Category: News

LEVON TER-PETROSIAN MEETING WITH GEORGE BUSH
PanArmenian News
Nov 20 2004
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ As reported by Regnum news agency, November 19
in the Arkansas capital of Little Rock the meeting of US President
George Bush with Armenian ex-President Levon Ter-Petrosian was held.
Besides, the first President of Armenia had conversations with US
ex-Presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush Sr., as well as Senator Hillary
Clinton and Eurocommission President Romano Prodi. Before returning to
Yerevan the ex-President will have a number of meetings in Washington
and New York. Levon Ter-Petrosian is in the US within the framework
of the participation in the opening of the Presidential Center of
US 42-nd President Bill Clinton. As reported by Aravot newspaper,
Levon Ter-Petrosian was the only participant out of all the former
and incumbent CIS Presidents. The CNN also mentions the fact of his
participation.

ATLANTIC MONTHLY MAGAZINE PUBLISHED SCENARIO ON WAR AGAINST IRAN
PanArmenian News
Nov 20 2004
20.11.2004 15:17
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Atlantic Monthly magazine for December 2004
published an extensive article on U.S. policy options regarding Iran.
As reported by the source, at a meeting of the war-game group ret.
Air Force Col. Sam Gardiner presented a war-game scenario, which
suggested using Azerbaijan for special forces and airborne attacks
against Iran, along with major thrusts from Iraq, Persian Gulf, and
additional support action from Afghanistan. It further determined
that air bases in Georgia and Azerbaijan were too small to handle
necessary traffic and suggested they be enlarged, dedicating $700
million for that purpose. These are Azerbaijan air bases in
Baku-Bina, Baku-Kala, Sumgait (Nasosny/Sitalchay), Kara Chala,
Kurdamir, Ganje, Daller, Nakhichevan, Lenkoran, Yevlakh. As it can be
seen, no territories controlled by Armenian forces are mentioned
here. The scenario further suggested: “SECDEF, in coordination with
the Secretary of State, is authorized to begin discussions with
Azerbaijan: – To preposition supplies in Azerbaijan that would
support the global war on terrorism. – To work toward expansion of
air bases in Azerbaijan to increase options for US forces in support
of the global war on terrorism. – To offer limited US assistance to
resolve the issues of Nagorno-Karabakh” Armenia did not figure in war
planning. The recommendations related to Azerbaijan and NK were part
of the initial scenario prepared by Col. Gardiner, however, as
reported by the magazine, they along with other preparations for a
potential war with Iran were turned down by the war game panel as
“detrimental to U.S. interests in Iraq.” In the end the panel
confirmed the conventional Washington wisdom that there is no
attractive military option in Iran, but that the President should
continue to threaten Iran anyway to make progress in negotiations.
The source notes that in the real world, meanwhile, U.S. remains
interested in using Azerbaijan in a potential conflict with Iran and
Azerbaijan conditions that use by America’s help against Armenians.
The original article can be found at
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

US Senate OKs trade package for companies, nations
WASHINGTON, Nov 19 (Reuters) – The Senate gave final congressional
approval on Friday to legislation that eliminates tariffs on a long
list of industrial products and doles out trade benefits to Laos,
Armenia, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The package also ends a dispute with the European Union by repealing
the 1916 Anti-Dumping Act, which Brussels had successfully challenged
at the World Trade Organization. However, the United States can still
impose anti-dumping duties on what it deems unfairly traded products
under different legislation.
At the heart of the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act
are tariff cuts for hundreds of chemical and industrial products not
made in the United States.
The House of Representatives has already the approved legislation
and President George W. Bush is expected to sign it.
“This bill supports American workers and factories by allowing
manufacturers to save money when they import these products,” said
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican,
during floor debate.
Congress usually passes a similar bill without controversy every two
years. However, lawmakers failed to do that at the end of 2002 and
the bill has been delayed by internal Senate politics ever since then.
The bill also extends normal trade relations to Laos, one of only a
few countries that does not currently enjoy that status. The change
will reduce the average U.S. tariff on Laos products to 2.4 percent
from 45 percent currently.
Russ Feingold and Herbert Kohl, Democratic senators from Wisconsin,
strongly objected to that provision on human rights ground.
Wisconsin is home to a large number of Hmong, a Laotian ethnic group
that helped the United States during the Vietnam War and fled the
country afterward.
The bill also extends permanent normal trade relations to Armenia,
a former Soviet republic. Unlike Laos, it has had normal trade
relations with the United States on an annual renewable basis. However,
Armenia’s recent entry into the WTO requires Washington to make the
status permanent.
Another section allows Bush to waive import duties on hand-knotted
and hand-woven carpet. That provision is aimed at helping Pakistan
and Afghanistan, two allies “in the fight against global terror,”
Grassley said.
The measure also strengthens Bush’s authority to bar imports of looted
Iraqi antiquities.
Archeologists and Iraqi museum curators have bemoaned a sharp increase
in activity by tomb raiders and temple thieves in the chaos that
followed the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
11/19/04 21:42 ET
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Catholics say EU must set conditions for Turkey
By Paul Taylor
BRUSSELS, Nov 19 (Reuters) – Roman Catholic bishops from across the
European Union questioned on Friday whether Turkey was ready to open
EU membership talks and said Brussels should set further human rights
conditions for starting negotiations.
The Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) said
there was no religious obstacle to the overwhelmingly Muslim nation
joining the EU, but Turkey must respect basic rights such as equality
for women and religious freedom.
“Therefore it must be asked whether it is appropriate to open
negotiations with Turkey, whilst fundamental rights including
religious freedom are not fully respected in that state,” they said
in a statement.
The prelates noted that the executive European Commission, in its
report on Turkey’s candidacy last month, had pointed to remaining
shortcomings but not linked the opening of talks to better respect
of those rights.
“The Bishops of COMECE propose that before negotiations… begin with
Turkey, the Turkish government is required to correct shortcomings
with regard to religious freedom and the legal status of minorities
according to the provisions of the Treaty of Lausanne 1923,” the
statement said.
They urged EU leaders to include this provision in their decision
at a summit on Dec. 17 on whether and when to open accession talks
with Turkey.
The bishops said the question of starting accession talks with Turkey
was political, not religious.
They rejected wording that would have questioned more fundamentally
whether the EU could admit Turkey.
An initial draft of the statement seen by Reuters said EU leaders
should question “whether the European Union is capable in the medium
term of absorbing such a large country with Turkey’s history and
geostrategic position.”
The Lausanne Treaty recognises Christian Greeks, Armenians and Jews
as minorities with official status in the country.
The treaty does not mention Kurds, Circassians, Arabs or non-Sunni
Alevis as minorities. Human rights groups say the definition should
be widened to include them, but the Turkish government opposes this.
The Roman Catholic church has historically supported European
integration. Bishop Anton Stres of Slovenia noted it had played a
role in mobilising the ‘yes’ vote in referendums on accession in the
10 mainly east European states which joined the EU on May 1.
Asked whether the church would campaign for a ‘yes’ to the EU
constitution despite its failure to obtain a mention of God or
Europe’s Christian heritage, the bishops said the charter enshrines a
permanent dialogue between churches and other religious institutions
and EU institutions.
“We can express ourselves in favour of the pursuit of European
unification,” Stres said.
11/19/04 16:10 ET

Iran: Construction of gas pipeline from Iran to Oman to be reviewed
zawya
20 November 2004
TEHRAN (MNA) — Iran’s Petropars Co. along with the Dubai-based Middle
East Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)Co. have called for the engineering
companies to perform their preliminary feasibility studies designed
to construct a natural gas pipeline from Iran to Oman, Middle East
Economy Survey reported.
The project is to within a period of 20 years carry 9000 billion
cubic feet of Iran’s gas to Oman, the report added.
According to the report, Petropars and the Middle East LNG companies
have invited the British Foster Wheeler Engineering Company, Acre
Warner of Oslo as well as the Japanese Toyo Co. to express their
views on pertinent issues such as the costs and tariffs of the project.
Also, the construction of a pipeline as an offshoot of the
Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline from Assaluyeh in Bandar Abbas which has
the upstream processing potentials has been envisaged in the project,
the report noted.
The pipeline will transfer the Iranian gas to the United Arab Emirates
(UAE) and from there to a receptor terminal in Oman, the economic
publication also stated.
The report in addition asserted that, the Islamic Republic is
negotiating with other partners on some other pipeline projects aimed
at exporting Iran’s abundant gas reserves.
Export of Iranian gas to Turkey, Dubai, Armenia, India and Pakistan are
included in the projects underway by Iran. However, the negotiation on
reaching an agreement on the price of the gas is said to be the most
important issue currently facing the export of Iranian gas to Turkey.
Tehran Times Economic Desk
© Tehran Times 2004
Article originally published by Tehran Times 20-Nov-04
–Boundary_(ID_eWSkkmhLo4kRnHuAGDUYDQ)–

Armenian food fest a tasteful treat
Published in the Asbury Park Press 11/21/04
By KAREN SUDOL, STAFF WRITER
LONG BRANCH — Armenian food holds a special place in Janice Werner’s
heart.
Having grown up eating the dishes prepared by her Armenian mother,
the Neptune resident said she has learned to make some of them,
including baklava.
But every year she comes to a place that offers her a wide variety of
popular Armenian delicacies to sample: St. Stepanos Armenian Church’s
food festival.
“Every culture has its own foods,” she said. “I love my foods.”
Yesterday, the Women’s Guild sponsored the 16th annual food festival
in the Sirvart and Kevork Hovnanian hall of the church on Ocean Avenue
in Elberon.
The festival, which includes hot foods, baked goods, take out items
and a white elephant sale, continues today.
Visitors have a choice of four main dishes and/or numerous sides
at varying prices. The popular choice — as they always seems to
be — are the lamb shanks, braised shank marinated in savory herbs,
vegetables and wine.
But the cheese boereg (light and flaky cheese-filled pastry), hummus
(pureed chick-peas with tahini) and yalanchi sarma (grape leaves
stuffed with rice, pine nuts and herbs) were also big sellers.
The church also offers desserts including pakhlava (flaky dough layered
with light syrup) prepared by church member Krikor Toufayan, formerly
of Toufayan Bakeries, a leader in the pita bread industry. Toufayan
is retired but makes the pastries in the church’s kitchen specifically
for the event.
Each year, the festival event draws about 600 people over the two days,
said event co-chairwoman Arpie Nakashian, of Jackson. It is the biggest
fund-raiser of the year for the church, raising about 10 percent of the
church’s revenue, said event chairwoman Sossie Najarian, of Middletown.
“It’s not done strictly for the Armenian community,” said Najarian. “We
incorporate the whole area,” adding that visitors from throughout
the Tri-State Area attend.
“They learn about our culture and enjoy a pleasant time with our good
food,” she added.
Preparation begins in September and the event requires about 60
volunteers, with five cooks in the kitchen at any given time during
the two days, said Nakashian. The dishes are labor-intensive.
Many people nowadays don’t have the time to experiment with cooking
the recipes, which can be involved and time-consuming, said Araxy
Gokberk, who chairs the Women’s Guild.
“This is a treat,” said Gokberk, of Asbury Park. “People love to come
and taste the different foods.”
At mid-afternoon yesterday, David Aynejian, of Hazlet, was seated
enjoying a sample of the dishes. Having heard about the event from
an e-mail he received, he came because he wanted good Armenian food,
he said.
“In this part of the state, there aren’t that many Armenian
restaurants. There’s only one I know of,” he said.
Takeout is also available, including ingredients like red lentils to
make some of the dishes.

ARMENIAN MP INSISTS ON BRIBERY OF JUSTICE MINISTER BY ARMENTEL
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 20. ARMINFO. The developments around the
telecommunications monopolist in Armenia, Armentel company, is a
complete farce and fraud, Leader of the party Bloc of National
Democrats, MP Arshak Sadoyan said at a press-conference at the
Discussion Club “Azdak,” Saturday.
He said that the statement of Justice Minister David Haroutiunyan that
the resolution of London Arbitration has not been applied in Armenia
as it could cause $300 mln damage is an evident lie. Sadoyan once
more levered harsh criticism at the activity of ArmenTel, pointing
out that in the course of its activity ArmenTel caused $170 mln damage
to the country’s economy. At the same time, the Government singed an
anti-people agreement with the company, hereby confirming that it has
no financial claims to it. Arshak Sadoyan again accused the justice
minister of protecting ArmenTel’s interests, bringing the fact that
the minister prevented the inter-department commission from adopting
the decision on imposition of $150 mln fine on ArmenTel.
Besides, Sadoyan said that David Haroutiunyan signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with ArmenTel in the Athens. If the Memorandum came into
effect, it would cause $150 mln damage to the country. The Memorandum
was not put into effect only due to the efforts of the Communications
Minister of that time, Eduard Madatyan, who was released from his
post after, Sadoyan said. He said that the Government’s statements
that it can appeal to London Arbitration in case of need does not
correspondent to reality. According to data of Arshak Sadoyan, London
Arbitration has recently informed the Armenian Government that it has
no intention to consider the claim against ArmenTel. In his opinion,
the Government will start the process of deprivation of ArmenTel of
its monopoly for the telecommunications in the nearest future.
Sadoyan said that in private conversation with him, ex-head of
ArmenTel, Nicos Georgoulas, and other officials of the company stated
that they were bribing several members of the Armenian Government in
the course of their activity. “I have also information that before
the beginning of one of the trials of the Government against ArmenTel,
an unknown handed over a case full with money to Justice Minister
David Haroutiunyan. The latter left the court and then the court
made a resolution in favor of ArmenTel,” Sadoyan said. He added that
well-informed sources informed him that as a result of the last deal of
the Government and ArmenTel, a plenipotentiary representative of the
Armenian Government snatched a large sum at some $5-$7 mln. Sadoyan
said that he has video records telling about secret deals of the
Armenian Government and the monopolist. However, he refused to make
them public not to endanger his life and the lives of those people.
At the request of ARMINFO, Press-Secretary of the Justice Minister Ara
Saghatelyan commented on the aforementioned statements of the deputy,
calling Sadoyan’s behavior groundless. “I think Arshak Sadoyan needs
assistance of the specialists of definite profile. He needs a qualified
assistance,” Saghatelyan said.

EX-MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TOFIG ZULFUGAROV POSITIVELY ASSESSES REPORT OF DAVID ATKINSON
BAKU, NOVEMBER 20. ARMINFO-TURAN. In the whole the report of David
Atkinson “realistically classifies” the present situation around
the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. This is the opinion expressed by
Tofig Zulfugarov, the ex-Foreign Minister in his interview to TURAN,
commenting on the answer of reporter of PACE for Nagorno Karabakh
David Atkinson.
He stated with regret that the report did not have concrete proposals
concerning Armenia as the country-aggressor. At the same time, the
emerge after such along silence of the international organizations
of this document giving “realistic estimation” is very positive ,
Zulfugarov believes.
Reference to the relevant resolution of the of the UNO Security Council
is a “good signal” for the OSCE Minsk group so that it should follow
this way for obtaining of political settlement, T. Zulfugarov said.
The report of Atkinson has positive significance also from the point
of view of coordination of European structures. Thus, in case of
PACE session adopts the report it will be signal for the rest – for
European parliament, EU, OSCE and NATO. Besides, relevant resolution
of PACE will become the main document for the countries of the CE in
their attitude to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.
Commenting on the provisions of the report concerning appeal to
the International Court in case of failure in settlement within the
frameworks of the Minsk Group , Zulfugarov doubts reasonability of
such variant for Azerbaijan. He explains that the International Court
considers arguable questions and in such case the sides delegate
to the court authorities and undertake in advance to fulfill its
decision. And in case with the Armenian-Azeri conflict the sovereignty
of Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabakh is not the subject of argue and
it has been accepted by the international community.
Responding the question on the practical significance of the accepting
of the report in PACE for the settlement of the conflict Zulfugarov
said that they should not re-estimate the role of international
organizations.
He thinks that settlement depends not only on the international
organizations but also on the will and readiness of Azerbaijani state
to obtain fair resolution of the problem.

NAIRIT’S RESTARTING UNREAL
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 20. ARMINFO. The present statements that the
chemical giant of Armenia Nairit will be restarted soon are unreal
as the plant’s has no owner, says the director general of Electrical
Power Networks of Armenia CJSC Yevgeny Gladunchik.
If the plant is restarted in 2005 Armenia will begin to consume more
electricity but still less than in 2004. “If Nairit starts operating
we are ready to discuss restructuring its debts. We are ready to
negotiate with the real operator. But there is no such operator yet,”
says Gladunchik calling not serious the proposal that his company can
become Nairit’s shareholder in exchange for debt annulment. “Nobody
says how many shares we may be given.”
The main thing for a buyer is to know what he is buying, says
Gladunchik. He says that Nairit is now buying as much electricity as
he needs for ensuring its technological security. But even if the
plant resumes its work it will face the problem of sales as he has
lost his key sales markets. The plant’s three suspensions have lost
it its real clients to other more reliable producers of rubber even
if they sell it at higher price. “I don’t think that Dupond or Bayer
will be happy that Nairit is restarted and will begin to battle for
the markets they already have,” says Gladunchik.

PACE MAKES DECISION ON CONTINUATION OF MONITORING OVER SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 20. ARMINFO. Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe regrets that, more than a decade after the armed hostilities
started, the conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region remains
unsolved. Hundreds of thousands of people are still displaced and
live in miserable conditions. Considerable parts of the territory
of Azerbaijan are still occupied by Armenian forces, and separatist
forces are still in control of the Nagorno- Karabakh region, it is
said in the PACE draft resolution prepared by PACE Rapporteur for
Nagorny Karabakh David Atkinson.
According to the document, the Assembly expresses its concern that
the military action, and the widespread ethnic hostilities which
preceded it, led to large-scale ethnic expulsion and the creation
of mono-ethnic areas which resemble the terrible concept of ethnic
cleansing. The Assembly reaffirms that independence and secession of a
regional territory from a state may only be achieved through a lawful
and peaceful process based on democratic support by the inhabitants
of such territory, and not in the wake of an armed conflict leading
to ethnic expulsion and the de facto annexation of such territory
to another state. The Assembly reiterates that the occupation of
foreign territory by a member state constitutes a grave violation of
that state’s obligations as a member of the Council of Europe, and
reaffirms the right of displaced persons from the area of conflict
to return to their homes safely and with dignity.
Therefore, the Assembly urges both governments to refrain from using
armed forces against each other as well as from propagating military
action. The Assembly calls on the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to take
immediate steps to conduct speedy negotiations for the conclusion
of a political agreement on the cessation of the armed conflict,
the implementation of which will eliminate major consequences of
the conflict for all parties and permit the convening of the Minsk
Conference. The Assembly calls on the government of Azerbaijan
to establish contacts with the political representatives of
both communities from the Nagorno-Karabakh region regarding the
future status of the region. The Assembly condemns any expression
of hatred portrayed in the media of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The
Assembly calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to foster reconciliation,
confidence-building and mutual understanding among their peoples
through schools, universities and the media. The Assembly resolves
to continue monitoring on a regular basis the peaceful resolution of
this conflict and decides to revert to considering this issue at its
first part-session in 2006.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe refers to its
Resolution :. (2005) on the conflict dealt with by the OSCE Minsk
Conference and recommends that the Committee of Ministers: i. urge the
parties concerned to comply with the United Nations Security Council
Resolutions 822 (1993), 853 (1993), 874 (1993) and 884 (1993), in
particular by refraining from any armed hostilities and by withdrawing
military forces from all occupied territories of Azerbaijan; report
to the Assembly on the efforts undertaken by member states for the
peaceful settlement of the conflict in accordance with the Resolutions
of the United Nations Security Council including whether member states
refrain from the supply of any weapons and munitions which might lead
to an intensification of the conflict or the continued occupation
of territory in violation of Resolution 853 (1993) of the United
Nations Security Council; allocate resources for specific training
programmes for teachers and journalists from both countries aimed at
better mutual understanding, tolerance and reconciliation.