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Interfax
Feb 26 2005

Kocharian dismisses possibility of revolution in Armenia

YEREVAN. Feb 26 (Interfax) – There are no preconditions for the
replay of the Georgian or Ukrainian revolutionary scenarios in
Armenia now, said Armenian President Robert Kocharian.

“The best guarantee of stability is an efficient and energetic
government and a targeted and balanced foreign policy,” Kocharian
said in the Saturday issue of the newspaper Voice of Armenia.

“If the government is sluggish, there will always be someone who
could try to seize power; if there are a lot of angry people, this
someone could lean on them; and if the government stands on the way
of someone powerful, these attempts will gain support from abroad.
All the three factors worked in Georgia and Ukraine,” Kocharian said.

At the same time, the president said there is no strong opposition in
his country now. “The higher the opposition’s level, the higher the
standards that society wants the government to comply with. A weak
opposition corrupts the government and produces apathy in society,
and therefore I am in favor of a strong opposition,” Kocharian said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #035,
26/02/2005

Nagorno Karabakh

THE WAY ‘THOUSANDS OF KHOJALU VICTIMS’ SPRING UP

According to 1926 Population Census Khojalu Was a Purely Armenian Village
with 888 Residents

In its yesterday’s issue daily Azg wrote about the Khojalu tragedy that
claimed lives of 613 Azeris and 34 Armenians. Florance David from Channel 5
TV of France was among the first foreign journalists to visit the places of
hostilities. The editor-in-chief of daily Azg, Hakob Avetikian, recalls that
Florance David came to Azg publishing house at 11 p.m. in early March of
1992 accompanied by 2 guys from Armenian Revolutionary Party. She needed a
satellite phone to send correspondence to the French TV.

“Understanding the importance of the moment we allowed her to use this rare
connection (only daily Azg and the office of Armenian Assembly of America
had satellite line on those days). Florance spoke to her editor first. What
she told him was published in our newspaper at that time”, Avetikian said.

“Referring to Florance’s conversation with her editor, daily Azg wrote in an
article titled ‘The Way ‘Thousands of Khojalu Victims’ Spring Up’ in March
of 1992: ‘On Iranian Red Crescent’s initiative, Armenians and Azeris
exchanged corpses on March 1 as they previously arranged. There were
hundreds of dead bodies on the field. Suddenly an Azeri helicopter with
Azeri and foreign journalists aboard appeared in the air, and they began
taking pictures of the exchange process from above. The Turkish TV and press
used the pictures and videotapes next day to present ‘the massacre of
‘thousands’ of Azeris killed during Armenians’ seizure of Khojalu’. That was
a prize misinformation”.

Avetikian recalls that Florance went on live broadcast after talking to her
editor and began broadcasting things that did not match her previous talk
with the editor. “She did not know I knew French. Noticing the difference we
published not Florance’s live speech but her conversation with the editor”,
he said.

Few days later a LDP French branch member, Levon Kebabjian, called daily Azg
that a legal action was launched against the paper for distorting Florance
David’s correspondence. But the action was shortly after stopped.

Avetikian thinks the reason for that was Ayaz Mutalibov’s statement in
Moscow that the Armenian opened a corridor for the Azeris to leave Khojalu.

Azerbaijan’s trend of labeling the Khojalu tragedy a “genocide committed by
Armenians” continues today. An American congressman from Indiana, Den
Barton, known for his pro-Turkish stance appealed to the Congress few days
ago to “recognize Khojalu tragedy as genocide”. “Khojalu was a small town
before the February of 1992. There is no such town any more. The word
‘Khojalu’ has turned today into sorrow and a symbol of cruelty for every
Azeri. Backed by the Russian air force, Armenians not only took the town
over but also completely ruined it. Armenians brutally executed 613 people”,
Barton said.

Davit Babayan, political analyst from Stepanakert, says that the elimination
was the work of Azeri forces who feigned genocide to remove attention from
the pogroms of Armenian population in Baku and Sumgait. “The killed Azeris
were in a position looking towards Aghdam. That means that the fusillade
came from Aghdam’s direction. Mutalibov himself confessed that Armenians
provided a corridor for the civilians”, Babayan says.

Referring to the Soviet population census of 1926, Babayan noted that
Khojalu was a purely Armenian village at that time with 888 Armenian
residents. The first 2 Azeri families settled in Khojalu only in 60s. Few
years later an Azeri Khojalu springs up by the Armenian one. In 1977 the
Armenian Khojalu was not mentioned and in 1989 census showed that Khojalu
was a purely Azeri settlement with 1661 population.

By Tatoul Hakobian

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

USINFO.STATE.GOV
25 February 2005
United States Funds Rocket Fuel Disposal Project in Armenia
Project will neutralize rocket fuel component, produce fertilizer byproduct
Washington — The United States will contribute over $1 million toward a
project of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to
eliminate rocket fuel component stocks in Armenia, according to the U.S.
Embassy in Yerevan.
These rocket fuel components, known as melange, are often kept in inadequate
containers that present considerable environmental risk in addition to the
inherent security risk, the U.S. Embassy said. These types of stocks are
found in other states of the former Soviet Union, as well as in Armenia.
The OSCE said that in response to a request from Armenia in April 2004 for
technical and financial support for the recycling of 872 tons of melange,
the OSCE Office in Yerevan arranged for international experts to advise on
the environmentally sound recycling of the chemicals.
The method of neutralizing the melange chosen by the OSCE will result in the
added positive byproduct of a liquid fertilizer for use by Armenia’s
farmers.
The U.S. Embassy said the United States is the primary source of funds for
this project, accounting for nearly 75 percent of the budget. Other
countries such as Germany, Finland and Canada have also contributed —
particularly to the project’s crucial initial phases, which were completed
in 2004.
On February 22, a memorandum of understanding on the elimination of the
rocket-fuel-component stocks was signed by Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, the
head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, and Serzh Sargssian, the minister of
defense of Armenia and secretary of the National Security Council.
“The Office will continue to support this important activity, which aims to
improve both the environment and the security of the Armenian population,”
said Ambassador Pryakhin.
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: )

This page printed from:
;y05&m=February&x050225171134xlrenneF0.4393732&t=eur/eur-latest.html

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency
Feb 25 2005

OSCE and CE expertly group to visit Armenia on March 3-4

It is early to engage in pre-election campaign – Armenian PM

Presentation of official website of Economic Court of the Republic of
Armenia held in Yerevan

RA Prime Minister receives charge d’Affaires of Syria to Armenia

70th anniversary of prominent Karabakh publicist and public activist
Zori Balayan’s birth celebrated in Stepanakert

Armenian PM: rumors on near resignation of Government exploited by
some semi-pro-Government and pro-Government streams

*********************************************************************

OSCE AND CE EXPERTLY GROUP TO VISIT ARMENIA ON MARCH 3-4

YEREVAN, February 25. /ARKA/. Joint group of experts from OSCE and
the Council of Europe will visit Armenia on March 3-4 to study the
issues of constitutional and electoral reforms, as Dmirti Rupel
Slovenian Foreign Minister said when meeting Arthur Baghdasryan,
Armenian Speaker while on his official visit to Austria. As Armenian
Parliament Public department told ARKA, Rupel gave high estimation to
Armenian Parliament’s role in implementation of Armenia’s commitments
to PACE and expressed hope that constitutional and election reforms
will be held as per European standards. Baghdasaryan ain his turn
said that Armenia attaches importance to integration into European
structures, the solution of the Karabakh conflict within frames of
the OSCE Minsk Group as it studied the issue well. It was mentioned
that the region enjoys peaces for ten years and Armenia sees the
solution of the conflict thru peaceful settlements. He also stressed
OSCE’s role in establishing peace and regional cooperation in South
Caucasus. T.M. -0–

*********************************************************************

IT IS EARLY TO ENGAGE IN PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN – ARMENIAN PM

YEREVAN, February 25. /ARKA/. It is early `to roll up one’s sleeves’
and to engage in pre-election campaign, as Armenian PM Andranik
Margarian said to Armenian Public TV. In his words, `we have two
years until elections to the National Assembly and three until the
presidential elections. Launching pre-election campaign now will
hinder not only normal development of the country, but the solution
of challenges that Armenia is facing’. `I mean regional problems, and
hindering economic and political development of the country’, he
stated. At that he said that opposition’s behaviour is quite normal,
adding that the party headed by him (Republican Party of Armenia –
ARKA) have no intentio to promote extraordinary presidential or
parliamentary elections. Margarian stressed that `everything must
took place in its time’, and the Armenian President and the National
Assembly must have opportunity to solve the issues until the next
regular elections. `The life is already is complex and we should not
make it even more complicated, inventing new problems for us’, PM
considers. T.M. -0–

*********************************************************************

PRESENTATION OF OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF ECONOMIC COURT OF THE REPUBLIC OF
ARMENIA HELD IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, February 23. /ARKA/. Presentation of official website of
Economic Court of the Republic of Armenia () was
held in Yerevan today. As Davit Harutyunyan, Armenian Justice
Minister said, the most important factor of the final establishing of
judiciary in the developing countries is its transparency and using
of high technologies must not be neglected here. At that in his
words, similar transparency could not be secured only by creation of
internet center and the Armenian Government suggest this year to make
a number of legislative steps for securing transparency of the legal
proceedings process. `We need just that transparency that would allow
the sides to better understand their activity and the judges to get
more correct impression what will promote the making of the judiciary
`, he stressed.
The web-based information center of the Economic Court of Armenia was
created within frames of Transparency of Judiciary System of Armenia
program with the assistance of EU European Initiative for Democracy
and Human Rights (the total cost of the grant EUR 44 thou.). One of
the main tasks of the program implemented by Youth for Achievements
NGO is expanding of partnership between state, public sectors thru
free provision of necessary information, its transparency and
availability. The main purpose of the web-based internet resource is
free provision of information about the judiciary system,
particularly the Economic Court, and to enhance the efficiency and
quality of the information exchange between the public and the
Economic Court.
The main menu of Armenian, Russian and English version of the
web-site contain 14 chapters including data on the Economic Court of
the republic of Armenia, activity procedure, court appeal order,
cassation compliant and appeal, information on legal proceedings,
sales of debtors property, news, international relations, feedback,
links etc. T.M. -0–

*********************************************************************

RA PRIME MINISTER RECEIVES CHARGE D’AFFAIRES OF SYRIA TO ARMENIA

YEREVAN, February 25. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan
today received Charge d’Affaires of Syria to Armenia Hasan al-Raslan,
who accomplishes his diplomatic mission to Armenia. As the Public
Relations Department of RA Government told ARKA agency, the RA Prime
Minister highly appreciated the work of Hasan al-Raslan for the
development of Armenian-Syrian relations. Margaryan hopes that the
visit of Syrian Premier Naji al-Utri to Armenia will impart new
impetus to bilateral relations.
During the meeting, the participants emphasized the satisfactory
level of bilateral cooperation, in particular, in areas of
agriculture, science and education, culture. Margaryan and Raslan
also noted the importance of recurring sessions of Armenian-Syrian
Intergovernmental Commission. The Armenian PM expressed confidence in
the fact that the execution of decisions, adopted on 3rd session of
the Commission in Yerevan in 2004, will contribute to further
development of bilateral relations in various fields. L.V.–0–

*********************************************************************

70TH ANNIVERSARY OF PROMINENT KARABAKH PUBLICIST AND PUBLIC ACTIVIST
ZORI BALAYAN’S BIRTH CELEBRATED IN STEPANAKERT

STEPANAKERT, February 25. /ARKA/. 70th anniversary of prominent
Karabakh publicist and public activist Zori Balayan’s birth was
celebrated in Stepanakert. Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s President
Arkadi Ghukasyan, Members of the NKR Parliament and Government and
representatives of the community were present at the party dedicated
to the event.
The jubilee spoke about current world problems in his speech. He paid
attention to globalization and its possible impact on the region.
Speaking on Karabakh conflict settlement, Balayan pointed out oil
factor.
Speaking on Karabakh national liberation movement, he said nobody
must think human toll was vain and nobody must doubt that `we did
achieve the goal’. M.V. -0–

*********************************************************************

ARMENIAN PM: RUMORS ON NEAR RESIGNATION OF GOVERNMENT EXPLOITED BY
SOME SEMI-PRO-GOVERNMENT AND PRO-GOVERNMENT STREAMS

YEREVAN, February 25. /ARKA/. The rumors of near resignation of the
Government are exploited by semi-pro-Government and pro-Government
streams, as Armenian Pm Andranik Margarian said in his interview to
the Armenian Publci TV. In his opinion, the opposition wishes to
change the power, but the purposes put forward by it one or two years
ago -President’s resignation, holding of extraordinary elections are
groundless. Therefore, in PM’s words, it is necessary to input in the
government `the worm of doubt’, the fanciful power change scenario,
where naturally the PM and Government members have their own role. At
that he stressed that this may not be implemented, adding that the
changes into the Government’s staff are always possible, however they
will not be related to demands put forward or similar reasons. T.M.
-0–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanArmenian News
Feb 25 2005

JOHN EVANS: “ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WAS FIRST GENOCIDE OF 20-TH CENTURY”

25.02.2005 18:30

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During the meeting with the representatives of the
Armenian community in San Francisco US Ambassador to Armenia John
Evans spoke of the “importance of the Armenian Genocide recognition”,
IA Regnum reports according to the Armenian National Committee of
America. “Today I will call it the Armenian Genocide”, Mr. Evans
stated. The Ambassador stated that he “has examined the issue of the
Armenian Genocide with the help of Professor Richard Hovhanissian’s
works”. According to the source, Mr. Evans stated that he held
consultations with an attorney from the US Department of State, who
defined the massacres of the 1915 as Genocide. Representatives of the
US Administration and other officials avoided the word “Genocide”
when speaking of the tragedy that took place Turkey at the beginning
of last century, the source notes. “None of the US officials has ever
denied this fact. I just think to play on words in this case would
not fit Americans”, Mr. Evans said. “I believe that things should
called by their proper names, however US’s formal policy towards
Turkey has not changed, as Turkey has some old military ties with
NATO”. “The Armenian Genocide was the first Genocide of the 20-th
century”, The Us Ambassador stated noting that at that time the world
was not ready to give an adequate reaction. “But I would like to
assure you that we are going to work at this problem”, he said. When
touching upon US-Turkish relations, Mr. Evans stated, “we want to
witness development within the Turkish society. Let’s hope that once
views will change”.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Feb 25 2005

Report of OSCE fact-finding mission to be made public

Baku, February 24, AssA-Irada
The OSCE fact-finding mission’s final report on settlement of
Armenians in the occupied regions of Azerbaijan is due to be
presented to the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers in a
meeting due in Prague on March 2, a diplomatic source said.
The mission will present the report to the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs
in Vienna on February 28.
The OSCE fact-finding mission held a one-week monitoring on the
settlement of Armenians in seven occupied regions of Azerbaijan early
in February. After completing the monitoring, the mission members
left Khankandi for Vienna on February 7 without elaborating on the
report.*

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
Feb 25 2005

WORLD BANK TO CONSIDER NEW LOAN PROGRAM TO ARMENIA

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, ARMENPRESS: A team of experts from World
Bank program for evaluation of rural communities development is in
Armenia. World Bank Resident Representative Roger Robinson said today
the program is very important for Armenia, as many of its remote
rural areas need strong support.
He said a credit program that is expected to be sent to World Bank
Board of Directors in July, will try to find new resources to help
population of both rural settlements and small towns to increase
their incomes. The new program will provide farmers with a broader
range of assistance and consulting and will also make available
short-and-long-term loans. The programs’ budget is approximately $20
million.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Today, Azerbaijan
Feb 25 2005

USA State Department declared its support to territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan again

25 February 2005 [16:57] – Today.Az

Bureau of USA State Department on Europe and Asia Affairs spread a
document on President George Bush’s visit to Europe.

Positions of the USA and European Union concerning the reforming in
Asia are reflected in the document.

“The general aim of the USA and European Union is to ensure
successful passage to democracy and market economy in Eurasia. We
intend to struggle against dangers to passage and regional stability,
as well as against criminality and corruption, illegal turn-over of
the narcotic drug, weapon of mass destruction, human trafficking
together.”

State Department also cleared up the policy of the USA on South
Caucasus.” We keep on supporting integration efforts of Azerbaijan,
Georgia and Armenia to Euro Atlantic arena.

Programs of “Neighbors of Europe policy” of European Union and
“Partnership for the sake of peace” of NATO confirm that we have the
same value with Europe, lead to deepen the relations with South
Caucasus.

USA and EU worry about the problems might appear on stability and
security in Black Sea region, and South Caucasus, because of the
unresolved conflicts.

We support the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, Georgia and
Moldova and cooperate in the sphere of uniting international efforts
for regulation of Dnestr, South Osetia, Abkhazia, and Upper Garabagh
conflicts by political way.” /APA/

URL:

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Civil Georgia, Georgia
Feb 25 2005

Government Launches Program to Overcome Energy Crisis

President Saakashvili convened late on February 25 an emergency
meeting of the government to discuss, as he put it, the energy crisis
which persists in the country. Currently, only the capital Tbilisi
enjoys with round-the-clock electricity supply, while in other
regions and cities of Georgia electricity supply is limited.

`We [the current government] have not launched this [energy] crisis,
but this should be us who must put an end to this crisis,’ President
Saakashvili said while addressing the government’s meeting, which was
broadcasted live.

`I consider overcoming energy crisis as the government’s top
priority,’ he added.

Energy Minister Nika Gilauri, who has become in the focus of public
attention in recent days, because of speculations regarding his
possible dismissal, presented a two-year program outlining those
activities, which should be carried out in order to overcome current
crisis.

He said that two priorities are outlined in the program, which should
be achieved in the next two years: security of energy supplies and
profitability of the energy sector.

`Security of energy supplies envisages diversification of sources of
electricity supplies. We should not be depended only on one power
transmission line, on one power plant etc.’ he said.

`The second priority is the energy sector’s profitability. The energy
sector should not be depended on donor organizations and donor
countries’ assistance; it should not be depended on the state
budgetary resources,’ the Energy Minister said.

Gilauri said that Georgia’s current deficit in electricity totals to
200-300 megawatts.

`Construction of the gas turbine electricity generator with total
capacity of 200-300 megawatts is planned to be launched soon. We
expect constructions to be over in maximum two years,’ he said.

`But even after this gas turbine electricity generator is put into
operation we will still need to import electricity,’ Gilauri added.

He said that currently Georgia imports 350-400 megawatts from Russia
and approximately 200 megawatts from Armenia

When President Saakashvili asked the Energy Minister what should be
done to increase import of electricity from Armenia and Azerbaijan,
Gilauri responded, that `increase of import from Armenia will be very
difficult because of the limited capacity of the transmission lines.’

`From Azerbaijan we can increase import by additional 80 megawatt,’
he added.

President Saakashvili instructed Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli to
personally oversee implementation of this two-year program.

`If we fail to implement this, we should stand responsible for this
failure,’ Mikheil Saakashvili added.

`With the capacities currently available in Georgia it is impossible
to provide round-the-clock electricity to entire Georgia,’ the
President stated.

He said funds received from privatization process will be used for
construction of the new energy facilities. `We will need to invest in
energy sector approximately USD 150 million,’ Saakashvili added.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Feb 25 2005

PROBLEMS & PROSPECTS OF AZERBAIJAN DIASPORA DEDICATED
[February 25, 2005, 21:17:13]

On the initiative of Azerbaijan-Netherlands friendship society, a
conference related to the activity, problems and prospects of
Azerbaijan communities and unions in Europe took place in Amsterdam,
AzerTAj reports.

Azerbaijan was represented by Chairman of the state committee on work
with Azerbaijanis living abroad Nazim Ibrahimov, heads of Azerbaijan
Diaspora organizations functioning in the European countries.

It was stressed the necessity of unification of Azerbaijan Diaspora
organizations for exposure of the Armenian aggressive policy, as well
as to hold the arrangement on the occasion of 13th anniversary of
Khojali Genocide.

Finally, on behalf of Azerbaijan communities and unions of Benelux
countries, a statement sharply condemn aggression of the Armenian
against Azerbaijan was adopted. The document was sent to the
international organizations of European countries.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress