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ARMENIAN CUSTOM OFFICERS DETAINED LARGE LOT OF SMUGGLED FOODSTUFF AND CLOTHS

JANUARY 17. The Armenian custom officers detained a large lot of smuggled foodstuff and cloths worth over $30,000. As ARMINFO was informed in the press-service of the Armenian State Customs Committee, by-passing the checkpoint, the contrabandists tried to smuggle in 210 leather jackets, 408 kg of polyethylene bags and furniture cost 8.191 mln drams (about $15,000) in total from Iran to Yerevan through the "Zvartnots" International airport. Besides, passengers of a Los Angeles-Amsterdam-Yerevan flight tried to smuggle in 3.7 mln drams (about $6,000) worth of cloths. According to the same source, at the Ayrium checkpoint the custom officers confiscated 378 kg of fish, 42 boxes of margarine and other foodstuff worth 5.119 mln drams (about $10,000). Eight passengers of Tbilisi-Yerevan train tried to smuggle in to the country these not declared goods.

U.S. PRESIDENT AND TURKISH PREMIER TOUCH ISSUES CONCERNING ARMENIA

JANUARY 17. In the course of thier meeting at the White House U.S. President George Bush and Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit touched upon prospects of cooperation between Ankara and Yerevan. The White House is known to insist on deblockading the Armenian-Turkish border and on normalizing the bilateral relations. According to the Turkish mass media, the sides, in particular, discussed issues concerning the procedure of providing the Armenian citizens with Turkish visas. The U.S. president said the Turkish authorities' measures in this direction are a positive step. During their 40-minutes-long meeting the sides also touched upon the situation in the Caucasus, Afghanistan, Middle Asia, Middle East, Cyprus and Iraq. The meeting participants also discussed a project of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceihan oil pipe-line, as well as cooperation with the European Union and the bilateral economic relations. The Turkish premier invited George Bush to visit Turkey.

CE MINISTERS' COMMITTEE DISCUSSES ARMENIA-SUBMITTED DRAFT DECISION CONDEMNING ARMENIA'S BLOCKADE BY TURKEY

JANUARY 17. Representatives of the CE Ministers' Committee held in Strasbourg discussed Armenia-submitted draft decision condemning Armenia's blockade by Turkey, Spokeswoman of the Armenian Foreign Office Dzyunik Aghajanian told ARMINFO. According to her, during the meeting Armenia was represented by Permanent Representative to CE Christian Ter-Stepanian. Aghajanian reported that the results of the meeting are not yet known. The Representatives' Committee itself is not entitled to made decisions. Aghajanian pointed out that it is the Ministers' Committee that has the final say in the issue, and its regular meeting is to be held this May. Aghajanian also reported that the work on the document submitted by Armenia will be continued. The representatives of the Committee currently have some disagreements over the issue.

RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN NEGOTIATIONS FOR TELECOMMUNICATION DEVELOPMENT TO BE HELD IN MOSCOW JAN 21.

JANUARY 17.Armenian-Russian negotiations for telecommunication development are to be held in Moscow January 21, Minister of Transport and Communication of Armenia Andranik Manukian told ARMINFO. The Armenian side at the negotiations will be represented by Andranik Manukian and the Russian side by Minister of Communication Leonid Reiman. The Armenian minister pointed out the importance of the forthcoming meeting, which can be a serious impetus to the development the Armenian-Russian relations in the telecommunication sphere. Andranik Manukian denied the rumors of his possible resignation in connection with the relations between the Armenian government and the telecommunication monopolist, the "ArmenTel" company. He pointed out that it is not the Ministry of Transport and Communication, but the Ministry of Justice, that is carrying on negotiations with "ArmenTel".

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH HARSHLY CRITICIZES HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN ARMENIA

JANUARY 17. The "Human Rights Watch" international organization harshly criticized the human rights situation in Armenia. It its report for 2001, the organization points out that the country's authorities do not practically take any measures to improve the human rights situation. The report also points out that prisoners in Armenia are still subjected to torture by law-enforcers. According to the authors of the report, the situation in the country's army does not inspire optimism either: draftees are still humiliated by their superiors. The organization points out the fact of the authorities' totally disregarding all this. Besides, despite being admitted to the CE, Armenia has not abolished capital punishment. The report points out the fact of thriving corruption in state structures against the background of poverty of the greater part of the population. Nevertheless, the authors of the report believe that some progress in the human rights situation has been observed in Armenia as compared to previous years.