Category: News

USA wants speedy reforms in Azerbaijan

Zerkalo, Baku
12 Mar 04

The key goal of US officials’ recent visits to Baku was to persuade
the Azerbaijani leadership to carry out radical economic and political
reforms, Azerbaijani daily Zerkalo has said. Washington wants
Azerbaijan and other South Caucasus countries to share its values and
pursue its policy. To that end, the USA is trying to attract
Azerbaijan to NATO and has promised Baku assistance in reorganizing
its army, Zerkalo said. However, the paper said, Washington’s military
aid is linked to the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
over Nagornyy Karabakh. Azerbaijan will have to make some compromises
in the peace talks, and US officials seem to have partly convinced the
Baku government, the daily said. The following is an excerpt from Rauf
Mirqadirov’s report by Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo on 12 March
headlined “Washington insists on speedy reforms in Azerbaijan” and
subheaded “The White House will wait for another three months”;
subheadings inserted editorially:

Americans dominate Baku

Americans dominated Baku this week. Never has the capital of
Azerbaijan seen so many high level delegations during the course of
one week. Moreover, one cannot help but notice that predominant among
the Americans landing in Baku were State Department emissaries and
military officials.

Judge for yourselves. At the beginning of the week there was a
delegation from the US airforce college together with US Deputy
Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Lynn
Pascoe. Staying in the capital yesterday was a delegation headed by
the US State Department deputy director for European security and
political affairs, Eric Schultz, and the deputy political adviser at
the US mission in NATO, Bruce Rogers.

And arriving today in Baku from Washington is yet another very
impressive delegation comprised exclusively of military and diplomatic
officials. This time it is a mission of the supreme advisory council
to the US European Command (EUCOM), headed by the deputy commander of
the US European Command, Gen Charles Wald. Also part of the delegation
are Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Southern Europe Adm Gregory
Johnson and many ambassadors of various ranks.

In a word, Azerbaijan is keeping diplomats and military officials
busy, while economic questions have moved down to the second order of
importance. It is clear why. The most important geopolitical task of
the USA in the region involving economic aspects has already been
resolved. The building of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline is already
under way, and all the problems connected with the financing of this
project have been resolved.

Need for radical reforms

Today, the Americans are trying to accomplish several tasks at the
same time.

First, to talk the Azerbaijani leadership into some radical economic
and political reforms. As we have already learned from well-informed
diplomatic sources, this theme was key to questions discussed between
Lynn Pascoe and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Once again Pascoe brought to Baku’s attention the White House’s
position, concluding that relations between the two countries could be
raised to a qualitatively higher level only through assurance that
both governments share the same values, i.e. adhere to the principles
of democracy, respect and uphold human rights and liberal democracy.

If we put all the abovementioned from the diplomatic language into
plain language, Pascoe’s statements imply that Azerbaijan should share
the values recognized by the USA.

Pascoe, however, noted that the White House did not rule out the
possibility of inviting Ilham Aliyev to Washington on an official
visit before the US presidential elections. But, the same diplomatic
sources say that Pascoe stated that such an invitation could take
place only if Baku did not confine itself to verbal promises but took
real steps towards putting reforms into practice.

Washington gives Baku another three months

Delegation members did not hide the fact that Washington was
disappointed with the developments in Azerbaijan and with Baku’s
activities since 15 October [presidential elections]. Azerbaijani
officials were informed about this in a private conversation with a
member of the American delegation. At the same time, he [the
delegation member] said that Washington would wait for another three
months. If, by this time, serious steps towards reforms have not been
taken, then Washington will totally lose its faith in the ability of
the current Azerbaijani leadership to lead the country on the path of
integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures, with all ensuing
consequences.

Second, the USA will try not to lose the initiative in the South
Caucasus to other players in the geopolitical game, above all, to the
European Union and Russia. Pascoe said this with typical American
straightforwardness at a meeting with Aliyev. Pointing out the growing
interest of the European Union in Azerbaijan and other countries of
the region, Pascoe said that the USA was making every effort “not to
stay behind” this competition.

USA wants “great changes”

The US diplomat said that he intended to discuss a number of issues
with Aliyev and to hold an exchange of views on “great changes” in the
region. In fact, Pascoe hinted that Washington was worried about an
undisguised increase in the activity of the European Union in the
South Caucasus, where up until recently the USA has regarded its
position as unshaken. However, now that “a democratically-elected
president” came to power in Georgia, the European Union is ready to
include the South Caucasus countries into its Wider Europe – New
Neighbourhood policy. This means that the EU sees the region within
its ranks in the near future. It is no coincidence that in Baku,
[Georgian President Mikheil] Saakashvili proposed creating a
mini-European Union of Azerbaijan and Georgia. Having left the
Azerbaijani capital, he included Armenia and then Russia in this list.

Things are clear with Russia – the EU does not want to see it as its
member for good reasons, at least in the near future. But the EU views
the South Caucasus as a single geopolitical and economic space. It is
no coincidence that the EU’s special representative for the South
Caucasus, Heikki Talvitie, has more than once said that this
organization treated equally all the three countries of the region.

USA wants South Caucasus to pursue its policy

The USA, in principle, is not against this prospect but would like to
see the South Caucasus countries as countries pursuing Washington’s
policy, like Spain, Poland and some other countries in the Eastern
Europe. Therefore, the USA is trying to attract the countries of the
South Caucasus, above all Azerbaijan and Georgia, to NATO where
Washington still has the final say. The USA thinks that this process
should be completed over the next two or three years.

However, except for the aforesaid, the armed forces of the regional
countries have to be reorganized to meet NATO standards and also the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict has to be resolved. Strange as it may
seem, but these two problems interrelate.

It is no coincidence that at a meeting with Azerbaijani Defence
Minister Safar Abiyev, Eric Schultz and Bruce Rogers discussed
strategic partnership between Azerbaijan, the USA and NATO. US
ambassador to Azerbaijan Reno Harnish noted at the meeting that
US-NATO cooperation with Azerbaijan and other countries of the South
Caucasus was aimed at eliminating instability in the region. He said
that the USA intended to continue cooperation with Azerbaijan to
ensure security. Harnish noted that the USA was expecting Safar
Abiyev’s visit to the USA where aspects of military cooperation
between the countries would be discussed.

[Passage omitted: at a meeting with the US delegation, Safar Abiyev
said the liberation of Karabakh was priority]

USA promises military assistance

The matter is that without a settlement to the Karabakh conflict, the
USA cannot render proper assistance to Azerbaijan to reorganize and
upgrade the army in compliance with NATO standards.

Suffice it to say that the Armenian group of the Congress took
painfully the US decision to allocate to Azerbaijan in military
assistance several million dollars more than to Armenia.

We have learned from diplomatic sources that during the negotiations
in Baku, Washington’s emissaries promised assistance to Azerbaijan in
reorganizing the army and in creating a large unit under NATO
standards within two or three years.

Need for compromises

However, Azerbaijan will have to make certain compromises in the
Karabakh peace talks.

It seems that the emissaries have managed to partly convince Baku’s
officials. Not long ago, the Azerbaijani leadership did not rule out
that the negotiations had to be started from scratch. However, Ilham
Aliyev recently expressed his surprise at a pessimistic statement made
by the Russian deputy foreign minister over the situation in the
negotiations to settle the Karabakh conflict.

Aside from this, against the background of the US week in Baku, a
surprising report has emerged saying that Aliyev will pay a visit to
Bratislava (Slovakia) on 18-19 March to attend an international
conference “Towards a Wider Europe: The new Agenda”.

[Passage omitted: list of countries which are to attend the
conference]

Noyan Tapan Highlights #10(512)
15 March 2004

The Young Face of Georgia

By Haroutiun Khachatrian

The series of impressions we had got of Mikhail Saakashvili, has been
extended by what we saw during his visit to Armenia. The rather extensive
dialogue of the two presidents has brought a sizable set of additional
information about the new Georgian leader. In short, the positive
expectations we had from fragments seen on TV screens earlier have largely
been confirmed.

The most important element was, of course, the attitude of the President of
Georgia about the regional problems, the unresolved ethnic conflicts being
the most important ones among them. He displayed a sober and pragmatic
stance, carefully avoiding any expressions and words, which could increase
tension and suspicions of whoever concerned. He gave optimistic promises,
extending as far as the promise to re-open the rail link in Abkhazia in a
year period (the official report quotes him as saying this during his
meeting with Artur Baghdasarian, the Chairman of the National Assembly of
Armenia). Similarly, he pronounced many correct and optimistic words about
the regional cooperation and the relations between this region and its
powerful neighbors.

Of course, much of what Saakashvili declared in Yerevan was said by his
predecessor as well. What was different between Saakashvili and
Shevardnadze, was, in my view, that the new 36-year-old president really
meant what he said. It was evident that this is his style: he spoke very
openly, often saying things that few other politicians would. And hence he
looked quite sincere in expressing his goals: settling problems with Russia,
regulate conflicts, stimulate cooperation in the region.

Georgia has been, for a number of reasons, the central element of the South
Caucasus. If its new leader succeeds in implementing his policy, the
situation in the whole region may improve greatly. Good luck!!!

—

Innovations-Report, Germany
March 15 2004

Hydrogen as an alternative energy to petrolium

The key aspect of the project is the obtaining of metal hydrides with
the capacity to “store” the hydrogen used in automotive vehicle fuel
batteries.

Under the auspices of the Strategic Plan for Materials and Energy
being carried out by INASMET, the Armenian Institute of Chemistry &
Physics of the National Academy of Sciences has signed a joint
working agreement on order to make progress in one of the future
energy sources such as fuel cells based on using hydrogen.

This alternative energy source to fossil fuels (petroleum and its
derivatives) has, amongst other advantages, that of being
non-contaminant, given that the only by-product is water due to the
combustion of hydrogen. Energy user sectors such as automotive one
and aeronautic are the most likely beneficiaries of this alternative
energy.

On the occasion of the signing of the joint co-operation contract and
in order to continue work started in 1999 between both bodies,
professor S. Kharatyan, the sub-director of the Armenian Institute,
accompanied by researcher, doctor A. Sargyan, have visited Inasmet
Technological Centre.

The agreement involves the development of SHS (Self-propagating
High-temperature Synthesis) technology that has relevant applications
in the industrial sector (energy and metallurgy), in obtaining
enhanced-specification materials at competitive prices. The technical
team at INASMET already has ten years of experience in this
speciality and applications widely accepted industrially have been
obtained, such as powders for special coatings or high-specification
porous materials.

One aspect of the new agreement – more directly related to hydrogen
energy – will be the development of new production methods for metal
hydrides as raw material for fuel cells, given that they are an
efficient form of `storing’ hydrogen through SHS technology.

The Armenian Institute of Chemistry & Physics, founded in 1975, is
developing new lines of technological research, initiated in Moscow,
amongst the advantages of which are those involving simplicity,
rapidity and low energy consumption throughout the whole process.

In 1999 the first steps were taken for the joint enterprise between
INASMET and the Armenian institution in order to obtain cermets,
materials composed of ceramic and metal for applications in extreme
operating conditions. The first relevant steps in that two different
research teams and professionals from two distinct cultures have come
together and, apart from overcoming language barriers, the Armenians
in particular have had to go through work permit procedures under
very difficult conditions. With the signing of this agreement, many
of these difficulties have been overcome and there are very positive
expectations for both partners for advancement in these technologies.

Contact :
Cristina Alberdi
INASMET
[email protected]
(+34) 943 003668

PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address: Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Foreign Press Office
Tel: (374 1) 517 163
Fax: (374 1) 517 301
E-Mail: [email protected]
March 15, 2004

His Holiness Karekin II Receives Mikael Saakashvili, President of the
Republic of Georgia

In the morning of March 13, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians, received Mikael Saakashvili, the new President
of the Republic of Georgia, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Mr.
Saakashvili is in Armenia on his first visit since his election.

Welcoming the President’s visit to the worldwide spiritual center of the
Armenian Church, the Pontiff of All Armenians congratulated President
Saakashvili on his recent election victory, and offered a prayer asking for
God’s support to help the new president bring his services to the Georgian
nation. His Holiness further expressed hope that the Georgian people and
state will live peaceful and prosperous lives, noting that Armenia and her
neighbor to the north are closely linked and interrelated to one another.

His Holiness and President Saakashvili also spoke about the fraternal
relations which exist between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Georgian
Orthodox Church. In addition, they discussed issues existing in the
Armenian Diocese of Georgia and concerns related to Georgian Armenians.

The President of Georgia thanked the Catholicos of All Armenians for the
warm reception and conveyed the brotherly greetings and kind wishes of His
Holiness Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia. Mr. Saakashvili
touched on some of the problems facing the two republics and expressed his
hope that due to the centuries-old friendship and cooperation among the
neighbor states, it will be possible to provide solutions that will lead to
prosperity for both the Armenian and the Georgian nations.

“I have a feeling of deep respect towards Your Holiness and the Armenian
Church, and as the President of the Republic of Georgia, I will make every
effort to foster and develop the relations existing between our two brother
nations and Churches,” noted the President in his remarks.

At the conclusion of the meeting the President visited the museum inside the
Pontifical Residence and lit a candle in the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin.
His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of
Georgia; Very Rev. Fr. Arshak Khachatrian, Chancellor of the Mother See; Mr.
Vartan Oskanian, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia; Mr. Georgi
Khosroyev, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Republic of Georgia;
Mr. Nikoloz Nikolozishvili, President Saakashvili’s Representative in the
Region of Javakhk; and members of the Governments of Armenia and Georgia
attending the meeting.

##

CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:

Cross-Border Media Project Evaluation Announcement

The Eurasia Foundation, a privately managed grant-making organization
funded primarily by the United States Agency for International
Development, seeks an evaluation consultant to conduct a cluster
evaluation of 7 cross-border independent media projects awarded by its
South Caucasus Cooperation Program (SCCP) from 1999-2003. The evaluation
study is scheduled to be conducted by May 14, 2004 with the final report
submitted no later than May 31, 2004.

SCCP seeks to identify and analyze results and impact of the 7
cross-border media projects (19 individual grants) and to explore the
results of these projects. The goals of the study are to identify
additional program areas to improve or expand SCCP’s cross-border
independent media work and identify the niche or role that SCCP is most
suited to fill in the context of other cross-border media initiatives in
the South Caucasus region.

Qualifications
The ideal evaluator will have experience in the field of cross-border
mass media, preferably in similar transition and conflicted societies.
The ideal evaluator will also have experience in evaluating media
projects using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Russian
language skills would be very helpful.

Request for Bids
The Eurasia Foundation seeks bids from individuals or organizations to
conduct this evaluation. After receiving the detailed Scope of Work from
the Foundation, applicants will submit a brief proposal that includes a
detailed description of the evaluator’s qualifications and proposed
evaluation methodology. In addition, the applicant will submit a budget
that should include the following:
1. Fixed compensation rate for the project;
2. Travel costs between the evaluator’s home city and Tbilisi; and
3. All local travel costs, including transport, lodging and meal
allowance.

All expenses must comply with the Eurasia Foundation’s cost and travel
procedures.

The deadline for applications is March 22, 2004. Primary criteria for
selection will be professional qualifications, quality of the proposed
evaluation methodology and cost-effectiveness. The Eurasia Foundation
expects to notify the successful applicant of its decision by March 29,
2004.

Applicants should contact the Eurasia Foundation to receive a copy of
the detailed Scope of Work for the evaluation. Applicants may request an
electronic copy of the Scope of Work by contacting Ms. Lisa Butenhoff
([email protected]) or visiting the Foundation’s offices in Baku,
Tbilisi or Yerevan. The office addresses are listed below. Applications
should be sent by 6:00 pm on March 22, 2004 to Ms. Lisa Butenhoff at the
email address above.
Eurasia Foundation Office Addresses in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia

The Eurasia Foundation
4 Demirchyan Street
Yerevan 375019, Armenia

The Eurasia Foundation
67 Fizuli Street, 5th Floor
Baku 370014, Azerbaijan

The Eurasia Foundation
3 Kavsadze Street
Tbilisi 0179, Georgia

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

March 15, 2004
___________________

ARCHBISHOP BARSAMIAN REPRESENTS ARMENIANS AT ORTHODOX GATHERING

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America (Eastern), attended a special breakfast meeting on Monday, March
15, 2004, in honor of His All Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of
Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch of the Orthodox Church.
The meeting, at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan headquarters in New York
City, brought together about 50 Oriental and Eastern Orthodox church
leaders.

The Patriarch, in New York for a week of meetings and visits, spoke to the
group about the importance of the ecumenical movement. “The goal is to
reestablish the unity of the Christian church,” he said.

The Patriarch praised the work of the Standing Conference of Oriental
Orthodox Churches, chaired by Archbishop Barsamian, and the Standing
Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas, chaired by Bishop
Dimitrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. In the past few
years, the two groups have been building stronger relations between the two
branches of orthodoxy. Recently, the group’s work has brought about a
yearly prayer service for orthodox members of the United Nations community.

“People see us working between Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox on a higher
level, nationally or internationally,” said the Primate. “And locally, this
work shows people that they can communicate with others as Christians who
are very close in faith. The things that unite us are tremendous. The
things that separate us are very minor. We’re working to resolve many of
those things so we can establish communion.”

During the breakfast reception, the Primate relayed to Patriarch Bartholomew
the warm wishes of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians.
The Patriarch, who is based in Istanbul, conveyed greetings from His
Beatitude Archbishop Mesrob II Mutafyan, the Armenian Patriarchate of
Constantinople.

The Primate will meet with the Patriarch again on Wednesday, during an event
hosted by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, an interfaith coalition of
business and religious leaders working around the globe to promote peace,
tolerance, and resolution of ethnic conflicts. The Primate serves as a vice
president on the board of that foundation.

— 3/15/04

E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable on the Eastern
Diocese’s website,

PHOTO CAPTION (1): His All Holiness Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch of
the Orthodox cCurch, speaks about ecumenism to a group of about 50 Oriental
Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox church leaders, including Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese, during a breakfast meeting at the
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in New York City on Monday, March 15, 2004.

PHOTO CAPTION (2): Archbishop Barsamian listens as Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew praises the joint efforts of the Standing Conference of
Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas and the Standing Conference of
Oriental Orthodox Churches.

PHOTO CAPTION (3): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), and His All Holiness Bartholomew,
at the Greek Archdiocese in New York City on Monday, March 15, 2004.

# # #

CENN – MARCH 15, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. `Georgian Bank’ and BTC Reach Coop Agreement
2. Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan Talks on Oil for Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline
in ‘Final Stage’
3. Armenian Government Steps in to Eliminate Disaster Aftermath
4. Armenian Minister, Iranian Governor Discuss Agricultural Development
5. Misery is Environment’s Bitter Enemy
6. Workshop Announcement – International Water Demand Management

1. `GEORGIAN BANK’ AND BTC REACH COOP AGREEMENT

The Georgian Bank and Company BTC signed an agreement on financial
servicing of the funds assigned by the International Monetary Fund,
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in Tbilisi on March 12.

Under the conditions, the Georgian Bank will provide banking services of
all expenditures for the construction of Georgian section of the
pipeline. Therefore, the Bank has become a member of the financial
association, which affiliates 78 companies.
AzerTag, March 13, 2004

2. AZERBAIJAN-KAZAKHSTAN TALKS ON OIL FOR BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN PIPELINE
IN ‘FINAL STAGE’

Negotiations on an agreement between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan on
Kazakhstan oil moving through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline are
in the final stage, according to Natik Aliyev, president of the State
Oil Company of Azerbaijan, a Rosbalt correspondent reported. Aliyev said
the agreement would be signed sometime this year but would not be more
specific. He said the date would depend on the intensity of the talks.

Aliyev said the agreement would constitute the legal basis needed by
investors. It will set out the details of tax, customs and trade
arrangements connected to the movement of oil as well as specify the
manner of resolving ecological problems. He said the agreement would be
in line with existing treaties between Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey.
Rosbalt, March 13, 2004

3. ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT STEPS IN TO ELIMINATE DISASTER AFTERMATH

The Armenian government adopted The public awareness campaign for the
nomadic population relied purely on rural radio stations and the role of
local authorities, notables and elected officials. decision to allocate
510m drams [950,000 dollars] from its reserve fund to eliminate the
consequences of spring floods and strong winds.

Armenian Minister for Coordinating Territorial Administration and
Production Infrastructures Ovik Abramyan told journalists that the funds
would be allocated for the reconstruction of roads, bridges, schools and
hospitals and for accommodating people left homeless as a result of the
disaster. He noted that the final damage will be calculated in 10 days
and that aid is being allocated to carry out urgent reconstruction work.

A major part of the funds – 71m drams [116,000 dollars] – will be
allocated to Tavush and 58m drams [106,000 dollars] to Aragatsotn
regions, which have been badly damaged. Additional 200m drams [355,000
dollars] will be allocated to the Armenian Agriculture Ministry for
purchasing seeds and fertilizers for the ravaged regions.
Arminfo, March 11, 2004

4. ARMENIAN MINISTER, IRANIAN GOVERNOR DISCUSS AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

The deputy governor of Iran’s Ardabil Province, Hajaf-Azari, and
Armenian Minister for Coordinating Territorial Administration and
Production Infrastructures Ovik Abramyan, discussed prospects for
agricultural cooperation between Iran and Armenia.

The government’s press service told Arminfo news agency that the sides
debated the possibility of supplying Armenia with fertilizers,
seedlings, seeds, including the future of cooperation in stockbreeding
and exchanging scientific achievements.
Arminfo, March 11, 2004

5. MISERY IS ENVIRONMENT’S BITTER ENEMY

Vardan Aivazyan, The Minister of Environment of Armenian is convinced
that the main cause of many environmental problems is poverty in which
that the population of the republic lives in.

The other day, walking along the park he found almost all trees cut
there. As it became clear later, the trees were cut by nearby houses
tenants for heating their homes, the minister said.
, March 13, 2004

6. WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT – INTERNATIONAL WATER DEMAND MANAGEMENT
May 30-June 3, 2004

On behalf of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation in Jordan, we would
like to announce the Professional Development Workshops delivered during
the International Water Demand Management Conference May 30th-June 3rd,
2004. The workshops will provide participants with an in-depth training
in selected water demand management topics. In addition, the workshops
provide a short, practical hands-on skills training related to water
demand management. Participants can use the information, techniques
and/or software in their day-to-day operations. Each workshop is
conducted by industry leaders in the field. To learn more about the
workshops please visit the conference website 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:

PRESS RELEASE
March 15, 2004
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: [email protected]; Web:

International Festival of Armenian Films to Be Held in Armenia in June/July

The first international festival of Armenian films, Golden Apricot, will be
held in Yerevan, Armenia on June 30 – July 4, 2004. The festival is
organized by the Benevolent Fund for Culture Development, the Armenian
Association of Cinematography, and the Armenian Ministry of Culture and
Youth.

The objectives of the festival are to present new works by the film
directors and producers in Armenia and foreign cinematographers of Armenian
descent and to promote creativity and originality in the area of cinema and
video art. Any feature films, documentaries, and animation created between
2002 and 2004 is eligible to be presented at the festival.

The deadline for applications is April 15, 2004. For detailed inquiries and
application forms, please contact the Embassy of Armenia, or the organizers
of the festival (The Benevolent Fund for Culture Development, Byron Street,
#5, Yerevan, 375009, Armenia, Tel. (+374-1) 564484, email:
[email protected]).

Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
March 16 2004

The lottery that defies logic and confuses experts
By Kelly Burke, Education Reporter

Geelong Grammar can count Kerry Packer, Rupert Murdoch, Alexander
Downer and Prince Charles among its famous old boys. By comparison,
its Sydney cousin, Trinity Grammar, has just a smattering of
corporate chief executives and barristers wearing the old school tie.

Yet these schools steeped in the Anglican tradition share many other
common factors, including a high level of boarders, day fees of about
$16,000 a year, and a similar ranking under the system that
determines the level of Commonwealth funding each school gets.

In contrast, the non-government Hamazkaine, Arshak & Sophie Galstaun
school, in the northern Sydney suburb of Ingleside, has been the
beneficiary of little largesse during its 18-year history. The
school’s 322 students all come from non-English speaking backgrounds,
and their parents, primarily Armenian immigrants, pay between $2000
and $3500 in school fees each year.

Yet according to the Federal Government system which measures
parents’ capacity to pay, this school is as affluent as Trinity, with
both schools sharing the same socio-economic status (SES) ranking of
112. Geelong Grammar comes in a point lower, at 111, on a scale which
in NSW ranges from 87 for the poorest schools and 133 for the
wealthiest.

Kaylar Michaelian, the principal of Hamazkaine, Arshak & Sophie
Galstaun School, has appealed against the Federal Government’s ruling
that the parents of his pupils are on a par financially par with
those at Trinity – and marginally better off than those who send
their offspring to Geelong Grammar. The case has yet to be resolved.

“We are a community school – we don’t even see ourselves as a private
school,” Mr Michaelian said. “We’ve asked the department to review
[our SES] because it in no way reflects the make up of our parents
and their capacity to pay any more than what we’re already asking.
It’s unfair.”

The NSW Government sees things differently from the Commonwealth.
Factoring in the school’s assets and income, the state’s education
resource index (ERI) model has deemed it a relatively needy school.
Out of a possible score of 12, it gets a nine, while Trinity is
ranked as one of the wealthiest, as a category 1 school.

The Commonwealth’s SES model is based on measuring the education,
income and employment status of about 250 households in the
census-determined area where each parent of a private school student
lives.

Mark Drummond, a PhD candidate in public sector management at the
University of Canberra and a former teacher of mathematics at the
Australian Defence Force Academy, said this system has turned the
school funding system into little more than a lottery.

“The scores are a basket case,” he said, after having spent nearly 12
months analysing national non-government school funding data.

“In effect, there are many private schools where the rich kids are
getting the benefit from the poorer kids who happen to live in the
same area, and go to the local public school. There is no coherence
to the system. You only have to look at Geelong Grammar’s SES to know
it even fails the commonsense test.”

But Terry Chapman, executive director of the NSW Association of
Independent Schools, says the Commonwealth’s SES model is the best of
an admittedly imperfect lot.

“The SES is better because judgements are made using data gathered
from the census,” he says. “It’s absolutely transparent, does not
require massive details from each school, and it does not create any
serious disincentive to private effort.”

But under the NSW Government’s ERI system, Mr Chapman says, a private
school theoretically loses government money with every private
donation it receives.

A spokesman for the federal Education Minister, Brendan Nelson, said
the figures merely proved what every parent of every student in a
Catholic or independent school had known for a long time.

“That is that there are parents in this country who make enormous
sacrifices with four jobs between two parents, who live in modest
accommodation, never have a holiday and choose to make great
sacrifices to send their children to non-government schools”.

Foreign Policy Association
March 16 2004

Project Manager- Armenia
World Vision

Job Categories: Environment | Full-Time/Contract | Central Asia
| Global Health | Environment

Description:
World Vision International is the largest privately funded Christian
Relief and Development Organization working against hunger, poverty
and injustice in over 98 countries around the world, helping over 85
million people.
World Vision Deutschland – in close co-operation with World Vision
Armenia – has successfully applied for funding under “Co-financing
with European development NGOs’ Operations in developing countries”.
The project entitled “Building Sustainable Rural Livelihoods in
Tavush region – Armenia” seeks to reduce poverty among the vulnerable
population in the remote regions of Armenia through increased rural
communities capacity to manage their assets and agricultural
resources and secure an increased income. The target population
encompasses disfranchised population, especially refugees and
internally displaced persons, living in border communities,
mountainous communities, and small remote villages not covered by
other programs. The project activities are geared towards achieving
the following results:
1. Farmer associations are enabled to promote diversified and
market-oriented agriculture

2. Off-farm income-generating activities are initiated

3. Community initiatives in infrastructure improvement are supported

In order to guarantee the effective implementation of the project,
the position of a qualified expatriate Project Manager needs to be
filled during the 2nd quarter of 2004. The duration of the project is
36 months.
To lead and facilitate the efficient and effective implementation of
the project “Building Sustainable Rural Livelihoods in Tavush region
– Armenia” building on, integrated in, and expanding WV Armenia’s
long-term development activities in Armenia. The Project Manager
reports to WV Armenia Operations Director and works in coordination
with the Area Development (ADP) Manager in Tavush Region towards
achieving the following objectives:

Supervise a structured project start-up including office
establishment, notification to all stakeholders concerned in
collaboration with the WV Armenia Operations Director and ADP
Manager, and recruitment and orientation of local staff in compliance
with WV Armenian procedures
Develop operation plans and establish a monitoring system that allows
for the measurement and documentation of project progress toward
objectives and results, which maximizes cross- cutting themes and
programs within the Tavush ADP
Provide guidance and leadership to the project based on the best
practices in multi-sectoral development projects that include
agriculture, income generation and community development
With the support of WV Armenia?s Finance team ensure that project
finance management meets the standards of the WV Armenia Finance
Manual and the specific EU requirements
In Coordination with the WV Armenia Operations Director engage in
networking with the donor and develop relationship of mutual
confidence and respect
Maintain good working relationship with local government bodies
without compromising the independence of World Vision and its
non-governmental role
Support the ADP Manager in her role of overall WV representation in
Tavush Region
Coordinate visibility actions with donors and WV Armenia Marketing
team
Work with WV Armenia Program Officers to prepare narrative and
financial reports for the donor as stipulated in the contract and
ensure any difficulties or changes that might arise during the
implementation of the project are agreed with the Operations Director
and communicated to the donor in due time
Prepare monthly narrative reports to be distributed to WV Armenia
national office, WV Deutschland, and other stakeholders as deemed
appropriate
Provide all necessary information/documentation needed for the
regular monitoring and evaluation missions in collaboration with WV
Armenia?s M&E Officer
Network with other non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local
government officials, and community leaders in the project area to
ensure continued project co-ordination, quality and innovation
Undertake continuous capacity building of national staff engaged in
the project in the areas of agriculture, income generation,
sustainable livelihoods, rural development, and project management,
so as to create and strengthen relevant indigenous skills &
understanding
Assist the WV Armenia Operations Director and the ADP Manager in the
development of strategies for long-term or additional interventions,
including the preparation of further plans and proposals, and
handling the marketing of these
Perform other duties as assigned by the Operations Director
Qualification:

3-5 years of similar management experience in cross-cultural
environment
A degree in Agriculture or similar with experience in working with
farmer associations and an understanding of marketing
Understanding of environmental issues and micro-catchments’
management
Prior work experience in project implementation, monitoring,
evaluation, training/capacity building, conceptual program planning,
office administrative procedures and report writing
Excellent English speaking, reading and writing skills
Working knowledge of Russian and/or Armenian
Computer literacy (word processing and spreadsheets)
Ethnic sensitivity and understanding, with an ability to resolve
complex cultural issues
Strong inter-personal and cross-cultural communications skills and
sensitivity. Ability to work closely within a team/group environment
and to be diplomatic and flexible in a sometimes remote and
challenging environment and/or under stress
Team-player attitude, with initiative & self-confidence to develop
and lead program
Strong organizing, planning and writing skills. Strong attention to
detail
Representation aptitude – including relations with donors
Willingness to travel locally around Armenia up to 40% of the time.
Staying overnight in unprivileged living conditions is possible
Experience of working in FSU transitional economies preferable
Strong commitment to World Vision?s Christian Values and ability to
reflect these in day to day work
Applications for this position should be sent to:

Gisela Poole [email protected] and Kristina Baghdasaryan
[email protected] 3-5 years of similar management
experience in cross-cultural environment.

Contact Information: Gisela Poole
Email: [email protected]
Apply by: March 31, 2004