Field Operations Field Operations Caucasus

OSCE/Steven Weinburg Field operations Field operations Caucasus

Caucasus

Sukhumi OSCE Seconded staff to the UN HROAG

OSCE Tskhinvali Mission to Georgia

Tbilisi

Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE CiO on the Conflict Dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Baku Conference OSCE Office in Baku OSCE Office in Yerevan

Yerevan

Khankendi / Stepanakert

International Borders OSCE Field Office

The boundaries and names on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the OSCE. < 80 | 81 >

Office in Baku The Office in Baku focused ficking; providing assistance toral reform and promoting steps to recycle and dispose in 2005 on strengthening the to police; combating cor- freedom of assembly in of stocks of toxic rocket fuel development of civil society, ruption; and raising public Azerbaijan remained at the component. the rule of law and human awareness of environmental top of the Office’s agenda. rights; fighting human traf- issues. Support for elec- The Office also took the first

Politico-military The school’s teachers attended the first the Interior Ministry’s internal troops and dimension activities formal teacher-training course, run by the police, including a five-day practical train- national police academies of the Czech Re- ing in public event control. This culmi- Police assistance programme. The Office public, aligning Azerbaijan’s police training nated in a demonstration of containment made considerable progress in 2005 on with international standards. Lesson plans skills that are in line with international improvements to the police school building for the new induction training course were standards. and the training programme. The school prepared from the programme of contents now has furniture in all classrooms and which had previously been agreed between Destruction of toxic missile fuel compo- some teaching can now be undertaken in the Government and the Office. nent. The Office supported a project that an atmosphere more conducive to learning. provided technical and financial assistance Dormitory accommodation and specialist Training on freedom of assembly. The to Azerbaijan for the destruction or con- equipment, however, are still lacking. Office initiated two training projects for version of obsolete, toxic chemical missile fuel components in two storage sites. (For more on this topic, please see page 11.)

Human rights training and the ﬁght

OSCE/Ulvi Akhundlu OSCE/Ulvi against terrorism. As part of the Of- ﬁce’s assistance to Azerbaijan in the ﬁght against terrorism, it provided human rights training to the army’s Oil Pipeline Protection Department, detailing their rights and responsibilities under international law.

Top: Ministry of Defence experts provide detailed information to the combined OSCE/NATO-NAMSA team at the Mingechevir Melange storage facility.

Left: An Academy of Science expert, assisted by Ministry of Defence staﬀ and observed by the OSCE, takes samples from a melange storage site to determine the level of contamination in Mingechevir. Field operations Caucasus

Economic and environmental The Office and its implementing partners released seven prominent opposition lead- dimension activities supported the Energy Bus initiative that ers as a result of presidential pardons and provides public awareness of energy con- expunged the criminal records of those Development of small- and medium- servation and practical alternative energy convicted of criminal offences linked to sized enterprises. The key challenges solutions to rural communities. Despite sig- public disturbances in the aftermath of hindering the development of small- and nificant oil and gas reserves currently under the 2003 presidential election. With their medium-sized enterprises in the regions development, Azerbaijan still experiences records cleared, the seven leaders, whose of Azerbaijan are the lack of access to chronic energy deficits in rural regions, trials had been monitored by the OSCE, business training and micro-finance loans. hampering sustained economic development became eligible to run in the parliamen- Women, in particular, face significant and contributing to deforestation in these tary elections. obstacles in obtaining business training, areas. The Energy Bus – a mobile truck and capital and micro-credits, hindering their trailer containing exhibition models and Public education programme for ap- ability to launch and increase business ac- information on energy conservation and peals to the Constitutional Court. The tivity. For this reason, the Office focused low-cost alternative and renewable energy Office, the Constitutional Court and a on entrepreneurial training for women in solutions for rural communities – was in- domestic NGO launched a programme to the rural regions. Beginning in January, strumental in supporting the Government’s empower members of the public to file in- the Office trained more than 200 women goals of promoting the use of renewable dividual complaints. Lessons and lectures in five districts of Azerbaijan, culminating energy to address energy security needs. The were conducted in all areas of the coun- in a business plan competition with start- Bus carried its message to some 150 villages try. The Office also commissioned local up support for winners. in 2005. lawyers to produce a booklet outlining requirements for constitutional complaints. Good governance and anti-corruption. Corruption is considered a key obstacle to Monitoring the newly established Bar the liberalization of market economies and Association. The Office monitored the regional economic development, particu- Akhundlu OSCE/Ulvi activity of the new Bar Association and larly when there exist large-scale revenues lobbied for the admission of lawyers from the oil and gas sector. Together with denied membership. It disseminated the Young Lawyers Union, the Office a report on the Situation of Lawyers in launched public roundtables to promote Azerbaijan, which highlights the critical the new anti-corruption laws. The Office situation of the legal profession, stresses also published and distributed the OSCE the importance of the matter and requests Handbook for Best Practices in Combating the Government address the issues. Corruption in the Azerbaijani language. NGO advocacy training programme. To Raising public environmental aware- help NGOs build advocacy and negotiation ness. With an average of 75 visitors a week skills, the Office developed a new train- to its library, the Aarhus Centre was a hub ing programme and supported NGO-run of activity for environmental NGOs. In The energy bus visited over 250 villages training courses. These are designed to addition, it served as a venue for more than in Azerbaijan, helping communities to build a sustainable dialogue among repre- 50 public meetings. gain access to low-cost diversified energy sentatives of political parties, municipali- resources. ties and community-based organizations The Office launched a one-year pro- and to improve their skills in consensus- gramme to develop an environmental building and conflict management. education programme for schoolchildren. The programme will train teachers and Human dimension activities Survey on juvenile justice. The Office community leaders on integrating so- commissioned the NGO, Alliance for called “Green Packs” with environmental Trial monitoring. Together with the Children’s Rights, to prepare a report on educational material into the school ODIHR, the Office presented Azerbaijan’s juvenile justice in Azerbaijan. The recom- curriculum. Government in February with a joint re- mendations of this report, the first of its port on the Trial Monitoring Project in Az- kind, provide a basis for the authorities to The Office also continued to support the erbaijan 2003-2004. Following talks with address the shortcomings of the justice OSCE-NATO South Caucasus River Moni- the ODIHR in Warsaw, the Government system in its treatment of juveniles. The toring Project, which is now in its fourth committed to a dialogue on implement- Government said that it would consider year of monitoring and data collection. It ing the report’s recommendations. Expert the report’s findings to identify ways to also gave further assistance to the OSCE- group discussions on pre-trial detention improve the situation of detained children. UNDP-UNEP Environment and Security were held in November. Before the 6 No- Initiative. vember parliamentary elections, the courts < 82 | 83 >

Members of the Oﬃce followed the voting process during the parliamentary elections on 6 November, which were monitored by

OSCE/Ulvi Akhundlu OSCE/Ulvi the ODIHR. The Oﬃce closely monitored political rallies and public events and followed the process in the event of arrests.

Gender issues. The Office’s focus in this field was on increasing the participation of women in the parliamentary election as voters, activists, observers and candi- dates. In co-operation with the local media NGO, Internews, the Office produced a series of feature stories and debates under the title Women and Elections broadcast countrywide until the day of the polls. During the year, the Office hosted several gender roundtables, which were attended by international organizations, donors and Police and demonstrators at a pre-election rally in Baku in September. representatives of embassies.

Supporting the creation of a civil regis- Supporting political dialogue. One of try. An international expert commissioned the Office’s key priorities was to support by the Office assessed the work needed to talks between the authorities and the op- set up a nationwide civil registry, identi- position. It brought the two sides together fying the financial and technical impli- in May to discuss the basic values of de- cations for the 2006 budget. The Office mocracy, beginning the first of a series of outlined the system’s basic requirements “dialogue” meetings on democracy. All the and the main tasks state agencies needed participants agreed on a nine-point frame- to undertake to establish it. The registry work for the conduct of political parties. will maintain demographic records for purposes such as personal identification or In September, a second “dialogue” meeting electoral rolls. brought together chairs of political parties, heads of regional Executive Committees Anti-trafficking efforts. The Office and high-level representatives of the police designed and funded a training scheme and internal troops to discuss issues such for women at risk of becoming trafficking as locations for demonstrations and pick- victims in the northern regional town of ets. During the meeting, participants were Guba, where opportunities for advance- urged to seek dialogue among all actors ment are slim. With the support of the involved and to draft an agreement before municipal government, the programme every meeting or picket. The agreement trains young women in secretarial skills should describe who would participate, and helps them find productive work, where it would take place and how it would thus countering the threat of them falling be managed. victim to traffickers. Parliamentary elections. The Office The implementation of the national action supported the implementation of the revi- plan on the fight against human traffick- sions and recommendations to the Elec- ing, which was adopted in 2004, gained toral Code and further reform of the legal momentum with the adoption of a new framework for parliamentary elections. It Law on Trafficking in Human Beings funded and advised on principles to take and amendments to the Criminal Code. into account with regard to the content of The Office and the Interior Ministry television and radio spots produced by the refurbished a building designated as the NGO, Election Monitoring Centre. This Head of Office: country’s first secure accommodation for project was part of the Office’s efforts to Ambassador Maurizio Pavesi victims and those at risk of trafficking. educate voters on voter registration and to Revised budget: €1,593,500 encourage election participation. www.osce.org/baku Field operations Caucasus Mission to Georgia The Georgian Govern- conclusion of the cease-fire Control Commission and Operation’s lessons and ment’s democratic reform of August 2004. Violent focused its activities on experiences to the Georgian programme and the con- incidents in 2005 involved areas that would create a Border Guard Service. siderable challenges in shooting, kidnappings, kill- more favourable context for The Mission also assisted the process of peaceful ings, beatings and a mortar political dialogue. the new Georgian Govern- resolution of the Georgian- attack on a built-up area. Other significant challeng- ment in various aspects Ossetian conflict required Violations of agreements, in- es included the closing down of its democratic reform an intensive and cross-di- cluding a military parade on of the Border Monitoring programme, involving mensional approach by the 20 September, compounded Operation at the beginning the Mission’s economic- Mission in 2005. the tension. of the year and the rapid environmental and human The situation in the zone The Mission contributed establishment and imple- dimension staff in further of the Georgian-Ossetian to stabilization through mentation of the Training substantial work with their conflict remained as volatile close monitoring and active Assistance Programme to governmental and civil and tense as it was at the participation in the Joint pass on the Monitoring society counterparts.

Politico-military dimension activities

PEACEFUL CONFLICT OSCE/Martha Freeman RESOLUTION OSCE/Martha Freeman

The Georgian-Ossetian conflict. As the main priority, the Mission engaged in all dimensions to contribute to the peaceful resolution of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. It participated actively in meetings of the Joint Control Commission (JCC), which met six times, including at a special session in Ljubljana in November by invi- tation of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. The JCC is co-chaired by the Georgian, South Ossetian, North Ossetian and Rus- sian sides, and aims at injecting impetus to the political process for peaceful resolution.

The Mission has urged the sides to take One of the core tasks of the Mission is to monitor the activities of the Joint Peacekeeping practical steps to improve the security Forces in the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. situation. In particular, it submitted proposals to move forward the demilitariza- political dialogue, the Mission has carried Through the Human Rights Centre in tion of the zone of conflict and to promote forward several initiatives to build con- Tskhinvali, the Mission arranged train- co-operation between the police forces of fidence between the sides. These include ing for prison staff, weekly sessions on the sides. programmes on: economic and infrastruc- human rights and the English language for ture rehabilitation, civic society and hu- teachers as well as Georgian and Ossetian The Mission intensified consultations man rights development, conflict journal- children. The Mission also engaged in with the JCC participants, Georgian high ists’ training for unbiased media coverage activities to strengthen civil society and to officials and Embassies with a view to of events and facilitating the production of raise awareness of human rights in villages ensure that the sides maintain a dialogue the JCC newsletter. administered by the different sides. The and search for solutions towards stability. Mission supported training for Ossetian Monitoring the military situation in the Human rights and civil society ac- and Georgian students on international zone of conflict and timely reporting to tivities in the zone of the Georgian- human rights and the history of the Cau- the OSCE participating States continue to Ossetian conflict. The Mission supported casus. The Mission also funded 14 com- be important tasks. projects involving Ossetian and Georgian munity projects and two language training communities to promote human rights centres to broaden career opportunities To help stabilize the security situation and to strengthen confidence in the civil throughout the zone of conflict. and create a more favourable context for society’s ability to help settle conflicts. < 84 | 85 >

Ongoing rehabilitation projects Monitoring the situation on the ground. The Georgian-Abkhaz conflict. The peace The Mission continued to co-ordinate the Mission Monitoring Officers continued process resumed this spring within the implementation of projects for infrastruc- to patrol the zone of conflict and visit UN-led Geneva framework and the ‘Sochi ture rehabilitation in the zone of conflict checkpoints and observation posts. The working groups format’ established by the financed by a €2.5 million grant from the monitoring officers also accompanied Joint Russian and Georgian presidents in 2003. European Commission. These included Peacekeeping Forces’ (JPKF) monitoring The Mission participated in two meetings projects to improve electricity, gas and teams and exchanged information with between the sides on the issue of security water supplies to the communities. Under a the commander of the visited observation guarantees. Steering Committee, the Mission led regular posts. Weapons inspections took place to consultations between the two sides, the confirm the JPKF positions are equipped Still lacking agreement from the Abkhaz European Commission, and implementing in accordance with its own inventory and side, there was no progress in 2005 regard- partners the UNDP and the UNHCR. regulations. ing the opening, in Gali, of a branch office of the joint UN-OSCE Human Rights Of- fice in Abkhazia, Georgia.

As part of the activities of the Human Rights Office in Abkhazia, Georgia, the OSCE/Martha Freeman OSCE/Steven Weinburg OSCE/Steven Mission promoted human rights education for 3,000 children in schools of the district of Ochamchira, using Council of Europe materials for teaching human rights. It engaged a local commercial TV station in Sukhumi to produce local human rights awareness programmes on different themes. It provided training and grants to civil society organizations in the Gali district to improve their management Fruit farmers in the Georgian villages skills and professionalism. north of Tskhinvali now benefit from a refurbished irrigation pump system. It Twenty Georgian and Ossetian journal- OTHER POLITICOMILITARY was repaired in 2005 as part of the Mis- ists trained on conflict reporting. DIMENSION ACTIVITIES sion's rehabilitation programme. For the first time since tensions rose in 2004, journalists from Georgia and South Destruction of surplus military stock- Ossetia participated in a specialized pro- piles. In October, Georgia’s Foreign gramme on professional conflict reporting Minister signed an agreement to continue skills. The initiative included several training with the third stage of an OSCE project to sessions in Tskhinvali and a study trip to the dismantle and recycle obsolete ammuni- United Kingdom. Co-organized by the Mis- tion on Georgian territory. In November, sion and the British Embassy in Tbilisi, the maintenance, fencing and other preparato- course examined the challenges of balanced ry work were under way at the dismantling reporting on conflict issues in Northern Ire- base at Dedoplistskaro. land and helped forge dialogue and working contacts between media professionals. Action against terrorism. To prepare the ground for the adoption of the remaining three of the 12 Universal Conventions and Needs Assessment Study on the rehabili- Protocols on Anti-terrorism, the Mis- tation and economic development in the sion and the Ministry of Internal Affairs zone of conflict launched a project to bring Georgian In November, the Mission launched a legislation in this field in line with interna- Needs Assessment Study in the zone of the tional standards. Georgian-Ossetian conflict, carried out by 18 international and local experts. The aim Through a range of targeted projects Georgian and Ossetian engineers is to develop a number of project proposals including study visits, the Mission helped working in partnership on the gas in the fields of infrastructure rehabilitation Georgia’s anti-terrorism structures distribution refurbishment project and of economic development for submis- strengthen co-operation with their coun- in Tskhinvali. sion to potential donors. terparts in Europe and arranged a series of workshops on combating terrorism and Field operations Caucasus

organized crime to signiﬁcantly increase their professionalism.

The Mission also worked closely with the OSCE/Steven Weinburg OSCE/Steven Ministry to develop a crisis management centre, set up a common information system on convicted and suspected terror- ists and criminals, adopt a document of best practice, and send oﬃcials to anti- terrorism conferences in Georgia and abroad.

Police reform. In line with the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ reform agenda, the Mis- sion completed an in-depth needs assessment with the participation of international experts on policing in February. The recommendations provided the founda- tions for the current OSCE short-term assistance project, which was tailored to help the Ministry develop a comprehensive personnel management system, establish The first group of Georgian border guards receive their certificates from Head of Mission a Community Policing Development Unit Ambassador Roy Reeve. By year’s end, 375 trainees were formally evaluated as having and introduce a newly developed basic acquired the core programme skills of the training assistance programme. training course in the Police Academy curriculum. It also helped finance repairs and new equipment in the Academy library. Training assistance programme. In Economic and environmental response to a request by the Georgian dimension activities Government in early 2005 to support the capacity of the Georgian border guards Economic security. The Mission con- in border management, the Mission set tinued to focus on developing small- and up a training assistance programme. The medium-sized enterprises, supporting the

OSCE/David Khizanishvili OSCE/David initiative aims to transfer the skills it has fight against corruption and providing gained from five years of border monitor- economic policy guidance to the govern- ing experience. ment. Additionally, the Mission actively supported good governance initiatives in The trainees were mid-ranking and non- regions outside Tbilisi. Activities included: commissioned officers, some of whom were • assessing wheelchair production facili- Graduates of the train-the-trainers course identified as potential future instructors. ties in Georgia, including Abkhazia; in advanced criminal investigations in the these facilities, once established, will newly refurbished library of the Georgian Practical and theoretical sessions covered provide jobs for people with disabilities. police academy. skills for: • organizing a youth summer camp on • rescue operations and security rules in entrepreneurship; during the camp, young hazardous mountainous areas; people from all over Georgia were trained • planning and managing border units on the basics of entrepreneurship. during day and night; • setting up an anti-money laundering • patrolling, observing and reporting; workshop for Government officials;

OSCE/David Khizanishvili OSCE/David • maintaining special equipment; the Mission supported NGO eﬀorts to • map reading; ensure implementation of the recom- • communications; and mendations of the OECD Anti-Corrup- •ﬁrst aid. tion Network. A team of 50 personnel, including 30 • analysing the country’s privatization international experts, implements the plan; this extensive review, conducted The Mission’s police advisor with the programme from the OSCE Mission Head- by the Mission in co-operation with the future trainers of the Georgian Police quarters in Tbilisi and from four other National Security Council, focused on Academy regional training centres (Lilo, Kazbegi, economic growth and sound economic Lagodekhi and Omalo). policy planning. < 86 | 87 >

• creating good governance resource Local self-government. In this field, the ers’ Office, making free legal advice avail- centres in Gardabani and Marneuli; Mission’s activities included supporting able and holding seminars for officials, these centres aim at assisting local the training of local government officials, lawyers and human rights defenders. governments to develop and implement promoting citizen participation in local their budgets and to disseminate infor- government and monitoring of the lo- It initiated and funded human rights mation to villages in regions with large cal budget process in towns throughout education in schools in four districts of national minorities. Georgia. The Mission supported public Georgia: Kvemo Kartli, Samtskhe- discussion on legislative changes in the Javakheti, Samegrelo and Ajara. Environmental security. The Mission area of local self-government ahead of the established an Aarhus Centre together 2006 local elections. In addition, the Mission supported the in- with the Georgian Ministry of Environ- tegration of ethnic minorities by establishment, in Tbilisi on 19 December. The aim Freedom of the media. To increase the ing community centres in Kvemo Kartli. of the Centre is to promote the principles media’s capacity to inform citizens in a The centres run regular training sessions of the Aarhus Convention signed by Geor- balanced and objective way, the Mission on the Georgian and English languages, gia in 2003 and help build trust between supported the development of professional computer studies and human rights. They the Government and civil society sectors skills of regional independent broadcast also arrange discussion groups on topics working on environmental matters. media. This comprised training sessions relevant to a multi-ethnic society. for journalists from South Ossetia, Ajara The Mission worked on identifying and other regions in west Georgia. The Strengthening the fight against traf- environmental problems that can result Mission also supported monitoring of the ficking in human beings. A major focus in instability and potentially in conflict. implementation of the Freedom of Infor- was the implementation of the 2005-2006 Assisted by the office of the Co-ordinator mation Act in the regions as well as in the National Action Plan against Human of OSCE Economic and Environmental capital. Trafficking, developed by the Government Activities, the Mission supported the and NGO representatives in 2004 with the OSCE-UN Environment and Security HUMAN RIGHTS AND support of the Mission. A national referral initiative in developing projects that tackle FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS mechanism assessment supported by the issues of environmental concern. Mission was published in September. It The Mission continued to work with state also assisted a pilot project in the region The Mission also funded an environmental bodies and NGOs to promote interna- of Ajara to enhance co-operation between youth summer camp to provide environ- tional human rights standards, focusing the local authorities and NGOs to identify mental education for young Georgians. on rural areas. It used a two-fold approach: and refer victims of trafficking. implementing projects that promote human rights and working on human rights Gender Equality. The Mission helped the Human dimension activities cases. The casework involved monitoring Government and women’s organizations to trials, providing legal advice and rais- develop a national action plan to promote Strengthening democratic institutions. ing concerns about alleged human rights gender equality. By year’s end, the draft The Mission worked to strengthen the violations. was submitted for governmental approval. capacity of Georgian society and its institutions on their path to democratization. The Government was given assistance PROMOTING LEGAL This included a functioning local democ- to implement the National Action Plan REFORMS IN GEORGIA racy and the ability to conduct free and against Torture 2003-2005 through fair elections. The Mission also promoted strengthening co-operation between the The Mission promoted the ongoing re- the independence and professionalism of National Security Council, the Public forms of the legal system in Georgia. In Georgian media. Defenders’ Office, the General Prosecutors’ 2005, this included: Office and the Ministry of Interior. This • assisting the Ministry of Justice to im- The electoral process. The new Central included: plement civil registry reform; Election Commission received assistance • paying unannounced visits to places of • facilitating the development of an in its efforts to increase the transparency detention; independent, professional, and equita- and accountability of the recruitment of • reacting to violations; and ble judiciary in Georgia; the Mission election officials. The Mission continues • developing strategies to improve deten- provided financial assistance to the As- to foster the capacity of local NGOs to tion conditions. sociation of Judges of Georgia in order observe elections and participates in the to develop guidelines on adopting court process of developing Georgia’s legislation The Mission helped strengthen human decisions in criminal, administrative to ensure well-organized and fair rights protection mechanisms in rural ar- and certain types of civil law. The Mis- elections. eas mainly by advising the Public Defend- sion also supported the Association in Field operations Caucasus OSCE/David Khizanishvili OSCE/David

The OSCE Mission to Georgia and the U.S. Agency for International Development assisted Georgia in establishing a modernized civil registry system. The Mission organized a series of training sessions for the newly recruited Ministry of Justice staﬀ working on the civil registry throughout the country.

conducting a series of training sessions for judges across the country from June to September. • promoting the establishment of a safe and secure prison system; assistance included providing new penitentiary institution staﬀ with basic professional skills training. • facilitating dialogue among Georgian legal professionals; the Mission facilitated dialogue among Georgian legal professionals, which focused on fostering an opinion exchange on the ongoing legal reforms in Georgia.

Head of Mission: Ambassador Roy Reeve Revised budget: €12,324,800 www.osce.org/georgia < 88 | 89 >

Office in Yerevan The Office engaged in tion related to elections and outside of Yerevan, the Office tion and efforts to combat several initiatives to assist freedom of assembly, and established two local public corruption, trafficking and the Armenian authorities continued to work to improve environmental information money laundering. in improving human rights laws on religious freedom centres in Syunik province Marking its fifth anniver- legislation and the function- and the fight against traffick- and organized roundtables sary, the Office used the cel- ing of the legislative branch ing. It also conducted two on economic, environ- ebrations to promote OSCE in 2005. These efforts proved large projects: the recycling mental, human rights and values, commitments and particularly timely in light of environmentally hazard- democratization issues in principles and to increase its of constitutional changes, ous rocket fuel component several regions. Other areas outreach activities. adopted during a November (Melange) and assistance in of activity included human referendum, which enhanced police training and pro- rights protection, freedom of the authority of the Na- moting community-based the media, small- and tional Assembly. The Office policing. medium-sized enterprise contributed to new legisla- Increasing its focus on areas development, labour migra-

Legislative reform. The Office made request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, context for the Office’s continuing work in considerable headway in the promotion of organized a similar one-week course to this field. Jointly with the Anti-Corruption legislative reform. The legislature approved enhance research and analytical tools and Monitoring Commission, it organized an amendments to the electoral code and to methods of the Ministry’s staff. international conference at which inter- the Law on conducting Meetings, Rallies, national experts discussed best practices Marches and Demonstrations that resulted Combating corruption. The Prime Minis- in the fight against corruption. The Office in improvements in this legislation from ter’s Anti-Corruption Council established also continued to chair a working-group of the perspective of international standards. to implement Armenia’s 2003 National international and bilateral missions inter- The Office had long promoted legislative Anti-Corruption Strategy provided the ested in assisting these efforts. reform in these areas and in both cases the laws were adopted based on recommen- Elimination of rocket fuel component stocks dations provided by the ODIHR and the The Office continued its rocket fuel component disposal project launched in 2004 at the Venice Commission. request of the Armenian Government. Melange is a hazardous material that, due to the deterioration of storage containers, represents a risk to the population and the environment. The Office lent support to the process of With the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Defence on 30 Sep- constitutional reform. ODIHR provided tember, the final and decisive phase of project implementation was initiated. The result will be the authorities with comments on the the environmentally sound recycling of 872 tons of stockpiled Melange into a mineral dressing, human rights provisions of the package of which will be used for the improvement of pH-poor soil in the region. (For more on this topic, amendments. Prior to the constitutional please see page 11.) referendum of 27 November, the Office

organized a media campaign to promote OSCE voter participation.

Working with civil society and govern- Recycling mental bodies, the Oﬃce continued hazardous rocket to assist with work on draft legislation fuel is key to dealing with religious freedom and labour address Armenia’s migration. environmental and military safety.

Support to the National Assembly. To strengthen the professional capacities of parliamentary staff, the Office, with the assistance of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, implemented a three-week advanced training course for staff experts from three Standing Committees and two Departments, followed by a one-week working visit to the Austrian and Slov- enian National Assemblies. Following this successful experience, the Office, at the Field operations Caucasus

ment of a Syunik guidebook designed to attract both tourists and potential inves- tors, as well as an environmental impact assessment of the mining industry in the town of Kajaran, a task undertaken at the local community’s request. The Oﬃce, together with UNDP, commissioned a feasibility study on the establishment of a business incubator in the city of Goris focused on fostering SMEs.

To help combat money laundering and suppress the financing of terrorism, the Office, at the request of the Armenian authorities, supported the adoption of a legislative framework and the establishment of a Financial Intelligence Unit under the Central Bank of Armenia. The Office Activities in the Syunik province included an environmental impact assessment visit. organized conferences and facilitated training programmes to support Armenia’s The Office supported members of an vulnerable to cyber attack. In co-opera- integration into international organiza- anti-corruption coalition of NGOs to tion with the authorities, the Office played tions involved in combating crime. raise public awareness on corruption in a key role in setting up a National Task important sectors such as traffic police, Force to draft a National Action Plan on To facilitate commerce and trade, the Of- healthcare delivery, higher education and cyber security. The draft outlines methods fice, together with the Eurasia foundation, the civil service. The Office, jointly with to strengthen the legislative and technical launched a multi-year project to initiate a the General Prosecutor’s Office, translated aspects of cyber security and bolster the dialogue in the southern Caucasus region and published an Armenian version of the Government’s capabilities to combat aimed at discussing possibilities to harmo- publication Best Practices on Combat- cyber crime. nize customs regulations and policies. The ing Corruption, produced by the office of Office helped organize a workshop focus- the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and ing on problems with legal and structural Environmental Activities. Economic and environmental reforms related to trade and commerce dimension activities and promoting dialogue between the business community and the relevant state Politico-military The Office supported the establishment of officials across the region. dimension activities four new Aarhus Centres in three regions, whose aim is to raise public awareness of To enhance economic legislation reform, Police assistance. In the framework of environmental issues and encourage public the Office, at the request of the Ministry the OSCE’s Police Assistance Programme, participation in environmental decision- of Trade and Economic Development, the Office promoted community-oriented making. conducted a series of roundtables focused policing in a district in Yerevan with the on the reduction of administrative barriers aim to improve the exchange of informa- The Office continued its support for the and improving the business environment tion between the police and the public, as implementation of the Armenian compo- for SMEs. The reform recommendations well as to increase the public’s confidence nent of the South Caucasus River Monitor- developed during these discussions were in the police. ing Project, which focused in 2005 on re- incorporated into the 2006 State Pro- establishing a regional water monitoring gramme for SME Development. The Office also supported the refurbish- system, increasing local technical capabili- ment of the national training centre for ties and creating a model sharing system non-commissioned officers and is looking accessible by Internet. This OSCE-NATO Human dimension activities at additions to the Centre’s curriculum in Project, now in its fourth year, monitors 2006 to bring it in line with international the quality and quantity of the waters of The Office chaired the international work- standards. the Kura and Araks river basin. ing group on Ombudsman issues. Jointly with the ODIHR, the Office contributed to Addressing cyber security. The Office The Office assisted the administration of strengthening the Armenian Ombudsman assumed a leading role in addressing this the province of Syunik in the economic Office’s capacities through exchange visits increasingly important issue. Armenia’s and social development of this remote and with Polish and Lithuanian Ombudsman rapidly developing IT-services sector is unique region. Activities included develop- institutions. < 90 | 91 >

Through culture to tolerance The Office co-operated with the Govern- Prompted by the Declaration adopted at the OSCE meeting in Cordoba in June, the Office and ment and other international partners in the Foreign Ministry organized a concert on 29 September to promote the culture of tolerance implementing the National Plan of Action in Armenia. Leading Armenian soloists and the Sympho-Jazz Orchestra of Public TV and Radio on Women’s Advancement, adopted in performed works by the outstanding Armenian composer, Willi Weiner, whose music draws on 2004. The Office implemented a project the cultural traditions of several nations. A special tri-lingual brochure of OSCE commitments aimed at increasing awareness of the role based on the Helsinki Final Act, the 1990 Copenhagen Document, the 1990 Paris Charter for of women in the society among teenage New Europe, and the Cordoba Declaration-- was published and distributed to guests at the students and, together with the UNDP, event. supported women’s participation in the “The significance of such events is enormous,” said Armen Arnautov-Sargysan, Vice-President local elections held in autumn. of the Menora Cultural Centre, co-organizer of the event. “(We are) building bridges of mutual understanding and convergence through history, culture, traditions and art, respect, acceptance The Office also continued to closely follow and appreciation of the rich diversity of cultures of the whole world.” developments in the area of freedom of the media. The Media Legislation Working Group, chaired by the Office, continued to serve as an open forum for exchanging information, discussing problems and joint Zaven Khachikyan Zaven measures to improve the situation.

Oustanding Armenian composer Willi Willi Weiner’s works are performed at a Weiner’s music draws on the cultural concert on 29 September to promote the traditions of several nations. culture of tolerance.

Around 300 employees of the penitentiary support to their families. It raises aware- system will receive training annually at the ness of their problems with local authori- training centre, newly refurbished by the ties and community leaders. Office and the Ministry of Justice. The Office continued to work closely with Based on its project of monitoring human the relevant Armenian authorities, the Hu- rights in the Armenian military, the Office man Rights Defender and civil society with developed and presented to the Ministry regard to individual human rights com- of Defence and armed forces a series of plaints. The treatment of complaints by recommendations, including the creation those authorities allows for better assess- of an independent channel for receipt of ment of the human rights situation in the complaints from servicemen and more country and enhances the promotion of systematic instruction in human rights. human rights. The Office also promoted its human rights public awareness campaign, The Office also consulted with the Min- addressing the issues of religious minori- istry of Labour and Social Issues and the ties and alternatives to military service. Ministry of Health on improving alternatives to military service in Armenia. The The Office assisted the Government in de- Office organized a roundtable involving veloping anti-trafficking legislation and ef- major stakeholders in order to discuss fective human rights-based mechanisms to different views of the practice of alternative protect and assist the victims of traffick- service and to find a common denominator. ing (National Referral Mechanism). The Office conducted a series of roundtables Some 150 children with disabilities and seminars for the Armenian authorities benefited from the Community Centre in and NGOs active in this field. In mid-2005 Head of Office: Noyemberyan region, which was estab- the Office strengthened its co-operation Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin lished with the Office’s support. The Cen- with the General Prosecutor‘s Office in the Revised budget: €1,460,900 tre promotes socialization and inclusion enforcement of existing legislation. www.osce.org/yerevan of children with disabilities and provides