Author: Emil Lazarian

MP rejects talks between Karabakh’s Armenian, Azeri communities
Arminfo
7 Dec 04
Yerevan, 7 December: Armenian Deputy Speaker Vaan Ovanesyan today
described as “unacceptable” the proposal to hold talks between
“the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities” of Nagornyy Karabakh put
forward in the preliminary draft report of the PACE [Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe] rapporteur [on Nagornyy Karabakh],
David Atkinson.
Ovanesyan said that a similar provision was absent from the previous
draft report prepared by Terry Davis, incumbent secretary-general of
the Council of Europe.
The deputy speaker recalled that Davis had mentioned the need to hold
talks between the Azerbaijani and Karabakh sides.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERI CONSUL GENERAL TO KARS ON POSSIBLE OPENING OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 7. ARMINFO. There actually are forces in Turkey
that want the Armenian-Turkish border to be opened, says Azeri Consul
General to Kars (Turkey) Gasan Zeynalov.
It was due to these forces that the 2nd congress in Kars discussed the
border opening issue. On the second day one could already feel that
the organizers were pushing the audience towards the discussion. The
topic of the congress was peace in the Caucasus and the region’s
economic development but being the leading state of the region
Azerbaijan was not even mentioned – the whole economic development
of the region was presented as heavily depending on the opening of
the Armenian-Turkish border.
In his report the cochairman of the Turkish-Armenian business council
Kaan Soyak said that Kars is closed for the world and the only way for
the region’s further development is the opening of the Armenian-turkish
border which is the demand of th Armenian lobby and the Armenians in
Georgia and Armenia.
Zeynalov is not very much concerned as “the above plans are made by
NGOs while the Turkish and Azeri states are true brothers.” The recent
visits of Turkish state ministers to Azerbaijan and their statements
on the subject have shown that the border will not be opened until
Ankara’s requirements are fulfilled.
Zeynalov is against the Jan 2005 tour of friendship by a
non-governmental delegation of Kars to Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and
Nakhichevan. Soyak is planning to be in this delegation consisting
mostly of border opening advocates. “Influential international
organizations are settling the Armenian-Azeri conflict. No NGO can
solve it,” says Zeynalov noting that one of the key obstacles to the
border opening is the Armenian Genocide issue and territorial claims
against Turkey.

British consul promises more boost to Armenian economy
Mediamax news agency
7 Dec 04
Yerevan, 7 December: The United Kingdom will continue to contribute to
the economic growth in Armenia both on a bilateral level and within the
framework of European Union projects, the British consul in Yerevan,
Richard Hyde, said, as he was addressing the ceremony to open an
exhibition of British companies operating in Armenia.
The business circles of the two countries have enough potential to
expand bilateral cooperation, boost trade and rejuvenate investment
policies, he said.
The main obstacles in the development of business in Armenia are
still the lack of transparency in the financial sector, corruption
and protectionism, Hyde said. At the same time, he noted, the Armenian
government is taking measures to tackle these problems.
The total volume of British investment in the Armenian economy is
around 50m dollars now, with 21 enterprises working with British
capital.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
12/07/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Aram I Reacts Sharply to Turkish Foreign Minister's Remark 2) Gunmen Attack Armenian, Chaldean Churches in Mosul 3) Hovhannisian: Russia's Position not Conducive to Armenia's Ability to Freely Decide to Send Troops to Iraq 4) Armenia's Chamber of Commerce and Industry Opens its Doors in the US 5) BRIEFS 1) Aram I Reacts Sharply to Turkish Foreign Minister's Remark ANTELIAS--His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has invited Turkey's prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to visit the Cilicia Museum in Cilicia to witness the "irrefutable evidence of the genocide perpetrated by the Turks." His Holiness was responding to Erdogan's comments made during the opening of the first museum in Turkey dedicated to the country's Armenian minority. The opening of the museum appears to be a calculated move by Turkey--aspiring for candidacy to the European Union (EU). The 25-nation bloc has pressured Turkey to enable its recognized minorities and the Kurds to fully exercise their rights. Erdogan's comments come just days before EU leaders are to meet in Brussels to decide whether to allow Turkey to begin accession talks on its membership. "Instead of looking at facts, people have distorted history through suppositions and misinformation," Erdogan said at the opening of the museum, referring to the genocide of Armenians in 1915 by the Ottoman government--a fact that the Turkish government vehemently denies. Alluding to the artifacts housed in the Cilicia museum of the Catholicosate of Cilicia in Lebanon, His Holiness Aram I told Erdogan that the remains of the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Armenian people rescued from Cilicia speak for themselves. "You would see manuscripts, church vessels, and other articles of spiritual value, that the Armenians of Adana, Zeytoun, Hajen, Sis, and other places in Cilicia and Western Armenia saved as they fled the horrors of massacre. All these precious remains of our spiritual heritage reached Antelias via Der Zor. No one who sees these remains would talk of "assumptions" and "distortion" of facts," states the Catholicos, rather referring to them as "clear evidence of Turkish barbarism." "History is based on clear facts and not assumptions," continues the Catholicos. "As much as you and others may deny [it], the Armenian Genocide is a fact of history." The Catholicos also states that in commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, Armenians throughout the world will become one force to demand the recognition of the genocide perpetrated by Turkey and restoration of their human rights thus far denied. 2) Gunmen Attack Armenian, Chaldean Churches in Mosul MOSUL (AFP/Reuters)--Two churches in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul came under simultaneous attack, but there were no immediate reports of casualties. Gunmen stormed into the city's Chaldean and Armenian churches in the latest attacks on Iraq minority Christian community, witnesses and clerics said Tuesday. "Gunmen entered the church at about 4:30 p.m. They gathered those present in one room and planted explosive charges in different parts of the building," said Father Raghid Aziz Kara at the Chaldean church. "We were then taken outside and the armed men set off the devices. We heard three blasts," he told AFP outside the church which was set ablaze. At the same moment, gunmen attacked an Armenian church, forcing out a security guard and two other people inside the building, the guard said, adding: "I heard two explosions." Smoke poured from the Armenian church and flames could be seen inside the Chaldean church, Reuters reporters said. It was not clear how many people had been in the churches when they were attacked but the number was apparently not large. Mosul, with a population of 1.2 million, is home to many of Iraq's Christians, who make up about three percent of the national population. The Chaldean church, one of the largest in Mosul, was built in the 1950s and enlarged four decades later. The Chaldeans, whose 600,000 people represent the majority of Christians in Iraq, are an oriental rite Catholic community. Armenian Christians in Iraq number only a few thousand. On November 8, at least three people were killed and 45 wounded when two suspected car bombs exploded within minutes of each other outside two churches in southern Baghdad. In a coordinated assault on August 1, six car bombs killed 10 people and injured 50 others outside churches in Baghdad and Mosul. 3) Hovhannisian: Russia's Position not Conducive to Armenia's Ability to Freely Decide to Send Troops to Iraq YEREVAN (Combined Sources)--The issue of sending an Armenian military unit to Iraq was discussed at the recently held meeting of the Armenian-Russian Interparliamentary Cooperation Commission. Deputy Speaker of Parliament Vahan Hovhannisian, who co-chairs the interparliamentary commission and headed up the Armenian delegation, reported on December 7 that the Russian side had expressed concern at the prospect of Armenian troops in Iraq. Hovhannisian said the Armenian side, in turn, raised the issue of whether Russia's forgiving of Iraq's multibillion-dollar debt is not tantamount to providing economic assistance to an Iraqi government that is an instrument of US occupation. The deputy speaker also underscored that Russia had not forgiven Armenia's debt, which is significantly less than Iraq's. "We told our Russian colleagues that their positions in international forums do not at all contribute to Armenia's ability to make a sovereign decision regarding the matter [of sending troops to Iraq]," Hovhannisian stated. The Russian side also expressed a certain level of resentment regarding Armenia's relations with NATO, according to the deputy speaker. "We clearly explained to our colleagues that those relations are one of the prongs of our independent policy, and we are not prepared to make concessions in that regard," Hovhannisian said. The head of the Armenian delegation said the sides had, nevertheless, reached an agreement to hold interparliamentary consultations regarding matters that deal with NATO. 4) Armenia's Chamber of Commerce and Industry Opens its Doors in the US GLENDALE--The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Armenia (ARMCCI) opened its regional office for the US and Canada on December 7 in Glendale, California. In an effort to develop strong relations between the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Armenia and US/Canada, the office will work to create mutually beneficial ties between the business communities of Armenia and Northern America. Businessmen who wish to establish or have already established businesses in Armenia may contact the office or visit for more information. 1807 West Glenoaks Blvd., Suite 201 Glendale, CA 91201 (818) 247-0603, (818) 548-1177 5) BRIEFS Diaspora Armenian Seeks Fraud Case against Yerevan Partner YEREVAN (RFE-RL)--Prominent Armenian-American George Najarian, who has helped to ship millions of dollars worth of medical supplies to Armenia, pleaded with a Yerevan court on Tuesday to press fraud charges against his former local partner who has allegedly misappropriated his expensive property. He asked the court through his legal representatives to order state prosecutors to reopen a criminal case against the formal owner of a photo shop and two buildings currently constructed in central Yerevan. Najarian maintains that he is the real owner of the property, which he says was registered in the name of Grigor Igitian, in 1996, because Armenian law at the time banned foreign nationals from owning land. Subsequent legal amendments allowed authorities not to apply the ban to ethnic Armenian foreigners with long-term residency permits. Najarian accuses Igitian of breaking his pledge to give up the lucrative assets, in which he claims to have invested $500,000, once the restriction was dropped. Igitian denies the accusations, saying that he invested more than Najarian did; however, it is unclear how the former English-language interpreter and university lecturer could have raised so much money. Greeks Want Turkey to Recognize Cyprus Independence YEREVAN (Yerkir)--Results of a poll conducted by the To Paron weekly in Athens, revealed the results of a recent poll indicating that most Greeks are against starting accession talks with Turkey in its bid to join the European Union unless Turkey recognizes the Greek Republic of Cyprus and accepts Greece's demands regarding the Greek-Turkish relations. Nearly 82.1 percent are resolute in pressing Turkey to recognize Cyprus, while 89.3 percent believe that Athens should veto the accession talks in case Turkey fails to accept Greece's demands. Paris Sets Conditions for EU Talks with Turkey YEREVAN (Yerkir)--In its December 6 issue, the Financial Times reported that Paris will set three conditions for the start of EU membership talks with Turkey. During the December 16-17 summit, President Jacques Chirac will request to clarify that Turkey must settle for less than full membership if the talks fail. He is also expected to provide a reminder that the French people can ultimately reject Turkey's membership bid in a referendum, even if the talks succeed, and that the accession talks should not start until the second half of 2005, to prevent a dispute over Turkish membership dominating the French referendum on the EU constitution, expected by June next year. Le Figaro: Erdogan Uncomfortable with EU Distraction YEREVAN (Yerkir)--Le Figaro newspaper reported that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is uncomfortable with Turkey's preoccupation with the European Union (EU). A headline read, "Erdogan does not exclude 'no, thank you,' as an answer to Europe." The story continued, "the political parties in Turkey, as well as the people in the streets and press, have the belief that the EU requires too many conditions from Turkey compared to other candidates, and that is not fair." German Opposition Leaders Urge Schroeder to Prevent Turkey's Accession to EU YEREVAN (Yerkir)--Leaders of Germany's conservative opposition have written to Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder urging him to stop the European Union from opening entry talks with Turkey. Angela Merkel, head of the Christian Democrats (CDU) and Edmund Stoiber, head of the CDU's Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU), argued that Turkey should be offered a "privileged partnership" with the EU instead of full membership. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung newspaper quoted extracts from the letter to Schroeder in which they said that Turkey's entry would "overstretch" the EU. No Fir or Pine Trees to be Cut YEREVAN (Armenpress)--A little more than three weeks before the New Year as Armenians begin to decorate their homes with Christmas trees, the Armenian nature protection and agricultural ministries issued a joint order prohibiting cutting of fir and pine trees in order to improve reproduction and preservation of natural woods. Both ministries said they will work closely with police to regulate cut trees and punish the culprits. 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. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER AND HEAD OF BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTRY’S EASTERN
DEPARTMENT DISCUSS ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS
YEREVAN, December 6 (Noyan Tapan). The development of the
Armenian-British bilateral relations in all directions was highlighted
at the meeting of head of the Eastern Department of the British
Foreign Ministry Simon Smith and the RA Deputy Foreign Minister Ruben
Shugarian on December 6. According to the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press
and Information Department, following this the sides discussed the
issue of increasing the cooperation between the South Caucasus and
the European community, including Great Britain in the context of
the CE’s European Neighborhood Policy, as well as exchanged ideas
about ways that will enable the South Caucasian countries to make
full use of benefits of this policy. During the meeting the issues
related to the Armenian-Turkish relations were discussed within the
framework of the start of negotiations on Turkey’s joining the Council
of Europe. The sides spoke about the current state and prospects of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement. On the same day, a round table
to discuss the same issues with the delegation of the British Foreign
Ministry was held at the RA Foreign Ministry. The British diplomat
is in Armenia within the framework of his regional visit. During
the visit he will have meetings with Deputy Chairman of the National
Assembly Tigran Torosian and the RA Justice Minister David Harutyunian.
–Boundary_(ID_uzDsgeDzV6tWv1GphzeUCQ)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IF THE UN ADOPTS AZERBAIJANI RESOLUTION ARMENIA WILL REFUSE BILATERAL
NEGOTIATIONS ON KARABAKH
ARKA News Agency
Dec 6 2004
YEREVAN, December 6. /ARKA/. If the UN adopts the Azerbaijani
resolution “on the situation on the controlled territories”, Armenia
will refuse bilateral negotiations on Karabakh, as Armenian Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanian said in his interview to local TV company
Kentron. In his words, in this case Armenia will demand Nagorno
Karbakh’s participation in the negotiating process as a party of the
negotiations, as after adoption of such a resolution the issue will
go beyond the Minsk Group and partially will go to other
international organization, in which Amenia may not have any separate
negotiations. “We really will not continue bilateral negotiations. If
Azerbaijan will agree to Arkadi Ghukasyan’s participation in them,
the process will continue, otherwise Azerbaijan will be responsible
for the consequences”, he stated adding that the Con-Chairs were
warning Azerbaijan that inclusion of the issue in the UN agenda will
break the negotiations. Also Armenia will seriously change its policy
regarding the Karabakh problem. Particularly, in his words, the
problem will be publicly announced as a conflict between Azerbaijan
and Nagorno Karabakh in which Amenia plays a role of guarantor. Also,
Armenia will refer the issue to 1992, it will accent the reason of
the situation and true responsible of militarization of the conflict.
“And finally we will put the issue on self-determination of Karabakh
strongly”, he stressed, adding that Azerbaijan understands all this.
In Oskanian’s opinion, the danger of the adoption of the resolution
by the UN in the circumstance that this organization can consider
this issue as a conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan . At that in
his words, the probability of adoption of this issue exists as the
OSCE Minsk Group member states will refrain from voting and most of
the countries will follow their examples. In this case as he
mentioned, the procedure of the adoption of the decision in the UN
will allow Azerbaijan to pass the resolution having support of 5-10
states. At the same time, Oskanian added that he does not see a
tragedy in it, as the issue discussed in UN concerns the issue of
settlement of the controlled territories and does not solve the issue
of the status of Nagorno Karabakh. T.M. –0–
–Boundary_(ID_OhzEDWv1BQhd8cCKe+FVLQ)–

Sofia News Agency, Bulgaria
Dec 6 2004
Opening Address to the OSCE Forum Participants
“The scourge of terrorism is emerging as a most dangerous threat for
all of us,” Minister Passy said in his OSCE meeting opening speech.
Photo by Bulgarian Foreign Ministry
For the Record: 6 December 2004, Monday.
S T A T E M E N T
by Mr. Solomon Passy, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of
Bulgaria and Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE
Time of Change: Towards a transformed OSCE for the 21st century
12th Meeting of the Ministerial Council of the OSCE
Sofia, 6 December 2004
Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,
As I look back in time, I recall with emotion that 15 years ago – in
1989, a CSCE Meeting on the Protection of the Environment was held in
this same building. The event focused world attention on the
totalitarian regime’s record of repressing environmental activists.
It stimulated open demonstrations by human rights advocates and the
Bulgarian Ecoglasnost environmental group, to which I then belonged.
That was a clear manifestation of the influence of the Helsinki
process on the democratic emancipation of my generation. And this
CSCE meeting in Sofia was the strongest catalyst of the democratic
processes in Bulgaria. A week later the communist regime collapsed.
In October 1989 many of my friends were outside this building. Today
they are here in this hall assisting the Bulgarian Chairmanship to
fulfil its duties. And I see the finger of destiny in that metaphor.
Today I am proud that my country is chairing the OSCE and we are
discussing in the same venue the future and way ahead for this great
Organization.
For thirty years the CSCE and OSCE have worked hard to overcome
divisions that have separated people in Europe. United by shared
values, today we have come to the conviction that security
increasingly transcends national borders. Present-day geopolitical
realities, related to NATO and EU enlargements, along with the
dialogue and co-operation between the countries to the East and West
of the Black Sea, stress the importance of the OSCE as a bridge of
mutual confidence.
The OSCE has a rich history, innovative missions and institutions, an
inclusive membership and a dedicated staff. However, if it is to have
an impact on the lives of citizens from Vancouver to Vladivostock, it
has to stand firmly by its principles and ensure that its
institutions and review mechanisms provide implementation of OSCE
commitments. Guided by this vision, the Bulgarian Chairmanship has
focused on implementation as a main priority this year.
We have also kept continuity with the priorities and work of previous
Chairmanships. I was privileged to have the invaluable support of
Minister Scheffer and Minister Bot in the OSCE Troika and to draw on
their rich experience.
Dear colleagues,
The scourge of terrorism is emerging as a most dangerous threat for
all of us. Terrorist attacks, most recently in Madrid and Beslan
resulted in numerous innocent victims, including children. This evil
needs our joint and firm response. During 2004 we have held numerous
result-oriented events and adopted concrete measures aimed at
countering international terrorism.
This year the OSCE has increased its efforts to achieve a better
balance between the politico-military, the economic and human
dimensions.
In the politico-military dimension, substantial efforts were made on
the OSCE Border Security and Management Concept. The follow up to the
Ohrid Border Conference resulted in a series of workshops for
training border officials from South Eastern Europe. Another
important input was provided by the Border Conference jointly
organized with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, which
focused on strengthening the co-ordination between relevant
international organizations in their activities related to border
issues, training and assistance.
It is our conviction that we have to bring the OSCE activities in
these areas much closer to those participating States that need them
most.
The Bulgarian Chairmanship made an effort to bring the OSCE economic
and environmental activities in conformity with the commitments
agreed to in the Maastricht Strategy Document for the Economic and
Environmental Dimension. The Organization provided and mobilized
advice and expertise to develop incentives for small and medium-sized
enterprises, foreign and domestic investment and to improve legal
frameworks. Special attention was paid to facilitating dialogue
between governmental agencies and the business community and to
private and public partnership initiatives. The issues of good
governance, fight against corruption and money laundering stayed high
on the agenda.
The human dimension remained crucial in our work this year, and is
the backbone of the OSCE. Human rights commitments should be strictly
adhered to. One of the priorities of the Bulgarian Chairmanship has
been education, particularly in the context of human rights and
conflict prevention. It is encouraging that many participating States
responded positively to my appeal to support financially the OSCE
Academy in Bishkek and an amount of more than 400 000 Euro has
already been raised.
The three high-profile OSCE events in Berlin, Paris and Brussels this
year on tolerance and non-discrimination reminded us of the danger of
being complacent about racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism,
discrimination against Muslims and other forms of intolerance. We
need to do more to prevent these phenomena from causing divisions
within our societies. I look forward to appointing three Personal
Representatives in this field.
2004 was a busy year for election monitoring. The Organization has
been involved in observing elections throughout its area – in North
America, Europe and Central Asia, which is indicative of the
geographical scope of these activities.
The most recent elections in Ukraine, and the events that followed,
were a clear manifestation of people power and show the maturity of
democracy in this important European country. The victors in Ukraine
should be democracy and the rule of law. I am glad that a “made in
Ukraine” solution to this crisis is emerging and that the OSCE played
a key role in election monitoring and as a facilitator. I hope that
by the end of this Ministerial meeting the response of the OSCE in
supporting the re-running of the second round of the presidential
elections will be clear and generous.
During this year we continued the efforts to finding lasting and
viable political solutions to the existing conflicts in the OSCE
zone.
The Organization rendered essential support for the conduct of the
presidential and parliamentary elections in Georgia. I am glad that
the tensions in and around Ajara were resolved peacefully, with the
involvement of our Organization. We welcome the progress recently
achieved in the dialogue on a peaceful comprehensive resolution of
the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. The measures now in hand to secure
the demilitarization of the zone of conflict need to be implemented
as rapidly as possible and the focus has to shift to genuine
political negotiations.
The OSCE follows closely the developments related to the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. The Chairmanship actively supported the efforts of
the Co-Chairs of the Minsk group in seeking reinvigoration of the
dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We note with satisfaction
the meetings conducted during this year between the Presidents and
the Foreign Ministers of the two countries and hope that the process
will be moved forward.
The involvement of the Bulgarian Chairmanship in active search for
solutions to the conflicts in the South Caucasus was reconfirmed by
the designation of two prominent Bulgarian statesmen – former
President Zhelju Zhelev and former Prime Minister Philip Dimitrov, as
CiO’s envoys respectively for Georgia and Nagorno Karabakh.
The Bulgarian Chairmanship looked actively for solutions in the
Transdniestrian conflict. The Chairman-in-Office asked former
Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov to act as his envoy for Moldova.
President Stoyanov’s visit to Chisinau and Tiraspol in September
demonstrated the Chairmanship’s commitment to seeking an overall
settlement of the dispute. However, despite the continuing efforts of
the mediators and some positive developments during the first half of
the year, there was lack of progress towards comprehensive political
settlement. The Chairmanship calls upon the parties to the conflict
to establish and strengthen a working dialogue that can lead more
effectively towards a lasting solution. Additional efforts are still
needed to find a formula for a comprehensive settlement on the basis
of strengthening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the
Republic of Moldova while providing a special status for
Transdniestria.
In 2004 the Western Balkans continued to face complex challenges such
as the break out of violence in Kosovo in March. The parliamentary
and presidential elections in Serbia and the Macedonian referendum on
decentralization were key events in shaping the future development of
these countries. Due to the continuous persistent efforts exerted by
the OSCE, developments in the region have been forward-leaning.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has made progress in achieving interethnic
tolerance, in strengthening state institutions and in resolving the
problems with returnees and their property. We are pleased to note
Albania’s commitment to finalize the overall implementation of the
electoral reform in order to organize free and democratic elections
in 2005. Croatia’s performance in fulfilling OSCE commitments also
deserves our esteem.
In Central Asia the Bulgarian Chairmanship facilitated more
co-operation among the participating States, both from in- and
outside the region, and the specialized international organizations.
All of us in the OSCE welcomed the moratorium on the death penalty
introduced by the Parliament of Tajikistan following a proposal by
the Tajik President.
Ladies and gentlemen,
This has been a challenging year for the Bulgarian Chairmanship. As I
reflect on my time as Chairman-in-Office, I would like to share with
you three convictions:
First, solidarity is more needed than ever. That means no dividing
lines. We should not lose sight of the vision of our predecessors who
agreed three decades ago to improve and intensify relations among
European States and to strive for peace, justice, security,
co-operation and rapprochement. This is the imperative of global and
regional security and, most of all, serves the interests of the
people and their respective countries.
This leads me to my second conviction: the OSCE should reach out.
The OSCE’s experience, capacities and good practices in preventing
inter-ethnic conflicts, election monitoring, confidence-building,
arms control and facilitating dialogue could be applied in other
parts of the world. In this regard I would like to emphasize that by
sending an Election Support Team to Afghanistan for the presidential
elections in October – the first out-of-area operation of the OSCE,
our Organization demonstrated its capacity to go beyond its original
horizons. Mongolia has just become a new Partner for Co-operation. In
my view the Mediterranean dimension deserves particular attention and
I believe that the OSCE example could have a positive impact on the
troubled Middle East. The successful Mediterranean Seminar organized
in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt has highlighted the importance of
fostering co-operation and interaction in this region.
My third conviction is that the OSCE should be of more relevance and
practical benefit to the man in the street and, to that end, try to
overcome tendencies towards bureaucratization. Although the Permanent
Representatives in Vienna are doing an excellent job, this phenomenon
persists, due to insufficient efforts by the respective capitals to
make ordinary people feel that the OSCE has a tangible bearing on
their lives. It is our responsibility – as Ministers – to play a
greater leadership role, to take more initiatives, and to bring
knowledge about the OSCE closer to constituencies.
I am confident that people in Bulgaria and around the world deserve
to know more about the OSCE and its work. 2005 will be an excellent
opportunity to raise our public profile by celebrating the thirtieth
anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act and the fifteenth anniversary
of the Charter of Paris.
These three convictions – solidarity, outreach, and relevance – lead
me to the expectation that we will be able to transform this
organization. The OSCE needs to adapt, evolve and further improve its
efficiency. This year witnessed a far-reaching debate on transforming
the OSCE to ensure that it is even better suited to deal with these
present-day challenges. I am confident that the decision on
establishment of a panel of eminent persons on strengthening the
effectiveness of the OSCE will provide additional momentum to this
process and will contribute to improving the overall capacity of the
Organization. The OSCE should be more accessible to its constituents,
and seek to engage parliamentarians more actively in its work.
Dear Colleagues,
On the issue of reform I have tried to test the boundaries this year,
and to challenge some taboos in the OSCE in order to shake things up
for the better. I welcome the fact that others have contributed a
number of thought-provoking views on reform. The future of this
organization is in our hands: it will be as relevant and as effective
as we make it.
I would like to particularly thank the Heads of OSCE Institutions,
the Heads of Field Missions and the OSCE Secretariat for their
relentless and dedicated efforts throughout 2004. Let us build on
this Sofia meeting and work even harder for peace and security. And
let us challenge ourselves and each other to come up with bold
initiatives and a vision for the political space from Vancouver to
Vladivostock.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I wish you a fruitful and successful Ministerial Council Meeting.
Thank you.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PREVENTING DISASTERS FROM SPACE
RIA Novosti, Russia
Dec 6 2004
MOSCOW (Space Research Institute expert Yury Zaitsev for RIA Novosti)
– In the last few years, natural disasters have become more frequent
and caused more damage. Undesirable and dangerous processes are
triggered by the environmental damage caused by technological
progress. Natural disasters and accidents like earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, forest fires and pipeline accidents can be predicted and,
in some cases, even prevented. Data from space is essential to solve
these problems. After the tragic December 1988 earthquake in Armenia,
Soviet experts proposed developing an early-warning system consisting
of space and ground equipment. At the time, the necessary equipment
for the space part of the system was planned to be placed on the Mir
space station and eventually be transferred to unmanned satellites.
The spacecraft were to have been put into orbit by converted ballistic
missiles. However, the Soviet Union collapsed and the program, like
many others, was terminated. Nonetheless, the long-duration Mir,
Salyut-6 and Salyut-7 missions helped amass experience in this field.
In short, the space stations served as a testing site for developing
remote-sensing systems. Such experiments are now being conducted on
Russia’s segment of International Space Station (ISS) as part of the
Uragan (Hurricane) program. The goal of the program is to develop
specific aspects of a disaster warning system. The program is focused
on digital photos of the earth and monitoring all natural disasters
and accidents.
The photographs taken from the ISS at an altitude of 380km cover
an area of 10x15km, with a resolution of 5m and 20x30km, with a 10m
resolution. Panoramic photos of the earth are also taken, however as
the photographed area increases, the resolution decreases.
High resolution photographs are the most popular. Therefore magnifying
optical systems are often used for these observations to ensure a
three-meter resolution of the terrestrial surface. The restrictions
of the station’s orbital inclination to the equatorial plane limit
the area the high-quality photographs can be taken to between the
latitudes of 56 degrees north to 56 degrees south. This creates large
blank spots in the research because the Arctic and Antarctic regions,
which significantly influence the climate, are unable to be seen.
All experiments conducted on the Russian segment of the ISS must be
coordinated with the United States and receive safety certificates.
For example, a large amount of time has been spent trying to convince
the Americans that taking photographs from the ISS’s windows was
safe. It was necessary to provide evidence that the crew members
would not damage their eyes from solar radiation or from fragments
of the window that might break off if a micro-meteorite hit it. These
concerns were groundless because all observations are conducted when
the window faces the earth.
Indeed, photographs transmitted to earth in real time are the most
valuable in predicting disasters. The United States’ communications
channels were initially used for this purpose, relaying all data
via the TDRS geostationary satellite. The photographs that required
immediate analysis were sent to earth without any problems. However,
after September 11 when cosmonauts photographed the tragedy, this no
longer became possible because NASA established a special department
comprising scientists who analyze all photographs taken by cosmonauts
before they are sent on American communications channels. This
censorship was not included in any agreements. Consequently, that
communications channel basically stopped providing real time data.
Russian tracking stations receive some photos when the ISS passes
over them, however, most of the photographs are flown back on Soyuz
spacecraft every six months).
There is another problem. After the space shuttle Columbia disaster,
a full crew is not on the ISS, which has prevented research projects
from being done. Work on the Uragan program is mostly done voluntarily
on the weekends or during free time.
What has been accomplished over the last several years? The first ISS
mission did work on the Uragan program that mostly included taking
pictures of hydrocarbon deposit in Kazakhstan on the northeastern
coast of the Caspian Sea. Technologically imperfect oil production,
oil spills and removal of subterranean waters, in the area led to
the formation of 1-2km in diameter oil and water lakes. Some of the
lakes were surrounded by mounds of earth to prevent subsequent spills.
However, the photographs from space show that the some of the dams
have already been breached and oil is leaking into the sea. An
environmental disaster is quickly approaching and it will affect
not only the Kazakh, but also the Russian parts of the Caspian Sea
before politicians agree to demarcate the body of water. The Aral
Sea is also being monitored from the ISS. Observations show that
the sea will disappear in the near future because the Amudarya and
Syrdarya rivers are being drained. As the Aral Sea dries up, a new
problem has been created: salt clouds from the bed have reached as
far as Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand. Photographs from the ISS
have documented this. The clouds are now moving in the direction
of the South Urals and the Volga region. Aside from damaging crops,
these salt clouds are also unhealthy.
The catastrophic floods that have been photographed in the North
Caucasus, Central and Eastern Europe, China, India and Pakistan are
evidence that disregard for nature and basic safety precautions can
cause the greatest damage. Photographs from space provided important
information about a avalanche that occurred in Karmadon gorge,
North Ossetia, two years ago. Analysis of these photographs shows
that a similar disaster could happen on the Pamir mountain range’s
Medvezhy (Bear) snowfield. Densely populated areas could be flooded
if an avalanche flows into a nearby lake which would then cause the
Pyandzh River to overflow.
Detailed photographs from the Russian ISS segment can also be used
to monitor and help with the construction of roads, pipelines and
tunnels. The Moscow authorities and Ukraine have agreed to build a
multi-purpose bridge and underwater pipeline to supply water from
the Kuban River to the Crimea. Photographs from the ISS will make it
possible to analyze the environmental implications of construction
project and conduct an objective safety inspection.
Overall, Russian methodologies enable space crews to monitor
many natural processes and accidents. International co-production
arrangements and the creation of an international disaster prediction
system that would benefit humanity are feasible. The creation of
such a system is particularly important because natural disasters and
accidents that occur far away from each other are often more connected
that than previously thought. An international space monitoring system
will enable the optimal decision to be made for both regional and
global problems.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ANALYSIS: RUSSIAN SATELLITE SHIFTS ORBIT
by Ian Mather Diplomatic Correspondent
Scotland on Sunday
December 5, 2004, Sunday
UKRAINE’S Supreme Court has a reputation for fierce independence
unusual in a former Soviet republic and last week it demonstrated it
with a vengeance.
In a humiliating rebuff to outgoing President Leonid Kuchma and his
pro-Moscow protege, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, it threw out
the presidential election result in which Yanukovych had been declared
the narrow winner.
The court’s decision, which cannot be appealed against, is a stunning
victory for the Western-oriented opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko
and his backers, and is massively significant since it clears the way
for a Yushchenko victory which could take Ukraine out of the Russian
sphere of influence and closer to membership of the European Union
and Nato.
The decision gives Yushchenko exactly what he wanted: a straightforward
re-run of the last round, between the two highest-scoring candidates
from the first round.
Kuchma, who is at the end of a 10-year stint as president, had
dismissed the idea of a re-run as a “farce”, instead seeking a
completely new election. This would have opened up the field to
fresh candidates, allowing Kuchma to ditch Yanukovych in favour of
a different pro-Moscow candidate thought to be less unpopular.
There are other signs that the tide has turned against Ukraine’s
pro-Moscow establishment. The country’s parliament has begun flexing
its muscles, adopting a more aggressive role against Kuchma for
the first time. In an emergency session it voted to invalidate the
election.
Later, when Kuchma sought to circumvent the opposition by pushing
through a political reform that would have transferred significant
powers from the president to parliament, boosting the prime minister’s
role, the parliament rejected it.
The Supreme Court’s decision is also a serious setback for Russian
President Vladimir Putin, who had mounted a personal campaign to
try to assure the election of Yanukovych. He paid two high-profile
visits to Ukraine during the election campaign and later caused anger
in Europe and the US by congratulating Yanukovych on winning before
the official outcome was announced.
The prospect of a Yushchenko presidency has raised old Russian fears
of ‘encirclement’ if Ukraine, a large and strategically important
nation, were to move out of Moscow’s orbit, and line up with the West,
particularly the United States.
But it is a triumph for Washington, which announced it would refuse
to accept the last election result and hinted at sanctions against
Ukraine if the result were not reversed.
It is also an unexpected success for the EU, which argues that it has
an external security role in what it calls the “common neighbourhood” –
which includes Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova, and the Caucasus republics
of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Moscow fiercely rejects such a role for the EU, arguing that Ukraine
and other former Soviet republics belong to what it calls its
“near abroad”.
“The Russians still perceive it as their sphere of influence and would
prefer not to have anyone from the EU,” said Wojciech Saryusz-Wolski,
an analyst at the Brussels-based European Policy Centre.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ANM admits its role in opposition’s activities
Yerkir/arm
3 Dec 04
Every time when there were talks that the opposition was often
using the advice of the Armenian National Movement (ANM) and thus —
willingly or unwillingly — was implementing that party’s objectives,
both the opposition and the ANM were voicing their objections.
The opposition was looking insulted because its intellectual potential
was underestimated, and the ANM was accusing everybody of seeing it
behind the opposition’s moves.
A few days ago, the ANM disclosed itself: the leaders of the party
admitted that they had given advice — and not only — to the
opposition.
What were the results of such advice in the case of the events of
this spring, or what could the results be, is another story. It is,
however, noteworthy to speak about an accent that this party uses in
its propaganda tactics: ANM claims it is the only alternative to the
present regime.
The formula is this: the current opposition (the Ardarutiun, Gegamian
and the others) is incapable of removing the regime as it has neither
the resolve nor the intellectual potential; the ANM in contrast,
is able to do it. This formula, however, is for the “consumers”
outside Armenia.
This explains the recent activeness of the ANM’s comments on
the former president and things that the latter has said or has
not. Most probably, such activeness will be followed by the campaign
of “reliable information” that the current president will be replaced
with the former one.