Author: Toneyan Mark

ARMENIAN MP, ARTASHES GEGHAMYAN, CALLES ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO DISSOLVE
PARLIAMENT AND BECOME GUARANTOR OF NEW FAIR PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11. ARMINFO. Friday, an Armenian MP, Artashes
Geghamyan, called Armenian President Robert Kocharyan to dissolve the
parliament and become a guarantor of new fair parliamentary elections
in the country.
Speaking at an assembly of the National Unity party’s activists,
Geghamyan said that such a step would justify the president’s “previous
sins.” He also urged the former ruling party of Armenia, the Armenian
Pan National Movement (APNM), not to “bomb” the opposition with its
biting sarcasm, but to join it for restoration of the Constitutional
order in Armenia.
In his speech, Geghamyan also touched upon a possible departure of
Armenian militaries to Iraq. Of course, we must combat terrorism,
but Armenia has no moral right to send its experts to other country
struggling against terrorism when terrorism prospers inside it
and the killers of the Georgian citizen Poghos Poghosyan and the
organizers of the terrorist act in the Parliament have not been
punished so far. Artashes Geghyamyan touched upon the failure of
Armenian sportsmen at the Olympic Games in the Athens, the heavy
socio-economic situation in the country, the inevitability of the
Karabakh clan’s exile from Armenia, his vacation in the Spanish
Valensia and others things. However, during 2-hour sitting of the
party’s activists, no one remembered the tragic events in Beslan,
which took the lives of 300 hundreds of people, including 9 Armenians.

Syria, Lebanon, and the Government of 14
By Walid Choucair
Al-Hayat
2004/09/11
Leaks, which are rampant in Lebanese media and political circles,
of the names that might be included in the next Lebanese government,
indicate only one thing: the confusion with which Lebanese President
Emile Lahoud’s team and the Syrian leadership are lost in. This
leadership is looking after the details of Lebanese situation, more
than at any other time, after it cornered itself with limited choices.
No matter what was said to justify these leaks’ tactical goals, some of
them are pathetic, and condemned, because they indicate fleeing from
insecurity caused by the mistakes, which accompanied the Lebanese
presidential elections, on the internal and external levels; from
insistence on extending Lahoud’s term, to the United Nations Security
Council Resolution (UNSC) 1559. It indicates that limiting the damage,
which Lebanon and Syria fell into, is done with old “working tools”
that are not related to “the new mentality,” which we hear about,
and with the call for “turning the page, and beginning reconciliation”
– Syrian President Bashar Al Assad’s advice to Lahoud.
The available choices to exit the fleeing forward policy are possible,
despite their scarcity. However, missing the opportunity of forming
a new government to launch these choices would be a mistake over
and above the previous errors, which would accomplish nothing other
than increasing the burdens. If the Syrian leadership and its allies
are talking about a “positive shock” that Lebanon needs to return
cohesiveness to Syria’s “first line of defense,” it does not come
without a new policy that is radically different from the previous one.
One of those who care about the Lebanese situation (not a politician)
raised a question about what prevents Damascus from moving in the
direction of a government of Lebanese leaders, which strengthens
its chances of facing the situation that is likely to aggravate on
internal and external levels, opens the way in front the “possibility”
of saving Lebanon economically, and reducing the pressure of an
international-American attack on both. A government that seeks true
national reconciliation suggests solutions to the Lebanese-Syrian
relations, and comforts Damascus, because these leaders are its
strategic allies.
Away from pompous and boring slogans, the idea’s owner held the
answer in his mind: Rafiq Al Hariri as Prime Minister, with former PM
Omar Karami and Fouad Al Siniora (or Tammam Salam) representing the
Sunnis. The Shiites will be represented by: former Speaker Hussein
Al Husseini, Ali Osseiran, and an independent close to Hezbollah. The
Maronites will be represented by: Suleiman Franjieh and Naseeb Lahoud
(or Elie Ferzli), Walid Jumblatt representing the Druze, Elias Skaff
representing the Catholics, and Sebouh Hovnanian representing the
Armenians.
Some politicians’ reaction was disapproval; because they thought that
neither Lahoud nor Hariri nor the Syrians would approve of such a
composition; and such a selection is “too good to be true.” Perhaps the
major reason to find such a selection strange is the belief of those
who heard about it that it is impossible for Damascus to allow this
level of Lebanese administration for the Lebanese situation. However,
looking closely at the names shows that more than their two-thirds
are “guaranteed’ for Syria, without bearing the burden of interfering
in details.
Is it hard to convince Lahoud and Hariri of this composition? As
long as Damascus convinced the former of “national reconciliation”
and the latter of extension, it can convince them that it is required
for the upcoming government to be a “trusteeship council.” Is not it
enough that Lahoud got the extension?
Is it difficult to convince Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir and
the head of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) Walid Jumblatt? It
would not be easy, and would require serious negotiations on the
part of Damascus with both of them to convince; especially Sfeir,
that such a government will be assigned the mission of “correcting
the mistake,” not backing down on the extension.
Certainly, Syria’s conviction with such a composition requires not
considering the UNSC resolution a victory!

RECIPROCAL VISITS PROMOTED IMPROVEMENT OF BILATERAL RELATIONS
Azertag
[September 11, 2004, 16:23:21]
On 10 September, the defense minister of Azerbaijan Republic,
colonel-general Safar Abiyev met the ambassador of Iran in Baku
Mr. Ahad Gazai, on completion of the latterâ^À^Ùs diplomatic mission
in Azerbaijan.
Noting the diplomatâ^À^Ùs activity for improvement of the bilateral
relations between Azerbaijan and Iran during his mission, the Minister
expressed regret that though neighboring counties, the military
cooperation between the states are not at desirable level. The state
of IRI has rendered huge assistance to the refugees and IDPs when
the territories of Azerbaijan were occupied by Armenia. The Minister
expressed gratitude for rendered assistance.
Ambassador Gazai expressed gratitude for reception, and spoke of
his activities during his four-year tenure as an ambassador for
improvement of Iran-Azerbaijan relations, as a result of which some
â^À^Üobscureâ^À^Ý questions between the two states were clarified and
the situation, though not ideal, has bettered. Reciprocal visits of
the national leader of Azerbaijan people Heydar Aliyev in 2002 and
of President of IRI Khatami current year have promoted this.
Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict,
colonel-general Safar Abiyev, said that in settlement of this problem
the people of Azerbaijan expects more from Iran and stressed the
necessity of Iranâ^À^Ùs close participation in fi9nding way out of this
conflict. The conflict cannot last anymore, he emphasized. â^À^ÜIf
Armenia does not agree in peaceful settlement of the conflict,
Azerbaijan will in any way release the occupied landsâ^À^Ý.
The parties had also exchange of views on combat against international
terrorism, stressed such a factor that the Islamic religion and
culture condemns terror.
The Minister thanked Ambassador for his activity in Azerbaijan and
wished success in further diplomatic work.
Attaché of the Armed Forces of IRI in Baku, MG Musa Shahabi attended
the meeting.

French Speaker says Karabakh conflict “serious threat” to Caucasus stability
Trend news agency
8 Sep 04
Baku, 8 September, Trend correspondent S. Agayeva: “France is sparing
no effort to settle the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict and to resolve
this problem peacefully,” French Senate Speaker Christian Poncelet
said on 8 September addressing a ceremony of opening an exhibition
of Azerbaijani artists in the Senate’s museum within the framework
of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Paris.
Poncelet said that the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict posed a serious
threat to stability in the Caucasus and the region. He added that
the Senate supported the intensification of meetings between the
Azerbaijani, Armenian and Georgian speakers initiated by the Senate.
In turn, Aliyev said that France had always supported Azerbaijan in
all issues and hoped that support of this kind would be rendered in
the future as well.

Another Marathon, Another Victory
By CHRIS BROUSSARD
New York Times
Published: September 5, 2004
Sargis Sargsian covered his eyes and rolled flat onto his back. If he
had stayed in that position and taken a nap, no one at the National
Tennis Center would have blamed him.
A true ironman, Sargsian had just completed two of the longest
consecutive rounds of tennis played at the United States Open. Two
days after winning a second-round match that lasted 5 hours 9 minutes,
Sargsian, an Armenian, outlasted Paul-Henri Mathieu of France, 4-6,
4-6, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (4), in a 4-hour-44-minute marathon last night.
“It’s like you’re in a different world when you win these matches,”
Sargsian said. “Like right now, I’m talking, I feel like it’s not
me talking. It’s just the words coming out of my mouth. It’s a weird
feeling.”
The victory moved Sargsian, 31, into the Round of 16 in a Grand Slam
event for only the second time. In eight trips to the United States
Open, this is the deepest he has advanced.
The unseeded Sargsian will meet a good buddy, sixth-seeded Andre
Agassi, in the next round. Sargsian and Agassi often train together
in Las Vegas, and Agassi helped Sargsian recover after his five-hour
match on Thursday.
“He’s like a big brother to me,” Sargsian said.
Agassi, a straight-sets winner over Jiri Novak, has beaten Sargsian
five times and will have many advantages in their face-off, the most
prominent one being rest. While Agassi has been on the court for 5
hours 6 minutes through the first three rounds, Sargsian has toiled
for 12 hours 5 minutes.
“It’s like a dream to play against such a legend on such a court
in such a big tournament,” Sargsian said of meeting Agassi for the
first time in a Grand Slam event. “Hopefully, I play good. Hopefully,
we have a good match. Hopefully, he doesn’t kill me.”
Sargsian’s second-round victory over 10th-seeded Nicolas Massu was
the second-longest match in United States Open history, falling 17
minutes shy of matching the record set when Stefan Edberg defeated
Michael Chang in the 1992 semifinals. After that one, Sargsian thought
things would get easier, or at least shorter.
“I didn’t think it would be a match like this,” he said. “It’s hard
to beat Massu’s match. We probably did today.”
Asked how he has managed to stay on his feet, Sargsian first credited
his serve, then realized there was no easy explanation.
“I’ve been serving good,” he said. “It prevents me from running side
to side a lot. I don’t know how I did it.”
Sargsian admitted to being sore and tight entering the match, and
he certainly looked it as Mathieu, 22, took the first two sets. But
finding a second wind somewhere, Sargsian rallied to win the next
two sets. Then things really got interesting.
Sargsian took command by breaking Mathieu’s serve to go ahead, 3-2,
but he was broken moments later. Both men visibly exhausted, they
played even through 10 games, tied at 5-5. The next game, with Mathieu
serving, seemingly went on forever, as the two played to eight deuces
before Mathieu eventually prevailed.
Sargsian, physically and mentally spent, thought he was finished.
“After losing that game, I wasn’t very confident, to be honest,”
he said. “But I told myself just to keep fighting.”
Fight he did, and after falling behind by 30-0, he managed to take
the set, then the tie breaker and the match.
Sargsian’s berth in the fourth round is even more surprising than his
career record suggests. Struggling for much of this season, he entered
the Open having won back-to-back matches only once this season. His
experiences on hardcourts had been awful, with first-round exits in
four of his last five events on the surface.
But Sargsian, who has advanced to the third round four times at the
United States Open, said he was always rejuvenated by this tournament.
“In this tournament, I always played unbelievable for some reason
– the last four, five years,” he said. “This year is a perfect
example. I’ve had a pretty horrendous year. I’ve really struggled. But
coming here, just the atmosphere in the city, which is my favorite
city in the world, and this tournament and my fans. I don’t know,
it just clicked. I just started playing good.”
And long.

Nagorno-Karabakh confirms adherence to peace settlement with Azerbaijan
Interfax
Sept 2 2004
STEPANAKERT. Sept 2 (Interfax) – Arkady Gukasian, leader of the
unrecognized republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, has reconfirmed his
adherence to the peace settlement with Azerbaijan.
“Mediating efforts by the OSCE Minsk Group cochairmen can bring
positive results if the administration of Azerbaijan displays
goodwill and a sincere wish to resolve the Karabakh problem on
mutually acceptable terms,” says a Thursday statement of Gukasian on
the occasion of the 13th anniversary of the unrecognized republic.
“Nobody can take away from us the freedom and independence for which
we paid such a big price,” the statement runs. “The command-and-
staff exercises our army had this August clearly showed to the
adversaries of Nagorno-Karabakh that the army is ready for combat
and can accomplish the most difficult missions in the provision of
security of Nagorno-Karabakh and the people.”

Olympic gold medallist Massu eliminated in historic marathon
by Greg Heakes
Agence France Presse — English
September 3, 2004 Friday 3:30 AM GMT
NEW YORK Sept 2 — Olympic double gold medallist Nicolas Massu was
eliminated from the US Open on Thursday in a historic five-set marathon
with Sargis Sargsian of Armenia.
Sargsian fired 20 aces and won 184 of 337 points to beat Massu 6-7
(6/8), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-4.
The match lasted five hours, nine minutes and is second longest on
record behind the 1992 men’s semi-final where Stefan Edberg beat
Michael Chang in five hours and 26 minutes.
The previous second-longest match was also in 1992 when Ivan Lendl
beat Boris Becker in five hours, one minute in the round of 16.
“So many things happened in that match,” Sargsian said. “It is just
amazing to come through.
“I wouldn’t put it on top of my list but it is in the top three. Now
I am just go to take my vitamins, get a massage and pray for rain.”
He has one day to rest before his third round match against France’s
Paul-Henri Mathieu.
Sargsian won the war of attrition but he paid for it as after four
hours on the court both players started to suffer from leg cramps.
“I couldn’t feel my legs,” Sargsian said of the end of the match.
Sargsian’s family and friends would have had to stay up to 4 a.m.
Armenian time to watch the entire match.
Massu came into the US Open after the best week of his career, having
won gold medals in singles and doubles at the Athens Games.
The Chilean lost his composure on several occasions, breaking his
racket in the first set.
He argued several times with chair umpire, Carlos Ramos, and vowed
to never play in front of Ramos again.
“I lost because of my mistake. But this umpire have not to umpire
anymore,” Massu said. “He is unbelievable. He is never going to umpire
me again.”

Azerbaijani Media Protest Visit of Armenian Officers
Baku Today, Azerbaijan
Sept 3 2004
Media in Azerbaijan released a statement protesting visit of Armenian
officers to Baku to attend training to be held within NATO
Partnership for Peace Program on September 12, 2004.
The statement considers visit of Armenian officers who occupied
Azerbaijan’s almost 20 per cent of territory as a stab against
independence of Azerbaijan.
“Letting the officers of occupational forces in the training
facilities of Azerbaijan, letting them train together with our
soldiers means disrespect towards the military interests of the host
country and playing with the nerves of the Azerbaijan nation,” reads
the statement.
“We think that admission of the Armenian forces to Baku is insult to
Azerbaijani nation, which lost thousands of its sons, aggravates a
political situation in the country, causes mass protest, and creates
ground for infringement of existing stability and unpredictable
negative consequences.”
“Considering all of the above mentioned, we, undersigned media
representatives of Azerbaijan categorically condemn planned visit of
the Armenian militants to Baku. We declare that as a sign of the
protest and not being beyond our professional activity, on Saturday,
September 4th, as an action of protest electronic media will suspend
its broadcast for three hours and newspapers will publish the first
pages empty.”
The statement further reads: “Depending on development of events we
reserve the right to broaden our protest activities even further and
to suspend our activity for longer term. This statement is available
for other media representatives to join.
ANS Group of Companies, Vahid Mustafayev, President
Ayna-Zerkalo, Elchin Shikhli, Editor-in -Chief
Yeni Musavat, Qabil Abbasoglu, Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Azadliq, Qanimat Zahidov, Editor- in-Chief
Azer.Net Group of Companies, Ramin Iskenderov
Echo, Rauf Talishinski, Editor-In-Chief
Iki Sahil, Vugar Rahimzadeh, Editor-in-Chief
525-ci, Rashaf Majid,Editor-In-Chief
Sharg, Akif Ashirli

World’s oldest sewer system found in Van
The find revealed a far more advanced understanding of architecture and
plumbing that had hitherto been known
NTVMSNBC.com
August 23, 2004
August 23 – What is believed to be the world’s oldest first toilet
and sewer system, dating to prehistoric times, has been unearthed in
the eastern Turkish province of Van.
The sewerage system was found by archaeologists working on excavations
at the site of a Urartian castle in Gurpinar region of eastern Turkey.
According to Professor Dr. Oktay Belli, the director of Istanbul
University’s Eurasian Archaeology Institute, the find was of
particular significance. The discovery of a toilet in the western
part of Cavustepe Castle built by Urartian King Sarduri II in 764 BC
pushed back the dating for such systems, he said in an interview with
the Anatolian news agency.
“We revealed that Urartian architects had formed a sewer system before
building the castle. The toilet and sewer system in the castle is
similar to today’s toilets,” the professor said.
The Urartu Kingdom gave great importance to architecture,” Belli said.
“Their architects used the most developed techniques of the prehistoric
period. They had built their castles in strategic areas after carrying
out ground studies. We believe that Urartu Kingdom was the first
civilisation to use toilet and sewer systems.”
The Urartu Kingdom was formed in eastern Anatolia at the beginning
of the first millennium BC after the fall of the Hittite empire and
survived for three centuries.

Civil Georgia, Georgia
Aug 31 2004
Pulling Back Troops, Georgia Calls for European Help
by Jaba Devdariani / 2004-08-31 18:25:46
Reposted from Central Asia – Caucasus Analyst
President Mikheil Saakashvili’s decision to pull back his troops from
South Ossetia is almost desperate cry for the political assistance from
the European powers. Georgia is ready to accept suboptimal solutions
with regards to peacekeeping, but return to the pre-July status quo
is no longer acceptable. If no definitive answer is received within
a month, resumption of hostilities becomes likely.
Background: On August 19, in a first offensive military operation
since the resumption of fire in South Ossetia, Georgian special
forces captured the strategic heights from which Georgian villages
were pounded during almost two weeks. Despite popular calls for a
continued offensive, Georgian authorities decided to hand over the
heights to the tripartite peacekeeping troops and withdraw the police
and military detachments from South Ossetia.
Simultaneously, President Saakashvili called upon the international
community to assist in elaborating a new format of the peace process,
which would allow for international presence during the political
negotiations, and for increased international military monitoring on
the ground. The Georgian government has reiterated that the format
of the Joint Control Commission (JCC) established in accordance with
the 1992 peace accords is no longer acceptable, as it allows South
Ossetia, backed by two other members – North Ossetia and Russia –
to stonewall all Georgian proposals. Top Georgian officials also
repeated offers of substantial autonomy for South Ossetia.
Before Saakashvili’s decision became known on August 19, Russian
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said there was no need for an
international conference or any new peace process in South Ossetia,
as the JCC format already provided for a political mechanism. The
U.S. State Department also accepted the language of using “existing
political mechanisms” for defusing the crisis.
However, after the decision on troop pullout, the OSCE’s ambassador to
Georgia hinted optimism on a potential expansion of OSCE monitoring
in South Ossetia. EU special ambassador Heikki Talvitie was visiting
Georgia on August 23, OSCE Permanent Council members are invited
to visit Georgia on September 5 and the president of the European
Commission Romano Prodi is to visit Tbilisi in mid-September.
Implications: The armed clashes in August confirmed the presence of
armed volunteers or mercenaries that have infiltrated South Ossetia
from Russia to fight against Georgian authorities. Following the
most fierce exchanges of August 17-18, independent military analysts
tend to conclude that specific night vision and sniper equipment used
against Georgian detachments indicates either that the Russian special
forces are participating in the clashes directly, or that they have
been training and equipping the Ossetian military for a substantial
period of time.
Saakashvili is determined to engage South Ossetian de facto authorities
in a dialogue over the political status of South Ossetia. However,
Russia’s military backing gives no incentive for the South Ossetian
president, Eduard Kokoity, to launch such a dialogue. Simultaneously,
Georgia has no confidence in a Russia-dominated JCC format.
On August 18, Georgian foreign minister Salome Zourabichvili formulated
the Georgian vision of the peace process at the OSCE Permanent Council
session in Vienna: “demilitarization, ceasefire and direct dialogue
[with South Ossetian authorities].” To achieve these aims, Georgia
calls for an expanded OSCE monitoring, which should include the South
Ossetian section of the Russo-Georgian border (Roki tunnel). Georgia
also calls for an international conference under a OSCE/UN aegis to
discuss the proposals for a political settlement.
So far, the OSCE’s reaction has been cautious, and the support of
the EU and the U.S. rather lukewarm. The Russian foreign ministry
characterized the Georgian requests to increase the OSCE role on July
31 as “obviously unattainable” and accused OSCE monitors of siding
with Georgians in South Ossetia. This is an interesting twist, as
on July 8 the OSCE was accused by CIS countries (except Georgia and
Azerbaijan) of focusing “exclusively on monitoring human rights and
democratic institutions” in the CIS.
The statement argued for an increased security role of the organization
to “correct the imbalance.” Strengthening the security arm of
the OSCE (where Russia has an effective veto right) in Europe to
counterweigh NATO is a familiar goal of Russian diplomacy since
the mid-1990s. Still, Russia consistently objects to even OSCE
participation in South Ossetia, apparently unwilling to dilute it
own direct influence even to a slight extent.
Recently, some Russian politicians commented positively on using the
“Minsk group” format, applied to Nagorno Karabakh conflict since
1992. The “Minsk Group” – a consultative political forum of selected
members of the OSCE – has failed to deliver results in Nagorno
Karabakh, not least because its mandate was blurred, its participants
had no clear commitments, and the initiatives were at times blocked
or ignored by Russia. Involvement of Western powers would still be
a positive outcome for official Tbilisi, but a “Minsk Group” format
can be one, but by no means the only new mechanism for South Ossetia.
For Georgia, expanded OSCE involvement is a suboptimal option.
Certainly, Tbilisi would like to see NATO or EU peacekeepers replace
the Russian ones. Nonetheless, Saakashvili is pragmatic about
available options. U.S. troops are tied down in Iraq and Afghanistan
and Washington is consumed by the upcoming presidential elections.
The EU recently took over an operation in Afghanistan and plans to
do the same in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Thus Georgia’s requests to the international community are rather
minimal: to give an international backing to the political dialogue
by the means of a conference (Bulgaria already offered Sofia as a
venue) and to significantly increase monitoring of South Ossetia as
a confidence-building measure. The Russian-dominated multipartite
peacekeeping forces are allowed to remain in South Ossetia.
If Saakashvili fails to secure this minimal support, Tbilisi would
not be able to restore the situation to pre-escalation status quo.
This would mean a re-opening of the gushing smuggling from South
Ossetia, and a major loss of face with the electorate by backtracking
on key election commitments. There would be a strong public support
for a military operation in South Ossetia, possibly endorsed by
the security establishment in the government and the parliament.
Sustained clashes will undoubtedly damage Georgia’s economic reforms
that the European powers have staked on through a Euro 1 billion
support package. While Saakashvili-Zhvania’s government is genuinely
committed to these reforms, the issues of national security are bound
to prevail.
Conclusions: It would be an illusion to assume that the JCC framework
is capable of addressing the current situation in South Ossetia.
Georgian authorities have acted to solve the key economic (smuggling)
and political (territorial integrity) issues by “de-frosting” the
South Ossetian conflict and it is impossible to reset the clock to
the situation of Spring 2004. Georgian authorities have indicated
willingness to compromise and accept suboptimal security arrangements
to the extent that they ensure minimal security of its citizens and
a progress at the negotiating table.
If the EU and OSCE shuttle diplomacy fails to deliver results within
the coming month, resumption of hostilities could be real in mid-
to late October.
Jaba Devdariani is the founder of Civil Georgia (Civil.Ge), currently
works for the OSCE mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina.