Author: Jhanna Virabian

Armenian opposition activist released before end of his prison term
A1+ web site
6 Sep 04
6 September: Today a court of first instance in Kentron – Nork-Marash
[of Yerevan] ordered the release of Edgar Arakelyan, who was charged
with hitting a police officer with an empty plastic bottle on the
night of 13 April [2004]. He served one-third of his prison term.
Despite the fact that he hit the police officer while trying to
protect himself, the court sentenced Arakelyan, 24, to 18 months in
prison. Arakelyan served six months and six days in prison.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Stand-off raises tensions in northern Caucasus trouble spots
By Mark Huband, Andrew Jack, Stefan Wagstyl and Tom Warner
FT
September 3 2004
The school siege in North Ossetia is raising tensions across the
Caucasus, a region racked by instability, ethnic conflicts and
widespread poverty.
For most Russians, Moscow is rightly the dominant power in the
Caucasus. They bemoan the territory lost in the collapse of the Soviet
Union in the form of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia – especially
Georgia, with which there were close cultural ties.
Under Russian president Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin has asserted
its authority over the Russian republics of the northern Caucasus,
including Chechnya. Chechnya alone declared independence in the early
1990s and only the Chechens have gone to war for a separate state.
But the Kremlin is worried that if one republic wins independence,
others may start demanding greater autonomy, or worse.
Chechen leaders understand well the complex political and ethnic web of
the region and try to exploit it by taking their fight beyond Chechnya.
This week’s siege in North Ossetia has a gruesome forerunner in the
first big Chechen terrorist incident – the 1995 hospital siege in
Buddenovsk, southern Russia, where about 100 people lost their lives.
The main victims were ethnic Russians. In the school siege, they are
Ossetians, an ethnic group generally loyal to Moscow.
Reports suggest the hostage takers demand the release of 30 men
detained after the June attack on the interior ministry offices in
Nazran, in neighbouring Ingushetia, in which 90 died. The prisoners
are both Chechens and Ingush, who are closely related to the Chechens
but have mostly stayed out of the Chechen conflict.
If it now emerges that there are Ingush among the hostage takers
as well, as has been reported, this could signal new levels of
co-operation between Chechens and Ingush.
There are also signs of unrest in Kabardino-Balkaria, an ethnic
republic north-west of Chechnya, where at least two police recently
died fighting a group of armed men they described as “bandits”.
And in Dagestan, which borders Chechnya to the east, feuding clans
are struggling for control of the republic.
In these cases, there is no undisputed evidence of Chechen
involvement. But the conflicts create opportunities, starting with
gun-running, in which the Chechens are expert.
Alex Rondeli, a Georgian political analyst, says: “Today it is North
Ossetia, with the trouble coming from Ingushetia and Chechnya. Tomorrow
it can be Kabardino-Balkaria or Dagestan. Russia doesn’t feel strong
in the north Caucasus. There are lots of problems.”
For Mr Putin, a significant cause of these problems are the Chechens
and their ability to spread violence across the region, preventing
economic development in a region that has long been poor. The Chechens’
capacity to strike is enhanced by the fact that some two-thirds
of the population live outside Chechnya in neighbouring republics,
in Moscow and elsewhere.
Russian officials have repeatedly blamed Islamic radicals for stirring
up anti-Russian sentiments. Since the September 11 US terrorist
attacks they have also sought to show links between local fighters
and al-Qaeda and other Middle Eastern groups. But western intelligence
officers are sceptical. One says: “The hostage takers are a bunch of
Chechens based in the Caucasus. They are not motivated by jihad or
Islamist ideology, and the issue is really all about the withdrawal
of Russia from Chechnya.”
Whatever the cause of the trouble, the Kremlin will seek to maintain
its grip on the northern Caucasus. Georgian analysts fear that it might
also take a tougher line in defending its interests across the border
with Georgia, where Russia has kept military bases despite promising
to remove them. Moscow has also supported separatist administrations
in two breakaway Georgian republics bordering Russia – South Ossetia
and Abkhazia.
In South Ossetia, a cease-fire has held since August 20, but tensions
between Ossetian and Georgian villagers in the region remain high.
In Abkhazia, Georgia’s coast guard shot last month at aTurkish cargo
vessel that refused to pass Georgian inspection. This week in Moscow,
Mr Putin met a candidate in the upcoming Abkhazian presidential
election, which Georgia denounced as support for Abkhaz separatism.
Mr Rondeli, the Georgian analyst, says he is worried Russian hawks
could use the wave of terrorism in the north Caucasus as an excuse
to increase backing for separatists in Georgia.
Additional reporting by Andrew Jack and Mark Huband
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

online.ie
Sport
Agassi still going strong
online.ie
2004-09-03 08:40:18+01
Andre Agassi played down talk of his imminent retirement after booking
his place in the third round of the US Open at Flushing Meadow.
The 34-year-old was 7-5 2-6 6-2 1-0 ahead when Florian Mayer, who is 14
years his junior, retired. After the match, Agassi said: “Let this be
a signal – I’m not considering retiring at the end of this tournament.”
The pair traded breaks in the first set before Agassi edged it.
It was more of the same in the second set, but the German took his
chances this time.
Mayer slowed down in the third set and struggled with his left leg,
calling for the trainer when he was 5-2 down.
After treatment on his thigh, Mayer dropped the next game and the
set and, after Agassi broke in the opening game of the fourth set,
the German called it a day.
The two-time champion now meets 25th seed Jiri Novak, a 7-5 6-1 6-3
winner over Alex Calatrava. Olympic men’s singles champion Nicolas
Massu suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Sargus Sargsian of
Armenia in the second-longest US Open match on record.
Sargsian’s epic 6-7 (6/8) 6-4 3-6 7-6 (8/6) 6-4 victory came after
five hours, nine minutes on court 11.
Only Stefan Edberg’s defeat of Michael Chang in the 1992 men’s
semi-final, at 5:26, took longer.
Also crashing out was 21st seed Taylor Dent, who reached the final
four in Athens only to lose to Massu.
The American was beaten 6-7 (6/8) 6-4 6-3 7-6 (8/6) by Paul-Henri
Mathieu.
Carlos Moya, the men’s third seed, dropped the second set to
Bosnian-born US citizen Amer Delic before eventually progressing 6-2
3-6 6-3 6-2.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Aug 31 2004
FOREIGN MINISTER OF AZERBAIJAN MET SENIOR INSPECTOR OF UN HIGH
COMMISSIONER ON REFUGEES
[August 31, 2004, 22:13:59]
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Azerbaijan Republic Elmar
Mammadyarov has met the senior inspector of the UN High Commissioner
on refugees Mr. Tahir Ali, 31 August.
As was informed to AzerTAj from the press-service of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, at the meeting Minister Elmar Mammadyarov highly has
estimated activity of the High Commissioner of the United Nations
on affairs of refugees in our country, has emphasized importance
of continuation and henceforth connections with the United Nations
within the framework of the mentioned structure.
Having noted also heavy plight of refugees and IDPs ousted from the
native lands as a result of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh
conflict, the Minister has expressed hope for expansion of cooperation
in the direction of elimination of problems by mediation of the High
Commissioner of the United Nations on refugees.
Senior inspector Tahir Ali has expressed confidence that the
Organization represented by him would continue and henceforth the
activity in Azerbaijan and render help in solution of problems.
At the meeting also were focused other questions, representing mutual
interest.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri president, German chancellor discuss economic ties, Karabakh
ANS TV, Baku
25 Aug 04

[Presenter Qanira Atasova] Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has
started official meetings in Germany. ANS correspondent in Germany
Qanira Pasayeva has the details. Hello, Qanira. What issues were
discussed during the president’s official meetings?
[Qanira Pasayeva over the phone] Hello, Qanira. President Aliyev met
Germany’s Federal President Horst Koehler. Then he met Federal
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. After this one-to-one meeting, the
parties signed two documents: an agreement on avoiding double taxation
and a contract on the purchase of Airbuses.
After that, President Aliyev and Chancellor Schroeder held a press
conference. Schroeder said that following an exchange of views with
the Azerbaijani president he had come to the conclusion that a
law-governed state has been established in Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani
president is trying to establish law and order in Azerbaijan, certain
progress has been made in this area and as a result of domestic
reforms, there is a steady growth, especially in the economy.
Schroeder said that they had also discussed political issues and said
that Germany, as in the past, supports Azerbaijan and has recognized
and will recognize and respect Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. He
said that he was in favour of a peaceful solution to the Nagornyy
Karabakh problem. As a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, Germany will
try to make its contribution to the resolution of this problem. He
stated that both countries were interested in economic cooperation as
well and said that a contract had been signed on the purchase of four
Airbuses. It is not just an economic deal, it also has a political
meaning. It shows that Azerbaijan is interested in integration into
Europe.
He said that the Azerbaijani president had invited German companies to
work, especially in the area of the energy infrastructure. He said
that agreement had been reached to hold a conference in Berlin this
autumn or at the beginning of the next year, and German businessmen
will be informed of the business environment in Azerbaijan and
specific projects. After that, closer cooperation will be possible.
President Aliyev also said he was confident that relations between the
two countries would deepen after this visit. The president mainly
touched upon the Nagornyy Karabakh problem and said that Azerbaijan is
very satisfied with Germany’s position. Germany respects Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity.
There was a question by a German journalist about how he [the
Azerbaijani president] sees a political solution to the problem. He
said that the problem should be settled within the norms of
international law. It is important that Armenia should withdraw from
the territories it has occupied. He said that Armenians could live in
Nagornyy Karabakh, there are many ethnic minorities living in
Azerbaijan. Like these minorities, they can live in Azerbaijan. But
Azerbaijan will never allow any state to be established [on its
territory] on the pretext of self-determination. That is it, Qanira.
[Qanira Atasova] Thank you, Qanira. On the phone from Germany was
ANS’s special correspondent Qanira Pasayeva.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Chechnya to open embassy in Azerbaijan – rights activist
Ekho, Baku
13 Jul 04
The Azerbaijani authorities intend to help Chechen refugees and do not
object to the opening of a Chechen representative office in Baku,
Chechenpress news agency, which is close to [rebel President] Aslan
Maskhadov, has said. Musavat Party chairman Isa Qambar has already
commented on this news in an interview with Chechenpress news agency.
[Passage omitted: reported details]
In an interview with Ekho newspaper, Chechen human rights activist
Mayrbek Taramov said that the former head of the Chechen
representative office in Azerbaijan, Ali Asayev, spread this news at a
meeting with the Chechen diaspora in Azerbaijan. The Chechen human
rights activist said that official Baku could have given the “green
light” to the opening of a Chechen representative office to spite
Moscow – after Armenian President Robert Kocharyan’s strongly-worded
speech at the Council of Europe. Taramov said that the Azerbaijani
authorities are aware of Russia’s active support for Kocharyan in the
Karabakh issue.
Taramov also said that Moscow is unable to exert pressure on Baku
today.
“Azerbaijan is no longer a state that can be spoken to in the language
of force. The situation in the Caucasus leaves much to be desired for
Russia.”
Moreover, “why should the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria not have its
representative office in Baku if a representative office of the
‘Nagornyy Karabakh Republic’ is operating in Moscow,” the Chechen
human rights activist said.
The Russian embassy told Ekho yesterday that Azerbaijan has been
properly cooperating with the Russian Federation in the fight against
international terrorism. The embassy also noted that official Baku had
already expressed its position on the issue during the terrorist act
in Nord-Ost [theatre siege in Moscow in October 2002].
In turn, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry press service said that
Azerbaijan regards all the republics of the Russian Federation as
parts of that state. Therefore, the Foreign Ministry does not have
direct contacts with any representative offices, the press service
said.
The Foreign Ministry said that it was cooperating directly with the
Russian embassy in Baku.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Mothers of detained Azeri anti-Armenian protesters ask presidential pardon
MPA news agency
8 Jul 04
BAKU
The mothers of the KLO [Karabakh Liberation Organization] members,
Mursal Hasanov, Manaf Karimov, Rovsan Fatiyev and Ilkin Qurbanov, who
were detained for protesting against the involvement of Armenian
officers in NATO’s conference on 23 June have appealed to President
Ilham Aliyev.
They said in their letter that the presence of the occupying army’s
officers in the republic could not but stir up emotions. The women
said that one could understand the detainees but could not understand
police officers who used force against the protesters. They asked the
president to show humanity and release their sons, saying they are
ready to bear responsibility for their sons’ guilt.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Greens Union of Armenia
Contact: Dr. Hakob Sanasarian,
President of The Greens Union
Address: Mamikoniants St. 47-13, Yerevan, Armenia.
Telephone: (374-2) 257 -634.
US Contact: Dr. Anne Shirinian, phone/fax (732) 462-9089
E-mail: [email protected]
PRESERVE THE ORCHARDS OF DALMA
Environmentalists from Armenia are asking from Armenian-American
organizations to appeal to the government of Armenia (through letters,
phone calls, etc.) for the preservation of the “Orchards of Dalma”,
situated in Yerevan.
In recent years, Yerevan’s Mayor’s Office has shown a consistent and a
clear posture in favor of building and developing the area occupied by
“The Orchards of Dalma” (The Orchards). This area, covering about 533
hectares, possesses undeniably great historic, cultural values and rare
natural resources (3000-year old water canals and underground tunnels,
rare plant species, such as rare species of grapevines, etc.). About 60
hectares out of 533 hectares have already been developed during the
Soviet period. A few years ago, The Greens had exposed former mayor
Bazeyan’s letter (01/18-2702N, 07.08.2000), addressed to the government,
offering “a scheme of functional zoning” of The Orchards. In this
letter-document, the Mayor was proposing to build a high-speed road
through The Orchards, also public areas occupying 25 hectares, two
housing complexes covering 70 hectares, a golf course – diplomatic club
occupying 50-60 hectares, etc. At the same time, with another
letter-document (02/18-110, 14.02.2003), the Mayor’s office has applied
to the Ministry of Nature Protection for permission to set aside 10
hectares of The Orchards. According to the letter, out of 10 hectares, 5
hectares will be used for the construction of a plant, which will be
manufacturing watch parts for a privately held Swiss company called
“Frank Muller Armenia”. Note that this plant will be producing toxic
waste-stream, for which there is no treatment plan reported or revealed
to the public. The architect’s letter claims that it is the wish of the
Swiss company to build its plant in The Orchards. ( According to our
sources, the major shareholder of this company is a Swiss citizen Vartan
Sermakesh. We would like to know if, indeed, Mr. Sermakesh has asked
for a building site in The Orchards, whether he has been informed of the
historic significance and of the natural values of The Orchards, and
whether he has been made aware of the availability of many other
industrial sites in other cities.)
Unfortunately, on March 27th, 2004, the prime minister signed Resolution
No. 1941-A, titled “About Changing Land Use and Borders of Lands In the
Preserve of Yerevan’s Orchards of Dalma”, thus opening this green and
unique area for development without any public discussions and without
putting this issue to a vote.
In addition, again, with no public discussion, and, in violation of
Armenian laws, the government has allocated (with unknown terms) a
portion of The Orchards to the territory of the US Embassy, which has
already begun construction on this site containing ancient archaeological
diggings.
Also, for many decades, 1,800 growers have been leasing a portion of The
Orchards and producing native crops, fruits and vegetables, at the same
time keeping it green and productive, while feeding their families.
With the present scheme of “zoning” and “development”, there will be no
land left to be leased to the growers, meaning that these growers will
suffer significant financial losses.
We would like to preserve the natural treasures of The Orchards of Dalma
for the future generations. We would like to preserve its
archaeological, historical and cultural values.
(end)
–Boundary_(ID_/X6/ZIvXZldiFeoKr5XZ9A)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish, French presidents discuss EU, Cyprus, “so-called” Armenian genocide
Anatolia news agency, Ankara
28 Jun 04

Istanbul, 28 June: Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer met on Monday
[28 June] with French President Jacques Chirac, who is currently in
Istanbul for the NATO summit.
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and
French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier also attended the
meeting. Following the meeting, President Sezer’s Foreign Policy Chief
Adviser Sermet Atacanli told reporters that Sezer focused on Turkey’s
European Union (EU) membership in his meeting with Chirac.
Atacanli said that Sezer explained once again that Turkey expected
France, which was one of leading countries in the EU, to support
Turkey’s EU membership. Atacanli quoted Sezer as saying that Turkey
fulfilled all political criteria of EU, noting that Turkey expected to
be treated as other countries which fulfilled those criteria. Stating
that Sezer said in the meeting that he expected the report on Turkey
that would be announced by EU Commission in October to be positive,
Atacanli quoted President Sezer as saying that EU should set a date
for Turkey in December to start its membership negotiations with the
union.
Noting that Sezer also focused on Cyprus issue in his meeting with
Chirac, Atacanli quoted Sezer as saying that new developments took
place after referenda held in Cyprus on 24 April and Turkish Cypriot
side showed its determination for solution in referendum. Atacanli
said that Sezer noted in the meeting that Greek Cypriot side did not
put forth good will on that issue.
Atacanli stated that Sezer stressed that embargoes imposed on the
[self-declared] Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) should be
lifted immediately.
When asked what were the views of Chirac about Cyprus issue, Atacanli
said: “Both Chirac and French Foreign Minister, who also attended the
meeting, said that they are aware of developments in Cyprus and
welcomed the attitude of Turkish side and they noted this. Mr Chirac
said regarding the EU issue, ‘you know my stance about EU issue. And
you also know that my stance is positive.’ Mr Chirac said that Turkey
has started its EU trip 40 years ago and the EU has a 40 year of
commitment and this commitment concerns a vision related with the
future of Europe.” Atacanli said that Chirac also noted that the
commission report which would be presented in October was important.
When asked whether Armenian problem was brought onto agenda during the
meeting, Atacanli said that President Sezer stressed Turkey’s
sensitivity over the so-called Armenian genocide which is occasionally
brought onto agenda of the French Parliament.
Atacanli said that Sezer earlier invited Chirac to Turkey and he
repeated this invitation during the meeting. Atacanli added that this
invitation was accepted and the date would be cleared later.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress