Author: Chatinian Lara

Armenian minister urges more Russian investment
Noyan Tapan news agency
7 Jul 04
Moscow, 7 July: During their 6 July meeting, Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanyan and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov lauded the
recent progress in trade and economic ties between the two countries.
Oskanyan told Lavrov that it was necessary to restore as soon as
possible the Armenian companies which were handed over to Russia as
part of the property-for-debt deal, the Foreign Ministry has
reported. This would boost Russia’s investments in the Armenian
economy, facilitate economic growth in Armenia and create new jobs.
The sides also talked about the positive example of successfully
developing cooperation between constituent parts of the Russian
Federation and Armenian districts. The significance of restoring
transport links between the two countries was also discussed. Russia
promised to pay more attention to this issue.

Baku Today
Azeri Foreign Ministry Protests U.S. Congress
Baku Today 02/07/2004 16:50
Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday protested a decision by
the foreign aid subcommittee of the U.S. Congress to provide $5 million of
aid to Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan’s mainly ethnic-Armenian populated
region that has been under the Armenian occupation since early 1990s.
A statement by the foreign ministry expressed concern that the allotted
money would be used in maintaining of `aggressive separatism, extremism and
promotion of illegal activities’ in Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan’s other
territories occupied by Armenia.
`This decision by the Congress can effect the settlement process of the
conflict negatively,’ the statement read, adding that the funds could also
be funneled to a resettlement of Armenians in Azerbaijan’s occupied
territories.
The statement urged the U.S. government to make sure that the aid is used
for humanitarian ends and within international principles and norms.
Azerbaijan and Armenia are at odds over Nagorno-Karabakh, over which Baku
has lost control after 1991-94 war.
Armenian troops have also captured seven administrative districts of
Azerbaijan – Lachin, Kelbecer, Aghdam, Fizuli, Jebrail, Zengilan and Qubadli
– forcing over 700 civilians to leave their homes.
A cease-fire agreement reached between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 1994 is
frequently violated by exchange of fires while peace negotiations mediated
by OSCE’s Minsk group since 1992 have yielded no result.

Monterey Design Systems Hires 50th Employee in Armenia; Company
Recognized for Outstanding Contribution to Armenia’s High-tech
Industry
LOS ALTOS HILLS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–07/01/2004–Monterey Design
Systems has just hired its 50th employee in Armenia, and for its
outstanding contribution to the growth of Armenia’s high-tech
industry, the company has received a special award from the Armenian
Chamber of Commerce. In a ceremony held yesterday in Silicon Valley,
Dr. Aram Vardanyan, chairman of the Armenian Chamber of Commerce,
presented the award to Dr. Jacques Benkoski, president and CEO of
Monterey.
“We are extremely pleased that Monterey Design Systems selected
Armenia for its R&D facility. We continue to be impressed by how fast
the company has grown their team over the last year,” said Aram
Vardanyan, who is also a member of the Armenia Academy of Science and
was the former General Director of the Semiconductors Plants in
Armenia.
Monterey has steadily increased its operation at its Arset R&D Center
in Yerevan, Armenia, recently passing the milestone of 50
employees. “Since Monterey began operations in Armenia, we’ve built an
excellent team based on very highly educated and qualified engineers
and with a close cooperation with Yerevan University,” said Hayk
Hovhannisyan, general manager of Monterey’s Arset operation. “We have
enjoyed tremendous success and growth, and it’s a pleasure to be
contributing to Monterey’s overall success in this way.”
Monterey’s Arset R&D facilities in Yerevan are based in the Viasphere
Technopark (), a well recognized commercial park,
housing over 300 professionals and several high technology companies
representing diverse disciplines including semiconductors,
semiconductor intellectual property, electronic design automation,
enterprise software, and network management.
About Monterey Design Systems
Based in Mountain View, Calif., and with offices in major electronics
markets worldwide, Monterey Design Systems Inc. provides software to
enable the design of today’s most complex systems on a chip
(SoCs). With Monterey’s physical design solutions, engineering teams
can improve the performance, shorten the time to market, and reduce
the cost of the products they design. Global electronics giants such
as ST Microelectronics, Toshiba, NEC, and Zoran have been taping out
chips using Monterey tools for more than four years. Monterey partners
with other leading EDA companies, such as Cadence (NYSE:_CDN_
(aol://4785:CDN/) ) and Synopsys (Nasdaq:_SNPS_ (aol://4785:SNPS/) ),
to ensure interoperability in all major design flows. To learn more,
visit
Monterey and Monterey Design Systems are registered trademarks or
trademarks of Monterey Design Systems. Viasphere and Viasphere
Technopark are registered trademarks or trademarks of Viasphere. All
other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
CONTACT:Monterey Design Systems Juli Rombuck, 650-237-2022
[email protected] or Cayenne Communication Michelle Clancy,
252-940-0981 [email protected]
SOURCE: Monterey Design Systems
07/01/2004 18:02 EASTERN

Nottingham Evening Post, UK
June 30, 2004
Busy month for the band
The award-winning band will take part in the “Bands in the Park”
event on Sunday at Wollaton Park from 2pm to 5pm. The following
Saturday it will play at the Concert for Armenia at Hucknall Parish
Church, in the International Byron Festival 2004. Tickets are £5 and
the event starts at 7.30pm.
On July 11, the band will perform a free show in the grounds of
Newark Castle and on Saturday July 17, it will join Thorntons Brass
at Crossley Park, Ripley, for the Ripley Music Fest, which ends with
a firework display. On July 12, it plays at Newstead Abbey.

Armenia says it is ready to participate in humanitarian operations in Iraq
AP Online
Jun 29, 2004

Armenia is prepared to actively participate in humanitarian operations
in Iraq, Deputy Foreign Minister Ruben Shugarian said Tuesday.
He said such an offer was in the national interests of this ex-Soviet
republic and also took into account the large Armenian Diaspora living
in Iraq. Some groups have estimated the number as high as 30,000.
Discussions are focusing on sending military medics, drivers and
sappers to Iraq, Shugarian said. He said the talks are currently
focusing on technical details.
Armenia has pursued close ties with the United States, home to a large
Armenian Diaspora, and had earlier expressed a willingness to help in
Iraq.
Shugarian also noted that he was pleased that the United States was
determined to maintain parity in its military aid to Armenia and
Azerbaijan next year. Relations between the neighboring ex-Soviet
countries remain tense after Armenian-backed forces drove Azerbaijan’s
army out of the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in the
early 1990s.
A cease-fire was signed in 1994, ending the war that killed 30,000
people and left about one million homeless, but no agreement has been
reached on the territory’s final status.

Cihan News, Turkey
June 28 2004
Erdogan: Kurdish Citizens In Turkey Are Not Minority, But One Part Of
The Whole
ISTANBUL (CIHAN) – Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said
on Monday that Kurdish citizens in Turkey are not minorities but are
one element of the whole.
Attending the Youth Summit in Istanbul, Erdogan said that as NATO and
the European Union (EU) extend east, Turkey’s geographical distance
is less significant and it plays a more important role. Expressing
the increased importance of Turkey, Erdogan stated that Turkey can
help with its experience that comes from the past and its effort to
engage with the west.
Erdogan noted that, “Turkey is important to the security of Europe.
NATO has fulfilled its mission to provide security and to struggle
against to terror and Turkey is working its align itself in the
direction of this target”.
Responding to a the question concerning the status of Kurdish people
in Turkey, Erdogan said that, “Our Kurdish citizens in Turkey are not
a minority but are one element of the whole. All elements contribute
to the integrity of Turkey. I am from the Black Sea region but my
wife is from the eastern Turkish city of Siirt where the Kurdish
citizens predominate”.
Erdogan said that they have worked to fulfill the Copenhagen criteria
since November 3, 2003 and have completed a large part of the
reforms. The implementation of these reforms has now been started.
Erdogan also evaluated relations with Armenia saying that, “Turkey
aims to be a country that has no problems with its neighbors, but the
problems between Turkey and Armenia result from Armenia’s attitude.
Armenia has problems with Azerbaijan even though it is occupies part
of Azerbaijan. We want to improve relations with Armenia but Armenia
is a fractious country and the Armenian administration has a
difficult attitude. We cannot say why Armenia will not attend NATO
Summit in Istanbul, but the assertion of an Armenian genocide cannot
be accepted”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Middle Israel: Talking Turkey
Jerusalem Post (Online Edition)
June 24, 2004
By Amotz Asa-El, [email protected]
“Our forefathers, at their strongest time in history, opened up their
hearts to the Jews who had been driven out of Spain at the time of the
Inquisition and opened up their hearts and homes to the Jews. Jews were
the victims at that time.
Today, the Palestinians are the victims, and unfortunately the people of
Israel are treating the Palestinians as they were treated 500 years ago.
Bombing people – civilians – from helicopters, killing people without
any considerations – children, women, the elderly – razing their
buildings using bulldozers.
When I explained all this to your minister of energy, his response was
‘only a friend can be this sincere and talk this openly.'”
Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
Haaretz, June 4, 2004
********************
Mr. Prime Minister
You may have expected world Jewry to regard your recent remarks
concerning the Jewish state’s conduct of its current war, and your
government’s recalling of its ambassador from Tel Aviv for
consultations, with awe; after all, yours is a major power, and its
place among the familiar choir of anti-Israeli pontiffs is not natural.
In fact, you have accomplished the opposite, raising doubts about
your own historical insights, personal integrity, and diplomatic
reliability.
Fortunately, your Islamic party has proven itself happily modernist,
a movement that once in power embraced the separation of church and
state, promoted market economics, courted Europe as feverishly as its
secularist predecessors, and inspired moderation in Cyprus.
And yet you have just launched a vicious attack at us, and it would
be useful for you to fathom its severity now rather than lament its
impression later.
FIRST, THERE is the moral aspect.
You appear to believe that you carry some moral weight with which you
can reprimand us while we fight a war that has been much more vicious
than anything your countrymen have faced in more than 80 years. Yet
the fact is that, with all due respect to your tentative release of a
handful of Kurdish dissidents recently, you remain hostile to their
general cause, arguing that they should never have a state. Not only
do you deny that nation the right of self-determination in your land,
you also deny it elsewhere. A Kurdish autonomy in Iraq, you recently
told Newsweek, would not be “healthy,” as it would “bother” Syria,
Iran, and Turkey.
Now truthfully, Mr. Prime Minister, how do you want the Jews to take
seriously your hectoring about their treatment of the Palestinians
when this is what you have to offer a nation that, unlike the
Palestinians, has existed for centuries, has its own language, and
numbers at least 30 million people? Forgive us for suspecting that
behind your high-minded talk about justice is actually a cynical
concern for power and disregard of other people’s rights, in line
with your country’s historic mistreatment of myriad nationalities,
from Greece in the west to Armenia in the east.
Forgive us also for reminding you that your criticism conveniently
ignores the fact that we Jews have offered the Palestinians a state,
half of our historic capital, and even a foothold in our religion’s
most sacred site.
Please understand that as long as you have not displayed even a
fraction of such pragmatism in your dealings with your own
adversaries, you are in no position to preach to us on these issues,
certainly not in a way that will make us reconsider our attitudes.
Yet a Jew’s qualm about your attack is not only about its morality,
but also its factuality.
Your portrayal of our military activity is almost childish. What are
you insinuating, that Israeli gunships routinely take to the air and
indiscriminately spray the humanity beneath them? Maybe you can get
away with spreading such Arabian Nights stories in the despotic
Middle East that you prefer to see conserved, and in the Europe you
are so eager to join. Here in Israel, sir, the citizenry is the army.
No one can tell us stories about what our army does and doesn’t do,
certainly not you. The army here is not some remote entity, or, as
you suggest, “the government”; the Israeli army is us, our families,
our neighbors, our friends and our colleagues. And the way we see it,
our army is surgically targeting the people who let our children’s
blood. And when innocents die for having been at the wrong place at
the wrong time, as always happens in wars – even ones fought by
Turkey – we regret it at least as much as you do. To blame us for
fighting a war we did not start is like blaming a surgeon for drawing
blood.
Yet even more perplexing is your abuse of our history.
First, one is at a loss to decide whether your statement that the
Jews are now doing what the Inquisition once did to them, is more
abusive or ignorant. Are you suggesting that we are putting hundreds
of thousands of people on boats and shipping them into the horizon,
or that we burn heretics in weekly auto-da-fes at Rabin Square? Give
us a break, Mr. Prime Minister. Europe has changed, and joining it no
longer requires blood-libeling the Jews.
There is something very touching, and sincere, about your nostalgia
for your ancestors’ hospitality toward ours, and your emulation of
that tolerance, as expressed by your visit to the Turkish chief rabbi
after the Istanbul synagogue bombings. Yet we Israelis have no
pretension of emulating the Jews of 15th-century Istanbul, whose
formula for Jewish survival boiled down to seeking non-Jewish
benevolence.
We, the sober survivors of centuries of abuse, prefer to survive
thanks to our own actions, and as such are determined to never again
be slaughtered with impunity. We prefer to be scolded abroad rather
than murdered at home, even if you protest that our murderer was “a
spiritual leader.”
And as for that minister of ours, who in response to your spitting in
his face and ours, could only bring himself to tell you that “only a
friend can be this sincere and talk this openly” – all I can say is
that only idiots like me could have voted for an idiot like him.
;cid=1088046780466

From: “Katia M. Peltekian”
Subject: BAKU: KLO Activists Face Criminal Case on Charges of Hooliganism
Baku Today, Azerbaijan
June 23 2004
KLO Activists Face Criminal Case on Charges of Hooliganism
Criminal cases have been filed against five arrested members of the
Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO), including its leader Akif
Naghi, on charges of hooliganism, police said on Tuesday.
The KLO members were arrested the same day after they attempted to
stage an unauthorized rally in front of Baku’s Europe Hotel in
protest of two Armenian participants of a planning conference for
NATO’s `Cooperative Best Effort-2004′ military training.
Although police stopped the protestors from nearing the hotel, a
group of young KLO members could enter the building via a rear door.
After minutes of squabbling with the hotel’s guard, they also managed
to break into the hall where the conference was being held.
Reinforced police forces eventually could force the intruders out of
the hotel.
The Baku-hosted planning conference, which was organized under NATO’s
Partnership for Peace Program, is attended by representatives from
ten NATO member-states and 11 countries participating in the
Partnership for Peace Program. The conference is due to finish on
Thursday.
Baku’s arch foe neighbor, Armenia, which has taken control over
one-fifth of Azerbaijan’s territories in 1991-94 war, is being
represented in the event by Colonel Murad Isakhanyan and Senior
Lieutenant Aram Hovhanesian.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Baku Today
June 22 2004
Police Disperses KLO’s anti-Armenian Rally in Baku, Arresting Akif Naghi
Baku Today 22/06/2004 17:23
Several members from the Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO),
including its chairman Akif Naghi, were arrested on Tuesday after
they clashed with police near Baku’s Europe Hotel, where a planning
conference for NATO’s “Cooperative Best Effort-2004” military
training opened the same day.
About 100 KLO activists attempted to rally in front of the hotel in
protest of two Armenian participants of the conference, Firudin
Mammadov, a deputy KLO chairman, told the Baku Today. No immediate
comments were available from the police.
Mammadov said when the police prevented the protestors from
assembling in front of the hotel, a group of 15-20 young KLO
activists managed to broke into the hotel via a rear door, after
which the work of the conference was stopped for about ten minutes.
KLO had warned the Armenian officers, Colonel Murad Isakhanyan and
Senior Lieutenant Aram Hovhanesian from coming to Baku, with a KLO
activist threatening them with death.
KLO also blamed Azerbaijani authorities for letting the Armenian
officers – who have been involved in the occupation of Azerbaijan’s
territories – into the country.
Armenian officers had failed to show up in the first Baku-hosted
planning conference for the “Cooperative Best Effort-2004” exercises
in January. Armenian foreign ministry then put the blame on the
Azerbaijani government for not providing the Armenians with entry
visas. But the latter accused the Armenian side in response, saying
that Yerevan had already besmirched relations with Baku by occupying
one-fifth of Azerbaijan’ territories.

Caspian Sea
Sun, 20 Jun 2004
gulf-news.com
News
Visa-change run to Kish gets cheaper for 16 nationalities
By Mahmood Saberi
Bureau Chief
Dubai: Sixteen nationalities will no longer need to pay a security deposit
when flying from the UAE to the Iranian island of Kish on a visa-change
trip, according to a Kish Airline source.
“It was a burden on the passenger, though it was only a deposit,” said a
source at the airline.
Those excluded from paying the deposit are expatriates from India, Pakistan,
the Philippines, China and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
The CIS includes Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and
Ukraine.
Kish Airline, which runs six daily flights to the Island from Dubai, earlier
took up to Dh1,500 from each passenger from these countries.
This was to pay for the passenger’s ticket home in case the sponsor did not
send a new visit visa for some reason.
Many passengers on visa-change run to the island have been stuck there for
days and sometimes months, due to glitches at the sponsor’s end.
The security deposit varied depending on the nationality of the person.
For an Indian or a Filipino, it was Dh1,500. For Pakistanis it was Dh1,000.
The number of passengers from the excluded countries who had to be brought
back to Dubai and sent to their home countries was very small, said the
source, explaining the reason for waiving the deposit.
For Chadians and Ugandans the deposit is around Dh3,000 because of the high
air fare back to some of the African nations, said the source.
However, expatriates from Sudan, Chad, Tunisia, Uganda, Senegal and Nigeria,
still have to pay the security deposit.
Passengers from the excluded countries now only have to pay a surcharge of
Dh25.
“The airline has not increased the fare since a long time,” said the source.
However, Qeshm Airline, which does the visa-change run from Dubai to a
smaller island off Iran, is still taking the security deposit from
passengers.
EXCLUDED
Surety amounted to Dh1,500
• Expatriates from countries India, Pakistan, the Philippines, China and the
CIS are excluded from paying a security deposit when flying to Kish island
on visa-change procedures.
• Earlier Kish Airline used to charge up to Dh1,500 from each passenger to
meet any contingency.
• However, Qeshm Airline which flies to a smaller island off Iran still
charges the deposit amount.