Times of Central Asia , Kyrgyzstan
April 29 2004

Unido Proposal for Attracting Fdi

BISHKEK (TCA). On April 28, an investment round table organized by
UNIDO in cooperation with the UNDP and the government of Kyrgyzstan,
with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Djoomart Otorbayev
and Minister for Economic Development, Industry and Trade Amangeldy
Muraliyev, various Ambassadors and representatives of the private
business sector, took place in Bishkek.

The Comprehensive Investment Promotion Program undertaken by UNIDO
aims to develop a new strategy capable of attracting much needed
Foreign Direct Investment to Kyrgyzstan. Although the statistics on
foreign investment attraction in 2003 show a remarkable increase, the
figure is still far below the required level and Kyrgyzstan needs to
develop a proper strategy with a suitable business approach.

According to statistics for 2002, global Foreign Direct Investment
amounted to US $651 billion and of this only $4 billion was directed
to Central Asia, or only 0.6 % of the world total. In 2002, $2.5
billion in FDI went to Kazakhstan, about 64% of the total amount
directed at Central Asia, 26% went to Azerbaijan and the remainder
was split between Armenia, Georgia and Turkmenistan, while Tajikistan
and Kyrgyzstan received very little.

It is clear that the main attraction for FDI in Central Asia is oil
and gas and other natural resources, and a country with low natural
resources like Kyrgyzstan will find it difficult to compete.
According to Mr. Daly, UNIDO expert for Kyrgyzstan, attraction of
foreign investment is becoming more competitive every day and a
business approach capable of developing a suitable results-oriented
marketing policy is needed.

There is a need to review the institutional system, streamlining the
process of investment approval and promotion. At present there are
about 15 different institutions in the country that have some
responsibility for the attraction of foreign investment, and only a
single body responsible for the overall investment policy of the
country can provide the necessary coordination. Although some
institutions may continue to contribute to the overall process, a
single Investment Promotion Agency with an independent board
consisting of public officials, private sector and multilateral
representatives is much needed, and would be able to combine the
expertise of the private and the public sectors.

Of course this will require a review of the functions of various
ministries but overall it will bring considerable benefit to the
country and to the development of a direct dialogue with potential
foreign investors. The proposed agency should be properly staffed,
and have the budget to pay salaries that are competitive with the
private market, and should be funded by several donors in addition to
the Kyrgyz government since it is expected that the initial budget
for a preliminary period of three years will not be less than $1.5
million.

Given the various priority areas, such as reform of the tax system,
reform of bureaucratic procedures and the legal system, if the
proposed project is approved Kyrgyzstan can expect an improved
investment climate, with an effective deregulation of the economy and
of course more foreign investment.

Vietnam News Agency
April 29 2004

European Economic Summit opens

Warsaw, April 29 (VNA) – Almost 700 representatives from 45 countries
gathered in the Polish capital on Wednesday at the start of a
three-day European economic summit devoted to the economic impact of
the European Union’s May 1 enlargement.

Organised by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum, the summit, which
starts just three days from the historic expansion, was expected to
gather 20 presidents and prime ministers, along with 600 other
ministers, central bankers, representatives from the EU and other
international organisations, and 50 companies.

Delegates started out by holding working sessions on making Europe
more business-friendly, the private sector’s role in developing
eastern Europe’s transport infrastructure, reform of the EU’s Common
Agricultural Policy and the ins and outs of the euro currency.

The European Economic Summit has been held every year in Salzburg,
Austria, since 1996.

This year, as an exception, the meeting is being held in Poland, the
biggest of the 10 countries set to join the EU on May 1, along with
Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania,
Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia.

The summit is also expected to give the opportunity for bilateral
meetings, including only the second meeting between Azeri President
Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Robert Kocharian.-Enditem

Washington Post, DC
April 29 2004

Held Over by Request
An Impromptu Assist Turns Into a Six-Week Booking
By Jonathan Padget
Washington Post Staff Writer

Music is integral to the new play “Rosemary and I” at Alexandria’s
MetroStage. The tale of a singer, Rosemary, and her intense,
mysterious relationship with her female accompanist is staged with
live musicians — New York pianist John Hodian and his wife, vocalist
Bet Williams — who add a haunting soundscape, composed by Hodian, to
the intricate drama.

Critical reaction to the play has been mixed, though Hodian and
Williams have garnered positive notice for their musical
contribution. They have also taken advantage of their MetroStage
engagement to give concerts as Epiphany Project, their identity for a
genre-blurring musical collaboration that combines everything from
avant-garde folk and Americana to classical art song and art-pop.

When Hodian started work on the play last year, though, he had no
idea that he and Williams would relocate to Alexandria for six weeks
of rehearsals and performances, with their 4-month-old son and a
nanny in tow. It was a much simpler proposition at first.

A fan of playwright Leslie Ayvazian since seeing an earlier work of
hers, “Nine Armenians,” Hodian asked her to write the libretto for an
Armenian-themed opera he envisions. The artists share Armenian
heritage, and Ayvazian responded enthusiastically to Hodian’s
request, with one condition: She would collaborate on the opera if
Hodian would first write music for her “Rosemary and I.”

Fair enough, Hodian thought. By the time a staged reading was held
last summer during a new-play festival at the Kennedy Center, he had
recorded the piano-vocal score with the help of Williams, and
traveled to Washington for the reading. He was expecting merely to
cue music from a CD. But a planned technical rehearsal fell through,
and suddenly the cast was in a room with only a piano for last-minute
preparations before taking the stage.

So much for simplicity.

Though Hodian had written the score, he hadn’t memorized it. But he
was undaunted. He sat down at the piano and did a little improvising.
Ayvazian was reading the part of the elderly Rosemary’s adult
daughter Julia (which she also plays now at MetroStage), and she had
enlisted a longtime friend, Oscar-winner Olympia Dukakis, to read the
part of Rosemary in preparation for directing the full MetroStage
production.

“As soon as I played the first cue,” Hodian recalls, “Olympia goes,
‘Wow, that was great. I wish we were doing that instead of what’s on
the CD.’ ” Her enthusiasm grew with every musical interlude until she
proclaimed that Hodian must perform for the reading, which at that
point was about 30 minutes from starting. Center staff nixed the idea
at first, Hodian says, “but then she kind of does her Olympia thing,
and suddenly there’s a nine-foot Steinway onstage — and it’s tuned.”

While the shift to live music for the current run of “Rosemary and I”
was unexpected, Hodian and Williams have no complaints about the
upheaval of their New York routine. It’s a “nice family project,”
says Hodian of the opportunity to work with Williams on both theater
and concert performance.

“What makes it so interesting,” says Judith Roberts, the actress who
plays Rosemary, “is that here is a woman who’s much later in her
life, and you hear this young voice . . . coming at you in a way from
the past, which reinforces the idea of searching for memories. It’s
very evocative, and [Williams] has a wonderful voice — very
powerful.”

Roberts was in the audience for Hodian and Williams’s Epiphany
Project concert Sunday night, featuring songs from their self-titled
2001 album on their independent label, Epiphany Records. Another
concert is scheduled for this Sunday.

“For each song, we just do the things we love,” says Williams,
describing their unbounded approach to musicmaking. A follow-up album
is in the works.

Though many independent musicians relish not being easily
categorized, says Hodian, he wouldn’t mind Epiphany Project having a
clearer market niche.

“We’d love to be categorized,” he says. “I wish we could say, ‘Hey,
it’s this,” and we could go play all the blues festivals, or play
classical music venues only, or whatever. But it really is a bunch of
different things. We do whatever we feel like musically.”

Epiphany Project bookings have been easier to come by in Europe,
where Hodian and Williams have found audiences and club owners
especially receptive to their eclectic style. Still, Epiphany Project
enjoys a devoted fan base in the United States, drawn from occasional
exposure on public radio and crossover from Williams’s work as a folk
solo artist.

“The people who like it,” Williams says, “like it a lot.”

“We have enough fans to keep buying the records,” adds Hodian, “and
to enable us to make another one, and who’ll keep coming to shows.
That’ll continue to make it worth us coming out for.”

Epiphany Project, at MetroStage, 1201 N. Royal St., Alexandria.
Sunday at 7 p.m. $20.

Rosemary and I continues through May 9. $32-$38. Call 703-548-9044 or
visit

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
April 29 2004

US co-chair calls on Baku to compromise

The Azerbaijani public was disappointed by the results of the
meetings of Steven Mann, the newly-appointed US co-chair of the OSCE
Minsk Group, who paid a visit to Baku on April 22-23, with President
Ilham Aliyev and the foreign and defense ministers.The public can’t
understand why

Mann called on Baku to compromise with Yerevan. What should
Azerbaijan compromise amidst Armenia’s intention to annex Upper
Garabagh? Such feelings and the demands for President Robert
Kocharian’s resignation in Armenia on the eve of a meeting between
Aliyev and Kocharian – scheduled to be held on Wednesday are unlikely
to facilitate positive results.

Defense Minister rejects Mann’s proposal
In a meeting with Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev, Mann
said it is necessary that Azerbaijan make concessions with regard to
the peaceful settlement of the Upper Garabagh conflict. “If the
conflict settlement takes many years, Azerbaijan and Armenia will
face new problems. The parties therefore should start a dialogue and
stand by it”, Mann said. Abiyev, in turn, said a double standard
approach on the issue is unacceptable, that Armenia is an aggressor
and must be held accountable. Referring to Yugoslavia and Iraq, two
countries that faced military action, Abiyev said that military
action has not been launched against Armenia even though there is
proper legal framework for this. Mann mentioned that Armenia and
Azerbaijan have made a commitment to settle the Upper Garabagh
conflict peacefully and the US supports mutually-acceptable
concessions by both parties to the conf lict. Abiyev replied that
Azerbaijan will make no concessions, the Defense Ministry reported on
Tuesday.

Presidential meeting
During a Thursday meeting between the President and the US diplomat,
Aliyev said that Mann is well-known in Azerbaijan as he had
participated in a number of large-scale projects in Azerbaijan and
wished him success in his new position. Touching upon the conflict
over Upper Garabagh, Aliyev stressed that Upper Garabagh and seven
Azerbaijani districts had been under the Armenian occupation for many
years and that Azerbaijan demanded that Armenian aggression be
stopped and its territorial integrity restored. He added that the
OSCE Minsk Group should step up its efforts to resolve the conflict.

US for fair settlement of Garabagh conflict?
Mann, in his turn, said he was pleased to have the opportunity to
visit Baku and meet with the Azerbaijani leader and mentioned the
opening ceremony of the East-West corridor foundation, which gave an
incentive to a number of energy projects. With regard to the Upper
Garabagh conflict, Mann said the U.S. government had put new tasks
before him and that he was keen to accomplish them. He mentioned that
this was his first visit to the region in his new capacity. The US
diplomat stated that the goal of his government was to work with the
parties in the conflict on a fair settlement and that it would
support an agreement reached by the two sides.

Briefing
At a media briefing, Mann confirmed that he has discussed in Yerevan
and Baku the possibility of a meeting between the Armenian and
Azerbaijani Presidents. He dodged the question about possible
compromises to be made by both sides and said the negotiations “have
not reached this stage yet”. He also confirmed that besides his
position as OSCE Minsk Group co-chair, he will remain the special
envoy on Caspian energy issues. Before arriving in Baku, Mann visited
Yerevan to discuss with the Armenian President, Ministers of Foreign
Affairs and Defense prospects for the conflict settlement. In his
meetings Mann said, “the peaceful settlement of the Upper Garabagh
conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group is based on US
national interests”. Mann stated that he intends to visit Upper
Garabagh but did not specify the date for his visit. At the same time
he said he had a “planned” meeting in Garabagh with the so-called
“Garabagh Foreign Minister” Ashot Gulian. The US diplomat visited
Armenia for the first time in 1978 as a representative of the US
embassy in the USSR. In 1992, he opened the first US diplomatic
representation in Armenia and held the position of the first US
charge d’affairs in Yerevan. In May 2001, Mann was appointed the US
President’s special envoy on Caspian energy issues.

Can Mann break the deadlock?
It appears that Mann’s new mandate as an OSCE MG co-chair is not
limited to Upper Garabagh. He also holds the position of US
President’s special envoy on Eurasia conflicts. It is not by mere
chance that he traveled from Yerevan to Baku through Tbilisi. Mann’s
mission targets settlement of conflicts in the entire South Caucasus
region which impede speedy US political and military deployment in
the region, notably, the Garabagh conflict and the Abkhaz conflict in
Georgia. Also, the US diplomat is probably also responsible for
keeping the situation in Ajaria under control. Therefore, unlike his
predecessors whose mission was limited to the OSCE MG, Mann has vast
credentials enabling him to swiftly respond to the situation. This
means that he is authorized to act according to his mandate just like
Strobe Talbott, who nearly convinced the Presidents of Azerbaijan and
Armenia to sign a peace accord, without consulting other OSCE MG
co-chairs. Therefore, Mann will not be required to coordinate his
visits to the region with the French or the Russian MG co-chairs.
Nonetheless, Mann should keep in mind the failure of Talbott’s
“shuttle mission” on the conflict settlement. Before leaving Yerevan,
Talbott, after discussing the terms for the upcoming peace accord,
reportedly joined the Armenian government officials in a toast for a
successful completion of the talks. It turned out it was too early to
celebrate. The American diplomacy failed to outwit Russian secret
service agents, who acted fast, without waiting for the conflict to
be settled. Before Talbott left Yerevan, a terrorist act was
committed in the Armenian parliament building, killing prime minister
Vazgen Sarkissian, speaker Karen Demirchian and several cabinet
ministers. After the incident, it was nearly impossible to expect
Kocharian to sign a peace accord, even if it was most suitable for
Armenia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Pasadena Star-News, CA
April 29 2004

Racial tensions shadow school’s achievements
Marshall principal fighting accusations of insensitivity

By Gretchen Hoffman , Staff Writer

PASADENA — A year ago, Marshall Fundamental High School was one of
three schools in the nation to receive the College Board’s
Inspiration Award in recognition of its work in helping economically
disadvantaged students go to college. It is the Pasadena Unified
School District’s highest-scoring high school on state standardized
tests, and parents overwhelmingly choose Marshall when applying
through the district’s open-enrollment process.

But tensions have been building at the school, which serves sixth
through 12th-graders. Last month, a fight between African- American
and Armenian students spilled over, resulting in a lockdown and
several students being cited by PUSD police. Some parents say they
are afraid for students’ safety.

An Armenian administrator has been fired, and his lawyer is
threatening a lawsuit, saying Principal Steven Miller is the person
who should be removed.

And a group of community members is circulating a petition calling
for Miller’s removal, claiming that he is a bigot who is
systematically purging the school of African-Americans.

Some Armenian parents were upset when middle school dean Kevork
Halladjian was notified that he will not return to his position next
year. They say that he was the only school administrator who listened
to parents concerned about rumors of further violence before the
March 5 fights.

Miller has been criticized for his handling of the fights, with
detractors saying he is ill- equipped to handle racial tensions
because he is culturally insensitive at best.

However, many parents, students and school officials have repeatedly
denied that the fights were racially motivated but were merely fights
between individuals.

Halladjian’s lawyer, Dale Gronemeier, said he is laying the
groundwork for a lawsuit if Halladjian is not reinstated.

Gronemeier is married to Marshall’s high school dean, Temetra
Gronemeier, who had a lawsuit pending against the school district
alleging she was discriminated against because of her age. She was
seeking the principal position, which was instead given to Miller.

The lawsuit was rejected by a judge last week.

The lawyer said that in a deposition taken for that lawsuit, Miller
admitted asking district officials to remove Temetra Gronemeier from
her administrative position at Marshall, a request that was denied.

She and Halladjian are a symbol of African Americans and Armenian
Americans working together cooperatively at a time when Marshall is
undergoing a racial crisis, Dale Gronemeier said.

In an April 15 letter to Superintendent Percy Clark, Dale Gronemeier
warned of disastrous consequences for Miller and said he plays
hardball and is prepared for a public battle.

“There has been a systematic attempt by Miller to purge the African
Americans from the security force at Marshall,’ Gronemeier claimed
Wednesday. “Because Halladjian would not go along with illegal
practices, Miller wanted to fire him.

“At a minimum, Miller is racially insensitive and the alternative is
that he’s bigoted,’ Gronemeier added.

Miller said the allegation that Halladjian was given a pink slip
because he refused to fire a security guard does not make sense,
since district officials do all hiring and firing at the high school.
The opposition comes from people who would have targeted whoever took
the principalship two years ago, he said.

Teachers describe Miller as calm, fair, personable and a good
listener. He commands respect but becomes even more soft-spoken than
usual when talking about the allegations of bigotry.

“From the very first week that I arrived here, there were threats,
there were warnings,’ Miller said. “I’ve dealt with slander,
intimidation. I’ve been subjected to these twisted perversions of
lies. When I’m called a racist, I get emotional, because it’s
slander.

“On three different occasions, publicly I’ve been told that I’m going
to be driven out of Pasadena. It’s getting to a point where I’m
starting to worry about (my) safety. What’s going on here is an
agenda that has nothing to do with these kids.

“What I found was that every time Marshall demonstrates success, then
the intimidation, the aggression escalates,’ Miller said. “Right now
… the focus is on me but it’s really about destroying the school.’

District officials said Miller’s supporters far outnumber his
detractors.

“Steve has the unqualified support of the superintendent and his
staff,’ PUSD spokesman Erik Nasarenko said. ” Steve is an exemplary
school leader who we are fortunate to have in this district.’

Miller said he is committed to leading the school despite the threats
and lies but that he will leave if the conflict begins to affect
student achievement.

“I think it becomes too much when I start to see students being
negatively impacted, and I think (my detractors) know that about me,’
Miller said. “They know that’s ammunition.’

Altadena resident John Wright is one of the people who have been
handing out petitions calling for Miller’s removal. Miller lacks the
sensitivity to deal with a multi-ethnic student body and has
alienated members of the community with his biased attitude, the
petition states.

“He thinks that African Americans should have an appointment with him
as opposed to having an open-door policy with Caucasians,’ Wright
said, adding that he has not met personally with Miller. Wright has
no children or grandchildren at the school.

“I’m just a concerned citizen and feel there’s got to be someone who
will stand up and be a voice for the African-American community,’
Wright said. “I’m not boxing it in as an African- American principal,
but what we need is a person over there who has the children’s
welfare at heart and who has the sensitivity to deal with a
multi-ethnic campus.’

Roy Sunada, who has been teaching at Marshall for 12 years, said
Miller has had a calming effect at the school since he took over in
the midst of chaos caused by scheduling problems.

“I believe it’s turning into a personal attack,’ Sunada said. “He’s
absolutely not racist or a bigot. To say that really trivializes the
seriousness of racism. His detractors have no sense of shame and no
sense of decency.’

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Civil Georgia, UK
April 29 2004

Caucasian Leaders Met in Warsaw
/ Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 2004-04-29 13:04:06

Robert Kocharyan, Mikheil Saakashvili and
Ilham Aliyev. AzerTAj Photo

Presidents of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, Mikheil Saakashvili,
Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharyan respectively, met in Warsaw in the
frames of the European Economic Summit on April 28.

The regional issues and the prospects of further cooperation were
discussed at a business lunch arranged in honor of the South
Caucasian Presidents, AzerTAj state news agency of Azerbaijan
reported.

On April 29 President Saakashvili plans to make a speech at the
European Economic Summit in Warsaw and also will meet with his Polish
counterpart Aleksander Kwasniewski.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1 Plus | 14:23:48 | 29-04-2004 | Politics |

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH CALLS ON ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE EXCESSIVE
USE OF POLICE FORCE

On Wednesday, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE) held an urgent debate on Armenia, calling on the government to
investigate abuses and to create “fair conditions for the media,” and
warned the government that if no progress on this by September, the
PACE may “reconsider the credentials of the Armenian delegation.”PACE
also called on the opposition to work within the country’s
constitutional framework.

In early April, Armenia’s political opposition united in mass peaceful
protests to force a “referendum of confidence” on President Robert
Kocharian and to call for his resignation. The government responded
with mass arrests, violent dispersals of demonstrations, and raids on
opposition party headquarters. Hundreds were detained, many for up to
15 days, and some were tortured or ill-treated in custody.

“The Armenian government is repeating the same sorts of abuses that
called into question the legitimacy of last year’s election and
sparked the protests in the first place,” said Rachel Denber, acting
executive director of Human Rights Watch’s Europe and Central Asia
division. “The cycle of repression must end.”

Excessive police force, particularly at a nonviolent opposition rally
on the night of April 12, caused dozens of injuries among
demonstrators. The Human Right Watch briefing paper, based on an
investigation in Armenia in mid-April, documents this violence and
other abuses. Human Rights Watch found that some of the worst injuries
at that rally were caused by stun grenades, which inflicted deep
wounds in many protesters. Police also beat journalists and
confiscated their cameras.

The opposition protests derived from the government’s failure to
redress the deeply flawed 2003 presidential election won by Kocharian,
the incumbent. At that time, the authorities detained about 250
opposition activists and supporters in an attempt to intimidate and
disable the opposition in advance of the vote. The Armenian
Constitutional Court subsequently recommended that the government hold
a referendum of confidence. The government rejected the
recommendation, while the opposition insisted that the referendum be
held.

In its report on the 2003 presidential election, the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) found the vote to be “marred
by serious irregularities,” owing to “a lack of sufficient political
determination by the authorities to ensure a fair and honest process.”

“Armenia has to address the underlying causes of the opposition’s
demonstrations,” said Denber. “A first step would be to implement the
recommendations made by the OS?E following the 2003 elections.”

Human Rights Watch also called on the Armenian government to
investigate the excessive use of police force on the night of April
12, and to cease the use of stun grenades and electric-shock equipment
for the control of nonviolent public demonstrations.

Armenia’s international partners – including the European Union, the
United States government, the OSCE and the Council of Europe – should
closely monitor the situation and condemn any new abuses that occur,
Human Rights Watch said. In particular, the United States and the
European Union should closely monitor any security-related funding,
particularly for crowd-control equipment, to ensure that it does not
fuel human rights abuses.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CENN – APRIL 29, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. Series of Public Debates with the Representative of NGOs, Government
and Business Sector
2. Azerbaijan Hopes to Include Kazakhstan in BTC in 2004
3. Russia Against Creation of National Fishing Zones in Caspian Sea
4. Green `Slaughter” in Yerevan
5. Retail Prices of Potato, Cabbage and Grape are Down
6. Working Group on Water and Health
7. Invest Now, Save Later
8. 10 Personal Actions that Can Make a Difference for the Environment

1. SERIES OF PUBLIC DEBATES WITH THE REPRESENTATIVE OF NGOS, GOVERNMENT
AND BUSINESS SECTOR

Horizonti Foundation is starting with as new initiative to conduct a
series of public debates with the representative of NGOs, government and
business taking part.

The first of the series will be held on Friday, April 30, at 2:00 – 3:30
PM at the premises of Horizonti Foundation (see the address below).

The topic of the discussion is: Who Sets Priorities In Georgia?
Contact person: Manana Dumbadze
[email protected]
Contact Information
6th floor, 2 Dolidze Street, Tbilisi
+995 (32) 332816/17/18
+995 (32) 987504 (fax)
[email protected]

2. AZERBAIJAN HOPES TO INCLUDE KAZAKHSTAN IN BTC IN 2004

Source: Interfax, April 28, 2004

Azerbaijan hopes that Kazakhstan will become a participant in the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project in 2004, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister
Khalaf Khalafov said at the forum Caspian: Politics, Economics, Business
in Astana on April 28, 2004.

“At the moment 34 companies from 16 countries are participating in
transport projects in the Caspian region. Azerbaijan considers the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline projects to be the
main ones,” he said.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum projects are “necessary
conditions” for the economic development of the Caspian region and will
strengthen its energy security,” he said.

He said that Azerbaijan shares the position of Kazakhstan regarding the
laying of pipelines along the Caspian seabed.

Kazakh First Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Abuseitov said at the forum
that Kazakhstan is against having to agree laying underwater
communications and pipeline in the Caspian with all of the littoral
states. These issues should be agreed with the Caspian states through
whose sectors they pass, and not with all states in the region, he said.

Mr. Khalafov also said that the implementation of oil and gas transport
projects in the region might be hindered by the unresolved
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and the unstable political situation in
Georgia.

Kazakhstan hopes to transport 10 million – 20 million tones of oil per
year through the pipeline. The republic produced over 51.3 million tones
of oil and condensate in 2003.

Construction of the 690-km Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline should begin in
the third quarter 2004. The pipeline will transport gas from the
Shah-Deniz field, which has reserves of 625 billion cubic meters of gas
and 101 million tones of condensate.

3. RUSSIA AGAINST CREATION OF NATIONAL FISHING ZONES IN CASPIAN SEA

Source: Interfax, April 28, 2004

Russia is against creating so-called fishing zones in the Caspian Sea,
Russian presidential envoy for Caspian Sea issues Viktor Kalyuzhny said.

The creation of fishing zones will undermine the effectiveness of the
collective regulation of fishing activities and will hinder the
replenishment of biological resources, Kalyuzhny told an international
conference on Caspian Sea issues in Astana on Wednesday. “If we can’t
deal with poachers together, different zones will not help us,” he said.

Fishing zones “will not give us anything except problems connected with
the development of additional conditions to resolve discrepancies
between the internal legislation of both countries,” he said.

Russia has already made considerable changes to its initial position,
suggesting that 15-mile coastal areas be organized in the Caspian Sea,
in which the littoral states will have exclusive rights to fish, he
said.

`But we can’t go any further,” Kalyuzhny said. “Believe me, we’re not
concerned about the water, we feel sorry for the fish,” he added.

4. GREEN `SLAUGHTER” IN YEREVAN

Source: A1 Plus- news agency, April 28, 2004

This morning the residents of N 143 building of South-Western block have
held a protest action demanding to preserve the park they have
themselves planted nearby their houses. It has been given to someone to
build a shop there.

The residents are more concerned about the fact that Municipality has
rejected their application on improving and protecting the territory.
People say the park where the Monument for War Fighters is located was
sold at an auction. Trees were already cut for constructing the shop.

The dwellers are even willing to buy the territory to protect the green
zone.

5. RETAIL PRICES OF POTATO, CABBAGE AND GRAPE ARE DOWN

Source: ArmenPress, April 27 2004

According to Agri-Business Development Center, retail prices of cabbage,
potatoes, grape, tomatoes are down, prices of flour, barley, wheat,
onion, beef and pork are up and prices of butter, sugar did not change
as compared to the same period last month.

The market price for one kg of pork a year ago was 1200-1300 drams while
its present average price is 1860 drams. Beef is sold at 1400 (2003 –
1200 drams). The present price of poultry is 1200 drams against 1000
drams in 2003. Egg was sold at 44 drams a year ago, while in January it
increased to 55 and at present is sold at 58 drams.

Potatoes were sold in 2003, April at 200 drams per kilogram while in
January it reduced to 140 and its present price is 80-100 drams. Last
year cucumber was sold at 800 drams while this year it is 500 drams.
Average price for apple is 400 drams. It increased by 100 drams as
compared to the same period last year.

The highest prices can be observed at Mashtotc avenue market number 1
and the lowest prices at Malatia market number 4 and in the markets of
Gyumri and Spitak.

6. WORKING GROUP ON WATER AND HEALTH

Source: European ECO-Forum News Digest, N 81, April 2004

On March 11-12 2004 the third meeting of the Working Group on Water and
Health (WGWH), established under the Convention on the Protection and
Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Helsinki
Water Convention) and its Protocol on Water and Health, took place in
Budapest, Hungary. The Protocol was adopted at the Third Ministerial
Conference on Environment and Health in 1999 in London.

The WGWH examined the following items:
– Progress in the ratification process,
– Legal and administrative aspects of the Protocol’s implementation,
– Coordination of resource mobilization,
– Technical meetings, methodological aspects and guidelines under the
Protocol,
– Activities of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development on water
and sanitation, Fourth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health,

– Further preparations for the first meeting of the Parties to the
Protocol.

By now, the following 11 countries have ratified the Protocol: Albania,
Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Luxembourg, Norway,
Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia and Ukraine. The Protocol will
enter into force with 16 ratifications.

Based on the information received during WGWH meeting, the secretariat
expects that the Protocol may come into force in the end of 2004 or
beginning of 2005. The First Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol is
planned for end of spring 2005.

The WGWH discussed the Draft Compliance Review Mechanism under the
Protocol, Draft Rules of Procedure, and the Draft Modalities for
Participation of non-Parties. The WGWH supported that 1-2 NGO
representatives should be observers in the Legal Board. It also
supported participation of NGO representatives in various meetings,
events and bodies under the Protocol. The main requirement for selecting
NGOs to participate in the events under Helsinki Water Convention or the
Protocol is actual activity on the issue, and competency in water issues
and in particular water and health.

The WGWH discussed the following events:

– Workshop on water management and health in the framework of
– ECWATECH-2004, Moscow, 1-2 June
– Round table in Oslo, 1-2 June, organized by Norwegian Government and
the WHO. The Round table is an initiative to increase efficiency in
non-infrastructure cooperation in the area of water and health, aimed at
the implementation of the Protocol on Water and Health. The round table
provides an opportunity for countries to drive priority setting, and for
donors to examine their current cooperation programmes in the light of
these national health priorities. There will be a trust fund established
under the Water Convention for supporting implementation of the
Convention.
– Preparatory activities to CSD-12 in April 2004,
– Preparatory activities to the First Meeting of the Parties to the
Protocol.

The following technical and methodological items were discussed:
à) Preparation of the Conference on Enclosed Recreational Waters in
Budapest in May 2005 b) Development of distance learning programmes for
public health professionals;
c) Portugal suggested organizing a conference on man-made water bodies;
d) Several presentations were made concerning antibacteriological
resistance spreading through drinking-water systems.

The WGWH discussed preparatory issues for the Fourth Ministerial
Conference on Environment and Health (Budapest-2004). Before the opening
of the Conference, on 22 June, the WGWH will meet in Budapest for final
arrangements concerning participation in the Conference. The main
suggestion of the WGWH relates to the Children’s Environment and Health
Action Plan for Europe (CEHAPE). This suggestion was made by WHO
Collaborating Centers at Rome meeting in February 2004. It is about
giving mandate to the network of WHO Collaborating Centers to act as a
technical board to CEHAPE.

Documentation of WGWH:

For more information contact:
Anna Tsvetkova,
Coordinator of Water Issue Group of European ECO-Forum,
Mama-86,
E-mail: [email protected]

7. INVEST NOW, SAVE LATER

Source: UICN, April 28, 2004

The conservation of ecosystems is the basis for development, rather than
an obstacle to it. At the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)
meeting underway in New York, Switzerland and Japan presented how the
application of the ecosystem approach can prevent huge costs, especially
with regard to water resources management. `We have drawn lessons from
the mistakes we have made in the past. In Switzerland, our waters still
suffer from the pollution of old landfills, which we have to clean at
huge costs. One such site alone cost us US$ 600 million,’ said
Ambassador Mr. Beat Nobs of the Swiss Agency of Environment, Forests and
Landscape.

8. 10 PERSONAL ACTIONS THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Source: Earth Day Network, April 22, 2004

1. Get a home energy audit and follow the recommendations.

Energy audits are a great way to see where the energy and energy
expenditures in your house are going. Your local power company may have
an energy-audit program, or you can do one yourself with the Home Energy
Checkup Guide from the Alliance to Save Energy.

2. Insulate and caulk your home.

Insulation keeps warm air warm and cool air cool. Caulking and weather
stripping are a good start. Insulating your attic, walls, and crawl
spaces will also make a huge difference. Window-mounted air conditioning
units may also be leaking out of poorly insulated windows. Check for
drafts by wetting your finger and running it around the window edges.

3. Set your water heater to a lower temperature and insulate it and
replace wasteful showerheads.

Insulating your water heater decreases the energy needed to heat it up.
Jackets are available at hardware stores and sometimes given away free
with a new water heater. Also, you should keep the heater on low, or at
no more 120 degrees Fahrenheit, which is adequate to meet all home
needs. And replace your showerheads with energy-efficient models. A
recent study showed that making the switch could save 27 cents a day on
water and 51 cents on electricity. They’ll pay for themselves in just
two months.

4. Turn off lights, replace your incandescent bulbs with compact
fluorescents, and use timers.

It’s elementary to say, turn off lights and appliances when you leave a
room. Indeed, lighting accounts for 25 percent of home energy use.
Another no-brainer way to cut lighting use and costs is to use compact
fluorescent light bulbs in place of traditional incandescent bulbs. Not
to be mistaken for the harsh white lights still found in many offices,
compact fluorescents emit pleasing warm light. And although they are
more expensive than incandescent bulbs, they will last ages longer and
slash your energy bill. Also, invest in timers or motion-sensitive
switches for both inside and outside lights. You’ll never walk into a
dark house and your power bills will drop.

5. Wash bigger loads in the clothes washer and turn the refrigerator
down.

To save energy in the laundry, wash only full loads in short cycles. And
use the air-dry setting or turn the dishwasher off after the final rinse
and open the door.

Your refrigerator also uses a great deal of energy, as much as 25
percent of a home energy bill in some cities. The temperature should be
38 to 42 degrees Fahrenheit, and the freezer should be between zero and
five degrees. Check the seals for cracks, and keep the condenser coils
clean. If you’re in the market for a new one, consider whether a smaller
fridge might suit your needs.

In shopping for any major appliance, look for the Energy Star label,
awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department
of Energy to products that are ahead of the curve on energy efficiency.

6. Close blinds and drapes in warm weather and turn off the AC.

A little air conditioning can go a long way during the day if you close
the blinds or drapes so that the sun can’t get in and warm up the house.
If you’re going to be gone for a while, turn the AC off. Do the same as
soon as the temperature cools down outside, and then open the windows so
you get a cross breeze. Also air conditioners work better when they are
cool themselves, so if your air conditioner is outside under any direct
sun, build a screen. While you’re at it, check the filter. An air
conditioner with a clogged filter will use5 percent more energy than one
with a clean filter.

7. Curb your car, carpool, and take public transit.

Take public or mass transit as much as you can. When you do, your energy
use is 25 times less than if you had used your car. If you absolutely
need your car, see if you can give someone else a lift too. Think of
ways you can cut down on the use of your car: Make fewer trips, carpool,
or bus it once a week. Try riding your bike to the grocery store or to
work if it’s not too far. Every little bit counts.

8. Tune up your car … and do you really need a Hummer?

A tune-up on your car will improve its fuel economy by 6 to 9 percent
and save you repair costs in the long run. And don’t be a speed demon:
For every mile per hour slower you drive than 65, you improve your car’s
fuel efficiency by about 2%. And keep your tires filled to capacity:
Soft tires make the engine work harder, making your car more wasteful.

When shopping for a new car, don’t forget to factor in fuel efficiency.
You’ll reduce your gasoline costs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil,
and reduce the damage being done to the atmosphere. If everyone in the
United States bought the most efficient vehicle in the class they’d
ordinarily buy, the total savings would be 1.47 billion gallons of
gasoline every year.

9. Work at home

Employers are becoming more flexible about what defines a workday. By
working four 10-hour days or working from home one day a week, you
commute less and become part of the pollution solution. Over a year,
that’s 50 fewer days you waste in traffic.

10. At the office …

Computer monitors use the same amount of electricity as a 60-watt light
bulb. So rest your screen when you rest your eyes. Don’t wait for your
screen saver to kick in; if you are going to be away from your computer
for more than 10 minutes, turn the monitor off. You can also reduce the
energy consumption of your copier: Look for a stand-by button or mode,
and make sure that it gets used. Copiers consume a lot of energy sitting
there running during times of non-use.

—
*******************************************
CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)

Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:

Minister says no proposals discussed in Armenian-Azeri talks in Poland

ANS TV, Baku
28 Apr 04

[Presenter] We are going live to Strasbourg again. ANS TV’s special
correspondent Qanira Pasayeva is on the line. Good evening,
Qanira. Who met the [Azerbaijani] president at Strasbourg airport?
Could you also give us information about the trilateral meeting
between [Georgian President] Mikheil Saakashvili, [Armenian President]
Robert Kocharyan [and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev] in Warsaw
today?

[Qanira Pasayeva over the phone] Hello, Aytan. Our plane has just
landed. The reception will probably start in five or six minutes. I
mean the president’s plane has landed in Strasbourg as well.

An hour and 40 minutes ago, the president was in Warsaw, Poland. The
Armenian, Azerbaijani and Georgian presidents had a working lunch
there to discuss Caucasus issues. After the trilateral meeting, the
three presidents answered questions from delegations at the European
economic summit.

The most interesting questions were about regional
cooperation. President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan was
cooperating with Georgia at the highest level in all spheres. But
cooperation with Armenia is out of the question. Cooperation with
Armenia is possible only after the Nagornyy Karabakh problem is
resolved.

Robert Kocharyan said that cooperation could promote a solution to the
problem. But the Azerbaijani president said that this was ruled out.

The Georgian president said that regional cooperation with Azerbaijan
was at a very high level. But conflicts hinder full cooperation and
economic development in the region. President Ilham Aliyev backed up
this statement.

As for the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, the Azerbaijani president said
that Azerbaijan will not make any concessions that run counter to the
following: Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity should be ensured in
line with international legal norms. Robert Kocharyan answered in
general and did not say anything specific.

Another interesting question was about integration into the European
Union and membership of this union in the future. The Armenian
president did not give a concrete answer. But the Azerbaijani and
Georgian presidents said that Azerbaijan and Georgia were interested
in entering the EU. President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan was
integrating into European structures, which would secure the country’s
membership of the EU.

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan gave an exclusive interview
to ANS concerning the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents’ meeting
today. He said that today the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents had
a general discussion on the Nagornyy Karabakh issue. No concrete
proposal was discussed. The [OSCE Minsk Group] co-chairmen did not put
forward any new proposals or ideas. They simply attended the
meeting. Asked whether any discussions had been held on the package or
step-by-step settlement, Oskanyan said that no discussions had been
held on concrete proposals and that the discussions had a general
nature. His meeting with the Azerbaijani foreign minister in May will
decide whether a concrete proposal will be negotiated.

He said that there will be a NATO summit in Istanbul in late June. He
will raise the issue of opening the Turkish-Armenian border at a
meeting with Ankara officials at the summit. Commenting on a
trilateral meeting proposed by Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul,
Vardan Oskanyan said that if the meeting is to discuss the Karabakh
issue, Armenia will not agree to it. If the agenda includes issues
other than Karabakh, they will attend the meeting.

Bilateral issues were discussed at the bilateral meeting with Mikheil
Saakashvili.

[Presenter] Thank you, Qanira. This was ANS TV’s special correspondent
Qanira Pasayeva reporting from Strasbourg.

Polish, Armenian presidents discuss Armenia, bilateral relations

PAP news agency
28 Apr 04

WARSAW

President Aleksander Kwasniewski on Wednesday [28 April] met with his
Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharyan to discuss the situation in
Armenia and steps undertaken to achieve stabilization in the region.

The two president also reviewed the state of bilateral
relations. President Robert Kocharyan is expected to pay an official
visit to Poland in September to focus on economic affairs, the
presidential press office reported.