President Aliyev calls on Armenia to observe UN resolutions
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 28 2004
In his speech made at the 59th session of the UN General Assembly
on Friday, President Ilham Aliyev focused on ways for joint combat
against the international terrorism and occupation of Azerbaijani
lands by Armenia.
President Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan has repeatedly encountered
terror attacks and there shouldn’t be double standards towards
fighting terrorism.
Touching upon the Upper Garabagh conflict, President Aliyev called
on Armenia to observe the UN Security Council’s four resolutions on
unconditional withdrawal of its Armed Forces from the occupied lands
of Azerbaijan.*

President holds meetings in USA
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 28 2004
President Ilham Aliyev visiting New York met with the OSCE acting
chairman, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Pasini at the Waldort
Astoria hotel on Thursday.
Aliyev called on the OSCE chairman to step up efforts at settling
the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper Garabagh. The parties also
discussed the future activity of the OSCE and its expansion.
President Aliyev also met with Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel
Moratinos Kuyaben. The Spanish official stated that his country was
closely following the processes ongoing in Azerbaijan.
President Aliyev pointed out the great potential for expanding
bilateral relations. He said that since Azerbaijan was admitted to
the European Union New Neighborhood Policy, the country intends to
bring about a new stage in its relations with the organization and
its member-states.
President Aliyev also met with the ExxonMobil company president
Tim Seykan.
Seykan congratulated the Azeri leader on the 10th anniversary of the
Contract of the Century and pointed out the successful implementation
of Caspian oil and gas projects.
Also discussed was the future activity of ExxonMobil in Azerbaijan.
Aliyev also met with the Soros Foundation President George Soros to
discuss the Upper Garabagh problem.*
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJAN ANGRY THAT ZORY BALAYAN WAS NOT ARRESTED BY TURKISH AUTHORITIES
ArmenPress
Sept 28 2004
BAKU, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: A Baku-based Ekho daily regretted
that Zory Balayan, a prominent Armenian publicist, was not detained
by Turkish border guards on Turkish-Syrian border, when entering
Turkey from Syria to meet with residents of an Armenian village in
Turkey. “Taking into consideration that the well-known Armenian
“terrorist” is outside Armenia (Balayan is on board of a ship,
replicated from medieval Armenian merchant vessels, sailing to
Europe-Armenpress) Azeri authorities intend to start a sweeping
manhunt after him,” the daily writes. To remind, Azerbaijan had asked
Interpol to arrest Balayan, whom it accuses of masterminding a series
of terrorist acts in Azerbaijan, but Interpol has dropped the case.
Z. Orduj, an Azeri parliament member, was quoted by the daily
as saying that he was going to ask the government at a regular
parliament session to request that Balayan be arrested and extradited
by the authorities of those countries which the vessel crew is pass
through. “Balayan regularly comes up with threats against Turkey and
the Turkish authorities should treat him just like Abdullah Ocalan,”
the Azeri deputy stated.

33 PERCENT OF ARMENIANS BELIEVE THEIR COUNTRY WOULD BENEFIT FROM JOHN KERRY’S ELECTION
ArmenPress
Sept 28 2004
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: The November 2 presidential
election in the US is in the limelight of other nations too. A Vox
Populi center for studying public opinion conducted a survey to learn
what Armenians think about the US polls.
According to 33 percent of respondents, Armenia would benefit from
John Kerry’s election, and only 17 percent believe that George W.
Bush’s reelection would be beneficial to Armenia, while 19 percent
said they could not answer that question.
Forty-three percent do not believe that if elected John Kerry’s
administration would officially recognize the 1915 Armenian genocide,
while 23 said it might be possible.
Some 23 percent said they could not say whether the US policy towards
Armenia would change if Kerry were elected president, while another
23 percent said it would hardly change and only 12 percent believe
that the policy would change.
The survey was conducted among 645 residents of Yerevan aged 18 and
more between September 19-14.

ARMENIA SUPPORTS TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF CHINA
ArmenPress
Sept 28 2004
BEIJING, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: Talks between Armenia’s president
Robert Kocharian and China’s president Hu Zintao ended today by signing
a joint declaration, by which Armenia recognizes China’s territorial
integrity. “Armenia recognizes the government of the People’s Republic
of China as the lawful representative of all China and Taiwan as an
integral part of China,” the declaration runs.
It also says that Armenia shall not establish official relations
with Taiwan and will not seek such contacts. “Armenia is against the
attempts to create two Chinas,” it says.
Kocharian arrived in Beijing Sunday evening, starting his five-day
state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President
Hu Jintao. It’s the first state visit to China by Kocharian as
president. Kocharian will hold talks and meet with Chinese top leaders
during his stay in China’s capital. Besides Beijing, he will also
visit China’s financial hub Shanghai.

RIA NOVOSTI PHOTO EXHIBITION OPENS IN WARSAW
RIA Novosti
September 27, 2004
WARSAW, September 27 (RIA Novosti’s Leonid Sviridov) – A RIA Novosti
photo exhibition entitled “People Who Defeated The War” dedicated
to the 60th anniversary of victory over fascism opened in Warsaw
on Monday.
A solemn opening ceremony took place in the new headquarters of the
Polish press agency (PAP).
The exhibition features 110 unique photographs of 1941-1945 from the
archives of Sovinformburo, whose legal successor is RIA Novosti.
Russian Ambassador to Poland Nikolai Afanasyevsky, heads of diplomatic
missions of Belarus, Ukraine, and Armenia in Poland, representatives
of the Polish Defense Ministry, PAP Board Chairman Waldemar Siwinski
and deputy General Director of RIA Novosti Alexander Babinsky attended
the opening ceremony in the PAP.
“It is very important that the exhibition opened just now, because a
lot of Poles will see it,” the Russian ambassador told a PAP press
conference. In his words, it’s also necessary for young people to
know what happened 60 years ago. “This was our common victory, of
Russians, Belarussians, Ukrainians, Armenians, Poles and people of
other nationalities who fought fascism,” stressed Mr. Afanasyevsky.
According to the PAP board chairman, the exhibition organizers
managed to portray its title, “People Who Defeated The War,” in
a true way. “The talk is not about people who defeated the enemy,
but who defeated the war. This is very important,” said Mr. Siwinski.
The photo exhibition will leave Warsaw for Gdansk.
On the 60th anniversary of the Victory the exhibition will be shown
in Krakow and Poznan.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
September 27, 2004, Monday
ARMENIA’S DEFENSE MINISTER AND BRITISH AMBASSADOR SIGNED A MEMORANDUM
ON COOPERATION IN THE DEFENSE SPHERE
Armenia’s Defense Minister Serzhik Sarkisyan and UK Ambassador to
Armenia Thorda Abbott-Watt signed a memorandum on mutual
understanding and cooperation in the defense sphere on Friday.
As reported by the press service of the British embassy to Armenia,
the memorandum is aimed at developing the current nice relations
between defense ministries of both states. The document is supposed
to become the foundation for growing cooperation in the defense
sphere between both states. (…)
Last year the UK financed involvement of 16 Armenian servicemen in
various retraining courses abroad. The British Secretary of Defense
is also financing the English courses in the framework of the British
Council’s program on training the peacekeeping forces.
Translated by Andrei Ryabochkin

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
September 27, 2004, Monday
OSCE MONITORING ON THE LINE OF CONTACT BETWEEN THE ARMENIAN AND
AZERBAIJANI ARMIES ENDED WITHOUT INCIDENTS
The monitoring of ceasefire regime on the line of contact between
the Armenian and Azerbaijani forces OSCE took last Friday ended
without incidents.
The monitoring was held at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in the
vicinity of Mezemli village of the Kazakh district of Azerbaijan,
said Colonel Ramiz Melikov, press secretary of the Azerbaijani
Defense Ministry.

China secures Armenian president’s support on economy, Taiwan
Xinhua news agency
27 Sep 04
(New China News Agency)
Beijing, 27 September: China is ready to make joint efforts with
Armenia to raise bilateral relations to a new level, said Chinese
President Hu Jintao here Monday [27 September]. Hu made the remark in
talks with visiting Armenian President Robert Sedrakovich Kocharyan,
who is on his first state visit to China as president.
Hu vowed to increase political trust, saying China and Armenia should
carry out multi-channel and multi-layer exchanges, keep up political
and diplomatic consultations and strengthen communication in such
international organizations as the United Nations.
The two countries should find new ways to expand trade by taking
advantage of their trade cooperation committee, said Hu, adding
that China encourages Chinese companies to step up cooperation with
Armenia and to increase their investment in Armenia’s infrastructural
construction. Hu also advocated further exchanges and cooperation
between the two countries in the fields of culture, education,
science and technology, health and tourism.
Agreeing with the Chinese president, Kocharyan said Armenia
expects deepening bilateral relations with China, since the growing
relationship is of great significance to Armenia. China has accumulated
much experience in the process of developing its market economy and
practicing opening-up policy, which provides a vital opportunity for
trade cooperation, said Kocharyan.
Armenia recognizes China’s full market economy status, hoping the
two sides strengthen cooperation in such fields as energy, chemical
industry, agriculture and technology, said Kocharyan. The two sides
could take proper measures to help the entrepreneurs enhance exchange
and understanding to expand cooperation.
Hu said China and Armenia have treated each other with mutual respect
and equality since they forged diplomatic ties 12 years ago. Hu
said he appreciated Armenia’s diplomatic policy that puts priority
on relations with China, one of the earliest countries to recognize
Armenia as an independent nation, and expressed thanks for Armenia’s
firm support in controversial areas such as Taiwan and Tibet.
Kocharyan said the two countries have seen sound economic development
and have taken similar stances on international issues with no
political problems. Kocharyan said Armenia would continue to adhere to
“one-China policy” and support China’s reunification. After the talks,
the two heads of states signed a joint statement and attended a signing
ceremony for three cooperative agreements, including an agreement on
economic and technical cooperation.

Turkish parliament adopts new penal code to help EU entry talks
By Amberin Zaman in Istanbul
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH(LONDON)
September 27, 2004, Monday
TURKEY’S parliament last night bowed to European Union demands and
passed a liberalising penal code which should open the way to talks
with Ankara on EU membership.
MPs were recalled from their summer recess after the government of
Recep Erdogan, Turkey’s prime minister, agreed to drop a plan to
criminalise adultery.
The decision ended a week of crisis with Brussels over Turkey’s
efforts to become the EU’s first predominantly Muslim member.
EU officials said the amended code would help Ankara secure a positive
review of its democratisation process in a crucial report by the
European Commission to be published on Oct 6. EU ministers will
make a final decision in December on holding membership talks. In a
televised address to the nation, Mr Erdogan expressed confidence that
“membership negotiations will start in December”.
The new penal code bars Muslim clerics from engaging in politics
and stiffens penalties for the perpetrators of so-called “honour
killings” of women deemed to have stained their families’ reputation.
Turkey’s increasingly influential women’s groups played a significant
role in pushing for the reforms.
“The change is revolutionary,” said Hulya Gulbahar, who campaigned
for a new law that criminalises the rape of spouses.
Another law scraps reduced sentences for rapists who marry their
victim, and for mothers who murder their babies born out of wedlock.
But EU officials have expressed alarm over a law that effectively
bans free debate of controversial issues such as the 1974 invasion of
Cyprus and the mass slaughter of Turkish Armenians by Ottoman forces
during the First World War.
The passage of the new code followed a week during which Turkey’s
membership application was damaged by Mr Erdogan’s stated desire to
outlaw adultery. EU leaders warned him against the proposal, saying
it suggested that he was seeking to lead Turkey towards Islamic rule.
Mr Erdogan then withdrew the proposal.
The European Right wing is opposed to the inclusion of Turkey. In
Austria, Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel backed the start of accession
talks but suggested that Turkey should be considered for “reduced
membership”.
With its wobbly economy, Turkey is not expected to join the EU for
at least 15 years.
But for many of its 70 million population, tired of decades of corrupt
and authoritarian rule, continued scrutiny by Europe is seen to be
as important to cementing democracy and secular rule as actual EU
membership would be.