Armenian leader downbeat on trilateral South Caucasus cooperation
Mediamax news agency
15 Nov 04
YEREVAN
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said in Yerevan today that Armenia
was not objecting to a cooperation initiative between the Baltic
states and the South Caucasus on the three-plus-three formula,
“although he has serious doubts about the efficiency of this format”.
Robert Kocharyan said this today, replying to a question from a
Mediamax correspondent at a joint press conference with Estonian
President Arnold Ruutel, who is on an official visit to Armenia.
Kocharyan recalled that Lithuania made the cooperation initiative
between the Baltic and South Caucasus countries on the
three-plus-three formula three years ago. “Armenia’s reaction at that
time was positive despite the fact that we considered and continue to
consider bilateral cooperation to be more promising,” Kocharyan said.
The Armenian president said that the major goal of the Lithuanian
initiative was to show the advantage of Baltic regional cooperation,
which so far has been difficult to implement in the South Caucasus
because of the existing conflicts and other problems, our agency
reports.
“We do not reject cooperation in this format, but we do not think that
one should expect special results from this,” Robert Kocharyan summed
up.

Armenian leader feels no “great optimism” about Karabakh talks
Mediamax news agency
15 Nov 04
YEREVAN
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan announced in Yerevan today that
“he does not feel great optimism” in connection with the current
situation in the process of settling the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.
Mediamax news agency quoted Robert Kocharyan as saying this today at a
joint briefing with Estonian President Arnold Ruutel, who is paying a
three-day -visit to Armenia.
The Armenian president talked about two serious problems which, as he
mentioned, are hindering progress at the talks on the conflict
settlement.
“The first problem is the absence of representatives from the Nagornyy
Karabakh Republic [NKR],” Robert Kocharyan said, noting that official
Baku wishes to hold the talks exclusively with Armenia. The president
said that consequently, he is representing the position not only of
Armenia but also of the NKR at the negotiations. Apart from this,
Robert Kocharyan stressed that this is not a correct negotiation
format to reflect the essence of the conflict.
Mediamax news agency quoted Robert Kocharyan as saying that
Azerbaijan’s unwillingness to start regional cooperation is the second
obstacle. The president recalled that Armenia follows the formula
“through cooperation to the settlement”, but Azerbaijan considers
impossible any form of cooperation with Armenia until the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict is fully solved. Meanwhile, Robert Kocharyan noted
that “we continue to believe that regional cooperation can create a
more favourable atmosphere for the conflict settlement”.
Commenting on the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen,
Robert Kocharyan described the mediation of Russia, the USA and France
as “the best format”. The Armenian president said that ” the OSCE
Minsk Group is doing everything possible for the conflicting sides to
settle the problem”. Therefore “it is now possible to say that that it
is the conflicting sides and not the mediators who are at fault”,
Robert Kocharyan said, recalling that “there were situations when we
were close to settling the conflict”.
The Armenian president recalled that the OSCE Minsk Group “has first
of all the role of a mediator and has no mandate to force the
conflicting sides towards peace”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeris protest worldwide at youth forum in breakaway Karabakh
ANS TV, Baku
15 Nov 04

[Presenter] An international forum organized by Armenia on the duty of
young people in the area of conflicts, human rights, democracy and
participation is being held today in the occupied territory of
Azerbaijan, Xankandi [known as Stepanakert in
Armenian]. Representatives from 20 international youth organizations
are expected to take part in the conference, the head of the foreign
relations division of the International Central All-Armenian Youth
Foundation, which organized the event, Ruben Markasanyan, said. The
travel expenses of the visitors are covered by the foundation, which
is funded by the Armenian government.
The movement For Azerbaijan has staged a number of protests in several
cities of the world against the forum organized by Armenia on
Azerbaijan’s occupied land. The first protest of this kind was held in
Virginia, USA. A protest was also held in front of the House of
Azerbaijani Culture in central Tbilisi. Simultaneous protests were
mounted in Istanbul and Izmir.
[N. Abdullayev, representative of the movement For Azerbaijan,
captioned over still pictures of scenes in Turkey, speaking over
phone] Azerbaijani students living in Turkey are venting their just
protest at the international familiarization visit to be held by the
International Central All-Armenian Youth Foundation in Nagornyy
Karabakh on 15-19 November. Because the main reason behind organizing
this event in Nagornyy Karabakh is to have the separatist terrorist
regime in Nagornyy Karabakh recognized in the international community
and thus to have international legal and political relations. The key
principles of international law, such as the inviolability of borders,
territorial integrity and sovereignty of states, will be violated
following this event. Entry to Nagornyy Karabakh should take place
with Azerbaijan’s consent, since it is Azerbaijan’s territory and
within Azerbaijan’s sovereignty. For this purpose, we keep demanding
that delegates to the forum stop the offences they are making or are
likely to make.

Ottawa Citizen
November 15, 2004 Monday
Final Edition
Telling the truth about a massacre
The Ottawa Citizen
It is depressing enough that human beings are capable of mass murder,
but the tendency of perpetrators to then deny their crimes is doubly
sickening. So the Bosnian Serb government’s decision last week to
acknowledge the Srebrenica massacre is an important victory for
historical truth.
Genocide scholars have long been troubled by the phenomenon of
denial. Turkey continues to deny the Armenian genocide during the
First World War, even though Turkish soldiers shot tens of thousand
of Armenian Christians and displaced tens of thousands more, the
latter dying of privation in the desert. Turkey so much wants to see
itself as a modern, civilized country that it has erased from
collective memory this episode of barbarism. Meanwhile, Holocaust
denial, the best known expression of this disease, represents a
campaign to rehabilitate Hitler’s reputation and to “expose” the
perfidy of world Jewry for orchestrating such a hoax.
The 1995 massacre by Bosnian Serbs of nearly 8,000 Muslim civilians
in Srebrenica was the greatest war crime on European soil since the
Nazi era. Yet ever since, many Serbs and their leaders have engaged
in denial. Journalist Timothy Garton Ash once recounted how a major
in the Yugoslav army said with a straight face that Serbian forces
were merely “driving the Muslims out and the Muslims got frightened,
so they started killing each other.”
The fiction that there was no massacre has now been laid to rest. The
Bosnian Serb government now promises to “take decisive steps to force
all persons who committed war crimes to face justice.” This last part
is crucial, for there can be no true peace in the Balkans until
fugitives such as Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, the wartime
leaders of the Bosnian Serbs, answer for their crimes.

California Courier Online, November 18, 2004
1 – Commentary
University Website Discloses
TARC Proposals and More…
By Harut Sassounian
California Courier Publisher
**************************************************************************
2 – Visitors Use 10th Century Akhtamar
Armenia Church for Target Practice
3 – Armenian Artists Join Russians
At West Hollywood Exhibit
4 – Armenian Second Only to Russian
In SBC Language Line Services
5 – Armenian Assembly Leaders
Convene in San Francisco
6 – Commentary
Anti-Armenian Schemes of Foreign
Companies Operating in Turkey
7 – Co-Authors of Best-Selling Armenia
Travel Guide to Speak in California
1 – Commentary

University Website Discloses
TARC Proposals and More…
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
The controversial Turkish Armenian Reconciliation Commission, contrary to
its members’ repeated assurances that it has terminated its activities, is
apparently alive and well, and plotting.
Even though TARC announced on April 14, 2004, (yet again) that “its work as
a commission is ending,” it made it clear that rather than fading away, it
intended to expand the scope of its sinister work by stating: “We have
decided to convene an initial meeting of a larger group than TARC to
discuss the subject of Turkish Armenian rapprochement and reconciliation.
This conference is planned for the fall of 2004. In addition we intend to
support a Turkish Armenian consultative group which would meet at least
annually to exchange views, review progress, and recommend actions to
promote improved relations. TARC’s website, , will continue to
function.”
TARC stated that it would submit shortly its recommendations to “the
concerned governments,” probably meaning Turkey and Armenia, and also the
United States, the main financial backer of this scheme, to the tune of
several millions dollars.
TARC did not make its recommendations public. Its official website does not
include this document. The website of the American University (AU) in
Washington, D.C., however, not only reveals the full text of this internal
document, but also discloses the vast number of Turkish-Armenian exchanges
sponsored by the AU’s Center for Global Peace which received its funding
from the U.S. government. David L. Phillips, the Chairman of TARC, is the
Director of the Center for Global Peace and Deputy Director of the Center
for Preventive Action of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is also a
senior advisor to the US Department of State.
Here are TARC’s seven recommendations to the governments of Turkey and
Armenia:
Official contacts should be further improved;
Opening of the Turkish Armenian border should be announced and implemented
in 2004;
The two governments should publicly support civil society programs focused
on education, science, culture, and tourism;
Standing mechanisms for cooperation on humanitarian disaster assistance and
health care should be established;
Security and confidence building measures between Turkey and Armenia should
be enhanced;
Religious understanding should be encouraged; and
The Turkish and Armenian people need to develop more confidence that their
governments are working to surmount the difficulties related to the past.
To gain a better insight into the extent of time and effort as well as
money spent by the U.S. government to divert the attention of Armenians
away the genocide issue, I have summarized below, from the AU’s website,
the list of extensive activities undertaken by the Center for Global Peace
to promote Turkish-Armenian exchanges:
I – LEADERSHIP
Conflict Resolution Training;
Diaspora Dialogue: Regular meetings between Armenian and Turkish
organizations in Washington, D.C., “to discuss issues affecting the
Diaspora communities;”
Regional Mayors’ Project: Meetings with mayors from bordering provinces in
Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and Turkey;
Turkish-Armenian Parliamentary Exchanges; and
Turkish Armenian Reconciliation Commission.
II – MEDIA
Documentaries for Turkish, Armenian and US television stations; Production
of a CD;
Reciprocal visits by Turkish and Armenian journalists;
Radio programs broadcast in Turkey and Armenia; and
Women’s magazine published by Turkish and Armenian women (15,000 copies, 96
pages).
III. CULTURE
Plans to renovate the Akhtamar Church; and
Dialogue between Armenian and Turkish religious leaders; and
Exchanges between Turkish and Armenian musicians.
IV – ECONOMY
Exchanges between Turkish and Armenian businessmen;
Marketing network of the Caucasus;
Regional economic working group; and
Cooperative manufacturing effort for textile producers in Turkey and
Armenia.
V. EDUCATION
Mutual Perceptions Research Project (Armenia/Turkey and
Armenia/Azerbaijan);
Regional Academic Cooperation;
Visiting scholars; and
Youth Peace Education.
VI. WOMEN’S PARTNERSHIP
Exchange visits by Armenian and Turkish women; and
Institutional exchanges.
The main problem with TARC’s patently obvious recommendations and the
extensive Turkish-Armenian exchanges organized by the American University’s
Center for Global Peace is that they are directed by a group (TARC) that is
set up and funded by a foreign entity (the Bush Administration) for the
purpose of stifling the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the U.S.
Congress as well as the legislatures of all other countries.
As I reported back in 2001, Ozdem Sanberk, one of the Turkish members of
TARC, had blurted out the following admission in a moment of weakness or
inattention: “The basic goal of our commission is to impede the initiatives
put forth every year in the U.S. Congress and parliaments of Western
countries on ‘the genocide issue’…. The key goal is to prevent ‘the
genocide’ issue from being regularly brought onto the agenda in Western
countries…. The significant matter for us is that ‘the genocide’ issue is
not discussed by the American Congress anymore. As long as we continue the
dialogue, the issue won’t be brought to the congressional agenda. If it is
not discussed in Congress, we, meaning Turkey, will gain from that. The US
Congress will see that there is a channel of dialogue between Turks and
Armenians and decide that ‘there is no necessity for the Congress to take
such a decision while such a channel exists.”
**************************************************************************
2 – Visitors Use 10th Century Akhtamar
Armenia Church for Target Practice
BRUSSELS – The Van correspondent of Istanbul’s Milliyet newspaper writes
that the marvelous carvings of the 10th century church of Akhtamar in Lake
Van are regularly being used as targets for shooting practice by visitors.
The newspaper published also a photo where one can see the state of
carvings
after such visits. The correspondent reports that the church is protected
by a guard in the summer time only during the working hours.
During the rest of the day the visitors entertain themselves by shooting on
the carvings of the Akhtamar Church, and some of them even try to find some
treasure.
Archeology Professor at the University of Van, Veli Seçkin says that there
are rumors among the population that there is treasure cached in the island
of Akhtamar. Even the Church guard was once arrested while he was “hunting
for treasure.”
Already in May 2004, the Zaman newspaper warned that the famous church of
the Holy Cross of the Akhtamar Island was almost in ruins.
The church, which is visited by many foreign tourists, is badly neglected
and close to ruins. The church has been neglected and harmed by treasure
hunters and is at risk of collapsing. Both its foundation and ceiling have
cracks and holes.
The City of Van’s Culture and Tourism Province Director, Bilal Sonmez, told
Zaman that a project for the preservation of the historical identity of the
church is already being prepared. Sonmez said that the issue has already
been transferred to the Culture and Nature Assets Council and that the
directorate is waiting for a decision.
Unfortunately the above-mentioned project for the preservation of the
historical identity of the church was never carried out and the Church is
not protected by UNESCO, since each country decides which are the monuments
to be protected by UNESCO.
The Assembly of Armenians of Europe and upon its request many Armenians all
around the world sent alert letters to UNESCO, but they remained without
answer.
In order to raise the awareness of the European an exhibition “Armenian
Architectural Heritage in South Caucasus and Middle East”, organized by the
Assembly of Armenians of Europe with the co-operation of the Research on
Armenian Architecture under the patronage of Swedish Parliament member
Jonas Sjostedt, took place in the European Parliament, at the end of
September.
**************************************************************************
3 – Armenian Artists Join Russians
At West Hollywood Exhibit
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – Eighteen Armenian artists have joined with more
than 60 artists from the United States and Russia to present a
“Russian-American Art Exhibit,” Nov. 15 through Dec. 15 at West Hollywood’s
Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Avenue.
The official grand opening will take place Nov. 18 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.,
with live entertainment, a wine reception and a fashion show.
Part of the proceeds from the exhibit, which is dedicated to the 20th
anniversary of the city of West Hollywood, will also benefit the victims of
the terrorist attack in Russia’s town of Beslan, which resulted in more
than 300 dead, including 250 children.
The City of West Hollywood is co-sponsoring the event along with the
Russian Advisory Board, Pacific Design Center, West Hollywood Convention
and Visitors Bureau, Russian Community Center, and the Russian-American
Arts Foundation.
West Hollywood is home to more than 37,000 residents of Russian descent,
equivalent to 30% of the city’s population.
Armenian artists participating in the exhibit include: Vartan Asadourian,
Grant Avakyan, Hakob Baghdasaryan, Vahan Demirtchian, Alexander Djanian,
Razmik Hadjikian, Samvel Hadjikian, Samvel, Hambardzumyan, Vahram
Hovakimyan, Varuzhan Hovakimyan, Irena (Ovsepian) Huges, Razmik Kazarian,
Samvel Marutyan, Henrik Vardeniktsy Sargsyan, Liosin Semerdjian, and Evrik
Zatikyan.
For more information, call Viktoria Kanevsky, (323) 512-2228.
**************************************************************************
4 – Armenian Second Only to Russian
In SBC Language Line Services
LOS ANGELES – SBC California last week announced its “Top 10” languages
requested by customers at its Language Line interpreter service* center
with Armenian finishing No. 2, behind Russian. Representing
more than 16 percent of the center’s language requests, the high Armenian
ranking is among a selection of 150 different languages offered by SBC’s
Diversity Marketing group that enables California consumers to conduct
business in the language of their choice, at no charge, to inquire about
their bill, set-up phone service, change or add services such as SBC Long
Distance or SBC Yahoo! DSL and have other questions answered.
“We are committed to understanding and serving the unique needs of our
diverse California customer base. SBC knows many people prefer to discuss
their options, including telephone and communications services, in their
native or preferred language,” said Jody Garcia, Vice President, SBC
Diverse Markets Group. “The Interpreter service, coupled with the multiple
international calling plans, makes the SBC family of companies the leader
in understanding and serving the needs of our customers.”
To meet the needs of its increasingly diverse community, SBC California
partners with professional interpreters to assist customers during a call.
Customers can access this interpreter service by calling SBC customer
service at 1-800-203-8600 and requesting assistance in their language of
choice. So far, SBC has assisted consumers in more than 100 languages.
**************************************************************************
5 – Armenian Assembly Leaders
Convene in San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO – Led by Chairman Anthony Barsamian, the Armenian Assembly
Board of Directors convened on November 6 at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel
for a full day of business meetings that included an in-depth look at
Assembly operations in the Washington, Los Angeles and Yerevan offices.
“The San Francisco session was extremely productive and has reaffirmed the
Board’s commitment to the Assembly’s goals,” said Barsamian. “During the
meeting, Members raised key questions regarding the Assembly’s current and
long-term initiatives which we will continue to look at in the month’s
ahead.”
Looking at the year ahead, the Board approved the 2005 operating budget and
set a preliminary agenda for the coming year. To that end, they also
discussed the Assembly’s efforts to co-sponsor the 90th anniversary and
subsequent commemorations of the Armenian Genocide in our nation’s capital
under the auspices of the Armenian Caucus and Armenian Embassy.
Meeting participants included Board of Trustees President Carolyn Mugar and
Board of Directors Members Murat Acemoglu, Bryan Ardouny, Berge Ayvazian,
Lisa Esayian, Edele Hovnanian, Lisa Kalustian, Van Krikorian, Richard
Mushegain, Gail O’Reilly, Annie Totah and Peter Vosbikian.
Executive Director Ross Vartian, along with Deputy Executive Director Peter
Abajian and Finance Director Colleen Clancy, were also on hand to provide
the group additional information on the following program areas:
Development and Membership, Finance, Government Affairs, Grassroots,
Internship and
Public Affairs.
Prior to the weekend meeting, Board of Directors Treasurer Berge Ayvazian
on Nov. 5 moderated a panel discussion on Armenia’s Economic Development
held at the hotel. Panelists included Adam Kablanian of Virage Logic, Tony
Moryoyan of Viasphere International, Board Member Gail O’Reilly of Made in
Armenia Direct and Anahid Yeremian of CRD Support Committee. The event
attracted a high community turnout and was organized by the Assembly’s
Northern California Regional Council.
The Council also helped plan a Saturday night dinner for supporters, which
was hosted at the home of Development Co-Chair Suzanne Abnous and her
husband, Fellow Trustee Razmik Abnous. More than 50 people attended the
event in Danville, which welcomed more than two dozen new members.
Barsamian and Mugar thanked the Abnous’ for opening their home to the
Assembly and presented the couple with a gift created by a child in
Armenia.
**************************************************************************
6 – Commentary
Anti-Armenian Schemes of Foreign
Companies Operating in Turkey
By Tigran Ghazarian
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Turkey tried to assume the role of
“patron” of the three Southern Caucasus states. While Georgia and
Azerbaijan did not have any particular problems with this arrangement,
Armenia, on the other hand, was subjected to a restrictive treatment given
the Turkish blockade of Armenia.
Regrettably, some of the Western corporations with regional offices in
Turkey went along with the restrictions imposed on Armenia.
A recently revealed internal memorandum by Jim Dyer, one of the executives
of Philip Morris company, disclosed that back in 1989, the Turkish
government had urged the firm’s representatives to lobby against the
adoption of the Armenian Genocide resolution by the U.S. Senate.
Another evidence of the western corporations’ collusion with Turkish
interests in the region was revealed during a recent court case in Armenia
in which the Turkish division of a major multinational company was tried on
charges of dodging its Armenian tax obligations. Even though this firm
conducted business in Armenia, it misrepresented its Armenian employee in
Yerevan as a resident of Georgia in order to avoid paying taxes to the
Armenian government.
During the trial, the Turkish division of the company presented several
forged receipts that were supposed to prove its tax payments for the
Armenian employee who was laid off when he refused to go along with the
company’s fraudulent scheme. His successor received her salary at a bank in
the U.S.
The company was forced to engage in such fraudulent activities in order to
comply with the Turkish government’s policy of preventing not only
political, but also economic relations with Armenia. Until recently,
Turkish companies were not allowed to issue an invoice to any entity in
Armenia. Invoices for goods shipped from Turkey to Armenia were falsely
issued under the names of various Georgian, Bulgarian, or Ukrainian
companies.
This situation began to change a year ago when Turks started to realize
that they cannot play the role of a regional “patron” under such terms.
Turkish entities were finally allowed by the Turkish authorities to openly
export to Armenia.
This change came as a result of international pressure on Turkey to
normalize its relations with Armenia. It remains to be seen whether these
changes would lead to the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border and the
beginning of direct relations between the two countries. Such a development
would be more in the interest of Turkey, rather than Armenia, as it would
facilitate Turkey’s economic and political interests in the Caucasus.
**************************************************************************
7 – Co-Authors of Best-Selling Armenia
Travel Guide to Speak in California
LOS ANGELES – The authors of the best-selling travel guide for Armenia will
present a travelogue to Armenia and Karabagh at a pair of events next month
in Fresno and San Francisco.
Original color photographs from their newly-released “Stone Garden Guide to
Armenia and Karabagh” will also be exhibited as part of the travelogue.
Guidebook authors Matthew Karanian and Robert Kurkjian, Ph.D, will speak
about their adventures in Armenia during the decade they spent researching
the book, and about Armenia’s recent development as a tourist destination.
Karanian is a member of the law faculty at the American University of
Armenia, in Yerevan. Kurkjian is a former member of the faculty at AUA and
is now an international environmental consultant based in Los Angeles. They
are both professional photographers who have traveled extensively
throughout the region.
The authors will speak in Fresno at 7 pm, Thursday, December 2 at the A.
Peters Auditorium on the campus of California State University. Seating is
limited so guests are encouraged to arrive early. More information is
available from the Armenian Studies Program of CSUF
(Armenianstudies.csufresno.edu) (Tel. 559-278-2669).
Karanian and Kurkjian will speak in San Francisco at 1 pm (following church
services) on Sunday, December 5 at the St. John Armenian Church, 275
Olympia Way (Tel. 415-983-8344). Both events are free and open to the
public.
The “Stone Garden Guide to Armenia and Karabagh” was published in September
and it immediately became the leading travel guide for Armenia. The
304-page handbook includes 25 color maps and 75 color photographs. The book
will be available for purchase at both events and the authors will sign
copies. More information about the book, including sample pages, is
available on the internet at StoneGardenProductions.com and from the online
bookseller Amazon.com.
**************************************************************************
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenia interested in opening transport link with Azerbaijan, official says
Media-Press news agency
15 Nov 04

BAKU
Armenia is suffering major losses due to the closure of transport
communications with Azerbaijan, the head of the international
relations department of the Armenian Transport Ministry, Garik
Grigoryan, has said in Baku.
“We would like to start cooperating in this sector of the economy. We
first need to open roads. No-one is benefiting from the fact that they
are closed. The whole region is suffering losses. The cargo that
could have crossed our territories is bypassing us. We are losing a
lot of money because of this,” Grigoryan said, but stopped short of
specifying the amount of the losses suffered.
He said Armenia was ready to restore transport communications with
Azerbaijan.
A representative of the Armenian Energy Ministry, Levon Vardanyan,
said earlier that Armenia was ready to cooperate with Azerbaijan also
in the energy sector.
However, the Azerbaijani deputy prime minister, Abid Sarifov, has said
any cooperation with Armenia is ruled out until the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict is resolved.

ArmenPress
Nov 15 2004
PARLIAMENT OPENS DEBATE ON 2005 DRAFT BUDGET
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian parliament began
today debates over 2005 draft budget, that has set revenues at 327.9
billion drams, including also official transfers and expenditures at
375.4 billion drams. The budget deficit is projected at 47.5 billion
drams.
The draft budget foresees an 8 percent GDP growth for next year
and a 3 percent GDP deflation and inflation. The exchange rate of one
US Dollar is set at 535 US Dollar.
Presenting the draft budget to lawmakers, prime minister Andranik
Margarian said it did not differ from 2004 budget in terms of its
logic, essence and strategic approaches, being based on the
fundamentals of the Poverty Reduction Plan and approved medium-term
expenditures.
He said the projected volume of the deficit is 3.3 billion less
that the 2004 deficit. “We are working to get rid of the practice to
cover the deficit from foreign credit sources and trying each year to
decrease its volume in view of the GDP growth and domestic
resources,” he said.
He said 55. 4 billion drams are earmarked fro education, which is
a 21.7 percent increase against 2004 funding. In 2005 secondary
school teachers average salary will be around $100. Also 45.4 billion
drams are earmarked for social security sector, a 26.5 percent
increase against 2004. The budget envisages bigger old-age pensions
(around $20) and other social allowances. The health care system is
set to receive 33.3 billion drams, a 31.9 percent increase against
2004.
Margarian said the 2005 draft budget does not include the money
Armenia hopes to get from the Millennium Challenges Account (MCA)
Corporation and also possible funds from the US-based Lincy
Foundation.
He said a team of MCA is in Armenia now working with respective
ministries. Another team is due in a couple of weeks to examine the
projects Armenia is going to submit to MCA. Margarian said by the end
of the year the government may learn how much the US government may
release to Armenia within the frameworks of MCA.
Regarding possible funds from the Lincy Margarian said
negotiations are being held with its managers. “If the Foundation
decides to release new funds to Armenia before the end of the year
they will be included in 2005 budget,’ he said. The 2005 budget
includes a $20 million loan from the World Bank.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
November 15, 2004 Monday 9:08 AM Eastern Time
No optimism about current state of Karabakh talks-Armenian leader
By Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
Armenian President Robert Kocharian has said he feels no great
optimism about the current state of affairs in the Nagorno-Karabakhk
settlement process.
He was speaking at a joint news conference with Estonian President
Arnold Ruutel, who is in Armenia on an official visit.
The Armenian president is certain there are two major hindrances to
progress in the negotiations on Karabakh.
One is the absence of negotiators from Nagorno-Karabakh at the talks.
Kocharian recalled that Baku wants to conduct negotiations only with
Armenia. For this reason, Kocharian said, he has to represent not
only Armenia, but Nagorno-Karabakh, too. In his opinion, this is a
wrong format of negotiations, not reflecting the essence of the
conflict.
The other obstacle is Azerbaijan’s reluctance to begin regional
cooperation. He said Armenia was firmly committed to the formula
“through cooperation to settlement,” while Azerbaijan regarded as
impossible any forms of cooperation with Armenia until a full
settlement of the Karabakh conflict has been achieved.
Yerevan is certain that regional cooperation can bring about a more
favorable climate for settling the conflict.
About the activity of the co-leaders of the OSCE Minsk group for
Nagorno-Karabakh Robert Kocharian said the mediation by Russia,
France and the United States was the optimal format.
The Armenian leader said the Minsk Group was first and foremost a
mediator mission and had no mandate to force parties to the conflict
to conclude a peace treaty.
“The problem today is rooted in who participates in the talks, and
not in who mediates them,” Kocharian said.

Azeri foreign minister accuses Armenia of settling occupied territories
Media-Press news agency
15 Nov 04
BAKU
Baku has the information that the occupied Azerbaijani territories are
being illegally settled by Armenians, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov has told Interfax-Azerbaijan.
“We have exact information about Kalbacar, Lacin, Zangilan and
Cabrayil to which the Armenian side is luring people with loans,
credits and other forms of financial support,” he said.
The minister said that this information has been provided by
operational sources, the mass media and independent sources, namely a
US State Department report. Mammadyarov stressed that in an effort to
attract international attention to this act of lawlessness, Baku has
succeeded in putting the issue of the situation in the occupied
Azerbaijani territories on the UN General Assembly session’s agenda.
“Just imagine us reaching a real outcome in the negotiations with
Armenia and displaced people starting to return to their homes only to
find the Armenian families living there. This represents a potential
for the resumption of the conflict. Therefore, we think that the
discussion of the issue in the UN is extremely important,” the
minister said. He disagreed with Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan’s opinion that the discussion of the issue in the UN could
affect the Karabakh peace process and represents an attempt by the
Azerbaijani authorities to take the issue out of the hands of the OSCE
Minsk Group.
“On the contrary, I believe that by putting the issue of the situation
in the occupied Azerbaijani territories on the agenda of a UN General
Assembly session we will facilitate the process of negotiations. We
don’t think the UN discussion can in some way replace the discussion
of the issue by the OSCE Minsk Group. Azerbaijan has repeatedly said
that it wants the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen to be more active,” the
Azerbaijani foreign minister said.
Mammadyarov spoke in favour of resumed negotiations at the level of
foreign ministers “within the framework of the discussions held in
Prague”. The negotiations were suspended on the initiative of the
Armenian side.
“We are ready to meet at any time and in any place within the
so-called ‘Prague process’ because the discussions we held in Prague
gave hope for the possibility of progress in the talks. But on the
other hand, it is difficult to believe in the sincerity of the talks
while the Armenians are settling in the occupied Azerbaijani
territories, including in the areas outside the administrative borders
of Nagornyy Karabakh,” the minister said.
“We expect the Armenian leadership to realize that the settling of the
occupied territories runs counter to all norms of international
humanitarian law and international conventions. There are well-known
1949 Geneva conventions about the law of armed conflicts. Under these
international legal documents, the settling of occupied territories is
prohibited. We think the Armenian administration has to understand
that and start evacuating and resettling the families that moved to
the occupied territories earlier and are living there now,” the
Azerbaijani foreign minister said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
November 15, 2004, Monday
WILL THE RUBLE STRENGTHEN THE CIS BORDER?
The official site of the Russian State Auditing Chamber recently
reported that the results of an audit of using money of the federal
budget allocated to the border guard service of the FSB for the
maintenance border guard departments in Tajikistan and Armenia showed
that they were not financed properly. The border guard group in
Tajikistan failed to receive 263.073 million rubles in the first half
of 2004, and the group stationed in Armenia did not receive 3.186
million rubles.
What does this mean? Vladimir Popov, a political analyst at the
Academy of Military Sciences, stated that this money shortage
testifies that the burden shouldered on Russian soldiers and officers
stationed in Tajikistan and Armenia, increases. Popov said: “In the
meantime, this is not a sensation.” According to him, Tajikistan and
Armenia do not have enough money for protecting their border. It
should be noted that 263 million rubles is almost $10 million, and
Tajikistan’s military budget amounted to only $2 million in 2003.
This is five times as small as Tajikistan owes the Russian FSB.
The border guard service of the Russian FSB states that the Russian
border guard groups stationed in Tajikistan and Armenia are financed
50 to 50 by Moscow and the republics. Moscow trains specialists, arms
them and pays salaries to border guards. By the way, 99% of soldiers
of these groups are citizens of Tajikistan and Armenia. Many local
residents dream of joining the Russian border guard groups because
Russia pays more than the republics. Dushanbe gives housing and food
to border guards. Meanwhile, the State Auditing Chamber’s report
testifies that Tajikistan and Armenia fail to meet their obligations.
As is known, Russia has written off $330 million of Tajikistan’s debt
in exchange for military bases in Tajikistan (the 201st motorized
infantry division and the Nurek center). Yerevan passed over the
shares of its enterprises to Russia as repayment of its debt.
However, the debt is increasing from day to day. It’s unprofitable
for Russia. The status of Russian border guards was finally
determined during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Tajikistan a
month ago. The Russian and Tajik presidents signed two important
agreements on cooperation on the border according to which Russian
border guards will pass over all sectors of the Afghan border to the
control of their Tajik counterparts. As is known, the Tajik-Afghan
sector of the state border is the most disturbing. Border guards
detain drug traffickers and find caches with weapons and drugs every
week. The situation has not changed despite the fact that the
coalition force continues the anti-terrorist operation in
Afghanistan. The UN reports that the area of poppy fields have
increased since the Taliban government was dethroned. Major-General
Alexander Baranov, chief of the Russian border guard group in
Tajikistan, said that laboratories producing drugs are located close
to the border. In this regard drug trafficking has become more
intensive.
For instance, last October border guards found a cache with over
1,000 kilograms of drugs. In addition, criminals try to smuggle
weapons and communication systems. The press center of the border
guard service of the FSB reports that 13 Strela light anti-aircraft
complexes, tank shells, grenades and over 100 kilograms of explosives
were confiscated in 2003.
In other words, the State Auditing Chamber raised the issue, which
may become very topical in a year when the Tajik-Afghan border is
passed over to the control of Tajik border guards. Will Dushanbe
manage to ensure protection of the CIS border from drug and terrorist
threat?
Maxim Peshkov, Russian Ambassador to Tajikistan, stated in summer
that Dushanbe will face serious problems (social, economic, financial
and more) after Russian border guards leave the republic. Vladimir
Popov says that potential violators of the CIS border will move to
the CIS and Russia when Tajikistan takes the border under its
control. It should be noted that the Russian border with Kazakhstan
is practically unprotected.
It’s not clear who initiated the withdrawal of Russian border guards
from the border with Tajikistan. According to one theory, Moscow did
this. This idea was lobbied by General Andrei Nikolayev, former
commander of the border guard service, who currently is a
presidential aide.
To all appearances, Moscow thinks that protection of the border is
too expensive for the Russian budget. Meanwhile, it’s evident that
serious problems will arise after Tajikistan takes over control of
the border in 2006.
Translated by Alexander Dubovoi
ORIGINAL-LANGUAGE: RUSSIAN