Author: Kalantarian Kevo

British parliament delegation arrives in Nagornyy Karabakh – Armenian agency
Mediamax news agency
20 Oct 04
YEREVAN
A delegation of the British parliament headed by a member of the House
of Commons, Gordon Marsden, arrived on a one-day fact-finding visit to
the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic (NKR) today.
Today, the British parliamentarians will be received by NKR President
Arkadiy Gukasyan and National Assembly Chairman Oleg Yesayan,
Mediamax’s correspondent reports from Stepanakert Xankandi .
The British delegation is also scheduled to meet representatives of
Nagornyy Karabakh NGOs.

AZERI TV SLATES BRITISH MP’S VISIT TO KARABAKH
Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
19 Oct 04
(Presenter) Britain has on more than one occasion stated that it is
interested in the resolution of the Karabakh problem, it recognizes
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and condemns separatism. However,
regrettably, all these are verbal statements. A new visit by Baroness
Caroline Cox from Britain’s House of Lords to Stepanakert might cause
a diplomatic row between London and Baku.
(Correspondent) A person who is a member of the House of Lords,
Britain’s most influential and prestigious body, damages the influence
and dignity of the House. She is separatist Baroness Caroline
Cox. This woman has been in contact with the Karabakh separatists for
a long time. She completed her latest 55th visit to Karabakh
lately. Although the Azerbaijani government has repeatedly protested
against the visits by the high-ranking British parliamentarian, London
diplomats stress that Cox visits Karabakh at her own expense. However,
it is obvious this time that the British embassy could not keep to
itself its false peace-loving mission and decided to help the
separatist baroness and did this in an open fashion.
Certainly, we are speaking about the British embassy in Armenia. Today
Armenian web sites reported that Caroline Cox’s visit to Nagornyy
Karabakh was arranged precisely by the British embassy in
Yerevan. British diplomats may interpret this differently – allegedly
they organized her visit to Armenia, and Cox, in turn, went to
Karabakh herself, and they were allegedly unaware of Cox’s programme
and so on.
It is intriguing that Britain, which is a member of the UN Security
Council, has always stated that it recognizes Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity and is against separatism.
Nevertheless, the failure to see a British citizen who embraces
separatists in Azerbaijan is disrespect for Azerbaijan and the
manifestation of double standards, to put it in diplomatic terms. The
separatist baroness, who describes herself as a champion of the truth,
has never visited Azerbaijan despite numerous invitations. She refused
to come to Azerbaijan to eyewitness the situation in Azerbaijan and
the state of the refugees. In return, she voices the slogan Freedom to
Nagornyy Karabakh, which does not go hand in hand with official
London’s policy. This is British-style justice and truth.
Etibar Mammadov for “Son Xabar”.

ArmenPress
Oct 18 2004
US-ARMENIAN BENEFACTOR PLEDGES MONEY FOR MAINTENANCE OF NORTH-SOUTH
HIGHWAY IN KARABAGH
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 18, ARMENPRESS: An American-Armenian benefactor
Vahe Karapetian pledged on October 16 to release funds for the
maintenance of a strategic highway that will run across Nagorno
Karabagh. Christened as the North-South highway the new road will
provide safe communication among all rural and urban communities.
Funds for its accomplishment are raised by Hayastan all-Armenian fund
through annual telethons conducted in the USA, Armenia and other
countries with strong Armenian communities.
Vahe Karapetian was in Nagorno Karabagh October 16 where he met
with its leader Arkady Ghukasian. He traveled to Karabagh via
Goris-Stepanakert highway that was also built on Hayastan funds.
Karapetian provides money for its technical maintenance.
The US benefactor also promised to help restore two churches in
Nagorno Karabagh.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
“Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund
Governmental Building 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Artak Harutyunyan
Tel: 3741 52 09 40
Fax: 3741 52 37 95
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
2004-10-15
A new residential building in Yerankyuni district
On October 15, the inauguration of the residential building 7A took
place in Yerankyuni district, Spitak, with participation of the of the
“Hayastan” Fund’s Executive Director Mrs. Naira Melkoumian, the
Governor of Lori Marz Henrik Kochinyan and the chairperson of the
Fund’s Great Britain affiliate Mrs. Armine Karapeti. Due to the Fund
eight more families will be provided with new apartments. Very soon,
by the efforts of the “Hayastan” Fund’s Great Britain and Germany
affiliates the construction of the whole district will be completed.

Le Temps, France
15 octobre 2004
Le grand débat à l’Assemblée nationale sur l’adhésion de la Turquie a accouché d’une souris;
FRANCE. Plus de vingt orateurs sont intervenus jeudi à l’Assemblée
nationale pour débattre de l’opportunité d’ouvrir les négociations
avec Ankara. Des semaines de polémiques et une discussion sans vote
arrachée au gouvernement n’ont abouti qu’à un débat sans passion
devant un hémicycle à moitié vide.
Y a-t-il un député français qui est favorable à une adhésion aussi
rapide que possible de la Turquie à l’Union européenne après le début
des négociations que décidera d’ouvrir, le 17 décembre prochain, le
Conseil européen? La réponse est non. Le débat de jeudi à l’Assemblée
nationale, obtenu de haute lutte par les députés de la majorité et de
l’opposition, n’a donné lieu à aucune empoignade entre les partisans
d’un oui enthousiaste et ceux d’un non ferme et définitif.
Jean-Pierre Raffarin a résumé l’opinion des 23 députés qui sont
intervenus après lui sans même les avoir entendus: «Ni l’Europe ni la
Turquie ne sont prêtes à [cette] adhésion.»
Durant tout l’après-midi, il n’a été question que de conditions et de
délais, quinze ans ou plus. Jean-Pierre Raffarin a rappelé que «la
demande d’adhésion de la Turquie n’est pas illégitime», en faisant
l’inventaire des démarches turques pour se rapprocher de l’Union
européenne depuis 1959, et en soulignant que la Turquie était déjà,
dans les années 1960, «un élément majeur de la politique
méditerranéenne et proche-orientale du général de Gaulle». Mais il a
ensuite énuméré les inconvénients de cette adhésion: «Risque de voir
l’ambition de l’Europe politique diluée dans un ensemble si vaste et
si disparate qu’il serait impossible d’avancer ensemble, risque
d’incompréhension entre deux mondes, deux cultures profondément
différentes.» «Face à ces deux objections et à d’autres encore,
a-t-il ajouté, nous ne pouvons répondre aujourd’hui, c’est pourquoi
il faut laisser du temps au débat et à la réflexion.»
Le premier ministre est cependant convaincu qu’«il est dans l’intérêt
de la France et de l’Europe d’avoir une Turquie stable, moderne,
démocratique qui partage nos valeurs et nos objectifs». «La Turquie
change parce qu’elle manifeste un vrai désir d’Europe. Laissons lui
du temps. […] L’histoire tranchera», a-t-il conclu avant de répéter
que la Commission européenne n’a donné qu’un «oui conditionnel», et
que plus tard, quand le moment sera venu, le peuple français sera
consulté par référendum.
La plupart des orateurs de l’opposition, même s’ils ont protesté
contre le fait que le débat d’hier n’était pas suivi d’un vote, ne
semblaient pas avoir d’objections majeures au discours consensuel et
prudent du premier ministre. «Claquer la porte devant la Turquie
serait interprété comme un manquement à la parole de notre pays, elle
a droit aux négociations», a dit le président du groupe socialiste à
l’Assemblée, Jean-Marc Ayrault. Avant de poser une condition qui
s’adresse plus à l’Europe qu’au pays candidat: retrouver un moteur
politique qui évite que les nouveaux élargissements ne condamnent
l’Union à se diluer dans une simple zone de libre-échange sous
influence américaine. Quant aux députés de l’UMP, ils ont évité
soigneusement d’affronter le gouvernement et le président de la
République en transformant leur hostilité à l’adhésion en une
proposition de partenariat privilégié.
Est-ce parce que l’ensemble de la représentation nationale était
saisie par un syndrome de procrastination (de remise au lendemain)?
Le débat s’est déroulé sans passion, sans envolées, et surtout dans
un hémicycle plus qu’à moitié vide au début et presque désert à la
fin. Seul le député vert Noël Mamère a défendu clairement l’adhésion:
«Les Verts n’ont ni divisions ni états d’âme. Nous sommes pour,
résolument pour», a-t-il déclaré. Mais il a tout de même émis des
réserves. Il faudra, a-t-il expliqué, qu’avant l’adhésion proprement
dite le problème chypriote soit résolu et que la Turquie reconnaisse
le génocide arménien.
Il y avait aussi François Bayrou. Farouche adversaire de l’adhésion.
«Nous croyons que l’Union européenne est une unité politique en
construction. Or l’adhésion de la Turquie n’est pas un pas vers
l’unité de l’Europe, c’est un pas vers sa dispersion», a-t-il
proclamé. Mais encore la trahison de son unité culturelle: «L’Europe
est la rencontre la plus féconde que l’histoire ait jamais produite,
[…] entre Athènes, Rome et Jérusalem. Supprimez l’un des trois,
vous supprimez l’Europe.» Bien que les sondages montrent qu’une
majorité de citoyens sont hostiles à l’adhésion turque, François
Bayrou sait que sa position est minoritaire à l’Assemblée. Il tentera
donc seulement de freiner le processus et d’éviter qu’il soit
irréversible en demandant que la négociation porte à la fois sur la
possibilité d’adhésion et sur celle d’un partenariat privilégié.
Voilà donc un grand débat qui a accouché d’une souris. Sans doute en
raison des contradictions internes de la droite comme de la gauche.
Sûrement parce que les interrogations sur la perspective, même
lointaine, de l’adhésion turque révèlent l’étendue des questions non
résolues sur l’identité politique de l’Union européenne.

Armenian TV programme “indefinitely” taken off air
A1+ web site
15 Oct 04
A new television program created by and featuring news and analysis
from RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, was abruptly pulled from the schedule
of the local Armenian television station “Kentron” on 13 October,
according to service director Hrair Tamrazian. Although the television
station’s management has made no comment on the decision, it is widely
suspected that Kentron was pressured to suspend further broadcasts of
the program, either by official interests or local media competitors.
The television show, a 30-minute long analytical program called
“Azatutyun” (Liberty), debuted to rave reviews on Kentron Sunday, 10
October and was rebroadcast by Kentron the next day on 11 October. Two
days later, Tamrazian was informed by Kentron director (?Petros
Ghazarian) that the show would be “indefinitely suspended”. Kentron
has not commented on the reasons behind his station’s decision.
Tamrazian said: “I am very disappointed that, after tireless efforts
by RFE/RL and Kentron that resulted in a very successful TV show, it
was suspended for as yet unknown reasons. I call on the authorities
to investigate this matter and hope that Kentron and RFE/RL will
continue in a joint project that was eagerly awaited by many viewers
and listeners in Armenia.”
Many viewers called the Armenian Service after the show, to express
their appreciation for the program. Viewers said that the program
was a “breakthrough” for Armenian television, because of RFE/RL’s
objectivity, as well as for featuring a new format with two moderators
(male and female) and the show’s ability to “connect” with its
audience. The first show featured an exclusive report from Strasbourg
on the recent debate about Armenia in the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe (PACE), as well as exclusive interviews about
Armenian-Turkish relations with Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan and the new US ambassador, John M. Evans. Passage omitted:
background information

Baku seeks mechanism to implement UN’s Karabakh decisions, stated Azerbaijani
President Ilkham Aliyev
13.10.2004, 12.14
BAKU, October 13 (Itar-Tass) – Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev
stated it is inadmissible to apply double standards with respect to
conflicts, including the one in Nagorno Karabakh.
“All issues should be considered through the prism of international
law,” the head of state said in an interview with Baku-based television
channels.
In his view, the main task is to develop a mechanism to implement
the UN and OSCE decision on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
“Regrettably, there is no such mechanism at present. The United
Nations adopted four resolutions on the Karabakh conflict, but none
of them is being implemented.”
Despite this fact, the mechanism of sanctions is not used. The
Azerbaijani leader said he was convinced that “the use of mechanisms
of international law will help achieve the settlement of the conflict
soon.”
He said the situation around the Karabakh problem would be considered
at the January session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe.
“The report on the subject is ready, it’s very positive, reflecting
the real situation,” Ilkham Aliyev said.
The head of state expressed confidence that the discussion of the
document “will prove the fact of Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani
territories.”
Azerbaijan wants the Council of Europe to give a political evaluation
of the conflict.
“It will become a solid legal basis for resolving the problem,”
the president said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OPPOSITION KEEPS ACCUSING
A1 plus
12-10-2004
The opposition MPs were very active at Tuesday’s parliamentary hour
of announcements. They spoke mostly on Karabakh problem. Shavarsh
Kocharyan said Karabakh had found itself out of negotiation process
thanks to the current authorities. In his words, Armenia is seeking
international recognition for Karabakh while it hasn’t recognized the
republic formally. He said only after power transfer Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic’s independence will be recognized.
MP Tatul Manaseryan brought his economic analysis to show the desperate
situation Armenia found itself.
Victor Dallakyan remembered the 2003 rigged elections and said the
republic’s all troubles caused by the illegitimate authorities that
must be ousted from power with all their supporters.
Vardan Lazarian announced about the rally the opposition will hold
on October 27 to mark anniversary of terrorist attack on Armenian
National Assembly.

INDIAN PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ARE ON DISPLAY IN YEREVAN
ArmenPress
Oct 11 2004
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, ARMENPRESS: An exhibition of Indian products and
services opened in the Armenian capital Yerevan on October 10 featuring
products and services of 17 companies, engaged in manufacturing of
garments, pharmaceuticals, Ayurvedic medicines, jewelry, tea, coffee,
herbal cosmetic products, engine mounting and others.
Parallel to the exhibition Armenian and Indian businessmen will
meet to look into possibilities for establishing new contacts. The
exhibition is organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry,
Indian embassy in Yerevan and Armenian Commerce and Industry Chamber.
Speaking to reporters India’s ambassador to Armenia, Deepak Vohra, said
Indian capital is safe in Armenia thanks to its political stability and
friendly and open trade legislation. He said many Indian businessmen
want to start business in Armenia. He added that Armenia is becoming
one of the biggest India’s trade partner in CIS.
According to the ambassador, Armenian-Indian trade grows annually by
30-40 percent. “These are the official figures, but Indian products
arrive here also from Russia, United Arab Emirates and other countries
and the real trade volume is bigger, “he said.
According to figures of Armenian statistics committee, Indian-Armenian
trade in the first six months of this year went up 47 percent, mainly
due to Indian exports to Armenia. Armenian exports are still very
small, mainly synthetic rubber and medications.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Itera holding negotiations on selling 10% in Armenian gas
distributing company
RosBusinessConsulting Database
October 11, 2004 Monday
Itera is holding negotiations on selling 10 percent in Armrosgazprom,
a source close to the company said. A large European investment
holding is among the potential buyers of a 10-percent stake in the
Armenian-based company, the source reported. The 10-percent stake
is valued at $28m, the source said. The press department of Itera
confirmed information about negotiations and declined to disclose
probable participants of the proposed deal.
Gazprom and the Armenian government both have 45-percent stakes in
Armrosgazprom. As Itera does not deliver gas to Armenia, the company
considers the possibility of disposing of this non-core asset, Itera
representatives said. Analysts believe that Gazprom may be interested
in acquiring Itera gas assets. Armrosgazprom controls Armenian gas
distributing networks.