Category: News

OSCE Vows to Work Intensively on Conflict Resolution Issues
Civil Georgia, Georgia
Dec 7 2004
Solomon Passy, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and the Bulgarian Foreign
Minister, said in his closing statement at the OSCE Ministerial Council
in Sofia on December 7, that the organization will work intensively
to solve the conflicts in the post-Soviet space.
“In the months and years ahead, we will continue to work
intensively to achieve lasting settlements in Georgia, Moldova and
Nagorno-Karabakh. Courageous decisions will be required from all the
parties concerned and the OSCE must remain fully engaged,” Solomon
Passy said.
In his remarks to the Ministerial Council, U.S. Secretary of State
Colin Powell said on December 7 that “a new push from the OSCE” is
needed to solve frozen conflicts.

United Press International
Dec 7 2004
Outside View: Kofi Annan — time to go
By Youssef M. Ibrahim
Outside View Commentator
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 7 (UPI) — U.N. Secretary-General
Kofi Annan is the uppermost utopian model of international public
servants, a Nobel Prize laureate, a pride to his native Africa. These
are all the reasons he needs to leave the United Nations now.
Annan has been mortally wounded by allegations that his son, Koju,
and close U.N. associates profited from the United Nations’
oil-for-food program.
The program was put in place in 1996 for the purpose of feeding the
Iraqi people during the harsh regime of economic sanctions imposed on
Iraq.
While the program has probably saved millions of Iraqis from
starvation, it was allegedly badly misused by some U.N. officials in
collusion with hordes of oil merchants as well as senior Iraqis,
including Saddam Hussein himself, to steal at least $10 billion.
Annan almost certainly had nothing to do with either the alleged
misbehavior of his son or the manipulation of the entire oil-for-food
program by Saddam, the oil merchants and their suspected U.N.
accomplices.
The U.N. officials who ran the undertaking reported not to Kofi
Annan, but rather to the Security Council. Why the Security Council
members, particularly the United States, did not do more at the time
is a question indeed.
But the harm was done at the expense of the Iraqi people, and — just
as distressing — it all happened on Kofi Annan’s watch. The suspects
are now under an independent investigation conducted by the former
chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Paul Volcker.
But we already know that Koju Annan is accused of using his father’s
name to extract at least $130,000 from a Swiss company involved in
the oil-for-food deal. Compared with the others, it seems he was not
a smart manipulator, but rather a small player.
One undersecretary-general of the United Nations, Benon Savan, an
Armenian Cypriot who has largely disappeared from public view and is
on leave from the United Nations, is being investigated for allegedly
realizing illicit profits in the tens of millions of dollars, perhaps
as much as $100 million, in return for turning a blind eye to
Saddam’s scheme of using discounted oil sales to hoard his billions
outside the sanctions system.
I met Savan three times in Vienna as a reporter covering OPEC
meetings of oil ministers as well as in New York at his U.N. office.
By virtue of his job, I have no doubt, he had access to these “oil
vouchers,” which are tickets to buy Iraqi oil at discounted prices.
It remains for the investigation to determine if he and others
resisted the temptation to sell those vouchers to oil traders who
then lifted the oil and paid the U.N. guys a cut.
Since 1996, when the oil-for-food came into effect, we suspected that
a lot of cuts, a lot of vouchers and a lot of money was tucked into
the pockets of some officials.
Still we have to wait for due process. Annan does not have to wait.
The buck stops at his office door on the 38th floor of the United
Nations tower building. He must assume responsibility.
Given the ferocity of his and the United Nations’ enemies — centered
in the George W. Bush past and future administration along with
American jingoistic neo-conservatives — Annan should be in no doubt
he will have to go eventually.
When the previous Bill Clinton administration went after Boutros
Boutros-Ghali, Annan’s predecessor, it did not relent until he left.
Compared to the current gang in the White House, the Pentagon,
Congress, the Senate and the various right-wing think tanks, the
Clinton folks were nice guys.
Here are some thoughts for Kofi Annan: One has to fight fire with
fire. If I were he, I would have the following quiet reflection:
“For reasons including Machiavellian twisted ones, it would be far
better for me, Kofi Annan, to leave sooner rather than later. I am
facing a feeding frenzy by these sharks that this White House is only
going to agitate among its media friends, administration and think
tanks.
“If I left now, however, I would pull the carpet. For starters, my
departure would be dignified and principled. Second, the world will
hold it against those barbarians who time and again have tried to
come after the United Nations to paralyze it and run amok with their
unilateral policies of world domination.
“I, Kofi Annan, do not need the United Nations now. It is the United
Nations that now needs my help. I am in a position to save it from
this abuse. I can more effectively fight those guys from outside the
United Nations.
“The gang of George W. Bush will persist in their misadventure in
Iraq, which I, Kofi Annan, denounced a few months ago as an ‘illegal
war.’ This they have not forgiven me for. But the charge stuck, and I
can continue my denunciations as I have all the files and facts.
“The gang will pursue its war against multilateral organizations,
agreements and their quest for unilateral power. The United Nations
is right, front and center in their effort.
“I can be a goalkeeper preventing, deflecting, these attacks. By
staying at the helm I’ll make myself a distraction, give them a
target and be quiet.
“By stepping down now, the world will see these sharks for what they
are. The U.N. membership, if anything, will become ever more hostile
to hegemonic policies. Other world coalitions can emerge, with which
I can help.
“My life’s work speaks for itself. I will be leaving as one of the
most respected, most admired and most appreciated secretary-generals
of the United Nations ever. I have much more to do, as my hero Nelson
Mandela of South Africa has proven after leaving office.”
Bon voyage, Kofi, and God speed.
—
Youssef M. Ibrahim, a former Middle East correspondent for the New
York Times and Energy Editor of the Wall Street Journal, is Managing
Director of the Dubai-based Strategic Energy Investment Group. He can
be contacted at [email protected]
—
This essay first appeared in Gulf News
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED IN TERRITORY OF TURKEY ON DECEMBER 7 MORNING
YEREVAN, December 7 (Noyan Tapan). According to the RA National Service
of Seismic Protection, an earthquake of 2.8 magnitude, whose strength
made 4 points in the epicenter, occurred in the territory of Turkey,
20 kilometers south-east of the city of Dogubayazet, on December 7,
local time 11:53.

“THE QUAKE IS STILL FRESH IN OUR MINDS”
Azg/arm
8 Dec 04
The second edifice of Erebuni hotel has become the home of the
people who moved to Yerevan after the quake 16 years ago. Many Gyumri
families are living in the rooms situated next to each other in the
long corridor. But after this edifice was sold the dwellers donâ~@~Yt
know whether they will stay here or not.
Marieta Manukian and her son have been living in Erebuni hotel for
15 years. She moved to Yerevan with her family in 1988. “I was at
my office when the earthquake began, my husband was in the street,
my son was at school and my girl was in Yerevan. The greater part
of my sonâ~@~Ys school was destroyed. His classes were in the part
of the school that didnâ~@~Yt ruin. None of our family members
died on December 7, but we lost our apartment and the hope for a
better future,” Mrs. Marieta says. The members of this family face
the consequences of the devastating earthquake till now. Marieta
Manukian is a second class disabled and receives pension amounting to
5000 AMD. Marieta is a widow, her husband perished in Artsakh war in
1992. Her son is a worker and can pay only for electricity. They live
in a small room and their clothes and the beds are the only property
of this family. “We are registered for receiving an apartment in
Gyumri, but only God knows when we will get it. It is not clear how
long we shall be living in this room, either. We live without hoping
for tomorrow. I only wish to have my own corner, I wish my son had
a job and marries,” Mrs. Marieta says.
Mariam and Aram met and fell in love with each other, got married
in Erebuni hotel. Aram Karapetian was saved out of the school ruins
after the quake. Mariam was playing in the yard at the moment of the
tragedy. “I was 9 in 1988, while my husband was 12. I became a third
class disabled, while my husband is a second class disabled after the
quake. Together we receive about 6000 AMD pension. My husband has no
permanent job,” Mariam says. They have two children, 7-year-old Sveta
and 5-year-old Vrezh. They live in the small room they received after
the marriage. “We are also registered for an apartment in Gyumri. We
have no idea when we will get it. We donâ~@~Yt know for how long we
will be able to live in this hotel, either,” Mariam says.
When we tried to find out from the leadership of the hotel about the
future fate of Gyumri residents living in Yerevan, they said that
the edifice is sold and they canâ~@~Yt provide any information.
“In 1988 I was 15, but till now I see that terrible day in my
nightmares. The entire city was buried in dust and ruins were
everywhere. One could hear people cry and moan in all the corners
of the city. The peopleâ~@~Ys faces bore the reflection of horror
on their faces. Sometimes I think that the quake didnâ~@~Yt stop
for us and it continues to break our lives in another image,” Artur,
the son of Mrs. Marieta says.
By Arevik Badalian
–Boundary_(ID_UUJU3vVdD/4Rag90FKMKdw)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARTSAKH PAYS TRIBUTE TO SPITAK EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS
STEPANAKERT, December 7 (Noyan Tapan). On December 7, NKR President
Arkady Goukassian visited the Memorial complex in Stepanakert,
where he laid flowers to the monument to the 1988 Spitak earthquake
victims. According to the Head Information Department attached to
the NKR President, NKR NA Chairman Oleg Yesayan, NKR Prime Minister
Anushavan Danielian, members of the Security Council, the heads
of tbe ministries and departments, executives of the presidential
staff, the parliament and the NKR government, staffs of enterprises,
organizations, institutions and educational establishments of Nagorno
Karabakh also laid flowers.

STEPANAKERT ALMOST COMPLETELY SUPPLIED WITH GAS
STEPANAKERT, December 7 (Noyan Tapan). At present the gasification of
NKR capital Stepanakert has almost finished. The Press Service of NKR
government informed NT about this with reference to Maxim Mirzoyan,
Executive Director of Artsakhgas state-owned CJSC. According to the
same source, during 10 months of 2004 the number of subscribers using
natural gas increased by 1428, owing to which 78m drams additionally
entered the state budget compared with the previous year. During this
period about 30% of pipeline network of 25-year-old antiquity was
fundamentally repaired. It was also mentioned that it’s envisaged to
supply all the populated areas of Martuni region with gas in 2005,
mounting will continue in Martakert, Askeran and Shushi regions,
gasification of Hadrut region will also begin.

Deux églises chrétiennes attaquées en Irak, à Mossoul
Libération, France
mardi 07 décembre 2004
MOSSOUL, Irak – Des hommes armés ont fait irruption dans deux églises
de Mossoul, une arménienne et une chaldéenne, en faisant sortir les
occupants avant de faire exploser des engins qui ont endommagé les
édifices religieux, sans faire de victimes, rapportent des témoins.
La ville du nord de l’Irak est principalement peuplée d’Arabes sunnites
et de Kurdes, qui ont du mal à cohabiter, mais également de nombreux
chrétiens, qui forment une minorité forte de 3,0% au niveau national.
–Boundary_(ID_oMuz9vmhd/i2+8W5PEpSmg)–

Iraq, fatta saltare una seconda chiesa cristiana in città
KataWeb, Italia
martedì 07 dicembre 2004
Quasi contemporaneamente all’attentato dinamitardo che ha fatto saltare
questo pomeriggio la chiesa caldea di Mosul (leggi qui), un altro
attacco è stato condotto, con modalità quasi identiche, contro una
chiesa armena della città. Anche qui, un gruppo di uomini armati ha
fatto uscire tutti i presenti, poi ha piazzato e fatto brillare dverse
cariche esplosive. Entrambi gli edifici hanno subito gravi danni.
–Boundary_(ID_+/xwcCgeLf6R+jJftUoD+Q)–

Turquie : nouveau débat à droite
par ENGUÉRAND RENAULT
Les Echos, France
7 décembre 2004
A dix jours d’un sommet européen crucial, au cours duquel les
Vingt-Cinq doivent décider de l’ouverture des négociations d’adhésion
de la Turquie à l’Union, partisans et opposants d’Ankara se mobilisent,
en demandant tous la reconnaissance rapide du génocide arménien de
1915. Après Patrick Devedjian, dimanche, c’est François Bayrou qui
réclame aujourd’hui, dans le mensuel « Nouvelles d’Arménie Magazine »,
qu’Ankara reconnaisse le génocide.
« Il n’est même pas concevable qu’il y ait un partenariat privilégié
avec la Turquie sans cette reconnaissance publique et claire », pointe
le président de l’UDF, qui milite contre l’entrée de la Turquie dans
l’Union. Dans le même mensuel, Pierre Lellouche, qui, contrairement
à son propre parti, l’UMP, est, favorable à cette adhésion, déclare
que « si la diaspora faisait de cette reconnaissance un préalable
à toute adhésion ou rapprochement avec la Turquie, elle commettrait
une erreur ». « Il ne faut pas en faire un préalable, mais l’une des
conditions du processus », estime-t-il.
–Boundary_(ID_4GDnXwI1eoELRE7V1ZgTNw)–

IRAQ: MOSSUL, DINAMITE CONTRO CHIESA CALDEA (2)
ANSA Notiziario Generale in Italiano
Martedì, il 7 dicembre 2004
(ANSA-REUTERS) – MOSSUL (IRAQ), 7 DIC – Un attentato analogo e stato
portato quasi contemporaneamente contro una chiesa armena della
citta’. Anche in questo caso gli attaccanti hanno fatto uscire tutti
i presenti e hanno fatto saltare cariche di esplosivi.
In nessuno dei due attentati ci sono stati feriti, ma entrambi gli
edifici hanno subito gravi danni.
–Boundary_(ID_yXRYoX0XRo172bdurhNTkA)–