ic Lanarkshire.co.uk, UK
May 6 2004
Boxing title rival says he will `cook’ champ Scott May 6 2004

SCOTT Harrison’s trash talking challenger William Abelyan has
threatened to `cook’ the WBO Featherweight Champion.
The Armenian, who is the Cambuslang fighter’s mandatory opponent at
the Braehead Arena on May 29, believes he will strip the world champ
of his title.
William Abelyan said this week: `Harrison is only keeping my world
title belt warm for me. Just make sure he is polishing it so it’s
nice and shiny for me when I take it off him on May 29.
`My world title opportunity has been a long time coming. I stepped
aside to let Harrison fight Medina the second time following his loss
to him. By rights I should have fought Medina and I am certain I
would have knocked him out and would be the World champion now.
`Medina gave him a grilling but I’m going to cook him.’
The 26-year-old is not intimidated by going into the Braehead Arena
which will inevitably be packed with Harrison fans.
Abelyan said: `Everyone’s telling me what a hostile atmosphere it is
going to be in the arena on the night. To tell you the truth I
couldn’t care less.
`If you saw where I come from in Armenia then you would have a reason
to be worried. Going to Scotland does not scare me one bit.
`What are his fans going to do for him? They are not going to be in
the ring taking sledgehammer punches – Harrison is.
`I’m not going to Scotland to make friends, I’m going there to do my
job which is to knock Harrison out cold.’
With just over four weeks until their fight, Abelyan claims to be
ready for Harrison now.
Said Abelyan: `I wish the fight could be tomorrow because the way I
am punching now he will not make it passed the first round. My
training for this fight has been fantastic and I’ve never felt in
better shape.’
Tickets for Harrison’s fight are priced at £30, £50, £75 and £125 and
are available from the Seatem Box Office on 0870 906 3839 or the
Braehead Arena Box Office on 0870 444 6062.

Anadolu Agency
May 6 2004
Basesgioglu: We Are In Favor Of A Peaceful Solution To Upper Karabakh
Dispute
BAKU – Turkish Labor and Social Security Minister Murat Basesgioglu
has said, ”we are in favor of a peaceful solution to the dispute
about Upper Karabakh under Armenian occupation.”
Basesgioglu, who is currently paying an official visit to Azerbaijan,
visited Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Murtuz Aleskerov on Thursday.
Speaking at the meeting, Basesgioglu said, ”Turkey’s approach about
the Upper Karabakh dispute has not changed. We are in favor of a
peaceful solution to the dispute about Upper Karabakh which was under
Armenian occupation.”
Informing Aleskerov on efforts to protect social security rights of
Turkish people living in Azerbaijan and of Azerbaijani people living
in Turkey, Basesgioglu recalled that an administrative agreement was
signed between the two countries earlier the day about putting into
practice the ”Convention on Social Security”.
Meanwhile, Aleskerov said in his part that the Upper Karabakh dispute
was the most important problem of Azerbaijan, adding, ”I believe
that we will overcome this problem with the assistance of Turkey. We
are quite sure that Turkey would not open its border with Armenia to
this end.”

Bellona, UK
May 6 2004
European Union calls for Armenian NPP closure
The European Union could allocate 100m euro to shut down Armenian
nuclear power plant and establish alternative sources of energy after
the concrete date of the plant’s closure is established.
2004-05-06 13:22
The chief of the delegation of EU in Armenia and Georgia Mr. Torben
Kholtse made this statement, Novosti reported. However, the Armenian
administration believes the nuclear plant should operate until the
alternative energy sources of the appropriate capacity are at place.
The Armenian minister of finance and economics Vardan Khachatryan
told journalists that the country works on establishing alternative
energy sources in case the nuclear plant is closed. It is required
about 1 billion euro to complete the works. The international donor
organisations and other countries could allocate the money. The
minister believes the gas pipeline from Iran to Armenia could become
an alternative source of energy for Armenia. The construction of the
pipeline should be launched already this year.
The Armenian nuclear plant operates one Soviet-design reactor
VVER-440 and generates from 30 to 40 percent of all energy in
Armenia.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
May 6 2004
SLOVENIA TO SUPPORT FAIR POSITION OF AZERBAIJAN
[May 06, 2004, 18:10:53]
Executive secretary of the `Yeni Azerbaijan Party’ /YAP/, Milli
Majlis deputy Ali Ahmadov met with Ambassador of Slovenia to Turkey
and Azerbaijan Andre Groselli, YAP’s press service reports.
Ali Ahmadov updated the ambassador on the party’s activities, state
program on socio-political development of regions for 2004-2008 and
steps towards further development of democracy. YAP executive
secretary highly rated the relationship between the two countries and
expressed confidence that Slovenia would be more active in protecting
Azerbaijan’s interests.
The Ambassador expressed satisfaction with the present state of
relationship between the two countries, and stated that Slovenia
stands for peaceful resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the scope of international law. He
pledged that his country would support Azerbaijan’s position during
the term of presidency at OSCE.

Iosco County News Herald, MI
May 6 2004
Babcock is Liberty Bell Award winner for 2004
by John Morris
EAST TAWAS – A Tawas City businessman who runs a longtime
family-owned business, Iosco County Abstract Office, and who has been
involved with many community activities and boards is the 2004
recipient of the 23rd Circuit Bar Association’s Liberty Bell Award.
He is Carl “Butch” Babcock of East Tawas who is a lifelong resident
and native son of the Tawases. The Award was presented Friday at the
Tawas Bay Holiday Inn Resort in East Tawas during the bar
association’s annual Law Day luncheon.
Nichol Palumbo, president of the 23rd Circuit Bar Association, said
Babcock is a valuable asset not just to her profession in matters of
real property and information, but as a historian to the community,
especially as the area grows. Babcock’s business deals primarily in
land abstracts, title insurance and mortgage closings.
“He constantly donates his time and energy to the community,” Palumbo
said of Babcock. “And he is always available.
“What he brings to us is something that can’t be measured. He is a
valuable source of information and a lot of questions of him.”
Babcock said he is shocked, surprised and honored to receive the
award.
“I consider everyone in this room a friend,” he said. “There’s a lot
of sharing between attorneys and land title concerns. Likewise, I ask
a lot of questions of you.”
The Liberty Bell Award was established by the American Bar
Association about 35 years ago to acknowledge outstanding community
service to a person who is not an attorney. The 23rd Circuit Bar
Association has historically presented its award to those who have
dedicated careers to promoting better understanding and respect for
the rule of law, good government of the area or community service.
Law Day is May 1.
Keynote speaker for the luncheon was retired 23rd Circuit Judge J.
Richard Ernst who recently returned from a year’s trip to Armenia.
Ernst said Armenia uses a civil law system, a system that goes back
to the Roman Empire.
He call Armenia a “unique country” fought over by Mongols, Turks,
Persians and Russians. “It’s little country with a rich history,” he
said.
“The Armenian people are a proud people,” he said. “There are more
Armenians in the world — six million — than in their own country —
2.3 million.”
Ernst said the Armenian legal system is derived from its 80-year
existence an a Soviet Union state. “Judges receive a lifetime
appointment from the president,” he said. He said an Armenia judge
can be removed, although it is rare when it happens.
The Armenian legal system is in three branches: a Court of First
Instance (one judge); a three-judge Court of Appeals; and a Court of
Cassation which is split into two divisions — civil and criminal —
with seven judges in each division.
Ernst said Armenia courts are located in “very dilapidated quarters.
In earthquake-ravaged areas, the judges were too embarrassed to show
me their quarters,” he said.
A temporary cage holds defendants while they are in the court and in
recently history, there’s only been seven acquittals, Ernst said.
“They don’t try people if they’re not guilty,” he said. “Judicial
independence is practiced in theory, but obviously it does not exist.
“The judge will naturally favor the party that supples the largest
bribe.”
He said an attorney in Armenia received a law degree after four years
of college and can purchase grades and purchase a position.
There’s also no time constraint for court cases. For example, he said
one case began in 1998 and is continuing to this day. “There’s no
finality,” Ernst said. “There’s no date for trail and no date for
when he trial ends.
That is, he said, unless the defendant pleads guilty.
Ernst said the court system in Armenia made him reflect “how
fortunate we are in what we have and what we have the possibility to
lose.”

ITAR-TASS, Russia
May 6 2004
United opposition bloc agrees to talks with Armenia pres

YEREVAN, May 6 (Itar-Tass) – – The united opposition bloc has agreed
to negotiations with the president and prime minister of Armenia.
This is said in a statement made by the opposition alliance Justice
and the party National Unity.
The opposition bloc motivates its step by the resolution of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) as of April
28. It is ready to refrain from holding meetings in Yerevan for ten
days “as a manifestation of good will.”
As opposition forces affirm, “the political crisis has been
aggravating since the last year presidential elections.” They are
convinced that the fulfilment of the PACE resolution “is of decisive
importance for our country.”
Among other things, opposition forces demand that Robert Kocharan
should resign from the post of the president of Armenia and their
arrested activists be released.
As opposition forces warned, “mass events will be resumed if
authorities don’t agree to a compromise.”

Pasadena Star-News, CA
May 6 2004
Rushing to defense
Marshall High students, teachers support embattled principal
By Gretchen Hoffman , Staff Writer
PASADENA — At the same time that a group of community members are
circulating petitions calling Marshall Fundamental High School
Principal Steven Miller a bigot who should be removed from his post,
students and teachers are rallying to his support.
Miller is anything but a racist, students and staff say, and he has
reduced school violence and increased student performance. He
motivates teachers and students alike, and is always willing to lend
an ear, they add.
One thing about Miller is certain, however. The road he travels at
Marshall these days is rocky. Some Armenian parents are upset that
middle school dean Kevork Halladjian was told he will not be
returning to his post next year. His lawyer, Dale Gronemeier, is
threatening a lawsuit if Halladjian is not reinstated, and alleges
Miller is a racist who did not do enough to halt violence during a
March 5 fight between Armenians and African Americans at the school.
Halladjian’s lawyer is married to Temetra Gronemeier, whose lawsuit
against the Pasadena Unified School District alleging age
discrimination was thrown out recently. She was seeking the principal
position, which was given to Miller.
Students said Marshall has always had racial conflict but that it has
largely abated under Miller’s guidance. Incidents like the March 5
fights, which resulted in a lockdown on campus and several
expulsions, were more common before Miller instituted peer-mediation
programs, they said.
“He doesn’t sit in his office filling out worksheets, he’s making
sure that each and every race is satisfied,’ said tenth- grader
Clarissa Belombre. “Instead of pointing to the one who’s running the
school, which is what people do, you need to point to the students.
They’re the one who caused it. He took care of the situation as he
could.’
Senior Veronica Gonzalez said she thought the accusations have been
made by people who do not know Miller.
“It seems like these are because of the position he holds,’ Gonzalez
said. “His main priority is us, the students. The thing that I think
is really just out there is that these people that are accusing him
are saying they’re here for the students but … it’s not helping us,
it’s tearing us apart.’
Senior Tina Lee said the petitions are from people who do not have
children at Marshall.
“They don’t even have grandchildren who go here,’ Lee said. “They
have no relation to anyone who has first-hand knowledge. I think they
have no right to say anything.’
Students and teachers said Miller’s detractors are focusing on the
fights as an excuse to get him thrown out of Marshall.
“For people to try to hang his career over one incident that
occurred, I don’t think that’s fair,’ teacher Darlene Davenpot said.
“Right now at Marshall, we do not need another principal.’
Teacher Rebecca Vasquez said discipline has been Marshall’s Achilles’
heel since she started there six years ago.
“I think he’s taken action where it hasn’t been taken before, and
that’s why he’s being targeted,’ Vasquez said. “It’s not productive
for anybody. It’s interesting that people outside our school are
coming in and creating problems.’
Teacher Patricia Kavanagh said she “can’t think of someone who is
less likely to be a racist. He’s been under more pressure than I can
imagine. He’s unknowingly become a part of … antagonism that was
here before he started.’
Many students said they had never seen Miller treat a student
differently because of his or her race and alleged that deans
Gronemeier and Halladjian gave preference to students of their own
race.
“I feel like Mr. Halladjian favors the Armenians, I guess because he
feels Ms. Gronemeier is African American and he needs to stick up for
the Armenian people,’ senior Rita Manoukian said. “Our own deans are
trying to mess up our school. How does that help us?’
Dale Gronemeier said his client and his wife have a “special
sensitivity’ toward students of their own race but operate with
complete fairness.
“What goes with the territory of disciplining students is that you
are dealing with students and parents in a negative and oftentimes
adversarial (role) because people don’t like to be disciplined,’
Gronemeier said. “Mrs. Gronemeier has 20 years’ experience as a
teacher and as an administrator at Marshall. There are legions of
Armenian students and parents who would swear by her fairness.’
Halladjian said he has an open door policy for all students
regardless of race.
“Anybody can come to my office, I’ll definitely make time to see them
right away,’ Halladjian said. “I try my best to deal with all
students at Marshall with the same fairness.’
Other students pointed to honors awarded to Marshall under Miller’s
tenure. The school was ranked in the top 4 percent of the country’s
public high schools in Newsweek’s 2003 Challenge Index. It was also
selected last year as one of three schools in the nation to receive a
College Board Inspiration Award in recognition of its work in
broadening economically disadvantaged students’ access to college.
“When Mr. Miller came, I felt he brought peace,’ senior Alexandria
Parker said. “I think he’s the bridge or the tie that connects
everyone together and by severing that cord, you’re severing Marshall
and all we’ve worked together to build. I think in the end, the truth
will speak for itself.’

FACTBOX-Five Facts on Adzhara region
LONDON, May 6 (Reuters) – Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili
proclaimed the start of his country’s reunification on Thursday after
forcing out the Adzhara region’s rebel leader Aslan Abashidze in his
second “rose revolution” in six months.
Abashidze flew into exile on Wednesday after a night of opposition
rallies and a massive defection of his loyalists.
Here are basic facts about the Adzhara region in Georgia:
Adzhara has a population of 400,000 and is located on the coastline of
the Black Sea in the southwest of Georgia.
The capital, Batumi, is a large oil refining centre which supplies
Georgia and neighbouring Armenia. After Saakashvili was prevented from
entering the region in March, Georgian troops cut rail and road
access, forcing the 200,000 barrel-per-day oil terminal to stop
loading oil.
The region declares itself to be autonomous although its status has
not been resolved since Georgia declared independence in 1991 after
the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Abashidze was backed by Russia which keeps a controversial Soviet-era
military base outside Batumi, seen as leverage against
Georgia. However, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov helped mediate
a peaceful end to the current crisis in Adzhara, and Abashidze flew
into exile with Ivanov on Wednesday night.
Adzhars are ethnic Georgians but unlike most Georgians, who are
predominantly Christian, the Adzhars are Muslims after centuries of
Turkish occupation, which ended in the 19th century.
05/06/04 07:25 ET

A1 Plus | 13:49:46 | 06-05-2004 | Politics |
CLASH IN AKHALQALAQ
On May 4 collision occurred in Azmana village of Akhalqalaq. Adzharian
villagers of Azmana being provoked by Georgian Misha Natenadze residing in
the same village threw stones at the Armenian villagers. Then an attempt was
made to bring about 50 young Adzharians from the neighboring Aspindza
District to involve them in the conflict.
But the Armenian young people having arrived from Armenian villages of
Akhalqalaq frightened the Adzharians from Aspindza who left Akhalqalaq
District.
Adzharians of Azmana hurled stones at Akhalqalaq District policemen who had
arrived at the scene, too. To relax tension Nikoloz Nikolozashvili, Georgian
President’s envoy extraordinary in Samtckhe-Javakhq, arrived in Akhalqalaq.
The local leadership and he managed to alleviate tension and to reconcile
the sides.
The Armenian part made concessions since the accident was just an attempt to
cause an armed conflict between the Armenians and the Adzharians.

A1 Plus | 14:07:07 | 06-05-2004 | Politics |
KOCHARYAN AGAIN BREAKING A LAW
“Breaking the 30th article of the Law on “Military Service”, Robert
Kocharyan nominated Hovik Hoveyan who didn’t serve the Minister of
Culture and Youth”, Ruben Torosyan, Chair of “Supreme Soviet” Deputy
Club, says.
Being guided by NN 159-163 articles of the Armenian Civil Trial Code,
Ruben Torosyan demands to declare nomination of Hoveyan a Minister
invalid as it runs counter to the law and to press on him to fulfill
the requirements of N 30 article of the Law on “Military Service”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress