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08/10/2004
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Iran Expresses Willingness to Support Azeri Stance on Karabagh 2) Georgia's South Ossetian Economic Minister Goes Missing Amid Tensions 3) Georgia, Russia Seek Peace Over Rebel Regions 4) Young Armenian Chess Players Return from European Championship With Gold and Silver Medals 1) Iran Expresses Willingness to Support Azeri Stance on Karabagh TEHRAN (AZTAG)--During a recent press conference, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hamid Reza Asefi confirmed Azeri media reports about Iran's willingness to support Azerbaijan's position on the Mountainous Karabagh conflict. "[Iranian President] Khatami's visit to Azerbaijan was very successful and led to an important stage in the relations of the two countries," Asefi noted. Asefi also noted that President Khatami expressed Iran's desire for a peaceful resolution, which entails the maintenance of Azerbaijan's territorial control over the enclave. 2) Georgia's South Ossetian Economic Minister Goes Missing Amid Tensions TBILISI (AFP)--The economic minister of Georgia's separatist region of South Ossetia, Ruslan Pliyev, is missing after his empty car was found in a river, a local television news station reported, as cited by Agence France-Presse. This report comes amid growing tension in the former Soviet republic, with its new president, Mikhail Saakashvili, trying to win back control over his fractured Caucasus state--having toppled the country's leadership in a peaceful "rose revolution" last year. The news station--which has not been identified--cited undisclosed sources as saying that foul play may have been involved in the disappearance of Pliyev, who, the station said, is in conflict with other leaders of the separatist pro-Moscow government in South Ossetia. Georgian officials have so far made no official comments on the reported disappearance. Nevertheless, the alleged incident adds to the confusion surrounding relations between Georgia, the pro-Russian region, and Russia itself, whose defense minister strongly rejected accusations that Moscow's planes are spying on Georgia. "This is all nonsense and delirium," Russian defense minister, Sergei Ivanov, was quoted as saying by Interfax in Moscow. Nevertheless, Georgia's interior minister vowed last week to shoot down the next Russian military plane flying over Georgia. Ivanov's comments followed a tense meeting with Georgian defense minister Georgy Baramidze, held in an effort to resolve a growing military conflict in the corridor between South Ossetia and Georgia, presently guarded by Russian troops. The conflict has so far almost totally been reserved to a war of words, but there has been sporadic gun fire and arrests of various peacekeepers in the region. The talks in Moscow also focused on Abkhazia, another pro-Moscow region in Georgia that serves as a popular summer resort for Russians. In blistering remarks, Saakashvili threatened last week to sink foreign ships that enter the region without permission. "Abkhazia is not a place to holiday, it is a war zone...(Russian) tourists have nothing to do there," he said, before leaving for a visit to the US. But, his deputies have since said that his comments were misinterpreted by reporters, in a move clearly aimed at appeasing relations with Moscow. Seen as a young, popular reformer, Saakashvili has vowed to reunify his fractured republic since toppling the administration of veteran leader Eduard Shevardnadze in a peaceful revolution last year. He has also developed closer relations with the West, and his country will soon be home to a key US-backed oil pipeline that skirts Russian territory, despite being opposed by Moscow. 3) Georgia, Russia Seek Peace Over Rebel Regions MOSCOW (Reuters)--Russia and Georgia's defense ministers tried to calm increasingly shrill rhetoric over two breakaway regions on Tuesday by promising to cooperate in the search for a peaceful solution, Russian news agencies reported. Georgia's determination to bring South Ossetia and Abkhazia under central control--spelling the end of a decade of rule by separatists with support in Moscow--has sparked saber-rattling that over the past few weeks threatened to turn into bloodshed. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said Russia was ready to hand over two Soviet-era military bases in Georgia--one in the capital Tbilisi and one in the southern town of Akhalkalak. "In the near future we are prepared to hand them over to the Georgian Defense Ministry--only the Georgian Defense Ministry--under an agreement," RIA-Novosti news agency quoted Ivanov as saying, without giving details of the agreement. His Georgian counterpart Georgy Baramidze, visiting Moscow for three days, praised his hosts for their approach. "Russia's sincerity in the search for a peaceful solution is very encouraging," Itar-Tass quoted him as saying. "My Russian colleague and I have discussed the situation in the conflict regions and how to minimize the risks for peacekeepers and peaceful citizens. No reasonable country could have any interest in inflaming the conflict," Baramidze said. The two also said they hoped to renew contacts between their militaries, which Ivanov said "does not need colossal steps--it's enough just to make an agreement and stick to it." Baramidze said developing Georgia's air defenses was one potential area of cooperation. The apparent thaw comes less than a week after US Secretary of State Colin Powell called for dialogue between the two sides--despite Moscow warning Washington not to get involved. The United States and Russia are rivals for influence in Georgia, which--despite poverty and a history of ethnic conflict--is strategically placed as a future conduit for massive Caspian oil resources to the energy-hungry West. Georgia's US-educated President Mikhail Saakashvili, who won a landslide election in January, has helped to escalate the disputes over the two regions by insisting they must bow to his rule, surrendering their powers and taxes to Tbilisi. He angered Russians last week by saying Georgian forces would sink Russian tour boats plying the Black Sea coast of breakaway Abkhazia, a popular beach holiday destination for Russians since Soviet times. The Vedomosti business daily dubbed him "our Fidel," comparing him to Cuban leader Fidel Castro for his hot-headed rhetoric in defiance of the dominant power in the region. In a potential twist to the row over one of the regions, Georgian police found the economy minister of the unrecognized South Ossetian government dead in a river on Tuesday. It was not clear if he had crashed his car, found in a nearby gully. 4) Young Armenian Chess Players Return from European Championship With Gold and Silver Medals YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)--The European Junior Chess Championship, held in the Turkish city of Urgup, came to a close with 670 representatives from various countries having participated in ten tournaments held simultaneously in five age groups. Armenia participated in the Championship with 14 boys and girls performing in all age groups. Ten year-old Robert Aghasarian from Yerevan performed successfully, earning 7.5 out of possible 9 points. He placed first for the highest tournament coefficients, acquiring the title of European champion and won a gold medal. Samvel Ter-Sahakian from Vanadzor, the European champion of last year, also had high standings. He performed in the 12-year age group this year, earning 7.5 points. The chess player earned second place, and was awarded with a silver medal. Fourteen year-old Varduhi Kalashian (fourth place) from Gyumri, 16-year-old Zaven Andreasian from Yerevan (eighth place), and 18-year-old Liana Aghabekian from Vanadzor (ninth place) also performed successfully in the tournament. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. 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