Author: Emil Lazarian

Azeri president restates position on Karabakh ahead of Turkish visit
Hurriyet, Istanbul
9 Apr 04
Azerbaijan will never accept Nagornyy Karabakh becoming an independent
Armenian entity, President Ilham Aliyev has told Turkish newspaper
Hurriyet ahead of his official visit to Ankara. He restated his
position that if Armenia withdrew from five of the seven occupied
Azerbaijani districts, Baku would be ready to reopen the border and
railway through Armenia and begin negotiations. Aliyev said that it
would be a blow to Azerbaijani-Turkish relations if Turkey were to
open its border with Armenia. He said that his father, late President
Heydar Aliyev, had been suffering a great deal from “this disease”
towards the end, but did not name the illness. The following is the
text of Ertugrul Ozkok’s interview with Aliyev in Hurriyet (Ankara
edition) on 9 April headlined “Let them withdraw from five districts,
then let us open the border crossing immediately”; subheadings as
published by Hurriyet:
Azerbaijani flag used to fly at Black Sea
I became aware of the first change when I landed at Baku airport. The
name of the airport has clearly changed to Heydar Aliyev airport. But
this was not the only change. This time, there is a change in Baku in
the atmosphere towards Turkey. With whomever I talked, they asked me,
“Will Turkey open the border with Armenia?”
One day before I came here, close to 20 Azerbaijani reporters came to
Turkey via Naxcivan. There, they were campaigning for “the border with
Armenia not to be opened”. Some opposition newspapers even wanted the
Turkish ambassador to be deported if the border was opened.
In the evening, we were at the Izmir Restaurant in Izmir
Park. Singers, each with voices more beautiful than the other, came
onto the stage. A female singer, who came onto the stage at the end of
the programme, suddenly started to sing the song, “It will fly at the
Black Sea”. The hall suddenly started to sway. The Azerbaijani female
singer started to sway with a Turkish flag in one hand and an
Azerbaijani flag in the other. She changed the final refrain of the
song as follows: “We will hang the Azerbaijani flag in Nagornyy
Karabakh.” So it was in this atmosphere that we talked with President
Ilham Aliyev.
Probably the reason why he talked with Guneri Civaoglu from the
Milliyet newspaper and me prior to his visit to Turkey was to convey
to Turkey this sensitivity in Baku.
[Ozkok] The death of President Heydar Aliyev was a great loss for
Azerbaijan and Turkey and for the entire Turkish world.
[Aliyev] It was a very great loss for us. It was a great
disaster. Towards the end, he was suffering a lot from this
disease. But still, it is impossible to be reconciled with his loss.
[Ozkok] When did you see the president last?
[Aliyev] I saw him in September [2003].
[Ozkok] You had talked in the United States.
[Aliyev] Yes, I was the prime minister here and had gone to visit
him. There were elections here 20 days later. As soon as I returned, I
started the election campaign. I had planned to go and visit him once
again after the elections. I was going to go on the 16th, but he
passed away on the 12th.
Our growth rate has reached 11 per cent
[Ozkok] During this visit, I found that Baku has changed. There are a
large number of construction sites. How is the economy going?
[Aliyev] The economy is going well. Our growth rate has reached 11 per
cent. Azerbaijan came from the communist system, but today, the
dominance of the private sector in the economy has reached 74 per
cent. This shows that a market economy has become established.
[Ozkok] Are you pleased with the progress of the oil pipeline system?
[Aliyev] The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline is being successfully
built. That is also the work of Heydar Aliyev. I am pleased with the
progress of the pipelines.
[Ozkok] I wonder if the incidents in Georgia will affect the petroleum
flow system?
[Aliyev] No, they will not affect it.
[Ozkok] Could there be a search [for a new pipeline route] via one
place or another or through Iran?
[Aliyev] It could be possible in the future, but this is not an issue
for today or tomorrow. Perhaps there will be so much petroleum in
Azerbaijan that it will be necessary to build a new oil pipeline.
There is an Armenian lobby, not an environmental lobby
[Ozkok] Have those who opposed the project stopped talking?
[Aliyev] Those who are opposed to the Baku-Ceyhan project have not
given up these policies. In the first stage, the countries that did
not want the project were openly opposing it. Now, however, the
tactics have changed. Nongovernmental organizations, which are under
the influence of the Armenian lobby and have hidden under the name of
environmentalists, are making obstacles for the project.
[Ozkok] What do you think about the developments in the Caucasus?
There were three strong leaders in the Caucasus after the
disintegration of the Soviet Union: Suleyman Demirel in Turkey, Heydar
Aliyev in Azerbaijan and Eduard Shevardnadze in Georgia. Thanks to
them, this critical period was overcome without a problem. But now
there are three inexperienced leaders in the three countries. Could a
problem emerge?
[Aliyev] Unfortunately, there is instability in our region. Our region
has suffered a lot. Today as well, the Caucasus is such a sensitive
region that even the smallest wrong step could bring major
disasters. You said it correctly. There were very strong leaders in
this region. Their togetherness, friendship and personal relations
played a very important role. These leaders are not here any more. I
hope that we, the young leaders, will keep our traditions alive.
It should not be Nagornyy Karabakh after Cyprus
[Ozkok] Mr President, recently we have frequently heard the following
theory. The Cyprus problem is being solved. After that, it will be
the turn for the Palestine – Israel and Nagornyy Karabakh problems and
that the pressure on you will increase. Do you agree with this?
[Aliyev] I do not see a parallel on this subject. There have always
been pressures on Azerbaijan. But it is not justified behaviour to
apply pressure to us, because we are not the source of the
problem. Armenia occupied our lands. Nagornyy Karabakh and seven of
our districts around it are still under occupation. As the result of
this occupation, 40,000 Azerbaijanis were forced to emigrate from
Nagornyy Karabakh and 700,000 Azerbaijanis were forced to emigrate
from the seven districts surrounding it.
[Ozkok] Are there other emigrants?
[Aliyev] Of course, 250,000 Azeris living in Armenia were also forced
to emigrate. There are also 20-50,000 Akhaltsikhe Turks who emigrated
from Uzbekistan. That is, today Azerbaijan shelters more than one
million emigrants.
[Ozkok] All right, will this problem ever be solved?
[Aliyev] The great nations, the OSCE and the Minsk Group, which are
taking an interest in this problem, should approach it from the aspect
of international legal standards. The territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan should be ensured once again.
[Ozkok] All right, what would happen to the Armenians in Nagornyy
Karabakh? They are also talking about the principle of determining
their own future.
[Aliyev] Now they have the independent state of Armenia. But if you
are talking about the principle of determining their own rights
everywhere the Armenians live, then could Armenia attempt to determine
these rights everywhere the Armenians live, such as in France, in
Georgia and in the United States?
[Ozkok] If you were to make a call to Armenia from here, what would
you propose in very clear terms to solve the problem?
[Aliyev] Let me express it very clearly. One: we will never accept a
fait accompli. Those lands will never be a part of Armenia. An
independent Armenian republic will not be established there.
[Ozkok] This is a very rigid and irreconcilable attitude, is it not?
Would it not be necessary to be somewhat more conciliatory, at least
to start negotiations?
[Aliyev] We also have a conciliatory proposal.
[Ozkok] What is it?
[Aliyev] We are saying that at the first stage, let them withdraw from
five of the seven districts that they have occupied, then we would
immediately start the negotiations. We would immediately open the
railway and the border crossings. Economic relations would start. Then
it would also be possible to open the border crossing between Turkey
and Armenia.
Let us give highest autonomy to Nagornyy Karabakh
[Ozkok] What would happen to the Armenians in Nagornyy Karabakh? Do
they not have a different situation?
[Aliyev] Our proposal on this subject is as follows: we are prepared
to give the Armenians in Nagornyy Karabakh the highest status other
than independence.
[Ozkok] What sort of status?
[Aliyev] For example, there are national minorities in various places
in the world. There are autonomous administrations. Whatever is the
highest level and most advanced form of autonomy, we are prepared to
give it.
You cannot give up national cause because of pressure
[Ozkok] Mr President, recently the Azerbaijani public has been
sensitive about the opening of the border crossing between Turkey and
Armenia. The Azerbaijanis are reacting strongly because Turkey is
preparing to open this border crossing. Why is this?
[Aliyev] This is an internal matter for Turkey. No official
information has come from Turkey to date. Consequently, it would also
not be appropriate for me to say anything on this subject.
[Ozkok] What would be your reaction if Turkey were to open this border
crossing?
[Aliyev] Of course, it would strike a blow to Turkish-Azerbaijani
relations. President Heydar Aliyev said the following repeatedly: We
are one nation and two states. For that reason, I do not think that it
is likely that such a thing will happen. Furthermore, the Armenians do
not have claims related only to our territories. They also have claims
related to Turkey. It is good to have economic relations, but there is
also history. It is also necessary to take history into account. If
such a thing were done, then it would also create profound sadness in
the Azerbaijani people.
[Ozkok] But Turkey is preparing to enter the EU and it is also
important to open this border crossing. Turkey is also taking steps on
the Cyprus issue.
[Aliyev] We know that there are pressures on Turkey. We also sincerely
want Turkey to enter the EU. But Turkey is a great state. The fact
that there is pressure does not mean giving up a national cause. The
EU negotiations have not yet started. If these negotiations start,
then how much time will it take, one year or five years?
Armenians in Baku are wives of Azerbaijani men
[Ozkok] Do you not have direct contacts with the Armenian president at
all?
[Aliyev] We talked once.
[Ozkok] For example, did he congratulate you after you became
president?
[Aliyev] No.
[Ozkok] Did he send you a message of condolence after the death of
Heydar Aliyev?
[Aliyev] Yes, he sent a telegram.
[Ozkok] The population of Armenia is also decreasing. People are going
away, escaping from there.
[Aliyev] But the Armenian lobby still remains. We should not consider
the Armenians only as a country. Their diaspora is very strong.
[Ozkok] Are there no more Armenians in Azerbaijan?
[Aliyev] There are more than 20,000 Armenians in Baku. Basically, they
are the wives of Azerbaijani men.
[Ozkok] All right. Are there Azerbaijani women who are married to
Armenian men?
[Aliyev] There are very few. There were very rare cases in the past.
We have no Islamic movement
[Ozkok] Is there an Islamic movement in Azerbaijan? Is it strong?
[Aliyev] No. We do not have this problem in Azerbaijan. Our society is
very tolerant.
[Ozkok] What is the size of the Christian population here?
[Aliyev] The Christian population here is around 5, 6 or 7 per cent of
the total population.
[Ozkok] Are there also Jews?
[Aliyev] There could be around 100,000 Jews.
[Ozkok] More Jews than there are in Turkey.
[Aliyev] There were always many Jews here, both now and in the Soviet
period. They live here comfortably.
[Ozkok] Are the Russians who remained here happy with their lives?
[Aliyev] I think that they are happy. If they were unhappy, then they
would leave. Our relations with them are very positive.

OSCE representative goes to Armenian parliament
Noyan Tapan news agency
12 Apr 04
YEREVAN
The head of the OSCE office in Armenia, Vladimir Pryakhin, arrived in
the building of the Armenian National Assembly at 1725 [1225 gmt] on
12 April. In remarks to journalists about the purpose of his visit, he
said that he was here to discuss the internal political situation and
steps which are being taken with Armenian Speaker Artur Bagdasaryan.
He said that he also plans to discuss the adoption of the law on
rallies, meetings and marches.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1 Plus | 14:03:42 | 13-04-2004 | Politics |
ARMENIAN PEOPLE HAVE LEARNED TO TAKE OFFICIAL STATEMENTS SCEPTICALLY
The police press service has spread a statement in a bid to justify the
night brutality against unarmed people saying the demonstrators have
paralyzed traffic by clogging Baghramyan Avenue.
The demonstrators threw stones and bottles with explosives at the police and
their actions grew aggressive and posed threat to people lives: that’s why
the law enforcement officers were reluctant to resort to force, the official
statement says.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BC-ARMENIA (PICTURE)
Armenian police break up opposition rally
By Hasmik Lazarian
YEREVAN, April 13 (Reuters) – Armenian police broke up an
opposition rally early on Tuesday in the centre of Yerevan
called to demand the resignation of President Robert Kocharyan.
“Overnight, police were forced to dissolve the protest
action. Arrests were made and several people were injured,”
police spokesman Sayat Shirimyan said without giving details.
Several hundred people had stayed on to continue their
action overnight after police blocked several thousand
protesters marching down Bagramyan Prospekt, the capital’s main
thoroughfare, towards the presidential office on Monday.
The police action was briefly reported by Yerevan’s public
television. Russia’s Itar-Tass news agency said police used
water cannons to break up the rally.
Kocharyan, accused by opposition of rigging his re-election
in 2003, has in turn accused his political rivals of attempts to
repeat last year’s “rose revolution” in neighbouring Georgia.
Opposition parties are demanding Kocharyan’s resignation and
have pledged to hold rallies throughout this week.
Last November, protesters rebelled against veteran Georgian
leader Eduard Shevardnadze, accused by opponents of rigging a
parliamentary election. In less than two weeks the campaign,
supported by the West, toppled Shevardnadze.
Kocharyan had run Nagorno-Karabakh — a territory populated
by ethnic Armenians which broke away from rule by mainly Muslim
Azerbaijan in Soviet times — and became Armenian president in
1998 on a wave of personal popularity.
But he has made little progress in solving the conflict over
the territory in which more than 35,000 people have died. Nor
have the lives of impoverished Armenians improved.
Participants in the Yerevan rally want to change a law on
referendums to hold a confidence vote in Kocharyan. The
Constitutional Court had proposed such a vote after Kocharyan’s
re-election last March, but authorities took no action.
International observers say parliamentary elections last
year had less fraud than the presidential poll two months
earlier, but fell short of international standards.

Reut01:33 04-13-04
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
The Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist,
the Washing of the Feet
and prayers of Lamentation in Antelias
Antelias, Lebanon – His Holiness Aram I presided over three church services
on Thursday, 8 April 2004. The Armenian faithful came from Lebanon and
elsewhere to join Antelias in its prayers and to receive His Holiness’
blessings.
In the morning, the ceremony of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist was
conducted, in memory of the Last Supper of Christ and His disciples.
In the afternoon, His Holiness celebrated the ceremony of the Pediluvium by
washing the feet of 12 seminarians and reverends. This liturgical ritual
follows the model set by Christ when He washed the feet of His disciples. It
symbolizes the lesson of humility that Christ conveyed to us through this
act. In his sermon, His Holiness pointed out the importance of humility,
through our personal life, as a source of love and respect, and made a call
for love and solidarity.
At night, the members of the Brotherhood, the seminarians and the laity
(predominantly young people) gathered in the Cathedral and the courtyard of
the Catholicosate for the Vigil of the Lamentation.
##
View printable pictures here:
top
********
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
jurisdiction and the Christian Education activities in both the
Catholicosate and the dioceses, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
04/12/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Vote of Confidence 'Recommendation' Not Mandatory Stresses Constitutional Court 2) Pro-Government Majority Boycotts Parliament Sessions 3) Opposition Rally Continues into Monday 4) Iraqi Gunmen Batter US Supply Lines 1) Vote of Confidence 'Recommendation' Not Mandatory Stresses Constitutional Court YEREVAN (Armenpress)--Armenia's Constitutional Court again clarified its April 15, 2003 decision recommending a vote of confidence in the president, in an effort to end attempts to exploit the decision in "pursuit of political goals," stemming from "unawareness of constitutional justice," it said in a statement. Issued on Monday, the statement stresses that the Constitutional Court upheld the country's Central Electoral Commission decision on the results of presidential elections, and that the decision is final and binding; it also spelled-out the nature and rationale of its suggestion for a vote of confidence. "When regulating a national conflict, the Constitutional Court must not only provide a concrete legal solution, but must also outline (keeping in mind the country's legal and democratic development) realistic legal means for regulating social and political issues. The Constitutional Court stressed in its decision that since possible confrontation could greatly endanger the country, the conflict must be overcome democratically. One of the suggested methods was to hold a [presidential] referendum of confidence, which supposes direct utilization of democratic potentials. The proposal was underlined as a non-compulsory proposal, bearing no legal consequences." The statement also emphasizes that that it made no decision on the constitutionality of the Law on Referendums, allowing the National Assembly (NA) to pursue the issue, taking into consideration the NA's commitments before the Council of Europe that call for reforms of election laws. "More than 110 Constitutional Courts currently operate throughout world, and their decisions, without exception, include both mandatory decisions and non-compulsory recommendations. Thus, the Constitutional Court of Armenia requests that its decision be viewed only from a legal point and attempts to make it a subject of political speculation be halted," concludes the statement. 2) Pro-Government Majority Boycotts Parliament Sessions YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--A regular session of Armenia's parliament was disrupted on Monday after the majority of deputies representing the ruling government coalition refused to attend. A brief statement by the Republican Party (HHK), the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), and the Orinats Yerkir Party said the move is aimed at "avoiding artificial tensions." Deputy parliament speaker and ARF leader Vahan Hovannisian, stated that the coalition partners want to stave off possible clashes between their supporters and the opposition crowd. Some leaders of the parliament's opposition minority, which has been boycotting its sessions since February, were quick to criticize the boycott. Victor Dallakian of the Artarutyun (Justice) bloc accused the majority of "dodging responsibility" for the increasingly tense situation. But Artashes Geghamian, the leader of the National Unity Party, welcomed it, saying that the ruling coalition defied Kocharian. 3) Opposition Rally Continues into Monday YEREVAN (Reuters, Yerkir)--Up to 5,000 opposition protestors marched through the Armenian capital of Yerevan on Monday to demand the resignation of the nation's president. The protestors are calling for President Robert Kocharian to either step down, or for a nationwide confidence vote to take place on the Kocharian administration. Speaking at the rally National Democratic Union leader Vazgen Manukian, said that neither the removal of the existing president or a new president will resolve problems, and suggested a plan be developed to draw the population out their situation. Victor Dallakian, in turn, said it is not Robert Kocharian they oppose, rather his administration. Riot troops sealed off the presidential offices and the nation's parliament building. Two deputies affiliated with the Artarutyun (Justice) bloc, Tatul Manaserian and Vartan Khachatrian, were briefly detained on Monday as they campaigned in the city's northern and southern districts, urging local residents to attend the opposition rally due in the afternoon. Over the weekend, prosecutors said that two armed men were detained on Friday for allegedly planning to carry out a "terrorist act" on behalf of an opposition lawmaker. The statement claimed that the opposition paid the two men to shoot at and "terrorize" its own supporters during a street protest. State-run Armenian Public Television aired late on Monday the footage of an interrogation of the two men who claimed to have been paid by Artarutyun lawmaker Smbat Ayvazian to fire gunshots and "spread panic" during the first opposition rally held in Yerevan on Friday. According to the Armenian Police Service, 31 residents of Yerevan have been sentenced to between two and six days in prison while 28 others fined for attending the unsanctioned anti-Kocharian demonstrations in the capital. The police had no information on detained residents of other Armenian regions. Also on Sunday, the authorities made a second arrest in their separate criminal investigation into the opposition campaign for regime change. Aramazad Zakarian, a senior member of the Hanrapetutyun party affiliated with Artarutyun, was held as he tried to enter Freedom Square. 4) Iraqi Gunmen Batter US Supply Lines FALLUJAH (AP)--Under pressure from the US military, a Shiite Muslim cleric withdrew his militiamen Monday from police stations and government buildings in three key southern cities after taking control from coalition forces last week. Elsewhere, there were daring rebel attacks on US supply convoys Monday, when the military also reported two American soldiers and seven employees of a US contractor had been missing for at least two days after an ambush in the Sunni Triangle region west of Baghdad. China reported Monday that seven of its citizens were taken hostage. Three Czech journalists also were missing. An Iraqi official said 12 foreign hostages had been released Monday without giving any details. The top US military spokesman, meanwhile, said about 70 Americans and 700 insurgents had been killed this month, the bloodiest since the fall of Baghdad a year ago. In Najaf, a lawyer representing cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said police were back on the streets and in their stations for the first time since the al-Mahdi Army militia took control last week. Witnesses and police in Karbala and Kufa said the militiamen had pulled back there as well. "Al-Sayed al-Sadr issued instructions for his followers to leave the sites of police and the government," said lawyer Murtada al-Janabi, one of al-Sadr's representatives in negotiations with Iraqi Shiite political parties on ending the US standoff. One of the US demands in the talks was the return of police and government control in all three cities al-Sadr's militia took over--Najaf, Kufa, and Karbala. The Americans, who are not taking part in the talks, also demanded the dissolution in the al-Mahdi Army. The military said it had the cities of Kut, Nasiriyah, and Hillah under control. Sanchez said he did not know where al-Sadr was, but he was last known to be in Najaf. "The mission of US forces is to kill or capture Muqtada al-Sadr. That is our mission," Sanchez said. A tenuous cease-fire was holding in Fallujah, but more US forces maneuvered into place around the city, and commanders said they were not yet ready to negotiate with the insurgents. The military has been trying to regain control of supply routes after several convoys were ambushed and at least 10 truck drivers kidnapped. Nine were released, but an American--Thomas Hamill of Macon, Miss.--remained a captive. On Monday, a convoy of flatbed trucks carrying M113 armored personnel carriers was attacked and burned on a road in Latifiya, 20 miles south of Baghdad. Witnesses said three people were killed. A supply truck was also ambushed and set ablaze Monday on the road from Baghdad's airport. Looters moved in to carry away goods from the truck as Iraqi police looked on without intervening. An attack on a convoy Sunday killed a Romanian working for a security company, Romania's ambassador to Iraq said. Two German security guards were killed on a highway last week, prompting Germany to urge all of its citizens to leave Iraq on Monday. Securing roads has now become a top priority for the military, US Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt said Monday. "Over the past 24 hours we have put significant amount of combat power on both areas of operation to open up those lines of communication so we can not only resupply our forces in Fallujah, Ramadi and our forces down south, but also make those roads safe for travel," Kimmit said. "They're at a condition that we would call amber; it is certainly not green yet," he said. Three US Marines were killed Sunday in Anbar province, the area that includes Fallujah, the military said Monday without giving further details. An attack on an Army patrol in Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad, killed a soldier from the 1st Armored Division and injured four others on Sunday. Kimmitt on Monday released the first full casualty statistics since widespread fighting erupted on April 4. "The coalition casualties since April 1 run about 70 personnel. ... The casualty figures we have received from the enemy are somewhere about 10 times that amount, what we've inflicted on the enemy," he told a Baghdad press conference. About 600 Iraqi dead, mostly civilians, were recorded by the main hospital and four clinics in Fallujah, hospital director Rafie al-Issawi told The Associated Press. In all, about 880 Iraqis have been killed, according to an AP count, based on statements by Iraqi hospital officials, US military statements and Iraqi police. President Bush prepared Americans for the possibility of more US casualties. "It was a tough week last week and my prayers and thoughts are with those who pay the ultimate price for our security," Bush said. Marines on Sunday investigated a bomb-making factory first uncovered three days earlier. Along with five suicide belts found in the initial raid, they uncovered US military uniforms--suggesting suicide bombers may try to get close to American forces, Lt. Col. Brennan Byrne said. Sanchez, the top US commander in Iraq, acknowledged that a battalion of the Iraqi army refused to fight in Fallujah--a sign of Iraqi discontent with the siege. Asked about the battalion's refusal on NBC's "Meet The Press," Sanchez said, "This one specific instance did in fact uncover some significant challenges in some of the Iraqi security force structures ... We know that it's going to take us a while to stand up reliable forces that can accept responsibility." Some 900 members of the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps are with three battalions of Marines. US forces on Sunday examined a captured insurgent cache of suicide belts--raising concerns of a deadly new tactic in the city's fighting. Bush held out hope for the Fallujah talks, saying the United States was "open to suggestions" on reducing the violence. Meanwhile, a rash of kidnappings continued. Seven Chinese civilians were abducted by insurgents in central Iraq Sunday evening, China's government said. A Czech television reporter, cameraman and radio reporter were also missing and believed kidnapped, their employers said. In the last week, militants have kidnapped more than 30 civilians from at least 12 countries. Mohsen Abdul-Hamid, a Sunni Muslim, who is also the head of the Iraqi Islamic Party, said up to 12 foreigners taken hostage had been released, but he did not identify the nationalities of the hostages or where they were. Still unknown was the fate of Hamill, whose captors threatened to kill him unless the Marines withdrew from Fallujah. Other insurgents promised to release three Japanese by Sunday, but the Japanese Embassy in Baghdad said Monday they had not been freed. In the south, members of the Iraqi Governing Council have reportedly held talks with followers of al-Sadr. One factor that has held off US action to uproot al-Sadr's al-Mahdi Army militia was the presence of up to 1.5 million Shiite pilgrims in Karbala for Sunday's al-Arbaeen ceremonies, one of the holiest days of the Shiite religious calendar. Most pilgrims had left the city by Monday morning. US commanders are demanding that control of Iraqi police and US-led coalition forces in the cities be restored and that insurgents in Fallujah lay down their arms and hand over Iraqis who killed and mutilated four American civilians on March 31. Despite the truce in Fallujah, guerrillas overnight made sporadic attacks, said Byrne. Marines killed two insurgents setting up a machine gun near a patrol and others were fired on by gunmen hiding in a school, he said. The bodies of 11 Iraqis were seen brought to a makeshift clinic in a city mosque Sunday. Most of the Iraqis killed in Fallujah in fighting that started April 5 were women, children and elderly, said al-Issawi, the Fallujah hospital director. Byrne cast doubt on the numbers and said he was confident troops in his 1st Battalion, 5th Regiment had not killed any civilians. "Just because (the Iraqis) say it's so, doesn't meant it's so," he said. Fallujah residents took advantage of the lull in fighting to bury their dead in two soccer fields. One of the fields, seen by an AP reporter had rows of freshly dug graves, some marked on headstones as children or with the names of women. A gravedigger at the site said that more than 300 people were buried there. 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

Armenian foreign minister off to Tehran
Moscow, April 12, IRNA — Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan,
headed for Tehran Monday to review ways of expanding mutual
cooperation in various fields, it was announced today.
Oskanyan, heading a high-ranking delegation, is scheduled to confer
with First Vice-President Mohammad-Reza Aref, Secretary of the Supreme
National Security Council (SNSC) Hassan Rowhani and Foreign Minister
Kamal Kharrazi.
The Armenian foreign minister and senior Iranian officials are to
review issues of mutual interests as well as latest regional
developments.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BUSINESS-FORUM “INVESTMENT POTENTIALITIES OF ARMENIA” HELD IN UAE ON APRIL
3-7
YEREVAN, APRIL 12. ARMINFO. A business-forum on the topic “Investment
potentialities of the Republic of Armenia” was held in United Arab
Emirates on April 3-7. ARMINFO was informed in the press office of the
Foreign Ministry, the purpose of the business-forum was the
development of Armenia-UAE trade cooperation, increase of the volume
of trade between two countries, as well as more profitable
presentation of the economic and industrial potential of Armenia. For
this purpose a delegation, consisting of representatives of 25
Armenian companies, have arrived in the UAE. During the meetings the
Armenian entrepreneurs have introduced the dynamics of the economic
development of Armenia, more quickly developing and prosperous
directions of the industry of the republic, as well as the main
legislative base which coordinates the investment field of the
country. The participants of the business-forum mainly acquainted with
the opening possibilities in the sphere of information technologies,
pharmacology, jewelry goods, in the sphere of light and chemical
industry, power engineering and other spheres.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PROPOSAL FOR REFERENDUM ON CONFIDENCE IN PRESIDENT NOT IMPERATIVE: CC
YEREVAN, APRIL 12. ARMINFO. The RA Constitutional Court (CC) stated
once more that by its decision of April 16, 2003, it upheld the
decision on the election of Robert Kocharian Armenia’s President,
which was adopted by the RA Central Electoral Commission on March 11,
2003. The CC’s decision was final and imperative.
In its statement provided to ARMINFO, the CC once more stressed that
the CC’s proposal for holding of a referendum on confidence in the
President within a year is not imperative and does not have any legal
consequences. According to the statement, the CC’s proposal was
supposed to relieve political tension on the threshold of the
parliamentary elections and referendum on constitutional amendments on
May 25, 2003. In its statement, the CC calls for retraining from
making its proposal a subject of political speculations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

COALITION REFUSES TO TAKE PART IN THIS THREE-DAY SESSION OF PARLIAMENT
BECAUSE IT WANTS TO PREVENT POSSIBLE CONFRONTATION
YEREVAN, APRIL 12. ARMINFO. The representatives of the ruling
coalition of Armenia motivated their refusal to take part in the
current three-day session of the National Assembly by that they want
to prevent the possible confrontation between the supporters of the
opposition and pro-power forces. Representatives of the ruling
coalition told the journalists today. According to them, today
procession of the opposition up Baghramyan avenue, where the
parliament and the residence of the president are situated, may create
pre-requisites for skirmish between the participants of the procession
and supporters of the ruling coalition, who may come to the building
of the parliament.
Talking to journalists the Vice Speaker of the parliament, member of
the Bureau of the party ARF Dashnaktsutiun Vahan Hovhannisian again
stressed that the requirement of the opposition to include in the
agenda the bill on making amendments to the law on referendum, is not
acceptable for the ruling coalition. “The coalition’s refusing to
take part in the current three-day session of the parliament is not
connected at all with this issue. The representatives of the ruling
coalition have the right not to take part in the sittings of the
parliament just as the representatives of the other parliamentary
forces”, the vice speaker said. At the same time Vahan Hovhannisian
stressed that the ruling coalition is ready to sit down at the
negotiation table with the opposition to discuss the internal
political situation.
Talking to ARMINFO, Chairman of the deputy group “People’s deputy”
Karen Karapetian considered unwarrantable the refusal of the coalition
to take part in the sittings of the National Assembly. According to
him, the internal political situation in the republic is not so
strained in order to resort to such extreme measures. The leader of
the deputy group expressed an opinion that one of the reasons for the
refusal of the ruling coalition is that the agenda of this three-day
session includes only 13 questions, which may be concluded during one
sitting.
Karen Karapetian pointed out that the ruling coalition and other
parliamentary forces have their share of fault in that the opposition
has taken such a irreconcilable position. The deputy thinks that the
ruling majority of the parliament could not find bearings and
elaborate a right tactics of work with the opposition. “We must sit
down at the negotiations table, as no one of the sides can be a
winner, and the whole people will be the loser”, Karen Karapetian
said. According to him, even in the case of reaching power in the
antagonistic situation the opposition cannot change the situation in
the country fundamentally, and the republic will appear in permanent
process of elections and change of power. Karen Karapetian stressed
that in the presence of quorum the deputy group “People’s deputy” is
ready to take part in the three-day session of the parliament. The
leader of the faction of the United labour party Gurgen Arsenian on
behalf of the faction also expressed readiness to take part in the
three-day session of the parliament.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress