Author: Frangulian Shushan

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
June 28 2004
PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV WITH PRESIDENT OF TURKEY AHMET
NECDET SEZER MEET IN PRIVATE
[June 28, 2004, 15:31:31]
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of Turkey Ahmet
Necdet Sezer met in private at the Istanbul `Hayat’ hotel on 28 June.
The Turkish President expressed satisfaction with the participation
of his Azerbaijani counterpart in the NATO summit and especially
stressed the importance of such meetings. Mr. Ahmet Necdet Sezer
pointed out that the steadily expanding Turkey-Azerbaijan relations
are developing both in political and economic spheres in line with
the two countries’ interests. He also shared his views on the
Northern Cyprus related problems.
Having expressed his gratitude to the Turkish President for the warm
meeting, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that it was great honor to
him to stay in Istanbul in the framework of the NATO Summit, and
pointed to the high level organization of the event. The Head of
Azerbaijan also State touched upon development of bilateral relations
between the two countries. He noted in particular that construction
of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline is going on as scheduled, and
the timely finishing of the project would considerably benefit booth
sides.
The parties also mentioned benefits from implementation of the oil
strategy initiated by nationwide leader of the Azerbaijani people
Heydar Aliyev, and his invaluable merits in bringing
Turkey-Azerbaijan relationship up to the existing level.
In addition, the Presidents exchanged views on international and
regional issues of mutual interest including peaceful settlement of
the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. In this
connection, President of Turkey Ahmet Necdet Sezer reaffirmed his
country’s consistent and constant support for Azerbaijan’s stance in
the matter.

Armenian opposition leaders hail president’s address to Council of Europe
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
24 Jun 04

[Presenter] The reaction to [Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan’s
speech in Strasbourg and his news conference have become a subject of
discussion in Armenia. According to our correspondent, irrespective of
their political views, people are talking with admiration about the
president’s speech and his answers during the news conference.
[An unidentified woman in the street] I felt proud that Robert
Kocharyan is the president of our country. He gave clear, correct
answers to all the questions, especially, to the Azerbaijani
journalist’s question on Nagornyy Karabakh. I was simply astonished.
[Another unidentified woman in the street] As a citizen of Armenia, I
was very pleased with the president’s speech and it seems to me that
today there is no other statesman in our political field who could
deliver such a speech in Strasbourg. He is a well-established
politician in our political field.
[Chairman of the Union of Armenian Writers Levon Ananyan in his
office] I think that the republic’s president gave clear, distinct
answers to all the questions concerning our foreign policy,
Turkish-Armenian relations and the genocide. I hope that it will
increase our country’s rating in the international community.
[Presenter] The Armenian president’s speech from the rostrum in
Strasbourg has had a positive influence on the country’s political
field. Even Robert Kocharyan’s political opponents highly spoke of his
speech. For example, speaking about Armenia’s position on the
settlement of the Karabakh problem, Artashes Gegamyan [the leader of
the National Unity Party], said that he was satisfied with Mr
Kocharyan’s assessments and approaches.
The leader of the Democratic Party of Armenia, Aram Sarkisyan, said
that one of the main parts of Mr Kocharyan’s speech concerned the
legal aspect of the Karabakh problem. According to Sarkisyan, the
president expressed the opinion that Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity has nothing in common with the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic
[NKR].
Representatives of the [ruling] political coalition have also said
that after Robert Kocharyan’s speech in Strasbourg, the international
community will have a more accurate impression about Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
June 25 2004
REPORT ON NAGORNY KARABAKH TO BE DISCUSSED ON NEXT SESSION
[June 25, 2004, 20:16:16]
Session of Political Committee of PACE was held on 24 June. The
permanent representative of Azerbaijan at the Council of Europe
ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev who was taking part in session, has given
interview to correspondent of AzerTAj. He has told:
`At the session was heard statement of the Rapporteur on Nagorny
Karabakh Terry Davis.
In my opinion, the English deputy spoke about the recognition of the
conflict, than about the report. His statement had positive
character. Having touched the statement of the President of Armenia
at session of PACE, Mr. T. Davis has expressed his attitude to R.
Kochariana’s opinion `Nagorny Karabakh never was territory of
independent Azerbaijan’, openly having declared, that in the
resolution of the United Nations was repeatedly emphasized that
`Nagorny Karabakh is the integral part of Azerbaijan’.
Speaking about negotiations in Key West, Mr. T. Davis has noted, that
there the sides really in the certain degree were close to solution
of the question, however, any document at this time has not been
signed and any arrangement not achieved.
Terry Davis, especially having emphasized, that during his visit to
Azerbaijan has visited camps of refugees and IDPs, that these people
ousted from their native lands, live in hard conditions, has informed
members of the Committee, that it is extremely serious universal
problem, that people driven from Nagorny Karabakh and adjoining to it
regions, want to return to the native lands, and has stated that the
question shortly should find its solution.
Having put forward in the statement the idea of attraction to
negotiations of the population of Nagorny Karabakh he has emphasized,
that Nagorny Karabakh all is the Azerbaijan territory, and its
inhabitants – citizens of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan, therefore, should
not refuse from negotiations with its citizens.
The English deputy has once again reminded, that works above the
report, and informed, that the report will be discussed on
forthcoming October session of pace.
On June 24, the discussions continued.

PRESS RELEASE
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Contact: Information Desk
Tel: (374-1) 52-35-31
Email: [email protected]
Web:
Minister of Foreign Affairs Launches Nansen Exhibit at the Council of Europe
Minister Oskanian inaugurated an exhibition of documents and photographs on
Fritjof Nansen, the Norwegian humanist-explorer, who established the first
High Commission for Refugees, under the League of Nations. The passports
given to Armenian refugees of the Genocide of 1915 bears his name.
The Nansen exhibit was sponsored by the Armenian delegation to the Council
of Europe, on the occasion of Norway’s taking on the presidency of the
Council.
Present at the opening were the Secretary General of the Council of Europe,
Walter Schwimmer, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Parliamentary
Assembly, Peter Schieder, Norway’s Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik and
President Robert Kocharian.
The text of the Minister’s remarks appears below.
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Vartan Oskanian
On the Opening of the Nansen Exhibit
At the Council of Europe, Strasbourg
June 23, 2004
Mr. Schwimmer, Mr. Schieder, Mr. Prime Minister, and Mr. President,
Armenians have long been fascinated by and grateful to the Norwegian
Fridtjof Nansen. And not because he could ski 50 miles in a day or because
he explored Greenland and survived the North Pole.
As great as Nansen¹s interest was in adventure and the sciences, following
the first World War, he became deeply engaged in international affairs. And
this bore great significance for Armenia and Armenians. He supported the
Covenant of the League of Nations and advocated the rights of small nations.
He repatriated hundreds of thousands of prisoners of war. He mustered help
for millions in Russia dying of famine.

And, he helped establish and lead the office of High Commission for
refugees. In that capacity, Nansen tried to solve the problem of Greek
refugees and arranged for an exchange of 1.2 million Greeks living on
Turkish soil for about 1/2 a million Turks living in Greece. Nansen invented
the Nansen Passport, a document of identification which was recognized by
dozens of governments and which provided an identity to hundreds of
thousands of refugees, including great numbers of Armenians rendered
homeless by genocide, massacres and deportation, at the turn of the 20th
century.

He helped the stateless and homeless whose causes appeared politically
intractable. He helped the human victims on both sides of political and
military conflicts.

Before the creation of international aid and development programs, he drew
up a political, industrial, financial plan for creating a national home for
Armenians. He did this at the invitation of the League of Nations. And
although the League failed to implement the plan, Armenians and others
interested in justice and equal rights believe he accomplished a great deal
– by putting on the international agenda the rights of peoples to their own
homeland.

This man, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, was a Norwegian from a well
to do family. Perhaps it was because he never had to struggle to assure his
own survival, that he had the time and the wherewithal to take on the
struggles of others.

The same can be said for the country and people of Norway who have been
blessed with natural wealth, and the wisdom to use it wisely. From the work
of the Nobel Committee to that of Transparency International, Norway has
found ways to encourage and reward those who make efforts to truly integrate
human rights and democratic values and good governance in their own
societies. With Norway at the helm of the Council of Europe, we look forward
to working together to follow Fritjof Nansen¹s example: to recognize that
which is good and right in society, and to work to improve those aspects
which are still incomplete.

In Armenia, we are thankful for the work of the Norwegian Refugee Council,
and we recognize that today¹s refugees are more fortunate than those whose
fate Fritjof Nansen tried to affect. Yet, judging by the number of those who
still regard the Nansen passports with pride, we can justifiably say that
Nansen gave documents and a sense of belonging to one generation, but his
legacy to succeeding generations is the recognition of a universal
responsibility to acknowledge each individual¹s right to live not as victims
but as equals, in charge of their own lives and their own destiny.

So we offer this modest exhibition, moved by the commitment of this great
humanist, and are proud that it is presented here, in the halls of the
Council of Europe, an organization which espouses the ideas and principles
around which Fridtjof Nansen lived his life.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Interfax
June 24 2004
Armenian soldier killed on Azerbaijani border – Armenia
Yerevan. (Interfax) – An Armenian soldier was killed on Armenia’s
border with Azerbaijan on Monday, the Armenian Defense Ministry said
on Wednesday.
Ministry spokesman Col. Seiran Shakhsuvarian told Interfax the
soldier had been killed by a sniper.
The incident occurred on a section of the border where there were
Armenian-Azerbaijani exchanges of fire early this month. Armenia says
Azerbaijani forces started the skirmishes.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been embroiled in a conflict since the
early 1990s over the Azerbaijani Armenian-speaking enclave of
Nagorno- Karabakh.
There was a war in early stages of the conflict in which Azerbaijan
lost Nagorno-Karabakh and nearby districts, forcing about 1 million
Azerbaijanis to leave their homes.
The UN Security Council demanded the withdrawal of Armenian forces
from the occupied territory.
The United States, Russia and France co-head the Minsk Group of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which
mediates efforts to settle the conflict.
OSCE officials have paid two visits to the Armenian-Azerbaijani
border this month.

Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
June 23 2004
Azerbaijan Says Soldier Killed In Border Clash
23 June 2004 — Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry today said one of its
soldiers has been killed by an Armenian sniper along the tense border
that separates the two neighbors.
The ministry said in a statement that 23-year-old Lieutenant Teimur
Panakhov was shot yesterday in the Qazakh region of northwest
Azerbaijan, near the border with Armenia.
There was no immediate reaction to the statement from the Armenian
side.
The area has recently been a hotspot for clashes between the two
sides, which are supposed to be observing a cease-fire after fighting
each other in a territorial war in the early 1990s.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
06/22/2004
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WEBSITE AT HTTP://
1. Karabagh Liberation Organization Disrupts Baku NATO Conference
2. Austrian President Questions EU’s Readiness for Turkey
3. Kerry Honors 86th Anniversary of the Founding of the First Armenian Republic
4. Gorky Family Speaks out on Burying Artist in Armenia
1. Karabagh Liberation Organization Disrupts Baku NATO Conference
BAKU (Australian/Baku Today/RFE/RL)–A NATO conference in the former
Soviet republic of Azerbaijan was disrupted on Tuesday when hardline
nationalists tried to storm the hotel where the meeting was taking
place.
Police arrested several members from the Karabagh Liberation
Organization (KLO), including chairman Akif Naghi, who were protesting
the presence of two Armenian servicemen at the conference.
The KLO warned last week it would take radical action to stop the entry
[into Baku] of Armenian officers.
The conference is being held to prepare officers for a training
exercise of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, called “Cooperative
Best Effort,” which is due to take place in Azerbaijan later this year.
When police prevented the approximately 100 KLO protesters from
assembling outside the venue of the meeting, a hotel in the Azeri
capital, Baku, about 30 demonstrators broke through a police cordon
and smashed the glass door of the conference hall, witnesses at the
scene told AFP.
Hotel security guards prevented them from getting into the conference
hall; they were later detained by police. The meeting was suspended
for five minutes as a result of the disturbance.
The protesters had earlier marched through Baku carrying placards
with the slogans: “Armenians Out!” and “The Armenian criminals have
the blood of our people on their hands.”
“We will continue this protest action all day,” said Akif Nagi, who
led the demonstration. “Our aim is to force the Armenians to leave
the conference.”
Delegates from 24 NATO member states and partner countries, including
the two Armenian officers are attending the conference.
Armenia’s Defense Ministry warned it may recall its representatives
before the end of the conference. Spokesman Colonel Seyran
Shahsuvarian, said in a statement that Azeri security agencies and
the US embassy in Baku are taking “additional security measures.”
“Consultations are currently going on between Armenian representatives,
exercise organizers and Azerbaijani defense ministry officials
regarding the further work of the planning conference,” Shahsuvarian
said. “The Armenian side will continue its participation in the
conference if the Azerbaijani authorities assume full responsibility
for ensuring the security of the Armenian officers.”
Nagi has said that military and other government officials from Armenia
must not be allowed to set foot on Azerbaijani soil because “they
represent an occupying country that has infringed on Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity.” But in a statement to the local media on
Monday, Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov argued that under the PfP
rules the Azerbaijani government could not block their participation
in the conference. “Azerbaijan’s relations with NATO must not be
hostage to our problems with Armenia,” Azimov said.
2. Austrian President Questions EU’s Readiness for Turkey
ANKARA (Reuters) The European Union is not ready to accept Turkey
as a member and needs more time to assimilate into the countries of
central and eastern Europe, a Turkish newspaper today quoted Austria’s
new president as saying on Tuesday.
Turkey has won praise from Brussels for a flurry of liberal political
and legal reforms that have boosted its hopes of winning a date at a
December EU summit to start entry talks. But any one of the 25 member
states could veto the opening of talks.
Heinz Fischer, who takes office on July 8, told Turkey’s Aksam daily
he personally favors Turkey’s eventual membership into EU, but said
this was not the right time to begin negotiations.
“We are talking about a large country of 70 million people.
Turkey can change the balances within the EU. It can turn everything
upside down,” Aksam quoted Fischer as saying.
”The question which must be asked is not only whether Turkey is
ready for the EU but whether the EU is ready for Turkey.
”I say clearly, we cannot yet bear [the strain] of Turkey joining,”
said Fischer, a Social Democrat.
The EU admitted 10 new members including Poland, Hungary, the Czech
Republic and the divided island of Cyprus on May 1. It aims to take
in Bulgaria and Romania in 2007, and Croatia is also about to begin
accession talks.
”It is difficult to say whether Turkey will be given a date ]in
December],” Fischer said.
Financial markets are watching closely Ankara’s preparations for
December, believing failure to open negotiations could undermine the
center-right government of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and derail
Turkey’s strong economic recovery.
At a summit in Brussels last week, EU leaders repeated their praise
for Turkey’s reforms and urged Erdogan to keep up his reformist
momentum. If launched, the entry talks are expected to last many years.
Turkey, a secular but overwhelmingly Muslim country, has been knocking
on the EU’s door since 1963. It became an official candidate in
1999 but has yet to open entry talks due to concerns over its human
rights record.
3. Kerry Honors 86th Anniversary of the Founding of the First Armenian
Republic
WASHINGTON, DC (ANCA)–In a statement released to the Armenian American
community, presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee John Kerry
marked the May 28, 1918 founding of the first Armenian Republic.
In his statement, Kerry noted that, “the first Republic of Armenia
rose 86 years ago from the ashes of the Armenian genocide, but was
partitioned soon afterwards. Yet, Armenians yearned for independence,
and seven decades later realized their dream of self-determination.”
“Armenian Americans welcome John Kerry’s celebration of the 86th
anniversary of the first Republic of Armenia,” said Aram Hamparian,
Executive Director of the ANCA. “As a Senator with a twenty-year track
record of advocating for issues of importance to Armenian Americans,
John Kerry understands the tremendous challenges–first among them
the horrific toll of the Armenian Genocide–that the Armenian people
overcame in 1918 on the road to the establishment of the Armenian
Republic.”
In April of this year, Kerry joined the Armenian American community
in marking the 89th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. In a
statement issued on April 22, Kerry called “on governments and people
everywhere to formally recognize this tragedy. Only by learning from
this dark period of history and working to prevent future genocides
can we truly honor the memories of those Armenians who suffered
so unjustly.” In the days prior to his statement, Kerry joined 22
of his Senate colleagues in calling on President Bush to “refer to
the mass slaughter of Armenians as genocide in your commemorative
statement.” He was amongst the earliest cosponsors of the Genocide
resolution (S.Res.164), which marks the 15th anniversary of the US
implementation of the Genocide Convention.
Kerry’s complete record on Armenian American concerns is posted on the
“Armenians for Kerry” website The website
includes previous statements by the Senator and provides ways for
Armenian American supporters to become active in the Kerry campaign
through donations or other volunteer efforts.
Kerry’s congratulatory letter regarding the First Armenian Republic
was read at a Greater Washington, DC area celebration last Saturday
night, hosted by the ARF. The complete text of the statement follows.
Letter from John Kerry Honoring Armenia’s First Independence
Tonight I join Armenian-Americans in proudly celebrating the Republic
of Armenia’s day of independence. The first Republic of Armenia
rose 86 years ago from the ashes of the Armenian genocide, but was
partitioned soon afterwards. Yet, Armenians yearned for independence,
and seven decades later realized their dream of self- determination.
I am proud of my work with the Armenian-American community including
my support for ending Azerbaijan’s blockades of Armenia and Nagorno
Karabagh, for the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act in 1996 and for
extending “permanent normal trade relations” (PNTR) to Armenia.
This evening I would also like to pay tribute to the Armenian-Americans
who have contributed so much to our great country. Your hard work
and strong values make our country a better place for all Americans.
I hope you have a wonderful celebration and, of course, a very happy
birthday.
4. Gorky Family Speaks out on Burying Artist in Armenia
Arshile Gorky’s descendants recently responded to reports that the
Yerevan-based Arshile Gorky Foundation has undertaken fundraising
efforts to transport and bury the remains of the Armenian-American
abstract expressionist painter in Armenia.
Foundation chairman Badal Badalian announced on May 19 that his
organization had undertaken fundraising efforts and “is requesting
permission” to carry out on of Gorky’s greatest dreams to “to return
home and to be one with the soil of Armenia.” Gorky’s son-in-law
Matthew Spender, announced that the move to transfer Gorky’s remains to
Armenia “eventuality requires the permission of Gorky’s descendants,”
including Gorky’s daughter, Spender’s wife Maro.
“I’d like to place on record the fact that neither she nor her mother,
nor sister have been informed of the plan, and that they are against
the idea. Gorky’s resting place in Connecticut is final,” emphasizes
Spender who wrote the 1999 biography of Gorky, From a High Place:
A Life of Arshile Gorky
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Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
KERRY HONORS 86TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE
FIRST ARMENIAN REPUBLIC
WASHINGTON, DC — In a statement released to the Armenian American
community, presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee John Kerry
marked the founding of the First Armenian Republic, established on May
28th, 1918, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
In his statement, Sen. Kerry noted that, “the first Republic of Armenia
rose 86 years ago from the ashes of the Armenian genocide, but was
partitioned soon afterwards. Yet, Armenians yearned for independence,
and seven decades later realized their dream of self- determination.”
“Armenian Americans welcome John Kerry’s celebration of the 86th
anniversary of the first Republic of Armenia,” said Aram Hamparian,
Executive Director of the ANCA. “As a Senator with a twenty-year track
record of advocating for issues of importance to Armenian Americans,
John Kerry understands the tremendous challenges – first among them
the horrific toll of the Armenian Genocide – that the Armenian people
overcame in 1918 on the road to the establishment of the Armenian
Republic.”
In April of this year, Sen. Kerry joined the Armenian American
community in marking the 89th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
In a statement issued on April 22nd, Senator Kerry called “on
governments and people everywhere to formally recognize this
tragedy. Only by learning from this dark period of history and
working to prevent future genocides can we truly honor the memories
of those Armenians who suffered so unjustly.” In the days prior to his
statement, Senator Kerry joined 22 of his Senate colleagues in calling
on President Bush to “refer to the mass slaughter of Armenians as
genocide in your commemorative statement.” He was amongst the earliest
cosponsors of the Genocide resolution (S.Res.164), which marks the
15th anniversary of the U.S. implementation of the Genocide Convention.
Senator Kerry’s complete record on Armenian American concerns is
posted on the Armenians For Kerry website
. The website includes previous statements by the Senator and provides
ways for Armenian American supporters to become active in the Kerry
campaign through donations or other volunteer efforts.
The congratulatory letter regarding the First Armenian Republic was
read at a Greater Washington, DC area celebration last Saturday night,
hosted by the ARF. The complete text of the statement follows.
#####
Letter from John Kerry Honoring Armenia’s First Independence
Tonight I join Armenian-Americans in proudly celebrating the Republic
of Armenia’s day of independence. The first Republic of Armenia
rose 86 years ago from the ashes of the Armenian genocide, but was
partitioned soon afterwards. Yet, Armenians yearned for independence,
and seven decades later realized their dream of self- determination.
I am proud of my work with the Armenian-American community including
my support for ending Azerbaijan’s blockades of Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh, for the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act in 1996 and for
extending “permanent normal trade relations” (PNTR) to Armenia.
This evening I would also like to pay tribute to the Armenian-
Americans who have contributed so much to our great country.
Your hard work and strong values make our country a better place for
all Americans.
I hope you have a wonderful celebration and, of course, a very happy
birthday.

Azeri official comments on cease-fire breaches on border
ANS TV, Baku
19 Jun 04
Presenter Baku has commented on reports about intense cease-fire
violations on the border. Novruz Mammadov, head of the international
relations department of the Presidential Executive Staff, said the
firefights with the Armenian armed forces on the Azerbaijani border was
a result of Yerevan’s harmful policy. The official did not rule out
that the Armenian community of Karabakh will be brought to book for the
conduct of the unlawful municipal elections on Azerbaijani territory.
Correspondent over Karabakh villages The campaign to nominate
candidates for the municipal elections by the Armenian community of
Nagornyy Karabakh kicked off today. The nomination campaign will end
on 24 June and the process of registering the candidates will continue
until 19 July. The election campaign will start on the same day. Let
us remind you that the municipal elections will be held by the Armenian
community in Nagornyy Karabakh on 8 August. Baku is not planing to turn
a blind eye to this move of the Armenian separatists. Statements have
already been sent to a number of international organizations urging
them to prevent such illegal measures from taking place in the occupied
territory of Azerbaijan.
Novruz Mammadov, head of the international relations department of
the Presidential Executive Staff, said that the issue of the illegal
municipal elections in Nagornyy Karabakh will be put on the agenda
of the Council of Europe first of all.
Mammadov, shown speaking from his office This act is undoubtedly
illegal. The appropriate bodies of Azerbaijan have spoken against
it and will continue to do so. The Milli Maclis and the Azerbaijani
parliamentarians in the Council of Europe will air their views in
the upcoming sessions. All this is illegal and lacks international
support. I would like to reiterate that all this is nothing less than
an attempt by the separatists to hearten themselves.
Correspondent Mammadov believes that international organizations are
currently actively trying to resolve the conflict. And very often
their approaches are in harmony with Azerbaijan’s position. The world
supports Azerbaijan’s demand that the conflict be resolved reasonably.
Mammadov From this point of view, both the Karabakh separatists and
the Armenian leadership are finding themselves isolated from the world
community. To alleviate such treatment and to parry these blows, they
resort to such measures. The crux of the matter is that the Armenian
separatists want to create certain institutions in the occupied
territory of Azerbaijan. They resort to such methods from time to
time, i.e. violate all laws by holding the so-called presidential
and municipal elections in the self-styled NKR.
Correspondent Obviously Nagornyy Karabakh has not been recognized and
will not be recognized in the future as well, Mammadov said, adding
that the municipal elections have no legal basis. The conduct of
such measures once again proves that the separatist Armenian regime
does not want to resolve the conflict. The separatist regime’s
plans to conduct the unlawful election in Nagornyy Karabakh, which
is an integral part of Azerbaijan, is not their first or their last
illegal action. The Armenian side, which often violates the cease-fire
regime on the border with Azerbaijan and along the contact line,
once again proved that it is not ready for a constructive solution
to the conflict. The recent and intense breaches of the cease-fire
regime are not accidental, Mammadov said. The opposite side is taking
well-planned and well-considered steps.
Mammadov Armenian President Kocharyan is no longer trusted by his
people because of his failure to fulfill his election promises. The
resistance against him within the country is strengthening. By
violating the cease-fire regime, the Armenian leadership wants to
soften pressure and divert the attention from them to something else.
The second reason is also very important and is connected with the
first one: the Armenian leadership wants to decrease the external
pressure. Mammadov is sure that Armenia has never and will never
benefit from such an adventurist policy. Therefore, the Armenian
leadership should without fail put an end to this.
Mammadov Now the cease-fire regime has been breached in Qazax District,
some 200-300 kilometers from Nagornyy Karabakh. This was a result
of Armenia’s false and notorious policy. I would like to reiterate
that we have informed all interested states and organizations, such
as the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, of this.
Correspondent Azerbaijan’s position on the problem is constructive. It
is ready for negotiations. Mammadov said that Yerevan should not have
breached the cease-fire regime.
Ayaz Mirzayev, Ibrahim Telmanoglu for ANS.

Science and technology in Russia
PRAVDA< Russia June 18 2004 15:48 2004-06-18 Scientists from the Blagonravov machine-science institute have come up with an extremely effective metal-rolling and metal-drawing process. It's an open secret that metal must be heated prior to processing because this makes it softer and more pliable. In a nutshell, this unique method heats up only those small metal sections, whose shape must be altered. These sections, which measure only several millimeters in size, are subjected to strong electric currents; this causes an unusual phenomenon known as "electronic wind" inside the metal crystal lattice. Metal becomes more pliable as a result. Meanwhile this waste-free production process, which doesn't cause any cracks or scale whatsoever, saves energy. Besides, electric resistance is reduced during the wire-drawing process, thus making it possible to turn out thinner wire; substantial materials, i.e. copper, aluminium (for electric wires and cables), as well as tungsten (for incandescent-filament lamps) are saved as a result. Up to 30 percent of metal is saved during the stainless-steel strip rolling process; such strips are, among other things, used to make razor blades. One such metal-rolling mill, which is currently being assembled for South Korea, will apparently produce an annual economic effect to the tune of $1 million. Experts working for the Tomsk agriculture institute have developed a contraption, which converts organic waste into petroleum. This project was financed by a group of local companies. Such equipment has already been tested, and the Kuzbassrazrezugol public company has bought its experimental version. Leonid Chumazov, a graduate of the Tomsk university of automated control systems and radio-electronics, authored this project. According to Chumazov, available foreign equivalents don't process all kinds of organic waste; for their own part, Siberian scientists have patented a gasolene-production process. This 10-square-meter unit can process up to 50 tons of organic feedstock every 24 hours. Methane, gasolene or diesel fuel can be obtained in line with preset parameters. Vladimir Nezamutdinov, director of the Tomsk agriculture institute's center for processing plant-and-animal waste, says this new thermal-electric-chemical complex is intended to process dung, manure, peat, sawdust and even garbage. A ton of dry organic waste yields up to 700 kg of petroleum. Several regional enterprises all over Siberia have already ordered this unusual invention. The Tomsk agriculture institute will master its batch production before the year is out. Omsk has already hosted the fifth international scientific conference dealing with the history of the Siberian countryside, its modern state and development prospects. Rural-development problems are seen as highly important, because the subsequent development of this vast Russian territory, which has an area of 10 million sq. km., is largely linked with farmers. (for comparison, Russia covers an area of 17 million sq. km. - Ed.) The conference involved about 300 scientists from 21 Russian cities, as well as those from Armenia, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Poland, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and Germany. All in all, 120 reports have been heard at the conference. The delegates examined problems of the Siberian countryside's demographic, socio-economic, public-political and cultural development, as well as land-reclamation, land-cadaster and land-monitoring aspects, the history of rural populated localities, the history of local ethnic groups, etc. A round-table discussion was organized within this conference's framework, with its participants discussing national agrarian policies during Russia's admission into the World Trade Organization. The next international conference to examine topical problems of the Siberian countryside will also be organized in Omsk in 2006.