Author: Bedik Zaminian

Top Official Suspected of Oil Links With Russia
2-3 October 04 issue of
Gazeta Wyborcza

The recent mysterious death of Marek Karp, the creator and head of the
Eastern Studies Centre (OSW), one of Europe’s best independent think
tanks on Russia, has shone a spotlight on an inconspicuous but
influential public servant, reports Gazeta Wyborcza. That man is
Robert Gmyrek, director of biofuels at PKN Orlen, the oil company, and
former deputy minister of farming. It was Gmyrek whom Karp had gone to
investigate in Russia before he was wounded in a freak car accident
near Poland’s border with Belarus and died a month later in
hospital. Several days before his accident, Karp visited, among other
things, the agency for internal security (ABW), and Zbigniew
Wassermann, deputy head of the parliamentary committee of inquiry into
PKN Orlen. Karp reportedly told the ABW he feared for his life, and
spoke of three OSW collaborators recently murdered in
Russia. Mr. Wassermann confirmed that Karp had claimed to have
important information about Gmyrek which he was to present to the
committee.
Karp went to Russia, writes Wyborcza, to seek evidence for Gmyrek’s
ties to Russian oil companies and related transfers of cash. He
probably also wanted to ascertain whether Gmyrek had links to the
Russian special services. Karp met Gmyrek in 2000 during an official
Polish delegation to Georgia, Armenia, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan. He
later told friends how surprised he had been when Gmyrek, previously
invisible, suddenly became animated in Azerbaijan whenever the subject
of oil came up.
Gmyrek, writes Wyborcza, has good relations with the Russian
embassy. He is acquainted with Nikolai Zachmatov, the embassy’s grey
eminence and officially the Russian Federation’s trade representative
to Poland. Zachmatov, a frequent guest at the farming ministry’s
veterinary department, would always first visit Gmyrek’s room, do his
business, and come to Gmyrek again.
Gmyrek, a veterinary surgeon by profession, has no direct links to any
political party. He unsuccessfully ran for parliament from the Freedom
Union list in 1997, but he has never been a member. Still, in 1999,
under then farming minister Jacek Janiszewski, he was nominated the
deputy head of the veterinary services. A year later, under Artur
Balazs, he was promoted to deputy minister in charge of veterinary
affairs. He surprised everyone when, following the Democratic Left
Alliance’s (SLD) 2001 election victory, he was not, like most from the
former coalition, axed, but instead was nominated director for
biofuels at Poland’s largest company. Gmyrek served at various posts
at Orlen: director for biofuels, deputy director for development, or
supervisory board member of the company’s cardiologic foundation. As a
company employee says, he was also then chief executive Zbigniew
Wrobel’s close aide. Gmyrek and Wrobel could have met when the latter
served as chief of PepsiCo’s Eastern European operations.
Gmyrek is also in close relations with Artur Balazs, the long-time
chief of the Conservative Popular Party (SKL), a politician known for
his good contacts with everyone from the president, through the Civic
Platform (PO), to the Polish Peasant Party (PSL). Andrzej Smietanko
(PSL), former chief of tycoon Aleksander Gudzowaty’s biofuel holding,
who was tipped to get the Orlen biofuel job that Gmyrek got instead,
says that Balazs stood behind Gmyrek’s nomination to the farming
ministry as well as his appointment at Orlen. “The biofuels are a
major business, so it’s good to have control over everything, and make
sure that Orlen signs the supply deal with the right company,” says
Smietanko. The idea was to build a single large biofuel factory that
would process the whole material and virtually monopolise the
market. That concept, says Smietanko, was supported by Gmyrek and
Balazs, who wanted to make a deal with Zbigniew Komorowski, an
influential PSL politician and owner of a sprawling food and farming
empire. Komorowski already founded a company to produce the biofuel
component,reserved a site for a plant and now awaits Orlen’a decision
on signing with him a supply deal. At Orlen itself, virtually all of
Wrobel’s people are gone ? except Robert Gmyrek. mw
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EU: European Commission President Talks To RFE/RL On Relations With South Caucasus
By Ahto Lobjakas 17/09/2004 10:42
Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
September 17 2004
The president of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, today begins
a tour of the South Caucasus. In an interview with RFE/RL, Prodi says
he will travel to the three capitals offering closer ties and aid —
but no membership perspective.
Prodi also rules out direct EU involvement in managing the region’s
conflicts, although he indicates the bloc is leaning on Russia to
play a constructive role. RFE/RL spoke with Prodi on the eve of his
departure. Brussels, 16 September 2004 (RFE/RL) — All three South
Caucasus capitals in recent months have asked the EU a simple question
— is the bloc’s door still open?
EU leaders are struggling to find a simple answer.
The official policy — Prodi told RFE/RL this week — is to avoid
talk of doors altogether.
He has a clear message to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia that might
be paraphrased as “do not look a gift horse in the mouth.”
Instead of focusing on membership, he says, the three should take
advantage of what the EU is already offering — including a special
“neighborhood” policy that could pave the way for more investment
and economic opportunity.
“We must give [the three South Caucasus countries] this message:
‘Europe is a big market. In the future, when you’re building your
economy, you can export to Europe — and indeed not only energy.
Europe is [also] a big investor. It is enormous…the biggest economic
[actor] in the world and [it] is not far from the three countries.’ So,
we are ready to invest. We must prepare a climate in the three
countries. And then in our aid we always help to build infrastructure
linking the three countries or helping [train] customs officials to
facilitate trade and the movement of people, etc.,” Prodi said.
Concerning eventual EU membership, Prodi says this is not possible as
long as the borders of Europe remain unclear. Prodi acknowledges the
EU’s basic treaties promise membership to all “European” countries.
But, he says, Europe’s borders are not fixed and change with time.
He adds that now — just after the EU has added some 10 new members —
is a bad time to fix the borders. He says the European public must
be sent a message that Europe is not enlarging every day.
“But this does not mean that these three countries do not belong to
Europe. They don’t belong now, and it is not planned that they belong
in the ‘European Europe.’ But the doctrine of the neighborhood policy
that we worked on so long and so deeply is [there] to build links of
friendship and cooperation, strong links with countries, which for
the foreseeable are not members of the [European] Union,” Prodi said.
Prodi does not exclude the possibility that the border of Europe may
in 2015 run between Turkey on the one hand and Georgia and Armenia
on the other. He hastens to caution that the EU has yet to decide
whether to open accession talks with Turkey — the commission is due
to make its recommendation on 6 October. But he points out that once
talks begin, they do so “with the perspective of closing them.”
Prodi also directs his comments to Russia. He says Russia is a key
partner and an important player when it comes to the future of the
South Caucasus.
He avoids comment on recent Russian statements indicating the
possibility of pre-emptive strikes on terrorist targets outside its
own borders. But he does say that Russia, in his opinion, is not
interested in destabilizing the region.
“I think that now Russia is interested in promoting stability and
security in the area. This is what I think, and I know that the
Russians are wise, they have no interest to enlarge any conflict,”
Prodi said.
Prodi suggests that the EU — as a “strong, independent” friend of
Russia — can help in resolving what he calls the “frozen conflicts”
of the South Caucasus. But he rules out any EU military presence in
the region, at least for the time being.
Prodi says force is not an option for any of the problems of any of
the three countries. This is particularly true of Georgia and its
troubles with North Ossetia and Abkhazia. Prodi refuses to directly
indicate whether Tbilisi’s use of massive force would jeopardize its
blossoming ties with the EU.
He also observes that Georgia has in recent history used “intelligent
force” — this is a veiled reference to the largely peacefully resolved
conflict with Adjara.
Prodi says the EU engages in no favoritism among the three countries,
although Georgia is, so far, alone among the three to have benefited
from an international donors’ conference which netted a many million
dollar windfall.
Prodi promises the EU will be an “honest broker” among the three
countries.
“Globally, Georgia receives more money. But if you analyze European
policy, it has been very honest between the three countries. I am
not happy that the amount of resources has not been enough for the
terribly big needs of the countries, but I want to have a balanced
strategy,” Prodi said.
He says no donor conferences are planned for Armenia or Azerbaijan
at this stage.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Fate of Iraq’s Christians
by Eden Naby
Progressivetrail.com
13 sept 04
Just after celebration of the Festival of the Cross (Aida d-Sliwa) on
Friday, 10 September, the village of Baghdeda, located southeast of
Mosul, on the Nineveh Plains, in the Ninawa Governorate, came under
mortar attack. Thus far a complete tally of the dead and injured in
this village of 30,000 Christians has not been transmitted abroad. We
know that the Sheeto family lost 13-year-old Mark Louis Sheeto and
that his brother and sister were critically injured.
It is unusual for information from Christian villages to filter
outside the area currently under military and political pressure from
the Kurdish Democratic Party. Kurds are barring Western journalists
from entering villages like Dayrabun (“Monastary of the Bishop”)
which are not in any danger zone, but are being denied resettlement
by their Christian inhabitants (reported by Thiry August, a Belgian
who tried to visit the Faysh Khabour area this summer). The KDP
is determined to expand its control as far to the west and south
as possible into areas now inhabited by ChaldoAssyrians. Under the
Transitional Administrative Law, so favorable to Kurds, the objects
of Western sympathy and funds, any territory in the three provinces
adjoining Dohuk, Arbil and Sulaymaniya (Ninawa, Tamim [Kirkuk]
and Diyala) that Kurds can show they controlled on March 19, 2003
(prior to the invasion), may become part of the Kurdish controlled
region in northern Iraq (TAL, Article 53A).
This provision allows Kurds to create “facts on the ground” in
the Mosul and Kirkuk areas in particular, at the expense of unarmed
ethnic and religious minorities – to wit – the Christians of Iraq, the
Yezidis, the Shabat, and the Turkomens. The advantages of controlling
Kirkuk are well known. But the Mosul area, now the scene of fierce
attacks on Christians and Turkomens, are less well recognized.
– The Nineveh Plains hold Iraq’s largest and most fertile agricultural
fields (barley, wheat and legumes). The ChaldoAssyrians had been
farming these for millennia until the steady pressure of Kurdish
population growth combined with Baathist village destruction forced
many of them to be displaced. There is considerable evidence that
Kurdish pastoralists have had a difficult time becoming productive
farmers. (ASSYRIAN STAR, Spring 2004, “Helwa, the Forgotten Tragedy”)
– The Nineveh Plains, through which passes the upper Tigris River
and its tributaries, holds the main water source for central and
south Iraq. Control of places like Faysh Khabour (to where thousands
of Christian villagers are not being allowed to return [NYT Sept. 12,
2004 “Assyrians in Syria”]) lies at the juncture of both the Tigris as
it enters Iraq from Turkey, and where the oil pipeline from the Kirkuk
fields enters Turkey on its way to Ceyhan. The KDP, and its strategic
allies, are grabbing control of Faysh Khabour and its environs,
at the expense of the area’s indigenous Christian inhabitants.
– The possibility of gas fields on the Nineveh Plains
makes control of this region triply attractive for the
Kurds. Barzani has already threatened war with regard to Kirkuk
(). [It is suspicious]
that that the methodical killing of Turkomens and ChaldoAssyrian
leaders by “unknown” assailants stands to profit the KDP, whether this
organization acts as a Sunni Muslim force or a secular Kurdish one.
The attack on Baghdeda, also known as Qaraqosh, marks the long and
largely ignored attacks on Iraq’s Christians who, with the exception
of some 10,000 Armenians, descendents of refugees from the atrocities
of WWI, form the one million or more indigenous Christian population
of Iraq. The term “Assyrian” by which this community has been known
historically (always called so by their Armenian neighbors) includes
several church communities of which the largest is the Chaldean
Catholic. Also included are two branches of the Church of the East,
and members of the Orthodox and Catholic Syrian churches, together
with small Protestant and Seventh Day Adventist congregations.
Both the Baathists (in Iraq and in Syria) and the Kurds have
attempted to divide this community along denominational lines for
easier control. But at their own conference of Chaldeans, Syriacs
and Assyrians, convened in Baghdad 22-24 October 2003, the unified,
albeit artificial term, ChaldoAssyrian, was adopted to forestall
Kurdish poliltical manipulation, which nonetheless continues. This
term appears in the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL) signed on 8
March 2004 by the Governing Council. “Assyrian,” dropped from Iraqi
census since 1977 as punishment for opposition to the Baath regime,
is widely used in the diaspora. But TAL recognition of this community
marks a historic first in Iraqi law.
The ChaldoAssyrians form the world’s last and largest compact
community of Aramaic (Syriac) speakers, the oldest continuously
written and spoken language of the Middle East, and after Chinese,
the second oldest continuously written and spoken language of the
world. This now endangered language will become extinct if the
ChaldoAssyrians are forced into mass exodus from Iraq, a prospect
activated by their inability to maintain a foothold, a safe haven, in
northern Iraq. A combination of Kurdish chauvinism and fundamentalist
terrorism (both Arab and Kurdish) has already driven large numbers,
probably thousands, of ChaldoAssyrians out of the country. As Patrick
Cockburn has reported recently with regard to the Turkomens, the US
military is apparently being manipulated by the KDP in the attacks
on Shiite Turkomens at Tel Afar, also in the path of KDP expansion
(). Blind sympathy for Kurds is
allowing the US to become complicit in the ethnic displacement of
Christians as well as Turkomens. Specifically in the Christian case,
the community is regularly denied funds for refugee resettlement
and village reconstruction while Kurdish villagers settle on former
Christian lands with US and international funding.
The early evening mortar attack on the homes of Christians in
Baghdeda comes in the wake of a bloody forty days for this community,
highlighted by the 1 August simultaneous bombing of five churches,
one in Mosul and the others in Baghdad. While it has been impossible
to determine the instigators of violence against Christians in
Basra and Baghdad, and no doubt some of the Baghdad kidnapping
for ransom is the work of criminal gangs possibly allied to the
insurgency, the upsurge in attacks on Christians in the north, on the
Nineveh Plains especially, is widely believed to be the work of KDP
agents. Kurdish attacks on Christians has a long history, stretching
well before WWI and the Hamidiya units of Kurdish irregulars that
were largely responsible for the Assyrian genocide in southeastern
Turkey and northwest Iran. The current attacks appear to be targeted
at Christians in the north of Iraq, on the Nineveh Plains, and the
villages to which those fleeing Basra and Baghdad are hoping to
return. These internally displaced persons (IDPs), as well as the
refugees stranded in Jordan and Syria, need both resettlement funds
and security from Kurdish attacks and pressure. Yet the community is
currently only supported by funds collected from the diaspora – and
in some cases – when the diaspora funds a project, such as electrical
generators, Kurdish thugs blow them up. In other instances, the KDP has
blockaded Assyrian villages and prevented delivery of food supplies.
( ).
Over the past few days alone, a sharply increased pattern of attack
on Christians in the north has emerged as gathered from websites
(). What is happening in the more isolated
villages remaining in Berwari, Aqra and Zakho may be even more deadly.
1. Mosul, Nineveh Province. 8 Sept. Video of real or enacted beheading
distributed in Mosul to frighten Assyrians into leaving the area.
“According to residents of Mosul, a group of Islamic terrorists has
distributed in the past few days a video CD containing the beheading
of two Assyrian Christians from Mosul. To date, the identity of the
Assyrian victims is still unknown. Many residents have seen the video
and claimed that it was very disturbing.”
2. Mosul, Nineveh Province. 8 Sept. Assassination of three women,
wounding of another and driver, as they traveled back to home village
of Bartilla from Mosul.
“On Tuesday August 31, 2004, Tara Majeed Betros Al-Hadaya, Taghrid
Abdul-Massih Ishaq Betros and her sister Hala Abdul-Massih Ishaq
Betros, were murdered in Mosul. The three Assyrian victims were
returning to their homes in Bartilla, from a hospital in Mosul, where
they worked, when their car was attacked by a group of terrorists
who opened heavy fire at the car.
The attack took place in the section between the Television area and
the Kokajli area on the main road between Mosul and Bartilla. Also
injured in the attack was another Assyrian woman, ‘Amera Nouh Sha’ana
who was also going home to Bartilla and the Assyrian driver, Naji
Betros Ishaq. The three female victims were in their twenties.
The residents of Bartilla are followers of the Syriac Orthodox Church,
and the town is the birthplace of His Holiness Mor Ignatius Yacoub III,
the late Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church.”
3. Mosul, Nineveh Province. 9 Sept. Two Assyrian brothers, both
community leaders, are riddled with bullets. Community believes goal
of intensified attacks is to terrorize them and force the indigenous
people to leave, and thus stop disputing Kurdish claims to Mosul,
now being vociferously put forward in Kurdish media.
“On Thursday September 2, 2004, Khaled Boulos (1972-2004) and his
brother Hani Boulos (1976-2004), who are known as the sons of Hasina,
were murdered in Mosul in the Al-Sa’a district. The deceased Assyrian
brothers were known by many Assyrians for their honorable stands
in Mosul in defending and assisting other Assyrians. According
to eyewitnesses, on September 2, at noon (local Mosul time) in
the Al-Mayasa (Al-Sa’a) district, a car carrying a group of armed
terrorists pulled by Khaled and Hani Boulos, where the armed terrorists
came out of the car and began firing heavily at the two Assyrians,
killing them instantly. The two Assyrian brothers worked for a foreign
company in Mosul, which the terrorists used as an excuse to murder
them. However, the peaceful Assyrians of Mosul believe that the main
goal of the intensified attacks on Assyrian Christians is to terrorize
the indigenous Assyrians and force them to leave their homeland.”
4. Mosul, Nineveh Province. 9 Sept. Assyrian political activist run
over by car without plates as terrorists target Christians. Suspected
terrorists are considered part of Kurdish plan to empty the region
of Assyrians who dispute Kurdish claim to entire north.
“On Wednesday September 1, 2004, during a terrorist attack on the
building of the Governorate of Ninawa, Nisan Sliyo Shmoel was injured
in his shoulder. Mr. Shmoel was taken immediately to the hospital where
he was treated. After treatment, he was released from the hospital that
same day, but the terrorists were awaiting his release and targeted
him with an unmarked car (not carrying plate numbers), which they
used to drive him over in front of the hospital entrance. Mr. Shmoel
died immediately.
Martyr Nisan Sliyo Shmoel was 43 years old. He is survived by his wife
and 6 children (5 daughters and a son). The oldest of his children is
15 years old. Shortly after the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s regime,
Nisan Sliyo Shmoel joined the Assyrian Patriotic Party (Gaba Atranaya
Aturaya) to serve his Assyrian people. Mr. Shmoel was also a private in
the newly formed Iraqi Army, which he had joined to serve his country.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA PRIME MINISTER SENDS TELEGRAM OF CONDOLENCES TO RF PRIME MINISTER
IN CONNECTION WITH PLANE ACCIDENTS
YEREVAN, August 26 (Noyan Tapan). Andranik Margarian, RA Prime
Minister, sent a telegram of condolences to Mikhail Fradkov, RF Prime
Minister, in connection with the August 25 plane accidents. The
Information and Public Relations Department of RA government informed
Noyan Tapan that the telegram, in particular, says: “On behalf of RA
government and personally on my behalf I express deep condolences in
connection with the accidents of TU-134 and TU-154 planes, as a result
of which dozens of people died. Addressing sincere words of
condolences at this time of sorrow for Russian people we ask to pass
our condolences to the families and relatives of people that died as a
result of the accident.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

STATE OF BATTLE PREPAREDNESS OF ARMY TO BECOME CLEAR DURING UPCOMING
EXERCISES IN NKR
YEREVAN, August 3 (Noyan Tapan). Command and staff exercises of the
Defense Army will be held in Nagorno Karabakh from August 3 to
12. Their purpose is to elucidate the state of the Army in the case of
the announcement of the “complete” battle preparedness. According to
the press service of the NKR Defense Army, the exercises will complete
with firing.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Anadolu Agency:
6/29/2004
Erdogan: Turkey Accomplished A Very Difficult Mission Hosting Nato
Summit
ISTANBUL – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on
Tuesday that Turkey accomplished a very difficult mission by hosting
NATO Summit in Istanbul.
Erdogan who held a news conference following the NATO Summit stated
that Turkey accomplished a very important mission by hosting NATO
Summit. He said that heads of state and government who attended the
summit shared a similar view as well.
Erdogan said that Turkey represented a synthesis between Islam
culture and democracy, between traditionality and modernism and
between the past and the future, and stressed that this summit showed
once again that Turkey was a powerful light of hope for dialogue
between civilizations and cultures.
Underlining that Istanbul Summit pointed to a critical aspect in
NATO`s transformation process, he said that decisions taken in the
summit would be a historical turning point for the future, world
peace and stability.
Erdogan said that decisions on extension of NATO mandate in
Afghanistan to areas beyond Kabul, upon the demand of central
government to support elections that would be held in this country,
were confirmed in the NATO Summit.
He said: “It has been decided to end NATO operation in Bosnia
Herzegovina at the end of the year and assist the EU that is going to
undertake a new operation there in light of achievements in this
country. A new package of measures like enhancement of capabilities
for prevention of possible chemical, biological and nuclear attacks
and exchange of intelligence including several measures in fight
against terrorism.
It has been decided to initiate work on removal of logistic and
financial difficulties which restrict participation of member nations
in NATO operations and to provide capabilities which are determined
to be necessary to fight new threats.
It has been stressed that accession of seven new countries would not
be the last expansion and that the Alliance`s open-door policy would
be preserved.
It has been decided to give priority to Caucasian and Central Asian
countries within the NATO`s partnership relations.
The `Istanbul Cooperation Initiative` which the leaders decided to
carry out in full partnership and consultation with the regional
countries in line with the approaches at the G-8 meeting and U.S.-EU
summits has been put into practice. It has been decided to improve
the existing Mediterranean Dialogue by preserving its peculiar
identity in parallel to the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative.
In accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1546 and in line
with the Iraqi interim government`s demand, it has been decided that
NATO will undertake a role in the training of Iraqi security forces
and a domestic study will be initiated regarding supplementary
steps.“
Erdogan added, “in line with all these decisions, we clearly see
that the NATO`s transformation process that is built on new
capabilities, new partnerships and operations has gained a new
horizon and been accelerated at Istanbul summit. This visionary
quality of the Istanbul summit was actually mentioned also in the
Istanbul Declaration that was adopted at the summit. Releasing of
such a statement in addition of its content for the first time since
the London summit in 1990 that was held shortly after end of the Cold
War, affirms the importance of the Istanbul summit.“
ERDOGAN: “WE HAVE INITIATED A PROCESS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN“
Erdogan said that they had initiated a negotiation process between
Armenia and Azerbaijan during the 17th NATO Summit in Istanbul.
Erdogan said, “I held talks with Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan of
Armenia during the summit. I also had the chance of bringing Oskanyan
and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan together. Meanwhile, Foreign
Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has initiated a
process by bringing together foreign ministers of Armenia and
Azerbaijan.“
“We want a solution to be found to Azerbaijan-Armenia dispute on the
basis of the understanding of win-win. However, wishes are not enough
at all. The most important thing is to come to a conclusion,“ he
said.
Upon a question, Prime Minister Erdogan said that Turkey would
undertake command of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)
in Afghanistan in the February-August period of 2005, adding that
details would be clarified in the coming days.
JOINT STATEMENT ON IRAQ IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE FOR TURKEY
Erdogan said this statement was also very important as allies who
went through a difficult period during Iraq crisis put forth a
consensus on Iraq issue.
“The statement on Iraq includes noteworthy observations on general
situation in Iraq and principles that should be complied with,“
Erdogan noted.
Erdogan said that the statement`s underlining clearly that terrorist
activities stemming from Iraq threatened neighbor countries, and
security of the region was of great importance for Turkey.
Recalling that Afghan President Hamid Karzai also attended
Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) meeting, Erdogan said,
“especially the meeting with Karzai is a historical one. This
meeting was very beneficial and constructive, as it showed
Euro-Atlantic group`s commitment toward the future of Afghanistan.
This issue appeared clearly both in NATO meetings and also in
bilateral meetings.“
Erdogan noted that this summit also contributed to European Union
(EU) countries` approach toward Turkey`s EU membership.
In regard to Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister
Abdullah Gul`s holding a trilateral meeting on Monday with Foreign
Minister Elmar Memmedyarov of Azerbaijan and Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanyan of Armenia, Erdogan said that he hoped that foreign
ministers` decision to continue to hold such meetings would
contribute to regional stability and solution of regional issues.
Noting that he had had the opportunity of holding a series of
bilateral meetings during the summit, Erdogan said that he had
reviewed bilateral and Turkey-EU relations with the Italian, Spanish
and Slovenian prime ministers.
Recalling that he had held a detailed meeting separately with
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev and
Afghan Head of State Hamid Karzai, Erdogan said that he had met with
French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard
Schroeder prior to last night`s banquet and held a brief exchange of
opinions. Erdogan said that he had held several meetings with all
heads of state and government during NATO meetings.
Erdogan added that the Istanbul summit was a well-timed, beneficial
and successful meeting in terms of steering the NATO`s future,
Turkey`s promotion and bringing importance of Turkey to the
forefront.
ERDOGAN: “SEMINARY ISSUE WAS DISCUSSED DURING MY MEETINGS AT
SUMMIT“
Erdogan said that reopening of the seminary on Heybeliada island in
Istanbul had been discussed at some of his meetings he held within
framework of the NATO Istanbul summit.
Erdogan held a press conference after end of the summit and answered
questions of reporters.
Asked whether the seminary issue had been brought onto the agenda,
Erdogan said, “yes, the seminary was brought onto the agenda and I
said that our study on the issue had been under way. As you know that
the real source of the problem was its closure in 1971 under a
constitutional court decision. Our relevant institutions have been
conducting necessary study on the issue. We will act according to the
result of the study, but we seek if there are any other ways out.“
Erdogan said that he had also met with Greek Prime Minister Costas
Caramanlis during the summit and it was a very positive and sincere
meeting.
Asked of his opinions about use of tear gas by police against
demonstrators who protested NATO summit, Erdogan said, “policemen
fulfilled their duty while civil organizations used their democratic
rights.“
Erdogan said that policemen fulfilled their tasks successfully at the
point of deterrence.
Replying to a question on Turkey`s European Union (EU) membership
process, Erdogan noted that they approached the EU from the point
that there was not any problem regarding negotiation process.
Erdogan said that Turkey took very important steps on its membership
process, stressing that they expected the report on Turkey that would
be announced by the EU Commission in October would be positive.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish Daily News
June 29 2004
Turkey seeks catalyst role in Azeri-Armenian conflict
Foreign Minister Gul holds talks with Armenian and Azeri counterparts
on the sidelines of the NATO summit and discusses Cyprus steps with
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw
ANKARA – Turkish Daily News
Turkey seeks to become a catalyst between Azerbaijan and Armenia in
an effort to resolve the dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region,
Turkish officials said.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul on Monday morning met his
Armenian counterpart, Vartan Oskanian, on the sidelines of the NATO
summit in Istanbul. Oskanian said that Yerevan was serious in its
determination to improve relations with Turkey, while Gul noted that
Turkey had the will to reciprocate.
Both ministers agreed that due to the public’s sensitivity in both
countries, it would take time to achieve this objective. Gul cited
the example of Cyprus, noting that they had first laid a foundation
that had paved the way for negotiations and relations.
NATO has been discussing a project for launching a Caucasus Stability
Pact, but the continued tension between Azerbaijan and Armenia is a
significant obstacle to the plan.
Gul was scheduled to hold a trilateral meeting with his Armenian and
Azerbaijani counterparts, Oskanian and Elmar Memmedyarov, later in
the day.
Turkey had severed its ties with Armenia and says normalization in
relations depends upon Armenia’s withdrawing its forces in
Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave in Azeri territory under Armenian
occupation for the last decade. Other conditions for normalized ties
include Yerevan putting an end to its support for Armenian diaspora
efforts to secure international recognition of an alleged genocide of
Armenians at the hands of the late Ottoman Empire.
A Turkish official said that Armenia had no objection to developing
relations but noted that it had posed no objections during other
international meetings, later reneging on its pledges.
In this afternoon’s meeting, Oskanian was expected to broach the
issue of stability in the general Caucasus although the raising of
the topic would not be welcomed by the Armenian people.
Turkish officials said that all three ministers would express their
willingness to meet regularly on a trilateral basis in addition to
meetings at international summits.
Turkey and Armenia do not enjoy diplomatic relations. A Turkish
official close to the talks said, “Only the results and indirect
consequences of the problems between the two countries are of any
interest to us.” The Turkish official also declined to specify how
Turkey would act as a catalyst in relations between Azerbaijan and
Armenia.
Another topic during the meetings is expected to be the replacement
of private charter flights between Turkey and Armenia with scheduled
flights.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency
June 16 2004
Increase of ISC-Star authorized capital up to $1 million to be
settled on June 25 at the meeting of shareholders in Yerevan
Robert Kocharian: development of small and medium business in Armenia
is a priority
Broadcasting of Culture TV Channel in Armenia to be another step in
expanding of Russian-Armenian cooperation – RF MFA
Till the end of 2004 Conversebank CJSC (Armenia) to issue securities
totaling AMD 300-500 mln
Conversebank’s (Armenia) share in Armenia’s economy is significant
RA MFA denies some publications about tightened inspection of visa on
Armenian-Turkish border
*********************************************************************
INCREASE OF ISC-STAR AUTHORIZED CAPITAL UP TO $1 MILLION TO BE
SETTLED ON JUNE 25 AT THE MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, June 16. /ARKA/. Increase of ISC-Star authorized capital up
to $1 million will be settled on June 25 at the meeting of
shareholders in Yerevan, the company told ARKA. The agenda of the
sitting also includes issues considering investments in
telecommunication projects, possible sale of shares to third figures,
organizational issues.
“Independently of the developings, we will continue our work on
realization of our projects. The goal is the same – construction of
accessible and reliable mobile network in Armenia and provision of
Internet services”, ISC-Star Director General Eduard Hakobian told
ARKA.
Another subject for the discussion will be second turning to RA
Ministry of Transport and Communication with an application for
provision of radio-frequencies and obtaining license for provision of
services in the field of mobile communication. Besides, shareholders
will consider participation of ISC-Star in tender on provision of
services in the sphere of mobile communication in Georgia that will
take place in the end of 2004.
Armenian-Russian-American JV CJSC ISC-Star was registered in Armenia
on Sep.24, 2001. The founders of the JV are legal and physical
entities of several foreign states, including Russia (KOMIN Ltd and
OJSC LanRusinvest) and RA residents. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
ROBERT KOCHARIAN: DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESS IN ARMENIA
IS A PRIORITY
YEREVAN, June 16. /ARKA/. Development of small and medium business in
Armenia is a priority, RA President Robert Kocharian stated at the
working meeting with the heads of interested ministries, departments
and public organizations dealing with small and medium business. The
meeting was called to solve issues raised on June 8 during the
meeting of the President with representatives of small and medium
business. “All issues must be regulated and if there is some that can
be solved, then it should be explained”, Kocharian said. Legislative
activity and practical policy in the sphere of economy should be
organized so that they were directed on encouragement of small and
medium business.
In result of the meeting the President gave orders with concrete
terms of prosecution. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
BROADCASTING OF CULTURE TV CHANNEL IN ARMENIA TO BE ANOTHER STEP IN
EXPANDING OF RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN COOPERATION – RF MFA
YEREVAN, June 16. /ARKA/. Broadcasting of Culture TV Channel in
Armenia will be another step in expanding of Russian-Armenian
cooperation, RF MFA official site states. According to Russian MFA,
National Committee on Tele and Radio Broadcasting of Armenia made a
decision on provision of 23rd decimeter frequency for retransmission
of Culture TV Channel in Armenia. “Hope that transmission of the
Culture programs in Armenia will be another step in expanding of
Russian-Armenia cooperation in humanitarian sphere”, the document
states. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
TILL THE END OF 2004 CONVERSEBANK CJSC (ARMENIA) TO ISSUE SECURITIES
TOTALING AMD 300-500 MLN
YEREVAN, June 16. /ARKA/. Till the end of 2004 Conversebank CJSC
(Armenia) will issue securities totaling AMD 300-500 mln, according
to Smbat Nasibyan, the Director General of the bank. As he said, th
eissue of the securities was planned even earlier with the technical
support of IBM Business Consulting Services, however it was stopped
because of closing IBM Consulting. So, according to Nasibyan, the
bank is going to issue securities without anybody’s support during
2004. HE noted that issue of securities would allow the bank “to gain
experience and approve the chances to attract financial means from
the economy in future”.
Conversebank CJSC was registered on December 20, 1993. The bank was
later renamed to Conversebank CJSC on April 26, 1997. On October 31,
1996 the bank received a general license N87. The assets of
Conversebank made about AMD 25219, 9 mln as of May 31, 2004, and the
total capital amounted to AMD 3921,6 mln. ($1- AMD 546,12). A.H.–0–
*********************************************************************
CONVERSEBANK’S (ARMENIA) SHARE IN ARMENIA’S ECONOMY IS SIGNIFICANT
YEREVAN, June 16. /ARKA/. Conversebank’s (Armenia) share in Armenia’s
economy is significant, as stated by Smbat Nasibyan, the Director
General of the bank at today’s press conference devoted to the 10th
anniversary of the bank. He noted that Conversebank according to its
financial balance ranks the seconds by the assets for the 1st Q,
2004, and ranks the first by the profit gained. “This actually
testifies to the fact that the bank achieved the goals it had from
the standpoint of its strategic development”, he said. According to
Nasibyan, for 10 years the bank gained the trust of the population,
made great investments from the standpoint of the technological
development and provision with bank e-services. According to him,
Conversebank is ahead of many banks functioning in CIS by providing
with services, the management quality and risks allocation. “For
Armenia with quite limited volume of consumption, including the
banking area, we managed to impement the system of automation and
provide with quite wide spectrum of services, in particular, the
clients of the bank can by making just one call to an automated
system find out the whole information they want beginning from
payments for utility services to monetary transfers”, he said.
Nasibyan also mentioned that the bank provides with wide spectrum of
services also via ATM starting from utility payments to purchasing an
easy card or Internet-services cards.
In respect with the 10th anniversary of Conversebank, the bank
planned in September 2004 to hold some arrangements, including
charity ones and even holding a concert with laser show elements. The
action “the Program of the best economic development of the region”
to be held, in the frames of which not only a competition for the
best business-program will be held, but also issues of funding will
be discussed.
Conversebank was registered on December 20, 1993. The bank was later
renamed to CJSC Conversebank on April 26, 1997. On October 31, 1996
the bank received a general license N87. The assets of Conversebank
made about AMD 25219, 9 mln as of May 31, 2004, and the total capital
amounted to AMD 3921,6 mln. ($1- AMD 546,12). A.H. –0–
*********************************************************************
RA MFA DENIES SOME PUBLICATIONS ABOUT TIGHTENED INSPECTION OF VISA ON
ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER
YEREVAN, June 16. /ARKA/. RA MFA denied some publications about
tightened inspection of visa on Armenian-Turkish border. As ARKA was
informed in RA MFA Press Service Department referring to Turkish
Embassy in Russia, the order of visiting Turkey by Armenian citizens
has undergone no changes. RA MFA Press Service Department notes that
in international practice if visa regime is changed by one country,
then the country informs about it beforehand. “In this case, RA MFA
hasn’t received any notification from Turkey about it”, according to
RA MFA Press Service Department. A.H. –0–
*********************************************************************
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian, Azerbaijani Troops Clash On Border
Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
June 17 2004
16 June 2004 — The Armenian military today said one of its officers
was killed in a clash with Azerbaijani forces along the country’s
northeastern frontier.
Army Chief of Staff Mikael Arutunian said clashes in the area east of
Idzhevan, an important road and rail center, broke out a week ago when
Azerbaijani troops attempted to take a position on a hilltop that would
have enabled them to control a source of water running into Armenia.
Arutunian claimed several troops on the Azerbaijani side were killed.
There was no immediate confirmation from Baku.
There have been repeated such incidents in various frontier regions
since the signing of a cease-fire in 1994.
At least three Azerbaijanis were reported killed in similar clashes
along the frontier last year.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress