Author: Kanayan Tamar

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V. Rev. Fr. Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
REPRESENTATIVES OF WORLD VISION VISIT CILICIAN CATHOLICOSATE
Antelias, Lebanon – Representatives of World Vision visited His Holiness
Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, in Antelias, Lebanon, on Tuesday, November 2.
Also in attendance was Bishop Kegham Khatcherian, Primate of Lebanon.
The representatives presented an overview of their various international
programs. His Holiness praised their work and emphasized the importance of
the organization working together with the churches.
World Vision International, established in 1950, is a Christian relief and
development organization working for the well being of all people,
especially children. World Vision helps communities help themselves through
emergency relief, education, health care, economic development and promotion
of justice.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

NATO chief rules out plans on bases in Azerbaijan
Turan news agency
5 Nov 04

BAKU
“I have had productive meetings with the Azerbaijani leadership,
including tete-a-tete talks with President Ilham Aliyev, and I am very
pleased with the results,” NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer has said opening his news conference at Baku airport before
leaving Azerbaijan.
The subject of the talks was plans for further cooperation between
NATO and Azerbaijan in the light of the Individual Partnership Action
Plan. “We have exchanged opinions, now both we and you have a big home
task which needs to be seriously worked on,” the secretary-general
said. He said that the sphere of cooperation ranged from projects
within the framework of restoring the Great Silk Road and
environmental protection to scientific research.
“The Karabakh problem was also discussed, but it is known that NATO is
not engaged in this issue and is not going to be involved. NATO
respects Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, but it is up to the OSCE
Minsk Group to deal with the settlement of the problem, and the
alliance does not interfere in this process,” Scheffer said.
Asked about whether he had discussed the holding of a seminar of the
NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Baku and the possible presence at the
event of Armenian MPs, Scheffer answered affirmatively. “NATO
principles are widely known, and I think that they will be put into
practice. This means that every participant in the Partnership for
Peace Programme can take part in all projects within the framework of
the programme, and in this seminar as well,” the secretary-general
said.
As for the cancellation of the Cooperative Best Effort 2004 exercises
in Baku in September [2004], Scheffer said: “I made this decision
after a telephone conversation with Ilham Aliyev”.
“NATO is not planning to set up military bases in Azerbaijan,”
Scheffer said, commenting on reports in a number of western media in
this regard. As for the Individual Partnership Action Plan with
Azerbaijan, this is “a very expanded programme” that envisages serious
reforms in the army and the defence system in general, as well as
ensuring the rule of law and respect for human rights.

A1 Plus | 22:08:11 | 04-11-2004 | Politics |
OSCE OBSERVERS’ VIEW ON US ELECTIONS
The 2 November elections in the United States were conducted in an
environment that reflects a longstanding democratic tradition, including
institutions governed by rule of law, free and professional media and an
active civil society involved in all aspects of the election process.
The elections mostly met OSCE’s commitments for democratic elections,
agreed to by the 55 OSCE participating States, concludes the Election
Observation Mission of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in
Europe (OSCE). The Mission focused primarily on election reforms,
particularly the implementation of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002.
“The high turnout indicates the importance of this election for the
electorate and the strong democratic tradition in this country. Although
it was not possible for our observers to access polling stations in all
states, due to lack of provision in federal or state legislation, it
appears that the voting and the processing of ballots proceeded in an
orderly manner,” said Barbara Haering, Vice-President of the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly and Special Co-ordinator of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office for the Short-Term OSCE Observation Mission.
The Mission was deployed by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions
and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. It
published its preliminary findings today, based on the work of 92
observers from 34 countries, including 56 parliamentarians.
c4vuFE20ozxJqdkF3WsAw)–

The Messenger, Georgia
Nov. 3, 2004
Zhvania agrees to Georgia-Abkhazia railway
Tbilisi officials say restoration currently impossible owing to tense
situation in Abkhazia
By Keti Sikharulidze
Russian Minister of Transport and Communications Igor Levitin was in
Tbilisi on November 1 to discuss the possible reopening of the
Georgia-Russia railway link through Abkhazia.
He met with Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, Head of the railway
department David Onoprishvili and Minister of Economy Kakha Bendukidze
to discuss the issue, and afterwards Zhvania announced that an
agreement had been reached, and that experts would begin considering
the reopening of the railway link.
However, the prime minister added that reopening the link is currently
impossible, due to the tense situation in the breakaway republic.
Restoring the railway seems impossible “until the situation becomes
clear and calm in Abkhazia,” he stated.
Onoprishvili confirmed Zhvania’s comments, saying that it had been
agreed in principle to reopen the railway link, but that this was
impossible at the present time owning to the situation in Abkhazia.
Once stability has been restored, “a group of experts will be created
that will work out these issues,” he said.
The railway through Abkhazia was destroyed during the Georgian-Abkhaz
war in 1992, but in September the Abkhazia-Russia section was reopened.
Tbilisi protested against this, saying that it violated the 2002 Sochi
agreement between Russia and Georgia, which envisaged the reopening of
the railway in parallel with the return of Georgian refugees to the
Abkhaz region of Gali.
Neither Zhvania nor Onoprishvili made any mention of the return of
Georgian refugees, however, leading some Georgians to express concern
regarding the agreement.
The announcement was met with cautious approval by the opposition
Industrialist Party, who welcomed the positive impact the railway would
have on the Georgian economy, but said that it should be restored only
after Georgian refugees from Abkhazia are able to return.
One of the leaders of the Industrialists Zurab Tkemaladze told The
Messenger that his party “likes the idea of the government reopening
the railway line between Tbilisi and Sokhumi, but with the condition
that Georgian refugees are allowed to return, first to the Gali and
then to other regions of Abkhazia as well.”
“The problem is that we can’t be sure Russia will keep such a promise
and will deceive the Georgian side once more,” Tkemaladze warned.
“On the whole, however, I like the idea, because it would be good for
the country from the point of view of industry,” he said.
The reopening of the railway will also affect the economies of Armenia
and Azerbaijan, and before traveling to Tbilisi, Levitin visited both
countries, where his proposal that the railway the reopened met with a
warm welcome.
“I was in Baku and Yerevan where I received support from the ministers
of transport and the presidents of both countries. And I am also
pleased to announce that the Georgian side agreed to renew the former
Caucasus railway line and I am glad that we found mutual cooperation,”
Levitin told Imedi.
Levitin also added that this railway line would help boost the movement
of passengers and the movement of goods, and thus the Georgia economy.
It is unclear how much the restoration of the railway will cost, and
who will pay for it.
The restoration of the Abkhazia-Russia section cost several million
rubles, and the Russian side said the Tbilisi-Sokhumi leg would cost
more because it has several bridges.
The Georgian side said that its experts would estimate the total costs
of the project, and that each country (including Azerbaijan and
Armenia) would be responsible for paying for the restoration of
sections of the railway passing through its own territory.
As well as railway communications, the two sides also discussed
problems connected with the ferry route between Poti and the Russian
port in Sochi.
Minister of Economy Kakha Bendukudze expressed his satisfaction with
the negotiations regarding both the sea and railway links, as well as
the memorandum signed by himself, Zhvania and Levitin.

Armenian defence minister, visiting Russian army general praise ties
Arminfo
1 Nov 04
YEREVAN
The secretary of the security council under the Armenian president,
Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan, held a meeting today with the
commander of the North Caucasus Military District, Army Gen Aleksandr
Baranov. Also attending the meeting was the Russian ambassador to
Armenia, Anatoliy Dryukov.
The press secretary of the Armenian defence minister, Seyran
Shakhsuvaryan, has told Arminfo that the Armenian defence minister
expressed his satisfaction with the visit and said there were no
problems in terms of combat readiness and that different joint
military exercises and coordinated daily activities were being held.
Gen Baranov, for his part, said that being a person who had served in
the Fourth Army of the USSR Armed Forces for seven years he was very
well familiar with the region and could say with confidence that the
attitude of the local population towards Russian servicemen had always
been kind.
“I am sure that this warmth between our peoples will be eternal not
only in the military but also in other spheres,” the Russian general
added.
The sides confirmed that Russian-Armenian military, economic, cultural
and other relations were at a qualitatively new level now and that
they were based on traditional friendship and mutually beneficial
cooperation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Nov. 1, 2004
Administrators Of Group Of The Greens In Germany Due In Turkey
Anadolu Agency: 11/1/2004
ANKARA – Administrators of the Group of the Greens/European Free
Alliance in Germany will visit Turkey this week, the German Embassy in
Ankara said on Monday.
The German Embassy stated that a German delegation chaired by Claudia
Roth, co-chairperson of the Group, would visit capital Ankara,
commercial hub Istanbul, and southeastern cities of Diyarbakir and
Sirnak.
The delegation will start their meetings in Turkey tomorrow (Tuesday),
and be received by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.
The group will also meet Murat Sungar, Turkey’s secretary general for
the European Union (EU); Mehmet Elkatmis, chairman of Turkish
Parliamentary Human Rights Commission; Mehmet Dulger, chairman of
Turkish Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission; Yasar Yakis, chairman
of Turkish Parliamentary EU Adjustment Commission; deputies of the main
opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP); and human rights
organizations tomorrow.
After their meetings in Ankara, the German delegation will proceed to
Istanbul to meet representatives of business circles, the Fener Greek
Orthodox Patriarchate and Armenian Patriarchate.
A part of the Greens group will depart from Turkey after their meetings
in Istanbul, while Claudia Roth and Winfried Nachtwei will go to
Diyarbakir on Wednesday.
Administrators of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance in
Germany will meet Sirnak Governor Osman Gunes, Sirnak Mayor Ahmet
Ertak, Diyarbakir Governor Efkan Ala and Diyarbakir Mayor Osman
Baydemir on Thursday.
The remaining officials of the delegation are expected to return to
Germany on Friday.

Civil Georgia, Georgia
Oct 30, 2004
Russia Concerned over Visa Delays for its Troops in Georgia
The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed concern on October 30
regarding, as Moscow put it, Georgia’s `delay’ to grant entry visas to
the Russian servicemen, who are expected to be deployed in the Russian
military base in southern Georgian town of Akhalkalaki.
`We think that the delay in granting of visas to Russian servicemen and
their families is unjustified and politically motivated. We hope that
official Tbilisi will take a constructive position in this regard,’ the
Russian Foreign Ministry information note issued on October 30, reads.

`Granting of visas needs particular time,’ the Georgian Foreign
Ministry official told Civil Georgia. Official said that the Ministry
will make a statement regarding the issue on November 1.

Reportedly, over 400 servicemen, currently deployed on the Russian
military base in the Armenian city of Gyumri, are waiting for the
Georgian entry visas.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s information note, Georgia
explains delay in issuing visas with the fact that the number of
Russian servicemen, which will be deployed in Akhalkalaki, exceeds the
number of those soldiers, which will be replaced.
Deputy Commander of the Headquarters of Group of Russian Troops in
Trans Caucasus, Col. Vladimir Kuparadze told Russian daily Nezavisimaya
Gazeta that in previous years there were less soldiers at the
Akhalkalaki military base than it is considered with the agreement
between Russia and Georgia.
`Now more soldiers will be deployed in Akhalkalaki, but their numbers
will not exceed those envisaged by the agreement,’ Col. Kuparadze said.

RUSSIAN MEDIATOR SAYS UN DEBATE ON KARABAKH TO HURT PEACE PROCESS
Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
1 Nov 04
(Presenter) Baku’s raising of the Nagornyy Karabakh problem with the
UN is seriously disturbing the OSCE Minsk Group. The Russian
co-chairman of the Minsk Group, Yuriy Merzlyakov, openly announced
today that this initiative would deal a serious blow to the peace
process.
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, in turn, has said that
there is nothing extraordinary in the fact that the United Nations,
which has adopted four resolutions on Nagornyy Karabakh, will
reconsider the issue.
(Correspondent over video footage of New York, the UN building) There
was no need for Baku to include the issue of the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict on the agenda of the UN General Assembly. This is the opinion
of the Russian co-chairman of the Minsk Group, Yuriy Merzlyakov. The
Russian diplomat has told “Son Xabar” that the opposition to the issue
by France, a country also co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group, which was
voiced during discussions at the UN, reflected not only the view of
Paris but also the positions of Washington and Moscow.
(Merzlyakov, captioned, shown talking to microphone) This is an
untimely step. At a time when everyone is looking forward to the
restoration of the peace process, there is no need for such an
initiative. On the other hand, the UN is not the organization to
discuss the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict because the OSCE is dealing
with this problem. Therefore, the representative of France made the
statement after consultations with representatives of the USA and
Russia.
(Correspondent) Saying that the tabling of the issue at the UN will
fail to facilitate a solution to the Karabakh conflict and that it
will actually exacerbate it even more, Merzlyakov noted that the
co-chairmen did not support Azerbaijan’s suggestion and abstained from
voting on it at all. Merzlyakov explained the move by the fact that
the co-chairmen wanted to prevent a split in the UN. He added that
from a legal standpoint, this initiative of Azerbaijan was
ineffective, too.
(Merzlyakov) Resolutions of the UN General Assembly are not the same
as resolutions of the UN Security Council. Resolutions of the General
Assembly are of a consultative nature.
(Correspondent) The spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry,
Matin Mirza, does not agree with the Russian diplomat. He says that by
having adopted four resolutions on the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, the
UN actually intervened in the process of settlement. Therefore, there
is nothing out of the ordinary in bringing the issue to its attention
again.
Matin Mirza added that the fact that 43 out of 143 countries that took
part in the discussion supported Azerbaijan’s suggestion and 99
abstained from voting suggests that these countries are beginning to
develop an objective opinion about the conflict.
Qalib Sukurov, “Son Xabar”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VOICE OF RUSSIA RE-ESTABLISHES ITSELF ON THE CIS AIRWAVES
ITAR-TASS news agency
29 Oct 04
Moscow, 29 October: One of the top priorities of Voice of Russia,
which has represented its country on the international airwaves for
75 years, is a direct dialogue with its listeners, a spokesman for
this state broadcaster, Armen Oganesyan, said today at the close of
the Radio Without Frontiers conference, which gathered directors and
presidents of foreign radio companies.
Voice of Russia carries 400 programmes on various aspects of life
in the country, broadcasting 115 hours a day in Russian and 31
foreign languages. It has a global audience of 109m in over 160
countries, and from its Internet site transmits live programmes in
17 languages. Experts confidently place Voice of Russia among the
top three world broadcasters, alongside the BBC and Voice of America.
In the post-Soviet zone, Voice of Russia has filled the niche left
by the departure from that zone of some Russian media outlets. Its
breakthrough into the CIS airwaves came two years ago with the creation
of its Sodruzhestvo (Commonwealth) channel, but it has only now gained
the opportunity to broadcast on FM. Voice of Russia programmes are
now available in Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia, Lithuania, Kyrgyzstan and
Tajikistan, and the station began domestic broadcasting in Azerbaijan
in October this year.

A1 Plus | 17:10:14 | 29-10-2004 | Social |
SHOOTING IN MASHTOTS AVENUE
At 4:30 PM shots were fired in Mashtots-Tumanyan crossroad. According
to witnesses, shots were made at 2 young men from a “Vaz-31” car
passing. After the phone call made by a cafe employee ambulance cars
and policemen arrived on the spot and took the wounded away. They
are supposed to be dead already. The murdered men are said to be
Armenians from Georgia.