Author: Nahapetian Samvel

Turkish Daily News
March 28 2005
Domestic Newsline
Monday, March 28, 2005
Pamuk’s books burned in flag display demonstration
ANK ~V Turkish Daily News
Writer Orhan Pamuk’s books along with flags of the outlawed
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK/Kongra-Gel) were burned during a flag
display demonstration on Sunday in Bilecik, 313 kilometers west of
Ankara, reported the Doðan News Agency.
The demonstration was prompted by an attempt to burn a Turkish flag
in the southern city of Mersin during Nevroz celebrations last week.
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Bilecik deputy Fahrettin
Poyraz and Republican People’s Party (CHP) Bilecik deputy Yaþar Tüzün
attended the demonstration.
The demonstrators carried banners condemning internationally
renowned writer Pamuk for claiming that large numbers of Armenians
and Kurds were killed in Turkey.
–Boundary_(ID_0nMKKn5h3OKiEZmS46FLhw)–

Americans For Artsakh
Washington, DC
Tel: (202) 215-1800
Email: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 25, 2005
Contact: Hrant Jamgochian
Email: [email protected]
AMERICANS FOR ARTSAKH OPENS ITS LIAISON OFFICE IN STEPANAKERT, NAGORNO KARABAKH
Washington, DC – Stepanakert office of the Americans For Artsakh (AFA)
organization has begun its operations in Nagorno Karabakh Republic,
Artsakh.
AFA application for registration in Nagorno Karabakh followed a July
2004 resolution of the AFA Board of Directors to open a representation
in Artsakh. By another Board decision, Elvina Azarian was appointed
director of the AFA Liaison Office in Artsakh. A native of Stepanakert,
Elvina volunteered her time and skills to advance AFA’s innovative
projects in Artsakh.
Working in close cooperation with both the NKR government and the
public, the AFA Liaison Office in Artsakh will be responsible for
project implementation, regular updates on humanitarian and development
needs of Artsakh, and on-site support for visiting members.
In separate meetings with AFA President Zaven Khanjian and Executive
Director Hrant Jamgochian, NKR President Arkady Ghoukasian voiced his
strong support for the AFA objectives and pledged close cooperation.
In May 2004, AFA sponsored two seismologists from Nagorno Karabakh to
participate in the “2004 Disaster Resistant California” international
conference in Sacramento, CA. Since last year, Liaison Office director
Azarian has represented AFA in the CIMAP – a local committee tasked
with implementation of medical assistance projects for Artsakh’s
children and veterans.
This month AFA launched a first-ever food market study in Artsakh. AFA
Board of Directors is currently reviewing a number of innovative
projects in democracy development and education for their possible
implementation.
Americans For Artsakh is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization
established to preserve freedom, strengthen democracy, foster economic
development, protect the cultural identity and promote the heritage
of the people of Artsakh. The founding Board of Directors include:
Zaven Khanjian, President; Dr. Hratch Abrahamian, Vice President; Savey
Tufenkian, Treasurer; Rita Balian, Secretary; and Edward Chobanian.
To learn more visit:
# # #
Photo Caption: Nagorno Karabakh President Arkady Ghoukasian voices
his strong support for the Americans for Artsakh’s (AFA) objectives
and pledges close cooperation. From left to right Mrs. Sona Khanjian,
President Arkady Ghoukasian and AFA President Zaven Khanjian
To request this photo for publishing with the press-release, send an
email to [email protected]

Ousted Kyrgyz president slams ‘unconstitutional coup’
ABC Online, Australia
Last Update: Saturday, March 26, 2005. 2:00am (AEDT)
Kyrgyzstan’s deposed president Askar Akayev has slammed the ouster of
his regime as an “unconstitutional coup d’etat”, Kyrgyz and Russian
media reported.
“An unconstitutional coup d’etat has occurred in the republic,”
Mr Akayev said in a message to a Kyrgyz news agency in his first
comments on Thursday’s chaotic opposition protests that sent him
fleeing from a country he had ruled since 1990.
“A group of irresponsible political adventurists and conspirators
embarked on the criminal path of grabbing power by force,” the message
said, according to the reports.
“The rumors about my resignation are not true… In the current
situation I took a decision to temporarily leave the country in order
to avoid bloody excesses.”
“The attempt to rid me of presidential powers via an unconstitutional
route is a crime against the state,” Mr Akayev said. “My current stay
outside the country is temporary.”
Mr Akayev did not say where he was, though unconfirmed media reports
said he had fled to Kazakhstan with his family.
Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the day offered to take
in Mr Akayev.
“We will not object if Askar Akayev wants to come to Russia,” Mr
Putin told journalists during a visit to Armenia.
-AFP

Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
Raging Bull is ready
March 26, 2005
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Bring it on: Vic Darchinyan in training at Jeff Fenech’s Marrickville gym
ahead of his bout against Mzukisi Sikali on Sunday night.
Photo: Craig Golding
Vic Darchinyan, regarded as the hardest puncher around, wants to add the IBO
to his IBF title, but that’s just the start of his ambitions, writes Brad
Walter.
Vic Darchinyan doesn’t like to make predictions about how long his
fights will last. “It is not good to say I am going to knock someone
out,” the IBF world flyweight champion said ahead of Sunday night’s
title unification bout against South Africa’s Mzukisi Sikali at the
State Sports Centre. “I look to finish as soon as possible. If I can
finish in 10 seconds, I will. My fitness is very good, but I don’t
look to be punching long distance. I go to kill.”
Having won 22 fights – 17 by KO – since moving to Sydney from Armenia
after the 2000 Olympics to train under Jeff Fenech, the record of
the undefeated Darchinyan speaks for itself.
“He’s so cocky that sometimes it’s scary,” Fenech says. “He comes
back after a round and says, ‘You want me to knock him [out] now? This
round, I finish?’.” Fenech says the 29-year-old Darchinyan is, pound
for pound, the hardest puncher in Australian boxing.
Having shed 8.5 kilograms in the past five weeks to get down to 50.8kg
for the fight, he can bench-press more than twice his own weight.
“He’s just so strong,” Fenech said. “If he hits anybody, they’re gone.
That’s it, fight over. He can knock anybody out.”
Darchinyan’s greatest victory to date was an 11th-round KO in December
of the previously unbeaten Irene Pacheco, who was making his seventh
defence of the IBF title, but the win was the culmination of 21 years’
preparation and more than 300 fights.
Considered a national hero in his native Armenia, Darchinyan took up
boxing at the age of eight and quickly discovered he was good at it.
“I loved it,” Darchinyan recalled. “I beat everyone in my city [of
Vanadzor] after a couple of months by knockouts, and I remember the
first time I fought as a 15-year-old all the kids wanted to fight
like me.”
Joining the international amateur circuit at the same age, he achieved
a record of 152 wins from 170 fights throughout Europe and the US but,
in the hope of attaining Olympic gold, resisted approaches to turn pro.
Although Darchinyan did not win a medal at Sydney 2000, Fenech said
the Armenian was a stand-out fighter at the Games and he invited him
to join his stable, which includes Nedal ‘Skinny’ Hussein and Lovemore
Ndou, who are on the undercard of Sunday night’s fight.
“I wanted to become an amateur champion and then a professional
champion, but it was not to be,” said Darchinyan, whose has the
nickname of Raging Bull.
“Now it doesn’t matter,” he said. “I am world champion in the IBF
and now I want to collect belts.”
Darchinyan said that when he has all the belts, he will “look to go
to bantamweight, which is two divisions up”.
First, however, Darchinyan has to overcome Sikali, the IBO flyweight
champion who is unbeaten since 1999. Trained by Harold Volbrecht,
who plotted Phillip Holiday’s career-ending defeat of Fenech in 1996,
Sikali boasts a record of 29 wins.
These include 17 victories by knockout, two draws and five losses
during a 36-fight career, and the South African has successfully
defended his title on three occasions.
Fenech said Sunday’s keenly awaited bout would undoubtedly be the
biggest test so far for Darchinyan.
But the southpaw, whose father, Rubik, will carry the IBF belt into
the ring, is extremely confident.
“He is a smart boxer,” Darchinyan said of his South African
opponent. “I have watched the videos and I can see that he is a
good mover.
“But I know in my head that I am much stronger than him and that I
am much smarter.
“I don’t think it will go the distance, but I don’t want to say I
will beat him easily.”

Armenian, Russian leaders open Year of Russia in Yerevan
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
25 Mar 05
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and Russian President Vladimir
Putin attended the opening of the Year of Russia in Armenia on
25 March.
At a ceremony held in Yerevan’s Opera and Ballet Theatre and shown
live on Armenian Public TV, Kocharyan welcomed the guests in Russian.
The Armenian president stressed close historical and cultural ties
between the two countries.
“This legacy is an eternal value and a firm basis for current
partnership relations between Armenia and Russia,” Kocharyan said.
Addressing the ceremony, President Putin hailed the current level of
political and economic ties.
“Russia is the main investor and economic partner of Armenia, and
bilateral trade is increasing each year,” Putin said.
Putin also said Russia was interested in the resolution of the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which has been
“a serious test for the region”.

NKR PARLIAMENT MEMBERS APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO
CONSIDER ARMENIAN MASSACRES IN SHUSHI 85 YEARS AGO AS GENOCIDE
STEPANAKERT, MARCH 23. ARMINFO. Regular plenary sitting of National
Assembly of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was held Thursday. ARMINFO’s
own correspondent in Stepanakert informs with reference to the press
office of NKR parliament, at the beginning of the sitting in
commemoration of the 85th anniversary of the massacres in the town of
Shushi the parliament read the statement, saying: “85 years passed
since the tragic events took place on March 23 at the beginning of
the twentieth century – the massacres of the population of the former
administrative center of the region – the towns of Shushi and
bordering Armenian villages. The authorities of the Azerbaijani
Democratic Republic perpetrated this monstrous crime, as a result of
which over 30,000 peaceful citizens became victims. The authorities
of Azerbaijan acted under the direct patronage and assistance o the
Turkish expeditionary corps, which was in the territory of
Azerbaijan. As a matter of fact the March slaughter of the Armenian
population of Shushi was continued by means of various forms of
ethnic cleaning during all the years of existence of Nagorny Karabakh
as a part of Azerbaijan and was finished by mass deportation of the
last Armenian residents in 1988. Condemning the massacres of the
Armenian population of the town of Shushi and bordering villages on
March 23, 1920, National Assembly of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
appeals to the international community with a call to consider this
bloody event as an act of genocide”.
During the sitting MPs also adopted the bills on notarial office, on
referendum, on amending the law on the charter of national assembly
and others.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Cybercast News Service, VA
Moscow Lashes Out at West Over Kyrgyzstan Protests
By Sergei Blagov
CNSNews.com Correspondent
March 24, 2005
Moscow (CNSNews.com) – Accusing the West of meddling in yet another
former Soviet state, Russia has voiced concerns about the ongoing
violent protests in Kyrgyzstan, where authorities are warning they
may use force against protestors contesting election results.
Both Russia and the United States have military bases in the Central
Asian country.
In a telephone conversation with European Union foreign policy chief
Xavier Solana, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov criticized what
he called Solana’s “counterproductive public statements that can be
used by Kyrgyz opposition to increase tensions.”
He was referring to a statement by Solana on Monday to the effect
that in some parts of Kyrgyzstan, recent parliamentary elections did
not meet international standards.
Criticism also came from the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE), which called the elections seriously flawed, and
from U.S. Senator John McCain, who said the balloting was riddled
with irregularities.
Solana reassured Lavrov that the E.U. favored a “political settlement”
to end the standoff.
Russia suspects Western influence played a role in protest-driven
transitions to democracy in Ukraine last year and in Georgia in 2003.
Protests began after a first round of parliamentary elections on 27
February and grew after a 13 March run-off.
The opposition charges that President Askar Akayev’s administration
helped to fix the vote, to pack the 75-seat chamber with supporters
ahead of presidential elections in October.
Kyrgyz police on Wednesday dispersed hundreds of opposition supporters
trying to enter government buildings in the capital, Bishkek. Earlier
this week, protesters took control of regional administrations in
two southern cities, Osh and Jalal-Abad.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov accused the Kyrgyz opposition of
inciting lawlessness and urged protesters to seek political dialogue.
Ivanov also emphasized that the two countries have a collective
security agreement.
Kyrgyzstan is one of five ex-Soviet Republics which in 1992 joined
Russia in a body called the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO). The others are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.
In late 2001, the U.S. opened an air base near Bishkek as part of
the post-9/11 war against Islamist terror. Two years later, Russia
also established an air base in the country.
A Russian task force is there to provide air power for a contingent
of ground troops known as a rapid-reaction force. This group could
eventually total more than 5,000 troops from Russia, as well as from
other CSTO allies.
Earlier this week, Russian officials said the situation around the
airbase remained calm.
Akayev said on national television Wednesday the problems had to be
resolved through negotiation.
He rejected calls for his resignation and condemned the protests,
but said there could be a review of voting results in some regions.
The 60-year-old president has promised to leave office at the end of
his third term, in October. He has ruled the country of five million
people since independence in 1991.
Meanwhile, senior officials have threatened a clampdown. Speaking
shortly after police broke up protests in Bishkek, Keneshbek
Dyushebayev, the newly-appointed Interior Minister whose predecessor
was fired, said police may use live ammunition if necessary.
“Such methods will never be used against peaceful law-abiding citizens,
those who do not storm buildings and seize power,” he said.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for restraint, and the State
Department said it endorsed an OSCE call for immediate talks between
the government and the opposition.
Kyrgyzstan borders China, which has teamed up with Russia in the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization, an attempt to draw Central Asian
states into a regional security grouping.
China’s response to the crisis in Kyrgyzstan has been restricted to
calls for “peace, stability and development in Central Asia.”

IT’S PLANNED TO FUNDAMENTALLY REPAIR 7 CULTURAL CENTERS THIS YEAR IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, MARCH 23, NOYAN TAPAN. It’s planned to fundamentally repair
7 cultural centers at the expense of the state resources in 2005
in Armenia. According to the Press Service of RA Ministry of Urban
Development, sum-total in the amount of 409.1m drams (nearly $800
thousand) will be allocated from the state budget for the purpose of
fundamental repairs of cultural centers. 130m drams out of this sum
will be allocated for fundamental repairs of 3 entities in marzes. To
recap, nearly $42m and $31m are necessary for repair and construction
of nearly 900 cultural centers in 2004-2008 in Armenia, respectively.
It’s planned to finance the repairs both from state resources and
with the assistance of international donor organizations. 60 houses
of culture have been repaired with financing of different sources
recently in Armenia.

New York Jewish Times, NY
March 22 2005
U.S. Charges 18 with Alleged Plot to Import and Sell Russian
Shoulder-Fired Missiles, Rocket Propelled Grenade Launchers, and
Other Weapons
(FBI) DAVID N. KELLEY, the United States Attorney for the Southern
District of New York, PASQUALE D~RAMURO, the Assistant Director in
Charge of the New York Office of the FBI, and RAYMOND W. KELLY, the
New York City Police Commissioner, announced the unsealing of a
complaint in Manhattan federal court charging 18 individuals with
various weapons trafficking offenses, including a scheme to smuggle
rocket propelled grenade launchers (~SRPGs~T), shoulder-fired
surface-to-air missiles (~SSAMs~T), and other Russian military weapons
into the United States for sale. In addition, the defendants are also
charged with conspiring to traffic in machineguns and other similar
assault weapons, and in fact sold eight such weapons during the
course of the investigation. The arrests are the result of a
year-long investigation that utilized a confidential informant (~SCI~T)
who posed as an arms trafficker selling weapons to terrorists. The
FBI~Rs investigation also included courtauthorized wiretaps on seven
different phones and interceptions of more than 15,000 calls.
Specifically, the 61-page federal complaint unsealed in Manhattan
federal court charges ARTUR SOLOMONYAN, CHRISTIAAN DEWET SPIES, IOSEB
KHARABADZE, JOSEPH COLPANI, and MICHAEL GUY DEMARE with conspiring to
transport destructive devices in interstate and foreign commerce. The
complaint also charges 13 other individuals with weapons trafficking
for their roles in supplying SOLOMONYAN and SPIES with machineguns
and other assault weapons, which were then sold to the CI.
The Complaint alleges that SOLOMONYAN and SPIES, with the help of
KHARABADZE, COLPANI, DEMARE, and other unidentified co-conspirators
were actively preparing to import RPGs, SAMs, anti-tank missile
systems, and other military weapons into the country from Eastern
Europe. The CI, it is alleged, had multiple conversations with
SOLOMONYAN and SPIES over the course of the conspiracy in which the
CI indicated that his clients were terrorists.
According to the Complaint, SOLOMONYAN and SPIES met with the CI on
several occasions in New York City to discuss the details of their
weapons deals, including in-depth discussions of the specifications
and prices of various weapons that the defendants could ship into the
United States. The Complaint alleges that, in June 2004, at a meeting
in New York City, SOLOMONYAN provided the CI with a list of weapons
for sale that included RPGs, stinger missiles, AK-47s, and claymore
mines. The Complaint also details numerous telephone calls between
the defendants discussing the inner workings of their plot to bring
weapons into the country. For example, the Complaint alleges that in
January 2005, SPIES spoke on the phone with COLPANI about providing
the CI with an RPG. According to the Complaint, as recently as late
January 2005, SOLOMONYAN discussed importing 200 RPGs from Armenia
for sale to the CI.
Most recently, in late February 2005, SOLOMONYAN and SPIES provided
the CI with digital photos of military weapons in Armenia that they
proposed to import into the U.S. for sale to the CI. The CI was given
the name of a Russian website, a user name, and a password in order
to access the 17 digital photos of the weapons. These photos, which
FBI forensics has determined were taken in late February 2005,
included such weapons as two SA-7b Strella Surface to Air Heat
Seeking Anti-Aircraft Missiles; a Russian AT-4 Spigot Anti-Tank
Guided Missile and Launcher; a 120 mm mortar launcher; Russian 73 mm
recoilless anti-tank guns; and fully automatic AK-74 and AKS assault
rifles, according to the Complaint.
SOLOMONYAN and SPIES were arrested last night after meeting one last
time with the CI to finalize their plans to travel to Eastern Europe
to arrange the importation of the military weapons. The FBI arrested
them before they could travel outside of the U.S. to obtain the
weapons. The FBI is currently working with Armenian and Russian
authorities to secure the weapons and to arrest the responsible
parties abroad.
According to the Complaint, while SOLOMONYAN and SPIES were actively
arranging the importation of the military weapons from Eastern
Europe, they also sold machineguns and assault weapons to the CI.
Utilizing the services of various weapons traffickers in New York
City, Los Angeles, and Florida, the defendants provided the CI with
eight weapons and conspired to sell the CI many more. As alleged in
the Complaint, each weapon was delivered by the defendants to storage
facilities rented by the FBI on the CI~Rs behalf. On several
occasions, SOLOMONYAN or SPIES was surveilled delivering the weapons
to various storage locations. Of the eight weapons, three were
delivered in New York City, three were delivered in Los Angeles, and
two were delivered in Fort Lauderdale. The weapons sold to the CI
include an SKS fully-automatic assault rifle; a Norinco Model NHM91;
an Israel Military Industries Model A Uzi; an Interdynamic Model KG-
9; a Norinco AK-47; a Norinco MA-90 Sporter; an AK-47 made by GN
Romarm SA/Cugir; and an AK-47, BA 36 0543, Arsenal, as well as two
conversion kits intended to convert both AK-47’s into fullyautomatic
machineguns.
SOLOMONYAN, 26, is an Armenian citizen residing in New York and Los
Angeles. SPIES, 33, a South African citizen, resides in New York.
KHARABADZE, 52, is Georgian and resides on the Upper West Side of
Manhattan. They, along with seven other defendants, will be presented
in Manhattan federal court. COLPANI, 53, and DEMARE, 50, both live in
Florida and were arrested there this morning.
Besides SOLOMONYAN, SPIES, COLPANI, and DEMARE, the other defendants
charged with weapons trafficking include: DMITRIY VOROBEYCHIK, 28, of
New York; NIKOLAI NADIRASHVILI, 25, of New York; LEVON SOLOMONYAN,
24, of Los Angeles; ALLAH MCQUEEN, 23, of New York; RAJAB CHAVIS, 25,
of New York; GAREGIN GASPARYAN, 28, of Los Angeles; MICHAEL JIMENEZ,
35, of Los Angeles; SHAWN JONES, 22, of New York; LEVAN CHVELIDZE,
28, of New York; VATO MACHITIDZE, 26, of New York; TIGRAN GEVORGYAN,
21, of Los Angeles; and ARMAND ABRAMIAN, 27, of Los Angeles.
The six individuals arrested in Los Angeles, and the two arrested in
Florida, will be presented in their respective federal courts and
then brought to New York to face the current charges.
As a result of the various charges in the Complaint, SOLOMONYAN and
SPIES each face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. COLPANI and
DEMARE face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and KHARABADZE
faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. The rest of the 13
defendants charged in the Complaint face a maximum penalty of 15
years in prison.
Mr. KELLEY praised the efforts of the FBI and the NYPD for their
handling of this investigation. Mr. KELLEY also expressed his thanks
to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and
Immigration and Customs Enforcement for their assistance in the
investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys BENJAMIN M. LAWSKY and MIRIAM E.
ROCAH are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and
the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an
accusation; the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven
guilty.

GERMANY’S POSITION HAS SERIOUS MOTIVE FOR SUPPORT TO DRAFT RESOLUTION
ON GENOCIDE OF ARMENIANS
YEREVAN, MARCH 18. ARMINFO. Draft resolution “Commemoration Day of
Armenians on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the masacre on
April 24, 1915 – Germany must promote reconciliation and peace between
Turks and Armenians” stresses the responsibilities of Imperial Germany
that arises from knowing of the events without trying to prevent them
German opinion can easily support this motion. Christoph Bergner MP,
the editor of the draft resolution on genocide, and President of the
German-Caucasian Parliamentary Group in the Bundestag, stated during
the interview to ARMINFO.
According to the deputy, in this connection the position of Germany
has serious grounds for supporting this draft. It is explicitly not a
resolution calling for the acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide
like the resolution adopted by the French Parliament, but a motion for
promoting dialogue and understanding both within Turkey and between
Turkey and Armenia. The evidence by now is as clear as it was 90 years
ago.
The archives of the German Foreign Ministry are open to all
researchers and have been so for over 50 years (cf. the statement of
the German ambassador to Turkey on March 12). These archives contain
well-known evidence for the events 1915-1916, because Germany being a
close ally of the Ottoman Empire had excellent information on all
proceedings within the Ottoman borders. The documents concerning the
Armenian subjects of the Ottoman Empire have even recently been
published on the internet, Christoph Bergner said.