Author: Kalantarian Kevo

RIA Novosti, Russia
March 17 2005
GEORGIA WOULD LIKE TO GAIN POLITICAL ADVANTAGE FROM ARMS SCANDAL IN
THE UNITED STATES
TBILISI, March 17 (RIA Novosti) – The governments of Georgia, Armenia
and the other countries whose nationals have been detained by the
United States’ law-enforcement agencies closely cooperate with the
FBI in investigating the arms traffic case, American ambassador to
Georgia Richard Miles has told journalists on Thursday.
In the group of 18 foreigners detained in the United States on
accusation for arms traffic are four Georgian nationals.
“Together with citizens of Armenian and other countries of East
Europe, Nikoloz Nadirashvili, Vato Machitadze, Iosif Khabaradze and
Levon Shvelidze have been detained on accusation for taking Russian
arms to the United States”, Georgian ambassador to the United States
Levan Mikeladze reported by telephone from Washington.
“The accusation has already been brought”, he added. Lawyers have
been appointed for two detained Georgians. Representatives of the
Georgian consulate have already met with the lawyers, Mr. Mikeladze
said.
Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zurabishvili reported at a cabinet
sitting on March 16 that the Georgian secret services participated in
investigating the attempt at arms contraband to the United States.
“We do not know where the arms intended for bringing to the United
States were from. It is known that they are of Russian make”, Ms.
Zurabishvili said.
“I have no information on whether the arms were brought from Georgia
or through its territory. Many arms are said to be brought from
Armenia”, she said.
“Georgia has many times said that control by the central Georgian
authorities should be established in the Roksky tunnel and on other
parts of the border. This case is another confirmation of such need.
Control is needed for the security of not only Georgia but also many
countries from which the arms may have arrived”, stressed the
Georgian foreign minister.
The Roksky tunnel, linking Georgia and Russia, has during the last 15
years been in control of the authorities of the self-proclaimed
republic South Ossetia.
American authorities have raised the accusation to 18 persons for the
attempt at the contraband of portable antiaircraft missile systems,
grenade-throwers, mortars and other arms to the United States.

PanArmenian News
March 14 2005
DURING RECENT TWO DAYS 3 EARTHQUAKES RECORDED IN SOUTH CAUCASUS
14.03.2005 05:11
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During the recent two days three earthquakes were
recorded in the South Caucasian region, Arminfo agency reports. On
March 13 morning at the Armenian-Azeri border, 25 km to the south of
the Armenian town of Vardenis earthquake with magnitude of 4 on the
Richter scale took place. The earthquake was felt in a number of
inhabited localities of Armenia – Sotk, Tretak, Azet, Norabak – where
some constructions were slightly damaged. This morning an earthquake,
recorded 65 km to the north-east of the town of Bingel, Turkey, had a
magnitude of 5.5. There is no information on victims yet. Another
earthquake shocked Turkey today 63 km to the north-east from Bingel.
The tremor force was fixed at 5 on the Richter scale.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DO NOT DRIVE THE RUSSIAN ARMY OUT OF AKHALQALAQ
A1+
14-03-2005
On March 13 there has been a three-hour meeting in Akhalqalaq in
which, according to the organizers, about 10 000 people took part. The
meeting with the theme «No to negative migration» was organized by the
non-governmental organization «United Javaxq». The participants of the
meeting complained against the decision of driving the Russian
military bases out of Akhalqalaq. The participant of the meeting
turned to the Georgian President Mikhail Sahakashvili with the
following demands:
«1. The recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Georgian
Parliament;
2. Elimination of the prohibitions of teaching Armenian History in the
Armenian schools in Georgia and of Armenian pupils’ coming to Armenia
on excursions;
3. Not to drive the Russian military bases out pf Akhalqalaq;
4. Adoption of the Law about the Protection of National Minorities;
5. Restoration of the Administrative services in Akhalqalaq, e.g. that
of Passport department».
The organizers of the Meeting expect to get the answer to the
questions put forward by them before March 31.

Georgia PM believes withdrawal issue to be settled in near future
By Tigran Liloyan
ITAR-TASS News Agency
March 12, 2005
YEREVAN, March 12 — Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli believes
the Russian bases withdrawal issue will be settled in the near future.
The issue was discussed with Russian leaders, he said.
“I think, we’ll agree with Russian leaders in the near future on
withdrawal of Russian military bases deployed in Akhalkalaki and
Batumi from Georgia,” Nogaideli said.
Commenting on the results of his two-day working visit to Armenia,
the Georgian prime minister noted that he did not discuss the Russian
withdrawal issue in Yerevan.

ANSA Notiziario Generale in Italiano
Martedì Il 8 Marzo 2005
TURCHIA: ERDOGAN E BAYKAL, APRIREMO ARCHIVI MASSACRI ARMENI ;
GOVERNO E OPPOSIZIONE DISPOSTI A FARE LUCE SU ‘GENOCIDIO’
ANKARA
(ANSA) – ANKARA, 8 MAR – Governo ed opposizione turca si sono
detti concordemente disposti ad aprire gli archivi sui massacri
di armeni perpetrati negli anni 1915 e 1916, in epoca ottomana,
pur continuando a respingere la denominazione di “genocidio”
per quei massacri, che, secondo stime armene, portarono alla
morte di 1 milione di armeni, deportati da alcuni membri del
governo ottomano per “collaborazionismo” con la nemica, a quel
tempo, Russia.
E’ quanto e’ emerso al termine di un inusuale incontro oggi
tra il premier turco, Tayyip Erdogan, ed il leader del partito
di opposizione Chp, Deniz Baykal, al termine del quale i due
leader hanno affermato di essersi trovati “concordi” e di
voler “sviluppare l’atteggiamento ed i pareri comuni”
riscontrati sull’argomento.
“Non si puo’ fondare un futuro giusto su un passato
sbagliato. Siamo disposti a contribuire a fare luce”, ha detto
Erdogan che si e’ riferito ai massacri con l’usuale espressione
“cosiddetto genocidio armeno” aggiungendo che il resoconto dei
fatti contenuto nel noto “libro blu” (pubblicato 85 anni fa)
“non riflette tutta la verita'”.
“Siamo pronti ad aprire i nostri archivi, ma anche gli
armeni dovranno aprire i loro. Chiederemo anche ad altri paesi
di fornirci i documenti in loro possesso. Siamo pronti ad
accettare la verita’, ma solo la verita'”, ha dichiarato
Baykal, secondo cui “genocidio e’ una parola molto seria e
prima di usarla bisogna fare indagini molto approfondite”.
Baykal ha annunciato la formazione di una commissione
congiunta tra esperti dei due partiti per “illuminare la
realta’ dei massacri”.
La questione del “genocidio degli armeni” e’ uno dei punti
di maggiore conflitto tra la Turchia e l’Armenia, i cui confini
restano chiusi, anche se l’Ue ha chiesto ad entrambi di avviare
una normalizzazione delle loro relazioni.
Il parlamento francese ha qualche anno fa praticamente
riconosciuto, pur con alcune ‘nuances’, i massacri degli armeni
come “genocidio” (suscitando asprissime reazioni e boicottaggi
di appalti francesi in Turchia) e poche settimane fa il partito
cristiano democratico tedesco ha presentato una mozione al
Bundestag per approfondire la realta’ di quei massacri, senza
tuttavia menzionare il termine “genocidio”.(ANSA).
–Boundary_(ID_F0N0mxDg7OR2cunm5NtQkQ)–

Baltic News Service
March 11, 2005
ESTONIA TO GIVE DEVELOPMENT AID TO GEORGIA, UKRAINE, ARMENIA
TALLINN, Mar 11
Estonia is going to support five development aid projects targeting
Georgia, Ukraine and Armenia in the sum of 1.36 million kroons (EUR
0.09 mln).
The funds will come from the Foreign Ministry’s development aid and
humanitarian relief budget, spokespeople for the ministry said.
The aim of the first of the two Georgian projects is to share
Estonia’s experience of the organization and development of the
vocational education system and the work of vocational schools. The
plan includes a visit of Georgian vocational school leaders to this
Baltic state to study the local experience.
The objective of the second project is to work out a Tiger Leap
program of information technology development for the Georgian
Ministry of Education and Science, with a test phase scheduled for
this and the next year, and a follow-up stage for the 2007-2008
period.
Georgia has named the program the Deer Leap.
Two projects are aimed at supporting the development of public
service in Ukraine on both the central and the local government
level.
One of them is a sequel to an earlier training program carried out in
2000-2004. Its objective is to support Ukraine’s public service and
its development and political and economic reforms through educating
public servants. In the framework of the project two training
programs in Estonia for 12 Ukrainian environmental and social sphere
officials are planned.
In the framework of the second approved Ukrainian project Estonia’s
Polva County is going to share its social reform experience of the
past 15 years with Ukraine’s Kulikovka district.
The Armenian project is designed to help the Caucasian country
develop its population protection system and it will be carried out
through seminars, visits, training and humanitarian aid organized by
the Estonian Rescue Service and its institutions.
The Foreign Ministry noted that target countries’ interest in
Estonia’s reform experience and progress has lately been on the rise
and local organizations’ readiness to put their knowhow and
experience to use outside this Baltic state has also grown.
The ministry’s budget for development aid and humanitarian relief
this year stands at eight million kroons.

Radio Free Europe, Czech Rep.
March 11 2005
Georgia: Russia Calls Parliamentary Resolution On Bases
‘Counterproductive’
By Valentinas Mite
The Russian Defense Ministry has criticized as “counterproductive” a
unanimous vote by the Georgian parliament pressuring Moscow to close
two Russian military bases in Georgia. The nonbinding resolution,
passed yesterday, demands that Russia agree a timetable by 15 May for
vacating the bases and withdrawing some 4,000 troops. Should Russia
fail to do that, the Georgian lawmakers have vowed to outlaw any
Russian military presence in their country from 1 January 2006. The
dispute is at the heart of ongoing bilateral negotiations. But the
Georgian side appears convinced that the Kremlin’s heart is not
really in those talks.
Prague, 11 March 2005 (RFE/RL) — The Georgian parliament is trying
to force Russia to remove its bases from the country.
Yesterday’s move carries a threat of sharp curbs on Russian troop
movements from January. Those steps would effectively render the
Russian bases in western and southern Georgia nonfunctional.
Georgian lawmaker Giga Bokeria said after the parliamentary vote
yesterday: “In this statement, we are giving more time for diplomacy
despite the fact that Russian diplomacy has proved time and time
again that there is not yet the political will in Russia to withdraw
its bases — which remain here as an echo of Soviet rule and which
are here against the will of the Georgian people.”
Georgian parliamentarians say that if Russia fails to meet the
deadline, its bases will be declared illegal and the Georgian
government will stop issuing entry visas to Russian troops. The
measures also include strict curbs on the movement of vehicles and
equipment.
Moscow had warned that the resolution would obstruct discussions
aimed at forging a compromise on the pullout. Once it passed, the
Russian Defense Ministry described the Georgian resolution as
counterproductive. Ministry spokesman Vyacheslav Sedov told ITAR-TASS
that the “Georgian parliamentary deputies lost their sense of
reality.” He added that the problem cannot be resolved through
“ultimatums.”
Konstantin Zatulin, chairman of the Russian State Duma’s CIS Affairs
Committee, took a tougher stance. He said Russia would respond by
pressing Georgia to pay higher prices for energy supplies and
“toughening its position regarding the Georgian-Ossetian and
Georgian-Abkhaz conflicts,” where the Georgian government is facing
local pressure for independence or autonomy.
So why are Russian troops still in Georgia, more than a decade after
that country gained independence from the Soviet Union?
Aleksandr Goltz, a Russian military expert, explained: “To tell the
truth, these two basis in Georgia are more designed to safeguard
[weapons]. Different kinds of military equipment are stocked there,
and [the equipment] is rather outdated, I must stress. Some 4,000
soldiers are based there. Their main task is to somehow safeguard
that equipment.”
Goltz said the Soviet withdrawal from Eastern Europe was an economic
disaster — with soldiers having no place to return to live in
Russia. That was accompanied by the widespread theft of military
equipment. He said eliminating the bases in Georgia would be easy in
technical terms, since many people who serve on the bases are locals,
and the biggest task would be transporting the military equipment to
Russia.
Goltz said the main problem is not a logistical one but a political
one. The Kremlin, he suggests, is simply not sufficiently interested
in removing its military presence in Georgia. “The main thing here is
Russia’s desire to show its military might, a wish to show that it is
ready and able to act — especially in such a complicated place as
the Caucasus,” he said.
On the other hand, Goltz said, there is no doubt that, for Russia,
the ethnically mixed and restive Caucasus region is a headache.
Moscow clearly wants to avoid armed conflict in the Caucasus. A war
in Chechnya, which borders Georgia, has contributed significantly to
Moscow’s concerns in the region.
Goltz stressed, however, that Russia should seek permission from
Georgia to further its goals when related actions concern Georgian
territory.
Russia agreed to remove its Soviet-era military bases in 1998. But
since then, Moscow has repeatedly extended the deadline, saying it
needs years and millions of dollars to remove its troops.
Moscow has come under increased pressure recently — not only from
Tbilisi but also from Washington, which supports Georgia’s demand for
a Russian withdrawal.
Russia has military bases in Armenia, but Armenia’s ongoing conflict
with neighboring Azerbaijan has meant that the country welcomes the
Russian military presence.

TERMS OF RECURRENT MEETING OF ARMENIAN AND AZERI FMs TO BE DETERMINED
WITHIN NEXT FEW DAYS
10.03.2005 02:53
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian has
called the information that Armenia and Azerbaijan intend to conclude
an agreement over settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict not
true. In his words, there is no concrete arrangement on a new meeting
of the Armenian and Azeri Presidents yet. As of the dialogue of the
Foreign Ministers of the two countries, Vardan Oskanian noted that
the terms of the recurrent meeting will be determined within the next
few days. The head of the foreign department of Armenia did not agree
with statements that «Armenia is losing the settlement process.»
In his words, the issue of self-determination of the Nagorno Karabakh
people remains priority for Yerevan. However, Vardan Oskanian added,
«there is also the territorial element present, as the territory,
where the Nagorno Karabakh has determined itself has never been part
of independent Azerbaijan.» «The hybrid of these two approaches
strengthens our position in the talks,» he noted.
–Boundary_(ID_82ayFY1f7+utqub/OZxLBw)–

Armenian minister denounces Turkish move to rename animals
Arminfo
7 Mar 05
Yerevan, 7 March: The “correction” of the Latin names of wild animals
by the Turkish authorities is nothing but political games, Armenian
Ecology Minister Vardan Ayvazyan has told an Arminfo correspondent
commenting on the Turkish environment and forestry minister’s edict on
renaming a number of species of the native fauna related to Kurdistan
and Armenia.
In particular, under the decision of the Turkish authorities, a red
fox known as Vulpes Vulpes Kurdistanica will be known now as just
Vulpes Vulpes. A species of wild sheep called Ovis Armeniana has
been changed to Ovis Orientalis Anatolicus. A type of deer known as
Capreolus Capreolus Armenus was renamed Capreolus Cuprelus Capreolus,
the Turkish media reported.
The director of Turkish National Parks and Wildlife, Prof [Mustafa]
Kemal Yalinkilic, said that these wild animals “have been renamed in
the interest of the country”, the Turkish media reported.
“At present strange games are being played against our country. Some
people are using the names of species of our fauna in order to stress
that Kurds and Armenians used to live here. By changing the names of
these species we will put an end to these games,” the professor said.
Commenting on this statement, Vardan Ayvazyan stressed that political
problems cannot be resolved through a struggle against Latin names.
“How the Turks will call sheep is their own business, but it will
remain as Ovis Armeniana on the international list of endangered
species,” Ayvazyan said, adding that “strange games” have been played
by the Turks themselves for the past five centuries.

ISSUE OF NORASHEN SURB NSHAN CHURCH TO TOP ARMENIAN AND GEORGIAN CHURCH
LEADERS’ MEETING AGENDA
Azg/arm
5 March 05
The Armenian diocese of Georgia issued a press release yesterday in
regard to the incident with the Armenians Surb Astvatsatsin church of
Norashen in Tbilisi. Daily Azg’s March 4 issue highlighted the issue
of this 15th century Armenian church in Leselidze Str in Tbilisi that
the Georgian Church attempts to appropriate. It must be noted before
turning to the release itself that during the last 15 years the
Georgian clergy, spearheaded by Iliad II Patriarch, took hold of and
consecrated few Armenian churches in Tbilisi including Kusanats Surb
Stepanos church, Surb Bethlehem, church of Khikho and others.
The Armenian Diocese blessed the Armenian and Georgian youth and hopes
to resolve the conflict surrounding Norashen during high level
negotiations
On 3.3.2005 a peaceful action planned by the Armenian-Georgian Youth
organization, which assembled more than 200 youth, took place in the
Centreof Tbilisi. The youths set out at the Cathedral Sioni located
near Norashen, then moved on to the latter and ended at the Armenian
Church Surp Gevorg. The Georgian youth joined the Armenians in this
peaceful action to express their disagreement with the actions of
Georgian priests aimed at the appropriation of Armenian Churches and
to underline the fact that not all Georgians support this position. At
Surp Gevorg they lit candles and received blessings from Father
Abgar. In his address to the youth, Father Abgar remembered former
times, when both nations observed mutual pilgrimages, with faithful
Georgians visiting Holy Etchmiadzin to take part in the liturgy with
Armenians and Armenians in turn came to Svetiskhoveli. He mentioned
this tradition was surprisingly kept alive even during Soviet times,
when religion was suffering suppression.
Unfortunately, despite the goodwill of the Georgian youth who had come
to express their solidarity with the local Armenians, many of them
refused to enter the Armenian Church Surp Gevorg and stayed outside in
the courtyard. Some of the Armenian youth decided then to continue
their action by planting their tents in front of Norashen and were on
the verge of declaring a hunger strike.
After the prayers and an appeasing sermon by Father Abgar, the tense
situation among the youth was defused and some of the Georgian youth
came forward to receive Father Abgar’s blessing. The Georgian and
Armenian youth then peacefully ended their action.
The Armenian Diocese hopes to be able to solve the tensions
surrounding Norashen and Surp Neshan on a high level during future
negotiations betweenKarekin II, the Catholicos of all Armenians and
Iliad II, the Patriarch of Georgia.
For recollection, tensions relating to the 17 years old conflict
around Norashen had arisen again after the obvious attempt by Georgian
priests to change historical facts. The Armenian Diocese had already
communicated these factsin a former Press Release of February 28.
A few months ago, hundred year old Georgian grave stones, carrying
Georgian inscriptions, suddenly appeared in the courtyard of the
Armenian Church Norashen. Rather, they were transported here. Our
photographer and cameraman had filmed these stones still wrapped in
their iron wires, thrown randomly intothe church’s courtyard. In the
meantime these stones have been neatly lined up and safely installed
along the church’s wall. The reasoning behind is crystal clear: these
actions serve to “prove” that the church is in fact a Georgian
orthodox one, as according to the words of the Georgian priest, Father
Tariel, “The Armenians would have never let the Georgians bury in
their dead in front of their own church”. At the same time as the
Georgian stones were brought from an unknown cemetery to Tbilisi, the
Armenian ones, located on the other side of the church were found
vandalised – the Armenian inscriptions had been destroyed.
Armenian Diocese in Georgia