Author: Tambiyan Samvel

WITNESSES TESTIFY AGAINST JAMANAK YEREVAN’S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Panorama.am
15:46 31/08/06

The hearing of the case on Arman Babajanyan, editor-in-chief of
Jamanak Yerevan newspaper, closed today. The next hearing is expected
on September 4.

The judge announced that all 4 witnesses are away from Yerevan for
various reasons. He read out the testimonies upon the consent of the
advocate and the prosecutor.

Armine Arakelyan, the wife of Vahe Aboyan, writes, "I have never been
the wife of Arman Babajanyan and my marriage certificate was faked
under the name of Arman Babajanyan." The birth certificates of both
of her daughters were also faked. She says, "Babajanyan caused moral
damage to my family but I do not want any money from him."

In their testimony, the officials of military commissariat, Tigran
Harutunyan and Samvel Khachatryan, write that they trusted Emilia
Nersisyan, employee of the president’s staff and mother of Babajanyan,
and did not check the validity of the marriage certificate, even
though it was without notary certification. The next witness, Monk
Arshak, mentions that they do not have letterheads as submitted from
Babajanyan as if from the seat of St.

Edchmiadzin. Therefore, these documents were also faked.

The judge also read out the letter, based on which the case
was instituted against Babajanyan, which tells the story of
faking the documents. The letter was signed from the name of
"A. Khachatryan." However, the advocate said, "It is nameless and
cannot be a sufficient base for a charge because they have searched
a person with that name but could not find him/her." The advocate of
Babajanyan submitted proofs, which say that Babajanyan could not have
stolen the marriage and birth certificates. The trial is postponed
until the next hearing.

NKR PRESIDENT AND BELGIAN SENATOR ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO REGIONAL PEACE AND STABILITY

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Aug 31 2006

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 31, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Issues relating
to the Karabakh problem settlement were discussed at the August 31
meeting of NKR President Arkadi Ghukasian with Francois Roelants du
Vivier, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
and Defence of the Kingdom of Belgium. The interlocutors attached
importance to peace and stability in the region in the affair
of development of economy and democratic institutions. As Noyan
Tapan was informed by the NKR President’s Acting Press Secretary,
Arkadi Ghukasian made explanation concerning the official position
fostered by the NKR in the settlement process as well as concerning
social-economic and political processes of the country.

ITALY SUPPORTS ARMENIA IN RECOVERY OF HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Panorama.am
17:12 30/08/06

An international seminar on recovery of historical monuments kicked
off at the Union of Architectures organized by the Union, Yerevan
State University History Department and supported by the Italian
Embassy. Top officials of the ministry of culture and youth affairs
assured that monuments are massively recovered in the country. In
the words of Gagik Giurjyan, deputy minister, 24,000 monuments are
registered in Armenia and part of them is private property.

Marco Clemente, Italian ambassador to Armenia, said his country is
watching archeological research in Armenia with great interest and
that his government provides Euro 30,000 annually to the center for
the revival of historical monuments.

Culture Minister Hasmik Poghosyan said Armenia has an agreement with
Italy for cooperation in the field. She complained that the Armenia
government spends not enough money and does not take commitments in
this area.

The seminar will run till September 16 and will have practical
visits to sites in addition to discussions and reports. Yerevan
Architecture University and Yerevan State University students attend
the seminar.

EUROPA (press release), Belgium
Aug. 29, 2006

Benita Ferrero-Waldner

European Commissioner for External Relations and European
Neighbourhood Policy

Political reform and sustainable development in the South Caucasus:
the EU’s approach

`Caspian Outlook 2008′ Bled Strategic Forum
Bled, Slovenia, 28 August 2006

Chairman,

Ministers,

Excellencies,

Ladie s and Gentlemen,

Let me first thank the organisers of the Bled Strategic Forum for
their excellent initiative in bringing us together. It is a great
opportunity to take a fresh look at an area of the world which is of
particular strategic importance for Europe.

I have been asked to talk about political reform and sustainable
development in the South Caucasus. From the European Union’s
perspective, now is certainly the right time, since very soon we will
start implementing the European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plans
with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. I look forward to celebrating
their adoption when I visit the region with the Finnish EU presidency
at the beginning of October.

Generally however, the last weeks and months have shown worrying
trends in the South Caucasus. Three negative strands are coming
together, the combination of which is, frankly, alarming.

First, we have seen little or no progress towards settling any of the
frozen conflicts – Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia. All
parties have failed to deliver on their responsibility to find a
solution.

Second, defence expenditure in the region is going through the roof.
Quite apart from the negative message this sends for resolving the
conflicts, this cannot be good policy-making in a region where human
development indicators are a matter of deep concern. How can
governments justify spiralling defence spending when their countries
are in desperate need of investment in education, health and small
businesses?

Third, increasingly inflammatory rhetoric, as we have seen over the
past months, is shaping public opinion in a counterproductive
direction. There is a serious danger of the rhetoric lowering the
threshold for war. But it is political logic, not military logic
which must prevail. Leaders have a responsibility to prepare their
populations for peace, not war.

These recent developments are worrying for those of us who hoped for
positive movements. All sides should show restraint and adopt a
balanced approach to their neighbours. Harsh rhetoric does not create
an atmosphere conducive to restoring mutual trust and resolving these
conflicts. Any further escalation of tension could re-ignite the
conflicts with devastating consequences for the entire region.

Let me emphasise that point – this remarkable and complex region has
enormous economic promise but, to realise that potential, cool heads
must prevail. Natural resource wealth is finite. Once squandered, the
opportunity to boost the region’s development will not come again.

I do not wish to exaggerate the risks, but it is important that we
are clear about the consequences of failing to pull back from the
brink. I call on the region’s leaders to realise the weight of their
responsibility, not only to their own people, but to the region as a
whole. True leadership and statesmanship means finding the courage to
settle these disputes once and for all.

The EU will continue to play its part in working for peace. The
European Neighbourhood Policy will be a key tool in this regard.

I will talk about the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) in more
depth this afternoon. For now, let me briefly explain that it is the
EU’s response to new geopolitical realities following our 2004
expansion. It is our tool for laying the foundations for a much
deeper relationship with the countries of Eastern Europe and the
southern Mediterranean. And it is designed to extend the prosperity,
stability and security enjoyed by the EU to our closest neighbours
and partners.

The most important aspects of the ENP are the following: Firstly, it
brings together our main policy instruments, in a more focused way.
We go beyond classical foreign policy to support reform and
modernisation. Secondly, we thus cover a broader range of issues than
our existing relationships, with greater intensity and throughout all
fields of governance. Thirdly, the ENP will be backed by a new
assistance instrument, the ENPI, with increased and improved
financial and technical assistance.

The ENP operates through Action Plans – such as the ones with the
three countries of this region. These Action Plans, tailor-made for
each country, set out the areas in which we both want to develop
relations further. They contain benchmarks and commitments paving the
way for a deeper relationship.

The ENP Action Plans are designed to promote political reform and
sustainable economic and social development.

As we all know, that’s the most effective way of achieving
prosperity, stability and security. They therefore cover a wide range
of activities, to strengthen democracy, promote the rule of law,
uphold human rights, liberalise trade, develop energy and transport
connections and ultimately even give the countries a stake in the
EU’s internal market.

But uppermost in my mind in thinking about the South Caucasus today
is the ENP’s potential to help support conflict resolution. Why?
Because the most important impediments to the region’s development
are the frozen conflicts.

The European Neighbourhood Policy is not in itself a conflict
prevention or settlement mechanism, but through promoting democracy
and regional cooperation, boosting national reform programmes and
improving the socio-economic prospects of the region, it can
contribute to a more positive climate for conflict settlement.

Resolving or at least de-escalating the conflicts must be the first
priority, but their sustainable resolution is largely dependent on
deepening and anchoring democratic and economic reform throughout
society. ENP tackles the underlying issues which enable conflicts to
fester: bad governance, underdevelopment and insecurity. But only if
society as a whole participates in this transformation process will
the region begin to prosper.

We are also engaged more directly in conflict resolution. The
appointment of an EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus,
Peter Semneby, is a sign of the importance the EU attaches to solving
them.

We will continue our support to the Joint Control Commission for
South Ossetia, the main conflict settlement mechanism for this
region, and honour our 2 million pledge at the OSCE’s international
donor conference for South Ossetia. We will stay involved in
confidence building and rehabilitation in Abkhazia, supporting
reconstruction of important infrastructure facilities and civil
society projects. And we stand ready to respond to the needs
assessment mission to Nagorno-Karabakh, as soon as that mission is
able to depart.

We also fully support the work of the OSCE, which Minister De Gucht
will address in a moment. And later this year our Member States will
discuss a possible enhanced EU contribution to the peace processes.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Returning for a moment to the ENP, which some of us will discuss in
more detail in one of this afternoon’s sessions, let me just recall
that it is a living and evolving policy, designed to respond to
developments and treating all our neighbours equally. Later this
year, the Commission will publish a report on two years of its
implementation, making suggestions for how it might be further
enhanced – both in terms of our partners’ efforts and our own
`offers’.

Given the EU’s own history and development, the ENP attaches great
importance to regional cooperation. However, rather than expending
effort on developing new or legally binding set-ups – which our
eastern neighbours do not necessarily want or need – such as creating
an institutional structure for our eastern neighbours, we should,
rather, focus on strengthening existing cooperation frameworks such
as Black Sea cooperation. This is of direct interest and use for our
Southern Caucasus partners and others here today.

The EU and its neighbours have a mutual interest in fostering
prosperity, stability and security inter alia through addressing the
root causes of bad governance, lack of economic development,
insecurity and instability that cause the continuing conflicts. As we
have shown in Western Europe over the last 50 years, promoting
prosperity, stability and security is the ultimate
conflict-prevention policy.

Which brings me to plead, once again, for all parties in the Southern
Caucasus to take their conflict-resolution responsibilities
seriously. We must put the long term objective of peace, prosperity
and stability ahead of short term tactical considerations.

In the globalised world of the 21st century, the way to greater
wealth and prosperity is to embrace an open economy and open
political system. That is simply not possible while the region
remains locked in a vicious spiral of tit for tat conflict.

sAction.do?reference=SPEECH/06/477&format=HTML &aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

ARTUR BROTHERS SHOULD BE ARRESTED IF THEY COME BACK, SAYS REPORT
Story by MUGUMO MUNENE

The Nation, Kenya
Aug. 30, 2006

If the bogus Armenian brothers return to the country, they should be
arrested and prosecuted for causing a security breach at Kenya’s main
airport, the Kiruki inquiry report suggests.

The list of offences they should be charged with includes assault,
creating disturbance in public, obstructing a customs officer on duty,
provoking members of the public by drawing guns and behaving in a
manner likely to cause a breach of peace.

Sources told the Nation yesterday that the commission believed that
there were other criminal offences that were possibly committed at
the Runda home of the Artur brothers.

These include robbery with violence, handling suspected stolen
property, possessing firearms without a certificate, forgery, holding
uncustomed goods, establishing radio communication without a licence
and fraudulent imitation of vehicle number plates.

According to government officials studying the document handed to
President Kibaki on Monday, the Kiruki commission also believed that
the brothers sought access to restricted areas in the airport to
enable them traffic in drugs.

The commission reportedly failed to unravel the identities of the
two brothers since they had been using stolen or fake travel documents.

The report falls in tandem with submissions by counsel assisting the
commission, Ms Dorcas Oduor, who said on the last day of the inquiry
that the brothers were international criminals who came to Kenya to
clean up illegal money.

According to investigations, Ms Oduor said, the Artur brothers engaged
only in cash transactions to disguise the suspect sources of their
money and to cloud possible investigations on their activities.

"We should not downplay the issues that have come out of the inquiry.

Tax evasion is a serious crime that is highly penalised in many
countries around the world. I can see a perfect case of money
laundering and the avoidance of Immigration laws. I can see a perfect
example of organised transnational crime," said Ms Oduor.

Money laundering – taking money from crime and making it look clean
by putting it through a process that disguises its illegal origin – is
regarded as a serious crime in many countries but not under Kenyan law.

According to sources familiar with the report, Mr Artur Sargsyan –
the shorter and paler of the two brothers, the one who always wore
sunglasses, was a drug dealer who arrived in Kenya to find a safe
haven for his business. They were involved with a number of companies,
which were found to have engaged in a number of criminal activities.

The Kiruki team reportedly stated that it was difficult to establish
the exact business the Arturs were conducting in Kenya since they
had no offices, no bank accounts and no evidence of investment.

During the inquiry, the brothers were described as dubious
international criminals, undesirable characters and their criminal
activities during their nine-month stay in Kenya were exposed.

A shadowy identity, stolen cars, fake numbers plates, fake passports,
fake police identities, illicit firearms and ammunition, forgeries,
fraud, "outlandish and arrogant behaviour" described the character
and lifestyle of the Armenians as disclosed throughout the inquiry.

At one time, they even masqueraded as royalty, claiming that they were
from the monarchy in Armenia, a country which has not been ruled by
a queen or king for 1,500 years.

In her submissions, Ms Oduor said: "They had infiltrated many places
including the police and our security institutions. We should all
condemn their activities."

However, the commission closed the public inquiry without taking
evidence from some business and social associates of the Artur brothers
and police officers who investigated them since March.

Police commissioner Hussein Ali who ordered the investigations in
March and suspended CID boss Joseph Kamau did not give evidence.

Neither did Nairobi CID boss Isaiah Osugo, detailed to investigate
the Arturs.

Iran’s Diplomacy in Action

In this insider’s assessment of Iran’s long-awaited response to the
incentive package offered by the United States and other world powers,
Abbas Maleki and Kaveh Afrasiabi argue that this is an opportunity for
diplomacy that could actually halt Iran’s nuclear enrichment and address
the concerns of the West.

Agence Global
23 August 2006

By Abbas Maleki and Kaveh L. Afrasiabi

After months of delay in responding to the package of incentives offered
by the UN Security Council’s Permanent Five plus Germany (P5+1), Iran
has submitted a detailed and comprehensive response that puts the
diplomatic ball squarely back in the court of the P5+1.

While rejecting the UN’s demand for an immediate halt to its
uranium-enrichment activities, Iran’s response still leaves the door
open for serious negotiations, and perhaps an acceptable resolution of
the nuclear showdown for all parties.

By agreeing to put the issue of suspension of enrichment activities on
the table and to commence the talks immediately, Iran has sent a strong
signal that the internal debate between power centers in Iran’s
leadership has ended in favor of voices of moderation seeking a mutually
satisfactory resolution of the nuclear standoff with the West. It will
be a pity if Washington overlooks this opportunity for a fair
negotiation with Iran, especially considering the details of Iran’s
response.

Iran has, expectedly, sought clarification on a number of issues,
including the following:

– The incentive package mentions respecting Iran’s rights under the
nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), yet the only NPT articles
mentioned are Articles I and II, pertaining to non-proliferation, and
not Article IV, pertaining to a country’s "inalienable right" to acquire
nuclear technology;

– Iran wants firm guarantees on the proposed offers of nuclear
assistance, such as the sale of light water reactors to Iran, as well as
a secured nuclear fuel supply;

– Iran seeks clarification on the status of U.S. sanctions which
presently prohibit those offers of nuclear and technological assistance
to Iran: Is the United States willing to lift some if not all of those
sanctions?

– The package’s promise of an Iran-EURATOM cooperation agreement needs
to be fleshed out;

– The package’s brief reference to security and its hint of Iran’s
participation in a "regional security" arrangement needs further
clarification; and,

– The timeline on the promised incentives, including the economic and
trade incentives, has to be made specific.

Furthermore, Iran’s response indicates that Iran is willing to re-adopt
the IAEA’s Additional Protocol and to take the steps toward legislating
it as part and parcel of a final agreement.

Meanwhile, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, has declared
Iran¹s willingness to use its influence in Lebanon for an
Israeli-Hezbollah prisoners’ exchange, reminding the world of Iran’s
stabilizing role.

Clearly, given the tight interplay between the nuclear issue and Iran’s
political identity, no one should be surprised that Iran’s leaders have
opted against committing political suicide by giving in to international
pressure and suspending the nuclear fuel cycle. But, far from rejecting
this demand, Iran’s response makes rather clear its feasibility as a
result of the proposed talks, which Iran is willing to commence
immediately, particularly if Iran¹s abstract rights under Article IV of
NPT are explicitly recognized by the P5+1.

In light of the rights-sensitive Iranian public, Tehran will seriously
entertain suspending the fuel cycle if and when it feels vindicated as a
matter of principle, in a manner which creates conditions conducive to
the idea of suspensions. A face-saving solution appears in which Iran
could decide against implementing as an abstract right hitherto thwarted
by the P5+1.

And now the UN Security Council, which had given Iran until the end of
August to halt its nuclear fuel cycle, has a unique role to play either
as spoiler or catalyst with respect to the opportunity afforded by
Iran¹s response — to put the genie of Iran’s nuclear crisis back in the
bottle. Already Kofi Annan is directly involved in intense negotiations
with Tehran, and, indeed, resolving the nuclear row may turn out to be
one of the enduring legacies of the departing Secretary General.

Should the United States and its UN envoy, John Bolton, decide to ignore
this opportunity and push for UN sanctions against Iran, despite the
positive dimensions of Iran’s offer, the stage will be set for a
full-scale international crisis.

Abbas Maleki is the Director of the International Institute For Caspian
Studies in Tehran and currently a senior research fellow at Harvard
University’s Kennedy School of Government. Kevah Afrasiabi is a
political scientist and author of Iran’s Nuclear Program: Debating Facts
vs. Fiction.

For rights and permissions, contact:
[email protected], 1.336.686.9002 or 1.212.731.0757
Agence Global

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Agence Global is the exclusive syndication agency for The Nation and The
American Prospect, as well as expert commentary by William Beeman,
Richard Bulliet, Mark Hertsgaard, Rami G. Khouri, Tom Porteous, Patrick
Seale and Immanuel Wallerstein.

AUGUST 31 SEPTEMBER 13 DELEGATION OF THE IMF IS TO VISIT ARMENIA

Yerevan, August 26. ArmInfo. On August 31 – September 13 the delegation
of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will visit Armenia. The
delegation will be lead by Hassan Al-Atrasha, head of the Armenian
quarter of Department for Middle East and Central Asia.

During the visit the process of realizing the economic growth and
poverty reduction programs will be discussed.

To be reminded, in the frameworks of the poverty reduction program
Armenia is to receive SDR 23 million ($32,8 million). The credit is
to granted for 10 year term with 0,5% annual interest rate.

"AZERBAIJAN CAN NOT START WAR IN COMING 20 YEARS," POLITICIAN LEVON
MELIK-SHAHNAZARIAN STATES

YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The process of the Karabakh
settlement entered at present a new stage when the Co-Chairmen’s
"imagination run short" and the problem is put on shoulders of the
three parties: Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan. Politician
Levon Melik-Shahnazarian expressed such an opinion at the August
25 press conference. In his words, today "the economy of Azerbaijan
was so involved in the European economy" that the country lost its
independence and may not "make any decision." The speaker mentioned
that till now the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen’s task was not to
allow re-start of the war as it is not advantageous for big states
having their own interests in the region. And, as the Baku-Jeihan oil
pipeline will be the property of the British Petroleum company till
2026, according to the politician’s words, Azerbajian can not start
a war in coming 20 years. In his words, Baku was simply prohibited
to make even an attempt to solve the Karabakh issue in the military
way. Touching upon return of territories being under control of
the Armenian armed forces, in the name of peace or defining the
NKR status, the speaker said: "The only reasoning based on which a
territory may be returned, is the one that no Armenians have lived
in those territories during the recent few dozens of years. If we
may lead negotiations for returning land based on that reasoning,
then it means that we give up, from the legal and moral viewpoints,
all those territories where no Armenians live, both in Western and
Eastern Armenia." In L.Melik-Shahnazarian’s words, in the 20th century
the Armenian people three times struggled with the Caucasian Tatars:
in 1904-1905, 1918-1920 and 1988-1994, and "three times we reached
successes in the war field, but then, at the negotiations table, we
lost territories, so, our every victory ended with loss of Armenian
territories." According to the speaker’s words, Armenia must take
lessons from all those, and now, when Azerbaijan is not ready for a
war, the Armenian side must make its demands stricter at the expected
September meeting of Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

L.Melik-Shahnazarian expressed an opinion, that Armenians, as an
eastern people, must see in the role of a strategic partner such a
country which has rich civilization. Responding the question "Can
Iran be such a country?" the politician said: "The Persian nation is
our natural ally but we have religious problems with Persians which
are artificially strained in our days in all over the world."

He stated that besides Iran, Russia, Belarus, Syria as well as Iraq
can also be potential allies of Armenia.

ISNA, Iran
Aug. 25, 2006

Iran -Armenia to boost its trade cooperation Service: Economy

ISNA – Tehran
Service: Economy

TEHRAN, August 25 (ISNA)-Iran-Armenia’s shared chamber of commerce
manager noted that the 200 million dollar trade figure between the
two countries illustrated that 17 percent of the products imported
to Armenia were from Iran.

"The commercial ties between Iran and Armenia have shown a good
progress. We started with 20 million dollars and now we have reached
200 million dollars," he commented.

This official also among reporters commented that the noted 17 percent
has the ability to reach 40 percent, but this required that Iran
introduced its industrial and production capacities and potentials
to Armenia.

"Iranian merchants through identifying the requirements of the market
must open a good placing for Iran in CIS markets," he said.

This official also gave news on the inauguration of new Iranian trade
center in Armenia and hoped the at hand obstacles would be removed
through the cooperation of both sides.

OVER 3,5 THOUSAND ENTERPRISES WITH FOREIGN CAPITAL PARTICIPATION
OPERATE IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Over 3.5 thousand companies with
the participation of foreign capital are now operating in Armenia,
which is by 2,000 more than in 2003. RA Deputy Minister of Trade
and Economic Development Tigran Davtian told NT correspondent about
it. According to him, in 2003, the amount of foreign investments
in Armenia made about 200 mln USD (without the banking system and
official transfers), in 2005, this amount increased to 500 mln USD. It
is expected that by results of 2006, these investments will amount to
over 500 mln USD. According to expert opinions cited by T. Davtian,
in 1998-2004, 60-70% of foreign investors operating in Armenia were
Diasporan Armenians or foreigners having business links with them,
while the share of investments made by Diasporan Armenians over the
indicated period made up 25-30%. The deputy minister said that the
Diaspora’s activity is especially considerable in opening small and
medium enterprises in food industry, jewelry making, diamond cutting
and tourism, and investing in these sectors. In T. Davtian’s opinion,
the Diasporan Armenians’ potential for making investments in Armenia
is much greater. He said that in 2005, the amount of remittances
transferred to Armenia by Diasporan Armenians and Armenian citizens
working abroad made about 1 bln USD, while investments made in the
country by Diasporan Armenians totalled 150 mln USD. "A few years ago
this amount of investments in case of annual GDP of 1 bln USD was a
considerable result, whereas the same amount cannot be considered
large in ratio to GDP of 6 bln USD forecast for 2006," the deputy
minister said.