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ARMGATE SPOTLIGHT

Issue #24 (81), June 26, 2000

 

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ARMENIA'S PRESIDENT LEFT FOR US ON WORKING VISIT

YEREVAN. JUNE 24.(SNARK). Today, Armenia's President Robert

Kocharian left for the US on working visit. Meetings with the US

President Bill Clinton (June 27), vice-president Albert Gore

(June 26) are scheduled. It is also expected that President

Robert Kocharian will meet with heads of the Senate, the group of

Congress on issues of Armenia as well as with a number of

senators. Armenia's President will also meet with the executive

director of IMF Horst Kohler as well as the president of World

Bank James Wolfensohn.

 

MEMBERSHIP IN THE EUROPEAN UNION IS THE NEXT STEP AFTER

ENROLLMENT IN COUNCIL IF EUROPE

YEREVAN. JUNE 23.(SNARK). The work targeted at Armenia's entry

into the European Union must be conducted after Armenia's

enrollment into the Council of Europe, chairman of parliamentary

commission on external relations Ovanes Ovanessian said at

today's press-conference. At the same time, he noted that Armenia

must do a lot to reach the level of economic development required

by the European standards. It is a long and hard way which may

last 5-7 years, Ovanessian said.

 

US DO NOT CONNECT ARMENIA'S MEMBERSHIP IN COUNCIL OF EUROPE WITH

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN AZERBAIJAN ANY MORE

YEREVAN. JUNE 23.(SNARK). Armenia's leadership has managed to

soften the position of the US State Department on Armenia's

membership in the Council of Europe due to active and serious

diplomatic works of the last 10 days. The US do not connect

Armenia's enrollment in the Council of Europe with parliamentary

elections in Azerbaijan any more and consider possible Armenia's

entry into the CE in June, 2000, the chairman of the

parliamentary commission of international relations Ovanes

Ovanessian said commenting the June 10 recommendation to delay

Armenia's membership in the CE until the end of parliamentary

elections in Azerbaijan which was addressed to all member-states

of CE by US State Department. At the same time, Ovanessian said

that the US consider that Armenia's and Azerbaijan's simultaneous

entry into the CE may make easier the control over processes

taking place in Azerbaijan and will increase the possibility of

CE's influence on the country.

 

NAIRIT RETURNS TO TRADITIONAL MARKETS

YEREVAN, JUNE 22. (SNARK). In the near future the Nairit chemical

plant is expected to reach the level 1,800-2,000 tons of

chloroprene rubber a month and 20-25% profit, first deputy

industry and trade minister Ashot Shakhnazarian told journalists.

He said the plant, which resumed its operation in Mar 2000,

returns to traditional markets to sell its production. Its

management made contacts with Russian and Ukrainian consumers to

supply them with large lots of rubber. It's also considering

exporting its production to Poland and other European states. The

Mitsubishi and Sumitomo Japanese corporations and the Bayer

German concern continue showing serious interest in the Nairit.

 

ROBERT KOCHARIAN AND HEYDAR ALIYEV CAME TO AGREEMENT TO RESTART

NEGOTIATION PROCESS ON Artsax CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

YEREVAN, JUNE 22. (SNARK). Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan

came to an agreement on restarting the negotiation process on the

Artsax conflict settlement, Kocharian said late in the evening

on June 21, after coming back to Yerevan from Moscow. "We decided

to restart the negotiation process and make it more active",

Kocharian said.

 

GREEK GOVERNMENT WILL PRESENT GRANT FOR WORKING OUT OF TEO

PROJECT ON CONSTRUCTION OF IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPE-LINE

YEREVAN. JUNE 21.(SNARK). The Greek government will grant Armenia

$ 150,000 to prepare technical-economic grounding for

construction of Iran-Armenian gas pipe-line. As it was informed

at the regular session of the Armenian-Greek-Iranian committee on

cooperation in energy sphere, the works will be carried out by

Asprofos Greek company. As the first deputy Energy Minister of

Armenia Robert Nazarian informed journalists, volumes of

investments in construction of gas pipe-line depend on the

technical-economic grounding of the project. State and private

organizations from China, Russia and France are interested in

implementation of the project. According to the preliminary data,

4.9 -5.2 cubic meters of Iranian gas are planned to be received

daily by the gas pipe-lone having 700 mm diameter and in

conditions of pressure at 15 atmospheres. The length of the pipe-

line is to form 140 km and the total cost of the project is

estimated at $ 120 mln.

 

INTERNATIONAL EXPEDITION TO START ASCENDING ARARAT JULY 17

YEREVAN, JUNE 19. (SNARK). An international expedition will set

off June 17 to ascend Ararat. Some 73 men, including 10 Turks

will take part in the expedition. Well-known Russian traveler,

author of the widely-loved Russian program "Club of travellers,"

Yuri Senkevich and a camera group will make a film about the

ascension. 5 days ago the Turkish government sanctioned the

ascension. Moreover Turkey said it would assist ascenders,

providing them with services and ensuring their security. Two

helicopters will fly all the time over them to help them in case

of need. The ascension will last for 6 days. Upon reaching the

top ascenders will hoist flags of Armenia, Turkey, UN, EU, and

countries which have their representatives in the group. After

descending from Ararat they will visit Nakhitchevan and Agoulis

where, as says the legend, Noah was buried. Aug 1 the group will

return to Armenia.

 

PROVISIONS OF BISHKEK AGREEMENT NOT PROVIDE REQUIRED LEVEL OF CIS

SECURITY

YEREVAN. JUNE 21.(SNARK). The provisions of the Agreement on CIS

citizens free (without visas) travel at territory of its member-

states signed in Bishkek, in 1992, do not provide the required

level of security of CIS states,the statement by an official

representative of Russia's Foreign Ministry in connection with

debates on the aforementioned agreement, reads. The Russian side

also works out its withdrawal from the Bishkek agreement in

accordance with the determined order.

 

STATEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS WHO OBSERVED THE ELECTIONS

TO Artsax'S PARLIAMENT

STEPANAKERT. JUNE 21.(SNARK). A group of international observers

who observed June 18 parliamentary elections to Artsax's

parliament expressed satisfactory by their organization and

conduction. The statement disseminated on this occasion informs

that the short-term observation mission visited 75 polling

station throughout the territory. "We did not witness or have

reported to us any accident that could prejudice the way the

whole election was run. The posted turn-out (every three hours)

from all the regions added to the transparency as well as the

presence in almost all polling stations of party delegates who

followed all stages of the vote", the statement reads.

 

 

During the last week subscribers of SNARK News Services could

also read (to learn subscription details visit www.snark.am or

send mail to snark@arminco.com):

 

- IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAM ON IMPROVEMENT OF WATER SUPPLY OF

YEREVAN'S POPULATION STARTED

- DEAL ON CREATION OF ARMENAL ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN JV TO BE HELD IN

JULY

- 793 BLN DRAMS - FOR COMPLETING CONSTRUCTION OF DAVIDASHEN

BRIDGE IN YEREVAN

- INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMISSION RECOMMENDED TO SELL "SHOGHAKN" TO

LLD ISRAELI COMPANY

- RUSSIAN MPs MET WITH THEIR ARMENIAN COLLEAGUES

- YEREVAN'S MAYOR SAYS TERRORISTS SHOOTING ARMENIAN STATESMEN IN

ARMENIA'S PARLIAMENT OCT 27 MUST HAVE CONSULTED WITH SOMEBODY

- MEETINGS OF PRESIDENTS OF RUSSIA, GEORGIA, ARMENIA AND

AZERBAIJAN TO BE HELD NOT LESS THAN TWICE A YEAR

- ARMENIA IS ATTRACTIVE FOR TOURISM, FOREIGN CONSULTANTS

CONSIDER. 80,000 TOURISTS WILL VISIT ARMENIA IN 2000, FOREIGN

CONSULTANTS PREDICT

- GENERAL SECRETARY OF NATO TO VISIT ARMENIA AT THE END OF

SEPTEMBER

- US HOPE THAT $ 135 MLN AID RENDERED TO ARMENIA WILL BE USED

EFFECTIVELY