Author: Nahapetian Zhanna

EBRD to double financing for Armenia in 2005

Interfax
May 20 2004

Yerevan. (Interfax) – The European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development plans to allocate loans of 20 million euros to Armenia
in 2005, compared to expected loans of 10 million – 12 million euros
in 2004, EBRD President Jean Lemierre said at a press conference
in Yerevan.

Three years ago, the EBRD was not allocating loans to Armenia and
in 2003 it disbursed just 6 million euros. The money disbursed in
2003 was spent on developing the private sector and expanding export
opportunities.

The EBRD loans allocated in 2004 will go to buying shares and into
long-term financing (5-7 years at commercial interest rates).

Priority areas for financing in 2005 will be the mining industry,
energy, agriculture product processing, trade, tourism, hi-technology
and services, especially mortgage financing.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
May 18 2004

PARLIAMENT SPEAKERS OF SOUTH CAUCASUS: FURTHER EUROPEAN INTEGRATION A
STIMULATING FACTOR FOR THE REGION
[May 18, 2004, 15:58:00]

“Further European integration is a stimulating factor for the South
Caucasus,” the Speakers of the Parliaments of Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Georgia said at the end of a meeting organised by Assembly President
Peter Schieder on the margins of a Parliamentary Summit bringing
together more than 60 Speakers of Parliament from 17 to 19 May in
Strasbourg.

They stressed that “parliamentarians have an important role to play
in developing regional cooperation and creating an atmosphere of
confidence in the South Caucasus”.

The Speakers welcomed the readiness of the Parliamentary Assembly to
develop concrete cooperation programmes with different groups of
society with a view to promoting contacts in the region and assisting
the implementation of democratic reforms.

The Assembly President and the Speakers will pursue contacts in order
to work on concrete proposals for cooperation to be discussed by the
parliamentary delegations of the three countries during the
Assembly’s October session. In this framework, the Secretary General
of the Assembly will visit Baku, Tbilisi, and Yerevan at the
beginning of July.

CENN – MAY 14, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:

1. We Welcome You to Become a Member of the “Caucasus Environment Society”
2. Bolnisi Public Environmental Information Centre
3. Kazakhstan Oil To Be Transported Through BTC MEP
4. 5 Armenian NGO To Receive $40,000 in Grants from World Band and SOROS
Foundation
5. ATDA Launches New, State-of-the-Art Website
6. Covering Environmental Issues
7. An Israeli Expert in the Remote Village of Aygut
8. UNDP Launches the Community Week Advocacy Initiative with Events in
Remote Areas of Armenia
9. 23 Million Euros Needed for Upgrading Abovian Gas Storehouse
10. Armenian premier says Ukraine may join gas pipeline project
11. Yerevan invites Kyiv to Iran-Armenia pipeline tender
12. Romania and Armenia Foster Cooperation in Education and Science
13. Conference on Armenian Architecture in Brussels
14. Russia, Armenia and South Africa to Set up Diamond Venture
15. Russia and Armenia Consider Opportunities to Boost Cooperation
16. World Bank Corruption May Top $100 Bln

1. WE WELCOME YOU TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE “CAUCASUS
ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY”

Became a member of the “Caucasus Environment Society” and you will enjoy the
full range of our
services. You will receive free of charge our magazine “Caucasus
Environment”, get free legal and
environmental consultancy, free access to CENN databases, maps, resources,
etc.

All membership fees support the CENN magazine’s mission of expanding
environmental knowledge
on the Caucasus and are considered as charitable contribution to the
production of the regional
magazine.

We welcome you to become a Member of the “Caucasus Environment Society” by
registering
online:

Annual membership fee for Caucasus citizens/organizations $19, for
international members – $39.
Shipment cost included.

For the more detailed information please contact CENN.

2. BOLNISI PUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTRE

On May 12, 2004 was held the meeting in the Public Environmental Information
Centre of Bolnisi in
the framework of the DAI — Development Alternatives, Inc. project Water
Resources Management
in the South Caucasus.

The final seminar was organized for the local activists from the different
NGOs about River Basin
Management. The River Ktsia Basin Counsil Statement project and the Training
Plan for the River
Ktsia Basin Counsil members were considered with the active support of DIA
officers. According to
the most optimistic evaluations the River Ktsia Basin Counsil will be
created before the end of this
month.

Prepared By Malkhaz Inadze, CENN

3. KAZAKHSTAN OIL TO BE TRANSPORTED THROUGH BTC MEP

Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, AzerTag, May
12, 2004

Transportation of Kazakh oil will be realized via main export
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. Jurists
and experts have already prepared relevant documents.

Final meeting with Kazakhstan side will be held in May 2004 and prepared
inter-governmental
agreement, stated the President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Natig
Aliyev.

Signing of bilateral agreement is due in Baku.

4. 5 ARMENIAN NGO TO RECEIVE $40,000 IN GRANTS FROM WORLD BANK AND
SOROS FOUNDATION

Source: ArmenPress, May 12 2004

Five Armenian non-governmental organizations will receive a total of $40,000
in grants from the
World Bank and the Open Society Institute (Soros Foundation) in 2004 as part
of World Bank’s
Small Grants Program. The relevant agreements were signed today. The program
was started six
years ago and two years ago the Soros Foundation joined it.

Naira Melkumian, a senior official of the World Bank Yerevan office, said
the main goal of the
program is to help resolve the most pressing problems of the vulnerable
segment of the population
“or at least to outline ways for their resolution.”

Larisa Alaverdian from the Armenian branch of the Soros Foundation said the
five organizations
were selected from a pool of 115 applicants. She said the Bank and the
Foundation would continue
to support the implementation of the program.

One of the organizations, Atur, of Assyrians, living in Armenia, will use
the grant for publication of
2,000 copies of a book in their mother tongue. The other organization,
called Millennium, will publish
a book of seven successful stories of Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan who
settled in Armenia’s
rural regions. The stories then will be used for shooting a documentary.

5. ATDA LAUNCHES NEW, STATE-OF-THE-ART WEBSITE

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Armenian Tourism Development Agency /ATDA/
3 Nalbandian St., Yerevan 3675010, RA
Tel.: (+3741) 54 23 03, 54 23 06
Fax: (+3741) 54 47 92
Email: [email protected]

Date: May 12, 2004

Armenian Tourism Development Agency (ATDA) Launches New, State-of-the-Art
Website

The Armenian Tourism Development Agency (ATDA) launched an impressive new
website
showcasing Armenia’s tourist attractions, cultural
treasures, national parks, art
galleries and all the resources necessary to make any trip to Armenia a
comfortable, pleasant and
memorable time for all.

ATDA’s and TIB’s /Technology into Business/ staff of professionals – with
indispensable funding
from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and
unparalleled technical
support from the International Executive Service Corps (IESC) – has created
a site that has merged
“high tech” interface with “high art” aesthetics, utilizing both ancient and
modern Armenian motifs.

>>From interactive maps of cultural landmarks to a comprehensive and easily
accessible database of
tour agents, hotels, restaurants, travel agencies and so much more, the ATDA
site has become the
web’s one- stop, on-line, Armenian tourism venue.

Much like ATDA’s now famous ARMENIAInformation Visitor Information Center,
at 3
Nalbandyan Street in the heart of Yerevan, the new ATDA website is a
virtual, full service concierge
facility and an expansive compendium of useful information and resources –
whether that be for
travelers and tourists or history lovers and the arts literati.

Sections are thoughtfully organized with easy access navigation bars;
graphics and photos are vibrant
and compelling; maps are easy to read and truly interactive, providing
details on any given point in
Armenia with the click of the mouse.

Background information and helpful travel hints are available at every turn;
shopping and recreation
sites are explored side by side with cultural centers, museums, concert
halls and art galleries;
Armenia’s vast array of architectural monuments and sacred sites are finally
presented in such a way
that travel planning is almost as fun as the actual visit.

The site is also exceptional in that it provides a constantly updated
calendar of weekly events, which
is available online and can be e-mailed to you every week once you
subscribe.

The ATDA has really provided interested travelers and tourism industry
professionals – no matter
their point of origin – a place on the web to fulfill, as well as provide
for every type of Armenian
tourism and travel need.

Do not hesitate, go to now.

For more information on ATDA and its activities, please visit us at 3
Nalbandyan Street or contact at
(+3741) 542303/6.

6. COVERING ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Source: International Journalist’s Network, May 11, 2004

Covering Environmental Issues
May 17, 2004 – May 21, 2004

The Caucasus Media Institute (CMI) with support of the U.S. Embassy and the
UN Environmental
Program organizes workshop in Yerevan, Armenia. The workshop is aimed at
improving journalists’
coverage of environmental news. British and local specialists will conduct
the training in Armenian
and English for 12 journalists.

The CMI Web site:

7. AN ISRAELI EXPERT IN THE REMOTE VILLAGE OF AYGUT

Armenia Tree Project
Yerevan 375025, Aygestan 9th Str., #6
Tel./Fax (374 1) 569910
Internet:
E-mail: [email protected]

Press Release
May 11, 2004

May 9, 2004 – Armenia Tree Project (ATP) and Satsil NGO organized a seminar
on potato growing
in Aygut Village, Gegharkounik Marz. The seminar was conducted by Mr. Gadi
Moses, an Israeli
expert in potato growing technologies representing ECOTEX Ltd. Mr. Moses
visited Armenia as a
guest of Satsil NGO in framework of an agricultural consulting assistance
project in the South
Caucasus conducted by the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture.

Since 2002 ATP has been implementing a Village Economic Development program
in the Getik
River valley where Aygut is situated. In this program of sustainable
mountainous development, ATP
partners with the villagers and with other international and local
organizations to combat the linked
problems of poverty and natural resource degradation. Among the contributors
to date are
USDA/MAP, World Food Program, Heifer International, Project Harmony, ORRAN,
Boghosian
Education Center, and Satsil.

The seminar started with an overview of potato growing techniques employed
by Aygut farmers,
most of who fled from Azerbaijan as refugees fifteen years ago. After
learning about the problems
villagers are currently facing in potato growing, Mr. Moses presented
practical solutions to them and
shared the Israeli farmers’ experience. The presentation lasted for over
three hours. “You have the
best soil in the world: with a bit of learning you could multiply your
yield”, Mr. Moses encouraged the
listeners. With consulting experience in almost 40 countries around the
world, Mr. Moses managed
to enter into a dialogue with the villagers and assess their problems in a
very practical way. The
topics covered at the seminar included fertilizers used in potato growing,
planting techniques (optimal
distance between seed nests, planting depth, density, etc.). The community
members were active in
asking questions, particularly addressing maximizing yield and problems
connected with different
species of potatoes.

For further information, please contact Karen Sarkavagyan at the Armenia
Tree Project
Phone: 569910, 553069
E-mail [email protected]

The Armenia Tree Project was founded in 1994 during Armenia’s darkest and
coldest years with the
vision of securing Armenia’s future by protecting Armenia’s environment.
Funded by contributions
from Diasporan Armenians, ATP has planted and rejuvenated over 500,000 trees
at more than 450
sites ranging from Gumri to Goris.

8. UNDP LAUNCHES THE COMMUNITY WEEK ADVOCACY INITIATIVE WITH
EVENTS IN REMOTE AREAS OF ARMENIA

Source: ArmenPress, May 11, 2004

Today, the Ministry of Territorial Administration and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) officially started the Community Week advocacy initiative with two
major events in
Tavoush, one of the most remote regions of Armenia. The events were attended
by the Governor of
Tavoush, four deputy ministers from the Ministries of Territorial
Administration, Agriculture, Nature
Protection, Trade and Economic Development and the UN Resident
Coordinator/UNDP Resident
Representative. The events included the inauguration of the fully
rehabilitated secondary school in
Voskepar village and the creation of a Village Development Foundation in
Koty community.

In the framework of UNDP’s Community Development Project, the secondary
school in Voskepar
has been fully renovated, including installation of a new heating system.
The Armenian Social
Investment Fund (ASIF) and the Governor’s office have provided the school
with new furniture and
materials and the local community has provided a seven percent in-kind
contribution to the project.

In Koty village, UNDP’s Agricultural and Rural Development Coordination
Unit, together with the
Ministry of Agriculture, have facilitated the development of a Koty
Community Strategy
Development Plan for 2004-2008. A working group representing all main social
groups in the local
population has worked to develop a comprehensive plan aimed at addressing
various problems in the
community. To ensure the successful implementation of the Plan, Koty is
establishing a Community
Development Foundation. The Foundation will be formed by donations from
community members,
former Koty villagers and international organizations.

According to Ms. Grande: “UNDP is committed to supporting communities
throughout the country.
We recognize that the country’s strength is its communities and that through
partnerships we can and
should help communities help themselves. The inauguration of Voskepar school
and the launching of
the Koty Village Development Foundation are wonderful events to mark the
beginning of Community
Week, an advocacy initiative of UNDP Armenia and the Ministry of Territorial
Administration aimed
at raising public awareness about ongoing legislative and other reforms
affecting communities and
contributing to discussions on community-related issues.”

Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration, Mr. Vache Terteryan, noted:
“The Government of
Armenia has adopted an approach to delegate more authority to our
communities in order to make
them more viable in the long run. Currently, most of the communities are in
need of considerable
assistance especially in terms of quality and accessibility of social and
health services and education.
In this respect, we are grateful for UNDP’s attention and ongoing support to
our efforts aimed at
community development, and we are confident that our successful cooperation
will continue in
future.”

Background: UNDP cooperation to date in the area of community and rural
development in Tavoush
region amounts around USD 750,000. Three schools and eight primary
healthcare facilities have
been rehabilitated by UNDP. In addition, UNDP supports the Tavoush Farmers
Association, which
provides technical support and various services to approximately 1,000 rural
households in seven
communities.

9. 23 MILLION EUROS NEEDED FOR UPGRADING ABOVIAN GAS STOREHOUSE

Source: ArmenPress, May 13, 2004

A 23 million euros worth project for upgrading an underground natural gas
storehouse in the town of
Abovian, some 20 off the capital Yerevan, developed by HayRusGazArd company,
the sole supplier
of Russian gas to Armenia, was praised highly by the European Bank for
Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD) and participants of a round table, held on the sidelines
of a ministerial meeting
of INOGATE program.

Edward Nersisian, head of HayRusGazArd’s department for external relations,
told Armenpress the
underground storehouse is of key importance for Armenia in terms of its safe
gas supply and energy
independence and “is no less important than the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
the construction of which
is supposed to start later this year.

The upgraded storehouse will be able to store some 200 million cubic meters
of gas, while today it
can contain only 80 million. In case of securing the necessary funds the
upgrading will be over in 2-3
years. Nersisian said a mobile station for quick repair of breaks on the
pipeline is expected to come
to Armenia as part of INOGATE’s 2004 program.

10. ARMENIAN PREMIER SAYS UKRAINE MAY JOIN GAS PIPELINE PROJECT

Source: Era, Kiev, May 11,2004

Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan is paying a visit to Ukraine. He
met his Ukrainian
counterpart, Viktor Yanukovych, today. In particular, the parties noted that
both countries had
tremendous potential for developing bilateral trade.

The Armenian prime minister also stated that Ukraine could take part in
bidding for the construction
of a gas pipeline to Iran. He noted, however, that a technical and economic
feasibility study of the
project was still being prepared, so details of the possible participation
of Ukrainian companies in
building the pipeline had not been discussed yet.

11. YEREVAN INVITES KYIV TO IRAN-ARMENIA PIPELINE TENDER

Source: Interfax, May 12, 2004

Armenia is inviting Ukraine to bid in a tender for the building of an
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline,
Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan announced at a joint press
conference with his
Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yanukovich on Tuesday in the Ukrainian capital.

Margaryan said this was one of the main topics discussed by the
Armenian-Ukrainian commission for
trade and economic relations on Tuesday.

He noted that his country and Iran are engaged in technical consultations,
after which will be
discussions of financial details and then the announcement of the
construction tender.

“We are confident Ukraine will take part in it,” Margaryan said.

As reported earlier, a final agreement on building the gas pipeline is
expected to be signed in late
May during a visit to Yerevan by Irani Oil and Gas Minister Bijan Zanganeh.

The actual construction is slated to begin late this year and be completed
sometime in 2006.

According to documents signed earlier, the Iran-Armenia pipeline will run
141 kilometers, 100 km in
Iran and 41 km in Armenia. The project price tag is estimated at $120
million. Plans are for Armenia
to receive 700 million cubic meters of gas per year via the pipeline
initially, up to 1.5 billion cubic
meters later on. Armenia will pay for the Irani gas with electricity at 3
kilowatt/hours per cubic meter
of gas.

Building this pipeline has been a discussion subject since 1992. Aside from
the main project players,
Russia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, China and some European Union countries have
shown interest. The
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced its
readiness to be part
of the project financing.

12. ROMANIA AND ARMENIA FOSTER COOPERATION IN EDUCATION AND
SCIENCE

Source: ArmenPress, May 11, 2004

An Armenian delegation headed by minister of education and science was in
Romania recently.
Education and science ministry press services reported that the visit aimed
to discuss cooperation
projects with Romanian education and scientific research ministry to ensure
implementation of a 1999
agreement between Armenian and Romanian governments.

During the working meetings the sides discussed ways of fostering
cooperation. Particularly it was
proposed to open a department of Armenian Studies at Bucharest State
University and a department
of Rumanian studies at the Yerevan Linguistic University.

Further it was arranged to foster student and research exchange program.
Romanian government
took the responsibility to support the Armenian school in Bucharest. The
sides signed a
memorandum that they will later develop into an agreement.

13. CONFERENCE ON ARMENIAN ARCHITECTURE IN BRUSSELS

PRESS RELEASE

REF: PR/04/05/011

Assembly of Armenians of Europe
Rue de Treves 10, 1050 Brussels
Tel: +32 2 647 08 01
Fax: +32 2 647 02 00

Brussels, 13/05/04 – On May 7th 2004 at the CIVA (Centre International pour
la Ville,
l’Architecture et le paysage) in Brussels, the Assembly of Armenians of
Europe organized a
conference dedicated to Armenian Medieval Architecture. Mr. Bernard Coulie
(orientalist, rector of
the Catholic University of Louvain,), Mr. Sarkis Shahinian (co-chairman of
the Swiss Armenian
Association, researcher at the EFP, Zuirch) and Mr. Patrick Donabedian (PhD
in the history of fine
arts and fellow worker at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France)
contributed to the conference, to
which architects, members of the cultural units of the European Commission
as well as students and
professors were invited. The idea behind inviting the latter group was to
introduce European
specialists and academics to Armenian cultural heritage, emphasize its role
in world heritage and
reveal the unknown traditions of Armenian Architecture.

At the opening of the conference Mr. Bernard Coulie expressed his
condolences to the Belgian
Armenian Community on the occasion
of the decease of Arbak Mkhitarian, famous Egyptologist,
armenologist-orientalist and active
member of the Armenian community.

Mr. Bernard Coulie gave the audience insights into Armenian history, culture
and Christianity, which
became the integral part of the Armenian identity, while Mr. Sarkis
Shahinian presented in detail the
architecture of Armenian Churches in the Middle Ages and revealed the
connection between the
Armenian pagan and Medial Christian cultures, as well as presented a glance
to Modern Armenian
architecture, in particular the urbanism of Yerevan, capital of the Republic
of Armenia.

Mr. Patrick Donabedian elaborated on the subject of ‘khatchkars’, cross
stones, in which the
Armenian valley is abundant. This conference came to highlight the fact that
the majority of those
Armenian monuments concerned are in the territory of Turkey and are in
danger of disappearance.
Moreover, none of the mentioned monuments are under the protection of
UNESCO.

The conference was followed by the photo exhibition on Armenia by the French
photographer
Wojtek Buss. It was in Armenia that Wojtek Buss discovered his vocation of
photographer and
some years later he returned there in order to realize his dream. His book
publish in Paris in 1998
was entitled “Armenia, Splendour of a secret country”. His wonderful photos
of Armenian
monasteries, churches and landscapes bear witness to the love, mysticism and
courage of Armenians.

14. RUSSIA, ARMENIA AND SOUTH AFRICA TO SET UP DIAMOND VENTURE

Source: RusData Dialine – BizEkon News, May 12, 2004

Russia, Armenia and South Africa are negotiating to set up a joint venture
to mine and polish
diamonds.

Russia, Armenia and South Africa are negotiating to set up a joint venture
to mine and cut diamonds.

The venture will offer the full range of services – from mining proper
through to the marketing of
finished jewelry articles. Armenia is sixth in the world in terms of diamond
polishing. In 2003, its
cutting factories turned out about USD 250 million worth of polished stones.
Experts have recently
been forecasting increased demand for and rising prices of diamonds. In
Russia, the first auction this
year to sell diamonds weighing from 10.8 carats up on the domestic market,
to be held May 18, has
already received bids from 50 Russian processing plants. Novye Izvestia
recalls that Botswana tops
the world’s diamond production league – 32% of all diamonds valued at USD
2.3 billion. It is
followed by Russia, with 22% of world output worth USD 1.6 billion. Third is
Canada, followed by
South Africa and Angola. Russia and South Africa are the main suppliers of
gem-quality diamonds.

15. RUSSIA AND ARMENIA CONSIDER OPPORTUNITIES TO BOOST COOPERATION

Source: ITAR-TASS News Agency, May 11, 2004

Russia and Armenia consider opportunities to boost cooperation, Russian
Foreign Ministry
spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said on Tuesday.

Two-way trade increased by almost 35 percent last year. At the present time,
Moscow and Yerevan
exchange views regarding the prospects for implementing the property-
against-debt agreement, as
well as interaction in the sphere of energy and investments, Yakovenko said.

The parties attach an important significance to the solution of transport
problems, in particular by
resuming the railroad service between Russia and Armenia through Georgia.

Special attention is paid to the coordination of efforts aimed at
normalizing the situation in the
Caucasus, and the opening of the potential of multi-lateral cooperation,
including within the
framework of the Caucasian Four.”

This includes the prevention of new conflicts and the settlement of old ones
such as in Nagrony
Karabakh, Yakovenko said.

He said interaction within the frameworks of the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS), the
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), and Eurasian Economic
Community where
Armenia received the status of observer, was an important sphere of
cooperation between the two
countries.

“Russia and Armenia are resolved to make task-oriented moves in the fight
against terrorism,” the
diplomat said, adding that “the political interaction in the sphere of
anti-terrorist fight is strengthened
by effective practical cooperation between secret services.”

16. WORLD BANK CORRUPTION MAY TOP $100 BLN

Corrupt use of World Bank (news – web sites) funds may exceed $100 billion
and while the
institution has moved to combat the problem, more

Sen. Richard Lugar (news, bio, voting record), an Indiana Republican,
charged “in its starkest terms,
corruption has cost the lives of uncounted individuals contending with
poverty and disease.”

He commended World Bank President James Wolfensohn for bringing greater
attention to the issue,
but said, “Corruption remains a serious problem.”

Lugar opened a hearing on corruption at the multilateral development banks,
the first public
examination in an ongoing Senate investigation.

He cited experts who calculated that between $26 billion and $130 billion of
the money lent by the
World Bank for development projects since 1946 has been misused. In 2003,
the bank distributed
$18.5 billion in developing countries.

Jeffrey Winters, an associate professor at Northwestern University, said his
research suggested
corruption wasted about $100 billion of World Bank funds, and when other
multilateral development
banks are included, the total rises to about $200 billion.

Damian Milverton, a bank spokesman, later disputed the $100 billion
estimate, insisting it had “no
basis in fact.”

“We completely reject the figure offered by one of the panelists as an
estimate of funding from the
World Bank that might have been misused,” Milverton told Reuters.

Winters testified that the World Bank’s anti-corruption effort was having
“minimal effects” and the
banks should all focus on supervising and auditing their lending.

“The lion’s share of the theft of development funds occurs in the
implementation of projects and the
use of loan funds by client governments,” he said.

Like other United Nations (news – web sites) agencies, World Bank rules
prevent staff from
testifying in public so Wolfensohn was not at the hearing. But senior bank
officials on Monday
privately briefed lawmakers on its anti-corruption efforts, a bank spokesman
said.

Carole Brookins, the U.S. executive director on the World Bank board,
defended the bank saying it
was leading efforts to fight corruption, but acknowledged, “there is more
that could be done to
strengthen the system.”

More than 180 companies and individuals have been blacklisted from doing
business with the World
Bank and their names and penalties posted on the bank’s public Web site.

Between July 2003 and March 2004, it said it referred 18 cases of fraud or
corruption to national
justice authorities based on investigations by its anti-corruption unit.

Specific bank projects under review by the committee include the Yacyreta
dam on the
Argentina-Paraguay border, the Lesotho Highlands Water Project and projects
in Cambodia.

Hector Morales, acting U.S. executive director to the Inter-American
Development Bank, testified
that his institution recently accelerated anti-corruption efforts “but still
has much work to do.”

The More you Know, The Less Gold Glows
Visit for more information

Payal Sampat
International Campaign Director
Earthworks (formerly Mineral Policy Center)
Phone: 202-887-1872 x.210
Email: [email protected]
Website:

Ilkham Aliyev is determinate to return Karabakh
Bby Maksim Yusin

RusData Dialine – Russian Press Digest
May 14, 2004 Friday

SOURCE: Izvestia, No 83, p.1

Azeri president threatens Armenia with war

The Azerbaijan’s President Ilkham Aliyev speaking Wednesday at the
opening ceremony of a military garrison said that his country is
determinate to reclaim the province of Nagorny Karabakh, a disputed
territory now controlled by Armenia.

Aliyev said that “the Azeri people and its army can at any moment
take steps to restore the territorial integrity of the country.
International law gives us right to do it. Azerbaijan will strive to
resolve the conflict over Nagorny Karabakh through negotiations. But
if we see that any further dialogue brings no results, we will liberate
the occupied territories at all costs.”

The Azeri president made his harsh statement on May 12 – the tenth
anniversary of the ceasefire between Armenians and Azerbaijanis in
Nagorny Karabakh, therefore his words are to be taken most seriously.
Yet, Izvestia writes that neither Azerbaijan nor Armenia need a new
war, and the peace negotiations, however difficult they might be,
will probably continue.

FM STRESSES CONFLICT AFTERMATH

AssA-Irada, Azerbaijan
May 13, 2004

Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov is visiting Strasbourg to attend the
114th session of the Council of Europe (CE) Ministerial Committee. In a
meeting with the CE Secretary General Walter Schwimmer on Wednesday,
Mammadyarov elaborated on the work underway towards solving the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Upper Garabagh.

The Foreign Ministry told AssA-Irada that in a meeting with the CE
Ministerial Committee’s Ago monitoring group, Mammadyarov spoke of
the efforts Azerbaijan has taken to fulfill its commitments to the
CE as well as of prospects for settling the Upper Garabagh conflict.

Addressing the session, Mammadyarov spoke of the outstanding political
issues and the reformation of the European Court for Human Rights
(ECHR). He said that the CE plays a crucial role in promoting the
undivided Europe and stated Azerbaijan’s position on the issue.

Mammadyarov noted that the Upper Garabagh conflict had caused serious
hurdles in the development of the South Caucasus region and emphasized
the initiatives taken by Azerbaijan to solve these problems. On the
first day of the session, a statement on long-term productivity of the
ECHR and the 14th protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights
were adopted. Later in the day, foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and
Armenia met at the CE Office in France. The meeting was also attended
by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.

Nakhchivan Airport Is Due To Open

Baku Today
11/05/2004

Azerbaijan State Airlines Concern will hold opening ceremony for
Nakhchivan airport tomorrow. The airport has been under reconstruction
for almost year and half. The reconstruction was scheduled to end
by the end of 2003. The construction work has covered about 350,000
square meters.

Nakhchivan airport stands solely for transport communication
of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan with the rest
of Azerbaijan. Nakhchivan has been in blockade following Karabakh
conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Airlines Concern was to announce about the opening of the airport
earlier. Yet the concern’s officials said, they had to postpone a
ceremony because of bad weather conditions.

President Ilham Aliyev is expected to attend the opening ceremony
in Nakhchivan.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT NOT TO ATTEND NATO SUMMIT IN ISTANBUL

ArmenPress
May 10 2004

YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS: Ashot Kocharian, a spokesman for
president Robert Kocharian (not a relation) who has marked today the
first year in his tenure, told reporters that president Kocharian
will visit Russia on May 13-15. “Armenian-Russian relations are
of strategic-partnership nature and they are an important factor of
securing economic growth and security for Armenia,” the spokesman said,
adding that bilateral relations have progressed during the last year,
especially in economy.

He said during the visit Kocharian will confer a number of issues with
president Putin, prime minister Mikhail Fradkov and also with chief
managers of gas supplying companies to Armenia and with representatives
of business community.

Armenian president Robert Kocharian will not travel to Turkish Istanbul
in late June to attend a NATO summit, the spokesman said. He said
Armenia will be represented by foreign minister Oskanian.

“This is not determined by Armenia-NATO relationship as they are now on
the rise,” the spokesman said, adding that Armenia’s cooperation with
NATO proceeds within the frameworks of Partnership for Peace program
“and last year president Kocharian was in Brussels to meet with top
NATO officials and also NATO secretary general visited Armenia last
year.” The spokesman said Kocharian’s decision not to travel to Turkey
hinges rather on the current level of Turkish-Armenian relations.

According to him, last year marked no major progress in
Armenian-Turkish relations. Dialogue on the level of foreign ministers
continued, though. Armenia has always expressed its readiness to
engage in dialogue without preconditions and establish multifaceted
relationship with Turkey.

System Of A Down Get Back To Business
By: ChartAttack.com Staff

Chart Attack, Canada
May 10 2004

System Of A Down have been incredibly busy lately and they’re
only going to get busier. Having recently completed their massively
successful Souls 2004 benefit concert, System Of A Down are currently
in the late stages of pre-production on their new album.

System Of A Down have been passionate about their Armenian heritage
and vocal about political inequities since their emergence onto the
music scene in 1998, and their new album will surely be no exception.
SOAD’s new album, will be the follow-up to their hugely popular
Toxicity, which was released in September 2001.

System Of A Down band members Serj Tankian, Daron Malakian and John
Dolmayan have been in a North Hollywood, California rehearsal studio
since January. The band members have been busy writing and rehearsing
almost non-stop since the beginning of this year, with recording of
the album beginning this summer.

The details surrounding the new album are fairly top-secret. However in
a recent statement Malakian was able to give some hints. “Two or three
years ago, Serj and I knew that we wanted something different for this
album … the whole world’s gone crazy over the past couple of years,
so that’s brought out a lot of emotions and affected our songwriting,”
he said. “We just want to make a great rock record, a record that
will be heavy, but heavy in emotion, not just heavy in riffs.”

Some fans at the April 26 Souls 2004 benefit concert (to commemorate
the lives lost in the Armenian Genocide) expected SOAD to play a
couple of their new songs – unfortunately, the band did not fulfil
expectations. In a statement to Rolling Stone, bassist Shavo Odadjian
said that they’re not going to play or perform any of the songs from
their upcoming record until they’re “really ready.” Expect SOAD’s
new album to hit record stores late this year.

-Stephanie Lagopoulos

Ottawa Citizen
May 7, 2004 Friday Final Edition

Democracy is no cure-all, and can’t be imposed by force

by: Gamal Solaiman

In a recent column (“East is East,” April 25), David Warren asked for
a “well-informed imam” to buttress several points he has raised in
his premise that democracy and Islam are at loggerheads. I shall try
to do the best I can.

While I do not possess the broad and in-depth knowledge that Mr.
Warren has attained and expresses well in his columns of late about
Islam, I can only explain my narrow parochial view gained through
researching my doctorate in Islamic jurisprudence at the University
of Exeter in England.

The Islamic court system is what Mr. Warren thinks is a stumbling
block to democracy in the Muslim World. Shariah has its roots in the
Covenant Patriarch Abraham made with God. Even the word Canon is
derived from the Arabic word for law, Qanun.

Shariah, the law, is inherent principles of Islam and should not be
confused with Fiqh, the Islamic jurisprudence or the humane
application of Shariah justice — no eye for an eye in Islam. If a
starving person steals to quell pangs of hunger, he or she cannot be
punished under Fiqh.

If Shariah were that bad, why then in some Muslim countries do
minority Christians opt for it as being fairer than a civil code
available to them exclusively for relief and redress?

Contrarily, the premise that Muslims cannot accept non-Muslim civil
authority is also erroneous. There are more than 60 million Muslims
in China, and 150 million in India where some hold high positions in
politics, government and the military, unlike in the democratic West.

In Egypt, 10 seats are reserved for the Christian minority regardless
of their electoral successes, and they always hold two cabinet posts.
Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the former United Nations secretary
general, is a Christian and was Egypt’s Foreign Minister. The
president of Lebanon is a Christian. Much of the Palestinian
leadership is Christian.

Pakistan has 10 seats out of 217 for its minorities. Iran has five
seats out of 275 for Jews, Armenian Christians and Assyrian
Christians. The Patriarch of the Orthodox Rite, the Pope of the
Eastern Church, has for centuries resided in Istanbul (the Second
Rome). Tariq Aziz, the former lieutenant of Saddam Hussein, is a
Christian. What about the Western democratic deficit for Muslims?

The example of Turkey is well taken by Mr. Warren. Even though the
country is proclaimed as a secular republic, Turks claim themselves
to be 99 per cent Muslim and as democrats they do not consume pork,
either.

It is social inertia that is not much understood in the West. The
U.S. could not eliminate alcoholism through Prohibition in the 1930s.
Similarly, Muslims will not abjure their religious principles
regardless of the promise democracy may enticingly offer to erode
their values. Turks never abandoned Islam: today they are being ruled
by an Islamist party!

Although Christianity and Islam share a community of beliefs — One
God, Angels, Adam and Eve, the Garden of Eden, the Fall of Man, the
Prophets, one life, life hereafter, Resurrection, the Day of
Judgment, Heaven and Hell — the rudimentary difference is that,
while Jesus is central to Christianity, the word of the Quran is
paramount to Muslims.

Furthermore, Islam does not deny the Virgin Birth, Jesus being the
Messiah of God (Messih’Allah) or his Second Coming. However, Islam
does not share the changing dynamism of Christianity (Santa Claus and
his entourage would be considered Bida, or innovation, in Islam and
forbidden, or Haram. So is Shirk, ascribing partnership to God;
Muslims do not pray to Prophet Mohammad, but pray for his salvation.)

Granted that the West, which Mr. Warren believes has synonymy with
Christianity, has unwittingly found itself at the end of the Cold War
and the demise of Communism with Islam as a counterforce and
adversary.

Let me step backwards into time to the Dark Ages when Tariq Ben Ziad
landed at Jebel Tariq (now Gibraltar) in 711 AD and during the Muslim
era until 1492 AD when democracy flourished in Spain such that the
Jews had their Golden Age under the Islamic rule. Muslims introduced
astronomy, physics, chemistry, mathematics, medicine and philosophy
of Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Ibn Rushd (Averroes), Al-Khwarizmi
(Algorithm) to Europe to generate such venerable scholars as St.
Aquinas and Descartes.

Long before democratic institutions were in vogue in Europe, the
Moghals in India had the Grand Trunk Road, gold coinage, a justice
system and revenue collection to enable them to build such
architectural wonders as the Taj Mahal and sundry mosques. This was
prior to the British occupation and colonization of that subcontinent
with a superimposition of a class system atop the caste one which was
prevalent there.

The West’s abrogation of Christian values such as the rescission of
the Lord’s Prayer in 1994 from the Canadian House of Commons, recited
since 1877, did not give our Parliament any democratic surplus. In
fact, Christianity has been replaced by utilitarianism’s relativistic
ethics, i.e. if God is needed, God exists; otherwise He is dismissed.
Such an attitude does not exist in Islamic countries as His
omnipresence is neither negotiable nor negated. God is an integral
part of Islamic life, not something utilized and then shelved for
later reference.

If democracy were such a cure-all, then the West would not have to
use extreme force to destroy any country’s insignia, infrastructure
and institutions to deliver such a panacea. The recent deletion of
“Allaho Akbar,” “Deo Maximo” or “God is Great” from the flag of Iraq
probably has the same significance as the Trinity — “Father, Son and
Holy Ghost” — to Christians.

And the Real World that Mr. Warren mentions raises some interesting
prospects: If 50-per-cent-plus-one of Canadians were against same-sex
marriage, would that proposition become invalidated? If these are the
remedies available through democracy, then I would rather take refuge
under “Virtual Reality” so deeply entrenched in our society.

The democratic prescription may become a bitter pill to swallow. If
it would kill rather than cure — the operation was successful, but
the patient died — then perhaps democracy is not meant for the
Muslims and they may have to live with this deficiency as they do
without alcohol.

Remember what Sir Winston Churchill said in the Mother of
Parliaments: “Indeed, it has been said that Democracy is the worst
form of Government except for all those other forms that have been
tried from time to time.”

But what about the other brand, Communism, under which democracy was
sold for decades and still prevails in some parts of the world? Lest
we forget the Democratic Republics of East Germany, North Korea,
North Vietnam, etc. What an epitaph for democracy!

Gamal Solaiman is the Imam of the Ottawa Mosque.

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2004

HIGHLIGHTS:

PRESS FREEDOM PAYS

ARMENIAN MEDIA STILL NOT FREE

DEMONSTRATION AND RALLY TO SUPPORT “A1+”

ENEMIES OF THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB

CASE OF ATTACK ON JOURNALISTS ON APRIL 5 SENT TO PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE

BROADCASTING HAS NOT STARTED BUT THE PROBLEMS HAVE

CEC RATIFIED THE ACCREDITATION PROCEDURE

HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST DEMANDS TO INSTITUTE CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST
CORRESPONDENT OF “HAYOTS ASHKHAR”

DIVERSITY IN LIFE AND IN MEDIA

ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION OF JOURNALISTS

PRESS FREEDOM PAYS

On May 3 in Yerevan “Partnership for Open Society” initiative that unites
around 50 public organizations of Armenia, held a round table meeting on the
World Press Freedom Day.

Ambassador of Germany in Armenia Hans-Wulf Bartels who opened the meeting
congratulated the journalists on the international professional day. He
stressed that the European Union closely follows the situation of freedom of
expression in Armenia.

The Country Manager of World Bank Armenia Office Roger Robinson mentioned as
a positive example of cooperation with the journalistic community the book
“The Right to Tell. Role of Mass Media in Economic Development”, published
by Yerevan Press Club with the assistance of the WB and the Open Society
Institute (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, April 2-8, 2004). In his speech Mr.
Robinson referred to the recently published article of the World Bank
President James Wolfenson “Press Freedom Helps Fight Poverty”. Basing on the
researches showing that the freer the press is, the less corruption there is
in the country, the WB President believes: “As we mark World Press Freedom
Day on May 3, this year’s campaign theme, ‘Press Freedom Pays’, provides an
excellent opportunity to reflect on the catalytic role that an open and free
media can play in economic development and particularly in the fight against
global poverty.”

The effective cooperation of the legislative and the “fourth” estates of the
country is illustrated by the work on the improvement and adoption of the RA
Law “On Mass Communication”, the Chairwoman of the Standing Committee on
Science, Education, Culture and Youth Issues of the RA National Assembly
Hranush Hakobian said.

The representative of the UN Department of Public Information Valeri
Tkatchouk read out the message of the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, in
which the United Nations, that proclaimed May 3 the World Press Freedom Day
in 1993, reaffirms its “commitment to the freedom and independence of the
media as an essential requirement for building a better and fairer world”
and states its readiness to do its utmost for the journalists to be able “to
do their vital work in safety and without fear”.

The possibility to perform the professional duty without caution is becoming
all the more important in Armenia due to the frequent and unpunished
displays of violence towards media representatives. The Chairwoman of the
Journalists Union of Armenia Astghik Gevorgian familiarized the participants
of the round table with the statement of the “Partnership for Open Society”
initiative for May 3.

The statement says:

“‘Partnership for Civil Society’ initiative congratulates all the media on
the World Press Freedom Day.

Having analyzed the media situation in Armenia, we state:

1. In 2003 the RA National Assembly passed two laws that directly relate to
the media sphere – “On Freedom of Information” and “On Mass Communication”.
The two documents were adopted as a result of public dialogue and are mainly
compliant with international standards. At the same time it is a source of
much concern that amendments to the RA Law “On Television and Radio”,
criticized by the journalistic community and international organizations,
were shallow and inessential, failed to solve the main problem – ensuring
the independence of the two regulatory bodies, the National Commission on
Television and Radio and the Council of the Public Television and Radio
Company. In the legislation another concern-provoking fact is that the
implementation of the RA Law “On Freedom of Information” is in fact delayed,
as the government to this day has not fulfilled the provision of the law: it
has not defined the procedure for provision of information or its duplicate
(copy) by the state structures and local self-governance bodies, state
institutions and organizations. And, finally, having adopted legislation
containing rather progressive clauses that regulate the media activities,
the authorities must amend other laws to make them correspond to
international standards and the newly passed bills. This calls, in
particular, for the removal of libel and insult provisions from the Criminal
Code passed in 2003 (Articles 135, 136, 318) that endanger the freedom of
expression and can induce media to exercise self-censorship.

2. The consistent refusal to provide license to “A1+” TV company by the
results of the broadcast licensing competitions in 2003 came to reconfirm
that the National Commission on Television and Radio is not guided by the
principles of objectivity and impartiality. Moreover, the National
Commission declined the proposal of non-governmental organizations to
involve independent experts with a right to consultative vote at least in
one of the competitions, although this procedure is provided for by the law
and the presence of experts would have ensured the transparency of the
tender.

3. The Public Television of Armenia remains an addendum to the executive
power and serves as its rostrum. This TV company has adopted the policy of
praising the authorities and relegating the opposition, does not provide
objective and impartial information, diversity of opinion.

4. The press mostly fulfils its function of disseminating diverse
information, however, the newspapers circulations are small, they are mostly
sold out in the capital and the regional centers. The press remains
polarized and entangled in the controversy of authorities and opposition.

5. On April 5 and in the early morning of April 13, 2004 violence was exerte
d on the journalists covering the opposition rallies. If in the former case
those who beat the journalists and broke their photo and video cameras were
people dressed in civilian clothes, on the latter occasion the attackers
were policemen. These offenders have not as yet been found and punished, and
the damages to the media have not been compensated.

6. The reputable international organization “Freedom House” qualified the
Armenian media in 2003 as not free.

We, the representatives of non-governmental organizations of “Partnership
for Open Society” again demand the law enforcement bodies to find and punish
the individuals who violently attacked journalists on April 5 and April 13
as strictly as the law stipulates.

We demand that Armenian authorities ensure the free and unimpeded activity
of media and journalists, remove Articles 135,136 and 318 from the Criminal
Code as being dangerous for the freedom of expression, refraining from their
application till this is accomplished.

We state that we will continue to advocate the improvement of the
media-related legislation, the establishment of real freedom of expression
and truly independent media.”

During his presentation at the round table the President of Yerevan Press
Club Boris Navasardian quoted the address of the UNESCO Director General
Koiichiro Matsuura: “The theme of this year’s World Press Freedom Day is the
media in conflict and post-conflict zones and in countries in transition. In
such situations, the media’s work to provide independent and trustworthy
information can contribute significantly to processes of reconstruction and
reconciliation.” In this regard the YPC President noted that the Armenian
media, using the freedom that the authorities must guarantee, are to ensure
the free information flow and by this contribute to the establishment of a
dialogue both in the country and on the regional level to arrive at
consensus of the parties.

Among those speaking at the event were the UNDP Resident Representative in
Armenia Lise Grande, the Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States in
Armenia Vivian Walker, the Executive Director of the OSI Assistance
Foundation-Armenia Larisa Minasian.

At the round table the statement of “Article 19” international organization
was disseminated on the incidents of violence against journalists. “Article
19” in particular called upon the authorities of Armenia “to respect the
international standards in the field of freedom of expression, to conduct an
immediate and full investigation of the reported assaults of journalists and
human rights activists, and to undertake all necessary measures to ensure
the safety of journalists in the future”.

ARMENIAN MEDIA STILL NOT FREE

On April 28 the international human rights organization “Freedom House”
published the annual global survey of media independence in 2003.

“Press freedom suffered a substantial worldwide decline in 2003” is the main
conclusion of the researchers who evaluated the media situation in 193
countries of the world. Legal harassment, political pressure and violence
against journalists combined to worsen conditions in many countries,
resulting in the second consecutive year of global decline in freedom for
news media, “Freedom House” stressed.

The situation with the media was evaluated using the numerical scale from 1
to 100 based on the following criteria: free (1-30 points), partly free
(31-60), not free (61-100) – the lower the score the higher the degree of
freedom. The freedom of press was evaluated along three dimensions:
legislation influencing media; political pressure, control and violence
towards media; economic pressure and control over media. The sum of the
scores along the three dimensions yielded the aggregate rating of the
condition of media in a country.

In 2003 the rating of Armenia made 64 points. In other words, the Armenian
media remain in “not free” category where they found themselves in 2002,
having scored 65 points. The insignificant difference in the evaluation of
the press freedom situation in Armenia in 2003 versus 2002 is due to the
somewhat improved legislation.

As to the CIS overall, “other than in Georgia, the situation remained deeply
troubled”. Having scored 54 points, similarly to 2002, the Georgian media
retain the characteristics of partly free ones, while the Moldova was unable
to do it and entered the category of “not free” press (63). The somewhat
improved situation in Azerbaijan (71 points versus 73 in 2002) did not
impact the general picture of the media in this country as they remain not
free. The media of other CIS countries also remain in this category. The
most unfavorable ones are the ratings of Turkmenistan (95), Uzbekistan and
Belarus (84 each).

DEMONSTRATION AND RALLY TO SUPPORT “A1+”

On May 3 in Yerevan a demonstration and rally to support “A1+” TV company
were held. About 150 participants of the action passed from the House of
Press to Charles Aznavour Square. At the meeting on the World Press Freedom
Day the demands of the journalistic community to the authorities of the
country were voiced again: to hold broadcast licensing competitions for the
vacant frequencies and involve the representatives of public organizations
into the process of rating evaluation of the bids.

ENEMIES OF THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB

On May 3 the National Press Club (NPC) once again announced the names of
“enemies of press” in 2003. For the third year already the main media-enemy
has been named to be the Armenian President Robert Kocharian. This time the
title was conferred on him in particular for signing the RA Law “On Mass
Communication” and not punishing those who obstructed the professional
activities of journalists during the opposition rallies. Another “press
enemy” was named to be the Chairwoman of the Parliament Committee on
Science, Education, Culture and Youth Issues Hranush Hakobian that assisted
the adoption of the Law “On Mass Communication”, by, as NPC thinks,
concealing the conclusions of the international experts from the deputies
and thus disorienting them.

Notably, another three of the nine candidates were nominated by NPC to this
title because of the same Law “On Mass Communication” – the author of the
draft law himself, the RA Deputy Minister of Justice Ashot Abovian, the
Speaker of the RA National Assembly Artur Baghdasarian, who, as NPC alleges,
held the voting on the draft with violations, and the President of Yerevan
Press Club Boris Navasardian, who assisted the adoption of the law.

Meanwhile, Yerevan Press Club continues to think that the RA Law “On Mass
Communication”, passed in December 2003, is generally progressive and
complies with international standards. This opinion as well as the reasons
for the unhealthy climate around the draft were given a detailed analysis
and argumentation in the article of YPC President Boris Navasardian “Going
towards Liberal Legislation through the Self-Elimination War”, published in
the YPC Weekly Newsletter (see the issue of December 12-18, 2003).

As to the attitude of the National Press Club to this law, it is prompted by
the fact that this organization on its behalf had proposed an alternative
draft law on media, evaluated very negatively both by the Government and the
NA, as well as by the media experts, and NPC cannot forgive everyone whose
lawmaking proved to be more effective.

CASE OF ATTACK ON JOURNALISTS ON APRIL 5 SENT TO PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE

On May 5 the press-service of the RA General Prosecutor’s Office reported
that by the order of the General Prosecutor Aghvan Hovsepian the criminal
case on the violent acts against media representatives during the opposition
rally on April 5 is passed to the authority of Yerevan Prosecutor’s Office.
The proceedings were instituted by the RA Police on Article 258 (“Public
Disorder”) of the RA Criminal Code. As it has been reported, on April 5
journalists were assaulted by a group of “strong guys”, when they tried to
shoot them throwing eggs at the rally participants. As a result the media
and their representatives incurred physical, material and moral damage (see
details in YPC Weekly Newsletter, April 2-8, 2004).

BROADCASTING HAS NOT STARTED BUT THE PROBLEMS HAVE

On May 4 the representatives of the traffic police of Kotayk region of
Armenia impeded the work of the shooting crew of “Aravot” TV channel. This
was reported on May 5 by “Aravot” daily. On the eve of an opposition rally
in the capital the TV journalists tried to check whether the complaints of
citizens that the policemen restrict their freedom of movement on the main
routes to Yerevan are true. According to “Aravot” daily, at the moment of
shooting the car with the TV channel staff was stopped by the
representatives of the Nairi Division of traffic police who called their
boss to help. Arriving on site, the head of Nairi Division of traffic police
Avetik Abrahamian, as the newspaper writes, first demanded the journalists
to give him the tape and then made them erase the shots on it.

As it has been reported, “Aravot” TV company (previously “Kentron”) has
changed its owner and name quite recently (see details in YPC Weekly
Newsletter, April 23-29, 2004) and has taken a temporary time out till May
10, to go on air with a new image. In other words, “Aravot” TV has not as
yet started its broadcasts, but the problems with law enforcement bodies
already have.

CEC RATIFIED THE ACCREDITATION PROCEDURE

On April 29 RA Central Election Commission, in accordance with the RA Law
“On Mass Communication”, ratified the Procedure for accrediting journalists
at the RA CEC. The document mainly adheres to the provisions of the Law “On
Mass Communication” as well as the Model Procedure for Accrediting
Journalists at the State Administration Bodies approved by the Government on
March 4 (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, March 19-25, 2004). However, some of the
provisions of the Procedure cause concern that they may become an obstacle
for the activities of journalists. Thus, for example, while according to the
Procedure, the CEC accreditation is sufficient for a journalist to enter any
election commission, Item 8 stipulates restrictions on this: not more than
two journalists and two photographers/2cameramen from each medium. It should
be noted here that the number of district and divisional precincts during
elections in Armenia is usually about a thousand. Besides, Item 17 calls for
coordinating each visit to CEC by an accredited journalist with its
Chairman – unless for CEC events, while the permission of a press-secretary
would have sufficed.

HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST DEMANDS TO INSTITUTE CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST
CORRESPONDENT OF “HAYOTS ASHKHAR”

On April 28 the Chairman of Helsinki Association of Armenia Mikael Danielian
addressed a letter to the RA General Prosecutor Aghvan Hovsepian demanding
to institute criminal proceedings against the correspondent of “Hayots
Ashkhar” daily Kima Eghiazarian on clauses 2 and 3 of Article 135 of the RA
Criminal Code (“Libel”). The reason for the appeal was the article by Kima
Eghiazarian titled “Mika’s Hullabaloo for the Council of Europe”
(“Hayots Ashkhar”, April 24, 2004) where, in the opinion of the human
rights activist, an “ungrounded conclusion” is made that Mikael Danielian is
“the spy of the Council of Europe in Armenia”.

DIVERSITY IN LIFE AND IN MEDIA

The London-based Media Diversity Institute (MDI) held two more seminars on
the subject of “Covering Diversity: Making the Difference” under the South
Caucasus project of MDI “Minority Empowerment and Media Development” with
the support of European Commission. The first of the seminars was held on
April 27-29 in Stepanakert for Karabagh journalists with the assistance of
Stepanakert Press Club. The event was interactive and was moderated by
Milica Pesic (MDI Director), Adam James (free-lance journalist, specialized
on the problems of people with mental disorders) and Elina Poghosbekian
(Editor of YPC Weekly Newsletter).

The second seminar was held on May 1-2 in Yerevan with the assistance of
Yerevan Press Club, the MDI Armenian partner. This time the event was
moderated, besides Milica Pesic, by Alistair Crington (media consultant,
Deputy Editor of “Cyprus Mail” newspaper) and Tatul Hakobian (observer of
“Azg” daily).

During the two seminars the principles of diverse coverage of various social
groups were discussed, as well as the editorial approach to pieces on this
issue, the degree of media attention to the minorities, the need for the
media to avoid the formation of negative stereotypes in the society.

ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION OF JOURNALISTS

On April 28-29 in Tsaghkadzor a seminar “Key Environmental Issues and Their
Coverage by the Media” was held by the OSCE Office in Yerevan and the Public
(Aarhus) Environmental Information Center. A lecture course of the leading
scientists of the country on the basics of ecology and environmental issues,
environmental legislation and seismology was presented to the seminar
participants – the representatives of local and national media of Armenia.

When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.

You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]

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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
____________________________________________
Yerevan Press Club
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Tel.: (+ 374 1) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
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