Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

YOUNG DASHNAKS ORGANIZED MARCH ON OCCASION OF UPCOMING 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
A1+
15-03-2005
Today the ARFD Youth Union organized a march from the Yerevan State
University to the Yerevan EU Office on the occasion of the upcoming
90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
Representatives of the Union Mkhitar Margaryan submitted a letter
entitled«A call to progressive society» to the EU Office. The letter
says that with the burden of the Armenian Genocide Turkey has know
right for the EU membership.
«We want all the young people to joint over the problem. I think this
is the only issue without political affiliation or orientation», one
of the marchers said.
To note, journalists present at the march exceeded the number of the
demonstrators themselves. Mkhitar Margaryan conditioned it by the fact
that this was the first measure of the kind.
From: Baghdasarian

Turkish Daily News
Friday, March 11 2005
>>From the Columns:
The alleged Armenian genocide that was supposed to have occurred
during the latter years of Ottoman rule and the reaction of the
Turkish government, European Union officials and the European
Parliament to the excessive use of force on female demonstrators
dominated the columns in yesterday’s Turkish press.
Is Turkey maintaining its old stance regarding alleged genocide?
Sabah’s Mehmet Barlas criticizes the ruling Justice and Development
Party (AKP) and the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP)
for maintaining the old discourse regarding the issue of an alleged
genocide of Armenians that is supposed to have occurred from
1915-1916 at the hands of the Ottomans.
Quoting the late former President Turgut Özal’s reported proposal
to Turkish Ambassador to the United States Nüzhet Kandemir to
recognize the events of 1915 as a genocide and to put an end to the
ongoing discussions, Barlas said that Kandemir had responded to Özal
by saying that the issue was too complicated to be resolved
overnight.
Barlas asks what has been done regarding the issue in the 12 years
since the death of Özal?
Highlighting remarks made by government members and officials
saying that the Armenian genocide issue should be left to historians,
Barlas asks why nobody looked over the work of prominent Armenian
historians Vahak Dadrian [an academic in the United States] and Peter
Balakian [the author of books on Armenian issue].
After noting reactions to well-known Turkish author Orhan Pamuk,
who said that 1 million Armenians were killed in Turkey, Barlas also
asks why the ideas of Professor Halil Berktay, an academic from
Sabancý University, who argues for the identification of the events
of 1915 as genocide, are not regarded as being worth considering.
Facing the past is better than turning a blind eye:
Yeni Þafak’s Yasin Dogan also focuses on the Armenian issue and
appreciates the commitments made by the ruling AKP and the main
opposition CHP to face and fight the claims of the alleged Armenian
genocide.
Dogan says that anyone can easily cling to the falsity of the
arguments claiming that Turkey had committed a systematic genocide of
Armenian people.
Further elaborating on the allegations, Dogan says that even if
some mistakes were made, it would still be wrong to hold the Turkish
Republic or even the Ottoman Empire accountable for the acts today.
Dogan concludes by saying that the goal is to eradicate hatred
between Turks and Armenians and to leave that negative atmosphere in
the past.
–Boundary_(ID_4ITEEs4LbODH/kg05HekfA)–
From: Baghdasarian

South Korea goes large on Fringe
The Scotsman – United Kingdom;
Mar 10, 2005
Tim Cornwell Arts Correspondent
SOUTH Korea has formed an unlikely bond with the Edinburgh Festival
Fringe that will see four shows make the long journey from Asia this
year – including a Korean version of Shakespeare, The Scotsman can
reveal.
Audiences at the festival will this year have the choice of a show
that mixes Korean martial arts and comic mayhem – entitled Jump – as
well as an alternative version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The new connection with South Korea goes well beyond just another
chapter in the Fringe’s far-flung line-up, however.
Paul Gudgin, the Fringe director, travelled to Seoul in December at
the invitation of the Korean Culture and Arts Foundation. The trip
saw nearly 200 performers turn up to hear him speak and put him on
the front pages of the national press. The Fringe is now planning a
live video conference for Korean acts hoping to get to Edinburgh,
while the Seoul foundation has helped out by translating the Fringe’s
guide in full for performers.
“There are no direct flights. I don’t believe South Korea has any
embassy in Edinburgh. But this extraordinary connection has grown and
will continue to grow,” Mr Gudgin said.
“Loads of people running Korean cultural institutions have been
coming to study us. Their two main television stations come to the
Fringe.”
South Korea’s interest in the Fringe grew out of a single show,
Cooking, which came to Edinburgh in 1999.
The show, set in a kitchen, was an energetic mix of rhythm and comedy
using cooking tools, and proved such a hit with audiences that it is
currently showing on Broadway.
“We think the success of that performance is a great model for us.
Many presenters in Korea realise that we need to build up a market in
Europe,” said Hyuncha Kim, the foundation’s deputy manager for
international exchange.
“If we can join with the festival in Edinburgh, it could be a great
chance to show our talent in the world market. We believe the
Edinburgh festival is an essential pass to go to the rest of the
world,” said Ms Kim.
The Koreans now hope to emulate Cooking’s success this year with
Jump. The show, with about ten performers, mixes traditional Korean
martial arts and comedy in a story centred on a single family.
“It is one family of strange characters,” said Ms Kim. “They fight
each other but later they find their real enemy and are unified.”
Also on the slate is Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The
Koreans have already showcased the work in festivals in Armenia and
Cairo. It is in Korean but relies heavily on gesture, mime and
costumes.
From: Baghdasarian

Patriarch warns against attempts to revise results of WWII
09.03.2005, 18.18
MOSCOW, March 9 (Itar-Tass) — Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All
Russia warned against attempts to revise the results of World War II.
Speaking at the opening of the 9th World Russian Peopleâ~@~Ys
Assembly on Wednesday, Alexy II said, â~@~Today some are trying to
slander and bury in oblivion the feat of our people and to equalise
aggressors and those who fought them.â~@~]
He believes it necessary to â~@~do everything possible to ensure
that these attempts do not succeed and that the thankful memory of
those who fought against the strongest army of the world safeguarded
mankind from a new mutual extermination.â~@~]
The patriarch stressed, â~@~The idea of the global dictatorship of
terrorism still dominates many minds. We must think about how to
counter terrorism, how to preserve the greatest achievement of the
victory â~@~S lasting peace between nations, how to revive the ideal
of unity and spiritual strength that were shown in those years so
that the lessons of the great victory were not forgotten but would
serve for the future of mankind.â~@~]
The World Russian Peopleâ~@~Ys Assembly, which opened at Moscowâ~@~Ys
Christ the Saviour Cathedral on Wednesday, is devoted to the unity of
peoples as a guarantee of the victory over fascism and terrorism.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, officials from the Defence Ministry,
politicians, statesmen, public and religious figures addressed the
congress.
The religious delegates include the chairman of the Central Moslem
Board, Talgat Tadzhutdin, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church of
Old Believers, Metropolitan Andrian, the head of the Russian eparchy
of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop Ezras, the chairman of
the Congress of the Jewish Religious Communities of Russia, Rabbi
Zinovy Kogan, and a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church
Abroad, Archbishop Mark of Germany.
–Boundary_(ID_A7w42jVoZ0m5e1Hh5qHHIQ)–
From: Baghdasarian

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 8, 2005
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
SEN. ALLEN CALLS FOR U.S. RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
— Virginia Legislator: U.S. “Not Willing to Sweep History under
the Rug”
WASHINGTON, DC – In a principled stand for U.S. recognition of the
Armenian Genocide, Senator George Allen (R-VA), today, in his
capacity as the presiding officer of a Senate Foreign Relations
Subcommittee hearing on the Black Sea region, noted that the United
States “wants to have good relations with Turkey but we are not
willing to sweep history under the rug,” reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).
The hearing, on “The Future of Democracy in the Black Sea Area,”
was held before the Subcommittee on European Affairs and featured
testimony by John F. Tefft, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State,
European and Eurasian Affairs; Bruce P. Jackson, President of the
Project on Transitional Democracies; Vladimir Socor, a Senior
Fellow at the Jamestown Foundation, and; Zeyno Baran, Director of
International Security and Energy Programs for the Nixon Center.
Senator Allen, during his remarks, also noted the chilling nature
of Adolf Hitler’s remarks to quiet the reservations of his military
staff on the eve of invading Poland – “Who, after all, remembers
the Armenians?”
“As he has done so often in the past – as a member of the Virginia
legislature, a U.S. Representative, Governor of the Commonwealth,
and now as Senator – George Allen has spoken with moral clarity on
the need to end any association with Turkey’s shameful policy of
genocide denial,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
“Armenians throughout the Old Dominion and around the nation
appreciate the Senator’s strong leadership on the issue of the
Armenian Genocide and the full range of legislative issues dealing
with Armenia and the surrounding region.”
Early in her testimony, Baran of the Nixon Center cited the
“deterioration in the U.S.-Turkey bilateral relationship.” She
went on to voice her opposition to the Armenian Genocide
Resolution, noting that its passage would harm U.S.-Turkey
relations. “Given the prevalent Turkish view that the U.S. is
running a campaign against Turkey, it would be very damaging if the
“Armenian Genocide” resolution passed Congress this year,” stated
Baran. “This year is the 90th anniversary of the tragic 1915
massacre and certainly Armenian diaspora groups would like to get
recognition. However, such a resolution would play right into the
hands of the growing set of anti-Americans and ultra-nationalists
in Turkey.”
“We are profoundly troubled that there remain voices whose recipe
for reining in the Turkish government’s increasing anti-American
policies is to reward Turkey by compromising our nation’s
principles stand against genocide,” said Hamparian. “American
leadership requires that we stand up for our values, not run away
from them.”
#####
From: Baghdasarian

About 20,000 Armenians settled in occupied districts – Azeri official
ANS TV, Baku
8 Mar 05
[Presenter] Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov has
revealed the number of Armenians who have illegally settled in the
occupied districts. The diplomat gave this information commenting on
a report by the Armenian newspaper Azg about the next meeting of the
Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents.
[Correspondent over video of a press conference] The next meeting of
the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders might take place on the sidelines
of a summit of the Council of Europe member states in Warsaw on 16
or 17 May. [Armenian] Aykakan Zhamanak newspaper has reported that
it will be suggested at the meeting that [Armenian President] Robert
Kocharyan withdraw the Armenian armed forces from some of Azerbaijan’s
occupied districts.
It is also said that for this reason, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan deliberately missed the 2 March meeting in Prague with his
Azerbaijani counterpart, the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group and
the members of the OSCE fact-finding mission.
Azg does not rule out that at some stage of the Prague negotiations,
Armenia and Azerbaijan could sign an interim agreement on the pull-out
of the Armenian troops from five occupied districts. In return,
Nagornyy Karabakh will be temporarily placed under the jurisdiction
of Armenia.
Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov did not rule out
that the presidents, Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharyan, might meet
in Warsaw. He also said that the foreign ministers usually meet to
prepare a meeting between the heads of state. However, Vardan Oskanyan
created obstacles to that meeting by failing to go to Prague, although
it is necessary to hold not just one, but several meetings between
the foreign ministers in the run-up to the presidents’ meeting,
Azimov said.
It is no news that the Armenian side will be required to withdraw
from the occupied territories. Araz Azimov said that this demand is
put forward at every meeting in any case, because the settlement of
the conflict depends on several principled demands of the Azerbaijani
side. He stressed that these demands are that Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity should be ensured, foreign forces should be pulled out from
the occupied territories and the Azerbaijani population should return
to their places of residence.
The Azerbaijani diplomat described the Armenian media reports in the
run-up to the Warsaw meeting as a trick aimed at taking soundings
of people’s opinion in Armenia. He said that Yerevan usually resorts
to such methods when the negotiations enter an important stage. This
time the information leak is meant for internal consumption as well.
The Azerbaijani official said that Armenia has lately suffered
several diplomatic setbacks in a row. In this context, he recalled
the figures which have been obtained by the OSCE fact-finding mission
and which prove the illegal settlement of Armenians in Azerbaijan’s
occupied districts. Mr Azimov said that 8,000 Armenians are living
in Lacin District, 3,000 in the town of Lacin, 2,700 in Kalbacar
District and 500 to 700 Armenians are living in other districts.
Quoting the fact-finding mission, the deputy minister said that at
least 20,000 Armenians have settled in these territories. He said
that Yerevan should consider moving these families to Armenia.
The representative of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated once
again that the unconditional pull-out of the Armenian troops from the
occupied districts is Baku’s principled position and is not a subject
of bargaining. The diplomat also denied that Azerbaijan will give up
its principled position in return for the pull-out of the troops.
From: Baghdasarian

PRESIDENT CAN’T BE GUARANTOR OF INDEPENDENT JURIDICAL SYSTEM
A1PLUS
13:22:14 | 05-03-2005 | Politics |
According to the acting Constitution and the draft of amendments represented
by the parliamentary coalition, chairman of the Justice Council is the
President, who appears as the guarantor of the independence of the juridical
bodies. In its intermediate report the Venice Committee expressed the
opinion that the President’s presidency over the Justice Council causes
certain complications. In this view the Committee remind of the European
Charter on the status of Judge, which stressed the absolute independence of
the Justice Council both of the executive and legislative power. We tried to
find out the opinion of our citizens regarding this issue. Thus we ask 100
people the following question:
Should the President head the Justice Council?
5% of the surveyed said “yes”, 40% found difficulty in answering. “I do not
know”, “Can’t say”, “Have no idea” – these were their answers. 50% of the
respondents were categorically against.
“The leader of the republic should deal with foreign and domestic policy and
should not intervene in the justice processes not to make the judges
completely dependent”, a man of about 40 said.
To remind the Justice Council compiles and submits to the President’s
confirmation annual lists of professional propriety and carrier advance of
the judges and prosecutors and the appointments are made on the basis of
these lists.
Karine Asatryan
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ReliefWeb, Switzerland
March 4 2005
Source: United Nations Security Council
OSCE could play key role in Kosovo’s standards review process,
Security council told SC/8328
Chairman Briefs Council on Organization’s Expertise In Minority
Issues, Policing, Institution-Building, Conflict Resolution
As an integral part of the structure of the United Nations Interim
Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) could play a key role in
the province’s standards review process while remaining part of the
international presence there, the regional body’s Chairman-in-Office
told the Security Council this morning.
Dimitrij Rupel, who is also Slovenia’a Minister for Foreign Affairs,
said in an open briefing to the Council that the OSCE had
considerable expertise in national minority issues, policing and in
building the effective public institutions that were so essential for
Kosovo’s peaceful and sustainable development. In many tense
situations, effective policing was needed rather than blue helmets.
The OSCE ran police development units in the western Balkans, and no
other international organization currently possessed the potential to
strengthen long-term law enforcement capacity- and
institution-building in the States most susceptible to crime,
corruption and human rights violations.
The case of Kosovo highlighted the question of reconciling the desire
for self-determination with the issue of preserving the territorial
integrity of States, he said. And in parts of the Republic of
Moldova, Georgia and in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh,
the OSCE was actively trying to resolve conflicts that were sometimes
referred to as frozen, but which lately had started to thaw. The slow
but steady progress being made in the dialogue between Armenia and
Azerbaijan was encouraging, and it was to be hoped that recent
changes in Ukraine and a new post-election environment in the
Republic of Moldova would enable a new attempt to resolve the
Transdniestrian conflict. The OSCE was also working with parties to
reduce tensions in South Ossetia, Georgia, and to promote
demilitarization, build confidence and achieve a lasting settlement
there.
Urging the Security Council to support OSCE efforts in all those
cases, particularly those Council members who were mediators in the
conflicts or had influence over the parties, he pointed out that it
was difficult for inter-State organizations to deal with non-State
actors, even when they were de facto authorities, and that,
sometimes, the leverage of powerful States, including permanent
members of the Council, could be crucial. The OSCE was a regional
arrangement in the sense of Chapter VIII of the United Nations
Charter and it was to be hoped that bold decisions would be taken to
enhance further the cooperation between the United Nations and
regional organizations.
He said the Security Council’s ability to more proactively prevent
and respond to threats could be strengthened by making fuller and
more productive use of regional organizations. The OSCE was
well-positioned and well-equipped to do so with its well-earned
reputation in early warning, early action and conflict prevention.
There were areas, such as preventing ethnic conflict and regulating
the marking and tracing, as well as the brokering and transfer of
small arms and light weapons, where the organization was even more
progressive than United Nations standards.
Regarding the clash between the concept of `responsibility to
protect’ and the principle of non-intervention in the internal
affairs of a State, he said the OSCE was very clear and progressive
when it came to human rights. Commitments undertaken in the
organization’s human dimension were of direct and legitimate concern
to all participating States and did not belong exclusively to the
internal affairs of the State concerned. That legitimate
intrusiveness was the basis on which participating States held each
other accountable for the implementation of their commonly agreed
commitments.
Others who spoke during the meeting included the representatives of
Romania, United States, Russian Federation and the United Kingdom.
This morning’s meeting began at 10:20 a.m. and adjourned at 11:10
a.m.
Statement by Chairman-in-Office of OSCE
DIMITRIJ RUPEL, Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Minister for Foreign Affairs of
Slovenia, noted that there was a lively discussion about the future
of the OSCE, which, unfortunately, was reflective of the emergence of
new East-West fault lines. Some debates were reminiscent of the cold
war. The discussion had come during a year when the organization was
supposed to be celebrating its contribution to promoting security and
cooperation in Europe — reflecting on 30 years since the signing of
the Helsinki Final Act and 15 years since the Charter of Paris set
out a vision for a Europe whole and free.
As to whether the OSCE was in crisis, he said it was certainly in
transition. Some participating States had complained of double
standards and called for a review of how it monitored elections.
There was no agreement on extending the mandate of the Border
Monitoring Operation in Georgia, and there had been no consensus
among OSCE Foreign Ministers at the conclusion of the last two
Ministerial Council meetings. In answer to calls for reform, a Panel
of Eminent Persons had been appointed to make recommendations on
strengthening the organization’s effectiveness. That would be
followed by high-level consultations and then a Ministerial Council
in Ljubljana. The OSCE was also looking at how to strengthen its
field operations. That process was more of an opportunity than a
crisis.
The challenge to the organization’s relevance and strategic direction
had shaken some States out of their complacency and brought into the
open some issues that had been festering below the surface for some
time, he said. One of the OSCE’s strengths was its ability to adapt
to the challenges of the day. Changes in the European Union, the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Council of Europe
reflected a Europe in transition, partly as a result of European
Union and NATO expansion, but also because of coping with new threats
to security. Organizations must remain dynamic to remain relevant,
and the OSCE was no exception.
Noting that the OSCE was a regional arrangement in the sense of
Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter, he said that the report
of the High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change had been
read with interest and expressed the hope that bold decisions would
be taken to make greater use of Chapter VIII and enhance further the
cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations.
The Security Council’s ability to more proactively prevent and
respond to threats could be strengthened by making fuller and more
productive use of regional organizations. The OSCE was
well-positioned and well-equipped to do so.
Pointing out that the OSCE had a well-earned reputation in early
warning, early action and conflict prevention, he said there were
areas, such as preventing ethnic conflict and regulating the marking
and tracing, as well as the brokering and transfer of small arms and
light weapons, where the organization was even more progressive than
United Nations standards. The OSCE also coordinated assistance on the
ratification and implementation of 12 United Nations anti-terrorism
conventions and protocols. It worked with the Economic Commission for
Europe (ECE) on addressing economic and environmental threats to
security.
In Kosovo, he said, the OSCE was an integral part of the structure of
the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK),
and in the present important year it could play a key role in the
standards-review process and remain part of the international
presence there. The OSCE had considerable expertise in national
minority issues, policing and building effective public institutions
that were so essential for the peaceful and sustainable development
of Kosovo. The case of Kosovo highlighted the issue of reconciling
the desire for self-determination with the preservation of the
territorial integrity of States. In parts of the Republic of Moldova
and Georgia, and in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, the
OSCE was actively trying to resolve conflicts that were sometimes
referred to as frozen, but which lately had started to thaw. In those
cases, the organization had clear mandates and was one of the lead
agencies on the ground.
The OSCE was encouraged by the slow but steady progress being made in
the dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan, he said. It was to be
hoped that recent changes in Ukraine and that a new post-election
environment in the Republic of Moldova would enable a new attempt to
resolve the Transdniestrian conflict. The OSCE was also working with
parties to reduce tensions in South Ossetia, Georgia, and to promote
demilitarization, build confidence and achieve a lasting settlement.
In all of those cases, the OSCE urged the Security Council to support
its efforts, particularly those Council members who were mediators in
the conflicts or had influence over the parties. It was difficult for
inter-State organizations to deal with non-State actors, even if —
as in some cases — they were de facto authorities. Sometimes the
leverage of powerful States, including permanent members of the
Council, could be crucial.
Another important issue in the Panel’s report was the clash between
the concept of `responsibility to protect’ and the principle of
non-intervention in the internal affairs of a State, he said. The
OSCE was very clear and progressive when it came to human rights.
Commitments undertaken in the human dimension of the OSCE were
matters of direct and legitimate concern to all participating States
and did not belong exclusively to the internal affairs of the State
concerned. That legitimate intrusiveness was the basis on which
participating States held each other accountable for the
implementation of their commonly agreed commitments. It was the
justification for having OSCE missions in participating States,
helping the host States to deal with specific challenges, and it was
the reason why the organization’s High Commissioner on National
Minorities or Representative on Freedom of the Media could,
respectively, go to any State throughout the OSCE region to prevent
inter-ethnic conflict and ensure respect for free media.
Regarding the need for a comprehensive, multilateral approach, he
noted the Panel’s highlighting of threats to global security from
which no State or region was immune. In an interconnected world,
security was indivisible. Multifaceted challenges required a
multilateral response that took a comprehensive view of security. The
OSCE was doing its part and had a proven track record in
post-conflict rehabilitation or peace-building. Its 18 field missions
represented an invaluable on-the-ground presence that offered
concrete assistance to participating States, and it had quickly
developed capabilities to deal with new threats to security,
including in anti-trafficking, counter-terrorism, border management
and policing.
When addressing the new threats to security, the bottom line for the
OSCE was upholding the rule of law, he stressed. For example, the
organization had to ensure that efforts to combat terrorism were not
undertaken in a way that violated human rights, that border guards
learned sophisticated techniques and a proper code of conduct or that
human trafficking was tackled by effective investigation, law
enforcement and prosecution. Policing was a classic example. In many
tense situations, effective policing, rather than blue helmets, was
needed. The OSCE ran police development units in the western Balkans
and had launched a police development programme in Kyrgyzstan. Others
were being prepared in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. No other
international organization currently possessed the potential to
strengthen long-term law enforcement capacity- and
institution-building in the OSCE region in the States most
susceptible to crime, corruption and human rights violations.
States should not underestimate or take for granted the quiet but
useful work done by organizations like the OSCE to make the world
safer, he emphasized. The organization should also be more open to
sharing its experience and expertise with others. In 2004, the OSCE
had sent an election support team to Afghanistan and, earlier this
year, it had sent a needs-assessment team to the Palestinian
territories to see what help it could offer on elections. In
addition, Mongolia was now an OSCE Partner for Cooperation. The
organization had an impact beyond its vast region and could develop
such relations even further.
MIHNEA IOAN MOTOC (Romania) welcomed an insightful and direct
briefing given to the Council and noted Mr. Rupel’s energetic and
straightforward approach to the activities of the organization he
chaired. In particular, he appreciated the attention paid to the
Kosovo issue.
Turning to the effectiveness of the multilateral handling of frozen
conflicts, he said that protracted conflicts were a great challenge.
Looking at the issue from a `half-full glass approach’, one could say
that it was important that fighting had stopped. However, the
international community was still facing constantly growing threats
in that regard, for such conflicts became the areas of smuggling,
arms proliferation and terrorism. The Security Council and regional
organizations like the OSCE should do more to advance the settlement
of such situations. He asked Mr. Rupel to elaborate on the objectives
of the OSCE Chairmanship in that regard and to assess the possibility
of cooperation with the United Nations in that area. He also asked
about the Transdniestrian conflict in the Republic of Moldova.
REED JACKSON FENDRICK (United States) thanked Mr. Rupel for clearly
outlining the capabilities of the OSCE, particularly in the area of
international peace and security. He wanted to know how the two
organizations could, in practical terms, improve their cooperation in
response to threats. He also asked questions about the OSCE election
teams sent to Afghanistan and the Palestinian Authority and OSCE
activities outside of its immediate area of responsibility.
ALEXANDER V. KONUZIN (Russian Federation) said that his country
supported the basic priorities proposed by the current Chairmanship
of the OSCE, which were directed at the reform and revitalization of
that organization, as well as the restoration of balance among its
security, economic and humanitarian activities. He took particular
note of the need to further develop the OSCE activities in the
security sphere. Indeed, for the OSCE to be able to fully implement
its original objective of being a forum for a wide dialogue on the
most important issues, it was necessary to overcome artificially
formed functional and territorial imbalances in its activities. His
delegation supported a comprehensive development and improvement of
cooperation of the United Nations and its Security Council with
regional and subregional arrangements on the basis of the United
Nations Charter, in particular its Chapter VIII, duly taking into
account their existing comparative advantages.
He welcomed a close and fruitful interaction between the OSCE as a
regional organization, and the United Nations in a number of key
areas, first and foremost linked to security and resolution of
regional conflicts. Among the examples in that connection, he
mentioned Abkhazia (Georgia) and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The OSCE’s
contribution to the implementation of Security Council resolution
1244 (1999) on Kosovo (Serbia and Montenegro) deserved particular
note. As part of United Nations Interim Administration Mission in
Kosovo (UNMIK), the OSCE played an important role there.
In that context, he asked what additional steps must be taken to
ensure equal implementation of the human rights of all inhabitants of
Kosovo, particularly those belonging to non-Albanian minorities. He
also wanted to know what the OSCE was planning to undertake in the
light of the negative experience of March 2004, in order to prevent
future extremist manifestations in the mass media and organizations
of civil society.
PAUL JOHNSTON (United Kingdom) said his country was a strong
supporter of the organization and wished to see an active and
effective OSCE covering the whole range of its mandate. The
organization had made a very important contribution to the building
of democracy in Kosovo and across the region.
He asked how the Chairman-in-Office saw the OSCE’s ability to take on
new areas of activity while remaining as effective in those areas
where it had specialized up to the present time. Given the expansion
of the European Union, how could the OSCE achieve a complementary and
effective relationship with the European Union?
Response by OSCE
Responding to comments and questions, Mr. RUPEL said that, in
general, the OSCE was strongest at conflict prevention, but also had
a role in conflict settlement. Obvious destinations of its activities
included South Ossetia, Transdniestria and Nagorno-Karabakh. As for
the cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE, it was less
a case of what the United Nations could do for the OSCE, and more of
what the OSCE could do for the United Nations. That had been his
motive for coming to the United Nations today.
Effective settlement of conflicts should be attempted first at the
regional level, without `burdening’ the United Nations, he said. The
OSCE could do more to increase information sharing on early warning,
followed by early action. Regarding further steps to achieve synergy
between the OSCE and the United Nations, he said that his
organization attached great importance to such links. As a regional
organization, the OSCE contributed substantially to the maintenance
of peace and security in its area of responsibility, implementing
United Nations documents and principles. The connection between the
two organizations was close and continued to strengthen in many
areas, including the fight against terrorism. He hoped it would be
reflected in the General Assembly resolution on the cooperation
between the United Nations and the OSCE, which could not be agreed
upon at the fifty-ninth session. He was happy with the initiatives to
deepen such cooperation and noted the recommendation of the Panel on
Threats, Challenges and Change to deepen contacts with regional
organizations.
Turning to the Transdniestrian conflict, he said that it had to be
addressed in the near future, for it was a dangerous source of
instability for the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. He hoped that
recent changes in Ukraine and a new post-election environment in the
Republic of Moldova would have a positive effect on the situation. It
was important to convince Tiraspol that the current situation was not
sustainable. Decentralization and strong self-government would offer
a chance for Transdniestria to solve many of its problems.
He agreed with the representative of the Russian Federation regarding
the issue of balancing the activities of the OSCE. The Slovenian
Chairmanship believed that the organization needed reform,
revitalization and rebalancing between the three components of its
activities: economy and ecology, the human dimension and the military
aspects. In that regard, he had already proposed some steps,
including holding conferences and workshops. Among the possibilities,
were regional conferences on energy security and military doctrines.
`We should pause and try to see what is in the interest of the
majority’, he said. He hoped the OSCE could resolve its differences
on contributions, for it should not be conceived as an organization
that was mainly preoccupied with its own internal problems.
He also agreed with what had been said on the protection of human
rights in Kosovo. He had visited the area several times, including
after the events in March 2004 and several weeks ago. He was
impressed by the progress he had seen regarding the attitudes of the
provisional leadership of Kosovo. His interlocutors there realized
that there was no good solution without taking everybody on board,
including Serbian and other minorities, as well as international
community partners. It was important to prevent the events of March
2004 from being repeated or even attempted. The United Nations was
doing good work in that regard.
He had his worries, as everybody else, regarding possible
consequences of the indictment of the prime minister of the
Provisional Government in Kosovo, he continued. He hoped that would
not result in mass protests. It was not in the interest of the people
of Kosovo to go in that direction. He hoped a tense situation would
not be used for provocation. The situation in Kosovo should not be
dramatized. The status quo did not suit anybody in Kosovo, but there
were some radical elements in the region and criminal structures in
Kosovo itself that would like to keep it. It was necessary to
deliberate on the issue carefully. The role of the United Nations was
key, and a new resolution by the Council would be needed. There were
plenty of good ideas and concepts around.
Responding to a question by the United Kingdom representative, he
said that it was necessary to develop synergies not only between the
OSCE and the United Nations, but also between the OSCE and the
European Union. As far as conflict prevention was concerned, there
were many similar concepts. For instance, in the area of conflict
prevention, the two organizations could address the situation in
Georgia, where a border-monitoring project had been stopped for the
lack of a new mandate. The issue of border guards’ training was being
discussed in Vienna, and the European Union could help with some
ideas of its own. If the Union could step in that situation, that
would be of great importance to Georgia, and there would be no
jealousy as far as the OSCE was concerned.
From: Baghdasarian

Armenian, Azeri ministers’ meeting postponed
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
3 Mar 05
The meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers,
Vardan Oskanyan and Elmar Mammadyarov, which was scheduled for today
[3 March] will not take place.
The press service and information department of the Armenian Foreign
Ministry has told Armenpres news agency that this is because of
Oskanyan’s sickness. Doctors advised the minister not to stop his
treatment for pneumonia which might take another week.
The new date for the ministers’ meeting will be determined soon.
From: Baghdasarian

Rape allegations renew call to evict U.N.
American activist group wants world body ‘out of the
U.S.’
NEW WORLD DISORDER
WorldNetDaily.com
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Responding to new allegations of rape by United Nations peacekeepers,
an activist group renewed its call to evict the world body from the
U.S.
Move America Forward, co-chaired by California campaigner Howard
Kaloogian, has collected nearly 100,000 signatures on its petition to
“Get the U.N. Out of the U.S.” and stop American funding of the
organization.
“It has become an almost daily occurrence to read about allegations of
rape and molestation by U.N. officials,” said Kaloogian. “The
reputation of the U.N. is so badly tarnished that it cannot be trusted
to investigate itself.”
The U.N. acknowledges it is probing allegations that three
peacekeepers were involved in the rape of a Haitian woman.
The U.N. workers, policemen from Pakistan, contend they were engaged
in consensual sex with a prostitute, but the 23-year old woman told
Haitian radio stations the men “grabbed and pulled my pants, had me
lie on the ground and then raped me.”
The investigation comes after the U.N. reported 50 U.N. peacekeepers
and civilian officers in Congo have been accused of rape and
molestation of Congolese girls, and a U.N. senior official from France
has been charged with running an Internet pedophile ring.
According to an ABC News report, the U.N. personnel have fathered
hundreds of babies born to Congolese women.
Human-rights groups charge U.N. officials have tolerated the abuse for
many years.
Sex crimes by U.N. peacekeepers also have been reported in Kosovo,
East Timor and Cambodia.
This week, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, resigned
following allegations of sexual harassment.
Kaloogian asked, “How can we in good conscience continue to serve as
host and largest financial backer of an organization that is clearly
overrun with corruption and wrongdoing at every level from the
peacekeeper to quite possibly the Secretariat’s office?”
Move America Forward said it will present its petitions later this
year to congressional leaders, the Bush administration and
U.N. leadership.
“We’ve been overwhelmed with requests for ‘Get the U.N. Out of the
U.S.’ petitions from Americans who are growing disgusted by the UN’s
conduct,” said Siobhan Guiney, Move America Forward’s executive
director.
Guiney criticized U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Anna for an opinion
piece published this week claimed the problems facing the U.N. were
limited to “ethical lapses and lax management.”
Said Guiney: “Tell that to the women and children who are being
sexually abused by U.N. officials around the globe.”
From: Baghdasarian