Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

NEXT US-ARMENIA JOINT TASK FORCE TO MEET IN WASHINGTON OCTOBER 4
ArmenPress
Sept 15 2004
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS: US ambassador to Armenia, John
Evans, told a news conference today that the 9-th meeting of the
US-Armenia Joint Task Force will take place in Washington on October
4 and will discuss bilateral strategic approaches towards boosting
economic growth, improvement of business environment, ways to make US
assistance to Armenia more addressed as well as security, agricultural
and nature protection issues.
John Evans said the meeting will discuss also Armenia’s proposals for
the Millennium Challenges Account program. The Armenian delegation
to Washington will be headed by finance and economy minister Vartan
Khachatrian, who is also the Armenian co-chairman of the Task Force.

ARMENIAN AND CHINESE COOPERATION YIELDS TANGIBLE RESULTS
ArmenPress
Sept 13 2004
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS: “Economic cooperation between
Armenia and China is set to go on developing,” Chinese ambassador Zho
Xiulian told reporters on the sidelines of the Chinese Business Day
within Armenia Expo-2 2004. “Economic cooperation between our countries
yield tangible results, especially in the fields of agriculture and
energy,” he said.
Responding to the question of Armenpress on the current pace of
Armenian-Chinese economic relations, the ambassador said that a mixed
commission is working to steer economic cooperation but there are no
visible outcomes yet. According to the ambassador, distance between
the countries and transport difficulties hinder the enlargement of
economic cooperation between the two. He also said that Armenian and
Chinese businessmen know little about each other. However, he said
certain steps are taken in that direction. Chinese business partners
have submitted written information about their companies to Armenian
counterparts. Armenian companies filled out questionnaires and send
them to Chinese side offering cooperation proposals.
According to International Integration Cooperation Center expert
Helena Nazinian, Armenian and Chinese businessmen are attentively
following cooperation opportunities in almost all fields of economy.

US Backs NATO Cancellation of Exercises in Azerbaijan
By David Gollust
State Department
13 Sep 2004, 21:44 UTC
VOA
The United States criticized Azerbaijan Monday for excluding Armenia
from NATO partnership exercises planned this week in Baku. The
Azerbajani action prompted NATO to cancel the maneuvers. The State
Department says it supports NATO’s decision to cancel the exercises
and says it “deeply regrets” Azerbaijan’s decision not to issue visas
for Armenian participants.
Armenia was to have been among more than 20 countries, NATO members
and aspiring members of the alliance, who were to have taken part
in two weeks of exercises in Azerbaijan opening Tuesday under NATO’s
Partnership for Peace.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said late last week he did not want
officers from his country’s neighbor and political rival Armenia to
come to Baku and said he was taking the “necessary measures” to keep
them out.
On Monday, NATO’s Supreme Command decided to cancel the long-planned
exercise because of the Azerbaijani stance, which a spokesman in
Brussels said violated the principle of “inclusiveness” under which
all NATO exercises are agreed upon and conducted.
There was a similar statement from a State Department spokesman, who
backed the NATO decision and said the United States does not believe
the action by Mr. Aliyev is consistent with Azerbaijan’s often-stated
desire to cooperate and work toward closer partnership with NATO.
The Partnership for Peace was founded by NATO in 1994 as a vehicle
for helping the formerly communist countries of central and eastern
Europe meet the criteria for joining the alliance.
The exercises planned for Baku, called “Cooperative Best Effort,”
were to have involved mock peacekeeping-support operations by small
military units from 22 countries.
An official here said Azerbaijan boycotted the same partnership
exercise last year, which was held in Armenia.
The two countries fought a five-year war in the early 1990’s
over Nagorno-Karabakh, a largely Armenian-populated region within
Azerbaijan.
The conflict ended with Armenian forces in control of the enclave,
though it is recognized internationally as being part of Azerbaijan.

Parliamentarians blame Iran, Armenia for producing chemical weapons
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 10 2004
Baku, September 9, AssA-Irada — Azerbaijan’s neighbors Iran and
Armenia are producing chemical weapons. This evidence can easily be
proved if the UN conducts serious investigations.
This statement was made by MP Elman Mammadov in a Thursday meeting of
the permanent parliamentary commission on security and defense issues.
However, Vice Speaker of the Milli Majlis (parliament) Ziyafat Asgarov,
who was presiding over the meeting, interrupted Mammadov, noting that
the issue is not related to the one on the agenda.*
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Sept 10 2004
AZERBAIJAN PEOPLE CATEGORICALLY AGAINST PARTICIPATION OF THE ARMENIAN
OFFICERS IN EXERCISES FORTHCOMING IN BAKU
[September 10, 2004, 22:52:39]
This idea has been stated by Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan,
colonel-general Safar Abiyev at the meeting with the ambassador of
the Russian Federation in our country Nikolay Ryabov that took place
on September 10 in connection with end of his diplomatic mission.
Especially having emphasized that during his activity Nikolay Ryabov
actively helped further improvement of the Azerbaijan-Russian
relations, having noted his merits that today connections between our
countries on all directions, including in the field of military
cooperation, are at a desirable level, colonel-general Safar Abiyev
has expressed to the ambassador condolence in connection with
numerous human loss as a result of the act of terrorism accomplished
in the city of Beslan of Northern Ossetia.
Having touched the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, the Minister has
noted that Azerbaijan also is the state undergone to terror.
Aggressive Armenia has made 32 acts of terrorism as a result of which
was lost more than 2 thousand innocent citizens of Azerbaijan in our
territory. Khojali tragedy is the most monstrous act of terrorism
accomplished in the territory of Azerbaijan.
Having expressed gratitude for reception, ambassador Nikolay Ryabov
has stated that the national leader of Azerbaijan people Heydar
Aliyev is the architect of independent Azerbaijan, and has noted:
”Due to efforts of this ingenious person, the Russian – Azerbaijan
relations have reached a high level. The President of Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev successfully continues this policy. I believe, that the
Russian – Azerbaijan relations in all areas achieve the highest
level.
Having stated that Azerbaijan people expects much from the meeting of
Presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia during summit of the heads of CIS
states forthcoming in Astana, and having emphasized, that this
meeting renders positive influence on settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, colonel-general Safar Abiyev has told:
”Within the next few days, the field exercises will be carried out
in Baku within the framework of the NATO ”Partnership for Peace”
program ”Cooperative Best Effort-04 ”. The aspiration of Armenia,
grasping the Azerbaijan territories, supporting terror and separatism
at the level of state policy to take part in these exercises
forthcoming in Baku surprises us. Armenia does not recognize
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Besides, does not refuse
territorial claims to Azerbaijan. Between Azerbaijan and Armenia
there are no diplomatic ties. In this case, participation of officers
of the Armed Forces of Armenia in exercises forthcoming in Baku is
impossible. The people of Azerbaijan are categorically against
participation of the Armenian officers in these exercises. We
consider that diligence for the sake of participation in the
mentioned exercises, shown by Armenia before summit of the heads of
CIS states forthcoming in Astana and the meeting of Presidents of
Azerbaijan and Armenia during this action, serves the even greater
strain of relations between two states and to failure of
negotiations. The Ministry of Defense states that Armenia covered by
a veil of the international cooperation and occasionally
participating in actions of the NATO should refuse participation in
the exercises forthcoming in Baku.
Ambassador Nikolay Ryabov has told: ”It is your position. I think
that it is necessary to intensify even more process of negotiations
between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We wish the further improvement of
the Russian – Azerbaijan military cooperation in the name of national
interests of both states”.
Minister Safar Abiyev has reminded, that Azerbaijan has refused
participation in the in the last year exercises conducted in Armenia,
has expressed to the Russian diplomat gratitude in connection with
end of his mission in Azerbaijan, has wished him successes on new
work.
Military attaché ¯f the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in
Azerbaijan Republic, rear admiral Vladimir Lomakin took part at the
meeting.

Russia says it knows where “terrorist bases” are
By Sonia Oxley
MOSCOW, Sept 10 (Reuters) – Russia knows exactly where to find
“terrorist bases” in bordering countries and is ready to act alone
against them if its neighbours do not agree to help, Russia’s top
general was quoted as saying on Friday.
General Yuri Baluyevsky did not specify exactly where these bases
were, but his comments were likely to worry neighbouring Georgia,
long suspected by Russia of harbouring rebels.
Earlier this week Baluyevsky threatened pre-emptive strikes on rebel
bases anywhere in the world after more than 300 hostages, half of
them children, died in an attack blamed on Chechen separatists on a
school in the town of Beslan.
“We have definite information about the location of terrorist bases
abroad,” Itar-Tass news agency quoted him as saying.
“If we do not come to an understanding with those neighbouring
countries on whose territories the bases are located to take joint
action, I think we will receive the permission … to take action,”
he said.
Russia, which has two military bases in Georgia, has repeatedly accused
Tbilisi of allowing Chechen rebels — at war with Moscow for a decade
— to operate from the Pankisi Gorge, which borders Chechnya.
Analysts say Armenia, Azerbaijan and the five Central Asian states
are also on Russia’s black list.
Relations between Russia and Georgia worsened this year after Georgian
President Mikhail Saakashvili tried to reassert control over breakaway
regions which seek unity with Russia.
One of them, South Ossetia, wants to join North Ossetia, the Russian
region where the school siege took place.
“The Russian media and certain official circles have already begun
talking as if there are links between South Ossetia and events in
Beslan. The only link is that both Russia and Georgia have a common
enemy — terrorism,” Saakashvili said on television.
(Additional reporting by Niko Mchedlishvili in Tbilisi)
09/10/04 11:38 ET

President Khatami officially welcomed in Minsk
IRNA web site, Tehran
10 Sep 04
Minsk, 10 September: President Mohammad Khatami of Iran has been
officially welcomed by his Belarussian counterpart Alyaksandr
Lukashenka here Friday 10 September.
The ceremony, also attended by a number of high-ranking officials
from the two countries, started by playing the national anthems of
the two states followed by a review of the guard of honour by the
two presidents.
Presidents Khatami and Lukashenka began their private talks at the
end of the ceremony which is being held at the presidential palace.
The high-ranking Iranian and Belarussian delegations will start
their talks in the presence of the two presidents after they end
their private meeting.
It is expected that a number of new documents be signed during
the meeting of the Iranian and Belarussian delegations for further
cooperation in the fields of economy, agriculture and customs.
President Khatami arrived in Belarus Thursday evening and is scheduled
to deliver a speech for Belarussian academics and university professors
at the republic’s Academy of Sciences later on Friday.
The president is in Minsk on the second leg of his three-nation tour
to the regional countries which first took him to Armenia and will
also take him to Tajikistan at the end of his visit to Belarus.
His visit to the three nations takes place at the official invitations
of President Robert Kocharyan of Armenia, Alyaksandr Lukashenka of
Belarus and Emomali Rahmonov of Tajikistan.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Iranian president’s speech brings boycotting Armenian opposition to parliament
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
8 Sep 04
[Presenter] Speaking in the Armenian National Assembly today,
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami expressed his opinions on
democracy. Opposition MPs were also present at the meeting despite
their continued boycott of parliamentary sessions.
[Correspondent, over video of meeting in the National Assembly]
Extending a warm welcome to the Iranian president, the speaker of
the Armenian parliament, Artur Bagdasaryan, expressed hope that his
visit will give a new impetus to the development of Armenian-Iranian
relations.
[Artur Bagdasaryan, captioned] The achievements that our two countries
have made in the political and economic sphere, in education, science,
culture and in the spheres of economy and energy contain a great
potential for development. We are sure that after your visit these
relations in all the fields will be developed.
[Correspondent, over video of Khatami in parliament] The Iranian
president’s speech in the Armenian National Assembly was devoted to
globalization processes and development of democracy. The president
stressed that for the development of democracy it is necessary to
study and analyse the moral aspects of democracy. Those new world
processes which are the result of globalization have created a need
to once again define and explain the concept of democracy which
will prevent a collapse of democracy and restrict the development of
inhumane approaches, the Iranian president said.
He noted that Iran and Armenia have a potential as well as a rich
historical past and a basis for regional cooperation and cooperation
on the international arena. The Iranian president went on to add
that his country is ready and intends to expand bilateral relations
with Armenia, promote the settlement of the regional conflicts and
achievement of peace, stability and cooperation in the region.
Mohammad Khatami’s speech in the National Assembly brought members
of all political parties to the session hall.
[Stepan Demirchyan, leader of the Justice opposition bloc, captioned]
We did not declare a boycott against the Iranian Republic. This is a
tribute of respect and we attach great importance to Armenian-Iranian
relations and hope that this visit will promote a further development
of these relations.
[Correspondent] All the members of the parties of the National Assembly
outlined the importance of strengthening Armenian-Iranian relations.
[Galust Saakyan, the chairman of the Republican Party faction,
captioned] Our policies are complementary. We have to note that
during these 14 years the first friendly visits and cooperation which
were important for Armenia have all been connected with Iran. This
cooperation is mutually beneficial not only for Armenia and Iran but
for the whole region.
[Armen Rustamyan, Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly’s standing
commission for foreign relations, captioned] This is an important
and at the same time a historic visit because since the establishment
[of independence] we have had very good relations with Iran. We have
never serious problems with Iran. We always try to develop relations
and cooperation with Iran and of course there is a great potential
which we did not yet use. In particular, Iran’s role in regional
issues is very important.

Discrimination causes terrorism: Iranian president
Xinhua, China
Sept 9 2004
MOSCOW, Sept. 8 (Xinhuanet) — Iranian President Mohammad Khatami
on Wednesday condemned the Beslan hostage tragedy and said the root
causes of terror could be found in the “discrimination” of peoples,
according to reports reaching here.
“Without looking at the roots it is impossible to fight terrorism. The
roots can be found in the same places where security forces impose
a discriminatory policy and people suffer from this,” Khatami said
following talks with his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharian in
Armenia’s capital Yerevan.
“Unable to find an adequate response to this fight they (discriminated
people) take harsh steps. This is why when you condemn terrorism you
must also condemn violence,” he added.
Khatami also spoke out against the way certain terrorists want to
present their acts under the mask of religion. “They besmirch the
religions that preach peace and humanism.” Enditem

Agency WPS
The Russian Business Monitor (Russia)
September 8, 2004, Wednesday
THE STATE WILL TRY TO SELL A 25.5% STAKE IN SIBERIAN AIRLINES AGAIN
The state will make another try to sell Siberian Airlines. The
blocking interest in the company is included into the additional
plan of privatization for 2004. Experts say that the stake may be
interesting primarily for managers of Siberian Airlines and large
greenmailers and estimate it at $20-30 million.
Siberian Airlines is Russia’s second largest air company after
Aeroflot. In 2003, it transported 3.4 million passengers. Siberian
Airlines operates 34 Tu-154 airplanes, 12 IL-86s, two Tu-204s and
two Airbus-310s. Siberian Airlines has controlling interest in the
Armenian air company Armavia that operates four A320 airliners. In
2003, revenue of Siberian Airlines according to international
standards amounted to about $370 million and net profit amounted
to $1 million. Russian Federal Property Fund has 25.5% of company’s
shares and 56.8% belong to Natalia Fileva, wife and senior deputy of
company’s General Director Vladislav Filev.
Experts say that management of Siberian Airlines is the main candidate
for the stake. Michael Boboshko, director of the analytical department
of Sovlink company, says that Western investors will hardly risk
investing in a rather closed company like Siberian Airlines. Russian
investors will not participate in the auction because they are
interested in establishment of control. Natalia Zagvozdina from
Renaissance Capital also says that given an owner of controlling
interest other air companies will hardly be interested in a blocking
stake. A source in Aeroflot states, “Business of Siberian Airlines
is stringently controlled by the management and I do not think that
acquisition of a blocking stake will be interesting for Aeroflot.” Last
week it was reported that Aeroflot proposed the Economic Development
and Trade Ministry to reassign state-owned shares in regional air
companies to Aeroflot in exchange for increase of the state interest
in Aeroflot. A spokesperson for Aeroflot refused to say if Siberian
Airlines was among the candidates for takeover.
Boboshko from Sovlink estimates 25.5% of Siberian Airlines shares
at $30 million. Roman Trotsenko, Chair of the Board of Directors of
Industrial Development investment group, says that debts of Siberian
Airlines amount to about $200 million and the state-owned stake may
cost $20 million.
Source: Vedomosti, September 07, 2004