Author: Emil Lazarian

Father of California-based owner Krikorian dies at 89
Thoroughbred Times
Sept 2 2004
Former trainer George Krikorian Sr., father of Southern
California-based owner George Krikorian, died at age 89 on August 29 in
Vista, California, after a battle with cancer. Krikorian retired as
a trainer in the late 1980s after training on the New England circuit
at such tracks as Lincoln Downs, Narragansett Park, Rockingham Park,
and Suffolk Downs, Daily Racing Form reports.
His son gained prominence by campaigning multiple Grade 1-winning
millionaire Starrer and Grade 3 winner Makeup Artist.
A memorial service was scheduled for Thursday near Oceanside,
California. In lieu of flowers, the family requested that donations
be made to the St. John Garabed Armenian Church, 4473 30th Street,
San Diego, California 92116.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri Communists condemn imprisonment of anti-Armenian protesters
Turan news agency
1 Sep 04
Baku, 1 September: The bureau of the central committee of the Communist
Party of Azerbaijan [CPA] yesterday condemned prison sentences for
members of the Karabakh Liberation Organization [KLO] handed out by
the Nasimi district court [in Baku].
The bureau’s statement issued in this regard criticized the court
verdict and described it as “unjustifiably harsh and not matching
the committed offence”.
The bureau of the CPA’s central committee believes that laws must
be obeyed and any offence should be punished. However, the taken
decisions and passed verdicts should match the essence and gravity
of the offence.
[The court sentenced six activists of the Karabakh Liberation
Organization to imprisonment for terms ranging from three to five
years for protesting against the presence of two Armenian military
officers at a NATO conference in Baku.]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RETIRED AZERI OFFICER SLAMS MINISTRY FOR CORRUPTION, POOR TREATMENT OF PRIVATES
Baki Xabar, Baku
24 Aug 04
Former brigade commander Ildirim Mammadov has accused several
high-ranking Azerbaijani Defence Ministry officers of inhumane policy,
adding that the ministry is rife with corruption. In an interview
with Azerbaijani daily Baki Xabar, Mammadov said that the Defence
Ministry was not supplying military units with necessary food, uniforms
and medicine shown in invoices. He also said that the Azerbaijani
armed forces were being governed by Soviet-era military laws and
any talk of transition to NATO standards was wide off the mark. The
following is an excerpt from report by Matanat Muslimqizi headlined ”
Professionals are being discharged from army” and subheaded “Former
brigade commander Ildirim Mammadov: Some high-ranking officers in
the army have declared themselves secret enemies of the people'”
published in Azerbaijani newspaper Baki Xabar on 24 August; with
subheadings inserted editorially:
Reports by numerous international organizations have more
than once highlighted rampant corruption in Azerbaijan’s state
bodies. Regrettably, bribery and corruption are rife in the Defence
Ministry, which is the bastion and the backbone of the nation’s
protection. The treatment of soldiers and officers in the armed
forces, high-handedness, corruption and widespread bribery in military
units are inflicting a serious blow to our national security and
state independence. We have had a detailed conversation to this
effect with Lt-Col Ildirim Mammadov, a professional officer and
former brigade commander in the Azerbaijani army. (Passage omitted:
Mammadov’s background.)
I asked my interviewee to assess the overall situation in the
Azerbaijani armed forces.
(Mammadov) Unable to put up with injustice in the army, I left the
military unit I was commanding. It was impossible to work there. Under
the existing system, when a military unit is audited three to four
times by various commissions and is requested to adjust something
without any financial support or help, it is impossible to work
normally in these conditions. Audits are conducted by the Defence
Ministry’s high-ranking officers. When the ministry sends these audit
commissions, it knows the state of affairs in military units very
well. It is impossible to endure this. Those who can endure this become
a member of the system engaged in cheating and providing false reports.
(Correspondent) What did the audit commissions from the ministry
demand specifically from you?
(Mammadov) For example, just imagine, military units are provided
with neither food, nor military uniforms nor medicine stated in
invoices. This is rife in all spheres. For example, a military unit
should be supplied with 3,800 kg of soap. However, they only get
a fraction of this amount. Out of 13,000-14,000 sets of bed linen,
one-third is never supplied. Soldiers should be supplied with boots
every six months, but they are not. If earnest investigations are
launched, one can see that high-ranking officers commanding the army
have made hundreds of firms bankrupt. (Passage omitted: officers are
elevated to high ranks undeservedly.)
Defence Ministry leadership insensitive to soldiers’ fate
(Correspondent) Why should the Defence Ministry put pressure on
officers to take care of privates? The issue at stake is human fate,
isn’t it?
(Mammadov) The Defence Ministry’s leadership is insensitive to fates
of sons of the people. If this were not the case, then the leadership
of the armed forces would have ordered commanders of brigades and
military units to cancel lessons between 1200-1700 o’clock when the
temperature rises above 30 degrees. Soldiers should rest at this
time and lessons should be conducted in the evenings.
Let us look into the matter. Why do the Azerbaijani people not love
the army? Because some high-ranking officials in the army have
declared themselves secret enemies of our people. Professional and
skilled personnel are discharged from the armed forces. However,
those who should not serve in the army are elevated. For example,
(Defence Ministry spokesman Col) Ramiz Duygun (Malikov) is a university
graduate and is 60 years old. However, he does not want to leave
his post to educate his grandchildren. (Passage omitted: on Soviet
experience in the army.)
Talk on transition to NATO standards wide off the mark
(Correspondent) It has been recently claimed that the Azerbaijani army
is being transformed to meet NATO standards. What is your attitude
towards this?
(Mammadov) Statements to this effect are purely formal. Actually,
nothing is being done. Why? Because, currently the Azerbaijani
armed forces are being ruled by Soviet laws. Being a NATO member,
first means that a soldier must be treated like a human and not like
a beast. In Azerbaijan, we see quite the contrary happen. It is very
early to speak about the NATO system in this country. Aspiring to NATO
membership also means big investment in the army. (Passage omitted:
the army needs new laws.)
(Correspondent) What is your assessment of the current state of
affairs in the Azerbaijani army?
(Mammadov) True, the Azerbaijani army with its many positive aspects
is better than the Georgian army, and the army of our enemy –
Armenia. However, I would like the Azerbaijani army be similar to
the Israeli army. Azerbaijan should have a small, mobile, strong and
professional army able to overcome all problems.

The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, Australia)
August 28, 2004 Saturday
Goodnight Irene, vows Vic
by GRANTLEE KIEZA
FOR a little bloke with an embarrassing first name, Irene Pacheco
lacks nothing in confidence.
Facing the undefeated, hard-hitting Australian flyweight Vic
Darchinyan next week, the IBF champion from Colombia declares
“Darchinyan has a serious problem coming across my path.”
Darchinyan, who represented Armenia at the Sydney Olympics and has
lived here ever since, fights Pacheco at the Seminole Indian Casino
in Hollywood, Florida next Saturday afternoon (Sydney time) and has
been training with Jeff Fenech and world super-middleweight champ
Danny Green in Los Angeles for the last two weeks.
The clash is a battle of unbeaten southpaw sluggers.
Pacheco has 23 KOs in his 30 wins and Darchinyan 16 KOs in 21
victories.
Pacheco, 33, has not fought since stopping Irishman Damaen Kelly in
Colombia last September.
Kelly outpointed Australia’s world title challenger Hussein Hussein
at the Atlanta Olympics but could not handle Pacheco’s speed and
power in their title fight and succumbed after six rounds of constant
bombardment.
Despite his layoff, Pacheco comes into the fight confident.
“I started training way back on January 13,” he told American
reporters.
“And I have hardly been out of the gym. I took just one break not to
overtrain but I got right back into the gym.
Darchinyan, 28, has been sparring world-class fighters such as
Hussein Hussein, Nedal Hussein and Lovemore Ndou, who has switched to
a southpaw stance to mimic Pacheco’s loose limbed style.
Pacheco won the world title in 1999 but has fought just six times in
the years since.
In fact in the last four years he has boxed four times compared to 21
starts for the Australian.
“It is not good for Pacheco to be out of the ring so long,”
Darchinyan said.
“I will pressure him from the start. That is why I am called The
Raging Bull. I will destroy him and bring the title back to Sydney.”
Darchinyan’s title shot comes in a huge week for Australian boxing.
The following day Central Coast rugby league prop Kali Meehan fights
Lamon Brewster for the WBO world heavyweight title in Las Vegas.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA MINISTER OF DEFENSE MEETS WITH NEWLY APPOINTED IRANIAN AMBASSADOR
TO ARMENIA
YEREVAN, AUGUST 28. ARMINFO. RA Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan has
held a meeting with the newly appointed Iranian Ambassador to Armenia
Alireza Khadighyan.
The press service of the RA Ministry of Defense reports that Minister
Sargsyan congratulated the diplomat on his appointment, expressing a
hope for further development of Armenian-iranian relations during his
diplomatic activities in Armenia. In his turn, Ambassador Khadighyan
conveyed to the Armenian Minister of Defense greetings of the Iranian
President and the Minister of Defense, stressing Sargsyan’s personal
contribution to the development of bilateral relations. The
Armenian-Iranian relations are consolidated by serious achievements in
the political and economic spheres. During the meeting, the sides
pointed out the achievements and mapped out of directions of further
activities.

Central Asian and Southern Caucasus Freedom of Expression Network
(CASCFEN), Azerbaijan
Aug 27 2004
Am: IPI calls on Kocharian to investigate attacks on journalists

CASCFEN, Vienna, 27 Aug 2004 — Johann P. Fritz, Director of the
International Press Institute based in Vienna on Aug 27, 2004
addressed to Robert Kocharian, the President of the Republic of
Armenia in regard to recent attack on two journalists. Following is
the text of the letter:

“The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of
editors, media executives and leading journalists in over 120
countries, strongly condemns the attack on Mkhitar Khachatrian, a
photojournalist with the news agency Fotolur.

According to information before IPI, the attack occurred on 24 August
while Khachatrian and Anna Israelian, a correspondent for the
independent daily Aravot, were on assignment in the exclusive resort
town of Tsaghkadzor. The journalists had travelled to the central
Armenian town to write an article about the damage caused to the
local environment by building projects carried out over recent years.

Khachatrian was taking pictures of a house allegedly belonging to
Armen Yeritsian, deputy chief of national police, when a guard came
out and told him to stop photographing. Later, the two journalists
were confronted by the same guard at a cafe in Tsaghkadzor. The guard
recognised the journalist and called several men over, one of whom
subsequently assaulted Khachatrian. The journalist said the man
kicked, punched, cursed and threatened to kill him, and that he was
forced to surrender the memory card of his digital camera to
prevent his camera from being broken.

According to reports, Khachatrian’s description of the attackers
matches that of the men who assaulted several journalists and
destroyed their cameras at an opposition rally in Yerevan on 5 April.

IPI urges Your Excellency to authorise an immediate and thorough
investigation into these incidents and to do everything in your power
to create an environment in Armenia that allows journalists to
practice their profession without fear of harassment or
intimidation.”

IPI, the global network of editors, media executives and leading
journalists, is dedicated to the furtherance and safeguarding of
press freedom, the protection of freedom of opinion and expression,
the promotion of the free flow of news and information, and the
improvement of the practices of journalism.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri politicians divided over possible US troop deployment
Ekho, Baku
27 Aug 04

The setting up of US military bases in Azerbaijan has appeared on the
agenda again recently. The unexpected visit of US Defence Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld to Azerbaijan has brought this issue under the media
spotlight.
Moscow hopes that Washington will not set up its bases in the Baltic
countries and the Caucasus, said a statement by the Russian Foreign
Ministry in connection with the US plans to reassign its troops in
Europe (Turan news agency). As for the military bases established in
Central Asia, Moscow hopes that they will be closed as soon as the
antiterror operations in Afghanistan are over.
The deputy chairman of the PFAP [the People’s Front of Azerbaijan
Party (reformists)] on international affairs, [MP] Asim Mollazada,
said that at issue was not the deployment of troops but rather the
development of ties between Azerbaijan and the USA. Mollazada notes
that strategic partnership is being observed between Baku and
Washington in security issues, however, “it is necessary to reach a
strategic alliance”. There are all prerequisites for this, Mollazada
thinks.
The security of the region is a priority for all the South Caucasus
countries. In any case, Mollazada thinks, the USA will do its best to
maintain stability in the region. He said that mobile detachments
could be brought into the region to ensure the security of joint
projects. However, what is more important is the resolution of
political issues – “deployment of mobile units is a purely technical
matter”.
“We want solely Azerbaijani forces on the territory of our country,”
the deputy chairman of the Azarbaycan Milli Istiqlal Party [AMIP],
Maharram Zulfuqarli, told Ekho. He said that the issue of deployment
of US troops in Azerbaijan was being whipped up. They are allegedly to
ensure the security of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. The AMIP
official thinks that this function should be accomplished exclusively
by Azerbaijani troops. “We did not drive the Russian troops out of the
country in 1992 to replace them with any other foreign units.”
“Negotiations to this effect are actually under way. And the USA
wishes to deploy its military contingent in Azerbaijan,” the deputy
chairman of the Musavat Party, Sulhaddin Akbar, said. According to his
information, the authorities have not so far consented to this. At the
same time, Akbar believes that Azerbaijan should soon file for NATO
membership. “This could give us more advantages both in the military
and political spheres.”
The co-chairman of the Azerbaijani Social Democratic Party, Zardust
Alizada, is flatly against the deployment of any foreign troops in
Azerbaijan. He said that our country should adhere to
neutrality. According to Alizada, the “pro-NATO” fight for the
deployment of foreign troops here “is a grave mistake”. Those
soldiers will protect the interests of the USA, and the USA has always
backed Armenia’s interests.
Alizada also pointed at the USA’s desire to “unleash aggression
against Iran”. “This could lead to a fratricidal war as many
Azerbaijanis live in Iran.”
[Passage omitted: another similar opinion by Aydin Quliyev]
Gular Ahmadova, MP from the [ruling] New Azerbaijan Party, said that
Azerbaijan was in the US-led antiterror coalition. Moreover,
Azerbaijan fully backs cooperation with NATO. “The country’s
leadership also fully supports integration into the Euro-Atlantic
structures.” At the same time, the MP believes that the idea of
deployment of US troops is “populist”. “The country’s cooperation with
NATO is a completely different matter,” Ahmadova said.

Armenian foreign minister meets Black Sea bloc rep, discusses projects
Public Television of Armenia
26 Aug 04
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan has received Valeriy
Chechelashvili, secretary-general of the standing international
secretariat of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization.
The secretary-general told the minister about the activities of his
organization mainly aimed at reinforcing and raising its authority
worldwide. The organization set up a development foundation to invest
in important programmes through it.
At the end, Chechelashvili said that he will be transferred to another
post in the near future. Chechelashvili will be Georgia’s ambassador
plenipotentiary and extraordinary to Russia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Payvand, Iran
Aug 26 2004
Armenia’s Central Bank governor welcomes closer ties with Central
Bank of Iran
Moscow, Aug 25, IRNA — Governor of Central Bank of Armenia Wednesday
in a meeting with Iranian ambassador to Yerevan Alireza Haghaqian
stressed strengthening bilateral economic and financial cooperation
between the two nations.
Tigran Sarkisian said that Armenia attaches importance to it
relations with Iran based on mutual respect.
He further added that closer cooperation with Iran can be positive in
reducing Armenia’s economic problems.
Iranian ambassador also said the two countries should use their
banking capabilities in joint projects.
The two nations have forged close economic and trade relations.
Armenian President Robert Kocharian said here in July that
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline project is of great importance to Yerevan.
ArmeRuss Gazprom and Gazprom companies voiced readiness in June to
contribute to Iran-Armenia gas pipeline project.
The two companies have started feasibility study on the technical and
economic aspects of the project and a group of engineers, being
members of the working group, visited the regions in Armenia from
where the pipeline is going to pass.
Experts believe that Iran-Armenia pipeline project is of strategic
importance to Armenia for not passing the critical spots in northern
Caucasus and Georgia.
Iran and Armenia signed agreement on the 142-km gas pipeline project
in 2001, under which the republic would receive 1,500,000 cubic
meters of gas from Iran a day.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

82 HOUSES BUILT IN ARMENIA WITH HFH SUPPORT
YEREVAN, AUGUST 24. ARMINFO. During a press-conference today the
Diocesan Legate of the Ecumenical Office of the Armenian Church of
America (Eastern Diocese) Bishop Vicken Aykazyan and the President of
Habitat for Humanity Michigan Rev Ken Bensen shared the results of
their meeting with His Holiness Karekin II Catholicos and Supreme
Patriarch of All Armenians during which the partnership possibilities
among Habitat for Humanity, Habitat for Humanity International and the
Worldwide Armenian Church were discussed.
Habitat for Humanity Armenia is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity
International and supports community development in the Republic of
Armenia by assisting in the construction and renovation of simple,
decent and affordable homes. The purpose of the organization is to
help families in need improve their living conditions,m to raise funds
to support the vital work and to give hope to thousands of people
across the country. The organization was formed in Mar of 2002 and to
date has dedicated 82 homes and given shelter to 473 people.
Benson said that the selected target of HFH Armenia is families living
substandard,m over-crowded and unacceptable;e living quarters. This
group comprises more than 50-60% of the country’s current
population. These families are unable to purchase their won homes as
they do not have sufficient income to save to pay for the entire house
cost up front nor can they risk and would they be eligible for a
high-interest loan from a commercial lender.
Middle-income families are given no-interest loan – up to $10,000 for
20 years. $222,000 will be allocated this year for the construction of
40 houses and $300,000 more in 2005 under the direction of the former
US president Jim Carter.