Author: Hambardsumian Paul

The Verkhny Lars Checkpoint Has Been Opened On The Russian-Georgian Border
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
October 27, 2004, Wednesday
The Verkhny Lars checkpoint recently was opened on the Russian-Georgian
border. This statement was made by the press service of the border
guard service of the Russian FSB.
The press service said that the checkpoint was closed after the
tragedy in Beslan on September 1 in order to prevent terrorists
from infiltrating into Russia from Georgia. As a result, a lot
of cars and trucks, including from Armenia, were stopped on the
border. This situation damaged Armenia’s economy. Sergei Mironov,
Speaker of the Federation Council, visited Yerevan and promised to
settle this problem.
Source: Trud, October 23, 2004, p. 2

Azeri MPs say some officials involved in child trafficking – TV
ANS TV, Baku
26 Oct 04
[Presenter] MPs have commented on the sale of children to foreign
countries under the guise of adoption. They think that officials were
also involved in this issue.
[Correspondent over video] Some 204 children from Azerbaijan have
been sold abroad under the guise of adoption over the past three
years. There has been no information about their plight so far. Some
MPs sent inquiries to the relevant bodies in this regard. They even
appealed to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev over the issue.
[MP Cahangir Huseynov] I would like to thank Mr Ilham Aliyev for
imposing a moratorium on the issue. Today not a single child is
given to a foreign citizen. Certain people are prepared to pay even
a higher price for organs. Some organs can fetch between 50,000 and
100,000 dollars.
[Correspondent, over video] There were also MPs who think that those
unable to see their children as their future should be educated and
ideological work should be carried out among them. They also discussed
other details of the child trafficking.
[The Communist Party chairman and MP, Ramiz Ahmadov] The state should
seriously monitor the situation. The state is in charge of the borders,
of those who come and leave and of those who sign specific contracts on
the purchase of children [changes tack] I know that the overwhelming
majority of these contracts are false. They are aimed at deceiving
us. Nothing is known about the plight of those children after their
purchase and departure.
[The United People’s Front of Azerbaijan Party and MP, Qudrat
Hasanquliyev] There are facts of corruption here. This kind of
lawlessness takes place in exchange for a large sum of money. The
law-enforcement agencies, executive bodies and parliament itself
should control these issues.
[Passage omitted: Other MPs say law-enforcement agencies should
seriously talk to child traffickers in line with law]
[Correspondent, over video] The MPs said that the state itself should
take care of children and assume that the people involved in the
trafficking of children were cooperating with some officials.
Afat Telmanqizi, Azar Qarayev, ANS.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRESENTS ARMENIA’S APPROACHES TO
REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROCESSES TO BRITISH MPS
YEREVAN, October 22 (Noyan Tapan). The agenda of Armenian-British
cooperation, the process of the integration of Armenia in the European
structures and the role of the British MPs possible in these processes
were discussed during the October 21 meeting of RA Deputy Minister of
Foreign Affairs Tatul Margarian with representatives of the United
Kingdom-Armenia Friendship Group of the parliament of the United
Kingdom. According to the press service of the RA Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, the Deputy Minister informed British MPs about Armenia’s
approaches to the regional and international processes, as well as
about Armenia’s steps undertaken in the direction of the resolution of
the available problems. Touching upon the work directed at the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict, Tatul Margarian confirmed that
Armenia is loyal to the principles of the peaceful settlement of the
problem. He thanked the British MPs, in particular, Baroness Caroline
Cox for multilateral support in the realization of the just
aspirations of the people of Nagorno Karabakh.

ARMENIAN FORUM OPPOSES IRAQI MISSION
Arminfo
22 Oct 04
Yerevan, 22 October: The Armenian government’s proposal to send a
group of Armenian experts to Iraq would mean a declaration of
war. This sharp statement was made today at the 8th forum of
intelligentsia by the former national security aide to the Armenian
president and a founder of the Karabakh movement, (?Ashot
Manucharyan).
He said that Armenia has chosen to ignore its century-old friendship
with neighbouring Muslim countries which have always made careful
statements about Armenia at various international forums, including at
the level of the Organization of Islamic Conference. “Even if one
expert or nurse goes to Iraq, that will be seen as a declaration of
war by the Islamic world and especially by our neighbours,” he said.
Another former representative of the Karabakh committee and member of
the Armenia forum of intelligentsia, Academician Rafael Kazaryan, said
that those who decided this should be punished. He also stressed that
the whole Arab world should be made aware of the fact that the
Armenian people are against the dispatch of experts to Iraq. (Passage
omitted: other participants share the view)

ARMENIAN, GEORGIAN PRESIDENTS SET TO COOPERATE WITH EU
Mediamax news agency
22 Oct 04
YEREVAN
The presidents of Armenia and Georgia, Robert Kocharyan and Mikheil
Saakashvili, today discussed coordination of the two countries’
efforts with the European Union within the framework of the Wider
Europe – New Neighbourhood policy.
Our special correspondent reports from Tbilisi that Kocharyan said
that the presidents had agreed to continue discussions of this issue
during tomorrow’s trip to Borjomi. “We want our cooperation with the
EU under the new programme to be efficient and not to be of a
declarative nature,” the presidents of the two states said.
In this context, the Armenian and Georgian leaders mentioned
cooperation of the South Caucasus countries with the Baltic countries
in the 3+3 format.

Armenia’s nationalist parties urge compatriots to vote for Democrats
A1+ web site
21 Oct 04
Today the traditional [as received] Armenian parties of America,
Dashnaktsutyun [the Armenian Revolutionary Federation –
Dashnaktsutyun], the Ramkavar-Azatakan [Liberal Democratic] and
Henchakyan [the Bell], appealed to the US Armenians. They urged the
Armenian population of the USA to vote for democrat John Kerry on 2
November.
The parties noted his positive attitude to the Armenian community, his
position on the Armenian genocide of 1915 and interest in the Karabakh
problem.

Agence France Presse
20 octobre 2004 mercredi 10:42 AM GMT
Championnat d’Arménie – Pyunik Erevan assuré du titre
EREVAN 20 oct
L’équipe de Pyunik Erevan est assurée du titre de champion d’Arménie
de football 2004 après sa victoire contre Shirak Gyumri (6-1) lors de
la 22e journée, disputée mardi soir.
A quatre journées de la fin de la compétition, Pyunik Erevan possède
en effet 16 points d’avance sur son suivant immédiat, Mika Ashtarak
(60 pts contre 44) et ne peut plus être rejoint au classement.

Israeli police have questioned an Armenian archbishop
by Luke Coppen
The Times, UK
Oct 16 2004
ISRAELI police have questioned an Armenian archbishop and an Orthodox
Jewish student after a scuffle in Jerusalem Old City. Archbishop
Nourhan Manougian slapped the student after he apparently spat at
a Cross being carried by the prelate during a procession near the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The student has been banned from the
Old City for 75 days.

ARMENIAN YOUNG PEOPLE ARE AGAINST SENDING A MILITARY GROUP TO IRAQ
A1 Plus
15-10-2004
Youth organizations and young wings of various parties held a round
table discussion to decide – to send an Armenian military group to
Iraq or not?
Mainly ARF young members are the initiators of the discussion. They
are against sending a group to Iraq and think a public pressure must
be exerted upon the present Authorities, making them reject the idea
of sending even a humanitarian group to Iraq.
“Armenian Authorities must not neglect the interests of security of the
Armenian Commune in Iraq and the Armenians worldwide”, Eliza Manukyan,
Press Secretary of Araratian Diocese announced.
“For Science Development” initiative group member Arsen Kharatyan
announced a wide social movement must be started.
We asked if the young people have discussed the positive and negative
results of sending a military group to Iraq at the financial and
economic aspect. Arsen Kharatyan said our national interests and
national security are more important than grants and credits of
various world banks and organizations.
Young people have already addressed a letter to the Armenian President,
Parliament Speaker and Prime Minister. Today the youth have discussed
and decided to conduct signature collecting and prove to our officials
de facto the society opposes the idea of sending a military group
to Iraq, especially that the war in Iraq has no connection with the
fight against terror.
The representatives of youth wings of “Republican Party of Armenia”
and “Land of Law Party” didn’t partake in the discussion.

JEHOVAH WITNESSES ARE REGISTERED AND ARRESTED
A1 Plus | 20:40:12 | 15-10-2004 | Politics |
On October 8 Armenian Justice Ministry registered “Jehovah Witnesses”
religious organization. But the same day a young man, a Jehovah
witness having rejected military service was arrested.
A few Jehovah witnesses were arrested after the Law on “Alternative
Military Service” had been approved and come into force. The young
Jehovah witnesses were arrested on August 26, September 30, October
7 and 8 whereas the Law became valid on July 1.
The trials took place on October 12, 13, 14. 2 young men are still
waiting for the trial.
All the young people arrested were sentenced to 2-year-long
imprisonment while they had put in applications for alternative
military service. Helsinki Association Chair Michael Danielyan informed
us about this.
This proves the standpoint of PM, saying laws must be applied to do
away with the sects.
Justice Minister Press Secretary has told us recently that Justice
Ministry is not commissioned to be occupied with the problems of young
people avoiding military service and arrested. The young men themselves
must protect their own rights and to address a request to release them.
Michael Danielyan is against the point of view. “They weren’t
imprisoned of their own free will. They must be released. It was the
demand of PACE, which hasn’t yet been implemented”.