Author: Basmajian Ani

YOUNG REPUBLICANS AND THE CHURCH FIGHT SECTS

Armenpress
Apr 10 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 10, ARMENPRESS: A priest of the Armenian Apostolic
Church urged today the government to take swift action to fight
back the growing influence of religious sects on Armenians saying
the revised constitution gives it right to restrict the activity of
those sects which jeopardize the country’s security.

The priest, Mkhitar Aloyan, was speaking at a roundtable discussion
organized together with the youth wing of the governing Republican
party to seek ways to fight back Jehovah’s Witnesses’ proselytizing.

The priest argued that the government should adopt stricter laws to
stop ‘the destructive activity ‘ of religious sects. He said the public
at large should be taught extensively about the danger of such sects,
which he said pose huge threats to both the state and family.

Karen Avakian from the youth wing of the party said the wing and
the youth organization of the Ararat Diocese of the Church have made
a joint declaration on concerted battle against sects. He said all
those who consider that they suffered from the sects could ask the
organizations for help.

He said the operation of sects must be open and transparent. He
said the increased number of suicides may have been triggered by
religious sects.

Azeri foreign minister, US secretary of state discuss Karabakh

Zerkalo, Baku
8 Apr 06

Excerpt from information department report by Azerbaijani newspaper
Zerkalo on 8 April headlined “‘Azerbaijan is a close US partner,’
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said during the meeting with Elmar
Mammadyarov”

“We would be very glad to see Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in
Washington. The expanding of cooperation between the USA and
Azerbaijan meet both sides’ interests,” US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice said at the meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov yesterday [7 April in Washington]. During a
three-hour meeting the sides discussed details of President Aliyev’s
forthcoming visit to the USA.

Rice said that Azerbaijan was one of the close US partners in the
South Caucasus. She noted that the USA and Azerbaijan had close
positions and highly assessed Azerbaijan’s steps to fight terrorism.

She also said that the USA wished a speedy and peaceful solution to
the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict because such a problem delays the
regional development as a whole. She noted that the year 2006 might be
a decisive year for the conflict’s resolution and that the USA was
ready to provide comprehensive assistance to the sides to tackle the
problem.

Mammadyaraov thanked Rice for a warm reception and told her that the
Azerbaijani authorities had intensified their efforts to resolve the
conflict. He said that Karabakh was an integral part of Azerbaijan and
called on Washington to take a more active part in the resolution of
this regional problem.

The interlocutors also discussed Iran’s nuclear programme. Mammadyarov
said that our country backed the idea of holding talks on the basis of
mutual understanding and offered a mediation role in these talks.

He said that Azerbaijan’s economic development was connected with
security of the country and the region as a whole. With this purpose,
Azerbaijan is ready to continue cooperation with the US
administration.

[Passage omitted: At his meetings with US congressmen, Mammadyarov
discussed regional situation, Caspian energy security, bilateral ties]

As part of the visit, Mammadyarov delivered a speech at the US
Heritage Foundation. He said that although certain forces did not want
speedy resolution of the Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijan still believes
that it is impossible to change existing state borders in the modern
world which does not accept expulsion of people from territories where
they have lived for centuries.

[Passage omitted: Mammadyarov also met OSCE Minsk Group’s US
co-chairman Steven Mann, Assistant Secretary of State for European and
Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried and Bush national security adviser
Steven Hadley]

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS General Newswire
April 6, 2006 Thursday 9:11 PM MSK

Armenia to sell 5th unit of Razdan thermoelectric power plant to
Gazprom for $249 Mln

Yerevan April 6

The Armenian government intends to sell the 5th power generating unit
of the Razdan thermoelectric power plant to compensate consumers for
higher gas prices, Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan told
reporters on Thursday.

The government has decided to sell the Razdan-5 power unit to the
Russian gas company Gazprom for $248.8 million, he said.

The agreement was reached two days ago.

Under the agreement, payment will be made in installments in three
years: $58.8 million in 2006, $70 million in 2007, and $120 million
in 2008, the Armenian government’s press service said in a statement.

The buyer will own part of the land on which the Razdan-5 complex
stands, while the other part will be given to it for permanent use
free of charge.

Gazprom will undertake completion of the construction of the Razdan-5
power-generating unit within two years.

A 140-megawatt turbo-gas unit will also be built, bringing Razdan-
5’s total capacity to 440 megawatt.

Gazprom is expected to invest an additional $140 million in Razdan-
5’s completion, the Movsisyan said.

In case Gazprom fails to meet the terms of the agreement, it will
face tough sanctions, he said.

Armenian politicians upbeat on ties with USA

Mediamax news agency
6 Apr 06

Yerevan, 6 April: Armenian politicians discussed prospects for the
development of Armenian-US relations at the National Press Club today.

The leader of the opposition Constitutional Right Union, Grant
Khachatryan, assessed positively the US role in the region, Mediamax
has reported.

He said that the struggle between the USA and the European Union for
influence on the South Caucasus was of great significance for the
development of democratic processes in the countries of the region.

Kiro Manoyan, a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation –
Dashnaktsutyun, said that “realities in our region” were the main
obstacle to the development of Armenian-US relations. Meanwhile, he
said that Armenia was the second country in the world for the volume
of the US aid per capita. Manoyan added that the USA was the only
country which provided the direct government aid to Nagornyy Karabakh
every year.

The leader of the Christian Democratic Party, Khosrov Arutyunyan,
wished that Armenian-US relations might strengthen Armenia’s role in
the South Caucasus. Meanwhile, he said: “Armenia should proceed from
its national interests, not jeopardizing its relations, especially
ties with Iran.” The leader of the National Democratic Party,
Shavarsh Kocharyan, said that the US administration was interested in
the development of relations with Armenia and the safeguarding of the
republic’s energy security. He did not rule out the construction of a
modern nuclear power plant in Armenia with the US support.

International session on fight against corruption starts in Armenia

Arminfo
6 Apr 06

Yerevan, 6 April: A two-day international conference to discuss the
fight against corruption and the establishment of the Armenian
national branch of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against
Corruption (GOPAC) started in the Armenian National Assembly today.

The speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, Artur Bagdasaryan, said
in an opening speech that Armenia’s accession to GOPAC was quite
complicated. However, Armenia’s membership of the organization will
facilitate a more efficient fight against corruption.

“Membership of GOPAC supposes a more active involvement of civil
society and political forces in the fight against corruption, which,
in turn, will help its quicker elimination,” Bagdasaryan said.

He said that corruption, shadow economy, bribery and the untransparent
work of state agencies are obstacles on the path of development of
democracy and the economy in Armenia.

[passage omitted: Bagdasaryan said everyone is equal before law; large
amounts of money returned to state budget as a result of criminal
cases]

RUSSIAN COMPANIES SET TO BUY ARMENIAN TELECOM MONOPOLY – PAPER

Aykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
5 Apr 06

Text of Vaagn Akopyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Aykakan Zhamanak
on 5 April headlined “Russians buy ArmenTel”

The owner of 90 per cent of ArmenTel’s shares, OTE (Greece), has
officially announced that it is considering the possibility of
selling its share in the company. You can find this report on OTE’s
website. Moreover, the report names the possible advisor in the deal
– HSBC.

Last time OTE spoke about selling its ArmenTel share was four
years ago. But four years ago ArmenTel was in conflict with the
Armenian government and was in financial difficulties despite being a
monopoly. The company negotiated with several Russian companies but
rejected their offers. Some sources say that at the time Russians
offered as much as 100m dollars, while OTE wanted 200m at least. So,
the negotiations failed, and it seemed OTE had given up the idea of
selling ArmenTel. But now it turns out that its plan was to revive
the company and sell it on better terms.

Sources close to the Armenian government say that this plan may
become a reality very shortly. The point is that a Russian company
is reported to have offered OTE 400m euros. Obviously, this deal is
politically motivated but it is also economically profitable. Last
year ArmenTel made a profit of 119.1m euros. Thus, it is worthwhile
paying 400m euros for the company. Among the potential buyers are
[Russia’s] Beeline and Megafone.

As far as the daily knows, OTE executives visited Armenia some 10
days ago to meet Armenian Transport and Communications Minister
Andranik Manukyan and to tell him, as a representative of the owner
of ArmenTel’s 10-per-cent share, about their plans to sell their
share. The law on joint-stock companies says that if the Armenian
government wants, it can buy the share itself. Manukyan reported
the news to Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan who called
a cabinet meeting and said that the possible sale of ArmenTel to a
Russian company was bad. In fact, ArmenTel is even more important
than the power grid. If it also goes to a Russian company, Russia
will get full control over Armenia’s economy. Markaryan said that the
deal could not be prevented, but in fact, this can be done. Simply,
if Armenia does so, it will have political problems with Russia.

Legally the deal can become a possibility only if Armenia gives its
written consent to it. If the government decides that the deal is
against Armenia’s interests, it can block the deal. But as you may
know well, this is impossible, for the incumbent Armenian authorities
will hardly dare to openly oppose Russia.

WHEN THE AUTHORITIES WILL BE PUNISHED FROM OUTSIDE?
Anna Israelian

Aravot
5 April 06

It became clear that the leader of “New Times” Aram Karapetian who
held an open-air meeting yesterday waits for it.

Aram Karapetian affirmed that they didn’t given the hall of sittings
of the government though they had turned twice; “They have refused
because it was taken. But according to my information it isn’t taken
today”. The participants of the meeting didn’t face to any obstacles,
the roads were open.

The leader of “New Times” promised at the beginning that he would
say things, which “haven’t been sounded before”. It was spoken of the
following; “Kocharian and Serge Sargsian have night consultations for
being able to get American money and give the occupied territories
of Karabakh back. These are aimed to only a thing not to allow 18
persons who have robed and stolen the country to be responsible
to the Armenian trial. This is their aim and not the NK conflict
settlement”. But he didn’t pronounce the names of those 18 persons.

A part of his speech was about not waiting for the parliamentary
elections in 2007; “Our year is 2006 because now in the outside
political field pressures will be made on the Armenian authority in
connection with both Karabakh conflict, gas price, Iran and other
subjective conditions”, – this was one of the reasons. “When foreign
political powers make pressure on them we must start acting inside”,-
Aram Karapetian declared.

Another reason for not waiting for the elections 2007; “What will be
changed in the country? Will the authority become more democratic? Or
will the elections be transparent, free and fair?” The leader
of “New Times” stressed that he was declaring officially” To all
opposition parties which have tried to get arranged for having a little
participation in the parliament in 2007, I say at once, you have got
arranged too early, you’ll be cheated anyway. Nobody will have any sit
there or will have mandates which don’t mean anything.” According to
him if the situation in Armenia isn’t changed till 2007 the elections
will be false and the authority will nominate each candidate who will
take part in the lection. They will draw as they like not taking into
consideration whether Armenia is prosperous or democratic.”

Mr. Karapetian is sure that he can do a lot of things because of
his Northern orientation. The outside political line is underlined
clearly. Future Armenia will be the closest ally of Russia. The
politician who has such orientation should make anti-Georgian summons;
‘Look what will happen in Georgia soon. I say absolutely for the
first time that today the state is under threat of destruction,
we’ll have a great disaster with the Armenian population in Georgia.”

Next meeting of the party will take place in front of Police building;
the reason is that the equipment hasn’t been given back to the party.

ARTUR BAGHDASARIAN: WE HAVE ALREADY EXHAUSTED POSSIBILITIES OF HOLDING ELECTIONS BY OUTLINED AND FALSIFIED SCENARIOS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 04 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, NOYAN TAPAN. A European expert group will pay a
visit to Armenia in the coming month for the purpose of working with
the Armenian parliamentarians on the draft amendments and additions
to the Electoral Code.

Extra-parliamentary and civil society representatives will be
also involved. RA National Assembly Speaker Artur Baghdasarian
informed Noyan Tapan correspondent about it. According to him, the
above-mentioned draft has been already sent to the CE Venice Commission
and to OSCE. It is rather large and envisages over 100 amendments
and additions. According to NA Speaker, they are serious changes
of both editorial and “political character.” He did not exclude the
draft’s revision and the possibility of accepting the reservations
of the groups and factions during the future discussions. “We have
already exhausted the possibilities of holding elections by outlined
and falsified scenarios,” NA Speaker emphasized.

SEVERAL LARGE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES TO BE ORGANIZED IN 2006 AT RA NA

Noyan Tapan
Apr 04 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Several large international conferences
will be organized this year at RA National Assembly. They will be
dedicated to issues of fighting terrorism, ban on chemical weapons,
cooperation between regions and towns, development of democratic
reforms. RA National Assembly Speaker Artur Baghdasarian informed about
it at the April 4 press conference mentioning that there are already
agreements, in particular, with the European Union and the U.S around
organizing them. The coming international conference will be held on
April 6-7. It is dedicated to problems of fighting corruption. As
NA Speaker mentioned, after the conference it is expected that
Armenia will join the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against
Corruption (GOPAC) authoritative international organization. A great
number of countries have joined this organization. The organization’s
Secretary General and representative delegations of more than 10
countries, including the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, Germany, Poland,
the Ukraine, Georgia, will take part in the conference. According
to Artur Baghdasarian, in case of joining GOPAC a good opportunity
will be created in Armenia for involving the political parties, the
civil society and mass media in fighting corruption and the latters
will be able to as actively as possible take part in the process of
public monitoring on using all credits and grants received by the
country. It was mentioned that at present Armenia is already a member
to another organization on fighting corruption, Group of States Against
Corruption (GRECO). However, in NA Speaker’s opinion, it is difficult
to overestimate the political significance of membership to GOPAC. As
NA Speaker affirmed, the formation of the respective structures on
fighting corruption only at the level of the executive power cannot
be very efficient and this regards not only Armenia. “We should
do our best for the law not to be powerless before arbitrariness,
especially in some cases and spheres we meet,” NA Speaker declared.

LEVON ARONIAN TAKES 3rd, ARMENIA 5th PLACE ON FIDE LIST

Noyan Tapan
Apr 03 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 3, NOYAN TAPAN. FIDE has publicized the rating list
of the strongest chess-players as of 2006 April 1. It is the first
time that 13th world champion Garry Kasparov (Russia) is not included
in the list as he has not performed in tournaments for more than a
year. World champion Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria) is the first on the
list with a personal rating of 2804 points. Vishvantan Anand (India,
2803) was left behind him only with 1 point. Representative of Armenia,
world cup-holder Levon Aronian has considerably improved his rating and
takes the 3rd honorary place among the strongest chess-players. Another
3 representatives of Armenia take places in the first hundred of
the strongest chess-players. Vladimir Hakobian is the 16th (2706),
Karen Asrian the 61st (2646), Smbat Lputian 94th (2619). One more
Armenian chess-player, representative of Slovakia Sergei Movsisian
is also among the hundred strongest chess-players. Judit Polgar
(Hungary) is at the top of the list of strongest women chess-players
with a large advantage. She takes part only in men’s tournaments. Her
individual rating is 2711 points. New world champion Xu Yuhua (China)
is only in the 5th place (2517). Two representatives of Armenia,
Lilit Mkrtchian and Elina Danielian, take the 21st and 38th places,
respectively. Mkrtchian’s rating is 2453, Danielian’s 2422. At the same
time FIDE publicized the average ratings of 10 strongest chess-players
from different countries. The first five is the following: Russia
(average rating 2716), Ukraine (2663), USA (2625), France (2623),
Armenia (2616). Armenia preserves its place among the strongest.