Month: October 2006

FBI WORRIES ABOUT AL-QAIDA TIES TO MOB
By Pat Milton, Associated Press Writer

Los Angeles Times
Oct 1 2006

WASHINGTON — The FBI’s top counterterrorism official harbors lots of
concerns: weapons of mass destruction, undetected homegrown terrorists
and the possibility that old-fashioned mobsters will team up with
al-Qaida for the right price.

Though there is no direct evidence yet of organized crime collaborating
with terrorists, the first hints of a connection surfaced in a recent
undercover FBI operation. Agents stopped a man with alleged mob ties
from selling missiles to an informant posing as a terrorist middleman.

That case and other factors are heightening concerns about a real-life
episode of the Sopranos teaming with Osama bin Laden’s followers.

"We are continuing to look for a nexus," said Joseph Billy Jr.,
the FBI’s top counterterrorism official. "We are looking at this
very aggressively."

The new strategy involves an analysis of nationwide criminal
investigations, particularly white collar crime, side by side with
intelligence and terrorist activity.

"We have developed an ability to look harder and broader in a greatly
enhanced way to see if there is any crossover," Billy said in an
interview with The Associated Press.

Organized crime syndicates could facilitate money transfers or
laundering, human smuggling, identification fraud or explosives and
weapons acquisitions, officials said.

The options are many for terrorists groups.

There are the five reputed La Cosa Nostra families in New York,
Russian criminal enterprises from Brighton Beach in the New York
borough of Brooklyn to Moscow, and the emerging Asian crime syndicates
that operate in many Islamic countries with al-Qaida offshoots.

A contract study produced recently for the Pentagon and obtained
by the AP warned that the potential for organized crime assisting
terrorists is growing.

"Although terrorism and organized crime are different phenomena, the
important fact is that terrorist and criminal networks overlap and
cooperate in some enterprises," the study said. "The phenomenon of the
synergy of terrorism and organized crime is growing because similar
conditions give rise to both and because terrorists and organized
criminals use similar approaches to promote their operations."

The traditional mafia has highly developed networks for acquiring
goods and services and money, all for a price.

The mob’s potential interest in helping a terrorist has nothing to
do with ideology or sympathy but with greed, said Matt Heron, head
of New York FBI’s organized crime unit.

"They will deal with anybody, if they can make a buck," Heron said.

"They will sell to a terrorist just as easily as they would sell to
an order of Franciscan monks. It’s a business relationship to them."

"If the mob has explosives and a terrorist wants them and they have
the money, they could become instant friends," he said.

Pat D’Amuro, a retired senior FBI official and now chief executive
of Giuliani Security, said a Mafia boss once acknowledged that the
mob would help terrorists.

"I am aware of a high-level Mafia figure, who was cooperating with
authorities, being asked if the Mafia would assist terrorists in
smuggling people into Europe through Italy," D’Amuro said. "He said,
‘The Mafia will help who ever can pay.’"

Officials said they have no specific evidence that such a relationship
has been cemented. But concerns were heightened last year after an
Armenian immigrant was arrested in New York for allegedly leading
a plot to sell military weapons to an FBI informant posing as a
middleman for terrorists.

Arthur Solomonyan had claimed to be able to deliver shoulder-fired
missiles from his connection in Russian organized crime to the
informant, who claimed to have ties to al-Qaida, federal prosecutors
said. Solomonyan and 17 others in New York, Florida and California
were charged in the case.

Solomonyan is scheduled for trial this month. His lawyer, Seth
Ginsberg, said he plans to "vigorously contest" the charges and call
the government’s confidential informant to the stand to challenge
his motives. The Italian, Russian, and Asian mafia remain active,
particularly in New York, even though the government has successfully
prosecuted numerous figures in recent years.

In the past three years, well over 100 associates from all five La
Cosa Nostra families have been arrested in New York, Heron noted.

While the potential of a gangster-terrorist marriage is on the FBI’s
radar, homegrown terror cells and weapons of mass destruction are
also big concerns for those in the FBI given the job of stopping the
next terrorist attack.

"We are not only aware that they want to come across the ocean to
attack us but they may be physically here developing in our own
homeland," Billy said.

The Internet has become the new Afghanistan, allowing terrorist
sympathizers to promote their radical ideas and to recruit and train
followers right their home computers. That makes it far more difficult
for investigators to identify them.

Billy said his biggest concern remains weapons of mass destruction.

While Hezbollah and Hamas are more defined terrorist groups, with
a territorial focus and a political platform, al-Qaida is more
unpredictable.

"We know they were trying to acquire it prior to 9/11, bin Laden’s
own words said that," said Billy. "What makes us think they are still
not trying?"

PACE PRESIDENT: "I DON’T SUPPORT GIVING INDEPENDENCE TO AREAS POPULATED BY NATIONAL MINORITIES IN EUROPE"

Today, Azerbaijan
Oct 2 2006

President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE)
Rene van der Linden held a press conference today on the start of
PACE’s autumn session.

Rene van der Linden said a report on Lebanon, illegal migration in
Europe, situation in Kosovo will be discussed at the plenary session.

Russia-Georgia problems will be discussed between the parliamentary
delegations of the two countries and PACE authorities, APA’s European
bureau correspondent reports.

During the press conference, PACE President was asked questions on
the Kosovo issue and Russia-Georgia relations. "The relations between
Russia and Georgia, which are both members of the Council of Europe,
are developing more and more into a serious conflict, and this cannot
but evoke concern. We urge both parties to show restraint, not to
politicise the situation, to display a sense of responsibility and to
find ways of settling the controversial problems by peaceful means,"
Mr.van der Linden said.

PACE President also commenting on French President Jacques Chirac’s
statement "Turkey has to recognize the false ‘Armenian genocide’ to
become the European Union member" said, "It is not new that Jacques
Chirac has made such statements. The game has already started. You
cannot change the rules of the game while it is on. Like other European
states, France signed a document to start discussions on Turkey’s EU
membership. Jacques Chirac has made a mere political statement. I do
not think this position is right," Mr. van der linden said.

PACE President also said he does not agree to Chirac’s comment on
the principle of determining fate of national minorities and stressed
that he does not support giving independence to areas in Europe where
national minorities live.

URL:

ROBERT KOCHARIAN AND JACQUES CHIRAC UNANIMOUS IN OPINION ABOUT LEAVING KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF MG

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 30 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Armenian
President Robert Kocharian and the French President Jacques Chirac
take the view that the OSCE Minsk Group should continue to deal with
the issue of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement. The presidents
of the two countries stated this at the September 30 press conference
in Yerevan during J. Chirac’s three-day state visit to Armenia.

Assessing the work done for the conflict’s settlement, J. Chirac as
the president of a country – co-chair of the Minsk Group noted that
the resolution of the Karabakh conflict is "a very complex problem",
with the Minsk Group experts working efficiently for its solution.

"Their last proposals were serious and can be discussed by official
Yerevan," the French president underlined, not giving details of
these proposals. In this connection he considered it inexpedient to
transfer the settlement process to another stucture which would have
to start its work by familiarizing itself with the facts.

Robert Kocharian expressed his conviction that a solution to the
Karabakh problem should be found thanks to the work of teams of
skillful negotiators rather than through discussing the problem in
commissions. The last way, in his opinion, will result not in success
but in a growing file of negotiation documents with a simultaneous
accumulation of resolutions favorable to the sides to some or
other extent. "This is not a solution to the problem but rather its
continuation from one or another rostrum," R. Kocharian noted.

In his words, Jacques Chirac has an expert knowledge about the issue
of the Karabakh conflict settlement.

To recap, GUAM organization member states (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan
and Moldova) are taking actions aimed at putting the issue of the
"long-lasting conflicts" in the territory of the CIS on the UN agenda.

JACQUES CHIRAC: TRANSFERRING THE KARABAKH QUESTION TO OTHER STRUCTURES WILL COMPLICATE THE ISSUE

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 30 2006

"Transferring the OSCE responsibility in the process of settlement
of the Karabakh conflict to other structures less informed about
the conflict is an improper suggestion and will complicate rather
than simplify the resolution of the issue," the President of France
Jacques Chirac said during the joint press conference with RA president
Robert Kocharyan.

Assessing the activity of the Minsk Group, President Chirac noted that
in the course of many years Minks Group experts have been working
wonderfully, "Of course, they are working on a very hard question,
but they are carrying out a good work, and their last suggestions
are very serious and come from very specialized experts."

Robert Kocharyan also considers that resolutions to conflict should
be found in the result of work of experienced negotiating groups,
and not via forums and voting. "Every voting means the efforts of the
parties for mobilizing votes, but these will not lead to the resolution
of the conflict. Instead these will result in the thickening of the
folder file, adoption of more or less favorable resolutions. This
is the protraction of the conflict rather than resolution. If people
wish to direct the negotiation process this way, then we have serious
doubts as it refers to fair impulses, RA President noted, repeating
once again that the question should be onsidered by an experienced
group of diplomats.

CHARLES AZNAVOUR TO PERFORM AT THE REPUBLIC SQUARE

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 30 2006

At 20:00 in the evening "Aznavour and friends" open-air concert will
be held in the Republic Square. Renowned singer Charles Aznavour will
perform in the concert.

The concert in the Republic Square will be open for public from Tigran
Mets, Amirian and Vazgen Sargsyan streets; those having tickets can
enter form Nalbandian Street. From 18:00 till the end of the concert
the "Republic Square" metro station will also be closed.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARTHUR ABRAHAM – THERE WILL BE TWO KINGS IN CHICAGO ON OCTOBER 7TH!

EastsideBoxing.com
Oct 2 2006

ESB Exclusive!

02.10.06 – By Izyaslav "Slava" Koza: It has been more than one
week since the breathtaking, spectacular, wonderful and apparently
controversial bout between IBF champ Arthur Abraham and hard punching,
and determined challenger Edison Miranda. In what I can best describe
as a Gatti like performance Arthur Abraham, busted and bloodied,
fought on with a broken jaw to take a unanimous decision over a very
tough and difficult opponent in Miranda.

What amazes me most, however, is not the fact that fans are praising
Abraham for his guts and Miranda for his determination but for the
perceived controversy in that bout. I remember watching Gatti-Ward
1 and seeing, low blows, and fouls, and Cappuccino not stopping the
fight in the 9th , and Ward winning a controversial decision, with
not one fan caring one iota about any of that. Now that people have
watched it on DVD, and replayed all the fouls and close calls over
and over, they can belittle the Abraham on the effort he put in?

I was one of the few Americans to watch the fight live (and rewatch
it the next day), and without the benefit of pause and rewind.

Neumann made some questionable calls, true, and some that on second
look were not correct. However, as I have said, he also made some
questionable no calls in regards to both fighters, such as Abraham’s
holding, as well as Miranda’s early low blows, his rabbit punching
and the shot after the bell.

Keeping that in mind, it’s difficult to attack a guy needing to make
split second decisions in the heat of battle. It is easier to create
another robbery conspiracy and in that sense diminish both guys’
efforts, in my opinion. If it were easy then there would be many more
different referees in championship bouts. Neumann is a ref who always
had problems with calling holding (most notably in Ruiz-Golota), and
ironically while we criticize him for not enforcing this, we also
go off on Nady for being too tough about it. The problem in boxing
is that there is no definition of what exactly, among other things,
excessive holding is, or borderline shots are, which is why we see
such discrepancies. However, this is a discussion for another article,
because my point is all of these controversies do two things.

For one, as I have suggested they take away from the achievement of
both fighters, especially Abraham. Even Edison Miranda showed respect
for the champ in his recent press release and I think maybe we should
all start doing the same. As one of my colleagues on another site said,
whatever opinion you have of the fight, NONE of that has anything
to do with Abraham. He neither filled out those cards, nor made any
calls or no calls that you guys didn’t like. All he did was fight on
with a broken jaw and blood pouring out of his mouth for our mutual
entertainment. Like with Gatti, with Ward with Benn and McLellan that
deserves respect and maybe we should just put down our VCR remotes
or shut down Windows Media player and think about that instead.

Secondly, the fight, one that had not been shown in America has done
something else which is quite significant, and that is gotten fans to
talk about boxing with a passion again. While I feel that Abraham and
Miranda deserve respect, above and beyond any other topic, secondly
whenever some event forces us as fans to start discussing boxing with
a passion, it means that event has been successful. All the little
nuisances, the drama and the action have done more for boxing then
almost any other fight or fighters in boxing this year. While I don’t
feel this bout is the fight of the year, it is definitely the most
significant bout to come our way in the last few.

With that out of the way, enjoy the following interview with the still
as yet undefeated, current IBF champion Arthur Abraham. Though it is
impossible to pass along the general tone of Arthur’s voice through the
net, I would be hard pressed for anyone to tell me they thought this
guy had just fought the battle of his life. His voice was confident,
and good natured as usual which for those of us worried about his
condition should be a giant relief.

ESB: Hey Arthur! Congratulations on the win. Did you just speak to
the doctor?

Arthur Abraham: Yeah, yeah, he just looked at my jaw and said
everything is ok. He took off the thing (brace of some sort I
guess-author note) and that is it. I was just at his office.

ESB: Are you still in the hospital? When did they sign you out?

Arthur Abraham: No, I am out already. I’m already at home, but I
just went there so the doctor would check me out. They signed me out
yesterday. (Note: Arthur might have misunderstood my question)

ESB: What did he say about your injury? When will it heal? When can
you train?

Arthur Abraham: He said about 6 months until I can get back in
the ring.

ESB: What did you do at the hospital?

Arthur Abraham: I watched movies, TV, some DVD’s. My friends were
there. I read congratulations and such, answered phone calls.

Constantly had guests visiting.

ESB: What did your parents say about the fight once they heard?

Arthur Abraham: Well, they were very worried, of course. My dad was
in the arena, next to the ring and he was sweating the whole way. My
mom was at home and after the 3rd round, she could not watch anymore.

It was hard for them but they are very proud of me.

ESB: Yesterday, for the first time, Miranda commented on the fight.

He said he heard you can return to the ring only after 9-12 months.

Your doctor doesn’t agree, I guess?

Arthur Abraham: Yeah, this is not true.

ESB: He also said you are a real warrior and he respects you for the
fact that you fought on with such an injury for 12 rounds. He also
hopes you get well soon. You think he is sincere here or saying it
so it’s easier to get a rematch?

Arthur Abraham: You know, I really don’t care why he said it. If he
said it sincerely, then I say, "thank you," but if he said it for some
other reasons, then I don’t care. I am always ready to fight with him
and for me, that is not a problem. In fact, that doesn’t only go for
him but for anybody else at this weight. If he said that for real,
then I say, "big thanks" to him.

ESB: He also asked if you remember, that as a sign of his respect,
after the fight he raised your hand, and I guess recognized you as
the champ?

Arthur Abraham: Of course, I remember. I remember everything about that
fight. After all, it’s not my head he broke (laughing). My head works
100%. If my head wouldn’t work, I would not continue the fight, I would
not finish and I would not win. I just don’t remember the operation.

ESB: (laughing) Well, you were under anesthesia.

Arthur Abraham: Oh yeah, that’s why (laughing).

ESB: Do you respect him for the fact that he tried to win by any
means necessary?

Arthur Abraham: I don’t respect that. He is not a good sport,
you know? Not clean. He wanted to win by any means but he couldn’t
accomplish it. He hit me with his head, below the belt, and after
the round. You know, that is boxing, though. Its not chess (laughing).

ESB: (laughing) Understood. After you went 12 rounds with him, do
you still think he is not that talented a fighter?

Arthur Abraham: If he was a talented boxer, he would have beaten
a guy with a busted jaw. If he was smart and strong, he would win
against an opponent with such an injury. He is a normal fighter,
not worse then others but not that special, either.

ESB: Well, do you still think he hits hard, though? He did break
your jaw.

Arthur Abraham: No, not really that hard. There are guys who hit
harder, I think.

ESB: You think that you hit harder?

Arthur Abraham: Of course, I had him in a few of those rounds.

ESB: Many fans have told me that they think the referee, or the
doctor, should have stopped the fight in the fifth, because the risk
to your health was too great. If they would have stopped the fight,
would you have accepted it?

Arthur Abraham: (interrupting) Yeah, many have said that, but I am
not the kind of person that will get down on his knees and give up.

If I get in the ring, I get in to win and losing, and getting on my
knees is something I won’t do. If they would have stopped it, then I
would not say anything, but if they left the decision in my hands, then
I didn’t want to. Somebody wanted to stop it, but I said, "only if I
get the win. If I end up losing by TKO, then I don’t want it stopped."

ESB: You mean if they would have DQ’d him?

Arthur Abraham: Yeah, yeah, he hit me low three times. Butted me in
the head.

ESB: I think he also rabbit punched you once?

Arthur Abraham: Yeah, in fact, more than once.

ESB: After the fight, Alex seemed very angry with your cornermen
and trainer. Was that because he thought the fight should have been
stopped?

Arthur Abraham: No, no, I think it was because they didn’t give me
water. In reality, he was mad at Miranda because he fought so dirty.

ESB: It’s just there is a photo, where he is yelling at your trainer?

Arthur Abraham: I think he was yelling at somebody else. To be honest,
I wasn’t paying much attention to what was going on, so I am not sure
if he yelled at my trainer.

ESB: If Alex would have been in the same situation as you in the
fifth round, would you have tried to stop the fight?

Arthur Abraham: Of course not, why would I? We are athletes and we
fight to win. If he could continue, why should we stop it? If he would
have said himself, "Stop it, I can’t go on," that is different, but if
he can continue, it doesn’t make sense to stop it. My head worked, you
saw so yourself. I didn’t get hit with any hard shots after that and
if my brother would have been in the same situation, I would not want
him to give up his title that way. We worked for and earned that title
with blood and if it comes to it, then we have to defend it with blood.

ESB: Speaking of that we have a boxer here by the name of Emanuel
Augustus. Did you hear of him?

Arthur Abraham: No, I don’t know him.

ESB: Anyway, unlike many other fighters like, for instance, Miranda
who said, "I am proud that my trainer would protect me and stop the
fight," he says that if he is ready to die in the ring then nobody has
a right to say different, including his corner. Do you agree with that?

Arthur Abraham: Well, dying in the ring is too much, I think, but
you can’t stay on your knees. Your health is the most important but
you should also assess and look at the situation. How many football,
or basketball players play on with injuries? If there is an injury,
then it will heal up later. You can’t give up. A break, an injury,
those can be fixed, can be treated, but if you give up, then that
injury can never be fixed. You can heal injuries but if you give up,
you will always have that scar that will never completely heal.

ESB: Meaning a scar like on your soul that you can never quite cure?

Arthur Abraham: Exactly. You can see yourself, I spent 2, 3 days
in the hospital, but the belt stayed with me. I am very happy and
everything is great. If I would be lying in the hospital during that
time without my title, then that would be a real tragedy. THAT would
have been a real injury.

ESB: Oh, I see what you mean. You were going to be in the hospital
anyway, so better that you spend that time with the belt? Then you
wouldn’t be lying there in a bad mood.

Arthur Abraham: (laughing) Yeah, of course. It’s a sport, injuries
happen and I had to go to the hospital, anyway. If it would have been
without my title, then it would even harder and sadder for me.

ESB: You know, I have thought about that. It’s like with every injury
the victory becomes that much sweeter.

Arthur Abraham: Yup, and you see I am speaking normally with you and
there are no problems. I am heading to America and I will be present
at Valuev’s fight.

ESB: Oh yeah, I read about that. I actually have some questions about
that but a little later. Right now, though, do you think your promoter
will want to organize a fight against some of the elite fighters
at this weight or would it be wiser to have a tune up first against
somebody of a lesser caliber?

Arthur Abraham: For me, it doesn’t matter. Whatever he wants to
organize, I say please go ahead, I am ready and happy to fight.

ESB: Well, I know you are always ready, but still, you will be out
of the ring for 6 months and maybe it’s better to have a tuneup?

Arthur Abraham: (Interrupts) Yeah, but it doesn’t matter. Whoever we
fight, I will win anyway.

ESB: So you don’t want a tune up?

Arthur Abraham: Why? It’s always better to fight the best (laughing).

ESB: Well, it could be wiser, but then again, if you think you are
ready. So you wouldn’t mind a repeat against Miranda?

Arthur Abraham: Doesn’t really matter if it’s Miranda again. Taylor,
Wright, I will fight anybody and I will win against anybody.

ESB: Who do you want first, though?

Arthur Abraham: I am saying, it doesn’t matter and I don’t care. I go
in there to win. Let them think about the fact that I am their opponent
because I never worry about it. Whatever they set up, let them set up.

ESB: Okay, well did you see the Quartey-Forrest fight?

Arthur Abraham: Nope, I didn’t watch it.

ESB: Did you hear that Forrest won?

Arthur Abraham: Yeah? Wellh then, I wanna congratulate him with the
win. Forrest is a talented fighter.

ESB: Did you hear that Taylor is supposed to fight Ouma? Did you see
Ouma fight? Who do you think will win?

Arthur Abraham: Yeah, when I was getting ready for Jantuah, I watched
their fight. He is a good boxer but against Taylor, I don’t think he
stands a chance.

ESB: I know that you really want that Taylor fight. He or his people
will probably see this interview. What do you want to tell them?

Arthur Abraham: Well, I don’t have anything to say to Taylor. I have
something to say to everybody at this weight, though, and that is
that I am ready to fight you and win. If you want the fight, I am
ready. Otherwise, Taylor, De La Hoya, Wright, if you guys want the
fight, then get ready to lose. Other than that, I have nothing to say.

ESB: Do you think Taylor did the right thing by going over to be
trained by Steward? Do you think it will help him become a better
fighter?

Arthur Abraham: Well, I don’t know about that, let him decide himself
what is best for him. I don’t think it will help him, though. I think
he has reached the peak of his potential.

ESB: In the meanwhile, Wright is supposed to meet Quartey in
December. I know you think highly of Wright, so my question is,
do you think Quartey stands a chance?

Arthur Abraham: No, I didn’t hear about that, but I think Quartey
will lose. Wright is just better, in my opinion.

ESB: Okay, now, I know you are coming for Valuev’s fight but did you
know that the same day your friend Vakhtang "Vic" Darchinyan will be
fighting in Vegas.

Arthur Abraham: (getting excited) Yeah, Yeah, of course, Buddy,
I wish you luck, success and that your fight will not be as hard as
mine. I hope you knock everybody out quickly and beautifully.

ESB: Did you talk to him after the fight?

Arthur Abraham: Not yet but we speak often.

ESB: Because one of his acquaintances sent me his comments for you
after your win. They are in California now in training for his fight.

Him, Vanes Martirosyan, Artyom Simonyan. I can read you what he said.

It’s in Armenian but written with latin letters.

Arthur Abraham: Yeah, please do.

ESB: (Reading the comment) Can you tell us what he said?

Arthur Abraham: Aha! Yeah, I got it. He said, "We are very proud of
you, our champion, our brother. You are like,…" well, it can’t be
translated into Russian, but like a "great guy ("molodetz")."

ESB: Cool! I will send all the comments that I receive to your team and
you can read them yourself. I have some in Russian, Armenian, German
and English. What do you want to say to all the people that commented?

Arthur Abraham: I want to thank everybody who cheered for me on that
day, and after and before, and thought about me. I am saying that
from the bottom of my heart. I fight for myself, my family and my fans.

ESB: Who do you think is more popular in Armenia now, you or Vakhtang?

Arthur Abraham: Oh, both of us are 50/50 (laughing). What’s the
difference? Him or me? Everybody loves us, Vakhtang and I. We are
both champions of Erevan, so I don’t think one of us is more popular
then the other.

ESB: You know, I was also told that among others, Art Simonyan was
very happy for you, too. Do you know him?

Arthur Abraham: Yeah, of course, he is our friend, too. He is also a
great boxer and I hope that he also becomes a world champ. So that
we become like a holy trinity almost. So that Erevan, our capital,
has three champs. We all fought for the Armenian national team and
I want to wish Artyom success and a world title, too.

ESB: So, you will watch Vakhtang’s fight on TV after the Valuev bout?

Arthur Abraham: Yeah, I even wanted to earlier but I don’t think
it’s possible.

ESB: You know, the Valuev fight doesn’t start until well after 10,
so if there is a TV in the arena or something, the showtime card
starts earlier. So maybe you can catch Vakhtang’s fight live.

Arthur Abraham: Yeah, when I am in the United States, I will try to
find out about that.

ESB: Arthur, last time you spoke with us, you said that fight fans
will hear more about you. I think this has happened. After such a
fight, what can you possibly impress us with next time?

Arthur Abraham: Next time? (laughing) I hope that it will be
interesting and entertaining for everybody, and most importantly,
that I win. I can’t say what will happen in the future, but I can
guarantee that the most interesting is still to come.

ESB: What will you do now?

Arthur Abraham: Well, I will go to America, then to Denmark, then
Moscow to see my uncle. Then back home to Erevan. Now, I will relax,
rest, gather my strength, and do some light training. Doctor said
that I can’t train hard for three months. So that and then I will
fight and that is that.

ESB: Arthur, again, congratulations on the fight. We are very proud
of you and your success. In terms of drama, your fight with Miranda
can be compared to Gatti and Ward, or even Benn and McLellan. The
only shame is we didn’t get to see it on American TV. I hope that
next time you will be fighting in our neck of the woods. Get well
and heal up those wounds.

Arthur Abraham: Thank You. I hope I will be fighting there as well.

So until then, bye.

I want to thank Heiko Mallwitz as always and the Sauerland team as
well as everybody who sent in their comments to Arthur.

If you want to send them, in any language, English, Russian, Armenian,
German go ahead and mail them to [email protected] and I will
make sure to pass them on to Arthur through his team.

17&more=1

EN ARMENIE, M. CHIRAC REND HOMMAGE A UNE HISTOIRE " TOURMENTEE "
par Natalie Nougayrède

Le Monde, France
1 octobre 2006 dimanche

A Erevan, le president francais evoque avec emotion la " memoire "
du genocide de 1915. Des personnalites francaises d’origine armenienne
l’accompagnent

A l’occasion de la première visite d’un president francais en Armenie,
Jacques Chirac devait, samedi 30 septembre, se rendre au monument
consacre au genocide armenien de 1915, a Erevan, la capitale. Il
devait ensuite prononcer un discours a l’occasion de l’inauguration
d’une " place de France ", dans le centre de la ville.

L’Elysee a voulu conferer a cette visite d’Etat de deux jours une
" forte valeur symbolique, axee sur la memoire ", indiquait-on dans
l’entourage de M. Chirac, avant le voyage.

M. Chirac, qui est accompagne d’une delegation de quatre ministres
et de plusieurs personnalites francaises du monde de la politique ou
de l’entreprise, d’origine armenienne, devait exprimer, samedi, son "
emotion devant l’histoire heroïque et tourmentee " du peuple armenien,
" dont le destin reste a jamais marque par le genocide dont il fut
victime, dans les convulsions de la première guerre mondiale et de
la fin des empires ".

Le president francais devait exalter les liens anciens rattachant
l’Armenie a la France, remontant au " temps lointain où Baudouin
de Boulogne, roi de Jerusalem, epousa Arda, princesse armenienne
". Il devait evoquer l’exil et l’installation en France de milliers
d’Armeniens après le genocide, et rendre par ailleurs hommage au
combat contre les nazis dans la France occupee des resistants du
groupe de Missak Manouchian.

La France est le seul pays occidental a avoir adopte, en 2001, une
loi reconnaissant le genocide armenien, objet de tensions recurrentes
avec la Turquie. M. Chirac a souligne, dans un entretien accorde a la
veille de son voyage au journal Nouvelles d’Armenie, que l’adhesion
de la Turquie a l’Union europeenne supposait que ce pays " penche du
côte de nos valeurs ".

" UNE DEMOCRATIE VIVANTE "

Lors de son discours sur la place de la France, le president francais
devait aussi appeler l’Armenie d’aujourd’hui, " jeune Republique
independante d’une antique nation ", a " bâtir une democratie toujours
plus vivante " et un " Etat de droit garant des libertes publiques ".

M. Chirac a dîne, vendredi, avec le president armenien, Robert
Kotcharian, qu’il connaît deja, pour avoir tente de peser dans les
difficiles negociations sur l’enclave du Haut-Karabakh, disputee par
l’Armenie et l’Azerbaïdjan. La France est, aux côtes de la Russie et
des Etats-Unis, copresidente du " groupe de Minsk " de l’Organisation
pour la securite et la cooperation en Europe (OSCE), qui tente depuis
plus de dix ans d’aboutir a un règlement negocie. M. Chirac devait
plaider a Erevan pour que vienne " le temps de la paix ", et appeler
l’Armenie et l’Azerbaïdjan a faire un " pas " pour debloquer l’impasse,
encore constatee en fevrier lors de pourparlers tenus dans le château
de Rambouillet.

La guerre du Haut-Karabakh (1988-1994), region d’où est originaire M.
Kotcharian, a fait environ 20 000 morts et près d’un million de
refugies. Elle s’est soldee par un cessez-le-feu fragile, en mai
1994, et l’occupation par l’Armenie d’importants pans du territoire
azerbaïdjanais, d’où la population a ete chassee, et dont des villes
et villages ont ete pilles. L’annexion de facto du Haut-Karabakh par
l’Armenie se percoit, a Erevan, par les devantures d’agences de voyages
proposant des excursions touristiques dans l’enclave montagneuse.

M. Chirac et son epouse devaient assister, samedi soir, a un concert
de Charles Aznavour, au centre d’Erevan, où le chanteur jouit d’une
immense popularite. Le president devait rencontrer dimanche le chef
de l’Eglise armenienne, le catholicos Karekine II, dans sa residence
d’Etchmiadzine. Environ 400 000 personnes en France sont d’origine
armenienne.

–Boundary_(ID_CacbOB/D8JfO d7rtHa4q4A)–

EU-ARMENIA RELATIONS TO GRADUALLY BECOME CLOSER, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE IS SURE

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 29 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The European Union-Armenia
relations will gradually develop, and like the Armenian-French
relations, they will become closer. But one must not avoid regular
succession of stages. President of France Jacques Chirac expressed
this confidence in the September 28 interview to the "Hayastani
Hanrapetoutiun" (Republic of Armenia) newspaper. In his words,
the Armenia-European Union relations are still new ones. "But it
is the first stage. Nearest end of the negotiations on the European
Union-Armenia actions plan must give possibility to pass its whole
volume to the neighborhood policy," the President of France said.

As for Turkey’s membership to the European Union, Jacques Chirac
expressed an opinion that this prospect is an important element to
keep Turkey on the way tiing to the West, choice of which it made.

"The membership itself supposes implementation of standards, fostering
of reforms. It is a demanding, long and difficult way. I am sure
it arisis of interests of both European Union and Armenia to see
Turkey striving for our values, our perception of the human rights,
peace, democracy," he emphasized. Responding the question if France
will insist on opening the borders with Armenia and recognizing the
Armenian Genocide, J.Chirac said that he had spoken for opening the
borders many times at meetings with the Turkish authorities. "But it
is clear that this issue is very strongly connected with the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement, and that the settlement progress may
have a decisive influence on this issue," he mentioned, expressing
an opinion that it is possible today.

"As for the Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottaman Empire,
Europe is an effort for reconciliation, peace, respect and being open
towards others, which always and everywhere is turned into an effort
of memory," the President of France emphasized, adding that if even
it is a long and difficult process, he trusts Turkey’s possibility
"to bring to end this duty of memory as the soul of creating Europe
is just this."

JACQUES CHIRAC : LA TURQUIE SERAIT GRANDIE EN RECONNAISSANT LE GENOCIDE ARMENIEN

EuroNews – Version Francaise
30 septembre 2006

La Turquie doit reconnaître le genocide armenien si elle veut rejoindre
l’Union europeenne. Ce n’est pas la première fois que Jacques Chirac
fait ce genre de declaration. Cette fois, le president francais s’est
exprime a l’occasion de sa visite officielle de deux jours en Armenie,
une première pour un chef d’Etat francais. Des propos tenus au palais
presidentiel d’Erevan, après une visite du memorial de Tsitsernakaberd
a la memoire des victimes des massacres : "Tout pays se grandit en
reconnaissant ses drames et ses erreurs".

Et Jacques Chirac de dresser un parallèle avec l’Allemagne qui s’est
grandie, a-t-il souligne, en reconnaissant la Shoah.

Le genocide armenien, officiellement reconnu par la France depuis 2001,
remonte a la première guerre mondiale. Jusqu’a un million et demi
d’Armeniens ont ete massacres par l’Empire Ottoman. Ankara, qui parle
de 300.000 a 500.000 victimes, refute le terme "genocide" et estime
qu’il s’agit d’un conflit ayant fait des victimes des deux côtes.

–Boundary_(ID_WVun+aJWT/23Ug6dtuFUag )–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KARABAKH: CHIRAC DEFEND LE GROUPE DE MINSK

Agence France Presse
30 septembre 2006 samedi

Le president francais Jacques Chirac a defendu le travail du groupe de
Minsk, qui tente de trouver une solution au differend entre l’Armenie
et l’Azerbaïdjan sur le Nagorny-Karabakh.

"Les experts du groupe de Minsk, depuis des annees, font un bon
travail, naturellement sur un sujet infiniment complexe", a indique
M. Chirac en conference de presse a l’occasion de sa visite d’Etat
de vendredi a dimanche en Armenie.

Reconnaissant que les propositions de ce groupe pouvaient etre
contestees par Erevan ou Bakou, Jacques Chirac a juge qu’"elles
emanent de gens competents et de bonne volonte".

"Dans ce contexte, vouloir transferer la responsabilite du groupe de
Minsk a d’autres experts qui par definition connaîtront beaucoup moins
le problème et depuis beaucoup moins longtemps, qui n’auront pas la
memoire des choses, honnetement, je crois que c’est une facilite qui
n’est pas justifiee et qui risque de creer plus de difficultes que
de satisfation", a juge le president francais.

Sans vouloir exclure le groupe de Minsk, l’Azerbaïdjan, qui critique
ces mediateurs, souhaite que d’autres organisations, notamment les
Nations unies et le Conseil de l’Europe, se penchent sur cette question
de l’enclave disputee du Nagorny Karabakh.

Le processus de negociations continue malgre l’echec des entretiens de
Rambouillet (France) en fevrier. Le groupe de Minsk est mandate par
l’OSCE (Organisation pour la securite et la cooperation en Europe)
et constitue des Etats-Unis, de la France et de la Russie.

Le Nagorny Karabakh est une enclave habitee en majorite par une
population armenienne et qui a fait secession de l’Azerbaïdjan après
un conflit meurtrier au debut des annees 1990.

Un cessez-le-feu est intervenu en 1994, mais la situation reste tendue.

–Boundary_(ID_9e+6LInvVnRqO7W4F3qf6w)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress