Author: Tigranian Ani

USAID Statement on Reports of a Transfer in Ownership of Armenia’s Energy Distribution Company

A1+
19-07-2005

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is
concerned by reports that a transfer of the beneficial (or economic)
ownership of Armenia’s energy distribution company (Electric Networks
of Armenia, or ENA) from its currently licensed owner (Midland
Resources Holding) may have taken place. If these reports are correct,
this transfer occurred without following important Armenian government
regulations which exist to protect Armenian consumers. As we wait for
this situation to be clarified, USAID is reviewing its assistance
portfolio to determine whether the success of some of its ongoing
or planned projects would be undermined by any revised ENA ownership
arrangement, or by a lack of due process in changing that ownership
arrangement.

USAID’s concern at this situation is particularly acute inasmuch as
we have collaborated closely with the Government of Armenia over the
years to establish procedures and processes to ensure the transparency,
governance, and performance of Armenia’s public utilities. Armenia’s
Public Sector Regulatory Commission, established in part with such
USAID assistance, is intended to provide approvals of the sale or
transfer of assets such as ENA, in part to guard against the potential
negative effects that vertical integration in the energy sector might
have on energy consumers in Armenia.

UEFA European U-19 C’ship: Norway set sights on final four

UEFA

July 20 2005

Norway can book a place in the UEFA European Under-19 Championship
semi-finals should they record a second successive Group B victory
against France in Belfast tonight, while England and Armenia will
look for their first win of the finals as they meet in Ballymena.

Early advantage
Norway are the section’s early leaders having defeated the Armenians
2-0 on Monday, when France and England played out a 1-1 draw at The
Oval in Belfast. But if coach Tor Ole Skullerund was delighted with
his team’s start to the competition, he remained cautiously
optimistic.

First-game focus
“We set our focus on the first game, which we obviously wanted to
win,” the coach said. “That game was very important for us, and we
have started the championship positively. We have two tough games
coming up but have no pressure and can just let ourselves loose. We
will have our hands full but if we can continue to defend well we
will do fine.

Fluctuating fortunes
“Against Armenia when we were good, we were really good but there
were periods when we were not so good,” Skullerund went on.
“Therefore we have to go back to the training pitch and try to
improve on that. But we have everything to gain now. We were
optimistic when we came and we are even more optimistic now.”

Trio available again
France in turn are buoyed by the return from suspension of midfield
pair Vassiriki Diaby and Yohan Cabaye, while Paris Saint-Germain FC
striker Franck Dja Djedje is also available again after a one-match
ban. Coach Jean Gallice, however, completes a two-match touchline
suspension against the Norwegians, so Philippe Bergeroo – who guided
the U17 side to victory in last year’s European Championship and also
coached France in their successful UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup campaign
earlier this year – is likely to be on the bench again.

Words of caution
Bergeroo, though, does not accept that the returning trio will
necessarily make life easier, saying: “Football is not an exact
science. Regardless of the result between Norway and Armenia, we knew
how good the Norwegian team is, and we take them very seriously.”

Eager to play
Dja Djedje is eager to make an impact, having scored three times in
qualifying, telling uefa.com: “It is really a strange feeling to
watch your team play from the stands, especially against England. We
played well despite the suspensions, but now I am very impatient to
play and am looking forward to the match against Norway. I don’t know
them or their style of play, so it will be new.”

We know that if we don’t perform to the maximum we won’t qualify

Martin Hunter

Hunter hopeful
England, meanwhile, will hope to bolster their qualification bid with
three points against first-time qualifiers Armenia at The
Showgrounds. “We were short of fitness against France, but we are
confident for the next match,” said coach Martin Hunter. “We will
review the fitness and make appropriate changes for the match against
Armenia. This is a European Championship final [tournament], we take
each match as it comes. We know that if we don’t perform to the
maximum we won’t qualify.”

Manucharyan threat
Goals from Karim Aoudia and Vidar Nisja condemned Armenia to defeat
on their first-ever appearance in a finals tournament, but Samuel
Petrosyan’s team will seek to bounce back in style. Striker Edgar
Manucharyan joined AFC Ajax on 1 July and, having scored eight of his
side’s ten goals in qualifying, will attempt to add to that tally on
Wednesday.

EGYPT’S EMBASSY HOLDS CELEBRATION IN BAKU
[July 20, 2005, 13:35:21]

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
July 20 2005

The Egyptian Embassy in Baku has organized an official reception upon
the national holiday – 23 July Revolution Day, reported AzerTAj .

After sounding here Azerbaijani and Egyptian national anthems,
the guests were welcomed by the Ambassador Youssef Ahmad Ibrahim Al
Sharkawi who in detail focused on the considerable way passing by
the Egyptian people since the Revolution.

The progress of the country has allowed to occupy to Egypt its
deserving place among the World community.

The Ambassador expressed also his satisfaction with high level of
bilateral Azerbaijani-Egyptian relationship that in his opinion
had been getting new impetus after 1994 visit to Egypt of the late
President Heydar Aliyev.

At the event has made a speech vice speaker of the Azerbaijani
Parliament Ziyafat Askarov who on behalf of the Azerbaijan President
Ilham Aliyev congratulated the Egyptian people on the national
holiday. ‘Between the countries had been historical cultural relations
even the ancient times, but our ties for the last time were more
impressive and intensive”, said Askarov. In his opinion, the both
countries have also successful cooperation within the framework of
international organizations, and Egypt had always supports the fair
position of Azerbaijan on the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.

The reception was attended by the state and government officials,
foreign ambassadors in Baku, representatives of the public and
mass media.

List of Lebanese cabinet

Agence France Presse — English
July 19, 2005 Tuesday 6:02 PM GMT

BEIRUT July 19 — Here is the line-up of the new Lebanese cabinet
formed Tuesday by prime minister-designate Fuad Siniora, which still
has to be approved by parliament.

– Prime Minister: Fuad Siniora (Sunni Muslim, new)

– Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense: Elias Murr (Greek
Orthodox, unchanged)

– Foreign Minister: Fawzi Salukh (Shiite, new)

– Interior Minister: Hassan Sabaa (Sunni, unchanged)

– Finance, Economy and Trade Minister: Jihad Qazaour (Maronite, new)

– Public Works and Transport Minister: Mohammed Safadi, (Sunni, new)

– Health, Social Affairs Minister: Mohammad Khalifeh (Shiite,
unchanged)

– Telecommunication, Sports and Youth Minister: Marwan Hamadeh
(Druze, new)

– Justice Minister: Charles Rizk (Maronite, new)

– Education Minister: Khaled Qabbani (Sunni, new)

– Industry Minister: Pierre Gemayel (Maronite, new)

– Information, Tourism Minister: Ghazi Aridi, (Druze, new)

– Environment Minister: Yacoub Sarraf (Greek Orthodox, new)

– Economy Minister: Sami Haddad (Protestant, new))

– Youth and Sports Minister: Ahmed Fatfat (Sunni, new)

– Displaced Persons Minister: Nehmeh Tohmeh (Greek Catholic, new)

– Energy Minister: Mohammed Fneich (Shiite, new)

– Labour Minister: Trade Hamadeh (Shiite, unchanged)

– Agriculture Minister: Talal Sahili (Shiite, new)

– Tourism Minister: Joseph Sarkis (Maronite, new)

– Social Affairs Minister: Nayla Moawad (Maronite, new)

– Culture Minister: Tareq Mitri (Greek Orthodox, change of portfolio)

– Minister of State for Administrative Development: Jean Oghasappian
(Armenian, new)

– Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs: Michel Pharaon (Greek
Catholic, new)

Central Asian and Southern Caucasus Freedom of Expression Network

(CASCFEN), Azerbaijan
July 19 2005

OSCE Office in Yerevan awards public radio program

Published: 19.07.2005

OSCE, Yerevan, 19.07.2005 — The “Radiolur” (“Radio news”) programme
of Armenian Public Radio was yesterday awarded by the OSCE Office in
Yerevan for efficient, objective and diverse news broadcasting.

Presenting the award at a ceremony organized by the Yerevan Press Club,
Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan,
said that such programmes help develop the freedom of expression in
Armenia and enhance the professional skills and ethical standards of
the journalistic community.

For the last few years, the OSCE Office has presented a special prize
to one of the winners of the Yerevan Press Club Annual Award. This
year the awarding ceremony coincided with the 10th Anniversary of the
Yerevan Press Club, an active member of the OSCE Media Legislation
Working Group.

Since the establishment of the OSCE Office in 2000, it has supported
the Yerevan Press Club in implementing projects aimed at promoting
OSCE commitments on media freedom.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti,
in a letter praised the co-operation between the Yerevan Press Club
and the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

“In the 10 years of its existence the Yerevan Press Club has
contributed substantially to the development of professional media,”
Haraszti wrote. “Involving in its activities media workers across the
whole political spectrum, it has become a well known and respected
professional association representing all journalists in Armenia
and abroad.”

WB WILL ASSIST ARMENIA TO IMPLEMENT E-GOVERNMENT PROGRAM

PanArmenian News Network
July 19 2005

19.07.2005 05:26

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan today
met with head of the World Bank Yerevan Office Roger Robinson,
reported the Press Service of the Government of Armenia. In the
course of the meeting the parties discussed matters of further
cooperation between the WB and the Armenian Government, as well as
the need to integrate programs being implemented in diverse fields
into a common program. A. Margaryan said he hoped for implementation
of e-government program will promote systematization, forming
favorable conditions for the private sector. He also emphasized that
that correct evaluation of the available opportunities and their
efficient use is very important to the Armenian Government. In his
turn Mr. Robinson stated readiness to discuss with WB leaders the
matter of assistance in implementation of electronic government
program in Armenia after receiving the official document from the
Government of Armenia. Having noted the idea is acceptable to the WB
and similar programs were successfully implemented in other
countries, Mr. Robinson said he hoped for the WB to give a positive
response and promote implementation of the program with pleasure.

OSCE to discuss draft resolution on Garabagh conflict in 2006

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
July 18 2005

Baku, July 15, AssA-Irada — The draft resolution on the Upper Garabagh
conflict prepared by rapporteur Goran Lennmarker will be discussed
again at the next session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA)
in Vienna on February 22-23, 2006.

Head of the Azerbaijani delegation at the Assembly, MP Sattar Safarov
told AssA-Irada that there will be no need for discussing the draft
if positive steps in the liberation of Azerbaijan’s occupied regions
and repatriation of refugees are taken.

“We would really like this issue to be resolved by the PA session so
that we can talks about other matters.”*

Greece’s Intrakom signs 22.8 mln eur deal with Armenia’s VivaCell
07.18.2005, 10:15 AM

Forbes
July 18 2005

ATHENS (AFX) – Greek ITC and defense conglomerate Intrakom announced
it had signed a deal with Armenias second largest mobile operator,
VivaCell, for the supply of mobile network technology. The first
phase of the contract alone is expected to generate revenues of over
22.8 mln eur for Intrakom.

Intrakom will work in co-operation with Alcatel to supply VivaCells
new mobile network to cover all of Armenias territory.

At 3.05 pm local time Intrakom was trading down 0.53 pct to 3.76 eur,
unable to consolidate earlier gains.

Source: Euro2day NewsWire

Russian mediator says ‘no new proposals should be expected’

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
July 15 2005

Baku, July 14, AssA-Irada

The mediating OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs Steven Mann of the USA,
Bernard Fassier of France and Yuri Merzlyakov of Russia held a
four-hour meeting with the leader of the separatist regime of the
self-proclaimed Upper Garabagh Republic Arkadi Gukasian in Khankandi
on Wednesday.

Merzlyakov has told journalists that the parties to the Upper Garabagh
conflict should not expect the mediators to come up with new proposals,
Armenian news agencies reported.

Recalling that the proposals made by the co-chairs before the Warsaw
meeting are currently under consideration, Merzlyakov said Azerbaijan
and Armenia are still to reach a specific agreement on the Garabagh
conflict.

Asked whether he experiences a reassuring and positive tendencies
in talks, the Russian diplomat said that “if the sides approve this,
the co-chairs are ready to agree with them.”

The mediators did not elaborate on the issues relating to the
determination of the Upper Garabagh status and the possibility of
holding a referendum there.*

Art Simonyan vs Agapito Sanchez on July 22

EastsideBoxing.com
July 15 2005

15.07.05 – Promoters Art Pelullo/Banner Promotions and Bobby Hitz/Hitz
Boxing Promotions, will present a sensational championship fight
card on Friday, July 22, 2005, at the Allstate Arena, located at 6920
N. Mannheim Road in Rosemont, Illinois. The featured fights will be
televised live on ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights.”

In the 12-round main event, Art Simonyan, 14-1-1, with 7 knockouts, a
native of Armenia based in Glendale, California, will defend the USBA
jr. featherweight title against former WBO jr. featherweight world
champion Agapito Sanchez, 36-9-2, with 21 knockouts, of Brooklyn,
New York.

Now 29 years old, Simonyan is the IBF’s No. 9 ranked contender at
122 pounds. He challenged IBF jr. featherweight world champion Israel
Vazquez in his last fight on December 28, but was stopped in the fifth
round. He was undefeated in 15 previous fights, which included a win
in an elimination bout for the IBF’s No. 1 ranking in May, 2004.

Sanchez, 35 years old, is ranked No. 10 by the IBF. He is experienced
at the top levels of competition and has impressive wins to his credit
against Oscar Larios, who currently holds the WBC super bantamweight
world title, and former IBF lightweight world champion Javier Jauregui.

The co-featured bout will feature rising prospect “Irish” John Duddy,
10-0, with 9 knockouts, of Queens, New York, in an eight-round round
jr. middleweight fight against veteran Pat “Cat” Coleman, 29-11,
with 20 knockouts, of Rockford, Illinois

Four more fights are scheduled to complete the card. All fights are
subject to change without notice.

Doors open at 7:00 P.M., first fight at 8:00 P.M. (Central Time)