Author: Hunanian Jack

Gaylord Herald Times, MI
Feb 14 2005
Hindsight – Migration: a ritual of survival
Nicole Laskowski
Birds seem to live in a different world: somewhere between land and
sky, a wing’s reach away from touching stars. Their shadows command a
presence on glassy waters.
They travel through a landscape I only dream about.
They possess an innocence, or maybe a purity, because they are
capable of making the impossible, possible.
Together they can mass into one giant storm cloud, become the crests
of ocean waves or the islands of marsh lands, or create the illusion
that the sky is falling.
By flapping wings hard enough, stretching neck and body skyward,
paddling webbed feet, they can walk on water.
They soar innocently through soot, above the sounds of machinery,
about the complexity of modernity. Their legs tucked tightly against
their tails, their wings curve in perfect angles to create flight.
They fly above the foolishness of man-made maps where invisible lines
marking a country’s borders mean nothing to them.
They enact the ritual of migration out of survival, but they burst
through early morning vapor, waving to the land below with a promise
to return to this place.
My grandmother made no such promise when she left Armenia with her
family.
I imagine her at the age of 4, standing in front of her home, waving
goodbye. The images come like slow motion stills from an old black
and white movie.
In my daydreams, her hair is tousled into kiddy curlycues. She is
standing in her prettiest dress. She is holding her father’s hand.
Everything has that yellow tint to it.
Shortly after her migration to America, the Armenian genocide began.
Her village was targeted, pillaged and destroyed by the Turks.
She escaped this crude persecution, where so many Armenians were
shot, left to starve, and even pushed by the thousands into a cave
whose entrance was guarded and then erased by scrub set on fire.
They were left to suffocate.
My grandmother and her family were left with the fragments of their
country’s history.
They faced the awkwardness of being foreign, the humility of having
nothing, the loneliness of starting over for survival. A newborn
chick puffed with down feathers stands at the edge of a cliff; below
it, an enormous pool of water. It doesn’t stand peering over the
edge, doesn’t look at the hundreds of feet between sky and sea. It
doesn’t hesitate to jump.
The newborn chick begins flapping its wings in the hopes of flying,
somehow instinctively knowing that flight is equated with survival.
It works tirelessly to try and catch a wave of wind. But it smacks
into the surface of the water.
It will no doubt try again.
Who else is that fearless?

PanArmenian News
Feb 11 2005
HEIKKI TALVITIE: WE BELIEVE KARABAKH CONFLICT WILL BE SETTLED
11.02.2005 14:23
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “The OSCE Minsk Group deals with the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement. As you know, the US, France and Russia
are the MG Co-Chairs and the activities of the group are efficient
enough”, EU Special Representative for South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie
stated in Baku. In his words, the EU is assisting to the conflict
settlement and believes that this problem will be resolved. The EU
will go on forming peacekeeping forces to be sent to the region. He
also stated that the EU can contribute to the restoration and
reconstruction of the territories after the conflict is settled.

Pan Armenian Network
REPORTS ON ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN AND GEORGIA OF EU: NEW NEIGHBORHOOD
INITIATIVE TO BE PUBLISHED WITHIN 2 WEEKS
11.02.2005 14:35
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The reports on Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
within the EU Wider Europe: New Neighbors initiative have been already
prepared and will be published within 2 weeks in Brussels, EU Special
Representative for South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie stated in Baku. In
his words, after the consideration in the EU Headquarters in Brussels
the reports will be submitted to the Committee of Ministers.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Washington Times, DC
Feb 9 2005
Outside View: What ‘Oil-for-Food’ scandal?
By Youssef M. Ibrahim
Outside View Commentator
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 9 (UPI) — The oil-for-food scandal
is proving to be less of an embarrassment to the United Nations than
to those who built it up as the mother of all fiscal scandals and
reason enough to brand the U.N.
Following the first pronouncement last Tuesday on an ongoing
investigation into the program that was designed by the U.N. Security
Council to feed Iraqis in the years of sanctions, U.N. bashers now
find themselves holding a pretty thin sheet of evidence.
A so-called interim report by Paul Volcker — former head of
America’s central bank, known as the Federal Reserve, or “Fed” — was
notable for its failure in finding a smoking gun anywhere near U.N.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan. It merely concluded that the principal
of the case, former director of the oil-for-food program, the
Armenian Cypriot Benon Sevan, behaved in an “improper” way!
Following a year of investigation by 60 investigators at a cost, so
far, of $35 million, and hints of embezzlements in the billions of
dollars by scores of people, may we be permitted to ask: That’s it?
The nature and scope of this much-ballyhooed scandal were phenomenal.
Money was siphoned away from the mouths of Iraqi children and Iraqi
oil revenues. Sevan was supposed to have connived with former Iraqi
president Saddam Hussein, select groups of oil dealers and
well-placed politicians in world governments to create billions in
slush funds and receive Saddam’s gifts of discounted oil contracts.
So far what Volcker came up with is pretty limp, not even rising to
the level of wide currency among an American press corps being
content to exist on leaks from a U.S. administration known for its
animus toward all things multinational.
Where are the supposed billions supposedly re-routed via private
banks and corrupt politicians worldwide? Which banks? The numbers
only began at $2 billion going up by multiples according to printed
accounts on the leak-of-the-day.
As it turned out, Volcker’s 60 snoops found little beyond their
suspicions that Sevan used his influence with Iraq “improperly.”
As for the larger conspiracy, they can only point at one rather small
oil trading company in Geneva as having gained access to only two
modest-size contracts of Iraqi crude oil shipments.
Sevan was said to have prompted the United Nations to provide greater
help in rebuilding Iraq’s oil equipment. That’s an odd charge, for it
was the man’s job to revive Iraq’s revenues from oil so as to import
more food — Saddam or no Saddam.
When it came to corruption, the Volcker vultures ”hinted” Sevan’s
aunt could have been a conduit for bribes. Why? She left him an
inheritance of $160,000! Not exactly a king’s ransom. Altogether,
what was supposed to be a major heist is not a Thomas Crown Affair.
Never fans of the United Nations, George W. Bush and his
neoconservative minions who have fanned the fires of the oil-for-food
scandal, appear to be using this deflated balloon to blackmail,
paralyze and marginalize a multinational organization that has been a
thorn in their side.
To be sure, Annan, should have accepted blame for improprieties that
happened under his watch, spared the United Nations a witch-hunt and
quit.
He did not. But that is certainly not a reason to brand the United
Nations a broken institution and hint that its present leader, as
well as his predecessor — Boutros Boutros Ghali, whose name was
dropped into the interim report without a valid reason — are
corrupt. It is typical of neoconservatives: murder by innuendo.
Graver than exaggerations are omissions. As the New York Times’
editorial pointed out, Volcker’s incomplete mid-term report has yet
to tackle how members of the U.N. Security Council looked the other
way.
The lone oil-trader, who supposedly was the linchpin in the huge
scandal, it turns out, only picked up two small contracts of Iraqi
oil sales, according to the interim report, before dropping out as
the deal looked unprofitable. But better than 99 percent of Iraq’s
oil smuggling moved outside the purview of U.N. supervision, going
through international borders.
Buyers included world-class oil companies with American, British,
Chinese, Russian and French pedigree. This daily illegal oil export
estimated at a half-million barrels of oil went out via two of
America’s major allies, Turkey and Jordan, as well as through Iran
and Syria, all of which have had commercial ties with Iraq and
pipelines over the ground or under.
The U.N. Security Council, including the United States, looked the
other way. Instead the Volcker interim report stopped at picking on a
U.N. official and a lone oil trader in Geneva
There is more. Quantities of oil cited in the interim report as the
subject of the United Nation’s dubious dealings amount to 0.1825
percent of all Iraqi oil exports, estimated at 4 billion barrels over
the period of the accusation, a statistical irrelevance in the world
of oil.
Could it be that the animus that has developed toward Annan by the
Bush administration is behind the spin?
After all, the secretary general had the nerve to declare the
invasion of Iraq an “illegal war” and denounce the scandalous torture
practices against Iraqis at Abu Ghraib prison.
The president of the United States is an oil businessman-millionaire
who knows that this is, oil-wise, a charade. So does the former head
of America’s central bank, Volcker. Gents, give us a break.
—
Youssef M. Ibrahim, a former Middle East correspondent for the New
York Times and Energy Editor of the Wall Street Journal, is Managing
Director of the Dubai-based Strategic Energy Investment Group. He can
be contacted at [email protected]
—
This essay first appeared in Gulf News.

Coming session period will be busy
By Karine Mangasarian
Yerkir/arm
February 04, 2005
Last week, at a press conference, ARF faction leader Levon Mkrtchian
and secretary Hrayr Karapetian presented the work plan of the faction
for the next session period.
Hrayr Karapetian said that law-making activities will mainly focus
on the social sphere, security and anti-corruption instances, as
well as adoption of local self-governance legislations. Work will
be proceeded over the “Law on lobbying,” which will enable to avoid
office abuse by the officials.
He also prioritized the social need for a law on bodyguards and
said that relevant work will be done. He pointed out the necessity
to legally stimulate birth rate by providing benefits to families
with more than 3 children. And the important role of the small and
medium-sized businesses already fixed in the economy can be even more
promoted in case of developing relevant legal paperwork.
Faction leader Levon Mkrtchian prioritized the discussions of
the Electoral Code and the Constitutional amendments. He said:
“The Electoral Code will have a strategic importance for promotion
of real democratic processes. It is an important step on the way to
elections by international standards.”
Calling oppositionâ~@~Ys participation in the discussions of the
Constitutional amendments necessary, Mkrtchian said that it is also
important in combination with the Venice commission support. â~@~It
is important to create a wide field of political-social accord in
this direction. We are against having the issue of the Constitution
serve for a different political purpose,â~@~] said Mkrtchian.
Among the events for this year, he prioritized the commemoration of
the 90th anniversary of the Genocide, noting that the advance of the
Armenian cause is a pledge for the security of Armenia.
–Boundary_(ID_pUNoBx7SLATmPVeUdi8gLg)–

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
Feb 7 2005
PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV RECEIVES FRENCH SENATE MEMBER
AYMERI DE MONTESQUIOU
[February 07, 2005, 17:03:03]
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received February
7 member of the French Senate Aymeri de Montesquiou.
President Ilham Aliyev expressed his satisfaction with the rapid
development of the Azerbaijan-France cooperation in various fields.
Recalling his visits to France, the Head of State highly valued
the meetings and talks held there saying they play a key role in
strengthening cooperation between the two countries. The President
pointed out in this connection that French companies are actively
involved in a number of energy projects implemented in Azerbaijan.
Touching upon the visit to the country by the OSCE fact-finding mission
to examine the situation concerning illegal settling of the occupied
territories with ethnic Armenians, the Azerbaijani leader pointed to
the great role France as the OSCE Minsk group Co-Chair plays in the
process of the conflict’s resolution.
Mr. Aymeri de Montesquiou shared the President’s opinion that
Azerbaijan-France cooperation is developing in many spheres, and that
a number of French companies are actively involved in development of
the hydrocarbon resources in the Caspian Sea. Recalling President Ilham
Aliyev’s visit to France, he described his meetings and negotiations
held in the country as very fruitful.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
Feb 4 2005
US CONSULAR ASSOCIATE IN ARMENIA INDICTED ON BRIBERY AND VISA FRAUD
CHARGES
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 4, ARMENPRESS: The U.S. Embassy in Armenia
forwarded to Armenpress a statement issued jointly by the Justice
Department and State Department of the United States of America in
Washington, DC, February 3, which says that the United States
Attorney Kenneth L. Wainstein and Ambassador Frank Taylor, Assistant
Secretary for the United States Department of State’s Bureau of
Diplomatic Security, announced that a federal Grand Jury in the
District of Columbia returned on February 2 a thirteen-count
indictment charging Piotr Zdzislaw Parlej, a 45-year-old United
States citizen formerly employed as a Consular Associate in the
United States Embassy in Yerevan, Armenia, with bribery and visa
fraud.
Parlej was arrested in the District of Columbia yesterday
afternoon and is scheduled to appear today before United States
Magistrate Judge Alan Kay. If convicted of the charges, Parlej faces
up to between 5 and 15 years in prison, and a fine of not more than
$250,000 on each of the counts.
The indictment charges that from in or before April 2004, through
on or about January 13, 2005, in Yerevan, Armenia, Parlej and various
co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy to commit bribery and visa
fraud, and to obstruct and impede – “by craft, trickery, deceit, and
dishonest means” – the United States Department of State in “its
lawful function of reviewing and controlling the issuance to
qualified foreign nationals of visas authorizing their entry into the
United States.” The indictment Page -2- also alleges six specific
instances in which Parlej took cash bribes of up to $10,000 each, in
exchange for issuing visas irrespective of whether the applicants
were qualified to receive them.
“The people of the United States have a right to have immigration
rules applied fairly and properly,” noted United States Attorney
Wainstein. “A United States consular official who violates those
rules for personal financial gain undermines the integrity of our
visa application and review process, and erodes public trust in our
consular officials around the world.”
Speaking for the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security,
Ambassador Taylor added, “We are committed to investigating and
bringing to justice Department of State employees who use their
positions of trust to break the law.”
In announcing Parlej’s indictment and arrest, United States
Attorney Wainstein and Ambassador Taylor particularly commended the
work of Diplomatic Security Service Special Agents, U.S. Embassy
Yerevan staff, as well as Armenia law enforcement authorities who
assisted in the case. United States Attorney Wainstein and Ambassador
Taylor also commended Assistant United States Attorneys Laura A.
Ingersoll and Brenda J. Johnson, who are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has
committed a violation of criminal laws. Every defendant is presumed
innocent until and unless found guilty.
The statement said the U.S. Embassy in Armenia and the U.S. State
Department as a whole, are dedicated to insuring the integrity of
visa process, and maintain zero tolerance of fraud. It also thanked
the Armenian authorities for their cooperation in this investigation
and in particular commended the National Security Service of Armenia
for their invaluable assistance.

Deceased Georgian PM to be buried on 6 February – Russian radio
Ekho Moskvy radio, Moscow
3 Feb 05
The funeral of Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania will take place
on 6 February at 1400 [local time, 1100 gmt], Ekho Moskvy has been
told by Georgian Minister of State for Settlement of Conflicts Giorgi
Khaindrava.
He said the funeral service will be held at the Cathedral of the Holy
Trinity, which has recently been consecrated in Tbilisi. [Passage
omitted: background to Zhvania death]

Turkish premier, French Assembly Speaker discuss EU, Cyprus, Armenian issue
Anatolia news agency
3 Feb 05
ANKARA
President of the French National Assembly Jean Louis Debre met Turkish
Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday [3 February].
Debre asked Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the
implementation of reforms which Turkey fulfilled in the EU process as
well as Cyprus and Armenian issues, said sources.
Erdogan told Debre that France and Turkey share common values like
democracy, freedom, human rights and supremacy of law. Noting that
Turkey tries to effectively implement the reforms it made in the EU
process, Erdogan said Turkey’s EU membership will further improve the
relations between Turkey and France. “It will also contribute to
economic relations,” he added. Erdogan said Armenian genocide claims
should be left to historians. “If their historians have claims, our
historians have claims too. They shall study Ottoman archives.”
Erdogan added Turkey does not have any problems with its Armenian
citizens. “Armenians should also open their archives,” he added.

Armenian paper blames OSCE factfinding mission for pro-Azeri stance
Hayots Ashkharh, Yerevan
2 Feb 05

Text of unattributed report by Armenian newspaper Hayots Ashkharh on 2
February headlined “Double standards of the OSCE”
The OSCE monitoring mission’s visit to Nagornyy Karabakh and the
monitoring of the liberated territories give the impression at fight
sight that it is a technical measure. The members of the mission also
confirm that their task is to complete their monitoring and prepare a
relevant report. For this reason, they will not express any political
position or make any statement.
But it is more than strange that the purpose of the OSCE monitoring
mission is only to monitor the territories controlled by the Armenian
forces. In fact, the desire of the Armenian party to have the
territories of the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic [NKR] controlled by
Azerbaijan examined was ignored.
And the problem is not that this mission should undoubtedly pay
attention to the fact that Shaumyan District [Azerbaijan’s Goranboy
District] and the Armenian villages in the northeastern part of
Mardakert District [Agdara District] are inhabited by Azerbaijanis. It
is not the position of the monitors on Karabakh, but the political
position of the OSCE that causes bewilderment.
The “ideology” of this monitoring mission is not clear, as it
obviously goes against the principles of the OSCE.
The OSCE ignores the fact that the subject of the conflict, i.e. the
territories controlled by the Armenian forces, or according to the
Azerbaijani party, the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, have the
same status as Shaumyan District and Getashen [the village of Caykand
in Azerbaijan’s Xanlar District] or the northern part of Mardakert
District in terms of their possible settlement. They have the same
status, as according to all international norms, including the OSCE
standards, the recognition of the sovereign right of any state is not
the same as the right to the forcible settlement of a region.
That’s to say, irrespective of the legal status the OSCE gives to
Karvachar (Kalbacar) or Shaumyan, the Azerbaijanis expelled from
Kalbacar and the Armenians expelled from Shaumyan following the war
have the same right to return to their former places of
residence. Thus, the following double standards that contradict the
OSCE principles have been used:
a) Azerbaijan’s accusation that Armenians are settling in the
territories controlled by the Armenian forces is seen as a violation
of the sovereign right of the state to these territories;
b) The OSCE is not interested in the possible resettlement of the
Armenian villages and the NKR territories controlled by the
Azerbaijani forces, whereby they recognize the sovereign right of
Azerbaijan to expel the Armenians living there.
Refusing to monitor Getashen or Shaumyan, which are already populated
by Azerbaijanis, the OSCE de facto recognizes the sovereign right of
Azerbaijan to carry out ethnic cleansing, which is a gross violation
of all the norms of this organization. We think that by demonstrating
a selective approach towards the current Armenian-Azerbaijani dispute
about the possible settlement of the territories controlled as a
result of the war, the OSCE broke its own main principles. That’s to
say, the OSCE took as a basis not the right of the Azerbaijanis and
Armenians to return to their former places of residence, but the
principle under which Armenians who are citizens of Azerbaijan are not
allowed to settle in the territory of Azerbaijan.
So the report of the OSCE monitoring mission cannot be
impartial. Moreover, it cannot serve as a basis for any serious
political conclusion if the monitoring group does not visit the
northeastern villages of Shaumyan, Getashen and Mardakert Districts
before accomplishing its mission.