Author: Nalbandian Eduard

ARMENIAN GIRL RECOGNIZED BEST PHOTO MODEL IN ISTANBUL

ArmenPress
Dec 21 2004

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS: Anush Grigorian, a student of a
linguistic university in Yerevan, was rated fourth out of 180 girls
from 92 countries at an international Best World Model contest
in Turkish Istanbul and recognized as the best Photo-Model. Her
participation was sponsored by the Turkish government.

Speaking to a news conference today Anush Grigorian said when she had
learned that she would have to fly to Turkey her first idea was to
reject the invitation, but when in Turkey she was surprised at a very
warm welcome she was given there. “Turks treated all participants
equally warm but I felt a sort of special attention towards me,”
she said.

Anush Grigorian was recognized also as Miss Tourism at a recent
contest in China.

16 December 2004
Copyright © Turkish Daily News

Opinion: Gunduz Aktan

Summary

I am writing this article not knowing how different the Dec. 17
European Union summit decision will be from the fourth version,
but we can say the likely changes will be more in wording than in
content as the EU’s attitude towards our membership appears inflexible.
It seems likely we will get a date to start negotiations at the summit
in 2005 with the objective being full membership.

However, the start of the process doesn’t necessarily mean it will
progress smoothly. Cyprus, the Aegean, minorities (Kurds and Alawis),
the supposed Armenian “genocide” and restricted membership that doesn’t
correspond with full membership puts the whole process in doubt.
Some may think all these obstacles will be overcome one by one, but
all of them preventing progress at the same time should be seen as
a possibility.

It is being said we cannot refuse Greek Cypriot demands to
recognize them because “they will be a party as a EU member in the
negotiations.” However, how can we refuse to withdraw our military
forces from the island, and refrain from interfering in the domestic
political structure and its constitutional order when we become the
occupiers of the north of an EU member country? Greece failed to apply
to the court to resolve the Aegean matter. Consequently, we won’t be
able to declare a EU member that we will face at the negotiation table
deciding to extend its continental shelf would be considered a casus
belli. We will have to accept their demands and if the matter goes to
court in The Hague, we will lose the Aegean entirely. It seems like
the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK/Kongra-Gel) will continue to conduct
terrorist acts perpetrated by Kurdish students at universities, rallies
and through civil disobedience in order to establish an autonomous
region in the Southeast. If the concept of minority, as defined in
the progress report of Oct. 6, becomes a political condition we need
to fulfill in the new Accession Partnership Document to be prepared
in April 2005, it can be used to further autonomy demands.

French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier says he would present the
recognition of the “Armenian tragedy” as a condition at the negotiation
table. This means we will need to recognize the genocide allegations by
the end of the negotiations. The suspension of negotiations or issues
that are backed with a veto threat and the sacrifices we need to make
in order to appease will eventually result in chaotic public relations.

If Angela Merkel and Edmund Stoiber in Germany in 2006 and Nicholas
Sarkozy in France in 2007 come to power and suspend the membership
negotiations like they say they will, the process that will start
after Dec. 17 will become meaningless. Moreover, if the summit
decision includes certain “derogations” in the freedom of movement,
the agricultural sector and structural policies — in other words the
treatment accorded to Turkey differs from the fundamental values of
the EU — we will actually devolve into a privileged partnership. We
will miss out on the main financial assistance accorded to member
countries such as farming subsidies and structural funds. The people
will naturally question the benefits of making so many sacrifices
and what we are negotiating for.

The government did more than its share in satisfying the EU’s
conditions and it issued the necessary warnings, but if the decision
comes out as it is, it will become obvious the EU does not want us
as members, or is not ready to accept us.

Under such conditions, the government may announce issues it cannot
accept and reject the EU summit decision. This way, the EU may be
forced to rethink its attitude that is limited, segregationist and
prejudicial. Let’s not forget the fact that prejudicial actions are
always followed by a deep regret. On the other hand, if we don’t
become EU members, Greek Cypriots and Greeks will realize how much
their excessive demands cost them. Turkey can then prove that its
democratic regime is strong enough to weather anything until the
negotiations are restarted with a new set of rules.

–Boundary_(ID_H9SohcNVq280C2AKAyvsDg)–

The Messenger, Georgia
Dec 15 2004

Georgia’s demographic woes
By M. Alkhazashvili

Civil confrontation, ethnic conflicts, economic collapse, a leap in
unemployment and many other negative factors have led to many
Georgians to leave the country in the last fifteen years.

The census conducted in 2002 shows that within the territory under
Georgia’s jurisdiction (excluding separatist Abkhazia and South
Ossetia) 4,361,000 people live, some 431,000 less than in the 1989
census.

The situation is worse if the 162,000 refugees who left the
separatist-controlled territories are taken into account. Urban
population decreased by 7,000 and rural population by 323,000.

Experts estimate that approximately one million people – or one in
five of the population – left the country because of the developments
in Georgia in the 1990s. These were mainly young people – the
educated, qualified sector of the population – meaning that the
population left behind has become older and older.

Many of those to leave were of Abkhaz ethnicity: the number of Abkhaz
in Georgia, including Abkhazia, has halved and is now about 45,000 –
42,000 of whom live in the separatist republic, and the rest in
different regions of Georgia. Around 50,000 Abkhaz live abroad,
mainly in Russia.

The number of Ossetians has also halved. There are currently 84,000
in the country, including 46,000 who live in Tskhinvali controlled
territory. 79,000 Ossetians now live abroad, again, mainly in Russia.

Other citizens of non-Georgian ethnicity have also left the country.
Of the 341,000 Russians who used to live here, only 100,000 remain;
while people of Armenian origin now number 281,000, a decrease of
155,000. The number of Azeri leaving the country is lower – around
22,000 – leaving 284,000 in the country.

Although there are social reasons for such an exodus, for the most
part the high number of emigrants is due to economic reasons.
According to official statistics, there are some 620,000 registered
unemployed people in Georgia, 33 percent have a University education
and 75 percent of whom live in urban areas. 40 percent are under
thirty and 22 percent have had no permanent job since the beginning
of the 1990s.

Parliament is shortly to adopt the new Tax Code and law on financial
amnesty, and it is hoped that this will provide a boost to the
economy, and that as a result the hemorrhaging of the Georgian
population will be brought to a halt.

ANSA Notiziario Generale in Italiano
13 Dicembre 2004

UE: TURCHIA; FEDERAZIONE ARMENA, RICONOSCERE IL GENOCIDIO ;
PRIMA DI AVVIARE NEGOZIATI, ORGANIZZAZIONE SCRIVE A PREMIER

DATELINE: BRUXELLES

BODY:
(ANSA) – BRUXELLES, 13 DIC – La “Federazione euro-armena”
ha inviato una lettera ai 25 capi di Stato e di governo dell’Ue
affinche pretendano dalla Turchia il riconoscimento della
responsabilita’ turca nel genocidio armeno prima di avviare i
negoziati di adesione che dovrebbero essere varati col vertice
di Bruxelles di giovedi’ e venerdi’ prossimo.

Nella missiva, inviata innanzitutto all’Alto rappresentante
per la politica estera e di sicurezza dell’Ue, Javier Solana, la
Federazione chiede “solennemente che sia subito anteposto” a
qualsiasi trattativa “il necessario riconoscimento del
genocidio degli armeni da parte della Turchia e la revoca
dell’embargo ai danni dell’Armenia da parte di questo Paese”.
(ANSA).

Agence France Presse
Dec 13 2004

Turkey cautiously optimistic of EU bid ahead of crunch summit

ANKARA, Dec 13 (AFP) – Turkey was cautiously optimistic Monday that
it would obtain a favorable result from this week’s crunch summit of
European Union leaders who will decide on Ankara’s membership bid,
but warned the 25-nation bloc not to cross Ankara’s “red lines.”

“Of course we have some red lines,” Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif
Sener said after a cabinet meeting here. “If a negative situation
arises in regard to these, that, of course, would be termed
unacceptable by Turkey.”

Sener, who is also the government spokesman, was speaking before
French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said in Brussels that Paris
wants Turkey to acknowledge the World War I massacre of Armenians as
“genocide” in the course of membership negotiations — a particularly
delicate subject for Turkey.

Sener refused to be drawn into what Ankara’s stance would be should
the Brussels summit fail to meet its expectations.

EU leaders are largely expected to give the green light to open
accession talks with Turkey at their summit Thursday and Friday in
Brussels, but with a set of strict conditions and a warning that the
process is likely to take at least a decade.

“The decision to be taken on December 17 must include the goal of
full membership without leaving room for interpretation,” Sener said.
“A clear date for the (start of) negotiations is also among our
expectations.”

The minister added that Ankara had some non-negotiable demands from
the EU, which he did not think EU leaders would ignore.

Turkey says it has fulfilled the necessary criteria to earn a firm
date for accession talks and insists that it will agree to nothing
less than full membership at the end of the talks.

Ankara also objects to what it calls attempts to impose new political
conditions that it should meet in order to start membership talks.

The Delaware County Times, PA
Dec 12 2004

American dream becomes a nightmare

Sitting at the dining room table in their Drexel Hill home Friday
night, Gary and Nadia Ambartsoumian and their daughters, Karina, 16,
and Rimma, 15, considered their fate. They are to be deported soon.
The only family member not at the table is 8-year-old George. He is
the lone American citizen in the house. He is upstairs in his room,
playing with his toys. George likes toys.

His sister, Karina is a junior at Upper Darby High School. She plays
lacrosse, works at the Superfresh and carries a 92.80 academic
average, which makes her a distinguished honor student. She and Rimma
volunteer for the Springfield Baptist Church youth group. They’ve
served meals at the CityTeam shelter in Chester. They’ve prayed with
the homeless in Washington, D.C.

Last summer, Karina traveled to New Orleans to do youth missionary
work with an evangelical group called Global Expeditions.

They come by their religious faith honestly. Their grandfather,
Nikolai Boiko, was the pastor of a Baptist church in the former
Soviet Union. For his beliefs, he was arrested and exiled to Siberia,
4,000 miles away from his home in Odessa. His wife, Valentina, and
eight children were left behind to fend for themselves.

Over the course of his life, Boiko spent some 25 years in exile. His
release in 1989 made big news in the Prisoner Bulletin, an English
language newspaper chronicling religious persecution in the old
Soviet Union.

Such was life behind the old Iron Curtain.

After a lifetime of seeing her father persecuted and suffering
through her own harassment for marrying a non-Ukrainian (Armenian)
Nadia and Gary decided it was time to get out. They fled west with
their two young daughters.

“When the iron door opened .. said Nadia, they didn’t hesitate.

They procured visas to Cuba, flew to Canada and immediately asked for
political asylum. After three and a half years waiting there, they
decided they might have a better chance of being granted refugee
status in the United States. They came over the border June 5, 1996.

“In those years it was easy,” Nadia explained. “You ask for political
asylum and they let you in. No visa. They could have sent us back.
But they say welcome. They make us papers.”

And into the system they went.

They moved to Philadelphia, then out to Upper Darby. They reported
dutifully once a month to the immigration office in Philadelphia.
They got Social Security cards, went to work and about the business
of raising a family.

Nadia got a job as a house cleaner, Gary a painter. What they loved
about being in America was the opportunity to work.

“Even with our broken language we found job,” said Nadia.

At their hearing three years later before an immigration court judge,
they testified to the beatings and incidents of harassment they faced
in the old Soviet Union. A University of Chicago professor and Soviet
historian backed up their claims in a three-page letter.

“There is abundant evidence in Mr. Ambartsoumian’s statements that he
and his family have been victims of ethnic struggles and political
and economic collapse that are far beyond their control. They have
also suffered because of their religious affiliations,”Prof. Ronald
Suny concluded. “It is my professional opinion that a petitioner
possessing this background, given the conditions prevailing in
Georgia, Armenia, Russia, and other parts of the former Soviet Union,
has a well-founded, genuine fear of persecution.”

But the judge didn’t appear moved, either by the professor’s
testimony or the Ambartsoumians.

In court, said Nadia, “I was crying because I see he doesn’t believe
us.”

The Ukrainian translator, 20 years on the job, told her not to worry.
He gave the family a 99 percent chance of being granted asylum. He
was wrong.

Two weeks later the judge’s decision came down. Their application was
denied.

The family’s most recent appeal in federal court was also turned
down.

Now their only chance of staying in this country seems to be an act
ofCongress. They have contacted the offices of U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon
and U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach of Chester County.

Weldon’s Chief of Staff Mike Conallen says that since 9/11 it has
been much more difficult for congressmen to help people like the
Ambartsoumians.

“The entire process has grinded to a halt almost,” Conallen told me.
“Nobody wants to make the mistake that allows the next terrorist in.”

Bill Strassberger, a spokesman for Citizen and Immigration Services,
said that even if a congressman does propose a bill granting
citizenship in a particular case, only 10 percent of those bills
actually pass.

Which is to say, it doesn’t look great for the Ambartsoumian family.

“We love America,” said Nadia. “We not angry about this. But
something misunderstood maybe. I willing to work hard, pay taxes,
obey law.” Nadia looks at her husband.

“For us, we will never be rich. Who painter and housekeeper be rich?
But we happy. We take risk. We can get better life for our kids.”

She looks at her daughters across the table.

“They give us things they never had,” says Karina.

“Freedom,” says Nadia.

Now, she has to go. It is 7 p.m. Friday. She has an office to clean.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +3741. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +3741. .562543
Email: [email protected]:

09 December 2004

PRESS RELEASE

Attack on Armenian Church in Iraq

After an explosion occurring in two mosques in Iraq on the 5th of December,
two Christian religious buildings in Mosul (northern Iraq) were attacked
today – Armenian and Chaldean churches. The militants had stated before that
for every mosque blown up, one church would be destroyed. On 7th December in
the afternoon, unidentified gunmen stormed into the city’s newly constructed
Armenian church, gathered those present, and forced everybody out the
church, announcing their intentions to destroy it. The militants then parked
a transport loaded with explosives next to the church.

The subsequent explosion did a great deal of irreparable damage to the
Armenian church.A similar scenario played out with the attack on the
Chaldean church. The only difference was that the explosion was followed by
intense fire directed not only at the building, but at all the furnishings
inside as well. Neither attack resulted in casualties. On the 8th of
December, gunmen appeared at a nearby Armenian church in order to plunder
all that had remained inside.

According to head of the Central Armenian National Department of Iraq, these
attacks have been of an exclusively anti-Christian nature, and are not
specifically anti-Armenian.

CENN – DECEMBER 9, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. BTC Construction Preserves
2. Eurasia Foundation Pledges $2 Million in Grants for 2005
3. Authorities Vow To Dismantle Another 15 Illegal Petrol Stations
4. Nuclear and Radiation Safety Armenia’s State Priority
5. Gas alternative guarantees independence
6. Agreement on Sale of Zangezur Plant to be Signed After December 13
7. Gyulkassyan’s Group Implements USDA-CARES -ICAR-CAC Project
8. European regional meeting is being held in Yerevan
9. Award Announced for Young Ec-Heros

1. BTC CONSTRUCTION PRESERVES

Source: The Messenger, December 8, 2004

The construction of the Georgian segment of the BTC pipeline is
scheduled to be finished by March 2005 and despite two recent
business setbacks for the overall pipeline construction in Georgia is
progressing.

After the completion of the Georgian section the pipeline in Turkey must
also be completed and then filled with oil. As soon as BTC
begins operating, construction will begin on the parallel Shah-Deniz
natural gas pipeline project. The implementation of the both
projects is of vital political and energy security spheres.

Although the pipeline is nearing completion – Natik Aliev, head of the
State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), told
reports in late November, `We expect the Azerbaijani section to be
launched in January and the Georgian section in March,’
problems have also surfaced in the overall business plan.

At the same press conference, Aliev announced that construction costs
have increased over preliminary estimates. He noted, ‘Turkey
assures us that its section will be ready by the end of March, although
BTC shareholders are a little pessimistic.’ Also in November, a
British parliamentary committee held a hearing relating to the
pipeline’s safety standards, though little new revelations or
accusations
were made.

More serious business issues are that last week one of the largest
Italian banks – Banca Intesa announced it was selling its share in the
financing of the pipeline. The Financial Times reported that the bank
was selling hits stake at a loss from the original loan amount.
Another setback came when ExxonMobile announced it was signing contracts
to ship crude oil by rail over next five years. thus
skirting the BTC. UK’s Sunday Times described the move as `American
penny pinching’ that `is as much a political embarrassment
as a financial blow to BP.’

But despite these setbacks, they cannot hinder the successful completion
of the pipe. A solid core of investors – and governments –
are keenly interested in its operation and price increases can be easily
defrayed thanks to the high price of crude in the world market.

In Georgia, the president of GIOC (Georgian International Oil
Corporation) Nika Vashakidze tells the paper Rezonansi that BTC
construction has played an important role in developing the Georgian
economy. Most of the investments have already been made in
connection to the project he states; adding that new jobs were created
and a variety of Georgian companies were involved in its
construction.

The operation of BTC will also deliver budgetary revenues and increased
global importance of Georgia. Once the sister pipeline
Shah-Deniz starts pumping natural gas to Turkey via Georgia, the country
will significantly strengthen the security of its natural gas
supply system. According to current calculation Azeri natural gas could
reach Georgia by the end of 2006, thus giving Georgia a viable
alternative to Russian Gazprom supplies.

2. EURASIA FOUNDATION PLEDGES $2 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR 2005

Source: ArmenPress, December 6, 2004

The director of the Eurasia Foundation Armenia office, Ara Nazinian,
told at the news conference last Friday that the Foundation
plans to provide Armenian non-governmental organizations with around $2
million grants next year. Since its inception in Armenia in
1995 the Foundation has made available some 600 grants totaling $20
million.

The bulk of that money came from the USAID, other major donors were
well-known Armenian Diaspora financial
organizations-Lincy Foundation, Kafesjian and Izmirlian Foundations, as
well as the Open Society Institute.

In the outgoing year the Eurasia Foundation has funded 70 projects with
a total budget of $1.5 million and has approved another 25
new projects worth some $600,000. Almost two third of funding goes to
NGOs working in Armenia’s regions. Ara Nazinian said the
policy of the Foundation is to shift the work and investments from the
capital Yerevan to regions.

He said the main focus of next year’s projects would be on projects of
regional importance, which will cover improvement of business
environment, development of local self-management bodies, improvement of
conditions of local mass media and introduction of high
technology in higher educational system.

Along with that the Eurasia Foundation will fund all other projects that
contain innovations and tend to strengthen of democratic
society.

3. AUTHORITIES VOW TO DISMANTLE ANOTHER 15 ILLEGAL PETROL STATIONS

Source: ArmenPress, December 6, 2004

Yerevan authorities have vowed to dismantle another 15 petrol-filling
stations by the end of the year, which were built in violation of
rules. A municipality official said the authorities started drawing the
overall inventory last spring and have so far closed or dismantled
100 such stations, kiosks, car washing points and other outlets. He said
after a thorough study some other petrol filling stations would
be pulled down.

He said the goal of the inventory is to identify illegally operating
outlets, to dismantle those that were built in violation of the accepted

standards.

4. NUCLEAR AND RADIATION SAFETY ARMENIA’S STATE PRIORITY

Source: ITAR-TASS News Agency, December 6, 2004

Yerevan, December 6 — The nuclear and radiation safety is now among
Armenia’s state priorities. This is defined by amendments to
the republic’s law On Safe Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy that was
passed by Armenian parliament and was signed by President
Robert Kocharyan on Monday, Itar-Tass learned from the Armenian
president’s press service.

The Armenian legislation is amended to bring it in accordance with the
safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA).

Under the law, only the republic’s citizens can assume the posts that
entail responsibility for the safe functioning of nuclear facilities.
The law requires the tightening of control over nuclear materials and
protection of nuclear power plants. The law on insolvency
(bankruptcy) does not apply to the Armenian nuclear power plant.

The nuclear power plant that went into operation in 1979 was shut down
in 1989, several months after the devastative earthquake.
The plant was reactivated with the participation of Russian specialists
in 1996, and industrial operation of the second reactor was
resumed.

Electricity generated by the nuclear power plant now accounts for 38
percent of Armenia’s energy balance. The European Union
demands that Armenia shut down the plant. The Armenian authorities
believe this could be possible only if there were alternative
sources of energy.

>From last year, the management of the financial and economic activity of
the nuclear power plant went to InterRAO UES, the
subsidiary of RAO UES, the Unified Energy Systems of Russia.

5. GAS ALTERNATIVE GUARANTEES INDEPENDENCE

Source: Yerkir/arm, December 3, 2004

Start of construction of Iran-Armenia gas pipe is now a reality. The
negotiations that started back in 1992 are now in the history and
the 141 km long pipe will now raise the energetic independence of our
country.

The Iran-Armenia gas pipe will be an alternative source in situations,
when our country runs into blind alleys, which was the case in
1992-94. Note that gas provides energy to 35-40 per cent of Armenian
production. Naturally, explosions of the only gas pipelines
cause emergencies, which will be avoided due to the new pipe.

In addition, the new pipe will spur competition with the Russian gas
pipe that will get a grip on the prices. Another way for cheap gas
can be the Turkmenistan gas coming through this new pipe. By 2007
Armenia will import from Iran a quantity of gas equal to what it
now imports from Russia. And the quantity is supposed to double it by
2019.

The expenditures will be 220 million dollars, out of which Armenia will
need to pay 30 million (via a credit from Iranian bank).
Later on, it will be necessary to construct a pipe through
Kajaran-Sisian-Jermuk-Ararat-Yerevan will cost 90 million dollars.
Possible
sponsors are now being negotiated.

Another planned project is construction of a hydro power station on
Araks river, which will also be probably sponsored through
Iranian bank loans.

In addition, it is likely that not only factories will be consuming the
gas from Iran but also the regular population, 70 per cent of which
is now deprived of such facilities.

6. AGREEMENT ON SALE OF ZANGEZUR PLANT TO BE SIGNED AFTER DECEMBER 13

Source: ArmenPress, December 7, 2004

Armenian trade and economic development ministry said the agreement with
Germany’s Cronimet on purchase of 75% of shares in
Armenia’s Zangezur copper and molybdenum plant will be signed after
December 13, 2004. Earlier minister Karen Chshmaritian said
it would be signed by December 5. The ministry said the agreement is
being now finalized. Under the deal the German company will
pay $132 million for 75% of the stock.

Half of the remaining stock (12.5%) will be transferred to Armenian
Molybdenum Production (AMP), set up last year in Yerevan to
process molybdenum; the other 12.5% will go to management company
Zangezur Mining, created recently by the plant’s workforce
and administration.

Cronimet has said it is ready to credit AMP and Zangezur Mining to
enable them to acquire their portion of stock. Cronimet owns
48% of the stock in Yerevan’s Pure Iron, which processes molybdenum
concentrate produced by Zangezur plant.

7. GYULKASSYAN’S GROUP IMPLEMENTS USDA-CARES -ICAR-CAC PROJECT

Source: ArmenPress, December 7, 2004

In May 2004, the Laboratory of Plant Genetic Resources at the Armenian
Agricultural Academy (AAA) was provided with a grant
from USDA CSREES International Cooperation for Agricultural Research
(ICAR) in Central Asia and the Caucasus (CAC) Project
() to implement
its research proposal on “Conservation and utilization in
breeding of wild relatives of cereals in Armenia”.

According to Michael Gyulkhasyan, head of the group, the main goal of
the project is to conserve genetic resources of wild cereal
relatives and save the unique plant gene pool in Armenia. Wild wheat
samples were collected during the expeditions in Ararat and
Vayots Dzor marzes, and Erebuni reservation in Yerevan. Usage of these
wild cereal species as initial breeding materials and crossing
them with cultivated varieties will create new hybrids with economically
important features, such as resistance to diseases, pests, and
drought.

The AAA group collaborates with Kansas State University within the
project. According to Dr. Gyulkhasyan, USDA CSREES ICAR
provides an excellent opportunity for Armenian agrarian research
institutions to achieve breeding improvements and introduce these
achievements into breeding practice. Professor Gyulkhasyan’s project was
one of the three winners from the 125 project proposals.
The project started with a visit by USDA CSREES ICAR, Washington State
University and CYMMIT representatives. It’s a
two-year project and will continue next year.

8. EUROPEAN REGIONAL MEETING IS BEING HELD IN YEREVAN

Source: Azg/arm, December 8, 2004

The convention signed in Iranian Ramsar city in 1971 is the only one
that is directed to preservation of concrete eco-systems, in the
given case, the preservation of wet territories, the dwelling places of
water birds. Armenia joined this convention in 1993, representing
the Lake of Sevan and the Arpi Lake with its neighboring swamps in the
list of preservation and restoration. In the course of the
membership the fund of the convention financed 4 Armenian projects.

A new project was elaborated for the Javakhk areas of special
preservation. KFW bank will allocate $2,2 million for the
implementation of the project.

European regional meeting is being held in Yerevan on December 4-8. 70
foreign ecology experts are participating in the meeting. The
participants of the conference will visit the national part of Sevan,
Ayrivank and Sevan Hydro.

9. AWARD ANNOUNCED FOR YOUNG ECO-HEROES

Are you a Young Eco-Hero? Do you know a Young Eco-Hero?

Action for Nature (AFN) is seeking applications from students from
around the world 8 to 16 years old for its 2005 International
Young Eco-Hero Awards Program. This program recognizes the individual
accomplishments of young people who have carried out
environmental action projects. Projects must concern environmental
action, advocacy, environmental health, research, or protection of
the natural world.

For a printable version of a flyer about Young Eco-Hero Awards Program
click:

Cash prizes up to $500 will be awarded. Applications must be postmarked
by February 28, 2005.

Click on for
guidelines and an application form. There you can also find
information about the 2003 and 2004 award winners.

The 2004 award winners include Janine Licare (14), who helps to save
endangered animals in Costa Rica; Christina Faust (16) of
Georgia, who studies the vegetation around streams to better understand
how plants contribute to the streams ecosystem; and Salaar
Khan (11) of Pakistan, who influences his neighbors to use cloth bags
and eliminate the toxins created when plastic bags are burned.

Action for Nature is an environmental, education and advocacy non-profit
that encourages young people to take personal action to
better the environment, and to foster love and respect for nature.
Based in San Francisco, California, the board and staff of Action for
Nature believe that the long-term health of our planet requires that
young people learn the importance of understanding and caring for
the natural world.

Contact information: (post cards & flyers available from)
Action For Nature, 2269 Chestnut Street, #263, San Francisco, CA 94123,
USA
E-mail: [email protected]
Visit us at

—
*******************************************
CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)

Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:

13,000 DRAMS FOR NORMAL NOURISHMENT?

A1 Plus | 19:18:11 | 08-12-2004 | Social |

Armenian officials adopted the law on the minimum basket of goods and
is convinced that it makes 13,000 drams in Armenia. One is estimated
to need 7,000 for food.

European organizations’ representatives shared their experience with
the republic officials at a seminar held Wednesday in Marriott-Armenia
hotel in Yerevan.

After looking through the calculations Europeans came to conclusion
that political, not economic approach prevail in calculating minimal
basket of goods in Armenia.

Armenian health ministry has worked out its own version of the minimal
basket that differs from the existing one, according to which 30,000
drams are needed for normal nourishment.

However, it is clear this amount is too scant for that.

–Boundary_(ID_uQNxm8CCm+cNK31qNuIEUA)–

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Dec 2 2004

PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV ACCEPTS CREDENTIALS FROM
AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF UKRAINE
[December 02, 2004, 17:35:14]

On 2 December, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev
accepted credentials from newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Azerbaijan Anatoliy Yurchenko.

While presenting the credentials to the Head of State, Anatoliy
Yurchenko expressed gratitude for this opportunity saying `this is a
recognition of mine as Ukrainian Ambassador to the Republic of
Azerbaijan, and this is a political recognition of Ukraine in its
hard days.’

The Ambassador noted that although friendship between Azerbaijan and
Ukraine has existed at all times, it was especially developed under
big friend of Ukraine Heydar Aliyev. It was improved during his visit
to Ukraine in 1997, and sealed legally in the course of our
President’s visit to Azerbaijan in 2000, he said.

Anatoliy Yurchenko described President Ilham Aliyev’s recent visit to
Ukraine as a great political step towards development of cooperation
and partnership, as well.

He also expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for the active support and
cooperation in the international arena, mutual understanding and
cooperation within such international and regional organizations as
the United Nations, Council of Europe, OSCE, BSEC, GUUAM and CIS.

Accepting the credentials, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev
congratulated the Ambassador on the appointment and wished him every
success in his activities. He expressed gratitude for the monument to
Heydar Aliyev erected in Kiev to perpetuate his memory. This is yet
another indication of sincere, friendly and brotherly relations
between our two nations, the Head of State said.

According to the Azerbaijani leader, especially valuable and
important for Azerbaijan was the unambiguous stance of Ukraine with
respect to the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh that President Leonid Kuchma expressed during the
joint press-conference in Kiev clearly stating `territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan shall be restored and Azerbaijan shall be released for
the occupation.’