Author: admin

Deputy FM questions reports on OSCE chairman’s statement

Baku, March 31, AssA-Irada

The OSCE chairman-in-office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel
met with the Armenian President and Foreign Minister on Thursday.
Although the OSCE chairman termed his visit to the South Caucasus
region as `interesting and fruitful’, some Armenian media quoted him
as saying that the participation of Upper Garabagh in the meeting of
Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents as a party in May is possible.

Commenting on the matter, the President’s special envoy on Upper
Garabagh, Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov questioned the
reports. `Armenian media may have distorted his statement’, said
Azimov. The issue will be clarified during the talks with the OSCE
chairman in Baku on Friday, he added.*

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Today.Az
Politics

Meeting of heads of MFA of Azerbaijan and Armenia to be in London

01 April 2005 [15:22] – Today.Az

Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and Armenia Elmar Mammedyarov
and Vardan Oskanayan will meet in London, capital of Great Britain.

APA was informed of it by Russian co-chairman of Minsk Group of OSCE Yuri
Merzlyakov.

He informed that, though the meeting was expected to be held in the midst of
April, the exact time is not known yet: “The co-chairmen are agreed on the
exact time with the Ministers”.

As for the place of meeting being the capital of Great Britain, Y.Merzlyakov
stated that, air routes are ensured to London both from Baku and Yerevan:”We
chose London for the Ministers to feel comfortable.”

URL:

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Pan Armenian News

TERRORISTS TOOK HOVHANNISYAN HOSTAGE NOT AS AN ARMENIAN BUT AS A CITIZEN OF
ROMANIA

37 year-old journalist from Bucharest Edward-Ovidiu Hovhannisyan is the
second Armenian stolen in Iraq.

Certain facts have been cleared up about the disappearance of our
compatriot, citizen of Romania Edward-Ovidiu Hovhannisyan and his two
colleagues. According to the information received on Wednesday, terrorists
demanded from the Romanian government a ransom of 4 million dollars.
However, the main aim of the terrorists is not to earn money but to attract
attention to the intention of Romanian authorities to increase Romanian
military presence in Iraq. The President of Romania Besesku visited Iraq not
long ago. After the trip he made a decision to activate the participation of
his country in the anti-terrorist coalition and to increase the number of
military contingent.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ No terrorist grouping has claimed the responsibility for
the action. Terrorists act incognito. The demand of the ransom was told to
the ambassador of Iraq in Romania by unknown people. Besides, someone called
a Syrian businessman living in Bucharest and asked him to pass to state
authorities that if the money was not paid during 24 hours the hostages
would be killed. However, official sources deny any information about the
ransom. The video material shown on Thursday on `Al Jazzira’ TV channel
proves that the criminals have no mercantile considerations. The video
cassette with the hostages was in some way passed to the TV channel by the
terrorists themselves. On the recording are the journalists and their Arab
translator, sitting on the floor with gun points on their heads. On the
recording there are also two people in masks. The terrorists do not make any
demands.

Like the whole Romanian community, Armenian community of Bucharest is
extremely worried about the destiny of hostages. However, the initiative to
join the Armenian community of Iraq to the searches for the hostages seems
absolutely unacceptable. The excessive activity of the leadership of
Armenian structures may in this case have negative consequences. It is known
that Edward-Ovidiu Hovhannisyan was taken hostage not as an Armenian but as
a citizen of Romania. Moreover, it is quite possible that the terrorists
still do not know about his ethnic origin, since some Romanian surnames
sound like Armenian surnames. Concentration on the ethnic origin of
Hovhannisyan may create problems taking into account the existence of
Armenian peacemakers in Iraq.

Edward-Ovidiu Hovhannisyan is 37 years old. He is a Bucharest born catholic,
working as a political correspondent of `Romania libere’ newspaper. His
sister Ann-Maria Hovhannisyan gave an interview to `Reiter’ agency where she
stated that the leadership of the newspaper does not contact with their
family. She says that his family was against his trip but he did not listen
to them. Hovhannisyan went to Baghdad to interview the premier of the
temporary administration Iyad Alaui. After an hour from the interview he and
his colleagues disappeared. Later someone called to the editorial of
Bucharest `Prima’ TV company, employees of which are also taken hostage. The
voice of one of the hostages was heaðd on the phone. `Don’t kill us. We are
from a poor country; we do not have money…’ Later mother of one of the
employees of `Prima’ received an SMS `We are taken hostage. It is not a
joke’.

During the past year over 150 foreigners were taken hostage in Iraq. Almost
50 of them were killed because the demands of the terrorists were not
fulfilled. Romanian authorities hope that the three journalists will not
suffer the same fare. President Besesku said that Romanian special services
in cooperation with American and British services have `worked out a line of
conduct that can bring to the solution of the incident’. What is meant under
that line and are there any real hopes? It is still unclear.

31.03.2005, “PanARMENIAN Network” analytical department

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Pittsburgh Post Gazette, PA

Capitol Notes, 4/1/05

Friday, April 01, 2005

HOUSE RESOLUTION OF THE WEEK. Get out your calendars: April 24 is now
“Pennsylvania’s Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923.”
For those who don’t know, we’re talking about the 1.5 million Armenian men,
women and children who were “victims of the brutal genocide perpetrated by
the Turkish Ottoman Empire,” according to House Resolution 172.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MILLENNIUM CHALLENGES TO GRANT ARMENIA $175 MILLION

Azg/arm
01 April 05

Press service of the Ministry of Finances and Economy informed that
Armenia has already prepared its package of offers that will be
presented to the Millennium Challenges Fund.

The Armenian government is looking forward to receive $175 financial
aid to invest in the spheres of irrigation and road construction.
Government is hopeful that the money will spur economic activity in
rural regions.

The press release of the Ministry informs that on March 25 the board
of trustees headed by PM Andranik Margarian approved the Millennium
Challenges’ Armenian program, which was presented to the Millennium
Challenges Fund in US. The Armenian government and the US Millennium
Challenges Fund will continue negotiations in coming months to draw up
an agreement.

During 14 years of its independence the Armenian Republic has never
received a permanent loan of this size. Therefore it’s a great chance
to totally improve the irrigation system and the road network that are
a guarantee for the further development of agriculture and for
bettering villagers’ life.

By Ara Martirosian

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Kazakhstan eyes share of Georgian gas pipelines

ASTANA, March 31 (Reuters) – Kazakh firms should get part ownership of
Georgia’s gas pipelines in return for supplying gas, President
Nursultan Nazarbayev said on Thursday, one day after Kazakhstan
muscled in on a huge international oil project.

Nazarbayev was hosting Georgia’s President Mikhail Saakashvili on his
first visit to the energy-rich Central Asian state, which lies across
the Caspian Sea from Georgia.

Saakashvili told a joint news conference that Georgia’s energy needs
would double when new power stations, now under construction, came on
stream. “Kazakh gas could come to Georgia,” Nazarbayev said. “Kazakh
gas suppliers would need to get a large share of control over the
pipeline system in Georgia.”

Saakashvili did not comment on the suggestion and neither president
explained how Kazakh gas would get to Georgia, which relies on
supplies from giant neighbour Russia, where pipelines are controlled
by gas monopoly Gazprom.

Gazprom also wants to own the pipelines, which it uses to supply gas
to Georgia and Armenia.

But the United States, where Saakashvili has close ties, is against a
Gazprom buyout, fearing the monopoly power of the world’s biggest gas
firm in the tiny Georgian market.

Georgia is also the route for the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline, along which a
BP-led consortium is due to start pumping oil later this year,
including crude produced in the Caspian.

BP and Norway’s Statoil also plan to build a gas pipeline from
Azerbaijan to central Turkey via Georgia later this decade, which will
run parallel to Baku-Ceyhan.

Despite its fabulous energy wealth, Kazakhstan faces the problem of
getting its oil and gas to distant markets.

An ENI-led international consortium has a 40-year production sharing
agreement to develop Kazakhstan’s offshore Kashagan oilfield, which is
due to start pumping oil in 2008.

After trying for months to get into the project, Kazakhstan agreed the
purchase of half of BG’s $1.8 billion, 16.67 percent stake in the
giant field.

Kazakhstan has also proposed selling gas to China, and is studying the
possibility of building a pipeline eastwards.

03/31/05 09:03 ET

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

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, 2005
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
Email: [email protected]

OVER ONE HUNDRED HOUSE MEMBERS URGE PRESIDENT BUSH TO RECOGNIZE THE
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE Assembly Touts Efforts of Armenian-American
Community

Washington, DC – A congressional letter calling on President George
W. Bush to properly acknowledge the Armenian Genocide in his statement
of remembrance later this month, has the backing of over 100 Members
of the House of Representatives to date. The letter, initiated by
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg
(R-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), will be sent to the President
next month.

“As we approach the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, we
recall with appreciation the leading role of the U.S. in attempting to
prevent the genocide and helping those that survived,” said Assembly
Board of Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian. “It is now time for
the U.S. to formally and irrevocably reaffirm the facts of history and
recognize this crime against humanity. We thank Congressmen
Knollenberg and Pallone for again leading this effort and rallying
strong bipartisan support to set the U.S. record straight.”

Barsamian also commended hundreds of Armenian-American activists
nationwide, who this month responded to the Assembly’s call to action
urging President Bush to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.
Assembly State Chairs also took a leadership role in the campaign for
reaffirmation, helping to mobilize grassroots activists and
encouraging congressional support for reaffirmation of the
U.S. record.

The letter to the President says in part, “By properly recognizing the
terrible atrocities committed against the Armenian people as genocide
in your statement, you will honor the many Americans who helped launch
the unprecedented U.S. diplomatic, political and humanitarian campaign
to end the carnage and protect the survivors.”

“As U.S. efforts to aid victims of genocide continue, it is imperative
that we pay tribute to the memory of others who have suffered and to
never forget the past,” the letter states. “By commemorating the
Armenian Genocide, we renew our commitment to prevent future
atrocities and therefore negate the dictum that history is condemned
to repeat itself.”

In his commemorative statement last year, President Bush avoided the
term “Armenian Genocide,” and instead offered the textbook definition
of this crime against humanity.

“On this day, we pause in remembrance of one of the most horrible
tragedies of the 20th century, the annihilation of as many as 1.5
million Armenians through forced exile and murder at the end of the
Ottoman Empire,” the President said in part.

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#2005-037

Editor’s Note: The list of U.S. Representatives who have signed the
letter is attached. This list is also available on the Assembly’s Web
site at

Members of Congress That Have Signed onto the Letter Urging President
Bush to Properly Recognize the Armenian Genocide

Neil Abercrombie (D-HI)
Gary Ackerman (D-NY)
Thomas Allen (D-ME)
Rob Andrews (D-NJ)
Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Charles Bass (R-NH)
Melissa Bean (D-IL)
Xavier Becerra (D-CA)
Shelley Berkley (D-NV)
Howard Berman (D-CA)
Sanford Bishop (D-GA)
Tim Bishop (D-NY)
Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
Mary Bono (R-CA)
Jeb Bradley (R-NH)
Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Ken Calvert (R-CA)
Lois Capps (D-CA)
Michael Capuano (D-MA)
Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Dennis Cardoza (D-CA)
John Conyers (D-MI)
Jim Costa (D-CA)
Jerry Costello (D-IL)
Joseph Crowley (D-NY)
Susan Davis (D-CA)
William Delahunt (D-MA)
Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
Mike Doyle (D-PA)
David Dreier (R-CA)
Eliot Engel (D-NY)
Anna Eshoo (D-CA)
Bob Filner (D-CA)
Mark Foley (R-FL)
Barney Frank (D-MA)
Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ)
Scott Garrett (R-NJ)
Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)
Luis Gutierrez (D-IL)
Maurice Hinchey (D-NY)
Rush Holt (D-NJ)
Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
Steve Israel (D-NY)
Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)
Sue Kelly (R-NY)
Patrick Kennedy (D-RI)
Dale Kildee (D-MI)
Joe Knollenberg (R-MI)
Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)
Jim Langevin (D-RI)
John Larson (D-CT)
Steven LaTourette (R-OH)
Sander Levin (D-MI)
Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ)
Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
Nita Lowey (D-NY)
Stephen Lynch (D-MA)
Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
Ed Markey (D-MA)
Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY)
Betty McCollum (D-MN)
Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI)
Jim McDermott (D-WA)
James McGovern (D-MA)
Michael McNulty (D-NY)
Martin Meehan (D-MA)
Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Candice Miller (R-MI)
George Miller (D-CA)
Grace Napolitano (D-CA)
Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)
Devin Nunes (R-CA)
Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
Collin Peterson (D-MN)
George Radanovich (R-CA)
Mike Rogers (R-MI)
Steven Rothman (D-NJ)
Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA)
Ed Royce (R-CA)
Linda Sanchez (D-CA)
Loretta Sanchez (D-CA)
Jim Saxton (R-NJ)
Adam Schiff (D-CA)
Joe Schwarz (R-MI)
E. Clay Shaw (R-FL)
Christopher Shays (R-CT)
Brad Sherman (D-CA)
John Shimkus (R-IL)
Chris Smith (R-NJ)
Mark Souder (R-IN)
John Sweeney (R-NY)
Edolphus Towns (D-NY)
Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH)
Mark Udall (D-CO)
Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
Peter Visclosky (D-IN)
Maxine Waters (D-CA)
Diane Watson (D-CA)
Henry Waxman (D-CA)
Anthony Weiner (D-NY)
Joe Wilson (R-SC)
Lynn Woolsey (D-CA)

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ONE OF ROMANIAN JOURNALISTS KIDNAPPED IN IRAQ ETHNIC ARMENIAN

31.03.2005 05:28

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ One of the three journalists kidnapped in Iraq March 28,
Romania Liberia newspaper correspondent Eduard Ovidiu Ohanesian, 36, is ethnic
Armenian, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia reported. The other two
are correspondents of Prima TV Channel – Marie Jeanne Ion, 32, and cameraman
Sorin Dumitru Miscoci, 30. They were taken hostage on the second day after the
meeting of Romanian President Traian Basescu with Romanian servicemen in Iraq.
After being kidnapped the Romanian journalists managed to get in touch withthe
TV channel and to report the happening. Traian Basescu stated that Romania
will do its best to return the journalists to the fatherland. The kidnappers
have not made any demands in exchange for freeing the prisoners yet.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Polish leader backs Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity

Trend news agency
30 Mar 05

BAKU

Poland supports Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, Polish President
Aleksander Kwasniewski told a joint news conference with Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev in Warsaw on 30 March.

Kwasniewski said that Nagornyy Karabakh is an integral part of
Azerbaijan and that the conflict should be settled on the basis of
norms of international law.

He went on to say that the sides to the conflict should reach an
agreement themselves, but Poland, for its part, is ready to render the
necessary assistance. Kwasniewski offered to organize a meeting
between the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents in Poland.

The Polish president also said that in line with the mandate of the
OSCE chairman’s personal envoy, Andrzej Kasprzyk has been given
special instructions on the observance of stability on the contact
line between the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops and on the conduct of
relevant monitoring missions.

Kwasniewski said Poland was interested in the preservation of
stability in the South Caucasus.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJAN, GEORGIA, TURKEY EXPERTS TO DISCUSS NEW RAILWAY IN TBILISI

TBILISI, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS: Experts from Georgia, Azerbaijan and
Turkey will meet in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on April 4-5 to
discuss a joint plan of building a 100 km long railway that would
connect the Turkish city of Kars with Georgian Akhalkalaki. Some 70 km
of the road would run across the Turkish territory.

The Kars-Akhalkalaki rail line is conceived to take the place of
the non-operating link between Kars and Gyumri in Armenia, which was
once the only rail connection between the Soviet Union and
Turkey. Turkey sealed its border with Armenia in 1993 in solidarity
with Azerbaijan, however, Russian transport minister Igor Levitin
announced last weekend that Russia was negotiating with Turkish
authorities over taking the Kars-Gyumri railroad on lease. He
explained Russia’s intention by political motivations as a
counter-proposal to Georgian-Azerbaijani-Turkish plans. He said
resumption of the Kars-Gyumri railway would be incomparably cheaper
than building a new road.

According to Azeri mass media, the three countries are planning
totake a loan from international markets to finance the construction
of the Kars-Akhalkalaki line, which they say is estimated to cost
between $500 million and $700 million. Turkey’s feasibility study will
cost $1 million. The project has been included in Turkish Railways,
Seaports and Airports Construction Directorate General’s investments
portfolio for 2005.

A story in the Armenian daily Hayots Ashkhar last year said Armenia
should act quickly to avert Turkish-Georgian-Azeri rail link. The
daily said the railway, if built, would strengthen Armenia’s
dependence on Georgia and prevent the opening of the Armenian-Turkish
border, which will leave the country ina blockade forever.

The daily said also Armenian authorities should persuade Europe,
the USA and Russia that the Kars-Akhalkalaki railway will allow Turkey
to continue the economic blockade of Armenia and will speed up the
withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress