Pravda, Russia / RIA Novosti
March 31 2004
Saakashvili and Abashidze: 5 reasons behind Georgia-Adzharia conflict
Georgia’s central government lost control over many of its
constituent areas after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The
autonomies of South Ossetia and Abkhazia proclaimed independence.
Adzharia is about to follow the suit. Separatist sentiments are also
strong in the areas inhabited by Mingrels, Svans and Kistins. Experts
say the country is close to splitting into ethnic zones, i.e. Georgia
can again shrink down to the size of the medieval period in its
history.
With the advent of President Mikhail Saakashvili and the new
government, Georgia began making moves to restore its territorial
integrity, i.e. to ensure Tbilisi’s sovereignty over Abkhazia, South
Ossetia and to consolidate sovereignty over Adzharia. The Georgian
president stepped up these efforts after visiting the United States
in February 2004.
Mr. Saakashvili secured the USA’s support for his efforts to regain
control over the entire country and have the Russian military bases
withdrawn from Georgia. This April, Pentagon experts are expected to
start training Georgian brigades, which will, apparently, be deployed
in the rebellious regions and near the Russian bases and
peacekeepers.
Reports saying that Georgia’s troops are ready to enter Adzharia
testify to this line of the new authorities. Adzharian leader Aslan
Abashidze says Tbilisi has “conspired a military action to punish
Adzharia as it punished Abkhazia and Ossetia.” Adzharia had been the
quietest of all Georgia’s autonomies. It is home to Adzharians, an
ethnic group of Georgian origin. However, unlike Georgians, who are
Orthodox Christians, modern Adzharians are Islam believers. These
ethnic groups also differ somewhat in their household traditions.
In 6th – 4th centuries BC, Adzharia was part of the western Georgian
kingdom of Colchis, which is known from a Greek myth about Agronauts.
>From the late 10th century, Adzharia was part of a united Georgia
(Sakartvelo). In the mid 15th century, it belonged to the powerful
Abashidze clan.
In the 1570s, Adzharia fell under the Ottoman Empire’s jurisdiction.
In 1878, Adzharia was handed over to the Russian Empire in line with
a decision adopted at the Berlin Congress after the Russian-Turkish
war. After the collapse of the empire, Adzharia became an autonomous
republic within Georgia. (Mamed Abashidze, the current Adzharian
leader’s grandfather, was the speaker of Adzharia’s first ever
parliament from 1918 to 1921). The 1921 Kars Treaty signed by Russia,
Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia defined Adzharia as an
autonomous republic.
Living standards in Adzharia have always been much better than
anywhere else in Georgia. Modern Adzharia is a developed industrial
republic. There is an oil refinery, a ship-building, machine-building
and electromechanical plants, clothing factories, tobacco, tea and
fruit processing facilities in the republic.
Adzharia is a junction of important sea, railway, motor and air
routes of Georgia, which link the country to the rest of the world.
The Batumi sea port has been a municipal company belonging to
Adzharia since 1997. The port is equipped to process wet goods,
general and dry cargoes, and containers. In 2003, some 7 million tons
of oil were shipped in the Batumi port. Oil products make up about
70% of Batumi’s overall cargo turnover.
The railway ferry service, which opened in the port in 1998, is of
vital importance for Georgia, as well for all the Black Sea
countries, economically and politically. The ferry’s capacity is 4
million tons of cargoes a year. The ferry service, for example,
reduces the time of cargo deliveries from Hong Kong to Rotterdam by
16-17 days.
Adzharia has been a semi-independent republic since 1991, when the
then Georgian President Zviad Gamsakhurdia’s supporters made an
attempt on Mr. Abashidze’s life. The Adzharian leader was injured.
However, all armed groups deployed on Adzharian territory, which were
opposed to Mr. Abashidze, were disarmed after the assassination
attempt. The Georgian national guard’s attempt to invade Adzharia was
also thwarted. Georgian tanks were stopped on the border. Adzharia
was, thereby, untouched by the civil war.
Mr. Abashidze maintained rather friendly relations with the next
Georgian leader, Eduard Shevardnadze. Mr. Abashidze was the leader of
the pro-Shevardnadze “Revival” political party.
Mr. Saakashvili came to power in Georgia after the overturn of
President Shevardnadze. He won the presidential election promoting
the idea of nationalising all major industrial facilities and
strategically important industries. The new president also insisted
on regaining control over Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Adzharia
reacted by announcing the state of emergency and closing the borders,
the moves that could again put Georgia on the brink of civil war.
There are 18,000 troops in Georgia today. There are 10 combat
aircraft, 8 helicopters (6 US-made and 2 Turkish copters), 7 patrol
vessels, 120 armoured vehicles and 100 artillery guns in use.
Georgia’s M-day force is about 100,000 men.
Adzharia has a 2,000-strong police force (including 300 mounted
police), 8,000 militiamen (local militiamen usually armed with
hunting guns and old rifles). There is also a Russian military base.
Locals, many of who hold Russian citizenship, make up 80% of the base
personnel.
Mr. Abashidze once said that Russia simply must protect Adzharia.
“There is the Kars Treaty, which obliges Turkey to protect the
Adzharian autonomy. There is also an earlier Moscow treaty,
stipulating similar obligations for Russia,” said Mr. Abashidze.
Under the Kars Treaty, Turkey and Russia can send troops to Adzharia
and Nakhichevan (Azerbaijan’s enclave on Armenian territory) in the
event of third countries’ military invasion of these regions. Unal
Cevikoz, Turkey’s ambassador to Azerbaijan, also recalled the treaty
on March 17, 2004. Mr. Cevikoz said the treaty continued to be in
force.
Experts believe Georgia’s sending troops to Adzharia may trigger a
prolonged armed and political conflict, which will also involve
Turkey, Russia and, possibly, the USA.
Experts suggest the following reasons behind the conflict between the
central government and Adzharia.
First, seeking to regain territorial integrity, Georgia does not
recognise the Adzharian government.
Second, Georgia is set to have the Russian bases pulled out from its
territory (from Batumi and Akhalkalaki) and Russian peacekeepers from
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Tbilisi believes tensions will help it
achieve this objective.
Three, Tbilisi believes Adzharia has grown too independent
economically and politically. The republic, for example, refused to
pay taxes to the central budget, pleading Georgia’s indebtedness to
Adzharia.
Four, the Georgian economy being in dire straits, Tbilisi is seeking
control over the Batumi port to ensure economic revival.
Five, the unnecessary unification of Georgia, Abkhazia, Adzharia and
South Ossetia caused the savage ethnic conflicts in the 1990s.
Russia helped deter a conflict around Adzharia. Moscow Mayor Yury
Luzhkov also made his contribution as a mediator. The Georgian and
Adzharian leaders reached a series of agreements through Mr.
Luzhkov’s mediation. As a result, the central government lifted
economic sanctions against the autonomy, while the latter ended the
state of emergency.
However, the conflict has not been resolved completely and it can
restart any moment.

International Journalist’s Network
March 31 2004
Georgia to host cross-border media conference
Mar 31, 2004
Local and international media assistance groups have until April 7 to
apply for a conference on fostering independent media in the South
Caucasus region.
The Eurasia Foundation’s South Caucasus Cooperation Program (SCCP) is
organizing the conference, scheduled for April 13 and 14 in Tbilisi,
Georgia. Participation is limited.
The conference, `Cross-Border Independent Media as a
Confidence-Building Tool,’ will focus on five areas of regional
cooperation: cross-border content and programming; education and
training for media professionals; media laws; media monitoring and
evaluation; and the protection of journalists’ rights.
The expected participants include, among others: the Association of
Investigative Journalists of Armenia, the Association of Women
Journalists of Azerbaijan, the Black Sea Press Association of
Georgia, the Baku Press Club, Armenia’s Committee for the Protection
of Free Speech, representatives from the Council of Europe,
Internews, and the Media Diversity Institute.
The Eurasia Foundation launched the SCCP for better cooperation among
the major organizations in the Caucasus region. The program’s
contributions include support for independent media initiatives.

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
March 31, 2004
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]
ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY TO HONOR ARMENIAN CAUCUS CO-CHAIRS WITH PUBLIC SERVICE
AWARD
Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America announced today that it
will honor Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg
(R-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) with the Deukmejian Award for Public
Service at the upcoming National Conference and Banquet in Washington, DC.
“The Assembly is proud to once again give this award to two individuals who
exemplify its spirit – Congressmen Knollenberg and Pallone,” said Assembly
Board of Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian.
The congressmen will accept their awards during a banquet at the Mayflower
Hotel on April 19.
“We’re looking forward to an exciting night as we pay tribute to two of our
closest supporters in the House of Representatives and hear from our Senate
friends, Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), who are
the evening’s keynote speakers,” Barsamian added.
The National Conference and Banquet, which is being held in cooperation with
the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and the Eastern and Western
Diocese of the Armenian Church, starts on Sunday, April 18 with a memorial
service at the National Cathedral marking the 89th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide. After the service, the conference will officially open
with a welcoming reception at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
On Monday, activists will gain hands-on experience on the art of advocacy in
preparation for their meetings on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. Monday’s
preparatory exercises will include workshops designed to hone participants’
advocacy skills. Among the day’s highlights will be a panel discussion on
the “Secrets to Advocacy,” which will be moderated by Assembly Board of
Directors Vice Chair Lisa Esayian, and include former Congressman James
Rogan (R-CA), New Hampshire State Representative Harry Haytayan (R-NH),
legislative assistant for Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) Joanne Berry and
Assembly Board of Directors member and one-time aide to former Governor
Wilson (R-CA), Lisa Kalustian.
The conference closes on Tuesday with a farewell breakfast followed by a
full day of meetings with Members of Congress and their senior staff.
Throughout their tenure in Congress, both Knollenberg and Pallone have been
steadfast supporters of issues facing the Armenian community. They have
repeatedly fought for affirmation of the Armenian Genocide, co-sponsoring
legislation that would properly recognize the cataclysm of 1915 and urging
President Bush, as well as his predecessors, to accurately characterize the
events as genocide. The congressmen, working closely with their House
colleagues on both sides of the political aisle, have also fought for
increased funding to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, U.S.-Armenia trade
normalization, the re-opening of Armenia’s borders and maintaining Section
907 of the Freedom Support Act, among other critical issues.
Pallone, who created the Caucus in the mid-1990s, has traveled to Armenia
and Karabakh on numerous occasions, most recently with fellow Caucus member
Rep. Llyod Doggett (D-TX) as part of an Assembly-led delegation.
Knollenberg, also a frequent visitor to Armenia, earned a unique distinction
when in 2001 President Robert Kocharian awarded him the Order of Mkhitar
Gosh.
Since 1997, the Assembly has given the Deukmejian award, named after former
California Governor George Deukmejian, to individuals who embody the
qualities of an exemplary public servant. Among those who have received the
award are: Representatives David Dreier (R-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and John
Sweeney (R-NY), as well as Armenia’s Minister of Trade and Industry Garnik
Nanagoulian.
Online registration is available via the Assembly Web site at
For more information on the Conference, contact Nancy Yerian
Hiteshue at [email protected] or (202) 393-3434.
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
NR#2004-031
Photograph available on the Assembly’s Web site at the following link:
Caption: Congressmen Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ)
flanked by Massachusetts State Representative Peter Koutoujian (D-10), far
left, and New Hampshire State Representative Harry Haytayan (R-46), far
right, during the Armenian Assembly’s Advocacy Conference in Washington last
April.

ArmenPress
March 31 2004
US GENERAL THANKS ARMENIA FOR SENDING PEACEKEEPING PLATOON TO KOSOVO
YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS: Major General Jeffrey Kohler, the
Director of Plans and Policy for US European Command, who arrived
Tuesday in Armenia for a two-day visit to discuss with Armenian
counterparts bilateral military issues, told reporters today after
wrapping up his visit that the goal of the visit was to meet with
Armenian defense minister to thank Armenian authorities for sending a
peacekeeping platoon to Kosovo, as well as for their readiness to
send another platoon to Iraq.
He then praised the Armenian platoon in Kosovo for contributing
heavily to diffusing the latest tension there.
General Kohler said his government was proud to have Armenia as a
friendly nation in the global fight against terrorism and its
willingness to help international efforts for restoration of post-war
Iraq. He said one of the objectives of the visit was to discuss
possibilities for enlarging military cooperation with Armenia.
Kohler also said that during his visit he discussed with defense
minister Serzh Sarkisian and chief of general staff, Colonel-General
Mikael Harutunian US-Armenia military cooperation for 2005. “I have
to admit that defense minister asked, no, ordered that I should pay
another visit to Yerevan to spend more time with my Armenian
counterparts,” he said.
Major general Jeffrey Kohler, UN Air Force, assumed this position
in March 2002. The general is a 1973 graduate of the US Air Force
Academy. He commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels and
served in staff assignments at the major command level and in NATO.
Prior to assuming his current position, the General served director
of operational plans, deputy chief of staff for Air and Space
Operations, headquarters, US Air Force, Washington, DC.

ArmenPress
March 31 2004
OFFICE OF DEFENSE COOPERATION ESTABLISHED AT US EMBASSY IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS: The Office of Defense Cooperation
(ODC), established at the US embassy in Yerevan is working to expand
the Department of Defense (DoD) assistance programs available for
implementation in Armenia, the US embassy told Armenpress. The
establishment of the ODC as an office with full-time responsibility
for DoD assistance programs gives the US government a means to offer
the full range of DoD programs to Armenia and provides more effective
management of existing programs to ensure greater benefits to
Armenia, the embassy said.
A limited number of DoD assistance and grant programs were
administered for a number of years in Armenia by the Defense Attache
Office at the US embassy, however, expanded resources for such
programs recently became available, allowing the establishment of the
OFC, the embassy said.

ArmenPress
March 31 2004
POLICE OPENS INVESTIGATION INTO BEATING HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST
YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS: Armenian authorities have started
an investigation into an incident involving a representative of a
leading human rights organization, Mikael Danielian, who was beaten
by assailants on Tuesday. Mikael Danielyan, the chairman of the
Armenian Helsinki Association, was attacked by four assailants who
cornered him in an alley near his home.
Danielyan was knocked to the ground and beaten, which left him
hospitalized with injuries and a concussion.
According to his wife, Anna Hakobian, the chairwoman of Armenian
P.E.N, his life is out of danger. She claimed that her husband was
beaten for his criticism of the authorities human rights record. The
attack was condemned by several Armenian organizations.

National Post (Canada)
March 31, 2004 Wednesday All but Toronto Edition
When voters choose ethnicity over issues
by James Cowan
In the final installment of the Post’s series on ethnopolitics, James
Cowan visits Don Valley East, where ethnic alliances determined not
just the issues, but the backroom battles that decided the Liberal
nomination.
– – –
TORONTO – Visible minorities are the visible majority in Don Valley
East, a riding where last Sunday the crowd outside the Liberal
nomination meeting fiddled with prayer beads, nibbled on Persian
cookies and chewed Turkish delight. They spoke Farsi, Tamil, Armenian
and Greek. They rarely spoke English — unless they were chatting
with a different ethic contingent.
Four candidates were vying to replace David Collenette, the former
cabinet minister and Chretien loyalist. Many assumed John Kazanjian,
a Bay Street lawyer closely associated with Paul Martin, would easily
win the nomination.
But he faced still competition from three candidates: George
Kalkounis, a former riding president of Greek extraction; Ali
Ehsassi, a legal scholar who had the backing of the large Iranian
community; and Yasmin Ratansi, an accountant with a solid base
amongst South Asian voters.
Sixty per cent of the residents of Don Valley East are immigrants.
Fifty-five per cent speak a mother tongue other than English.
Twenty-one per cent still live in homes that function in a foreign
language.
These demographics dictated not only the issues discussed by the
candidates, but also the machinations taking place in the backrooms.
There were allegations that the South Asian community stacked the
membership list with illegitimate forms. There were cheat sheets to
help first-generation immigrants understand the complex balloting
process. And there was the suggestion the successful campaign won
because many voters didn’t understand how to mark their ballots
correctly.
It’s not that there weren’t issues that might have been of interest
— the promise of new training opportunities for immigrants, or
faster accreditation programs for professionals from overseas. But
campaign workers said the voters didn’t care about these things. What
mattered to them was what ethnic group an individual represented.
“I was very shocked and surprised by how people weren’t engaging on
the issues,” said one high ranking campaign official, “I never
thought you’d literally get pigeonholed into a particular community.
But that’s what nominations come down to.”
This tribal mentality resulted in some intriguing exchanges as the
throng waited to vote on Sunday.
“Support John Kazanjian,” said one campaign worker, attempting to
hand a button to a man in line.
“But I’m Persian,” responded the man, implying he would be backing
Mr. Ehsassi. “I’m Persian too,” said the Kazanjian supporter.
“And you’re supporting John? That is a crime,” said the man.
Ms. Ratansi insisted she had broad support, but nevertheless made
clear efforts to win the backing of the South Asian community.
“I am the only candidate in this contest who is of South Asian
heritage and understands your issues, because they are my issues
too,” she said in an interview with the Weekly Voice, a community
newspaper.
The Ratansi and Ehsassi campaigns both focussed on limited portions
of the riding population. According to Statistics Canada, 12% of the
riding population is South Asian, while only 4% are Iranian. And yet,
standing outside the middle school at some points, one could easily
believe one-half the local populous spoke Farsi and the other half
Tamil. With the emphasis on these communities, other groups went
untapped, including significant Chinese, black and WASP populations.
In fact, of the nearly 5,000 members eligible to vote, only 220 spoke
English as their first language.
“There are not as many Anglo-Saxons involved as one might expect,”
Mr. Kalkounis said.
“It’s perhaps a matter of the candidates choosing specific groups
based on the individual’s own groups. It’s an easier way to achieve
memberships.”
The masses wearing Ehsassi t-shirts and busloads of Ratansi backers
made it clear they had drawn successfully on their own communities.
Mr. Kazanjian boasted of a broader range of support, with pamphlets
featuring endorsements from local mosque president Assadulah
Farahmand and Abdulhaq Ingar, the president of Toronto Islamic
Society.
But behind the politicking, accusations were flying. The eligibility
of 700 Ratansi supporters was challenged by other camps (one source
indicated almost all the challenges came from the Kazajian team).
Most of the challenges, sources say, related to a voter’s signature
not matching the one appearing on their registration form. In the
past, these problems developed when one member of a large family
filled out forms for all of their relatives.
There were also suggestions Ratansi’s team blockaded the parking lot
at the nomination meeting, an allegation that prompted a shouting
match between Mr. Ehsassi’s campaign director and a Ratansi
supporter. In the end, Ms. Ratansi forced her small frame between the
Liberal members, anxious to stop the infighting.
There were also complaints campaigns were not following through on
agreements struck before the voting began. The selection on Sunday
took place by preferential ballot, with participants marking a first
and second choice on their form. If none of the candidates received
more than 50% of the vote, then the individual with the fewest number
of supporters was dropped from the list and the votes were
retabulated to distribute the loser’s votes to his supporters’ second
choices.
The Kazajian and Ehsassi camps formed an alliance, each agreeing to
select the other’s candidate as their second choice. The Kalkounis
and Ratanis teams had a similar agreement. However, halfway through
the vote, there were complaints that the Kazajian team were not
living up to their bargain. The rumour suggested that Armenian
supporters were told not to mark a second choice at all. The Ehsassi
camp only noticed the problem because they had an Armenian amongst
their Farsi speaking midst.
The allegations against the Kazajian campaign were unproven and all
of the campaigns had taken steps to ensure votes were cast properly.
Each group had printed slips of paper, instructing their supporters
how to fill in their ballots and providing a handy graphic. Thus, if
a voter did not speak English well enough to understand the
instructions on how to fill in the ballots, they only needed to copy
the slip of paper. While the other candidates disguised their voting
guides as pedagogical aids, the Kazajian page provided very clear
instructions.
“When voting, mark you ballot as follows,” the slip reads, before
telling the voter to choose Kazajian, followed by Ehsassi.
When the ballots were counted, redistributed, recounted,
redistributed and recounted again, Ms. Ratansi won a convincing
victory. The Liberal Party does not disclose the number of votes cast
for each candidate, but senior officials indicated Ms. Ratansi
defeated Mr. Kazanjian on the third ballot by a margin of 895 to 580
votes. “I guess you had the incorrect information,” She told the
National Post, anxious to contradict suggestions she had a limited
base of support.
However, those privy to the full results suggest Ms. Ratansi did have
narrow support, but won anyway. After the first ballot, Mr. Kalkounis
was eliminated and much of his vote transferred to Ms. Ratansi. On
the second count, Mrs. Kazanjian and Mr. Ehsassi were closely matched
but it was the Paul Martin lawyer who won out. Thus, Mr. Ehsassi
dropped from the contest. However, many of Mr. Ehsassi’s supporters
had not marked a second choice on their ballot, meaning his
supporters failed to carry to Mr. Kazanjian. Ms. Ratansi was handed
the win.
One can only speculate why Ehsassi supporters did not back Mr.
Kazanjian in the end. Others believe the Ehsassi camp quietly
withdrew their support once rumours of the Armenian scandal started
to circulate. Most, however, believe many immigrant voters simply had
a hard time understanding the preferential balloting process and so
many Ehsassi supporters failed to select a second choice candidate at
all.
Regardless of the reason, Ms. Ratansi will apparently have a hard
time convincing some Liberals that she is the candidate with appeal
beyond her South Asian roots.
“It’s a wasted nomination,” one prominent Kazanjian supporter told
the Post, “No matter who the Conservatives put in here, she can’t
win. All of her support is with the South Asians, she can’t reach out
to the broader community. Either of the guys — Ali or John — could
have done it. But she can’t win the seat. And all I know is I’m not
going to help her with the fight.”
GRAPHIC: Black & White Photo: Zoran Bozicevic, National Post; Voters
wait inside Milne Valley School to vote for a Liberal candidate in
Toronto’s Don Valley East riding.

Agency WPS
The Russian Oil and Gas Report (Russia)
March 31, 2004, Wednesday
ARMENIA DOES NOT NEGOTIATE ON CONTINUATION OF IRAN-ARMENIA GAS
PIPELINE TOWARDS EUROPE
Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan reports that nobody has
conducted any negotiations on continuation of the Iran-Armenia gas
pipeline through Georgia and further through Ukraine to Europe with
Armenia. According to Movsisyan, Armenia does not set such task and
has not held any official negotiations. He adds that the relevant
negotiations on construction of the gas pipeline were held with Iran.
With regard to other countries Movsisyan stated that “Armenia is an
independent state and decides independently what and with whom it
needs to build and not a single country has tried to create obstacles
in this area.”
According to the minister, many countries including Russia
demonstrated their interest in construction of the pipeline. Russia
is currently considering possible options and will make a decision
corresponding to its interests. A number of private companies
including the companies from China and Italy also demonstrate their
interest in the project.
Speaking about a possibility to extend the pipeline to Western
Europe, the minister remarks that he “could not have made such
irresponsible statements.” He said that “Armenia is an honest partner
and tries to maintain mutually beneficial relations with everyone.”
Movsisyan emphasizes that European Union has not allocated a single
kopeck for construction of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline and the
government of Armenia will find the money independently.

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
March 31, 2004, Wednesday
U.S. DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE RICHARD ARMITAGE’S VISIT TO THE CIS
HAS FINISHED: THE U.S. ACTIVATES ITS POLICY IN THE CAUCASUS
US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage’s visit to the CIS
finished on Saturday. He held negotiations with President Ilkham
Aliyev in Baku. One of the topics concerned paths to settling the
Karabakh conflict. In addition, the US Deputy Secretary of State
thanked Azerbaijan for its assistance in Iraq and Afghanistan. At the
same time, Mr. Armitage said that the US does not intend to deploy
its bases in Azerbaijan. (…)
Richard Armitage met with President Robert Kocharyan in Yerevan. He
stated that he arrived as the US president’s messenger in order to
“revive a political dialogue between Washington and Yerevan”. He
stated: “This visit must emphasize our interest in the
South-Caucasian region and Armenia’s importance for the US.”
Mr. Armitage noted that he visited Kiev, Baku and Yerevan owing to
several reasons: “I discussed issues linked with an impending
presidential election in Ukraine. I haven’t visited Georgia because
we already held negotiations there. This is why I am here. I also
visit Azerbaijan because you are interested in the Karabakh problem
and the Partnership for Peace program.”
The results of the visit show that the US activates its policy in the
Caucasus. Washington has already established close relations with
Georgia, and has focused on Baku and Yerevan.
(…)
Source: Kommersant, March 29, 2004, p. 9
Translated by Alexander Dubovoi

Agence France Presse
March 31, 2004 Wednesday 8:44 AM Eastern Time
Rights activist attacked in Armenia amid protests
YEREVAN, March 31
Unkown assailants have attacked a top rights campaigner and reporter
in the former Soviet republic of Armenia, leaving him hospitalized,
his friends said Wednesday.
Mikael Danileyan, who heads the Helsinki Federation rights group in
Armenia and also works as an independent journalist, was attacked by
unkown assailants near the entrance to his home Tuesday morning,
leaving him in serious condition.
“Mikael thinks that what happened was an act of state-sponsored
terror linked to his human rights activities,” Anna Akopyan of the
PEN club representing authors told reporters.
Tension has been recently running high in the struggling Caucasus
republic amid opposition fury with President Robert Kocharyan’s rule
Armenia’s opposition has contested Kocharyan’s April 2002 re-election
to the small Caucasus nation’s Constitutional Court. The court ruled
the election valid but, after mass demonstrations, suggested that a
confidence referendum be held.
In neighboring Georgia, mass rallies organized by US-educated
opposition leader Mikhail Saakashvili late last year resulted in the
peaceful overthrow of veteran leader Eduard Shevardnadze, following
controversial parliamentary elections.