Author: Basmajian Ani

AMALYAN MUST BE APPOINTED BY NA

A1+
| 12:23:28 | 03-10-2005 | Social |

“Who should appoint members of independent committees? ” 220 readers
answered the question in our internet poll. The votes were distributed
the following way:

National Assembly – 52.7%

President and NA (50/50) – 16.4%

Undecided – 11.8%

President by NA’s proposal – 10.0%

NA by President’s proposal – 5.0%

RA President – 4.1%

This week the poll question of our site is “In you opinion, what line
should be a priority of the Armenian foreign policy? ” Before answering
to the question, you can read the materials about the theme in the
“Articles” section of our site.

Cyprus News Agency
Sept 30 2005

2100:CYPPRESS:16
Armenian candidate pledges to bring a breath of fresh air to the
House

Nicosia, Sep 29 (CNA) Candidate for the position of the Armenian
representative in the Cyprus House Antranig Ashdjian has pledged to
bring ”a breath of fresh air” to the way the minority is
represented in the House of Representatives.

Speaking at a press conference, Ashdjian said that the change in
mentality and the way of thinking of the representative of the
Armenians will come with the election of a young person who had
absolutely no involvement in the decision making process the last
years.

NEGOTIATIONS AMONG S. CAUCASUS AND EU POSTPONED FOR PROBLEMS OF AZERBAIJAN WITH ONE OF EU COUNTRIES

Noyan Tapan News Agency
Sept 29 2005

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “Today it’s a
very important moment in relations among the European Union and the
South Caucasian countries: a new instrument of cooperation is created
within the framework of the “New Neighborhood” policy,” Ambassador
Heiki Talvitie, the Special Representative of the European Union to the
South Caucasus stated at the September 29 press-conference in Yerevan.

According to him, Armenia fixed a progress in the issue of preparation
of the action program, and the EU considers that the RA is able to
prepare a good program within the framework of the “New Neighborhood”
policy.

At the same time, Ambassador Talvitie stated that negotiations among
the South Caucasian countries and the EU on action programs scheduled
for early September are postponed for problems Azerbaijan has with
one of the EU countries but the diplomat didn’t specifies with which
exactly. He expressed a hope that during a month this issue will be
regulated and all South Caucasusian countries will start negotiations
with the EU. And if they aren’t the EU will undertake a differentiated
approach towards South Caucasian countries.

Heiki Talvitie specially emphasized that the EU is for a balanced
approach towards all countries included in the “New Neighbors”
program. “We attempt to keep a balance in relations of the South
Caucasian countries as an existance of balance is a good guarantee
for development of relations with the EU and regional cooperation
for what the EU states unequivocally.”

As for conflicts in the region which are obstacle on the way of
regional cooperation, H.Talvitie expressed a hope that dynamics fixed
the negotiation process on peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict
will create good conditions for regional cooperation.

“The priority given to the South Caucasian countries in international
policy is very beneficial for those countries,” the Special
Representative of the European Union stated.

He appreciated the Armenian authorities’ efforts on reformation
of the acting Constitution. “The European society has attempted to
assure Armenia in necessity of reformation of Armenia by now. The
amendments go on in the right direction, and we support them,” Heiki
Talvitie stated.

POWERED BY RUSSIA
by Emil Danielyan

Transitions on Line, Czech Rep
Sept 29 2005

Russia tights its grip on Armenia’s energy sector by buying the
country’s national electricity grid. From EurasiaNet.

Russia has enhanced its already dominant role in Armenia’s energy
sector by buying the country’s electricity grid after years of
behind-the-scene maneuvering. The Armenian government gave the green
light recently to the formal takeover of the Electricity Networks
of Armenia (ENA) utility by a subsidiary of Unified Energy Systems
(UES), the state-controlled Russian power monopoly.

UES and other Russian energy firms already own or manage several
major power plants that account for as much as 80 percent of Armenia’s
electricity production. In addition, they are the sole suppliers of
the country’s main energy resources: natural gas and nuclear fuel.

The Armenian government’s decision followed a request submitted by
Midland Resources Holding, a British-registered company that privatized
the Armenian power utility three years ago. Under its contractual
obligations, Midland could not resell ENA to another foreign investor
without official consent. When the government announced its approval
of the sale on 23 September, Energy Minister Armen Movsisian suggested
that Yerevan was swayed by the Russian company’s pledge to assume
Midland’s commitments to make substantial capital investments in the
Soviet-era network.

“With this decision, the government legalized a deal between a buyer
and a seller that was effectively struck long ago,” commented the
Yerevan daily Hayots Ashkhar.

UES had been the de facto owner of ENA since June 2005, when it signed
a controversial “management contract” with Midland. The Russian giant,
acting through one of its offshore subsidiaries called Interenergo BV,
paid $73 million for the right to manage the utility and receive its
profits. Both the World Bank and the U.S. Agency for International
Development challenged the legality of the deal, arguing that the
Armenian government, suspiciously silent on the issue, had not been
officially notified of the agreement’s signature beforehand.

UES and Midland countered that they did not need a government
approval for their agreement because it fell short of a formal
acquisition. Still, the two companies eventually decided to formalize
ENA’s sale to the Russians and go through relevant legal procedures.

The move was welcomed by the World Bank and USAID. “I am pleased to
see that the rules are now being followed,” the head of the bank’s
Yerevan office, Roger Robinson, told reporters on 13 September.

However, critics of the President Robert Kocharian’s administration
remain concerned about the Russian takeover of ENA, saying that it
could render Armenia even more dependent on Russia, its main political
and military ally. They also fear that Moscow may now completely
monopolize Armenia’s energy sector and nullify the results of sweeping
reforms undertaken over the past decade. These measures allowed Armenia
to not only end the severe power shortages of the 1990s, but also to
develop an electricity surplus, enabling Armenia to export electricity
to neighboring Georgia and Iran. A key component of that reform effort
has been the structural separation of the facilities that generate,
transmit and distribute electricity.

In 2003, UES was granted ownership of several Armenian hydro-electric
plants and the nuclear power station at Metsamor in return for
repaying the latter’s $40 million debt to Russian nuclear fuel
suppliers. Armenia’s largest thermal power plant, located in the
central town of Hrazdan, was also handed over to Russia in 2002 as
a result of a similar debt-for-equity swap.

Movsisian insisted that this fact will have little bearing on ENA’s
operations. The energy sector, he argued, is tightly regulated by
Armenia’s Public Service Regulatory Commission (PSRC), a supposedly
independent body that sets utility tariffs. UES Deputy Chairman Andrei
Rappoport made a similar point in a 20 September interview with the
Russian news agency Regnum. “The fact is that the most important member
in this market is the commission on regulating public services,”
Rappoport said. “It regulates the state policy on setting tariffs
for each actor of the market, on issuing licenses on their activity,
confirming and coordinating contracts.”

Western donors seem to agree with this line of reasoning. “The very
important thing in a utility is the strength of the regulator,” said
the World Bank’s Robinson. “We have great confidence in the regulator
here in Armenia.”

Russia, however, faces growing competition in Armenia’s energy
market from the country’s southern neighbor, Iran. After months of
deliberations, the Armenian leadership has decided to accept Iran’s
proposal to complete the construction of another large thermal power
plant in Hrazdan. Officials say a state-run Iranian company will invest
$150 million in the plant. In exchange for finishing construction of
the plant, the facility’s electricity will be delivered to Iran, as
a payment-in-kind. The facility will be powered by Iranian natural
gas that will be pumped to Armenia through a pipeline currently
under construction.

Yerevan has reportedly faced strong pressure from Moscow to accept
an alternative proposal from UES and Russia’s GazProm gas monopoly
for completing the construction of this plant. Rappoport admitted
that there has been a “certain rivalry on this issue” between Moscow
and Tehran.

Further competition could come in the form of a $150 million
reconstruction of an old thermal power plant in Yerevan, financed by
the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. Armenian officials say
the electricity produced at the modernized facility will be twice
as cheap as that of the Russian-owned Hrazdan plant. Only time will
tell if this is enough of a competitive edge for the new owner of
the Armenian power grid.

EU Parlaiment News:

press_page/027-670-271-9-39-903-20050921IPR00563-2 8-09-2005-2005–true/default_en.htm

European Parliament postpones vote on protocol to Ankara Agreement

The Parliament postponed voting on approval of the protocol extending
Turkey’s association agreement with the EU to the ten new member
states. MEPs feared that the Turkish declaration that the protocol
does not mean any form of recognition of Cyprus would form part of the
ratification process in the Turkish parliament and thus gain legal
force. Nevertheless, in a political resolution voted afterwards,
Parliament noted that accession negotiations with Turkey can start on
3 October as foreseen.

At the request of the EPP-ED group, Parliament voted 311 votes in
favour, 285 against and 63 abstentions to postpone the vote on
Parliament’s approval of the protocol extending Turkey’s customs union
with the EU to all its new members, including Cyprus. The vote to
postpone has no legal consequences in terms of the starting date for
accession negotiations. Stumbling blocks were the Turkish declaration
that the signing of the protocol to the Ankara Agreement does not mean
any form of recognition of Cyprus and the Turkish refusal to admit
vessels and airplanes from Cyprus. A majority of MEPs first wanted
guarantees from the Turkish authorities that the declaration was not
going to be part of the ratification in the Turkish parliament,
fearing that it would then have legal implications.

Nevertheless, in a political resolution adopted afterwards by 356
votes in favour, 181 against and 125 abstentions, Parliament noted the
Commission’s and Council’s view that access negotiations with Turkey
can start on 3 October. But by the end of 2006, the Commission must
assess if Turkey has fully implemented the protocol. If not, this
could lead to halting the accession negotiations. During the
negotiations, which are open-ended and will not automatically lead to
Turkish EU membership, Turkey should be kept under permanent scrutiny
and pressure to ensure that it maintains “the pace of the necessary
reforms”.

Parliament also said it considered Turkish recognition of “the
Armenian genocide … to be a prerequisite for accession”.

MEPs deplore that the Annan plan for a settlement of the Cyprus
question has been rejected by the Greek Cypriot community and hopes
that Turkey will maintain its constructive attitude in finding an
equitable solution. Meanwhile, the Council should keep its promise and
reach an agreement on the financial aid and trade package for northern
Cyprus.

On other issues, MEPs voiced their concern about the criminal
proceedings against Turkish author Orhan Pamuk, about article 305 of
the penal code which criminalises “acts against the fundamental
national interest”, about the restrictions on foreign funding for
associations, and about the “Law on Foundations” concerning religious
communities.

Parliament wants each negotiation session at ministerial level to be
preceded by an assessment of the fulfilment of the political criteria,
both in theory and in practice, “thus exerting permanent pressure on
the Turkish authorities to maintain the pace of the necessary
reforms”. Also, a full programme of clear targets, timeframe and
deadlines should be fixed for the fulfilment of the political
criteria. The Commission and the Council should report annually to the
European Parliament and the national parliaments on the progress made
by Turkey in this respect. MEPs reiterate that the accession
negotiations are an open-ended process and will not automatically lead
to Turkey joining the EU, even if the objective is Turkish EU
membership. Finally, Parliament underlines that the EU’s capacity to
absorb Turkey is an important consideration as well, and needs to be
monitored by the Commission during the negotiations.

Debate on opening of accession negotiations with Turkey

Speaking on behalf of the Council, Britain’s Minister for Europe,
Douglas ALEXANDER said the strategic case for opening negotiations
with Turkey was convincing, but it was necessary to be scrupulous in
ensuring all the requirements were met before Turkey could join.

Turkey had met the two conditions laid down by the Council in
December, and its declaration stating that it had not recognised the
government of Cyprus had no legal effect. The negotiations would be
the most rigorous yet, and Turkey would not accede imminently. The
Turkey which would join would be a different Turkey, and the EU might
also be different by then too. Progress so far had been encouraging,
and the conditions for opening talks had been met, he said.

Enlargement Commissioner Oli REHN agreed that the formal conditions
set out by the Council for opening negotiations had been met. He also
stressed that the talks would be the most rigorous yet undertaken.
There were good signs – such as the Turkish government’s recognition
that there was a Kurdish issue and that the conference on the Armenian
question would finally go ahead – but also bad signs – such as the
uneven implementation of freedom of expression rights. “Both Europeans
and Turks should work to build a relationship based on mutual trust, ”
he said, pointing out that the common goal would be accession but that
by their very nature the talks were open as to the result they would
achieve.

Roger KNAPMAN (IND/DEM,UK) said that he opposed political union with
Turkey as much as he opposed it with France, Germany or Italy. “But
what of the euro-fanatics whose ardour suddenly cools when they reach
the Bosphorus? It is not hypocrisy, but fear, fear that public support
for the whole EU project will collapse if Turkish membership were
seriously pursued.” For this reason, he said, he was happy to see the
EU plough ahead with negotiations, destroying itself in the process.

Andrew DUFF (ALDE, UK) said “It is extraordinary that those who have
profited so much from EU integration in terms of prosperity, security
and liberal democracy should not refuse to extend these prizes to
Turkey.” He said the EU’s absorption capacity was a real issue, with
the need for a settlement of the constitution ahead of Turkish or
Croatian entry. He also argued that the Cyprus issue and instability
in the Balkans could not be resolved if the EU refuses membership to
Turkey, and called for a stepping up of trade relations with northern
Cyprus.

Roger HELMER (NI, UK) said there were powerful reasons in favour and
against Turkey’s accession to the EU. The key condition, he said,
should be “democratic accountability”, Mr Helmer felt that Turkey’s
accession would “dilute the influence” of his constituents in terms of
self-determination and he therefore opposed Turkish membership of the
EU. Mr Helmer welcomed the proposal from Angela Merkel on privileged
partnership for Turkey as it would incur fewer costs for Turkey. Mr
Helmer wished the option of privileged partnership could also be made
available to the United Kingdom.

Geoffrey Van ORDEN (EPP-ED, UK) stated that “last Christmas the
Council voted for Turkey”. The conditions laid out at that time had
been met and Turkey was therefore ready to start negotiations. Mr Van
Orden warned against the separatist dissidents still at large in
Turkey that risked undermining Turkish secularism and unity. He
stated that Turkey should be treated in the same way as all other
candidates for accession. Mr Van Orden stated that the Cyprus
question should be treated separately from the accession negotiations.
However, he recalled that the people of Northern Cyprus had voted in
favour of the Annan plan on reunification and that Greek Cyprus had
rejected. He said the EU had done little to support Northern Cyprus.
Mr Van Orden welcomed the imminent opening of negotiations and
recognised that the talks would last many years.

ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS EUROPEAN INTEGRATION EXPERIENCE OF FINLAND

Pan Armenian News
27.09.2005 06:57

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Chairman of the National Assembly of Armenia
Artur Baghdassaryan met with Finnish President Tarja Halonen being
in Yerevan on an official call, reported the Press Service of the
Armenian Parliament.

Matters of development of the Armenian-Finnish relations were
discussed during the meeting. The indicated remarked the importance
of strengthening political, economic, scientific and cultural ties
between the two countries.

Special attention was paid to promotion of interparliamentary
relations. It was also noted that an Armenian-Finnish friendship
group is formed in the Armenian Parliament. At the instance of
the guest A. Baghdassaryan presented the democratic reforms being
implemented in Armenia, as well as emphasized the importance of use
of Finland’s experience in the matter. The delegation headed by the
Finnish President also met with Vice-Speaker T. Torosyan, chairmen
of standing parliamentary commissions, heads of political factions.

A. Baghdassaryan said that he is sure that the visit of the delegation
will encourage development of bilateral relations. In his words,
pursuing a European integration policy, Armenia highlights study of
the Finnish experience. Appreciating the activities of the Armenian
Center founded in Finland, the Armenian Speaker expressed readiness to
assist the Center in acquiring new literature. The Finnish President
hoped that the Constitutional reforms in Armenia will be held in an
atmosphere of accord.

At the end of the meeting T. Halonen made a record in the book of
honorary guests.

ROBERT KOCHARYAN: CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS WILL GIVE ARMENIA A BALANCED AND MODERN CONSTITUTION

ARMINFO News Agency
September 22, 2005

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 22. ARMINFO. Constitutional reforms will give
Armenia a balanced and modern Constitution, Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan said at a solemn ceremony on the occasion of the Independence
Day of RA, on September 21.

He said that 14 years ago, the Armenian people made its historical
choice for construction of a free, democratic and prospering state.

Today, it must make the next step in this way to fix a serious
political progress and to strengthen the international rating and
authority of the country. Constitutional reforms will become the
best guarantee of irreversibility of reforms in the country, Robert
Kocharyan said.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, September 22, 2005

Contact: Talin Gregorian
Tel: (818) 500-1918

VILLARAIGOSA ANNOUNCES KEY APPOINTMENTS OF ARMENIAN AMERICANS TO HIS
ADMINISTRATION

Four Armenian American Community Members Named to Los Angeles Mayor’s
Administration

LOS ANGELES, CA – Newly elected Mayor of the City of Los Angeles
Antonio Villaraigosa this week announced appointments of Armenian
Americans to one of the city’s departments and various
commissions. The announcement of Maria Armoudian, Ara Bedrosian, Ed
Ebrahimian, and Raffi Ghazarian to the City of Los Angeles’
administration came during special remarks the Mayor delivered at the
2005 Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR)
Annual Banquet.

`There were a great deal of people wanting to be a part of my
administration because we said that it would be an administration that
would reflect every community in Los Angeles,’ said Mayor Villaraigosa
during his remarks.

Most notably, the Mayor appointed Ed Ebrahimian General Manager of the
Los Angeles Bureau of Street Lighting. Ebrahimian is the Mayor
Villaraigosa’s first appointment as a department head and is the first
Armenian American to head a department in the City of Los
Angeles. Prior to his appointment, Ebrahimian served as the Interim
Director of the department. As General Manager, he will be in charge
of the department which is responsible for providing over 5,000 miles
of street lighting, which includes over 240,000 street lights, within
the city. The Bureau of Street Lighting is one of six bureaus in the
Los Angeles City Department of Public Works and is responsible for the
design, construction, operation, maintenance, and repair of the city’s
street lighting system. Ebrahimian is a longtime member of the
Homenetmen Glendale `Ararat’ Chapter.

Maria Armoudian was appointed to the Los Angeles Commission of
Environmental Affairs. She is on the Board of Directors of KPFK radio
and its parent company Pacifica Foundation. Armoudian is the host and
producer of `Insighters,’ which airs Thursdays at 4:00 p.m. on
KPFK. She was an instrumental part of State Senator Richard Alarcon’s
staff, and remains an ANCA activist.

Ara Bedrosian, an ANCA-WR Board member and Chairman of the National
Organization of Republican Armenians (NORA) was appointed to the Los
Angeles Police Permits Review Commission. He is an attorney in a
private practice law firm in downtown Los Angeles.

Raffi Ghazarian, who is a member of the Armenian Youth Federation
(AYF) Camp Management Board, Homenetmen `Masis’ Chapter’s athletic
director, and a former longtime AYF member, was appointed to the Los
Angeles Children, Youth, and Their Families Commission.

Since taking office, Mayor Villaraigosa has honored his pledge to have
Los Angeles’ diverse ethnic communities represented in his
administration. Speaking in front of the over 600 attendees of the
ANCA-WR Annual Banquet, the Mayor emphasized that he made the first
appointments of Armenian Americans because they were the best
candidates for the chosen roles. Mayor Villaraigosa’s appointments are
subject to confirmation by the Los Angeles City Council.

The ANCA is the largest and most influential Armenian American
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United
States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA
actively advances the concerns of the Armenian-American community on a
broad range of issues.

Editor’s Note: Photo attached. Photo caption: Newly appointed General
Manager of the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Lighting, Ed Ebrahimian.

#####

National Assembly of RA, Armenia
Sept 23 2005

Armenian American Trade Ties Strengthened

On September 22 RA NA President Artur Baghdasaryan received Jack
Scott, Senator of California State in the USA, member of the
Republican Party and the members of RUK US Western Regional
Department.

Mr. Scott is in Armenia in order to open the California-Armenia
trade office. In 2001, as he presents, the Californian Senate passed
the resolution of opening trade office in Armenia. The senator is
well known with his activity in favor of the Armenians, the
Californian Senate also recognized the Armenian Genocide with his
assistance. During the meeting the senator expressed a hope for the
USA Congress to recognize the 1915 Armenian Genocide. By his
estimation, the Western Office can promote not only the development
of economic ties of mutual interest, but also the tourism.

NA President Artur Baghdasaryan expressed satisfaction on the
occasion of opening trade office with the California State of the US,
and expressed his assistance for the deepening of trade-economic
ties. Both sides highlighted the establishment of direct ties of
Californian State and the National Assembly. It was noted that the
issue of developing parliamentary ties was also discussed with the US
Congress Speaker Dennis Hastert.

Also other issues of mutual interest were discussed during the
meeting.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
09/22/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) Turkey Regrets EU’s ‘Injustice’
2) Constitutional Reforms More Important than Confrontation Says Rustamian
3) Armenia Marks Independence Day
4) California Trade Office to Open in Armenia

1) Turkey Regrets EU’s ‘Injustice’

(Combined Sources)–Turkey has described a European Union (EU) declaration
criticizing Ankara’s refusal to recognize Cyprus as unjust, one-sided, and
politically motivated.
The bitter words from foreign ministry spokesman Namik Tan come less than two
weeks before Turkey and the EU are due to begin talks on Turkish membership.
The EU declaration said that Turkey would have to recognize Cyprus before it
could join the EU–a process which analysts say may take 10 years or probably
much longer.
“We regret the publication of this counter-declaration. It has a style which
does not accord well with the traditional spirit of co-operation that has
existed between Turkey and the EU over a period of more than 40 years,”
Turkish
Foreign Ministry spokesman Tan said.
The European Union told Turkey on Wednesday it must eventually recognize EU
member Cyprus and said the bloc would review progress on this in 2006,
removing
an obstacle to opening accession talks with Ankara on October 3.
The statement, forged after days of haggling among the EU’s 25 members,
responded to Turkey’s refusal to recognize Cyprus, where it keeps some 35,000
troops since intervening in 1974.
“The agreement… paves the way for a smooth adoption of the negotiating
framework and thus the opening of the accession negotiations with Turkey,”
said
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn.
The EU must still agree the negotiating framework that will provide the
ground
rules for opening talks with the sprawling Muslim nation of 72 million, whose
potential entry has unnerved some leaders and many among the public in Europe.
It also calls on Turkey to open its ports and airports to Cypriot vessels and
planes, which Ankara has failed to do, even though it has extended its customs
union agreement with the EU to 10 new members, including Cyprus.
“If the accord is not implemented in the first six months of 2006, questions
will be asked from Turkey why it has not done so,” Cypriot Foreign Minister
George Iacovou told reporters in Nicosia.
He also called on the EU to keep promises to lift the economic blockade
against northern Cyprus and to provide financial aid to the region.
The declaration ignored the “rights and expectations of the Turkish Cypriot
people” Tan said, describing it as a “serious injustice.”
Turkish officials say the EU’s efforts to end the isolation of the Turkish
Cypriots have been blocked by Cyprus, a member of the EU since May 2004.
The EU declaration came in response to an earlier declaration by Turkey in
July, saying that its extension of a customs union with the EU to all new
member states did not imply recognition of Cyprus.
Since then, Turkey has continued to block Cypriot ships and aircraft from its
ports and airports.
Turkish newspapers on Thursday reflected a mood of frustration with the EU.
“The growing mood is such in Turkey that if the government were to announce
that it will suspend relations with the EU, the support it would get from the
public would soar,” foreign affairs commentator Semih Idiz wrote in the
English-language Turkish Daily News.

2) Constitutional Reforms More Important than Confrontation Says Rustamian

YEREVAN (RFE/RL-Yerkir)–Armen Rustamian, who heads Armenian parliament’s
foreign relations committee, warned that a rejection of proposed
constitutional
amendments at a referendum in November would lead the Council of Europe and
the
European Union to conclude that Armenians are unwilling to embrace “European
values,” putting the country “not only in an unpleasant, but also ridiculous
situation,” he said.
Failure to pass the amendments would be construed as a general failure,
Rustamian told a news conference. “It wouldn’t matter at all who is to blame
for that, the government or the opposition. For they [the Europeans] believe
that if this document is not adopted, Armenia won’t able to carry on with its
reform program.”
Rustamian also argued that Armenia’s controversial post-Soviet constitution,
widely criticized for giving disproportionate powers to the president of the
republic, is a serious obstacle to its democratization.
The Council of Europe, the EU as well as the United States similarly link
constitutional reform to the democratization of Armenia’s political system.
They say Kocharian’s constitutional draft does provide for a more effective
system of checks and balances.
But the Armenian opposition insists that the amendments would not
significantly curtail the sweeping presidential powers. The opposition views
the referendum also as an opportunity to make another attempt to topple the
ruling regime.
Rustamian, who heads the Armenian Revolutionary Federation for Armenia,
deplored the opposition stance, saying success of the referendum is necessary
for the entire country and not just its leadership.
Opinion polls suggest that winning sufficient popular backing for the
amendments will be an uphill task for the Administration. But Rustamian
said he
believes the authorities can convinced a majority of Armenians to vote for
them, indicating that ARF has already drawn up a relevant plan of action.
“When campaigning gets underway, the ARF will come up a comprehensive and
clear opinion on what it expects from that constitution, what its approaches
and tactic are,” said Rustamian.
Speaking about the recent passage of two Armenian Genocide resolutions in the
House International Relations Committee and the State Department’s reaction,
Rustamian said they enjoy the backing of many members of Congress and is
confident that the resolutions will likely pass in the House of
Representatives, despite White House resistance.
On a settlement to the Mountainous Karabagh conflict, he stressed that
Armenia’s leadership endorses a solution based on three principles: that
Mountainous Karabagh cannot be under the Azerbaijan’s rule; it should have a
common border with Armenia; and the security of the people of Karabagh must be
guaranteed.

3) Armenia Marks Independence Day

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–President Robert Kocharian said on Wednesday that
Armenia
is firmly on the path of sustainable development fourteen years after
declaring
independence from the Soviet Union, an anniversary marked as a public
holiday.
He was speaking at official ceremonies marking Armenia’s Independence Day. It
is devoted to a September 21, 1991 referendum in which the vast majority of
Armenians voted for secession from the Soviet Union. Kocharian and other
Armenian leaders paid traditional visits to Yerevan’s Yerablur military
cemetery as part of those ceremonies.
In his speech, Kocharian pointed to four consecutive years of double-digit
growth reported by his government, saying that was made possible by political
stability in the country. “Economic growth should directly affect the well
being of our citizens and we are determined to fully implement our poverty
reduction program,” he said. “Work and social security–this must be our
slogan
for the coming years.”
Kocharian’s optimism was echoed by parliament speaker Artur Baghdasarian.
“During these 14 years our people have seen a lot of hardship and
difficulties,” he said in an interview RFE/RL earlier in the day. “But
today we
can say that Armenia is an established state with all its shortcomings,
omissions, and successes. I think we are entering the period called ‘beyond
establishment.'”
“A lot has been done but there are also numerous unsolved problems,”
Baghdasarian added, singling out Armenia’s high unemployment rate.
Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Margarian said today’s Armenia is an
established state with a pronounced commitment to deeper economic reforms,
democratic transformation and international engagement.
“What remains is to make our state stronger, to ensure its security and
address the pressing problems of the people, to create conditions for
thousands
of Armenians who left the country to come back.”

4) California Trade Office to Open in Armenia

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–Visiting California State Senator Jack Scott
(D-Pasadena)
said that the Yerevan office of the California International Trade and
Investment Office would start operating on October 1.
Scott, who will be in Armenia until Saturday, said the opening of the office
in the Armenian capital was evidence of growing trade between Armenia and
California and would create favorable conditions for Armenian businessmen to
sell their products in California, home to a 500,000 strong Armenian
community.
Scott indicated that Armenia would in return, be able to import the latest
technology in such sectors as IT, biotechnology, and architecture.
Plans are to eventually expand the office to Ukraine, Georgia, and Russia.
“Californians and Armenians alike can move forward towards establishing
closer
business and trade relations with one another to benefit both peoples
equally,”
Scott said, adding that it took 4-5 years to have the California State
Legislature to pass a resolution to establish a Yerevan trade office.
Armenian-US trade is now about $60-70 million and the bulk of which falls on
California.
Armenian foreign minister Vartan Oskanian said the office will help raise
these figures substantially in the next few years.
The California International Trade office will be housed temporarily in the
premises of the Armenian Development Agency (ADA) until a separate building is
found.

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