Author: Nadirian Emma

ARMENIA’S POPULATION SUFFERS BECAUSE OF FALL IN THE AMD/USD EXCHANGE
RATE: ARMENIA’S PM

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14. ARMINFO. The international processes connected
with dollar-euro exchange rate fluctuations are affecting the
countries which cannot control these fluctuations, Armenia’s Prime
Minister Andranik Margaryan says in an interview to Golos Armenii.

Today the finance ministers of the European Union country-members are
negotiating with the leadership of the USA for fixing the game rules
which will make prediction of the processes at the world market
possible. Alas, there are not such arrangements yet.

The countries with a small reserve foundation are connected with
import, for this reason they depend on the world market processes. In
this context the CB has prerogative and the role of the government is
not big. More over, it is dangerous to interfere in the current
processes artificially, that is, to print Drams and to try to level
these processes in such a way. This may lead to sharp growth of the
goods prices and cause worse consequences than the situation in which
our citizens have found themselves. President Robert Kocharyan has
recently during the meeting with the members of the CB Council said of
the necessity of the flexible policy conducting in this matter.

The CB is negotiating with the commerce banks for conducting of
specific measures. The CB also has administrative levers to affect the
situation. It is no secret that some people made use of this not
simple situation and they gain surplus profit. The exchange points
refuse currency exchange and prefer shadow operations. But the CB will
use its right to check licenses of these exchange point and how they
fulfill their obligations and this will probably lead to their
closing. This is the composing part of the situation that depends on
us.

AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER UNVEILS SEVERAL DETAILS OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH HIS
ARMENIAN COUNTERPART

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 8. ARMINFO. Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign
ministers discussed the prospects of liberation of the occupied regions
of Azerbaijan and restoration of transport and other communications
between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Sofia. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister
Elmar Mamedyarov made this statement dwelling on several details of
the negotiations at the 12th session of OSCE Council of Ministers,
the newspaper Echo reports referring to the press-service of the
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

The minister stated in his speech that “having occupied Karabakh
region and the districts nearing it, Armenia wants to strengthen the
results of its military aggression actively waging a settling policy
in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.” He called it a serious
violation of the International Humanitarian Law, in particular,
a full contradiction to the Geneva Convention of 1949. Mamedyarov
pointed out that Azerbaijan adheres to peaceful resolution of the
conflict on the basis of the International Law, UN Security Council
resolutions and OSCE documents. He said that Azerbaijan is ready to
normalize its relations with Armenia, but it requires the latter to
come out from the position of the principles of the International
Law and democracy and not from the position of the realities reached
by force and the ideology of territorial demands. Giving a positive
assessment to the meetings in Prague, Elmar Mamedyarov expressed
concern over the “illegal activity in the occupied territories,
which causes a real damage to the negotiation process,” and called
OSCE to make its contribution to the problem’s solution.

Within the framework of the session, Mamedyarov held also bilateral
meetings with EU Commissioner for Foreign Relations and Policy of
European Neighborhood, Director of OSCE Democratic Institutions and
Human Rights, Special Representative of OSCE Chairman-in-Office for
Karabakh, as well as the heads of Turkish, Belgian, Austrian and
Greek delegations.

32 REFUGEE FAMILIES MOVE TO NEW APARTMENTS

ArmenPress
Dec 8 2004

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS: Another 32 refugee families have
moved today in new apartments built by YMCA company on funds made
available by the UNHCR Yerevan agency. The new block of flats have
24 one-room and 8 two-room apartments. Until now these families lived
in two local hostels. Another block of apartments is being built now
by the Norwegian refugee Council (NRC). It will provide another 28
families with apartments.

According to Gagik Yeganian, the head of a government-affiliated
department for refugees and migrants, the first condition for refugees’
integration is having an apartment. Until now this problem has been
solved with the help of international donor organizations. However,
the government has approved a $17 million worth program for building
apartments and cottages for refugees. When accomplished it will help
some 3,400 families to improve their housing conditions.

Yet another 19 families of refugees will get cottages in three villages
of Ararat province in 2-3 days, built by the NRC. But still 11,000
refugee families face this problem. Until now the UNHCR have built
3,500 apartments and cottages for refugees with the help of the NRC.

SOCIAL SECURITY OF THE DISABLED

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
08 Dec 04

For years already Nagorni Karabakh officially celebrates December 3
as the International Day of the Disabled. This is a positive fact in
the sense that this social group of people who need the assistance of
the government and the society are enabled to draw the attention of
the government to their problems. To say that the disabled expect
much would not be true because they sometimes do not need more than
a little attention to make them feel happy. Recently there has been
certain progress on the part of the government in the direction of
social security of the disabled and solution of their problems. We
talked to the NKR minister of social security Lenston Ghulian on the
problems of the disabled. â~@~Mr. Ghulian, what is the situation
of the social security of the disabled? What steps did the ministry
take in the current year to solve the problems of the disabled?â~@~]
â~@~First of all, I would like to mention that the legal, economic
and organizational questions of the social security of the disabled
are mainly regulated by the NKR law â~@~On social security of
the disabled in the republicâ~@~]. According to the law in effect,
medical aid and service of the disabled is financed from the state
budget. The disabled of the 1st and 2nd degrees receive free medicine,
and the disabled of the third degree receive medicine at a 50 per
cent discount. According to the corresponding decisions of the NKR
government, the disabled, as well as the guardians of the 1st degree
disabled with eyesight problems receive monthly allowances for the
privileges granted by the law. Depending on the place of residence
the size of the allowance is different. By October 1, 2004 insurance
sums of 12539.0 thousand and 893.0 thousand drams have been provided
to 126 persons who became disabled during their military service and
5 families of killed (dead) servicemen respectively. Prosthesis and
rehabilitation is provided by the prosthetic and orthopedic service
under the ministry on the budget means. In 2004 about 700 people used
this service and the majority were disabled. About 20 million drams was
provided from the state budget for these services. During 9 months of
2004 the state non-commercial organization â~@~Stepanakert Prosthetic
and Orthopedic Centerâ~@~] made 48 artificial lambs and repaired 76
prostheses. 34 disabled people were provided with wheelchairs, 82
people with hearing-aids. Crutches were provided as well. With the
attendance of the ministry nine people received prostheses of eye
in Yerevan. The â~@~2004 Annual Program of Social Security of the
Disabledâ~@~] was worked out and included in the NKR State Budget. In
the sphere of social security of the disabled the care and social
service of the disabled are also considered important. They receive
both out-patient medical care and social service and at home. It
should also be noted that in the sphere of social security of the
disabled the NKR Ministry of Social Security cooperates with other
ministries, agencies, local and international organizations.â~@~]
â~@~This year four members of the public organization â~@~Vitaâ~@~]
of the disabled azatamartiks received treatment at the resort town
Saki, which is a positive fact. I wonder whether it will continue
or it was just an experiment.â~@~] â~@~The disabled would be glad
to hear that their medical treatment abroad will continue. If this
year the state budget provided 2 million drams for these costs, in
2005 this sum will double and total 4 million drams. This means that
if four people were sent to Saki, in 2005 medical treatment abroad
will be provided to 8 people. Perhaps some of them will be sent to
Saki, one or two people will be sent to Kislovodsk or Pyatigorsk
depending on their disease. In 2005 we intend to involve not only
â~@~Vitaâ~@~] but also other public organizations dealing with
the problems of the disabled. In order to prevent the same people
being sent abroad for treatment. We will try to find sponsors to add
2 million drams to the planned 4 million to increase the range of
the medical service.â~@~] â~@~You said that monthly allowances are
granted to certain groups of disabled according to the corresponding
decisions of the NKR government. I would like to know whether public
transport fare is also included in the monthly allowance? This is a
problem which worries the disabled.â~@~] â~@~Yes, according to the
corresponding decision of the NKR government the disabled receive
monthly allowances for electricity, gas, water, as well as transport
fees. Of course, the sum is not big. In the course of time the size
of the allowance will increase. We intend increasing the monthly
allowance to 5 thousand drams since January 1, 2005. With changes of
the prices for gas, water, electricity it is natural to change the size
of the allowance.â~@~] â~@~What relationships do you have with the
public organizations dealing with the problems of the disabled. Do you
involve them in decision making and discussion of laws connected with
problems also referring to them?â~@~] â~@~We do our best to assist
to public organizations dealing with the problems of the disabled.
Nevertheless, I think, the representatives of these organizations
should by all means be involved in government discussions. There must
be joint discussions between governmental and public organizations
dealing with the problems of the disabled. By the way, they also
should be interested in this. It is desirable that the disabled
also be well-aware of the laws referring to them.â~@~] â~@~Does the
government take measures to integrate the disabled in the society,
making them full members of the society?â~@~] â~@~To integrate the
disabled in the society, providing equal conditions for them, as
well as a number of other questions several bills were worked out and
presented to the NKR government. One of the conditions to integrate
the disabled in the society is to provide them with training in some
field and jobs. We have already started to think in this direction
but nothing has been done yet.â~@~] â~@~What are your future plans
for social security of the disabled?â~@~] â~@~A number of public
organizations dealing with the problems of disabled have applied to us
for assistance. On December 3 we provided computers to certain public
organizations, canes and chess for the blind. In the coming year we
will aid disabled children. By the way, together with the Ministry of
Education, Culture and Sport we organized an art festival and sports
competition (for the first time) for the disabled children under 18,
which lasted on December 1-3. In the process of medical and social
rehabilitation of the disabled resort treatment is very important. In
2005 the NKR state fund of social insurance will provide 110 trips
to resorts for the disabled. We plan a number of undertakings within
the framework of the program â~@~Annual Program of Social Security
of the Disabled 2005â~@~]. In 2005 the size of the allowances will
increase. Disabled children will receive 6000 drams instead of the
present 4000. The pension of the disabled will grow by an average of
1500 drams. In short, I may state that there is already a tendency
of development of the social and economic sectors in Karabakh. The
people which fought for freedom and independence and won the war
deserves a dignified life. And our task is to provide a dignified
life for them.â~@~]

NVARD OHANJANIAN. 08-12-2004

–Boundary_(ID_kdM9ZT0c/z6jCGg/hlCyCw)–

Agence France Presse
3 décembre 2004 vendredi 3:17 AM GMT

Les nouveaux riches rachètent à haut prix l’art russe parti à l’Ouest

LONDRES 3 déc

Nouveaux riches et marchands d’art de Russie ont montré leur pouvoir
d’achat illimité et leur désir de reprendre possession de leur
patrimoine lors d’une série de ventes exceptionnelles de tableaux et
objets d’art russes cette semaine à Londres, qui ont affiché
plusieurs records.

Ouverte mardi avec des enchères chez MacDougall’s et Christie’s,
suivies de ventes chez Sotheby’s, la “semaine russe” à Londres devait
s’achever vendredi avec une vente de vins de Crimée qui ont appartenu
jadis aux Tsars.

Réceptions, vernissages et razzias dans les boutiques de luxe ont
rythmé la semaine.

Dans les couloirs de Sotheby’s, située dans l’artère du luxe de New
Bond Street, tout le monde parle russe. Des tableaux de peintres
russes de toutes époques sont accrochés aux murs tapissés de rouge de
la salle des ventes.

Des beautés slaves longilignes aux longs cheveux blonds, en manteaux
de fourrure, notent avec leur stylo Montblanc les enchères des pièces
d’argenterie, émaux et porcelaines. Leurs maris, jeunes et trapus, en
col roulé et vestes de cuir, passent leurs ordres, le téléphone
portable vissé à l’oreille.

“J’ai acheté un tableau d’Ivan Aivazovski. Je le collectionne depuis
vingt-cinq ans. Je vais partout pour l’acheter. Mais les Russes et
les Arméniens adorent ce peintre et, comme ils font fortune partout
dans le monde, les prix ont été multipliés par dix ces dernières
années”, explique un collectionneur de 49 ans venu spécialement de
New York.

Plusieurs tableaux de ce peintre spécialisé dans les marines se sont
classés dans les dix meilleures ventes de Sotheby’s comme de
Christie’s. L’un d’eux, “St Isaac on a frosty day” s’est adjugé à 1,6
million d’euros, un record.

“J’ai aussi acheté un service de Fabergé (joaillier fournisseur des
familles royales). Ce n’était pas prévu, mais il a plu à ma femme”,
explique le même collectionneur, dont les arrière-arrières
grands-parents ont quitté l’Arménie en 1915, pour échapper aux
massacres. Comme la plupart des acheteurs, il tient à son anonymat.

L’envolée récente des prix a encouragé Christie’s à se développer sur
le marché de l’art russe, jusqu’ici dominé par Sotheby’s. Une
nouvelle maison spécialisée, MacDougall’s, a organisé sa première
vente, espérant profiter de l’essor du marché à Londres.

“Les émigrants russes après la révolution de 1917 parlaient français
et se sont installés en France. Aujourd’hui les Russes parlent
anglais et viennent en Grande-Bretagne faire leur shopping et y faire
éduquer leurs enfants dans les pensionnats privés anglais”, explique
William MacDougall.

“Ils sont venus pour acheter de quoi décorer leurs maisons à Moscou,
à Londres ou dans le sud de la France”, explique cet ancien
gestionnaire de fonds de la City, qui a ouvert sa maison de vente
avec sa femme russe, Catherine.

Londres est un refuge prisé des “oligarques”, milliardaires récents à
la réputation sulfureuse, à l’instar du magnat du pétrole Roman
Abramovitch ou de Boris Berezovski, recherché par Moscou, qui a
obtenu l’asile politique en Grande-Bretagne.

“Les nouveaux riches ont des moyens illimités et des connaissances en
art limitées, ils achètent au plus cher pour impressionner leurs
amis. Lors des enchères les plus élevées, il y avait des
applaudissements dans la salle”, explique à l’AFP le prince Nikita
Lobanov-Rostovsky, dont la collection d’art russe est très renommée.

Beaucoup des oeuvres en vente étaient parties en Occident lorsque
l’aristocratie russe a émigré après la révolution de 1917.

“Ils redécouvrent leur patrimoine et ont maintenant l’argent pour le
racheter. Les Russes aiment l’art et sont passionnés par leur propre
Histoire. Maintenant qu’ils ont de l’argent, vous voyez le résultat”,
explique de son côté Michael Bing, qui menait les enchères chez
Sotheby’s.

Armenia’s first president still to have final say in politics – ex-speaker

Arminfo
1 Dec 04

YEREVAN

The first Armenian president, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, has not abandoned
big-time politics, Babken Ararktsyan, former speaker of the Armenian
National Assembly and one of the ideologists of the former ruling
Armenian Pan-National Movement [APNM], told a press conference today.

“I do not think that he has abandoned politics, neither today nor at
any other time. Another issue is whether he has abandoned public
politics,” the former speaker said. Ter-Petrosyan is the first
Armenian president and naturally, there is an interest in him both in
the country and abroad. “He has always kept abreast of what is going
on, and I am sure that at decisive moments, especially when it comes
to processes around Nagornyy Karabakh, he cannot remain indifferent,”
Ararktsyan said.

As for the APNM’s cooperation with other opposition parties, the
former speaker said that cooperation should be based on similar
ideological approaches. If this is not the case, the cooperation will
be short-lived, Ararktsyan added.

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
December 1, 2004, Wednesday

THE FATE OF THE LAST RUSSIAN BASE IN AZERBAIJAN UNDECIDED

SOURCE: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, November 29, 2004, p. 11

by Rauf Mirkadyrov

RUMORS ON THE UPCOMING APPEARANCE OF AMERICAN MILITARY BASES IN
AZERBAIJAN PUT WITHDRAWAL OF RUSSIAN MILITARY OBJECTS FROM THE
COUNTRY INTO THE FOCUS OF ATTENTION

The Gabala radar installation, the only Russian military object left
on the territory of Azerbaijan, is in jeopardy. National parliament
demanded a revision of the terms of lease more than once already. Not
long ago, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Ecology announced that it would
monitor the effect of electromagnetic emanation from the installation
on environment and the population. PR Department of the Russian Space
Force immediately released a statement to the effect that the
emanation was well within the established norms. Unfortunately, local
environmentalists claim quite the opposite. It should be noted here
that all these organizations exist on grants from Western, mostly
American, trusts. Citing their findings, environmentalists claim that
the Gabala radar has a negative effect on nature and health of the
population.

Even parliamentarians joined the campaign – mostly deputies of the
ruling party and that is not something that could happen without an
encouraging nod from the very top. Deputy Dzhangir Guseinov demanded
an answer from defense minister to the question concerning the rumors
that officers of Armenian origin were assigned to the Gabala
installation. The lawmaker called it unacceptable even if the
officers in question were in fact citizens of Russia. Other
parliamentarians and a substantial part of society backed Guseinov.

Well-informed sources claim that a new campaign for the closure of
Gabala was initiated by upper echelons of the Defense Ministry of
Azerbaijan. Allegedly, the matter of leasing the installation to
Russia was settled without the opinion of the Defense Ministry taken
into account, and an insiders claim that the Defense Ministry always
objected to the idea. The fact that the campaign was inspired by the
Defense Ministry is quite indicative. Defense Minister Safar Abiyev
is known as the man who would not do anything without looking over
his shoulder at the United States first.

Sure, official Baku may allegedly find itself under the pressure of
some domestic and, more importantly, external factors sufficiently
serious to initiate negotiations with Russia over liquidation of the
military object. “Electronic equipment may be dismantled and
withdrawn. But it is not the electronics that is valuable in this
particularly case (the electronics in question is fairly outdated
now), it is the building itself as a construction. It cannot be
dismantled. It can only be blown up, destroyed in the manner an
analogous object was destroyed in Latvia,” independent military
expert Dzhasur Mamedov said.

It does not even matter that Russia did not pay all its debts for the
use of the Gabala station before the signing of the lease accord for
a decade (it came into effect in 2002). Russia is paying only $7
million a year for the installation. Meanwhile, Moscow pledged to pay
$30 million worth of electricity bills for between 1992 and 2002. It
has not got down to it yet.

Azerbaijan has all legal grounds to initiate negotiations over
liquidation of the Gabala installation. About a year ago, its
parliament passed a law on national security expressly forbidding
foreign military bases on the territory of the country.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedov told this correspondent
that the Gabala station operates under the lease accord between the
two states and viewing it as a military base is a mistake. As far as
Russia and Azerbaijan are concerned, he said, Gabala is a center of
information and analysis leased by Russia on the basis of an
agreement between our governments.

All the same, Azerbaijan may call Gabala a foreign military base and
initiate liquidation talks at literally any moment.

In the last 30 years or so first the USSR and the US and then Russia
and America signed a series of strategic arms limitation (SALT-I and
II), strategic offensive arms restriction (START-I and II), and
ballistic missile defense systems restriction (Ballistic Missile
Defense Treaty) accords. Said Mamedov, “These accords stipulated a
restriction of missiles with nuclear warheads and abolition of some
early warning radar stations including the Gabala and Latvian ones.
The station in Latvia was blown up, and the sides “forgot” about
Gabala – they probably agreed to. In any case, the provision
concerning elimination of the Gabala installation was never fulfilled
even though the sides never annulled it. Formally, the United States
will be quite within its rights demanding fulfillment of the clause
from Russia.”

So, Azerbaijan has enough formal excuses for initiation of the
liquidation talks. But why bring up the matter at this point
precisely?

Political scientist Metin Yasharoglu does not think that the American
military will want to be neighbors of the Russians no matter on what
pretext they are deployed in Azerbaijan. Reports appeared in the
Western media not long ago that Washington began consultations with
official Baku over the use of the territory of Azerbaijan for strikes
against Iran. Bearing in mind that Moscow is highly unlikely to
support Washington’s idea, the future of the Gabala station becomes
clear: The United States will never permit”enemy” radar behind its
lines.

Yasharoglu says that this turn of events is quite plausible. “Iranian
Foreign Minister Harrazi announced that Tehran accepted all IAEA
demands and abandonment of the uranium-enrichment program as soon as
the reports on strikes at Iran from the territory of Azerbaijan
appeared. President of Iran Hatami called Ilham Aliyev on the phone
on two occasions in the last month,” the expert said. “Shortly before
that, Tehran has finally settled the matter of opening the consulate
of Azerbaijan in Tebriz, the matter that defied a solution for a
decade. So, Iran is making advances to official Baku on the one hand,
and trying to gauge the mood in the upper echelons of Azerbaijan on
the other.”

Moreover, the Gabala radar is not going to be dismantled in the near
future because Aliyev looks up at Russia. Experts say that Vladimir
Putin has some leverage against Azerbaijani leaders.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Dec 1 2004

Armenian opposition regards discussions on Upper Garabagh in UN as
Azerbaijan’s success

The UN General Assembly discussed the issue on the occupied lands of
Azerbaijan at its 59th session on November 23.
Chairman of the Assembly said after the discussions that approval of
the wording of the resolution on Upper Garabagh prepared by the UN
General Assembly has been adjourned.
The Armenian opposition told local media following the discussions
that President Kocharian’s foreign policy is bound to failure. They
also assessed the discussion of the Upper Garabagh conflict at the
United Nations as the success of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy.
Chairman of the Armenian National Democratic Party Shavarsh Kocharian
said that although the discussions on the Upper Garabagh conflict may
be assessed as Azerbaijan’s success, the adjourned approval of the
resolution can be regarded positive for Armenia.
`Armenia must take steps to impede the approval of the resolution,’
he said.
Kocharian noted that the postponement is mainly related to the fact
that the UN General Assembly supports the Upper Garabagh conflict
settlement strictly within the OSCE Minsk Group.*

Russian security boss says Ukraine not discussed at regional meeting

Mediamax news agency
30 Nov 04

YEREVAN

The committee of secretaries of security councils of the [CIS]
Collective Security Treaty Organization member states did not discuss
the situation in Ukraine at its meeting in Yerevan today, the
secretary of the Russian Security Council, Igor Ivanov, told Mediamax
in Yerevan today.

As for Russia’s position, Igor Ivanov said that “we are for a stable,
strong and economically prosperous Ukraine and we are interested to
see the political forces of that country find solutions that will
allow them to overcome this difficult stage and to ensure further
democratic growth for Ukraine”.

Fin Du Monopole De La SociÉtÉ Grecque Ote Sur Le RÉseau Gsm ArmÉnien

Tech Europe
25 novembre 2004

Les autorités arméniennes ont mis fin au monopole dont disposait la
compagnie ArmenTel, contrôlée par la société grecque OTE, a-t-on
appris le 19 novembre auprès des autorités. Le gouvernement arménien,
Armentel et OTE sont arrivés à un accord à l’amiable qualifié de
“réussite” par le porte-parole du ministère arménien de la Justice,
Ara Saguatélian.

En vertu de cet accord, ArmenTel est privé du droit d’exclusivité
dont il jouissait jusqu’ici pour exploiter le réseau de téléphonie
mobile arménien. Cet accord intervient après d’intenses négociations
entre Erevan et OTE sur l’avenir du monopole, après l’accord, au
début du mois, à la société Karabakh Telekom d’une licence
d’exploitation pour un deuxième réseau GSM en Arménie. En 1997, OTE
avait pris le contrôle de 90% de l’opérateur téléphonique ArmenTel en
échange d’un monopole de 15 ans sur le marché des télécommunications
en Arménie. ArmenTel reste le seul fournisseur d’accès à internet.
Karabakh Telekom exploitait depuis février 2002 le réseau GSM
régional du Nagorny-Karabakh, une région que se disputent l’Arménie
et l’Azerbaïdjan depuis le début des années 1990.

–Boundary_(ID_gc9wckPPdUw3lm3jS6ni4Q)–