Mailing List Service Felist.Com -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear frends! Arminfo news agency inform LARGE SCALE MILITARY COOPERATION BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND USA OUT OF QUESTION, HEIDAR ALIEV SAID JANUARY 31. A large scale military cooperation between Azerbaijan and the USA is out of the question, Azeri President Heidar Aliev said, before his leaving for New York for participation in an international economic forum. The Azeri president called groundless statements of several observers concerning the scale of the Azeri-American military cooperation. He said this cooperation will be carried out within definite frameworks, on the basis of concrete programs elaborated for 2002. According to the Baku mass media, Aliev called paltriness statements on the fact that the USA has rendered more assistance to Armenia than to Baku this year. It should be noted that the USA intends to render $50 mln free assistance to Azerbaijan, while aid to Armenia will make $90 mln, plus additional $4.3 mln for development of military sphere. US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA VISITS YEREVAN BRANDY COMPANY JANUARY 31.US Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia John Ordway has visited the Yerevan Brandy Company for the first time. The YBC President Pierre Larretche and Vice-President Hrant Bagratyan received the ambassador, the YBC press-service told ARMINFO. The ambassador displayed great interest in the company's activities, production cycle, as well as in issues connected with intellectual property (trademark, forgery). Pierre Larretche thanked John Ordway for his visit and invited him to one of the company's production centers. ARMENIAN JUDGES INTIMIDATE WITNESSES OFFERING TESTIMONY "DISLIKED" BY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE JANUARY 31.Armenian judges intimidate witnesses offering testimonies "disliked" by the Prosecutor's Office, says the report on monitoring of minor courts prepared by the Helsinki Association of Armenia (HAA). According to HAA Chairman Mikael Danielian, the monitoring was conducted under the "Human rights and administration of justice" program with the assistance of the European Union. The monitoring, which was conducted in April-July 2001, involved 50 courts in Yerevan, Gyumri and Vanadzor. According to the report, most of the violations are committed at the pre-trial stage, and judges on their part, just ignore the statements of defendants and their lawyers concerning violations. Moreover, the statements made both by defendants and by witnesses concerning the use of violence by law-enforcers are disregarded by judges as well. Conspicuous is also the inequality of the parties during legal proceedings. The arguments advanced by the Prosecutor's Office are not challenged by the court, whereas the lawyers can hardly draw the judges' attention to the facts confirming the Defense's position. The report points out that the decisions made by courts contain such absurd and arbitrary interpretations of the laws, that the impartiality and incorruptibility of judges can be challenged. FIRST HUMAN RIGHTS WEB-SITE OPENED IN ARMENIA JANUARY 31. The first human rights web-site has been opened in Armenia, Chairman of Helsinki Association Mikael Danielian told journalists today. From now on one will be able to find there facts on human rights violation, freedom prevention and restriction in Armenia. He said the web-site includes the Open Pages journal covering human rights subjects. Everybody is invited to place his articles at the web-site. The authors are willing to publish any opinion even if they do not share it. Danielian said the web-site was created with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan and the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Kiev.- "ARMENTEL" TO SELL 20% OF ITS SHARES JANUARY 31. The "ArmenTel" company intends to sell 20% of its shares, Minister of Transport and Communication Andranik Manukian told reporters. He stressed that he gave his preliminary consent to the deal on condition that the shares are placed on the local market. Manukian pointed out that "ArmenTel"'s cost is 205mln. USD, but he found it difficult to forecast the estimated value of the company's shares. According to the minister, the sum will not be large, as "ArmenTel" is in strained financial circumstances. According to the information at Manukian's disposal, the Greek OTE company, which holds 90% of "ArmenTel"'s shares intends to sell its share in the capital of the Armenian telephone operator and leave Armenia. Talking to ARMINFO, Minister of Justice David Harutiunian confirmed this information. Both the ministers believe that the OTE intends to accuse the Armenian government of violating the terms of the contract for sale of "ArmenTel" signed in 1997. The minister of transport and communication added that he will struggle for the abolition of "ArmenTel"'s monopoly of telecommunication. According to the government's license #60 of June 24, 1997, this license will be in effect for 15 years, from March 1, 1998. As it was reported, on September 27, 2001, the Board of Directors of the "ArmenTel" company made a decision on primary placement of additional shares of the company at the Armenian "Armex" stock exchange. The time and term of the deal are not determined. ARMENIAN NATIONAL SECURITY BODIES ARREST TURKISH SPY JANUARY 31. The National Security bodies of Armenia detained a Turkish spy on January 26. According to the information reported to ARMINFO by the press service of the Ministry of National Security, the detainee is a citizen of Armenia, his name is not made public. the task set to him by the Turkish National Intelligence (Milli Istihbarat Teskilati-Mit) was collecting political, economic and military information and reporting it to the Turkish side. Criminal proceedings have been initiated on Article 59 of the Criminal Code (high treason by means of espionage). The preliminary investigation is being conducted by the Investigations Department of the Ministry of National Security. WINNERS OF CONTEST "WATER IN OUR LIFE" GRANTED DIPLOMAS JANUARY 31. Pupils of 15 Yerevan schools took part in a composition contest "Water in Our Life," organized by the Yerevan Municipality within the framework of a public campaign held by the Utilite company from Italy. Winners were granted diplomas. According to Representative of Utilite managing the municipal water supply system Richard Volkling, the campaign is aimed at teaching the younger generation to husband natural resources and to explain them that they are not endless and unless treated with care they may be damaged. Best excepts appeared in the press. HEADLINES OF 31 JANUARY BAKU CONSIDERS NECESSARY COOPERATION WITH EU IN PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT RUSSIAN PRESIDENT SIGNED LAW ON RATIFICATION OF RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN AGREEMENT CIS FRONTIER DEPARTMENTS SURE IN NECESSITY FOR CLOSE COOPERATION IN SECURITY OF STATE BOUNDARY THREE NEW MEDICAL-AID STATIONS OPENED IN KARABAKH EXPANSION OF NKR-ICRD COOPERATION TO STRENGTHEN MUTUAL CONFIDENCE BETWEEN PARTIES TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT PRESIDENT ISSUES DECREES ON CABINET RESHUFFLE GAZPROM OJSC TO RETURN ITERA $126 MLN IT PAID FOR 45% OF ARMROSGAZPROM'S SHARES IMF MISSION TO ARRIVE IN YEREVAN BRITAIN RANSAT COMPANY INTENDS TO INVEST $20 MLN IN PRODUCTION OF CHLOROPRENE RUBBER REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS DEMAND RESIGNATION OF PRESIDENT-HEADED RULING REGIME ARMENIA DELEGATION TO TAKE PART IN INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC FORUM IN NEW YORK "ARMENIAN AIRLINES" LEASE NEW AIRPLANE ISSUE OF CREATING RELIABLE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM IN NKR BECAME TOPICAL ARREARS OF WAGES OF 19 ENERGY ENTERPRISES TOTAL 910MLN. AMD ARMENIA'S POWER DISTRIBUTING NETWORKS TO BE TRANSFERRED TO ADMINISTRATION FOR 5 YEARS PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS COMPLETES REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN ARMENIA 748 DEAD BODIES OF ARMENIAN CITIZENS WERE TAKEN TO ARMENIA DURING 2001 FROM RUSSIAN AND OTHER STATE OF CIS MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE TO PRESENT REPORT ON MEASURES UNDER 2001-2005 STATE EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TASK GROUP OF PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE PARTLY SATISFIES APPLICATION OF PRESIDENTIAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES OF VAYOTS DZOR PRODUCED 1.986 BLN AMD's WORTH OF GOODS LAST YEAR EXPECTED INCREASE OF PENSIONS IN ARMENIA TO HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON ALLOWANCES FOR POVERTY CATHOLICOS MEETS WITH NEW FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA 46% REPLENISHMENT OF COMMUNITY BUDGETS IN SHIRAK REGION REPORTED LAST YEAR ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT MADE A DECISION ON RENDERING FREE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TRANSPORT PROBLEMS CONSIDERABLY HAMPER DEVELOPMENT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN ARMENIA SECONDARY GTB MARKET TURNOVER TOTALS 3.2BLN. AMD IN JANUARY 2002 GOVERNMENT APPROVES BILL AMENDING LAW ON STATE DUTY SHARE OF FOREIGN CAPITAL IN AUTHORIZED FUND OF ARMENIA'S BANKING SYSTEM TOTALED 49.4% OR 18.6BLN. AMD BY JAN 1, 2002 No information from Site can be used without prior permission of ARMINFO http://www.arminfo.am -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: http://felist.com/member/unsub?grp=media.arminfo http://felist.com/ mailto:ask@felist.com