Month: June 2005

AZG Armenian Daily #103, 07/06/2005
Concern
TURKS SPENT $ 1MILLION ON FILM DENYING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Liberty Radio informed that the videodisc attached to the latest issue of
the American Times denies the Armenian Genocide. The videodisc released in
Turkey informs the readers of the periodical that the events happened in the
Ottoman Turkey in 1915 were no genocide, but they were an exile. The disc
says that the Turkish Government provided the exiled Armenians with food and
water and very often they were fed better that the Turkish soldiers
escorting them. The authors of the film represented Taleat Pasha as a
national hero.
The Azeri representative of the film states that “the Armenians who
massacred the Turks earlier now kill the Azeris.” The disc says that the
Armenians fought in the army of Hitler and carried out terrorist acts
against the Turkish diplomats. “Those who keep saying that they were
massacred in the genocide, committed genocide themselves.”
Sinan Aygun, chairman of Ankara Trade House, said that $1 million were
required for shooting the film. They managed to accumulate the required sum
thanks to the donations. Half a million of Europeans will receive the
videodisc denying the Armenian Genocide with the help of Times.

AZG Armenian Daily #103, 07/06/2005
Anniversary
ARAM KHACHATRIAN: I THINK PEOPLE WHO LOVE LIFE DREAD DEATH
102d Anniversary of Great Composer Celebrated
On June 6, the 102d anniversary of great Armenian composer and conductor
Aram Khachatrian was celebrated. Daily Azg has been informing readers about
arrangements dedicated to great composer’s anniversary. One of such was the
exhibition of pictures by Suzy Madre at the House-Museum of Khachatrian.
English-Armenian public figure Asatur Gyuzelian was the initiator of the
exhibition, and after the display Madre presented the picture collection (25
photos) to the House-Museum. Asatur Gyuzelian was the composer’s friend who
introduced Aram Khachatrian to Suzy Madre during Khachatrian’s last London
visit.
Photographer Madre recalls with pleasure the time when she was shooting the
composer. Suzy Mader who photographs mainly musicians had chance to befriend
with the composer and enjoy relations with him. “His attention and love for
me are my greatest memories”, the photographer says.
Asatur Gyuzelian got acquainted with Aram Khachatrian in 1976 London.
Gyuzelian is going to write down his memories of the friendship with the
maestro. But before that, he shared with London reminiscences.
“Our acquaintance started with Khachatrian shouting at me during a press
conference at Dorchester Hotel upon seeing me smoke. Now, I wonder how could
our relations grow into such closeness after such a cry”, Gyuzelian tells.
The composer had an interesting character, he says. “I have many
recollections about Khachatrian. He had such a feature in his character that
when he loved someone, he loved with all his heart, explicitly and
naturally, even kind of privatized the one he loved but if he did not,
nothing could make him change”.
Gyuzelian says that Aram Khachatrian loved his family with unique love. “He
loved the life so much that he feared death and he told me once, ‘Asatur, I
think people who love life dread death'”, Gyuzelian recalls.
By Gohar Grigorian

AZG Armenian Daily #103, 07/06/2005
Neighbors
ETHNIC MINORITIES IN GEORGIA
Publication of an international fact-finding mission Report
Paris, 2 June 2005 – The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
publishes a report entitled “Ethnic Minorities in Georgia” following an
international fact-finding mission into the rights and freedoms of the
ethnic minorities.
This mission was set up in the context of a huge influx into Western Europe
of asylum seekers from Georgia who complained of discrimination. The mission
took place in Tbilisi and in the provinces (Tsalka, Akhalkalaki,
Akhaltsikhe). The mission mainly focused on cases relating to the Yezidi
Kurds, and the minorities in the regions of Tsalka and Samtskhe-Javakhetia.
The publication comes just when Georgia has committed itself, at the
beginning of the year, to ratifying the European Framework Convention on
National Minorities by September 2005.
The problem of minorities in Georgia is historical, ideological, political,
legal and economic. It is made all the more complex as it involves an
attempt to reconcile protecting the identity of minorities with ensuring
their social integration. If the system for protecting minorities fails,
minority groups will become isolated and, as a result, socially excluded, or
else, they are assimilated and disappear.
Decisions and policies regarding the question of minorities is also either
the cause or the effect of the State’s nationalism which is reflected in
minority groups. Bilateral relations between Georgia and the countries of
origin of these groups, or between Russia, the minority groups and their
country of origin often determine the policies relating to minorities.
Inequalities are heightened by the economic and social situation in the
country, the effect of which is all the more evident amongst minority
groups. In addition, all the spheres where human rights apply are affected
by corruption, as are the minorities, and especially, the most vulnerable
members of society, who often belong to the minority groups.
The FIDH asks the Georgian government to conform in all respects to the
international treaties and conventions to which the State of Georgia is
party in order to ensure the rule of law; to make sure that the cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment and any form of discrimination inflicted by
the law enforcement agencies on Georgian citizens, particularly those from
minority groups, because of their ethnic, religious and/or national origins
(Yezidi Kurds, Azeris, Armenians etc) is ended; investigate these
violations, identify their perpetrators and punish them in accordance with
the relevant regional and international laws so as to put an end to their
impunity; combat corruption which is ruining at the country and hindering
observance of the economic, social and political rights of all citizens and
especially of those belonging to minority groups.
The FIDH asks the Georgian government to ratify the European Framework
Convention for the Protection of National Minorities as soon as possible.

Pan Armenian News
ARMENIA OBSERVES NATO GINTARINE VILTIS 2005
07.06.2005 03:05
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ NATO Gintarine viltis 2005 exercises have commenced in
Lithuania. Over 2 thousand servicemen from 12 NATO member states take part
in these. Azerbaijan and Georgia a represented at the exercises for the
first time, while Russia is represented by observers. It should be noted
that Armenia participates in the event as an observer as well. As reported
by Press Secretary of the Armenian Defense Ministry Seyran Shahsuvaryan, the
main goal of the exercises is the development of cooperation between the
NATO countries and the servicemen taking part in the Partnership for Peace
program, as well as enhancing the overall command of multinational forces
during NATO peacekeeping operations. Servicemen from Azerbaijan, Canada,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, UK
are represented at the exercises that will last till June 18, reported
Regnum news agency.

Pan Armenian News
ARMENIAN CONSULATE GENERAL TO OPEN IN TABRIZ
06.06.2005 08:27
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Governor of Eastern Azerbaijan Mohammadali Sobhanallahi
met with Armenian Ambassador to Iran in Tabriz today to discuss the
development of bilateral trade and economic relations, Irna agency reports.
The parties highlighted the opening the Armenian Consulate General in
Tabriz, acceleration of the construction of the transit highway (instead of
the Kajaran tunnel) and the railway between Armenia and the province of
Eastern Azerbaijan. They also discussed the possibility of conducting joint
trade and industrial exhibitions. The RA Ambassador noted that the
establishment of the Consulate will contribute to the Iran-Armenia
cooperation. The negotiations on the issues can open after the reformation
of the new Iranian government. To note, the Armenian-Iranian border
stretches for 35 kilometers along the territory of Eastern Azerbaijan.

AZG Armenian Daily #103, 07/06/2005
Long cherished freedom
ARMENIAN PILOTS RELEASED FROM PRISON IN EQUATORIAL GUINEA
Armenian pilots jailed in Equatorial Guinea with charge of coup d’etat will
return to Yerevan by the end of this week, chairman of the World Armenian
Congress Ara Abrahamian told daily Azg. Here is what Mr. Abrahamian said.
– The Foreign Ministry of Armenia authorized me to take up this issue 3
months ago, on March 15. Before I engaged in the matter, it was the Ministry
that was at work. Despite its great efforts, the pilots were convicted. When
I took up the matter, all of them had been sentenced to long-term
imprisonment (14-24 years). I brought into play all my international ties to
solve the issue the soonest possible. Late Pope John Paul II sent a letter
to the president of Equatorial Guinea. The chairman of UNESCO, Russian
foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, other members of the Russian government and
the ambassador provided great help. We were speaking then of extraditing
them to Armenia to serve their sentence. We wanted to sign such an
agreement. We have been working in this direction for the last 3 months.
Our main task of this period was to care for the health of the prisoners. We
sent them money twice. We sent the ailing to hospital. We kept silent about
all these not to cause the relatives worry. Now we can speak out as they all
have recovered. Our first precondition was their health. I repeat, it was a
very complicated issue, they were already imprisoned. The pilots meanwhile
wrote letters and I brought them to Yerevan. I want to point out the
generosity of Guinean government, particularly the president who granted
pardon and set our pilots free.
– Mr. Abrahamian, where are the pilots now?
– I’ve sent two of our representatives to take them back home. They are now
at the hotel with them. I think the pilots will reach Yerevan by the end of
this week. We want first to land them in Moscow for medical examination and
to send to Armenia in a day or two.
– What were your offers to the government of that country that made them
release our pilots?
– We agreed to help the country in various spheres of economy and social
life. I will provide details in future.
By Ara Martirosian

Pan Armenian News
OSKANIAN AND RICE WILL DISCUSS ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS
07.06.2005 03:01
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In the course of his visit to Washington scheduled June
9-10 Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian will meet with US State
Secretary Condoleezza Rice, President’s National Security Advisor Steven
Hadley, Bush Administration and Congress members. In the course of the
meetings bilateral relations, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, as
well as Armenian-Turkish relations will be discussed, Mediamax reported.

Pan Armenian News
AZERBAIJAN DID NOT TAKE PART IN BSTDB MEETING IN ARMENIA
06.06.2005 10:05
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijan did not take part in the recurrent meeting of
the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank in Armenia, Armenian Minister of
Economy and Finance Vardan Khachatryan stated at a press conference today.
In his words, in spite of all security guarantees being provided to the
Azerbaijani representative, the country refused to take part in the sitting.
In his turn President of the Bank Mustafa Gurtin noted that Azerbaijan is a
sovereign state and it should make decisions on participating or not in a
meeting on its own. As noted by the President, in 2006 the Bank sitting is
planned to be held in Baku. Thereupon V. Khachatryan noted that he will
represent Armenia at the meeting – of course if the Azeri party provides a
visa. It should be noted that in 2007 the Bank meeting will be held in
Moldova. The candidacy of the Azerbaijan as a chairing county in 2006 was
proposed earlier by the Bank Council and was approved the by Board of
Directors. Both the Minister and the Bank President appreciated the work
done by the meeting participants. In their words, in the course of the
sitting the Bank budget for 2005 was approved. As noted by M. Gurtin a field
for active implementation of diverse programs in Armenia was formed lately.
Thus, Armenia is the second from the end on participation in the bank –
0.38%. The top places are occupied by Russia, Turkey and Greece. In the
BSTDB President’s words, any programs may be approved by the Bank,
especially if they are of regional nature, which will promote development of
the region. In the Minister’s words, the Armenian branch of the Bank has had
a profit of $400 thousand. As M. Gurtin informed, a memorandum on
cooperation with the EU, as well as Valeta and Oval agreements totaling $500
thousand are scheduled to be signed. In V. Khachatryan’s words, the Bank
special session will discuss the matter of allocating financial means of $23
million to implement Russal program.

Pan Armenian News
GUAM INTENDS TO ENGAGE IN REGIONAL CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
07.06.2005 03:19
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The organization of GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and
Moldova) has set a goal of settlement of regional conflicts, state
Azerbaijani Milli Mejlis Speaker Murtuz Aleskerov at a briefing June 6. In
his words, the decision over it was passed by the GUAM Parliamentary
Assembly session held in Yalta, Ukraine May 27-29. «There are conflicts in
GUAM member countries. Azerbaijan has Nagorno Karabakh, Georgia – Abkhazia,
Moldova – Transdniestria. The organization has set a goal of setting these
conflicts. The attention towards the GUAM is large. A number of countries
work for joining the organization. We suppose that by accepting new members
the organization activities will strengthen. Besides, the settlement of
conflicts in the region will become more successful,» the Milli Mejlis
Speaker underscored.

Pan Armenian News
OSKANIAN AND MAMEDYAROV MAY HAVE PRIVATE MEETING IF NECESSARY
07.06.2005 03:13
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The recurrent meeting of Armenian and Azeri Foreign
Ministers with participation of the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group for
Nagorno Karabakh settlement will be held in Paris June 17, Azeri Deputy
Foreign Minister Araz Azimov stated. In his words, the Ministers will
discuss issues outlined at the Prague meeting held on 11 January 2005. As
noted by Mr. Azimov, before the meeting the OSCE MG Co-Chairs will have meet
with each Minister. He also noted that Vartan Oskanian and Elmar Mamedyarov
may have a private meeting if necessary. In Armenian FM V. Oskanian’s words,
at the Prague meeting «issues were consolidated», Azerbaijan «agreed not to
raise the Nagorno Karabakh issue at the UN and to continue talks within the
OSCE MG.» Azeri Deputy FM reported that negotiations were held over the
stepwise plan, which includes liberation of 7 «occupied» regions,
restoration of intra-regional communications, «return of the expelled Azeri
population, decision over the Nagorno Karabakh status.» It should be noted
that according to a report of the Armenian Foreign Ministry the
Oskanian-Mamedyarov meeting in Paris will take place June 18.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress