Author: Maghakian Mike

Eurasianet Organization
Aug 19 2004
AN AMERICAN “MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE” FACES A TEST IN TURBULENT GEORGIA
Alec Appelbaum: 8/19/04
The United States intends to use Georgia as a proving ground for a
new foreign aid strategy. Whether or not Tbilisi can take full
advantage of the US-backed Millennium Challenge Account program
remains questionable given that Georgia is fast becoming entangled in
another round of separatist conflict.
Fighting in South Ossetia has steadily escalated in the past week,
with Georgian government troops battling separatist forces. Overnight
clashes August 18-19, left three Georgian troops dead as government
forces reportedly drove South Ossetian fighters from several key
strategic locations in the region, according to the Civil Georgia web
site. According to some reports, Georgian forces have started
shelling the outskirts of Tskhinvali, the regional capital. At least
12 Georgian soldiers have died in action over the past week while
dozens of South Ossetian militia members have reportedly been killed.
South Ossetia has operated beyond Tbilisi’s control since the early
1990s, when Georgia was consumed by separatism, along with domestic
political and economic turmoil. [For background see the Eurasia
Insight archive]. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has made the
restoration of Georgian territorial integrity one of his top policy
priorities. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. While
Tbilisi appears to enjoy a strategic advantage at present in South
Ossetia, there are signs that Russia is not willing to remain a
silent witness to a Georgian reconquista. On August 18, Russian
President made his first public comments on the deteriorating
Ossetian situation, cautioning Georgia to eschew force in favor of a
negotiated settlement to the region’s political status.
“We [Russia] are particularly concerned at the explosive development
of events in connection with South Ossetia, and an alarming situation
in connection with Abkhazia,” Putin told Russian television. “We are
unanimous that today, as never before, it is important for the sides
to show their readiness to settle the conflict by peaceful means. A
threat is a method which leads to a dead end.”
Russia has long acted as the protector of Abkhazia’s and South
Ossetia’s interests, and many residents in the regions have been
granted Russian citizenship. [For background see the Eurasia Insight
archive]. Already, reports are circulating about the presence of
Russian mercenaries in the ranks of the South Ossetia militia. If the
fighting continues, Russia could feel compelled to adopt a more
active interventionist stance. Greater Russian involvement, in turn,
could bog down Georgia in a conflict that it cannot really afford.
The South Ossetian crisis is overshadowing domestic reform efforts,
including Saakashvili’s anti-corruption campaign. Some political
observers worry that reform progress made since Saakashvili took
office in January could be lost, as the government appears
increasingly preoccupied with South Ossetia.
Georgia’s reform efforts are largely dependent on foreign economic
assistance. A major potential source of aid is the Millennium
Challenge Account system, which began operating in May. Georgia was
among 16 nations designated by the United States as eligible to tap
into a $1 billion development fund controlled by the Millennium
Challenge Corporation (MCC). The US government has indicated that it
will contribute billions of more dollars to the fund in coming years.
Also among the original 16 MCC eligible nations are Armenia and
Mongolia. Overall, 74 nations applied to participate in the
Millennium Challenge Account system.
US President George W. Bush characterized the system as “a new and
hopeful approach in America’s aid to developing nations,” linking aid
“to clear standards of economic, political and social reform.” The
Bush administration hopes that MCC will enable the US foreign aid
apparatus to become more flexible. The new system’s distinctive
feature is that it places the onus on the potential recipient
governments to shape aid programs. As such, the 16 eligible nations
will only be able to receive assistance after submitting detailed
proposals to the MCC and having them approved. Bush, during a May 10
ceremony honoring MCC eligible nations, stressed that “funding is not
guaranteed for any selected country.”
“To be awarded a grant, nations must develop proposals explaining how
they will further address the needs of their people, and increase
economic growth – proposals that set clear goals and measurable
benchmarks,” Bush added.
In June, the MCC’s head, Paul Applegarth, visited Georgia to hold
talks with government officials and civil society activists on
potential MCC program proposals. “It [the Millennium Challenge
system] is really built on the thought that … the [recipient]
country gets to choose what the priorities are … and how we provide
assistance to make it happen,” Applegarth said in a statement.
Applegarth’s visit occurred before the latest flare-up of tension
with South Ossetia. Now, some political observers wonder whether the
Ossetia issue will hamper Georgia’s ability to access MCC grant
money. Others believe the crisis will have little bearing on the
level of MCC support. They cite the fact that Georgia’s inclusion
among the original 16 MCC eligible states appeared heavily influenced
by geopolitical considerations. Washington, they believe, is eager to
utilize Georgia as an outpost to defend its strategic interests in
the Caucasus, including the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. [For
background see the Eurasia Insight archive].
Judging purely by the political, social and economic criteria
standards established by MCC, Georgia would not seem to qualify for
inclusion on the list of 16 aid-eligible nations. For example,
despite Saakashvili’s efforts to combat corruption, Georgia ranked
124th out of 133 countries on a corruption index compiled by
Transparency International. [For additional information see the
Eurasia Insight archive].
The Millennium Challenge Corporation acknowledged that Georgia’s
statistical qualifications may be lacking, but it argued in a
statement submitted to the US Congress that the existing data did not
accurately reflect the reform potential in Tbilisi. The MCC said that
Saakashvili’s administration had made great strides in 2004 in
restoring political and economic order, and could be expected to
continue the present trend. During his June visit to Georgia,
Applegarth said Tbilisi’s inclusion in the Millennium Challenge
system was “recognition of the steps taken by the new government.”
Editor’s Note: Alec Appelbaum is freelance writer based in New York.

ARCHEOLOGISTS FIND IRREFUTABLE EVIDENCE OF PRESENCE OF PALEOANTHROPUS
YEREVAN, AUGUST 14. ARMINFO. An Armenian-French archeological
expedition has found new traces of the primitive man, paleoanthropus,
that inhabited the coasts of paleolakes in the Aparan hollow of the
Aragatsotn region of Armenia.
Talking to ARMINFO, the Head of the expedition, researcher at the
Institute of Archeology and Ethnography, RA National Academy of
Sciences, Boris Gasparyan pointed out that the Armenian-French
expedition worked in July-August 2004 in the vicinity of the Aparan
hollow and of the canyon of the Kasakh River. The expedition members
found about 4,000 items of obsidian and other stones, many bones of
mammals, birds, as well as fish and cockle-shells.

Friday, August 13, 2004
Athletes asked to behave
By Steve Woodward
Special to ESPN.com
ATHENS — Although he might have selected a less disturbing analogy,
U.S. Olympic Committee acting chief executive Jim Scherr was trying to
clarify once and for all the image he hopes the American team will
convey to the world during the 17 days of the Athens Games.
Will it be one of stoic, unwavering discipline or unbridled emotion?
“They are not going to be goose-stepping,” said Scherr, conjuring
memories of Nazi Germany’s military parades while referring to team
instructions.
On the eve of the 2004 Olympics, U.S. Olympians are faced with the
reality that months of talk and, more than likely, over-analysis about
how they must conduct themselves in an era of growing anti-Americanism
is about to be put to the test. It begins with the ritual opening
ceremony at the Olympic Stadium, where the 538-member team enters
under the scrutiny of 70,000-plus spectators and a global television
audience into the tens of millions.
“I think there is a microscope on our team all of the time,” said
University of Hawaii athletic director and past U.S. track Olympian
Herman Frazier, the 2004 team’s chef de mission (a.k.a., team leader).
Frazier’s not overstating it. The microscope’s always was been there
to a certain extent, but never more so than following the 1988 Seoul
Games and the 2000 Sydney Games. In Seoul, the U.S. delegation in the
opening ceremony become over-exuberant, broke ranks and engulfed
parading athletes from other nations who were nearby. The clowning and
waving to NBC cameras sparked instant, probably justified,
criticism. In Sydney, the men’s track relay team was correctly blasted
for celebrating like immature children who never were taught proper
uses for the American flag. It’s not a cape or a fashion accessory.
Now, in an even more complicated world, where U.S. citizens no longer
have to wonder how far a terrorist cell will go to attack our values
and ways of life, or where American foreign policy has become fuel for
intensifying hatred, the stakes are even higher.
We know what constitutes the unacceptable in this scenario. The
U.S. cannot afford anything less than a dignified arrival into Olympic
Stadium on Friday. American Olympians must curb their tongues, maybe
even their enthusiasm and, for sure, any inclination to whine.
Or to vandalize. Vandalize? Surely that would never happen, you
say. Yet as recently as Seoul ’88, American swimmers were accused of
removing an ornamental lion’s head from a hotel. And at the 1998
Nagano Winter Games in Japan, professional U.S. ice hockey team
members — whose identities never have been revealed — enraged their
Japanese hosts by trashing at least one hotel room in an obvious
display of self-control gone awry.
But, assuming nothing in those extremes in Athens will happen, what
the USOC and its athletes can’t know for sure until the Games begin is
how broadly their behavior will be subject to interpretation.
Is a pumped fist OK? Raised arms? A mid-court hug? A wink and a
thumbs-up? Dare anyone in red-white-and-blue smirk or lash out in
anger, even in the heat of competition?
“We’ve taken an extra effort to prepare them in this regard,” Scherr
said during a Tuesday appearance with Olympians from boxing, fencing
and gymnastics at the adidas hospitality facility in the hills above
the city. “What we have said (about conduct) has been a little
misinterpreted. When (athletes) win, they are free to do what they’ve
always done, which is display the flag proudly.”
Additionally, part of the processing of American teams as they
check-in at the Olympic Village here is a briefing that includes
detailed discussions of life in the Village, security issues, medical
issues, behavior and media interaction, Frazier said.
“You will still see enthusiasm,” Frazier said. “But we have told them
we expect them to be solid citizens.”
Still, the interpretation question lingers in the air like Athens’
renowned second-hand cigarette smoke. Can a “solid citizen” have a
good time? What does that mean?
The U.S. women’s basketball head coach, Houston Comets coach Van
Chancellor, a homespun southerner if there ever was one, said he found
himself thinking about that after the team’s first practice upon
arriving in Greece at mid-week. He was taking on some of his star WNBA
players in a half-court shooting contest and said he was down
$100. Pitying their coach, the players suggested one redeeming shot
attempt to erase all debt. Chancellor let one fly.
“I thought it was going in and, if it did, I was going to do a little
victory lap,” he said. “Now I don’t know if (a victory lap) meets the
USOC’s standards of conduct or not. I think we all know we have to
watch ourselves in what we say and what we do here.”
Three-time basketball Olympian Dawn Staley, elected by fellow
Olympians Wednesday to carry the U.S. flag into the opening ceremony,
said she and her teammates were given specific instructions about the
procession. They will walk in defined “lanes” six abreast, she
said. (Frazier later clarified that there will be eight lanes to
coincide with the eight lanes on the running track).
“I am sure we are going to be more conscious of how we are viewed,”
said Staley, who added that the detail of the briefing was “something
I’ve never heard before.”
Even Staley, a bona fide role model who operates her own foundation to
help kids in the Philadelphia area, expressed concern that the rush of
athletic competition is not always conducive to orderly conduct.
“Sometimes, things get out of hand,” she said. “But it is nothing but
adulation.”
Nothing at the Olympic Games seems easy or obvious, at least not
compared to the fairly recent past. Security gets tighter. The cost of
hosting the Games is higher and higher. Standards get
tougher. Suspicion of drug cheats is broader. And, for U.S. Olympians,
the lights of scrutiny grow ever brighter.
Is there anything wrong with smiling, crying, shouting, praying,
embracing, dancing or jumping for joy?
We’ll know soon enough, but at least one U.S. team member prefers to
place the days to come in an entirely different context, one that is
surely criticism-proof.
Vanes Martirosyan, an Armenian-born member of the U.S. boxing team,
competing as Olympian in the 152-pound class, focuses only on the
opportunity before him and its symbolism.
“For me,” he said, “making the Olympic team and representing this
country is my family’s way of thanking the U.S. for all it has done
for us.”
In that light, the solid citizen requirement hardly seems too much to
ask.

Voice of America, DC
Aug 13 2004
Elections in Breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh Draw Reaction
Bill Gasperini
Moscow

Local elections were held last Sunday in Nagorno-Karabakh, a
mountainous enclave located inside Azerbaijan which has long been in
dispute with neighboring Armenia. The voting angered the Azeri
government, although longstanding efforts for foreign power including
the United States to mediate in the dispute will continue.
Some international organizations have criticized local elections held
last Sunday in Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave in Azerbaijan populated
by ethnic Armenians that broke away after a bloody war ended a decade
ago.
Authorities in Azerbaijan called the voting illegal, as it was held
outside their jurisdiction and did not take into account the wishes
of refugees who were forced to flee the mountainous region during the
conflict.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has long
overseen negotiations aimed at bringing peace to the region.
OSCE spokesman Ayhan Evrensel says the organization’s position is
that any lasting solution must be reached by the two parties
involved. `What the OSCE through the co-chairs is trying is do is
facilitate a solution, to bring the sides together and discuss about
the issues. It has to come from both sides,’ he said.
Along with Russia and France, the United States has led what is known
as the “Minsk group” of 12 nations attempting to mediate an end to
the dispute.
On Monday, the American embassy in Azerbaijan restated the
longstanding U.S. position that “the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan must be respected”. It added that the elections would
likely not have an impact on the peace process in the region.
There have been periodic meetings of the Minsk group, as well as
encounters between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia, but so
far, all attempts at resolving the dispute have been inconclusive.
An estimated 35,000 people died and one million forced to flee their
homes in a conflict that lasted from 1988 to 1994, when a cease-fire
left ethnic Armenian forces in control of the enclave as well as a
large buffer zone around it.
Shooting incidents still occur periodically along the cease-fire line
not far from Nagorno-Karabakh’s capital city, Stepanakert.

European bank denies Azeri accusations of financing projects in Karabakh
Turan news agency
12 Aug 04

BAKU
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has denied
Azerbaijani media publications that the bank is operating or financing
any activities in Nagornyy Karabakh.
The EBRD says in a press release forwarded to Turan that the
organization is not financing any activities in this region.
In 2002, the EBRD allocated 3m dollars to an Armenian copper company
operating in Armenia. The owner of this company, Yerevan resident
Valeriy Mezhlumyan, also owns a company in Nagornyy Karabakh. However,
the EBRD funds are not directed to this region. The EBRD has taken
measures to ensure that the funds allocated to the Armenian company
are not used in Nagornyy Karabakh, the press release says.

ACCORDING TO MEMBER OF ARF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, THE BELLICOSE STATEMENTS
OF AZERBAIJAN ARE MADE FOR INTERNAL APPLICATION
YEREVAN, August 11 (Noyan Tapan). Spartak Seiranian, a member of the
Executive Council of ARF Dashnaktsutyun, estimated the appeal of
Colonel Ramiz Melikov, Spokesman of the Ministry of Defense of
Azerbaijan, “to declare war on Armenia and to liberate Karabakh, as
Azerbaijan is much stronger today than it was 10 years ago” as a
statement made for internal application. In general, Spartak Seiranian
doesn’t see the threat of the resumtpion of war in the bellicose
statements sounded in the state and political circles of Azerbaijan
recently.
According to Spartak Seiranian, the Azeris hope to obtain arms,
develop its military potential and receive military domination over
Armenia “due to the virtual dollars of the Baku-Jeikhan oil pipeline,
which doesn’t operate still.”
But according to him, if the Azeris think that they have such military
force that can fight and win, one shouldn’t forget that the Armenian
warriors are also ready to die for their Homeland: “The Azeri warrior
isn’t ready to die for Karabakh, as he knows very well that Karabakh
isn’t his land, so he isn’t ready to die for the foreign land, on the
contrary, the Armenian fighter knows that he defends his Homeland,
that’s why he will go to all lengths.” The member of the Executive
Council of ARF Dashnaktsutyun explains the victory of the Armenian
troops in the Karabakh war with this circumstance, and he is sure that
if such situation forms in the future, the same pshycological
phenomenon will operate. As for the statement of Spokesman of the
Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan Ramiz Melikov that “today’s Armenia
has been formed on the historic lands of Azerbaijan and that there
will be no state named Armenia in the territory of the South Caucasus
in 25-30 years” member of the ARF Executive Council considered it as
an absurd, mentioning that this statement is calculated for the
illetarate people.

A GRENADE BLOWN-UP AT ONE OF YEREVAN’S INTERNET CLUBS
YEREVAN, AUGUST 9. ARMINFO. A certain Mais Zohrabian blew up a grenade
at an internet-club in 2 Paronian street in Yerevan today.
According to the information of the Police of Armenia, operator of the
internet club, 42 years old Laura Mnatsakanian died as a result of the
explosion. Mais Zohrabian and the Director of the club Araik Arakelian
were taken to hospital with missile wounds. The public prosecutor’s
office is carrying out an investigation concerning the case on the
explosion.

RIA Novosti, Russia
Aug 9 2004
RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER REPORTS TO PRESIDENT ON NEW ARMS AND RECENT
EXERCISES
MOSCOW, August 9 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Defense Ministry has
decided to provide war fighters Su-24 with a new system of high
precision weapons “shot and forgot”. Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov
said this at the president’s meeting with the government on Monday.
Late last week, the Russian defense minister said that Su-24 fighters
would be modernized and purchased for the Russian Armed Forces, at a
press conference at the Edelveis (Kyrgyzstan) testing range after the
Rubezh-2004 exercises.
“This aircraft can successfully work in the mountains. We are
beginning to modernize aircraft of the Russian Air Force and are
putting them on the production line. We are beginning to purchase
this equipment, and we have no doubt about these aircraft,” said
Ivanov.
Ivanov also said that the Russian Defense Ministry would forward
proposals to the president about forming and arming two mountain
brigades.
According to the defense minister, “we are planning to complete the
formation of the two mountain brigades by next year.”
Earlier, the president instructed to form a subdivision to serve in
the North Caucasus and help border guards defend the border.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov reported to the president and
the government about the exercises on the Kola peninsula and in
Kyrgyzstan.
The minister said that the exercises were aimed to drill measures to
provide security of transporting nuclear materials and eliminating
the consequences of an attack on a convoy.
“The super tank used for transporting nuclear materials was shelled
from grenade throwers, derailed and sunk in a reservoir,” the
minister said.
In his words, the exercises involved 1,000 servicemen of the Defense
Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the FSB, the Federal Agency for
Nuclear Energy, and also 500 units of special equipment.
Ivanov also noted that the exercises were positively assessed by the
attending NATO observers.
“We expect that our experts will be able to gain an insight into the
situation in this sphere in a NATO nuclear country,” said Ivanov.
As for exercises in Kyrgyztsan, the minister noted that these were
the first serious exercises of the Collective Rapid Deployment
Forces. Participating in the exercises were Russia, Kyrgyzstan,
Belarus, and Armenia. On the Russian side, the exercises involved the
commandos of the Volga-Urals military district, and also 30 units of
combat aviation, combat helicopters, transport helicopters and the
Ka-50 helicopter Black Shark.
Ivanov said that the combat aviation used high precision weapons
based on the “shot-and-forgot” principle in Kyrgyzstan.
Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin told the president about the situation
around funding servicemen’s housing. Direct federal spending on the
accumulative and mortgage crediting program for servicemen will
amount to 2.5 billion rubles ($1 equals about 29 rubles) in 2005, he
said. The minister stressed that the federal budget would pay the
first contribution and interest on the mortgage.
Minister of Economic Development and Trade German Gref in turn said
that before the draft law on servicemen’s housing provision comes
into force on January 1, another three draft laws would have to be
adopted along with 20 government resolutions.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 3, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
SENATOR BURNS AGREES TO COSPONSOR GENOCIDE RESOLUTION
— Montana Republican Becomes 40th Senate
Supporter of Human Rights Measure
WASHINGTON, DC – Montana Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) agreed this
week to cosponsor the Genocide Resolution, S.Res.164, bringing the
number of U.S. Senators supporting this human rights measure to
forty, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
“I am proud to join with 39 of my Senate colleagues in support of
S.Res.164,” said Senator Burns in a statement to the ANCA. “This
legislation stresses the importance of remembering and learning the
lessons of past crimes against humanity, including the Armenian
Genocide, the Holocaust, and the Cambodian and Rwandan genocides,
in an effort to stop future atrocities. Silence in the face of
genocide only encourages those who would commit such atrocities in
the future – a legacy which we cannot afford to pass on to our
children.”
“Armenian Americans, in Montana and across the United States, join
in thanking Senator Burns for his principled stand in defense of
the fundamental right of all people to live free from the terrors
of genocide,” said ANCA-Western Region Executive Director Ardashes
Kassakhian, who traveled to Montana in late July to meet with
members of the state’s Congressional delegation, along with local
community activist Yedvart Tchakerian. “We have been very
encouraged, in recent months, by the increasing effectiveness of
our grassroots outreach in the Northern Plain states, with Senators
from Montana and both North and South Dakota supporting the
Genocide Resolution, and the governors of Idaho, Nebraska, and
Montana issuing proclamations commemorating the Armenian Genocide.”
The Genocide Resolution marks the 15th anniversary of the U.S.
implementation of the Genocide Convention and reaffirms the
commitment of the American people to this landmark treaty. It
specifically cites the importance of applying the lessons of past
genocides in order to make the world safe from future genocides.
Senators John Ensign (R-NV) and Jon Corzine (D-NJ) introduced this
measure in June of last year. Its companion measure in the U.S.
House, H.Res.193, led by Representatives George Radanovich (R-CA),
Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs
Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), was adopted
unanimously by the House Judiciary Committee last May and currently
has 111 cosponsors. On July 15th, the U.S. House passed an
amendment, authored by Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), which
prohibited the government of Turkey from using U.S. foreign aid
dollars to lobby against the Genocide Resolution.
Support for the Genocide Resolution has been widespread outside of
Congress as well, with a diverse coalition of over 100 ethnic,
religious, civil and human rights organizations calling for its
passage, including American Values, National Organization of Women,
Sons of Italy, NAACP, Union of Orthodox Rabbis, and the National
Council of La Raza.
For information about Senator Burns, who serves on the powerful
Senate Appropriations Committee, visit:

TURKEY SAYS KARABAKH LOCAL ELECTIONS “ILLEGAL”
Anatolia news agency
3 Aug 04
ANKARA
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan said on Tuesday (3
August) that Turkey considered municipality elections to be held in
Nagornyy Karabakh in August as illegal. Tan, in a written statement,
said that such kind of unilateral initiatives would not contribute to
efforts to find a peaceful solution to the problem.
Tan said Nagornyy Karabakh problem was nowadays one of the main
elements of instability in southern Caucasia, and also continued to be
an obstacle in front of good neighbourhood relations and cooperation
in the region and integration of the region with the international
community.
Tan said: “It is obvious that municipality elections, scheduled to be
held in August in Nagornyy Karabakh, mean violation of basic rules of
international law and the charters of UN, Council of Europe and OSCE.
Tan said: “Turkey supported a solution within the scope of
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and through peaceful means; and
many times, expressed its readiness to contribute to the efforts to
find a solution”.