Author: Karagyozian Lena

Le Figaro
02 août 2004
La Turquie frappe à la porte de l’Europe;
FRANCE 5 Un état des lieux sur un pays en profonde mutation
Isabelle COURTY
Cet été, France 5 a inauguré des « semaines thématiques ». Après une
série de documentaires consacrés à la mer et précédant la semaine des
gourmets, la chaîne s’intéresse à la géopolitique. Une thématique
bien sérieuse pour une programmation estivale, mais qui devrait
intéresser les téléspectateurs. Présentés par Yves Calvi, les cinq
films de la collection « Voyage en classe tout risque » dressent un
état des lieux passionnant des pays enclins à de profondes mutations
ou confrontés à des crises majeures. Quatre réalisateurs mènent
l’enquête en Turquie, Indonésie, Iran, Pakistan et Arabie saoudite,
radioscopant ces symboles d’un nouvel ordre mondial.
Premier volet, au coeur du débat sur l’Europe : la Turquie. « Cheval
de Troie d’un islam de reconquête » pour certains, « pont entre
l’Europe et l’Asie » pour d’autres, le pays semble pris dans les rets
de ses contradictions. Pour mieux comprendre la situation, le
réalisateur de ce documentaire (dont le titre, « La Turquie, future
frontière de l’Europe », évoque déjà un parti pris) a choisi de
prendre le pouls de cette société complexe, filmant les frontières,
sensibles, du pays. Un voyage original, qui nous conduit aux confins
de l’Irak, de l’Iran, de la Syrie, de l’Arménie et de la Grèce. «
Depuis que l’on parle de l’Union européenne, tout est plus normal
ici, on a moins de pression », affirme un Kurde qui évoquait quelques
secondes auparavant les violences des perquisitions et des
persécutions subies par son peuple.
Visiblement la Turquie abandonne toute forme de répression et
s’affaire, en bon élève, à régler ses conflits. En témoignent aussi
ces familles syriennes et turques qui, séparées depuis des années,
peuvent, aujourd’hui enfin, se retrouver : « L’Etat restitue un droit
qu’on avait perdu depuis quarante ans… » Mais ces efforts
suffiront-ils à convaincre l’Union européenne ? Si l’héritière du
charismatique Atatürk, qui a entrepris de construire son pays sur le
modèle jacobin de la Révolution française, est résolument tournée
vers l’Europe depuis un siècle, des zones d’ombre noircissent encore
le tableau. Que dire en effet du gouvernement actuel à la fois
islamiste, modéré et libéral ? Des délicats débats autour du port du
voile et de l’immigration clandestine vers la Grèce ? Une à une, le
réalisateur soulève les failles et les contradictions de ce pays mais
révèle avant tout l’indéfectible volonté d’une population d’ouvrir la
porte de l’Union européenne.
« LA TURQUIE, NOUVELLE FRONTIÈRE DE L’EUROPE », France 5, 15 h 45

Armenia’s intervention in South Ossetia crisis to damage national interests
Hayots Ashkharh, Yerevan
30 Jul 04
Text of Vardan Grigoryan’s report by Armenian newspaper Hayots Ashkharh
on 30 July headlined “Games of strangers, our interests are different”
In the whole post-Soviet area, beginning from the Dniestr Republic to
Nagornyy Karabakh, political, economic and even military pressure on
unrecognized republics is growing day by day. In such conditions, some
people are trying again to deepen cooperation between South Ossetia,
Abkhazia, the Dniestr Republic and Nagornyy Karabakh, which started in
the 1990s, and even to lend it a military angle.
This could explain the recent statement by the leader of South
Ossetia, Eduard Kokoiti, who said that the aforesaid four republics
have made an arrangement to assist each other, including in the
military sphere. Undoubtedly, one can understand the aspiration of the
South Ossetian leader, in conditions of growing pressure from Georgia,
to increase by as many as possible the number of countries and peoples
that would be ready to support South Ossetia. Today it may be
absolutely realistic that for instance, the peoples of the
northwestern Caucasus and Abkhazia might support South Ossetia if the
settlement to the conflict turns into a military confrontation again.
But we think that it is not so serious to speak about Nagornyy
Karabakh’s possible intervention in the Georgian-Ossetian
conflict. The time of international brigades passed a long time
ago. The time has also passed when it was possible to use the forces
of foreign communities living in unrecognized post-Soviet countries
for their own purpose. In this sense, the recent statement of Georgian
Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili in Yerevan that in some way, the
settlement to the Abkhaz issue is connected with Armenia as well
should be taken into account and at the same time, regarded as
unacceptable. Undoubtedly, Armenia has some influence on its
compatriots living in Abkhazia, but it cannot use them as a tool for
turning the situation to Georgia’s advantage in the Georgia-Abkhazia
conflict. This is as dangerous as Nagornyy Karabakh’s intervention in
the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. And the point is not about promoting
or damaging Armenian-Georgian relations. The point is that today the
interests of unrecognized republics are becoming an integral part of
the general interests of the main nation that lives there. That is to
say, the interests of Nagornyy Karabakh are closely connected with the
Armenian nation, as integration into Armenia meets national
interests. Finally, in the modern world, the state which represents a
certain nation in the world expresses its national interests. So,
irrespective of whether the Armenian nation presents its interests to
the world community by means of one or two states, it is no longer
possible to separate them from each other. And today the national
interests of Armenia, i.e. of Nagornyy Karabakh require not support
for any party in the Georgian-Ossetian or Georgian-Abkhaz conflicts,
but the promotion of their peaceful settlement as soon as
possible. This could explain the recent efforts of the Armenian party
directed at bringing together the positions of Georgia and Russia on
lifting the blockade of the railway via Abkhazia and on ensuring the
return of Georgian refugees. Such a position is the only expedient
solution that stems from the current situation, irrespective of the
extent to which such a mission softens disagreements between the two
countries and prevents a possible clash between Tbilisi and Sukhumi.
As for Nagornyy Karabakh’s participation in the bloc of unrecognized
republics, Armenia’s direct or indirect (with the help of the Abkhaz
Armenians) intervention in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict is
tantamount to destroying our national interests or even to
disregarding them.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERI POLITOLOGISTS AGAINST CONCESSIONS BY AZERBAIJAN IN KARABAKH PROBLEM
YEREVAN, JULY 28. ARMINFO. The Azeri public and government will reject
any appeals by OSCE Minsk Group for concessions on the part of
Azerbaijan, says the representative of the New Azerbaijan party Aydyn
Mirzazade.
Commenting on the statement by the OSCE MG US co-chair that Azerbaijan
and Armenia should be ready to concessions Mirzazade says that Mann
knows the region better than the other two co-chairs and one should
not neglect a statement by such a man. However Mirzazade excludes the
possibility of territorial concessions on Azerbaijan’s part “otherwise
the world will witness the beginning of a negative tradition.” So
Mann’s statements should not be addressed to Azerbaijan but to
Armenia. It turns out that for MG the rights of 50,000 Armenians of
Karabakh are superior to those of 8 mln Azeris, says Mirzazade.
Politologist Eldar Namazov says that one should clarify the compromise
issue once and for all. He says that MG, international organizations
and Armenia resort to political speculations in the issue. Azerbaijan
has already offered the Karabakh Armenians a high autonomy status and
there can be no bigger compromise.
The director of the Center of Political Innovations and Technologies
Mubariz Ajgmedoglu says that Azerbaijan has already exhausted the
limit of concessions and any further ones would go against the
international law. The OSCE mediation is near total failure – there
are two ways out: mutual concessions and common positions which will
give MG the moral right to continue its mediatiion – or on the eve of
the OSCE Summit MG should raise the issue for enhancing its status and
enlarging its powers.

Tehran Times, Iran
July 29 2004
1st Russian Rail Consignment Leaves Caspian Port For Iran
MOSCOW (IRNA) – In an official ceremony attended by the Russian Prime
Minister Mikhail Fradkov, the first consignment of goods transported
by railway left the Russian coast of Caspian Sea on Wednesday for
Iran within the framework of the North-South International Transport
Corridor.
The ceremony was attended by a number of Russian officials including
managing director of the Russian Railways, Genaddy Fadyev, his
Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Sa’id Nejad, ambassadors of several
countries to Russia and Iran’s charges d’affaires in Moscow.
Meanwhile, the new railway line connecting Yandyki station to Olya
port was inaugurated. Speaking at the ceremony, Fadyev underlined the
significance of making Yandyki-Olya railway line operational and
said, “Given the remarkable reduction in the expenses and time of
shipment of goods, more consignments will be shipped via North-South
Corridor in future.”
Turning to the low cost of shipping goods between Asia and Europe via
this corridor, he noted that transit of commodities via Iran will be
the most cost-effective, given that the route links Asia to Russia
and Europe, in particular northern Europe.
The 49-km railway line between Olya port on the Caspian coast and
Yandyki railway station connects the port city to the country’s
railway network.
The project cost three billion roubles, equivalent to 103.44 million
dollars. The related fund was included in Russia’s transportation
budget.
The North-South Corridor is chaired on a rotation basis by one of its
three founders: Iran, Russia and India. Iran chairs the corridor in
2004.
Seven countries including Iran, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Belarus,
Tajikistan and Oman have access to the corridor according to the
agreement.
Meanwhile, applications of Ukraine, Syria, Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Bulgaria for membership in the treaty are currently being examined.
Turkey also recently applied for membership in the North-South
corridor.
Development of this international corridor will facilitate shipment
of goods between Asian and European states via the shortest route and
at lower cost compared to the Suez Canal.
The Qazvin-Astara railway project, which was proposed by Fadyev to
his Iranian counterpart during his visit to Tehran in early spring,
is one of the projects targeting the development of North-South
Corridor.
Putting the cost of the project, which is to be financed by Russia,
at 177 million dollars, he noted that Russian engineers are now
working it out. He added that a tripartite Russian, Iranian and Azeri
consortium is now being established to implement the project.
At the end of a two-day meeting in Moscow on May 21, the heads of
railway companies from Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan signed a
tripartite memorandum of understanding (MOU) on expansion of railway
cooperation.
According to the MoU, they reached agreement on forming an
international railway consortium for implementing the project on the
railway due to link Qazvin to Astara via Rasht.

Interfax
July 23 2004
Armenia’s GDP expands 9.1% in H1
Yerevan. (Interfax) – Armenia’s gross domestic product expanded 9.1%
to 500.036 billion dram year-on-year in the first half of 2004, the
National Statistics Service told Interfax.
Industrial output reached 242.768 billion dram, up 4.5% year-on-
year.
Armenia’s trade turnover for the six months was up 4.9% to over 539
billion dram ($965 million). Exports came to 190.8 billion dram ($340
million) and imports to 348.5 billion dram ($625.1 million), for a
trade deficit of 157.7 billion dram ($285.1 million).
The country’s trade turnover increased 30.5% in 2003 to $1.948
billion. Exports increased 34.2% to $678.1 million and imports 28.6%
to $1.269 billion, for a trade deficit of $591.3 million ($535.4
million in 2002).
The official exchange rate for July 22: 515.99 dram/$1.

2,799 FLATS SOLD IN ARMENIA’s REGIONS IN FIRST HALF OF 2004
YEREVAN, JULY 23. ARMINFO. A total of 2,799 flats were sold in
Armenia’s regions in the first half of 2004, a 35.5% increase as
against the first half of 2003, and a 2.3% increase as against the
second half of 2003, the RA State Registry of Immovable Property
reported.
A 7.4% increase in prices for housing was recorded in Armenia’s
regional centers during the period under review. In the first half of
2004, the average price of 1sq. meter in Ashtarak was 63.2 USD, in
Artashat 55.5%, in Echmiadzin 86 USD, in Gavar 31.9%, in Vanadzor
62.2%, in Abovyan 86.2%, in Hrazdan 33.8 USD, in Tsakhkadzor 76.6%, in
Yeghvard 42.7 USD, in Nor Achn 55.9 USD, in Gyumri 72.2 USD, in Goris
32 USD, in Vaik 35 USD, in Jermuk 41 USD, in Ijevan 42.3 USD,
in Dilijan 36.7 USD.
A total of 2,362 purchase-and-sale deals with private houses were
recorded in the first half of 2004, a 66.3% increase as against the
corresponding period of last year. The average price of 1sq. meter of
housing in private houses increased by 31.9% from the first half of
2003 to the first half of 2004. In the first half of 2004, the average
price of 1sq. meter of housing in private houses ion Ashtarak was 83.5
USD, in Artashat 62 USD, in Echmiadzin 90 USD, in Gavar 39.9 USD, in
Vanadzor 69.4 USD, in Abovyan 92.9 USD, in Hrazdan 40.4 USD, in
Tsakhkadzor 86 USD, in Yeghvard 47.5 USD, in Nor Achn 56.7 USD, in
Gyumri 91.3 USD, in Goris 33.3 USD, in Vaik 37 USD, in Jermuk 43.4
USD, in Ijevan 42.9 USD, in Dilijan 39.4 USD.
The highest rise in the number of deals was recorded in the Kotayk
region, 10.5%. In Shirak, Ararat and Lori, 10.2%, 9.7% and 8.4%
respectively. The lowest number of deals was recorded in Vaiots Dzor,
1.5%.

Interfax, Armenia
July 14 2004
Armenian PM, Federation Council speaker discuss bilateral cooperation
Moscow. (Interfax) – Armenia counts on Russia’s support for its
efforts to join the North-South international transport corridor,
said Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margarian.
“Participation in this project is very important for the Armenian
economy and for Armenia as a whole,” Margarian said following his
talks with Federation Council Speaker Sergei Mironov on Wednesday.
Margarian said that Armenia has handed over five Armenian
enterprises, including the Razdan thermal power plant, which accounts
for about 30% of Armenia’s energy production, in payment of its state
debt.
He also announced that the talks had dealt with diamond quotas
provided to Armenia by Russia.
Chairman of the Federation Council’s Economic Policies Committee,
Oganes Oganian, told journalists that under a Russian-Armenian
intergovernmental agreement, Russia has assigned a diamond quota of 4
million carats in rough diamonds to be cut at Armenian enterprises.
“This has allowed Armenia to create over 3,000 jobs and partially
solve the problem of unemployment which is very acute in Armenia,”
Oganian said.
He said the parties had discussed the question of unblocking the
railway running across Georgia, Abkhazia an Armenia. This would help
increase Armenia’s GDP by 40%.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
June 29 2004
TURKEY WANTS TO PROGRESS IN RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA, SAYS ARMENIAN
FOREIGN MINISTER
ISTANBUL, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS: The delegation headed by Armenian
foreign minister of Armenia Vartan Oskanian arrived June 28 in
Istanbul to attend NATO Summit.
Within the framework of the visit the foreign minister had
meetings with the Turkish deputy prime minister, foreign affairs
minister Abdullah Gul. During the meeting, according to Oskanian,
obstacles impeding progress in bilateral Armenian-Turkish relations
were outlined. “These obstacles are known to both sides and I think,
we will be able to focus on them and will try to eliminate them in
order to be able to register progress. I think that Turkey wants
progress but it seems that the time did not come for it yet”, said
Oskanian. In his words, because of some recently voiced comments on
Armenia’s position, he once again reaffirmed that Armenia is ready to
normalize relations with Turkey without pre-conditions, to start
trade and establish diplomatic relations. During the dialogue the
issue of Nagorno Karabagh was also discussed. “I informed Mr. Gul
about the results of my meeting in Prague with Azerbaijan’s Elmar
Mamedyarov “, said Oskanian.
The meeting between Armenian, Azeri and Turkish foreign ministers,
initiated by Turkish side, was also held. Speaking to the reporters
after the meeting, the parties expressed satisfaction with it. Mr.
Gul particularly said that the South Caucasus was recently involved
in EU’s “Wider Europe” program and must develop a corresponding
policy, promote economic development and cooperation. The three
ministers also discussed economic, political and other issues.
The foreign minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mamedyarov said that it
was decided to continue the meetings in such format. “Everything must
be done to establish security, peace and stability in the region”, he
said.
Oskanian also assessed the meeting as constructive and useful,
saying that this was the first trilateral meeting with the
participation of Azeri foreign minister Elmar Mamedyarov. He said
that there was no agenda prepared in advance for this meeting. He
said that the conversation went on in the context of international
and regional developments. “The issue is to form a new concept for
the region in accordance with the recent developments, which are NATO
enlargement and new strategic approach to the countries of Caucasus
and Central Asia. The other is the EU enlargement”, said Oskanian.
During the trilateral meeting the sides also touched upon the
issue of Nagorno Karabagh. The sides did not go into details as, in
Oskanian’s words, Turkey is not a mediator. “This was a meeting
between the three equal sides which have interests and benefits in
the region”, he concluded.

The Business Times Singapore
June 21, 2004 Monday
Clinton’s memoirs creating a media stir;
First print run of 1.5 million copies has sold out in advance
by Christopher Reed In Los Angeles
THE perpetually tardy Bill Clinton is finally publishing his
long-awaited memoirs, My Life, on Tuesday. And although the book is
a year late, it has given rise to much publicity and expectation.
The 957-page, US $35 book is already a best-seller. The first print
run of 1.5 million copies has sold out in advance.
But memoirs of US presidents aren’t known as entertaining reads and it
will be a challenge for publisher Alfred Knopf, part of the Bertelsman
empire, to turn a profit after paying Mr Clinton a reported US$12
million advance.
The only real US presidential best-seller was Ulysses Grant’s
Memoirs, which was published in 1885 and focused on his Civil War
exploits. Presidents Jefferson, Madison and the two Adams (John and
John Quincy) didn’t write any memoirs because in those days it was
considered bad taste to revel in one’s achievements.
Herbert Hoover’s three-volume effort was the dullest, containing such
arcana as statistics on exports to Armenia and totals of US dried
fruit production.
Richard Nixon’s was an unexpected flop, and the wives of Gerald Ford
and Ronald Reagan outdid their husbands’ autobiographies with their
own books.
But Mr Clinton has already out-done his wife Hillary, whose memoirs
were published last year. His advance was US$4 million more than hers,
and her first print run was only one million, although her book has
sold a formidable two million copies so far.
Mr Clinton’s publicity campaign began earlier this month at a book
expo in Chicago, when the queue to hear him speak stretched for
several city blocks.
In publication week, he will appear on every top TV interview show,
and all CBS radio stations will carry an hour-long broadcast of
questions he takes from the public.
Knopf publicity chief Paul Bogaards says: ‘Excitement has been coming
from the four corners of the earth.’
Editor-in-chief Sonny Mehta has said the book will be ‘revelatory’.
And that has caused a stir because most people chiefly want to know
what the former president says about his Oval Office goings-on with
White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
In her book, Mrs Clinton gave a breathless account of how she learned
of her husband’s infidelity – but said she would leave it to him to
fully explain.
So will he now level with the people who twice voted him into office?
Since his White House departure in January 2001, he has shown no
inclination to ‘tell all’. He has said he knows presidential memoirs
are ‘often dull and self-serving’, but has promised his will be
‘interesting and self-serving’. A witticism, or a hint of what is
to come?
Dan Rather, the CBS veteran news personality who is interviewing
Mr Clinton next week, has read the book. Mr Rather told a New York
newspaper: ‘He didn’t totally, absolutely, come clean but he made
an effort.’
Meanwhile, fellow Democrats worry that the flood of publicity will
drown out presidential candidate John Kerry’s muted attempts to gain
public attention. But President George W Bush faces the same threat
as he attempts to prop up his troubled presidency.
Even if Mr Clinton’s book does disappoint, the former president will
soon be off on his next adventure – opening his US$175 million
presidential library in Arkansas a fortnight after the Nov 2
presidential election.
The Republicans are beginning to realise that Mr Clinton is never
going to go away.

ARMENIA THIS WEEK
Friday, June 18, 2004
GREATER NATO ROLE SEEN IN CAUCASUS
The United States expects to see greater Caucasus involvement by the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as a result of the upcoming NATO Summit
in Turkey, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Ordway said this Thursday.
According to Ordway, as part of its stepped up role, the alliance and its
individual members are set to cooperate more closely with the Caucasus
states on issues such as peacekeeping operations and military reform.
Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in
Washington earlier this week, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian noted that
Armenia’s cooperation with NATO “is increasing and deepening every day,
every month.” Oskanian said that Armenia’s ties with NATO are now on par
with those of Georgia and Azerbaijan and that they should continue to
develop “in tandem” so as to avoid creation of Cold War-like dividing lines
in the region. Oskanian also noted that Armenia’s security cooperation with
Russia did not preclude his country from developing complementary security
relationships in the West.
NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Affairs Jean Fournet similarly
told the Azeri press this week that he saw no differences in NATO’s
partnership with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. “Each of these states have
some links with Russia that could cause potential difficulties,” Fournet
said. “However, it is also a fact that we have close relations with
[Armenia]… and good, developing relations with Russia.”
The NATO official further cautioned against exaggerated optimism for
alliance membership. “Our doors are open. But joining NATO is a long
process… requiring significant reforms,” he said. In addition, “the South
Caucasus has a reputation of a problematic region with unsettled
conflicts… While NATO does not intend to become involved in conflict
resolution, the alliance can provide post-settlement aid.” (Sources:
6-14; 525ci Gazet 6-17; Arminfo 6-17)
U.S. REPORT ADDRESSES TRAFFICKING ISSUES IN ARMENIA, REGION
While Armenia and its neighbors do not fully comply with U.S.’ minimum
standards on fighting trafficking in persons, their governments “are making
significant efforts to do so,” says the U.S. State Department report
released this week. The annual report ranks countries on a three-tier system
from full compliance (Tier 1) to no efforts to comply (Tier 3). The State
Department established a special office on trafficking based on the 2001
Trafficking Victims Protection Act, championed by Congressmen Chris Smith
(R-NJ) and Sam Gejdenson (D-CT). The Act mandates U.S. aid sanctions to
countries repeatedly placed in the Tier 3 category.
Armenia, along with Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia and Turkey, are listed in
Tier 2. But Armenia, unlike these states, is not included in the Tier 2
Watch List and appears to have a comparatively less serious trafficking
problem. Of all Eastern European and former Soviet states, only the Czech
Republic, Lithuania and Macedonia are ranked in Tier 1.
As Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian told the Washington Times this
week, there have been some unintended benefits for Armenia due to blockades
by Azerbaijan and Turkey. While causing economic difficulties and inflating
transportation costs, the blockades also kept Armenia off the major routes
for organized crime groups involved in trafficking in persons and narcotics.
As another State Department report issued last March suggested, drug
trafficking is a significantly smaller problem in Armenia than in its
neighboring states, but could potentially exacerbate should borders with
Turkey and Azerbaijan open.
According to earlier reports by the Observatoire Geopolitique des Drogues
(OGD), a Paris-based monitoring group, past and present government officials
in Turkey and Azerbaijan have had long-standing links to Europe-bound opium
and heroine trade from Afghanistan and Pakistan. This month Indian press
claimed that Azerbaijan might even be willing to host Dawood Ibrahim, one of
the top Indian crime bosses living in Pakistan and under U.S. pressure to
leave. Last October, the U.S. Department of Treasury designated Ibrahim, a
major narcotics dealer, a “terrorist supporter” for his reported funding of
Islamic radicals such as al Qaida. (Sources: OGD Annual Report Oct. 98;
Armenia This Week 6-20-03, 3-5; The Telegraph of India 6-4; U.S. State
Department Trafficking in Persons Report 6-14; Washington Times 6-17)
AZERBAIJAN SEEKS ‘ISLAMIC SOLIDARITY’ SUPPORT ON KARABAKH
A ministerial meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
held this week in Turkey made another blanket endorsement of the Azerbaijani
position in the Karabakh conflict. OIC is the world’s only major
intergovernmental organization that has for years succumbed to Azerbaijani
lobbying on the issue. OIC countries, led particularly by Turkey and
Pakistan, also have endorsed similar Azeri efforts at the UN. Both Turkey
and Pakistan have provided military support to Azerbaijan.
The Azeri officials have succeeded in including its ostensibly non-religious
conflict with Armenia and NKR into the “Islamic agenda” at the OIC’s Summit
in Malaysia last October. In return for support against the purported
“Armenian aggression,” Azeri leaders have endorsed such “Islamic causes” as
Turkish-occupied Cyprus and Pakistani-occupied Kashmir. Earlier this year,
Azerbaijan’s religious leader Allahshukur Pashazade also condemned the
Israeli assassination of the leader of the Hamas terrorist organization.
Starting in the early 1990s, the Azeri government forged ties with Islamic
radicals from throughout the Middle East, including some 2,000 recruits from
Afghanistan, to fight against Armenians in Karabakh. Following the war, many
of them stayed in Azerbaijan forming a basis for creation of local al Qaida
cells. By late 1990s, according to a U.S. indictment, al Qaida operatives
were sufficiently entrenched in Azerbaijan to coordinate terrorist bombings
against U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. While in recent years, Azeri
security agencies have cracked down on groups tied to al Qaida, their
elements are believed to have remained in the country. (Sources: R&I Issue
Brief “Azerbaijan and Islamic Terrorism” 9-10-01; Dawn (Pakistan) 1-14-02;
NG.ru 10-17-03; Azertaj 10-21-03; Zerkalo 3-23; Arminfo 12-23-02, 3-24;
Anadolu 6-16)
ARMENIA’S POLITICAL SEASON CONCLUDES
The Armenian opposition leaders wrapped up for the summer their efforts to
oust President Robert Kocharian after holding last Wednesday their smallest
yet public demonstration in Yerevan. Unlike past opposition protests, the
city government sanctioned this week’s rally. Also, by last week,
law-enforcement agencies dropped charges against most of about fifteen
opposition activists prosecuted for their alleged efforts to overthrow the
government through popular protests. The protests have been diminishing in
size and regularity since April.
Last year’s presidential candidates Stepan Demirchian and Artashes Geghamian
and former Prime Minister Aram Sargsian, who led the protests, promised to
“regroup” and to continue their efforts later this year. They gave no
indication they would return to talks with the three-party coalition
government, which broke down last month. The talks began following the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) resolution calling on
both the government and opposition to make compromises and begin dialogue.
The PACE Rapporteur for Armenia Jerzy Jaskiernia (Poland) noted last week
that the government has implemented some of the PACE recommendations and
urged it to continue reforms.
Last month, Armenia’s coalition government offered the opposition minority
in parliament veto rights over election legislation, constitutional reform
and anti-corruption efforts. Speaking at the Center for Strategic and
International Studies (CSIS) in Washington last Monday, Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian said that the coalition’s offer remains on the table.
Oskanian further expressed hope that the opposition will take up this offer
in the next several months and that “eventually [the opposition leaders]
will realize that they need to be engaged for the sake of the country.”
(Sources: Armenia This Week 3-12; 4-9, 23, 30; 5-14; Eurasia.net 6-9;
6-14; RFE/RL Armenia Report 6-14, 16; Regnum.ru 6-16)
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Armenia to help in Iraq reconstruction
Published 6/18/2004 3:35 PM
WASHINGTON, June 18 (UPI) — Armenia is the latest country to join President
Bush’s “Coalition of the Willing,” in rebuilding Iraq.
In an interview with UPI earlier this week, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanian said his country would contribute, albeit in “a very symbolic” way.
“We are ready to become engaged in rebuilding Iraq, but our resources are
very modest, so it’s going to be a very modest contribution, nevertheless,
the willingness is there.”
Armenia, Oskanian said, will be contributing doctors, medical personnel and
experts to help clear mines, as well as trucks, drivers and technicians. The
force amounts to about 100 people.
The minister said he believes all neighboring countries in the region should
contribute to the normalization of Iraq. Iraq’s Armenian community is
comprised of roughly 25,000 people.
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