Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

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02/01/2005
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1) ARF Youth Delegation Participates in Fifth World Social Forum
2) PACE to Gather Commission on Implementation of Controversial Resolution on
Karabagh
3) Judges, Defense Attorneys, and Prosecutors Issue Joint Statement on
Constitutional Amendments
4) EU Reminds Turkey of Condition for Talks
5) Renowned Baritone to Dedicate Yerevan Performance to 90th Anniversary of
Armenian Genocide
6) Memorial for Professor and Poet Leonardo Alishan

1) ARF Youth Delegation Participates in Fifth World Social Forum

PORTO ALEGRE–A delegation of Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Youth
Organization (ARF-YO) members joined over 155,000 activists from 135 countries
at the fifth World Social Forum held in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre.
Participants of the five day conference, which convened on January 26 under
the
slogan of “another world is possible,” gathered in Brazil to organize for
tolerance, justice, and peace.
Established in 2001, the World Social Forum is a meeting place for those who
are interested in building a world in which meaningful relationships among
humans flourish. As the Forum’s charter of principles reads: “The alternatives
proposed at the World Social Forum stand in opposition to a process of
globalization commanded by the large multinational corporations and by the
governments and international institutions at the service of those
corporations’ interests, with the complicity of national governments. They are
designed to ensure that globalization in solidarity will prevail as a new
stage
in world history. This will respect universal human rights and those of all
citizens–men and women–of all nations and the environment and will rest on
democratic international systems and institutions at the service of social
justice, equality and the sovereignty of peoples.”
Representing the ARF at the conference were Onnik Tamjian and Khachig
Der-Ghougassian of South America’s Armenian National Committee, Mkhitar
Markarian of Armenia, Anet Armen of the United States and Damian Mnagian, and
Juan Botista Karageozian of Argentina, both of whom were instrumental in
educating Forum delegates about the genocide committed against the
Ottoman-Armenians in 1915.
To date, ARF delegations have participated in World Social Forum organized
conferences held in Florence (2002), France (2003), London (2004) and the
Ecuadorian capital of Quito (2004). Next year, Forum conferences will be held
in several locations around the globe, in anticipation of the 2007 conference,
which is scheduled to take place in Africa.

2) PACE to Gather Commission on Implementation of Controversial Resolution on
Karabagh

(Combined Sources)–The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will
organize an ad hoc commission to review the implementation of its
resolution on
Mountainous Karabagh, adopted by the body on January 25.
The resolution calls on Azeri authorities to establish contact with
Karabagh’s
leaders–which they have persistently refused to do–and to refrain from any
attempts to retake lost territory by force.
Adopted early last week, amid protests from the Armenian delegation that
described it as biased in Azerbaijan’s favor, the controversial resolution
describes Mountainous Karabagh Republic (MKR) as a mono-ethnic area “which
resemble the terrible concept of ethnic cleansing.” The resolution,
however, is
legally non-binding.
Delegation heads of Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE)
Minsk Group member-countries will form the commission, which is to be set
up in
March 2005.
According to Azeri sources, PACE will seek the assistance of Council of
Europe
Secretary General Terry Davis, as well as Armenian and Azeri presidents, in
order to specify the commission’s authorities.
Pointing to the biased nature of the report, the deputy chair of the Armenian
delegation to PACE Armen Rustamian told the body last week, “Azerbaijan is
expecting to use this document as a justification to issue an ultimatum it has
been preparing for a long time. Azerbaijan wants to solve the [Karabagh] issue
according to its own scenario–that is, through war.”
A 10-member OSCE fact-finding mission is currently in the Jebrail and Fizuli
regions of Karabagh to investigate Azeri allegation that they are being
illegally populated with Armenians.
The fact-finding team led by a senior German Foreign Ministry official, Emily
Habber, and accompanied by the French, Russian, and US co-chairs of the OSCE’s
Minsk Group visited the Kelbajar district west of Karabagh on Monday, before
arriving in Stepanakert to meet with Karabagh President Arkady Ghukasian.
Ghukasian denied that the government of MKR is encouraging the
resettlement of
Armenian families in those areas and said those Armenians who have moved there
since the 1994 ceasefire are mostly former refugees from Azerbaijan. Ghukasian
also urged the visitors to inspect Azeri-controlled areas of Karabagh that
were
formerly populated with Armenians.
“We have heard many interesting details and I am confident that those details
will help us assess the situation correctly,” Habber told local journalists.
The OSCE mission will spend ten days traveling around the occupied lands and
submit a report to the Minsk Group later on.

3) Judges, Defense Attorneys, and Prosecutors Issue Joint Statement on
Constitutional Amendments

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–In a conference organized by the American Bar
Association
Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative (CEELI) and funded by USAID,
Armenian judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys met in Tsakhkadzor on
January 28-30 to discuss three packages of constitutional amendments proposed
by Armenia’s various political groups. They were joined by NGO and Media
Representatives.
The discussions began by focusing on the section of proposed constitutional
amendments related to the judicial system, with each of the groups debating
problems and issues of concern.
“Legal professionals of Armenia are very enthusiastic about constitutional
reforms and want to contribute to the process. During these roundtables
judges,
advocates, and prosecutors demonstrated their command of the issue,” said
ABA/CEELI country director Karen Kendrick.
On the closing day, a joint session summed up the results and drafted a
statement on the judicial section of constitutional reforms, providing
recommendations for a transparent and more effective functioning judiciary
system.
The statement marks the first time the three legal professional groups
issue a
joint declaration, to demonstrate a common approach and agreement on
legal-judicial system reforms.
Founded in 1990, the CEELI is a public service project of the American Bar
Association. More than 5,000 legal professionals have contributed over $180
million in pro bono legal services to projects in Central and Eastern Europe
and the New Independent States of the Former Soviet Union. Targeting Judicial
reform in Armenia, CEELI seeks to enhance the independence, competence, and
accountability of judges and to develop resources necessary for the
transparent
administration of justice.

4) EU Reminds Turkey of Condition for Talks

BRUSSELS (Reuters)–The European Commission has reminded Turkey that it must
sign a document extending its customs union with the EU to cover Cyprus before
it can begin membership talks with the bloc as planned on October 3.
“If Ankara dragged its feet for political reasons, the negotiations would not
open,” senior Commission official Jean-Christophe Filori told visiting Turkish
journalists on Tuesday.
The move is highly sensitive in Turkey because it is seen by diplomats as
tantamount to de facto recognition of the internationally backed Greek Cypriot
government in Nicosia without a peace deal to reunite the divided island.
Turkey, which won its date to start long-delayed EU entry talks at a summit
last December, recognizes only a breakaway Turkish Cypriot community in the
north of Cyprus.
Asked what would happen if Turkey did not sign the protocol, Filori said: “If
the delay is a result of political resistance (in Turkey), yes it would be a
problem and the negotiations would not start.”
Filori is a senior aide to EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, responsible
for Turkey.
Turkish financial markets are acutely sensitive to any suggestion of problems
in Turkey’s bid to join the EU.
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, aware of the high stakes involved, said last
week there would be no delay in signing the document, though he gave no date.
“We are analyzing the situation with regard to international law and once we
have made sure of our position, we will be in touch with the European
Commission and we will make an effort to achieve a result as soon as
possible,”
he told reporters in Davos, Switzerland, at the World Economic Forum.
“We would never want to extend the process,” Erdogan said.
The Greek Cypriot government is viewed by the other 24 members of the EU as
the sole legal representative of Cyprus, which joined the EU with nine other
states in May 2004.
Filori said the EU had no plans to get directly involved in any revived
diplomatic drive to reunite Cyprus, saying this would remain the
responsibility
of the United Nations.
A previous UN peace plan was defeated last year when the Greek Cypriots
rejected it in a referendum shortly before joining the EU. The Turkish
Cypriots
had backed the plan.
Filori said a framework document establishing the structure for Turkey’s
accession talks would be ready by June at the latest. He declined to say how
long he thought the negotiations would last.
“Taking on the acquis communautaire (EU law) is a huge task and takes a huge
amount of time,” Filori said, referring to the tens of thousands of pages of
European law which prospective members must adopt and implement.

5) Renowned Baritone to Dedicate Yerevan Performance to 90th Anniversary of
Armenian Genocide

YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–One of the most famous world baritones, Renato
Bruson, will perform in Armenia on February 5 together with the Armenian
Philharmonic Orchestra, at Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall. The concert,
dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, will mark Bruson’s
first visit to Armenia.
Initiated by the head conductor of the State Philharmonic Orchestra of
Armenia
Eduard Topchian, negotiations with Bruson began last year, but the agreement
was reached recently.
Arias and overtures from Giuseppe Verdi’s operas will be performed, with the
cost of tickets ranging from 3,000 to 10,000 drams ($6-20).
“We have established all the conditions for the Armenian spectators to
have an
opportunity to hear the world-famed baritone,” said Topchian.
A concert with world-famed tenor Placido Domingo in Yerevan is currently in
the works, which will also be dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian
genocide. The State Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia has been negotiating
with
Domingo’s manager for the past several months.
Bruson, one of the foremost Verdi and bel canto baritones of his generation,
was unable to afford any kind of musical schooling at a young age, but his
family encouraged him to sing in the local church choir. After finishing
regular school, he auditioned for the Padova Conservatory, and was offered a
five-year scholarship, where he studied with Elena Fava Cerati, who trained
him
thoroughly in the bel canto style and technique.
He made his opera debut as the Conte di Luna in Il Trovatore at Spoleto in
1961.
He appeared at the Met for the first time in 1969, as Enrico in Lucia di
Lammermoor, and made his La Scala debut in Linda di Chamonix in 1972.
In 1973, he made his Chicago Lyric Opera debut as Renato in Un Ballo in
Maschera, and in 1975 he made his Covent Garden debut in the same role,
substituting for an ill Piero Cappuccilli. His Vienna State Opera debut was in
1978, as Verdi’s Macbeth.
He sang with Riccardo Muti for the first time in 1970, and over the years
became an adherent of Muti’s insistence on singing come scritto, without
singer-interpolated high notes, believing that this focuses attention on the
music and drama rather than the singer.
He frequently championed the songs of Tosti, and was named an honorary
citizen
of Cortona, Tosti’s home city, in recognition of this. While his Verdi roles
are perhaps his best-known, especially Macbeth, Rigoletto, Renato (Un Ballo in
Maschera), and Simon Boccanegra, he sang in no fewer than seventeen Donizetti
operas during the 1970s and 1980s, just ahead of the crest of a great
resurgence of interest in lesser-known nineteenth-century works.
With his soft, rich, deep voice he has emerged as the leading romantic
baritone of our time, specializing above all in Donizetti and Verdi, but not
disregarding eighteenth-century opera.

6) Memorial for Professor and Poet Leonardo Alishan

Accomplished former University of Utah professor and poet, Leonardo Paul
Alishan, 53, passed away on January 9, 2005 as a result of a horrific house
fire.
Nardo was born on March 4, 1951 in Tehran, Iran to Armenian parents, Michael
and Annette. He married Neli Assadurian on July 19, 1974. Three wonderful
children was the result of their union, Michael, Ara, and Eileen.
Nardo immigrated to the United States in 1973 and received his doctorate
degree in 1978 in comparative literature from the University of Texas at
Austin. He moved to Utah and joined the University of Utah’s Middle Eastern
Studies’ department the same year.
He enjoyed teaching and spending time with his students, which were his
biggest source of inspiration. He left an everlasting impression on everyone
who came in contact with him, and made their lives richer and more meaningful.
His students admired his knowledge, candidness, humbleness, and warm
personality, and rewarded him twice with voting him the most distinguished
professor at the university. He also received a faculty award from the
University of Utah for the 1994-1995 school
year.

Nardo was an accomplished researcher and poet, which received
numerous awards for his literary body of work. His love for literature
benefited Iranian, Armenian, and English literary communities in different
capacities. He authored several articles and papers covering traditional and
modern Iranian poets and writers, while becoming one of the top authorities in
the world on `David and Sassoun,’ the Armenian national epic. He was
especially
proud of his two published poetry books, `Dancing Barefoot on Broken Glass’
and
`Through a Dewdrop.’
Nardo’s legacy lives in his oldest son Micheal, who has inherited his
wonderful personality, in Ara, who has inherited his gentle soul and artistic
inclinations, and in his youngest child Eileen, his ultimate love, which
completes the circle. His legacy will always be alive in every student and
individual who came to know this wonderful mind and exceptional literary
genius.
He is survived by his children, Michael, Ara, and Eileen; wife, Neli; Nephew,
Damian; Preceded in death by father, Michael; mother, Annette; brother, Sacco.
A memorial reception will take place on Saturday, February 5, 2:30 p.m.-5:30
p.m., at Cabrini Villas, 9600 Cabrini Drive, Burbank, CA 91504. For
information
call (818) 731-3365.

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From: Baghdasarian

PACE INTENDS TO HELP OSCE MG RATHER THAN SUBSTITUTE FOR IT

YEREVAN, JANUARY 27. ARMINFO. “We are not going to substitute or OSCE
Minsk Group we just wanted to help the o-chairs,” PACE rapporteur on
Nagorny Karabakh David Atkinson says in an interview to BBC.

The over 10 year wrk of MG has yielded no results. PACE’s objective is
to bring about some parliamentary aspect in the confict settlement and
to enhance the role of the conflicting parties’ parliaments in the
process. This may give new settlement ideas. “After the adoption of
the resolution we are expecting the Azeri government to start
contacting Nagorny Karabakh representatives and discussing mutual
problems with them,” says Atkinson noting that these discussions may
be held in Strasbourg too.

In 1994-1995 when Atkinson was the chairman of the PACE committee for
CE non members he organized such a meeting in Strasbourg and all the
parties to the conflict were there. Unfortunately the meeting brought
no results. “But I think that the recent initiatives will be
fruitful.” The CE can make its own contribution to the peace process
but this is not substitution for MG. The major reason for no result in
the past years was the lack of contacts between the Azeri authorities
and Nagorny Karabakh representatives.

The CE’s initiative is expected to generate contacts that may lead to
the conflict settlement.

Asked if he was pressured by the Armenian or Azeri sides while
drafting his report on Nagorny Karabakh Atkinson says that he has his
own idea of the problem and his goals coincided with the opinions of
both Armenian and Azeri delegations.
From: Baghdasarian

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V. Rev. Fr. Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer

Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I RECEIVES THE DELEGATION

OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES USA

Antelias, Lebanon – On Saturday, January 22, 2005, His Holiness Catholicos
Aram I received a delegation of the National Council of Churches USA at the
Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia, Antelias-Lebanon. The representatives of
the Middle East Council of Churches and His Grace Bishop Nareg Alemezian
(Ecumenical Officer) were also in attendance. The delegation is visiting the
Middle East to be acquainted with the situation more closely and to express
its solidarity to the peace process.

His Holiness shared with his guests the emerging religious, social and
political concerns in Lebanon and the Middle East and underlined the
importance of overcoming violence and establishing a peaceful society
enhanced by Christian-Muslim long-standing co-existence.

His Holiness spoke about the challenges facing the ecumenical movement and
identified areas where the Churches should co-operate and support each
other. His Holiness underlined that ecumenical advocacy and solidarity
should be expressed through the tangible actions and continuous support of
Churches towards each other. “We do not live in isolation. Global, regional
and local challenges are inter-connected and we need to adopt a policy of
facing them together and responsibly. In this respect, the role of the
Churches should be expressed as bridge-builders and promoters of dialogue
and collaboration, and the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is strongly
committed to this principle” underlined His Holiness.

Referring to the situation in Iraq and Jerusalem, His Holiness reminded all
the Churches and especially the USA Churches to encourage their governments
to work for peace and justice all over the world and to embark on the
establishment of communities living in an atmosphere of mutual respect and
trust. “The Armenians in the Holy Land and Iraq are integral part of the
population of these countries who are the focus of our prayers and
attention. We are sharing all the difficulties in the region and
contributing to the peace process with a firm commitment to the
Christian-Muslim co-existence and the promotion of the common values that
have sustained us for centuries,” stated His Holiness.

The delegation expressed its gratitude for this opportunity and invited His
Holiness to address the National Council of Churches USA Board meeting in
October, in New York.

##

View printable pictures here:

***********

The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.
From: Baghdasarian

LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES’ POSITION ON KARABAKH ISSUE VERY IMPORTANT FOR
ARMENIA: ARMENIA’S FM

YEREVAN, JANUARY 22. ARMINFO. The signing of a mutual understanding
and cooperation memorandum by Armenia’s Foreign Ministry and the
General Secretariat of the League of Arab States is really a historic
event, says Armenia’s FM Vardan Oskanyan.

He says that this is a ground for the further deepening of bilateral
relations. This event reflects the centuries-long friendship of the
armenian and Arab nations and “now we have managed to institutionalize
our relations with not only individual Arab states but also their
alliance.”

The Arab world is very important for Armenia. Armenia has communities
there. It recently showed small participation in Iraq. It has its own
stance on Palestine and is contributing to statehood formation
there. “We give high importance to the Arab states’ position on the
Karabakh issue, we cooperate with them at international
organizations.” “So the memorandum will allow us to work more
effectively and to help each other through cooperation,” says
Oskanyan.
From: Baghdasarian

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Jan 20 2005

Baku hopes for progress in peace talks

2004 can be described as a more active year in terms of the
negotiating process on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper
Garabagh, Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov told a Thursday press
conference dedicated to peace talks held last year. He said that
during the three meetings of the Azerbaijani and

Armenian Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian and the four
meetings of Foreign Ministers Elmar Mammadyarov and Vardan Oskanian
held in 2004, “views were exchanged, which resulted in commonalities
currently being discussed”.

Azimov stated that the approaches of the two sides are very different
and the situation is complex, but said the parties are interested in
continuing the talks and consider them useful. He said that “the
meetings held are very important, but ‘sensitive”, therefore, the
sides agreed to provide the media “not with the details but general
information about them”.
He emphasized that there are still a lot of differences but voiced
his confidence that “the discussions will yield concrete results”.
Azimov said that Armenia is becoming more interested in the talks. He
explained it by this country’s trying to gain additional time but
emphasized that Azerbaijan hopes the other side indeed has an
intention to resolve the problem.
The Deputy Foreign Minister also pointed out that that the conflict
can be settled only within the principles of international law and
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. He said however, that restoring
the country’s territorial integrity does not imply solution for all
existing problems, namely, the peaceful co-existence of the
Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Upper Garabagh in the future.

With regard to possible compromises on part of Baku, Azimov said that
if the occupied territories are liberated, Azerbaijan will be ready
to restore economic and other relations with Armenia. Shortly after
that the issue of returning Azerbaijani population to the region and
co-existence of the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Upper
Garabagh must be resolved.
Azimov regarded as speculations the reports concerning the
discussions on liberating three Azerbaijani regions. He said that
liberation of all the seven regions around Upper Garabagh in the
initial stage is being discussed within the Prague talks.
The Deputy Foreign Minister stated that in 1998 Azerbaijan proposed
to free five regions on the initial stage in favor of implementation
of the TRACECA project. In spring and summer of 2002, Azerbaijan
restated the proposal. In both cases, the European Union supported
the initiative, while Armenia rejected it.
Azimov also dismissed speculations released by Armenia concerning the
‘Key West’ agreements. He said that so far the parties have signed
only one written document, namely, a joint statement of Heydar Aliyev
(former Azerbaijani President) and Levon Ter-Petrosian (former
president of Armenia) in Strasbourg on October 10, 1997.
The parties were also close to concluding accords in 1999 but Armenia
rejected them.

Illegal settlement
The OSCE Minsk Group (MG) co-chairs from Russia, United States and
France are due to arrive in Baku on January 28 as part of the OSCE
fact-finding mission to look into the illegal settlement of Armenians
in the occupied Azerbaijani lands, Azimov said. The mission will also
include OSCE MG co-chairs from Germany, Italy, Switzerland and
Finland.
The Deputy Foreign Minister said that the mission members will meet
with Azeri officials and then tour the region. As part of
preparations for the visit, the co-chairs will meet with the other
mission members in Vienna on January 21 to outline a plan of
activities, he said.
Azimov continued that “the mission will not give any political
assessment but prepare a report on the facts that it witnesses and
confirms”.
The mission will visit five Azerbaijani regions – Kalbajar, Lachin,
Jabrayil, Gubadly and Zangilan – where Armenians were purposefully
settled, Azimov said.
A day prior to the mentioned new conference, Armenian “Azg” newspaper
published a story on relocating 100 Armenian families to the Kalbajar
region occupied by Armenia in 1993.
As for holding discussions on the Upper Garabagh conflict at the
United Nations, the Deputy Foreign Minister said that the Azerbaijani
side does not intend to raise the issue at the organization yet.
“First, let the mission visit the region, prepare and present its
report to the United Nations. We will take appropriate steps after
getting familiar with the report.”

Positions of Baku, Yerevan getting closer – Russian Foreign Ministry
Russian Foreign Ministry says that certain progress is observed in
the positions of Baku and Yerevan getting closer and their approaches
to the Upper Garabagh conflict, the Ministry said.
The statement came after another meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian
foreign ministers Elmar Mammadyarov and Vardan Oskanian was held in
Prague January 10-11 and attended by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs
(Russia, United States and France).
“Moscow welcomes the fact that the meetings of the two sides on
different levels, including those between Presidents and in the
“Prague format”, have become regular”, the Russian Ministry said.
Representatives of Azerbaijan and Armenia are considering literally
all aspects of the situation with the Garabagh conflict in their
internationally-mediated talks, the same source said.
“These include such thorny issues as withdrawal of armed forces,
demilitarization of the territory, international guarantees and the
status of Upper Garabagh.”
From: Baghdasarian

Jones statement result of Turkish and Azeri lobbying

19.01.2005 17:42

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Speaking to Yerkir, Vahan Hovhannisian, Armenian
National Assembly vice speaker and a member of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau said that outgoing US Assistant
Secretary of State Elizabeth Jones’ statement over the Karabakh
conflict was the result of the Turkish and Azeri lobbies.

Jones was quoted as saying that US President George W. Bush is
concerned that Russian president Vladimir Putin does not exert strong
enough pressure for resolution of post-Soviet conflicts in
Transdniester, South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Nagorno Karabagh, and that
“It is in the interest of Russia that these four regions be stable,
clean of corruption and their corrupt separatist authorities removed.”

Hovhannisian told Yerkir that Jones’ statement is both obnoxious and
baseless. “For the beginning, Jones is an outgoing official, and had
never made such a statement before though she was in the office for
quite a long period.

This means that her bosses, including the top officials of the US
Administration, had not authorized her to make such statements.”
Hovhannsian said that this was not the official position of the United
States. Due to some reasons, people, who are about to resign, make
such statements, he added.

“Don’t forget Terry Davis’ report, which was made after he was no
longer a member of the parliament and the Council of Europe’s
Parliamentary Assembly rapporteur on Karabakh; the same goes for the
next rapporteur, David Atkinson,” Hovhannisian said.

“This is becoming a tradition, and we should not take this lady’s
statement seriously as it indicates she never understood the essence
of the Karabakh issue.”
From: Baghdasarian

Swissinfo / Neue Zürcher Zeitung AG
Dienstag, 18. Januar 2005

Swiss expert spearheads quake surveillance

The head of the Swiss Seismological Service says early-warning
systems are needed to prevent disasters like the Asian tsunami from
happening again.

As the World Conference on Disaster Reduction gets underway in
Japan, Domenico Giardini talks to swissinfo about the challenges
facing the international community following the catastrophe.

Millions of people were caught off-guard on December 26, when an
undersea quake off the coast of Sumatra sent killer waves crashing
into coastlines across southeast Asia.

Here in Switzerland, the national seismological service relies on a
network of monitoring stations to localise and measure the magnitude
of earthquakes deep beneath the country’s surface.

The organisation also forms part of a wider, worldwide network of
observation centres, including the European-Mediterranean
Seismological Centre and the Federation of Digital Broadband
Seismograph Networks (FDSN).

Giardini, who heads both the Swiss service and the FDSN, says local
and international alert systems play an integral role in saving
lives.

swissinfo: How does the international community of seismologists work
together to monitor the earth’s activity?
Domenico Giardini: Before the earthquake on December 26, we had two
meetings on our agenda – this week’s World Conference on Disaster
Reduction in Kobe, Japan, and the 3rd Earth Observation Summit, which
is due to take place next month in Brussels.

Originally, the meeting in Kobe aimed to come up with a ten-year
action plan to improve the gathering and distribution of information
about our planet. But after the quake off the coast of Sumatra, the
focus of the meeting’s agenda shifted to include a special session on
the tsunami. Countries will also be discussing the creation of
early-warning systems in the Indian Ocean, as well as the
Mediterranean and the Atlantic.

swissinfo: How would such a system work?
D.G.: We would have to create a network of seismic sensors and
install ways to measure underwater landslides, which can also cause
major tidal waves. We would also employ instruments that can measure
the energy of such waves. That said, a global-warning system is not
enough… local-alert systems also need to be established to keep
at-risk populations informed about seismic activity.

swissinfo: What is Switzerland’s role in the seismological field?
D.G.: In cooperation with the Swiss Agency for Development and
Cooperation (SDC), we work a lot with developing countries, such as
Armenia, Georgia, Chile and Colombia, to maintain
earthquake-surveillance systems. We’re also in the process of
establishing a national monitoring network in Tajikistan, as well as
a surveillance system at Egypt’s Aswan Dam.

We’re also studying the possibility of providing similar support to
other developing nations and we’re looking into ways of improving the
protection of the Swiss abroad. For example, an automatic-alert
network using the Short Messaging System (SMS) might be an option.

swissinfo: What gaps need to be filled here in Switzerland?
D.G.: The alarm systems and protection measures against natural
disasters are very advanced in this country. But we lack ways of
preventing tidal waves on our big lakes from causing serious damage…
and that danger exists. For example, the 1601 earthquake in Lucerne
caused waves that were two to three metres high.

Tidal waves can also be caused by landslides, and cities like Geneva
and Zurich, which lie at the end of large lakes, could experience
major damage should a landslide occur.

swissinfo-interview: Frédéric Burnand
From: Baghdasarian

NTVMSNBC, Turkey
Jan 13 2005

Russia to back Turkish, UN efforts on Cyprus: Erdogan

The Prime Minister described his Russian visit as highly successful.
Turkey will push for a restart of efforts to resolve the dispute on
the island of Cyprus under the auspicis of the United Nations,
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday.

Speaking on his return from a three day visit to Russia, Erdogan said
that preliminary discussions to reopen UN sponsored efforts to
reunite the two states on Cyprus had been delayed due to the tsunami
disaster in Asia.
`After the December 17th process (when Turkey was given a date to
start European Union membership negotiations), UN Secretary General
Kofi Annan congratulated us and then we phoned him and said we could
talk about the Cyprus process,’ the Prime Minister said. `While we
were planning to hold this talk, Asian disaster happened. He is now
in the region. We want to talk with him as soon as possible.
Commenting on a statement by President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) that he was uneasy over Russian
support for the plan put forward by Annan to reunify the island,
Erdogan said that it was the process and not the name of the plan
that was important.
`There will not be an Annan Plan to be presented,’ he said. `Also,
the name of the plan is not important. The important thing is its
content and this content should include a solution. I do not believe
that anybody will oppose a plan that will include a solution. If the
plan protects the interests of the Turkish Cypriots and brings a just
and permanent solution to the TRNC, I am sure that everybody will
exert efforts for such a plan.’
Erdogan said that what they wanted was a just plan that will bring
permanent peace and by which both sides will win.
`We have always said that we support such a plan and we will continue
to support it. We do not have any uneasiness about this issue.’
The Prime Minister described his trip to Russia as having been very
successful, with his meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putting
being friendly, positive and sincere.
`It was a very beneficial meeting,’ he said. `We mainly discussed
Iraq, Middle East, Cyprus and the Armenia issue and we took up what
can be done jointly in the Middle East and the region,’ said Erdogan.
`We took up our bilateral relations in regional and international
aspects and we had some demands in the aspect of the UN Security
Council. He said the isolation of the TRNC was not just and they will
support any Annan Plan which will be prepared about the issue. He
clearly said they are ready to exert every type of effort on this
issue.’
From: Baghdasarian

AZERI OFFICIAL POINTS TO “SERIOUS DIFFERENCES” WITH ARMENIA OVER KARABAKH

Trend news agency
13 Jan 05

BAKU

“The negotiations to resolve the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict between
Azerbaijan and Armenia are progressing very slowly. The situation is
very difficult. I can’t say that concrete results have been achieved,
but I hope they will be achieved,” Trend has quoted Azerbaijani Deputy
Foreign Minister Araz Azimov as telling a news conference at the
Foreign Ministry today.

The news conference was devoted to the results of the 11 January
meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers in Prague.

Azimov said there were very many differences in the sides’
positions. He added that some interest on the part of Armenia to step
up the process of negotiations was in evidence of late. In Azimov’s
view, this interest could have something to do with Armenia’s desire
to gain time or with Yerevan’s genuine intention to resolve the
Karabakh problem.

The diplomat stressed that Azerbaijan was still in favour of a
negotiated solution to the problem based on international principles,
including respect for the country’s territorial integrity. However,
the deputy minister said the restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity would not mean an immediate solution to all problems. There
is also a problem of peaceful co-existence between the Azerbaijani and
Armenian communities of Nagornyy Karabakh in the future.

Touching on the issue of compromises, Azimov said Azerbaijan was ready
to reopen communications with Armenia provided the latter vacates the
occupied territories. He said the sides were sharing their views on
some issues, but pointed to serious differences on others.

Azimov believes that the next round of the negotiations will be held
in late February.

He also denied reports that an agreement had been reached to conduct a
referendum in Nagornyy Karabakh and to hand it over for administration
(as published).
From: Baghdasarian

Rabble.ca, Canada
Jan 12 2005

Ukraine: Regime change, Canada style

Yushchenko is `less bad than the other guy,’ as my translator assured me.

by John Lewis

When Victor Yushchenko accepts the presidency of Ukraine later this
month, he’ll have Paul Martin, among others, to thank.

The Prime Minister sent 500 election observers to Ukraine in December
to witness the re-run of what appeared to be a stolen presidential
election by an ex-communist party apparatchik. I was one of the
observers.

Western leaders, including Martin, coveted victory by a more westward
leaning candidate than the autocratic Victor Yanikovich, Yushchenko’s
rival. In response, Canada sent its largest delegation ever to a
foreign election, helping Victor Yushchenko win the second round. As
in life, however, `democracy’ is never so simple.

Martin has his own concerns. Canada has over one million people of
Ukrainian ancestry living within its borders. Most of these people
live in the West – in places like Edmonton – and the Liberal party is
vulnerable there. Ukrainian Canadians overwhelmingly favour
Yushchenko. Some of them were part of our delegation. When Canadian
domestic politics lined up so perfectly with international ones, the
decision for the Prime Minister to send observers was easy.

The neighbours

The same day as elections were held in Ukraine, the people in
Uzbekistan, a former Soviet state 3,000 kilometers, or 1,875 miles,
east of Kiev, elected a new Parliament. Only 21 international
observers were watching those elections because there wasn’t much
interest and there wasn’t much to see.

A victory for the pro-government party was a foregone conclusion
because there were no opposition candidates. The President has
stifled institutions that underpin a free and fair electoral process
– political parties, media freedom, an open atmosphere for civil
society organizations and freedom of assembly.

Azerbaijan’s fraudulent presidential elections last year led to
terrible political violence, for which the government has imprisoned
many opposition leaders. I was in Baku for these elections and
witnessed public demonstrations in Azerbaijan by people trying to
express themselves just as people had done in Kiev. A protester was
beaten to death by police a few metres from my hotel.

In Armenia in the spring the government used a variety of arbitrary
measures to prevent massive rallies protesting falsified elections
the previous year. Two months ago the government of Kazakhstan rigged
the parliamentary vote, resulting in only one opposition party member
gaining a seat in the lower house of legislature. A couple of weeks
ago not a single opposition candidate was elected in Belarus’s
parliamentary vote, as polling day fraud kept the opposition out.

Throughout the region, governments control television and try to
intimidate independent print media through defamation suits and
outright bullying. Human rights defenders are unlawfully jailed by
the authorities and subject to violent assaults by unknown attackers.

Russia, for its part, regularly cracks down on civil society.
President Vladimir Putin’s government has seized control over what
had been a diverse, if not exactly free, broadcast media and began
using it to promote pro-government political candidates and vilify
the opposition.

Will Ukraine change?

But in Ukraine the West has a leader that will change all that. At
least, we think.

Like Yanikovich, however, Yushchenko has his own spotty record as
Prime Minister of Ukraine for us to examine.

Under Yushchenko both pensions and wages fell in real terms for
retired people and workers respectively. Yanikovich witnessed them
rise. And under Yushchenko many services were privatized, including
several state energy systems, and the results were disastrous, with
rising costs and diminishing supplies. The situation for both workers
and the elderly was made worse under Yushchenko. So, why is he so
popular?

His `reformism,’ or his liberalizing attitude toward state
enterprises, makes Yushchenko attractive to western leaders,
including Paul Martin. Like President Bush, Prime Minister Martin is
a passionate free marketeer, trusting in the market to lift all
boats, and averse to state control. (Remember he headed the UN’s team
for private sector-led poverty reduction).

While in Ukraine, for example, the Canadian delegation was promised a
party at the Embassy in recognition of our service as volunteers. The
party never materialized, at least for those of us without business
interests and contacts in the country. Not quite the `crusade for
democracy’ that former Prime Minister (and leader of the Canadian
delegation) John Turner had promised in Ottawa.

Some of the U.S. delegates, for their part, members of the
International Republican Institute (IRI), an organization funded by
the Republican Party, held firm to the mantra that they were in
Ukraine not simply to ensure free and fair elections but also to
develop `free enterprise.’ While I appreciate the IRI’s candidness,
Ukrainians can expect American-style HMOs to replace the public
health system before too long.

Elections like this breed cynicism in the observer, but even an
economist friend who worked in the Finance Ministry under Yushchenko
believes that Ukraine will continue to suffer, even with the change
in election results. Yushchenko, he believes, will not improve the
conditions for the poor, the elderly or the working class.

But Yushchenko is popular with Ukrainians.

There’s no mistaking young people’s genuine affection for the man
heading the `Orange Revolution’ in Ukraine. He’s handsome (when his
body is not excreting poison), clever, and has a model American wife
and a foxy advisor, Yulia Tymoshenko.

Whether for these reasons or not, Yushchenko is `less bad than the
other guy,’ as my translator assured me. Like my economist friend,
the translator is at least happy to be finally rid of the old regime.

Ukrainians understand, I think, what they’re getting with the arrival
of democracy. For the West and for Ukrainians alike, it seems, the
election came down to this: support the lesser of two evils, support
for regime `upgrade,’ if you like.

Canada’s Paul Martin and the amused 500 helped make it happen.

But the PM still owes me a party.

John Lewis is Program Coordinator, International Human Rights, with
KAIROS.
From: Baghdasarian