Author: Karagyozian Lena

PETER SEMNEBY: THE THREE SOUTH CAUCASIAN STATES MOVE IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS

ArmRadio.am
17.05.2006 13:00

EU Special Representative for South Caucasus Peter Semneby considers
that the three South Caucasian countries “move in different
directions.”

“Georgia has taken a special course towards the European Union and
the West.

Armenia differs with that it still feels the influence of restrictions
coming from the atmosphere of isolation. Azerbaijan carries out
rather balanced policy towards its neighbors and partners,” Peter
Semneby said.

“All three countries face the necessity of reinforcing their state
institution. Georgia and Armenia have special problems with their
“big neighbors,” the first with Russia, the latter with Turkey,” Peter
Semneby declared in his interview to the Moscow based “Nezavisimaya
Gazeta” newspaper.

BRACKS REFUSES TO ACT ON MP’S ‘GENOCIDE’ SPEECH

The Age, Australia
May 16 2006

s-refuses-to-act-on-mps-genocide-speech/2006/05/16 /1147545305736.html

A Victorian MP’s parliamentary speech accusing Turkish people of
ignoring acts of genocide more than 80 years ago is a sign of free
speech at work, Victorian Premier Steve Bracks says.

Jenny Mikakos, the parliamentary secretary for justice, whose ethnic
background is Greek, has accused Turkey of ignoring the killing of
hundreds of thousands of ethnic Greeks between 1916 and 1923.

In a short speech to the Victorian upper house during the last session
of parliament, Ms Mikakos reportedly said: “On May 19, the Pontian
community in Victoria and around the world will commemorate the 87th
anniversary of the Pontian genocide that occurred in present-day
Turkey.

“Between 1916 and 1923, over 353,000 Pontic Greeks living in Asia
Minor and in Pontus, which is near the Black Sea, died as a result of
the 20th Century’s first but less-known genocide,” Fairfax reported
her as saying.

“Over a million Pontic Greeks were forced into exile. In the preceding
years, 1.5 million Armenians and 750,000 Assyrians in various parts
of Turkey also perished.”

Two Labor MPs of Turkish descent, Adem Somyurek and John Eren,
interjected but Ms Mikakos continued speaking.

“The Turkish government must begin the reconciliation process by
acknowledging these crimes against humanity. The suffering of the
victims of the Pontian genocide cannot and will not be forgotten,”
she said.

The comments, made under a system of 90-second free statements for
MPs established by the Bracks government, have outraged Turkish and
Jewish groups.

But Mr Bracks today said Ms Mikakos, one of two members for the safe
Jika Jika province in Melbourne’s north, was free to make the speech.

“Free speech is something that we uphold, and I understand that,
and the freedom to criticise someone who makes a statement is also
appropriate as well,” he told Southern Cross Broadcasting.

“As to the interpretation of those events, that is a matter which,
really, other people can judge, but this is something she obviously
felt passionate about.

“It’s up to her. She is a member of parliament who can submit those
things to the parliament.

“But equally, people have the right to vigorously disagree with her
point of view.”

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OPPOSITIONAL POLITICIAN: ARMENIA-IRAN COOPERATION IS EXCLUSIVE BY ITS SIGNIFICANCE

Yerevan, May 16. ArmInfo. Armenia has stopped to be a hostile wedge
inside the Islamic world for the first time in its centuries-old
history and it is very important to keep this achievement, the leader
of the “National-Democratic Union” party Vazgen Manukyan told today
to journalists, asked about the possible consequences of the military
operation against Iran for Armenia.

According to Manukyan, such an operation can turn into a catastrophe
for Armenia. One should not rule out a possible military conflict
“in view of the fact that USA administration has become unpredictable
for the last years”. “Armenia must do the best to keep this exclusive
example of successful cooperation with a fundamental Islamic country”,
Manukyan said.

RUSSIA’S ENERGY SECTOR HIDES WEAKNESSES BEHIND POWERFUL FACADE
Stephen Blank

EurasiaNet, NY
May 16 2006

A EurasiaNet Commentary

In late April, representatives of Russia’s Kremlin-controlled gas
conglomerate, Gazprom, threatened to reduce exports to Europe after
the EU blocked the company’s attempts to obtain several European
energy entities. EU officials dismissed the threat, believing that
the Russian energy industry could not survive without generating a
hefty European cash flow. They were right. Behind its mighty facade,
Russia’s energy sector, which the Kremlin has used in recent months to
bully its neighbors and expand its geopolitical reach, suffers from
a decaying infrastructure and a dependence on Western technology and
cheap Central Asian energy.

Russian exporters are able to ship large quantities of energy to Europe
and Asia today only because of its unique relationship to Central
Asian oil and gas producers. And the future of this relationship is
crucial to understanding the global energy game.

The Kremlin has significantly enhanced its control over Central Asian
energy in recent years, book-ended by a 25-year natural gas supply
deal with Turkmenistan in 2003 and a massive oil supply agreement
with Kazakhstan last month. [For background see the Eurasia Insight
archive]. To many outside observers, the Russian energy sector
has assumed an aura of a juggernaut. Statistics seem to support
this impression: Russia has been responsible for fully half of the
increase in global crude oil supplies over the past five years. The
image has also been fueled by the Kremlin’s use of conglomerates as
instruments of geopolitical policy. [For background see the Eurasia
Insight archive].

Appearances can be deceptive, however, at least when it comes to
Russia’s energy sector. There are numerous signs that Russia is in
danger of overextending itself, while dawdling on investing in its
energy infrastructure. The overextension problem is most noticeable in
Moscow’s dealings with Asia. Russia has made an array of commitments to
China and Japan to meet those countries’ voracious energy appetite. For
example, President Vladimir Putin in March indicated that Russia
by 2011 would be in position to deliver upwards of 80 billion cubic
meters of gas annually to China via two pipelines. Meeting that goal
will be difficult, however, as the pipeline linking China and western
Siberia has yet to be built. In general, questions continue to hover
over virtually all of Russia’s oil & gas-related deals with China
and Japan. And even if the energy flows eastward as anticipated,
Asian officials are already expressing doubts about whether the
amounts pledged by Russia are sufficient to meet projected needs.

Beyond the question of Russia trying to export more than it can
pump, the country will have to contend in the coming years with
growing domestic demand, along with the need to repair existing
infrastructure and tap into new energy fields. Both of these latter
tasks are enormously expensive, given the difficulties of working in
Siberia’s uninviting terrain and weather conditions. Experts say that
the significant increase in Russia’s energy production in recent years
would not have been possible without the use of Western technology
and techniques, including hydrofracturing, a process in which steam
is forced into a well to ease the pumping of oil.

Likewise, Western equipment and know-how will be needed to develop
new energy sources in the Arctic, as well as off the country’s
Pacific coast.

Despite the need for outside investment, Russian policies seem
calculated to prop up closed domestic monopolies, and thus repel
foreign capital and technology. In addition, foreign investors
continue to face enormous risks when doing business in Russia:
although foreigners can buy minority stakes in Russian energy firms,
the concept of shareholder rights remains poorly developed, leaving
outsiders vulnerable to the whims of a non-transparent and notoriously
corrupt system.

For now, Central Asian energy is helping Russia mask both current
energy problems and future dilemmas. Until recently every export
pipeline for oil and gas produced in Central Asia was routed through
Russia, enabling the Kremlin to import energy at exceedingly low
cost. Putin sought to maximize Moscow’s leverage by creating a gas
cartel led by Russia. Kremlin control over Central Asian energy reached
the point that in late 2005, Russia felt secure in imposing dramatic
price increases on its CIS neighbors, including Ukraine, Georgia
and Armenia. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. A
subsequent pricing dispute with Ukraine prompted Russia to temporarily
halt the energy flow in early 2006. [For background see the Eurasia
Insight archive].

Central Asian governments are not content with existing arrangements,
however, and are turning to China in order to break Russia’s
pipeline monopoly. A 1,000-kilometer-pipeline linking Kazakhstan
to China, opened last December, became Central Asia’s first export
route not to cross Russian territory. Now the authoritarian-minded
leaders of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, along with Kazakhstan, are
exploring the feasibility of building more pipelines that parallel the
Kazakhstani-Chinese route. The possible construction of a trans-Caspian
pipeline, which would enable Central Asian energy to hook up with
Azerbaijani-Turkish routes, could further weaken Russia’s grip on
regional exports.

Much of Russia’s neo-imperial designs in Central Asia are connected
with the fact that the Kremlin’s global economic strategy is dependent
on Moscow’s continued access to cheap Central Asian energy.

Central Asian energy is far cheaper to extract than Russia’s, thus the
Kremlin uses it for Russian domestic consumption, which is heavily
subsidized, while shipping Siberian production abroad. The ensuing
price manipulation is the source of enormous revenues that helps
sustain the government and overall Russian economy.

It is easy to see how the loss of control over Central Asian energy
exports and production would severely damage Russia’s political and
economic interests. If Central Asian states start pumping oil to China
and Azerbaijan, Russia would likely have to use its own production
to meet domestic needs. This, in turn, would dash Moscow’s export
plans for Europe and Asia. At the very least, the availability of
other export options would force Moscow to pay considerably higher
prices for Central Asian oil and gas – a development that could have
ruinous consequences for the Russian economy. Two analysts, Vladimir
Paramonov and Aleksey Strogov wrote in 2004; “should energy prices in
the domestic market reach the world level, it will spell the end for
virtually all Russian enterprises. Even if world fuel prices remain
high, fuel production will become uneconomic in Russia.”

Asian and European governments are becoming increasingly aware of
Central Asia’s importance in the global energy security calculus.

Meanwhile, Washington is exerting pressure on Kazakhstan to make a firm
commitment to a trans-Caspian pipeline. Should Central Asia achieve
energy independence with outside help, Russia would quickly come under
pressure to reform its domestic economy, especially the energy sector,
so that it could better compete in a free trade environment. It follows
that economic liberalization would undermine, if not reverse Putin’s
attempts to re-centralize political power in Russia.

Of course, there is one factor that makes the Central Asian energy
game extremely unpredictable – the brittle nature of the regimes in
Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Both countries are ruled by despots –
Saparmurat Niyazov in Turkmenistan and Islam Karimov in Uzbekistan
– reliant on the widespread use of repression to maintain their
authority. Many political observers believe Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
remain vulnerable to social explosions. In addition, the lack of a
political succession mechanism in both states could spark upheaval
in the event of Niyazov’s and Karimov’s deaths. Disorder in either
country — especially in Uzbekistan, Central Asia’s most populous
state – could engulf the entire region. If such a scenario occurs,
Central Asia’s export ability could be impaired and the major energy
players – the United States, EU, Russia and China – would all stand
to be big losers.

Editor’s Note: Stephen Blank is a professor at the US Army War
College. The views expressed this article do not in any way represent
the views of the US Army, Defense Department or the US Government.

Armenian defence minister unruffled by speaker’s resignation

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
12 May 06

[Presenter] Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan does not regard
the Orinats Yerkir [Law-Governed Country] Party’s decision to quit the
ruling coalition as an extraordinary situation. Sarkisyan said that
all talk about a conflict was an exaggeration and existing
disagreements simply came to a logical end.

[Sarkisyan] I do not think that some extraordinary situation has come
about here. I advise you not to look for any underlying reasons. The
[ruling] coalition, which consisted of three political parties, was
set up in 2003 and now one of them has decided to quit because of
disagreements with the two others.

[Correspondent] Can we say that Sarkisyan gained a victory over
[parliament speaker Artur] Bagdasaryan and sidelined him from the
presidential election? [Sarkisyan] I think it would be good if you
put this question to Bagdasaryan because I do not think that there
have been conflict between us or that we have been fighting over
something.

WEST WAITS FOR AN ALTERNATIVE, BUT ARMENIA HAS NO ALTERNATIVE

Lragir.am
13 may 06

Member of Parliament Shavarsh Kocharyan announced May 13 the
evaluation of the parliamentary election 2007 by the West depends on
the alternative of the political sphere rather than the degree of
irregularities.

`All the evaluations of Armenian elections are objective, but their
consistency depends on if the West can see an alternative. If there is
an alternative, the West is consistent,’ says Shavarsh Kocharyan.

And for Armenia European integration has no alternative, says the
leader of the National Democratic Party. He says even the government
understands this, and the evidence to this is Arthur Baghdasaryan’s
statements.

`The fact that today the Orinats Yerkir emphasizes democratization,
European integration. This is something positive, positive in the
sense that it displays that there is no other alternative for
Armenia. In other words, this shows that even the regime acknowledges
this, simply Arthur Baghdasaryan opposed to the other branches of
power and put the question more acutely out of certain aims,’ says
Shavarsh Kocharyan. Besides, he does not exclude that Arthur
Baghdasaryan could have decided to resign and secede from the
coalition relying on signals from the West.

`In fact, the West has a positive attitude towards him, this is
obvious. But its continuity depends on people’s attitude,’ says
Shavarsh Kocharyan, emphasizing again that the West supports those who
offer an alternative tothe present government.

PROGRAM REFUGEES’ REGISTRATION TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN ARARAT MARZ

ARARAT, MAY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The program of refugees’ registration
will take place in the marz of Ararat. The program will be financed by
the Armenian Office of the Norwegian Refugee Council. UN expert Jean
Yves Bouchardy, Arayik Haroutiunian, the Chief of the RA Migration
Agency’s Department for Refugees and Rudolf Zakarian, the program head
of the Norwegian Refugee Council visited the marz on May 11 for that
purpose. It was mentioned during the meeting with Ararat Governor Alik
Sargsian that defining of the final number of immigrated people is
important as many of them, having lived in the marz for some time,
left the republic. According to interlocutors, successful
implementation of the program will be provided by a close cooperation
of the RA Migration Agency’s Department for Refugees, the Norwegian
Refugee Council, public organizations and local self-government
bodies. It was also mentioned that defining of the number of
immigrated people is important for implementation of the “Millennium
Challenge” and Strategic Program on Poverty programs.

Seattle Times,WA
May 12 2006

“Absurdistan”: Players in the fields of oil
By Tim McNulty

Special to The Seattle Times

“Absurdistan”
by Gary Shteyngart
Random House, 333 pp., $24.95

Russian émigré Gary Shteyngart burst upon the literary scene in 2002
with his rollicking and bitingly satirical debut novel, “The Russian
Debutante’s Handbook.” Its hero, like its author, was born in
Communist Leningrad, raised in Reagan ’80s America and flounders
about wildly in the turgid cultural gulf between them.

Misha Vainberg, the self-absorbed hero of Shteyngart’s hilarious new
novel, “Absurdistan,” is also a misplaced Russian. His comic
misadventures on two continents bring post-Soviet Russia and
corporate America into the crosshairs of the author’s outlandish wit.
“Absurdistan” is a brilliant, fast-paced and idiosyncratic novel that
swerves frighteningly close to dead-on political reporting. It is
black humor at its darkest.

Vainberg (aka “Snack Daddy” for his vast appetites) is the 325-pound,
melancholic son of a Russian mobster and oligarch (the 1,238th
richest man in Russia). Misha was educated at “Accidental College” in
the American Midwest but finds his true home in a Wall Street loft in
slacker Manhattan with his voluptuous South Bronx girlfriend,
Rouenna.

There is no reason for Misha to return to St. Petersburg, with its
“bizarre peasant huts fashioned out of corrugated metal and plywood
colonizing the broad avenues.” But his “Beloved Papa” misses him, so
he goes. When Papa assassinates an Oklahoma businessman over a
percentage stake in a nutria farm, and then gets whacked himself (for
other, unrelated business dealings), Misha’s world constricts.

Author appearance

Gary Shteyngart will read from “Absurdistan” at 7 p.m. Thursday at
Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park (206-366-3333;
).
Denied a visa to re-enter the U.S., he is forced by circumstance to
travel to Absurdistan, a small, desperately poor but oil-rich fiefdom
wedged against the Caspian Sea. His singular mission there is to
purchase a phony European passport from a crooked Belgian consular
official (price: $240,000).

Life in Absurdistan takes an unfortunate turn for Misha shortly after
he checks in to his penthouse suite at the Hyatt. He finds himself
surrounded by Texas oilmen, Halliburton contractors and the busy
minions of Kellogg, Brown & Root. Svelte Absurdi hookers ply the
hallways, their faces “as powdered as an American doughnut.” The view
from his suite, however, is over rusted oil derricks and the brown,
alkaline shore that hems the capital city. A rock headland across the
bay is honeycombed with drab, concrete Soviet-era apartment complexes
that warehouse Absurdistan’s abundant poorer classes.

When civil war erupts between the ethnic Sevo and Svanï minorities (a
centuries-old religious dispute over the angle of Christ’s footrest
on the cross), Misha is trapped in the city. The inconvenience is
sufferable. He has a good supply of Atavan and the bar is kept
stocked with Johnnie Walker Black. American Express still rules,
after all. But when the governing elites hire Armenian mercenaries to
begin shelling the ethnic neighborhoods from the hotel roof, all hell
breaks loose.

Misha is embraced by a garrulous warlord with former KGB ties and
appointed minister of multicultural affairs. Misha’s innocence
throughout all this is rather charming. Oblivious to the political
treachery swirling around him, his only goal is to return to his
darling Rouenna in New York.

It may seem unlikely, but Shteyngart is able to create endearing
characters who draw the reader in despite their shabby pursuits. He
also paints a vivid and brutal picture of the kind of strife that
rakes Third-World oil countries, and he spares no reproach for the
American interests that bleed them, supply the weaponry and profit
from reconstruction.

In fact, there is something disturbingly familiar about Absurdistan.
Shteyngart’s wacky vision of a post-Cold War world sinking beneath
the weight of the American Century is not far from the mark.

Tim McNulty’s most recent book of poetry, “Through High Still Air,”
was published last fall. He lives on the Olympic Peninsula.

PRESS RELEASE/News Bulletin
Armenian Forests NGO
38 Moskovian St., apt. 10
Yerevan 02, Republic of Armenia
Phone: (374 10) 54-15-29
Fax: (374 10) 58-20-39
E-mail: [email protected]

12 May, 2006

News Bulletin #2

This is the second news bulletin of the activities carried out in
ten communities throughout Armenia under the Community Environmental
Action Groups project. The first news bulletin was posted in
December 2005.

Mher Sharoyan
Media Coordinator
Armenian Forests NGO

This bulletin is an update of the actions carried out in the period of
January-April 2006 by the Environmental Action Groups of the communities
selected within the USAID-funded “Community Environmental Action Groups”
project that is implemented by Armenian Forests NGO.

Given the fact that spring is one of the two windows for doing forest
and park establishment and restoration most of the activities of these
groups have been focusing on that during this period. In the summer they
will concentrate on lobbying and other activities including focus on
solid waste and other environmental issues.

1. Tavush marz, Sarigyugh community

Local group had consultations with the director of Ijevan’s Dendropark
Mekhak Sayadyan for sowing yew seeds nearby Sarigyugh village. The
sowing took place on 10-15th April.

The Sarigyugh activists also participated in the cleaning works of
surroundings of Ijevan town’s main waste disposal site, collecting
mainly polyethylene bags. The action was organized by “Young Tavush”
youth NGO, members of which are part of action groups in Ijevan and
Sarigyugh. The action was supported by Tavush governor Mr. Ghularian,
Ijevan mayor Mr. Ghalumian, Director of local <Kar Art> stone producing
enterprise Mr. Grigoryan.

Local Environmental Action Group coordinator has met with the head of
local community Mr. Elarian and discussed the possibilities of involving
funds for fencing the planned Plane tree park to be established near the
village. The local group has also applied to the local World Vision
branch for getting funds for the above-mentioned goal, as well as met
with the Environmental department head of the Tavush marz. No funds have
been allocated yet.

Due to bad weather – non-stop rains and dampness – the care works of the
yews growing in nearby forests have been postponed till May.

2. Tavush marz, Ijevan community

In January 2006 local coordinator met with local
agricultural-environmental “Bardi” CJSC director and discussed the plans
of Ijevan’s greening and restoration. Local activists also agreed with
local “Ijevan” TV to broadcast cartoons on environmental issues.

Meetings have been held with the representatives of local forest
economy, Nature Protection Ministry’s agencies, Ijevan branch of Yerevan
State University as well as local TV, as a result of which a round
table-discussion was held January 29 on the topic “Why are forests
logged?”. The roundtable was broadcast on the local TV channel.

As a result of cooperation with the mayor’s office it was agreed to
restore local Azatamartikneri Park. Armenian Forests NGO (hereinafter
AFNGO) specialists advised upon the types of trees and bushes that
should be planted there. After that the projected number of trees and
bushes (mainly pine trees and rose and arbor-vitae (lat. Thuja) have
been obtained for planting.

March 29 restoration works of the Azatamartikneri Park launched with
participation of the municipality’s staff, local YSU branch students, as
well as AFNGO employees. Some 80 pine trees and 1500 rose bushes and
arbor-vitae were planted during three days, and the care works are
organized by the local group. The event was covered by national and
local media.

3. Tavush marz, Gosh community

The planting and terracing of the first section of the hill slopes
behind the Gosh Monastery continued and was accomplished, and the
planting on the second section started. The planted trees will have wind
and water protective importance for the Monastery and nearby households.
The activists have carried out care and treatment of the trees planted
in fall 2005. They also cleaned a territory at nearby forest from thick
branches, cut stubs and spunk.

A subbotnik (cleaning of area) was organized in the village, the streets
of the community were cleaned by the local youth group. Similar works
have been carried out on the shore of Gosh lake – during an eco-tour
organized for the activists.

Currently the environmental group carries out treatment and protection
of the yew trees in nearby forest (Note: Due to the fact that yew trees
are quite rare in Armenia, any forested territory that has yew tree
cover near Sarigyugh and Gosh communities is under special attention of
Armenian Forests NGO and community groups.)

4. Lori marz, Lejan community

This is the last of the ten communities selected. The environmental
action group members were gathered and local coordinator was appointed.
The most pressing environmental issues of the community have been
identified; and based on their needs, targeted trainings have been
conducted for the active group and a working plan has been drafted.

As an initial action they decided to begin coppicing works of the nearby
forest in the beginning of May. It is also planned to green the
surroundings of the local school and post office, and plant poplar trees
alongside the road entering the village. For this purpose AFNGO plans to
purchase 200 trees (150 poplar, 50 pine trees) and 2500 bushes for
planting.

As another issue that will be addressed is the contamination of the
village river with solid waste; discussions with the village
administration and AFNGO specialists are being carried out regarding its
cleaning and restoration.

5. Lori marz, Stepanavan community

January 31-February 2 trainings have been held for the action group.
February 2 the AFNGO specialists and the local coordinator met with the
mayor of Stepanavan Mr. Gharakeshishyan, during which an agreement was
reached to allocate 1.1 ha of land at Ajapnyak district of town for
establishing a new park. Afterwards meetings with experts of
municipality’s architecture department were held to discuss issues
related to the establishing the park and land leveling works.

Following the mayor’s pledge to assist in every possible means, land
works of the area allocated for park started early April and the area
was made ready for planting. Seedlings were obtained from Vanadzor
forest economy, because the prices at Stepanavan’s forest entity were
high. The group planted a total of 200 trees and 1500 bushes on April 15
and16th. The local action group manages the park including the watering
of seedlings and other care work.

The local activists also met with the director of the local forest
entity, who has promised to provide free seedlings for planting on the
slopes of the Dzoraget river gorge.

6. Lori marz, Vanadzor community

There is an idle water-purifying station situated at the Pambak river
shore within the town, which the municipality planned to allocate to
“Asad” LLC for producing chemical substances. The local environmental
group found out that the company doesn’t have a comprehensive strategy
of waste management, which would definitely lead to contamination of the
river. The group undertook relevant measures in working with members of
city elders’ council, in result of which the territory was not allocated
to the mentioned company.

The activists have also inquired about the place and prices of
submitting certain types of wastes (like polyethylene bottles and bags),
which gave the consumers an opportunity to separate their waste disposal
and compensate certain expenditures. The local coordinator has regular
meetings with the local media and comments and gives interviews on the
community’s environmental problems, as well as recommends necessary
actions to improve the situation.

Throughout April 2006 large-scale coppicing works have been undertaken
on one of the hill slopes surrounding Vanadzor, where they plan to
rehabilitate a total of 30 hectares of forest. Particularly on April 7th
and 14th an overall of 40 students and volunteers from Yerevan and
Vanadzor participated in coppicing works, a technique of regenerating
trees from stumps. Two exchange students from Lithuania and Slovenia,
who are in Armenia for cultural exchange program, also participated in
coppicing works. Coppicing works are initially guided and supervised by
AFNGO specialists, and after relevant instructions the action groups
carry out the works on their own.

7. Gegharkunik marz, Sevan community

Major issues in this settlement include town greening, waste management
and having clean lakeshore of Sevan. Following extensive trainings held
for the local group by AFNGO specialists February 22-24, schoolchildren
eco-teams were set up in the town and special courses were held for
women activists. For involving all interested parties the activists had
meetings with the mayor of Sevan and other municipality officials,
school teachers, students, community members, NGOs, as well as local
media. As a result of cooperation, together with local STV-1 TV the
action group has prepared and aired a TV discussion on the topic of
“Public’s role in environmental process”.

On April 21 the rehabilitation works of two city parks began, which will
continue in early May as well. A similar number of trees and bushes as
in other community parks have been planted in both areas, and the nearby
residents take care of the seedlings. In another area, due to
social-cultural issues, guarding of the territory is carried out. The
planting and all other activities are being covered by the local TV
channel.

8. Gegharkunik marz, Martuni community

Two action groups are set up in Martuni – a youth group (9 people) and a
school group (10 pupils). The “Martuni Women’s Community Council” NGO,
which comprises the core of the local environmental group, has allocated
a room with relevant equipment for the activists.

The local Peace Corps volunteers, among them an environmental
specialist, expressed a will to assist the group in every possible way.

In February the local coordinator met with the municipality officials to
discuss the possibilities of rehabilitating the city park. An agreement
was reached on maintenance and shared investment for restoring the park.
Following three-day trainings of the youth groups of the town,
preparatory works were extensively organized and seedlings have been
obtained upon the guidance of AFNGO specialists. April 21 the
restoration works started, as a result of which 125 trees and 1700
bushes were planted with joint efforts of AFNGO staff and local
activists. Mayor of Martuni and marz authorities also participated in
the works.

The action group also met with the Martuni branch representatives of
“Sevan” National Park and discussed issues of Sevan lakeshore
restoration. In result it was decided to rehabilitate the protective
forest cover near the shore through coppicing.

9. Kotayk marz, Tsakhkadzor community

Local activists and AFNGO staff have together stopped a case of illegal
logging in the nearby forest of the resort town, and have come to an
agreement with the company that caused the damage to compensate the
loss. The company is to allocate certain amount of funds to plant a
corresponding number of trees (as many as have been cut) and even go
further to assist in restoring another area of forest. For correct
rehabilitation of the damaged forest, AFNGO specialists have examined
the territory, did the relevant planning, and scheduled the works for
May 2006.

Activists lobbied local authorities for allocation of several areas
around the town for additional reforestation. After cooperation with
forest economy and municipality, it was agreed to plant trees on
treeless areas of nearby forest land to expand forest cover. Restoration
works, as well as coppicing of certain areas will start in early May.
The activists are to obtain seedlings in cooperation with the
pan-Armenian tree planting project led by Nig-Aparan Union, which
promised to provide a necessary amount of seedlings free of charge.
Local youth and school environmental groups have been trained by AFNGO
forest specialists for appropriate work during tree planting. Tree
planting and coppicing works in the community and nearby forests will be
implemented by the forces of local action group.

The local coordinator also worked closely with municipality to obtain a
territory for establishing a forest nursery.

The AFNGO specialists have supported local “Forests for future
generations” NGO, members of which are also part of the environmental
group, to apply to Open Society Institute for financial assistance to
conduct research on civil society issues.

10. Vayots Dzor marz, Jermuk community

Local activists have tracked illegal logging of pine trees in nearby
forests, and reported about the case to local authorities and forest
economy. The group members have also witnessed cutting of ash trees in
city parks, after which the municipality undertook relevant measures.

The local coordinator led a group of local schoolchildren to conduct a
subbotnik (cleaning of area) nearby their school on April 22, after
which a tree planting in the backyard and surrounding territory was
organized.

The coordinator has also met with municipality officials and agreed upon
establishing a new park on 1 hectare. The territory was allocated for
the purpose, yet the planting works have been postponed till May due to
cold weather.

For additional information or any question feel free to contact Mher
Sharoyan, Assistant Project Coordinator, at [email protected] or
call (+374 10) 54-15-29.

THERE NOTHING EXTRAORDINARY IN ORINATS YERKIR’S WITHDRAWAL FROM RULING
COALITION: ARMENIAN DM

Yerevan, May 12. ArmInfo. There is nothing extraordinary in the
Orinats Yerkir party’s withdrawal from the ruling coalition and one
should not look for any implication, says Armenia’s DM Serzh Sargsyan.

He says that the coalition was set up in 2003 and now one party has
decided to withdraw because of differences with the other two
ones. Sargsyan refutes the reports that he took part in the formation
of Orinats Yerkir and that the authorities are pressuring the
businessmen leaving the party. They joined the party for their
personal purposes and now they are leaving it because of differences
with the authorities, says Sargsyan.

Asked if he considers Artur Bagdassaryan’s resignation and OY’s
withdrawal as his victory over Bagdassaryan, Sargsyan says that one
better ask this question to Bagdassaryan. “I didn’t fight with him,”
says Sargsyan.