Author: Kalantarian Kevo

IT’S HIGH TIME TO REPRESENT KARABAKH ISSUE TO THE WORLD AS GENOCIDE
CONSEQUENCE, OPPOSITION MP ASSURES
NOYAN TAPAN
MARCH 29, 2005
YEREVAN
We should spare no efforts to persuade the world that Karabakh is not
only a territorial or self-determination problem but a problem of
survival, struggle against realization of Genocide for Armenians,
Stepan Zakarian, a member of NA Ardarutiun (Justice) faction, declared
during the parliamentary hearings dedicated to the ways of Karabakh
settlement. The MP assured that much might have been done for Karabakh
settlement in Armenia, Karabakh and abroad, in the spheres of
propaganda and diplomacy since the establishment of the cease-fire.
Without going into the details of the shortcom ings the speaker
touched upon the problems to be solved for improving the situation.
According to Stepan Zakarian, the actions are to be carried out in two
directions, in the way of Armenia’s obvious democratization compared
with Azerbaijan and implementation of propaganda proper to the
perception of the civilized world. In his affirmation, we should speak
about the dangers threatening the Karabakh people unless it is able to
defend itself. According to Zakarian, the Armenian party doesn’t take
a sufficient advantage of Turkey’s numerous problems in connection
with EU integration, as well as the fact that the European countries’
position to Turkey isn’t unequivocal. Armenia doesn’t make sufficient
use of the issue of recognition of Armenian Genocide by the world,
either.
In the MP’s affirmation, now, on the eve of the Armenian Genocide’s
90th anniversary, it’s high time to represent the Karabakh issue to
the world as the consequence of the Genocide, to speak about the
identical policy carried on towards Armenia by Turkey and Azerbaijan,
to stress the circumstance that until these countries haven’t
recognized the fact of the Genocide Armenians can’t believe the
guarantees of security given by them. Zakarian also mentioned that the
announcement about the danger threatening the Armenians by Turkey will
show the West the presence of a Russian military contingent in
Armenia, in difference to other countries. According to the MP, we
should also carry on propaganda in Russia speaking about the fact that
many Chechen fighters and representatives of other nations
participated in the Karabakh war on the part of Azerbaijan.
According to the MP, the establishment of democracy isn’t immediately
connected with Karabakh issue but it is very important for gaining the
West’s sympathy. According to him, the holding of elections
corresponding to European standards, balancing of the power wings as a
result of constitutional reforms, in the conditions of presence of an
independent judicial system and mass media will immediately improve
the West’s attitude to Armenia. Stepan Zakarian said that the presence
of Karabakh factor makes a possible revolution in Armenia
dangerous. That’s why the People’s Party of Armenia always speaks
about establishment of the constitutional order by avoiding shocks.

ArmenPress
March 29 2005
RUSSIA WANTS TO TAKE ON LEASE KARS-GYUMRI RAILWAY
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS: Russian transport minister Igor
Levitin who is also a cochairman of the Russian-Armenian
intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, said last
Saturday that Russia intends to take on lease a railway that connects
the Turkish city of Kars with Armenian Gyumri. Used intensively
during the Soviet times it stopped working after Turkey imposed a
blockade on Armenia.
Levitin attributed Russia’s intention to resume the operation of
the railway to the political aspect of the issue, saying its
resumption would be several times cheaper than Turkish-Georgian plans
to build a new railway from Kars to Georgian Akhalkalaki.
Levitin said talks with the Turkish side are continuing. He said
the railway would boost freight flow and would also create hundreds
of new jobs.

Those eyes have seen the Genocide
Yerkir/arm
25 March 05
Remella Emlikian was born in 1905. She marked her 100th birthday on
this February 25. She fled Musaler in 1915. She has 4 children and 21
grandchildren and grand-grand children.
She lives in Yerevan at 8 First Street of Noragavit, Second Alley.
The Turks are insisting that the Armenian Genocide issue should be
left for the historians because facts proving the reality of the
Genocide are needed. No documents are needed to reveal the truth.
Remella Emlikian is a living proof; her eyes have seen the Genocide.

SCIENTIST-HISTORIAN STEPAN STEPANIAN: ARMENIA IS TO PRECISELY AND
CONSISTENTLY CARRY ON POLICY OF HAY DAT’S REQUIREMENTS
YEREVAN, MARCH 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The largest falsification in the
history is the negation of the fact of Armenian Genocide by the
Turkish government. Turkey lays oneself out in this issue. Professor
Stepan Stepanian, Department Head of the History Institute of RA
NAS, declared this at the March 24 press conference dedicated to
the 90th anniversary of Armenian Genocide. He assured that little
has changed in Turkey’s attitude to other peoples since then. In the
historian’s opinion, Armenia is to precisely and consistently carry
on the policy of Hay Dat’s requirements. Stepan Stepanian expressed
satisfaction in connection with the fact that the Armenian Genocide
has been already recognized by 15 countries and declared that the
international recognition of the Genocide will give Armenians a
possibility to demand a material compensation. The historian mentioned
that according to the calculations conducted at the beginning of the
previous century, the material losses from the Armenian Genocide made
19b francs, which is today equivallent to $60b: “We have the right
of demanding this compensation from the current Turkish government,
which is the successor of the Young Turks’ government.” The scientist
also approved of the holding of the large-scale program dedicated
to the 90th anniversary of the tragic events: “We should show to the
world that the Genocide has taken place and the world should recognize
this without any obstacles.”

The Age , Australia
March 27 2005
Darchinyan retains flyweight title
March 27, 2005 – 10:54PM
Australia’s Vic Darchinyan wore his opponent down and eventually
broke his heart as he retained his International Boxing Federation
flyweight title with an eighth-round stoppage of South African
Mzukisi Fikali at the Sydney Olympic Park Sport Centre.
Armenian-born Darchinyan, who was making his first defence of the
title he won last December, was leading by one point on two of the
judges’ cards and by three on the third at the time of the stoppage.
Fikali retired himself just over half a minute out from the end of
the eighth round after soaking up some vicious blows in the preceding
couple of minutes.
Darchinyan’s superior power proved decisive as the 29-year-old
Sydneysider gradually sapped the resolve of his 33-year-old
challenger.
Darchinyan shaded the first couple of rounds with some eye-catching
flurries.
The challenger lifted his work rate in the third, though Darchinyan
landed some good body shots toward the end of the round.
Fikali finished the fourth round with a cut just above his left eye.
Darchinyan threw his punches selectively rather than trying to
dominate for the entirety of each round.
The South African landed with some jabs and occasionally beat the
champion to the punch, but he didn’t appear to have the power of
Darchinyan.
The Australian looked more effective when he fired his right jab and
followed up, especially with some powerful body punches.
Fikali proved a slippery adversary, making the Australian miss on a
number of occasions as he lunged in an attempt to push the pace.
The challenger’s corner did a good job with the cut as the flow of
blood was stemmed.
While Darchinyan appeared to land the bigger blows, Fikali enjoyed
some success in backing up the champion and opened up a cut close to
his left eyelid in the seventh round.
It was unbeaten Darchinyan’s 23rd straight win and his 18th KO.
Sikali, who came into the fight holding the much more
lightly-regarded National Boxing Organisation flyweight title,
suffered his sixth loss in 38 bouts.

Box: Darchinyan, Sikali meet for first time
Australian Associated Press
March 25, 2005, Friday
SYDNEY, March 25 — Mzukisi Sikali’s trainer says his charge has the
mind of a chess player and computer.
But whether he has the moves and power will be revealed on Sunday
when he takes on Australia’s world flyweight boxing champion Vic
Darchinyan at Sydney Olympic Park.
Darchinyan and South African Sikali met for the first time at today’s
press conference before the Australian’s first International Boxing
flyweight defence.
“When I can see my opponent, I become much angrier,” Darchinyan said.
The intense Armenian-born boxer took encouragement from the fact Sikali
only intermittently made eye contact with him during the traditional
stare down pose adopted by the two protagonists for the photographers.
“It tells me he is scared of me,” Darchinyan said.
Both trainers today were full of praise for 33-year-old Sikali,
who has logged 29 wins (17 KOs), five losses and two draws.
Darchinyan’s trainer Jeff Fenech labelled the challenger a “complete
fighter”.
“He’s got great coordination and a great eye. He doesn’t use his feet
much, he uses his great upper body movement and makes you miss and
makes you pay,” Fenech said.
Sikali’s trainer Harold Volbrecht compared his fighter’s style to
boxing legends Sugar Ray Robinson and Sugar Ray Leonard and said his
charge had the mind of a chess player and computer, who never needed
to be told anything more than once.
Darchinyan made it clear he wanted to extend his collection of title
belts well beyond his IBF strap and the lightly regarded International
Boxing Organisation belt the South African will put on the line
on Sunday.
“I want to unify the belts and then maybe I move up to a different
weight, bantamweight,” Darchinyan said.
“After this fight I am looking for a fight for the World Boxing
Association world title against Lorenzo Parra of Venezuela.”
However, Fenech was adopting a more circumspect attitude following
the world title fight loss of his super middleweight Danny Green
earlier this month.
“I don’t like putting the old cart before a horse, because I think I
did that in my last training regime with Danny Green, I was very, very
confident he would win, I don’t want to do that with Vic,” Fenech said.
However, Fenech felt Darchinyan would be primed to produce a better
performance on Sunday than he did in taking the title off the
previously unbeaten former champion Irene Pacheco last December,
because of a superior preparation this time around.
Softly spoken Sikali respected Darchinyan more for his physical
prowess than for his mental aptitude.
“He (Darchinyan) is a strong guy, but the way I see him, he’s not a
clever guy,” Sikali said.
The undercard for Fenech’s first world title promotion will also
include two other world ranked fighters in super bantamweight Nedal
Hussein and junior welterweight Lovemore Ndou.

Armenian Daily #053, 26/03/2005
Home
YEREVAN 2020
Yerevan’s main plan should be ready by January 1, 2006. That will
become the main urban construction document. Sirekan Ohanian, head
of the Urban Construction Department at RA government, informed
about RA government’s decision. While Gurgen Mousheghian, head of
Yerevannakhagits Institute, represented the main plan of the capital.
Stating that the plan will define the main trends and prospects for
the capital’s development, Gurgen Mousheghian said that the necessity
to adopt that is conditioned by two basic factors. Firstly, Yerevan is
no more a capital of a Soviet republic but a capital of an independent
state. Secondly, our state has passed from planned to market economy.
The main plan envisages that Yerevan should have 1,2 million
of population by 2020, while its area and communities will
remain unchanged, as that was defined in 1996 in the law “On
Administrative-Territorial Division.” No additional territories will
be allocated for Yerevan’s further development. The city will develop
the unutilized areas and ruin the damaged buildings. It is envisaged to
build sports complexes in the suburbs. When building dwelling areas,
it is set up to allocate 20 square meters of area per capita. It is
decided that 180 people should live on 1 hectares.
According to the new plan, no new areas will be allocated for plants
and factories. Gurgen Mousheghian explained this by the fact that
there are large industrial areas in the city and they can open new
plants there.
A new highway network will be built in the capital. The subway will
also function properly.
The mines in the territory of Yerevan will become green parks after
being fully utilized. While the rural lands rich in heavy metals will
be used for construction. Mr. Mousheghian informed that the green
zones will be divided into three parts. The first one will be for
general use; the utilization of the second one will be limited. The
third part will be the special territories, i.e. the forests. He
said that by 2020 the green area per capita will amount to 49 square
meters. The water supply system will be renovated too.
By Ara Martirosian

Turkish parliament seeks to end Armenians’ ‘genocide’ claims
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
March 25 2005
Baku, March 24, AssA-Irada
The Turkish parliament has invited leaders of the Armenian Diaspora
in this country to hold discussions, in an effort to put an end to
the false ‘genocide’ claims of Armenians.
Armenian representatives Etien Makhchupian and Grant Dinkin will
participate in the discussions to be held on April 5.
Armenian foreign minister Vardan Oskanian said “Official Ankara
intends to postpone the activities dedicated to the 90th anniversary
of the genocide of Armenians”.
Calling on Turkey to recognize the so-called ‘genocide’, Oskanian
said that the steps that Turkey plans to take to adjourn these events
will deal a serious blow on Turkey. He noted, however, that official
Yerevan is ready for a political dialogue with Turkey.*

I did my best to win Karabakh war – Azeri ex-defence minister
Ekho, Baku
23 Mar 05
Azerbaijan’s ex-defence minister, Rahim Qaziyev, who was recently
granted a presidential pardon, has denied any involvement in the fall
of the city of Susa during the Karabakh war in 1992. In his interview
with Ekho newspaper, Qaziyev said that when he was defence minister,
he did his best to set up a well-equipped army and win the war in
Karabakh. The following is an excerpt from A. Hasanov’s report by
Azerbaijani newspaper Ekho on 23 March headlined “They wanted to blame
me for the fall of Susa”. Subheadings have been inserted editorially:
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a presidential pardon
last Sunday [20 March]. A total of 114 people were set free
under the decree. Fifty-three of the amnestied people were on the
Council of Europe list of “political prisoners”. Among them was the
Azerbaijani ex-defence minister, Rahim Qaziyev, who was sentenced
to the death penalty in May 1995 and then to life imprisonment for
“high treason”. The figure of the ex-defence minister has always
been very interesting. Rahim Qaziyev gave his first interview to Ekho
after he was released.
Qaziyev’s authority in society caused enmity in some people
[Correspondent] How do you explain your release?
[Qaziyev] You’d better put this question not to me, but to the
authorities. I am sure that they would give you a more precise
answer. I can only tell you that my opinions and desires have never
coincided with those of the authorities. Otherwise, they would not
have put me in prison.
[Correspondent] Qaziyev is described in the country as a person who
surrendered Susa [seized by Armenians in 1992]. However, this point
was not included on the list of charges brought against you.
[Qaziyev] Sometimes, the “left” and the “right” are looking for a
specific person to blame for many crimes. I was the one to blame in
that period. Even in Soviet times, I understood that armed clashes
are unavoidable on the path chosen by the country. For this reason,
I channelled all my efforts into finding a sufficient number of
munitions and weapons. The material-technical base of our army was
established as a result of this. This could not go unnoticed. My
standing and authority in society were high in that period. This
could not but cause certain enmity in some people.
Relations with Heydar Aliyev deteriorated
Yes, I disagreed with many actions of the then authorities led by
[ex-President] Abulfaz Elcibay. But unlike many, I expressed my
opinions openly. On the other hand, [ex-President] Heydar Aliyev
was preparing to come to power. At first sight, it could seem that
I consciously expressed my opposition opinions regarding Elcibay in
order to bring Aliyev to power. But this is not the true.
[Correspondent] What sort of relations did you have with Heydar Aliyev?
[Qaziyev] I visited him in Naxcivan before he came to power. Later
on, he even thanked me for having helped him with a number of issues.
However, our relations deteriorated after he came to power. Once Aliyev
invited me to his office. We talked for about an hour. He offered
me the post of deputy prime minister for the military-industrial
complex. I refused this post. Our ties probably deteriorated after
that.
Ex-defence minister not guilty of the loss of Susa
[Correspondent] Who is to blame for the loss of Susa?
[Qaziyev] This is not an easy question. If you are interested, I am
ready to give you the 51 volumes of court materials and video tapes
in which I was accused of surrendering Susa. After you familiarize
yourself with these materials, I am ready to meet you again and answer
all your questions. The only thing I can say now is that they wanted
to blame me for the fall of Susa.
[Correspondent] Who ordered land mines to be cleared from the roads
leading to Susa? Why didn’t the Armenians meet with resistance in
the city?
[Qaziyev] I did not issue any order to clear the roads from the land
mines. Incidentally, certain people tried to speculate with this fact,
but failed. When Susa’s former military commandant, Elbrus Orucov,
was interrogated during the investigation against me, I asked him
some questions. For instance, I asked him whether the general staff
or I had issued an order to clear the land mines from the Xankandi
[Stepanakert]-Susa road.
“No, I had not received any such order from you or from the general
staff,” Orucov answered. I asked him again whether I had ordered him to
withdraw armoured vehicles from Susa or leave the city. Orucov said no.
[Correspondent] What about the TV pictures in which you promise to blow
your brains out if Susa falls? The city fell, why are you still alive?
[Qaziyev] The pictures that were demonstrated on television showed
me only putting my hand to my temple. But for some reason, there is
a voice-over instead of me. In fact, everything was different. This
happened on 16 May 1992. I returned to Baku from Tashkent where I
had participated in a CIS summit. An agreement on the withdrawal of
Soviet troops from Azerbaijan was signed there. After arriving in the
country, I saw some sort of celebrations outside the Milli Maclis
[parliament]. The parliament building was surrounded by soldiers
holding assault rifles. On seeing this, I made a speech. “What are
you celebrating here? Susa has fallen and Lacin is in danger. Who
allowed these soldiers to gather outside the parliament? If they do
not return to their bases by tomorrow, then I’ll just have to come
here and blow my brains out,” this is what I said then.
[Passage omitted: Qaziyev said he prevented Azerbaijan’s military
hardware from being taken away from the country]
[Correspondent] As a former defence minister, can you answer if
everything was done not to lose the war?
[Qaziyev] When I was defence minister, I did my best to win the war.
I can show you a map which indicates the forward positions of our
army when I was defence minister. Our troops had only 14-15 km to
reach Xankandi on a highway.
[Correspondent] And our last question. What are your future plans?
[Qaziyev] For the time being, I am getting used to freedom. I don’t
know how much time it will take. If my motherland needs my help,
then I am ready to serve it loyally.

Turkish Daily News
March 23 2005
Turkish Press Yesterday
More criticism from the US
As Turkish-U.S. tensions continue, “The Project for the New
American Century,” a U.S. think tank known for their neoconservative
attitude, has criticized the ruling Justice and Development Party
(AKP) for pursuing anti-U.S. policies, reported daily Radikal.
A director of the organization, Bruce Pitcairn Jackson, in
testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s
subcommittee on European Affairs said, “The AKP is characterized by
strident anti-Americanism, cultural anti-Europeanism and a resurgent
xenophobia,” reported the daily.
Concerning Turkey’s foreign policy, Jackson said Turkey has quietly
broken off its strategic relationship with Israel, refused to
negotiate with Armenia on the opening of their common border and
requested from the United States the oppressive treatment of the
Kurdish population in Iraq. “In diplomatic jargon, Turkey has become
‘unhelpful’,” said Jackson, reported Radikal.
The daily also reports on Jackson’s proposals, which it says will
worry the AKP government, quoting him as saying: “Just because
Turkish officials become indignant at the mention of a genocidal
campaign conducted by Ottoman authorities against Armenian civilians
in the early years of the last century does not mean that coming to
terms with history should not be discussed between democratic allies
.. we must be clear in what we say and do.”.