Author: Frangulian Shushan

ArmenPress
Jan 6 2005
AZERI, ARMENIAN FMs TO MEET IN PRAGUE JANUARY 11
BAKU, JANUARY 6, ARMENPRESS: Azerbaijan’s deputy foreign minister
Araz Azimov told a local ATV channel that foreign ministers of
Armenia and Azerbaijan, Vartan Oskanian and Elmar Mamedyarov have
agreed to hold another meeting in Prague on January 11 in an effort
to continue exploring ways for ending the dispute over Nagorno
Karabagh.
Azimov said the OSCE Minsk group cochairmen from Russia, France
and USA will also participate in the meeting, which, according to
him, will discuss the so-called stage-by-stage conflict resolution
option.
Late last month Azeri foreign minister said Baku expects
considerable progress from the next meeting of Azerbaijani and
Armenian foreign ministers.
“If Armenia continues to approach the issue as seriously, as it
did during the two previous meetings in Sofia and Brussels of foreign
ministers, the conflict settlement process would mark remarkable
changes,” he said.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V. Rev. Fr. Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Television broadcast of Christmas Mass via satellite from Antelias – January
6th, 2005
Antelias, Lebanon – The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International
(LBCI) will broadcast via satellite the Christmas Mass presided over by His
Holiness Aram I, from St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias,
on.-
– Thursday 6 January 2005, beginning from 10:00 am (local time).
– United States of America Thursday 6 January 2005, beginning from 6:00 or
7:00 pm.
– Australia Thursday 6 January 2005, beginning from 9:00 pm.
– Europe Thursday 6 January 2005, beginning from 9:00 am (live broadcast).
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Dec 30 2004
Captured Russian Militant: Iraqi Kurds Allow PKK Activities in Iraq
Jan Soykok (JTW), 30 December 2004
ANKARA – Anatoliy Kopilov, a PKK militant captured in Iraq in
November 2004, says the two main Kurdish groups in Iraq, KDP and KPP,
allows PKK terror activities in Iraq. AktifHaber, Turkish news portal
reported that Kopilov, a former Russian Army officer, joined the PKK
Organization 5 years ago. Kpilov served to the Russian Army for two
years and joined the organization in Moscow. It is argued that the
Russian Federation supported the PKK terrorism in 1980s and 90s in
order to destabilize Turkey, a strong NATO member.
Kapilov says he lived in the PKK camps for the last 5 years and
became a PKK team leader.
`Communication equipments are provided from Netherlands. The missiles
for the PKK come through Armenia. Communication with the European
bases are being done via internet. There are 3 tones TNT, 2,500
mines, and 2,000 missiles in the PKK bases by Lolan River. The KDP
and the PPK turn a blind eye to PKK activities in Iraq. Even the
KDP’s man Tarik provided military equipments to the PKK-KongraGel.
After the American occupation, the PKK-Kongra Gel captured many
military equipment from the Iraqi Army. The equipment was brought by
trucks to the PKK camps. An American Delegation came to the Hakurk
PKK Camp last April’ added Kapilov.
PKK-Kongra Gel is considered as one of the most dangerous terrorist
organizations by the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and the
European Union and the law of these countries ban any support or
contribution to the PKK-Kongra Gel. The PKK has armed bases in Iraq.
The US forces however have done nothing since the beginning of Iraqi
occupation though President Bush and his officers promised to remove
the terrorist PKK bases in Iraq
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Those who crave caviar no longer have to go wild
By Emily Schwab, Globe Correspondent  |  December 29, 2004
Caviar has been the ultimate in luxurious eating since the
1400s. Rabelais, an influential French writer of the time, proclaimed
caviar the finest in hors d’oeuvres. Russian nobility no doubt dined
on the sturgeon eggs, since most of the sturgeon whose roe was used
live in the Caspian and Black seas. As a result, finicky diners will
insist on eating only the eggs from Caspian Sea sturgeon. But, much to
their dismay, eggs from North Pacific salmon and North American
sturgeon are also referred to as caviar.
Regardless of provenance, these salted fish eggs are served — in
their purest form — on a bed of ice and scooped right from the tin
with a tiny, nonmetallic spoon onto a toast point or blini (a
miniature buckwheat pancake). Often the spoons are made of ivory or
bone, both more time-consuming to craft than metal and therefore just
as luxurious as the fish roe. This accouterment just adds to caviar’s
elite image, and so does its association with Champagne. When it’s
time to celebrate, pop the corks and pass the caviar.
Most of the celebratory caviar this year, however, will not come from
the Caspian Sea. In the past year, the giants of the caviar
importation business in this country have by and large made the switch
to — gasp — farm-raised caviar or no caviar at all. Many caviar
lovers are turning to the farm-raised Sterling caviar from California,
as environmental conditions and overfishing threaten the Northern
Caspian, which is controlled by the former Soviet Union. Some caviar
importers will still use fish eggs from the southern,
Iranian-controlled areas, which tend to have fewer problems with
keeping the fish healthy and populated. Recently, Norwood-based
Boyajian Inc. stopped selling caviar entirely; because of the “severe
depletion of the sturgeon population and natural habitat,” reads their
website, they are withdrawing from the industry until conditions
improve in the Caspian.
Sterling Caviar has been raising American white sturgeon on its Stolt
Sea Farm in California for more than 15 years. Some areas of the
country carry both wild and farm-raised Sterling caviar (the
farm-raised costs $50 for one ounce or $90 for two at Whole
Foods). Farm-raised caviar is comparable to wild varieties; Sterling’s
Royal caviar is described as having a flavor similar to the osetra
caviar of the Caspian Sea. As for serving, true caviar lovers eat it
straight up — that is, without chopped onion, eggs, lemon juice, or
sour cream.
David Pilat of Ocean Trust, an ocean-conservation foundation, says
that although some consumers will always be wild-caviar purists,
others will buy more caviar if they know their fish eggs are
farm-raised and therefore sustainable. The savvy connoisseur can now
entertain guilt-free. 
© Copyright 2004 Globe Newspaper Company.

RUSSIA TO ALWAYS BE IN CAUCASUS: RUSSIA’S AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24. ARMINFO. Russia has been, is and will be in
the Caucasus, says Russia’s Ambassador to Armenia Anatoly Dryukov.
The US activity in the South Caucasus is not a secret. The last NATO
Istanbul Summit declared that South Caucasus and Central Asia are
priority regions for NATO and its members. This is a big paradox –
the moment Russia starts asserting its interests in the post-Soviet
area the West begins to cry that this is neo-imperialism even though
Russia belongs to this region. While the interests of the countries
situated thousands km away are taken absolutely calmly.
“Russia is a Caucasian state and nobody will manage to drive it
northward of the Caucasian Mountains,” says Dryukov.

Irano-Azeri DMs met for defense cooperation
IranMania, Iran
Dec 23 2004
LONDON, Dec 23 (IranMania) – Defense Ministers of Iran and Azerbaijan
met and conferred on Wednesday evening about regional armies`
cooperation to boost joint security in Caucasus region.
Islamic Republic of Iran`s Defense Minister Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani
referred to the two nations` shared historical, religious and cultural
backgrounds during the meeting, considering them the “huge capital
that can serve to boost bilateral ties.”
He referred to the deep bilateral understanding and mutual trust,
as well as comprehensive defense and security consultations, as main
prerequisites for establishment of a comprehensive bilateral defense
cooperation. Shamkhani added, “Joint efforts aimed at boosting
regional peace and stability is the main axis for Iran-Azerbaijan
comprehensive cooperation.”
The Iranian Defense Minister said, “Presently terrorism, narcotic
drugs and arms smuggling, organized crime, and vast presence of foreign
forces are biggest threats against regional security and such threats
cannot be eliminated, except through effective regional cooperation
and constant consultative interactions.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, stressing that the Islamic Republic of
Iran considers the Caspian Sea the “sea of peace and friendship”,
Shamkhani added, “This region`s security is in need of collective
cooperation and mutual trust.” Elaborating on Iran`s stand about
Karabakh conflict, Rear Admiral Shamkhani said, “Iran favors
peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict and is ready to continue
its mediation efforts in that regard.”
He referred to President Seyyed Mohammad Khatami`s state visit of
Azerbaijan and President Elham Aliev`s upcoming state visit to Tehran
as beset signs of both countries` officials` strong determination to
take advantage of all opportunities at service of boosting ties.”
The Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiev, too, appreciated his country`s
ever-improving ties and cooperation with Iran and considered the
Iranian Defense Minister`s visit of Baku “a very effective move in
further strengthening bilateral ties.”
He emphasized, “Late Azeri President Geidar Aliev`s 2002 state visit of
Iran opened a new chapter in Tehran-Baku relations, agreeing with his
Iranian counterpart on the point that shared historical and cultural
backgrounds of the two nations serve as an excellent foundation for
boosting comprehensive ties.”
Abiev added, “The Islamic Republic of Iran was among the first
countries in the world to recognize the independence of Azerbaijan
Republic and the Azeri nation will never forget that.”
The Azerbaijan Republic is situated in eastern Transcaucasia, on
the western coast of the Caspian Sea. To the South it borders Iran,
to the West Armenia, to the North-West Georgia, and to the North the
Republic of Dagestan, in Russia.
The Nakhichevan autonomous Republic is a part of Azerbaijan, although
it is separated form the rest of Azerbaijan by Armenian territory.
Azerbaijan also includes the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast,
which is largely populated by the Armenians, but does not legally
constitute a part of Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AND DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER OF RUSSIA MEET
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 23. ARMINFO. Thursday, Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanyan and Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Razov and
Assistance to the President for Education and Science Jakhan Poliyeva
discussed issues of reforms of CIS. The decision on the reforms was
made in September, 2004 in the course of CIS Summit in Astana, the
press-service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry informs ARMINFO. In
conformity with the decision, CIS signatories were instructed to
submit their notifications to Chairman of the CIS Council of FMs.
To fulfill the instructions, the Armenian Foreign Ministry directed
a package of the proposals presented by Kazakhstan to the Armenian
Government requesting introduction with the opinion of the ministries
interested, In the course of the inter-department discussion at the
Armenian Foreign Ministry, the Justice Ministry, the Ministry for
Finance and Economy, Defense Ministry, National Security Service
and the National Statistical Committee agreed with the proposals
of Kazakhstan. Armenian Police came out against the above proposals
pointing out that dissolution of the Council of CIS Interior Ministers
will considerab ly complicate the struggle against organized crime
in the CIS area. Permanent Plenipotentiary Representative of Armenia
in the legislative and other bodies of CIS, Armenian Ambassador to
Belarus Suren Haroutiunyan also expressed his opinion on the proposals
of Kazakhstan. The project of notifications of Armenia on the proposals
of Kazakhstan has been submitted to Armenian President.
In his turn, Armenian President instructed that the points related
to the insitution of permanent representatives in the CIS Economic
Court and Economic Council be amended. Then, notifications of
Armenia regarding Kazakhstan’s proposals were submitted to Chairman
of CIS Council of Foreign Ministers, Foreign Minister of Russia
Sergey Lavrov. In January of 2005, the Russian party will sum up
the opinions of the states and will present relevant information
to CIS signatory-states. In the course of his visit to CIS, Sergey
Razov will propose forming a task group on reforms of CIS, which
will include in it experts working under leadership of CIS Deputy
Foreign Ministers. Should need arise, the group will convene several
sessions in order that a final document be submitted to the session
of CIS Foreign Ministers planned for March of 2005 in Minsk, which,
in its turn, will submit a draft of the relevant document to the
session of CIS Leaders in August, 2005 in Kazan.

Nathan overcomes adversity for ‘miracle’ score
North Shore Times (Wed) (Australia)
December 22, 2004 Wednesday
KNOX graduate Nathan Kemp has suffered from chronic fatigue for the
past two years but that didn’t stop him from topping the state
in visual arts, achieving Band 6 results in all but one subject,
and scoring a UAI of 97.75. “I can’t believe it, it’s a miracle,”
the excited Turramurra resident told the North Shore Times.
“I am so, so happy.
“I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue in Year 11 and the doctors said
I had to stop school and rest, so I completed my HSC over two years.
“The teachers were really supportive and they helped me a lot.” Nancy
Khederlarian came first in the state for Armenian Continuers, which
she studied at the Saturday School of Community Languages at Chatswood
High School. “I was ecstatic,” the 18-year-old said.
“Armenia as a nation has had a very hard history, so I though it was
important to respect that and give something back by appreciating
the language.”
Nancy’s brothers, Mark, 10, and Michael, 5, were over the moon for
their big sister, giving her a great big hug after she was awarded
her prize.
“I think they were happier than I was,” she said.

ARKADI GHUKASIAN: ATTEMPTS TO ARTIFICALLY ISOLATE KARABAKH SIDE FROM
NEGOTIATION PROCESS ARE MADE
STEPANAKERT, December 21 (Noyan Tapan). As before the efforts
of political leadership of Nagorno Karabakh Republic are aimed at
achievement of final peace settlement of the conflict with Azerbaijan
on the basis of principles completely reflecting the will of NKR
people. NKR President Arkadi Ghukasian declared this during the
December 16 extended consultation of all branches of Nagorno Karabakh
power held in Stepanakert. The President regretted to say that “at
the current stage of the peace process proceeding under the aegis of
co-chairmanship of OSCE Minsk Group attempts to artificially isolate
the Karabakh side are made.” Meanwhile he gave assurance that the very
circumstance doesn’t permit to give a new impulse to the negotiations
capable of developing everything positive achieved during the previous
10 years with the efforts of the conflicting sides and international
mediation. “The ineffective position of Baku authorities in no way
willing to take into consideration not only the reality but also
the interests of world and regional states, including Azerbaijan’s
allies, in fact, led the negotiation process to a deadlock, the way
out of which is impossible without Karabakh’s participation in it as
an equal side,” Arkadi Ghukasian emphasized. According to him, the
way out of the crisis will be found and the efforts of co-chairmen
of OSCE Minsk Group will give noticeable positive results in case
of Azeri leadership’s good will and real willingness to settle the
conflict on the basis of reasonable compromises. According to the
Information-Analytical Department of NKR Foreign Ministry, Arkadi
Ghukasian confirmed the readiness of NKR leadership for negotiations,
including direct dialogue with the official Baku, for joint discussion
of all issues concerning perspectives of Nagorno Karabakh’s future
interrelations with Azerbaijan. “But the Baku authorities seem not
to have refused of nonsensical and suicidal intentions to solve
the problem by forcible methods, which compels us to continue
taking measures for strengthening the defence capacity of NKR,
rise of fighting efficiency of our army, which is the most reliable
guarantee of security of the state and Nagorno Karabakh people,”
Arkadi Ghukasian declared. The President especially mentioned that
in spite of non-settlement of the conflict and non-recognition of
Nagorno Karabakh Republic the authority of the republic as de facto
independent state is growing day by day. “This is mainly explained by
the fact that the Nagorno Karabakh people managed not only to defend
its liberty in the detructive war thrusted upon by Azerbaijan and to
overcome its grave consequences in a comparatively short term, but
also to lay rather firm foundation first of all at the legislative
level for building a really democratic state loyal to the values of
the modern civil society. In other words, we established a political
system in the country, which calls forth the respect of the progressive
international society,” Arkadi Ghukasian mentioned.

“New diplomacy” emerging in world – Azeri TV
ANS TV, Baku
19 Dec 04
An analytical programme on Azerbaijan’s ANS TV has said that old
diplomacy is being replaced with a new system of diplomatic relations
in the world. Commenting on the Azerbaijani president’s recent remarks
in response to the Russian speaker’s statement that Armenia is a
Russian outpost in the South Caucasus, ANS said that the new system
is open, short and strict and is based on “athletic capabilities
and frankness” rather than techniques, which is why President Ilham
Aliyev was also frank when he questioned Armenia’s independent policy.
The following is an excerpt from the “Otan Hafta” weekly analytical
programme by Azerbaijani TV station ANS on 19 December. Subheadings
have been inserted editorially:
Direct, strict and clear
[Presenter] On 17 December, or to be more precise, on the day of the
municipal elections, [Azerbaijani President] President Aliyev made an
important statement after casting his vote. The head of state expressed
an opinion questioning Armenia’s state independence in an interview
with journalists. We will look at this opinion against the background
of the qualitative changes that contemporary diplomacy is undergoing.
[Passage omitted: definitions of diplomacy on the screen]
[Ilham Aliyev, shown speaking to journalists] You know that the
chairman of the Russian State Duma said in Armenia that Armenia is
Russia’s outpost in the South Caucasus. So, we do not know, we have
always thought that Armenia is a state. But it turns out to be an
outpost. Shall we negotiate with the outpost or its owner? If this
issue is clarified in Armenia, better conditions will be created for
successful negotiations.
[Presenter over video of scenes in Yerevan and President Aliyev]
That’s it. Direct, strict and clearer than any hint – the Azerbaijani
president’s statement concerning Armenia’s state independence. Was
it really an emotional outburst of the head of state who could not
bridle his feelings? Let us not hurry to answer in the affirmative
and look at this statement along with similar statements that we have
encountered in the world recently and that are rising in numbers. By
saying that Armenia is not a state, but an outpost, Aliyev questions
its ability to make an independent decision. And this was the
first time that official Baku had put the issue in this way: who
shall we negotiate with? The outpost or its owner? In other words,
Russia or Armenia? This question also contains a logical answer. It
stresses the real objective of Russia, which is actually supposed to
be impartial in the group negotiating the restoration of Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity. On the other hand, it outlines the final picture
of the biased positions of the states which normally say that the
resolution of the Karabakh problem is the exclusive authority of
the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents. It is also a response to
the fact that Yerevan points to Xankandi as the new and old address
of the negotiations. In other words, Yerevan should thank Baku for
negotiating with Yerevan. In fact, the negotiations should have been
conducted with Armenia’s owner, Moscow.
Unprecedented openness
Incidentally, Azerbaijan has never accused Moscow in a presidential
statement. Yes, in isolated cases [Azerbaijani ex-President] Heydar
Aliyev condemned the fact that some circles in the Kremlin stand up for
Armenia, drew Moscow’s attention, with serious complaints and concern,
to the fact that some high-ranking officials of the Russian Defence
Ministry had sold Armenia weapons worth 1bn dollars and said that he
did not consider the forced statements of the Russian co-chairman [of
the OSCE Minsk Group] on the recognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity to be the Kremlin’s position. But in all these cases, the
talk was about some people and certain unidentified top officials,
while the recent statement was far away from being ambiguous with
a clear attribute and objective: Armenia is Russia’s outpost, it
is not a state. Thus, the Azerbaijani president came up with an
openness that we have not observed in domestic diplomacy so far. Is
it accidental? I think not. A new diplomatic environment and its
regulations are taking shape in the world. If we count similar
cases that we promised [to talk about] earlier to support our idea,
we can see that here the talk is not about an autonomous change in
the extraordinary separate policy of Azerbaijan. The fundamental
principles of the techniques of old diplomacy, which has been in
place to date, are failing. Now let us cite [examples]. Commenting
on the statement issued in defiance of Tbilisi by the winner of
the presidential elections in separatist Abkhazia, Sergey Bagapsh,
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who is facing the problem of
preserving his country’s territorial integrity, says that Bagapsh will
have to return to his native Russia. This is not the first serious
message sent by the Georgian leader to Moscow, which has managed to
keep its monopoly on the Abkhazia and South Ossetia problems so far
and is secretly Russifying the populations of these rebellious regions.
New diplomacy
Let us recall Moscow’s active involvement in the developments and
the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statements interfering in the internal
affairs of that country when Aslan Abashidze was removed from power
in Ajaria. The fact that Saakashvili named Russia again in the row
of separatists in his latest statement is an indication that Tbilisi
is speaking to Moscow in a new language of diplomacy.
Russia’s crude involvement in the developments in Ukraine and Moscow’s
interference in that country’s political fate are not a thing of the
remote past. And we clearly saw the Kremlin’s old diplomacy failing
when it tried to defend its position on developments in another
country. Renowned Moscow political image maker Gleb Pavlovskiy’s
attempts to install a pro-Russian Putin in Kiev collapsed in front
of our eyes.
Turkey’s long-time policy pursued in accordance with the rules of
old diplomacy for accession to the EU compelled Ankara to speak in an
abbreviated political language. The Turkish prime minister made a clear
hint that Turkey, which has been knocking on the door of the EU for
41 years, will not wait for another term and will follow the example
of Norway, which means a decision not to enter that entity. The most
interesting thing in all these developments is the fact that new
diplomacy is a system of regulations formed not from above by the
world’s super powers, but from below by weak countries which usually
see their rights trampled upon and suffer from discrimination and
administration of justice [as heard]. History is changing, while
suffering countries see a solution to their problems dragging on
for dozens of years and witness that old-fashioned negotiations do
not actually resolve any issue, but on the contrary, the problem is
getting forgotten as the generations change. The famous slogan of old
diplomacy, think about one thing, say another thing and do a different
thing is being seriously edited. Of course, diplomacy has now become
as frank as it can be. Since the world has become smaller and life is
passing faster, the old diplomacy has died out. The leaders of the
new generation want to remain in history not as people who used to
be just leaders for a certain time, but as historic personalities who
accomplished a great mission. The rules of dialectics are penetrating
diplomacy, too. Double standards are forcing the countries suffering
from international discrimination to take specific steps. The countries
that have consecutively faced discrimination and insistent distortion
of facts concerning them are responding to these approaches with
counter-measures. The number of biased approaches that have been
elevated to the level of international impudence is being felt in
their quality, and at this point, the rule of negating the negative
comes into effect.
The world’s super powers also have to play by the new rules. The
USA openly revises and criticizes the role of a gendarme Russia
wants to play in the former Soviet area, while Russia reminds the
USA specifically of what it committed in Iraq and Kosovo and stresses
that the democracy it exports is a combination designed for situations
that are of benefit to the White House. Even the powers like Russia
and the USA realize that the old diplomacy has already failed. The
system of new diplomatic relations is open, short and strict and rests
on athletic capabilities and frankness rather than techniques. The
Azerbaijani president was also frank at that moment.