Author: Maghakian Mike

NUMBER OF TOURISTS VISITING KARABAKH INCREASED BY 31 PERCENT
Azg/arm
10 Dec 04
The number of tourists visiting Nagorno Karabakh increased by 31
percent compared with last year’s figures, Mediamax news agency quoted
YuriZakharian, official at the Foreign Ministry of Nagorno Karabakh,
as saying. Zakharian also added that this tendency was observed during
the last 4 years.
Nagorno Karabakh hosted representatives of 70 countries of the world,
mainly citizens of Russian, America, France, Canada, Germany,
Australia, Great Britain, Syria, Israel and Japan. 70 percent of the
visitors were tourists.
Yuri Zakharian noted that the number of business visits to the region
has also increased. He thinks that Karabakh’s attractiveness for
investments is the reason for this. Newly built roads and hotels also
explain the growth in tourists’ flow to the region. There are at
present 15 hotels in therepublic belonging not only to Armenians but
foreign citizens as well.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
12/09/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Dutch Ambassador, ANC Meet on Turkey EU Talks 2) Sargsian Outlines Conditions for Karabagh Conflict Resolution 3) Azerbaijan Cuts off Rail Traffic Fearing Goods Going to Armenia 4) EBRD Purchases 25 Percent Stock in Armenian Bank 5) Cyprus Warns Veto of Turkey's EU Talks 6) Javakhk Conference Pushes for Integration over Amalgamation 7) Armenian Theater Group Lands Iran Officials in Court 8) BRIEFS 1) Dutch Ambassador, ANC Meet on Turkey EU Talks LEBANON (Aztagdaily.com)--A delegation from Lebanon's Armenian National Committee (ANC) met with the Dutch ambassador to Lebanon G.J. van Epen on Wednesday to protest the December 17 summit that will decide whether to launch European Union entry talks with Ankara. The Dutch currently hold the six-month EU presidency. The delegation expressed concern about Turkey's entry into the Union, and presented a letter to the ambassador, intended for the foreign ministry of his country. In the letter, the ANC outlined issues that clearly reveal Turkey's inability to adhere to European norms and standards. The meeting took place at the Royal Netherlands Embassy of Lebanon. 2) Sargsian Outlines Conditions for Karabagh Conflict Resolution YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)--Armenian's Defense Minister Serge Sargsian, who also serves as the country's National Security Council Secretary, said that recently emerging fears that a Karabagh resolution would not favor the Armenia side are "completely unfounded." In an interview with the Aravot newspaper, he noted that a resolution to the conflict must guarantee not only the security of the population of Mountainous Karabagh Republic (MKR), but also ensure that MKR would not subordinate to Azerbaijan, and would no longer be qualified as an enclave. "There is a struggle, and the struggle continues. No one has declared that the conflict is over," Sargsian said in stressing that the international community is actively pursuing a resolution. Commenting on recent speculation that Armenia wants to convey its war-readiness, via photos of its president taken in the trenches of Karabagh, the defense minister said, "neither the republic's president nor I, to put it plainly, are new to trenches, and we do not visit these positions just once a year." He explained that President Kocharian wanted to personally witness the great progress that has taken place in Karabagh in 2004. 3) Azerbaijan Cuts off Rail Traffic Fearing Goods Going to Armenia (AFP)--Azerbaijan shut down its cargo rail traffic to other Caucasus republics Thursday because it feared that some of the goods were being delivered to Armenia, officials said. Azerbaijan's rail ministry said the traffic was cut off to neighboring Georgia, whose rail line leads to Armenia, because "we have received information that part of the cargo sent to Azerbaijan from Russia is meant for Armenia," Moscow's regional ally. The Azeri rail ministry told AFP that 1,500 rail cars holding oil and grain were intercepted at the Azeri-Georgian border. The rail ministry official said that Moscow and Baku had signed a 1998 agreement that goods from Russia headed for Armenia could not be transferred by Azerbaijan. "That is why we have every right to do this," rail ministry spokesman Nazyr Azmamedov said. 4) EBRD Purchases 25 Percent Stock in Armenian Bank Yerevan (Armenpress)--One of Armenia's leading commercial banks, Armeconombank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) sealed an agreement in Yerevan on December 8 whereby the European bank purchased 25 percent of the Armenian bank's stock. Speaking after the signing ceremony, a senior EBRD executive said they will pay Armeconombank $1 million and grant it $500,000 in "technical assistance." An EBRD finance director, Maria-Luisa Cicogniani, told a news conference that the agreement was in line with EBRD's plans to expand investments in the private sector of former Soviet republics. "This is our first investment in Armenia's banking sector, and if further opportunities arise we will certainly consider them," Cicogniani said. EBRD had made similar investments in one bank in Azerbaijan and two banks in Georgia which conform to Western-style management and transparency. "We are a long-term investor in the bank, and our investments are usually five-year-long and more," she said. Armeconombank, in which the majority of stock belongs to Khachatur Sukiasian, a business tycoon and parliament member, is one of few Armenian banks structured as a public joint-stock company, with 2,000 small shareholders receiving dividends. The head of EBRD Yerevan office, Nikolay Hajinsky said the EBRD will soon buy minority stakes in several Armenian manufacturing companies, but he did not name those firms. The overall EBRD investments in the Armenian economy since 1993 have covered 11 programs totaling $150. 5) Cyprus Warns Veto of Turkey's EU Talks NICOSIA (Combined Sources)--Cyprus has upped the ante in its demands for recognition from Turkey, warning its European Union partners it may otherwise veto the start of accession talks with Ankara, local newspapers reported. The warning that Nicosia may "have no other option" but to use its veto at a December 16-17 summit of EU heads of state was issued at a meeting of the EU ambassadors of the bloc's 25 member countries in Brussels on Wednesday. Cyprus's EU representative warned that Nicosia "may be pushed down a path it does not want to take" if Ankara refused to recognize it, the Cyprus Mail newspaper reported from Brussels. Other dailies carried similar reports. Turkey is resisting calls to recognize Cyprus before the summit, which will decide whether to launch EU entry talks with Ankara. Turkey recognizes only the Turkish Cypriot enclave in north Cyprus, while the rest of the world views the Greek Cypriot government in the south, which joined the EU in May, as the sole legitimate representative of the whole island. The Cypriot government has demanded full recognition before Turkey's talks start. Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974 in reaction to an Greek-inspired coup in Nicosia and has kept 35,000 troops on the divided island ever since. Many in the EU are wary of admitting Turkey, a large, relatively poor, Muslim country of 70 million people because of concerns of social and labor upheaval. In Brussels yesterday, the Dutch presidency of the EU said it was sure it could resolve the question of Ankara's refusal to recognize Cyprus before this month's summit. "We are discussing this with both Cyprus and Turkey...I am absolutely sure the presidency...will find a formula that will satisfy everyone," Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, told reporters. The Dutch presidency last week suggested a compromise under which Turkey would tacitly recognize the Greek Cypriot government by extending an existing association agreement it has with the EU. Ankara and Nicosia have so far rejected this idea 6) Javakhk Conference Pushes for Integration over Amalgamation AKHALKALAK (A-INFO)--Javakhk Armenians are due to hold their first public conference on December 11 to review the grave social and economic problems that are prevalent in the mostly Armenian-populated region of Georgia. The Council of Armenian Social Organizations, which has organized the event, revealed that additional conferences on language, culture, and local government will be held in the future. Organizers have chosen the theme "Integration But Not Amalgamation" to reflect that although they support integration, they categorically reject the policy of amalgamation advanced by Georgian authorities. 7) Armenian Theater Group Lands Iran Officials in Court (Reuters)--Iran's judiciary has arrested three cultural officials for organizing a festival containing a brief display of dancing by a male and female theater group from Armenia, the government-run Iran newspaper reported on Thursday. One hardline newspaper said the festival in the southern city of Ahvaz contained "obscene and repulsive scenes of lewdness and ethical violations in the guise of art." Physical contact between unrelated men and women in public is outlawed under Iran's strict Islamic moral code and female dancers and singers are banned from performing in front of men. Social and cultural restrictions have eased somewhat under the government of moderate cleric President Mohammad Khatami. But powerful conservatives deeply opposed to Western cultural influences have stepped up their efforts to stamp out any watering down of Islamic values in recent months. Festival organizer Alireza Ajang, head of the Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry in southern Khuzestan province, and two of his colleagues were arrested on charges of "encouraging immorality." The three were later released on $19,500 bail. Deputy Culture Minister Mohammad Haqshenas said the incident had been blown out of proportion. "The whole festival should not be questioned due to three minutes out of an Armenian group's 70-minute performance," Iran newspaper quoted him as saying. But the hard-line Kayhan newspaper, in an editorial, called for the officials to be fired. "The dancing of women in revealing gowns under the light of strong projectors, the mixed dancing of men and women, and other ugly scenes...were just some of the scandalous incidents of that day," the paper said. 8) BRIEFS Pope Expresses Concern for Iraqi Christians VATICAN CITY (CNS)--Pope John Paul II expressed concern for Christians in Iraq after the December 7 terrorist attacks on an Armenian Catholic church and the Chaldean Catholic bishop's residence in Mosul. Conveying his "spiritual closeness to the faithful, " the pope prayed for the intercession of the Virgin Mary to help "the beloved Iraqi people" experience "a time of reconciliation and peace." Pope Visits Spanish Steps to Start Christmas ROME (AP)--Waving from his white popemobile, Pope John Paul blessed shoppers and tourists at the foot of the Spanish Steps on Wednesday as he began his busy Christmas schedule with a traditional visit to the popular square in the heart of historic Rome. Riding down narrow Via Condotti, a street lined with some of Rome's swankiest shops, John Paul read a prayer in honor of the Virgin Mary. Thousands of Romans and out-of-towners took a break from gift-buying on the first official day of the city's Christmas shopping season to catch a glimpse of the Pope in the square with its towering column topped by a statue of Mary. Earlier Wednesday, the Pope said he was praying for the Iraqi people after militants bombed two churches in Mosul, the latest anti-Christian violence in the country. Armenian Mining Giant Sold for $40M YEREVAN (RFE-RL)--The government announced on Thursday the sale of Armenia's largest metallurgical complex to several private investors, including a large German company, for just $40 million. A government statement said Germany's Chronimet will take over 60 percent of shares of the Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine, which was put up for privatization last March. Fifteen percent of its stock will go to a Yerevan-based metallurgical company, while two other firms--called Armenian Molybdenum Production and Zangezur Mining--will each get 12.5 percent. The Zangezur plant and adjacent mines are located near the town of Kajaran in the southeastern Syunik region. The mountainous area has the country's largest deposits of copper and molybdenum ores, with thousands of people working there. Azeri Nationalists Unhappy with Armenian-Iranian Relations YEREVAN (Yerkir)--Iran's financial and moral support for Armenia has raised concerns in Azerbaijan, reported Armenpress. The nationalist Yeni Musavat party is planning to picket the Iranian embassy in Baku on December 10, according to the party leader, Giuduz Jalilov. Turkish Envoy says Ankara Ready to Assist Azerbaijan in Karabagh conflict YEREVAN (Yerkir)--Turkey is ready to participate more actively in settling the Karabagh conflict, newly-appointed Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan Turan Morali said at his meeting with Azeri Parliament Speaker Murtuz Aleskerov on Wednesday. Morali stressed the importance of settling the conflict both for Azerbaijan and the region, including Turkey. Armenian Patriarch Blames Turkey for Poor Relations (NTV/MSNBC)--Catholicos of all Armenians Karekin II on Wednesday said that Ankara was responsible for lack of formal diplomatic relations with Yerevan, because of Turkey's insistence on setting preliminary conditions for the normalizing of relations. The Catholicos, however, said that it was essential to resolve the question of the Karabagh conflict. He stressed that the issue of genocide was not an issue up for debate. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.

STRENGTHENING OF COOPERATION BETWEEN SUNIK AND ARDABIL OF STRATEGIC
IMPORTANCE FOR ARMENIA
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 8. ARMINFO. The strengthening of the cooperation
between the Armenian region of Sunik and the Iranian province
of Ardabil is of strategic importance for Armenia, Territorial
Administration Minister of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan said during his
today’s meeting with Ardabil Governor Meied Javad Negarande.
He said that in its relations with Iran Armenia gives priority
to the exchange and testing of Armenian and Iranian crops, seeds
and seedlings, the introduction of the Iranian technology of potato
processing, the formation of a joint office of the Armenian and Iranian
commerce and industry chambers for coordinating agricultural and other
programs. Negarande said that his visit is an opportunity for Armenian
and Iranian businessmen to establish personal contacts. He says that
this cooperation will bring its fruits in the very near future.

Pope prays for Iraqi people after bomb attacks on churches
AP Worldstream
Dec 08, 2004
Pope John Paul II said Wednesday he was praying for the Iraqi people
after militants bombed two churches in Mosul, the latest anti-Christian
violence in the country.
“I express my spiritual closeness to the faithful, shocked by the
attacks,” John Paul said, speaking from his apartment window above
St. Peter’s Square on the Roman Catholic feast of the Immaculate
Conception.
He said he was praying that Iraqis “may finally know a time of
reconciliation and peace.”
In coordinated attacks Tuesday, militants bombed an Armenian Catholic
and a Chaldean church in Mosul, injuring three people. Islamic
militants have regularly targeted Iraq’s various ethnic communities,
including the minority Christians.

THE DIFFERENCES OF TERRORISM, SEPARATISM AND EXTREMISM
A1+
07-12-2004
In the beginning of December Parliament Vice Speaker Vahan Hovanisyan
partook in 2 grand measures â~@~S the sitting of Armenia-Russia
Inter-parliamentary Commission and the activity of CIS Commission on
Political and International Cooperation. Opposition MP Aram Gaspari
Sargssyan took part in the sitting, too.
During the sitting of Commission for Defence and Security Cooperation
of CIS Inter-parliamentary Assembly a few model laws, in particular
the Law on â~@~ Anti-Terrorismâ~@~] were discussed.
Taking into account his own experience, ARF representative has
explained CIS parliamentary colleagues the differences between
terrorism, separatism and extremism. Vahan Hovanisyan has explained
that terrorism is a crime while separatism can exist exceptionally
within law and extremism is a psychological state. â~@~These
conceptions must not be put on the same lineâ~@~], he said.
Aram Gaspari Sargssyan announced during the sitting of Armenia-Russia
Inter-parliamentary Commission that Russia must clarify its stance
over Karabakh. Vahan Hovanisyan didnâ~@~Yt join the statement since
he knows the position of Russia. â~@~If we want Russia to say that it
supports Armenia in Karabakhi issue, naturally, it wonâ~@~Yt be so. One
must not expect for anything from anyone. When people are forced to
speak, they have to avoid the concrete answersâ~@~], Hovanisyan says.
Vahan Hovanisyan also spoke about the relations with NATO. He thinks
the Russians feel somewhat of jealousy to the relations between
Armenia and NATO. But our delegation caused them to be informed that
the contacts with NATO are solely of consultative character.
–Boundary_(ID_MaS2zXAk2Grj1GNlRrHs7Q)–

Turkish entry would be end of old EU
By Paul Taylor
Dawn, Pakistan
Dec 7 2004
BRUSSELS: Where does Europe end and should the European Union go
on expanding indefinitely? That is one key argument of opponents
of Turkey’s bid to win agreement next week to open European Union
membership talks.
While Turkey’s supporters see an opportunity to extend the EU’s mantle
of stability and prosperity to a dynamic Muslim democracy and Nato
ally, adversaries fear the 25-nation grouping will over-extend itself
and choke on such a giant morsel.
They see a precedent that will change the EU from a close-knit
community into an unwieldy “regional United Nations” sprawling into
central Asia and North Africa. If the EU says “yes” to Turkey, how
could it say “no” to Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia and eventually
Russia and Morocco, the critics ask.
“Turkey is an Asian country with a small bridgehead in Europe, with
the elite looking to Europe … but the vast majority rooted in Asia,”
former EU farm chief Franz Fischler said in a letter to his colleagues
this year.
The EU would be unable to sustain its two main spending policies,
agricultural support and regional development aid, even if Turkish
membership were phased in over a decade, and it would open “a geo
strategic Pandora’s box”, the Austrian warned.
The man who drafted the EU constitution, former French President
Valery Giscard d’Estaing, was even more blunt. Turkey was not
geographically or culturally European, and its accession would be
“the end of the European Union”, Giscard told the French daily Le
Monde in November 2002.
Furthermore, those pushing Turkish membership most strongly were the
enemies of European integration, Giscard asserted – a reference to
Britain and the United States. Rising French political star Nicolas
Sarkozy, leader of the ruling UMP party, last month rejected Turkish
entry and said the indefinite expansion of the EU was “an American
vision”.
DIFFERENT EUROPE: Turkish accession in a decade or so would certainly
create a very different EU, shifting the balance of power still
further away from its original Franco-German axis – hence French alarm.
By the time it joined, Turkey would be the most populous nation
in the EU, overtaking Germany’s 80 million. That would give it the
most voting power under the largely population-based voting system
established by the constitution, and the biggest block of seats in
the European Parliament.
The EU would no longer be able to afford to subsidise farmers and poor
regions on the current scale. To some critics, notably in France,
that would reduce it to a vast free trade area with little or no
redistribution of wealth.
Countries such as Britain and Sweden make little secret of their
delight at such a prospect. Turkey’s supporters argue that the EU is
already evolving with the admission of 10 mainly poor east European
countries this year, and its farm and regional policies will have to
change anyway due to world trade talks and budget constraints.
They also argue that the accession of a country with a surplus of
eager young workers could boost Europe’s dwindling, ageing workforce
and help defuse a looming pensions crisis.
But European Commission economists say an influx of Turkish labour,
likely to be long delayed by transition arrangements, would do little
to ease the pensions shortfall.
Then there is the cultural argument – a euphemism for religion in
some eyes, or for a history of enmity in others. Dutch former EU
commissioner Frits Bolkestein articulated an often unspoken fear of
Europe being overrun by Islam.
In a speech in September, he suggested that Ankara’s accesion would
reverse the 1683 defeat of the Turks at the gates of Vienna, which
marked the limit of the westward expansion of the Ottoman empire
in Europe.
Jean-Louis Bour langes, a centre-right French member of the European
Parliament and leading European federalist, said the EU’s extension
into eastern Europe was a natural reunification with “the kidnapped
east”. But admitting Turkey would be quite different.
“(Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip) Erdogan says the EU should be
a crossroads of civilizations. We consider it is the home of a
civilization. European identity shouldn’t be a department store,”
Bourlanges said.

Statement calling for Iraq vote delay signed by 68 political, tribal groups
Quds Press news agency, London
6 Dec 04
Text of statement issued 5 December by 68 Iraqi entities urging
postponement of general elections; published by Quds Press web
news agency
Baghdad, 6 December: Following is a joint statement issued by 68
Iraqi political parties, political movements and tribal groupings
proclaiming a united stand in calling for the postponement of the
Iraqi elections scheduled to be held on 30 January 2005.
Text of the statement: In the name of God, the most Merciful, the most
Compassionate. With God’s blessings, the political forces and entities
included in the attached list and registered at the Independent
[Higher] Election Commission [in Iraq] (IEC) [English acronym as
published] met in the Babil Hotel in Baghdad on 5 December 2004,
corresponding to 23 Shawwal 1425 AH, and agreed on the following.
1. All the conferees continue to believe that there are certain
objective and strong reasons that necessitate the postponement of the
elections from their scheduled date of 30 January 2005 for a period
of not less or about six months.
2. The conferees fully realize that there are no guarantees that
the security and political situations will be better on the proposed
alternate date. However, they agree that real action can be taken
in various fields that would provide a better environment to hold
the elections are a later date, while working to bring about the
participation of forces that reject the electoral process and calm
the situation in the hot areas.
3. The desire of the conferees to postpone the elections stems from
purely nationalist considerations pertaining to the interests of all
the various political, ethnic and religious currents of the Iraqi
people or their future. The conferees strongly denounce the local
and foreign media outlets that have portrayed our desire as a wish
to realize the interests of one sect over another. The presence
of the various sects in this conference attests to this fact. The
conferees call on the Iraqi brethren that are not convinced of the
usefulness of our call to sit at the negotiating table in order to
hold consultations and discussions on the proposed topic.
4. The conferees appeal to all the neighbouring countries not to
meddle in Iraq’s affairs and not to exploit the state of division
that unfortunately took place due to a dispute on the date of the
elections. The conferees call on the neighbouring countries to leave
this matter for the Iraqis to decide upon freely.
5. The conferees decided to send urgent letters to the US
Administration and its allies, the Iraqi government, the secretary
general of the United Nations, the secretary general of the Arab
League, the secretariat of the Muslim Conference Organization, the
secretariat of the European Union, and the Gulf Cooperation Council
to convince them of the usefulness of the proposed postponement and to
urge them to exert pressure to postpone the elections to a later date.
6. The conferees pledge commitment to what has been agreed upon. They
pledge to educate the people on the informational level and in all
aspects in the usefulness of the call to postpone the elections.
7. A non-postponement would mean the potential holding of the elections
under bad circumstances that may prevent many Iraqis from freely
and safely reaching the ballot boxes. Thus, the lack of general and
comprehensive participation would mean the emergence of a council
that would not enjoy full participation and would thus lack legitimacy.
8. The conferees have agreed to present a number of political
projects to be adopted as an alternative to the elections during the
postponement period.
9. The conferees agreed to form a follow-up committee consisting of
representatives from the political parties and movements.
The Signatories: 68 political parties and movements and tribal
groupings, as follows:
1. The Iraqi Islamic Party.
2. The Reconciliation and Liberation Bloc.
3. The Iraqi National Movement.
4. The Grouping for Iraq.
5. The Arab Socialist Movement.
6. Prince Ahmad Taha Ahmad Yasin Mahmud.
7. The Islamic Kurdistani Union.
8. The Unity Party.
9. The National Salvation Party.
10. The National Front for the Unity of Iraq.
11. The Al-Ummah Party.
12. The Iraqi National Grouping.
13. The Arab Democratic Front.
14. The Iraqi National Liberation Movement.
15. The Democratic Iraqi Current.
16. The Joint Action Front.
17. The Iraqi National Coalition.
18. The Tribes of Al Bu-Sultan.
19. The Turkoman Nationality in Iraq.
20. The Independent National Front.
21. The National Front for the Tribes of Iraq.
22. The National Front of Independents.
23. The Iraqi National Bloc.
24. The Democratic Centre.
25. The General Secretariat of United Iraq.
26. The Armenian Democratic Grouping.
27. The National Forum of the Sons of Iraq.
28. The Iraqi People Grouping.
29. The Al-Fudul Party of the Tribes.
30. The Tribes of Iraq Coalition.
31. The Council of the Al-Jubur Tribe.
32. The Iraqi Elections Organization.
33. The institutions of civic society.
34. The General Federation of Labour Unions.
35. The National Liberation Movement.
36. The Leadership of the Tribes of Iraq Rally.
37. The esteemed council members and elders of the Al-Harbah tribe.
38. The council of the tribal shaykhs of
Al-Ubaydi/Al-Shuhada/Al-Shamma’iyah.
39. The esteemed council members and tribal shaykhs of Sab-al-Bur.
40. The Union of Honourables (Al-Fallujah).
41. The Central Council of the shaykhs and elders of the Al-Zahra
Tribes.
42. The Constitutional Movement for the Monarchial Coalition.
43. The United Council of shaykhs and elders of Iraq’s Tribes
(Al-Sha’b).
44. The League of the Al-Ahwar Tribes.
45. The Al-Mandani Al-Sa’ibah sect.
46. The Central Council of Elders of Iraqi and Arab Tribes.
47. The General Federation of Farmers and Peasants.
48. The League of the Medical Staff in the Al-Tib [Medical] City.
49. The Youth Freedom Organization.
50. The Diyala Federation of Teachers in Diyala.
51. The National Union of Iraqi Students.
52. The National Council of Iraq’s Tribes.
53. The Society of Iraqi Parliamentarians.
54. The Democratic Popular Front.
55. The Bara’im al-Iraq Organization.
56. The National Alliance of Political Forces.
57. The Islamic Union for Sufism.
58. The Society of Independent Women (Mosul).
59. The Council of the Arab Tribes Coalition (Mosul).
60. The Federation of Farmers, Diyala Branch.
61. The Union of Teachers in Mandali.
62. The Shams al-Duha Society.
63. The Welfare Society of the retired.
64. The Central United Alliance of the Tribes of Iraq.
65. The Al-Sadah al-Ulwiyyah Society in Iraq.
66. The League of Turkoman Tribes (The Independent Democratic
Grouping).
67. The General Federation of Iraqi Women.
68. The Union for Iraq.

SERGE SARGSIAN HAILS NEW IDEAS REGARDING ARMENIAN-IRANIAN COOPERATION
IN SPHERE OF ECONOMY
YEREVAN, December 3 (Noyan Tapan). The problems of regional security,
the process of the settlement of the Karabakh problem were discussed
during the December 3 meeting of RA Minister of Defense Serge
Sargsian, Secretary of the RA National Security Council, with
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Iran to Armenia Ali
Reza Haqiqian. The issue of the upcoming visit of the Minister to Iran
was also touched upon. Ambassador Haqiqian expressed readiness in
connection with the organization of Persian language classes at the
Military Institute after Vazgen Sargsian. Minister Sargsian hailed
this proposal and expressed an opinion that this will be the second
center of profound study of Persian in Armenia after the Yerevan State
University. According to Colonel Seiran Shahsuvarian, the Spokesman of
the RA Ministry of Defense, the sides also touched upon issues
regarding the serious progress in Armenian-Iranian economic
cooperation observed during the recent period, the construction of the
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline that started on November 30, in particular,
the construction of the new two-way electricity transmission line
between Iran and Armenia. “Armenia’s stability and economic
development are quite important for Iran,” mentioned Ambassador
Haqiqian. “The new ideas of Armenian-Iranian cooperation in the sphere
of economy were born during the recent official meetings, in particular,
regarding the construction of Iran-Armenia railroad, delivery of oil
products from Iran to Armenia,” he added. Serge Sargsian hailed these
approaches, called them brilliant and mentioned that if the
realization of these ideas is possible, they will be of great
importance for Armenia. Touching upon the individual programs of
partnership with NATO, the RA Minister of Defense once again stressed
that no issue of membership in NATO is on Armenia’s foreign policy
agenda.

ARKA News Agency
Dec 2 2004
Nagorno Karabakh should not become subject to speculations
Azerbaijan in panics as seriously looses on diplomatic scene
Because of crash on Rostelecom line Armenia deprived of Internet
access
*********************************************************************
NAGORNO KARABAKH SHOULD NOT BECOME SUBJECT TO SPECULATIONS
YEREVAN, December 2. /ARKA/. Nagorno Karabakh should not become
subject to speculations, RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian stated
today in the inteview to Public Television of Armenia. According to
him, opposition tries to use the topic of Nagorno Karabakh conflict
for achievement of their political goals.
Mentioning statements of Armenian opposition members that authorities
of the country delay the adoption of decision on Karabakh conflict on
purpose, Oskanian said that `the problem will be delayed just as long
as the settlement won’t come from the interests of Armenian people.
We will not cease controlled territories, without corrections in the
issue on self-determination of Nagorno Karabakh’. Oskanian called to
opposition to join efforts in the issue of Karabakh settlement.
Karabakh conflict started in 1988 when Nagorno Karabakh predominantly
populated with Armenians stated about its independence from
Azerbaijan. Military actions ceased after Armenia and Azerbaijan
signed armistice on May 12 1994. The cease-fire regime has been
observed up to date. L.D. -0–
*********************************************************************
AZERBAIJAN IN PANICS AS SERIOUSLY LOOSES ON DIPLOMATIC SCENE
YEREVAN, December 2. /ARKA/. Azerbaijan is in panics as it seriously
looses on the diplomatic scene, as Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanian said in his interview to Public TV of Armenia. In his words,
today Azerbaijan became quite aggressive. `This aggressiveness is
explained by our success achieved during the last 5-6 years. New
Azerbaijani authorities visit different institutions and they do not
know what institution to include in the settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. Meanwhile many of these states are not aware of
the essence of the conflict and with the support of these countries
Baku is attempting to depart the attention from the issue essence’,
he added. In his words, the previous Azerbaijani President Heydar
Aliyev would not have made obstacles for Georgian cargo thru
Azerbaijani territory by supposing that part of them can go to
Armenia. `Detention of the cargo on the Georgian border, application
to the UN – all these are steps dictated by desperate state’, he
added. T.M. -0–
*********************************************************************
BECAUSE OF CRASH ON ROSTELECOM LINE ARMENIA DEPRIVED OF INTERNET
ACCESS
YEREVAN, December 2. /ARKA/. Since 3 p.m. the majority of Armenian
providers were deprived of Internet communication. As CEO of Arminco
provider company Andranik Alexanyan told, the reason of this was
crash on Rostelecom’s line. In his words, it is difficult to forecast
when Armenia will be able to re-connect to the world wide web. `We
have no idea what the reason of the crash and when it will be
repaired, however we can assure that our lines work uninterruptedly’,
he added. T.M. -0–

CONSTRUCTION OF ARMENIAN PART OF IRAN-ARMENIA GASPIPE LINE BEGINS
Azg/arm
2 Dec 04
On the Armenian bank of Arax River, not far from town of Agarak, the
construction of the Armenian part of Iran-Armenia pipeline began on
November 30. Armen Movsisian, RA Energy Minister, emphasized the
importance of the gas pipeline for Armenia.
The gas pipeline stretches for 142 km. The first document on its
construction was signed 12 years ago. The construction in the Iranian
side began several months ago. The Armenian part of the pipeline is
constructed by “Sanir” Iranian company.
The officials visiting the ceremony emphasized in their speeches the
contribution made by the leaders of both countries to the
implementation ofsuch an important program. The agreement on the
construction of the gas pipeline was signed on May 13, 2004, in
Yerevan. The agreement on financing the project was signed in the
course of Iranian President Khatami’s visit to Armenia.
Habibollah Bitaraf, Iranian Energy Minister, said in his speech that
according to the agreement, the Iranian Export and Development Bank
allocated a credit for the construction of the Armenian part of the
gas pipeline. The credit amounts to $30 million. Bitaraf said that
Armenia will pay back with electricity for the Iranian gas.
“By implementing this project we develop Armenian-Iranian relations
one more step further. Much efforts were made, many negotiations were
held between Armenia and Iran to achieve the construction of the gas
pipeline,” Bitaraf said.
RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian stated that “this day of 2004
will remain in history”. According to him, the gas pipeline has not
only economic and energetic importance for Armenia and Iran but will
also “make definite changes in the region”.
“This project is implemented through political and economic
sufferings,” Margarian said and reminded, “in the years of hardship
for Armenia Iran stretches out its hand to help us”. When we say a
friendly country, we mean the friendship, indeed, the prime minister
stated.
RA Prime Minister expressed hope that “in 2005or in 2006 we will again
gather here to open the construction of two hydro power plants on the
banks of Arax. “Today we open the second Armenia-Iran electricity
line in Shinuhayr village, and we are hopeful that the third line will
be opened, as well,” Margarian said.
The officials were hopeful that the construction of the gas pipeline
would be completed according to the schedule, i.e. by the end of
2006. According to the agreement, Iran should provide 36 billion
sq. meter of gas to Armenia in the course of 20 years. Prime Minster
Margarian said that besides economic and regional importance, the
construction of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline will open new job positions
for Meghri and Syunik region’s residents. “This is a region that is
the back of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh,” Margarian said.
Alireza Haghighian, Iranian Ambassador to Armenia, stated that the
construction of the gas pipeline will contribute not only to the
development of Armenia’ s economy but also to the regional stability.
By Tatoul Hakobian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress