Author: Karagyozian Lena

Presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia may meet in Moscow May 9
Baku Today
AssA-Irada 10/03/2005 12:47
The meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents, scheduled as part of the
Council of Europe summit in Warsaw on May 16-17, may take place earlier ~V on
May 9.
Both President Aliyev and Armenian President Robert Kocharian have been
invited to Moscow to attend the festivities dedicated to the 60th
anniversary of victory over fascism, the Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk
Group Yuri Merzlyakov told ANS TV. The two countries~R foriegn ministers may
not meet for the purpose.
~SWe all know the importance of this meeting. Our foreign ministers may meet
beforehand separately. We have held talks with Minister Mammadyarov in
Prague, while our meeting with Minister Oskanian is likely to take place
when the OSCE fact-finding mission presents its report to the Permanent
Council in Vienna on March 17.

7 admit involvement in cigarette scheme
By Jason Kandel, Staff Writer
dailynews.com
Article Published: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 – 12:00:00 AM PST
Seven Glendale men have pleaded guilty to federal charges of operating
a Russian-Armenian organized crime ring that smuggled nearly $9
million in contraband cigarettes from Virginia to Los Angeles.
The men entered their pleas Monday in U.S. District Court in Roanoke,
Va. The pleas cap a four-year investigation by federal, state and
local authorities.
“The message is — you cannot defraud state and federal governments
of taxes that are due,” said John Torres, the special agent in charge
of the Los Angeles Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives.
The men include: Vicken Djeredjian, 31; Akop “Jack” Chichyan, 33;
Mnatsakan “Mike” Grigorian, 39; Serob “Serb” Boyadzhyan, 36; Manvel
Iskandaryan, 47; Albert Asatryan, 47; and Azat Stephanyan, 22.
The 55-count indictment accused the men of purchasing more than 9,000
cases of untaxed cigarettes in Virginia worth about $18.6 million. They
then took them to California without paying taxes.
Chichyan and Grigorian pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge, and
Djeredjian pleaded guilty to possession and distribution of contraband
cigarettes. The remaining defendants pleaded guilty to possession
and transportation of untaxed cigarettes.
Each face up to five years in federal custody and a fine of between
$5,000 and $250,000. Sentencing is set for June.
Jason Kandel, (818) 713-3664 [email protected]

March 02, 2005
Glendale News Press
Published March 3, 2005
Police find, arrest man a day after fire
Antranik Khajarian is suspected of starting Tuesday blaze that caused his
94-year-old grandmother’s death.
By Jackson Bell, News-Press and Leader
NORTHWEST GLENDALE — The grandson of a 94-year-old Glendale woman found
dead inside a torched hillside home has been arrested on suspicion of murder
and starting the blaze, police said Wednesday.
After receiving tips, Glendale Police tracked down Antranik Banos Khajarian,
37, about midnight Tuesday and booked him on suspicion of murder and arson
after detectives interviewed him at the police station, Sgt. Tom Lorenz
said. Khajarian is being held without bail at Glendale City Jail, and his
arraignment is scheduled for Friday at Glendale Superior Court.
advertisement
“The investigation is ongoing to determine what precipitated the action,”
Lorenz said. “We will probably release more information when the case is
presented to the D.A.’s office for prosecution.”
The woman was severely burnt in the early morning Tuesday blaze in the 200
block of Wonderview Drive, said Investigator Brenda Shafer, spokeswoman for
the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. But the cause of death is still
under investigation, she said.
Even though police have identified the woman as Khajarian’s grandmother,
Shafer said the coroner’s office is treating her as a “Jane Doe” because her
body had not been examined as of Wednesday. Police also would not confirm
her identity.
Lorenz would not say where they found Khajarian but did say broadcast media
groups that got his information out to the public helped lead to the arrest.
One of the reasons investigators suspected the fire to be arson was because
of its intense heat, Lorenz said.
An officer patrolling the area first noticed the burning house, which the
woman and Khajarian shared, about 3 a.m. Tuesday and tried to rescue the
woman before firefighters arrived. But the flames forced him out of the
one-story house, Lorenz said. The officer was rushed to a local hospital for
treatment of smoke inhalation but was not injured.
Neighbors said Tuesday that they heard a woman’s screams coming from the
house during the blaze.
Glendale firefighters from five stations responded to the blaze and knocked
it down in 10 minutes, Fire Capt. Bill Lynch said. The total damage to the
house was estimated to be $100,000, Lynch said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Glendale Police Department at
(818) 548-3987. Anonymous tips can be made by calling the Crime Stoppers
hotline at (818) 507-7867.

SOLUTION IS POSSIBLE THROUGH DIRECT TALKS ONLY
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
03 March 05
The press conference of the NKR foreign minister Arman Melikian in
Yerevan evoked lively reaction in Armenian press. Several foreign mass
media and news agencies also responded to the press conference. Here
are certain details of the press conference. `Reuter’ The NKR National
Assembly informed that they are going to make a statement on
recognition of independence of NKR. Do you think it is real or not?
What concessions is NK willing to make? `First of all, the NKR NA
addressed the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as the parliaments of
other countries of the world appealing to them to recognize the
independence of NKR. As to the possible compromises on the part of
Karabakh, these can be made only through negotiations. Today we do not
negotiate directly with the Republic of Azerbaijan and it is early to
speak about any compromises.’ Newspaper ` Azg’ In your opinion is
Karabakh party in the talks and if yes, howis the participation of
Karabakh expressed? During your press conference in Stepanakert you
said that the Karabakh party was actually left out of the talks. Was
itby the fault of the Republic of Armenia? `I see no need to look for
the guilty. There is a certain situation. At on time the present
format of talks used to contain certain logic. I cannot tell either
that NKR was left out of the talks. We are informed on how the talks
are carried out between Armenia and Azerbaijan. And during the press
conference in Stepanakert I said that the settlement of the problem
can be achieved only by direct talks between NKR and Azerbaijan and I
can confirm this once again.’ `De Facto’ Whatpositive points do you
see in the PACE resolution on Nagorni Karabakh? `This interesting
question is raised often. Of course, there are negative points for us
in the resolutionbut there is a new approach: the Azerbaijani
authorities are called upon to start a direct dialogue with the NKR
authorities. In certain sense this testifiesto the rightness of the
viewpoint that bilateral negotiations between Azerbaijan and NKR may,
in fact, be effective.’ `Mediamax’ Yousaid you are informed on the
negotiations going on between Armenia and Azerbaijan. To what extent
is the Karabakh party satisfied with the content of the `Prague
process’, to what extent is it acceptable for NK? `On the whole, today
technical problems are concerned. I repeat that the settlement of the
issue is, in our opinion, inthe direct negotiations between Azerbaijan
and NKR. It is NKR that can assume responsibility for both the
problems of territories and refugees, and theseare the primary
problems that interest Azerbaijan.’ `BBC Azerbaijani’ A dangerous
tendency for the Armenian party is arising: the world is gradually
forgetting about the cause of the conflict and speaking about its
consequences. What steps are taken in this direction? Azerbaijan is
carrying on a powerful campaign propagating the consequences. We
announce that we are going to do excavations in the vicinity of
Shushi, and Azerbaijan is going to lodge complaint with different
international organizations. `I do not know anything about the
excavations. As to the problem of causes and consequences of the
conflict, we have our approach to this question. We start from the
fact that there was Soviet Azerbaijan which was divided into two
states after the collapse of the Soviet Union; one of these was
NKR. Then the war began, which was also the consequence of
Azerbaijan’s not recognizing the independence of NKR, that is to say,
we have the cause of the war. Then Azerbaijan lost the war, and we, as
the result of the war, have today’s picture. We may make a clear
distinction; theprimary problem is that of the status which was not
recognized by Azerbaijan at thetime and resulted in the war, and we
have the problem of consequences of the war which is a real topic for
negotiations to be discussed by the parties for achieving a mutual
understanding.’ `H1′ What obstructs direct negotiations between NK and
Azerbaijan? Why definitely was this press conference organized? `NKR –
Azerbaijan negotiations will begin when Azerbaijan wishes to
participate in them and realizes their necessity. So far Azerbaijan
has been trying to accuse Armenia of aggression. Those people who took
part in or witnessed the military actions are well aware of what heavy
burden is laid over the shoulders of the people of NKR. As to the
problem of today’s press conference, it isjust the first acquaintance
with you the journalists. `Francepress’ What definite steps are made
in the direction of international recognition of NKR? `Thefirst step
was made inside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry works
onthe legislation on foreign policy. We have already drafted several
bills, such as the bills on NKR international contracts, diplomatic
and consular services,as well as we are going to join several
international conventions, which are also directed at the solution of
the conflict. The bill on NKR citizenship was drafted and soon will be
offered for discussion, which we consider important for several
reasons. From the ideological point of view we emphasize the article
which refers to all the Armenians of the Republic of Azerbaijan. We
think that in certain sense and directly NKR is responsible for all
the Armenians who became refugees. The law provides for the right of
these Armenians to become citizens of NKR. As a recognized or not
recognized country NKR has all the legal and moral bases for defending
the rights of these people when solving their problems with
Azerbaijan. The bill is ready, details of technical characterare
discussed presently. In the upcoming month the bill will be offered
for discussion’ `Noyan Tapan’ Recently minister V. Oskanian said that
NK and not Armenia is to make a request for sending a fact-finding
group to the regions of Getashen and Shahumian, because Armenia has no
relation to this. Is NKR going to make such a step, and won’t this be
the first step in involvement of NK in the negotiations? `I consider
the mentioned problem in a larger context, which does not exclude the
possibility of such a step. Now we are only discussing this
step. After coming to a decision we shall decide on whether to act in
this or in a larger context. Thus, the adoption of the problem of NKR
citizenship in this case is a larger context than the question of
Getashen and Shahumian, which includes your question as well.’ `Noyan
Tapan’ You spoke about the prospects of NKR to join international
conventions. In what way can NK join those conventions? Which
conventions are concerned? `The fact of not being recognized does not
prevent us from joining international conventions. A convention isan
international law, and if we make that law an internal one, it means
we have already joined the law. We shall also inform the international
community onthis. Whether accepted or not is not our problem in this
sense. Two of the conventions, the Vienna conventions on diplomatic
and consular relationships, will be offered to the National Assembly
for discussion next week.’ `Arminfo’ How would you comment on the news
about forming a coalition of not recognized countries? `I cannot
comment on it because we do not have such a point on the agenda.’
`Liberty’ What developments may take place in the process of
regulation of the NK conflict? `Let us start with the report of David
Atkinson, what consequences it may give rise to. Indeed, it has both
positive and negativepoints. I emphasized one: I tend to think that
the international community is coming to the idea that bilateral
negotiations may prove effective. It is a problem that cannot be
settled in a single day. In our turn we must show that we are willing
to participate in the talks, we are able to express opinions on the
problems discussed, which may be powerful enough to maintain
peace. This isalso a process, and we must view everything in the
framework of the process.’ A1+ In your opinion, how will the upcoming
elections in NKR pass? Will they be as democratic as or even more
democratic than the elections in Armenia in 2003? `We want the
elections to be democratic. We shall do our best for them to be
transparent and fair. As fair as we want them to be. You know that
recently elections to the local authorities took place in NKR, and
both the government and the opposition were satisfied with their
transparency and results. This is a vivid fact. We shall try to
conduct the next elections on a higher level.
AA.
03-03-2005
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Embassy of the United states
JAPAN
U.S Policy & Issues
German Conference To Focus on Human-Trafficking Threat
More than 80 representatives from over 25 nations will meet in
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, March 7-9 to examine the threats that human
trafficking poses to national security and democratic development throughout
Europe and Eurasia.
Participants in the conference, entitled `Human Trafficking: Security
Implications,’ will examine current trafficking patterns and trends in
Europe and Eurasia. They will also highlight the transnational and
regional-security implications of human trafficking and discuss avenues for
cooperation.
The conference is organized and hosted by the George C. Marshall European
Center for Security Studies and will be conducted in English and Russian.
###
Following is the U.S. European Command press release
U.S. European Command
March 2, 2005
COUNTRIES GATHER TO EXAMINE THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING THREAT
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany – Representatives from more than 25 nations
meet here March 7-9 to examine the threats that human trafficking poses to
national security and democratic development throughout Europe and Eurasia.
Participants at the conference, entitled Human Trafficking: Security
Implications, will examine current trafficking patterns and trends in Europe
and Eurasia. They will also highlight transnational and regional security
implications of human trafficking and discuss the avenues for cooperation.
The keynote address will be given by Ambassador Gérard Stoudmann, director
of the Geneva Center for Security Policy.
The conference follows a related conference on Soft Security Threats held
here in April 2003. Participants expressed interest in the serious issue of
human trafficking in Europe and Eurasia, linking it with organized criminal
networks that deal in lucrative commodities that include people, small arms,
drugs, and the basics of weapons of mass destruction.
The conference is organized and hosted by the Marshall Center. It will be
conducted in English and Russian using moderated plenary open panel sessions
and facilitated workshop sessions. A total of more than 80 participants are
expected from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, the Hellenic Republic, Hungary,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Romania, Russia,
Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey,
the Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

«21st CENTURY WITHOUT GENOCIDES»
A1+
23-02-2005
Today the program of the events dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide was established. A session of the National Committee
of the Events to the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide took
place in the Government presided over by PM Andranik Margaryan, head of
the Committee.
The program will start in April with an international conference with
the motto `21st century without Genocides’ devoted to the Armenian
Genocide and the defense of human rights. Events are foreseen in
Artsakh, communities of the Armenian Diaspora and in several countries
officially recognized the Armenian Genocide.
The list of the books to be published in connection with the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide has also been established. A
working group has been formed regulating the preaching works in order to
organize the preaching in reference to the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide,

NKR PARLIAMENT ADOPTS LAW ON OMBUDSMAN
STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 18. ARMINFO. Parliament of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic adopted in the second and final reading the law “on
ombudsman”. In accordance with the requirements of the law, the
ombudsman will be appointed 2 months after the document’s coming
into force.
ARMINFO’s own correspondent in Stepanakert informs, the ombudsman
will be independent from all the branches of power. Chairman of
permanent commission of NKR National Assembly for foreign relations
Vahram Atanesian is the author of this legislative initiative. He
considers the adoption of the law on ombudsman a very important step.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Asia Pulse
PacNews
February 16, 2005
THERE IS HOPE AND HEALING IN THE FACE OF ALL WANT AND INJURY
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND 16 FEBRUARY 2005 SAIPAN (Pacnews) – “Ask the
questions that have no answers. Invest in the millennium. Plant
sequoias. Say that your main crop is the forest that you did not
plant it and will not live to harvest. Practice resurrection.” This
is a religious poem that would seek to foster some sort of renewed
faith for people who call themselves Christians. It is also one of
many simple and spiritually stirring phrases and expressions of faith
that don the walls of employees of the World Council of Churches
(WCC) in Geneva, Switzerland.
And everyone talks to PACNEWS about a growing anxiety and uncertainty
marking the dawn of the 21st Century in the world today and how the
Church has had a renewed concern and awareness towards healing as a
major component of its fundamental theological, missiological,
ethical and pastoral duty to humanity.
It’s snowing in Europe, providing a white fleecy blanket over living
and non-living things. It grey and cold and the trees are bare.
Sunshine comes in little rays once in a while. Everyone freezes over
and as one speaks, vapour shoots out of the mouth. There are endless
cups of coffee to keep warm.
At the WCC Geneva headquarters, however, the corridors are abuzz with
fellowship as the annual Central Committee Meeting, a gathering of
150 church leaders from all over the world, commences with a
conviction that the Church in the world today must rediscover its
ministry of healing.
The Central Committee serves as the WCC’s chief governing body
between its assemblies. Meeting every 12 to 18 months, it is
responsible for carrying out policies adopted by the assembly,
reviewing and supervising WCC programmes and adopting the Council’s
budget. The overall theme of this meeting is healing and
reconciliation. It will discuss a range of key ecumenical and public
issues of much concern to the Church today. Opening the meeting at
the WCC Ecumenical Centre on Tuesday morning (local time), Meeting
Moderator, His Holyness Aram I, of the Catholicos of Cilicia,
Armenia, said church leaders all over the world today must discuss
healing as the “transforming, empowering and reconciling missionary
action of the Church”.
“The world in which we live in is broken, a world dominated by evil
forces that are generating a culture of violence and hopelessness,”
he said. “The signs of the times are clear, the HIV/AIDS pandemic,
the genocide in Sudan, the Tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia – to
give a few examples”.
“Conflict, poverty and injustice have deepened the anguish and
despair of many societies. The world is in desperate need of healing
in almost all spheres of human life,” Aram I said.
And using the painful experience of Armenians, Aram I called on the
Church world wide to rediscover healing as a comprehensive ministry
that “transforms, empowers and reconciles”, saying that God’s mission
calls for a healing church in the midst of a broken, fragmented and
alienated world”.
Ninety years ago, the Ottoman Empire killed Armenians within its
borders. Systematic genocide took up to a million and a half Armenian
lives. By 1923, almost the whole Armenian population of Anatolian
Turkey had disappeared. This year’s meeting sees the Pacific
represented fully in a Pacific plenary on critical emerging issues in
the Pacific Islands today.
At the WCC, the Pacific is represented by at least 17 major church
organisations from all over the region, including Cook Islands. The
Pacific delegation, at this level of consultation at the Central
Committee Meeting, will highlight the work of Pacific churches on
critical issues such as the nuclear compensation for those seriously
affected by the bombings on Northern Pacific territories in the
1940s, climate change and its serious implications on the region’s
smaller atolls, HIV/AIDS, globalisation and trade, women and children
and Pacific concerns in general.
“When the Church speaks in the Pacific, basically everyone listens,”
says Feiloakitau Tevi, executive secretary of the Fiji-based WCC
Pacific Office. “These critical issues are being addressed by the
Church in our region and the Church, with all its widely experienced
leaders throughout the region, is in some ways, drawing us together
as never before to highlight human commonality.” “It is a calling to
everyone involved in trying to control some of the world’s more
keenly fought issues and ills that we all work towards a common goal
– to work together and bringing our faith together for the good of
all.” Speaking at the opening later, Rev. Sam Kobia, WCC general
secretary, called on Christians to be authentic in their spirituality
because it connects them to humanity.
He called on church leaders to address young people’s issues fully,
saying he has heard “over and over again” questions by young people
on morality and spirituality.
Rev Kobia, of the Methodist Church of Kenya, said Christians ought to
have a basic desire to relate and share with one another who they are
as human beings because this would prove sense for Christianity.
“If post-modernity is threatening to rob us of our capacity to be
human, then how can we even claim to be Christians?” he asked. Both
leaders expressed a hope that the Church would maintain its work in
reaching a common understanding of what it means to be human, and
from there move towards consensus on ethical issues.
The WCC’s Mission and Evangelism Programme, one of five main themes
of the organisation, is one great example of the work of the Church
today, and prepares church leaders from throughout the world for a
major “reconciliation and healing conference in Greece in May 2005.
Preparations for the conference include a study of what constitutes
an ecumenical healing and reconciling ministry today, helping
churches to reflect on the way they do evangelism, networks with
evangelicals, Pentecostals and others involved in the evangelistic
aspect of mission, helping poor and marginalised communities to
reflect on reconciling mission and share their insights with churches
and also enabling churches to address the challenge of HIV/AIDS as
part of holistic approach to health and healing.
The Central Committee Meeting ends on Friday.
The WCC is a fellowship and community of churches that brings
together more than 340 churches, denominations and church fellowships
in over 100 countries and territories throughout the world,
representing some 400 million Christians and including most of the
world’s Orthodox churches, scores of denominations from historic
traditions of the Protestant Reformation as Anglican, Baptist,
Lutheran, Methodist and Reformed, as well as many united and
independent churches.
While most of the WCC’s founding churches were European and North
American, most are today in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin
America, the Middle East and the Pacific. (ENDS) (THROUGH ASIA PULSE)

AzerTag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Feb 15 2005
SESSION OF COMMITTEES OF MANAGEMENT OF SCAD PROGRAM HELD
[February 15, 2005, 13:46:30]
On February 10-12, in Tbilisi, with participation of official
representatives of the government of the countries of Southern
Caucasus, management of the Commission on assistance of the European
Union and UNDP representations in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, was
held the session of Committees of political and technical management
of the Program of the regional assistance “South Caucasus Anti-Drug”
(SCAD) Program. The program is financed by the European Union.
The deputy interior minister Zahid Dunyamaliyev, the vice-president of
the State Customs Committee Rafael Mirzoyev, the national coordinator
of SCAD Program Mazahir Efendiyev and other officials represented
the Azerbaijan Republic.
At the session, was analyzed the work done in each three republics
on IV SCAD project in 2004, also discussed plans for 2005.
The head of delegation of Azerbaijan, the deputy interior minister
Zahid Dunyamaliyev spoke of questions of methods of combat
against illegal circulation of drugs, the organized crime and
international terrorism, money laundering, has expressed gratitude
to the international organizations, the SCAD Program for the help in
carrying out reforms by the government of Azerbaijan in this field.

AZERI MF CONSIDERS BAKU CAN RETURN “SEIZED TERRITORIES” THIS YEAR
PanArmenian News
Feb 10 2005
10.02.2005 14:56
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov holds the
opinion that official Baku will have the possibility to return the
“occupied territories” this year. “However, favorable attitude of the
other conflicting party is necessary for it”, he said