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12/06/2004
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Californians Unite to Commemorate 90th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide 2) Armenian Museum in Istanbul 3) Russian President Talks Trade, Terrorism in Former Foe Turkey 4) Presidential Candidates Strike Deal in Abkhazia 5) Animal Diseases Hamper Turkey's EU Bid 6) BRIEFS 1) Californians Unite to Commemorate 90th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide The year 2005 marks the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The Armenian people, both in Armenia and the diaspora, will commemorate the most solemn event of our modern history, the genocide of Armenians on April 24, 1915. Ninety years have passed since this crime against Armenians, and all of humanity was committed, and mankind has entered a new century. For the Armenian people, however, that tragic event in history has not been resolved and cannot be forgotten. Almost 2 million Armenians became victims of a premeditated crime perpetrated by the Turkish Government. For decades on--even in the face of blatant denial of the genocide by the same government--successive Armenian generations have kept alive the memory of our martyrs, preserving their timeless message. And today, Turkey continues its attempt to revise history with its massive campaign against international recognition of that unforgettable event. The 90th milestone of the Armenian genocide, will therefore, not only be dedicated to the memory of our martyrs, but will also serve as an opportunity to internationally boost our public relations efforts. As such, religious, political, national, cultural, benevolent, youth, and other organizations operating in California have united to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. This move comes on the initiative of the three Armenian political parties, and under the auspices of the three Prelates of Western USA. We have already begun to outline and integrate the various observances and events that will take place in the coming year. The United Body to Commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian genocide will keep the public informed of planned activities, with the conviction that our public will bring their active participation. Armenian Church of North America Western Diocese Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church Armenian Catholic Exarchate Armenian Evangelical Community Armenian General Benevolent Union Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western Region Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (Ramgavar) Western Region Social Democrat Hunchak Party Western Region Armenian Relief Society Western Region Knights of Vartan Tekeyan Cultural Association Hamazkayin Cultural and Educational Society Nor Serount Cultural Association Armenian Society (Iranahay Miutiun) of Los Angeles Armenian Assembly Western Region American Armenian Council Western Region Hai Tad Council Western Region Armenian National Committee Western Region AGBU Young Professionals Armenagan Youth Movement Armenian Youth Federation Gaydz Youth Organization United Armenian Youth United Armenian Students 2) Armenian Museum in Istanbul ISTANBUL (AP/Andadolu)--Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan officially opened an Armenian museum in Istanbul on Sunday, saying he was committed to protecting the rights of minority Armenians. Turkey, which recognizes Armenians as an official minority, is under pressure to improve rights for minorities as part of its efforts to join the European Union. Turkey hopes that EU leaders will agree to open membership talks at a Dec. 17 summit. Erdogan joined Mesrob II, the Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul, and other leaders of Turkey's Armenian Christian minority of 65,000 for the opening of the museum at the Sourp Pergich Armenian Hospital in Bolis. "Armenian citizens are an indispensable part of [Turkey]. Every artifact in this museum shows a past lived together,'' Erdogan said. "We are now protecting each other's rights, aware of our citizenship, and it will be like this forever.'' Housed in a 172 year-old Armenian hospital, the museum includes religious artifacts, antique medical equipment and an Ottoman decree that established the hospital in 1832. 3) Russian President Talks Trade, Terrorism in Former Foe Turkey ANKARA (AP)--Russian President Vladimir Putin was in Turkey on Monday on a rare visit meant to boost trade and counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries, which have been rivals since the time of the czars and sultans. Putin arrived late Sunday on the first-ever official bilateral visit by a Russian leader--a record that reflects the troubled history between the nations. "We are here to take courageous decisions," Putin said at a dinner with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer on Sunday. "The visit will give the opportunity for both economic and trade relations between Russia and Turkey to open up to new horizons." On Monday, Putin met with Sezer after visiting Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's mausoleum, a shrine honoring the father of the modern Turkish Republic. He was also scheduled to meet with Turkey's prime minister and attend a business forum intended to increase trade between resource-rich Russia and Turkey, a key route for delivering oil and gas to Western markets. The two-day visit is expected to produce six cooperation agreements on issues including defense, finance, and energy--and a largely symbolic friendship and partnership declaration. Repeated wars between the Ottoman Empire and Czarist Russia gave way to a cold peace after the collapse of both empires, with Turkey looming as NATO's easternmost Soviet-era outpost. The nations later fought for influence in Turkic states that gained independence in the 1991 Soviet collapse. Today, both governments are playing up the promise of economic cooperation. Compared with the first half of 2003, bilateral trade rose by 60 percent in the first half of 2004, reaching $4.6 billion, according to Russia. It may exceed $10 billion for the year. A recently built pipeline carries Russian natural gas beneath the Black Sea to Turkey, which relies on Russia for some two-thirds of its gas. Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom is interested in projects for gas storage and more extensive distribution in Turkey. Turkish companies are active in Russia's booming construction, retail, and brewing industries, while its Mediterranean resorts are a favorite among richer Russians, whose visits have fostered familiarity between the traditional foes. But Turkey's control over the Bosporus--the water route that connects the Black Sea and the Mediterranean--has been a sore point. Turkey says increasing Russian oil tanker traffic through the strait is hazardous, while Russia says delays cost its exporters hundreds of millions of dollars a year. The touchy subject of terrorism was also likely to be high on the agenda. Russia has urged Turkey to crack down on charities it claims channel money and weapons to Chechen rebels. It also says numerous Turks have fought alongside the militants. Many Turks trace their ancestry to Chechnya or elsewhere in what's now Russia's North Caucasus region, and many sympathize with fellow Muslims in Chechnya, where civilians have suffered gravely in nearly a decade of war pitting Russian forces against rebels. About a dozen members of a pro-Chechen group laid a black wreath at the entrance of the Russian embassy Monday, shouting "Murderer Putin! Get out of Turkey!" Similar protests were held in Istanbul on Sunday. But in an apparent gesture to Putin, who says Russia is battling international terrorism, Turkish authorities apprehended nine suspected Chechen militants and three pro-Chechen Turks last week. The Anatolia news agency reported on Sunday that police had linked them to al-Qaeda. At Sunday's dinner, Sezer said Turkey is determined to cooperate with Russia in the fight against terrorism. 4) Presidential Candidates Strike Deal in Abkhazia (Eurasianet.org)--A last-minute deal between opposition leader Sergei Bagapsh and former Prime Minister Raul Khajimba appears to have ended a two-month stalemate over the outcome of Abkhazia's presidential elections. Yet the pact's consequences for Abkhazia's relations with Georgia remain unknown. While mutual congratulations have flowed from Sukhumi and Moscow, Tbilisi has maintained a tight-lipped silence about the compromise. Under the terms of the December 5 agreement, brokered by Russian Deputy Prosecutor General Vladimir Kolesnikov and Abkhaz Prime Minister Nodar Khazhba, Bagapsh and Khajimba will be running mates in a second presidential election to be held at an as yet undecided date. Plans for Bagapsh's inauguration, originally scheduled for December 6, were canceled following announcement of the pact. Since the October 3 presidential elections in which Bagapsh claimed victory, Abkhazia has teetered on the brink of all-out civil conflict. Bagapsh's and Khajimba's armed supporters both hold government buildings throughout the Abkhaz capital, Sukhumi, while Bagapsh's militias have taken control of broadcast facilities. Commenting on the compromise to Russian television, Khajimba stated that the deal should bring the violence to an end. "We have agreed that we will take all the necessary measures . . . in order to defuse the situation," Khajimba said. Bagapsh told the Russian news agency Interfax that a "cabinet of national unity" would be formed after the second round of elections and that additional legislation would be drafted to expand the powers of the Abkhazian vice-president. Unlike the disputed presidential election in Ukraine, Russia's intervention in Abkhazia appears to have played a major role in tipping the scales in favor of its preferred candidate, Khajimba. On December 1, with Bagapsh's inauguration just five days away, Russian presidential advisor Gennady Bukayev announced plans to suspend railway traffic with Abkhazia, terming the move necessary to end "instability" in the breakaway region. Already, border passage with Abkhazia had been restricted and agricultural imports from the sub-tropical region halted--a potentially fatal blow to the many Abkhaz farmers who depend on mandarin exports to Russia for their livelihoods. Since de facto independence from Georgia in 1993, Abkhazia has been largely dependent economically and politically on Russia for its survival. While Bagapsh had vowed to withstand pressure from Moscow, the pact, according to one independent political analyst in Tbilisi, "shows that Russia still has a tremendous amount of influence [in the region] and that even Bagapsh can't stand up against them." 5) Animal Diseases Hamper Turkey's EU Bid AMSTERDAM (Reuters)--Strengthening Turkey's porous south and eastern borders to prevent animal diseases from spreading to Europe is a key challenge in preparing the country's agriculture for EU membership, a report said on Friday. The report, prepared by an international group of agriculture economists, is based on the assumption that Turkey would join the EU in 2015, but says the country will need more time to attain food safety standards that would allow it to be part of a single market for animal products. The risk of disease outbreaks in the EU may increase and food safety and quality may become diluted by embracing a country with a poor record in these areas, unless effective border controls were in place from the moment of accession, the report said. "Some highly infectious animal diseases that have been virtually eradicated in western and northern Europe remain endemic in Turkey," said the report presented by the Dutch Wageningen University, which was the lead researcher. "The situation is complicated by the fragmentation of the livestock sector, Turkey's geographical location and its porous borders to the south and east," said the report, which focuses on the impact of Turkish EU membership on agriculture. Turkey, which borders Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Armenia to the south and the east, hopes EU leaders will agree at a summit on Dec. 17 to open entry talks in 2005 and eventually join the current 25-member bloc. The EU has said that agriculture, accounting for half Turkey's territory and employing a third of its workforce, will be a key issue in its preparations for accession. Friday's report said highly infectious diseases including foot-and-mouth and sheep and goat pox had occurred in Turkey virtually each year since 1996. The country was also prone to outbreaks of anthrax and brucellosis, it said. Economic and political turmoil in the Middle East over the past decade has caused an extension of animal disease epidemics in the region, posing threats to Europe. The report said Ankara had shown progress in harmonizing veterinary legislation with EU standards but added the infrastructure, administrative capacity and commitment needed for effective law enforcement and border control remained weak. "Even with effective implementation of the acquis (EU's set of laws), it will be many years before Turkey reaches full disease-free status for all the most infectious diseases," the report concluded. "The greatest challenge for Turkey does not, however, concern policies. It is in fact to develop... effective control of external borders by the time of accession." It estimated that EU budget payments to Turkey under structural policies, including agriculture, would be between 9.5 billion and 16.6 billion euros in 2015, while Turkey's budget contribution would be 5.4 billion euros. Turkey, which would add more than 80 million consumers to the EU-25's total of 452 million, has been seeking membership since 1963. 6) BRIEFS Armenia Blasts African 'Rogue State' over Jailed Pilots YEREVAN (RFE-RL)--Armenia lashed out at Equatorial Guinea on Monday for convicting six Armenian nationals of dubious coup charges, with a senior Foreign Ministry official describing the country as a hostage-taking "rogue state." In its most vocal condemnation yet of lengthy prison sentences given to the aircrew of an Armenian transport plane, official Yerevan held out little hope for the verdict's repeal by the west African nation's Supreme Court and pledged to concentrate on other possible ways of their liberation. According to Ambassador Sergey Manaserian, the options include amnesty, extradition to Armenia, and acquittal by an international court of justice. Doctors against Government Decision to Widen Medical Draft YEREVAN (RFE-RL)--The Armenian Medical Association, Armenia's leading medical body, criticized the government on Monday for scrapping exemptions from military service enjoyed until now by physicians with doctoral degrees. The government announced the decision on November 19, citing a lack of medical personnel in the Armenian Armed Forces. It expects to draft an additional 70 doctors for two-year service in military hospitals. They will swell the ranks of dozens of other medical university graduates that did not continue their studies at the post-graduate level and have to serve in the army. The Association said the decision is unacceptable and counterproductive. Women's Role Discussed at Simon Vratsian Center YEREVAN (Yerkir)--A seminar focusing on women's rights opened on Monday at the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Simon Vratsian Center in Yerevan. Titled "Women Can, " the three day seminar's goal is to advance the role of women both in the ARF and in the political arena of the country, said Chairwoman of the ARF Supreme Body's Committee for Women Maria Titizian. Sonia Local, representative of the Central and Eastern European Gender Cooperation, which operates in 21 countries, including Armenia, is presiding over the seminar. EP President Discusses Reopening of Armenian Border YEREVAN (Yerkir)--President of the European Parliament (EP) Josep Borrell discussed Turkey's accession to the European Union with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. Borell stressed that if Turkey wishes to start full membership negotiations with the European Union, it must recognize the Greek Cypriot Administration. The reopening of the Armenian border was also discussed, with Erdogan remarking that Yerevan does not recognize the 1921 Kars agreement, which asserted the Turkish annexation of Armenian lands. Georgia's First Lady Meets with Students of Yerevan State University YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)--On December 3, Georgia's first lady Sandra Roelofs met with the students of Yerevan State University during her 4-day visit to Armenia. During the question and answer session, the first lady promised the implementation of economic programs in Javakhk. She noted that President Mikhail Sahakashvili's promise to fight corruption in the political sphere will become a reality, though at a gradual pace. Commending Yerevan State University's centralized system of entrance exams, in use for the past 13 years, Roelofs said the system was just introduced to Tbilisi State University this year. Rossini Festival to Begin YEREVAN (Armenpress)--Yerevan kicked off a music festival dedicated to prominent Italian composer Gioacchino Rossini on December 4. Rossini occupied an unrivaled position in the Italian musical world of his time, winning considerable success relatively early in his career. Of Rossini's three dozen or so operas, Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) is probably the best known. The festival began with The Barber of Seville, performed by the students of Yerevan Conservatory. Italian ambassador to Armenia Marco Clemente described the festival as "an exceptional" event, sponsored by the government of Italy, as well as Italian and Armenian businessmen. Police to Probe Bomb Attack on Editor's Car YEREVAN (RFE-RL)--Armenian prosecutors announced on Friday the launch of a criminal investigation into the November 22 explosion that destroyed a car belonging to Nikol Pashinian's, editor of the "Haykakan Zhamanak" daily. Pashinian blamed the attack on Gagik Tsarukian, a business tycoon and parliament deputy, in retaliation for the paper's critical coverage of his economic and public activities. Tsarukian has dismissed the allegations as untrue. Armenia's Office of Prosecutor-General said in a statement that a forensic examination conducted at the scene has found that the car was burned down by "a source of open fire." The statement said this gave the Yerevan police grounds to open a criminal case into a possible "deliberate destruction of private property." Mayors Vow to Boost Moscow-Yerevan Trade YEREVAN (RFE-RL)--Moscow's longtime Mayor Yuri Luzhkov ended a two-day visit to Yerevan on Friday, signing economic agreements which he said will dramatically boost commercial ties between the two capitals. Luzhkov and Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharian agreed to ensure more than $100 million in mutual investments in real estate development and business infrastructure within the next three years. 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) 2004 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.

Armenian minister vows to get guarantees for Karabakh’s “self-determination”
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
1 Dec 04
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan has spoken about the
government’s policy on Karabakh in his interview with Armenian Public
TV. Oskanyan rejected any settlement option without a “full guarantee
for Karabakh’s self-determination” and called to end “speculations”
about the government’s unwillingness to resolve the problem. He
described his recent visit to Burkina Faso for the Francophone summit
as a move to counter Azerbaijan’s policy of cooperation “with all
possible organizations to belittle our successes”. Oskanyan also said
that the Equatorial Guinea court’s verdict with regard to six Armenian
pilots accused of the involvement in the coup attempt was “unfair”.
Hailing Slovakia’s recognition of “the Armenian genocide”, he hoped
that the upcoming EU summit would raise an issue of Turkey’s
“blockade” of Armenia. The following is an excerpt from report by
Armenian Public TV on 1 December; subheadings have been inserted
editorially:
[Presenter] Good evening, Mr [Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan]
Oskanyan. You have just flown in Armenia from the Francophone summit
[in Burkina Faso]. Armenia has got an observer status. What is your
comment on this issue?
Armenia trying to counter Azerbaijan’s “aggressive policy”
[Oskanyan] Yes, I have just returned from the meeting in Burkina
Faso. This was my first visit to Africa and, that was why, it was very
interesting.
As of today, the International Francophone Organization is an
important organization for us. Its popularity grows on a daily basis
and various states want to become members of it. Over 50 countries are
members of this organization and dozens of countries enjoy the
observer status there. Armenia, Georgia, Sweden and Croatia have the
observer status, and I think we shall become full members of the
organization.
The organization debated the poverty reduction, development during the
age of globalization, protection of cultural heritage and other
issues. Similar organizations are interesting for us because we can
establish ties with other regional organizations and their members
with which we have not established relations. I think, it is important
to cooperate with African states in such organizations. This is
significant due to the fact that, at the moment Azerbaijan, we will
detail this later, is pursuing very aggressive policy in various
international organizations and, therefore, our cooperation with those
bodies is of great importance.
Verdict of Equatorial Guinea court on Armenian pilots “unfair”
[Presenter] A decision on the fate of six Armenian pilots has been
made in another African state. The court in Equatorial Guinea already
passed its verdict. Given this fact, what can the Armenian Foreign
Ministry do?
[Oskanyan] You know, our delegation was there during the trial. The
Armenian ambassador telephoned me immediately after the verdict. I was
in Burkina Faso at that time. Of course, this was a bad news and it
worried us. We believe that the verdict was unfair as our pilots had
nothing in common with the events there.
[Passage omitted: Oskanyan commiserated with families of the pilots]
Turkey must realize that closed borders with Armenia to hamper its EU
accession
[Presenter] The campaign for the recognition of the Armenian genocide
is under way in Europe. The latest country to recognize the genocide
is Slovakia and its parliament recognized the genocide yesterday [30
November]. Could you comment on this?
[Oskanyan] First, I hail the Slovakian parliament’s decision. It was a
very important decision. At the moment, the Armenian genocide is not a
purely Armenian issue, as we believe it is a global issue.
[Passage omitted: this decision coincides with Turkey’s bid for EU
membership]
[Presenter] The EU summit scheduled for 17 December is to discuss
Turkey’s EU membership. Is it possible that the summit will issue
serious requirements regarding Ankara’s blockade of Armenia?
[Oskanyan] Yes, I would like to stress that, indeed, closed borders
are unacceptable for Europe today. They realize this very well. We do
not know whether they want to make this issue one of the conditions
[for Turkey]. We feel that it would be very difficult to add it to the
Copenhagen criteria as a precondition for Turkey’s accession.
But we are expecting that this issue will be raised at the summit. We
are conducting serious work in this connection. The Armenian president
has sent a letter to all the leaders of the EU member countries. Today
I also invited all the ambassadors of the EU member countries
accredited to Armenia and discussed the issue with them. We hope that
our continuous work will yield positive results at the summit. It is
very important to raise this issue as Turkey must know that it is
important and necessary for the EU member countries to have opened
borders. It is generally unacceptable that one country has the closed
borders with the country involved in the EU’s New Neighbourhood
Policy.
Karabakh topic for “speculations”
[Presenter] Mr Oskanyan, the last major topic is the
Azerbaijan-initiated discussion of the Karabakh issue at the UN
General Assembly. The opposition claims that the postponement of the
discussion is the last warning to Armenia. The Armat [Armenian: Root –
centre for civil and democratic developments] stated today that
Armenia should either accept a suggested secret plan or will face the
fact that a decision will be adopted by the General Assembly. What is
your comments on these statements?
[Oskanyan] First, I want to regrettably say that the issue of Nagornyy
Karabakh is also a subject for speculations. Unfortunately, these
speculations, regardless of our wishes, have a negative impact on the
settlement process and this is against the will of the Armenian
people, not talking about the authorities. Everyone speculates about
this issue today. This should not be so. We should take it in the
context of whether it is useful for the settlement of the problem.
I believe that the Nagornyy Karabakh problem should not be a cause of
contention. If you pay attention to the opposition’s statements,
interviews and comments on this issue, you will see that they view the
only way out of the situation in the government’s departure from
power. This leads to a conclusion that the opposition is trying to
benefit from the Karabakh problem for their political ends. I think
that this approach is a great mistake and it has a major impact on
Armenia’s rather substantiated position. At present, I want to assure
our people that our position is very good and I can prove this.
However, the speculations are indeed irrelevant and they are not only
against the authorities, but also Armenia and its people.
What is happening now? While reading the opposition’s statements and
opinions, I come across three major inaccuracies.
Armenia not to return territories under its control without guarantee
for Karabakh’s self-determination
First, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen in Astana [in September 2004]
have allegedly provided Armenia and Azerbaijan with proposals, which
you also mentioned. As Armenia has allegedly turned down the proposals,
the co-chairmen want to put pressure on Armenia to accept these
proposals through the UN. Denying all this, I want to state that the
presidents in Astana discussed what the foreign ministers of the two
states had drawn up. Prior to the Astana meeting, I and my opposite
number from Azerbaijan had four meetings. We drew up a package of
proposals at these meetings and submitted to the presidents of the two
states. In turn, the presidents discussed those proposals in Astana
and reached agreements on certain issues and wanted extra time for the
discussion of other issues.
Over that period Azerbaijan has wanted the UN to have the discussion
of this issue, while Armenia has informed the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairmen of our readiness to start the second stage of talks in
Prague.
The second mistake is that the UN allegedly supports the
pro-Azerbaijani initiative. Actually, the co-chairmen are fully
against this. They have repeatedly spoken about this. The reason for
the postponement of the voting on Azerbaijan’s initiative is that the
co-chairmen are consistently exerting pressure on Azerbaijan to
abandon its demand because they believe that this might inflict a
serious blow on the whole process. The foreign ministers will have a
meeting in the near future.
I will leave for Sofia on Sunday [5 December] as an annual meeting of
[OSCE] foreign ministers will start there on Monday [6 December]. The
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen and the Azerbaijani foreign minister will
attend the meeting as well. A meeting of the foreign ministers with
the co-chairmen in attendance has been scheduled. We will again return
to the issue of resuming the talks.
The third mistake is that Armenia has allegedly no interest in
resolving the problem and is pursuing a policy of delaying the
settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh problem. I want to ask them, what
do they understand when speaking about the resolution of the issue? If
they want the resolution of the issue as we want, I accept their
criticism that the process is being delayed. Our approach to the
settlement of the issue fully differ from their [presumably
Azerbaijan’s] options. If there is no full guarantee for Karabakh’s
self-determination, we will not return an inch of the territories
under our control.
Unless Karabakh’s international recognition by international community
is envisaged in a possible document, we will not give our consent to
the liberation of the territories. We will not opt for mutual
compromises for the imminent settlement of the problem without
reaching our aims. This is ruled out. Armenia will not agree that
Karabakh to be a de jure part of Azerbaijan. If some people believe
that Armenia will agree to the settlement of the problem under these
conditions, let them criticize us saying that we delay the resolution
of the problem. The delay is unavoidable until the resolution of the
issue meets the interests of the Armenian Republic and its people. We
are working hard to this effect.
However, the opposite side has intensified its aggressiveness. My
interpretation of aggressiveness is that this is not the result of our
aggressive policy as claimed by our opposition. On the contrary,
Azerbaijan is aggressive because we achieved serious successes some
5-6 years ago. For now, Azerbaijan’s new president is trying to
cooperate with all possible organizations to belittle our successes.
They are working with new states which are not familiar with this
issue. Our diplomacy is facing serious difficulties. At present the
issue is rather tough.
[Passage omitted: Azerbaijan intensifies aggressive policy in all
spheres]

The Times, UK
Nov 30 2004
The old bear is stirring again in Ukraine, and it’s wearing Putin’s face
Michael Gove
Putin believes in the rule of a grim elite who will protect Russia
from the corrupt West

TWO YEARS ago who had heard of Fallujah? Twelve years ago what
resonance did Srebrenica have? Two weeks ago how many of us had a
view on the relative merits of Viktor Yushchenko or Viktor
Yanukovych?
Its in the nature of international crises that they tend to occur in
parts of the globe that have escaped the world’s close attention. A
hundred years ago crises in Fashoda and Port Arthur, flashpoints on
the fringes of empire, dominated the thoughts of statesmen. Today,
our sleeves are tugged by an insistent media, anxious that we should
take an interest in the historic events unfolding between Lviv and
Donetsk.

It is, however, in the nature of the busy newspaper reader to wonder
just which crisis in distant lands really is momentous enough to
demand close attention. Who now remembers Nagorno-Karabakh? With each
new story, the pundits bark and then the camera crews move on.
The drama in Ukraine does, however, deserve even closer attention
than it has enjoyed so far. For the conflict between the two Viktors
is more than just a regional power struggle. It is a contest between
two visions for the world. And a grim reminder that foreign policy
is, underneath everything, still a Darwinian struggle for power.
The battle between the Western- inclined, democratically-conscious Mr
Yushchenko and the Eastern-backed, authoritarian Mr Yanukovych
matters hugely for the fifty million people of the Ukraine. But it
also matters to us because it reflects the broader battle going on
across the former Soviet Union. Russia’s leadership has been
following an increasingly anti-democratic course over the past few
years, a choice which poses a particular challenge for the West.
Internally, President Putin has been moving towards the establishment
of a secret police state. Externally, he has been conducting a
campaign against liberal nationalist movements, designed to
consolidate and extend the reach of Moscow’s power. Both threaten
Western interests and values.
Within Russia, Putin has rigged elections, using puppet parties, just
as the communists did, to mask the extent of his effective
dictatorship. He has closed independent media, driven opponents into
exile and imprisoned those, such as the businessman Mikhail
Khodorkovsky, who might organise effective opposition. Some of these
manoeuvres have undoubtedly been popular, and the anti-Semitic
flavour of Putin’s campaign against the oligarchs has certainly been
calculated to play to street prejudice. But, however much public
support some of Putin’s acts may have won, his intention has been
decisively anti-democratic. His authoritarian populism is intended to
be an alternative to democracy, as it is in a different way in China,
not a path to democracy, as it was in, say, Chile.
Putin’s distaste for democracy does not end at Russia’s borders.
Indeed, his borders don’t even end at Russia’s borders. Russia’s
leadership has consistently tried to forestall, undermine and crush
democratic movements in its near-abroad. It has troops on the far
western border of Ukraine, `policing’ the gangster state of
Trans-Dniester, a breakaway territory which has consistently
undermined the integrity of the Romanian-speaking republic of
Moldova. Russia has also supported secessionist movements in Georgia
and Azerbaijan, in an effort to undermine the independence of those
former Soviet republics. Additionally, Putin has provided backing for
those former communist leaderships, such as Alexander Lukashenko’s in
Belarus, which have been happy to reject democratisation and cluster
under Moscow’s umbrella.
In Ukraine, Putin is trying all his old tricks. He has signalled his
backing for the anti-democratic strongman, Yanukovych, even
campaigning for him during the election. Russia’s military strength
in the region has been not-so-subtly advertised. And, unsurprisingly
for any student of the Putin manual of state subversion, secession of
one half of the country has been floated.
These manoeuvres reflect Putin’s background and ideology. Although
raised in the Soviet system, and using tactics to destabilise and
control neighbours which were familiar to Stalin, it would be wrong
to think of Putin as a born-again communist. He is instead heir to an
older, continuing, tradition in Russian politics. As a former KGB
man, who has surrounded himself with other old comrades from the
bureau, he is a believer in the rule of an enlightened elite of
grimly efficient patriots who will safeguard Russia from the
corruption of Western thought and the consequent risk of
disintegration. From the Tsarist Okhrana through Lenin’s Cheka to the
KGB and today’s FSB, there has existed among Russia’s secret police
elite a determination to maintain Great Power status by ensuring the
state is not debilitated by liberalism.
The battle in the Ukraine is therefore crucial for the prestige,
power and above all, ideology, of Putin’s leadership. If Western
liberalism can be beaten back, or contained, there, then he will be
strengthened not just in his influence over a key neighbour but also
in his belief that Russia can maintain a viable, non-Western,
alternative path of development.
In Europe it has become fashionable to believe that, in the EU, we
have developed a new, collaborative, model of international relations
that supersedes the old power politics. But the reality of foreign
policy is that our security cannot be defended by international law
and conventions alone. For Moscow, and for that matter Beijing,
Pyongyang and Tehran, Western liberalism is certainly a threat to
their systems, if it ever takes root in their soil – but it is also a
weakness to be exploited. While we place our faith in treaties, they
regard them as evidence of our unwillingness to risk confrontation,
and therefore a licence to cheat, subvert and undermine.
The outward forms of diplomacy will be respected, negotiations
entertained, but all the time there will be a drive to acquire new
influence over neighbours, new military strength, new opportunities
to destabilise and new openings to reclaim `lost’ territories. Unless
we realise what is at stake in Lviv and Donetsk, then we will
continue to live in a world where there will, inevitably, be more
Fallujahs and Srebrenicas.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov 30 2004
Gas pipeline to connect Iran, Armenia

Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markarian and Iranian Energy
Minister Habibullah Bitaraf are scheduled to meet in the Sunik
province on Tuesday to negotiate construction of a gas pipeline
connecting the two countries.
The pipeline is reportedly to be ready by 2007.
The issue was discussed during a recent visit by the Iranian
President Muhammad Khatami to Armenia.*

FRANCE’S PRESIDENT HAS ALREADY SIGNED DECREE ON AWARDING SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN
PARLIAMENT WITH ORDER OF LEGION OF HONOUR
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 30. ARMINFO. Deputy chairman of the party “Orinats
Yerkir”, Head of the commission for defence, national security and
internal affairs of Armenian parliament Mher Shahgeldian took part in
the Paris congress of the ruling party in France “Unity for democracy”
on Nov 28.
Mher Shahgeldian informed in the press conference at the National
Assembly of Armenia, within the framework of the visit he had met with
representatives of political circles of European, as well as with the
chairman of the Senate of France. According to the Armenian MP, during
the meetings the participants have mainly discussed issues of the
development of democratic systems in Armenia. He also informed that
as a result of the meetings the participants had reached an agreement
on implementation of programs for strengthening of the legislative
field in Armenia by a number of European funds. Mher Shahgeldian also
informed that the president of France has already signed a decree on
awarding Speaker of Armenian parliament Arthur Baghdasarian with the
order of the Legion of Honor for the contribution to the deepening of
Armenian-French relations.

24 mercenaries convicted in Equatorial Guinea plot
Japan Today
Nov 27 2004
Saturday, November 27, 2004 at 07:43 JST — MALABO, Equatorial Guinea –
A court in Equatorial Guinea convicted 24 accused European and African
mercenaries and opposition leaders on Friday and sentenced them to
prison for an alleged coup plot in the oil-rich nation, but it waived
the death penalty for two top figures.
The court’s rejection of death penalties requested by prosecutors
potentially strengthens Equatorial Guinea’s bid to extradite an alleged
financier of the plot: Mark Thatcher, son of the former British Prime
Minister Margaret Thatcher.
President Teodoro Obiang’s 25-year regime accuses Mark Thatcher
and other, mostly British, financiers of commissioning scores of
mercenaries in a takeover plot in the isolated West African nation
which is the continent’s third-largest oil producer.
The financial backers intended to install an opposition figure as a
puppet leader, Equatorial Guinea claims. The alleged plot was exposed
by South African intelligence services in March, days before it was
to have been carried out, leading to the arrests of roughly 90 alleged
mercenaries in Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe.
On Friday, 21 shackled, handcuffed defendants listened in a
chandelier-hung courtroom converted from a conference center as
Judge Salvador Ondo Nkumu read out verdicts and prison sentences,
without elaboration.
South African arms dealer Nick du Toit, accused by prosecutors of
leading an advance team for the coup plot, was sentenced to 34 years
in prison despite Attorney General Jose Olo Obono’s repeated demands
for the death penalty.
Du Toit, a stooped, graying, sadly smiling man who like all the
defendants had lost scores of pounds since arrest in March, had
provided the bulk of prosecutors’ case — testifying to meetings with
Thatcher and others around Africa, and alleging detailed plans to
move men and materiel into place.
But Du Toit repudiated his testimony last week, saying he agreed
to a fake confession to try to save himself and his co-defendants,
after one defendant was tortured to death in Malabo’s notorious Black
Beach prison shortly after his arrest in March.
Equatorial Guinea says the man, a German, died of malaria. Rights
groups cite witness accounts of wounds from torture.
Du Toit’s sentence effectively means life in Black Beach — a tiny
penitentiary built on the black volcanic rocks between Obiang’s
Spanish-colonial palace and the gray Atlantic.
The court also sentenced Severo Moto, the opposition figure who
the coup plotters allegedly intended to install as president, to 63
years. Moto was the only other defendant facing the death penalty. He
is living in exile and was sentenced in absentia.
Eight other opposition figures, also living in exile, were each
sentenced to 53 years.
Six other alleged South African mercenaries were sentenced to 17
years each; six Armenian pilots were sentenced to between 14- to 24
years each, and two Equatorial Guinea citizens were ordered jailed
for one to four months.
Obiang’s regime, with one of the world’s worst human rights records,
is accused by the International Bar Association and others of routine
torture and extensive interference in the justice system. Obiang,
speaking to reporters in August, stated the defendants’ conviction
as a given.
The decision to spare du Toit the death penalty was seen at least
in part as a message to South Africa, where Thatcher, a 51-year-old
businessman, is now facing separate prosecution in connection with
the alleged plot.
South Africa opposes capital punishment and was unlikely to send
Thatcher to Equatorial Guinea if he risked the death penalty. (Wire
reports)
–Boundary_(ID_BVJaF6utyTCc2Syshl4BGg)–

NATO Rose Roth seminar starts in Baku
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov 26 2004
The 58th Rose Roth seminar of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly started
in Baku on Thursday. The event is attended by the administration
of NATO PA and the Azerbaijani parliament, along with parliament
delegations from Turkey, Spain, Serbia and Montenegro, Russia, Great
Britain, Georgia, Austria, Hungary, France and Estonia and ambassadors
accredited in Azerbaijan.
Addressing the seminar, the Milli Majlis (parliament) speaker
Alasgarov spoke of the ongoing occupation of Azeri lands by Armenia,
the involvement of Azerbaijani military in peacekeeping efforts around
the world and other issues.
The NATO Parliamentary Assembly Secretary General Simon Lunn said the
idea of holding Rose Roth seminars was proposed for the first time
back in 1991 by members of US Congress. The key goal of such events
is first of all, to promote sustainable safety environment in regions
with complex political situation, he said.
Lunn said the seminar will be held in Armenia next year and that NATO
should not be deemed strictly as a military organization. A number
of countries aspire to join the alliance that would assist them in
resolving internal problems, he said.
Brenda Shaffer of the Caspian Studies Program at Harvard University
spoke about ways of expanding the opportunities for resolving
conflicts in the South Caucasus region. Russia’s role in this process
is important, she said.
“The Upper Garabagh conflict must be resolved for the sake of security
in South Caucasus. At times we refer to frozen conflicts. But there
is no such concept and it is possible to settle any conflict.”
The seminar is due to last till November 27.*

ARMENIAN MPs NOT TO TAKE PART IN NATO PA ROSE ROAD WORKSHOP IN BAKU
YEREVAN,. NOVEMBER 25. ARMINFO. The Armenian delegation will not
take part in the NATO PA Rose Road workshop in Baku as the workshop
organizers have failed to answer their question if they were ready
to ensure the Armenian MPs’ security in Baku, says MP Mher Shahgeldyan.
Shahgeldyan notes that the delegates were ready to go to Baku they
even booked tickets and hotel rooms.
The workshop is starting today. The radical activists of the Azeri
Organization for Karabakh’s Liberation have held an action of protest
against Armenia’s participation in the event. They flied lots of
black balloons to show their protest.

Orquesta Sinfónica de Guayaquil se presenta en Argentina
UPI LatAm
Noviembre 19, 2004
BUENOS AIRES, En el marco de su gira latinoamericana, este miércoles
24 de noviembre se presentará en el Teatro Colón de Buenos Aires la
Orquesta Sinfónica de Guayaquil.
En esta función extraordinaria en la Sala Principal del Teatro
Colón, la agrupación musical ecuatoriana que dirige el maestro David
Harutyunyan, ofrecerá un programa con obras de Rimsky- Kórsakov, Piotr
Illich Tchaikovsky, Aram Kachaturian y de compositores ecuatorianos.
El reconocido director y compositor armenio ha sido Director principal
de la Orquesta Novaya Música, Director Principal Artístico de la Gran
Orquesta Sinfónica del Conservatorio Estatal de Yerevan y Director
Principal invitado de la Orquesta Sinfónica Estatal de Georgia.
En la primera parte del concierto se podrá escuchar “Capricho español”,
de Nikolai Rimsky- Kórsakov y la Obertura fantasía “Romeo y Julieta”,
de Piotr Illich Tchaikovsky.
A continuación se presentará la Suite del ballet “Espartaco”, de Aram
Kachaturian, máximo representante de la música armenia.
La segunda parte estará dedicada a creaciones de compositores
ecuatorianos. En correspondencia con el objetivo fundacional de la
Orquesta de difundir la música ecuatoriana se ejecutará la Suite del
ballet “Aborigen”, de Luís Humberto Salgado. Esta obra muestra escenas
y rituales que aparecen con el encuentro de las culturas hispanas e
indígena y que son remarcadas por el empleo de danzas mestizas como
el Sanjuanito y el Aire Típico. Salgado seleccionó las dos primeras
partes de su pieza Aborigen y formó una suite orquestal.
Para finalizar el programa se ofrecerá el poema sinfónico Rumiñahui
de Álvaro Manzano, escrito en homenaje al héroe que defendió de la
invasión española el territorio de lo que ahora es el Ecuador. La obra
se basa en varios temas preincaicos, así como en ritmos autóctonos
ecuatorianos.
–Boundary_(ID_m3UGmjW8Kd9DCEeyCOMAsg)–

Glendale News Press
LATimes.com
Nov 24 2004
Clerk post up for grabs for first time in 75 years
Ardashes Kassakhian plans run for city clerk position in the first
open race for the job since 1929. Election is in April.
By Josh Kleinbaum, News-Press and Leader
GLENDALE CITY HALL — Glendale could have a competitive election in
April to determine the city’s chief election official for the first
time in more than 75 years. Now, that race has its first competitor.
Ardashes Kassakhian, executive director of the Armenian National
Committee’s Western Region, announced that he will run for City Clerk,
a position that will be vacated in April when Doris Twedt retires at
the end of her term.
“I’ve always had a passion for public service,” Kassakhian, 28, said.
“It’s a noble calling. If you really want to be an active citizen and
participant, you have to take on challenges and you have to address
them head on.”
Kassakhian should have some competition, although nobody else has
entered the race. Candidates do not have to file any paperwork to
run for City Clerk until January. The job’s salary alone — $105,000
per year, minimum — will likely draw out candidates to make the
race competitive.
The winner of the election will be the Glendale’s first city clerk
to initially take office by election since 1929, when G.E. Chapman
was elected to the post. Ever since, Glendale’s city clerk has been
a hand-me-down position, with clerks taking office as a mid-term
replacement appointed by the City Council instead of by election.
The council appointed John Walters in 1959 when Chapman died, and
Walters served until 1971. When he retired, the council appointed
Frank Usher. The cycle continued, with Merle Hagemeyer (appointed in
1976) followed by Aileen Boyle (appointed in 1989) followed by Twedt
(appointed in 2000). During those 75 years, no appointed city clerk
has lost a reelection bid.
By appointing mid-term replacements, the city has avoided politicizing
the position that oversees the city’s elections and record-keeping.
“There’s a good argument to be made that any political office
overseeing elections should be nonpartisan, and maybe should be
an appointed position rather than beholden to an electorate,” said
Tom Hogen-Esch, a political science professor at California State
University Northridge. “The best reason is that there is no appearance
of political motivation behind whatever decision is under scrutiny.”
As an officer for the Armenian National Committee, Kassakhian is
a community activist who has lobbied the federal government for
recognition of the Armenian genocide and urged Glendale’s Armenian
community to vote.
If elected, he said he would focus on increasing voter turnout and
advancing the technology inside the clerk’s office.
“He’s a very capable individual, and he knows very well what the
job entails and how to handle it,” said Councilman Rafi Manoukian,
who received support from the Armenian National Committee in his
reelection bid.
“Having come from a community activism background, that gives him
better insight into the operations of the city clerk.
“It is incumbent on all individuals who will participate in or be a
candidate for City Clerk to recognize the fact that, although it is
an elected position, it should not be a political thing.”