Author: Jidarian Alex

GURGEN MARGARYAN IS A GENOCIDE VICTIM

A1+
24-11-2004

The trial of the Azeri officer having axed the Armenian officer Gurgen
Margaryan started yesterday in Budapest and was postponed till February
5, 2005.

Today more than 5.000 students and schoolchildren have held a
protest action on the initiative of â~@~Gurgen Margaryanâ~@~]
charitable social organization in Yerevan, which ended in a march
in Tsitsernakaberd.

â~@~]Beginning from 5:00 AM of February 19, 2004 to this very day
the world is unaware of what happened in Budapest. It wasnâ~@~Yt
an ordinary murder. It is represented as if a Turk has killed an
Armenian. Azerbaijanis affirm that during the war Armenians killed
the parents and relatives of Ramil Safarov, so he couldnâ~@~Y t live
calmly. In fact, those statements pursue another object. Azerbaijan
once again tries to distort the historical events and factsâ~@~],
publicist Zori Balayan said while making a speech.

According to the Armenian official sources, Safarovâ~@~Ys parents
havenâ~@~Yt been from Jabrayil, as Azerbaijanis assert. Soon Zori
Balayan will publish Safarovâ~@~Ys preliminary testimony, which had
later been changed.

Writer Grigor Janikyan drew participantsâ~@~Y attention to the
statement made by an Azeri MP who had said: â~@~Ramil Safarov must
be protected at a state level. He will return to the homeland in
a year and will head military operations to obliterate thousands of
Armenians. Armenians in Karabakh must be annihilatedâ~@~].

The organizers of the action as well informed that in the beginning
of the trial 100.000 Azerbaijanis â~@~S the participants of the
signature collecting – had demanded Budapest Court to release
Safarov. The participants of the meeting in Yerevan announced that
Gurgen Margaryan was the victim of Genocide and demanded a due
punishment for the criminal.

–Boundary_(ID_DigRLLPpaicxjbPAv/wjgw)–

Slovakia’s SLZ eyes Armenian chemicals-maker Vanadzor

24.11.2004
 
Yerevan. (Interfax) – The Slovakian company SLZ, part of the Dividend
Group, may clinch a deal for stock in Armenia’s Vanadzor chemicals
complex with its owner Zakneftegazstroi Prometei of Russia in December.

Armenian Trade and Economic Development Minister Karen Chshmaritian
told reporters on Tuesday that SLZ representatives will arrive in
his country December 6 for stock purchase talks. A representative
from the Russian company will also be arriving.

Preliminary agreement has already been reached and a deal could be
signed during this meeting, Chshmaritian said.

It was announced earlier that the Slovakian company is seeking at
least 51% of the chemicals company stock.

The Vanadzor chemicals complex comprises Vanadzor Chemical Plant, a
chemical fiber plant and Vanadzor TES, which in 1999 were appraised at
$1.5 million. The Russian company is has invested around $20 million
in developing the enterprise, which has stood idle since 2002.

–Boundary_(ID_HBhD+saiFzfKskF0Ogph/g)–

AMERICAN LEGISLATORS ONCE AGAIN STOOD UP FOR ARMENIANS

PanArmenian News
Nov 23 2004

The US Congress has decided not to curtail the aid provided to
Armenia

The House of Representatives has accepted the proposal of
Subcommittee on External Appropriations to provide Armenia military
assistance in sum, which is four times as much as the one
administration insisted on. The legislators considered the initiative
of the White House to provide Azerbaijan in 2005 8 million dollars
and Armenia with 2 million with a view of strengthening the military
forces baseless. The Congressmen have agreed to the arguments
provided by the Armenian Assembly of America and Armenian National
Committee and have decided to equalize the military assistance
provided to the two warring countries. Yerevan and Baku will get 8
million and 750 thousand dollars each.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian lobbyists also succeeded in the case
of “regular economic aid.” It has been decided to provide Armenia “at
least 75 million dollars” which exceeds the sum suggested by the
administration by 13 millions. The first years of independence the
USA provided Armenia 90 million. It had been possible to keep the
scale of the aid at this level only due to the Congressmen. The White
House tried to curtail the moneyed assistance to Yerevan all the
time. In spite of the efforts made by the Armenian lobbyists and
their partners the administration succeeded in cutting down the aid
provided to Armenia to 75 millions in 2001. But G. Bush even this
considered a lot. Last year the executive power suggested cutting
down the aid provided to Armenia to 50 million, but the Congressmen
could fight for the previous amount.

This time the administration suggested providing Armenia 62 million,
Azerbaijan – 38 million and Georgia – 72 million.

This initiative has been already blocked while being under the
consideration of Subcommittee on External Appropriations. The members
of the Subcommittee decided that Armenia would be provided “at least
65 million dollars” as it was written in the passed budget project.
On the next stage the Armenian lobbyists succeeded in returning to 75
millions. It is extremely important that the Congressmen decided to
continue the direct provision of financial aid to Nagorno Karabakh.
In spite of the will of American administration, Stepanakert will
receive funds from the USA for realization of humanitarian projects
in this time too. It is a question of 3 million dollars, but the
important point is not about the amount but about the fact of the
direct aid. Azerbaijan is indignant with this decision and it is
going to be discussed during the Parliamentarian sittings. They also
may adopt a resolution condemning the activities of the American
Congressmen. In Baku they suppose that the provision of the direct
aid to Karabakh is an indirect recognition of the autonomy of
unrecognized republic.

Now there is almost no doubt that the project is to have a power of
law. The consideration in Senate is coming soon. If no moot points
arise between these two houses, the case will appear on G. Bush’s
desk and he will be obliged to sign the document containing figures
which he didn’t approve.

Armenian parliament adopts new law on alternative service

Arminfo
22 Nov 04

Yerevan, 22 November: The Armenian parliament adopted a new draft law on
alternative service in its second and final reading today.

The deputy chairman of the Armenian National Assembly, Vaan Ovanesyan, who
presented the draft law, said that the document had not undergone changes after
the first reading. Certain defects of the provisions of the [old] law on
alternative service emerged when it was put into practice. The new draft law was
compiled given the practice of applying it.

[Passage omitted: details of the document]

The deputy speaker said that a sharp increase in the number of applicants for
the alternative service is not expected after it, possibly, comes into
effect. He said that by mid-October, the district military commissariats had
received all in all 20 relevant applications. Azerbaijan has not yet adopted a
similar document, Ovanesyan added.

We should say that the [old] law on alternative service in Armenia, on the
approval of which the Council of Europe insisted, took effect on 1 July 2004.
The conscripts who refuse to serve in the armed forces for religious reasons are
allowed to chose the alternative service.

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
November 22, 2004, Monday

U.S. SOLDIERS LANDED IN AZERBAIJAN

SOURCE: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, November 16, 2004, pp. 1, 5

by Rauf Mirkadyrov

An Azerbaijani newspaper has reported lately that over 50 NATO
servicemen, mainly U.S. soldiers, have been stationed in the training
center in Chukhanly (Saliany district, Azerbaijan). According to the
newspaper, since 2005 the Americans intend to carry out a program in
Azerbaijan similar to the Train & Equip program held in Georgia.

Ilgar Verdiyev, an official of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry
confirmed this information to journalists but said that foreign
servicemen arrive in Azerbaijan only to take part in specific
projects on the implementation of NATO-led Partnership for Peace
program. In his words, various courses in the framework of this
program are often held in the Chukhanly training center. “These are
the language courses, courses on introduction of NATO terminology,
arranging the peacekeeping activities,” Verdiyev said.

However, Ramaz Melikov, press secretary of the Azerbaijani Defense
Ministry flatly denied this report and said he has no information
that the U.S. instructors are training Azerbaijani servicemen.

At the same time, Alimamed Nuriyev, member of the standing
parliamentary defense and security commission indirectly confirmed
the rumors concerning arrival of the U.S. servicemen: “No wonder that
the Americans are training our servicemen. It is not a secret that
Americans are using our military airfields for transit purposes after
the hostilities have been launched in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is the
fact that is commonly omitted.”

Araz Azimov, deputy defense minister of Azerbaijan doesn’t rule out
that U.S. mobile forces may appear in the country. “In the future,
Azerbaijan may be involved in rapid response NATO-led operations,
since new challenges require flexible and immediate response. Under
conditions of globalization, development of any crisis requires an
immediate response,” Azimov said.

Azerbaijani analysts draw attention to the formulation “any crisis.”
In opinion of Uzeir Dzhafarov, an independent military expert and
former ranking Defense Ministry official, cooperation between Baku
and NATO has exceeded the framework of Partnership for Peace program
long ago. He told our reporter that the information concerning the
cooperation is confidential: “neither the Defense Ministry, nor NATO
officials are trying to say anything concerning this fact.” The
expert reminded that NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
said when in Baku of late that Azerbaijan has already received its
“homework.” According to Dzhafarov, preparations for implementation
of a program similar to Train & Equip program conducted in Georgia is
underway in Azerbaijan now; the program is likely to be launched in
2005. Used for these purposes could be the “military training ground
in Garaiebat, in the vicinity of Baku, as well as the Chukhanly
training center in Saliany. They satisfy NATO standards.” Dzhafarov
says that dozens of U.S. servicemen are already in the country.

Almost all independent Azerbaijani media are discussing reports
issued by the foreign media that Baku and Washington are involved in
consultations concerning the use of Azerbaijan’s territory to deliver
a strike on Iran. Referring to military sources, some media are even
publishing scenarios of the future military operations.

According to Azer Rashidoglu, an expert at the East-West Center of
Political Studies, an assumption is possible now that all almost EU
member states will be opposed to an anti-Iranian military campaign.
Besides, Azerbaijan will unavoidably spoil its relations with Turkey,
which is its closest regional partner. “No less than Europe Turkey is
dependent of supplies of energy resources from Iran. Moreover, Ankara
is not concerned for appearance of another pesthole of the armed
Kurdish separatism by its borderline,” the expert told our newspaper.

Washington might hypothetically use the territory of Armenia, Syria,
Iraq, Afghanistan and Azerbaijan as a land bridgehead for
intervention. Armenia and Syria could be eliminated from this list
immediately. At the same time, neither Iraq, nor Afghanistan, which
are engaged in the guerrilla war, make a reliable rear.

Azerbaijani military experts conclude that the USA may only regard
Azerbaijan as a reliable bridgehead for intervention in Iran.
Independent military expert Dzhasur Mamedov told us: “Noteworthy is
the register of military objects in which the Americans have either
been stationed, or are to be stationed. These are primarily Chukhanly
and Nasosny settlements in the vicinity of Baku; both of them are
close to military airfields, which have been upgraded of late; the
airfields are prepared to deliver air strikes on Iran. Besides,
reports have emerged of late that the Americans have plans to station
TRML-3D air defense radar stations in Azerbaijan. It is clear that in
case they deliver strikes on Iran, the Americans can hardly hope to
get the required data from the Gabala radar installation,” the expert
says.

At the same time, Mamedov stressed, the Chukhanly military base has
an entrance to the Caspian Sea. The Americans have already begun
upgrading the Azerbaijani navy. According to the expert, the
Chukhanly base has a suitable location from the operative point of
view. “This base is in a stone’s throw from the Iranian border,”
Mamedov noted.

–Boundary_(ID_wDTxJQZLIFSdRwBSzPXk3g)–

ARKA News Agency
Nov 19 2004

12.9% of questioned Yerevan citizens called the chairman of People’s
Party of Armenia Tigran Karapetian a man of the year

NKR Prime Minister: NKR strives to keep in line with European values

Armenia and UNDP sign memorandum of cooperation on development of
national housing concept to the sum of $30 thou

NKR Foreign Minister: OSCE Minsk group does not give proper
consideration to the legal aspect of the problem

*********************************************************************

12.9% OF QUESTIONED YEREVAN CITIZENS CALLED THE CHAIRMAN OF PEOPLE’S
PARTY OF ARMENIA TIGRAN KARAPETIAN A MAN OF THE YEAR

YEREVAN, November 19. /ARKA/. 12.9% of questioned Yerevan citizens
called the chairman of People’s Party of Armenia Tigran Karapetian a
man of the year, according to the results of telephone poll placed at
the site persons.am conducted on Nov 9-15 among 964 citizens of
Yerevan by Vox Populi Center.
According to the poll, 11.4% of respondents gave this title to RA
President Robert Kocharian, 10.9% – RA PM Andranik Margarian, 9.4% –
RA NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasarian, 6.8% – Minister of Defense Serge
Sargsian, 6.3% – gave other answers and 17.8% – could not tell.
Besides, 24.3% think that there is no such person in Armenia.
According to the results of the same poll, 33.4% of respondents
called George Bush a man of 2004 in the world and 16.4% – Vladimir
Putin, 10.2% – Yasir Araffat, 9.5% – Mihail Sahakashvili, 6.8% – Ben
Laden. L.D. –0–

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NKR PRIME MINISTER: NKR STRIVES TO KEEP IN LINE WITH EUROPEAN VALUES

STEPANAKERT, November 19. /ARKA/. NKR strives to keep in line with
European values, as stated by NKR Prime Minister Anushavan Danielyan
at the meeting with the delegation of youth organizations from
Sweden, Italy, Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro, Hungary, the Ukraine,
Moldova, Georgia and Latvia that arrived in Stepanakert for an
introductory visit. Also representatives of youth organizations of
NKR were present at the meeting. According to ARKA’s reporter in
Stepanakert, greeting guests on behalf of the authorities of NKR,
Danielyan expressed regret for youth organizations of Azerbaijan do
not participate in such an arrangement. He noted that they are ready
to accept them in NKR, however the authorities of Baku avoid direct
contacts and meetings with Karabakh authorities and the public. NKR
Prime Minister told about the priorities of internal and external
politics of the republic, economic programs implemented in NKR, which
according to him are a result of liberal economic politics. A.H.-0–

*********************************************************************

ARMENIA AND UNDP SIGN MEMORANDUM OF COOPERATION ON DEVELOPMENT OF
NATIONAL HOUSING CONCEPT TO THE SUM OF $30 THOU

YEREVAN, November 19. /ARKA/. The RA Ministry of Urban Development
and UNDP signed today the memorandum of understanding on cooperation
in developing the national housing concept. According to Lise Grande,
UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, the program
to the overall sum of $30 thou will be implemented through
co-financing, where the share of UNDP will make 70%, the rest 30%
will be provided by the RA Ministry of Urban Development. She said
that the program is designed for 4 months and provides for the
development of the concept which will underlie the strategic program
of housing improvement for the most vulnerable strata of the society.
“According to the conducted studies, after the earthquake in 1988 in
Armenia many families remained homeless. Our estimates show that
today there are 13 thou families living in temporary dwellings, which
do not correspond to technical standards”, said Grande.
In his turn, Aram Harutunyan, the RA Minister of Urban Development
noted that, the concept of the housing strategy will allow creating
basis for the implementation of accommodation of the poor. “In
particular, the concept includes two elements – analysis of the
existing housing complex of Armenia and the development of standards
for the housing to be granted to the poor”, said Harutunyan. He noted
that, according to the latest data of the Ministry, there are about
10 thou families in Armenia which remained homeless as a result of
natural or man-caused disasters, however this sphere still requires a
profound study. L.V.–0–

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NKR FOREIGN MINISTER: OSCE MINSK GROUP DOES NOT GIVE PROPER
CONSIDERATION TO THE LEGAL ASPECT OF THE PROBLEM
STEPANAKERT, November 19. /ARKA/. Given all the efforts to reach the
peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict, the OSCE Minsk group does
not give proper consideration to the legal aspect of the problem. As
the Press Service Department of NKR Foreign Ministry told ARKA, this
was stated by Ashot Ghulyan, the NKR Foreign Minister during his
meting with the delegations of youth organizations from Sweden,
Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, the Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia,
Georgia and Armenia. He noted that the “judicial base for the
withdrawal of Nagorno Karabakh from Soviet Azerbaijan is so
irreproachable and solid that can only confirm the political
settlement of the conflict”. The Minister noted that the achievement
of comprehensive settlement of the conflict is possible only given
the full participation of Nagorno Karabakh in the negotiation
process. He mentioned the disruptiveness of Azeri position on this
issue and continuing provocations with regard to Nagorno Karabakh.
“The aim of Baku propaganda is to create a word curtain so that the
common Azerbaijani citizens could not have the possibility to
understand how groundless are all charges against Karabakh’, said
Ghulyan. At that the Minister noted that during the meetings with the
authorities and community of Nagorno Karabakh, many foreign political
figures, diplomats, human rights activists and journalists asserted
with satisfaction that the strive of Karabakh to build its state
through strengthening of democratic institutions and human rights
protection fully corresponds to their vision of contemporary way the
world is. L.V.–0–

*********************************************************************

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
November 17, 2004

The Resolution Of The Parliament Of The State Massachusetts

In particular it is mentioned that: whereas, we welcome the president
of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) H.E.Arkady Ghoukasian’s
visit to the commonwealth of massachusetts; and whereas, for over 16
years the brave people of Karabakh have been successful in defending
their land and their freedom and now they are building a democratic
state; and whereas, since the cease-fire agreement (may of 1994)
among azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia, Karabakh has made a
serious progress in recovering from devastating consequences of
azerbaijani military aggression; and whereas, we support the position
of the Nagorno Karabakh people and government to reach a
comprehensive and long lasting resolution of the conflict with
azerbaijan through peaceful negotiations, reflecting the will of the
people of Karabakh to live in freedom; and whereas, we support
initiatives aimed at building trust among the parties to the
conflict, especially between azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh; and
whereas, democratic and economic reforms undertaken in Karabakh have
built a foundation for strengthening democratic institutions and a
continued economic development; Karabakh was able to create favorable
conditions for direct foreign investments; and whereas, understanding
the importance of modern road infrastructure for further economic
development of Karabakh, the state house encourages active
participation of Armenian-Americans in the upcoming Armenia Fund
telethon for the completion of the north-south highway in Karabakh;
therefore be it resolved, that the massachusetts house of
representatives joins in welcoming the president of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) H.E. Arkady Ghoukasian with which we
share the universal values of freedom, democracy and justice which
create a strong foundation for continued and expanded friendship
between the peoples of the united states and artsakh; and be it
further members of the massachusetts’s parliament peter kutudzhyan
and riesel kaprielyan handed over the copy of the resolution to NKR
president during his meeting with Armenian community of Boston.

Armenian, Estonian presidents discuss bilateral relations

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
15 Nov 04

[Presenter over video of reception ceremony] Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan received Estonian President Arnold Ruutel today, who is
paying a three-day official visit to Armenia. An official reception
ceremony took place at the Armenian presidential residence. After a
tete-a tete meeting of the two countries’ leaders, extended talks were
held. The Armenian and Estonian presidents held a joint press
conference after the meeting and answered journalists’ questions.

[Robert Kocharyan, captioned, in Russian with Armenian voice-over] We
have just finished our meeting and discussed the full range of
bilateral relations, exchanged views on regional problems.

Our region, the South Caucasus, is a complicated region. We are
interested in the experience of the Baltic countries. We also
discussed economic cooperation. I am glad to inform you that an
Estonian business delegation is also in Yerevan and today we shall
hold a business forum together.

MP predicts power shift in Armenia under foreign pressure

A1+ web site
13 Nov 04

12 November: A power shift is likely to take place in Armenia in two
or three months. However, it is not the opposition, but the authorities
that will carry it out under pressure from foreign forces demanding the
return of the liberated territories to Azerbaijan, MP Manuk Gasparyan
said at the National Press Club today.

The USA, Russia, Iran and all the other states are putting pressure
on Armenia in this issue, and [Armenian President Robert] Kocharyan
will resign without returning the liberated territories, Gasparyan
said. Only France will support Armenia, the MP predicted.

However, according to Gasparyan’s own predictions, before tendering his
resignation, Kocharyan will ensure the succession of his rule. For
example, a new opposition force is already being set up in the
parliament, although it is a “loyal” one, in the person of the United
Workers’ Party and the People’s Deputy factions, Gasparyan said.

The deputy supposes that personnel changes will soon take place in
the police, tax and customs services. It is planned to sack Ecology
Minister Vardan Ayvazyan, Gasparyan considers.

Addressing the situation in the country’s domestic policy, Manuk
Gasparyan pointed out that having suffered a defeat, the opposition
is now “in thought”. This thought will take two or three months.

And if the head of the New Times Party, Aram Karapetyan, does not
carry out the promised national coup by September 2005, he will become
“half dead” for the people, the guest of the National Press Club said.

A revolution is simply necessary in Armenia, the MP said
confidently. Will Manuk Gasparyan himself carry out the revolution
with the help of foreign and domestic forces? “Yes, if there are
no casualties.”

Azeri officer dies after Armenia breaches ceasefire

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Oct 9 2004

Lieutenant Bahaddin Abdiyev, an officer in the Azerbaijan Army,
died after the units of the Armenian Armed Forces breached ceasefire
close to Aghdam District (Central Garabagh) on Sunday. Abdiyev, 24,
was drafted from Tovuz District.

The Defense Ministry has confirmed the fact.*