U.S. Expects Clean Polls In Return For Extra Aid To Armenia

28 March 2006

The United States formally released on Monday $235 million in additional
economic assistance to Armenia which Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said
was made possible by its leadership’s pledge to hold free and fair elections.


Rice said the assistance is a “testament to the hard work and dedication of the
Armenian people and their elected government” as she and senior Armenian
officials signed a relevant agreement in Washington.

The money is to be provided to the Armenian government over the next five years
under the Bush administration’s Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) program
designed to promote good governance and economic reforms around the world. It is
supposed to reduce widespread rural poverty by upgrading the country’s battered
irrigation networks and rural roads...


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15863

Armenia: Backdoor Censorship Fears

27 March 2006

Newspaper distribution law could severely restrict circulation of opposition
titles...


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15853

Ex-Ombudsman Likely to Waive Her Right to Speech in Parliament

24 March 2006

Armenia’s first ombudsman Larisa Alaverdian is likely to refuse to take the
opportunity to make a speech in parliament offered to her by deputies as she
considers it ‘inexpedient at the moment’.

In an RFE/RL interview on Friday the ex-ombudsman said she still has to make a
final decision in that regard.

The National Assembly is due to hear the report by the new Ombudsman Armen
Harutiunian during its next four-day session...


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15856

Special Interest: Principals Say Closure of Orphan Schools Will Harm, Not
Help, Vulnerable Children

24 March 2006

Angry teachers have condemned a government decision to close secondary schools
for nearly 1,000 orphaned and socially vulnerable children.

Officials in the Ministry of Education and Science want to integrate children in
the 12 special secondary institutions into mainstream schools. They argue that
separate schools for orphans and other children who lack proper parental care
simply isolates them from the rest of society...


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15859

Residents of Old Yerevan District Seek Justice in Property Rights Dispute

23 March 2006

Angry residents of a central Yerevan district gathered near the government
building on Thursday to demand respect for their property rights that they say
have been repeatedly violated lately....


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15850

Point of View

Conflict Resolution in the South Caucasus: The EU’s Role

20 March 2006

International Crisis Group


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15836