Author: Topchian Jane

Armenian speaker set to launch political dialogue with opposition

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
7 Apr 04

[Presenter] The speaker of the National Assembly, Artur Bagdasaryan,
intends to hold political dialogue with the opposition in order to
reduce political tension in Armenia. He returned from Italy early in
the morning and made a serious statement in the afternoon. Artur
Bagdasaryan intends to start consultations with the opposition and
coalition forces from tomorrow on and search for ways of getting out
of the political crisis.

[Correspondent over video of news conference] The speaker of the
Armenian National Assembly said that he will do everything possible to
reduce the political tension in the country. The speaker will hold
meetings with the authorities and opposition members from 8 April. He
expressed the hope that the talks will be successful.

[Artur Bagdasaryan, caption] Under the law it is my responsibility and
right to hold political consultations in Armenia. And this is what I
am planning to do. We shall discuss a format of the meetings with our
colleagues. This can be in the format of political consultations or
separate talks during which we shall discuss the domestic political
situation. We shall try to reach agreement. We shall not allow the
situation to get worse.

[Correspondent] The domestic political situation was discussed also
during the Armenian National Assembly delegation’s visit to
Italy. According to the Italians, the visit marked the beginning of a
new stage in Armenian-Italian relations. The speaker of the National
Assembly also described the visit as productive.

[Artur Bagdasaryan] This visit confirmed three main directions. First,
the development of bilateral relations, second the development and
deepening of European integration and third the strengthening of
political cooperation in international organizations.

[Correspondent] Apart from the signing of the two agreements on
interparliamentary cooperation it was agreed during the visit that
Armenia will receive 1m dollars to develop the health sphere and 1.5m
dollars to develop agriculture. Regional hospitals will get the best
European medical equipment and ambulances. Except for this,
Armenian-Italian business forums will be held in July-September and
finally an Italian culture centre and an Italian House will be opened
in Yerevan. All this will help promote cultural and business
relations.

Nune Aleksanyan, “Aylur”.

RIA Novosti, Russia
April 7 2004

COUNCIL OF EUROPE CHIEF TO DISCUSS AZERBAIJAN’S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD
WITH OFFICIALS IN BAKU

BAKU, APRIL 7, 2004, (RIA NOVOSTI – Walter Schwimmer,
Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, has arrived in the Azeri
capital of Baku for a two-day visit. Here, he will meet with senior
government officials to discuss the implementation by Azerbaijan of
the obligations it assumed prior to its CoE accession.

Speaking to reporters about the issue of political prisoners in
Azerbaijan, Mr. Schwimmer described as an “important step” President
Ilkham Aliyev’s March decree granting pardon to 129 convicts. He also
pointed out that Council of Europe observers would be closely
watching the trials of participants in the disturbances of October 15
and 16, following presidential elections in the republic.

Mr. Schwimmer is scheduled to meet with President Aliyev, Parliament
Speaker Murtuz Aleskerov, Cabinet ministers, leaders of the
Opposition, activists of public organizations, and CoE member
nations’ ambassadors to Azerbaijan.

At his forthcoming Baku meetings, the Council of Europe
Secretary-General will discuss, among other things, the development
of cooperation between Azerbaijan and European countries and the
settlement of disputes, notably the Azeri-Armenian conflict over the
Nagorny Karabakh region (the OSCE has long been mediating in the
conflict, but without much effect).

Mr. Schwimmer is expected to appear before the students and the
faculty of the University of Baku, as well as to attend the
ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Council of Europe’s new information
office in Baku. He will also present here the Azeri version of his
book “Der Traum Europa” (“The Dream of Europe”).

Jerusalem Post, Israel
March 31 2004

Claims commission pays holocaust survivors
By MELISSA RADLER
NEW YORK

Nearly 16,000 Holocaust survivors whose families held insurance
policies during the Second World War received $16m in humanitarian
payments this week, the International Commission on Holocaust Era
Insurance Claims (ICHEIC) announced Tuesday.

The payments, of $1,000 each, were mailed to survivors and heirs who
lacked documentation to prove their claims. Using anecdotal evidence
or recollections of Holocaust-era policies, claims were evaluated
according to criteria established by former National Security Advisor
Sandy Berger, who now serves as senior counselor to ICHEIC’s
humanitarian claims process.

“What we’re doing now is a measure of belated justice, and all
justice which is belated is faulty,” said the president of the
Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, Israel Singer,
at a press conference Tuesday announcing the payments. Calling the
announcement a “muted triumph of justice,” Roman Kent, chairman of
the American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors, added: “I’m
sorry that this meeting did not take place 50 years ago, when so many
of us would be alive.”

Recipients in 60 countries spanning the globe from Armenia to
Zimbabwe will receive payments within the next few days; of the
15,890 recipients, of whom more than 90% are Holocaust survivors and
less than 10% are heirs, 5,061 live in Israel and 4,867, including
approximately 1,000 New Yorkers, live in the US, an ICHEIC release
noted.

The chief operating officer of ICHEIC, Mara Rudman, said that while
just half of those who filed a claim with the commission were slated
to receive payments this week, efforts to further identify eligible
recipients are ongoing.

Since it was established in 1998 by the National Association of
Insurance Commissioners, European insurance companies, European
regulators, Jewish leaders and the State of Israel, ICHEIC has
received nearly $500m to settle Holocaust-era claims and provide
humanitarian assistance to survivors. To date, the commission has
paid out more than $80m to claimants.

A1 Plus | 21:36:04 | 31-03-2004 | Politics |

ARMENIAN PM IS NOT AFRAID OF OPPOSITION

Opposition and Authorities of Armenia will never come to terms since
Opposition will go for dialogue with Authorities only after power change and
Authorities don’t tolerate the idea of power change.

Andranik Margaryan doesn’t treat the conversations and statements over the
unstable and tensed situation in Armenia seriously: “I don’t think that
tension rises. There is some tension but it doesn’t endanger our
constitutional rights. If any individual or a party tries to take actions to
split stability of the state, it or he will be punished within law”.

—

Interfaith group in ex-Soviet Union to focus on terrorism and tolerance

By Lev Krichevsky

MOSCOW, March 29 (JTA) – A new interfaith group in the former Soviet
Union has passed a resolution condemning terrorism – and could become
a defender of minority rights in the region.`True-believing Orthodox
Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists would never step onto a path of
terror. We are convinced that the people who have conscientiously
become terrorists have denied their own faith,’ read the resolution
passed earlier this month at the Interreligious Council of the
Commonwealth of Independent States.

The organization was formed at the Second Interreligious Peacemaking
Forum of CIS Countries, held in Moscow under the aegis of the Russian
Orthodox Church, the region’s largest faith.

Some observers believe the forum and the interfaith group it created
signaled an important political and diplomatic victory for the Russian
Orthodox Church, which has seen its political influence over the
Russian leadership grow in recent years.

The new interfaith organization `should strengthen the position of the
Moscow patriarchate in Russia itself, forcing the government to view
it as an influential participant in international relations,’ said a
commentary posted at Portal-credo.ru, an independent Russian Web site
devoted to religious affairs.

Jewish religious leaders joined clerics representing major faiths from
across the former Soviet Union in the interfaith group, which seeks to
maintain peace and religious and ethnic stability in the region.

The event at Moscow’s St. Daniel’s Orthodox Monastery was attended by
Russian Orthodox clergy and leaders of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
the Georgian Orthodox Church, and Muslim and Buddhist clerics from all
of the region’s post-Soviet states, except for Latvia, Lithuania
and Estonia.

Notably absent from the forum and the new interfaith structure were
Catholics and members of various Protestant churches. Most of the
former Soviet countries denied those groups the preferential status
accorded to Orthodox Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and Jews.

The Jewish community was represented at the forum by leaders of two
major competing groups: the Congress of Jewish Religious Organizations
and Communities and the Federation of Jewish Communities.

Jewish leaders gave high marks to the forum, saying the region’s
minorities would benefit from the ties that clerics of different
faiths forged at the two-day event.

`The most important thing at this forum is our communication, the fact
that it ‘s taking place,’ Aron Vagner, a Chabad rabbi from
Siberia,told a news agency. `When we get back to our communities,
people will be pleased to learn that representatives of different
confessions can find areas of common interest, the issues where all of
us can come to an agreement.’

Some of the participants proposed that clerics serve as peacekeepers
in conflict zones in parts of the former Soviet Union.

The composition of the Interreligious Council’s presidium reflectedthe
division between Jewish groups in Russia and Ukraine – two chief
rabbis from each country became members of the group’s 22-member
governing body.

`The Interreligious Council can become a powerful defender of the
minorities in our countries,’ said Zinovy Kogan, chairman of the
Congress of Jewish Religious Organizations and Communities of Russia,
who became treasurer of the interfaith group.

`The new organization is undoubtedly a political breakthrough’
for the Russian Orthodox Church, he said. `But having Judaism under
the wing of politically more powerful religious groups – this could
benefit the Jewish community.’

Kogan and other Jewish participants said they expected the new group
would coordinate clerics’ responses on cases of xenophobia,
anti-Semitismand hate crimes.

A1 Plus | 18:00:03 | 26-03-2004 | Politics |

VAZGEN MANUKYAN SPEAKING AT NEWS CONFERENCE

But it doesn’t mean the current president will remain in office, he said. At
the same time, he said he didn’t think “a bad president will be replaced
with a good one”.

He is stuck to the idea that an interim president is needed. The interim
leadership should include both pro-governmental and opposition-leaning
forces.

Substantial changes should be made in the Constitution, Manukyan said.

Asked doesn’t he fear Kocharyan can stir up war in Karabakh to retain power,
the Democratic Union leader answered: “I’m far from the idea of calling our
authorities traitors”.

Answering the question journalists put to him about possible oppression of
opposition activists, Manukyan said oppression has always been and will be.

—

Armenia of great importance to USA – deputy state secretary

Mediamax news agency
26 Mar 04

YEREVAN

US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said in Yerevan today
that “Armenia is of extremely special importance to the United
States”.

According to Mediamax news agency, Richard Armitage said this during a
news conference in Yerevan today following his talks with Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan.

“By this visit we would like to highlight our interest in the South
Caucasus and in Armenia’s very important role for the United States,”
the American diplomat said, expressing the hope that the political
dialogue with Yerevan will be stepped up.

Richard Armitage also said that he discussed global issues of
international politics and regional problems with the Armenian
president and foreign minister.

Armenian education set to benefit from World Bank loan

Mediamax news agency
24 Mar 04

YEREVAN

The World Bank (WB) will allocate a credit to the amount of 19m
dollars to Armenia under the education level program.

An appropriate agreement was signed by Armenian Minister of Finance
and Economy Vardan Khachatryan and the director of the WB office in
Yerevan, Roger J Robinson, in Yerevan today, Mediamax reported.

Roger Robinson noted that this is the WB’s second educational program
in Armenia. He pointed out that the WB special commission highly
assessed the first educational project realized in Armenia. According
to Robinson, the WB will allocate about 52m dollars for the
development of education in Armenia in the coming 10 years.

Armenian Minister of Finance and Economy Vardan Khachatryan said that
information training centres will be set up in 600 schools within the
framework of the agreement signed today. Besides, it is expected to
unite 150 schools in a single computer network.

The financing of the program from the Armenian side will make 1.2m
dollars.

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

MARCH 19-25, 2004

HIGHLIGHTS:

ROUND TABLE PARTICIPANTS URGE THE AUTHORITIES TO SOLVE MEDIA LEGISLATION
PROBLEMS

COMMUNIQUE ON THE LAW “ON FREEDOM OF INFORMATION”

COMPROMISE REACHED, WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP?

STATE OFFICIAL LOSES TO “DELOVOY EXPRESS”

“A1+” SUIT VERSUS NATIONAL COMMISSION ON TELEVISION AND RADIO REJECTED

CAMPAIGN IN SUPPORT OF “A1+”

JUBILEE ISSUE OF YSU NEWSPAPER

ROUND TABLE PARTICIPANTS URGE THE AUTHORITIES TO SOLVE MEDIA LEGISLATION
PROBLEMS

On March 20-21 in Yerevan a round table meeting “Reforms of Armenian Media
Legislation and Their Compliance With European Standards” was held. It was
organized by Yerevan Press Club and “Article 19” Global Campaign for Freedom
of Expression. Representatives of executive, legislative, judicial power,
NGOs and media of Armenia, international organizations, foreign experts
participated in the meeting. RA Minister of Justice David Harutyunyan and
Head of OSCE Office in Yerevan, Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin opened the
round table.

The meeting participants discussed the whole spectrum of legislative
initiatives regulating media sphere and adopted by the Parliament in the
recent year: RA Law “On Mass Communication” (Deputy Minister of Justice
Ashot Abovian made a presentation on this issue), amendments to RA Law “On
Television and Radio” (presentation by RA National Assembly deputy Vazgen
Khachikian). Particular attention was paid to the amendments to RA Law “On
Freedom of Information” recently adopted by the Government (presentation by
“Article 19” Legal Officer Peter Noorlander). Other no less urgent topics
were devoted to Armenia’s honoring of the commitments to the Council of
Europe in freedom of expression (presentation by YPC Expert Mesrop
Harutyunyan), necessity for decriminalization of libel and insult
(presentation by International Expert Ireneusz Cezary Kaminski), Polish
experience in public broadcasting (presentation by Member of Polish
Journalists’ Association Board of Directors Agnieszka Romaszewska).

At the round table, Article 19 publicized its statement on the situation
with media legislation in Armenia. Emphasizing a certain progress in
developing legal guarantees for freedom of expression and media diversity
achieved by Armenia in the past four years – since its accession to CE, the
organization expressed its concern over a number of problems demanding
urgent solution. In particular, “Article 19” statement notes that regular
refusal of the National Commission on Television and Radio of broadcast
license to “A1+” TV Company testifies to “lack of political independence” of
this body regulating private broadcasters’ activity.

On March 21, the last working day of the round table, one more statement was
adopted – this time by its participants. The statement runs,

“We, the participants in the “Round Table on Reforms of Armenian Media
Legislation and their Compliance with European Standards”, organized by
Yerevan Press Club and “Article 19″ Global Campaign for Freedom of
Expression, meeting on 20-21 March 2004,

Emphasizing the crucial importance of freedom of expression and information
as an individual human right, as a cornerstone of democracy and as a means
of ensuring respect for all human rights and freedoms;

Concerned that while some important steps have been taken to bring Armenia’s
media laws into line with European standards on the right to freedom of
expression, much remains to be done;

Call on the Government of the Republic of Armenia to take urgent action to
address the following concerns:

Criminal Defamation

The current harsh criminal provisions on defamation and insult should be
abolished and replaced with appropriate civil defamation laws, incorporating
the following standards:

– Actual damages awarded for defamation must be proportionate to the harm
caused and take into account whether or not alternative remedies, such as
the right to reply, have been accessed. Moral damages or any other punitive
awards should be limited and take into account their likely impact on the
wider exercise of the right to freedom of expression;

– Public officials, because of their status as servants of the people,
should enjoy less protection than ordinary citizens;

– No one should be held liable for the expression of an honestly held
opinion; and

– The burden of proof of the falsity of an allegation in a matter of public
of concern should be on the plaintiff.

Broadcasting Legislation

The independence of the National Commission of Television and Radio must be
strengthened. The entire process for appointing members should be open and
democratic, include full public participation and consultation and should
not be dominated by any particular political or commercial interest.
Membership overall should be required to be reasonably representative of
society as a whole. The independence of the Council of the Public Television
and Radio Company must be strengthened likewise.

The licensing procedures included in the Broadcasting Law of 2000 must also
be made more transparent. In particular, the Commission should provide full
and complete written reasons for the grant or refusal of any broadcasting
license application.

Freedom of Information

The proposed amendments to the Law on Freedom of Information threaten
seriously to undermine the right of access to information. These amendments
should be abandoned and the current law must be implemented with immediate
effect. In particular, the implementing rules and regulations necessary to
make the Law operational must be prepared immediately, in an open and
consultative process.

Any future amendments to the Law must promote rather than restrict the right
to access to information, for example by limiting fees and reducing
restrictions, and be adopted in a consultative process fully involving civil
society, as supported by the OSCE Office in Yerevan. We welcome the
statement of intent made by the Minister of Justice in this regard and we
ask that before any further discussions take place, a report is published in
which the concerns of the Ministry of Justice with regard to the September
2003 Law are clearly set out.

Mass Media Legislation

We welcome steps taken in the Law on Mass Communication to protect
journalists’ sources, and we also welcome the statement made by the Deputy
Minister of Justice regarding further work to bring criminal procedure laws
in line with this. At the same time, we are highly concerned at the
restriction the law places on the dissemination by journalists of classified
information. This restriction violates international standards and must be
removed.

We are also concerned that the accreditation procedures currently being
prepared should promote, not restrict, the right of journalists to report on
the activities of state bodies. They should be fair, transparent and
independently administered, and not create yet another bureaucratic hurdle
for journalists to overcome.

Consultation

We request that a permanent group be set up with the Ministry of Justice to
involve fully civil society representatives in any discussion of present or
future laws and regulations that affect the exercise of the right to freedom
of expression, including the implementation of these laws. This group should
collaborate and consult with the Working Group under the parliamentary
Commission on Science, Education, Culture and Youth Issues.”

COMMUNIQUE ON THE LAW “ON FREEDOM OF INFORMATION”

On March 23, RA Ministry of Justice, Internews Armenia and “Article 19”
Global Campaign for Freedom of Expression adopted a joint communique as a
result of two days’ discussions (March 22-23) on amendments to RA Law “On
Freedom of Information”, approved by Armenian Government on February 12,
2004.

The sides agreed that the discussion on introducing amendments to Law “On
Freedom of Information”, adopted in September 2003, should not impede
implementation of the existing Law. “The Ministry of Justice welcomes any
proposals that would facilitate the implementation of the existing Freedom
of Information Law and will consider them seriously”, the communique notes.
Any amendments to the Law will aim to strengthen and clarify protection of
the right to freedom of information as recognized in this Law, the RA
Constitution and international agreements, as further mentioned.

Besides, the communique emphasizes that “in the process of drafting and
adopting amendments to the Freedom of Information Law there will be full
consultation with civil society, including the Freedom of Information Civic
Initiative, Internews Armenia, the Yerevan Press Club and others, and
international organizations”.

The communique also contains accorded commentary on several articles of the
Law “On Freedom of Information”.

COMPROMISE REACHED, WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP?

On March 4 RA Government approved the Model Procedure for Accrediting
Journalists in the State Administration (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, March
5-11, 2004). After our repeated addresses to the author of the Model
Procedure, RA Ministry of Justice, the text of the ratified document was
finally provided. The draft of this sublegislative act was subject of
detailed and constructive discussion with a number of journalistic
associations and media. In particular, Yerevan Press Club, Journalists Union
of Armenia, Internews Armenia and the Committee to Protect Freedom of
Expression made their suggestions to the Ministry of Justice on amending
several provisions of the Procedure.

Thus the mentioned organizations proposed to introduce in the Procedure a
provision on prohibiting any form of censorship of accredited journalist’s
professional activity by a state institution. This suggestion was introduced
in the ratified text of the document.

According to the journalistic associations, the draft of the Model Procedure
presented extra obstacles for accreditation. The latter ones were removed,
similarly to the point providing for the cases in which the journalist is
not eligible for accreditation. Alongside this, the professional
organizations proposed to stipulate for the ban on filing any claims except
the ones specified in the point determining the accreditation procedure.
This suggestion was not included in the official document ratified by the
Government.

The journalistic organizations also suggested that accreditation limitations
be purely technical, in particular, be conditioned, for instance, by the
absence of proper venues at the disposal of a state administration body,
etc. However, the final version of the Procedure preserved the quantitative
limitation as well: no more than two journalists and two photo
correspondents/two cameramen from each media.

The suggestion on simplifying the procedure of access of media
representatives in state administration body – by identification card and
list of accredited journalists – was partially accepted.

On the initiative of journalistic organizations, a point was added in the
Model Procedure obligating the ministries no less than twice a month to
provide journalists with a summary report of their activity, as for the
ministers – no less than once in half a year to inform about the work done
at a press conference.

Thus, the ratified document may be the result of a certain compromise
between the Ministry of Justice and journalistic organizations. However, it
is necessary to admit that on the basis of this sublegislative act each
state administration body develops its own accreditation regulations. The
latter ones and their implementation will allow assessing appropriateness
and effectiveness of the Model Procedure.

STATE OFFICIAL LOSES TO “DELOVOY EXPRESS”

On March 25, the court of primary jurisdiction of Arabkir and Kanaker-Zeytun
communities of Yerevan rejected the suit of a member of RA State Commission
on Protection of Economic Competition Artashes Bakhshian versus “Delovoy
Express” business weekly. The plaintiff demanded that the editorial office
republish his interview to the weekly since the content of the latter, in
his opinion, was distorted as a result of editorial interference (see detail
in YPC Weekly Newsletter, March 12-18, 2004).

“A1+” SUIT VERSUS NATIONAL COMMISSION ON TELEVISION AND RADIO REJECTED

On March 23, RA Commercial Court rejected the suit of “A1+” founder,
“Meltex” LLC, versus the National Commission on Television and Radio. The
litigation was centered on the results of the broadcast licensing
competitions on June 11 and July 18, 2003 at which the bids by “A1+” were
assessed lower than the ones of its rivals (see YPC Weekly Newsletter,
November 7-13, 2003). The plaintiff claimed for obligating the National
Commission to provide grounds for refusing broadcast license on the results
of these competitions.

The hearings on this case started on November 3 last year, and at the
previous session of February 10, the representative of the respondent filed
a petition on challenging the judge that was accepted (see YPC Weekly
Newsletter, February 6-12, 2004). The new judge managed to reject the suit
in just one session.

CAMPAIGN IN SUPPORT OF “A1+”

On March 19, Fund for Speech Freedom Support announced a campaign on April
2, 2004 in support of “A1+” TV company. On this very day, two years ago
“A1+” was deprived of air as a result of refusal by National Commission on
Television and Radio of broadcast license. Since then, the TV company
unsuccessfully participated in seven more license competitions conducted by
National Commission and still more unsuccessfully challenged the decisions
of this regulating body in the courts.

In the course of these two years, numerous international organizations,
journalistic community of the country repeatedly addressed the Armenian
authorities with a claim not to politicize “A1+” issue and to give the
society an opportunity to hear an alternative viewpoint. The recent example
of this was the Final Statement and Recommendations adopted at the Sixth
Session of EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, held on March
15-16 in Yerevan. Among the Recommendations, adopted unanimously and
pursuant to Article 89 of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement,
Parliamentary Cooperation Committee “draws attention to the vital role
played by a free press in ensuring the development of democracy in Armenia
and stresses in particular the importance of pluralism in the electronic
media”.

The initiative group on the support of “A1+” TV company calls on everyone
who values freedom of expression to participate on April 2 in the procession
and rally thus supporting the following claims to the Armenian authorities:
to conduct a competition for vacant frequencies and to involve
representatives of public organizations in the process of rating assessments
of the bidders’ competition packages.

The procession will start at 14.00 from “A1+” TV building (15, Grigor
Lusavorich St., Yerevan) and will end in a rally (at 15.00) at Yerevan
Freedom Square.

JUBILEE ISSUE OF YSU NEWSPAPER

On March 18, an event devoted to 2000 issue of “Yerevani Hamalsaran”
newspaper was held in Yerevan State University. It was founded in 1920 at a
time with the establishment of the University.

Yerevan Press Club congratulates the colleagues with jubilee and wishes them
future success!

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]

Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]

Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
____________________________________________
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
375007, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 1) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 1) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:

“YERKIR”, UNION OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR REPATRIATION AND
SETTLEMENT
Bagramyan ave., ap. 47/A, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel. +(374 1) 26 28 75
Web:
E-mail: [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
March, 19, 2004, Yerevan, Armenia
Contact: Robert Tatoyan, [email protected]

“YERKIR”, UNION OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR REPATRIATION AND
SETTLEMENT REPORTS ON RESULTS OF ITS FIRST FULL YEAR OF ACTIVITY

“Yerkir”, Union of Non-Governmental Organizations for Repatriation and
Settlement was founded in November, 2002. By unifying the efforts of various
organizations from the R.A. (Republic of Armenia), MKR (Mountainous Karabagh
Republic) and the Armenian Diaspora, the organization engaged in the social,
economic and cultural development of border villages of RA and MKR. The
organization has chapters in USA, Europe and Canada and an upcoming chapter
in the Middle East.
“Yerkir”‘s main goals are:
1. Assist in the re-population and settlement of the border regions of
RA and MKR.
2. Assist in the social, economic and cultural development of the
border regions of RA and MKR.
3. Assist in the research and protection of the historical and cultural
heritage of the border regions of RA and MKR.

“Yerkir” works on improving the socio-economic and cultural problems of
post-war restored villages, as well as the reestablishment of the historic
Armenian settlements of the region.
In 2003, during its first year of existence, “Yerkir” implemented the
following
projects:
1. Construction and furnishing of a school in the village of Araler,
Hadrout Region, MKR (sponsor- Charles Ghazerian of France).
2. Construction and furnishing of the “Hakop Poyajian Bokhboj”
kindergarten in memory of Hakob Poyadjian, in the village of Arakiul,
Hadrout Region, MKR (sponsor- the Poyajian family of Los Angeles, USA).
3. Construction and furnishing of the Madteos Tsaretsi school in the
village of Tsar, Nor Shahumian Region, MKR (sponsors- A group of Los Angeles
USA Armenians).

The following “Yerkir” projects are currently in progress:
1. Construction and furnishing, including medical equipment, of a
hospital, in the village Araler, Hadrout Region, MKR (sponsor- “Hayrenik”
Union of Los Angeles, USA).
2. Construction of 5 (five) houses, a medical center, as well as the
water distribution system, in the village of Norashen, Hadrout Region, MKR
(sponsor- AGBU France).
3. Construction of 8 (eight) houses, a water distribution system as
well as the establishment of small and medium households engaged in domestic
animal farming activity in the village of Saralanch, Hadrout Region, MKR
(sponsor- France Karabagh).
4. Construction of 8 (eight) houses, construction and furnishing of a
school as well as construction and furnishing of a medical center and a
community-youth
center, in the village of Haykavan, Hadrout Region, MKR
(sponsors-Armenian American Nurse’s Association, the Anatolian family of Los
Angeles, a group of Los Angeles Armenians, Mr & Mrs. Apo and Rosine
Saghdejian of Fresno, Mr. and Mrs. William So and Astghik Dadrian of Newport
Beach, California, Armenian American Council on Aging).
5. Remodeling and furnishing of the school building, construction of a
Medical & Community-Youth dual building complex, in the village of Tsamdzor,
Hadrout Region, MKR (sponsor, “Armenia” Foundation of Geneva, Switzerland).
6. Procurement and installation of temporary mobile homes in the
village of Ijevanatun, Hadrout Region, MKR (sponsor- “Monte Melkonian”
Fund).
7. Remodeling and furnishing of the school building in the village of
Arakiul, Hadrout Region, MKR, (sponsor – the Poyajian family of Los
Angeles). Construction of the medical & agricultural development center in
the village of Arakiul, Hadrout Region, MKR (sponsor-France Karabagh).
8. Construction and furnishing of a kindergarten in the village of
Talish,
Martakert Region, MKR (sponsor, “D.A. Connextion”, France).
9. Founding of the entire village of Knaravan, Nor Shahumian Region,
MKR. The
work includes construction of 18 (eighteen) single family houses,
construction and furnishing of a school, construction and furnishing of a
medical-community-youth center dual-building complex and the implementation
of agricultural development projects. The project is sponsored by the
Harutyunian family of New Jersey, USA.
10. Construction and furnishing of a kindergarten in the village of
Yeghegnout, Nor Shahumian Region, MKR (sponsor – ARF Patanekan of Canada).
11. Remodeling and furnishing of the kindergarten-Dance & Music school
building complex in the village of Chinari, Tavoush Region, RA (sponsor-
Alain Krakirian of Los Angeles, USA).
12. Reconstruction and furnishing of the school in village of Aregouni,
Gegharkounik Region, RA (sponsor- United Armenian Students of Los Angeles,
USA).

“Yerkir”s total investment in 2003 was US $215,000.00 or 173,000 Euro. 2003
was also a year of organizational growth for “Yerkir”. The organization
firmly established itself by opening offices in Yerevan, Stepanakert and
Vadenis. With contracts totaling more than US $400,000.00, in 2004, “Yerkir”
UNGO has ambitious expansion plans.
Expansion will be directed in different geographic regions of RA and MKR:
1. Border communities of the Syunik, Tavoush and
Gegharkounik Regions.
2. Border communities of the Hadrout, Martakert,
Martouni and Nor Shahumian Regions.

During 2003, “Yerkir” submitted many project portfolios to various
organizations and individuals. The submitted projects were focused on
socially and demographically developing the more than 30 border rural
communities located in the above mentioned target regions.
Today, one of “Yerkir’s primary goals is to encourage repatriation
from Russia and other CIS countries. Priority is being given to
natives who were forcefully evicted from their communities and many of whom
would return to their hometowns, given favorable living conditions.

For further information on “Yerkir”‘s current and upcoming projects, visit

or “Yerkir USA”‘s homepage at
You will also find “Yerkir”‘s detailed
2003 financial statement on the organization’s website.