Category: News

Hurriyet, Turkey
March 3 2005
TURKEY WARNS GERMANY ABOUT BILL ON SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
German Ambassador to Ankara Wolf-Ruthart Born was yesterday summoned
to the Turkish Foreign Ministry to convey Ankara’s concerns and
dissatisfaction about a bill on the so-called Armenian genocide
recently submitted to the Federal Parliament by main German
opposition party the Christian Democrat Union (CDU). Deputy Foreign
Ministry Undersecretary Nabi Sensoy also sent a letter to Born
denouncing the bill and expressing Turkey’s sensitivity on the issue.
In addition, Turkey’s Ambassador to Berlin Mehmet Ali Irtemcelik also
sent a letter to the Federal Foreign Ministry, demanding withdrawal
of the bill. /Hurriyet/

EurasiaNet Organization
March 3 2005
ARMENIA WIDENS TIES WITH IRAN AS U.S. ATTACK LOOMS
Emil Danielyan 3/03/05
Seeking to ease its economic isolation, Armenia is expanding trade
contacts with Iran. Work on a variety of infrastructure projects,
including an Armenian-Iranian pipeline, is proceeding amid
uncertainty. Armenian officials’ main worry is that mounting
US-Iranian tension over Tehran’s nuclear program will disrupt the
projects.
Armenian President Robert Kocharian issued guidelines in late
February for the construction of a new highway designed to foster a
rapid expansion of trade between Armenia and Iran. The launch of the
highway project came amid continuing construction of the pipeline, as
well as of yet another power transmission line.
Work on the highway, which will run through Armenia’s mountainous
southeastern Syunik province bordering Iran, is scheduled to start in
April and finish in late 2006. The estimated $20 million cost makes
the highway the largest single infrastructure project undertaken by
the government since the country regained its independence in 1991.
The sole existing road link between Armenia and Iran meanders through
a high-altitude mountain pass in Syunik that is often closed in
winter. Transport and Communications Minister Andranik Manukian says
the new highway will always be passable and will be able to
accommodate heavier trucks.
The road should go into service by the time the Armenian side
completes work on its section of the 120-kilometer gas pipeline. Work
on the pipeline began last November following a high-profile official
ceremony led by Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markarian and
Iranian Energy Minister Habibollah Bitaraf. The two men also
inaugurated a second high-voltage transmission line connecting their
countries’ power grids. Two days later, Bitaraf and his Armenian
counterpart, Armen Movsisian, signed an agreement in Yerevan on
building a third such line, which they said would have twice the
carrying capacity as the existing lines.
Armenia is financing both the pipeline and electricity projects with
Iranian loans totaling about $64 million. Yerevan will repay them
with electricity supplies. In addition, the two sides have agreed to
look into the possibility of building an Armenian-Iranian railway.
Economic ties with Iran are deemed vital for land-locked Armenia, as
they mitigate the effects of economic blockades maintained by
Azerbaijan and Turkey, as a result of the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].
Many Azerbaijanis view Iran’s refusal to join those blockades as a
sign that Tehran favors Yerevan. Visiting Iran in January,
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev publicly urged the Iranians to
show solidarity with fellow Shi’a Muslims and exert “economic
pressure” on Armenia. [For additional information see the Eurasia
Insight archive].
The Iranian government does not seem inclined to heed Aliyev’s
appeal, however. Analysts in Yerevan have long suggested that
Tehran’s main motive for maintaining close links with its sole
Christian neighbor is to limit the spread of Turkish influence in the
region.
“The relationship between the Armenian and Iranian peoples can serve
as the best example for all those who want to live side by side and
respect each other’s sovereignty,” Iranian President Mohammad Khatami
declared during an official visit to Yerevan last September.
Keeping Armenian-Iranian relations on track may prove difficult for
Kocharian’s government in the light of the recent upsurge in
US-Iranian tension. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].
“We very much hope that problems in American-Iranian relations will
be settled by peaceful means,” Armenia’s influential Defense Minister
Serge Sarkisian said after a recent visit to Tehran where he met with
virtually every Iranian leader. Sarkisian was at pains to stress that
the talks focused on economic issues and that “we have no military
cooperation with Iran.”
Tevan Poghosian, director of the International Center for Human
Development, a Yerevan-based think-tank, believes that the Armenian
leadership does have cause for concern. “We will have serious
problems if the Americans fail to find diplomatic solutions [to the
nuclear dispute],” he says. “If they don’t, the Armenian-Iranian
projects will simply be frozen indefinitely.”
Other observers believe the importance of trade ties with Iran should
not be overestimated in Armenia. “They are certainly not a miracle
cure to resolve the Azerbaijani and Turkish blockades,” a senior
member of the Western donor community in Yerevan told EurasiaNet.
“The Iranian economy itself isn’t exactly healthy.”
Indeed, Iran was a leading trading partner of Armenia in the 1990s,
but Tehran’s share of Yerevan’s overall foreign trade activity has
declined dramatically in recent years, standing at a modest 5 percent
in 2004. The volume of bilateral trade totaled almost $100 million.
That figure is roughly the same as the trade volume between Armenia
and Turkey, according to unofficial estimates. Virtually all
Armenian-Turkish trade is conducted via third countries, especially
Georgia, as Yerevan and Ankara have not normalized diplomatic
relations, and Turkey keeps its frontier with Armenia closed. [For
background see the Eurasia Insight archive].
Growth in Armenian-Iranian trade is hampered by the poor quality of
Iranian consumer goods, as well as prohibitive import tariffs that
hinder Armenian manufacturers from entering Iran’s huge market.
Still, according to Poghosian, Yerevan is keenly interested in the
success of the pipeline project with Iran, hoping that it will reduce
Armenia’s energy and power dependence on Russia. Moscow currently
controls about 80 percent of Armenia’s power-generating facilities
and is its sole supplier of natural gas. “Armenia is looking for an
alternative way of meeting its energy needs,” Poghosian said. “I
don’t think the Russians are happy with this policy.”
Editor’s Note: Emil Danielyan is a Yerevan-based journalist and
political analyst.

Turkish Press
March 3 2005
Evans Had To Correct His Statement Again After Using ”genocide” In
His Apology

WASHINGTON – US Ambassador in Yerevan John Evans had to correct his
statement one more time using the expression ”genocide” regarding
the relocation of some Armenians under Ottoman rule during the past
century, despite formal policy of the United States.
Evans, at a meeting he had with the representatives of Armenian
community living in the United States, criticized formal policy of
Washington, affirming that the incidents should be described as
”genocide”.
As a reaction, US State Department posted a statement of apology
signed by Evans, on the website of US’s Yerevan Embassy. In this
apology, Evans said that to use the term of ”genocide” was his
personal position, refuting any change in US policy. Evans also
apologized for causing misunderstandings.
However Evans, in his apology, said, ”there was no change in
Armenian genocide policy of US”, and secretly included the term
”genocide” to the text.
Turkey’s Ambassador in Washington Faruk Logolu reacted to this.
Ambassador Logoglu reminded his interlocutors in the State Department
that the United States did not recognize ”Armenian genocide” noting
the expression in Evans’ apology was unacceptable.
Justifying Turkey’s warning, US State Department made Evans to issue
a ”correction” for the apology.

ITAR-TASS, Russia
March 3 2005
Rushailo, Armenian leaders discuss CIS reform

YEREVAN, March 3 (Itar-Tass) – CIS Executive Committee chairman
Vladimir Rushailo met Armenian leaders on Thursday for talks on the
CIS reforms and measures to increase the effectiveness of the
Commonwealth.
Rushailo favoured the CIS reform to make its activity more effective
and dynamic, and bring it in line with the present realities.
Economic cooperation is one of priorities in the CIS activity, but
its business resource is not used in full. To this end, he proposed
to create business-centres in CIS countries. Armenia’s exposition at
the All-Russia Exhibition Centre is one of the best expositions,
Rushailo stressed.
`Despite objective and subjective difficulties, cooperation between
CIS countries, primarily in such areas as economy, security, the
fight against crime and humanitarian aspects, is developing
effectively,’ Armenian President Robert Kocharyan stressed. At the
same time, the president noted that it is necessary to increase the
CIS activity.
`Since the CIS has been organised, Armenia is taking an active part
in the work of CIS structures,’ Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Margaryan said. The prime minister said he is hopeful that
constructive discussions will allow CIS states to find an optimal
solution to the problem and make the CIS a more effective mechanism.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Moscow Times, Russia
March 4 2005
Bittersweet Cocktail
Desolate Armenian landscapes provide the backdrop for a touching love
story in “Vodka Lemon,” the latest film by Kurdish director Hiner
Saleem.
By Tom Birchenough
Published: March 4, 2005
Viewers expecting to enjoy the luscious landscapes of the Caucasus in
Hiner Saleem’s “Vodka Lemon” will be disappointed. However, the new
film (shot partly in Russian) from the Kurdish director, long based
in Paris, creates some unforgettable visual moments, centered on the
bleak winter landscape of a remote Armenian village. And there’s much
to relish in the film’s sense of place, as well as in its main
characters.
The film’s central location, which captures the sheer remoteness, and
the timelessness, of a certain kind of post-Soviet desolation, is the
village cemetery. Saleem’s opening scene is impressive, mixing
elements of surreal comedy with a sense of reality that has led
critics to compare “Vodka Lemon” to the films of Georgian director
Otar Iosseliani (who is also based in Paris, where he has been for
more than two decades).

In the opening scene, a funeral is underway, and a bedridden old man
wishes to attend it. This poses no problem, however, as the other
mourners haul him to the cemetery on his bed, which is hitched behind
a truck. Once he gets there, he removes his false teeth and
accompanies the musicians on his duduk, a traditional Armenian
instrument, as they play their parting tribute. The periodic
appearance throughout the film of a lone horseman galloping through
the village — for no explained reason — is another surreal visual
touch of which Iosseliani would surely be proud.
In the film’s main development, however, the cemetery becomes the
scene for a more subtle, less extravagant interaction between the two
main characters. Hamo (Romik Avinian), who comes there regularly to
visit the grave of his late wife, meets Nina (Lala Sarkissian), who
pays similar respect to her deceased husband. Moving between the
tombstones, whose engraved faces carry their own eloquent messages,
they gradually interact, bonding further as they travel home on a
run-down bus.
This marks the start of an affecting relationship, which recalls
Saleem’s first film “Vive la mariee … et la liberation du
Kurdistan.” In that 1997 film, a Parisian Kurd bows to pressure from
his family to choose a mail-order bride from home, only to discover
that his order has been mixed up. He receives the wrong bride, but
they cope with the consequences in a very human way.
In “Vodka Lemon” there is a similar balance between comedy and
compassion. Hamo expects his three sons to support him in his old
age, but to no avail. One has stayed in the village, but he is an
unemployed drunk, and the support, if anything, goes in the opposite
direction; the second is far away in Central Asia; and the third is
in France, which motivates the film’s rare excursions to an urban
environment. In these scenes, Hamo goes to Yerevan hoping to receive
a cash remittance from his son. Ultimately, however, his missions end
in vain.
Meanwhile, Nina is working at the roadside bar that gives the film
its title. Although it is the place where locals congregate (for lack
of anywhere else to go), business is bad and closure is very much on
the horizon. The villagers only survive by selling whatever
possessions they have left — including, in a memorable final scene
with the two leads, a piano that they struggle to move to the
roadside, only to change their minds in the episode’s poignant
conclusion.
In the hands of another director, “Vodka Lemon” could have emphasized
social commentary. Saleem, however, avoids that direction, though
there are moments that reflect the difficult circumstances of
everyday life. “Before the Russians left we didn’t have our freedom,
but we had everything else,” says one character succinctly, referring
to the post-Soviet shortages of water and electricity, as well as
their spiraling cost.
The Armenian element in the film is dominant — certainly in terms of
casting — although its financing came mainly from France,
Switzerland and Italy. This international support has led to
international recognition: “Vodka Lemon” was Armenia’s nomination
last year for the Best Foreign Film Oscar, and it was screened in a
supporting program at the 2003 Venice Film Festival.
The European contribution is most evident on the technical front,
especially in Christophe Pollock’s cinematography, which beautifully
captures both the environment and the individuals who eke out their
existence within it. The score by Michel Korb and Roustam Sadoyan is
no less evocative.
Saleem’s major achievement in “Vodka Lemon” is that he creates and
controls an extremely sensitive emotional narrative out of the
bleakest subject matter. It makes his newest project, titled
“Kilometer Zero,” seem all the more intriguing — the director was
set to return to his native Kurdistan to film a similarly human
story, in what his producers touted as the first feature film to be
shot in Iraq after the U.S.-led
invasion. However, circumstances appear to have delayed the project.
“Vodka Lemon” (Vodka-Limon) is playing in Russian at Fitil.

Armenian, Azeri ministers’ meeting postponed
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
3 Mar 05
The meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers,
Vardan Oskanyan and Elmar Mammadyarov, which was scheduled for today
[3 March] will not take place.
The press service and information department of the Armenian Foreign
Ministry has told Armenpres news agency that this is because of
Oskanyan’s sickness. Doctors advised the minister not to stop his
treatment for pneumonia which might take another week.
The new date for the ministers’ meeting will be determined soon.
From: Baghdasarian

LEBANESE REPRESENTAIVES OF THREE ARMENIAN PARTIES MET IN BEIRUT
A1+
03-03-2005
The representatives of three Armenian political parties in Lebanon
â=80` the Social Democratic Party, Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Dashnaktsutyun and the Ramkavar-Azatakan Party – met in Beirut on
March 2.
First of all they considered the measures dedicated to the 90-th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. After that the discussions
focused at the domestic situation in Lebanon. The meeting participants
sharply condemned the murderof Lebanese former Prime Minister Rafik al
Hariri and expressed hope that the latest developments will not have a
negative impact the life of the Armenian community in Lebanon.

WE GO ON THE WAY OF DEVELOPMENT
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
03 March 05
Last year on December 16 at the republic consultation NKR president
Arkady Ghukassian announced that he would visit Artsakh State
University. On February 27 the visit took place. The NKR president was
accompanied by the minister of education, culture and sport A. Ghulian
and other members of the government. Opening the meeting the rector
of the university H. Grigorian thanked the NKR government for
attending to the university. In his turn A. Ghukassian stressed the
importance of getting mutual benefit from similar meetings on the way
of democratization of the country. The main point of meeting with the
people is for the government to clarify their line of activity, feel
the developments in the country and take them into account during
their work. According to the president, the place of the meeting was
not accidental as it is here that the youth is prepared for carrying
on their shoulders the future of Karabakh. According to him, our main
achievement is that we created an international image for our country,
which differs from other unrecognized countries. The president thinks
this is an important circumstance as unrecognized countries are far
more vulnerable than the recognized ones. We managed to lay the
foundations of democracy. The president mentioned that it is early to
say that we have established a democratic state but we have achieved
considerable success. It is the imperative of life to build a
democratic state because only in this way is it possible to adopt the
values accepted in Europe and civilized countries, although there is
no guarantee that this will result in the recognition of NKR. But it
is the only way. It is evident that the world cannot recognize a
totalitarian Nagorni Karabakh. Both the people who are democratic
inherently and those who have nothing to do with democracy must
realize that we have no alternative;we must become a democratic
country and appear to the world as a state which lives in accordance
with international standards. Then the head of state touched upon the
achievements of the country in the sphere of economy. None of the
former members of the USSR is able to develop without the aid of the
international community in the form of loans, subsidies and
investments. We had to solve a very important problem: provide
conditions for investments that would attract both local and foreign
businessmen. A country must have a rich economy and be able to solve
social and economic problems in order to be considered a rich
country. This was much more difficult in the sense that the country
was to overcome the post-war syndrome. A. Ghukassian mentioned that we
have achieved progress in the sphere of investments. Presently
investors from the USA, France, Australia, Switzerland, Italy, Spain,
Russia, Armenia and other countries work in NKR. It was difficult to
come to this because with the present geopolitical developments making
investments in Karabakh is risky. Business based on mere patriotism
cannot be productive. The aim was set to create conditions in which
the investor would be sure that his activity would be protected by
law. According to the NKR president, we managed to prove to foreign
investors that their guarantor is the law and not a person, as it once
used to be the reality in Karabakh. By maintaining 5 per cent
taxation, which is the lowest in the post-Soviet territory, the danger
of tax avoidance was eliminated. Owing tothis budget revenues exceeded
the level when the taxes were higher. A. Ghukassian mentioned that the
present budget of NKR cannot be compared to that of the past five
years and even the previous year. Perhaps this is the reason why
Azerbaijan has become more aggressive. From the point of view of
Azerbaijan Karabakh with decayed economy will one day creep to
Azerbaijan asking for help. However, day by day they become convinced
that the rates of economic growth in Karabakh do not fall back from
Azerbaijan which is far richer in resources. The president mentioned
that we must be able to prove to the world that we have the right for
being an independent and civilized country because we are economically
self-sufficient and are able to live in accordance with the law,
building democracy. These are the standards of the international
community. The NKR president also touched upon the talks for the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict. Karabakh was left out of the
negotiations though mediators continue visiting Karabakh, because
everybody understands that without regarding the opinion of the people
and authorities of Karabakh it is impossible to achieve the settlement
of the Karabakh conflict. It is Azerbaijan’s fault that the
negotiation process is not going on within the framework of the Minsk
Group, as Azerbaijan refuses to negotiate with Karabakh. And if the
talks are resumed, the president of the country assured that they will
not go on without Karabakh. A. Ghukassian mentioned that we are
interested in the rapid settlement of the problem because innumerable
problems get accumulated in the country which is not recognized. On
the other hand, we understand that the problem cannot be solved at
just any price. We must do everything to prevent another war on this
land. And in this question the international community is on our
side. He denied rumours about returning territories. The people of
Karabakh know the standpoint of the government in reference to the
Karabakh problem. The NKR president stated that it will not change
because they got this mandate from the people. A. Ghukassian ensured
that they will not take steps which may harm the interests of
people. He stated, `We shall not accept unilateral compromise and will
not give up our independence.’ As to the home political life, the head
of the country stressed the importance of pursuing the way of
democracy, which is irrevocable. Opposition and free press is
developing in the country. Fortunately, we do not have the hatred
existing in other countries. In this reference he is hopeful that we
shall not get over the barrier. It is another thing that the
authorities want the opposition to be constructive, and problems to be
solved in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and not hostile
moods. `Home political stability is very important for us,’ said
A. Ghukassian, `and naturally we shall not allow any attempt of
destabilizing the country.’ In the second part of the meeting the head
of the country answered the questions of the professors and students
referring to the foreign and home policies, social and economic state
of the country and the problems of the university.
SVETLANA KHACHATRIAN.
03-03-2005

Armenian defence minister meets CIS official
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
2 Mar 05
The secretary of the National Security Council under the Armenian
president and defence minister, Serzh Sarkisyan, has received the CIS
executive secretary, Vladimir Rushaylo.
During the meeting the sides discussed the programme of events devoted
to the 60th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War.
Serzh Sarkisyan talked about the details of the events which will be
held in Armenia and especially noted that a monument to Admiral Isakov
will be unveiled on Isakov street [in Yerevan] on 9 May and monuments
to Marshall Babadzhanyan and Marshall Khudyakov will be erected within
the next three years.
[Video showed the meeting].

Armenian political parties discuss situation in Lebanon
03.03.2005 12:30
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Representatives of the three Armenian political
parties operating in Lebanon met on March 2 in Beirut to discuss the
current situation in Lebanon.
The representatives of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF),
Socialist Democratic Hnchak Party (SDHP), and Democratic Liberal
(Ramkavar) Party (DLP) first of all focused on the preparation efforts
of commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,
underscoring the importance of sticking to the schedule of
events. Then the latest political developments in Lebanon were
discussed.
Assessing the developments in the wake of the assassination of former
Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the participants of the meeting
stated:
1. The three Armenian political parties firmly condemn the
assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and consider the
terrorist act a move against Lebanon and the Lebanese people;
2. The parties demand that the details of this appalling crime be
completely revealed and those behind it brought to justice;
3. Discussing the causes of Prime Minister Karame’s resignation and
the reactions that followed, the representatives of the parties hope
that the government’s resignation would lead the Lebanese political
parties to a consensus and formation of a national unity government;
4. Realizing that the situation constitutes a turning point, the
Armenian political parties, adhering to the principles of
inter-community peaceful coexistence and settling the issues through
dialogues, see it necessary to do their best to unite all the Lebanese
forces;
5. The Armenian political parties realize that the Armenian community
of Lebanon will not engage in any way in the polarized environment and
would emerge united from the Lebanese crisis.
SDHP Lebanon District Board
ARF Central Committee of Lebanon
DLP Lebanon District Board
March 2, 2005
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress