Author: Ekmekjian Janet

Armenian MPs’ Planned Visit Fails
AssA-Irada 26/11/2004 16:06
Armenian parliament members did not arrive in Baku to attend the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly Rose Roth seminar which started on Thursday.
Chairman of the Armenian parliament commission on defense, security
and internal affairs Mger Shahgeldian stated that this is due to
Baku’s failure to provide safety guarantees for Armenian MPs.
Director of the Milli Majlis (parliament) international relations
department Namig Aliyev says that Azerbaijani authorities guaranteed
security for all participants, including Armenian MPs, and that
the latter decided not to travel to Baku at the last minute, while
in Moscow.
Aliyev continued that NATO representatives disapproved of this step by
Armenian parliament members. “Armenians want us to deny them entry
to the country and thus deal a blow on us. In reality, they are the
ones who were hurt by this.”
Shahgeldian and another Armenian MP, Karapetian, were initially
expected to attend the NATO seminar. Pan-Armenian news agency reported
that the reason for the Armenian MPs’ not attending the event was
Azerbaijan’s refusal to admit Armenian officers to a NATO seminar and
an ethnically Armenian Bulgarian journalist, who was denied entry at
the Baku airport, and killing of an Armenian serviceman by an Azeri
officer in Budapest, Hungary.

Pressure group starts protest actions
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov 25 2004
Over 50 members of the Garabagh Liberation Organization (GLO) held
an action at the Samad Vurgun garden in Baku at noon on Wednesday in
protest against the Armenian parliament members’ intended participation
in the NATO Rose Roth seminar due in Azerbaijan late in November.
The protesters held posters saying “Shame on those allowing Armenians
in Baku”, “Keep away Armenian invaders” and “NATO, stop supporting
Armenia!” and released some 100 black balloons in the air, the GLO
chairman Akif Naghi said.
After interference by the police, four protesters were taken to the
Sabayel police precinct, and released two hours later.
About 30 GLO members held another action in front of the Baku Airport
Terminal exit door at 3 p.m. on the same day and read out an appeal
to the airport workers.
“You also represent the Azerbaijani people and should prevent the
entry of aggressor Armenians to Baku”, the document said. GLO will
continue protest actions on Thursday.*

GEORGIAN PRESIDENT WARNS OF “FIERCE BATTLE”, “SACRIFICE” AT PARTY CONGRESS
Imedi TV, Tbilisi
22 Nov 04
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has said that Georgia is not
yet liberated and is facing a “very fierce battle”. In an impassioned
speech at the ruling National Movement’s party congress in Tbilisi
on 22 November, Saakashvili said that, while the 300,000 Georgians
killed in World War II were “very worthy people”, the country “will
sacrifice whatever it takes” to gain freedom. He said that Georgia
would only be truly free when not a single foreign soldier was left on
its soil against its will. Saakashvili also launched a scathing attack
on former President Eduard Shevardnadze and current opponents, accusing
them of fighting reforms. The following is an excerpt from the address
broadcast live by Imedi TV; subheadings have been inserted editorially:
Welcome, my comrades-in-arms, my sisters and brothers, my closest
friends. On your behalf I also welcome those who have not been able
to get into this hall, hundreds of thousands of them, our members,
our comrades-in-arms, our supporters, our staunch fellow citizens. I
welcome the 2,000 or so delegates who are here from Georgia’s various
regions. I welcome our guests who have come here from many other
countries and all over our own country.
Georgia’s “true heroes”
Today is, of course, an important day for us. I would like to say to
you that I saw the video at the beginning (of the conference) and I was
rudely awakened many times by the repeated mentions of my name. That
was because the true heroes of what happened in Georgia one year ago,
what has been happening in recent months and what happened in Batumi
on the St George’s Day in May (Georgia also celebrates St George’s Day
on 23 November), are not party leaders. True heroes are Zaza Damenia
(soldier killed in South Ossetia) and his mother, who addressed you
all here today.
Trues heroes are Shorena (a young teacher who addressed the conference
earlier) and hundreds of other young idealists like her, remarkable
people for whom their homeland is more than simply empty words and
drum-beating, or some general flag waving or preservation of rituals,
although the preservation of rituals is very important when talking
about the state. This is her daily work. Shorena did not tell
you that every morning – when I met her, I specifically asked her
about it – she gets up at six o’clock and takes four different buses
to go from Tbilisi to Sadakhlo (a place with a large ethnic Azeri
population). She spends more than half her salary on these buses, so
that she can teach not just the Georgian language, but also Georgian
national consciousness. These are the kind of people who are building
the new Georgia.
No-one thought that it would be possible to create a society with
a completely different mentality so suddenly. For example, Nino
(Burjanadze, parliament speaker) said to me that when she arrived in
Chiatura to deliver her condolences to the family of a man killed
in Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) during an antismuggling operation,
a mourner cried out to her and asked who did this child die for? His
mother was there, a Siberian lady. She raised her head and said, don’t
you ever dare ask that again in my presence. This was my only child,
but if I had another, I would unquestioningly let him die for the
country, she said. Those are the kinds of mothers we have in Georgia.
Therefore, the rose revolution was not just a flash in the pan. The
rose revolution was a magnificent manifestation of our dream. The
rose revolution was a dream for a strong, proud, free and happy
Georgia. With the revolution we unleashed our desire for freedom. The
most precious thing in our national anthem is this: freedom is ours
today, now, forever, eternally, historically Georgia’s freedom and
Georgia’s salvation. The rose revolution waved our flag in front
of the whole world, on television screens. The whole world saw it
as a symbol of democracy and freedom. It was a banner for all those
fighting for democracy, with their own flags now flies the Georgian
five-cross flag. I am very proud of that. Today our flag, for them,
and more importantly for ourselves, is a symbol of our future victory.
Thirty years of Shevardnadze
Until we appeared, the National Movement, the Burjanadze-Democrats,
all the other party and non-party people appeared – our groups do not
consist entirely of party people – what was politics? Politics was what
(former President Eduard) Shevardnadze and his predecessors made it to
be. Shevardnadze was doing it for 30 years – I was five when he became
first secretary of the Georgian Communist Party Central Committee –
and his predecessors in previous decades. Politics is the art of the
possible but what was possible in this country? Intrigue, filth,
back-stabbing, speculation, shady deals, everything that is worst
about human nature.
We showed that the Georgian people also have the ability to create
what Vaclav Havel, leader of the Czechoslovak and European democratic
movement, called the art of the impossible. The art of the impossible
is for politics to improve itself and the whole world, the world around
us and our region. This art, the art of the impossible, in the past
year has been perfectly demonstrated in the region, specifically,
by our people and our state.
Where were we one year ago? We were in a world in which for the past
30 years we had been taught to think about doing one thing but do
the opposite. We were taught that promises meant nothing. You could
promise whatever you wanted and no-one would hold you to it. We were
taught that honesty did not exist and everyone that said they were
honest was merely playing at it. It was impossible for such a person
not to have some ulterior motives.
He told us that national ideals, a national mentality, meant
nothing. These were even labelled negative phenomena in the
70s. However, those eighty years (of Soviet rule) could not destroy
what our nation had been building for thousands of years. That is what
saved us – an intolerance of injustice, fighting spirit, bravery and
standing by each other.
You remember what they were saying to us last year. I remember very
well that in summer last year everyone was telling us that, whatever
we did, people would not want to come out on to the streets. That is
what Shevardnadze, (former regional governor Levan) Mamaladze and
other discredited political parties which are talking a lot today
were saying. But we proved them to be very wrong.
When the election took place they did everything possible to put
people off politics. They admitted that they were are bad but said
that others were no better. They are trouble makers, crazy, deranged,
untrustworthy, they said. They said it would be better if we kept out
of politics. What are young people doing getting mixed up in politics,
they said. We won’t allow the politicization of young people, they
said, young people shouldn’t be interested in their future. They
thought that people would not turn out for the election. We showed
that they were gravely mistaken and we turned out for the election.
Then they said, as Zurab (Zhvania, prime minister) mentioned, that our
union would quickly fragment and that we could not hold an election. We
held three elections – regional, parliamentary and presidential,
all of which the whole world judged to be free and democratic. The
one and only country in the CIS where, in the last 15 years, or,
rather 13 years, that this organization has existed, elections have
been judged to have been free and democratic, is Georgia.
We had made promises and so the time came to keep these promises. We
promised people that we would return to them the property that these
bandits had stolen and bring them to justice. We will get our hands
on those who managed to escape. We have dealt with the rest as the
law requires and their property has been confiscated. Those who have
not had it confiscated yet will have it done by court procedures and
it will be returned to those to whom it belongs – the Georgian people.
We promised that we would pay arrears, the prime minister spoke
about this. We have almost completely resolved this problem.
Medieval king – model for Georgia today
What is our model? Naturally, our model is (12th-century Georgian
king) Davit Aghmashenebeli’s Georgia. We have promised that, just as
Davit Aghmashenebeli excelled at putting an end to the rule of feudal
lords in Georgia, so will we. What happened in Ajaria on St George’s
Day last year (as heard) is as important as the day when Ajaria again
became part of Georgia. This year we managed to reincorporate Ajaria
into Georgia. We should never forget it, so that we do not have to
do it again (sentence as heard). (Applause)
We promised to double pensions. However, while managing to increase
pensions somewhat, we had to spend money to clear old debts. But
I confirm that we must always keep our word because I put my word,
our word, above personal interest and above my own life. That is why,
as of 1 January, the minimum pension in Georgia will double to and
equal 28 lari, just as we promised the public. No-one in the state
sector will be paid more than 115 lari next year, and we will fulfil
this promise too. (Applause, laughter) I meant less than 115 lari.
What are our main tasks today? We are a party that has a special
responsibility. The worst thing would be – Nino (Burjanadze),
Zurab (Zhvania) and others spoke about it earlier – for us to start
saying that the budget is now three times the size it used to be,
figures are good, power supplies have improved and there will be
round-the-clock electricity in Tbilisi, and allow ourselves to rest on
our laurels. That would be the biggest mistake we could make. As long
as there is poverty in Georgia, and there still is a lot of poverty in
Georgia, as long as there is even a single home without electricity,
and we must understand that the majority of Georgia’s regions still
do not have electricity most of the time, as long as Georgia is not
united, which is the main thing we lack, it would be wrong and even
amoral for us to speak of any achievements, and especially to flaunt
our achievements. That is not something that could help us achieve
our goal. (Passage omitted)
There are people who have closed ranks around the mafia. There are
mafiosos in prison who use mobile phones, have millions in bank
accounts, control certain sections of the press and some political
groups and are busy fighting the new Georgian state round the
clock. But these people do not know that we will not back down. They
do not know that we cannot be blackmailed. They do not realize that
it is impossible to talk to us in this tone because the public is not
suffering from amnesia and knows full well what these people are worth.
People who are currently fighting reforms under certain slogans,
claiming that they are protecting national values and the ideology of
Ilia (Chavchavadze, 19-20th-century Georgian writer and public figure)
– (changes tack) That is quite outrageous because there has been no
greater reformer in Georgian history than Ilia Chavchavadze. If Ilia
Chavchavadze had ever met Guram Sharadze (former MP and Shevardnadze
supporter), he would have torn him apart. Now these old KGB agents,
the filthiest people in Georgia, the most loyal servants of the
empire we have destroyed, people who have done their utmost to stop
us winning – today they have the nerve to wave nationalist flags in
the streets in front of the Georgian people. Leading a life of lies
is what Shevardnadze taught them. Shevardnadze’s loyal servants are
still around and we must fight them with our ideology, truth, courage
and example to make sure that they never return to power in Georgia.
People who pretend to be defending the Georgian church today, are
they not the same people who insulted the Georgian (Orthodox Church)
patriarch in the worst possible way at a time when the patriarch was
fighting for Georgian independence, when the patriarch refused to
attend the parliament session they convened? Now these people pretend
to be defending our church from us, people who are its loyal sons
and followers.
That is why there is a limit to how much they can be allowed to
lie. Our task today, as never before, is to establish the supremacy of
the law. Only a government that respects the law will be strong. It
must itself respect the law. We should not be a government that
just writes laws and tells others to respect them. MPs, ministers,
deputy ministers, customs chiefs and police chiefs who break the
law are the main threat to the Georgian state. That is why our main
task is to establish order, which we have started doing. Order in
Georgia should be based on the supremacy of the law and the legal
accountability of every person.
Another important issue is civil consciousness. We have conducted a
poll and found out that 90-95 per cent of our people trust and are
proud of the new police patrol force. However, 60 per cent of them say
that they would not cooperate with the police. That is the result of
the thieving mentality which Shevardnadze imposed on us. Police patrol
officers arrested eight pickpockets and robbers on the metro the other
day. In all eight cases, the victims refused to give a statement to the
police because they thought it was no longer their business. They do
not see it as their problem if these people are freed and attack other
members of the public tomorrow. Unless we put an end to this, we will
not get another opportunity to change people’s mentality in Georgia.
A third important issue is the involvement of representatives of
all ethnic groups in Georgia’s political life. There are just two
criteria for someone to be promoted in Georgia – professionalism and
loyalty to Georgia. Since these two criteria exist, ethnic origin
is absolutely irrelevant. There are fewer than four million of us,
Georgians. But if we add the Georgians, Azeris and Armenians who left
Georgia and are now scattered around the world, there will be more
than six million of us. Six million people who are united are much
harder to defeat than four million.
That is why we see modern Georgian history as a continuation of
what Davit Aghmashenebeli began. Davit used to visit mosques,
synagogues and churches. Davit brought foreigners to Georgia to
serve the country. There is no need for us to look for such people
because for centuries these people, Armenians, Azeris, Ossetians,
Abkhaz – (changes tack) By the way, our history, including our modern
history, in particular the war in Abkhazia, is full of examples of
self-sacrifice by these people. That is how it was in the past and
that is how it should be in the future. (Passage omitted)
We are bringing Georgia back. However, this is a lengthy process. We
still have many things to do. Poverty is possibly one of the biggest
misfortunes facing Georgia. We are implementing reforms and lowering
taxes in order to have more people pay taxes. That is to say, we hope
that every Georgian will take part in this.
The main thing for all of us is to understand that neither Saakashvili
nor Nino (Burjanadze), nor Zurab (Zhvania), nor even the nucleus of
our party activists, should be credited with what has been done. This
is a job for every person, every individual. If every businessman
realizes that he is building a Georgian economy and that the state
can set low taxes for him, if every person realizes that he is one
who creates laws, if he refuses to give bribes, if he provides us
with information about the people who humiliate him and if he refuses
to be humiliated, – the front line passes through every place where
there are relations of this sort – our bureaucracy will be different.
“Injustice in the regions”
We know that there still is great injustice (in Georgia), particularly
in the regions. We know that there still is serious corruption
in offices of heads of local administration. We know that while
the Georgian government has been cleaned, the rats have moved the
battleground there (to the regions) and intend to return to the
Georgian government from there. This will not happen. We are in office
and we will do everything in our power to explain to every police
officer, every local administration employee, every employee of the
social services, every builder, every official that either they will
learn to live by the new laws of the Georgian state and realize that
they are the people’s servants, not their lords, or they will leave
government jobs once and for all. We are building holiday places
(prisons) in Kutaisi, Tbilisi, Rustavi and a few more places for
people of this sort. (Applause)
Therefore, an uncompromising, relentless fight against injustice
remains the main task of the National Movement, our united party,
which includes the United Democrats and the National Movement and
is therefore called the United National Movement. Our main task is
to defeat it. The main thing is to give Georgia a sense of justice,
purity and honesty once and for all. (Passage omitted)
I cannot but pay tribute to our reservists. While part of the political
spectrum, those who are always busy trying to sow cynicism in Georgia,
says that nothing will come out of this, that everything will fail,
that there will be a conflict, that everything will go wrong, that the
Georgians are worthy of nothing – (changes tack) That is to say, even
those who said that they did not like Shevardnadze have turned out to
be his most loyal disciples because Shevardnadze’s case is alive as
long as cynicism and indifference exist in Georgia. These people
are trying to bring back this ideology. They have said that the
setting up of a reserve force is a show. If it is a show, let them
flatten their bellies and go there and run 10 km every morning for a
month. (Applause) Let them wash their faces with rainwater. Let them
learn something. Let them put out forest fires like our parliament
members and reservists did.
Parliament members did not go there to show off. They went there
to express solidarity with our society and demonstrate once again
that parliament members, the president, the president’s family, the
parliament speaker’s family and the prime minister are united. We
are a small country and we cannot afford to keep distance from each
other. We will be well only if we are absolutely equal and united.
In the past, even a distant relative of a parliament member would not
have joined the army. Today parliament members, the best of them,
do military service, while the worst of them go to jail. This is
the way it should be in a normal society. We have principles. Some
people were offended when I said that reservists are the best part of
our society. Are our parliament members, our scientists, our actors,
our film directors not the best part of our society, they asked. Of
course, they are. I mean not just those who took up arms and put
on military uniforms but also those who said that they had to think
not about what they could gain from a better Georgia, but, rather,
what was best for Georgia, what they could do for Georgia. That is
the way these people think.
There are many reservists in this hall. I want to thank you again
because, just like you, I am a soldier for our homeland. We all should
be soldiers for our homeland if Georgia is to be saved.
We should understand that we want to have good relations with
every country. We do not need enemies and we are not trying to
make enemies in the world. We want to have very good relations with
all our neighbours, including, first and foremost, Russia, Turkey,
Azerbaijan and Armenia.
However, everyone should know that good relations cannot come at the
expense of Georgia’s independence. We are ready to make all kinds of
concessions but we will not make any concessions at the expense of
Georgia’s freedom and independence. I want everyone to know this.
Sacrifices necessary to make Georgia free
Georgia has not been completely liberated yet. We are in a battle. This
will be a very fierce battle. I do not want to lie to you. This
battle will be associated with great difficulties and a great loss
for our society. We should realize that while the fight against
fascism was very important, Georgia was not independent then. Many
of those who fought (in World War II) were very worthy people. Many
of those who died were worthy people. Some 300,000 Georgians died in
that war, 300,000 Georgians. However, their death did not lead to
Georgia’s independence, freedom and territorial integrity. Today,
in an independent Georgia, we can win territorial integrity and
free Georgia once again, we can bring back Davit Aghmashenebeli’s
Georgia. It is certainly worth making sacrifices for this. Georgia’s
sons have fought in the Soviet Union, India, Iran, Turkey, and today
they can fight for Georgia. There cannot be a greater honour than this.
I want everyone to know that Georgia is not completely free
today. Georgia will be completely free when there is no poverty in
Georgia and when no-one will say: what good does Georgia’s independence
do to me?
We are declaring war on destitution and poverty, and we will certainly
win this war. Georgia will only be completely free when there is no
longer a single foreign soldier on its ancient, beautiful land against
its will. We will certainly achieve this when we are united. (Applause)
Strength lies in unity. Those who preach discord, those who preach
intrigues do not understand the main thing, which is that a fragmented
and disrupted Georgia, even a country divided on just one issue,
means that the chance to unite Georgia will be lost forever, that
the chance to liberate Georgia will be lost forever.
We should argue. Democracy is about arguing, voting, not agreeing
with each other on some issues and agreeing on others. However, there
should be no doubt that Abkhazia must be regained and that Georgia’s
territorial integrity must be restored. Georgia will be completely free
only when the most beautiful flag in the world, the five-star flag,
flies at the Roki tunnel (linking Georgia’s breakaway South Ossetia
with Russia) and on the Psou (river on the border between breakaway
Abkhazia and Russia).
Everyone must understand and everyone must know that we will endure any
kind of hardship, we will learn to endure more than we ever endured
before, we will learn to endure the kind of hardship we have never
had before, we will sacrifice whatever it takes to make Georgia free
and win because victory is about having a lot of courageous, brave,
heroic people. We will be courageous and we will be brave. We will
fear nothing and we will win.
Thank you very much. (Applause)

Daily News , South Africa
Nov 19 2004
Suspected mercenaries ‘chained like animals’
By Beauregard Tromp
Malabo: A South African arms dealer who could face death for plotting
to overthrow the president of Equatorial Guinea told a court
yesterday he and his comrades had been chained like animals and
tortured into confessing.
Equatorial Guinea’s state prosecutor demanded the death penalty for
Nick du Toit and decades in jail for 13 other suspected foreign
mercenaries.
But in a dramatic final day of submissions in a trial that began in
August, the defendants stood up in chains and handcuffs to plead
their innocence.
“No weapons, no arms, no explosives were found on us,” Du Toit said.
“We have done nothing wrong. Since our arrest, we have been chained
like wild animals. We have been tortured by the police.There hasn’t
been any coup attempt.”
State Prosecutor Jose Olo Obono rejected any allegations of
mistreatment, saying all prisoners’ rights had been respected.
“Any statement to the contrary is not admissible in this trial,” he
told the court.
After closing arguments yesterday the fate of the eight alleged South
African mercenaries and their co-accused is now in the balance with
the very real threat of every man spending the rest of his life in
prison.
Yesterday the men shuffled to the front of the courtroom in Atepa
International Convention Centre constrained by their leg-irons, and
one by one pleaded to the judge for their lives. Judgment is set to
be delivered next Friday.
First to enter the courtroom was Jose Domingos, one of the
naturalised South African Angolans, followed by Mark Smit, the
youngest of the group, who was brought in at the last minute to work
as a cook.
Some have visibly lost weight since a month ago. Most were wearing
shorts, T-shirts and sandals with the eight South Africans and six
Armenians still in handcuffs and leg irons.
After the judge and his two magistrates were seated, the alleged
ringleader of the mercenaries, Nic du Toit, was brought in, escorted
by six soldiers.
When the men were taken away later Du Toit was driven away alone in a
police van. He was kept away from the rest of the group who are all
seated behind eight defence attorneys.
The Equatorial Guinea authorities say there has been at least one
attempt to free the prisoners. It also emerged that while the
attention was focused on the trial of Mark Thatcher in Cape Town,
there had been another coup attempt.
The latest plot, EG authorities said, apparently was a local attempt
that was quickly quashed before it came to fruition.
Inside the courtroom a photographer and video cameraman moved around
the floor, photographing everybody present at the trial.
Even young Mark, who seemed teary-eyed and bewildered a few months
ago, has changed, now sporting a beard and a steely look was visible
from under his furrowed brow.
During the half-hour recess the men were glad for the opportunity to
speak to the South African officials attending the trial.
For Du Toit and Bones Boonzaaier it was another rare opportunity to
see their wives.
As they sit in an adjoining room, staring into their partners’ eyes
like young, starry-eyed lovers, they seem to relish every tidbit of
information they receive.
There was no talk of the trial, the horrendous prison conditions or
their health but rather of family, children and home. – Foreign
Service and Reuters

Azeri, Armenian foreign ministers meet in Berlin
Lider TV, Baku
19 Nov 04

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has met his Armenian
counterpart, Vardan Oskanyan. At their meeting in Berlin, the
ministers continued discussing the issues which topped the agenda of
their Prague meeting [30 August 2004], the Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry press service reported.
Mammadyarov will leave for New York tomorrow to attend discussions of
the situation on Azerbaijan’s occupied territories at the UN General
Assembly on 23 November.

Thames River – Results of EGM

Regulatory News Service
Nov 19, 2004

RNS Number:4554F Thames River Traditional Funds 19 November 2004 STOCK
EXCHANGE ANNOUNCEMENT For Immediate Release 19 November 2004 Thames
River Traditional Funds plc Re: Results of Extraordinary General
Meetings The Directors of Thames River Traditional Funds plc (the
“Company”) wish to announce that, the resolutions regarding amendments
to the Investment Objective and Policy of the Eastern European Fund
and the Global Emerging Markets Fund, sub-funds of the Company, as
detailed in a Circular sent to shareholders on 22 October, 2004, were
passed at an extraordinary general meeting held on 12 November,
2004. The amendments to the Investment Objective and Policy of the
Eastern European Fund and the Global Emerging Markets Fund are set out
below: Eastern European Fund The definition of “Eastern Europe” in
Supplement 3 of the Prospectus has been amended to include the
following countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Following this change, the third and
fourth paragraphs of the investment objective and policy section of
Supplement 3 of the Prospectus in respect of the Eastern European Fund
will read as follows: “Investment will be made primarily in the
securities of companies listed or traded on markets or exchanges in
Eastern Europe although the Fund reserves the right to invest in
companies whose securities are traded on other Recognised Exchanges in
which the Company may invest where these derive a substantial
proportion of revenue or profits from investments or business
conducted in or from Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe will for this
purpose include but shall not be limited to any or all of the
following countries or their successor states: Bulgaria, Croatia, the
Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland,
Romania, Russia, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Turkey and
Ukraine. Investment in securities of companies located in Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Kyrgyzstan,
Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will be undertaken
through depository receipts or other transferable securities such as
bonds issued by corporate and governmental issuers traded on
Recognised Exchanges.” Global Emerging Markets Fund “Russia and the
states of the Russian Federation” has been replaced with “Russia and
the countries of the Former Soviet Union” in the list of countries
included in which the Global Emerging Markets Fund will primarily
invest. “Bulgaria” has also been added to this list. Following this
change the first paragraph of the investment objective and policy
section of Supplement 5 of the Prospectus in respect of the Global
Emerging Markets Fund will read as follows: “The investment objective
of the Global Emerging Markets Fund is to achieve capital appreciation
through investment primarily in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile,
Venezuela, Peru, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Bulgaria, Croatia, the Baltic Republics, Ukraine, Turkey, Egypt,
Israel, India, Pakistan, the Middle East, South Africa, Sri Lanka,
Taiwan, South Korea, North Korea, China, Hong Kong, Singapore,
Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, Russia and the
countries of the Former Soviet Union and, in addition, such countries
as may, at the time of investment, be in the Morgan Stanley Capital
International Emerging Markets Free Index (known as “MSCI EMF”),
collectively “Global Emerging Market Countries” or “Global Emerging
Markets”. Enquiries: Ashling Walsh Dillon Eustace +353 1 667 0022 J&E
Davy Elaine Drennan +353 1 614 8933 This announcement has been issued
through the Companies Announcement Service of the Irish Stock
Exchange. This information is provided by RNS The company news service
from the London Stock Exchange
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Los Angeles Times, CA
Nov 14 2004
After Years of Relative Peace, Christians Live in Fear
Church bombings, threats and attacks have driven tens of thousands
to leave Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein. Many fear a pogrom.
By Patrick J. McDonnell, Times Staff Writer
BAGHDAD — A wave of attacks on churches and Christians viewed as
infidels or collaborators is generating alarm among a Christian
community that has long lived in relative peace alongside Iraq’s
Muslim majority.
Growing antagonism from Islamic extremists and insurgents has driven
tens of thousands of Iraqi Christians from the country in the last 18
months, and many more are planning to emigrate.
“We are crying tears of blood in grief for what is happening in
Iraq,” said Khayri Estayfan Abona, a 44-year-old mechanical engineer
and father of three who was among a number of Christians lined up at
a passport office here. “We are weak and helpless, so we are made
into scapegoats.”
In the northern city of Mosul, home to a large Christian population,
leaflets from self-described mujahedin warned women to cover their
faces and dress conservatively during the Muslim holy month of
Ramadan. Christian students at Mosul University boycotted classes
last month after threats from extremists. Rumors have spread of
expropriation of Christian property. Graffiti have warned Christians
to leave or face death.
“Muslims and Christians have been living together on this land for
more than a millennium, as brothers living in one homeland,” declared
several Christian groups in a public appeal issued last month seeking
support from Muslims. “The blood of Christians mixed with the blood
of Muslims in defending this land.”
Privately, some Christians fear repression and a sanctioned pogrom if
conservative Islamists come to power next year, when Iraq is
scheduled to hold its first democratic elections. Islamic groups long
repressed under Saddam Hussein’s secular regime have moved to the
forefront of Iraqi political life since U.S.-led forces ousted the
dictator. Christians have endeavored to maintain a low profile amid
the turmoil.
Christians are said to have resided in what is now Iraq since the
early days of their religion. Today, Iraq’s diverse Christian
population stands at about 800,000, according to community estimates,
or about 3% of the nation’s population of 25 million.
Although Christians have long been marginalized in Iraq, and suffered
like most Iraqis under totalitarian rule, even Hussein’s Baathist
regime did not systematically persecute them. Christian villages in
the north were emptied as part of Hussein’s “Arabization” campaign,
but that drive was primarily aimed at displacing Muslim Kurds and
creating a new Arab majority in areas close to the lucrative oil
fields.
Many Iraqi Christians did well in business and assorted trades,
particularly the hotel and restaurant sectors. Hussein’s deputy prime
minister, Tariq Aziz, currently in U.S. custody, was perhaps the
best-known Christian in Iraq. Christians here generally are
considered pro- democracy and liberal.
Driving away this generally well-educated and moderate population can
only harm a nation with a dire need for economic advancement and
tolerance, Christian leaders say.
“What worries us is the tyranny of the majority,” said Wathiq Hindo,
a U.S.-educated businessman and prominent Christian whose uncle was
an archbishop of the Syriac Catholic Church.
“Saddam was a dictator, but he was not a religious fanatic. Religious
fanaticism is a threat to us,” said Hindo, who graduated from a
Jesuit high school and college in Baghdad.
Although fanaticism may motivate some of the attacks, others probably
are related to the widespread perception that Iraqi Christians
welcomed the downfall of Hussein and the arrival of the U.S.
military. Insurgents have targeted anyone working with U.S. troops,
be they Muslim or Christian, Arab or Kurd.
Late last month, Christian representatives here estimated that about
7% of their fellow Christians — or more than 50,000 people — had left
Iraq since Hussein was toppled. A large number headed initially to
Syria, where many have relatives. But the ultimate hope of a great
number of Christians is to immigrate eventually to the United States,
Canada, Australia or other destinations for the Iraqi Christian
diaspora.
One of the largest Iraqi Christian communities in the United States
is in San Diego County. Iraqi immigrants there say they are
increasingly dismayed as they hear of difficulties for Christians in
their homeland. Efforts to get approval from the federal government
to allow fleeing Christians into the U.S. have been unavailing,
community leaders said.
“It’s very bad,” said Jibran Hannaney, a civil engineer. “As much as
I thought the grace of God was coming to our people when Saddam
Hussein was pushed from power, basically it’s been the wrath of the
devil instead. This liberation-turned- occupation has not helped our
people.”
Hannaney said almost all Iraqi Christian families in San Diego County
have relatives and friends who have fled Iraq for Jordan, Syria,
Australia or another country after learning that they could not enter
the United States.
The recent migration is an acceleration of an established trend of
Iraqi Christians seeking opportunities elsewhere. The withering cycle
of warfare and sanctions has prompted as much as half of the nation’s
Christian population to emigrate since the 1980s, community leaders
say.
The great majority of Iraqi Christians are Chaldeans, an Eastern Rite
Catholic group. Other groups — Assyrians, Syriacs and Armenians —
also have lived here for generations. One sect, the Mandaeans, are
followers of John the Baptist. Some Christians still speak and hold
services in a modern-day form of Aramaic, the language Jesus is said
to have spoken.
A smattering of Protestants and Roman Catholics also have lived in
Iraq since the period of British rule after World War I. In addition,
the fall of Hussein has drawn Protestant missionaries.
Coordinated bombings of at least seven Baghdad churches in the last
four weeks followed attacks on churches in Baghdad and Mosul in
August that left 11 dead and 50 wounded. Some churches have suspended
Sunday services.
Numerous Christian-run liquor stores have been firebombed and forced
to close. Because alcohol is taboo to Muslims, Christians
traditionally have been the only Iraqis licensed to sell it.
“We’ve always been able to do our job and live with our Muslim
neighbors in peace, but now all that is changed,” said Imad Polis
Jajo, whose liquor store in Baghdad was firebombed last summer.
A few days after the bombing, a letter arrived at Jajo’s door. If he
attempted to restart the business, it warned, his 15-year-old son,
Rafeef, would be kidnapped. Jajo is now unemployed and must seek help
from relatives, he said during a recent interview at a near-deserted
Christian social club in central Baghdad. Its gloomy emptiness
attested to the fear that has gripped the Christian community here.
“Even during the time of Saddam we were free to come to our club,”
said Sameer Khouri, the administrative secretary of the facility.
“Now, people are afraid to leave their homes.”
In Mosul, some Christian women have acceded to anonymous demands to
modify their dress in accordance with Islamic code as a means of
self-protection.
“I put on the hijab [head scarf] … to prevent being harmed by these
crazy people,” said Dalia Ishaq, 18, a student at the Fine Arts
Institute for Girls in Mosul. She blamed the excesses on extremists.
“All my friends are Muslim girls,” Ishaq said, “and this threat would
never change my relationship with them.”
Throughout Iraq, Christians interviewed echoed those sentiments,
emphasizing their ties to Muslim neighbors.
“I have so many Muslim friends, and they have never treated me
harshly — they are just like my sisters,” said Rana Saeed Jerjees,
25, a teacher in Mosul. “I think there are certain people who want a
civil war to break out in Mosul and all over Iraq. This is all part
of a major plan, and we must never surrender to such schemes.”
Mainstream Muslim clerics and the Iraqi interim government have
repeatedly condemned sectarian attacks on Christians. The nation’s
interim constitution explicitly recognizes religious freedom and the
rights of minorities.
However, many Christians wonder whether the government — battered by
an insurgency and needing U.S.-led multinational troops to maintain
some semblance of order — can prevent such violence.
One plan under consideration is for Christians to field a slate of
candidates for January’s elections to ensure that they are
represented in the 275-member National Assembly.
Another idea that has met with a cool reception among Christians is
the creation of a kind of Christian safe haven in the plains of
Nineveh province, outside Mosul. Proponents hope to attract
Christians who have left the country, but others fear a kind of rural
ghettoization.
“We don’t want to be refugees in our own homeland,” said Yunadam
Khanna, a Christian representative in Iraq’s interim parliament.
“There is a general crisis in Iraq, and what is happening to the
Christians is part of that crisis.”
*Times staff writer Suhail Ahmed and special correspondent Said Rifai
in Baghdad, special correspondent Roaa Ahmed in Mosul and staff
writer Tony Perry in San Diego contributed to this report.
–Boundary_(ID_IruMllrBnvOEoltu+pUuBg)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MP says US military presence could facilitate solution to Azerbaijan’s
problems
Zerkalo, Baku
11 Nov 04
An Azerbaijani MP has blamed Russia for instability in the South
Caucasus and said it was time to ask other countries for help
in bringing back peace to the region. In his comments to Zerkalo
newspaper, Alimammad Nuriyev said he was “genuinely” interested in the
stationing of US military bases in Azerbaijan which, he said, could
facilitate a solution to some of Azerbaijan’s domestic problems. The
following is an excerpt from report by C. Sumarinli and C. Bayramova
in the Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo on 11 November headlined
“NATO forces could be stationed in Fuzuli District” and sub-headed
“Russian media claim that the USA pushes Azerbaijan into an abysm of
chaos”. Subheadings have been inserted editorially.
Russia’s concerns
In an effort to thwart Russia’s initiative of building the strategic
Moscow-Yerevan-Tehran vector, the USA and Turkey are cherishing some
kind of a plan. Namely, as [Russian] Gazeta SNG reports, the two
countries, without the unnecessary hue and cry, intend to launch a
programme of assistance to the Azerbaijani Armed Forces similar to
the Train and Equip programme apparently finishing in Georgia.
“Back in July 2002, the information came in that soon after the arrival
of several hundred US commandos in Georgia, about 40 US servicemen
came to Azerbaijan, apparently for training purposes as well. It is
hard to say how many US servicemen there are in Azerbaijan now,” says
the author of the article and adds that these countries have chosen
the zone of the Karabakh conflict (Fuzuli District) to implement
their training programmes.
The author says that it is not at all necessary to be in an immediate
vicinity of the contact line to provide training – there are also
firing ranges in the rear which have been generously scattered on the
entire territory of Azerbaijan ever since the Soviet times. However,
the article contains a pointed hint that the USA is interested in
destabilizing the situation in the region. “The lessons the US military
taught to Georgian servicemen are manifesting themselves. The central
role in instability in Abkhazia and South Ossetia is played by the
very Georgian commandos trained by the Americans. If the USA manages
to break the `Russian chain’ in the Caucasus and, following Abkhazia
and South Ossetia, destabilize the zone of the Karabakh conflict, a
`US-controlled chaos’ will be in store for the region.”
“Azerbaijan’s priority – integration into Euro-Atlantic area”
The head of the press service of the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry,
Ramiz Malikov, says he has no information about the training of our
servicemen by that of the USA. He described the reports as being wide
of the mark.
Contrary to this, a member of the standing parliamentary commission
on defence and security, Alimammad Nuriyev, says: “It sounds quite
realistic that US servicemen may train ours. And I can’t rule out
that this may be so in the near future. The concern of the Russian
side over the possible stationing of the US forces in Azerbaijan is
understandable. However, we shouldn’t forget that cooperation between
the USA and Azerbaijan, which are allies, may develop in different
spheres. While up until now this cooperation mainly centred on the
political and economic fields, now these relations may expand in the
military sphere as well,” Nuriyev said.
In principle, Azerbaijan should treat quite normally the possible
stationing of US mobile forces and the establishment of training
centres on its territory, at least because our country is part of the
antiterror coalition. At the same time, the MP said that Azerbaijan’s
priority is integration into the Euro-Atlantic security system. This
implies that the process of army building in Azerbaijan must be in
line with the NATO standards. And this necessitates the opening of
such training centres.
The MP added that “it wasn’t by chance that during his recent visit
to Baku NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer assigned the
`homework’ of ensuring the involvement of US top brass in the training
of Azerbaijani servicemen”.
Time to ask for help in restoring stability in South Caucasus
At the same time, Nuriyev said that the opening of the US training
centres on the territory of Azerbaijan can to some degree facilitate
the solution to the country’s problems. “This first of all holds true
for the Karabakh problem. Our commandos trained by the US servicemen
may play a major role in liberating our occupied territories,”
he said. The MP welcomed the idea of a US military presence in
Azerbaijan. “While I do not have credible information about the
presence of US military bases here, I would genuinely like that to
happen. Why don’t we use the NATO security systems for our integration
into the Euro-Atlantic area when the Qabala radar station being used
by Russia can easily operate in our country?”
At the same time, the MP does not believe that the American presence
in the region can destabilize the situation. “Instability has been
an inherent part of this region since 1990 and this is `thanks’ to
an active involvement of the Russian armed forces and their support
for the Armenian side. It is common knowledge that Russia could have
turned the South Caucasus into a stable region. But it chose not
to. Therefore, to stabilize the situation it is necessary to resort
to the assistance of other countries,” the MP said.
[Passage omitted: opinion of an independent expert]

PM SAYS DOUBTS ABOUT OCTOBER 27 ATTACK NOT FULLY DIFFUSED
ArmenPress
Nov 11 2004
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS: Armenian prime minister Andranik
Margarian admitted on November 10 that despite the chief prosecutor’s
council’s decision to drop the so-called “separated case” that
was supposed to find out whether the 1999 October 27 attack on
the parliament had been designed by other people except the five
terrorists, there still remain some doubts.
The chief prosecutor’s council made the decision two days ago
saying that all investigative measures had failed to track down
other masterminds of the assault.. Margarian called on all people
who claimed that they have information that may shed new light to
the attack, to present it to prosecutors.
Margarian, who was among parliament hostages, said when he was giving
testimony he mentioned that his impression was that the attackers
were waiting for someone else, for an assistance beyond the parliament
walls. He said he still has the same impression.
“I hope that some evidence will be brought about to diffuse these
doubts, if not now, maybe in future,” he said.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
11/09/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) No Shift in Armenia's Genocide Recognition Policy 2) Caucus Co-Chairs Oppose Azeri Effort to Disrupt Karabagh Peace Process 3) Aliyev Boast of Settlement Alternative, Major Military Spending Boost 4) Ball in Baku's Court Says Armenian Foreign Minister 5) Slovak Parliament to Discuss a Genocide Resolution 6) Zhvania, Kokoity Meeting in Sochi 1) No Shift in Armenia's Genocide Recognition Policy YEREVAN (Armenpress/Noyan Tapan)Armenia's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamlet Gasparian said Armenia's policy for international recognition of the 1915 genocide has not changed, and remains a foreign policy priority. His comment came in response to Azeri and Turkish media reports that Yerevan may be considering a shift in its policy to help normalization of ties with Turkey. The reports claimed the shift may be indicated by the lack of regular reference to the genocide in next year's draft budget sent to parliament for approval. Gasparian said the draft budget has no relation to Armenia's consistency and decisiveness to continue the campaign for international recognition of the genocide, adding that no previous budget has ever had a special clause earmarking such expenditures. "The international recognition of the Armenian genocide does not refer to Armenia or Armenians alone; it refers to humanity and cannot be placed within a budget or other financial calculations," Gasparian said. The lack of reference to the genocide in the budget appears to have aroused enthusiasm in Turkey and Azerbaijan. The Azeri press reported that a historical coup is taking place in Armenia. "Yeni Musavat" states that the government of Armenia is making a historical decision while trying to improve its relations with Turkey. The "Aina" newspaper writes that the Armenian authorities are taking a wiser stance on the issue of the genocide. Turkish mass media does not reveal, however, if the genocide issue has ever been included in Armenia's budget. According to the Istanbul-based Marmara Armenian newspaper, political observers stress that the absence of the indicated point in the budget does not indicate a change of Armenia's policies. 2) Caucus Co-Chairs Oppose Azeri Effort to Disrupt Karabagh Peace Process --Urge Secretary Powell to "renounce" and "secure retraction" of proposed UN initiative WASHINGTON, DC (ANCA)--Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) have urged Secretary of State Colin Powell to take decisive action against a UN resolution, introduced by Azerbaijan, which could seriously undermine the Karabagh peace process. In a November 7 letter to the Secretary of State, the Caucus Co-Chairs expressed concern about the "ill-advised" resolution on the "situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan," stating, "This intentionally disruptive resolution threatens the principles and procedures of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), as well as the Minsk group mediation effort, co-chaired by the United States, France, and Russia to resolve the Karabagh conflict." The letter from the Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs continues, "Efforts to reinforce stability and reduce the risk of conflict are in the best interests of the US and the South Caucasus region. To this end, we urge that the United States forcefully renounce this proposal, secure its retraction, and impress upon the Azeri government that it should drop such counter-productive tactics in favor of a serious and lasting commitment to the OSCE Minsk Group process." "We want to thank the Co-Chairmen of the Armenian Issues Caucus--Frank Pallone and Joe Knollenberg--from drawing Secretary Powell's urgent attention to the threat that Azerbaijan's efforts at the United Nations to manipulate the Karabagh issue pose to US interests in the stability of the Caucasus region," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We share the concerns they raised in their letter and are also urging the State Department to take decisive action against destructive measures, such as this, that only foster greater divisiveness and set back the cause of peace in this important part of the world." On October 14, the Azeri Ambassador to the UN Yashar Aliyev, submitted a letter requesting that a resolution, which would restrict the repatriation of Armenians to their homes in Karabagh, be included on the UN General Assembly agenda. Prior to its consideration by the international panel, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) urged US Ambassador to the UN, John Danforth, to oppose the measure, citing the negative ramifications on the Karabagh peace process. The OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs issued a statement on October 27, noting that "introducing this issue to the United Nations General Assembly may have two negative consequences. In light of the situation we have outlined, this will be detrimental to the efforts to find a just and lasting settlement of the issue, particularly at this time. Secondly, it will fail to achieve consensus, a situation that will not be helpful. We advise avoiding this situation." Despite these efforts, on October 29, the UN General Assembly voted in support of the request during their regular session. The complete text of the Knollenberg/Pallone letter to Secretary Powell is provided below: Dear Mr. Secretary: We are writing to share with you our alarm over the prospect that Azerbaijan's continued efforts at the United Nations to manipulate the Nagorno Karabagh conflict will, if unchecked, undermine our clearly articulated national interest in the stability of the Caucasus. We refer, of course, to Azerbaijan's recent introduction of an ill-advised resolution on the "situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. This intentionally disruptive resolution threatens the principles and procedures of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), as well as the Minsk group mediation effort, co-chaired by the United States, France and Russia, to resolve the Karabagh conflict. Azerbaijan's proposal represents a hostile declaration against the entire peace process, aimed only at fostering increased divisiveness. Its consideration can only set back the cause of peace. We are deeply concerned that the OSCE Minsk process cannot survive Azerbaijan's destabilizing tactics. Continued tampering with this process will inevitably produce a chain reaction resulting in its demise. We cannot afford to allow Azerbaijan to continue to disrupt the work of the OSCE, which, as you know, has been recognized by the UN itself as the lead arbiter in this conflict. We value the vital role the United States plays as an honest broker in the Nagorno Karabagh peace process. In this capacity, given our commitment to keep the parties talking and moving forward, it is necessary for the United States to act forcefully against destabilizing steps that will unravel the peace process. Our interests are best served by the continuation of dialogue on the outstanding issues related to Nagorno Karabagh within the OSCE framework, not by the fragmentation of this orderly process. Efforts to reinforce stability and reduce the risk of conflict are in the best interests of the US and the South Caucasus region. To this end, we urge that the United States forcefully renounce this proposal, secure its retraction, and impress upon the Azerbaijani government that it should drop such counter-productive tactics in favor of a serious and lasting commitment to the OSCE Minsk Group process. Thank you for your consideration of our views. We stand ready, of course, to assist you in addressing this matter in the interest of the American people. Sincerely, Joe Knollenberg Frank Pallone, Jr. Member of Congress 3) Aliyev Boast of Settlement Alternative, Major Military Spending Boost ASTARA, Azerbaijan (AFP/Armepress)--Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said Tuesday that a peace agreement on regulating the Mountainous Karabagh conflict could not be signed unless Azeri territories are first liberated. "The conflict cannot be resolved unless Azerbaijan's territorial integrity is restored in full," he said. He also announced defense spending in Azerbaijan would grow by nearly one third in 2005, after Armenia unveiled plans to significantly boost its own military budget. Aliyev was visiting the southern regions of Azerbaijan. "Our parliament is discussing next year's budget, where spending will grow by 25 to 30 percent, and this includes military spending," Aliyev told reporters in Astara. Aliyev's comments followed a proposal made Monday by Armenia's parliament to raise defense spending by 20 percent to 99 million dollars in 2005. During his visit to the small seaside city Lenkoran located near the Southern border with Iran, Aliyev boasted, "If we see that that negotiations and international efforts are unproductive, then we can resort to ways to resolve the conflict." According to a finance ministry source, Azerbaijan's military spending in 2004 amounted to just under 150 million dollars. 4) Ball in Baku's Court Says Armenian Foreign Minister YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Talking about the prospects for resolving the Mountainous Karabagh conflict, Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said that "serious progress" was achieved during his four meetings with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov in Prague and Strasbourg over the past six months. "We can now enter the second stage of the Prague meetings and deepen the achievements of the first stage," Oskanian said. "Azerbaijan has announced that it would wait for Armenia's response to begin the second stage of the negotiations. I can announce through your Radio that Armenia has already given its positive answer and is ready to resume the negotiations as early as tomorrow." The Armenian Foreign Minister characterized as "a diplomatic mistake" Azerbaijan's initiative to include in the agenda of UN General Assembly the issue of the resettlement of Armenian families on Armenian-controlled Azerbaijani territories around Mountainous Karabagh. "Azerbaijan should not hope to continue the negotiations within OSCE Minsk Group and at the same time expect other solutions for separate issues picked from the whole package in other instances. It never happens," Oskanian said. "Either we continue the negotiations within the Minsk Group, trying to reach a solution of the whole problem, or Azerbaijan can take the issue to other instances, seeking separate solutions; in that case, Baku will have to deal with the authorities of Karabagh. The ball today is in their court." 5) Slovak Parliament to Discuss a Genocide Resolution YEREVAN (Armenpress)--During its November session, the Slovak parliament will discuss a resolution condemning the 1915 Armenian genocide. The resolution is supported by five factions of the Slovak legislature making up the absolute majority. The lawmakers will also be watching a documentary on the genocide, to be aired later on Slovak TV. The Armenian community of Slovakia and the political and diplomatic forces of Armenia are in full support of the resolution. 6) Zhvania, Kokoity Meeting in Sochi MOSCOW (Interfax)--Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania and the leader of the self-proclaimed republic of South Ossetia, Eduard Kokoity, are currently meeting in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. According to a source with the South Ossetian Information and Press Department, the meeting is also being attended by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Valery Loshchinin and co-chairman of the Joint Control Commission representing North Ossetia, Taimuraz Kusov. Kusov told journalists that, even though they may hold differing opinions concerning the circumstances of the settlement, those responsible for driving forth the negotiations have completely ruled out the use of force as a viable solution. According to Kusov, they also agreed to contribute to an atmosphere of trust that will help the parties reach a comprehensive settlement. "The sides agreed to open transportation routes and are willing to do this," Kusov said. "Everything is going fine--the conversations concern joint cooperation, and I am very glad about the dialog that has been created," Loshchinin told journalists. One agreement signed during the meeting called for the withdrawal of all illegal armed units from the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict zone by November 20. "Serious work and constructive positions of the participants in the meeting have resulted in the signing an important document. It imposes a cease-fire in the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict zone and bans any military actions. This is backed by the parties' demilitarization obligations. Only peacekeepers will stay there. All illegal armed units have to be withdrawn. The deadline is November 20," read a Russian Foreign Ministry statement drafted after the agreement was signed on Friday. "All essential conditions for resuming negotiations on a comprehensive political settlement of the conflict have been set up," it said. "The document also stipulates the need to carry out joint economic projects. Fundamentally important is also the fact that the statement has been signed by the Georgian prime minister and the president of South Ossetia, which means the top level. The leaders of the two sides, displaying wisdom and great responsibility, have undertaken practical commitments to reach a settlement only by peaceful means. Russia is confident that these commitments will be honored," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. South Ossetia is legally a province of Georgia, but an armed conflict following a USSR collapse in the early 1990s led to its de facto independence. Tensions between Tbilisi and Tskhinvali have escalated in recent months, involving skirmishes, as Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has stepped up efforts to restore control over the breakaway republic. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.