,
and its concerns have intensified since expanding to Russia’s borders.

Although Metsamor uses different – and safer – technology from that at
Chernobyl, it lacks secondary containment facilities to prevent
radioactive leakage in the event of an accident, European experts say.

In addition, nuclear fuel has to be flown to Yerevan from Russia and
then driven along a bumpy road to Metsamor once a year, because
Armenia’s border with Turkey is closed.

Jacques Vantomme, the EU’s acting Ambassador to Georgia and Armenia,
said: `if there is an earthquake tomorrow, would it create a nuclear
disaster? I don’t know – it depends on the size of the earthquake.’

`The EU’s policy is that we want the closure of the plant at the
earliest possible date. This type of nuclear plant is not built to EU
standards and upgrading it cannot be done at a reasonable cost.’

The EU has offered ÷£70 million in financial aid to shut the plant and
develop alternative energy sources, but Vartan Oksanyan, the Armenian
Foreign Minister, described that as `peanuts’. Metsamor not only
provides 40 per cent of Armenia’s energy, it also sells excess power to
neighboring Georgia. Decommissioning the plant alone could cost more
than ÷£270 million, according to local experts. With no oil and gas, and
scant wind and water resources, Armenia has few alternative energy
sources.

The mostly Christian nation is also reluctant to rely on imported energy
because of its history of hostility with its Islamic neighbors.

`Armenia knows this plant has to go,’ Mr. Oksanyan said, but let’s make
sure we have the capacity to replace it before we close it down.’

Power shortages between 1989 and 1995 have left deep scars on the
country. Almost all Armenians can recall sleeping in multiple layers of
clothing or waking to use their one-hour of power each day.

Armenia’s forests were devastated by people cutting wood for fuel. Gagik
Markosyan, the head of the Metsamor plant, said: `I saw the energy
crisis myself. We can’t talk about closing the plant down overnight.’

He said that more than ÷£27 million had been spent on improving safety
since the plant reopened. British experts have been training staff there
for the past three years.

The second unit, opened in 1980, was originally designed to work until
2010, but as it was shut for six years, it could now work until 2016.
Tests by Russian experts on similar reactors show that Metsamor could,
in theory, operate until 2031.

`As an engineer, I would not exclude that,” Mr. Markosyan said. For
him, as for most Armenians, a new nuclear plant is the only viable
alternative. The EU is reluctant to foot the bill, however, arguing that
Armenia, without the Soviet Union, would never have borne the hidden
costs of development and decommissioning.

`We need the plant,” Mr Kenyasyan says. `Like it or not, we can’t live
without it.’

—
*******************************************
CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)

Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:

Armenian leader downbeat on trilateral South Caucasus cooperation

Mediamax news agency
15 Nov 04

YEREVAN

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said in Yerevan today that Armenia
was not objecting to a cooperation initiative between the Baltic
states and the South Caucasus on the three-plus-three formula,
“although he has serious doubts about the efficiency of this format”.

Robert Kocharyan said this today, replying to a question from a
Mediamax correspondent at a joint press conference with Estonian
President Arnold Ruutel, who is on an official visit to Armenia.

Kocharyan recalled that Lithuania made the cooperation initiative
between the Baltic and South Caucasus countries on the
three-plus-three formula three years ago. “Armenia’s reaction at that
time was positive despite the fact that we considered and continue to
consider bilateral cooperation to be more promising,” Kocharyan said.

The Armenian president said that the major goal of the Lithuanian
initiative was to show the advantage of Baltic regional cooperation,
which so far has been difficult to implement in the South Caucasus
because of the existing conflicts and other problems, our agency
reports.

“We do not reject cooperation in this format, but we do not think that
one should expect special results from this,” Robert Kocharyan summed
up.

NKR PRESIDENT LEFT FOR USA

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
12 Nov 04

On November 11 the president of the Republic of Nagorni Karabakh left
for the United States of America. He will participate in the November
25 telethon to be held in the USA to raise money for the construction
of the road “North – South” which has a strategic role for NKR. Within
the framework of the preparation works for the telethon the president
will meet with the representatives of the business, political, public
and religious circles of the Armenian community of the USA.

AA. 12-11-2004

Russia’s Gazprom Plans to Switch Attention From Iran to Armenia, Georgia

MOSNEWS, Russia
Nov 12 2004

MosNews

Russia’s natural gas monopoly has cancelled plans to take part in a
tender to construct facilities at the Iranian South Pars field, the
Itar-Tass news agency reports. The agency quoted Sergey Kuznets, an
official from Gazprom’s legal department, as saying that the company
“held preliminary talks and looked at the project’s economics and
decided not to send a binding application to take part in the tender”.

However, Kuznets said that Gazprom was interested in Armenian energy
projects. Gazprom is looking at the possibility of taking part in
the construction of a gas pipeline from Iran to Armenia and in the
privatization of Georgian pipelines linking Russia and Armenia.

Kuznets said that if privatization conditions in Georgia suit Gazprom,
the company will consider participation in the privatization of a
main gas pipeline and gas distribution organization as promising. For
Gazprom “this is important as these gas pipelines link Russia to
Armenia”.

ARMENIA TREE PROJECT
65 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472 USA
(617) 926-TREE (8733)

PRESS RELEASE
November 10, 2004

ATP Participates in International Forum on Farming and Agribusiness in
Armenia

YEREVAN–Hundreds of Armenian farmers and agribusiness owners joined
experts from 27 countries late last month for an international
conference on ways of boosting Armenia’s vital agriculture sector.

The three-day forum organized by the Ministry of Agriculture was
attended by senior Armenian officials and representatives of Western
donor agencies and other international institutions. The latter pledged
continued assistance to the sector, which generates at least 20 percent
of the Armenia’s Gross Domestic Product and employs approximately 40
percent of the labor force.

The October 28-30 conference, which was attended by more than 500
participants, included a report by representatives of the Armenia
Tree Project (ATP) titled “Community Driven Conservation Development:
Lessons Learned From the Armenia Tree Project.”

The paper was presented by Karla M. Wesley, PhD, on behalf of
ATP and co-authored by ATP staff members Mher Sadoyan and Anahit
Gharibyan. During the presentation, Dr. Wesley, an affiliated
researcher at the University of California at Davis, explored the
“community development lessons” learned from Armenians in nearly 500
locations throughout the country who planted over 530,000 trees with
ATP between 1994-2004.

Discussing its founding in 1994, she explained that ATP was created
to address the ecological and social importance of reforesting the
country. “The primary goal of ATP continues to be the assistance of
the Armenian people in using trees to improve their standard of living
and protect the global environment. As an extension of these projects,
ATP also aims to promote self-sufficiency, aiding primarily those
with the fewest resources first, and conserve Armenia’s indigenous
ecosystem,” she stated.

“ATP began an innovative program to establish social contracts
with individual communities through mayors and institutions,” she
continued. To be eligible, ATP sites must meet three key criteria: good
irrigation, sufficient soil quality, and a highly motivated resident
population. “This paper focuses on the significant importance of the
last criteria: resident motivation, or what experts in the development
field call ‘community buy-in,'” explained Dr. Wesley.

During her presentation, Dr. Wesley explained the method of coppicing,
in which ATP staff rejuvenate declining forests by cutting tree
stumps with intact root systems to select the strongest shoot for
successful rejuvenation. “Since 1999, these coppicing projects have
gradually grown from three hectares a year to 210 hectares in 2004,”
she emphasized.

Dr. Wesley also noted that ATP operates one-hectare nurseries in the
refugee-villages of Karin and Khachpar, employing 29 workers there
and producing a total of 50,000 seedlings each year. She also pointed
out that a six-hectare nursery was established this year in Vanadzor,
which is already growing 400,000 trees for mountain reforestation.

Finally, Dr. Wesley described ATP’s sustainable mountain development
program, which addresses the growing concern about Armenia’s
forest loss and addresses the severe socio-economic needs of rural
communities. Located in one of the poorest regions of Armenia,
the Getik River Valley north of Lake Sevan was chosen by ATP for a
model project, and 17 families in Aygut chose to participate in ATP’s
innovative backyard nursery project.

“Central to this reforestation project’s success has been its use
of social contracts to establish rules of interaction that encourage
self-determination and autonomy in communities traumatized by war and
severe poverty,” she stated. “But the greatest lesson to be learned
may be the willingness of the Armenian people to care about their
environment. Common beliefs that Armenians are not interested in
environmental issues have been disproven by the ATP experience.”

“By developing long-term relationships and providing Armenian
citizens with the necessary skills and tools, ATP helps Armenians
restore native tree species critical for Caucasian biodiversity while
reclaiming self-sufficiency for their families and communities,”
concluded Dr. Wesley.

After the presentation, ATP Deputy Country Director Mher Sadoyan
responded to questions from the audience. A number of international
forestry experts were in attendance, including Lara Peterson
and DeAndra Beck of the US Forest Service International Program
in Washington, and Zvi Herman, director of the Israeli Ministry
of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Center for International
Agricultural Development.

Mr. Herman responded quite positively to the presentation, and
he was especially delighted when he learned that one of ATP’s
nursery directors received training in Israel, and that Israeli
irrigation systems were being utilized at ATP’s nurseries. Ms. Beck
and Ms. Peterson were also enthusiastic about the presentation,
especially after having toured ATP’s Karin Nursery earlier in the week.

For additional information about the First International AgroForum
in Armenia, visit For information about Armenia
Tree Project and its programs, visit

PHOTO CAPTION (ATP at AgroForum.jpg): Karla M. Wesley (right) and
ATP Deputy Country Director Mher Sadoyan at the First International
AgroForum in Armenia

Azeri Pres urges to refrain from agitation arnd Armenian MPs visit
by By Sevinc Abdullayeva, Viktor Shulman

ITAR-TASS News Agency
November 9, 2004 Tuesday

MASALLY, Azerbaijan, November 9 — President Ilham Aliyev of
Azerbaijan has urged officials and public representatives to refrain
from agitation around a visit to the country by a group of MPs who
will take part in a Rose Road meeting of NATO parliamentary assembly,
scheduled for November 26.

“Azerbaijan cannot isolate itself from the world and the processing
happening abroad, and if we renounce such events [NATO parliamentary
meeting – Itar-Tass], we’ll only play into Armenia’s hands,” he said.

Aliyev recalled that Azerbaijan did not allow Armenian servicemen to
take part in the NATO-led field exercise Cooperative Best Effort’2004,
and the move produced a mixed reaction at various international
organizations.

“We firmly defended our position then, and I personally decided
Armenian army people won’t come to Baku because they belong to an
occupation army,” Aliyev said.

NATO took an eleventh-hour decision then to cancel the exercise
altogether due to Baku’s refusal to let the Armenians in.

Azerbaijani government will never make concessions on issues vital
for the nation, Aliyev said, adding however that Azerbaijan will
scarcely make any gains if it cancels such important events as the
NATO parliamentary meeting just because Armenian MPs take part in it.

Armenia strengthens control over radioactive material export-import

Bellona, UK
Nov 8 2004

This decision followed the smuggling attempt of cesium-137 in
October.

The Armenian government approved the licensing order of the radioactive
materials, RIA-Novosti reported. The new order should prevent illegal
shipment of the materials and equipment containing radioactive
materials and protect the population from the hazardous irradiation.

In October Armenian authorities had arrested a man found with
radioactive cesium-137 in the trunk of his car. The highly toxic
material, which could contaminate large areas if used in a “dirty
bomb”, was found on Friday and “rendered harmless”, Ashot Martirosian,
chief of the State Atomic Oversight department, said to AP. Yerevan
resident Gagik Tovmasian was arrested on charges of illegal trade
in radioactive materials, Mr Martirosian said. It was unclear how
the man obtained the material but there were various sources in
Armenia, a small former Soviet republic in the Caucasus Mountains,
Mr Martirosian said. Various industries use cesium-137 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.

In February, Mr Martirosian said a powerful source of radiation was
found on the Armenian-Iranian border among scrap metal headed for Iran,
AP reported.

Georgian president announces new US military training programme

Georgian State Television Channel 1, Tbilisi
4 Nov 04

President Mikheil Saakashvili has announced a major new US-funded
training programme for Georgian troops. Speaking at a joint briefing
in Tbilisi on 4 November with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer, Saakashvili said that the programme would focus on
peacekeeping operations and involve double the number of Georgian
troops trained by US instructors so far. He also said that Georgia was
“getting closer to NATO” but stressed his willingness to work closely
with Russia on security issues. He refused to speculate on a possible
date for NATO membership, just saying that it would happen “much
quicker than many people expect”. De Hoop Scheffer said that Georgia
would have to travel “a difficult and long and winding road” to NATO
membership. The following is the text of the briefing, broadcast live
by Georgian TV; subheadings have been inserted editorially:

Presenter NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer arrived in
Tbilisi a few hours ago. He and President Saakashvili have begun a
joint briefing at the State Chancellery, which we now bring you live.

New US military training programme

Saakashvili, broadcast begins in mid-sentence The approval of the NATO
programme IPAP, Individual Partnership Action Plan happened much
earlier than we expected and I think this was recognition by NATO of
the progress Georgia has made in reforms and development in recent
months.

You know that Georgia is actively participating in the antiterrorist
coalition. We are taking part in peacekeeping operations. Our soldiers
are in Kosovo, we have a contingent in Afghanistan and we are
increasing the number of our people in Iraq.

We believe that not only are we making use of international security
but we are also contributing to it.

At the same time, precisely because we are involved in peacekeeping
operations, the USA has announced a major new training programme for
Georgians to be involved in peacekeeping operations. This programme,
in terms of the number of people involved, is double what Georgia has
had so far.

On the day before his re-election President Bush wrote a letter to
Georgia, and in the coming months the main nucleus of our army will be
finally formed with the help of American instructors and drawing on
the best international experience.

At the same time, we of course want to work with all our neighbours,
especially Russia. We have many proposals for working with Russia in
the security sphere. I should say we are very open in this respect.

We do not intend to allow the establishment of new foreign bases in
Georgia. We intend to set up international cooperation mechanisms
which provide for a reformed Georgian army, together with large-scale
integration into the Euro-Atlantic area, being the main element of
stability in the region.

Switches to English Again, I would like to welcome the
secretary-general here. I think we are bringing, getting closer to
NATO. Switches back to Georgian We are truly getting closer to
NATO. Do not ask when, whether in one, two or three years, because you
will certainly not get an answer to this question. It would be
inappropriate. But it will be much quicker than many people expect.
And it is possible I will still be in office when this happens.

“Long and winding road” to NATO membership

De Hoop Scheffer, in English Thank you. It gives me great pleasure to
be here. The president made one mistake: We have met four times,
because the president forgot Davos where we met for the first
time. But, I guess we – all jokes apart – it’s a great pleasure to be
here in Georgia, to be back in Georgia, I can say, for the first time
in my new capacity as NATO Secretary-General.

As you know, the NATO summit in Istanbul at the end of June decided to
focus on the Caucasus and Central Asia. In the meantime, I have
nominated a special representative for the Caucasus and Central
Asia. You see him there, against the wall, it’s Mr Bob Simmons whom
you will see frequently in the region. And, on top of that, there will
also be a liaison officer who will first come to Tbilisi.

The president has already mentioned the very important Individual
Partnership Action Plan, the IPAP document which was accepted by the
NATO Council ten days ago. That marks, again, a very important moment
in the relationship between Georgia and NATO. And, as I discussed with
the president, it will now be a question of doing homework, as we say
in school, and seeing that everything which is in the IPAP will so be
implemented. And then NATO can assist Georgia in this respect, NATO
will assist Georgia.

NATO is, of course, ladies and gentlemen, very much sure of and
respects the territorial integrity of Georgia. NATO sincerely hopes
that solutions will be found for the problems, the political problems
in Georgia affecting this territorial integrity. NATO values and
respects Georgia’s participation in different peacekeeping operations,
as the president has already mentioned. And NATO follows, of course,
with great interest – and this is also in the IPAP – the fundamental
defence restructuring Georgia has entered into.

I am a realist and I am an optimist. I’m a realist because I know that
– if we discuss Georgia’s NATO membership – this will be a difficult
and long and winding road. But I am optimistic as well because I see
an enormous drive in Georgia, with the government and with the
Georgian people, to fulfil the ambitions Georgia has vis-a-vis
Euro-Atlantic integration. This is exactly what the heads of state and
government of NATO said in the communique in Istanbul at the end of
June.

So, it was a great pleasure to speak to the president. I know how
committed he is to the other vital elements of the North Atlantic
alliance since its birth, and that is human values, human rights, and
respect for democracy. Because, let me make it very clear, I’ve not
come here and NATO hasn’t come here to compete with any other country
or to compete with any other organization. I’ve come here because NATO
has an open door for any nation, including Georgia, who wants to share
and defend those same values which have always been at the core of
NATO. So, I end by saying: Let’s get to work on the IPAP. Thank you
very much.

President Bush’s re-election

Question, in English Natia Goksadze, Mze TV company. First of all,
thank you Mr Scheffer, you gave an exclusive interview to us
yesterday.

My first question to our president: How would you congratulate Mr
George Bush on his victory?

Saakashvili, in English I am going to call President Bush tonight and
congratulate him personally, but I have to underline that for us this
victory was important. He is a man of great principles and of great
understanding of complicated issues in our region and a personality
without whom fight against terrorism in this part of the world would
have hardly been possible.

Georgia has agreed to dramatically increase our presence in Iraq, to
take part in the UN protection mission. This is our contribution to
the fight initiated by President Bush against international terrorism
and against infiltration of all kinds of illegal activities in our
region. And I believe that President Bush, with respect to Georgia and
with respect to many other countries in this region, has very reliable
coalition partners. Certainly, these coalition partners, we are
rejoiced to see the re-election of the US president because we have
always found him also to be a very good partner and a very
understanding man, and very sophisticated one on the issues of the
region. That’s my response.

Relations with Russia

Question, in English TV company Rustavi-2. Mr Secretary-General, Mr
President, Georgia has now its IPAP programme with NATO and this
programme includes the normalization of relations with Russia. How can
NATO assist Georgia to make Russia, push Russia to fulfil its
agreements? I mean the agreements in Istanbul from 1999, I mean make
Russia withdraw its military bases from Georgia.

De Hoop Scheffer, in English There can be no doubt that Russia has to
fulfill fully the commitments Russia entered into in 1999 in
Istanbul. NATO has a good relationship with the Russian Federation,
and the Russian Federation is very well informed about the NATO
position as I am stating it now. And, of course short break in
reception I very much hope that in the talks between the Russian
Federation and Georgia a solution will be found for these bases and
for these problems but, let’s say, the fundamental opinion cannot be
any other than that Russia has to fulfill the Istanbul commitments.

Saakashvili, in English That’s exactly the case where our position has
not changed. I mean we are firm. switches to Georgian It is quite
clear that all the treaties that have been concluded have to be
fulfilled by Russia and Georgia. We are ready to make very many
compromises with Russia but not a single compromise will be to the
detriment of Georgian territorial integrity, Georgian independence and
freedom of choice for the Georgian people, the population of Georgia,
all its ethnic groups. If someone has hopes that some kind of pressure
will make Georgia change its fundamental course, these hopes will not
be realized. But, at the same time, our fundamental course envisages
good relations with Russia as well.

No specific timescale for accession to NATO

Question, in English Giorgi Kepuladze, TV company Imedi. I have two
questions, two small questions to Mr Secretary-General. If Georgia
successfully fulfils IPAP, will we get MAP Membership Action Plan ,
for example, to 2006, the next NATO summit as heard ? One more
question –

Unidentified person, in English Unfortunately we don’t have time for
more questions.

De Hoop Scheffer, in English OK, let me just say that I entirely agree
with what the president has just said. I’m not going to give dates. By
the way, I don’t know there will be a NATO summit in 2006. I’m not
going to give dates because dates will, let’s say, deviate our
attention from what should be done now, make IPAP into a success. And
I talked about Georgia’s ambition and I know there is a tremendous
ambition and drive in the government and in society to make it work,
and NATO will assist and will help to make it work.

Unidentified person, in English Mr Scheffer, there is one more
question from the BBC, just the last question.

Question, in English Secretary-General, very briefly, can you just
reflect a little bit on what you hope to get out from your trip to the
Caucasus in general?

De Hoop Scheffer, in English First of all, as I said, bringing into
practice what the heads of state and government of NATO decided in
Istanbul. That means a focus on the region. And now in Georgia,
focusing on Georgia’s ambitions, focusing on IPAP, focusing on the
reforms in Georgia, defence restructuring. I mentioned them in other
answers. I’ll go to Armenia and Azerbaijan as well in the coming days,
tomorrow in fact, to see where they are in their relationship with
NATO, where they want to be in their relationship with NATO. Do not
forget every sovereign country is of course fully sovereign in
deciding itself where it wants to go vis-a-vis NATO. Some countries
have more ambition than others. I want to focus on this region, like
two weeks ago I was in Central Asia, because these regions
matter. These regions matter, they are of strategic importance, so
Georgia matters to NATO.

And on 9 December we’ll have a ministerial meeting of the EAPC, the
Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, and you can see my trip, of course,
also as a preparation for this ministerial meeting in Brussels.

Armenian presidential aide critical of Georgian “rose revolution”

Iravunk, Yerevan
2 Nov 04

Text of Lyuba Arutyunyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Iravunk on 2
November headlined “Isagulyan does not like the ‘rose revolution'”

“The domestic political situation and the situation in the Caucasus as
a whole today is creating a new reality,” the president’s advisor on
national security, Garnik Isagulyan, said at the Azdak club on
Saturday [30 October].

He also said: “It must be said that today changes in the major
processes in the Caucasus are conditioned by the ‘rose revolution’
that took place in Georgia recently, after which they started speaking
about a new reality and new developments in the region and in the
whole world. Everybody got an impression that the developments would
go only in the positive direction and there will be no new
problems. But life has showed that today in the Caucasus the ‘rose
revolution’ created not a different situation but new regional
conflicts. People’s expectations did not come true. From this point of
view it may be said that at present the political situation can change
very quickly.”

It should be noted that the Armenian president’s advisor Garnik
Isagulyan’s viewpoint on the “rose revolution” in Georgia differs from
that of [Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan, which he had an
opportunity to express in Tbilisi recently. This is surprising,
although this is not the first time when someone from the president’s
entourage did not agree with him.