Category: News

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
August 9, 2004
PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN REPUBLIC RECEIVES DELEGATION OF US SENATE
[August 09, 2004, 21:23:11]
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the US
Senate delegation led by Senator Ted Stevens on 9 August.
Having sincerely greeted the guests, the Head of State noted that the
rapidly developing relations between Azerbaijan and the United States
in political, economic, military and other spheres, is based on the
principles of strategic partnership.
The President highly appreciated the special part of the US
Government in realization of the large-scale energy projects in
Azerbaijan pointing to their not only regional but also global
importance.
Touching upon the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan, President
Ilham Aliyev noted that the country is also actively cooperating with
the United States – one of the OSCE Minsk group co-Chairs – with
respect to peaceful resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict
over Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Azerbaijani leader stressed as well the importance of expanding
the Interparliamentary relations between the two countries from the
standpoint of providing truthful information about Azerbaijan’s
realities and existing problems, to the American public and those who
are immediately engaged in US lawmaking and foreign policy in
particular.
Recalling with pleasure the meetings at the US Senate during his US
visits, the President expressed confidence that the Senate
delegation’s present visit to Azerbaijan would not only contribute to
development of interparliamentary relations but also promote
strengthening of bilateral cooperation as a whole.
Thanking the President for the sincere meeting, Senator Ted Stevens
introduced members of his delegation noting it includes very
respectable senators.
Speaking of the bilateral relations, he noted that Azerbaijan’s
active participation in anti-terror coalition in Afghanistan and Iraq
reaffirms that the country is the US’ ally in the international fight
against terrorism.
The guest underlined the importance of this visit for having more
complete idea of Azerbaijan, and advised that the Senate watches
closely the US Administration’s many-sided successful cooperation
with the country.
He also expressed satisfaction with active involvement of American
companies in development hydrocarbon resources in Azerbaijan.
A number of other issues of mutual interest was discussed during the
meeting, as well.
Present at the meeting were Chief of the President’s Administration’s
Foreign Relations Department Novruz Mammadov, Ambassador of
Azerbaijan to the United States and Ambassador of the United States
to Azerbaijan Reno Harnish.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UEFA.com
August 9, 2004
Kanatlarovski picks World Cup party
F.Y.R. Macedonia national team coach Dragan Kanatlarovski has
announced an 18-man party for his side’s opening 2006 FIFA World Cup
qualifying game against Armenia.
Third meeting
The Group 1 fixture marks the third time that Kanatlarovski’s side
have met the Armenians in qualification matches, having drawn 2-2
away in Yerevan before losing 2-1 at home in qualification for EURO
’96’.
Tough section
UEFA EURO 2004′ semi-finalists the Netherlands and the Czech Republic
are the favourites to qualify from the section, which also includes
Romania, Finland and Andorra.
F.Y.R. Macedonia squad
Milosevski, Nikoloski, I Mitreski, Sedloski, Stavrevski, Bozinovski,
Kumbev, Vasovski, Popov, A Mitreski, Krstev, Sumulikoski, Sakiri,
Jancevski, Trajanov, Toleski, Pandev, Dimitrovski.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RIA Novosti, Russia
Aug 9 2004
RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER REPORTS TO PRESIDENT ON NEW ARMS AND RECENT
EXERCISES
MOSCOW, August 9 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Defense Ministry has
decided to provide war fighters Su-24 with a new system of high
precision weapons “shot and forgot”. Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov
said this at the president’s meeting with the government on Monday.
Late last week, the Russian defense minister said that Su-24 fighters
would be modernized and purchased for the Russian Armed Forces, at a
press conference at the Edelveis (Kyrgyzstan) testing range after the
Rubezh-2004 exercises.
“This aircraft can successfully work in the mountains. We are
beginning to modernize aircraft of the Russian Air Force and are
putting them on the production line. We are beginning to purchase
this equipment, and we have no doubt about these aircraft,” said
Ivanov.
Ivanov also said that the Russian Defense Ministry would forward
proposals to the president about forming and arming two mountain
brigades.
According to the defense minister, “we are planning to complete the
formation of the two mountain brigades by next year.”
Earlier, the president instructed to form a subdivision to serve in
the North Caucasus and help border guards defend the border.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov reported to the president and
the government about the exercises on the Kola peninsula and in
Kyrgyzstan.
The minister said that the exercises were aimed to drill measures to
provide security of transporting nuclear materials and eliminating
the consequences of an attack on a convoy.
“The super tank used for transporting nuclear materials was shelled
from grenade throwers, derailed and sunk in a reservoir,” the
minister said.
In his words, the exercises involved 1,000 servicemen of the Defense
Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the FSB, the Federal Agency for
Nuclear Energy, and also 500 units of special equipment.
Ivanov also noted that the exercises were positively assessed by the
attending NATO observers.
“We expect that our experts will be able to gain an insight into the
situation in this sphere in a NATO nuclear country,” said Ivanov.
As for exercises in Kyrgyztsan, the minister noted that these were
the first serious exercises of the Collective Rapid Deployment
Forces. Participating in the exercises were Russia, Kyrgyzstan,
Belarus, and Armenia. On the Russian side, the exercises involved the
commandos of the Volga-Urals military district, and also 30 units of
combat aviation, combat helicopters, transport helicopters and the
Ka-50 helicopter Black Shark.
Ivanov said that the combat aviation used high precision weapons
based on the “shot-and-forgot” principle in Kyrgyzstan.
Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin told the president about the situation
around funding servicemen’s housing. Direct federal spending on the
accumulative and mortgage crediting program for servicemen will
amount to 2.5 billion rubles ($1 equals about 29 rubles) in 2005, he
said. The minister stressed that the federal budget would pay the
first contribution and interest on the mortgage.
Minister of Economic Development and Trade German Gref in turn said
that before the draft law on servicemen’s housing provision comes
into force on January 1, another three draft laws would have to be
adopted along with 20 government resolutions.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
Aug 9 2004
NKR PRESIDENT SAYS STATUS OF NAGORNO KARABAKH ALREADY DECIDED BY THE
PEOPLE OF KARABAKH
STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS: President of the Republic of
Nagorno Karabakh (NKR) Arkadi Ghukassian described the yesterday’s
elections of local self-government bodies as expression of democracy
and an opportunity for NKR citizens to elect its leadership. “Such
political actions create preconditions for international recognition
of Nagorno Karabakh,” he said.
Referring to Council of Europe General Secretary Walter Schmidt’s
statement on municipality elections in NKR, Ghukassian said it is
somewhat odd. “Today we do not discuss the status of Nagorno Karabakh
because it is already decided by its people. We are electing leaders
of our cities and villages and alternative for elections is
totalitarianism. It is strange that European political actors come up
with a statement against democratic values,” NKR president said.

ArmenPress
Aug 9 2004
AZERI CENTRAL ELECTORAL COMMITTEE ISSUED A STATEMENT ON MUNICIPALITY
ELECTIONS IN NAGORNO KARABAKH
BAKU, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS: Azeri Central Electoral Committee
(CEC) issued a statement in relation to municipality elections in
Nagorno Karabakh which says in particular, “the August 9 illegal
municipality elections in unrecognized Nagorno Karabakh which run
contrary to international legal norms, Azerbaijani constitution and
legislation will affect negatively on the process of peaceful
regulation of the conflict. Azeri CEC considers the elections which
are against Azeri sovereignty and territorial integrity as illegal
and does not recognize them. Lawful municipality elections can be
held in Nagorno Karabakh region of Azerbaijan only after the occupied
land is vacated, territorial integrity of Azerbaijan restored and the
refugees returned to their places of living based on Azerbaijani
Constitution.” the statement says.

ArmenPress
Aug 9 2004
200 COMMUNITIES ELECTED THEIR LEADERS, NO STEPANAKERT MAYOR YET
STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS: Despite of complaints by
international structures and Azerbaijan, 200 communities elected
their community heads in August 8 municipality elections in Nagorno
Karabakh. Stepanakert, however, presented a surprise with a need for
a second turn. Two candidates with the most votes, Pavel Najarian and
Eduard Aghabekian, will participate in the second turn. The first
candidate is supported by pro-government Democratic Artsakh Union and
the second is supported by opposition. Observers say the second
candidate has more chances of winning, though he was by 8 percent
behind his competitor in the first turn. The chairman of Central
Electoral Committee Sergei Davidian says that elections were more
organized as compared to the previous one.

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
August 9, 2004, Monday
GEORGIANS ATTACK TURKS
SOURCE: Novye Izvestia, August 4, 2004, p. 4
by Oleg Kasimov
UNSOLVED PROBLEM OF ABKHAZIA GENERATES FRICTION IN THE
GEORGIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS
Relations between Georgia and Turkey plummeted last Saturday because
of the incident off the coast of Abkhazia. Boat of the Georgian coast
guard opened fire at the Turkish dry cargo ship that crossed the
Georgian territorial waters and was bound for Sukhumi. The ship was
damaged but not detained. Abkhazian State Security Minister Mikhail
Tarba said that the Abkhazian will sink every Georgian ship in their
territorial waters. The minister even mentioned the use of aviation
whenever necessary.
Shortly before that Abkhazian leaders terminated negotiations with
Tbilisi. The statement to this effect was made the day following the
end of military exercise run by the self-proclaimed republic where
15,000 men including reservists were involved. Tbilisi appraised the
exercise as an element of preparations for an all-out war on Georgia.
The situation being what it is, official Ankara did not respond to
the attack on the Turkish ship. This was only logical. These days,
Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan are building a military-political
axis as a counterweight to another geopolitical construction – the
Russian-Armenian-Iranian triangle. With Washington’s support, Ankara
is rapidly building the Baku – Tbilisi – Dheijkhan pipeline that will
bring Caspian oil to the world market via Georgia and Turkey.
Moreover, Turkey has been providing military aid to Georgia. A
platoon of Georgian peacekeepers has been in Kosovo as a subunit of
the Turkish contingent since 1999.
The unsolved problem of Abkhazia generates friction in the relations
between Tbilisi and Ankara. Turkey recognizes territorial integrity
of Georgia and frowns on Abkhazia’s attempts to cede. In the
meantime, Turkish ships regularly violate the Georgian sea border and
bring food and goods to Abkhazia, something Georgia inevitably calls
smuggled goods. Georgian secret services even compiled a list of 19
ships making regular runs to Abkhazia and sent it to Ankara. Turkey
did not respond. Experts believe that Ankara’s position on the
subject of Abkhazia is influenced to a considerable extent by the
Abkhazian diaspora in Turkey. The diaspora numbers about 400,000
people, descendants from the makhadzhirs (this is how the Ottoman
Empire called the Abkhazians who fled there during the Caucasus War
in the 19th century). Most of them became Moslems in Turkey.
In the early 1990’s, the authorities of Abkhazia appealed to these
men to come home promising living quarters and free education. The
decision to build two mosques, in Gudauta and Sukhumi, was made then.
The process of repatriation was quite rapid at first: hundreds
families returned to Abkhazia. The number of Moslems in Abkhazia
soared. According to the latest opinion polls, 49.3% residents of
Abkhazia call themselves Christians and 28.7% Moslems. Ankara is
closely watching the situation in Abkhazia nowadays, emphasizing its
concern for the makhadzhir families that returned to Abkhazia. It is
with Ankara’s silent consent that Turkish ships regularly bring fuel
and food to the region. Ankara is financing schools in Abkhazia where
students are taught in the Turkish language. Turkish ambassador to
Georgia visited Abkhazia this June. “Ankara is not disinterested in
the processes taking place in Abkhazia,” he said.
It goes without saying that in its confrontation with the authorities
of Georgia Sukhumi counts on the Abkhazian lobby in Turkey that is
trying to wield its clout with regard to the policy of official
Ankara. Last October, former finance minister of Turkey Zekiriat
Emizel visited Sukhumi (Emizel is an Abkhazian himself). He promised
leaders of Abkhazia to use his political clout to have official
Ankara and general public to turn to the Abkhazian problems.
Translated by A. Ignatkin

Federal Information and News Dispatch, Inc.
The Washington Daybook
August 10, 2004
ORGANIZATION: The National Press Club holds a news conference to
discuss the Armenian economy and the Millennium Challenge Account.
TIME: 2 p.m.
LOCATION: National Press Club, 14th and F Streets NW, Zenger Room,
Washington, D.C.
CONTACT: Peter Hickman, 301-530-1210 or 202-662-7540; e-mail,
[email protected]
PARTICIPANTS: Vahram Nercissiantz, chief economic adviser to the
president of Armenia
TYPE: News conference
LN-ORG: NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (91%);

Associated Press Worldstream
August 8, 2004 Sunday
Nagorno-Karabakh holds municipal elections
YEREVAN, Armenia
The Nagorno-Karabakh enclave held local elections on Sunday, ignoring
the Council of Europe’s advice to call off the municipal balloting.
“Free and fair elections are the only mechanism to form a legitimate
government in Nagorno-Karabakh,” said Sergei Davidian, chairman of
the enclave’s Central Election Commission.
The 45-nation Council of Europe, however, had voiced regret over the
elections in the enclave, which has broken off from Azerbaijan, with
Secretary-General Walter Schwimmer saying “one-sided actions are
counterproductive.”
More than 85,000 residents are registered to vote in Sunday’s
balloting to choose community leaders, members of the Council of
Elders and also the mayor of the regional capital, Stepanakert.
Preliminary results are expected Monday.
Davidian said he was confident the election would proceed fairly,
adding that international experts were closely following the results.
Nagorno-Karabakh’s Union of Journalists, citing the results of an
earlier survey, predicted that 72 percent of registered voters would
cast ballots.
Armenian-backed forces won control of Nagorno-Karabakh, a largely
ethnic Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan, in a 1988-94 war that killed
some 30,000 people and drove a million from their homes.
Despite a cease-fire, Armenian-backed forces and Azerbaijani troops
continue to face off across a demilitarized zone, and shooting
occasionally erupts. On Sunday, Nagorno-Karabakh’s Foreign Ministry
announced that a 21-year-old Azerbaijan soldier, identified as Anat
Samyedov, was detained on Friday during an alleged attempt to cross
the border.
Nagorno-Karabakh said it had informed the International Committee of
the Red Cross and the Organization of Security and Cooperation in
Europe about the detention, adding that it was willing to return the
soldier to Azerbaijan if it received such a request.

Agence France Presse
8 août 2004
Elections municipales et locales au Nagorny Karabakh
EREVAN, 8 aout
Les habitants de la republique auto-proclamee du Nagorny Karabakh ont
vote dimanche pour des elections municipales et locales pour la
troisieme fois depuis 1991, un scrutin qui a suscite des critiques du
Conseil de l’Europe et de l’Azerbaiedjan qui revendique toujours son
autorite sur l’enclave.
“Les elections se sont deroulees dans le calme sur tout le territoire
du Nagorny Karabakh, et la situation est egalement restee calme aux
frontieres avec l’Azerbaiedjan”, a declare dimanche soir par
telephone a l’AFP l’un des responsables de la Commission electorale,
le “vice-ministre” des Affaires etrangeres Massis Maielian.
La participation devrait depasser 60% des inscrits, selon des donnees
preliminaires citees par ce responsable.
Ce scrutin devait permettre de designer le maire de la “capitale”
Stepanakert et les autres responsables des pouvoirs locaux.
Enclave a population majoritairement armenienne en Azerbaiedjan, le
Nagorny Karabakh a ete le theatre d’un conflit sanglant au debut des
annees 90 au moment de la desintegration de l’Union sovietique. Il
reste depuis un cessez-le-feu en 1994 sous le controle des Armeniens,
qui l’avaient emporte sur le terrain.
Les quelque 87.000 electeurs ont a leur disposition 260 bureaux de
vote dans les huit regions du Nagorny Karabakh.
Le scrutin a ete critique par le ministere azerbaiedjanais des
Affaires etrangeres et par le Conseil de l’Europe. Repondant a ce
dernier, le “ministere des Affaires etrangeres” du Nagorny Karabakh a
declare que “la tenue d’elections pour former les organes du pouvoir
a tous les niveaux constitue un pas tres important vers la creation
de la societe civile”.
“Le developpement et le renforcement des processus democratiques au
Nagorny Karabakh et dans tous les pays voisins permettront a coup sur
d’instaurer une paix durable et la stabilite dans la region”, ajoute
la declaration du “ministere”.