PRESS RELEASE
May 11, 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:

Armenia Among Other Countries honored at a White House Ceremony

On May 10, 2004, U.S. President George Bush hosted a ceremony at the
White House to mark the recent selection of 16 countries, including
Armenia, as recipients of Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) funds. The
MCA, a foreign aid distribution mechanism introduced by the Bush
administration, will fund programs submitted by eligible countries
to promote the goals of poverty reduction and economic development.

Ambassadors from 16 countries, including Armenian Ambassador to the
U.S., Dr. Arman Kirakossian were present at the ceremony and had an
opportunity to briefly meet with President Bush. Also present were
Senator Dick Lugar, Representative Tom Lantos, and the members of the
Board of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which administers the
MCA funds. Secretary of State Colin Powell is the ex-officio Chairman
of the Board; the Board includes other senior members of the Cabinet.

In his remarks during the ceremony, President Bush congratulated
the countries selected as potential recipients of MCA funds, noting
that these countries “have taken the first courageous steps toward
greater independence and greater wealth, and greater hopes for the
people you serve.” He also said, “To be eligible for this new money,
nations must root out corruption, respect human rights, and adhere
to the rule of law. They must invest in their people by improving
their health care systems and their schools. They must unleash the
energy and creativity necessary for economic growth by opening up
their markets, removing barriers to entrepreneurship, and reducing
excessive bureaucracy and regulation. The 16 nations represented here
today have done all this and more.”

For more information, visit

Voice of America, DC
May 10 2004

President Bush Welcomes Millennium Challenge Account Recipients

Paula Wolfson
Washington

President Bush is urging more developing countries to adopt economic
and political reforms, saying it will qualify them for increased
American aid. Mr. Bush honored the first sixteen countries to become
eligible for a new aid program that rewards reforms with development
assistance.
Under this newly implemented program, countries that can prove they
are implementing reforms can apply for money from a special aid fund
called the Millennium Challenge Account.

That fund is expected to result in a substantial increase in U-S
foreign assistance in the next few years, and is the focal point of
the administration’s aid policy.

Although creation of the fund was announced by the president two
years ago, the first recipients were announced last week. President
Bush personally congratulated the qualifying countries Monday at a
ceremony attended by their ambassadors to Washington and other
officials.

“The 16 chosen in this round are showing the way, are showing what is
possible, are serving as a bright light in the developing world. You
have taken the first courageous steps toward greater independence and
greater wealth, and greater hopes for the people you serve,” he says.

These countries span the globe – from Armenia to Madagascar…Bolivia
to Sri Lanka. . .Mali to Mongolia. The president said they have
chosen the path of reform, and their people are better off as a
result.

“For example, Madagascar is aggressively fighting corruption. The
Ministry of Justice has suspended a dozen magistrates on suspicion of
corrupt activity. The government is also implementing an ambitious
program of judicial reform. Senegal, Africa’s longest-standing
democracy, has also enacted new anti-corruption laws, and is
implementing new measures to fight money-laundering, he says.

Mr. Bush also cited government reforms to improve health care in
Honduras, and boost both health and education spending in Georgia. He
said these steps prove these countries have the will to do what is
necessary to really combat poverty.

“Reform can bring more aid from America, and it will also bring more
investment and more trade, lessening the need for aid over time.
Reform will be repaid many times over in the relief of poverty, and
rising national wealth and stability for their countries,” he says.

In addition to implementing reforms, countries seeking Millennium
Challenge Grants are required to list their goals for the future and
outline further steps they plan to take to meet the needs of their
people and increase economic growth.

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2004
Contact: David Zenian
E-mail: [email protected]

MCC SELECTS ARMENIA FOR DIRECT GRANT PROGRAM

Washington, DC – Armenia and 15 other countries were recognized by the
United States as “good partners” who can apply for financial assistance
through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) created by the U.S.
government to help select countries of the world, MCC Chief Executive
Officer Paul V. Applegarth said at a news conference last week.

“Being selected as a country eligible for funding through the MCC’s
Millennium Challenge Account means that the United States considers the
selected country a good partner and that it clearly deserves further
encouragement. But this partnership is based on accountability,” Applegarth
told reporters.

“The Armenian Assembly welcomes the U.S. decision which is yet another
window of opportunity for Armenia to reinforce sound political, economic and
social policies that promote economic growth. We congratulate the
government and people of Armenia for winning this global competition for
additional American support,” Assembly Board of Trustees Chairman Hirair
Hovnanian said.

In making its determination, the Board of Directors of the MCC considered
both the past and current policy performance of the candidate countries in
the areas of “governing justly, investing in their own people and promoting
economic freedom.”

“It is very encouraging to see that Armenia has cleared the first major
hurdle and is now eligible to apply for funding through the billion dollar
MCC aid program set up by the Bush Administration to support policies that
promote good government. Assuming that Armenia’s proposals are ultimately
funded, this will mark the first direct grant from the U.S. to the
government of Armenia,” Hovnanian said.

The other selected countries are: Benin, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Georgia,
Ghana, Honduras, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua,
Senegal, Sri Lanka and Vanuatu.

Applegarth, who was nominated to the post as MCC Chief Executive Officer,
and confirmed by the Senate this week, said:
“Our mission – encouraging and rewarding good policies that produce
sustainable economic growth – holds profound implications for freedom and
security across the globe. Today’s decision demonstrates the clear
commitment of the U.S. to reducing poverty and human suffering. This is a
new approach to foreign aid. We want to encourage partnership, and we want
to promote good government.”

Applegarth said it was now up to the selected countries, including Armenia,
to present their “specific plans and proposals” for further scrutiny and
evaluation before any determination is made on the amount of aid each
country will get.

“Let us not take anything for granted. Being on the list of selected
countries does not mean an automatic qualification for assistance from
Millennium Challenge Account,” he said.

Applegarth said the next and more important step now included a hands-on
evaluation by an MCC technical group to each of the selected countries and
the submission of specific and compact proposals by the countries
themselves.

“The money is in place, and it is up to the selected countries to move fast
and get their specific requests in. But we have to underline one important
factor: We expect accountability and there is no such thing as a perpetual
qualification. Any country could be dropped if it fails to meet
expectations,” Applegarth said.

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

NR#2004-052

Armenia celebrates Day of Victory and Peace
By Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 9, 2004 Sunday

YEREVAN, May 9 — Armenia on Sunday is celebrating Day of Victory and
Peace. Thousands of people came to the Pobeda Park in the Armenian
capital Yerevan to commemorate the fighters who fell in the Second
World War battles.

Representatives of the republican authorities, ministries, departments,
the army, law enforcement bodies, political parties and public
associations, as well as war veterans, living in the republic, laid
wreaths and flowers at the eternal flames of the Unknown Soldier Tomb.

Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly Artur Bagdasaryan, Prime
Minister Andranik Margaryan and other high-ranking officials of the
country attended the ceremony. They also laid a wreath from Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan who is visiting Stepanakert to celebrate
the first anniversary of Shusha town’s capture in the course of the
Karabakh conflict.

Employees of the Russian embassy in Armenia, representatives of the
command of the Russian military base and border guards stationed
in the republic laid wreaths and flowers at the monument. Heads of
diplomatic missions and military attaches took part in the ceremony.

Following the performance of the national anthems of the Russian
Federation and the Republic of Armenia, columns of Russian troops
and border guards as well as of the Armenian army marched.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Club of Young Diplomats
Yerevan State University
1 Alex Manoogian str., Suite 29
Yerevan, 375049, Armenia
Tel: (3741) 554612
E-mail: [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2004
Contact: Erik Grigoryan
Email: [email protected]

Club of Young Diplomats to host Harut Sassounian, Publisher of The California Courier

Yerevan – The Club of Young Diplomats at Yerevan State University
(YSU) will host Mr. Harut Sassounian, the publisher of The California
Courier, on Wednesday May 12, at 2 pm, at Charents Hall (YSU Linguist’s
Building, 2nd floor).

Mr. Sassounian will discuss a wide range of issues, including the
campaign against the denial of the Armenian Genocide by the British
Ambassador to Armenia and lobbying for the recognition of the Genocide
in the U.S. and worldwide. He will focus on political issues of
special interest to the students during the question and answer period.

“It will be a great honor and a pleasure to host Mr. Sassounian at
our Alma Mater and have him share with us his exceptional experience
as a political activist, lobbyist, columnist and community leader,”
said the President of the Club, Erik Grigoryan. “We are thrilled that
he was able to find time in his extremely busy schedule to speak to
the students of Yerevan State University,” Grigoryan added.

The British Ambassador to Armenia made false and offensive statements
on the Armenian Genocide during a press conference marking the
first anniversary of her diplomatic posting in Armenia on January
20. Ambassador Thorda Abbott-Watt was reported as saying: “Great
Britain accepts that the events of 1915 were mass killings (of the
Armenian population), the responsible for which are the Turks. I see
no problem calling it brutality. It shouldn’t have taken place even
in the course of war. But, I do not think that recognizing the events
as genocide would be of much use.”

The Club of Young Diplomats of Yerevan State University joined
the worldwide campaign initiated by Harut Sassounian against the
British Envoy’s denial. The website, or
was launched to post the latest
developments on this issue as well as letters, articles, and other
relevant documents. The Club issued a press release calling on the
British Ambassador to apologize for her statement and urged the Foreign
Minister of Armenia to take a more resolute stand on this issue.

Mr. Sassounian has a life-long involvement in various Armenian
causes. As the representative of a non-governmental organization in
Geneva Switzerland, he was part of a small team of Armenian activists
who lobbied for years until the successful recognition of the Armenian
Genocide by the United Nations in 1985. His political commentaries are
reprinted in Armenian and non-Armenian newspapersthroughout the world.

Mr. Sassounian formed the United Armenian Fund, a coalition of
seven major Armenian-American organizations, to provide humanitarian
aid to Armenia in a coordinated manner after the Spitak Earthquake
of 1988. In the past 15 years, the UAF has shipped to Armenia $387
million worth of assistance. In addition, as the Vice-Chairman of The
Lincy Foundation, he has helped oversee the implementation of $170
million of infrastructure and lending projects in Armenia. He holds
a degree in International Relations from Columbia University in New
York and an MBA from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles.

The Club of Young Diplomats at YSU is a member of confederation of the
student Clubs working under the YSU Trade-Union devoted to empowering
students through education and research in global developments,
foreign policy, governance, security issues and social sciences
by constructing a foundation of knowledge and shaping the public
dialogue among the students. For further information on the Club
and its activities, call (374-1) 554612 or email: [email protected].

ARMENIA THIS WEEK
Friday, May 7, 2004

ARMENIA DEEMED ELIGIBLE FOR MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE AID
The United States this week found Armenia and fifteen other countries
eligible for new U.S. assistance from the Millennium Challenge Account
(MCA), an initiative launched two years ago by President George W. Bush and
chaired by Secretary of State Colin Powell. In a congratulatory statement to
the selected countries, President Bush noted that “these countries have met
the high standard of this groundbreaking program by governing justly,
investing in their people, and promoting economic freedom.”

Congress has appropriated $1 billion in MCA assistance in Fiscal Year 2004.
The Bush Administration requested an additional $2.5 billion for the same
purpose in Fiscal Year 2005 and hopes the funding will reach $5 billion by
2006. To receive the funds the eligible countries will first have to present
sound project proposals to the U.S. and negotiate a “Compact” on how the
money will be spent.

Armenia’s proposal is likely to center on the Poverty Reduction Strategy
approved last year by the country’s coalition government that aims to reduce
the number of people who are living below the poverty line from the 49
percent estimated in 2002 to under 35 percent in 2007 through job creation
and higher spending on social programs. In 1996, 55 percent of Armenia’s
population was estimated to live in poverty, but there has been some
improvement as a result of strong economic growth of recent years.

The MCA program initially considered 63 countries with good political ties
with the U.S. and with the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of under
$1,415. Following the review, Armenia and Georgia were the only two former
Soviet Republics that were deemed eligible for the MCA funding on the basis
of data provided by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund,
Washington-based Freedom House and the Heritage Foundation and others.

Armenia scored above the median in 14 out of 16 performance indicators, with
investments in health and education being the two exceptions. Armenia scored
highest on quality of economic regulation and trade policy (both 100%),
government effectiveness (80%) and on how many days on average it takes to
start a business in Armenia – 25, compared to 30 in Georgia, 106 in
Azerbaijan and the average of 61.

Azerbaijan, which was also a candidate, failed to meet the eligibility
requirements because of worse than average scores on political rights, civil
liberties, corruption, government effectiveness, rule of law, voice and
accountability and quality of economic regulations. (Sources: ;
Armenia This Week 7-25-03, 2-6, 3-12; Reuters 5-3)

KARABAKH MARKS TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF CEASE-FIRE
This week marks the tenth anniversary of what may be the longest-running
self-regulated cease-fire in the world. The agreement, signed by Parliament
Speakers and Defense Ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh
in May 1994, with mediation by Russia and Kyrgyzstan, has marked a watershed
in the conflict that broke out in 1988. While no peacekeepers have been
deployed between Armenian and Azeri forces, and shooting occasionally
occurs, the parties have largely adhered to the 1994 agreement despite the
lack of progress on a comprehensive settlement.

Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev,
resumed their consultations last week during a European forum in Warsaw,
Poland. This was their second tête-à-tête meeting since Aliyev took over the
presidency from his dying father Heydar Aliyev last October. The two
countries’ foreign ministers are expected to meet next week. But the sides
are seen as pursuing divergent goals and no progress is expected any time
soon.

Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh are seeking Azerbaijan’s recognition of
Karabakh’s separation and eventual reunification with Armenia, in exchange
for most of the Azeri districts Armenian forces control outside Nagorno
Karabakh. The late Heydar Aliyev gave a tentative agreement to such a
resolution at talks in France and the United States in 2001, before backing
off. In addition, Armenia has long argued for confidence-building measures,
including joint economic and humanitarian projects to lessen tensions, which
Azerbaijan continues to oppose.

The new Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev appears averse to risking
possible political backlash at home and has said publicly that he is “not in
a hurry” to settle the conflict. Instead, Azerbaijan is trying to revitalize
the 1997 proposal for the so-called “step-by-step” settlement: unilateral
Armenian withdrawals from areas adjacent to Karabakh in exchange for
reopening communications and no commitments on Karabakh status. (Last month,
Aliyev got Turkish support for the proposal and, as a return favor, pledged
to recognize the Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus as an independent state.
Aliyev then backed away from the pledge drawing the ire of Turkish
nationalists.)

Azeri officials make no secret of their hope to use such unilateral
concession to put more pressure on Armenia. It is not surprising, therefore,
that Armenia is strongly opposed to such a plan. Most Armenian experts
believe that territorial concessions are possible only in return for similar
Azeri withdrawal from parts of Karabakh or in a package with determination
of its status. (Sources: Arminfo 4-29, 30, 5-5, 6; Zerkalo 5-3)

ARMENIA WELCOMES END TO AJARIA CRISIS
The Armenian government this week welcomed a swift and largely bloodless end
to the standoff between Georgian authorities and the local leader in
Georgia’s Ajarian autonomy, which threatened to undermine Armenia’s access
to a key Black Sea port. Ajaria’s long-time leader Aslan Abashidze resigned
under popular and apparent Russian pressure, and left Georgia for Russia. A
spokesman for the Armenian Foreign Ministry Hamlet Gasparian praised
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili’s handling of the crisis and called
the outcome “another important step towards establishing peace and stability
in Georgia and therefore in the entire South Caucasus.” Chairman of the
Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee Armen Rustamian also welcomed the
resolution as “the best solution.”

Abashidze wielded great influence in Ajaria, a traditionally Muslim but
ethnically Georgian autonomous republic, striking a power sharing agreement
with Georgia’s former President Eduard Shevardnadze. Last year, Saakashvili
led popular protests that resulted in the ouster of Shevardnadze. Following
his election as Georgian President, Saakashvili has been at loggerheads with
Abashidze, threatening prosecution against him. In the end, Abashidze and
his family were allowed to leave Georgia unimpeded in exchange for ordering
his security forces to disperse and not to oppose the government forces. New
elections in Ajaria are due next month.

Speaking at a Johns Hopkins University conference in Washington, DC this
week, regional expert Richard Giragossian noted that the Georgian
leadership’s strategy in the crisis had been to mobilize the local Ajarian
discontent with Abashidze, and realization that a military intervention and
resultant bloodshed could in fact empower him. In the end, the strategy had
paid off with tens of thousands of locals holding continuous protests
calling for Abashidze’s resignation. Russian President’s National Security
Advisor Igor Ivanov arrived in Ajaria to seal the Saakashvili-Abashidze
compromise deal. (Sources: Armenia This Week 1-16, 3-19; BBC 5-3, 6; Civil
Georgia 5-5, 6; R&I Report 5-5; RFE/RL Armenia Report 5-6)

A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY THE ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA
122 C Street, N.W., Suite 350, Washington, D.C. 20001 (202) 393-3434 FAX
(202) 638-4904
E-Mail [email protected] WEB

AAA Note: On May 6, 2004 President George W. Bush announced his intention to
nominate John Marshall Evans, of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of
Armenia. The nomination is to be confirmed by the Senate.

John Evans will take over from Ambassador John M. Ordway, who has worked in
Armenia since June 2001 and will next serve as U.S. Ambassador to
Kazakhstan. Below is John Evans’ biography as posted on the web site of the
Mississippi State University’s Radvanyi Chair in International Security
Studies in February 2002 (please note that since 2002 to date Evans has
served as Director, Office of Russian Affairs in the Bureau of European and
Eurasian Affairs with the rank of Minister-Counselor):

John M. Evans, Director, Office of Analysis for Russia and Eurasia, Bureau
of Intelligence and Research, U.S. Department of State

A native of Williamsburg, Virginia, and a graduate of Yale College, with
study toward the Ph.D. at Columbia, Evans joined the U.S. Foreign Service as
a political officer in 1971. He has served in diplomatic missions in Iran
(1971-74), Czechoslovakia (1975-78), the Soviet Union (Moscow, 1981-83), at
NATO Headquarters, 1983-86), the Czech Republic (as Deputy Chief of Mission,
1991-97). He has also represented the United States as deputy head of
delegation to a number of experts meetings of the Conference on Security and
Cooperation in Europe, and headed the OSCE Mission to Moldova, an
international mediation and peacekeeping operation, 1997-99. In the State
Department, he has served as a special assistant to Secretaries Vance and
Muskie, as Deputy Director of the Soviet Desk, and, since July 1999, as
Director of the Office of Analysis for Russia and Eurasia.

Evans is married to the former Donna Chamberlain, executive director of the
World Affairs Council of Washington. They have a daughter who lives in New
York City.

Source:

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT NOT TO ATTEND NATO SUMMIT IN ISTANBUL

ArmenPress
May 10 2004

YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS: Ashot Kocharian, a spokesman for
president Robert Kocharian (not a relation) who has marked today the
first year in his tenure, told reporters that president Kocharian
will visit Russia on May 13-15. “Armenian-Russian relations are
of strategic-partnership nature and they are an important factor of
securing economic growth and security for Armenia,” the spokesman said,
adding that bilateral relations have progressed during the last year,
especially in economy.

He said during the visit Kocharian will confer a number of issues with
president Putin, prime minister Mikhail Fradkov and also with chief
managers of gas supplying companies to Armenia and with representatives
of business community.

Armenian president Robert Kocharian will not travel to Turkish Istanbul
in late June to attend a NATO summit, the spokesman said. He said
Armenia will be represented by foreign minister Oskanian.

“This is not determined by Armenia-NATO relationship as they are now on
the rise,” the spokesman said, adding that Armenia’s cooperation with
NATO proceeds within the frameworks of Partnership for Peace program
“and last year president Kocharian was in Brussels to meet with top
NATO officials and also NATO secretary general visited Armenia last
year.” The spokesman said Kocharian’s decision not to travel to Turkey
hinges rather on the current level of Turkish-Armenian relations.

According to him, last year marked no major progress in
Armenian-Turkish relations. Dialogue on the level of foreign ministers
continued, though. Armenia has always expressed its readiness to
engage in dialogue without preconditions and establish multifaceted
relationship with Turkey.

MOSCOW, YEREVAN DEVELOP COOPERATION

RIA Novosti, Russia
May 10 2004

MOSCOW, May 10 (RIA Novosti) – Russia and Armenia pay special attention
to multilateral cooperation in the Caucasus, said Russian foreign
ministry official spokesman Alexander Yakovenko.

“Special attention is paid to issues of coordination of the two
countries’ efforts to rehabilitate the situation in the Caucasus,
develop the multilateral cooperation potential, including in the
framework of ‘the Caucasus Four’, prevent new and settle old conflicts,
in particular, the Nagorno-Karabakh one,” he said.

Yakovenko said during contacts of Russian and Armenian representatives,
issues of international policy are important. “The positions of Russia
and Armenia here are close or coincide. The sides are full of resolve
to make purposeful steps in the fight against terrorism in all its
manifestations on the bilateral and multilateral basis,” he emphasized.

Touching upon bilateral interaction, Yakovenko said the dialogue
focuses on discussion of issues of bilateral relations from the point
of view of realization of agreements reached at Russo-Armenian summits
and on determination of new possibilities to deepen cooperation.

He reminded those present that in the economic sphere, discussed are
issues of strengthening economic ties, realization of the Property
on Account of Debt agreement (participation of Russia in purchasing
the shares of the most liquid Armenian industrial enterprises),
issues of interaction in power engineering, transportation and
investment. The sides attach great significance to the resolution of
transportation problems, in particular, be means of restoration of
railway communication between Russia and Armenia via Georgia.

Voice of America
May 10 2004

Armenian President Declines Invitation to NATO Summit in Turkey
VOA News

Armenian authorities say President Robert Kocharian he will not
attend a NATO summit in Turkey next month.

Officials at the president’s office says the decision was made over
what it called the lack of progress in relations between Armenia and
Turkey. They say Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan will go in his
place.

Armenians and Turkey are still at odds over the deaths of more than a
million ethnic Armenians in Turkey during War War I.

Armenia says Turkey is responsible for genocide in the deaths between
1915 and 1923.

Turkish authorities say the deaths were fewer and were the result of
war.

RIA OREANDA
Economic News
May 10, 2004 Monday

Robert Kocharyan to Visit Moscow on May 13-15, 2004

Yerevan. On May 13-15, 2004 the President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan
will pay a work visit to Moscow, according to Ashot Kocharyan,
press-secretary of the Armenian President.

It is expected that in the course of the visit Robert Kocharyan
will hold meetings with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. The
top-level officials will consider different issues within the framework
of Russia-Armenia bilateral cooperation.

In addition, the Armenian President intends to hold meeting with the RF
Prime Minister, Mikhail Fradkov. In the words of Ashot Kocharyan, the
officials will consider possibilities of enlargement and development
of economic cooperation.

Apart from that, the visit will include the meeting of Robert
Kocharyan with Chief Executives of the companies supplying natural
gas to Armenia and other Russian businessmen.