Month: March 2007

International Herald Tribune, France
March 3 2007

Armenian election officials register 29 parties to take part in May
poll

YEREVAN, Armenia: Armenian election authorities on Saturday finalized
the list of parties and candidates that will take part in the May
parliamentary vote, paving the way for the start of the election
campaign, officials said.

Twenty-nine parties will compete for 90 party-based seats and 173
politicians will run for the remaining 41 seats that are awarded to
individual candidates in the country’s single-chamber legislature,
election authorities said in a statement.

In order to get into parliament, a party must win at least 5 percent
of votes, according to Armenian election law.

Among the registered parties are three main pro-government parties,
two centrist groups and a number of smaller opposition parties as
well as a number of other groups.

Parliament was last elected in 2003. (AP)

New Anatolian, Turkey
March 3 2007

‘Turkey a major transit route’

The New Anatolian / Washington
03 March 2007

According this year’s International Narcotics Control Strategy Report
(INCSR), Turkey is a major transit route for Southwest Asian opiates
to Europe and serves as a staging area for major narcotics
traffickers and brokers.

The report issued by the U.S. Department of State indicates that
Turkey is also a base of operations for international narcotics
traffickers and associates trafficking in opium, morphine base,
heroin, precursor chemicals and other drugs. "Both morphine base and
heroin are then smuggled from Iran to Turkey and ultimately to
Western Europe."

Underscoring the strong commitment of Turkish law enforcement forces
in disrupting narcotics trafficking, the INCSR said the police were
Turkey’s most proactive counter-narcotics force, while the
Gendarmerie and Customs units continued to play a significant role
against narcotics.

INCSR underlined that though Turkish authorities continued to seize
large amounts of heroin and precursor chemicals it was estimated that
multi-ton amounts of heroin are smuggled through Turkey each month.

The report also pointed out that the government devoted significant
financial and human resources to counter-narcotics activities and
Turkey continued to play a key role in Operation Containment (a DEA
regional program to reduce the flow of Afghan heroin to Western
Europe), as well as in other regional efforts.

According to the report, full-year drug seizure statistics for Turkey
are as follows: 10,283 kg heroin, 529 kg morphine base, 23,884 kg of
cannabis, 440 kg of opium, more than 19,900,000 captagon tablets and
2,400,000 ecstasy tablets.

The INCSR warned that despite drug abuse remaining at a modest in
scale in Turkey, compared to other countries, the number of addicts
is increasing.

The report also noted that Armenia’s borders with Turkey and
Azerbaijan remain closed due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, adding
however that small amounts of opiates and heroin are smuggled to
Armenia from Turkey via Georgia. "When all of Armenia’s borders open
once again, police predict drug transit will increase significantly,"
the report stressed.

Journal Inquirer, CT
March 3 2007

Gear for credit-card scam found in Manchester hotel
By: Harlan Levy, Journal Inquirer
03/03/2007

Credit-card equipment that Manchester police seized Wednesday from a
mall-area hotel room links four California men with the February
theft of more than $115,000 from customers of three Rhode Island Stop
& Shop supermarkets, according to Manchester police and federal court
records.

Coventry, R.I., police arrested the four on Tuesday and reported to
Manchester police that they had found a key from the Courtyard by
Marriott hotel on Slater Street.

"They were registered and had rented two rooms from Tuesday through
next Monday," Manchester Police Detective Sgt. Christopher Davis
said. "We found their whole operation set up in one of the hotel
rooms."

The gear consisted of everything the men needed to create and read
the phony number pads they are suspected of having installed in the
supermarkets during a trip last month. Davis said police found a
laptop computer hooked to a credit card "skimmer," which reads debit
and credit-card information, electrical wire, circuit boards, a
soldering iron, and electrical tape.

The four men flew from Los Angeles to Bradley International Airport
in Windsor Locks on Monday and rented a large sport-utility vehicle
on Tuesday, according to an affidavit by U.S. Secret Service agent
Craig Marech, which was quoted by the Providence Journal.

Authorities suspect the men – Michael Stepanian, Arman Ter-Esayan,
Gevork Baltadjian, and Arutyun Shatarevyan – have ties to an Armenian
organized crime ring in Los Angeles, the Providence newspaper
reported.

The men drove from Connecticut to Coventry, R.I., where they were
caught retrieving the phony credit- and debit-card number pads they
had installed at check-out counters, possibly in early February, the
paper reported.

"They would go in at maybe 5 or 6 a.m., when there was minimal
staffing, and they’d swap out the PIN pads and replace them with
fraudulent ones that would record all of the credit card and
PIN-number information," Davis said. PIN stands for "personal
identification number."

"Then they’d go back several days later and put the correct ones
back," the sergeant continued. "They brought that information back to
California, where they created counterfeit debit cards, and then they
would go to ATMs and withdraw money."

ATMs are the automated teller machines found at banks and elsewhere.

Videotape evidence connects the men and others to account thefts at
Stop & Shop stores in Providence, Cranston, and Coventry, R.I., and
to ATM withdrawals made in California, according to a complaint filed
in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island.

Authorities are also investigating whether the four men may be linked
to similar scams in Las Vegas, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and
Richmond, Va., according to the Providence Journal.

Glendale, Calif., police Sgt. Steve Davey, who heads the Eurasian
Organized Crime Task Force, said that the Glendale police have twice
arrested Stepanian on identity-theft charges, in 2004 and 1997. He
said that Stepanian "definitely" has ties to Armenian organized
crime, the Providence paper reported.

Davey also said greater Los Angeles area Armenian, Russian, Hispanic,
and Asian criminal groups are "very sophisticated and can change a
pay-point machine" within minutes.

"They are killing us out here with these," he said.

Davey said that the suspects probably figured it would be easier to
run the scam in Rhode Island.

"I’m glad that Providence was able to get them," he said.

The men face up to five years in prison on one of the charges they
are facing and a mandatory two-year sentence on a second charge. They
are scheduled to return to federal court in Rhode Island for a
hearing Tuesday.

§±§§Ñ§Ó§&# xE0; §£§í§Ò§à&# xA7;§Ñ, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
March 3 2007

America to Strictly Control Election Process in Armenia
03.03.2007

US Ambassador to Armenia informed that falsification of elections may
undermine social and political fundaments in Armenia.
Holding of upcoming parliamentary elections in transparent and just
conditions is not only political obligation of Armenia, it is also
international legal obligation enshrined in ¡°European convention on
Human Rights¡±. US Charg¨¦ d’Affaires to Armenia Anthony Godfrey,
made such statement.
Diplomat, while making speech in the course of international workshop
on ¡°Falsification of elections, international standards and court
problems¡±, stressed that upcoming elections to be held in Armenia in
May, will be very important for the image of this state at
international area and its future political development. Godfrey
informed participants of workshops, attended by experts from America,
Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, that leadership of Armenia promised
international organizations to make efforts to hold democratic
elections and Armenia should keep the promise. He stressed that
Washington is especially interested in holding transparent elections,
and from this point of view he supports cooperation with Armenian
government.
Diplomat said that American side intends to organize number of events
in Yerevan and USA, workshops and conferences before election
process. He brought to the notice of participants of the event that
in near future first group of Armenian representatives – central
election commission members and legal authorities – will be sent to
Washington for training. Moreover, accordingly to foreign diplomat
Washington intends to strictly control elections.
It should be pointed out that intention of USA to control process of
parliamentary elections in Armenia became known last year, from words
of US officials visiting Yerevan. Washington doesn¡¯t deny that
parliamentary elections in Armenia are evaluated as primary stage of
presidential elections to be held in spring 2008. At the same time
referring to US officials we may conclude that with the purpose of
replacing Armenian government by the one which will be more loyal
towards West, this time Washington will be active.
In October last year, US permanent representative to OSCE,
Ambassador, Julie Finley, attracted general attention to her
statement containing call to make pressure on government of the
country in order to provide transparency of elections. It is
interesting that that time J. Finley didn¡¯t answer questions of
journalists concerning possibility of holding free and just elections
in Armenia. Moreover, American diplomat stressed that she is not
quite content with her visit to Armenia.
Thus, despite wish of American side, President, Robert Kocharyan,
didn¡¯t receive American diplomat. Officials from Yerevan informed
that it is connected with Kocharyan¡¯s heavy work schedule. However,
US diplomat didn¡¯t even hide her indignation.
Today on the eve of elections in Armenia assumptions of number of
Armenian and American observers concerning possibility of change of
government have became more actual. It is known that Kocharyan will
have to leave presidency in March 2008, as term of his office will be
terminated by that time. Thus, west circles especially USA are
interested in election of Serge Sarkisyan, who doesn¡¯t represent
ruling party, who would take interests in integration in
Euro-Atlantic area. All the mentioned is determined by position of
west concerning the fact that present government of Armenia is
inclined to Russia most of all, and all its actions, allegedly
directed to establish favorable relations with west countries, are of
formal nature.
Accordingly to observers, discontent of USA by present government of
Armenia can also be explained by Armenian¡¯s estrangement from
constructive policy in solving Nagorni Garabagh problem. At the same
time opposition observers of Armenia inform that for this reason USA
often criticize government of the said country.
We should remind that some times ago OSCE American co-chair, M.
Bryza, informed about backwardness of Azerbaijan and Armenia
regarding democratic development. He informed that President, George
Bush, supports undertaking of Azerbaijani leadership in the field of
democracy and economic development. However, it is not easy to assure
that America will really make pressure on Armenia in connection with
Nagorni Garabagh problem.
Thus, now we can say that to protect its interests in Armenia, USA
won¡¯t be satisfied with democratic calls only, they will make real
steps.
By the way, recently US diplomatic representative to Armenia declared
that falsification of upcoming elections in Armenia may seriously
undermine ¡°social and political fundaments¡± of the state.

Ïðàî ûáîðà, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
March 3 2007

USA to Support Territorial Integrity of Azerbaijan Again
03.03.2007

United States of America deeply regret about tragedy that took place
15 years ago in Khojali and condemn such massacre against civil
population.
Press Secretary of US Department of State, Sean McCormack, declared
it during briefing held February 26. S. McCormack on behalf of USA
expressed condolence to families of victims of Khojali tragedy. It
was underlined that it is necessary to find way of just and peaceful
regulation of Nagorni Garabagh conflict to prevent killing of people
in future.
Representative of the Department of State declaring about official
position of his country underlined that USA recognize territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan, and as one of OSCE Minsk Group co-chair,
will promote regulation of the conflict on the basis of talks.
Statement of the US Department of State is the response to joint
address of leaders of organization of Azerbaijani communities in USA
to US Secretary of State, C. Rice. US citizens of Azerbaijani origin
called on US administration to condemn Khojali massacre and as OSCE
Minsk Group co-chair to continue role of active mediator in peace
talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Ïðàî ûáîðà, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
March 3 2007

Turkey to Support Azerbaijani Position Relating to Armenia-Azerbaijan
Conflict
03.03.2007

Turkey intends to support just position of Azerbaijan relating to
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Ambassador of Turkey to Russia,
Tashkent Kurtulush, stated it for AzerTaj.
Particularly, Ambassador underlined, that Turkey as fraternal and
friendly state naturally supports position of Azerbaijan protecting
its interests at diplomatic level. `Armenia occupied 20% of
Azerbaijani territories. It is unjust as there is no occupation of
territories of one state by another in today’s world practice. Turkey
advocates territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and return of occupied
Garabagh territories to jurisdiction of Azerbaijan. We believe in
solving of this conflict within the frames of territorial and
political integrity of Azerbaijan and on the basis of principles of
international law. We hope for peace regulation of this conflict in
near future’, Turkish Ambassador said.
Answering question on Armenian genocide related claims to Turkey
Ambassador said that Armenia doesn’t want to improve relations and
cooperation with Turkey, and there is no decision in this respect.
On commenting the fact that recently Armenia curtseys before Turkey
to establish bilateral relations, Tashkent Kurtulush declared that
there is no ground for it. `For improvement of relations between
Turkey and Armenia first of all Armenia should fulfill some
conditions and refuse non-friendly policy’, diplomat stressed.
Turkish Ambassador to Russia also said that Turkey grieves over
innocent victims of Khojali tragedy together with fraternal
Azerbaijan. Accordingly to him, commemoration events dedicated to
victims were held in his country like in Azerbaijan.

Los Angeles Daily News, CA
March 3 2007

Fernando Award winner Arabian earns praise

BY RICK COCA, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 03/02/2007 10:11:32 PM PST

UNIVERSAL CITY – In 1973, then-Superior Court Judge Armand Arabian
stared down a sexist mandate that required he inform a jury to
consider a woman’s rape claim with caution and decided enough was
enough.

The requirement had been in effect in California since 1856 and was
inspired by the 16th-century commentary of an English judge.

"How can I in good conscience say (to a jury), `Rape is an allegation
easily made’?" Arabian said.

So he didn’t.

Although he called his decision to not give jurors in the Rincon-Pi
eda case the legally required instruction an "act of judicial
heresy," that moment of rebellion led to the California Supreme Court
voting unanimously to revoke the antiquated guideline.

Following that decision, Arabian became one of the pre-eminent
rape-law reformers in the country, introducing legislation to protect
victims’ rights.

For that and other efforts, including a six-year stint as a
California Supreme Court justice, Arabian was named the 2006 Fernando
Award winner, given out annually to the San Fernando Valley’s
outstanding volunteer.

About 250 people attended the 48th annual dinner Friday night at the
Sheraton Universal in Arabian’s honor, including attorneys Gloria
Allred and master of ceremonies Robert Shapiro, who helped win an
acquittal for O.J. Simpson.
"He’s unique among the judges because not only did he enforce the law
as a Superior Court judge, interpret the law as a Supreme Court
justice, but in a landmark decision, changed the law for rape
victims," Shapiro said.

Arabian said his efforts to improve women’s rights in rape and sexual
assault cases were inspired by hearing family stories as a child
about the horrors of the Armenian Genocide in 1915, particularly the
sexual abuses suffered by women at the hands of Turks and Kurds.

"Some women were made slaves, others were raped and some women had
their babies bayoneted while still in the womb," he said. "And that
wound is still in my heart today. … I had it in my head that I
would be sensitive to the `unrightable wrong’ (of rape), and
Rincon-Pi eda was that opportunity."

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Wendy Greuel called Arabian "more than
a judge."

"He’s been a community activist," she said. " … He’s a role model
for the people in the San Fernando Valley."

Brad Rosenheim, president of the Fernando Award Foundation, said
Arabian is more than deserving of the award.

"He has a long, long history of involvement in the San Fernando
Valley in a number of different causes as a volunteer going beyond
his judgeship," Rosenheim said.

Each year, selecting the winner can prove difficult for the more than
100 potential voters because the finalists are always so deserving,
he said.

"One of the truly unique things about the San Fernando Valley is it’s
a large community, but it has a very local nature," Rosenheim said.
"And I think one of the reasons that’s the case is there are so many
people who put in time and effort to make it such a special place,
and that’s what we try to promote."

Kommersant, Russia
March 3 2007

DA-Mned Element
// The U.S. intends to put anti-missile defense elements in Caucasus
and Ukraine

Moscow-Washington opposition about US anti-ballistic missile defense
system in Europe is likely to escalate. The U.S. announced that after
the Czech Republic and Poland, ABM defense elements will be built in
Caucasus. It means that already in 2011, a mobile American radar
might appear in Georgia or Azerbaijan. Moreover, US Department of
State has for the first time named Ukraine among countries with which
Washington cooperates closely in ABM defense issues. Moscow made it
clear right away that it has already prepared an `adequate response’
to US plans.
Lieutenant General Henry Obering, director of the U.S. Missile
Defense Agency, disclosed US plans to expand its ABM defense system,
moving it closer to Russia’s borders. Speaking in NATO headquarters
in Brussels on Thursday evening, Obering said that Washington intends
to build an ABM radar in Caucasus by 2011. `It will be a mobile radar
requiring a couple of days to be installed. We still have time to
coordinate its precise location,’ said Obering. According to the
official, the radar will detect missile launches, and then transmit
data to a stationary radar in the Czech Republic.

Then the US general tried to calm Moscow: `Our radar will be turned
at Iran. We will not be able to turn it around and study objects in
Russia. And even if we are able to do it, the radar will not look
over Russian territory so far as to detect the launches of Russian
missiles.’

Obering’s statement became the first official acknowledgment that
Washington will not stop at building ABM elements in Eastern Europe
(in Czechia and Poland) only. Until Thursday, neither US military
officials, nor US diplomats spoke of the plans to install a radar in
Caucasus.

Apparently, US ABM elements might be placed only in two Caucasus
countries, those that keep up close relations with Washington, —
Azerbaijan and Georgia. Armenia, the country that had reckoned with
Russia almost openly before, refused right away to cooperate with the
U.S. in the ABM sphere. Armenia’s defense ministry declared it
yesterday.

However, Baku’s and Tbilisi’s response was different. Azerbaijan’s
defense ministry is so far disproving rumors about placing US radar
on its territory. Yet, Azerbaijani officials have not, in fact,
completely denied the possibility in future, saying that `the
decision is to be made by the country’s top officials’.

Georgia’s Ministry of Defense and its Foreign Affairs Ministry said
that `no offers to install ABM elements came from the U.S.’. Both
ministries refrained from giving comments on `the possibility of such
offer and Tbilisi’s response’. Meanwhile, head of Georgian
parliamentary committee on European and Euro-Atlantic integration
David Bakradze said: `Georgia is ready to attentively consider such
offer’. Taking into account that Tbilisi declared the military
cooperation with the U.S. and NATO one of the priorities of its
foreign policy, installation of a US radar on Georgian territory is
quite likely as well.

However, Washington is apparently going further than Caucasus while
expanding its ABM system in the post-Soviet space. Recently-appointed
Assistant Secretary for Bureau of International Security and
Nonproliferation John Rood, speaking in Washington on Thursday, named
Ukraine among `countries that are involved in the efforts to create
an ABM system’. Leaving the details of Washington-Kiev cooperation in
that sphere undisclosed, Rood began the onset on Moscow. He
criticized its suspicion against US plans, and the threats coming
from Russian politicians and military officials, in particular the
threat to withdraw from the Medium- and Small-Range Missile Treaty.
`Moscow’s gelid rhetoric and threatening declarations look like a
clumsy attempt to drive a wedge between NATO allies,’ he said. Rood
also accused Moscow of carrying out its own ABM programs: `Russia
maintains the ABM system around its main city – Moscow, and has
developed defense against missiles of smaller range.’

Rumors about involving Kiev into US ABM project had existed before.
Now, however, Rood’s statement became the first official
acknowledgement of those plans on such a high level. There has been
no official response from Ukrainian authorities yet. A few days ago,
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko made quite a contradictory
statement on ABM. Speaking in Dnepropetrovsk, he said that Ukraine
`should go by collective obligations in what concerns placing US ABM
system in Czechia and Poland’. The president asked Ukrainian
politicians to comment on the issue `with regard to Ukraine’s
national interests and obligations’. Ukraine’s Defense Minister
Anatoly Gritsenko has not clarified Kiev’s position either. He said
yesterday that Ukraine is concerned about US plans to build ABM in
Czechia and Poland: `What if missile fragments fall on our territory?
If it’s not a nuclear warhead, it might be a `dirty’ bomb, for
instance with nuclear substances, a virus, or biologic weapon.’

Unlike the reactions of all those countries, Moscow’s response was
clear and tough.

Russian Air Force Commander-in-Chief, General of the Army Vladimir
Mikhailov responded to the U.S. yesterday: `Unfortunately, they speak
of installing US ABM elements even in such countries as Ukraine, and
in a number of other countries, including Russia’s neighbors. Let
them install ABM, after all it’s their problems, while we have
everything necessary for giving an adequate response to all those
installations.’ And Mikhailov proceeded to praising Russian air
defense missile weapon system S-400 Triumf.

Russia’s defense ministry refrained from additional comments
yesterday, saying that `Mikhailov has already expressed the
ministry’s position’.

Alexander Gabuev; Vladimir Novikov, Tbilisi

Ottawa Citizen, Canada
March 3, 2007 Saturday
Final Edition

Sins of the fathers

Japanese Prime Minister Shintaro Abe is damaging his country by
denying the historical fact that, in the 1930s and 1940s, the
Imperial Japanese Army forced Korean women into sexual slavery. Even
worse, Mr. Abe is repudiating an apology for the wartime abuses that
was issued by a Japanese government in 1993.

National honour is important in Japan, and because of this cultural
trait, some Japanese have had great difficulty confronting the sins
of their fathers. But denial and equivocation does Japan no good. For
one thing, there is the moral imperative to acknowledge the crimes.
The victims deserve no less.

Then there’s the political and strategic imperative. Mr. Abe’s
provocations hinder good relations with countries such as China and
South Korea. In the increasingly troubled waters of the North
Pacific, where the containment of North Korea is a matter of vital
importance to Japan, and cannot be achieved without support from
Beijing and Seoul, Tokyo’s blinkered version of history makes a
difficult process harder to manage.

This is not a uniquely Japanese problem. Some Turkish leaders
continue to dilute or even deny the Armenian massacre. Turkey’s
unwillingness to confront its past has complicated the country’s
relationship with the rest of Europe.

Any country that desires a place in the community of modern,
civilized nations has no business committing offences against
historical truth.

Deutsche Presse-Agentur
March 2, 2007 Friday 5:03 PM EST

Caucasus nations deny speculation about US missile shield

DPA POLITICS Russia Defence Caucasus USA Caucasus nations deny
speculation about US missile shield Moscow
Officials in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia on
Friday denied any existing plans to house elements of a proposed US
missile shield, after a US general said Washington "would like" to
place a radar station in the Caucasus.

In Moscow, meanwhile, despite the denials from the Caucasus
republics, US Lieutenant General Henry Obering’s comment that a radar

facility in the Caucasus would be "very useful" sparked outcry.

Following Obering’s remarks Thursday in Brussels, the Azeri
Defence Ministry said plans to house the US radar system on its
territory "do not correspond to reality."

In Yerevan, a defence spokesman said Armenia had not received any
official requests from Washington, according to Russian media.
Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili ruled out the idea
Washington had spoken to Tbilisi about the matter.

Georgian lawmakers, though, left open the question of housing a
facility in future, with parliamentarian Nika Rurua telling
reporters, "If the United States needs to place the system in
Georgia, the Georgian leadership will look into that question."

Moscow has become vigorously opposed to Washington’s missile-
shield plans in the last month, with military officials threatening
to aim rockets at possible facilities in Poland and the Czech
Republic.

The US has maintained that the shield would be targeted at so-
called rogue states like Iran and North Korea and would be
ineffective at stopping a Russian attack.

The spectre of radar facilities in the Caucasus, however, a
formerly Soviet area that Russia considers part of its historical
sphere of influence, prompted stiff reactions from lawmakers and
military officials Friday in Moscow.

"We already have everything necessary to adequately answer to
these facilities,"Russian Air Force Commander General Vladimir
Mikhailov was quoted by Itar-Tass as saying. "They have a lot of
money. Let them waste it,"the general added.

Vladimir Pekhtin, a deputy speaker of Russia’s lower house of
parliament, said the shield would alter the military balance in
Europe and "not aid the strengthening of strategic and partnerly
relations between Moscow and Washington,"Interfax news agency
reported.

US President George W Bush has spoken for years about installing a
missile-defence shield across Europe and the US.

The decision to house elements of the shield in former Eastern
bloc nations, Poland and the Czech Republic, however, has caused
Moscow to bristle recently saying among others that it had not been
consulted by Washington.

During a meeting with NATOallies in Brussels Friday, Obering said
he was surprised by Moscow’s reaction, Interfax reported.

"We have been conducting regular consultations with Moscow for
about a year, and such a harsh reaction from the Russians was
unexpected,"the report quoted him as saying.

"We’re counting on cooperating with Russia in the creation of our
entire missile-defence shield,"he added.
Mar 0207 1703 GMT