Author: admin

Russian energy chief laments Georgian “aggression”
By Keti Sikharulidze

Tuesday, September 14, 2004, #174 (0698)

The head of RAO-UES in Georgia Andrei Rappaport says that he is
no longer comfortable in Georgia owing to the “aggression” of the
Georgian government.

RAO-UES owns Telasi, the energy company which distributes electricity
in Tbilisi, but Rappaport, who is a deputy head of the Russian company
and head of its activities in Georgia, says that he is opposed to
further investment in the Georgian energy sector owing to the current
situation.

“In Armenia, they are very kind to us. If there is any problem it
is solved at once,” Rappaport said in a wide-ranging interview with
the Russian paper Gazeta concerning the company’s activities. The
interview was also published on RAO-UES’s website.

“I cannot say that we are broadening exports [in Georgia], we are
just stabilizing the situation,” Rappaport said

He added that income from RAO-UES’s Armenian utility is about USD 80
million but only USD 15 million in Georgia. “They have problem paying
money in Georgia and Georgia has about 53 million lari in debts. We
also have problems with local authorities, there is some aggression
toward us, but it is unclear what the cause of it is since Georgia
is eager to welcome new investors in the country,” Rappaport said.

“As I have declared at my last negotiations with Georgian authorities,
I am not feeling very comfortable, so I am not planning any serious
investment in Georgia. Our position is based on business logic –
if you want energy pay for it, and if there is not any money to pay,
then good-bye,” he told Gazeta.

Last summer, RAO-UES took over the Telasi electric company from the
American firm AES.

As for specific examples of aggression, Rappaport said, “for instance
the tax police tries to block our account numbers of the company. The
situation is as follows. The budget owes us about GEL 5 million for
the import of energy but we also have to pay to the budget the amount
of 3 million lari for tax payments.”

“We will not pay taxes until Georgia will pay us what they
own. Moreover, some authorities of the Georgian government try to
revise the negotiations that was signed before. We have already paid
all debts in the amount of 40 million dollars and we are going to
appeal to the court of London,” Rappaport said.

Analysts forecast that Rappaport’s statements could reflect major
problems within the Georgian energy sector, as he is chairman of the
supervisory boards of both the biggest electricity company Telasi
and the joint Georgian-Russian company Sakrusenergo.

Furthermore, he is the only person entrusted by Russian electricity
companies to resolve difficulties in Georgia; and intended this
week to hold negotiations with the Georgian government regarding
Georgia’s debts to Russia, although later he postponed his meeting
and now intends to meet the representatives of Georgia during the
CIS Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Part of this debt is due to rehabilitation work carried out on
high-voltage lines in Abkhazia in 2000. The Ministry of Energy
agreed that the work would be partly financed by Sakrusenergo, which
contributed USD 180,000, and partly by the Abkhaz Energy Company
ChernomorEnergo, which received USD 600,000 from the Russian Energy
Ministry towards the project of rehabilitating the lines that connected
Enguri and Sochi.

The head of Sakrusenergo Gia Maisuradze told Georgian television that
“the Georgian side agreed during negotiations with the Abkhaz side to
help to restore the electricity lines that were destroyed during the
war. The then-Minister of Energy David Mirtskhulava issued a decree
and I was obliged to follow it, though these lines did not belong to
the company .”

This restored line is now a subject of controversy, as it is believed
by Georgia that it is being used to illegally move electricity from
Georgia to Abkhazia.

“The energy that is used by Abkhazia is equal to the energy that is
used by nearly the whole of Georgia. Then the Abkhaz sell this energy
in Russia and afterwards we buy the same energy back at much higher
prices,” the president Mikheil Saakashvili told members of the Abkhaz
Supreme Council on Friday.

As reports Rustavi-2, a General Prosecutor’s Office investigation
found that much of the energy produced by Enguri Hydroelectric station
was being moved to Russia through Abkhazia, after which Georgia was
buying it back at higher prices.

The investigation found that several intermediary firms, headed by
Georgian and Russian officials, were exploiting this difference in
price to make very high profits. Among these companies, the most
famous is Winfield, which was founded in 2000 (the year the Georgian
government contributed to rehabilitating the electricity lines in
Abkhazia) and is headed by Ilia Kutidze, who now lives in Moscow
where he works for RAO-UES.

Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports on Rustavi-2 that the
director of Sakrusenergo Maisuardze may be dismissed from his post
when Rappaport next visits Tbilisi, and replaced by former Premier
of Tbilisi Gia Sheradze.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +3741. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +3741. .562543
Email: [email protected]:

PRESS RELEASE

14 September 2004

Sixth Armenia – European Union Cooperation Council Held in Brussels

On September 14, the sixth meeting of the European Union – Armenia
Cooperation Council took place in Brussels. Armenia’s Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian lead the Armenian delegation. Foreign Minister
Bernard Bot of the Netherlands, whose country currently holds the EU
presidency, headed the EU delegation.

This annual meeting was the first official one to take place following
Armenia’s inclusion in the European Neighborhood Policy last June. The
agenda included a discussion of that new approach to the Caucasus,
economic and political reforms, energy and regional issues, and
prospects for deeper cooperation.

Armenia’s foreign minister welcomed Armenia’s inclusion (together with
the other two republics of the South Caucasus) in the Neighborhood
Policy, and affirmed Armenia’s readiness to work with the EU to
correctly identify Armenia’s needs and priorities and work together to
benefit from the EU’s experience and resources. The Minister explained
that even as Armenia has embarked on a plan to approximate Armenia’s
legislation to EU standards, Armenia is prepared to go ahead with
additional legislative reforms.

The EU delegation noted Armenia’s successful political and economic
reforms, noting that there must be continuity in order for Armenia
to fulfill its international commitments. The Armenian delegation
commented on Armenia’s high economic growth of the last several years,
and affirmed Armenia’s efforts to sustain such growth in order to
continue to decrease the poverty level. Armenia also reiterated its
intention to obtain Market Economy Status from the EU, in order to
more confidently pursue exports and trade with Europe.

The issue of Armenia’s nuclear power plant and its eventual closure
was also on the EU agenda. Armenia reiterated its commitment to
ensuring the plant’s safety, even as efforts are undertaken to secure
alternative energy sources.

The two sides agreed to explore the possibility of establishing
a subcommittee to deal with issues relating to scientific and
technological research, as well as furthering the established exchange
and collaboration that exists between the two scientific communities.

Regional cooperation, conflict resolution and stability were at the
focus of the discussions. The Armenia-European Union Cooperation
Council also addressed the Nagorno Karabakh resolution process,
as well as the need to positively engage Turkey in regional processes.

The Armenian delegation included deputy ministers of Trade and Economic
Development, Finance and Energy. The European delegation included
the European Union’s Special Representative to the South Caucasus,
Ambassador Heikki Talvitie, and Nicolas Schmit, Minister Delegate
for Foreign Affairs and Immigration of Luxembourg, which next holds
the EU Presidency.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GIBRAHAYER
e-newsletter
[email protected]
http: //gibrahayer.cyprusnewsletter.com

ARMENIAN MEDIEVAL BOAT ARRIVES TO CYPRUS

Thursday September 9, 2004. Gibrahayer: – Following the ancient sea routes of

Armenian trade vessels the Armenian medieval sailing boat “Kilikia” anchored
at
Larnaca port. The 16-man crew – accompanied by Karabagh liberation activist
Zori Balayian – were greeted by the Armenian community of Cyprus who held a
special ceremony/reception last Tuesday September 6, 2004.

In his welcoming speech, Armenian representative in the Cyprus House of
Representatives Bedros Kalaydjian – after giving a brief history of the ship
and its mission, to the Greek Cypriot guests and degnitaries – noted the
importance o f the voyage and highlighted the common paths and common
tragedies
experienced between the people of Cyprus and Armenia during their turbulent
history.

Our representative Bedros Kalaydjian, presented the captain of the ship Garen

Balayian -  a certified captain – with a memento. According to Cypriot custom

given to visiting ships, the crew of “Kilikia” sailing boat was also
presented
by Cypriot red wine and dry fruit.

The captain of the ship in turn presented Kalaydjian with a replica of the
ship
engraved on black marble, sailing on Lake Sevan while activist Zori Balayian
thanked and addressed the gathered.

“Kilikia” arrived in Larnaca from the Aegean sea and will be heading to
Beirut,
Tartus (Syria) with its eventual destination being Venice.

Members of the crew, the captain and Zori Balayian were guests of the
Armenian
community at a dinner that was held on Wednesday at a restaurant in Larnaca.

They a lso visited The Armenian Church, the Melkonian and had meetings with
representatives of Armenian organisations in Nicosia.

“Kilikia” left our island yesterday.

Images of this memorable visit can be viewed at the following
link:

You can view the following two websites about “Kilikia” at:
,

CAMPAIGN TO SAVE MELKONIAN ENTERS NEW PHASE

Nicosia, September 6, 2004: Representatives of the worldwide Melkonian Alumni

met in London on Friday, September 3, 2004, and agreed to take joint action
to
challenge and prevent the implementation of the AGBU Central Boardâ^À^Ùs
decision

to close the Melkonian Educational Institute in June 2005.
     Taking part in the meeting were Alumni representatives from Cyprus, the
U.K., the U.S., Canada and Lebanon.
     Joining the meeting was Jack. R. Melkonian, representing the family of
schoolâ^À^Ùs founders, Krikor and Garabed Melkonian, who ag reed on the joint
strategic and legal action to be taken, on the advice of the legal counsel
hired by the umbrella organisation, the Melkonian Alumni and Friends, who was

also present at the meeting.
     In addition, expert legal advice was presented from law experts in
Cyprus
on further action to be pursued in Cyprus and other jurisdictions.
     The meeting concluded by expressing its sincere gratitude to the
Government of the Republic of Cyprus for its warm hospitality and assistance
it
has provided and continues to provide to the Melkonian Educational Institute
and the greater family of past and present Melkonian students.

WHO KILLED TURKISH DIPLOMAT?
22-YEAR HUNT FOR ASSASSIN
By Laura Czekaj, Ottawa Sun Thursday Final Edition

     Someone knows who committed the cold-blooded murder of a Turkish
military
attache in Ottawa 22 years ago tomorrow.
     The question is whether the passage of time will give that person the
courage to come forward.
     “Hopefully some day we will get something solid to follow up on,” said
RCMP Sgt. Andre Bigras.
     Until then, the RCMP will continue to search for the killer of Col.
Atilla
Altikat, who was shot to death on Aug. 27, 1982, as he sat in his car st
opped
at a red light on the Ottawa River Pkwy. at Island Park Dr. The gunman
conducted the brazen killing in plain view of other motorists and disappeared

without a trace.

HISTORICAL FEUD
     “It was something you don’t expect to see in Canada,” Bigras said about
the assassination.
     The Justice Commandos of the Armenian Genocide claimed responsibility
for
the killing – another violent act in the longstanding feud between Turks and
Armenians.
     “These attacks caused by Armenians were a result of passing hate from
generation to generation,” said Dr. Kevser Taymaz, a representative of the
Federation of Canadian Turkish Associations.
     “Both sides lost lives and what we want is to commemorate those lives
together.”
     Armenians say the Turkish government of the Ottoman Empire carried out
genocide on the Armenian minority in Turkey from 1915-1916 and 1922-23.
     They say the massacre of more than a million Armenians was systematic
and
repeated to eliminate the Armenian minority and create space for Turkish
development.

COMMEMORATION
     Each year, Turkish mourners commemorate the anniversary of Altikat’s
assassination in Ottawa by gathering at the intersection where he was gunned
down. “We want to remind people that … we should raise our children with
tolerance and understanding” said Taymaz.

SARGIS SARGSIAN LOSES TO ANDRE AGASSI AT THE FOURTH ROUND OF THE U.S. OPEN

Monday September 5, 2004 Gibrahayer: – Sargis Sargsian’s dramatic marathon
run
in the US Open came to an end against his practice partner Andre Agassi. He
lost to him 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in ninety minutes.
     Sargsian had already run out of steam even before the match against
Agassi
began, having played more than 13 sets and ten hours to get to the fourth
round.
     In round one he beat Alex Corretja of Spain 2-6, 6-4, 6-0, 6-1 after
which
he defeated the 2004 Olympic Champion Chilean seed 10 Nicolas Massu 6-7, 6-4,
3-
6, 7-6, 6-4. His third round match against Paul-Henri M athieu of France –
the
second longest in US Open history at five hours and eight minutes – was a
thriller which produced five break points for Saragisian in the fifth set and

two match points for Mathieu before Sargsian could cheer in front of a strong

Armenian crowd waving the Armenian tricolour.

CD OF THE WEEK -  NEAR EASTERN RIDE

Ara Topouzian, Dick Barsamian and other superb Armenian musicians have, in
their latest recording, Near Eastern Ride, surpassed the expectations of even

the most discriminating listener. They have integrated their unique talents
to
create a collection of traditional Armenian songs / dances that make you jump

up and dance.
Each piece is a musical gem that, in its own distinct way, reflects the
brilliance of the ensemble, so savor this album; kick-back, turn up the
volume
and take the ride…
Track Listing: Soorch Bar, Agh Anoush, Tak Bar, Husenig Medley, Shekhani Bar,

Near Eastern Ride, Aghchig Mariam Tamzara, Assomeyir, Hayde Kaleh, 2/4
Fantasy

Special Offer: If you mention this newsletter, ARP will give a 15% discount
on
your first total order! Near Eastern Ride can be purchased for $15.00 USD and

add $2.00 for US shipping. Add an additional $1.00 for all foreign orders.

For more details, visit or email  [email protected]

Donation: To the AYMA Music Library.

NEWS IN BRIEF
– A legal team from Equatorial Guinea is in Armenia to probe links between a
local air transport company and an alleged plot to oust that country’s
president.

– ‘I assure you I will continue struggling against the denial of Armenian
genocide as president. My administration will label April 24, 2005, as the
90th
anniversary of this violent act,’  U.S. Presidential candidate Kerry

– When recalled the statements of U.S. President candidate John Kerry about
the
Armenian Genocide Turkish FM Gul said, ”this issue is important for Turkey.
Thus, we follow it closely”

– Armenia will send a team of military officials to Iraq in September that
will
prepare for the deployment of a small Arme nian army contingent in the
war-torn
country by the end of the year.

– Armenian President Robert Kocharian arrived on September 5 in Gdansk,
Poland,
on an official visit.

– Armenia’s foreign debt fell 2.5% from the beginning of the year to $1.07
billion in the first half of 2004.

– The Director General of the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO),
Jacques Diouf, met with Agriculture Minister David Lokian in Yerevan to
discuss
ways of stepping up cooperation between the organization and the government
of
Armenia.

– Cyprus Ex-Davis Cup star Haig Ashdjian won the over 35 event at The Sunrise

Hotel Open Tennis Tournament at Protaras, convincingly beating the number 1
over 35 seed, Marios Petrou 6-4, 6-0.

g i b r a h a y    c a l e n d a r

â^À¢ Armenian Ambassador to Cyprus Vahram Gozoyan invites the Armenian Cypriots
to
the 13th Independence anniversary celebrations of the Third Armenian Republic

that will be held at the Melkonian Educational Institute on September 29,
2004
from 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

â^À¢ The Annual General Meeting of The Hamazkayin Cultural and Educational
Association “Oshakan” Cyprus Chapter will take place on Tuesday September 14,

2004 at 8:00 p.m. at A.Y.M.A.

â^À¢ BACK TO SCHOOL PARTY AT AYMA – Saturday September 11, 2004 at 9:00 p.m.
Entrance 5:00 including two drinks. Music dancing and a lot of fun, just in
time before the schools begin!
â^À¢ Armenian Radio Hour on The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation can be heard
via

real audio on . Broadcast times 17:00-18:00 local Cyprus time

(14:00-15:00 GMT) News bulletins at 17:15 local time on Sundays, Tuesdays,
Fridays. Armenian Cypriots can also tune in on the following radio
frequencies
91.1 FM (Mount Olympus – for Nicosia listeners) 94.2 FM
(Paralimni/Protaras/Agia Napa) 92.4 FM (Larnaca) 96.5 FM (Paphos).

â^À¢ Every Wednesday from 7-8 p.m. (Cyprus time +2 GMT) on CyBC’s Trito, Puzant
Nadjarian presents the “History of the Blues” together with Robert Camassa.
The
programme which is now in its second year can also be heard on Real Audio
from
the Internet edition of CyBC on . A repeat programme can also

be heard seven hours later at 2:00 a.m. local time.

â^À¢ AYMA announces that the weekly practices of the football team begin in the
second week of September. Contact the AYMA Sports Committee for more details.

â^À¢ The Armenian Prelature announces that the next permit for the Armenian
Cemetery visitation at Ayios Dhometios on the Green line, is scheduled for
Sunday 19 September, 2004.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian police, Ukrainian Interior Ministry sign cooperation accord

Noyan Tapan news agency
13 Sep 04

Yerevan, 13 September: The chief of the Armenian Police, Ayk
Arutyunyan, and Ukrainian Interior Minister Mykola Bilokon signed a
protocol “On cooperation between the Armenian Police and the Ukrainian
Interior Ministry in 2005” on 13 September, the press service of the
Armenian Police has reported.

The document was signed on results of a working visit by the Ukrainian
interior minister to Yerevan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NATO cancels Azeri war games as Armenian officers refused entry – agency

Mediamax news agency
13 Sep 04

Yerevan, 13 September: The supreme allied commander, Europe, US Gen
James Jones, today decided to cancel the Cooperative Best Effort –
2004 exercises because of the refusal to allow Armenian military
officers entry to Baku, a representative of the headquarters of the
North Atlantic alliance in Brussels has said in a telephone interview
with Mediamax. The exercises were due to start in Baku within the
framework of NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme.

The NATO representative stressed that Gen Jones had decided to cancel
the exercises “because of Azerbaijan’s refusal to issue permission to
Armenian officers, the fundamental principle of conducting exercises
within the framework of the Partnership for Peace programme was
breached and, in accordance with this principle, the exercises have to
be open to all partner countries”. “NATO regrets that this principle
was breached in the organization of the exercises in Azerbaijan,”
the NATO representative told Mediamax.

[Passage omitted: background information]

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri pressure group welcomes cancellation of NATO war games

Turan news agency
13 Sep 04

Baku, 13 September: The Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO)
has welcomed the cancellation of the Cooperative Best Effort 2004
military exercises in Baku.

A KLO statement adopted on this occasion says that the barring
of Armenian officers was the result of the Azerbaijani public’s
uncompromising position.

The KLO welcomes the position of the Azerbaijani authorities and
blames NATO for the situation that has emerged. The organization
believes that the disruption of Armenians’ visit to Baku is “a small
step towards the liberation of the occupied Azerbaijani territories”.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Fate of Iraq’s Christians
by Eden Naby

Progressivetrail.com
13 sept 04

Just after celebration of the Festival of the Cross (Aida d-Sliwa) on
Friday, 10 September, the village of Baghdeda, located southeast of
Mosul, on the Nineveh Plains, in the Ninawa Governorate, came under
mortar attack. Thus far a complete tally of the dead and injured in
this village of 30,000 Christians has not been transmitted abroad. We
know that the Sheeto family lost 13-year-old Mark Louis Sheeto and
that his brother and sister were critically injured.

It is unusual for information from Christian villages to filter
outside the area currently under military and political pressure from
the Kurdish Democratic Party. Kurds are barring Western journalists
from entering villages like Dayrabun (“Monastary of the Bishop”)
which are not in any danger zone, but are being denied resettlement
by their Christian inhabitants (reported by Thiry August, a Belgian
who tried to visit the Faysh Khabour area this summer). The KDP
is determined to expand its control as far to the west and south
as possible into areas now inhabited by ChaldoAssyrians. Under the
Transitional Administrative Law, so favorable to Kurds, the objects
of Western sympathy and funds, any territory in the three provinces
adjoining Dohuk, Arbil and Sulaymaniya (Ninawa, Tamim [Kirkuk]
and Diyala) that Kurds can show they controlled on March 19, 2003
(prior to the invasion), may become part of the Kurdish controlled
region in northern Iraq (TAL, Article 53A).

This provision allows Kurds to create “facts on the ground” in
the Mosul and Kirkuk areas in particular, at the expense of unarmed
ethnic and religious minorities – to wit – the Christians of Iraq, the
Yezidis, the Shabat, and the Turkomens. The advantages of controlling
Kirkuk are well known. But the Mosul area, now the scene of fierce
attacks on Christians and Turkomens, are less well recognized.

– The Nineveh Plains hold Iraq’s largest and most fertile agricultural
fields (barley, wheat and legumes). The ChaldoAssyrians had been
farming these for millennia until the steady pressure of Kurdish
population growth combined with Baathist village destruction forced
many of them to be displaced. There is considerable evidence that
Kurdish pastoralists have had a difficult time becoming productive
farmers. (ASSYRIAN STAR, Spring 2004, “Helwa, the Forgotten Tragedy”)

– The Nineveh Plains, through which passes the upper Tigris River
and its tributaries, holds the main water source for central and
south Iraq. Control of places like Faysh Khabour (to where thousands
of Christian villagers are not being allowed to return [NYT Sept. 12,
2004 “Assyrians in Syria”]) lies at the juncture of both the Tigris as
it enters Iraq from Turkey, and where the oil pipeline from the Kirkuk
fields enters Turkey on its way to Ceyhan. The KDP, and its strategic
allies, are grabbing control of Faysh Khabour and its environs,
at the expense of the area’s indigenous Christian inhabitants.

– The possibility of gas fields on the Nineveh Plains
makes control of this region triply attractive for the
Kurds. Barzani has already threatened war with regard to Kirkuk
(). [It is suspicious]
that that the methodical killing of Turkomens and ChaldoAssyrian
leaders by “unknown” assailants stands to profit the KDP, whether this
organization acts as a Sunni Muslim force or a secular Kurdish one.

The attack on Baghdeda, also known as Qaraqosh, marks the long and
largely ignored attacks on Iraq’s Christians who, with the exception
of some 10,000 Armenians, descendents of refugees from the atrocities
of WWI, form the one million or more indigenous Christian population
of Iraq. The term “Assyrian” by which this community has been known
historically (always called so by their Armenian neighbors) includes
several church communities of which the largest is the Chaldean
Catholic. Also included are two branches of the Church of the East,
and members of the Orthodox and Catholic Syrian churches, together
with small Protestant and Seventh Day Adventist congregations.

Both the Baathists (in Iraq and in Syria) and the Kurds have
attempted to divide this community along denominational lines for
easier control. But at their own conference of Chaldeans, Syriacs
and Assyrians, convened in Baghdad 22-24 October 2003, the unified,
albeit artificial term, ChaldoAssyrian, was adopted to forestall
Kurdish poliltical manipulation, which nonetheless continues. This
term appears in the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL) signed on 8
March 2004 by the Governing Council. “Assyrian,” dropped from Iraqi
census since 1977 as punishment for opposition to the Baath regime,
is widely used in the diaspora. But TAL recognition of this community
marks a historic first in Iraqi law.

The ChaldoAssyrians form the world’s last and largest compact
community of Aramaic (Syriac) speakers, the oldest continuously
written and spoken language of the Middle East, and after Chinese,
the second oldest continuously written and spoken language of the
world. This now endangered language will become extinct if the
ChaldoAssyrians are forced into mass exodus from Iraq, a prospect
activated by their inability to maintain a foothold, a safe haven, in
northern Iraq. A combination of Kurdish chauvinism and fundamentalist
terrorism (both Arab and Kurdish) has already driven large numbers,
probably thousands, of ChaldoAssyrians out of the country. As Patrick
Cockburn has reported recently with regard to the Turkomens, the US
military is apparently being manipulated by the KDP in the attacks
on Shiite Turkomens at Tel Afar, also in the path of KDP expansion
(). Blind sympathy for Kurds is
allowing the US to become complicit in the ethnic displacement of
Christians as well as Turkomens. Specifically in the Christian case,
the community is regularly denied funds for refugee resettlement
and village reconstruction while Kurdish villagers settle on former
Christian lands with US and international funding.

The early evening mortar attack on the homes of Christians in
Baghdeda comes in the wake of a bloody forty days for this community,
highlighted by the 1 August simultaneous bombing of five churches,
one in Mosul and the others in Baghdad. While it has been impossible
to determine the instigators of violence against Christians in
Basra and Baghdad, and no doubt some of the Baghdad kidnapping
for ransom is the work of criminal gangs possibly allied to the
insurgency, the upsurge in attacks on Christians in the north, on the
Nineveh Plains especially, is widely believed to be the work of KDP
agents. Kurdish attacks on Christians has a long history, stretching
well before WWI and the Hamidiya units of Kurdish irregulars that
were largely responsible for the Assyrian genocide in southeastern
Turkey and northwest Iran. The current attacks appear to be targeted
at Christians in the north of Iraq, on the Nineveh Plains, and the
villages to which those fleeing Basra and Baghdad are hoping to
return. These internally displaced persons (IDPs), as well as the
refugees stranded in Jordan and Syria, need both resettlement funds
and security from Kurdish attacks and pressure. Yet the community is
currently only supported by funds collected from the diaspora – and
in some cases – when the diaspora funds a project, such as electrical
generators, Kurdish thugs blow them up. In other instances, the KDP has
blockaded Assyrian villages and prevented delivery of food supplies.
( ).

Over the past few days alone, a sharply increased pattern of attack
on Christians in the north has emerged as gathered from websites
(). What is happening in the more isolated
villages remaining in Berwari, Aqra and Zakho may be even more deadly.

1. Mosul, Nineveh Province. 8 Sept. Video of real or enacted beheading
distributed in Mosul to frighten Assyrians into leaving the area.

“According to residents of Mosul, a group of Islamic terrorists has
distributed in the past few days a video CD containing the beheading
of two Assyrian Christians from Mosul. To date, the identity of the
Assyrian victims is still unknown. Many residents have seen the video
and claimed that it was very disturbing.”

2. Mosul, Nineveh Province. 8 Sept. Assassination of three women,
wounding of another and driver, as they traveled back to home village
of Bartilla from Mosul.

“On Tuesday August 31, 2004, Tara Majeed Betros Al-Hadaya, Taghrid
Abdul-Massih Ishaq Betros and her sister Hala Abdul-Massih Ishaq
Betros, were murdered in Mosul. The three Assyrian victims were
returning to their homes in Bartilla, from a hospital in Mosul, where
they worked, when their car was attacked by a group of terrorists
who opened heavy fire at the car.

The attack took place in the section between the Television area and
the Kokajli area on the main road between Mosul and Bartilla. Also
injured in the attack was another Assyrian woman, ‘Amera Nouh Sha’ana
who was also going home to Bartilla and the Assyrian driver, Naji
Betros Ishaq. The three female victims were in their twenties.

The residents of Bartilla are followers of the Syriac Orthodox Church,
and the town is the birthplace of His Holiness Mor Ignatius Yacoub III,
the late Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church.”

3. Mosul, Nineveh Province. 9 Sept. Two Assyrian brothers, both
community leaders, are riddled with bullets. Community believes goal
of intensified attacks is to terrorize them and force the indigenous
people to leave, and thus stop disputing Kurdish claims to Mosul,
now being vociferously put forward in Kurdish media.

“On Thursday September 2, 2004, Khaled Boulos (1972-2004) and his
brother Hani Boulos (1976-2004), who are known as the sons of Hasina,
were murdered in Mosul in the Al-Sa’a district. The deceased Assyrian
brothers were known by many Assyrians for their honorable stands
in Mosul in defending and assisting other Assyrians. According
to eyewitnesses, on September 2, at noon (local Mosul time) in
the Al-Mayasa (Al-Sa’a) district, a car carrying a group of armed
terrorists pulled by Khaled and Hani Boulos, where the armed terrorists
came out of the car and began firing heavily at the two Assyrians,
killing them instantly. The two Assyrian brothers worked for a foreign
company in Mosul, which the terrorists used as an excuse to murder
them. However, the peaceful Assyrians of Mosul believe that the main
goal of the intensified attacks on Assyrian Christians is to terrorize
the indigenous Assyrians and force them to leave their homeland.”

4. Mosul, Nineveh Province. 9 Sept. Assyrian political activist run
over by car without plates as terrorists target Christians. Suspected
terrorists are considered part of Kurdish plan to empty the region
of Assyrians who dispute Kurdish claim to entire north.

“On Wednesday September 1, 2004, during a terrorist attack on the
building of the Governorate of Ninawa, Nisan Sliyo Shmoel was injured
in his shoulder. Mr. Shmoel was taken immediately to the hospital where
he was treated. After treatment, he was released from the hospital that
same day, but the terrorists were awaiting his release and targeted
him with an unmarked car (not carrying plate numbers), which they
used to drive him over in front of the hospital entrance. Mr. Shmoel
died immediately.

Martyr Nisan Sliyo Shmoel was 43 years old. He is survived by his wife
and 6 children (5 daughters and a son). The oldest of his children is
15 years old. Shortly after the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s regime,
Nisan Sliyo Shmoel joined the Assyrian Patriotic Party (Gaba Atranaya
Aturaya) to serve his Assyrian people. Mr. Shmoel was also a private in
the newly formed Iraqi Army, which he had joined to serve his country.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Anand predicts tough times for menâ^À^Ùs team

Press Trust of India
Tuesday, September 14, 2004 at 0014 hours IST

MUMBAI, SEPTEMBER 13: World rapid chess champion Viswanathan Anand
today said it would be a tough task for the Indian menâ^À^Ùs team to
win a medal at the forthcoming Olympiad at Spain as they would be up
against some strong opposition.

â^À^ÜWe will be playing some top chess playing countries like Russia,
Israel, Ukraine, USA and Armenia among others and it will be a tough
task for us to win a medal as all the members of the team will have
to do well consistently,â^À^Ý Anand told reporters here.

â^À^ÜCompared to the menâ^À^Ùs team, the womenâ^À^Ùs team has a
better chance of winning a medal as they not only have a very good
team but their opponents too are not as formidable as in the menâ^À^Ùs
field,â^À^Ý Anand said.

Touching on various topics, the champion said that his next important
assignments are to see that his team does well at the Olympiad and
to win the Chess Oscar.

On his recent performances this year, Anand said, â^À^ÜThis year has
been very good for me and I hope it will continue for some time. I
think I did pretty well to win the Corus Grandmasters tournament in
Wijk Aan Zee and then the Dortmund chess and Mainz chess in Germany
which had chess greats like Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik in
the fray.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ENERGONOROGUM MANUFACTURES POLYETHYLENE PIPES

   YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS: A local Energonorogum (Energy
Repair) company started production of polyethylene pipes late last
May and according to its chief manager, there are enough capacity to
manufacture around 100 km long pipes a month with a diameter ranging
from 60 to 160 cm. These pipes are successfully used both for laying
drinking water and natural gas pipelines.    Unlike metal pipes,
which can serve only for 15-20 years, pipes made of polyethylene,
can run for 60 years and demand no repair. They are also immune
against corrosion and other chemical exposure. The company brings
raw material from Belgium. It is now seeking prospects for selling
its products in Russia and other CIS countries.

DON’T SEND ARMENIAN SOLDIERS TO IRAQ!

A1 Plus | 18:47:01 | 13-09-2004 | Politics |

“The Armenian Authorities having no clear foreign political priorities
have undertaken a senseless and perilous step”, Democratic Party of
Armenia announced. The decision of the Armenian Authorities to send
a 50-member group of soldiers to Iraq gave cause for this statement.

“DPA thinks that such a decision radically runs counter to our national
and state security interests, creates menace for our compatriots
residing in Islamic states, including peaceful existence of the
Armenian Commune of 25.000 in Iraq.

DPA condemns the intention of Armenian Authorities to send a military
group to Iraq and calls upon the members of Parliament to reject
approval of the bill through voting”, the statement says.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress