Asbarez.com News room 08-04-2000

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1. Armenia, Greece Vow To Settle Telecom Row

 

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--The Armenian government and the Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE) pledged on Wednesday to

sort out disputes over the Greek-owned ArmenTel monopoly in the coming months without resorting to legal action. They said they

agreed to begin negotiations that could result in a revision of some key terms of OTE's 1998 purchase of a 90 percent stake in ArmenTel.

Differing interpretations of mutual obligations stemming from the $205 million deal have led to serious disagreements between the two

parties on issues such as phone tariffs and investments in Armenia's telecom sector.

 

The agreement to deal with all the sticking points out of court was signed in Yerevan at the end of two-day talks between Armenian

Justice Minister David Harutiunian, Greece's Deputy Minister for Post and Telecommunications Vulgaris Alexandros and OTE's recently

appointed chairman, Niklos Manasis.

 

Harutiunian told Armenian state television that Yerevan will insist that the operational license granted to ArmenTel's Greek owner be

"re-negotiated in full." He indicated that the upcoming negotiations may lead to certain changes in provisions of the license that grant OTE

15-year exclusive rights to all forms of telecommunication in Armenia.

 

ArmenTel's monopoly is one of the obstacles to Armenia's long-standing bid to join the World Trade Organization, with the United States

being the most vocal advocate of its abolition. The Armenian authorities are understood to be pushing for the lifting of the monopoly on

cellular phone connection and Internet services.

 

Harutiunian added that the two parties will try to clarify OTE's investment commitments, another bone of contention. Under the terms of

its purchase of ArmenTel, the Greek firm was supposed to invest $100 million in Armenia's telephone network by last March. Less than

one third of that amount was actually invested by that time, according to official estimates.

 

The government decided on March 2 to file a lawsuit to the International Court of Arbitration in London, seeking compensation from

OTE. It later backed away from court action. Officials argued that the Greeks would counter that the government prevents them from

introducing new phone tariffs in Armenia, something which was envisaged by the takeover agreement.

 

OTE's Manasis was quoted as telling President Robert Kocharian on Wednesday that "different perceptions of a free market and national

legislation" is the root cause of the disputes. Manasis said the parties will seek to settle them before Kocharian's official visit to Greece,

due in November, the presidential press service reported. He told Prime Minister Andranik Markarian earlier in the day that they will

look for solutions "through mutual understanding and respect of interests."

 

The Armenian president, for his part, said his country continues to view OTE as "a serious partner" and stands for closer economic ties

with Greece.

 

 

 

 

 

2. Cavanaugh Presents Minsk Group Views to Community

 

BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN

 

GLENDALE--US Special Representative to the Nagorno-Artsax peace talks and the US Co-chairman of the Organization for

Security and Cooperation in Europe's Minks Group discussed the ongoing Artsax peace process with members of the

Armenian-American community Monday, during a public forum organized by the Armenian National Committee of America-Western

Region and the Armenian Assembly held at St. Mary's Church.

 

Prior to the community forum, Cavanaugh met with members of the Armenian press and addressed some of the issues related with the

peace process, including last month's trip to the region by the co-chairmen of the Minsk Group.

 

In his briefing, Cavanaugh praised efforts by presidents Robert Kocharian and Haydar Aliyev to hold direct peace talks, announcing that

the two leaders were scheduled to meet later this month in Yalta and again in October in New York.

 

Cavanaugh explained that the aim of his visit was to share with the Armenian-American community the status of the peace talks and gauge

its opinion on some of the pressing matters related to the Artsax peace process.

 

Following an overview of the peace process, Cavanaugh said that Mink Group, from day one, has involved Nagorno-Artsax in the

negotiations and considers Artsax "part and parcel" to the process.

 

He refrained from providing details on a specific proposals, including speculations that the US is pressing for a territorial swap.

 

"I cannot go into details about the specifics of the plan," said Cavanaugh, who assured that the peace plan proposals would be a

compilation of agreements between the parties to the conflict. He also said the possibility holding local referenda in the region is not ruled

out.

 

The issue of the Genocide was also addressed during the press conference. Cavanaugh was reluctant to call the events of 1915 a

Genocide, terming it "tragic events."

 

Probing from the press and other at the conference about the historical injustices that have brought forth the modern-day Artsax

conflict, provided Cavanaugh to address some of the historical diversions currently at play by the State Department and other involved in

the conflict. However, the US negotiator opted to say that his role in the conflict resolution process was to address and resolve issues

stemming from the onset of the Artsax conflict in 1988.

 

The Sevres treaty also figured into the discussion with the Minsk Group co-chairman. While he acknowledged that such a treaty was, in

fact, in place and signed by the United States, he reiterated his position that peace process was focusing on the current and not the

historic past.

 

The 80th anniversary of the signing of the Sevres treaty is on August 10. The treaty, authored by President Woodrow Wilson and signed

by the US, France, Turkey and other international powers of the time, recognized the independent Armenian Republic and introduced a

map of Armenia which encompassed much of Western historic Armenia, as well as Nagorno-Artsax, Javakhk and Nakhichevan.

 

When asked whether the Minsk Group, and the State Department, would alter their position after the Armenian-American community

expresses its opinion--the reason of Cavanaugh's visit to Glendale--the US negotiator responded that while the views of the community

would be taken into consideration, the peace plan to be drawn up will be based on regional issues and not concerns voiced by

communities scattered around the world.

 

 

 

 

 

3. First Russian Forces to Vacate Georgia Saturday

 

TBLISI (Noyan Tapan)--The first of Russian military units vacating Georgian will be on its way Saturday, announced the commander of

Russian forces in South Caucasus Lt. Gen. Vladimir Andreyev, adding that the first ship loaded with military cargo will depart Batumi

Saturday.

 

According to the Russian military leader, plans for the pull-out of forces from Georgia have been communicated to the Organization for

Security and Cooperation in Europe.

 

Meanwhile, David Darchavili, chairman of Georgia's national security, military and civil issues research center announced that instability in

Javakhk and issues confronting Georgia will delay the pull out of Russian forces from Akhalkalak. The scheduled pullout was to take

place from 2003 to 2004.

 

Last year's OSCE summit in Istanbul, mandated Russia to pull out the first of its forces from the Vaziani and Goudaouta by July first,

following which talks would begin on the withdrawal of forces from Javakhk and Batumi.

 

The predominant Armenian population of the southern Georgian city of Akhalkalaki disagree with the decision on withdrawal of a Russian

military base located there.

 

The citizens are against the withdrawal for one simple reason. About 1,200 of them work at the base with comparatively high wages.

About 15 percent of the city is employed on the base and they believe that the withdrawal will cut off their only income source.

 

 

 

 

 

4. Armenian-US Governments Sign Agreement on Agricultural Commodities

 

YEREVAN (Armenpress)--The Armenian embassy in the US reported that on Tuesday, the Governments of Armenia and the United

States signed an agreement on the donation of agricultural commodities to Armenia under Section 416b of the Agricultural Act of 1949.

 

Pursuant to the Agreement, and within the FY 2000 assistance budget, the US Government will fund and administer the purchase and

shipment of 60,000 metric tons of wheat to Armenia. The Armenian Government will then sell the commodity made available under this

Agreement in the domestic market.

 

The Agreement provides for the proceeds from this sale be further directed to support local agricultural, irrigation, and educational

activities, as well as to fund social welfare and health-care services for the population.

 

The Agreement was signed by Dr. Arman Kirakossian, the Armenian Ambassador to the United States and Mary Chambliss of the US

Department of Agriculture.

 

 

 

 

 

5. Markarian Demands Further Tax Collection

 

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Armenia's tax authorities were on Wednesday given a difficult task of ensuring a month-on-month increase in

budget revenues for the rest of the year after announcing a record-high amount of taxes and customs duties collected in July.

 

Official statistics show that the Armenian Ministry for State Revenues garnered 15.3 billion drams (28.4 million) worth of various taxes

last month, which is 13.5 percent more than was expected. The figures are good news for the government of Prime Minister Andranik

Markarian as it struggles to meet its budget targets for this year.

 

Markarian visited the ministry to "thank" its personnel for the improved performance widely attributed to a tougher line on tax evaders.

"There must be no restricted areas for the taxation and customs bodies," he said, repeating his cabinet's pledge to reduce the vast informal

sector of the economy.

 

"I can say that there will be no tax evaders in this country," Gagik Poghosian, the minister for state revenues, agreed. But Poghosian

turned visibly edgy as he heard Finance and Economy Minister Levon Barkhudarian say that the revenues have to grow by 15 percent

each month if a successful execution of the budget 2000 is to be achieved. Markarian threw his weight behind Barkhudarian's remark,

putting additional pressure on tax officials.

 

Despite its strong performance in July, the ministry for state revenues has so far collected only 45 percent of $320 million in projected

taxes. The shortfall, coupled with the continuing delay with the release of further deficit-funding loans from the World Bank, has already

led to serious wage arrears in the public sector. The government acknowledged last May that the shortfall could reach as much as $85

million if the situation does not improve in the coming months.

 

Last week's approval by the Armenian parliament of government plans to privatize the country's energy distribution networks paved the

way for the disbursement of the badly needed World Bank funds. Markarian said on Wednesday that the tax authorities should widen

their crackdown on "the shadow economy" and ruled out any increase in the existing tax rates. He also said that the government will later

this year create "new sources of taxation" by launching number of construction projects worth "tens of millions of dollars"

 

 

 

 

 

6. Two New Lawyers to Be Hired to Work on Oct. 27 Case

 

YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)—The relatives of Vazgen Sargssian, who was assassinated in the parliament chamber on Oct. 27, 1999, will

hire lawyers Tigran and Marine Janoyan to represent the interests of Vazgen Sargssian during the trial. A contract has already been signed

with the lawyers under which they will begin work in the preliminary stages of the trial.

 

Marine Janoyan thinks it possible to provide general defense for all the eight of the assassinated officials during the trial, as only in that

case will it be possible to ensure valuable defense. The lawyers representing the interests of the victims have gotten acquainted with 5 of

the 40 volumes of the case.

 

The 50-day term for studying the case will expire at the end of September.

 

 

 

 

 

7. Government Approves Resolution Regarding Implementation of Its Programs

 

YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)—The government adopted the resolution "On the measures aimed at executing the program of government's

activities" Wednesday.

 

Minister of Finance Levon Barkhudarian said that the resolution lists 275 specific measures necessary for the implementation of the

program. The resolution was submitted to the National Assembly in June. Specific instructions were given to government bodies and

enterprises. Special attention is paid to the improvement of entrepreneurship, as well as to the encouragement of export and investments.

But the matter does not concern the government's financial assistance to enterprises. The assistance will mainly be of institutional and

organizational character. A constituent of the program are the documents on small and medium-sized business and tourism development

approved at the same government meeting.

 

The government is not yet making any changes in the tax sphere. It plans to submit the concept of tax and customs policy for the next five

years to the National Assembly this September. According to Barkhudarian, if the concept provides for changes in the tax rates, they will

gradually be made.

 

 

 

 

 

8. Russian and Armenian Youth Hold Roundtable Discussion

 

YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)—The Association of the Armenian Youth Center Aregak of the Russian Federation and the Federation of

Youth Clubs of Armenia organized a roundtable on the subject of "Armenia-2000: The Armenian Youth at the Turn of the Century" on

Wednesday. The roundtable was held in the building of the National Academy of Sciences in Armenia.

 

Atom Mkhitarian, Chairman of the Federation of Youth Clubs of Armenia, said that the goal of the roundtable is to unite Armenian youth

organizations and clubs of Russia and Armenia. According to Mkhitarian, as a result of the roundtable a coordinating center called Youth

Research Center may be created.

 

Reports on economy, politics and geopolitics, education and culture as well as on Diaspora were read during the event. The roundtable

participants adopted a declaration of intent. They are going to visit provinces and hold cultural events.

 

Hailing the roundtable participants, vice-president of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia Gevorg Brutian mentioned several

names who achieved world fame still in their youth. The academician was proud to say that recently one of the university diplomas was

defended as a candidate dissertation.

 

The Armenian Youth Center Aregak was founded in Moscow in 1998 and has 500 members. Arriving in Armenia, the members of the

Center brought humanitarian supplies for children of Gumri with them.

 

The Union of Armenians in Russia, the Armenian community of Moscow, the Interior Ministry of Armenia, the National Academy of

Sciences of Armenia and the Armenian Embassy in Russia also assisted in the organization of the roundtable.

 

 

 

 

 

9. Lawyer Asks Court of Appeals to Revoke Lower Court's Verdicts

 

YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)—The judicial pleadings of the criminal case instituted against Taronik Nikogossian and lawyer Kromvel

Grigorian at the Criminal and Military Court of Appeal began Wednesday.

 

Kromvel Grigorian is the lawyer of a person charged with murder, and Taronik Nikoghossian is the legal successor of that person in the

same case. The prosecutor Koryun Piloyan thought the lower court's verdict was well-grounded. According to the lower court's ruling

defendants Nikoghossian and Grigorian were found guilty of deliberate infliction of trivial bodily injuries on each other. They were

sentenced to three and six months of imprisonment with suspended execution of the sentence for one year.

 

Both the defendants pleaded not guilty, stating that the opposite party was the instigator. Grigorian's lawyer, Ruben Sahakian expressed

his bewilderment over the fact that the lower court passed the sentence without finding out the reasons or the instigator of the quarrel. If

the instigator failed to be revealed, the case was to have been dismissed according to point 3 of Article 35 of the Code of Criminal

Procedure which is lack of corpus delicti. According to the lawyer, the investigation could not prove that the instigator of the quarrel was

Grigorian. On the contrary, the fact that Grigorian was struck in the back testifies that Nikoghossian was the instigator. Sahakian referred

to the expert's statement that the blow to the temporal-frontal part of Grigorian's head might as well have been delivered from behind.

Any man has the right to defense. "Do not disarm those defending themselves," Sahakian urged the cou