Author: Maghakian Mike

Azeri police arrest organizers of attack on NATO conference
ANS TV, Baku
22 Jun 04

The trial of those arrested in the protest action organized by the
Karabakh Liberation Organization outside Hotel Europe, the venue of a
NATO conference attended by two Armenian officers, was held today. Two
of the arrested, Barat Elmanli and Gunduz Umudov, have been released.
The chief of the Nasimi district police department, Bagir Bagirov, has
told ANS that criminal proceedings have been instituted against five
other people, including the chairman of the Karabakh Liberation
Organization, Akif Nagi.
They are being charged with hooliganism.

All hail Kerko, king of the billion dollar buyout
By Richard Siklos (Filed: 20/06/2004)
The Telegraph, UK
June 20 2004
Ace Greenberg, the legendary former head of investment bank Bear
Stearns, once admonished a colleague who questioned the wily ways
of Kirk Kerkorian: “Don’t ever tell Babe Ruth how to hold his bat.”
(Translation for UK relevance: “Don’t tell Becks how to lace his
boots”.)
In an age of wannabes and poseurs, when it comes to power-broking
mastery, Kerkorian is the real deal – the Warren Buffett of buyouts.
This week, in what ought to be the gloaming of his career (he’s 87),
he’s in the midst of wangling his biggest trade yet – getting out
of one fantastically glamorous but sometimes spivvy industry while
beefing up in, well, another fantastically glamorous but sometimes
spivvy industry.
Kerkorian is on the verge of selling the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie
studio to a venture between Sony and two private equity groups for
$5bn (£2.7bn), not counting a $1.4bn tax-free dividend cheque he
banked from the company last month.
Kerkorian’s Tracinda Corporation paid $1.3bn for MGM in 1996 and –
get this – this would mark the third time since 1969 he has bought
and sold the place (first to Ted Turner, then to Carlo Paretti),
making buckets of cash each time.
Meanwhile, last Wednesday, his MGM Mirage hotel and casino company
sealed a deal to pay $4.8bn for the Mandalay Resort Group, the Las
Vegas-based company. The confluence of these deals is a bit of a
coincidence, given that Kerkorian has been trying to unload MGM for
a while, and has been gobbling up properties on the Las Vegas strip
for years. But you’ve still got to admire the octogenarian’s sheer
audacity.
As a result of the Mandalay purchase, Kerkorian will be the biggest
casino boss in Vegas history – bigger than Bugsy Seagal, bigger than
Howard Hughes, bigger than Steve Wynn, whose renowned Bellagio resort
he swallowed up four years ago in a hostile takeover.
In total, Kerkorian will preside over 11 casino resorts on the famed
strip alone, including the Mirage, Excalibur and Luxor. Kerkorian’s
empire would also include 17 other gambling halls in Nevada, other
corners of the US, and Australia. His MGM Grand resort is already
the biggest venue in Vegas, but if the Mandalay deal passes muster
with regulators he’ll control more than half the hotel rooms and 40
per cent of the slot machines in town. As one wag put it in a local
Las Vegas paper: “It gives them the ability to cater to everyone,
from Joe Six Pack to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.”
As far as MGM the movie studio goes, did you catch its last cinematic
blockbuster? Me neither, but that’s because the studio has produced a
lot more forgettable duds than mega-hits. Its main success has been
the James Bond series and a string of low-budget, sequel-friendly
releases such as Jeepers Creepers and Barbershop. But the value of MGM
apparently lies in the vault of 4,000 old movies, including The Wizard
of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Rocky and Annie Hall, that are expected
to have new legs in this age of re-mastered DVDs and video-on-demand.
“Kirk is not a Hollywood person, he’s a money person,” fellow
billionaire David Geffen recently told Variety magazine. “He’s a
businessman, he’s not nostalgic and sentimental.”
Kerko (as he was known) was born in Fresno, California, to a family
of raisin farmers, and his life followed a fairly epic path from
there including dropping out of school at 13, a stint as a captain
in the Royal Air Force during World War II – he ferried planes back
and forth from Canada – and a successful career as a prizefighter
with the nickname “Rifle Right”.
Apparently he queues for movies and has never ordered up a private
screening of one of MGM’s movies. Although he never gives interviews,
Kerkorian’s friends and executives take pains to point out that rather
than being a Howard Hughes-esque recluse, he just couldn’t care less
about publicity. His top managers bash the tennis ball with him on
weekends at his Beverly Hills mansion. His company’s odd title is an
amalgam of his daughters’ names – Tracy and Linda. Worth around $6bn
he’s given some $150m to various causes in Armenia, but adamantly
refused invitations to have boulevards, airports and schools there
named after him.
In the business world, there are few destinations that have emptied
more pocketbooks and broken more dreams than Vegas and Hollywood. As if
conquering them wasn’t enough, who can forget Kerkorian’s bold play to
take over the automaker Chrysler in the 1990s? Even more entertaining
has been his ongoing $3bn lawsuit against DaimlerChrysler over the
1998 merger that created the auto giant.
The billionaire testified in a Detroit court in February that he
was deceived by DaimlerChrysler chairman Juergen Schrempp’s public
statement that it would be a “merger of equals”. (German executives
from the Daimler side ended up dominating the top jobs, but the
company has dismissed his claim as frivolous.) When DaimlerChrysler
lawyers tried to point out that Kerkorian, then Chrysler’s biggest
shareholder, hadn’t even read the deal’s final prospectus before
backing the merger, Kerkorian exploded in court: “I looked at the
merger as honest. We didn’t look in every nook and cranny for deceit,
but it was there.” A verdict in that case is expected this fall.
So what makes King Kirk run? No one can really say. Maybe he’s just
trying to save up a little for his retirement.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KARABAGH LEADER SAYS AZERI PRESIDENT NOT READY FOR CONFLICT SOLUTION
ArmenPress
June 17 2004
PARIS, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS: President of Nagorno Karabagh Arkady
Ghukasian, who was visiting France last week to attend a series of
ceremonies there on the occasion of 10-th anniversary of establishment
of truce in Nagorno Karabagh, met with the French co-chairman of the
OSCE Minsk Group and French Armenian reporters.
According to Ghukasian, the Minsk Group co-chairmen are expected to
visit Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabagh in June and may bring
new proposals with them. He also said that Azerbaijan does not want
to seat at the negotiation table with Nagorno Karabagh demanding that
prior to it all the occupied lands be returned, after which they will
‘think’ about the status of Nagorno Karabagh. “This is of course an
unacceptable position. French Minsk group co-chairman Mr. Jacolin is
very optimistic and thinks that there are possibilities that must be
used,” Ghukasian said.
In response to the question why Azerbaijan has taken such a tough
stance, Ghukasian said that Ilham Aliyev is absolutely not ready for
discussing Nagorno Karabagh issue, not only in terms of his readiness
for solution but just for discussion. “He is not ready to take any
risk and go for any compromise. It is strange for me to hear from
a president that Azerbaijan will not go for any compromise. This
is not something to be heard from a president. Presidents are to
be more flexible. He understands clearly that it is not possible to
give Karabagh back but still resists to go on talks. In this respect
Heydar Aliyev was more controlling the situation,” Ghukasian noted.
Speaking on a possible involvement of John Paul II in negotiation
processes, as was declared by Vatican ambassador in Azerbaijan and
Georgia, Ghukasian said that all wishes are welcomed but the conflict
is very complicated and professional approaches are needed. In this
case such professionalism can demonstrate the OSCE, Minsk group,
the Council of Europe and other international organizations. And the
most important is that the solution to the problems after all depends
on the conflicting sides.
“We have clear understanding of the limit of compromises. We are
realistic about where we go and what we want,” and because everything
is interrelated the bounds of our compromise will depend on the level
of compromise from Azerbaijan,” he said.

Heavy hailstorm hits northern Armenian districts
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
10 Jun 04
   
[Presenter] A heavy hailstorm has hit Lori and Tavush Districts
[northern Armenia]. A shower of hailstones destroyed the potato and
grain fields and pastures within 10 minutes. The most affected villages
were (?Hakhvat), (?Sanahin) and (?Akner). As a result of the natural
disaster the roofs of many houses and buildings were destroyed.
[Correspondent, over video of hailstorm] The people of the Akner
village will not have potato and grain this autumn. About 30 ha
of potato and 30 ha of grain fields have been destroyed completely
by hail.
[A man, captioned as resident of village] There is no hope. I think
that this will not be restored. The region’s authorities have already
been informed about this. But this issue must be discussed and resolved
at the government level.
[Correspondent] The librarian is concerned about the fate of books –
10,000 books are in danger. The hail destroyed 70-80 per cent of the
roofs of the houses.
[Passage omitted: villagers complain about natural disaster]
[Presenter] A heavy hailstorm accompanied by heavy rain also hit the
Tavush District centre. The energy, drinking water and communications
systems were destroyed. Roads in the district were also destroyed. The
rain swept away animals, vehicles and roads. A 250-km section of the
Yerevan-Idzhevan highway was temporarily closed.
[Correspondent, over video of destroyed roads] The hail hit and
destroyed the roofs and windows of houses, vehicles parked in the
streets, and vineyards. This is explained by the unusual seize of
hailstones and intensity of the hail. According to local residents,
such a hailstorm was not recorded in the last 20 years. The first
restoration measures and work are already under way.
Employees of the district and regional emergency departments,
the Idzhevan road construction organization and regional interior
bodies took part in the rescue work. The state highway opened in the
midnight, the town’s power supply and communications were restored. The
restoration work is under way.
Gayane Tamanyan, “Aylur”.

Cork City miss out
Irish Independent
Jun 09, 2004
CORK CITY have missed out on a place in the UEFA Cup following the
FairPlay League draw in Germany last night – Pat Dolan’s side will
contest the Inter TottoCup instead.
Armenian side FC Mika, plus a team from Ukraine yet to be decided as
their league season runs until June 19, were the lucky names drawn
from the hat during half-time at the European Under-21 Championship
final in Bochum.
The other teams in the draw, together with with Cork and Charlton,
were Esbjerg ofDenmark, SK Brann of Norway, German side Freiburg,
FC Lahti of Finland, Spanish sideReal Mallorca, KS Teuta of Albania
and Throttur Reykjavik of Iceland.

NATIONALIST FROM MOSCOW SUBURB ALL BUT WINS LOCAL ELECTION
by Anna Rudnitskaya
Moscow News (Russia)
June 9, 2004
While old democrats argue with new liberals, young elements have moved
into politics under “Russia for Russians” slogans and, confusingly,
to incantations that “fascism in Russia will not come to pass”
Vladimir Yermolaev is young, well educated, and well pleased with
himself. He has good reason for this: At 27, this past May he ran
in municipal elections for the first time, garnering 34% of the vote
outright -without any “administrative resources” either, or any other
resources for that matter. His resources are his slogans. “Russia
for Russians, Moscow for Muscovites” just about sums them up.
Candidate
“I’ve been reading Izvestia since seven,” Yermolaev told me. “My
parents were avowed anti-Communists and I was brought up in a dissident
spirit, thinking: The Communists will be driven out, and everything
will be just fine. In 1995, I voted for Gaidar and in 1999 for the
Union of Right Forces (SPS). But then I began to have my doubts. Not
surprisingly, I particularly resented the appearance of hundreds of
thousands of people from other states, above all from former Union
republics, in Moscow and in Russia in general. So when I saw leaflets
of the Movement Against Illegal Immigrants on the metro, I realized
that I had found ideological soul-mates. I remember that day: I was
simply happy to hear something that was in harmony with my own mood,
and I very much liked the people – all of them my age or younger. So
I joined.”
For the benefit of those who do not know, it was the Movement Against
Illegal Immigrants that, in the wake of the bomb attack on the Moscow
metro, organized a sanctioned rally under the slogan: “How much longer
must we tolerate Chechen crime against Russian citizens?!” It was
the Movement Against Illegal Immigrants that, two years ago, after
an Armenian pogrom in the town of Krasnoarmeisk, outside Moscow,
demanded the release of its organizers.
For all that, when I cited Yermev’s election campaign leaflet,
mentioning “black occupants,” he was hurt:
“It didn’t say ‘black’. After all, we are civilized people.”
Are you not worried by the presence of skinheads at your civilized
rally?
“Quite the contrary, I find these people far more likable than the
indifferent slaves of the consumer society. People such as skinhead
leaders will eventually constitute the elite of this country.”
You are similarly complacent about the fact that it was under your
slogans that ethnic Armenian houses were raided, and men and women
beaten?
“Well, you can say that ethnic Armenian houses were raided, or you can
say that there was a conflict between the indigenous population and
Armenian immigrants. There are thousands of inva-ders in the country,
and it is increasingly difficult to drive them out.”
What was written in the leaflet you saw in the metro?
“Let me see… Something to the effect that there are 1.5 million
Azeris living in Moscow and that Moscow is the capital of Azerbaijan.”
What does it take for an advocate of liberal values from an
intellectual family to become an activist of a Nazilike movement? It
is enough to tell him that 1.5 million Azeris are to blame for his
country’s woes and that to make life better, they must be kicked out.
Voters
The district of Orekhovo-Borisovo Yuzhnoye is a typical Moscow bedroom
suburb. It was its residents that, in a municipal election this past
May, gave Yermolaev, a candidate sponsored by the Movement Against
Illegal Immigrants, 34% of the vote.
They say that United Russia candidate Irina Dmitrieva, a school
principal (in the end, she won by a narrow margin, with just a few
hundred votes more than Yermolaev), campaigned with food parcels that
were handed to war veterans purportedly on the occasion of V-Day. Her
rival gave as good as he got, distributing door to door leaflets
with quotations from Mayor Luzhkov: “Moscow is a Rus-sian city!”
(Moskovsky Komsomolets daily, Sept. 22, 2003) and President Putin:
“The problem of illegal migration is becoming a serious threat to
national security” (from a statement at an RF Security Council session,
Nov. 29, 2000), thus probably utterly baffling the voters who until
recently have traditionally been voting for Putin and Luzhkov.
On the whole, even though he lost, Vladimir Yermolaev is satisfied
with the election:
“I was greatly excited; I constantly felt the support of the people.
We had a meeting at a housing maintenance and repair administration
office, attended by some 25 senior citizens, whereupon a woman from
the veterans’ council came up to me and said: ‘Well done, Vladimir,
we are with you!’ We are still in touch and we’ve agreed to work
together. Generally speaking, the result was very good.”
A week later, the only indication of the past election at School #986
where Vladimir Yermolaev had been a student and that served as one
of the two polling stations where he got the most votes, is scraps
of leaflets on the doors. The school principal’s secretary could
not remember a student named Yermolaev, but his platform raised no
objections with her.
“So what? What he is saying is absolutely right. There are so many of
these Tajiks, Uzbeks, and Azeris that we just don’t hear any Russian
spoken here.”
True, she voted for Dmitrieva all the same: “After all, she is a
school principal.”
A Common Future
Incidentally, this is an idee fixe with all new right and old
left elements: As long as they are kept off the air and have the
formidable administrative resource brought against them, they can
for a time forget about the federal parliament, focusing instead on
local, municipal elections – on the assumption that people on the
ground are more concerned with heating or local amenities than with
abstract discussions about the destiny of Motherland. Yet while the
new right and old left are only pondering action, Vladimir Yermolaev
has already all but won. What is especially important is that his
voters were swayed by his pledge to drive all “invaders” from the
neighborhood far more than by his promise to landscape the area.
Inspired by his first success, Yermolaev is determined to pursue a
political career.
“See, Anna,” the young sociologist smiles almost condescendingly.
“All parties are phantoms really, while we are a real movement of
people who are working to uphold their idea, and that’s our strength.”
At parting he said: “We have a great future.”
There is no reason to doubt this. MN

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
ORDINATION OF FIVE DEACONS
IN ANTELIAS
Antelias, Lebanon – On Sunday, June 6, five deacons were ordained and
consecrated as a celibate priest in the Mother Cathedral of the Holy
See of Cilicia, Antelias, Lebanon. The ceremony was officiated by
His Holiness Aram I. In accordance with the canons of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, the Service of Calling to the Priesthood began
Saturday evening immediately after Vespers service. The candidates’
life, faith and readiness to enter the ministry of priesthood have been
examined. The ordination and consecration were performed by Archbishop
Sebouh Sarkissian, the Primate of the Armenian diocese of Tehran, Iran.
##
View printable pictures here:
top
**************
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

U.S. Karabakh Envoy Again Visits Yerevan
By Hrach Melkumian and Gevorg Stamboltsian 04/06/2004 00:36
Radio Free Europe, Czech Rep.
June 3 2004
Steven Mann, the new U.S. chief negotiator on Nagorno-Karabakh,
paid an unexpected and low-key visit to Yerevan on Thursday which
officials said focused on international efforts to resolve the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.
Mann had separate meetings with President Robert Kocharian and
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian for the second time in six weeks. No
details of the talks were made public, with the U.S. envoy declining
to comment on the purpose of his trip and the current status of the
peace process. “I am just having talks with the Armenian government,”
he told RFE/RL without elaborating. A brief statement by Kocharian’s
office said Mann discussed with the Armenian leader the Karabakh
conflict and informed him about his talks held with Azerbaijani
leaders in Baku on Wednesday. Earlier in the day officials in the
presidential administration could not confirm the precise time of
the meeting, suggesting that it was arranged at a short notice.
Mann’s previous trip to Yerevan was followed by a meeting in Poland
between Kocharian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev. Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian and his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar
Mamedyarov met in Strasbourg two weeks later, emerging from it with
cautiously optimistic statements. The Armenian Foreign Ministry said
the two ministers will meet again in Prague on June 21, adding that
Oskanian and the U.S. mediator spoke about details of that meeting.
Speaking at Yerevan State University earlier on Thursday, Oskanian
said that the negotiation process is “not on a bad track” at the
moment and is “following in the footsteps of previous talks.” “I
think that in the next two months we will have more clarity as to
whether we can build on the base that has been created during all
these years…or Azerbaijan wants to divert that process to another
direction,” he said, reiterating Yerevan’s hopes of reviving peace
accords reportedly reached by the parties three years ago.
Mamedyarov similarly stated last week that the peace talks are
“intensifying” after a period of stagnation. Azerbaijan seems
to be pushing for a new strategy of conflict resolution whereby
agreement on Karabakh’s status would be preceded by the return of
Armenian-controlled Azerbaijani lands around the disputed region in
exchange for the restoration of economic links between the two nations.
Oskanian repeated the Armenian side’s insistence on a single “package”
accord that would resolve all contentious issues. He added that it
will agree to a phased settlement only if the majority of Armenians
want so. “If there is really a public consensus that we should go
for a phased solution, then we will have no problem,” he said. “But
to be honest, I don’t see popular demand for a phased solution.”

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
06/01/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Armenian Military Plans to Set Up 'Dro' Think-Tank 2) ANC Central California Demonstration Delivers Message to Speaker Hastert 3) US Officials Discuss MCA 4) Georgia's Carrot-and-stick Approach with South Ossetia 5) Iraqis, US Cut Deal on President, Car Bomb at PUK Headquarters 1) Armenian Military Plans to Set Up 'Dro' Think-Tank YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--The Armenian Defense Ministry unveiled on Monday plans to set up a special think-tank that will advise it on defense and national security issues. Defense Minister Serge Sarkisian and the leadership of Armenia's Armed Forces attended an official ceremony marking the start of work on a building that will house the ministry's National Strategic Research Center. Officials said its construction will cost $600,000 and will be complete within a year. The center will be named after the late General Drastamat (Dro) Kanayan, one of the most prominent military commanders of the first Armenian Republic that existed from 1918-1920. Kanayan's US-based descendants have donated $350,000 for the project and were also present at the ceremony. The rest of the money will be raised by the Diaspora-financed All-Armenian Fund Hayastan. Sarkisian said that the center, the first of its kind in Armenia, is expected to provide the Armenian military and other security agencies with "quality advice" on security challenges facing the country. The think-tank will be headed by Colonel Hayk Kotanjian, who until recently served as military attaché at the Armenian embassy in Washington. It is not yet clear whether its personnel will be dominated by army officers or civilian 2) ANC Central California Demonstration Delivers Message to Speaker Hastert FRESNO (ANCA-Fresno/Fresno Bee)--Local Fresno community members mobilized on very short notice for a demonstration in support of a coordinated national effort to urge Speaker Hastert and Majority leader Frist to bring House Resolution 193 (H.Res.193) to a floor vote. Speaker Hastert was in town to support Republican state Sen. Roy Ashburn's bid for Congress. Area Armenian Youth Federation and Homenetmen youth, along with community members were present at the gathering organized by the Armenian National Committee Central California, Fresno. Extensive coverage was provided by media outlets, with news crews there from local ABC and CBS affiliates, KMJ Radio; a feature article also appeared in the local newspaper, The Fresno Bee. After the fundraising event, Ashburn said he told Hastert he supports the resolution that recognizes the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923. If elected to Congress, Ashburn said, "I would ask Hastert to bring it to a vote." Demonstrators handed out information flyers, while enlarged poster size replicas of the ANCA postcards from its postcard campaign served as protest signs, along with others reading, "Hastert Hear the Cry From History" and "Hastert Holds the Genocide Vote Hostage." The House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved the resolution more than a year ago, but Hastert has not brought it to the House floor for a vote. "It has international consequences to it, and it's something that we have to work with the State Department on and the White House" Hastert commented to local radio reporter Ron Statler about the issue. Statler said the Speaker "declined to say what changes are needed or what the international implications are." ANC spokesman Richard Sanikian informed listeners on air about the nationwide phone, WebFax, and 100,000-postcard campaign calling on Speaker Hastert and Senate Majority Leader Frist to take action on the measure. "After a year, he's not gotten back to us," noted Sanikian. Sanikian said local leaders who support the resolution include Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa; Fresno Mayor Alan Autry; and Ashburn's political rival, former state Sen. Jim Costa. Costa, a Fresno Democrat, and Ashburn are battling for the open 20th Congressional District seat. Incumbent Cal Dooley, D-Fresno, is not running for reelection. The Central Valley is home to more than 60,000 Armenians, one of the oldest ethnic groups in the area. H.Res.193 marks the 15th anniversary of the US implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide. If Speaker Hastert does not bring the legislation to a vote in the next six months, it will die at the end of this congressional session. For more information log on to , or anca.org. 3) US Officials Discuss MCA YEREVAN (Armenpress/RFE/RL)--Senior US government officials opened talks with Armenian leaders in Yerevan on Monday to discuss expectations of economic assistance under Washington's Millennium Challenge Account (MCA). Armenia is among 16 nations eligible for the multimillion-dollar plan to promote economic and political reforms in developing countries around the world. Aid allocations are to be decided by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a US government agency handling the scheme. The corporation's chief executive Paul Applegarth, and three of his top advisers began their three-day visit to Armenia with a meeting with Prime Minister Andranik Markarian. Applegarth also met with Armenian President Robert Kocharian to review terms for assistance. Kocharian commented that the program can serve as a tool to assess work already carried out, but said there remains much to do. "This is a good opportunity for the country to improve conditions and create a good basis for further development," the president said. Parliament speaker Arthur Baghdasarian, who also met with the delegation, said the parliament will take part in formulating the program proposal which will target as priorities, development of sub-structures, promotion of small and medium business in the provinces, housing construction, and implementation of a poverty reduction and anti-corruption programs. Senior State Department official Carlos Pascual who co-chairs a US-Armenian intergovernmental "task force" cautioned earlier this month that the aid allocation is not a forgone conclusion, but will depend not only on the quality of the proposals but also on the improvement of the Armenian authorities' human and civil rights record . "The expectation, in order to be able to move forward with the program, is that there would be progress on these issues and not movement backwards," he told a news conference in Yerevan. A statement issued by the US embassy in Yerevan on Monday cited Applegarth as saying that it is also essential for the aid proposals to be the result of "wide discussions" and consensus among various strata of Armenian society. 4) Georgia's Carrot-and-stick Approach with South Ossetia (Eurasianet.org/Interfax)--Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili is wielding a stick and extending a carrot to the separatist region of South Ossetia. Georgian leaders say their actions are driven by a determination to eradicate smuggling and corruption. Government critics, meanwhile, charge that Saakashvili seeks a repeat of the "Ajarian" scenario, in which Tbilisi brings a break-away region back under central control by fomenting popular unrest in the region. In late May, Tbilisi stepped up pressure on South Ossetia--an autonomous republic of Georgia that secured quasi-independence during a separatist struggle in the early 1990s--by establishing checkpoints at Georgian-Ossetian administrative border crossings. Those checkpoints are designed to cut off the flow of contraband between the region and Georgia proper. South Ossetia has long had a reputation as a smuggler's haven. Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania asserted during a May 31 broadcast by Imedi TV that the checkpoints reduced smuggling "to nil," adding that the government's success in curbing the illicit trade "has made people who have been making a lot of money through these channels nervous." South Ossetia's armed forces "have been ordered to destroy any aircraft or regiments that cross the border," Interfax cited Eduard Kokoity, the region's president as yesterday. Georgia is trying to accumulate as many Georgian forces as possible on the border "and to use them if an incident occurs." Tension escalated May 31 when Tbilisi dispatched Interior Ministry forces in to reinforce the checkpoints. The Russian commander of a joint peacekeeping force in South Ossetia, Maj. Gen. Svyatoslav Nabzdorov, called the Georgian move "a dangerous provocation that could have unpredictable consequences," the Interfax-AVN news agency reported. Georgian officials countered that they deployed reinforcements after Russian peacekeepers threatened to use force to remove the checkpoints, the Civil Georgia web site reported. South Ossetia, a region of about 100,000 people, set up a pro-Russian autonomous government in the 1990s and Russia maintains troops in the region. Georgia, which last month built police posts near the border, late yesterday withdrew the new units sent to the area, Interfax cited Lieutenant General Valery Yevnevich, a commander with Russian peacekeeping forces, as saying. Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili said last week, while his government won't accept the disintegration of Georgia, it is willing to consider models for a state that take into account the interests of regions such as South Ossetia. Georgia last month ousted Aslan Abashidze, the leader of the region of Ajaria, which also set up an autonomous government in the 1990s. 5) Iraqis, US Cut Deal on President, Car Bomb at PUK Headquarters BAGHDAD (Reuters)--Iraqi leaders cut a face-saving deal Tuesday with the United States and United Nations on a president and government to lead the country out of occupation. An 11th-hour compromise saw Washington's choice of president make way for tribal chief Ghazi Yawar. He was then sworn in with an interim cabinet of technocrats in a televised ceremony rich in symbolism at a palace complex built by Saddam Hussein. A car bomb that tore through the nearby offices of a Kurdish political party, killing and wounding several people, underlined the scale of the challenge the interim administration faces in organizing first free elections in the New Year. Several rockets also landed around the US compound as officials were meeting, wounding one Iraqi. And a suicide car bomber killed 11 Iraqis outside a US base north of Baghdad. CAR BOMB The death toll was unclear in the bombing of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan's Baghdad headquarters. A US officer said three people were confirmed dead and 20 wounded, but police at the scene said the toll was considerably higher. A huge crater was blown into the ground at the entrance to the PUK building, close to the "Green Zone" compound where officials were announcing the deal on the new government. In a face-saving maneuver, the 22-member Governing Council initially dropped its objection to Pachachi. Then, within minutes, the 81-year-old former foreign minister renounced the post and Brahimi declared that Yawar would become head of state. Officials then announced that the Council, whose members US officials had accused of trying to cling to power by claiming positions in the new government, was being wound up. 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.

ARKA News Agency
May 28 2004
RA President awards two Russian frontier guards with “Military
Meritorious” medal
Kirk Kirkorian and Charles Aznavour awarded title of National Hero of
Armenia
RA PM congratulates Armenian citizens on Day of First Republic
RA Government approves the order of organization and aviation
security control in the airports of the republic
RA President Kocharian congratulates citizens of Armenia on the
occasion of the Republic Festival
RA NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan congratulates citizens of Armenia
on the occasion of the Republic Festival
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RA PRESIDENT AWARDS TWO RUSSIAN FRONTIER GUARDS WITH “MILITARY
MERITORIOUS” MEDAL
YEREVAN, May 28. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian awarded two
Russian frontier guards with “Military Meritorious” medal. As RA
President Press Service told ARKA on occasion of the Republic
Festivity Commanders of two military units of frontier Department of
Federal Security Service of Russia (FSS) in Armenia Colonel Vladimir
Molkov and Yuri Rusov also received awards. Similarly, the Head of
the Armenian State awarded Chief Therapeutist of Forntier Department
of FSS of Lieutenant Colonel Siranush Kharmandaryan with Mkhitar
Heratsi medal.
As it is mentioned in the press release, President also awarded a
number of policemen, Prosecution General and National Security
Service of Armenia by medals “For Courage”, “Military Meritorious”,
“Mkhitar Gosh”, as well as orders “Military Cross” of 2nd Degree.
T.M. –0–
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KIRK KIRKORIAN AND CHARLES AZNAVOUR AWARDED TITLE OF NATIONAL HERO OF
ARMENIA
YEREVAN, May 28. /ARKA/. Famous Armenian philanthropist Kirk
Kirkorian and famous French singer of Armenian descent Charles
Aznavour are warded title National Hero of Armenia with handing over
Motherland order. As RA President Press Service told ARKA, Kirkorian
is awarded the highest title for patriotic activity aimed at
prosperity and wellbeing of Armenia and Charles Aznavour for
exceptional services rendered to Armenian people and on occasion of
80th anniversary. T.M. –0–
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RA PM CONGRATULATES ARMENIAN CITIZENS ON DAY OF FIRST REPUBLIC
YEREVAN, May 28. /ARKA/. RA PM Andranik Margarian congratulated the
Armenian citizens on Day of First Republic. As RA Government Public
and Press Relations Department told ARKA PM mentioned in his message
that “on 28 May 1918 due to collective will and unbending spirit of
our people
The centuries old aspirations f the Armenian people related to
restoration of the statehood became reality.” In his opinion, despite
the First Republic was short-lived, its lessons of freedom,
independence, creation and the most important retaining strong
statehood were transferring from generation to generation and had new
and remarkable manifestations in the end of 1980s” “The heroic
Artsakh struggle proved our determination to keep historic
achievements”, said the Head of the Government, adding that “13th
years old the Third Armenian Republic confidently marches ahead,
gradually developing its economy and strengthening independent
statehood and its place in the global processes” “Free and
independent Armenia, based on democratic values has no alternatives
and I am confident that no force, no difficulties are not able to
withstanding our movement”, PM’s congratulation message says. T.M.
–0–
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RA GOVERNMENT APPROVES THE ORDER OF ORGANIZATION AND AVIATION
SECURITY CONTROL IN THE AIRPORTS OF THE REPUBLIC
YEREVAN, May, 28. /ARKA/. RA Government approved the order of
organization and aviation security control in the airports of the
republic. According to the RA President’s Press Service Department,
the decision was made issuing from commitments taken by Armenia the
frames of an International Agreement on Aviation Security, and the
necessity of preserving life and good health of passengers and the
crew. The corresponding ministries and departments are to submit
within a week their notes and suggestions on making decisions and
their further discussion. A.H. —0–
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RA PRESIDENT KOCHARIAN CONGRATULATES CITIZENS OF ARMENIA ON THE
OCCASION OF THE REPUBLIC FESTIVAL
YEREVAN, May, 28. /ARKA/. RA President Kocharian congratulated
citizens of Armenia on the occasion of the Republic Festival.
According to the RA President’s Press Service Department, the
greeting of RA President states that the Republic of Armenia is fruit
of century lasting expectations of the Armenian nation and the heroic
battles in 1918. According to him, after an interval for a century,
Armenian nation again returned to the international political arena.
The greeting states that notwithstanding serious challenges and short
period of existence as a republic, the First Republic managed to
create preconditions for the development of its nation and the
country. “It could pass to the generations new system of values of a
nation-carrier of a republic and the realization of having own
country by its citizens”, as stated in Ra President’s greeting. He
also noted that May 28 is a an example of a national unity, “which we
should be guided with today and in future”. A.H.—0–
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RA NA SPEAKER ARTHUR BAGHDASARYAN CONGRATULATES CITIZENS OF ARMENIA
ON THE OCCASION OF THE REPUBLIC FESTIVAL
YEREVAN, May, 28. /ARKA/. RA NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan
congratulated citizens of Armenia on the occasion of the Republic
Festival. According to RA NA Press Service Department, the greeting
states that each country has its special days and festivals that
symbolize important historical events, victories of a nation and a
state. According to Speaker, for Armenian deprived of republic for so
many years, Republic Festival is especially important as it “crowns
century lasting struggle and final victory”. “The history of the last
century teaches us that in order to have a Republic, it ‘s necessary
to struggle for it, and the struggle should be not only political ,
but also economical and cultural”, according to the statement.
On May 26, 1918 after the collapse of Transecaucasian Seym and
declaration of independence by Georgia, the regional assembly of the
Armenia revolutionary federation Dashnaktsutyun entitled the Armenian
National Council (ANC) in Tbilisi with the authorities of Government
with the right to dictatorship in all areas of life. On May 28, ANC
declared Armenia’s independence, and on May 29, the assembly of ARF
Dashnaktsutyun West and East Bureau appointed the architect Hovhannes
Kadjaznuni the first Prime Minister of independent Armenia and chose
Yerevan as the capital of the new state. The independent Armenian
state maintained its independence till December 2, 1920, when under
the pressure of Bolshivik Russia Armenia had to sign Yerevan
agreement with it which crowned the beginning of making the republic
soviet. A.H—0–
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