ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER VISITING LITHUANIA
Baltic News Service
September 8, 2004
VILNIUS, Sep 08 — Armenian Defense Minister Serzh Sargsian, currently
on a visit to Lithuania, is to discuss bilateral military cooperation
with Lithuanian officials and get acquainted with NATO’s air-policing
functions in the Baltic states.
Sargsian, who arrived in Lithuania on Tuesday evening, will meet
on Wednesday with President Valdas Adamkus, Defense Minister Linas
Linkevicius, Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis, parliamentary National
Security and Defense Committee Chairman Alvydas Sadeckas, members of
the committee and Land Forces Commander Brigade General Arvydas Pocius.
According to a press release from the Defense Ministry, the Lithuanian
and Armenian defense ministers will discuss prospects of regional
cooperation, bilateral military ties, NATO enlargement processes and
the course of armed forces reforms.
After the meeting, the two officials will sign a cooperation treaty
on studies of Armenian officers at the Lithuanian War Academy.
Analogous documents have already been signed with Georgian and
Azerbaijani ministries of defense.
On Thursday, Sargsian will go to the Lithuanian First Air Base in
Zokniai to meet with troops of the international contingent performing
the air-policing mission in the three Baltic states.
NATO forces started patrolling the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian
air space since the Baltic states joined the alliance in the end of
March. Danish troops with five F-16 fighters are now guarding the
Baltic air space.
The Lithuanian Defense Ministry has taken the initiative to transfer
the Baltic military cooperation experience to countries of the South
Caucasus region.
Lithuania also assists in the training of Armenian officers by offering
a possibility to study at Lithuanian military training institutions
and paying for studies of one Armenian officer at the Baltic Defense
College in the Estonian city Tartu.
Armenia has been participating in the Partnership for Peace program
since 1994.

ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER SEES NORTH CAUCASUS CONFLICT AS THREAT TO SOUTH CAUCASUS
Baltic News Service
September 8, 2004
VILNIUS, Sep 08 — Armenian Defense Minister Serzh Sargsian, currently
on a visit in Lithuania, says that the situation in the South Caucasus
region may aggravate due to conflicts in North Caucasus.
“There are a lot of conflicts in South Caucasus as well. Maybe, at
first sight, there is stability, but people living there see that
there are threats to security,” Sargsian said after a meeting with
Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus on Wednesday.
There is only a fragile truce between Armenian and Azerbaijani armies
at the front line in Mountain Karabach, the situation at Gerogia’s
border with Abkhasia and South Ossetia.
“Other conflicts might make them detonate. Of course there is a
threat,” the Armenian minister said in Vilnius.
At least 340 hostages including many children were killed in the
terrorist hostage drama in the North Ossetian town of Beslan last
week, which left hundreds injured. About 1,180 adults and children
were held hostage for more than two days in the school.
Sargsian stressed that terrorism had no borders and terrorists did
not choose means any longer.
The Armenian defense minister told journalists that Lithuania-proposed
experience in stabilization of situation in the region was very useful
to his country, though, in the minister’s words, “South Caucasus and
the Baltic region are beyond comparison.”
The Lithuanian Defense Ministry has taken the initiative to transfer
the Baltic military cooperation experience to countries of the South
Caucasus region.
Earlier on Wednesday, Sargsian met with his Lithuanian counterpart,
Linas Linkevicius, and discussed opportunities for bilateral regional
cooperation, NATO enlargement processes and the course of armed
forces reform.
After the meeting, the two officials signed a cooperation treaty on
studies of Armenian officers at the Lithuanian War Academy. Analogous
documents have already been signed with Georgian and Azerbaijani
ministries of defense.
Lithuania assists in the training of Armenian officers by offering
a possibility to study at Lithuanian military training institutions
and paying for studies of one Armenian officer at the Baltic Defense
College in the Estonian city Tartu.
Sargsian’s agenda for Wednesday also include meetings with Foreign
Minister Antanas Valionis, members of the parliament’s National
Security and Defense Committee and chairman Alvydas Sadeckas, as well
as Land Forces Commander Brigadier General Arvydas Pocius.
The Armenian minister, who is to wrap up his visit in Lithuania on
Thursday, will also visit the country’s First Air Base in Zokniai
and meet with troops of the international contingent performing the
air-policing mission in the three Baltic states.
NATO forces have been patrolling the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian
air space since the three Balts joined the alliance in the end of March
this year. A Danish contingent is currently stationed in Zokniai with
its five fighters F-16.
Sargsian was appointed as Armenia’s defense minister in 2000. He also
worked in the position in the 1993-1995 period and later worked as
minister of interior affairs and national security, as well as in
other top-ranking posts in the country’s security structures.
Lithuania and Armenia signed the defense cooperation agreement in 2002.
Armenia has been participating in the Partnership for Peace program
since 1994.

Iran gives Armenia 30-million-dollar loan for gas pipeline
Agence France Presse — English
September 8, 2004 Wednesday 6:06 PM GMT
YEREVAN Sept 8 — Iran has extended a 30-million-dollar
(25-million-euro) loan to Armenia to build a gas pipeline between the
two countries, Armenian President Robert Kotcharian said on Wednesday.
The loan should enable Yerevan to finance the 41 kilometres of the
141-kilometre (88-mile) pipeline that cross Armenian territory,
Kocharian told journalists after a meeting with his Iranian
counterpart, Mohammad Khatami.
The construction contract has been awarded to Iranian company Sanir.
Iran and Armenia signed a contract in May, under which Iran will
supply Armenia with a total of 36 billion cubic metres of gas over
a 20-year period, expected to start in early 2007.

Iran’s Khatami says roots of terror must be examined after Beslan
Agence France Presse — English
September 8, 2004 Wednesday
YEREVAN Sept 8 — Iranian President Mohammad Khatami on Wednesday
reaffirmed his condemnation of the Beslan hostage tragedy but added
that the root causes of terror could be found in the “discrimination”
of peoples.
“Without looking at the roots it is impossible to fight terrorism.
The roots can be found in the same places where security forces impose
a discriminatory policy and people suffer from this,” said Khatami
following talks here with his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharian.
“Unable to find an adequate response to this fight they (discriminated
people) take harsh steps. This is why when you condemn terrorism you
must also condemn violence,” he added.
Although he did not refer explicitly to any particular region, his
comments appeared to refer to the strife-torn Russian republic of
Chechnya, where Moscow’s troops have been locked in a decade-long
war with rebels amid allegations of human rights violations.
However he also spoke out against the way “certain terrorists want
to present their acts under the mask of religion. They besmirch the
religions that preach peace and humanism.”

Iran’s Khatami condemns war on foreign soil as terrorism
by AVET DEMOURIAN; Associated Press Writer
Associated Press Worldstream
September 8, 2004 Wednesday
YEREVAN, Armenia — Iranian President Mohammad Khatami suggested
Wednesday that attackers who seized a school in Russia discredited
Islam, and he added that conducting military action in a foreign
country could be a form of terrorism.
Speaking during a visit to Armenia, Khatami condemned terrorists who
use religion a pretext, saying they “commit a double crime: taking
the lives of innocent people and discrediting religions that teach
peace and humanism.”
Khatami was speaking at a new conference with Armenian President
Robert Kocharian, who condemned last week’s hostage-taking raid on
a school in Russia. Russian officials have alleged the attackers
include several Arabs and have pointed the finger at rebel leaders
from mostly Muslim Chechnya.
“Today’s realities are such that terrorist acts can be carried out
in the West and in the East, in Iran and in America,” Khatami said,
according to a translation of his comments.
“Terrorism manifests itself in various ways: from explosions on planes
and in apartment buildings to the conduct of military actions on the
territory of a foreign country,” he said. He added that “any person
who places himself above justice can be considered a terrorist.”
Khatami and Kocharian signed a treaty laying out principles for
cooperation between their countries and adopted a joint declaration
calling the Iranian leader’s visit “the beginning of a new stage”
in relations between the neighbors.
Also signed Wednesday was an agreement on financing and contracting for
a gas pipeline linking Iran and the small Caucasus Mountain nation to
its north. The two countries’ energy chiefs also signed a memorandum
on cooperation.
Kocharian said that “energy remains a very important sphere in our
bilateral relations” and said the countries intend to link their
infrastructure to bring energy cooperation “to a new regional level.”

World Cup: Finland beats Armenia 2-0
Associated Press Worldstream
September 8, 2004 Wednesday
YEREVAN, Armenia — Mikael Forsell and Alexei Eremenko Jr. scored a
goal each to lift Finland to a 2-0 victory over Armenia in a World
Cup qualifier Wednesday.
It was the second consecutive win in European Group 1 for Finland
after losing an away opener 2-1 to Romania and beating Andorra 3-0.
Finland controlled the game and Forsell put the visitors on the
scoreboard in the 24th minute, when he fired from the left corner of
the penalty box past Armenian goalkeeper Armen Ambartsumyan into the
left corner of the goal.
The home side came close to equalizing in the 45th minute – its only
clear chance before the interval – but Artur Petrosyan’s header off
a corner kick was blocked by Finland goalkeeper Antti Niemi.
Eremenko beat Ambartsumian one-on-one into the left corner to make
it 2-0 in the 68th minute.
Four minutes later, second-half substitute Pehha Lagerblen had a
chance to make it 3-0 when he made his way past three defenders but
his lob over Ambartsumian missed.
Edgar Manucharyan, who came on as a substitute for Albert Sargsyan
in the 54th minute, nearly scored with a solo effort from the center
of the pitch, but his shot from inside the box shaved the right post.
Lineups:
Armenia – Armen Ambartsumian, Yeyshine Melikyan, Karen Dokhoyan, Sargis
Hovsepyan, Artur Lazarian, Romik Khachatryan, Artur Petrosyan, Rafael
Nazaryan (Karen Aleksanyan, 73), Albert Sargsyan (Edgar Manucharyan,
54), Artavazd Karamyan (Davit Grigoryan, 79), Andrey Movsesyan.
Finland – Antti Niemi; Petri Pasanen, Sami Hyypia, Mika Vayrynen,
Mika Nurmela, Mikael Forsell, Jari Litmanen (Pehha Lagerblien, 46),
Joonas Kolkka (Antti Pohja, 85), Toni Kuivasto, Aki Riihilahti,
Alexei Eremenko Jr (Peter Kopteff, 73).
Referee – Paulius Malzinskas, Lithuania.

Capital News 9, NY
Sept 8 2004
Local man gets new lease on life
9/8/2004 6:48 PM
By: Capital News 9 web staff
Just as a Troy man was about to lose hope on his life, persistence
paid off.
Setrak Nalbandian, 41, was initially denied a crucial multi-organ
transplant by his health insurance provider, MVP. But now, after many
calls from Capital News 9 and his family, MVP is giving the go-ahead.
Setrak’s family and parish community at Saint Peter Armenian Church
have been working for years to try to get him the help he needs. Now,
hope is around the corner.
Fr. Stepanos Doudoukjain said, “There’s no greater joy in the world
than having children that you love and having them love you back. I
can only imagine that that’s his greatest motivating factor is to
live for those kids and his wife.”
According to family friends, Setrak could get his transplant in the
next 34 days now that MVP has given the clearance.

IVASHOV: CONFLICTS SHOULD NOT BE SOLVED WITH THE USE OF FORCE
RIA Novosti, Russia
Sept 8 2004
MOSCOW, September 8 (RIA Novosti) – The settlement of conflicts on
the post-Soviet area demands restoration of trust rather than the
use of force, vice-president of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems
Colonel-General Leonid Ivashov said at a press conference held in
RIA Novosti.
“The historic memory is most acute when there was a bloodshed. Time is
the only cure for hatred, and only time can restore trust and settle
a conflict,” he believes.
“The attempts to resume conflicts, solve the most difficult problems
with the use of force have no prospect,” Ivashov stressed. In
this connection, he recalled the important role of peacekeepers,
who prevent the resumption of clashes in the zones of conflicts –
in Transdniestria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Touching upon the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, he called
upon the sides “not to cherish a hope that the conflict will be settled
rapidly.” “Both the Azeri and Armenian sides should demonstrate wisdom
and begin the process of “small steps”, restore confidence of an
ordinary people to an ordinary people,” the general pointed out. “If
there are no mobilization calls to war, people will move towards
each other,” he believes. In Tajikistan, Ivashov recalled, at the
beginning of the 1990s peace was established due to peacekeepers and
political efforts. The main cause for success was that “the states,
which had different, sometimes opposite interests in the region,
wanted peace,” Ivashov pointed out. Russia, Iran, Afghanistan,
Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan participated in the settlement. “Russia
played the decisive role,” the general stressed.
He also declared that he might refuse to take part as witness for
the defense in the trial of the former Yugoslavian president Slobodan
Milosevic.
Ivashov, who took part in the settlement of the Kosovo crisis as
a representative of the Russian defense ministry, explained this
by the fact that the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former
Yugoslaviagave Milosevic a lawyer against his will, who receives the
right to determine the witness who will speak.
“In this case I will not defend Milosevic and may become an object of
manipulation. But I would like to defend him, and show the objective
principles.”
“In the Tribunal the aggressors try the victims of aggression. Those
who stirred up the Kosovo conflict, act today as prosecutors,”
Ivashov said.
“I do not see any crimes in Milosevic’s activity. If the Yugoslavian
army shot down NATO planes, this was its duty in time of attack,”
the general stressed.

Armenia 0 Finland 2
sportinglife.com, UK
Sept 8 2004
Finland enjoyed their second successive victory in the World Cup
qualfiers with a comfortable result in Armenia.
Goals from Mikael Forssell and Aleksei Eremenko Jr in either half
secured the win for the Finns, who now have six points from three
games in Group One.
Hosts Armenia came into the match having lost their opening qualifier
3-0 against FYR Macedonia last month, while their opponents were on
a high after managing the same result over Andorra just four days ago.
And it was the Finns who laid out their intentions from the start,
with coach Antti Muurinen to play in an attacking style with captain
Jari Litmanen and Eremenko encouraged to get forward from midfield
as much as possible.
The tactics paid off after 23 minutes with Forssell’s opener. The
striker received the ball from Eremenko just outside of the area, made
his way past two defenders before firing a shot into the bottom corner.
Forssell almost added a second on the stroke of half-time when he
once more tricked his way past the Armenian defence, but the final
ball flew past the wrong side of the post.
Finland eventually doubled their advantage after 68 minutes, when
Joonas Kolkka’s perfect pass found an unmarked Eremenko who had a
simple tap-in into the net.
Substitute Pekka Lagerblom should have made it 3-0 five minutes later
but failed to hit the ball into an empty net leaving the Finns content
with a two-goal win.
Teams
Armenia Hovsepyan, Mkrtchian, Nazarian (Aleksanian 73), Dokhoyan,
Albert Sargsian (Manucharian 54), Khachatrian, Artur Petrosian,
Melikian, Karamian (Grigorian 78), Movsisian, Hambardzumian.
Subs Not Used: Berezovsky, Nikolay Sargsian, Hakobian, Galust
Petrosian.
Booked: Melikian, Albert Sargsian, Aleksanian.
Finland Niemi, Pasanen, Hyypia, Vayrynen, Nurmela, Forssell, Litmanen
(Lagerblom 46), Kolkka (Pohja 86), Kuivasto, Riihilahti, Eremenko Jr
(Kopteff 73).
Subs Not Used: Jaaskelainen, Koppinen, Kallio, Johansson.
Booked: Riihilahti.
Goals: Forssell 23, Eremenko Jr 68.
Ref: Paulius Malzinskas (Lithuania).

KOCHARIAN, KHATAMI SIGN DOCUMENT ON BASIC PRINCIPLES OF BILATERAL COOPERATION
ArmenPress
Sept 8 2004
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS: Armenian president Robert Kocharian
and the visiting Iranian president Mohammad Khatami, who is heading
a high-ranking delegation, discussed today a wide variety of issues
on bilateral relations, the current level of their partnership
and prospects for its enlargement, as well as the latest regional
developments, noting that a deeper regional cooperation is able to
pave the way for creation of a favorable climate for regulation of
the regional conflicts.
The talk between the two presidents was followed by a plenary session
of the joint inter-governmental economic cooperation commission. In
the presence of the two presidents several agreements were signed
envisioning mutual cooperation in the field of energy, constructing a
wind farm in Armenia, procedure for customs agreement, financing the
construction of a 40 kilometer Armenian section of the Iran-Armenia
gas pipeline.
Also an agreement on mutual cultural exchange in the 2004-2007 period
and the protocol of the fifth Iran-Armenia Joint Economic Commission
are among the agreements inked by the two countries. The two presidents
signed an agreement on the basic principles of Iran-Armenia cooperation
Speaking to a joint news conference president Kocharian described
the visit by his counterpart as “an event of a crucial significance.”
“We have discussed the entire range of bilateral relations,” he said,
adding that the signed documents were a clear indication of a very
high level of partnership.
Kocharian said also that bilateral relations between the two nations
are becoming richer and expand day after day. ” I have informed
president Khatami on the current pace of Nagorno Karabagh regulation
and heard also his own approaches towards a variety of other issues,”
he said.
Khatami in turn said he was happy for a chance to visit Armenia
and meet Kocharian. “Armenia is a country where an industrious and
devoted people live that have contributed greatly to world culture
development,” he said commending the 200,000 strong Armenian community
in Iran for contributing to the country’s progress and a significant
role in the Islamic Revolution. “Armenia is Iran’s geographic neighbor,
and though our general policy is to establish good relations with
all our neighbors, our relations with Armenia are of a special
kind. Relations between Iranians and Armenians are a good example
for all those who want to live side by side and respect one another,”
Khatami said.
In a reference to regional affairs he said the sensitive region
that encompasses Iran and the Caucasus needs to have an ensured
stability. “We deem our neighbors’ security our own security and
believe that science and education development can serve as a good
stability guarantee,” he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress