Author: Hunanian Jack

AZG Armenian Daily #143, 16/08/2005

Neighbors

ARMENIAN CHURCH READY TO RESTORE THE MOSQUE OF SHUSHI

Baku labeled “another provocation” the statement by Archbishop
Pargev Martirosian of Artsakh diocese to invite Iranian specialists
to restore the Shiite mosque of Shushi built in 1883.

Turkey allocates $1.5 million for restoration of Surp Khach of Akhtamar

The Turkish government has assigned $1.5 million for restoration of
Surp Khach church of Akhtamar Island. This step largely directed to the
EU, was also interpreted by the authorities in Ankara as a signal to
improve Armenian-Turkish relations. Despite the absence of diplomatic
relations between Armenia and Turkey and the 12-year-old blockade,
contacts between diplomats from both sides never ceased. Turkish
mass media informed that the secrete Armenian-Turkish negotiations
discuss now the issues of Armenian Genocide, Armenian-Turkish border
opening and the withdrawal from neighboring territories of Nagorno
Karabakh. Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul noted on his part
that there is nothing strange in Armenian-Turkish contacts, they
always were there.

By Tatoul Hakobian

ELECTIONS OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNANCE BODIES TO TAKE PLACE IN AUTUMN ARE
TOUCHSTONE TO SOME EXTENT BEFORE FUTURE STATE ELECTIONS, RA PRIME
MINISTER BELIEVES

YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues connected with the referendum
on the constitutional reforms and holding the elections of the local
self-governance bodies to take place in autumn were discussed at the
August 12 meeting of RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian and
representatives of the Republic Council of the Communies’ Union of
Armenia. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Government’s
Information and Public Relations Department, A.Margarian welcame the
initiation of the Communities’ Union of Armenia to create an
initiative group on public discussions around the Constitutional
reforms, awareness and preparation for the referendum. A.Margarian
emphasized the active participation of all interested parties,
including public organizations, political forces, civil society, in
the affair of working out, improvement and adoption of that document
excessively important for the state. Considering of not less
importance a democratic, free, just and transparent holding of the
elections of the local self-governance bodies, the head of the
Government regarded those elections as a touchstone to some extent
before the 2007 and 2008 state elections, in the sense of a complete
formation of the local self-governance bodies, development and
strengthening of the local democracy.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES PROGRAM ON REDUCTION OF AIR POLLUTION IN CITIES

YEREVAN, AUGUST 12, NOYAN TAPAN. At the August 12 sitting, the
Armenian government approved the program on the development of a
mechanism for introducing technological and territorial regulation of
harmful emissions from stationary sources of pollution. According to
the RA Government Information and PR Department, the program is aimed
at reducing air pollution in the Armenian cities, including the
reduction of emmissions per unit of production and the elimination of
excessive air pollution in the cities.

Armenian Officials Tour N.Y. Courts
John Caher
New York Law Journal
08-15-2005

After spending a year helping the Armenian government set up a modern legal
system, Joseph J. Traficanti Jr. figured he would show his foreign friends a
truly balkanized court structure. So he brought them to Albany on August 2.

The former deputy chief administrative judge led a delegation of Armenian
court officials on a study tour of the New York courts and the state
Legislature. They visited the Albany County Family Court and the state Court
of Appeals, chatted with the lieutenant governor’s counsel, discussed the
transition from decentralized to centralized court administration and
examined the judiciary’s computer operations across the Hudson River in the
city of Rensselaer. And they got a chance to view an antiquated court
structure that is far more fragmented than anything at home.

“I learned [in Armenia] that you can have a very nice, simple structure for
your court system and you don’t have to have a complicated one like ours to
have a good one,” Traficanti said. “They have a streamlined system that
would be the envy of anyone here in New York who is interested in reform.”

Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye and all of her recent predecessors have sought a
constitutional amendment that would modernize a court structure designed in
and for a far different era. But the effort fails (largely for political
reasons) as often as it comes up, which is about every year.

Traficanti retired last year from state court administration and headed to
Armenia, where he led a World Bank project to modernize court operations
there. He experienced court administration on a shoe-string. The annual
budget for the entire Republic of Armenia — the whole government, not just
the courts — is about half of the New York court system’s.

“They are struggling to build a good democracy, a strong democracy, and
included in that is a good court system,” Traficanti said. “There are very
difficult hurdles, especially in terms of resources. The budget of the New
York state court system is about $1.2 billion. The budget for the entire
Republic of Armenia is a little over $500 million.”

This week, nine of the Armenian court officials with whom Traficanti worked
came to New York State, thanks to a grant from the U.S. Agency for
International Development and logistical support from the New York State
Judicial Institute in White Plains, N.Y. On August 1, they spent the day
with court administrators at the institute. On August 2, they took a road
trip to Albany. Before returning to Armenia on August 6, the delegation
planned to tour the commercial and criminal courts in Manhattan.

At the Capitol, the group received a brief civics lesson from John R.
Watson, counsel to Lieutenant Governor Mary O. Donohue, on the workings of a
two-house legislature.

LESSONS FOR NEW YORK

But the visitors were mainly interested in the structure of the courts, both
from a hierarchical standpoint and from the perspective of day-to-day
operations. Structurally, Traficanti said, the system that evolved after
Armenia won its independence 12 years ago offers much for New York to
imitate.

“The structure of their court system is what we should have in New York — a
court of first instance, an appellate court and a high court, and that’s
it,” Traficanti said.

Arsen Lazarian, a representative of the Armenian chief judicial officer,
said through an interpreter, that as a rule, there is not much difference
between the courts of his country and New York — except that in Armenia
there is more centralization.

“Here the structure is more decentralized,” Lazarian said. “But we must
take into consideration how small is our country and how big is New York
State. We have only 21 courts, so centralized management is more easy.”

Arman Khachatryan, director of the Republic of Armenia Council of Court
Chairmen — a judicial training center — said training methods employed in
Armenia were borrowed from the National Judicial College in Reno, Nev. But
he is also picking up tips from the New York Judicial Training Institute.

“I can see that we have to do more work,” Khachatryan said, partially in
English and partially through a translator. “This is one of the benefits, to
see how it is implemented, court management in this state. We hope after our
return we can organize the training of the staff to try to use the
experience, our American experience, for the modernization of the Armenian
courts.”

The delegation included representatives of four groups: three pilot courts,
the Court of Appeals for Military and Criminal Matters, the Community First
Instance Court and the Economic Court, which is similar to New York’s
commercial courts. Also included were representatives of the Armenian
Council of Court Chairmen, a court-system administrative agency.

Traficanti’s participation in the project began with a World Bank rule of
law project administered by DPK Consulting, a California-based business
consultancy. DPK is working with a local Armenian partner, Ameria
Consulting, to re-engineer courts in the capital city of Yerevan. The
structural form that evolves is expected to be replicated nationwide.

Karine Nikoghosyan, management advisory services assistant for Ameria, said
she hopes to harvest from this trip some of New York’s technical
innovations. She said the courts in Armenia have a long road to travel in
terms of achieving technological parity.

“It is rather interesting,” Nikoghosyan said of the court system’s use of
even such basic technology as electronic recording of proceedings. “We do
not have that much automation.”

A similar but more extensive court modernization project is under way in
Macedonia, and Traficanti hopes to take part in that effort as well.

Armenian telecommunications company fined for abuse of “dominant” role
on market

Mediamax news agency
12 Aug 05

YEREVAN

The commission to protect economic competition today fined ArmenTel
company for “abuse of the dominant position on the market of mobile
communication services”.

ArmenTel will have to pay one per cent from its profit received in
2004 from the mobile communication services.

The commission’s resolution notes that between 30 June and 10 July of
2005, ArmenTel did not provide to its subscribers the mobile
communication services at the needed level. This contradicts Armenia’s
legislation and licence No 60 regulating the company’s activity.

Representatives of ArmenTel company at the commission’s meeting
acknowledged shortcomings in their work. However, they rejected the
claims on the company’s dominant role. The company’s lawyer, Artag
Khachatryan, said that the mobile operator Vivacell, which had entered
the market on 1 July, became a “powerful and serious rival” for
ArmenTel.

MINING ACTIVITIES TO START SOON
[August 06, 2005, 21:54:13]

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Aug 6 2005

A press conference dealing with the Agreement on the exploration,
development and production sharing for perspective gold fields
Gedabey, Gosha, Ordubad guru (Piyazbashi, Agyurd, Shekerdere, Keleki),
Soyudlu, Gizilbulag and Vezhnali in the Azerbaijan Republic was held
at Hyatt-Regency Hotel in Baku.

Speaking at the press conference president of the Azerbaijan
International Mines Operating Company (AIMOC) Rza Veziri noted oil
was not the country’s only wealth, but it was quite rich in other
mineral resources. He mentioned that as early as 1920, the Siemens had
developed copper fields in Gedabey, and in late 19th century, French
archeologists had carried out exploration works in Nakhchivan adding
huge ironstone, gold, solver and copper resources were discovered by
soviet including local specialists in Nakhchivan, Kelbajar, Gedabey
and Dashkesan. Mr. Veziri announced that in the Agreement ratified
by Azerbaijan parliament in 1997, the share of Azerbaijan is 51%
and that of AIMOC is 49%. Noting the rise in gold price in October
2004 allowed to commence realization of the Agreement, he advised
the preparatory works had already been completed. “Drilling of two
wells in Liyazbashi area in Ordubad (Nakhchivan) would start in the
next month, and a processing plant will be constructed nearby in two
years,” he said. According to him, the first-phase investments will
make up $50 million, while on the next phases the amount will reach
$600 million. “Minimum workforce including engineers from the outside
will be involved in the project, at least 500-700 local residents
will be provided with jobs, Mr. Veziri said. He promised the finished
products would appear in the market in the 3rd Q of 2007.

Besides, he has made things clear concerning the earlier reports
on alleged drilling operations by Indian company in the territory
of Kalbajar, Azerbaijan (the area covered by the production sharing
Agreement). It was noted that influential law firms and lawyers in New
York had been involved in this case. “If the information is confirmed,
Armenia will account to the international court. No proofs of the
illegal actions have been provided so far,” he said.

In the end, the company’s managers spoke of measures to realize the
Agreement, and answered questions from journalists.

Gov. Blagojevich signs law expanding genocide education in Illinois

Studies will now include recent atrocities in Armenia, Ukraine,
Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda and Sudan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Office of the Governor of Illinois
August 5, 2005

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS – Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today signed House
Bill (HB) 312 into law, expanding Holocaust and genocide education for
Illinois elementary and high school students. In addition to learning
about the Nazi atrocities of the 20th century, students will now learn
about more recent acts of genocide around the world, including those
in Armenia, Ukraine, Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda and Sudan. In June,
the governor signed legislation making Illinois the first state in the
nation to end state investment in Sudan, cutting all state financial
ties with the oppressive and genocidal Sudanese government.

“As we teach our kids the important lessons of history, we have to be
sure that they understand that racial, national, ethnic and religious
hatred can lead to horrible tragedies,” said Gov. Blagojevich. “Sadly,
these are not just the problems of our parents’ or grandparents’
generations. We have to make sure our schools teach the importance
of embracing differences among people and encourage students to fight
intolerance and hatred wherever they see it.”

Sponsored by Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago) and Sen. Jacqueline Collins
(D-Chicago), HB 312 expands the previous requirement for Illinois
public elementary schools and high schools to teach a unit on genocide
focused on the events of the Nazi Holocaust of 1933 to 1945. The
new unit of instruction required by HB 312 will include, but is not
limited to: the Armenian Genocide; the Famine-Genocide in Ukraine;
and more recent atrocities in Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda and Sudan.

“In light of the culturally diverse population in Illinois and our
increasingly global society, we must ensure that the tragedy of the
Holocaust is not painted with an isolated brush,” stated the bill’s
chief sponsor, Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago). “In order to fully
comprehend the inhumanity of genocide, students need to be able to
understand the indifference that has allowed it to repeatedly occur
around the world through history and up to today.”

The law states that the State Board of Education may make available
to Illinois schools instructional materials for the development of
this unit of instruction. Each local school district will set the
specifics of the instruction for each grade level in its schools.

“By studying these tragic lessons from history, we can
help our children understand the importance of freedom,” said
Sen. Collins. “When they recognize that crimes of genocide continue
in some corners of the world, even in the 21st century, it will raise
their awareness and help them understand what can happen when you
judge people by their race, their homeland or their beliefs.”

“We applaud Governor Blagojevich for breaking new ground by signing
into law this important educational initiative, a measure which comes
fifteen years after the landmark Illinois Holocaust Education Mandate
was first enacted,” said Richard S. Hirschhaut, Project and Executive
Director of the new Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center.
“The new law affirms the continuing relevance of applying the universal
lessons of the Holocaust to the tragedies of genocide in our world
today. We look forward to bringing these important lessons to future
generations through the facilities of the new Illinois Holocaust
Museum and Education Center.”

In June, the governor signed Senate Bill 23, making Illinois the
first state in the nation to cut all state financial ties with the
oppressive and genocidal Sudanese government. The bill, sponsored by
Sen. Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago) and Rep Lovana Jones (D-Chicago),
prohibits Illinois from investing in foreign government bonds of Sudan,
investing in companies doing business in or with Sudan, and investing
the State pension in companies doing business in or with Sudan.

HB 312 goes into effect immediately.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

August 4, 2005
___________________

ST. SARKIS CHURCH OF CHARLOTTE CONSECRATED BY ARCHBISHOP BARSAMIAN

By Jake Goshert

It was the birth of a new community as more than 300 people gathered on
Sunday, July 31, 2005, for the consecration of the newest Armenian
Church in the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern): St.
Sarkis Church of Charlotte, NC.

The community has built itself up from just a handful of families, and a
few years after buying its property was blessed by the generosity of a
benefactor from Easton, PA: Mr. Sarkis Acopian.

“I look around today and I see so many people from so many backgrounds
and life experiences,” said Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the
Diocese, during the consecration service. “And yet you have all come
together — in unity — in the name of our Lord, under the shield of His
church, in the cause of the Armenian Christian heritage. And you have
done this, even though you are remote from the larger concentrations of
our people in this country. Today you begin a new life together,
united, as an Armenian Christian church.”

STARTED AS A DREAM

As he consecrated the new St. Sarkis Church, the Primate reflected on
the humble origins of the community. The Armenians in the Charlotte
area first began to be called together when Lena Kupelian Neau arrived
in the area in 1988. At that time there was no Armenian organization in
the area.

She pulled out the phone book and started making phone calls to all the
Armenians she could find. Pulling others into an organization, she was
joined by people like Roland Telfayan; Arthur, Puzant, and Paul
Yessayan; and Zaven Touloukian.

“My profound appreciation goes out to those who had the vision to
establish a parish in this area,” the Primate said. “And also to those
who took up that vision, built upon it, and expanded it.”

Dozens of these local community leaders, who gave so much of their time,
energy, and financial resources to enliven the community, served as
“godfamilies” of the church during its consecration.

The road to building the new church took some unexpected turns, causing
the consecration to be postponed from two earlier dates. But now, at
last, the community finally have a proper Armenian spiritual home of
their own.

“We feel finally have a home we can gather in. Since we’ve been using
the sanctuary attendance has quadrupled,” said Mrs. Kupelian Neau, the
present parish council chair, who added that the parish now gets between
60 and 120 people at services. “The feeling in our former location — a
rented church — was different; people would be talking during the
services. But here you can hear a pin drop. The new church is having a
totally different effect on the parishioners. I think because we’re
going from an American church to a totally Armenian church.”

Standing on a main street in Charlotte, and being constructed in the
style of traditional Armenian Church architecture, also means the parish
is helping educate the locals about the Armenian people.

“It has put the Armenians on the map of Charlotte. Nobody questions
what an Armenian is anymore. Everybody knows now. Everybody in
Charlotte is talking about it,” Ms. Kupelian Neau said.

HONORING A MOTHER’S LOVE

The community was boosted last year when Mr. and Mrs. Sarkis and Bobbye
Acopian, from Easton, PA, pledged $2.25 million to build the new church
in honor of Sarkis’ mother, Arax.

Arax was born in Kars, Turkey, in 1898, and grew up in Georgia and Iran,
where she was a respected dentist. With her husband Grigor, she shared
her devotion to the Armenian church and Armenian people with three
children.

Mr. and Mrs. Acopian were on hand to attend the consecration and cut the
ribbon on the adjoining church hall, named in their honor, where the
celebratory banquet was held.

Serving as “godfamilies” during the consecration of the St. Sarkis
Church of Charlotte, NC, were:
Pierre Arbajian
Nely Avakyants
Edward and Mary Anne Azarian
Leon and Sonia Bagdasarian
Olga Boloyan
Raymond and Roberta Bozoian
Charles and Betty Diman
Paul, Dolores, and Donna Loutigian
Sergey and Arevat Manucharova
Gerard and Lena (Kupelian) Neau
Hagop and Noelle Sarkissian
Genrikh and Zhanna Shirazyan
Roland and Marie Telfeyan
Hagop and Zaven and Raye Touloukian
Diane Gulkasian Tudor
Ara Sylvie, Arthur and Lynn, and Paul and Sylva Yessayan

— 8/3/05

E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News
and Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,

PHOTO CAPTION (1): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern
Diocese, flanked by Fr. Daniel Karadjian, left, and Fr. Daniel Findikyan
and benefactor Sarkis Acopian enter the filled St. Sarkis Church of
Charlotte, NC, on the day of its final consecration, July 31, 2005.

PHOTO CAPTION (2): The Primate blesses the altar cross during the
consecration of the St. Sarkis Church in Charlotte, NC, on July 31,
2005.

PHOTO CAPTION (3): Archbishop Barsamian blesses one of the crosses
surrounding the St. Sarkis Church in Charlotte, NC.

PHOTO CAPTION (4): The Primate, Fr. Daniel Karadjian, left, and Fr.
Daniel Findikyan, fight, bless the altar at the new St. Sarkis Church of
Charlotte, NC, on July 31, 2005.

PHOTO CAPTION (5): The Primate and benefactors Sarkis and Bobbye
Acopian prepare to release doves in celebration following the
consecration of the St. Sarkis Church of Charlotte, NC, on July 31,
2005.

PHOTO CAPTION (6): Archbishop Barsamian is joined by the godparents,
altar servers, choir, and leaders of the newly consecrated St. Sarkis
Church of Charlotte, NC.

PHOTO CAPTION (7): The newly consecrated St. Sarkis Church sits on a
main intersection in Charlotte, NC.

PHOTO CAPTION (8): Young parishioners of the St. Sarkis Church in
Charlotte, NC, dance during the banquet in the adjoining Sarkis and
Bobbye Acopian Cultural Hall following the consecration of the sanctuary
on July 31, 2005.

# # #

TENSIONS SIMMERING IN GEORGIA’S JAVAKHETI REGION

Eurasia Daily Monitor (The Jamestown Foundation)
Wednesday, August 3, 2005

By Zaal Anjaparidze

The recent anti-terrorist operations in Georgia (see EDM July 25, 29)
have overshadowed coverage of anti-Georgian developments flaring in
Georgia’s turbulent Javakheti region, a southern area predominantly
populated by ethnic Armenians.

On July 17, Armenian residents of Samsar blocked efforts by students
and nuns from Tbilisi to help restore a local church dating to the
12th century. The Armenians accused the visitors of attempting to
“Georgianize the Armenian church.” The verbal argument deteriorated
into a brawl that left several of the Georgians severely injured. That
same day, local Armenians raided a Georgian school in the nearby
town of Akhalkalaki. The police managed to contain the incident,
but the situation in the region remains tense.

The Georgian and Armenian governments have done their best to
hush up the incident. In a July 21 joint statement, the Georgian
Orthodox Church and the Georgian diocese of the Armenian Apostolic
Church expressed regret about the Samsar incident and ascribed it to
“incorrect information circulating among the local population.” Vazgen
Mirzakhanian, bishop of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia, apologized
to the Georgian victims.

Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margarian’s impromptu visit to Georgia
on July 24-25 evidently sought to relieve the explosive situation in
the region. During his trip to Javakheti Margarian received a list of
demands from the local Armenian community to the Georgian government.
They were presented by leaders of the local civic organizations
Javakh, United Javakh-Democratic Alliance, and Virk. These groups
want the Georgian government to stop the alleged discrimination
of the Armenians, make the Armenian language the regional language
in Javakheti, stop the “Georgianization” of the region’s Armenian
cultural heritage, begin construction of a highway connecting Javakheti
with Armenia (which the Armenian government is ready to finance),
register Virk as a political party, and include Armenia’s history
in the curriculum of Armenian schools in Georgia. These Armenian
organizations insist on declaring the Armenian language as the second
state language in Georgia (home of about 300,000 ethnic Armenians)
or at least in Javakheti, and the adoption a special law on ethnic
minorities.

Margarian said that this year the Armenian government has allocated
$350,000 to support the Armenian schools in Javakheti and is ready
to increase funding if Tbilisi agrees. He also asked the Georgian
government to jointly determine the provenance of the churches in
the region, which are claimed by both religious groups.

Georgian Parliamentary Chair Nino Burjanadze told Margarian that the
provocateurs fueling enmity between Georgians and Armenians play into
the hands of the common enemy, evidently alluding to Russia. However,
there are reports that some radical Armenian organizations support
anti-Tbilisi activities in Javakheti.

Many analysts in Georgia believe that Tbilisi should handle the region
more carefully to avert new incidents. Soon after the collapse of the
USSR, some local Armenian leaders proposed political autonomy for the
region. But despite assistance from international donors to improve
the region’s socio-economic situation, the Georgian government has not
been able to find a workable solution to the problem of “Javakheti
Armenians.” That local Armenians distrust the central government’s
policies complicates the situation (see EDM, March 23, May 24).

For example, the Russian military base in the region purchased large
quantities of local produce. But local leaders doubt Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili’s proposal to feed the Georgian army with local
foodstuffs after the Russian base closes. The Armenian-populated
Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda regions boast an agricultural yield
that exceeds the dietary needs of the 20,000-strong Georgian army by
15-20 times.

Another irritation came one day after the Samsar incident, when the
Georgian armed forces completed the large-scale “Armor 2005” exercises
at the Orfolo range near Javakheti. Georgian Defense Minister Irakli
Okruashvili hinted that the fictional enemy “Blue Country,” which
according to the scenario had temporarily seized a Georgian region,
was not fictional at all. “It exists for Georgia indeed,” he said.

The Georgian media accuses the Javakh, United Javakh-Democratic
Alliance, and Virk civic movements of being behind the regions’
anti-Tbilisi mood. However, Virk leader David Rstakian claimed that
these organizations have actually prevented protests by the Armenian
community from escalating to the separatism seen in Abkhazia and
South Ossetia.

Vahan Chakhalian, leader of the United Javakh- Democratic Alliance,
which unites eight youth organizations, said that the Russian military
pullout leaves local Armenians defenseless. Chakhalian and other local
leaders have openly stated that they would retaliate if Georgian units
replace the Russian troops. They also object to a government-sponsored
plan to accommodate Georgian families in the region, which they
claim would artificially “Georgianize” Javakheti. “We have yet to
see whether the Georgian army enters here,” Chakhalian warned.

Leaders of the local Armenian organizations argue that the local
authorities in Javakheti misinform Tbilisi about the real situation
in the region and the preferences of the local establishment. The
information vacuum and poor knowledge of Georgian laws by the locals,
caused by a lack of knowledge of Georgian language, is likely the root
of many problems. Giorgi Khachidze, the Tbilisi-appointed governor
of Javakheti, says that the methodology of teaching the Georgian
language needs to be improved. “The Georgian books in the Armenian
schools are getting dusty, because they don’t need them,” he said.

Meanwhile, the socio-economic problems in Javakheti are similar
to those in other Georgian regions. However, some local groups,
guided by external forces in Russia and Armenia, may be trying to
politicize these problems and prepare the ground for the region’s
eventual separation from Georgia.

(Regnum, July 18, 25, 28, 29; Akhali Versia, July 21; Resonance,
July 20, TV-Rustavi-2, July 17, Vremya novostei, July 19)

IAEA chief visits Armenian nuclear power plant Metsamor

The Messenger, Georgia
Aug 3 2005

Sees many improvements to Armenian reactor but says more must be done
to meet international safety standards
By M. Alkhazashvili

The Metsamor Nuclear Electric Plant of Armenia, located 28 km outside
of Yerevan, not only supplies at least 40 percent of Armenia with
power, it provides Georgia with electrical energy during the winter
months as well.

That the plant is a potential source of major ecological danger for
the region is also significant for Georgia. This facility was built
during the Soviet period, in 1976, and is therefore not dissimilar to
the infamous Chernobyl plant in Ukraine which first became
operational in 1977. Metsamor was scheduled to be shut down in 2004
but the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) prolonged the
functioning period until 2008.

Following his July 27-28 visit to the Metsamor nuclear power plant,
Mohamed ElBaradei, IAEA’s Director General, said he noted many
improvements in operating Unit 2, but further steps must be taken to
meet international safety standards, the IAEA reports on their
website.

Metsamor has had a troubled history. After the December 7, 1988
earthquake in Armenia which followed close on the heels the April 26,
1986 Chernobyl catastrophe, Metsamor suspended operations at the
behest of the Armenian people. But in the early 1990s Armenia,
suffering from its own energy crisis, brought the nuclear station
back to life with Russian aid, and at the moment the Metsamor is
managed by the Russian electricity giant RAO UES.

It was announced in July that, due to essentially needed renovations
along with a lack of actual existing nuclear fuel, Metsamor had to
once more be stopped. According to information released by the
director of AES, Gagik Markosiani, the exact date that plant
operations will again be suspended is yet to be determined. Both the
main nuclear turbine and the fourth turbine should need at least 45
days of renovation, while the third turbine will take ten days to be
thoroughly overhauled. Markosiani also said that a new transfer of
additional nuclear fuel to the Nuclear Electric Plant will have taken
place by September 15.

The former Georgian Minister of Environmental Protection Nino
Chkhobadze believes that the Georgian government is obliged to demand
safety guaranties in order to prevent the possibility of any leaks or
incidents that could be caused by the planned plant renovations and
transportation of nuclear fuel.

According to the Georgian Green Party if any serious problem were to
occur at the Metsamor plant, Tbilisi should be totally evacuated
within eight hours. But where to? At the moment there is no such
contingency plan and therefore no answer to this question. Most
likely, in the case of a nuclear incident, the entire South Caucasus
as well as neighboring parts of Turkey and Iran would be affected.

The Georgian Greens have periodically expressed their concerns about
the transport of nuclear fuel from Russia to Armenia. During the
Soviet period, nuclear fuel and waste were carried back and forth
between Russia and Armenia by land. In the current post-Soviet period
these transactions can only be carried out by crossing sovereign
Georgian territory and they have never been done officially.

“Georgia was, and is, a transit country. It’s interesting how they
manage to move such materials through Georgia. It requires a series
of licenses, permits and guarantees of security systems, doesn’t it?
How did Armenia manage to get their nuclear materials from Russia
without crossing the territory of Georgia?” asks the head of the
Greens, Giorgi Gachechiladze.

A recent IWPR report (CRS No. 271, 26-Jan-05) explains that the fuel
is transported in Russian planes through Georgian airspace to
Armenia. That “is the same as flying around a potential nuclear bomb”
said Alexis Louber, head of the EU delegation in Armenia, who has
been quoted as saying the plant poses “danger to the entire region”.

The Armenian Assistant Minister of Energy, Areg Galstiani, declared
in Yerevan on July 19 that the Metsamor Plant will be closed by 2016
if, by this time, the republic can be guaranteed an alternative
energy generating source. Interestingly, this alternative source
seems to be a new nuclear electric plant.

Galstiani stated that from 2011 to 2016 activities will be carried
out in Armenia to construct a new nuclear electric plant that will,
presumably, be located on the territory of the current plant.