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RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
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RFE/RL Iran Report
Vol. 8, No. 12, 23 March 2005

A Review of Developments in Iran Prepared by the Regional Specialists
of RFE/RL’s Newsline Team

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HEADLINES:
* PRE-ELECTION POLL RESULTS DISPUTED
* POLICE CHIEF CONTEMPLATES PRESIDENTIAL RUN
* REFORMISTS CONSIDER PRESIDENTIAL OPTIONS
* ‘CONVERGENCE’ IMPORTANT IN IRANIAN POLITICS
* STUDENTS, TEACHERS, WORKERS STAGE PROTESTS
* SCHOLARS VIEW DEMOCRATIC EFFORTS IN IRAN
* RADIO FARDA ON IRAN AND TERRORISM
* IRAN-PAKISTAN-INDIA PIPELINE IMPERILED
* IRAN WANTS STABLE OIL-PRODUCTION QUOTAS
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ASSEMBLY OF EXPERTS CONSIDERS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told members of the Assembly of Experts on 17
March that public participation in the upcoming presidential election
will have a positive impact in the face of efforts by the “arrogant
powers” to “dominate the world,” the Iranian Students News Agency
(ISNA) reported. “The vigilance of the people in electing the
president, who must be pious and devoted to Islamic and revolutionary
values, and must possess stamina and versatility, can have an
important impact on the speed of the implementation of the [20-Year]
Outlook Plan,” he added.
The Assembly of Experts — a popularly elected body of almost
90 clerics that is tasked with selecting and supervising the supreme
leader — held its semiannual meeting on 15-16 March. On the first
day, Ayatollah Ali Meshkini was reelected chairman, ayatollahs
Ali-Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani and Ebrahim Amini, were elected vice
chairmen, and Qorban-Ali Dori-Najafabadi and Ahmad Khatami were
elected secretaries, IRNA reported. The assembly’s final
statement, issued on 16 March, addressed the upcoming presidential
election. “People should vote for an individual who will defend the
ideals of the Islamic revolution and who will give priority to
solving people’s economic problems,” it stated. (Bill Samii)

PREELECTION POLL PREDICTS TWO-ROUND ELECTION. Some 51.3 percent of
the 7,100 people polled by IRNA in East Azerbaijan, Fars, Hormozgan,
Isfahan, Kermanshah, Khorasan, Khuzestan, Mazandaran, Sistan va
Baluchistan, Tehran, and Yazd provinces said they will “definitely”
vote in the June 2005 presidential election, “Iran” newspaper
reported on 13 March. Of those polled, 38.2 percent said they favored
the reformists and 37.4 percent said the president’s political
tendency is irrelevant to them, while 56.6 percent said they did not
care if the president is a cleric. According to the same survey, IRNA
reported on 13 and 14 March, the favorite candidates are Ayatollah
Ali-Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, former parliamentary speaker
Hojatoleslam Mehdi Karrubi, and former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar
Velayati. None of the candidates would win an outright 50 percent or
more in the first round, however, which would necessitate a second
round in the election. (Bill Samii)

FORMER PRESIDENT STILL NONCOMMITTAL. Former President Ayatollah
Ali-Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani continues to hold off on making a firm
commitment to running in the June 2005 presidential election, saying
on 14 March, “I have complete readiness [to be a candidate] in the
elections, but I believe it is [too] early to make a decision,” IRNA
reported. He predicted that viable candidates will emerge and he will
not need to run for the post he held from 1989-1997. He said on 13
March, however, that “As we are getting closer to the election, I
feel my responsibility is getting heavier,” Mehr News Agency
reported. (Bill Samii)

POLICE CHIEF CONTEMPLATES PRESIDENTIAL RUN. Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf,
the chief of Iran’s national police force, announced on 12 March
that he is considering running in the June 2005 presidential
election, IRNA reported. He identified three areas he would focus on
— the economy, foreign affairs, and “social capital.” Referring to
the economy, he said, “The people’s buying power has not seen
suitable growth; we have even seen stagnation in certain areas.”
Turning to foreign affairs, he said, “Given Iran’s outstanding
geopolitical weight and the role which the country can play at the
regional and global level, we have not properly tapped these
capacities.” And regarding the issue of “social capital,” he said,
“In the area of protecting our social capital, we face challenges
which make us lose our productive role in the fields of science,
politics, economy, and wealth as well as our social identity.”
Qalibaf said he would run if he could fulfill his objectives in these
areas. (Bill Samii)

REFORMISTS CONSIDER PRESIDENTIAL OPTIONS. Islamic Iran Solidarity
Party Deputy Chairman Mohammad-Reza Khabbaz said on 13 March that his
organization has proposed creating a five-member committee to select
the reformist presidential candidate, Mehr News Agency reported.
Khabbaz said the selectors would be President Mohammad Khatami,
former Prime Minister Mir-Hussein Musavi, Militant Clerics
Association members Hojatoleslam Mohammad Asqar Musavi-Khoeniha and
Hojatoleslam Mohammad Musavi-Bojnurdi, and Qom seminarian Ayatollah
Hussein Musavi-Tabrizi.
A prospective reformist presidential candidate, Mardom Salari
Party Secretary-General Mustafa Kavakebian, said in a 10 March speech
in the northeastern city of Khalkhal, “I, as a little man among the
nation’s children, intend to propound the new discourse, meaning
that the elite have been kept outside the bounds of power for 26
years and feel compassion for the system [and] should find their
place within the ranks of those in power,” “Mardom Salari” reported
on 12 March. Kavakebian said 12,000 people in the country have
doctoral degrees, but ministers, ambassadors, and the country’s
senior leaders come from a group of only 2,700 people. He noted that
some officials have seven or eight different positions. Kavakebian
said the government is inefficient, because many of those in
positions of power get there through “nepotism, cliques, and
windfall-seeking.” He said Iran has not fully realized “all aspects
of religious government and Islamic values.” (Bill Samii)

‘CONVERGENCE’ IMPORTANT IN IRANIAN POLITICS. The term
“convergence” has gained currency recently in describing the modern
newsroom, where the most modern technologies, skills, and methods are
employed to relay information in a timely and useful fashion via a
variety of formats. But in Iran, “convergence” (hamgerai) is used as
part of the political discourse.
Conservative commentator Masud Dehnamaki said in an interview
in the 2 March “Farhang-i Ashti” that divisions in the conservative
Coordination Council of the Islamic Revolution Forces could yield new
presidential candidates, but it is important to strive for
“convergence.” Addressing the same issue, columnist Hussein
Safar-Harandi wrote in the 21 February “Kayhan” that the
conservatives’ failure to introduce one presidential candidate
shows that they face “serious obstacles to their convergence.”
Reformists also discuss convergence, with former legislator
Hussein Ansari-Rad saying that free elections, publicly defined
national interests, and citizens’ exercising their rights
represent the convergence of the people and officials, “Farhang-i
Ashti” reported on 1 March. He added, “All kinds of disruption in the
participation of the people in power and in the administration of the
country would jeopardize this convergence.”
“Convergence” is also used in a foreign-policy context, with
Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani saying on 30 January: “Iran believes
one of the effective ways in confronting expansionist ambitions of
the world arrogance and the Zionist regime is to strengthen
convergence and unity among regional countries,” IRNA reported. (Bill
Samii)

STUDENTS, TEACHERS, WORKERS STAGE PROTESTS. The Islamic Association
of Amir-Kabir University announced that its recent sit-in was only an
initial step, “Iran News” reported on 16 March. The association
explained that, by it’s actions, it is protesting “the
antistudent establishments at this university.”
An unspecified number of students participated in the sit-in
at Amir-Kabir University on 12 and 13 March. They were protesting
against the imposition of a “security climate” on universities and
the presence there of “rogue elements,” or militiamen affiliated with
the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Radio Farda reported on
13 March, citing student Mehdi Hariri. “We are in the second
day…[and] not planning to stop…yet,” Hariri told Radio Farda. He
said the Basij militia active on campuses is intended “to oppose the
real demands” of students. The militias are financed by “outside
powers,” parliament, and “certain other bodies inside universities,”
he told Radio Farda.
The Office for Strengthening Unity, an umbrella student
group, has issued a statement backing the students, and members
recently met with Higher Education Minister Jafar Tofiqi to convey
student grievances, including the increasing difficulty of holding
gatherings inside universities, Radio Farda reported.
Separately, a group of part-time teachers gathered outside
parliament on 13 March to protest their work conditions, iribnews.ir
reported.
In another job action, 200 employees of a refrigerator
factory in Luristan Province demonstrated in front of the governorate
in Khoramabad on 14 March, Radio Farda reported. The workers
complained that since the factory was privatized in 2003 they have
not received their wages or benefits on a regular basis and that five
months have passed since they were last paid. The workers said that
the factory does not get raw materials, so it cannot manufacture
refrigerators. One of the workers, Morad Davudi, urged the government
to pay attention to their demands.
There have been several incidents of labor and student unrest
in Iran in recent weeks (see “RFE/RL Iran Report,” 14 March 2005).
(Vahid Sepehri, Bill Samii)

SCHOLARS VIEW DEMOCRATIC EFFORTS IN IRAN. President George W. Bush
expressed his support for Iranians’ democratic aspirations during
a 16 March news conference in Washington, RFE/RL reported. He said,
“I believe that the Iranian people ought to be allowed to freely
discuss opinions, read a free press, have free votes, and be able to
choose amongst political parties. I believe Iran should adopt
democracy.” Bush has touched on this theme several times since his
inauguration (see “RFE/RL Iran Report,” 6 and 14 February, 1 and 14
March 2005.
A few days earlier, on 10 March, Bush extended the “national
emergency with respect to Iran” because of Iran’s support for
terrorism, its active opposition to the Middle East peace process,
and its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, according to the
State Department website () (see “RFE/RL Iran
Report,” 15 March 2004). The national emergency regarding Iran was
declared in Executive Order 12957 of 15 March 1995. It is distinct
from the national emergency declared by President Jimmy Carter on 14
November 1979 by Executive Order 12170, “to deal with the unusual and
extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and
economy of the United States constituted by the situation in Iran”
(see “RFE/RL Iran Report,” 15 November 2004). Extension of EO 12957
continues the ban on U.S. investment in Iran’s energy sector.
Hoover Institution Research Fellow Abbas Milani asserted at a
15 March symposium in Washington that Iran’s “Democratic
Movement” is very much alive. Milani explained that he was not
talking about the reformist political organizations associated with
President Khatami’s 1997 election, suggesting that they are a
spent force. The real democratic movement, he said, includes women,
who have been forceful defenders of their rights since the 1979
revolution. He noted that women are active in all spheres and in the
early 1980s they rejected the government’s generous offer of
early retirement. The prevalence of NGOs, Milani said, is another
sign of a democratic movement. Milani said the Iranian diaspora can
make a contribution to democratic efforts, and he saw cleavages
within the regime as a hopeful sign.
Another scholar was less sanguine. Speaking at the same
symposium, Hoover Institution fellow Michael McFaul said that Iran
has some things in common with Georgia and Ukraine, which recently
underwent relatively peaceful revolutions. However, McFaul noted that
a number of important factors that existed in these post-Soviet
states are absent in Iran. He said there is no economic crisis in
Iran, and that the Iranian regime is more ruthless than the deposed
governments in Georgia and Ukraine proved to be. He dismissed the
political cleavages as disputes between, for example, hard-liners and
semi-hard-liners, terming them political disputes that do not touch
on fundamental issues about the state or the system. McFaul noted
that Iran does not have an independent media or independent election
monitors to report on episodes of malfeasance. In Georgia and
Ukraine, according to McFaul, there was anger over violations of the
constitution and the public and the media wanted their leaders to
adhere to the constitution. In Iran, the constitution itself is the
problem. McFaul also said Iran does not have a united or mobilized
opposition.
Milani and McFaul, as well as co-panelists Ellen Laipson of
the Henry L. Stimson Center and Larry Diamond of the Hoover
Institution, all said that as much as Iranians dislike their
government, they are very likely to have a sharply nationalistic
reaction if a foreign power attacks Iran.
Tehran, it seems, remains very concerned about the
possibility of U.S. military action. In an article published in a
prestigious U.S. journal (“Middle East Policy,” v. XII, n. 1, Spring
2005; provided courtesy of Blackwell Publishing), Foreign Minister
Kamal Kharrazi warned the United States against interference in
Iranian domestic affairs. Kharrazi writes that “foreign armies cannot
bring democracy,” adding that “the illusion that reform and democracy
can be dictated from outside must be abandoned.” According to
Kharrazi, “foreign interventions…tend to spawn resistance and
undesirable outcomes.” Kharrazi claims that foreign involvement could
undermine a country’s reform process, and adds that such a
process and democratization must be “homegrown and country specific,
rather than imposed from outside.”
In other parts of the article, Kharrazi denies that Iran is
interfering in Iraqi affairs, claims that Iran is a stabilizing force
in the region, and calls for a multilateral regional security
framework. Kharrazi defends Iran’s nuclear ambitions and claims
that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued a religious
decree against developing weapons of mass destruction.
The Iranian legislature, in its 9 March session, approved a
special budget for discovering and countering U.S. plots and attempts
to interfere in the country’s domestic affairs, IRNA reported.
The size of the budget was not disclosed. The legislation permits the
cabinet to dispense up to 9 billion rials (approximately $1.14
million) to any foreign country or organization that acts in
accordance with the objectives of the law. The budget can also be
used for informing the public about the American “cultural
onslaught,” filing complaints against the U.S. in international
courts, and filing complaints on behalf of victims of chemical
weapons during the Iran-Iraq War.
“The Los Angeles Times” reported on 4 March that the White
House is trying to determine how to use a $3 million budget to foster
opposition activities in Iran. (Bill Samii)

KHATAMI CONCLUDES THREE-STATE TOUR. President Khatami returned to
Tehran on 13 March — one day after he left Venezuela, the last stop
in a three-country trip, IRNA reported on 13 March (see “RFE/RL Iran
Report,” 14 March 2005). In Venezuela, Iranian and Venezuelan
representatives signed 25 cooperation accords in industry, housing
construction, sea transport, farming, and oil, EFE and
Venezuela’s univision.com reported on 12 March. Khatami
inaugurated a joint-venture tractor construction plant on 12 March in
Ciudad Bolivar, south of Caracas, which should make 5,000 tractors a
year, EFE reported. The two states agreed to build the plant in
December 2003, when President Hugo Chavez went to Tehran, AFP
reported. The two countries are also to build a cement plant, set to
produce one million tons of cement a year from 2006, EFE added. A
statement signed by the presidents backed Iran’s peaceful nuclear
program and bid to enter the WTO, and praised the visit as boosting
the “strategic alliance” of the two states, EFE reported. (Vahid
Sepehri)

TEHRAN CONSIDERS WOLFOWITZ WORLD BANK NOMINATION. An Iranian state
radio analyst using the name “Mr. Fathi” discussed on 17 March the
White House’s nomination of Deputy Defense Secretary Paul
Wolfowitz to head the World Bank. Fathi argued that the nomination
has upset many governments because Wolfowitz is a “neoconservative
who is the planner of America’s attack on Iraq.” Fathi suggested
that Wolfowitz does not have the expertise to head the global
development bank. Fathi acknowledged that Wolfowitz’s time as
ambassador to Indonesia, when that country received loans from the
World Bank, contributed to poverty eradication. The Iranian state
radio analyst cited personnel moves involving Undersecretary of
Defense for Policy Douglas Feith and Undersecretary of State for Arms
Control John Bolton, as well as Condoleezza Rice’s move from
national security adviser to secretary of state, as evidence that
President Bush is increasingly sensitive to the international
community. “By sending the neoconservatives to political and economic
institutions, he wants to make them familiar with international
realities and show them that there is extensive opposition to
American policies in the international scene,” Fathi said. The
Wolfowitz appointment, Fathi said, marks the decline of
neoconservative influence in U.S. defense institutions. (Bill Samii)

RADIO FARDA ON IRAN AND TERRORISM: DIFFICULT U.S., IRAN RELATIONS
MARKED BY MUTUAL DISTRUST (PART 1). Iran has made great strides in
recent years in rebuilding bridges to Europe and Asia after the
tumultuous early years of the Islamic Revolution. Those years saw the
new Islamic regime seeking to export its revolutionary values abroad
and assassinating opponents. The early excesses led many countries to
regard the Islamic Republic as a rogue state and to try to isolate it
politically and economically.
Today, Iran claims its right to again be a full member of the
world community. But doubts linger about how much Iran has moved away
from its use of terrorism as a political tool. Washington, for
example, still considers Iran to be a state sponsor of terrorism and
cites as evidence what it says is Tehran’s continued support of
Middle Eastern terrorist groups, the killings of dissidents in Iran,
and interference in Iraq. Why does Washington view Tehran as part of
an “axis of evil” and as an enemy in the global war on terrorism?
In an effort to find the answers, Radio Farda issued a
four-part series on Iran and terrorism. Part 1 looks at the difficult
historical relationship between the United States and the Islamic
Republic — a relationship both sides say has been marked by
terrorist actions by the other. This series is based on material
prepared by Radio Farda’s Mehdi Khalaji and Ardavan Niknam, with
additional reporting by Parichehr Farzam. This article is also
available on the RFE/RL website:

BF30124D108.html
In Washington’s eyes, 4 November 1979 marked the
beginning of the Islamic Republic’s state sponsorship of
terrorism. That’s when a crowd of militants unopposed by police
stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. The well-organized attackers took
52 American members of the staff hostage and held them for 444 days.
By the time the incident ended, in January 1981, the United States
had severed diplomatic ties with Tehran and had attempted —
unsuccessfully — to liberate the hostages in a commando operation.
U.S. President Jimmy Carter announced the failure of the
American commando operation this way: “I share the disappointment of
the American people that this operation was not successful.” The
rescue operation had to be unexpectedly aborted after a helicopter
developed engine trouble in a staging area in the Iranian desert. The
mission ended in the deaths of eight Americans, as two U.S. transport
planes collided.
Gary Sick was the principal White House aide for Iran during
the Islamic Revolution and the hostage crisis. He says those events
continue to shape the tense relationship Tehran and Washington have
today: “A lot of this also goes back to the early days of the
revolution, which was seen not only as a revolution against the Shah
but a revolution against the United States. The concept of ‘Death
to America,’ the ‘Great Satan’ and other such slogans and
words have become very much part of the revolution, particularly
after the mass demonstrations associated with the takeover of the
U.S. embassy. So it is very much part of Iran’s domestic
politics. At the same time, the United States suffered greatly
because of the takeover. And Iran became the U.S.’s
‘Satan.’ They are now part of the axis of evil. Many
politicians have identified them as the sort of permanent bad guys in
the Middle East and that, of course, is increased by the fact that
Israel regards Iran as its number-one enemy. So, between Israel and
the U.S., the rhetoric on the American side is in some cases no less
as dramatic as on the Iranian side. And this has become part of
American domestic politics, too, which immensely complicates any kind
of discussion or any hope for developing better relations.”
For Tehran, the hostage taking also remains a powerful
symbol. But it portrays the event as a just reaction against what it
calls decades of U.S. exploitation of Iran.
As an example, Tehran charges the United States with helping
orchestrate the 1953 coup that toppled the government of Prime
Minister Muhammad Mossadeq after he nationalized Iran’s then
foreign-dominated oil industry. Some U.S. involvement was
subsequently acknowledged by U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright in 2000.
Tehran also saw the United States as propping up the
government of Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, which was overthrown in the
Islamic Revolution in January 1979. Revolutionary leaders regarded
the Shah’s government as corrupt and ruthless in its use of its
state security organization, SAVAK, to target opponents.
The leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah
Khomeini, made anti-Americanism a principle of the Islamic
Republic’s foreign policy, lashing out at Washington in many of
his speeches: “We are here to prevent America committing evil acts,
to defend ourselves. We do not expect America to do any good to us.
We trample upon America in these matters. We will not let it
interfere with our affairs. Nor will we let any other party interfere
[with] us. And if they want to invade, we will not let their planes
land. We will kill their paratroopers in midair.”
Today, relations between the United States and Iran continue
to be characterized by hostile statements on each side. Occasional
attempts at starting talks to ease tensions have always run aground
due to preconditions set by both sides.
Iran says there can be no talks until the United States first
ends it efforts to isolate Iran through unilateral sanctions.
The United States says there can be no talks until Iran ends
what it charges is its state sponsorship of terrorism and its
rejection of the Arab-Israeli peace process. Washington also wants
Tehran to renounce any efforts to acquire nuclear weapons and
long-range missiles.
U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney put Washington’s position
toward Iran this way in a recent statement: “[Iran] has been a major
source of state-sponsored terrorism, if you will, and [is] devoted to
the effort to destroy the peace process. We find that clearly
something that we can’t accept, and we’ve made clear our
opposition to that, as well as to their efforts to acquire weapons of
mass destruction.”
Iran denies it supports terrorist groups or is seeking to
acquire nuclear weapons.

U.S. ACCUSES IRAN OF EXTENDING ITS SUPPORT FOR MIDEAST TERRORIST
GROUPS (PART 2) To back up its charges that Iran is a state sponsor
of terrorism, the United States cites evidence it says proves that
Tehran provides financial and possibly some weaponry to militant
groups in the Mideast opposed to Israel. These militant groups —
including Lebanon’s Hizballah and radical Palestinian Islamic
groups like Hamas — have previously carried out or continue to carry
out attacks that kill civilians as part of their conflict with the
Jewish state.
Iran does not hide its close relations with Hezbollah, which
include meetings in Damascus or Tehran with leaders of the group. But
it calls the Shi’a Hizballah — which helped force Israeli troops
from southern Lebanon in 2000 — a liberation movement, not a
terrorist group. The Islamic Republic extends the same terminology to
Sunni Palestinian groups like Hamas because they also are fighting to
evict Israel from what Tehran says is Muslim land. Tehran does not
recognize Israel as a state.
Part 2 of RFE/RL and Radio Farda’s four-part series on
Iran and terrorism looks at the evidence cited to substantiate
accusations that Iran supports militant groups in the Middle East.
This also examines more recent U.S. charges that Iran is extending
this same pattern of support to radical groups opposing the U.S.
intervention in Iraq. Both sets of accusations are a central cause of
the tensions that continue to prevent Washington and Tehran from
re-establishing relations 26 years after Iran’s Islamic
Revolution. This series is based on material prepared by Radio
Farda’s Mehdi Khalaji and Ardavan Niknam, with additional
reporting by Parichehr Farzam. This article is also available on the
RFE/RL website:

24CE9C37CDA.html
Immediately after taking power in Iran, the Islamic
Republic’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, called for
exporting the Islamic Revolution to other countries. In one of his
messages, Khomeini said “we will not rest until the slogan,
‘There is but one God and Muhammad is his Prophet,’ echoes
through the whole world.”
He considered Israel — which had good ties with the deposed
Shah and is a close ally of Washington — an enemy in his global
struggle, second only to the United States. The reason was what he
considered Israel’s illegitimate occupation of Muslim land.
The feelings about Israel were expressed in propaganda
campaigns aimed at both domestic and foreign audiences. In Iran, the
last Friday of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan was proclaimed as
Qods Day. Qods is the Arabic name for Jerusalem. Qods Day was to
remember that the city — Islam’s third holiest after Mecca and
Medina — is under the control of a non-Muslim power.
Ayatollah Khomeini described Qods Day as marking a Muslim
struggle not only against Israel but all “arrogant” powers: “Qods Day
is a day to warn all superpowers that Islam is no more under their
domination through their evil mercenaries.”
When Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982, the conflict with the
Palestinians spread to include a country with a sizable Shi’a
community. Shi’a Iran responded by supporting the Lebanese
Shi’a Hezbollah as a guerrilla force battling Israel’s
establishment of an occupied “buffer zone” across much of southern
Lebanon.
Hajir Teymourian, a Middle East expert in London, describes
Tehran’s activity this way: “The most important terrorist
organization that Iran helped form was Hizballah, which was set up in
1982 by Iran’s ambassador in Lebanon, Ali Akbar Mohtashami-Pur.
According to journalists, it still receives tens of millions of
dollars of economic and military aid from Iran annually. For 12
years, Hizballah was the major kidnapper of Western citizens in
Lebanon, and caused Iran’s government to be internationally
isolated as a terrorist state — an isolation that still continues —
and inflicted billions of dollars of damages on Iran’s economy. I
think no one doubts that [the militant Islamic groups] Hamas and the
Islamic Jihad are also supported by Iran.”
On the world stage, Tehran always denied that it gave
military support to Hizballah, a group that not only became notorious
for kidnapping Westerners in Lebanon in the 1980s but also for
killing more than 240 U.S. soldiers in a 1983 suicide bombing of
their Beirut barracks. It also hijacked a U.S. commercial airliner in
1985.
But inside Iran, figures such as Hassan Abbasi, a
high-ranking commander of the Revolutionary Guards and head of the
Islamic Republic’s Center for Doctrinal Studies, openly spoke of
the country’s close ties with Hezbollah. He described the
group’s activities as “sacred:” “If something can be done to
terrorize and scare the camp of infidelity and the enemies of God and
the people, such terror is sacred. This terrorism is sacred.
Lebanon’s Hizballah was trained by these very hands. Pay
attention! Do you see these hands? Hizballah, Hamas, and Islamic
Jihad were trained by these very hands.”
Gary Sick was the principle White House aide for Iran during
the Islamic Revolution and is a prominent U.S. expert on the Islamic
Republic. He says factional struggles within the Iranian
establishment have made it hard to know whether the support of
Hizballah comes directly from Iran’s elected government or,
instead, from hard-line organizations like the Revolutionary Guard,
which enjoy considerable independence.
“Obviously, Iran claims absolutely that it does not support
terrorism. But it does, however, make no apologies that it supports
Hizballah, which from the Iranian point of view and from
Hizballah’s point of view is fighting a war of liberation against
Israel. They consider that a legitimate activity. They deny that
they, in fact, train and support terrorist activities. Iran has a
particular problem, and that is that Iran is comprised of two or
three different governments, different groups of people, different
factions, each of which has a certain amount of control over things
that happen. It is possibly very true that people such as President
[Mohammad] Khatami may not, in fact, even know what people in some
parts of the Revolutionary Guards, for instance, are doing with
Hizballah. But, in any case, the government is held responsible. So
Iran has created a problem for itself to some degree by its rhetoric,
very strong rhetoric, which some people say is more
‘Palestinian’ than the [rhetoric of the] Palestinians
themselves.”
Tallal Salman is editor of Lebanon’s “Al-Safir” daily. He
believes Iran not only supports Hizballah but also tries to extend
support to Palestinian militant groups — though it is logistically
more difficult to do so: “Any resistance [movement] has its own
conditions. Lebanon is geographically tied to Syria, and in terms of
military support and training, Iran does have the means to help
Hizballah. But it is much more difficult in Palestine. Iran obviously
gives political support to Palestinian groups, and also other forms
of support that we may not be able to detect. But I believe that even
today, there is an organic connection between Iran, Hizballah, and
Palestinian groups.”
In one sign of support for Palestinian militant groups, Iran
hosted former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat as one of its first
foreign visitors immediately after the Islamic Revolution. At the
time, many Iranians reportedly named their newborn sons Yasser in
enthusiasm for the Palestinian cause. More recently, in January 2002,
Israel stopped a ship loaded with arms which Arafat eventually
acknowledged was destined for the Palestinian Authority. Both Israel
and the United States said the arms originated in Iran, which Tehran
denied.
But as Arafat pursued on-and-off peace talks with Israel,
Iran’s relations with him cooled. Tehran saw his attempts to
negotiate as falling short of its own policy of fully opposing the
Jewish state.
In recent months, Washington’s concerns over Iran as a
sponsor of terrorism in the Middle East have shifted from the
Arab-Israeli conflict, further east to Iraq.
Kenneth Katzman is a regional expert with the Congressional
Research Service in Washington, D.C. He says the concern for many in
Washington is that Iran is supporting groups in southern Iraq who
might want to form a nondemocratic, strict Islamic government modeled
after Iran.
Iraqi and U.S. officials have accused Iran — as well as
Syria — of interfering in Iraq by permitting groups in their
countries to supply Iraqi insurgents with money and other resources.
U.S. President Bush repeated the charges against both
countries recently. He said: “We will continue to make it clear, to
both Syria and Iran, that — as will other nations in our coalition,
including our friends the Italians — that meddling in the internal
affairs of Iraq is not in their interest.”
Iran and Syria reject charges of interfering in Iraq. Last
month (16 February) the two countries declared that they had formed a
mutual self-defense pact to confront “threats” — an apparent
reference to the United States.
Outside of the Middle East, Iran also appears to have sought
to use its aid to Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Muslims during the
conflict there to secretly train fundamentalist groups.
Analyst Nima Rashedan says much of the evidence of such
activities comes from documents seized by NATO forces in
Bosnia-Herzegovina: “This is a case that happened in a place in
Bosnia. Before the Dayton Accords and the presence of the United
States and NATO in Bosnia, the Islamic Republic had sent groups to
Bosnia, including the Revolutionary Guards’ Qods Force, led by
Mohammad Reza Shams Naqdi, and his deputy, Hussein Allahkaram, based
near Sarajevo — another group from the Intelligence Ministry — who
had set up a camp, training fundamentalists close to [Alija]
Izetbegovic’s Democratic Action Party, to establish the
intelligence apparatus of Bosnia. Later, NATO attacked the camp and
arrested a number of people, including Iranian intelligence
officials. The most interesting point was the discovery of documents
that were part of the curriculum for the training of Bosnian
intelligence recruits by Iranians. Among the instructions in the
texts were methods for killing opposition figures and silencing
journalists. That is, the Intelligence Ministry instructed a foreign
organization’s members how to intimidate, hunt, kidnap,
eliminate, and threaten the families and the financial sources of
journalists.”
(Part 3 of Radio Farda and RFE/RL’s series on Iran and
terrorism, which will be in next week’s “RFE/RL Iran Report,”
looks at charges that hard-line elements of the Iranian regime have
used terrorism to silence dissidents at home. Part 4 examines the
continuing impact of the Salman Rushdie affair on Iranian foreign
relations.)

IRAN-PAKISTAN-INDIA PIPELINE IMPERILED. As the owner of the
world’s second-largest proven natural gas reserves, Iran is keen
to exploit this resource as a source of revenue. It is therefore
pursuing gas export deals with a number of countries.
One of the biggest potential customers so far is India, and
negotiations for a pipeline stretching across Pakistan have been
going on since the mid-1990s. A recent flurry of diplomatic visits
suggested that the deal was about to be concluded, but U.S. security
concerns and Indian anger over Iranian business practices are putting
this in doubt.
Iran and India signed an agreement for an overland natural
gas pipeline in 1993, and in 2002 Iran and Pakistan signed an
agreement on a feasibility study for such a pipeline. India-Pakistan
tensions over Kashmir and related security concerns have delayed the
project. In late-February and early-March, diplomats from all three
countries said a deal would be signed soon. Iranian Foreign Minister
Kamal Kharrazi said the pipeline would be 2,700 kilometers long, and
India would buy 7.5 million tons of LNG [liquefied natural gas] a
year for 25 years (see “RFE/RL Iran Report,” 7 March 2005).
On 16 March, however, Indian Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar
Aiyar announced that his country might withdraw from the gas deal.
“We will not buy gas from Iran if we cannot sell it in India,” Press
Trust of India reported him as saying. Aiyar explained that Iran
wants to charge as much for natural gas as it does for LNG [about $4
per million British thermal unit (MBTU)], whereas the main Indian
consumers — the fertilizer and power sectors — are unwilling to pay
more than $3 per MBTU. With the addition of transportation and
transit charges to the Iranian price, Aiyar said, the gas would end
up costing $4.50 per MBTU. Aiyar added that India and Pakistan will
need approximately 200 million standard cubic meters of gas daily,
and Iran should offer a special price for such a large order.
Tehran, furthermore, is insisting on a “take-or-pay”
agreement, in which India must pay for the agreed amount of gas even
if it does not take delivery of it, Press Trust of India reported on
9 March. India reportedly prefers a “supply-or-pay” contract, in
which Iran must deliver gas to the Indian border or pay for the
contracted quantity. Tehran also rejected India’s request for
natural gas that is rich in petrochemicals, preferring instead to
deliver “lean” gas that does not contain butane, ethane, or propane.
It could be a coincidence, but Aiyar’s suggestion that
the deal could fall through comes at the same time that U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is visiting India and Pakistan.
In fact, she referred to the proposed pipeline during a 16 March
press conference in New Delhi, RFE/RL reported. According to Rice,
“We have communicated to the Indian government our concerns about gas
pipeline cooperation between Iran and India. I think our ambassador
has made statements in that regard and so those concerns are well
known to the Indian government.”
The timing of the Indian petroleum minister’s comments
suggest that New Delhi is pressuring Tehran for a better deal, and it
could be taking advantage of Rice’s visit to leverage its
position.

INDIA’S OTHER SUPPLIERS… India is a huge and growing
natural-gas market. According to the U.S. Energy Information
Administration (EIA;
), natural gas
use in Iran was nearly 25 billion cubic meters in 2002 and is
projected to reach 34 billion cubic meters in 2010 and 45.3 billion
cubic meters in 2015. India produces gas and has worked with outside
partners — including Bechtel, Gaz de France, General Electric,
Total, and Unocal — to increase production, but it is looking to
other countries to fulfill its requirements.
One idea is to connect Bangladesh’s natural gas reserves
with the Indian gas grid. Burma could be a source of natural gas,
too. Two Indian companies — Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)
and Erstwhile Gas Authority of India, Ltd (GAIL) — own equity in
Burmese natural gas reserves, and Burmese officials have indicated an
interest in running a pipeline to West Bengal in India.
Qatar — with the world’s third-largest natural-gas
reserves (14.4 trillion cubic meters) — is another competitor for
the Indian market. India’s Petronet and Qatar’s Ras Laffan
LNG Company (Rasgas) signed an agreement for the provision of 10.3
billion cubic meters per year of LNG, and deliveries began in January
2004, according to the EIA.
Indian Petroleum Minister Aiyar visited Moscow and Kazakhstan
in late February to discuss energy issues. He reportedly said that
India is willing to pay $2 billion for a 15 percent stake in
Yuganskneftegaz, “The Financial Express” reported on 12 March. He
also said India could invest $25 billion in the entire Russian energy
sector. India’s cabinet recently authorized discussion of the
Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Natural-Gas Pipeline Project (see
“RFE/RL Afghanistan Report,” 25 February 2005). Iran does not, as a
result, have a stranglehold on the Indian market.

…AND IRAN’S OTHER MARKETS. Iran natural-gas reserves are
estimated at 26.6 trillion cubic meters, according to the Energy
Information Administration, but the country only produced about 76.5
billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2002. Most of that gas was
used domestically, although Iran did export some gas to Armenia and
Turkey.
Iran is eager to reach other markets. Iranian Petroleum
Minister Bijan Namdar-Zanganeh and Omani Oil and Gas Minister
Muhammad bin Hamad bin Sayf al-Rumhi on 15 March signed an agreement
on the export to Oman of 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas
annually, beginning in 2006, IRNA reported.
The same day, Zanganeh and Kuwaiti Energy and Oil Minister
Ahmad Fahd al-Ahmad al-Sabah signed a deal for the export to Kuwait
of 10 million cubic meters of natural gas a day, beginning in late
2007, IRNA reported. Zanganeh said the deal with Kuwait is worth more
than $7 billion over 25 years. He went on to say that the legal
documents relating to the deal will be drawn up in a few months.
Earlier in March, the possibility of Ukraine purchasing 15
billion cubic meters of natural gas from Iran every year was
discussed at an Iran-Ukraine energy commission meeting in Kyiv. Two
pipeline routes are being considered —
Iran-Armenia-Georgia-Russia-Ukraine or Iran-Armenia-Georgia-Black
Sea-Ukraine. Other countries that have signed gas-related memoranda,
or at least discussed the topic, with Iran include Austria, Bulgaria,
China, Greece, Italy, and Turkey.
Iran likes to present every meeting as a major accomplishment
by staging the signing of a memorandum of understanding, but these
are not binding contracts. Conclusion of the deal with India is
potentially very important for Iran, because it will curtail some of
its political isolation and will earn it a place in the international
gas market. But Tehran’s pricing policies and Washington’s
opposition may scuttle Iran’s effort to achieve a natural gas
breakout. (Bill Samii)

IRAN WANTS STABLE OIL-PRODUCTION QUOTAS. OPEC announced on 16 March
that it has raised its oil production quota from 27 million barrels
per day to 27.5 million bpd, Reuters reported. If necessary, it will
increase this by another 500,000 bpd. Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi
explained that his country wants to keep the price in the $40-$50
range.
The Iranian government did not want the production ceiling to
change. Petroleum Minister Namdar-Zanganeh explained on 15 March that
there is an excess supply, prices are relatively high, and “we should
not make a decision that gives the wrong signal to the oil market and
further overheats the market and harms OPEC in the long run,” state
television reported. Namdar-Zanganeh explained that those who want to
increase production believe that real production is 600,000-700,000
barrels per day more than the official figure, state radio reported.
He went on to say nobody is talking about reducing production.
According to the “Financial Times” on 8 March, Iran is
already pumping at full capacity and cannot produce more oil. Only
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have the capacity to produce more oil,
Reuters reported on 16 March.
Iran’s economy depends on oil-export revenues (around 80
percent of total export earnings, 40-50 percent of the government
budget, and 10-20 percent of gross domestic product, according to the
Energy Information Administration), and every $1 increase in the
price of oil increases Iranian revenues by approximately $900 million
per year. The current price for a barrel of oil is above $50, but the
Iranian budget for 2005-06 is based on a $28 price and the price for
2004-05 was around $19.90.
The proposed budget calls for increased oil and gas
production over the next five years, Mahshahr parliamentary
representative Kamal Daneshyari, who heads the legislature’s
Energy Committee, said in the 6 February “Mardom-Salari.” (Bill
Samii)

*********************************************************
Copyright (c) 2005. RFE/RL, Inc. All rights reserved.

The “RFE/RL Iran Report” is a weekly prepared by A. William Samii on
the basis of materials from RFE/RL broadcast services, RFE/RL
Newsline, and other news services.

Direct comments to A. William Samii at [email protected].
For information on reprints, see:

Back issues are online at

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA, RUSSIAN PRESIDENTS EXCHANGE MESSAGES

ArmenPress
March 21 2005

MOSCOW, MARCH 21, ARMENPRESS: Vladimir Putin and Robert Kocharian
have exchanged today messages in connection with the opening of the
Year of the Russian Federation in Armenia, RIA Novosti reported,
citing the Kremlin press service.
“Russia attaches great importance to the consistent strengthening
of friendly relations with Armenia, its reliable ally and strategic
partner. I am convinced that the holding of the Year of Russia will
contribute to the further rapprochement of the two countries, and to
the development of friendship and direct dialogue between our
peoples,” Putin wrote in part.
“Events on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Great
Victory will occupy a special place in this significant festival.
This is a tribute of respect to the exploit and courage of all those
who were side by side fighting against fascism,” he wrote.
Armenian President Robert Kocharian’s message expressed similar
respect. “The decision to announce 2005 as the Year of the Russian
Federation in the Republic of Armenia opens broad possibilities for
the further expansion of Armenian-Russian contacts. This initiative
will undoubtedly contribute to the full implementation of the
political, economic and cultural potential of cooperation between our
fraternal peoples.
I would like to express confidence that the holding of the Year of
Russia in Armenia will make it possible to add new ideas and projects
to the agenda of Armenian-Russian cooperation,” Kocharian wrote.
“The Armenians love Russian art and are waiting impatiently for
meetings with representatives of Russian culture. Contacts between
representatives of science, education and business communities of our
countries, as well as contacts at the regional level could also be of
great practical importance.
“It is symbolic that the Year of Russia in Armenia has coincided
with the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Victory over
fascism. This heroic page of our common history has tied the fates of
our peoples and brought them closer together,” Kocharian wrote.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
March 21 2005

TURKISH NEWSPAPER DOUBTS BENEFITS OF CLOSED BORDER WITH ARMENIA

YEREVAN, MARCH 21, ARMENPRESS: At the initiative of a Turkish
Rotary district governor, Turkish, Armenian, Azerbaijani and Georgian
Rotary clubs met in Ankara on March 19 for an unprecedented joint
program titled “Caucasus Friendship Days.”
Two Armenian, one Azerbaijani, one Georgian and several Turkish
Rotary clubs were meeting at Ankara’s Bilkent Hotel within the scope
of the program. Members of the Armenian clubs reportedly traveled by
bus after spending a night in Kars.
The meeting was covered by Turkish newspaper. The English-language
Turkish Daily News, particularly, said: “Is not it time to find out
what are our benefits from the closed border with Armenia? If we open
the border would it make Armenians more unyielding in what is related
to their problems with Azerbaijan or their drive to have the 1915
genocide recognized internationally.? Open border may however, make
Armenians realize the importance of Turkey as a neighbor nation and
the importance of living in peace. It may also make them soften their
tough position.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

California Courier Online, March 24, 2005

1 – Commentary
Pastor Shocks Turkish TV Viewers
By Bold Remarks On Genocide

By Harut Sassounian
California Courier Publisher
2 – A Critical Evaluation of Book by TARC Mediator
3 – Dr. George Kooshian Appointed
Visiting Movel Professor at UCLA
4 – UAF Shipped $24 Million
Of Aid to Armenia in 2004
5 – Alumnus Charlie Keyan Donates
$150,000 For Scholarships at CSUF
6 – George Deukmejian Endorses Sen.
Poochigian for Attorney General
7 – Pepperdine ALSA
To Honor Karabian
At March 30 Reception
8 – Activist Hrand Simonian Receives
‘Gontag’ From Catholicos Aram
*************************************************************************
1 – Commentary

Pastor Shocks Turkish TV Viewers
By Bold Remarks On Genocide

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

Even though the Turks are supposed to be on their best behavior in order to
convince the Europeans that they are civilized enough to join the European
Union, they are still extremely intolerant of anyone who dares to bring up
the taboo subject of the Armenian Genocide.
Last month, when Orhan Pamuk, an internationally-known Turkish novelist,
boldly told a foreign reporter that one million Armenians were killed
around 1915, just about all Turkish commentators, historians
(government-paid propagandists) and politicians severely condemned the
writer for making such a statement. A radical Turkish group even called for
the murder of this “traitor.” Furthermore, a Turkish publisher is being
prosecuted by the government for releasing the Turkish translation of an
English language book that urges the acknowledgment of the Armenian
Genocide. Around six months ago, in the midst of trying to qualify for the
start of membership talks to join the EU, the Turkish Parliament adopted a
new law that makes it a crime for anyone to acknowledge the Armenian
Genocide. If this is how the Turkish government is acting, while trying to
impress the Europeans, imagine what it would do if its actions were not
under scrutiny!
Given all the controversy this issue has generated within Turkey, the
Turkish “Flash TV” decided to air earlier this month a five-hour live talk
show on the Armenian Genocide. The host of the program requested that the
Armenian Patriarchate send a representative to take part in this show.
However, the Patriarchate refused to participate by saying that it did not
have an expert on the subject to be discussed. The host then invited Rev.
Krikor Aghabaloghlu, the outspoken and courageous pastor of a local
Armenian evangelical church, to present “the Armenian point of view.” Rev.
Aghabaloghlu is a well-known activist who has already been jailed once for
challenging the confiscation of his church’s property by the Turkish
government.
While there have been many talk shows on the Armenian issue, no one has
ever dared to go on Turkish TV and repeatedly assert in a bold and brazen
manner, as Rev. Aghabaloghlu did, that there is no doubt a genocide was
committed against the Armenians. Both Hulki Jevizoglu, the host of the
show, and his main guest, historian Mehmet Saray were dumb-founded and
tongue-tied by the Armenian clergyman’s unexpectedly outspoken remarks. In
a very calm and congenial manner, and with always a smile on his face,
Pastor Aghabaloghlu said on national Turkish TV that all Turks in Anatolia
know the truth about the Armenian Genocide. He said that no one dared to
talk about this subject and that anyone who had the courage to speak about
it, is called a traitor, condemned by the media, taken to court, and sent
to jail.
Despite all attempts to shut him up during the show, Rev. Aghabaloghlu kept
on insisting that as a clergyman he has the obligation to tell the truth.
When asked to back up his comments, he said that he knew the facts
first-hand from the experiences of his own family. Besides, he added, there
is plenty of evidence for the Genocide in thousands of books and that
everyone knew that the Armenians in Anatolia were the victims of Genocide.
Otherwise, he said, what did happen to the Armenians inhabiting that
region?
Did they evaporate? Did they decide to migrate en masse? Are there any
Armenians left in Anatolia?
Making the Turks even angrier, Rev. Aghabaloghlu said that since Armenians
are mistreated in Turkey today, one can only imagine how much worse their
treatment must have been back then under the Ottoman Empire?
Mehmet Saray, the Turkish historian, was so enraged by the Armenian
clergyman’s assertions that he kept asking the host of the show, “where did
you find this man?” Saray said he would have refused to appear on the show
if he had known that he would take part in such a “low quality” discussion
and that his years of research and his books on this issue would be
ignored.
When a viewer from Erzeroum called to say that mass graves of Turks were
recently uncovered, Rev. Aghabaloghlu immediately retorted: “How do you
know that these bones did not belong to Armenians?”
This astounding conversation, broadcast live to millions of Turkish
viewers, went on until the wee hours of the morning.
Rev. Aghabaloghlu is the courageous shepherd not only of his own flock, but
that of all Armenians in Turkey who dare not to speak out fearing for their
lives! The good pastor risked his life by making such bold remarks on a
taboo subject in Turkey. European Union officials should warn the Turkish
government that Turkey’s EU membership prospects would be seriously
jeopardized should anything happen to this brave Armenian servant of God
who, as he says, has an obligation to tell the truth!

**************************************************************************
2 – Review
A Critical Evaluation of Book by TARC Mediator
Unsilencing the Past: Track Two Diplomacy and Turkish-Armenian
Reconciliation, by David L. Phillips (Preface by Elie Wiesel), Berghahn
Books, New York/Oxford (2005)
By Charles Garo Ashjian, J.D., Ph.D
Newark, New Jersey
This is a book about third party mediation (i.e. Track Two Diplomacy) in a
world filled with “intractable conflicts that confound traditional
diplomacy.” Whereas, according to Phillips, the U.S. State Department
“inculcates a risk-adverse culture that discourages initiative and stifles
creativity;”(page135). Informal third party mediation or Track Two
Diplomacy embodies a flexibility which compensates for such inherent
constraints on government officials. Thereby, private citizens may succeed
or make inroads where officials seem only like to fail. This book depicts
the author’s own experiences as chair and facilitator of the
Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation Commission (TARC) which was the fulcrum for
the Track Two Program on Turkey and the Caucasus. The Commission was
quietly financed by the State Department and initiated during the Clinton
Administration and formally established in 2001, and, at least, tacitly
approved by the governments of Armenia and Turkey. Presumably based on the
author’s experiences, the book concludes with the offering of practical
principles which may be of utility to those involved in such future
endeavors.
However, even though the author attempts to depict important
accomplishments as the direct result of the efforts of TARC, there is no
actual resolution of the conflicts and issues which, nevertheless, still
exist between the governments and peoples of Turkey and Armenia. Actually,
the Track Two activity merely aggravated and compounded the situation.
Contrary to the insinuations of success by the author, the overall activity
of TARC was a failure. The book unwittingly or transparently corroborates
and underlines this failure. For instance, in the Preface, Eli Wiesel asks
the question: “Has it been fruitful?” Wiesel refrains from giving an
answer. The author, Phillips, nearly gives an answer when, summarizing and
referring to the concluding activity of TARC, he states: “Track Two rarely
results in a breakthrough.” The Bush administration never reacted with
anything but a courteous nod toward this activity.
The major obstacle to rapprochement or reconciliation between the
governments and people of Turkey and Armenia is the matter of the Armenian
Genocide. The TARC addressed this matter by seeking and obtaining a legal
opinion, purportedly objective and unbiased, which was entitled, “A Legal
Analysis on the Applicability of the United Nations Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide to Events Which Occurred
During the Early Twentieth Century” (i.e. the Armenian Genocide). They did
so by referring the request to the International Center for Transitional
Justice (ICTJ). The ICTJ is a reputable and expert organization founded by
and presided over by Alex Boraine.
Its purpose is to “advise emerging democracies on addressing legacies of
human rights abuse.” The ICTJ, in turn, merely and only facilitated the
request of TARC by referring it to an independent third-party for a legal
analysis or opinion. In actuality, and since then, the ICTJ has distanced
itself from the ensuing analysis by a “legal analyst” who remains
unidentified, according to my knowledge, and said analyst has also been
referred to as “the group” to be contacted through Phillips at the Council
on Foreign Relations. (Note: The brief legal analysis is not even printed
in the book.)
It is repeatedly false for Phillips to indicate (e.g. pp. 154-116) that the
resultant “opinion” or “analysis” is authored by the ICTJ. Why does
Phillips persistently do so throughout the book while also providing the
contradictory text of the letter, dated 9/16/02, to him from Boraine? The
letter states: “ICTJ has agreed to facilitate the provision of a legal
analysis. The analysis will be performed entirely independently of the
ICTJ. The analysis will not be conducted by any ICTJ staff member; nor will
the ICTJ be involved in any way in seeking to influence the conclusions
reached by the analysis. Our role is merely that of helping to identify an
appropriate expert to undertake the analysis requested by Tarc.” (page 110)
Why is the resultant opinion or analysis so onerous? Firstly, it falsely
states that the term “genocide,” though applicable to the “Events” (i.e.
the Armenian Genocide), is merely a “terminological” one with “no legal
applicability” whatsoever; secondly, the opinion or analysis, in
contradiction of overwhelming prevalent evidence and scholarship,
challenges the historical truth and verity of the Armenian Genocide as
merely a yet unresolved historical issue; thirdly, it treats the Genocide
as a local or limited regional event and minor in both its character and
magnitude; and fourthly, it disputes the direct involvement and culpability
of the governmental leadership and officialdom of the time. This is
historical reductionism and revisionism. This is genocide denial.
The actual purpose of this so-called analysis was to break the truth and
throw a distorted fragment of it to each side. Armenians were supposed to
become grateful before they were being given permission or sanction by
TARC, even though strictly qualified, to apply the term “genocide” to their
past plight. Armenians do not need permission from anyone. But perhaps some
of this is not entirely correct as Phillips, the chairman of TARC, in
reference to Turkish Armenian relations, states: “I was not concerned with
the response of Armenians.”
Phillips was not concerned about the Armenian response to the harmful
misdeeds of TARC since the key Armenian member of TARC had privately
offered him assurances of support from the unidentified and most prominent
or powerful members of the Armenian community (see page. 57). The Armenian
community was supposed to line up in lockstep behind TARC. It did not
happen. It never will happen. (Lest there be any mistake as to identity of
this key Armenian member of TARC, it is Van Z. Krikorian, a New York
attorney.)
In turn, the Turkish side was supposed to become elated because if the term
“genocide” does not have any legal applicability, then the Genocide
Convention may not be used by Armenians to claim territory or financial
reparations. Actually, even if the Genocide Convention did not exist, there
remains an abundance of legal ground upon which Armenians may still pursue
such claims if they so choose. However, I do not believe this legal course
is presently the prevailing disposition of the worldwide Armenian community
or the government of Armenia. The entirely of this matter is otherwise
amenable to solution.
Phillips describes Krikorian as a “champion of the Armenian people.” With
this kind of champion, who needs an enemy? This member of TARC chose to
propound and argue that the ICTJ analysis “should give both sides
something.” (see page 109). Accordingly, both Phillips and this member
openly advocated that the analysis achieve a “balanced outcome.” These
words had different meanings for each of the parties. One leading Turkish
member of TARC, vocally fearful of the truth, was guaranteed such a
“balanced outcome” by Phillips (See page 111). This analysis was wrongly
guided by standards more appropriately applicable to a fair and
conscientious business transaction. The goal should not have been to assure
a “win-win” situation. This is the source of the rot. The improper goal of
TARC, which suerely was communicated to the “legal analyst” for direction,
was to gild and memorialize lies and provide plausible and comforting
arguments for both sides, however false, for respective public consumption
in the guise of seeking and establishing reconciliation. The outcome of the
“legal analysis” with its false historical and legal conclusions was
designed and rigged beforehand. The members of TARC should not, as they do,
rationalize that truth was not their proper or paramount concern. The proof
is the stench coming from all of the lies. Everyone can smell it.
What TARC and its anonymous “legal analyst” merely accomplished, because of
the multitude of ulterior and ill-concealed personal and political motives,
was to unduly disappoint and discourage and aggravate each side. The book
by Phillips, though otherwise intended, actually provides a case study in
what should not be done during Track Two Diplomacy.
Phillips should have heeded his own admonition: “Track Two will flounder if
its integrity is compromised by either participants or the organizer.” (see
page 144). Actually, it will eventually drown. The whole truth of any
genocide should actively be sought and maintained. The people who do
otherwise should be exposed and rebuked. Any attempt to establish
reconciliation or rapprochement upon a duplicitous base of distortion and
falsity is outrageous and intolerable.
Ultimately, this is the most important lesson to be derived from the book.
The book itself should have been titled “Distorting the Past.”
I hope the book is read widely with due credit.
Editor’s Note: The author is a practicing attorney in New Jersey.
***************************************************************************
3 – Dr. George Kooshian Appointed
Visiting Movel Professor at UCLA
UCLA -Dr. George B. Kooshian, Jr. has been appointed as Visiting Movel
Professor at UCLA for the Spring Quarter. A specialist on Armenian
immigration, Dr. Kooshian will teach a course on the history of the
Armenian community in California from its earliest settlers to the present.
Professor Richard Hovannisian, AEF Chair in Modern Armenian History at
UCLA, stated: “The Armenian community of California has a rich and colorful
history, which unfortunately remains virtually unknown to great waves of
recent Armenian immigrants. The course Dr. Kooshian has been invited to
teach will certainly help to fill this void.”
Kooshian was born and reared in Pasadena, attended local public schools and
Pasadena City College. He graduated from Seattle Pacific College with a
degree in Latin. After two years in the Army, he entered graduate school at
UCLA and received an M.A. in Linguistics and a Certificate in the teaching
of English as a Second Language. Dr. Kooshian then entered the Armenian
History program and studied under Professor Hovannisian.
He was granted a Ph.D. in 2002. His interest in the American-Armenian
community of his birth led him to write his dissertation on “The Armenian
Immigrant Community of California, 1880–1935.” This work was based
primarily on original accounts in California Armenian-language newspapers
and other sources.
For many years Dr. Kooshian has taught English as a Second Language,
American History and
Government, Citizenship, and other subjects to adults in the Los Angeles
Unified School District.
He has also taught at the University of La Verne and the American Armenian
International College,and has served as a teaching assistant at UCLA. He
recently delivered papers on the history of the Armenian immigrant
community of Pasadena in New York and San Francisco and is currently
preparing the stirring autobiography of his father for publication. Dr.
Kooshian is a member of the Society for Armenian Studies, the Middle East
Studies Association, and the National Education Association.
He has been active as a volunteer in the Pasadena Unified School District
and in the Armenian Church, where he has served as a teacher, clerk, and
lector.
In announcing the appointment, Dr. Hovannisian stated: “I am deeply
gratified to Nora and the late Bob Movel for establishing the Movel Fund
at UCLA to support the Armenian Studies program through fellowships
andpost-doctoral lectureships. The Fund allows us to bring innovative
courses and special events to campus and to assist promising graduate
students.”
Dr. Kooshian has placed information about the course on the Internet at
<;, together with the course
syllabus and many readings available for download, including the complete
**************************************************************************
4 – UAF Shipped $24 Million
Of Aid to Armenia in 2004
Glendale, CA -During 2004, the United Armenian Fund contributed over $24
million of humanitarian assistance, consisting primarily of medicines and
medical supplies, according to the latest audit
of its financial statements.
The UAF spent less than 1% of its total revenues on administrative
expenses, allocating the remaining 99% to assisting the people of Armenia
and Karabagh, according to the audit.
During its 15 years of operations, the UAF delivered to Armenia a grand
total of $400 million worth of relief supplies on board 132 airlifts and
1163 sea containers.
The U.A.F. is the collective effort of the Armenian Assembly of America,
the Armenian General Benevolent Union, the Armenian Missionary Association
of America, the Armenian Relief Society, the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America, the Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, and
the Lincy Foundation.
For more information, contact the U.A.F. office at 1101 North Pacific
Avenue, Suite 301, Glendale, CA 91202 or call (818) 241- 8900.
**************************************************************************
5 – Alumnus Charlie Keyan Donates
$150,000 For Scholarships at CSUF
FRESNO – A former Fresno State football team athletic manager has donated
$150,000 to California State University, Fresno.
Fresno State alumnus and retired businessman and farmer Charlie Keyan of
Indio, Calif., has established two endowed scholarships, one in the
Armenian Studies Program for $100,000 to establish the Charlie Keyan
Endowed Scholarship in Armenian Studies. Income from the endowment will be
used to provide scholarships for students at Fresno State who enroll in
Armenian Studies courses, with preference for freshmen.
At the same time, Keyan established a second endowed scholarship of $50,000
in the Athletic Department of Fresno State. The income from this endowment
will be used for scholarships to student-athletes in the Fresno State
football program.
Keyan’s goal for most of his adult life has been to help young people who
need help to go to college and to complete their education. He had been
assisted when he was in college, and now he wants to help others stay in
college.
Keyan chose to give to Fresno State and in particular to the Armenian
Studies Program, because he had heard from former classmates and friends
how well the Armenian Studies Program has been doing under the leadership
of Armenian Studies Program director Dr. Dickran Kouymjian and Barlow Der
Mugrdechian. A conversation with old acquaintances and former classmates
Berge Bulbulian and Aram Garabedian led to the generous endowment. Keyan
plans to add more to the existing scholarships and establish a separate
endowment to benefit students studying agriculture at Fresno State.
Keyan was born in Fresno to Ohan and Jouhar Keyahian. Ohan Keyahian was a
native of Karachor (Kharpert) and Jouhar Keyahian was from Hussenig.
The future donor graduated from Malaga Grammar School, Fowler High School,
and began attending Fresno State in 1944, graduating with a major in
history and physical education in 1948. He enjoyed his years at Fresno
State, fondly remembering how he enjoyed the social life. Fresno State in
1944 had a student population of less than 1,000 students. It was a small
school where everyone knew each other and Keyan made lots of friends.
After graduation, he went into the liquor business with his brother-in-law
in Los Angeles. Keyan also learned the building trade and he began
purchasing property in the San Fernando Valley, building duplexes and
triplexes, and later built and managed a 50-unit and a 75-unit apartment
complex. He moved to the Coachella Valley, and bought some 140 acres of
land. He grew grapes on 75 of those acres, shipping and selling his own
produce in his own facilities. The vineyard became quite successful.
Later, Keyan began investing in the stock market where he was also very
successful. He retired in 1988.
He has traveled extensively, visiting every continent.
Perhaps his most memorable journey was taken in 1995 when he visited
historic Armenia. There were 10 people in the group, with each person
having the opportunity to visit the village or city where their families
had once lived. The group traveled more than 2,000 miles in 2 weeks,
visiting Aintab, Istanbul, and saw much of historic Armenia. In particular
the historic ruins of Ani were a memorable stop.
Keyan’s family includes two sisters, Rose Kasimian (also his former
business partner) and Agnes Margosian of Dinuba, a long-time elementary
school teacher who recently retired.
**************************************************************************
6 – George Deukmejian Endorses Sen.
Poochigian for Attorney General
LOS ANGELES – In a letter to California voters, former Governor George
Deukmejian has officially endorsed Sen. Chuck Poochigian in his bid to be
California’s next Attorney General.
“Chuck Poochigian, one of the most decent men I know, is extraordinarily
well qualified to become California’s next Attorney General,” said
Deukmejian, who served as California’s Attorney General from 1979-1983.
“His list of legislative accomplishments in the area of crime prevention is
long,” Deukmejian said. “Chuck successfully passed laws to increase
protections for victims of crime, to increase DNA training which will lead
to the prosecution of more crimes, and to increase law enforcement in the
rural communities of the state.”
Deukmejian also commended Poochigian’s ability to work with the majority
party.
“Chuck Poochigian is so respected by all members of the California
Legislature that he is able to introduce strong legislation across a broad
range of issues and work it all the way into law,” Deukmejian said.
“As Governor and Attorney General, George Deukmejian made public safety his
number one priority,” Poochigian said. “Over the years, his passion for
protecting the safety of California’s citizens, his commitment to public
service, his intelligence and his integrity have taught me a great deal
about leadership. I am honored to have his endorsement.”
Poochigian is serving in his second term in the State Senate. He previously
served four years in the State Assembly. Poochigian worked for both
Deukmejian and former Gov. Pete Wilson, serving as Wilson’s Appointments
Secretary. For more information on Poochigian and his record, visit

***************************************************************************
7 – Pepperdine ALSA
To Honor Karabian
At March 30 Reception
LOS ANGELES – The Pepperdine Armenian Law Students Association will host
its First Annual Alumni Reception on March 30, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the
Jonathan Club in Downtown Los Angeles and will honor former California
State Assemblyman and Majority Leader Walter Karabian.
The honor is being rendered in recognition of Karabian’s professional
accomplishments, his contribution to the Armenian American legal community
as a whole, and his ongoing support of the Armenian students at Pepperdine
University School of Law.
The reception will be attended by Pepperdine F
aculty and Alumni, including Law School Dean Kenneth Starr, Dean Emeritus
Ronald F. Phillips, and Associate Dean Richard L. Cupp, Jr.
Founded in 2000, the Pepperdine ALSA currently consists of approximately 20
students, and boasts over 80 alumni.
For more information about the March 30 event or ALSA, contact the
Pepperdine ALSA at [email protected].
**************************************************************************
8 – Activist Hrand Simonian Receives
‘Gontag’ From Catholicos Aram I
LOS ANGELES – Hrand Simonian, of Hollywood, Calif., a columnist and
community leader, has received an encyclical from Catholicos Aram I, of
Antelias, for Simonian’s life-long dedication to Armenian community life,
culture, religion and education for over 60 years.
The Gontag was presented by Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian at a
special ceremony at the newly built church in Tujunga. Simonian recently
donated an 18th Century hand written Holy manuscript written in Zeitoun,
to the Catholicossate of Cilicia. The manuscript had been appraised at
over $100,000.00 in value.
“I felt the proper place for the manuscript was with the religious library
of the Catholicos in Cilicia, where the present and future Armenian
communities could read and enjoy it,” said Simonian.
The honoree will celebrate his 80th birthday this year. Hrand and wife
Manoushak have been married for 55 years, and are the proud parents of
three sons. Raffi and Armen are both pharmacists living in San Diego.
Both have been recognized as “Pharmacists of the Year” in California.
Vicken is an attorney and Judge Pro Tem, and former Chairman of the Board
of the Armenian Bar Association.
Hrand Simonian was born in Aleppo, Syria, and immigrated to the United
States in 1952. He was a successful businessman prior to retiring in 1974
to pursue his interest in journalism. He was the founding editor of Nor
Gyank weekly newspaper, and has a weekly column in the US-based Armenian
Life weekly newspaper, where he comments on issues of interest to the
Armenian community.
**************************************************************************
**************************************************************************
The California Courier On-Line is a service provided by the California
Courier. Subscriptions or changes of address should not be transmitted
through this service. Information in that regard should be telephoned
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Ethnic Armenians in southern Georgia plan new rally

Imedi TV, Tbilisi
20 Mar 05

A large rally is being planned on 31 March in Georgia’s Akhalkalaki
District, which is populated almost exclusively by ethnic Armenians,
in protest at the government’s perceived failure to tackle the
district’s economic and social problems. It will be the second rally
in Akhalkalaki in as many weeks. The first one, staged on 20 March and
attended by thousands of people, was against plans to close the Russian
military base in the area. Both rallies have been organized by the
newly founded One Javakhk movement. Unlike some other local parties,
One Javakhk is not demanding autonomous status for Akhalkalaki. It
does, however, want the Armenian language to be used more widely and
Armenian history to be taught in local schools. The following is an
excerpt from a report by Imedi TV on 20 March; subheadings inserted
editorially:

Opposition to Russian base closure

[Presenter] Last week was marked by two very different events
concerning the Russian bases in Georgia. While protesters in Batumi
were over-enthusiastic in pressing their demands for the closure of the
12th military base, several thousand ethnic Armenians in Akhalkalaki
demonstrated in support of the 62nd military base.

It is worth mentioning that the rally, organized by the newly founded
One Javakhk organization, was mainly dominated by social, rather than
political, demands. However, the main demand is still the preservation
of the Russian military base.

At a time when none of the social or economic projects planned for
Javakheti has yet been implemented and the region is effectively cut
off from the rest of Georgia, it is hardly surprising that the majority
of the population sees the Russian base as the main guarantor of its
economic and political security.

One Javakhk has issued a 10-point ultimatum, dubbed the Akhalkalaki
declaration, which expires at the end of this month. Another rally is
planned in the centre of Akhalkalaki on 31 March. One Javakhk says
that this rally will take place if the Georgian government is not
seen to be heeding the demands of the people. [Passage omitted]

[Correspondent] Last week a large rally was staged in Akhalkalaki’s
main square in support of the continuing presence of the 62nd
Russian base.

[Artur Pogosyan, captioned as One Javakhk activist, addressing the
rally in Russian] This is an appeal to the president, government and
parliament of the republic of Georgia and to the president, government
and State Duma of the Russian Federation. We, One Javakhk, on behalf
of the population of Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda districts, ask you,
for the sake of maintaining stability and guaranteeing security
in our Javakheti region, to allow Russian military base No 62 to
remain at its permanent location in the town of Akhalkalaki in the
republic of Georgia. [Applause] We are not satisfied that once the
62nd Russian base has been removed, the government of our country,
the republic of Georgia, will be able to guarantee the security of its
citizens in Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda districts and maintain absolute
stability in our region. We appeal to the Russian Federation president,
parliament chairman and government chairman, who are familiar with our
region’s history at the beginning of the 20th century [reference to the
mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman empire] not to abandon our
people, who were, are and will remain your staunch allies. [Applause]

[Passage omitted]

Armenian language and history

[Correspondent] Participants in the rally, which was observed by the
head of the Akhalkalaki District administration through his office
windows, made several other political demands. The most important
one concerned the holding of direct local government elections. There
was a lot of support for calls for the teaching of Armenian history
and for the status of the Armenian language to be elevated to that
of state language.

[Pogosyan, addressing the rally in Russian] Ninety-five per cent of
the population of Javakheti are ethnic Armenians. Therefore, in line
with international law, they have a right to be taught at secondary
schools the history of the Armenian people on a par with the history
of the Georgian people. [Applause] Since many people in this region
do not speak or write in Georgian, it is very important that their
right to use the Armenian and Russian languages to deal with and
obtain information from the authorities should be protected and
reinforced. There is demand for Georgian laws to be made available
in the Russian language.

[Passage omitted]

Newly founded party behind demonstrations

[Correspondent] The rally in Akhalkalaki was also interesting because
it was not organized by political groups familiar to the Georgian
public, such as Virk or Old Javakhk, which up until now have been
demanding autonomous status for Javakheti. The main players in the
newly founded One Javakhk organization are completely unknown young
people. They have already been dubbed Javakheti’s Kmara [student
movement that spearheaded the 2003 revolt again former Georgian
President Shevardnadze].

Their underground [as heard] base is this building in Javakhishvili
Street where they have been active since 2000 under the name of the
(Jemi) cultural and sporting society. Without state assistance, they
managed to set up a multi-discipline sports centre, which is now used
by up to 2,000 children.

The leader of Akhalkalaki’s Kmara is Vahagn Chakhanyan, a former
arm-wrestler who does not like to speak in Russian.

[Chakhanyan, captioned as one of the leaders of One Javakhk,
interviewed in Russian] We do not know Russian. Why speak Russian
when we have our own Armenian language? [Interview continues in
Armenian, with Georgian translation superimposed] The Armenians of
Georgia have always lived and worked for the benefit of Georgia.
Armenians took part in the building of Tbilisi, Akhaltsikhe and
Akhalkalaki. We want to do the same. However, we need more attention,
more local self-government and more rights. Social conditions should
change Roads should be repaired. First, jobs should be created, and
only then can=. discussions start about the base. We want a special
commission dealing with= these issues to be set up under the prime
minister, and we want to get invo= lved in it. [Passage omitted]

List of economic and social demands

[Correspondent] Residents of Akhalkalaki are ready to soften their
political= demands if the district’s social problems are tackled
quickly. There are fi= ve such problems:

They want passports to be issued in Akhalkalaki. So far residents
of Akhalka= laki have had to travel to Akhaltsikhe to get their
Georgian passports.

Customs clearance for imports from Armenia should take place locally.
At pre= sent, the procedure involves a trip to the village of
Chitakhevi in Borjomi=20= District.

Land tax should be paid in Akhalkalaki. Akhalkalaki residents currently
have= to travel to Akhaltsikhe to pay it.

Major repairs should be made to the road between Akhalkalaki and
Ninotsminda= . A long-term contract should be signed with Armenia
on electricity supply.

[Passage omitted]

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
03/21/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) Karabagh Status Most Important, Lennmarker Says
2) Armenia Asks OSCE to Send Fact-Finding Mission to Formerly
Armenian-Populated Regions
3) Armenia Names New Ambassador to US
4) German Politicians Increase Pressure on Turkey over EU Reforms
5) Rumsfeld Puts Heat on Turkey
6) Azerbaijan’s Leader Pardons 114 Prisoners
7) Desert Nights: An Interview with Ara Manoogian
8) Alpha Epsilon Omega Wristband Campaign Seeks to Raise Genocide Awareness
9) Disabled Armenian Athlete Completes LA Marathon
10) Antonovich Appoints John Krikorian to Small Business Commission

1) Karabagh Status Most Important, Lennmarker Says

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OCSE) rapporteur on Karabagh Goran Lennmarker, reaffirmed that the region’s
status is of utmost importance, National Assembly Vice Speaker Vahan
Hovhannissian told a news conference on Monday.
According to Hovhannisian, Lennmarker also said that Azeri arguments
regarding
the refugees and territories are secondary.
Leading a two-member delegation to Brussels last week to discuss with Azeri
counterparts Lenmarker~Rs report, Hovhannissian said the draft report was not
discussed because of several questionable points. He described the preliminary
report as ~Sbalanced,~T speculating that it might have been the cause of Azeri
parliament members~R anger. Its final version, he said, would be presented
to an
OSCE annual meeting in Washington in July.
The Brussels meetings were held to discuss the Karabagh conflict, as well as
specify both nations~R approaches towards conflict resolution in the context of
eventual European integration as part of EU~Rs Wider Europe new initiative. He
said discussions were held with senior officials of the European Commission,
European Parliament, and EU Committee of Ministers.
~SIn general, the Armenian delegation managed to present its views and
persuade
Lenmarker to address that the major problem towards finding a solution is
Nagorno Karabagh~Rs status and that all problems presented by Azeris are its
derivatives~Ewithout the resolved issue of the status all other issues
cannot be
resolved,~T he said.
He also indicated that during the discussion of the issue, the Azeris
unsuccessfully attempted to include “Atkinson~Rs provisions” in the report, as
well as tried to set the next meeting in London, in hopes of gaining backing
from the British. This proposal was also denied, Hovhannisian said.

2) Armenia Asks OSCE to Send Fact-Finding Mission to Formerly
Armenian-Populated Regions

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–During a televised appearance over the weekend, Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian said that Armenia has officially asked the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to send a
fact-finding mission to Mountainous Karabagh~Rs northern Martakert, Shahumian,
and eastern Martuni regions–once densely populated by Armenians who had fled
their homes to escape Azeri massacres.
Oskanian told Armenian Public TV that the OSCE fact-finding mission’s report
indicates that the issue of refugees has two sides. ~SAzeris say only they have
refugees; however, the majority of those living now in several
Armenian-controlled regions around Karabagh are Armenian refugees from
northern
Martakert and Shahumian who say they are ready to return to their homes.~T
“After the OSCE fact-finding mission’s report, there are no obstacles and the
talks should resume,” Oskanian said.

3) Armenia Names New Ambassador to US

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–President Robert Kocharian has appointed Tatul Markarian, a
deputy foreign minister who has represented him in peace talks with
Azerbaijan,
as Armenia~Rs new ambassador to the United States.
Markarian, 40, will replace Arman Kirakossian who has headed the Armenian
diplomatic mission in Washington since October 1999.
A graduate of Washington~Rs Johns Hopkins University, Markarian began his
diplomatic career at the Armenian embassy in the U.S. where he held various
positions from 1994-98. He had previously worked as a top aide to Gagik
Harutiunian, Armenia~Rs former vice-president and prime minister who now heads
the Constitutional Court.
Markarian became deputy foreign minister in 2000 and his influence grew two
years later when he was named Kocharian~Rs personal representative in
internationally sponsored negotiations on Mountainous Karabagh. He met
regularly with his Azeri counterpart Araz Azimov, between 2002 and 2003.

4) German Politicians Increase Pressure on Turkey over EU Reforms

BERLIN (Reuters)–Turkey needs to reinvigorate its reform drive if it wants to
start European Union entry talks as planned on October 3, two leading German
politicians say.
“At the moment, I do not see any movement. If that remains the case, there
will be no start to entry negotiations,” Martin Schulz, the Socialist
leader of
the European Parliament, told Berliner Zeitung newspaper on Sunday.
“We must say clearly: If Turkey wants negotiations, further things need to
happen,” he told Sunday’s edition of Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung
newspaper.
Guenter Gloser, the European spokesman of Germany’s ruling Social Democrats,
told the same newspaper he feared Turkey was in a “weak phase of fatigue”
after
a string of reforms encouraged EU leaders in December to offer Ankara a date
for talks.
The EU might have to delay the start of talks if Turkey did not act, he said.
The German lawmakers’ comments partly echo those of EU envoy Hansjorg
Kretschmer, who said earlier this month Turkey was showing “slippage” in its
reform drive.
Television footage showing police beating and kicking mainly women
demonstrators at a rally on March 6 shocked many in Europe and drew sharp
criticism from EU officials. Turkey has pledged a full probe and six police
officers have so far been suspended.
The Istanbul incident revived concerns that Turkey is not fully
implementing a
range of EU-inspired human rights reforms.

5) Rumsfeld Puts Heat on Turkey

By Geoff Elliott

The weekend’s second anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq proved to be
another bloody one but US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has sheeted
home at
least some of the blame for the troubles to Turkey.
Rumsfeld yesterday hailed Iraq’s liberation and January elections but said
the
insurgents’ success was a result of the Government in Ankara blocking US
troops
from entering Iraq from Turkey, to the north.
“Given the level of the insurgency today, two years later, clearly if we had
been able to get the 4th Infantry Division in from the north, in through
Turkey, more of the Iraqi, Saddam Hussein, Baathist regime would have been
captured or killed,” Rumsfeld told Fox News. “The insurgency today would be
less.”
Coalition troops were forced to use southern Iraq corridors, which the US
military says allowed insurgents to evade capture in the north.
The US-Turkey standoff occurred partly in the context of Ankara’s concerns
that any move to autonomy for Iraq’s northern Kurdish population would enliven
its own ethnic Kurds in their drive to independence.
Rumsfeld said that by the time Baghdad was taken, Saddam’s military and
intelligence personnel had escaped to the northern cities and were, “in a
number of instances, still active.”
But he was confident the Iraqi security forces were taking more
responsibility
for the insurgency and that it would gradually diminish.
At least 45 people were killed in weekend violence in Iraq, including a US
soldier. In one of at least six deadly incidents, in the northern city of
Mosul
a suicide bomber blew himself up in a provincial anti-corruption department.
The department’s chief, General Walid Kachmoula, died, as did two guards.
With more than 1500 US soldiers killed and about 11,000 wounded, many
Americans are asking how much longer the occupation–involving about
152,000 US
troops–will continue. Asked on the ABC network whether the US commitment
could
be reduced soon, Rumsfeld indicated that was possible. “We’re planning to
bring
the 152,000 down to about 135,000 or 137,000 or 140,000 over the coming weeks,
now that the election is behind us.”
Washington expects Iraq’s security forces to reach 200,000 members by the
northern summer.

6) Azerbaijan’s Leader Pardons 114 Prisoners

BAKU (AP)–Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev pardoned more than 100
prisoners
on Sunday, including dozens of opposition politicians whose release had been
demanded by Europe’s top human rights body.
Fifty-three of the 114 people pardoned were on a list of political prisoners
that the Council of Europe demanded be released, Aliyev’s office said in a
statement.
Aliyev’s decree came just four days after the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe warned Azerbaijan that it must free its political prisoners
or face punitive measures, including a review in the former Soviet republic’s
membership on the 46-nation council.
Council officials were pressing for the prisoners to be released by April to
ensure parliamentary elections scheduled for November are free and fair.
Among those pardoned Sunday were seven top opposition leaders convicted for
taking part in protests following a 2003 presidential vote and sentenced to
prison terms of up to five years.
Aliyev was declared the winner of the 2003 poll to succeed his father Heydar.
Western observers said the election was marred by fraud, and several thousand
protesters marched through Baku, smashing cars and shop windows after the
vote.

Like his father, the longtime ruler in this oil-rich Caspian state, Aliyev is
accused of stifling political dissent and media independence, and opposition
members mounted large protests earlier this month after the killing of a
prominent journalist whose death they blamed on the authorities.

7) Desert Nights: An Interview with Ara Manoogian

Ara Manoogian is an American-Armenian living and working in the self-declared
Republic of Nagorno Karabagh. He is the grandson of Shahan Natalie, a famous
Armenian writer and activist, and works for the foundation established in his
grandfather~Rs name.

Through the Shahan Natalie Foundation, Inc. he has conducted a number of
high-profile investigations into corruption and human rights related issues in
both Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.

His most recent was conducted in collaboration with Edik Baghdasarian,
Editor-in-Chief of Hetq Online, who investigated the trafficking of women and
children from Armenia to the United Arab Emirates.

ONNIK KRIKORIAN: You~Rve recently returned from your third and final trip to
Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where you were involved in an
investigation into the problem of trafficking from Armenia. When did this
investigation start?

ARA MANOOGIAN: Edik Baghdasarian and I started this investigation at the
beginning of 2004 although we had discussed this problem on many occasions
prior to that. From reading many reports from international organizations in
Armenia, we knew that there was a problem and so, at the beginning of 2004, we
decided to examine the situation on the ground to determine whether those
reports were accurate.
On our first trip to Dubai in February or March 2004, we very quickly
discovered where the Armenian girls were although we spoke with only one girl
at first. When we noticed the sad look on her face, we considered that she was
a possible victim. She reminded me very much of girls from Nagorno Karabagh
and
as it turned out, she was a refugee from Azerbaijan.
She was twenty or twenty-one years old and was divorced from her childhood
sweetheart who left for Russia because of the harsh economic condition in the
country leaving her alone to bring up her daughter. Because she had been
unable
to find employment that would pay her a decent living wage, and as she was a
very beautiful girl, she said there were only a few options available to her.
She could either work in a store in Armenia for 30,000 drams (about $60) a
month and be expected to sleep with her boss or she could go “elsewhere” to
work. In a sense then, she was in Dubai voluntarily and we discovered that she
partially knew what she was getting herself into. However, she did admit that
she wasn~Rt expecting Dubai and other Arab countries to be so rough and
dangerous, especially for girls.

OK: Do you consider that she was a victim in the sense that as a single
mother
unable to support her family in Armenia she had no choice but to find this
type
of work abroad?
AM: Yes, that~Rs what she felt. Incidentally, on our third trip we tried to
find her again but her phone had been disconnected.

OK: Were most of the girls at least partially deceived into working abroad as
prostitutes?

AM: I would say that a large number of girls from Armenia are tricked into
coming by being offered an opportunity to find employment outside Armenia.
Speaking to these girls, most seemed very naive and uneducated. Many came from
broken homes.
However, we also visited a hotel in Dubai called the St. George that
accommodated a couple of hundred Armenian girls, most of whom appeared to have
come to Dubai voluntarily. Even there, however, we found a few girls that had
been tricked into coming by friends already working in Dubai.
Because we knew that we had to get inside this ring to collect
information, we
also managed to discover which girls were truly the victims of trafficking and
which were not. As a result, those that had been tricked wanted to expose
those
responsible for their situation.

OK: That sounds a little risky. I would imagine that those responsible for
trafficking are not people you want to mess with. All you needed was one girl
to tell her trafficker what you were doing…
AM: We think that there was one girl like that and on my last week I was
followed everywhere so yes, that risk did exist. However, the girls we trusted
were quite reliable for the most part and nothing serious happened.

OK: How old were the girls?
AM: We heard that there were fourteen year olds in Dubai but the youngest I
personally saw was sixteen. The oldest was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight
years old.

OK: How did these girls manage to enter a country such as the United Arab
Emirates which has very strict rules of entry, especially for young women and
girls traveling alone?
AM: From what we were told and from what we saw in the form of documents, the
girls were first taken to Russia where false passports are prepared. Usually,
the first names of the girls are kept the same, and sometimes even their
surnames, but their date of birth is changed to make them over thirty.
However,
because they still appear to be, and actually are, younger it appears that the
authorities in the UAE are therefore involved. These girls are not even
questioned about their passports when they enter the country.

OK: What you~Rre saying is that nobody bothers to question these young girls
traveling on passports indicating that they are, in some cases, twice as
old as
they actually are when entering the UAE?
AM: Actually, the passports they~Rre traveling on are the old red [Soviet]
passports which, I think, are not recognized anywhere else in the world apart
from in the UAE.

OK: Presumably, the same is true when the girls leave Russia?
AM: From what these girls told us, they actually have two passports. They
leave Russia on their Armenian passport but then, when they board their
flight,
they hide it in one of their shoes and enter the UAE on their Russian
passport.

OK: When they arrive in Dubai, do they still retain their passports?

AM: No. The trafficker takes all of their documents when they arrive and
gives
them a Xerox of their fake passport and visa which is sufficient for them to
travel around and stay in hotels.

OK: What happens then? After working for the traffickers, can they eventually
buy back their passports?
AM: Yes, they can buy back their freedom. The way this works is that the
trafficker decides their “debt” which varies between $6-12,000. I~Rm not sure
how the debt is determined but anyway, the girls work and give all their
income
to the trafficker who sends a minimum of $100 a month to their families in
Armenia who presumably think that they are working in Russia, Greece, Spain or
some other country. After the “debt” is “settled,” their documents are then
returned and the girls are given the option to continue to work in the UAE
under the protection of the trafficker who takes a percentage of the money
they
earn.

OK: How many Armenian girls are working as prostitutes in the UAE?
AM: We can~Rt put a concrete figure on this but initial figures from various
organizations estimate that there are approximately five hundred. However, I
personally saw over two hundred girls in only four or five locations but
others
are known to be working in other places. Edik went to other locations that I
didn~Rt, for example, and reported that there were also a large number of girls
from Armenia there. Therefore, based on what we saw and from speaking to the
girls themselves, I~Rd say that there are as many as two thousand Armenian
girls
working in the UAE. I would say that this is a realistic and believable
figure.

OK: Is there enough evidence to take legal action against anyone involved in
the trafficking of women and children from Armenia to the UAE?
AM: Yes, and we will be pursuing the matter once our film is ready. We would
expect some arrests to be made later and maybe even prior to the completion of
the film. Many of the articles we have already published are accompanied by
pictures of people involved in trafficking and one woman wanted by Interpol is
currently in jail in Armenia. However, she is only serving a light sentence.

OK: I remember this case from one of your articles. You suggest that this
particular woman returned to Armenia knowing full well she would be imprisoned
for a short period of time in order to clear her name off Interpol~Rs list.
AM: Yes, and if the law worked, she would be facing additional charges.

OK: Is this the problem, then? Is the law not functioning correctly or are
sentences for trafficking simply too light?
AM: The law contains provisions to hand down heavy sentences to traffickers
but the legal system is not functioning correctly. I was present at the trial
of five traffickers in Armenia last August and as far as I am concerned, Judge
Ohanian and the prosecutor failed to do their jobs properly. These individuals
should have received sentences of at least ten years but when Gulnara
Shahinian, an expert on trafficking, presented the judge with details of
Armenia~Rs international obligations to prosecute those guilty of trafficking,
he instead insisted on prosecuting them with old Soviet laws that carried
lighter sentences of only two years.

OK: Why do you think that was?
AM: The evidence we collected on three trips suggests that there are
officials
in Armenia and the UAE that are directly involved in trafficking. There is not
a single doubt in my mind that they are directly involved.

OK: If that~Rs the case, and after talking about possible risks in Dubai,
isn~Rt
it potentially dangerous to expose those responsible for trafficking in
Armenia?
AM: We~Rre in the homeland.

OK: That gives you protection?
AM: Yes. In fact, it gives me a great deal of protection because my family
has
conducted this kind of work for many, many years and my grandfather as well as
the foundation established in his name is very well respected by the Minister
of Defense and the military. As a result, I~Rm not concerned at all and anyway,
I~Rm a true believer in fate. When someone~Rs time comes, that~Rs their time. I~Rm
not a person who lives in fear and it is for that reason that I do what I do.
It has to be done.

OK: Now that Hetq Online has examined the problem of trafficking from Armenia
to the UAE, what do you think the Armenian Government~Rs response should be?
AM: The Armenian Government~Rs response should be to denounce this as not
being
culturally cohesive and as being wrong. However, the Government has known
about
this problem for a number of years and I~Rm still unable to comprehend why it
has not yet issued any additional statement on the matter.
Regardless, the Armenian Government, as well as the Church and the Diaspora,
needs to take a strong position on this problem. What we have discovered, and
what we have published up until now, is irrefutable. The evidence is there and
it~Rs unreasonable for people to go into denial.

OK: However, do you think that it~Rs considered culturally taboo to talk about
such issues?
AM: Absolutely, and what I~Rve noticed from my own internet blog where quite a
few of the articles have been republished is that few readers want to publicly
comment on the findings of our investigation. Of course, I~Rve received some
private emails which have been very positive and there have also been some
financial commitments from readers for future investigative work but only on
the provision that these donations are made anonymously. Otherwise, it would
appear that many Armenians in the Diaspora, and even here in Armenia, are in
shock.

OK: It~Rs also interesting to point out that one of those responsible for
funding this investigation is a prominent Diasporan who also prefers to remain
anonymous. It~Rs good that they supported this project, of course, but very
interesting to note that they don~Rt want their name to be known. Ironically,
however, you would have thought that it is precisely these people that should
be acknowledged and appreciated.

AM: There were also some donations from a number of other individuals that
wanted to remain anonymous. However, a number of others who said that they
understood the importance of this work declined. Presumably this was because
they were afraid of the possible fallout.

OK: There~Rs also a sizeable Armenian Community in the UAE. Were they willing
and able to assist in your investigation, albeit anonymously?
AM: No. You have to understand that unless you are born in the UAE, almost
everyone is on a residency visa and because the Government is directly
involved
with trafficking, the Armenians living and working there chose not to be
involved in any shape, form or fashion even though I~Rm sure that many would
have liked to have been. Because we understood that situation we pretty much
left the Armenian community alone.

OK: What about the Diaspora in the United States and Europe. They don~Rt face
any risk so what do you think they should do?
AM: I~Rve received emails from Armenians in the Diaspora who say that they
found this investigation very “interesting.” Unfortunately, the problem of
trafficking is not “interesting.” It~Rs very sad and shouldn~Rt be looked
upon as
just another human interest story. It is instead an issue that affects all of
us regardless of whether these girls went to the UAE voluntarily or not. The
reason why this phenomenon exists today is economic and therefore, it is
resolvable. However, it will take commitment but until then, Armenia is in a
situation that I would describe as being out of control.

OK: Do you think that the Diaspora should speak out about such issues?
AM: Absolutely. The Diaspora, or at least those who have a sense of
belonging,
has a responsibility to do so. Unfortunately, the Armenian Government does not
understand the concept of civil service or the fact that they are civil
servants. This has to change and Armenians in the Diaspora can assert a
certain
amount of pressure on the Government to do so. However, so far they~Rre not.
Instead, there~Rs a certain mentality that~Rs probably very damaging for this
nation. It~Rs the idea of something being “amot (shameful).” I~Rve heard this
over and over again and the notion that it~Rs shameful to talk about problems
such as trafficking. It~Rs much easier to ignore the problem but, in my
opinion,
there~Rs nothing shameful in talking about such problems if the situation
can be
changed as a result. The Armenian Diaspora can play a role in that and perhaps
I~Rm evidence of that.

OK: However, you~Rre just one person out of six million.
AM: Yes, I~Rm one of six million but my voice has been heard time and time
again and I~Rve achieved results. If properly coordinated, I believe that other
individuals and organizations can also have a positive impact in determining
the future of our nation. In my opinion, it~Rs time for the Diaspora to wake
up.
When people remain silent, they can only contribute to perpetuating such
problems.

OK: Of course, some people, especially in the Diaspora, might instead
criticize you for concentrating only on the negative aspects of life in
Armenia. How would you respond to those that accuse you of dirtying the
country~Rs image abroad?
AM: I would say that unless we address the problems that threaten the future
of this nation, there can be no moving forward. However, I~Rd also add that I
think of myself as an optimist and believe that Armenia has a promising future
if these problems are resolved.

—
Edik Baghdasarian and Ara Manoogian~Rs investigation into the trafficking of
women and children from Armenia can be read online at
<; Ara Manoogian~Rs blog from Armenia and
Nagorno Karabagh, Martuni or Bust, can be read online at
<;

8) Alpha Epsilon Omega Wristband Campaign Seeks to Raise Genocide Awareness

LOS ANGELES–Alpha Epsilon Omega, The Armenian Fraternity, has launched the
`Never Again’ awareness wristband campaign to bring greater awareness to the
Armenian Genocide and the struggle for recognition. They will serve as a
symbol
that recognition of the Armenian genocide is a crucial part in preventing
future genocides. The wristbands are a reflection of the spirit of the
Armenian
culture which has endured the constant pose of denial from the government of
Turkey. The wristbands represent the constant reminder to ourselves that
history, if not accounted for, is in danger of repeating itself.
The awareness wristbands are in black and have ~QNEVER AGAIN~R embossed on one
side. Available for purchase from the website, the wristbands are for youth
and
adults of all ages. All proceeds, including donations generated by the NEVER
AGAIN campaign, will go to the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial, the
Zoryan Institute, and other organizations actively involved in pursuing
recognition of the Armenian genocide.
Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial being part of ANI (Armenian National
Institute) is in the forefront of research in the area of the Armenian
genocide
and the prevention of future genocides. The Zoryan institute funding the
International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies is also making
opportunities for scholars to research and publish in the field of genocide
and
human rights studies. For more information regarding these organizations,
please visit the following websites: <; and
<;
If you would like to become a sponsor, or would like to know how you or your
organization can contribute to this campaign, please visit
<; or send an email to
[email protected].

9) Disabled Armenian Athlete Completes LA Marathon

GLENDALE–Pyunic athlete Greta Khandzrtyan, an above the knee double amputee
from Armenia, completed the 26-mile wheelchair division of the Los Angeles
Marathon on Sunday, March 6, in 3 hours and 19 minutes.
~SI am thrilled to have finished my second Los Angeles Marathon and proud
to be
able to show that a person can accomplish any goal regardless of their
physical
disabilities,~T said Khandzrtyan, 18.
Khandzrtyan’s determination was put to the test after passing the 5-mile
marker. She fell out of her racing wheelchair when her waist strap came apart.
After recovering from the fall, she was assisted back into her wheelchair by
spectators. However, Khandzrtyan was not able to race at full speed as part of
her chair’s wheel frame had bent.
At the 22nd mile mark, Lorig Sivazlian, a Pyunic-LA member, briefly joined
the
race. Seeing Khandzrtyan approach, Sivazlian moved from the sidewalk and ran
alongside the racer shouting words of encouragement. ~SI received an extra
burst
of energy by seeing Lorig and the three other Pyunic supporters,~T added
Khandzrtyan.
Founded in 1989 to help the disabled children of the 1988 earthquake in
Armenia, Pyunic is the leading non-governmental organization shaping public
awareness for the disabled. Pyunic provides humanitarian aid, social services,
career training and summer/winter teaching camps. Pyunic athletes have
competed
in numerous worldwide athletic competitions, including the Los Angeles
Marathon
and both summer and winter Paralympics since 1994.
For more information about Pyunic, please contact Sarkis Ghazarian at (818)
785-3468 or visit <;

10) Antonovich Appoints John Krikorian to Small Business Commission

LOS ANGELES–Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich recently
appointed John Krikorian to the Los Angeles County Small Business
Commission–which serves to provide ongoing advice and support to the Board of
Supervisors to help small business grow in Los Angeles County.
A resident of Glendale, Krikorian is a publisher/consultant for Cal-Conn
Enterprises, Inc., publisher of Business Life and Senior Living Magazines,
along with Krikorian Marketing Group. He is also a member of the Glendale
Adventist Medical Center Civic Advisory Board, Pasadena~Rs Mayor Disability
Committee, Woodbury University President~Rs Executive Council, County of Los
Angeles Human Relations Corporate Advisory Council, and County of Los Angeles
Area Agency for Aging.
Krikorian and his son Greg Krikorian (serving as President on the Glendale
Unified School Board) founded in 1989 Business Life Magazine–a four-color
business lifestyle magazine that serves readers and advertisers in Los Angeles
County. Readers include business owners–small and large–movers and
shakers in
cities served, professionals and various members of multicultural chamber and
business associations, Hispanic, Armenian, Asian, Filipino, Black, etc. Senior
Living Magazine serves the over 55 market in Los Angeles County and delivers
quality journalism in a four-color format.
Business Life Magazine has received many awards over the past years,
including
the State of California ~SMedia Advocate~T award from the US Small Business
Administration, as well as Soroptimist International~Rs prestigious ~SImproving
the Status of Women~T award.
In the mid-90~Rs, with the emerging ethnic market, they saw the need to
develop
a multicultural agency. Krikorian Marketing Group (KMG) was born to serve the
needs of the multicultural market located in Los Angeles County and in
California. The concentration was on emerging multicultural populations that
included a large and growing number of Armenians and extended to connect with
the Russian, Arabic, and Iranian communities.
For additional information call (818) 240-7088, Fax (818) 240-7380, or visit
<;

All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier
and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and
subscription requests.
(c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved.

ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for
academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through
mass media outlets.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RUSSIA SEEKS TO RESTORE CONTACTS WITH ARMENIAN DEFENSE ENTERPRISES

Novosti
2005-03-21 20:26

MOSCOW, March 21. (RIA Novosti) – Russia should pay special attention
to restoring and maintaining contacts between Russian and Armenian
defense companies, Russian Industry and Energy Minister Viktor
Khristenko told RIA Novosti.

He recalled that Armenian defense factories specialized on producing
radio electronic devices and equipment necessary for Russian defense
enterprises in the aviation, space, ammunition, ship-building and
radio sectors.

“At present Russian defense enterprises are interested in supplies
of products necessary for producing Su airplanes, Mi helicopters,
air defense systems, anti-tank guided missiles, guard ships and
hovercraft, as well as other types and weapons and military equipment,”
the minister pointed out.

When describing the cooperation between the two countries’ defense
enterprises, he said that scientific, industrial and business
communities of Russia and Armenia should pay special attention to
growth of innovations.

“We should be competitive on the international level. This can be
achieved only if we develop innovations,” he said.

Besides, Mr. Khristenko pointed to the importance of developing
specific mechanisms of interaction between Russian managing companies
and Armenian enterprises owned by the Russian Federation, as well
as a package of state-supported measures on the part of both Russia
and Armenia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Special troops to ease ethnic tension in southern Georgia – minister

Rustavi-2 TV, Tbilisi
20 Mar 05

[Presenter] The interior minister [Vano Merabishvili] is probably one
of those in the government who is well aware of what is going on in
that region [reference to the previous report about ethnic tension
in Tsalka District in southern Georgia]. He is from that region,
and we can now talk to him live. Good evening.

[Merabishvili] Good evening.

[Question] Can I start by asking you to rule out the possibility that
these incidents were politically motivated? I am asking this because
in Yerevan the Dashnaktsutyun party has recently been saying that the
rights of Armenian speakers in Georgia are being violated and at the
same time the issue of [Russian] bases has been in the news.

[Merabishvili] Regarding your first point, I must say that, according
to our information, this incident [in Tsalka] is not linked to the
political situation in Armenia, although, the tense situation over the
Russian military bases, that is the tension with our other neighbour
[Russia], may be playing a certain role.

However, as was apparent from your previous report, from what
people were saying and from I personally heard there today –
[changes thought] I must say that the situation there should not be
overdramatized. There is a lack of trust between different ethnic
groups in that region, including people who settled there from other
parts of the country. This is a difficult region, in terms of climate
and social problems, and all of this makes the situation worse.
[Passage omitted]

Unfortunately, a brutal murder took place there recently. Had it
taken place in another part of Georgia, there would not have been
such an outcry. However, the situation remains tense and there is
mistrust. There is no stability yet in relations between settlers
from Svaneti and Ajaria and ethnic Greeks and Armenians. That is
precisely why we have decided to deploy a special detachment there.

I wish to explain to the public how this detachment will operate.
Since Tsalka District is very large and it is impossible to deploy a
policeman at every street corner and outside every house and to set
higher standards of law and order protection there than in the rest of
Georgia, we have decided to introduce daily patrols – at least three
times a day in every village – by special units in a [word indistinct]
vehicle. On the one hand, this will be a crime prevention measure,
and, on the other hand, it will enable citizens to tell the police
in advance about possible violent incidents. [Passage omitted]

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJANI SOLDIER MARTYRED IN BATTLE TO PREVENT ARMENIAN ATTACK

Azerbaijan News Service
March 21 2005

2005-03-21 15:19

Azerbaijani soldier Ruslan Rajabov was martyred on March in Mirashelli
village of Aghdam region while preventing attack by Armenian armed
forces in occupied village of the same region. ANS Qarabaq bureau
informs that Armenian forces shot at Shikhlar and Qarvand village of
Aghdam region at 2 AM on March 21.

‘Mein Kampf’ becomes a bestseller in Turkey

THE JERUSALEM POST
March 18, 2005

New paperback versions of Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” have suddenly
become bestsellers in Turkey, raising questions about whether the sales
reflect growing anti-Semitism and anti-American sentiment in this Muslim
country, or if it’s just curiosity and a cheap read.

The books were printed without the permission of the Finance Ministry of
the German state of Bavaria, which handles the book’s copyright. The
ministry said Friday that it had asked Germany’s federal Foreign
Ministry to instruct diplomats in Turkey to investigate possible
lawsuits in an attempt to prevent the continued publication of the books.

Hitler wrote “Mein Kampf”, or “My Struggle,” in the 1920s, filling it
with anti-Semitic diatribes and his strategy for world domination.

Tens of thousands of copies of the book have sold in Turkey in recent
months since at least two cheap paperback versions were released.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress