Author: Emil Lazarian

Protestors urge release of Armenian political prisoners
A1+ web site
17 May 04
17 May: An initiative group of the “For and against civic will”
public organizations today staged another picket outside the
Prosecutor-General’s Office.
The aim of the action has not changed, i.e. the release of political
prisoners. Shayane Yesayan, a member of the Nor Hayastan [New Armenia]
public organization, says that the protest action will continue until
there are no political prisoners in Armenia.
She believes that one should not take seriously a statement by Deputy
Speaker of the National Assembly Tigran Torosyan that we have no
political prisoners in the country at all, whereas, there are 14 men
in Armenia. A list of them was submitted to journalists by members
of the Nor Hayastan.
The protest action was attended by Dzhemma Galstyan, the mother of
Suren Surenyants, a member of the Anrapetutyun Party and a political
prisoner.
She said that Suren Surenyants was in a poor health at present:
“We have repeatedly appealed to various instances, asking for the
transfer of Surenyants from the investigatory isolation ward of the
National Security Ministry to another place, however, our requests
remained unanswered.”
Surenyants’ mother considers that his issue can only be resolved
through the mediation of international organizations: “I am not
permitted to see my son because of a special instruction from the
prosecutor-general.”
At the end of the protest action, members of the initiative group
handed over a statement to the Prosecutor-General’s Office, which was
signed by 1,700 citizens, urging it to release the political prisoners.

Le Figaro
17 Mai 2004
Un effet boule de neige
L. M.
Depuis que le président de la Convention européenne Valéry Giscard
d’Estaing a lancé un pavé dans la mare, en affirmant que la Turquie
«n’avait pas vocation à entrer dans l’Union européenne», la
géographie, l’islam, la porosité des frontières turques aux trafics
en tout genre, la peur de migrations massives ou l’absence de
reconnaissance du génocide arménien sont tour à tour brandis comme
autant de raisons de dire non aux Turcs.
Longtemps confisqué par le petit cercle des dirigeants européens, le
débat sur la Turquie fait boule de neige et revient aujourd’hui en
boomerang à la tête de l’Europe, malgré l’appui notable apporté à la
candidature turque par la Grèce. En France et en Autriche, les
partisans du «non» semblent majoritaires. La droite allemande est,
elle aussi, turco-sceptique, de même qu’une partie des politiciens
hollandais. Beaucoup s’alarment de la présence au pouvoir d’un parti
islamiste, l’AKP, certes modéré et réformé. D’autres s’interrogent
sur la capacité de la Turquie à se débarrasser d’un système
bureaucratico-mafieux et clientéliste, dominé par le lobby militaire.
Le visage européen de la Turquie, incarné par ses élites modernes et
polyglottes, séduit. Mais l’autre visage, celui d’un Sud-Est
anatolien arriéré, effraie.

Parliamentary Chairperson Visits Strasbourg
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi
May 15 2004
Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze left for Strasbourg on
May 15 to participate in the European Conference of Presidents of
Parliament to be held at the Council of Europe on May 17-19.
“A number of bilateral meetings with my counterparts will be held,”
Nino Burjanadze said before departure.
Trilateral talks between Armenian, Azeri and Georgian Parliamentary
Chairpersons are also scheduled.
The conference will bring together more than sixty Presidents and
Speakers of the Parliaments of 45 member states.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RUSSIA-ARMENIA: FINE PROSPECTS FOR ECONOMIC TIES, SAYS PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN
RIA Novosti, Russia
May 14 2004
MOSCOW, May 14 (RIA Novosti) – President Robert Kocharyan of Armenia
is in Moscow on visit. Today, he held conference with the organising
committee of a nascent Russian-Armenian Business Partnership
Association.
Bilateral economic contacts have excellent opportunities, far exceeding
their present scope, which is impressive, too-suffice it to mention
close on 600 joint ventures and Armenian-based companies with Russian
participation, most of them prosperous, said the President.
Russian-Armenian economic partnership is making good progress,
especially in iron-and-steel and non-ferrous metal industries,
construction and banking. Chemical industrial contacts are very
promising, he added.
Mr. Kocharyan consented to become honoured association president. “If
this is to be my initial contribution, I say yes,” he replied to a
request by Nikolai Ryzhkov, organising committee chief and member of
the Federation Council, Russia’s upper parliamentary house.
The association is a fruitful idea, and President Kocharyan is
surprised just why no one has come on the idea before, what with both
countries’ ample attention to their economic links. Armenia will do
all it can to get the association going, he pledged.
Expected to be established next month, the association had its
organising committee maiden session in Moscow, April. It will promote
bilateral social, economic, research and technological contacts,
beneficial to either country. It has a solid tentative corporate
membership-more than a hundred Russian-based companies and seventy
Armenian have applied to join in for today.
A bilateral parliamentary commission for Russo-Armenian partnership,
which Senator Ryzhkov co-chairs for Russia, is having its nearest
session in Yerevan, June 2-3, he announced. The agenda is already
determined, and will concern economic contacts.
The commission has 22 members on either side. Representing Russia
are ten Senators and twelve members of the State Duma lower house.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri paper says USA gives Karabakh to Russia in return for Ajaria
Zerkalo, Baku
14 May 04
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers continued its work at
yesterday’s session in Strasbourg. Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan was the first among the representatives of the 26 countries
of the Council of Europe to sign the supplementary 14th protocol to
the European Convention on Human Rights relating to the reform of
the European Court (Regnum [news agency]).
Yesterday also saw the second day of the negotiations on the resolution
of the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict within the framework of the OSCE
Minsk Group.
[Passage omitted: Minor details]
Also yesterday, US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice announced
plans to discuss the prospects for settling the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict in Moscow, together with other regional issues. She made
this announcement during a briefing in the run-up to her visit to
the Russian Federation.
[Passage omitted: More about the briefing]
It is interesting to note that the day before yesterday, in an
interview with [Russia’s] Nezavisimaya Gazeta, First Deputy Foreign
Minister of Russia Vyacheslav Trubnikov noted that Russia does not
want non-regional powers to be present on the territory of the former
Soviet Union. He said that over the past few years America’s presence
in the former Soviet Union has increased. The diplomat said that the
talk is about the Caucasus and Central Asia. Trubnikov believes that
the Americans are hardly going to abandon the regions they have just
“discovered”.
[Passage omitted: Minor details]
As can be seen, everything is clear here. While Washington is calling
on Moscow to cooperate in resolving the Karabakh conflict, the latter
is trying to reduce “the American presence” in Karabakh.
Another thing is surprising as well. Condoleezza Rice, delighted
with the settlement of the Ajaria issue, obviously does not quite
realize that as a result of the Georgian president’s “raid”, Ajaria was
deprived of the notorious “right of nations to self-determination”. And
probably, the democratic Condoleezza Rice does not worry about Ajaria’s
future fate.
[Passage omitted: Similar ideas]
It seems that Washington intends to “give” Karabakh to Russia in return
for Ajaria. And as always, no-one is taking account of Baku’s view.
In numerous private conversations between our political experts
and influential Europeans whose statements made behind the scenes
reflect Europe’s real attitude towards the Karabakh problem, they have
repeatedly said: “You are the loser, therefore, sit and do not fidget
around” or “Go and take Karabakh by force if you can. The strong side
one is always right.”
Therefore, if we discard all the numerous politically correct
statements of the EU “for and against”, we have to admit that there
is no other way than to retake by force what belongs to us. Long live,
as the Americans said, “Mr Kalashnikov”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Iran, Armenia sign agreement on gas export
IRNA, Iran
May 15 2004
Tehran, May 15, IRNA — Iran and Armenia signed an agreement in
Yerevan on Thursday to construct gas pipelines that will tranport
Iranian gas to Armenia.
According to the Persian-language daily Hamshahri, the agreement was
signed during a visit by Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh
to Yerevan by and between the Iranian National Gas Export Company
and officials of Armenia.
According to the agreement, Iran will export 1.1 billion cubic meters
of gas to Armenia with the possibility of exports being raised to
2.3 billion cubic meters.
Under the agreement, exports of Iranian gas, estimated at 10 billion
dollars, will be paid through a barter system.
Iran will launch gas exports to Armenia in 2007. Total volume of
gas exports to Armenia is targeted at 36 billion cubic meters, which
could be increased to 47 billion cubic meters.
The agreement is an added step to strengthening the position of Iran
as a secure energy provider, especially of gas.
In addition to exports of gas, the two countries have agreed to the
construction of a gas pipeline that will open a new route for the
transport of Iranian gas to the region via Georgia, the Black Sea
and Ukraine.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Trade between Samara region, Armenia increases 14 times
By Lyudmila Yermakova
ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 14, 2004 Friday
SAMARA, May 14 — The trade turnover between the Samara region and
Armenia has increased 14 times for seven years, regional governor
Konstantin Titov cited the figure at the conference on interregional
Russian-Armenian cooperation on Friday.
He noted that “the CIS states are serious partners of the region, their
share in the export of the Samara region is stabilising and Armenia
holds one of the leading places in it.” The regional law on investments
that protects the deposits of businessmen promotes the capital inflow
in the region. The Samara region is a big supplier of oil, electricity,
aluminium, produce of machine-building and chemical industry.
The governor noted that the Samara region is traditionally
multinational, and the Armenian diaspora is one of the biggest there
that promotes the development of bilateral cooperation. “The state
support of multifaceted cooperation between Russian constituents
and the CIS states” is needed for the development of this tendency,
the governor pointed out.

Trustee’s Travels Lead To Narrowing Of Gap Between Bitter Nations
By MICHAEL SEBASTIAN, Journal Reporter
ELK GROVE JOURNAL / Thursday, May 13, 2004
THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2004
Armenia and Azerbaijan are at war. The European and Asian nation,
respectively, have battled each other over territorial issues since
the fall of the Soviet Union. Despite the reigning bitterness, an
elected official from Elk Grove helped, ever so slightly, mend the
gap between the nations by working closely with their youth.
In March, Elk Grove Trustee Patton Feichter traveled to the capitol of
Lithuania — Vilnius — as part of a federally funded, international
teacher exchange program titled Civitas. From March 5 to March 14,
Feichter, a trustee for seven years, worked closely with teachers,
government officials, community leaders and youth of Baltic and former
Soviet bloc countries including Lithuania, Russia, Poland, Latvia,
Romania, Slovakia and Bosnia — as well as Armenia and Azerbaijan.
For an entire day, Feichter and other Civitas representatives visited
the Vilnius Pedagogical University, a teacher’s college, to work with
future and current instructors. The group’s main thrust involved
bringing democracy to a classroom of citizens who view this free
world concept with excitement and uncertainty.
Feichter and others worked with teaching students from three nations
that day — Lithuania, Armenia and Azerbaijan. The only common language
the students shared was Russian, a completely foreign language to
Feichter. Yet with a translator Feichter and the Civitas team brought
the Armenians and Azerbaijanis to a shaky state of cohesion, despite
their reluctance, Feichter admitted.
Together, the foreign teachers learned the many ways to engage their
students in community concerns. A primary example involved flushing
out a problem, for instance, drugs or violence in elementary schools,
then researching the issue in search of an answer.
“The teachers would interview public and school officials and members
of the police department about the problem,” explained Feichter. “This
was a huge step because people from these countries never questioned
authority before.”
The day at Vilnius Pedagogical University was a success, Feichter
indicated. “The students worked well together,” he said adding,
“they were all wonderful to us — very thankful.”
Although the experience was a success, the Civitas team’s involvement
with Lithuanian government was not always light and easy. One day,
Feichter attended a session of the Lithuanian Parliament on the
nation’s Independence Day from the Soviet Union, a seemingly joyous
experience. However, once the formal celebration ceased, the political
wrangling began, according to Feichter. As he watched, members of
parliament continued with the impeachment process of their leader.
“I didn’t know the language,” Feichter commented. “But you could
definitely feel the tension in the room.”
The president was impeached after we left the country, Feichter added.
This Elk Grove trustee is no stranger to government or foreign
relations. A former high school government teacher, now comparative
government at North Park University, Feichter has traveled to Bosnia
almost annually since 1996 constantly stressing the importance of
democracy education. It’s an admittedly deep passion, according
to Feichter.
When not exporting democracy or watching anxious impeachment
proceedings, Feichter enjoyed the native life. He ate a traditional
Lithuanian dinner in a castle one evening. The festivities included
a Lithuanian Elvis Presley impersonator, Feichter chuckled.
“We were treated very well,” explained Feichter. “The only negativity
we received concerned Iraq. Many teachers polled me on our country’s
involvement in Iraq.”
The questioning didn’t faze him though. He will certainly return to
Eastern Europe next year to continue democracy education. Until then
however, Feichter plans to soak up some Lithuanian culture with the
nation’s cuisine. Chicago holds the largest Lithuanian population
outside Lithuania, which is a bonus for Feichter who has fallen in
love with one of their national delicacies — potato pancakes.
“They’ve got some of the best in the world,” he noted.
THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2004
Trustee’s Travels Lead To Narrowing Of Gap Between Bitter Nations By
MICHAEL SEBASTIAN Journal Reporter
Armenia and Azerbaijan are at war. The European and Asian nation,
respectively, have battled each other over territorial issues since
the fall of the Soviet Union. Despite the reigning bitterness, an
elected official from Elk Grove helped, ever so slightly, mend the
gap between the nations by working closely with their youth.
In March, Elk Grove Trustee Patton Feichter traveled to the capitol of
Lithuania — Vilnius — as part of a federally funded, international
teacher exchange program titled Civitas. From March 5 to March 14,
Feichter, a trustee for seven years, worked closely with teachers,
government officials, community leaders and youth of Baltic and former
Soviet bloc countries including Lithuania, Russia, Poland, Latvia,
Romania, Slovakia and Bosnia — as well as Armenia and Azerbaijan.
For an entire day, Feichter and other Civitas representatives visited
the Vilnius Pedagogical University, a teacher’s college, to work with
future and current instructors. The group’s main thrust involved
bringing democracy to a classroom of citizens who view this free
world concept with excitement and uncertainty.
Feichter and others worked with teaching students from three nations
that day — Lithuania, Armenia and Azerbaijan. The only common language
the students shared was Russian, a completely foreign language to
Feichter. Yet with a translator Feichter and the Civitas team brought
the Armenians and Azerbaijanis to a shaky state of cohesion, despite
their reluctance, Feichter admitted.
Together, the foreign teachers learned the many ways to engage their
students in community concerns. A primary example involved flushing
out a problem, for instance, drugs or violence in elementary schools,
then researching the issue in search of an answer.
“The teachers would interview public and school officials and members
of the police department about the problem,” explained Feichter. “This
was a huge step because people from these countries never questioned
authority before.”
The day at Vilnius Pedagogical University was a success, Feichter
indicated. “The students worked well together,” he said adding,
“they were all wonderful to us — very thankful.”
Although the experience was a success, the Civitas team’s involvement
with Lithuanian government was not always light and easy. One day,
Feichter attended a session of the Lithuanian Parliament on the
nation’s Independence Day from the Soviet Union, a seemingly joyous
experience. However, once the formal celebration ceased, the political
wrangling began, according to Feichter. As he watched, members of
parliament continued with the impeachment process of their leader.
“I didn’t know the language,” Feichter commented. “But you could
definitely feel the tension in the room.”
The president was impeached after we left the country, Feichter added.
This Elk Grove trustee is no stranger to government or foreign
relations. A former high school government teacher, now comparative
government at North Park University, Feichter has traveled to Bosnia
almost annually since 1996 constantly stressing the importance of
democracy education. It’s an admittedly deep passion, according
to Feichter.
When not exporting democracy or watching anxious impeachment
proceedings, Feichter enjoyed the native life. He ate a traditional
Lithuanian dinner in a castle one evening. The festivities included
a Lithuanian Elvis Presley impersonator, Feichter chuckled.
“We were treated very well,” explained Feichter. “The only negativity
we received concerned Iraq. Many teachers polled me on our country’s
involvement in Iraq.”
The questioning didn’t faze him though. He will certainly return to
Eastern Europe next year to continue democracy education. Until then
however, Feichter plans to soak up some Lithuanian culture with the
nation’s cuisine. Chicago holds the largest Lithuanian population
outside Lithuania, which is a bonus for Feichter who has fallen in
love with one of their national delicacies — potato pancakes.
“They’ve got some of the best in the world,” he noted.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian President In Moscow For Talks With Putin
Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
May 14 2004
14 May 2004 — Armenia’s President Robert Kocharian is due to meet
with Russian President Vladimir Putin today at the start of a three-day
visit to Moscow.
Kocharian, who arrived late yesterday, is also scheduled to meet
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov. Talks are expected to focus on
security issues in the Caucasus region, as well as economic cooperation
between Russia and Armenia.
Kocharian is also due to meet in Moscow with top officials of companies
supplying gas to Armenia, as well as other businessmen.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian Opposition Boycotts Further Talks With Coalition
By Karine Kalantarian
Radio Free Europe, Czech Rep.
May 14 2004
Dialogue between Armenia’s main political groups foundered before
starting in earnest on Thursday as the opposition cancelled planned
crisis talks with the governing coalition, saying that President Robert
Kocharian’s has not stopped the month-long crackdown on his opponents.
The leaders of the Artarutyun bloc and the National Unity Party
(AMK) accused the authorities of failing to comply with a Council of
Europe resolution that called for the release of arrested opposition
activists, an end to “administrative detentions” of participants
of anti-government protests and punishment of government officials
guilty of “human rights abuses.” The two groups declared on May 4 a
ten-day moratorium on unsactioned demonstrations in Yerevan to give
the authorities time to meet the demands.
Opposition representatives were scheduled to meet on Thursday with
leaders of the three pro-Kocharian parties that hold the majority of
seats in parliament and are represented in Prime Minister Andranik
Markarian’s cabinet. The meeting was supposed to be the first official
“negotiation” between the two sides that have held a series of
unofficial consultations over the past week.
According to Artarutyun’s Victor Dallakian, the opposition will
resume the contacts only after the authorities take “practical steps”
stemming from the resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE). “We have nothing to discuss with
the coalition now,” he said.
“They were obliged to immediately comply with the resolution of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe,” AMK leader Artashes
Geghamian told a separate news conference. “Namely, to immediately
release the political prisoners, to ensure people’s freedom of
movement, to put an end to the continuing repressions.”
“They are now trying to hold us as hostages so that we adopt what they
are obliged to unconditionally do as our main cause,” Geghamian added.
Parliament majority leaders said the decision to pull out of the talks
was not immediately communicated to them as they waited for opposition
representatives inside the parliament building in the evening. “It will
be unfortunate but it won’t have serious consequences for the country,”
Galust Sahakian of Markarian’s Republican Party told reporters.
“That the opposition is not prepared for a dialogue is a fact,”
Sahakian said, adding that the PACE issued “recommendations,” rather
than demands.
The boycott followed Artarutyun’s and the AMK’s decision to resume
their joint rallies in Yerevan on Friday. The opposition says it
is only prepared to discuss with the authorities ways of ensuring
Kocharian’s resignation “without upheavals,” suggesting in particular
a referendum of confidence in the Armenian leader.
However, the coalition parties remain united in their support of
Kocharian and strongly oppose regime change in the country. They say
that they can instead give the opposition more of a say in government
affairs.
The international community has strongly encouraged both sides to
try to bridge their differences through negotiations, with the PACE
resolution calling for a “dialogue without preconditions.” The head
of the Yerevan office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe, Vladimir Pryakhin, echoed the calls on Wednesday.
“I encourage both sides to engage in a meaningful and genuine
dialogue in order to resolve, within the constitutional framework,
the continuing difficulties,” Pryakhin said in a statement.
Pryakhin also urged the Armenian authorities to “review the cases”
of all those detained during recent opposition demonstrations and end
the controversial “administrative detentions” repeatedly condemned
by the Council of Europe and other human rights organizations. “This
practice is incompatible with European human rights standards,”
the Russian diplomat said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress