Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
July 28
AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV RECEIVES UKRAINIAN SUPREME RADA
COMMISSIONER ON HUMAN RIGHTS NINA KARPACHOVA
[July 28, 2004, 19:25:34]
President of Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev received at the
Presidential palace Ukrainian Supreme Rada Commissioner on Human
Rights Nina Karpachova on July 28.
Having welcomed the guest, the Azerbaijani leader expressed
satisfaction with successful development of Ukraine -Azerbaijan
relations in political, economic and other spheres.
Touching upon the results of his recent state visit to Ukraine,
President Ilham Aliyev noted that it had shown once again both
parties’ adherence to strategic partnership.
The Head of State pointed out that both Azerbaijan and Ukraine are
relatively young states, and that the process of building an
independent state requires more efforts in the spheres of politics,
economy and the priority one of human rights protection. In this
connection, President Ilham Aliyev stressed the importance of
cooperation between the two countries’ ombudsman institutes that,
according to him, is the new element in the social life of
independent states.
The Azerbaijan President highly appraised the Azerbaijan-Ukraine
human rights related cooperation in the framework of various
international organizations, especially, the Council of Europe. In
this context, the Head of State pointed to the importance of
experience exchange and coordination of efforts in this direction,
and expressed hope for development of cooperation between the two
countries’ ombudsman institutes in the future.
Having thanked the Azerbaijani leader for the warm meeting,
Commissioner of the Ukrainian Supreme Rada on Human Rights Nina
Karpachova advised that on the first day of the visit the members of
the Ukrainian delegation had visited the tomb of nationwide leader
Heydar Aliyev and his spouse Zarifa khanum.
She also passed on greetings and best wishes from the President of
Ukraine Leonid Kuchma to the President of Azerbaijan.
Noting the rapid dynamics of social and political life in the
country, the guest emphasized the importance of continuation of the
nationwide leader Heydar Aliyev’s political course aimed at
sustainable development of Azerbaijan.
Mrs. Nina Karpachova especially focused on her expected meeting with
refugees. Describing the hard living conditions of over million
people as a humanitarian catastrophe, the Ukrainian ombudswoman noted
that her country had always supported territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan with respect to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh.
She also stated that anticipated signing of bilateral agreement on
ombudsman institutes cooperation would open a new page in the history
of relations between the two countries in the sphere of human rights
protection.
Stressing active involvement of 500-thousand Azerbaijani Diaspora in
socio-political life in Ukraine, Mrs. Karpachova thanked the
President for the constant attention and care about representatives
of the Ukrainian Diaspora in Azerbaijan.
She also expressed gratitude for the care about the crew of the
Ukrainian aircraft crashed in spring in Baku.
Present at the meeting was Commissioner on Human Rights of the
Azerbaijan Republic Mrs. Elmira Suleymanova.

Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
July 28
Russia: Meskhetians Setting Off Into New Exile But Vow To Continue
Fighting
By Jean-Christophe Peuch

Earlier this year, the International Organization for Migration (IOM)
launched a U.S.-sponsored resettlement program designed to help
Meskhetians from Russia’s Krasnodar region emigrate. The first group
of 84 Meskhetians arrived in the United States in mid-July with the
hope of obtaining permanent resident status and, eventually, U.S.
citizenship. For these Meskhetians, this might well be the end of
their journey. But the plight of those thousands who remain in the
Krasnodar region is likely to continue until they, too, finally
depart, after clearing last-minute hurdles set up by local
authorities.
Prague, 28 July 2004 — For the third time in 60 years, Russia’s
stateless Meskhetian community is setting off into exile.
Last week, 84 Meskhetians bid farewell to Russia’s southern Krasnodar
region and arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under a U.S.
resettlement program. These few families are the first of a 9,000- to
10,000-strong contingent expected to emigrate to the United States
within the next few months.
Arrangements for their initial accommodation are being made by the
Lutheran Children and Family Services, a private voluntary agency
that is providing them with resettlement services, such as housing,
food, clothing, and other basic necessities.
Sarvar Tedorov is the local chief representative of Vatan
(Fatherland), a Moscow-based nongovernmental group that campaigns for
Meskhetian rights throughout the former Soviet Union.
Speaking to RFE/RL from Krasnodar, Tedorov said he and many other
Meskhetians have decided to accept the U.S. resettlement offer for
want of viable alternatives: “Just imagine a man locked in a room and
thrashed [by his captors]. Windows are closed, armed people and wild
dogs are guarding, but the fanlight has been left open. If this man
wants to escape, then he has to use this fanlight. Thanks to the
U.S., [we] are offered an opportunity to escape all possible forms of
harassment — including physical — by local authorities. [We] simply
have no other way out. We must save our children and our future.”
Of all Meskhetians, those who live in Krasnodar have probably
suffered the most in recent years.
Also known as Meskhis, the Meskhetians are the survivors or
descendants of a rural Muslim population of southern Georgia that
Soviet leader Josef Stalin ordered deported to Central Asia in
November 1944 for reasons that remain unclear.”We must save our
children and our future.” — Sarvar Tedorov, the local chief
representative of Vatan (Fatherland), a Moscow-based nongovernmental
group that campaigns for Meskhetian rights
In 1989, following bloody pogroms that claimed dozens of lives in
Uzbekistan’s Ferghana Valley, tens of thousands of Meskhetians were
forcibly evacuated by the Soviet army and resettled in other areas,
mainly in Azerbaijan and Russia’s Krasnodar region.
Although Meskhetians themselves disagree on whether they descend from
ethnic Turks sent to colonize Georgia, or Christian Georgians who
forcibly converted to Islam under Ottoman rule, they are generally
described as “Turks” and perceived as such throughout most of the
former Soviet Union.
This has created particular problems for Krasnodar Meskhetians,
confronted with the nationalist, pan-Orthodox policy of Governor
Aleksandr Tkachev and his predecessor.
Most of Krasnodar Territory’s 13,500 Meskhetians are denied basic
civil rights — including access to work — and suffer from various
forms of harassment.
Only 4,000 of them have been granted Russian citizenship. As for the
rest, they have no legal status and continue to live in judicial and
administrative limbo 15 years after their enforced evacuation from
Uzbekistan.
The U.S. Refugee Program was launched in mid-February with an initial
16 August deadline. It is open to all Krasnodar Meskhetians who
either have no legal status or are married to stateless individuals.
The Russian authorities have welcomed the U.S. initiative, saying it
will help close the Meskhetian issue and defuse ethnic tensions in
the Krasnodar area.
Yet rights groups and community elders accuse the Russian leadership
of hypocrisy.
Tedorov said local authorities have so far failed to deliver on a
written pledge to help Meskhetians organize their departure.
Vadim Karastelev runs the School of Peace, a Novorossiisk-based
nongovernmental group that campaigns for interethnic dialogue in the
Krasnodar area. He says that, despite official denials, regional
officials are creating last-minute hurdles for Meskhetians seeking
U.S. refugee status.
“Tkachev and the heads of administrative districts where Meskhetians
live have promised to help those who want to leave. But, in fact,
they are creating many obstacles,” Karastelev said. “The main problem
concerns real estate. Citing various pretexts, local authorities are
refusing to help Meskhetians sell their houses and other property.
This is why those who left [last week] had to give relatives a
power-of-attorney so that they can sell their houses on their
behalf.”
Despite these obstacles, Karastelev said he expects the next group of
emigrants to leave for the United States in September.
Community leader Tedorov said his family and others decided to apply
for U.S. refugee status after hearing Russian President Vladimir
Putin lend support to Governor Tkachev in a televised address.
“I [decided to apply] on 24 March,” Tedorov said. “Rather, it’s my
wife who applied on our behalf after she watched television. What she
heard [Putin say] made her cry. As the rest of my people, I have to
leave [for the United States]. But I will continue to fight for my
civic rights from there and make demands to both Russia and Georgia.”
Unlike other peoples deported during World War II, the Meskhetians
were not rehabilitated after Stalin’s death. In addition to being
denied the right to collectively return to their home region, they
are still awaiting an official pronouncement that their deportation
was unjustified.
When joining the Council of Europe five years ago, Georgia made a
commitment to provide a legal basis for the return of Meskhetians
with a view to organizing their collective repatriation.
Yet, citing potential troubles with its large Armenian community,
Georgia has done little so far. A few Meskhetians have returned
individually, but their number does not exceed a few dozen.
“Russia and Georgia are responsible for the fact that we’ve been
deported twice,” Tedorov said.
“Those of us who still have faith in the future will continue — from
the U.S. — to press these countries to recognize our rights.”
Tedorov added. “We must be rehabilitated.”

Azg, Armenia
July 28
FOREIGN WORDS AND NAMES OF OUR… BREASTS
Today most of the clothes that are sold in Armenia are bearing some
words and names in foreign languages. We don’t have our own fashion
industry and this phenomenon is caused by this factor only. Or maybe
Armenian is not fashionable.
The dresses bear the names of the famous fashion designers as Gucci,
Versace and others, on the other hand, they are decorated with such
phases like “Love me”, or “Kiss me”, “Follow me”, etc. Can you
imagine what could happen if we all followed these instructions. We
could appear in a situation when some one could do undesirable things
with us. We could become victims of these phrases and words that are
decorated on our breast.
I think that’s a good reason for having a good and contemporary
Armenian fashion industry. We will not have to buy clothes bearing
phases the meanings of which we don’t understand and put our fates at
stake.
I would like to touch upon various blouses that resemble some letters
in their shape, but this is already another story.
By Gohar Gevorgian

The Daily Star, Lebanon
July 29 2004
Muslim Democrats hopeful but wary
By Ashraf Fahim
Special to The Daily Star

NEW YORK: Maya Berry remembers a time when, as an Arab-American
delegate to the 1992 Democratic convention, she held aloft a placard
that read – “Palestinian Self-Determination” – and was trailed by
security guards bearing walkie-talkies for her troubles. That
incident came at a time when Arab-Americans were struggling to get
onto the political map.
“To be frank, I felt fairly unwelcome,” recalls Berry, a Michigan
delegate to this week’s Democratic convention in Boston,
Massachusetts. “And now it’s like night and day. The Democratic Party
organizes around ethnic constituencies and we’ve become part of that
coalition.”
With issues like Iraq and civil liberties at the heart of the
Democrats’ critique of the Bush administration, and even a formal
recognition of the right of Palestinians to a state in the party
platform, Berry and the over 70 other Arab and Muslim delegates (out
of 4,300-plus) at the convention feel slightly more at home than in
the past.
“Our issues are the national issues when it comes to the presidential
race for the first time ever,” says Berry. “Now everybody’s talking
about Iraq, everybody’s talking about the Patriot Act, everybody’s
talking about the Palestinian-Israeli problem.”
Indeed, numerous speakers at the convention have attacked President
Bush’s Iraq policy, and in his Monday night speech former President
Carter criticized Bush for failing to attempt “to secure a
comprehensive peace for Israel with hope and justice for the
Palestinians.”
Illinois Senatorial candidate Barack Obama also got a rousing
response during his Tuesday night keynote address when he said: “If
there’s an Arab-American family being rounded up without benefit of
an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties.”
But the enthusiasm Berry and other Arab and Muslim delegates feel for
their party’s leader, John Kerry, who will today be confirmed as the
Democrats’ candidate for the Presidency, is tempered by what many see
as his continuation of the Bush administration’s confrontational
approach toward several Arab and Muslim countries.
Even the party’s support for a Palestinian state has come at an
extortionate price. Kerry has spoken out in favor of Israel’s
separation wall, while the party platform calls Jerusalem Israel’s
undivided capital, accepts Israel’s right to annex illegal
settlements and rejects a Palestinian right of return.
Kerry and his running mate, John Edwards, have likewise supported
sanctions on Syria, taken a hawkish line on Iran’s nuclear program
and vowed a reckoning with Saudi Arabia for its alleged support of
terrorism.
The anti-Saudi rhetoric has disappointed Berry. “In politics
sometimes you do what you think will work in focus groups,” she says.
“And the average American is unhappy with gas prices, so it’s really
easy to beat up on the Saudis. Frankly, I think it’s beneath someone
like John Kerry.”
Arab and Muslim-American delegates have refused to despair over those
foreign policy positions, however, placing faith in Kerry’s promise
to rebuild America’s ties with the rest of the world, while
channeling their enthusiasm into his domestic agenda.
“In the end we’re picking the party that, I think, is pro-minority.
The party has stood for civil rights and that is my basic concern,”
says Zafar Tahir, a Muslim-American delegate from Bush’s home state
of Texas. “Foreign policy is very important, but I think a mistake we
have made in the past is that we have allowed foreign policy issues
to overtake our immediate concerns.”
As momentum builds toward the November election, polls suggest most
Arab and Muslim voters – many of whom live in “battleground” states
like Florida and Michigan, where the tight presidential race is
expected to be decided – are inclined toward the same pragmatism
shown by their delegates in Boston. Recent surveys by the
Arab-American Institute (AAI) and the Council on American-Islamic
Relations put support for Kerry above 50 percent among those
overlapping constituencies.
However both polls also indicate a far higher percentage of undecided
voters than the national average, and strong support for independent
candidate Ralph Nader.
With few voters on the fence nationally, the Kerry campaign has
focused on energizing its traditional constituencies. On touchstone
issues like Israel-Palestine, this has meant deferring to Jewish
Americans, who Bush has courted with his pro-Israel stance. But
Kerry’s deference to right-wing Jewish opinion is a strategy
independent pollster John Zogby believes is not only “ham-fisted and
gratuitous,” but unnecessary.
“All of my evidence suggests that Kerry is going to get 75 percent of
the Jewish vote regardless,” he says. And were he to express balance
on Israel-Palestine and speak more forcefully on Iraq and civil
liberties, “he would energize a group of Arab and Muslim-Americans
who can help him win in several key battleground states.”
As the Kerry-Edwards campaign’s director of ethnic outreach, George
Kivork is tasked with ensuring the Arab-American vote is pro-Kerry
rather than anti-Bush. And Kivork, an Armenian-American who was born
in Syria, does his best to talk up Kerry’s position on
Israel-Palestine.
“John Kerry has made a commitment that under his administration the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict is not going to be an afterthought,” he
says, recalling Kerry’s pledge to dispatch a high-profile
representative to the region. “Bush wants to make this a wedge
issue,” he cautions, “but Arab-Americans are not single issue voters.
They have the same concerns as other Americans.
“At the end of the day Arab-Americans are heard in this campaign,”
says Kivork. “They have an opportunity to be at the table. … That’s
something that they don’t have with the Bush-Cheney campaign.”
The Kerry-Edwards campaign may be listening, but first-time Florida
delegate Neal Abid is not certain his community is being heard.
“They’ve said they’ll work with us, and they’ve always had an open
mind to listen,” says Abid, who remains an avid Kerry supporter. “But
so far, if you want the truth, we don’t feel that they’ve changed
their positions or really taken us into consideration.”

The Daily Star, Lebanon
July 29 2004
Magazine for Christian Arabs fills market niche
Al-Maghtas neither denominational nor theological, focuses on
socioeconomic issues
By Daoud Kuttab
Special to The Daily Star

AMMAN: For the first time in decades Christian Arabs in Jordan and
Palestine have their own magazine. With two issues under its belt –
the second came out last week – Al-Maghtas (The Baptismal) seems to
be filling a gap in the market.
The 40-page glossy color magazine, in Arabic, is produced in Amman
and features interviews, articles, and in the first edition even some
controversy.
One article about emigration by Reverend John Noor, the secretary of
the bishops of Jordan, says there are between 10-15 million Christian
Arabs living in the Middle East. Most of the region’s Christian Arabs
live in Egypt (7-12 million) and Sudan, 600,000 live in Iraq, 165,000
in Jordan, 900,000 in Syria, 1.3 million in Lebanon, 50,000 in
Palestine and 130,000 in Israel. Noor estimates that 4 million more
live in the diaspora.
Unlike the majority of internationally available Christian magazines,
Al-Maghtas is neither denominational nor theological. It deals with
socio-economic conditions focusing on Christian Arabs on both banks
of the Jordan. The new magazine will work on strengthening the desire
of the Christian Arab community to stay in their homeland and be a
bridge within the community and to the outside world.
Christian Arabs refuse to be called a minority, they consider
themselves part of the Arab world and partners with their Muslim
brethren in all the troubles that face the region today.
The first edition’s editorial sets out the magazine’s goals and
vision: “We are proud of both our Arab nationality and our Christian
belief … We plan to honor those in our community who deserve such
praise so that we can provide our younger generation with role
models.”
Philip Madanat, the magazine’s editor, says the strength of
Al-Maghtas is in its exclusivity for the Christian community and its
avoidance of theology.
“We are extra careful to include individuals from all Christian
denominations in our society and made a decision not to allow any
discussion of Christian beliefs and theology so as not to cause anger
to the followers of any denomination,” he says.
Among the feature stories in the magazine is an interview with
leading Jordanian businessman and philanthropist, Elia Nuqol, CEO of
the Fine tissue company. Widad Kawar, the internationally known
collector of Palestinian and Jordanian dresses and folklore, is
profiled in another piece.
An investigation into the internal struggles between three Christian
churches over the right to the keys to the Nativity Church in
Bethelem has raised the most questions amongst the Christian
community. The story which presents all points of view deals with a
situation which began during the Israeli siege of the church in April
2002 when one of the priests needed to take out an injured
Palestinian. While the three churches – Orthodox, Armenian and Latin
– are said to have copies of the key, it is understood that ownership
of the key (for symbolic reasons) goes to the Orthodox. According to
the story, the Latin priest who didn’t have access to the key
belonging to his denomination borrowed the key from another priest.
Fearing that this would have long-term consequences, the Greek
Orthodox church quickly changed the lock. leaving the keys of the
other two churches useless, and creating a major incident in which
the mayor of Bethlehem Hanna Naser and even Palestinian Authority
Chairman Yasser Arafat, were brought in to settle the dispute.
Christian Arabs, while small in numbers, feature prominently in Arab
politics, art and culture. From Gibran Khalil Gibran to modern-day
artists and politicians, the history of Arabs is full of Christians
who have left their mark in history and culture.
Latin priest Hanna Kildani writes of modern day Christian Arabs in
Palestine and Jordan in an interesting and detailed book which is
reviewed in the latest edition of Al-Maghtas. For the most part,
Christian Arabs have downplayed their Christianity as a way of
becoming accepted and featuring highly in the predominantly Muslim
culture of the region.
Countering this view, Al-Maghtas runs a review of another book issued
by the Royal Jordanian Center for religious studies that includes an
alphabetical glossary of the names of prominent Christian Arabs in
the various Islamic historical periods.
On the lighter side, the magazine, which hopes to be a source of
information and entertainment for the community, prints photographs
of Christian Arabs in Jordan and Palestine at various social events.
The recently excavated site of Al-Maghtas, from which the magazine
takes its name, on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, is featured
in various stories and photos. The back page of the magazine includes
a large picture of Jordan’s King Abdullah and the Pope during the
Pontiff’s recent visit to the baptismal site on the bank of the
Jordan River.
In its second edition, Al-Maghtas reflects a more courageous approach
in dealing with some traditional taboos in Christianity. In its
editorial, the magazine calls on religious leaders to do away with
the baptismal pools and instead to use the Jordan River’s baptismal
location. In another article the issue of Christian education in
schools is dealt with extensively with a call for a serious effort to
follow through with the efforts to get this issue implemented. A long
interview with Greek Orthodox Palestinian priest Atallah Hanna covers
three pages and includes a criticism of the Church hierarchy’s
controversial sales and rentals of properties and lands to Israelis
in Palestine and Israel.
Jordanian government spokeswoman Asma Khader is given the cover story
with a long interview that talks about her birth in the Palestinian
village of Zababdeh and follows her legal and human rights career
with her special work in defending Jordanian and Arab women. Two
pages are dedicated to excerpts from an award winning book by former
Jordanian Health Minister Ashraf Kurdi which deals with Christian
Arab doctors before the advent of Islam.
Madanat says Al-Maghtas still faces some legal obstacles with the
Jordanian government’s Department of Publications refusing to either
issue or reject the request for a license. Jordanian law stipulates
that if the government doesn’t respond in 30 days to a request for a
license then the request is considered de facto approved. The absence
of a de jur license has hampered distribution and advertising
efforts.
The initial response of Jordanian and Palestinian Christians to the
new magazine has been positive. Many have expressed that the magazine
has given them a sense of identity and resolved the issue of who they
are and the fact that they can be both proud Arab nationals without
compromising their own Christian faith.

Tehran Times, Iran
July 29 2004
1st Russian Rail Consignment Leaves Caspian Port For Iran
MOSCOW (IRNA) – In an official ceremony attended by the Russian Prime
Minister Mikhail Fradkov, the first consignment of goods transported
by railway left the Russian coast of Caspian Sea on Wednesday for
Iran within the framework of the North-South International Transport
Corridor.
The ceremony was attended by a number of Russian officials including
managing director of the Russian Railways, Genaddy Fadyev, his
Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Sa’id Nejad, ambassadors of several
countries to Russia and Iran’s charges d’affaires in Moscow.
Meanwhile, the new railway line connecting Yandyki station to Olya
port was inaugurated. Speaking at the ceremony, Fadyev underlined the
significance of making Yandyki-Olya railway line operational and
said, “Given the remarkable reduction in the expenses and time of
shipment of goods, more consignments will be shipped via North-South
Corridor in future.”
Turning to the low cost of shipping goods between Asia and Europe via
this corridor, he noted that transit of commodities via Iran will be
the most cost-effective, given that the route links Asia to Russia
and Europe, in particular northern Europe.
The 49-km railway line between Olya port on the Caspian coast and
Yandyki railway station connects the port city to the country’s
railway network.
The project cost three billion roubles, equivalent to 103.44 million
dollars. The related fund was included in Russia’s transportation
budget.
The North-South Corridor is chaired on a rotation basis by one of its
three founders: Iran, Russia and India. Iran chairs the corridor in
2004.
Seven countries including Iran, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Belarus,
Tajikistan and Oman have access to the corridor according to the
agreement.
Meanwhile, applications of Ukraine, Syria, Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Bulgaria for membership in the treaty are currently being examined.
Turkey also recently applied for membership in the North-South
corridor.
Development of this international corridor will facilitate shipment
of goods between Asian and European states via the shortest route and
at lower cost compared to the Suez Canal.
The Qazvin-Astara railway project, which was proposed by Fadyev to
his Iranian counterpart during his visit to Tehran in early spring,
is one of the projects targeting the development of North-South
Corridor.
Putting the cost of the project, which is to be financed by Russia,
at 177 million dollars, he noted that Russian engineers are now
working it out. He added that a tripartite Russian, Iranian and Azeri
consortium is now being established to implement the project.
At the end of a two-day meeting in Moscow on May 21, the heads of
railway companies from Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan signed a
tripartite memorandum of understanding (MOU) on expansion of railway
cooperation.
According to the MoU, they reached agreement on forming an
international railway consortium for implementing the project on the
railway due to link Qazvin to Astara via Rasht.

ArmenPress
July 28 2004
FM CONCERNED OVER AZERI PRESIDENT ANNOUNCEMENTS
YEREVAN, JULY 28, ARMENPRESS: ” If it were a simple public speech
made by Azeri president concerning domestic politics we wouldn’t have
reacted. But this time he addressed Azerbaijan’s ambassadors and this
rises serious concerns. This one indicates that in reality Azerbaijan
is not interested in a peaceful regulation of the Karabagh conflict
and pins its hopes on a forced solution,” Armenian foreign ministry
press secretary Hamlet Gasparian said, commenting on a recent speech
by Ilham Aliyev addressed to his ambassadors in which he had said
that if negotiations were fruitless Azerbaijan would use all means to
liberate its territories, including military force.
“We have stated that in case of any attempt to resolve Karabagh
conflict by force means the consequences will be disastrous for the
whole region and for Azerbaijan in the first place,” FM press
secretary said.

ArmenPress
July 28 2004
CENTRAL BANK TO REGSITER NEW COMEMRCIAL BANK
YEREVAN, JULY 28, ARMENPRESS: Tigran Sarkisian, the governor of
Armenia’s Central Bank, said July 27 that theBank has agreed to
register a new commercial bank with Swiss capital. He said the new
bank-ArmSwiss Invest and Trust Bank, will most likely start operating
later this year. Its constituent capital is 3.3 billion of Armenian
drams.
He said the new bank will be dealing with providing VIP services,
conducting transactions at world markets and pursue also an
investment policy. It is also supposed to offer new banking tools for
the domestic banking sector, which Sarkisian said are not offered by
any of the local commercial banks and “this makes the new bank
interesting.”
Sarkisian also predicted that by the end of the year one of the
leading commercial banks may be re-sold or a merger of banks may
occur.

ArmenPress
July 28 2004
US, ARMENIAN TEACHERS DEVELOP ONLINE TEACHING PROGRAMS
YEREVAN, JULY 28, ARMENPRESS: The Business Center of the American
University of Armenia hosted today a presentation of some 20 online
education programs, created jointly by Armenian and 22 US teachers
from 15 states during last week.
The US teachers arrived in Armenia on July 20 as part of a program
of teachers exchange, implemented by Project Harmony organization.
Some 22 Armenian teachers will visit the USA in October to learn
about creating and application of online education programs.
Sharing their impressions about spending a week in Armenian
schools, the US teachers said they were impressed by the Armenian
secondary education system. Project harmony has helped establish
computer classes in around 270 schools across Armenia.

Yeni Musavat, Baku in Azeri
26 Jul 04 p 5
Azeri pundit says government, people should solve problems themselves

Azeri opposition analyst Elxan Mehdiyev has criticized the people for
the current regime in the country. In an interview with Yeni Musavat
newspaper, he blamed the government for the regress in relations with
Turkey and NATO, the reluctance to integrate into NATO and the
dependence on the USA and Russia which has isolated Turkey from the
Karabakh resolution process. But he also added that NATO ignored
Azerbaijan’s Karabakh problem and regarded it as the problem of
Armenia as well. The analyst urged the people and government to
resolve its problems and not to demand that other countries and
international organizations release the occupied lands. The following
is an excerpt from an Elsad Pasasoy report by Azerbaijani newspaper
Yeni Musavat on 26 July headlined “No one has the moral rights to
blame Turkey”, subheaded “Foreigners asked the Azerbaijani expert
where Azerbaijan’s oil dollars are being channelled”, “Elxan
Mehdiyev: ‘Azerbaijan is not ahead of Armenia at all in relations
with NATO'”; subheadings inserted editorially:
The plight of Nagornyy Karabakh and other occupied districts
continues to be a priority which the Azerbaijani public is concerned
about. Our conversation with Elxan Mehdiyev, head of the centre for
peace and conflict resolution [and aide to the opposition Musavat
Party leader], was devoted to this problem. Elxan bay [form of
address] attended the international conference on the new US policy
and NATO’s security policy in the Black Sea basin held in Bucharest
last week.
Mehdiyev delivered a speech on the military and security policy in
the Caucasus at the conference attended by officers and military
security experts from Europe, the Balkans and the US command in
Europe. First, we asked Mehdiyev to tell us about the event.
USA, Russia against Turkey’s dominance in the Caucasus
[Mehdiyev] At the conference, the main attention was devoted to the
Nagornyy Karabakh problem during the discussion of conflicts in the
Caucasus. I said in my speech that Turkey had been artificially
sidelined from the co-chairmanship in the OSCE Minsk Group over this
problem and that the interests of the USA and Russia coincided in
this issue. Because Americans and Russians do not want Turkey to be a
co-chair. Actually, Turkey is directly an integral part of this
conflict and its interests in the resolution of the conflict are
natural. No results were achieved to resolve the problem since Turkey
had been artificially sidelined from the process.
To recap, all sides to the conflict admitted a peace plan drawn up by
Russia, Turkey and the USA in 1993 for the first time in the history
of the conflict. However, the USA is not interested in Turkey’s
mediation. Washington is exerting pressure on Turkey to establish
bilateral ties with Armenia and is trying to distance it from the
Karabakh problem. Armenians also want to have relations with Turkey
in a form in which the Nagornyy Karabakh problem is not taken into
account. They want the problem of Nagornyy Karabakh and other
occupied lands not to be a subject of Turkish-Armenian relations.
It’s clear to us that if Turkey establishes bilateral ties with
Armenia then the Karabakh problem will be put on the back burner.
An interesting situation has arisen. The USA and Russia are against
Turkey’s dominance in the Caucasus.
By establishing full cooperation with the Caucasus countries through
bilateral ties in the military and security spheres, the USA is
making these countries dependent on it.
Azerbaijan, NATO interests do not always coincide
[Correspondent] How do you assess Azerbaijan’s relations with NATO?
Did you include this issue in your speech?
[Mehdiyev] I think that our interests and NATO’s do not coincide
everywhere. Because the number one security issue for us is the
liberation of Azerbaijani lands and the destruction of the Armenian
armed forces which are deployed on this territory. But NATO is
ignoring this issue. In addition, it is developing military
cooperation with aggressor Armenia and Azerbaijan on the same level
and describes the aggression as a problem between the two sides. This
kind of approach to the problem’s resolution strengthens aggressor
Armenia’s position and policy to occupy the lands in the region in a
military way. Therefore, I said if NATO wanted realistic peace in the
Caucasus, then it should have done the same in the Caucasus that it
had done in Yugoslavia. However, I added that I was not so naive to
believe that NATO would bomb Armenia and repeat the Yugoslav events
there. But NATO should at least keep distance from relations with
Armenia and lay down its conditions before this country. It does not
do so. Moreover, it is trying to get Azerbaijan to develop military
cooperation with Armenia. I said Azerbaijan regards such a position
as immoral.
The participants in the event think that it’s Azerbaijan’s problem
that its lands have been occupied over a decade despite the fact that
it has large human and natural resources and no-one should be blamed
for this. I blame no-one as well. But I said peace could be achieved
in the region soon if NATO adhered to a fair position on the problem.
I do not blame international organizations for this like many people
in Azerbaijan.
They unequivocally asked where the oil dollars are being channelled
and why small Armenia is keeping the lands of big Azerbaijan under
occupation. As we know all these funds go into the pockets of clan
members and the regime in Azerbaijan has no plan, wish or will to
liberate the lands. The oil dollars would be useful when they are
used for measures to liberate the occupied lands. The regime’s
representatives have their own problems. The latest statistics show
that Armenia is developing more strongly through different ways and
its economy has reached the highest growth in the CIS. Moreover,
Armenia is modernizing its military forces. But Azerbaijan has not
purchased a single tank over the latest seven or eight years as [late
ex-President] Heydar Aliyev said last year.
[Correspondent] Did you ask the participants in the conference what
is the secret of an equal stance on Azerbaijan, which has taken the
path of integrating into Europe and Armenia, and which is playing the
role of Russia’s puppet?
Azerbaijan not trying to integrate into NATO
[Mehdiyev] Azerbaijan is not actually trying to integrate into NATO
and become a member of this organization. The owners of the regime
have repeatedly stated this and NATO also knows this very well.
Relations with NATO regressed after the dynastic regime was set up.
Because Russia, which has great opportunities of influence on the
dynastic regime, is against Azerbaijan’s close military cooperation
with the USA and NATO. Azerbaijan’s attitude to NATO is indefinite.
Azerbaijan has never resolutely expressed its position on this.
Despite the fact that Heydar Aliyev expressed his position on this
last year, the current regime’s owner has given up this stance and
said that the issue of NATO membership was not on the agenda. The
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry also issued an official statement on
this.
Cooperation which Azerbaijan and Armenia established with NATO is on
the same level and there is no difference. Azerbaijan is not ahead of
Armenia in any index in relations with NATO. Those who say that
Azerbaijan is closer to NATO than Armenia are mistaken. Armenia has
been taking part in all events as well. Armenia hosted NATO’s
large-scale event last year. This event will be held in Baku this
year. It might be held in Armenia next year. Armenia is leading its
policy mainly in line with its interests. It has built up its
relations with NATO to a high level and is developing private
relations with Russia. Armenia is conducting its policy in line with
its interests. But Azerbaijan is continuing its policy to preserve
the regime. Unlike these two countries, Georgia has resolutely
expressed its wish to enter NATO and there is a strong progress in
this sphere. The Georgian army has been fitted to NATO standards and
has great support from the political viewpoint. Azerbaijan is mainly
located in a security vacuum. This country’s policy is a policy of
indefinite security. It is more correct to describe Azerbaijan’s
policy as “the policy preserving the regime” .
[Passage omitted: Ilham Aliyev continues policy of his father just
airing slogans about the liberation of Karabakh, USA not to resolve
the Karabakh conflict]
Cool Azeri-Turkish relations might encourage Armenian-Turkish ties
[Correspondent] We recently witnessed some facts damaging the
relationships with Turkey. Do you think this is a coincidence or a
well thought-out policy against the background of Russia’s
strengthening positions?
[Mehdiyev] The regime does not depend on Turkey. It depends on Russia
and the USA. For this reason, any kind of behaviour might be expected
against Turkey. Naturally, as we mentioned, Russia does not support
Turkey’s strengthening in Azerbaijan.
[Correspondent] Do you think that such cool relations might encourage
Armenian-Turkish relations? Moreover, official Baku has stated that
the opening of the borders will strike a serious blow to the
resolving the problem.
[Mehdiyev] No-one has the moral right to air critical opinions about
Turkey. Turkey closed its borders for 11 years and is waiting. What
did Heydar Aliyev do during this period? Maybe he was involved in
issues pertaining to the construction of certain buildings somewhere
[in Baku] or a petrol station. The Erdogan government will open
borders with Armenia and establish diplomatic ties. This is
inevitable. The opening of the Turkish-Armenian borders will
naturally strengthen Armenia. If Turkey keeps its border closed for
100 years, would Azerbaijan’s lands be liberated just like that? An
interesting psychology of not resolving one’s own problem and blaming
others has appeared in Azerbaijan. They blame everywhere [in
Azerbaijan] the OSCE, the UN, the USA and Russia for not liberating
the lands. It’s a very strange position.
[Passage omitted: Mehdiyev’s cites as an example the struggle of
Bosniaks to liberate their lands]
Azerbaijani people guilty of current situation
[Correspondent] Turkey’s ruling circles have also played a certain
role in the formation of the dynastic regime and from this point of
view this country is partly guilty of the current situation …
[ellipses
[Mehdiyev] The Azerbaijani people who are starving in refugee camps
and simultaneously embracing Ilham Aliyev are guilty.
[Correspondent] Do you expect any political changes in Azerbaijan in
the near future or do you think the current situation will continue
until the next [presidential] elections?
[Mehdiyev] If such a person as [ex-Foreign Minister] Tofiq Qasimov
has left Azerbaijan and gained asylum in a foreign country, then I
ponder the plight of this country. Political processes are not
developing in Azerbaijan. Quite simply, a police regime has been set
up and democratic forces are being subjected to repression and
torture. To speak about any changes is absurd until an atmosphere
appears that encourages political processes.