Category: News

Agence France Presse — English
January 20, 2005 Thursday 4:59 AM GMT
Rivals Azerbaijan and Armenia join to fight for US favor in Iraq
by Simon Ostrovsky
BAKU
At home, the armies of Azerbaijan and Armenia only see each other
through gun sights pointed across one of the world’s deadliest
cease-fire lines. But today in Iraq, the two are fighting on the same
side for a common cause: American friendship.
This week, a group of 46 Armenian soldiers joined the US-led
coalition in Iraq which since 2004 has included a contingent of 100
peacekeepers from Armenia’s longtime foe Azerbaijan.
And although the stated aims of both nation’s troop deployments are
to help stabilize the situation in Iraq and protect holy sites there,
observers say the bitter rivals are really on a mission to outdo each
other in front of Uncle Sam.
Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have much to gain from favorable
relations with the United States, but each also has much to lose in
their rival quests to pull international opinion over the disputed
Nagorno-Karabakh region in their favor.
The two republics waged a bloody war over Karabakh — an ethnic
Armenian enclave internationally recognized to be within Azerbaijan
— in the early 1990s that began prior to the breakup of the Soviet
Union and continued after both acquired national independence.
The war ended in 1994 with Armenia in control of the territory and
seven surrounding regions, 30,000 people dead, some two million
people displaced and Karabakh’s status still unsettled.
Since then it has been a war of words between the two nations as they
navigate the choppy diplomatic waters between their former overlord
Russia and the United States, which in the last two years has gained
greater influence in parts of the former Soviet Union.
“Armenia sent its troops into Iraq because America told them ‘you’re
either with us or you’re a Yanukovich,” Azerbaijan’s former foreign
minister Tofik Zulfuqarov told AFP, referring to the pro-Russia
candidate who lost Ukraine’s presidential election to a pro-Western
liberal last month.
After leaders without Moscow’s support took power in Georgia’s
breakaway region Abkhazia this month, Ukraine in December and Georgia
itself a year earlier, observers say Armenia’s President Robert
Kocharyan has begun to shift allegiances westwards from Moscow in an
effort to keep power.
“The (Iraq) issue has become a dividing line: Either we continue with
pro-Russian policies or we get out from under that zone of
influence,” Agasi Enkoyan, a political analyst in Yerevan told AFP.
As for Azerbaijan, “we are enemies… but that doesn’t preclude our
fighting from the same side of the front line in a third country,”
Enkoyan said.
A military analyst in Baku said both nations’ armed forces can
benefit from the experience they get as peacekeepers in Iraq if a
settlement is ever reached over Karabakh.
“One day they will have to understand the difference between a front
line and a national border. Today the military does not have that
understanding,” said Azad Isazade.
But Armenians and Azeris so far have not had a very good track record
of post-war cooperation Isazade warned, saying he fears high-emotions
could lead to new Azeri-Armenian violence even in faraway Iraq.
Both countries are members of NATO’s partnership for peace program
but war games that were planned to be held in Azerbaijan last year
had to be canceled when the Azeri public protested against the
participation of Armenian officers.
In Hungary, an Azeri officer is on trial for the 2004 hotel room
axe-murder of an Armenian officer at a NATO language-training course
in Budapest.
“In that situation they didn’t have guns, in Iraq they will,” said
Isazade. “These aren’t ecologists at a seminar, these are military
people.”

“I BELIEVE THAT JUSTICE WILL WIN”
Azg/arm
21 Jan 05
About 250.000 Armenians living in Baku had to flee from the Azeri
capital as a result of the massacres in Baku. The Armenians that
greatly contributed to the construction of Baku were deprived of the
right to live there and were left homeless. 311.000 of 500.000
refugees from Azerbaijan still live in Armenia. Most of them live in
the hostels, very often in hardship. Dozens of people fled from Baku
live in the hostel of the second block of Nor Norq.
Yevgenia Tsaturovna, 84, fled from Baku with her daughter and two
grandchildren on January 18, 1990. Before that, she was hiding in her
flat,but her neighbors warned her about the intrusion of the
Azeris. “The Azeris were telling us to open the door, otherwise they
would break it. I couldn’t even take my clothes. They began beating
and pushing us and threw out into the street,” Yevgenia Tsaturovna
remembers. The family thrown into the cold of the wintry and cold
January street found shelter at the police department. Afterwards,
they left for Armenia. When Yevgenia Tsaturovna settled down in
Armenia her misfortunes didn’t stop. Her daughter died of cancer when
she was only 43. One of her grandchildren left for Russia.
At present, Mrs. Yevgenia receives pension amounting to 3900 AMD and
humanitarian aid from Paros benevolent organization. “They say they
are going to deprive me of the aid from Paros. I don’t know what I
will do then,” she says. The old woman is very ill, she can’t even
move. Lydia Amiriants, her neighbor, takes care of her. Lydia was also
born in Baku and became a refugee. “We left Baku in 1988. My brother
was a colonel and, seeing that the situation is becoming unbearable,
helped me and my son leave the capital of the Azeris. They even didn’t
sell bread to us, knowing that we are Armenians,” Lydia Amiriants
says, adding that even after such an attitude and the massacres in
Sumgait most of the people didn’t believe that the Azeris will
organize massacres in the capital, too. She said that already in 1988
the Azeris ruined her house. “Itook the photo of its ruins and
represented it to various instances. But they all just laughed at my
efforts,” she said, adding: “The justice hasn’t won its victory yet,
but I believe that otherwise, the life would lose its meaning.”
By Arevik Badalian

“WHO SEEKS FOR ARMED SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT?”
Azg/arm
21 Jan 05
Kazimirov Believes Armenian Forces Can Leave Karabakh Only with Local
Armenian Residents
Vladimir Kazimirov, former mediator at the Nagorno Karabakh settlement
process, has published an article in which he pointed out all the
cases of breaking the ceasefire during the war one after another. In
the course of 1992-94, Russia or the OSCE Minsk group tried to stop
the military actions for many times, but each time one of the sides
would break the ceasefire.
The Azeri authorities (both in the times of Elchibey and Aliyev)
counted on the armed settlement of the conflict, instead of the
negotiations. Baku wasthe first to break the four formulae of the UN
Security Council for many times. Baku never carried out any of the
commitments envisaged in the UN formulae adopted in the course of the
military actions in April-November of 1993.
“The Armenians were either smart or constructive. They have broken the
mutual agreements only twice, in July, 1992 and April, 1994,”
Kazimirov writes and adds that the ceasefire signed in the July of
1992 was caused by the Azeris misfortune in the military actions. “The
main reasons of the Azeris misfortune were their maximalism (peculiar
to the Armenians, as well). The Azeris obviously overestimated their
diplomatic and political capacities, notwithstanding a number of weak
points in their actions. Baku would stop their military actions only
for gaining some time to relocate their forces,” he writes and reminds
that Baku once more stopped the military actions to hold presidential
elections on October 3, 1993.
Kazimirov writes that if the sides really seek for peaceful
settlement, it is high time to stop yelling, “Nagorno Karabakh is
mine. It is mine”. “They (Baku and Yerevan) have to begin sober
negotiations and accept calmly Nagorno Karabakh both as an object and
as a subject for dispute. In fact, the wholeworld admits that
already. They accept it, but not the sides in conflict. That (if the
sides accepted Karabakh as a side in conflict) would be the first step
directed to the civilized settlement of the issue.”
Kazimirov emphasizes that the withdrawal of the Armenian forces from
Karabakh is possible only in case the native Armenian residents of the
region leave it too, i.e. without the presence of the Armenian forces
the native Armenian population of Karabakh will be evicted. Kazimirov
emphasizes the importanceof Karabakh’s participation in the
negotiation process by another viewpoint, too. When the Armenian
forces begin to leave the Azeri regions, it is obvious that they will
not be able to retreat up to the former borders of NKAR. “They will
have to clear out where the border line is, to find a new one and this
can’t be done without Stepanakert’s participation,” he writes.
In the appendix to the article, Kazimirov represents the chronological
list of the cases when the ceasefire was broken in the course of the
military actions in 1992-1994. It shows that Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh broke the ceasefire preliminarily achieved by the mediation
of Russia and the OSCE Minsk group only twice. In the rest of the
cases, Azerbaijan resumed the military actions for about 20
times. Let’s bring some examples:
On March 1, 1993, the Russian and the Turkish foreign ministers
decided to visit the hotbed and achieve the ceasefire at the
spot. But, having visited Baku, the Turkish foreign minister said that
he will visit the hotbed, if the Armenians leave Shushi and Lachin. In
almost a month after that, the Karabakh forces “conquered Qelbajar.”
On July 2, 1993, as a result of Russia’s efforts, the Karabakh
sideagreed to stop the military actions in Aghdam and Martakert, as
well as in Fizuli and Hadruth, but Azeris didn’t send any response to
Moscow. After the mid July the military actions resumed, while on July
23, the Karabakh forces took the control over Aghdam.
As in his previous article, this time too, Kazimirov draws attention
to the period laid between October and December in 1993, when Baku
unfolded wide spread military actions and was bitterly beaten, losing
the “South-Western parts” of the republic one after another.
By Tatoul Hakobian

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
January 20, 2005 Thursday 4:27 AM Eastern Time
Burgas-Alexandroupolis-optimum way of pumping Russia oil to West
By Sergei Latyshev
ATHENS
A Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, plans of whose construction
came to the fore in the recent past, is the cheapest and safest way
of transporting Russian oil to the West, bypassing the Bosporus
Strait, said here on Wednesday evening Greek Deputy Foreign Minister
Evripidis Stilianidis.
He spoke before members of the country’s business and academic
communities with information on aims of the country’s chairmanship in
the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation. “The
Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline is the cheapest and safest
version of transporting oil to the West, bypassing the Bosporus
Strait, and plans of its construction received a new impetus in the
recent past,” the deputy minister emphasized. Greece actively strives
for the implementation of this tripartite project whose participants
also involve Russia and Bulgaria.
The high-ranking diplomat noted that the main aim of Greece’s
presidency in the Black Sea organization is to ensure rapprochement
between Black Sea countries and European structures as well as the
European Union. Greece gives much attention to its presidency in the
Black Sea organization, ending next April. “I can say that we regard
it as important as the presidency in the EU,” he stressed.
Members of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation include
Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Moldova,
Ukraine, Russia, Romania and Turkey.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
January 20, 2005 Thursday 3:59 AM Eastern Time
Belarus, Uzbekistan sign deal on visa-free trips
By Andrei Fomin
MINSK, January 20
Belarus and Uzbekistan have signed an agreement on visa-free trips
for their citizens, sources from the Belarussian Foreign Ministry
reported on Thursday.
The document was signed in Tashkent by Belarussian Deputy Foreign
Minister Alexander Gerasimenko. The agreement will replace
multi-lateral Bishkek agreements of October 9, 1992 on visa-free
trips for CIS citizens.
According to the Belarussian Foreign Ministry, the signing of that
document was “necessitated by a need to replace multi-lateral
agreements with bilateral, as it is easier to control their
implementation, while amendments can be introduced more efficiently”.
Belarus has already signed similar agreements with Armenia, Moldova
and Ukraine.

Athens News Agency
January 19, 2005
ARMENIAN-GREEK SCHOOL OF TOURISM TO BE SET UP IN ARMENIA
Greece will assit Armenia in setting up a Tourism Professions School,
the first such school in the country aimed to significant boost the
Armenia’s efforts to develop its tourism sector
Armenian authorities have recommended that the school be named
Armenia-Greek School of Tourism Professions and to include a lesson
on Greek language as well
The issue was discussed during a visit by a delegation of the Greek
tourism ministry in Armenia. The programme includes an action plan
for the creation and operation of the school, its integration to the
country’s educational system, supplying basic laboratory equipment
and a vocational training programme.

ATTEMPT BY AZERBAIJANI MP TO RAISE ISSUE ON “DESTRUCTION OF
AZERBAIJANI CULTURAL MONUMENTS IN SHUSHA” AT PACE CULTURAL COMMITTEE
WILL REMAIN WITHOUT RESULTS
YEREVAN, JANUARY 20. ARMINFO. An attempt by the Azerbaijani MP
R.Huseynov to raise the issue on “destruction of the monuments of the
Azebraijani culture in Shusha” at the Cultural Committee of PACE will
remain without results. A member of the Armenian delegation to PACE
Shavarsh Kocharyan told ARMINFO.
He said that the Azerbaijani MP tries to attract the attention of
European MPs to not existing and invented issues once more, Shavarsh
Kocharyan said that Huseynov had already made a inquiry for this issue
to the CE Committee of Minister before. Earlier, Shavarsh Kocharyan
himself made a inquiry to CECM for the issue of destruction of the
Armenian cemetery in Nakhichevan. The Armenian MP said that on Dec 15,
CECM considered both inquiries, expressed concern in this connection,
and called the parties to refrain themselves from such acts, if they
really took place.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azerbaijan has proof of Armenians settling in occupied lands – minister
Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
20 Jan 05

[Presenter] The OSCE factfinding mission will release the final
results of its investigation into the reports of Armenian settlement
in Azerbaijan’s occupied territories in late February, Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has said. Mammadyarov today broadly
discussed the issue with Andrzej Kasprzyk, envoy of the OSCE
chairman-in-office. Mr Kasprzyk has spoken to “Son Xabar” about the
mission.
[Correspondent] The OSCE factfinding mission will inspect the seven
occupied districts. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Mammadyarov and
Kasprzyk discussed the issue at a two-hour meeting today. Mr Kasprzyk
told “Son Xabar” after the meeting that the members of the mission
will also try to resolve organizational issues at a meeting planned to
be held in Vienna tomorrow.
[Kasprzyk speaking in Russian with Azeri voice-over] It is still not
clear which country will head the mission. We will meet in Vienna
tomorrow and discuss all issues, including the appointment of a
chairman. I think the mission will be completely ready for the visit
after this.
[Passage omitted: Kasprzyk says the mission’s visit to the occupied
territories may last for around a week]
[Correspondent] There are reports that the separatists are working
hard to conceal facts of settlement in Nagornyy Karabakh and
surrounding districts on the eve of the visit. But official Baku says
that it had predicted this earlier. Foreign Minister Mammadyarov says
the occupiers may resort to any means, but Azerbaijan already
possesses undeniable proof.
[Mammadyarov speaking to reporters] They may wish to do so. But they
cannot conceal buildings. We know that there are buildings there and
what these buildings are for. We already have evidence.
[Correspondent] The minister said the report of the factfinding
mission will be ready some time in late February. He said although the
document will be submitted to the OSCE’s standing commission, no
decision is expected to be adopted on this matter yet.
[Mammadyarov] The talk is not about any decision yet. Let’s wait and
see what the report will be like. Let the mission collect facts and
then we will see what happens.
[Correspondent] As for which country will head the mission,
Mammadyarov said official Baku views Germany as a real candidate to
this position.

MY BROTHER’S ROAD
Azg/arm
21 Jan 05
For the past eight years I have been researching and writing a
biography/memoir about my late brother, Monte “Avo” Melkonian. The
book, entitled My Brother’ s Road, has been a long time in coming, and
it has not been easy to get it published. I’m happy to announce that
the London publisher I.B.Tauris will officially release the book in
the USA on February 1. Part biography and part memoir, My Brother’s
Road is about a third-generation California boy who became a promising
student of archaeology, a strike leader in revolutionary Iran, a
militiaman in Beirut, a guerrilla, a convicted Armenian militant, a
prison strike leader, a fugitive from half a dozen security agencies,
and finally, a commander of 4000 warriors in one of the most vicious
wars raging on the ruins of the former Soviet Union.
My Brother’s Road is a story that is at once inspirational and
cautionary. Los Angeles Times writer Mark Arax has described it as
“an astonishing book,” and historian Christopher Walker has described
it as “driven by a sense of commitment which never overshoots into
sentimentality or chauvinism.”
I invite you to read My Brother’s Road. The book in hardcover is now
available for advance orders directly through the publisher,
I.B. Tauris, or through the online booksellers. Amazon.com
() lists it for $19.77 plus shipping. (I understand that
Amazon will ship any order of more than $25 for free within the USA
and Canada. Thus, two copies of the book would cost around $40
including shipping, compared to one copy for $25. If you order more
than one copy through Amazon, be sure to ask for Super Saver
Shipping.) The online stores will ship the book on or around February
9. By mid-February, the book should also be available at your local
bookstore. If the book is not on theshelf, please request that the
store carry it.
 By Markar Melkonian
 P.S. Please forward this message to family, friends and Internet
lists that might be interested.

ArmenPress
Jan 20 2005
KOCHARIAN DISCUSSES DETAILS OF HIS VISIT TO ROME
YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, ARMENPRESS: President Robert Kocharian met
today with Italian ambassador in Yerevan, Marco Clemente, to discuss
the details of his visit to Italy, slated later this month. Kocharian
emphasized the importance of his visit, mentioning good and friendly
relations between the two nations. He also singled out the growing
trade between Armenia and Italy.