UK FIRM OFFICIALLY GIVES ARMENIAN POWER GRID TO RUSSIAN COMPANY
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan,
27 Sep 06
The [British] Midland Resources Holding Ltd has officially handed the
management of the Electricity Networks of Armenia to Russia’s Inter
RAO UES [Unified Energy Systems of Russia].
Russia’s Inter RAO UES manages more than 20 facilities in Europe and
Asia. The company promises to overhaul the Electricity Networks of
Armenia with new methods and investment programmes.
COUNCIL OF EUROPE NEVER FORGETS ITS DEMANDS
A1+
[08:15 pm] 28 September, 2006
"Though the role of the parliament has significantly increased due
to the constitutional amendments, there is a threat that the next
parliament will be made up from oligarchs," says Stepan Demirchyan,
leader of "Justice" faction and adds that the representatives of the
PACE monitoring group share his concern in this respect.
During the meeting with the journalists the representatives of
"Justice" bloc said that they approve of proportional election
system as, "majoritarian elections are a source of bribe taking in
our country."
The deputies of the bloc repeated the same words they used to
say for many years, "We assume that there is no alternative for
Euro-integration. But it mustn’t have imitational essence. Democracy
must be driven from the interests of our people and our state. In
fact, we face a regress in the country," say the representatives of
the Opposition.
In Grigor Haroutyunyan’s words, they have informed the PACE
representatives once more that freedom of expression and principle of
diversity are violated in Armenia. "The authorities mainly ignore the
demand of CoE, thus ignoring the demand to return A1+ again to air."
The representatives of the PACE monitoring group have also met with
other factions today and naturally the general picture presented by
them quite different.
Reminder: the PACE representatives are to present their report in 2007.
SQUARE OF FRANCE TO OPEN IN YEREVAN CENTER SEPTEMBER 30
PanARMENIAN.Net
26.09.2006 16:12 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ September 20 two Presidents R. Kocharian and
J. Chirac will open the Square of France in the center of Yerevan,
while in the evening an open concert of famous French singer of
Armenian origin Charles Aznavour will take place in the Republic
Square, Armenian President’s Advisor Vigen Sargsyan stated at a news
conference in Yerevan. "Our great compatriot presents this concert
to the Armenian people as a sign of love and respect. Famous French
composer of Armenian origin Michael Legrand will arrive in Armenia
along with Aznavour. Jean-Claude Brialy will be the host of the
concert," he said.
At that the Advisor underscored that the French President’s visit to
Armenia is a state one, which provides for highest level of relations
between the two countries.
ACBA BANK RENAMED TO ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOL BANK
Panorama.am
16:45 26/09/06
Tigran Sargsyan, chairman of Central Bank and Stepan Grishyan,
executive director for ACBA Bank, congratulated the public in a press
conference today saying Credit Agricole has bought 28% of ACBA Bank’s
shares becoming the leading shareholder in the bank.
ACBA Bank has changed its name to ACBA-Credit Agricol Bank.
"Today we have not one but two transnational corporations which is
important for the banking system of the republic," Sargsyan said saying
HSBC had a monopoly position until now causing troubles in the market.
After the first investment the own capital of the bank has made up
10 billion Armenian drams.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: TURKEY: JOURNALIST TARGETED YET AGAIN
Amnesty International USA
Sept 26 2006
Public Statement
AI Index: EUR 44/017/2006 (Public)
News Service No: 252
26 September 2006
Amnesty International is dismayed at today’s news that yet another
case has been opened against journalist Hrant Dink on charges of
"denigrating Turkishness" under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal
Code. The organization considers that this prosecution is part of an
emerging pattern of harassment against the journalist exercising his
right to freedom of expression — a right which Turkey, as a State
Party to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights
and Fundamental Freedoms and the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, has a legal obligation to uphold.
The latest charge against Hrant Dink was brought following a statement
he made to Reuters news agency, in which he reportedly said of
massacres of Armenians during the Ottoman Empire, "Of course I’m
saying it’s a genocide, because its consequences show it to be true
and label it so. We see that people who had lived on this soil for
4000 years were exterminated by these events." Amnesty International
is particularly concerned at this latest prosecution, the third
against Hrant Dink on charges under Article 301, because it seems to
constitute a pattern of judicial harassment against the writer for
peacefully expressing his dissenting opinion. Furthermore, he has
already been given a six-month suspended prison sentence following
an October 2005 conviction on charges of "denigrating Turkishness"
(upheld by the Court of Appeal in July 2006), and therefore if found
guilty again on the same charge would be imprisoned. Should he be,
Amnesty International would consider him a prisoner of conscience.
Amnesty International considers this latest prosecution to be
particularly disappointing following the welcome acquittal four
days ago of another writer, novelist Elif Safak, on charges under
Article 301 relating to statements made by characters in her novel
The Bastard of Istanbul. The organization had seen this as a positive
step for freedom of expression in Turkey but fears this acquittal
may prove to be the exception rather than the rule and demonstrates
yet again the failure of certain members of the Turkish judiciary and
prosecution to internalize international law, as required by Article
90 of the Turkish constitution. The organization reiterates its call
for Article 301 to be abolished in its entirety, thereby putting an
end to arbitrary implementation of this ill-defined law.
Finally, Amnesty International notes that this prosecution reportedly
arises from a complaint lodged by elements of civil society opposed to
the abolition of Article 301, who have lodged similar complaints in
the past seeking to secure such prosecutions and who have repeatedly
staged provocative and sometimes violent protests at trials, creating
a threatening atmosphere in the courtroom. The organization calls
on the Turkish authorities to ensure that all necessary measures are
taken to ensure the protection both of the defendants, their lawyers
and supporters in such cases, and of the course of justice itself.
For further information about Amnesty International’s concerns
regarding Article 301 please see Turkey: Article 301: How the law on
"denigrating Turkishness" is an insult to free expression (AI Index:
EUR 44/003/2006).
MAMMADYAROV USES THE UNO TRIBUNE
A1+
[04:19 pm] 26 September, 2006
Yesterday Elmar Mammadyarov, Azeri Foreign Minister, used the tribune
of the United Nations General Assembly to present the international
community Azeri stance on the Karabakh issue once more.
According to the data of Day-az electronic site, Elmar Mammadyarov said
the following words during the 61st of the United Nations General
Assembly, "We can hardly speak of any progress in the conflict
regulation procedure if Armenia refuses direct negotiations with
Azerbaijan and displays non-constructive position."
The Azeri Foreign Minister called on Armenian authorities to realise
the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and OSCE which
demand to vacate the "occupied lands" and to provide the return of the
refugees to these territories. This admissible approach will allow
the two sides to participate in the conflict regulation. Only in
that case Armenia will have a chance to participate in the regional
economic programs, to contribute to the regional development thus
strengthening mutual trust.
ARMENIAN LOBBY SLAMS BAKU-KARS RAILWAY PROJECT
By Anadolu News Agency (aa), Washington
Zaman, Turkey
Sept 25 2006
In response to the initiative of the Armenian lobby, the Banking
Committee of the U.S. Senate has accepted a proposal blocking
prospective Washington credit from a railway to be constructed between
Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, excluding Armenia.
The proposal was drafted by U.S. Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez,
a member of the Armenian lobby.
The proposal was submitted to the general assembly of the senate,
after passing the committee with a unanimous vote. The bill blocks
funds to the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway project of American Eximbank.
Armenian institutes in the United States expressed their satisfaction
over the decision of the banking committee.
The Yerevan government and the Armenian lobby in the United States
called the plan an economic embargo against Armenia, referring to
the present railway network in Armenia that will not be used in the
railway project.
The Armenian lobby claims that the project will turn out to be
unnecessary and expensive."
ALIEV WILL LEAVE FOR GERMANY
A1+
[04:22 pm] 21 September, 2006
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev will leave for Germany on a
two-day business visit on September 22-23. He will participate in the
international conference titled "Bertelsmann" in which delegations
from a number of countries will take part.
According to day.az, within the framework of the visit Aliev will
meet federal chancellor Angela Merkel.
Novruz Mamedov, the head of the Azeri President’s administration,
announced that the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict will be
one of the main themes of discussion. He mentioned that in comparison
to the other European countries "Germany is more unbiased when it
comes to the Karabakh conceit".
During the visit a document will be signed about the cooperation of
Azerbaijan with the EU.
Sweden to Appoint its Ambassador to South Caucasian Countries
Trend
Today 21.09.2006
Source: Trend
Author: A.Mammadov
21.09.2006
The Editorial office of the website "nregion.com" became aware from
reliable sources that in the near future, Sweden will, for the first
time in its history, appoint an ambassador to the countries of South
Caucasus, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. The ambassador will be the
experienced Swedish Diplomat Hans-Gunnar Adin. He had worked in Russia,
France and the Ukraine until his appointment as the new Ambassador.
Unfortunately Sweden is not going to open an embassy in any of the
South Caucasian countries, Trend reports quoting Caucasus Press. The
Ambassador’s residence will be in Stockholm.
As previously, Schengen visas to visit Sweden will be issued in
Azerbaijan by the Consular Department of Norway, in Armenia by the
German Embassy and in Georgia by the Embassy of Greece.
It seems that by the appointment of its ambassador to the countries of
South Caucasus, Sweden demonstrates its increasing interest towards
the region. Adin is expected to visit the countries of the region in
the near future.
At present, the mission of the accredited ambassador in Georgia and
Armenia has been implemented by the Swedish Ambassador to Russia,
and in Azerbaijan by the Swedish Ambassador in Turkey.
The Consulate of Sweden in Tbilisi is still in operation.
French President Congratulated Armenian People on 15th Anniversary of Independence
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.09.2006 18:12 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ French President Jacques Chirac sent a congratulatory
address to the RA President and Armenian people on occasion of the
15th anniversary of Armenia’s independence. The message says in part,
"I congratulate you and the Armenian people with this national holiday
and wish happiness, prosperity and success. It’s especially pleasant
for me that the 15th anniversary of independence coincided with the
Year of Armenia in France. I am very glad that the event initiated
by us has become a reality within less than 2 years. The events that
will be held in various regions of France will confirm the fraternal
ties between our states. Soon I will have the pleasure to see you in
Yerevan," reported the press unit of the French Embassy in Yerevan.