Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
March 11 2004
US happy with relations with Azerbaijan

On Tuesday, President Ilham Aliyev received Lynn Paskoe, U.S. Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs.
Appreciating the high-level cooperation between Azerbaijan and the
United States, Aliyev said, “The large projects implemented in
Azerbaijan and in the region are directly supported by the United
States.
If there had been no support from the United States, it would have
been impossible to realize these projects.” Noting that Azerbaijan is
an ally of the United States in the anti-terror coalition, President
Aliyev said that Azerbaijan itself had been repeatedly exposed to
terrorism.
Stressing the need to solve the most outstanding problems, including
the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Upper Garabagh to achieve
long-term and firm peace in the region, Aliyev expressed his hope
that the United States’ stepping up its efforts as a co-chair of the
OSCE Minsk Group would result in a peaceful resolution of the
conflict soon. Updating the guest on the grave consequences of the
conflict, President Aliyev said that more than one million people had
become refugees and internally displaced persons as a result of the
conflict.
US-Azeri relations
Expressing his adherence to President Aliyev’s opinions on the
Azerbaijani-U.S. high-level cooperation, Paskoe voiced his confidence
that bilateral relations would continue to develop. Underlining that
Azerbaijan is the United States’ close partner in combating
terrorism, the U.S. official said cooperation in this direction would
develop in the future. Highly appreciating the positive changes in
the South Caucasus region, particularly in Azerbaijan, Paskoe noted
that these changes are watched with great interest in Washington and
Europe. Paskoe also stressed that his country intended to cooperate
closely with Azerbaijan’s leadership on political and economic
issues. Reno Harnish, the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan, and his
deputy Nancy McEldowney were also present in the meeting.
From: Baghdasarian

Armenian deputy foreign minister, US official discuss Karabakh settlement
Mediamax news agency
12 Mar 04
YEREVAN
Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Ruben Shugaryan and the director of
the Office of Caucasus and Central Asian Affairs [part of the Bureau
of European and Eurasian Affairs] of the US Department of State, John
Fox, discussed the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh problem in
Yerevan today.
The press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry told Mediamax news
agency today that Shugaryan and Fox also exchanged opinions on the
situation in the South Caucasus and discussed Armenian-American
relations.
From: Baghdasarian

Russian embassy in Georgia denies Moscow sending extra troops to Ajaria
RIA news agency, Moscow
12 Mar 04
TBILISI
The Russian embassy to Georgia has denied Georgian media reports that
an additional contingent of Russian servicemen is being sent to Ajaria
(one of Georgia’s autonomous republics).
“This is a routine rotation which the Georgian leadership, Foreign
Ministry and Defence Ministry were informed of in advance,” the
embassy’s press service told Novosti-Gruziya agency [the Georgian
service of RIA news agency].
A routine replacement of servicemen at the 12th Russian military base
in Ajaria is taking place at the moment, the embassy explained.
According to the diplomatic mission, 78 servicemen from the base at
Gyumri (in Armenia) arrived at the base on 12 March, and another 44
servicemen will arrive there over the next few days. An equivalent
number of servicemen are to leave the base during the
rotation. Altogether 188 servicemen will be replaced during the
rotation, the embassy added.
“All the servicemen arriving at the 12th Russian base in Ajaria have
Georgian visas, the lists with their names have been submitted to the
appropriate Georgian authorities,” the press service stressed.
The embassy recalled that this is not the first time such reports have
appeared in the Georgian media of late. “The embassy asks all
journalists to be precise in their reporting. We are willing to answer
any questions,” was the assurance from the press service.
From: Baghdasarian