At crossroads, Georgia faces dueling interests
By M. Alkahzashvili
The Messenger, Georgia
Nov 26 2004
Thanks to its geographic location, Georgia is actively involved in
various transit-energy projects. But in addition to certain benefits,
the projects bring complications as well. Neighbors, both near and
far have their own interests in projects and their interests are
often unpredictable.
Most recently Azerbaijani media has expressed dissatisfaction over the
increase of Turkmenistan’s armed forces, an event also connected to
Georgia. The issue stems from the fact that the status of the Caspian
Sea remains vague, and Turkmenistan has put forward claims over oil
deposits in the sea that Azerbaijan has already begun to exploit.
A deputy to in Azerbaijan’s legislative assemble, the Mili-Mejlis,
was recently quoted by the Georgian newspaper Rezonansi as saying
Turkmenistan is taking an aggressive posture over the Caspian.
“The issues of the judicial regulation of the Caspian Sea are still
not completed. I think that Ashkhabad makes this move so it can be
more self-confident during negotiations and to defend its positions
regarding the Caspian Sea,” states deputy, and general, Vladimir
Timoshenko.
At the same time it is widely mentioned that Georgia contributes
in the increase of Turkmenistan’s armed forces. Between 1994-1995,
Georgia’s aviation factory Tbilaviamsheni began covering the costs of
importing natural gas from Turkmenistan by renovating the country’s
military airplanes. So far, 43 military planes and 6 helicopters
have been repaired. In addition to this Turkmenistan bought the SU-25
Scorpion fighter modernized by Tbilaviamsheni.
Azerbaijan is a key partner for Georgia, particular in its Caspian
energy projects. Thus Georgia has no interest in upsetting one of
its closest neighbors, friends and allies. Georgia hopes that the
tension between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan will be solved without
any conflicts.
It is of no interest to any country in the region rich with energy
resources to further aggravate the situation. On the other hand Georgia
has its commercial interests in particular when Georgia has enormous
debts from natural gas to Turkmenistan.
Meanwhile, Russia’s RAO-UES has initiated a new transit project
through Georgia. Chair of the board of the local Telasi distributor
and member of the executive board of RAO-UES, Andrei Rappoport,
announced this week that his company is considering expansion into
the Iranian energy system.
To successfully implement the project, RAO-UES needs to build an
additional electric transmission line through Georgia. Negotiations
with the Iranian side are underway and as Rappoport said the project
will enable Georgia to better regulate its electricity supply system:
in case of a surplus, to export to Iran, and in case of a deficit,
to import from Iran.
But the question arises, since Russia is taking so much care of
Georgia, one can assume that this project as political background
as well. Here too diverse interests are at stake: Russia wants to
include its ally Armenia in the project and extend its reach further
to middle eastern markets.

Mark Thatcher’s questioning about coup plot postponed until February
AP Worldstream
Nov 26, 2004
ELLIOTT SYLVESTER — A magistrate on Friday postponed a court
appearance by Sir Mark Thatcher to give his lawyers time to try to
appeal a high court judgment requiring him to answer questions from
Equatorial Guinea about an alleged failed coup attempt.
Thatcher, the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher,
had been ordered by a high court on Wednesday to appear in magistrate’s
court Friday to answer the questions under oath posed by Equatorial
Guinea.
Magistrate Helen Alman postponed the appearance until Feb. 18 to give
Thatcher’s lawyers time to appeal the high court ruling.
“We are currently drafting our appeal to address various errors in
the judgment and contend strongly that we have a good prospect for
success,” said Peter Hodes, an attorney for Thatcher.
The postponement of the questioning about the coup came one day after
another magistrate postponed the start of Thatcher’s trial in a South
African court on charges he helped finance a foiled coup attempt in
oil-rich Equatorial Guinea until April 8 for further investigation.
Magistrate Awie Kotze granted the delay at the request of
prosecutors. He also extended Thatcher’s bail conditions, which require
that he remain in the Cape Town area and report daily to police.
Thatcher, who has lived in South Africa since 1995, was arrested at
his suburban Cape Town home on August 25 and charged with violating
this country’s anti-mercenary laws.
He also faces charges in Equatorial Guinea, where 19 other defendants
are already on trial in connection with an alleged plot earlier this
year to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who has ruled
Africa’s third-largest oil producer for the past 25 years. Officials
there have said they will seek Thatcher’s extradition from South
Africa.
Equatorial Guinea alleges Thatcher and other, mainly British,
financiers worked with the tiny country’s opposition figures, scores
of African mercenaries and six Armenian pilots in a takeover attempt
foiled in March. Thatcher maintains he played no part in the alleged
conspiracy.
Simon Mann, a former British special forces commander accused of
masterminding the plot, was arrested and convicted with 67 accused
accomplices in Zimbabwe on weapons and other minor charges. Three
others later pleaded guilty to violating South Africa’s Foreign
Military Assistance Act as part of a plea bargain under which
they agreed to give evidence in court against other alleged coup
participants.

14 YEARS FOR THE ARMENIAN PILOTS
A1 Plus | 20:28:14 | 26-11-2004 | Social |
In Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, the court verdict for the persons charged
with an attempt for making a coup d’etat against the country was read
out. 6 Armenian pilots are among the accused.
Court sentenced Armenian pilot-in-command to 24-year-long imprisonment,
and 14 years to each Armenian pilot.
Advocate of the Armenian pilots is going to appeal against the unjust
verdict to Supreme Court of Equatorial Guinea and to the international
court instances in case of necessity, too.
Armenian official delegation in Malabo that has been to Equatorial
Guinea for many times and taken all the steps possible will keep
staying in that country to discuss with the local authorities issues
on handing the Armenian pilots over Armenia.
“Government of Armenia will make all the efforts to the proper bodies
of Equatorial Guinea to reach the fair decision for our citizens,
right up to release of them”, the press release of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Armenia says.

Armenian MPs’ Planned Visit Fails
AssA-Irada 26/11/2004 16:06
Armenian parliament members did not arrive in Baku to attend the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly Rose Roth seminar which started on Thursday.
Chairman of the Armenian parliament commission on defense, security
and internal affairs Mger Shahgeldian stated that this is due to
Baku’s failure to provide safety guarantees for Armenian MPs.
Director of the Milli Majlis (parliament) international relations
department Namig Aliyev says that Azerbaijani authorities guaranteed
security for all participants, including Armenian MPs, and that
the latter decided not to travel to Baku at the last minute, while
in Moscow.
Aliyev continued that NATO representatives disapproved of this step by
Armenian parliament members. “Armenians want us to deny them entry
to the country and thus deal a blow on us. In reality, they are the
ones who were hurt by this.”
Shahgeldian and another Armenian MP, Karapetian, were initially
expected to attend the NATO seminar. Pan-Armenian news agency reported
that the reason for the Armenian MPs’ not attending the event was
Azerbaijan’s refusal to admit Armenian officers to a NATO seminar and
an ethnically Armenian Bulgarian journalist, who was denied entry at
the Baku airport, and killing of an Armenian serviceman by an Azeri
officer in Budapest, Hungary.

Central Asian, Armenian Leaders Congratulate Yanukovich on Victory
MosNews, Russia
Nov 26 2004
MosNews
The leaders of Kazakhstan, Armenia, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have
congratulated Viktor Yanukovich on his victory in the Ukrainian
presidential elections. Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Belarus’
Alexander Lukashenko are the only other world leaders to congratulate
Yanukovich. All six states belong to the CIS, as does Ukraine itself.
However, the Supreme Court of Ukraine has forbidden the publication
of the official results of the Central Election Commission which
has hampered Yanukovich’s inauguration. At the same time, the court
agreed to consider the claim against the commission brought by the
opposition candidate for president, Viktor Yushchenko.
Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbayev said in his congratulation letter
that Yanukovich’s victory “is evidence of the Ukrainian people’s
choice in favor of national unity, a democratic way of development
and economic progress.”
Armenia’s Robert Kocharyan, quoted by the Ukrainian governmental press
service, expressed confidence that friendship and mutual understanding
between the two countries “will develop successfully and deepen the
welfare of our states and peoples”.

Equatorial Guinea court to rule in coup plot case
By Estelle Shirbon
Reuters, UK
Nov 26 2004
MALABO (Reuters) – An Equatorial Guinea court is due to give its
verdict on 14 suspected foreign mercenaries accused of plotting a coup
in the tiny country, sub-Saharan Africa’s third biggest oil producer.
Prosecutors have demanded the death penalty for Nick Du Toit, a
South African accused of leading an advance party of mercenaries
bent on ousting President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. The verdict
was originally expected at 9 a.m. British time on Friday but court
officials said it would now be announced 1 p.m.
Obiang has ruled Equatorial Guinea, split between volcanic islands
and a mountainous jungle mainland in central Africa, since 1979 when
he seized power in a coup against his uncle.
Many foreign critics say Obiang and his allies have pocketed much of
the country’s recently acquired oil wealth, and human rights groups
say abuses are rife — charges Obiang dismisses.
Du Toit at first admitted he had taken part in a coup plot, but later
retracted his confession in court, saying it had been extracted by
torture. Several of the men on trial with him also said they were
tortured.
State prosecutor Jose Olo Obono denied their allegations, saying all
their rights had been respected.
Obono has named a group of foreigners as financial backers of the
planned putsch, including Mark Thatcher, son of former Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher.
Thatcher, who denies any involvement, was arrested in South Africa
on August 25 on charges related to the alleged plot. A court there
on Thursday delayed his trial until April.
Thatcher had also been due to answer questions about the case from
Equatorial Guinea in South Africa on Friday but a Cape Town magistrate
postponed that hearing until February 18.
The prosecutor says the plot aimed to replace Obiang with exiled
opposition politician Severo Moto, with backing from an international
web of financiers lured by Equatorial Guinea’s lucrative offshore
oil deposits.
PLOT ALLEGATIONS DENIED
Moto, who lives in Spain, denies all involvement in the plot. The
prosecutor has asked for him to be sentenced to death in absentia
and has called for 102-year jail terms for eight members of Moto’s
self-proclaimed government in exile.
Besides Thatcher, the prosecutor named several other British or
London-based people as alleged financiers of the coup plan.
Malabo last week said it wanted an explanation from London after
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the British government had first
heard about the plan in late January — more than a month before it
was foiled.
The Malabo trial has been under international scrutiny, with diplomats,
foreign journalists and observers from Amnesty International and the
International Bar Association following every court session.
Seven other South Africans and six Armenians, all arrested at the same
time as Du Toit, are on trial with him. The South Africans could face
86-year prison terms while the Armenians could be jailed for 26 years.
Five Equatorial Guineans are also defendants in the same trial. The
prosecutor has requested jail terms for two of them, and has dropped
charges against the other three.
All of the accused told the court they were innocent.

Armenian president to hold “major” presser on Karabakh soon – agency
Mediamax news agency
26 Nov 04
Yerevan, 26 November: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said in
Yerevan today that “the positions of Armenia’s first and second
presidents on the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict have not changed over
the past seven years and each of them sticks to his own opinion”.
Robert Kocharyan said this while commenting on former Armenian
President Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s statements for journalists. As far as
the former president’s communication with the press is concerned,
Kocharyan said he considers it “natural after so many years of
silence”.
The Armenian president also promised journalists that he would hold a
“major news conference” on the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict before the
end of this year.
[Passage omitted: reported details of Ter-Petrosyan’s interview]

Armenian leader recalls envoy to India
Mediamax news agency
26 Nov 04
Yerevan, 26 November: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has signed
a decree dismissing Armen Bayburdyan from the post of Armenia’s
ambassador to India, the press service of the Armenian president has
told Mediamax.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NATO seminar in Azeri capital debates Karabakh, Caucasus security
ANS TV, Baku
25 Nov 04
Azerbaijan is a target of terror plotted by the Armenian special
services, Azerbaijani Interior Minister Ramil Usubov said at the 58th
Rose-Roth seminar of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Baku on 25
November. The minister said that 32 terror attacks had been carried out
against Azerbaijan and that the authorities had exposed six branches
of charity organizations suspected of financing terrorists. Also
speaking at the seminar, US political expert Brenda Shaffer said
that Washington should play an active role in the settlement of
the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagornyy Karabakh conflict and be more
helpful. Asked about NATO’s plans to expand towards the South Caucasus
and Central Asia, NATO Parliamentary Assembly Secretary-General
Simon Lunn said that the aim was to hold peacekeeping operations. The
following is the text of the report by Azerbaijani TV station ANS on
25 November:
[Presenter Natavan Babayeva] Except for Armenian MPs, parliamentarians
of NATO member countries are in Baku today. The 58th Rose-Roth seminar
has been kicked off in Baku. Despite the Armenians’ absence from the
seminar, the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict was in focus.
NATO’s eastward expansion questioned
[Correspondent over the seminar participants] Security issues in
the South Caucasus were the topic of the 58th Rose-Roth seminar of
NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly. Representatives of several states
highlighted the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by the Armenian
army. The Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, including open debates with
the participation of the NATO member countries on the security of
the Euro-Atlantic space, were of special significance, Speaker of
the Milli Maclis Murtuz Alasgarov said, adding that the discussions
in the seminar would contribute to the resolution of the conflict in
conformity with respect for international legal norms, territorial
integrity, and inviolability of borders.
In turn, NATO Parliamentary Assembly Secretary-General Simon Lunn
stressed that NATO is not just a military alliance, but also a
democratic organization. The secretary-general said that as a
democratic body, NATO is concerned about the conflict, like many
other international bodies. Today, 26 countries are members of NATO,
Simon Lunn said, adding that it is a priority issue to expand its
boundaries towards the Balkans, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus
and Central Asia in the near future.
After his speech, MPs put questions to the secretary-general.
[MP Rauf Qurbanov from the Communist Party of Azerbaijan] What concrete
aims does NATO pursue in eastward expansion and involvement of the
ex-Soviet republics in this military bloc?
[MP Siyavus Novruzov] My question is about combating terrorism,
extremism, drug trafficking and ethnic cleansing. What could be NATO’s
role in dealing with these issues in uncontrolled territories in the
South Caucasus?
[Correspondent] These are Simon Lunn’s answers to the questions:
First, the aim of expanding the military bloc is to hold peacekeeping
operations. As for the other question, NATO can only have an exchange
of opinions based on consultations.
USA’s role in Karabakh settlement
The head of the Caspian Research Center, Dr Brenda Shaffer, did not
agree with the term of frozen conflicts in the region. She believes
that people in the region are not yet ready for the resolution of
the conflict. A special mechanism should be worked out to resolve the
conflict. We are building a bridge between the sides to the conflict,
however, a tornado sweeps it aside. Now we should do our best, build
a bridge and protect it from the tornado, she said.
A Turkish MP made a remark about Shaffer’s opinion. He said that the
talk is not about the conflict, but the occupation. Armenia is not a
party to the conflict, but the occupier. Regrettably, the USA is not
neutral in this issue and is more pro-Armenian. Shaffer consented to
this opinion partly.
[Shaffer in English with Azeri voice-over] As for America as the
super state, I deem this criticism natural. The USA should play an
active role in the resolution of the Nagornyy Karabakh problem and
be more helpful.
[Correspondent] MP Aleksey Volkov from Russia wanted to know when
NATO will deal with the Nagornyy Karabakh problem in earnest. MP
Rizvan Cabiyev from Azerbaijan commented on the OSCE Minsk Group’s
US co-chairman, Steven Mann’s, statement that it will take decades
to resolve the Nagornyy Karabakh problem.
[MP Rizvan Cabiyev] The use of such terms could lay the foundation
of a dangerous tendency which, in turn, may provoke a more perilous
war. In this context, do you, Mrs Shaffer, not think that double
standards exist in dealing with the South Caucasus, in particular,
the Nagornyy Karabakh problem?
[Correspondent] Mrs Shaffer’s answer to the question was that the
Karabakh problem should be resolved between the two sides on the
basis of dialogue.
Azerbaijan target of terror
Speaking about potential factors that could undermine domestic
stability, Interior Minister Ramil Usubov said that Azerbaijan was a
target of terror plotted by the Armenian special services. Thirty-two
acts of terror have been committed against Azerbaijan.
The minister also said that branches of six aid organizations
suspected of transferring money to terrorists were unveiled and 43
people cooperating with those organizations were arrested.
However, Armenian MPs did not hear these accusations. They made up
their opinions at the last minute and refused to arrive in Baku
trying to put the blame on Baku for their refusal to attend the
Baku-hosted seminar.
Let us recall that Armenian MP Mger Shakhgeldyan, who was due in Baku
today, explained the reason for the refusal to visit Baku with the
failure of the Azerbaijani parliament to guarantee their security.
Actually, when our crew members went to Heydar Aliyev airport to film
the Armenian MPs, they saw officers of the presidential security
guard. The 58th Rose-Roth seminar of NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly
will complete its work on 27 November.
Afat Telmanqizi, Azar Qarayev for ANS.

Fight against terrorism
Baku Sun, Azerbaijan
Nov 26 2004
BAKU (AP) – Azerbaijan is stepping up the fight against terrorism
by tracking down terrorist organizations and their sponsors, the
country’s defense minister said Thursday. During the past six years,
authorities have exposed six branches of charity foundations believed
to be financing terrorists, Defense Minister Ramil Usubov said at a
NATO Parliamentary Assembly seminar.
The organizations have been shut and 43 people associated with them
have been expelled from the country, Usubov added.
Meanwhile, in the last five years, authorities have detained 30 people
connected with the Islamic Jihad and the Islamic Army of the Caucasus
terrorist organizations, he said. Twenty members of rebel groups have
been tried in courts.Usubov also said that Azerbaijan has detained
and extradited to Russia 14 rebels believed to have organized various
terrorist attacks.
He stressed that one of Azerbaijan’s main problems was illegal
migration, which fuels drugs and weapons trafficking, as well as
human trafficking and the smuggling of goods across borders.
The three-day seminar was supposed to have been attended by two
Armenian lawmakers, but they failed to show up at the last minute.
The Armenian deputies decided not to attend because their letter
to the heads of the Azerbaijani parliament and NATO Parliamentary
Assembly with a request to guarantee security of the Armenian
deputies had been left unanswered, said Mher Shakhgeldian, head of
the Armenian parliament’s commission for defense matters.Previous
visits to Baku by Armenian officials resulted in protests staged by
activists of Nagorno-Karabakh – an ethnic Armenian enclave disputed
by both countries.
Neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan is a NATO member, but both former
Soviet republics participate in NATO’s Partnership for Peace program.