Category: News

Baku Today
Azerbaijani Soldier Released from Armenian Captivity
Baku Today 19/07/2004 18:15
A soldier of the Azerbaijani army, Aydin Huseynov, 19, was released
from the Armenian captivity on Monday, ANS reported.
Huseynov, who had been kept in Nagorno-Karabakh’s central town of
Khankendi (Stepanakert) since June 30, was handed to the Azerbaijani
side in a bridge near the occupied Qarvand village area of the Aghdam
District.
The soldier’s handover was carried out by a mediation of the
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Huseynov reportedly had been taken hostage while getting lost in the
south of Aghdam District because of a bad weather.
From: Baghdasarian

ASBAREZ ONLINE
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07/19/2004
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1-Schiff Critical of Speaker Hastert's Opposition to Armenian Genocide Amendment 2-Armenian Editor Murdered in Moscow 3-ARS Convention Adjourns, Elects Western Region Executive 4-New Clashes on Ossetia Border 5-NEWS BRIEFS 1-Schiff Critical of Speaker Hastert's Opposition to Armenian Genocide Amendment House leadership vow to take Schiff Amendment out of final bill, block Armenian genocide resolution WASHINGTON, DC--California Congressman Adam Schiff responded on Friday, to a joint statement by House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, Majority Leader Tom DeLay, and Majority Whip Roy Blunt, opposing the Schiff amendment on the Armenian Genocide. In their statement, the House Majority Leadership conveyed their determination to drop the Schiff amendment from the final version of the FY 2005 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill (HR 4818), and intend to block the consideration of HR 193--a resolution officially recognizing the Armenian Genocide--for the remainder of the 108th Congress. "These are completely unacceptable positions of the House Majority Leadership," Congressman Schiff said. "To stand in the way of acknowledging the Armenian Genocide is to deny the memory of 1.5 million victims." On Thursday, the House of Representatives voted to adopt an amendment sponsored by Congressman Schiff to the House version of the Foreign Operations spending bill. The amendment prohibits the government of Turkey from using US foreign aid to lobby against HR 193, a resolution that officially recognizes the Armenian Genocide and marks the 15th anniversary of President Ronald Reagan signing the 1987 Genocide Convention Implementation Act (Also known as the Proxmire Actthis put the United States on record as being strongly opposed to the heinous crime of genocide). HR 193 passed the House Judiciary Committee on May 22, 2003, shortly after its introduction on April 10, 2003. Since then, the resolution has languished on the House calendar for over a year. Congressman Schiff, who has consistently fought for official US recognition of the Armenian genocide, said he firmly believes in the appropriate and accurate commemoration of the event. "Our relationship with Turkey is important," Congressman Schiff wrote, "but that relationship must not compel us to acquiesce in a shameful unwillingness by Turkey to confront the actions of its Ottoman forbears... "I am deeply troubled by your assertion that you will not schedule HR 193 for consideration by the House of Representatives. Your refusal to allow the genocide resolution to be brought up for a vote directly contradicts your promise, made in a meeting with Armenian-American community leaders in my congressional district in 2000, that you would bring the Armenian Genocide Resolution to a floor vote in the United States House of Representatives. "Mr. Speaker, we are still waiting and the world is watching. You may not attach great importance to memorializing the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide. Yesterday evening, the House said otherwise." Congressman Schiff is a Member of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, a co-founder of the Democratic Study Group on National Security and a member of both the House Judiciary and International Relations committees. He represents California's 29th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City. 2-Armenian Editor Murdered in Moscow MOSCOW (The Independent)--The Armenian editor of the Russian-language monthly Armyansky Pereulok (Armenian Lane), magazine focusing on Armenian issues was beaten and stabbed to death Saturday, and his body dumped on the outskirts of Moscow, police said. The killing of Pailag Peloyan, comes barely a week after Paul Klebnikov, the US editor of the Russian version of Forbes magazine, was gunned down in cold blood. Nobody has been arrested for his murder. Peloyan's body was found dumped by the side of the city's outer ring road or MKAD far from the city center on Saturday morning. He had multiple stab wounds in the chest and had been savagely beaten; his skull was cracked and his face covered in blood and bruises. Information about his last movements is sketchy, though he is known to have died between two and three o'clock on Saturday morning and his body lay undiscovered for at least four hours. Investigators say they have scanned the crime scene in order to gain clues about the act and prosecutors have opened a criminal case into the killing. They are not ruling out the possibility that Peloyan was murdered because of his professional activity. In contrast to the late Klebnikov, however, Peloyan's work appears relatively uncontroversial. While the dead American journalist made waves by publicizing the names of Russia's wealthiest people and delving into their often insalubrious financial affairs, Peloyan's magazine was an arts publication. Peloyan's magazine carried features about literature, the arts and history and included prose and poetry from Armenian writers. Nobody was answering the phones at the magazine's Moscow office yesterday. Klebnikov was killed in a drive-by shooting by at least two gunmen and died in a hail of bullets just yards from his office. His murder had all the hallmarks of a contract killing. An online news site, the Russia Journal, spoke yesterday of "an undeclared war against media representatives" and claimed that Russian and foreign journalists had become an endangered species in Moscow. It said: "These two senseless killings have once again put the issue of journalists' safety in Russia back on the agenda and raised well-founded concerns among representatives of the fourth estate. "This is not because killing journalists is a rarity in Moscow or in Russia at large but two murders of journalists in less than 10 days in a city that is not at war is something unusual, even by Russian standards." The Russian media itself made far less of Peloyan's murder, possibly because as an Armenian hailing from a part of the former Soviet Union once ruled by the Russians, he would not be considered a bona fide foreigner like Klebnikov. It is estimated that two million Armenians live in Russia and the two countries have a close relationship going back hundreds of years. Officials at the Armenian Embassy in Moscow said that they were profoundly shocked by Peloyan's murder. "Naturally we learned of this information with great regret," Armen Gevondyan, the embassy press secretary, told Interfax news agency. "We are taking all the measures we can together with Russia's law enforcement authorities to ascertain the circumstances of Peloyan's death." Peloyan is the 16th journalist to be murdered in Russia since 2000. The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists says the country is one of the deadliest places to be a reporter. It addressed an open letter to Putin after Klebnikov's killing, complaining about "the climate of lawlessness and impunity." "Cases [of journalists being killed] have not been properly investigated or prosecuted, a testament to the ongoing lawlessness in Russia and your failure to reform the country's weak and politicized criminal justice system," it said. 3-ARS Convention Adjourns, Elects Western Region Executive GLENDALE (ARS)--After three days of reviewing fiscal year activities, and targeting new projects and goals for the coming year, the 84th convention of the Armenian Relief Society, Western Region ended on July 18. As its last order of business, the convention elected four new members to its executive body: Angela Savoian, Nanig Kupelian, Rita Hintlian and Maral Nashalian, to replace Nova Hindoyan, Asdghik Tejirian, Gitarig Kocharian and Nora Sherikian whose terms have ended. At the conclusion of the convention, the new ARS Regional Executive body, along with convention co-chairs Maro Chalian-Reed and Nairi Derderian, ARC Central Executive representative Hasmig Derderian, and Regional Executive members still serving terms, held its first meeting to elect members to executive posts. The body elected Angela Savoian (chair), Sona Madarian (vice chair), Rita Hintlian (secretary), Knar Avedisian (treasurer), and Alice Yeghiayan, Serpouhi Meserlian, Vickie Marashlian, Maral Nshanian, Nanig Kupelian (advisors). The ARS operates in 24 countries throughout Africa, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and South America to provide aid and support to the educational, social, health and welfare needs of Armenian people through schools and health and social service centers. Its volunteer force of 18,000 active members throughout the world function according to local governmental regulations applicable to charitable organizations. 4-New Clashes on Ossetia Border (BBC)--Clashes have been reported between Georgian troops and separatist forces in Georgia's breakaway South Ossetia region. Georgian television reported intense shooting near the front line on Sunday. The territory has seen growing tension recently, with fears of a return to the civil war of the early 1990s. But earlier this month Russia, Georgia and South Ossetia agreed not to use force to try to end their simmering territorial conflict. Tensions were raised earlier this month when Georgian troops detained a convoy of Russian peacekeeping vehicles they claimed were smuggling arms to the region, while separatists held a group of Georgian soldiers hostage for 24 hours. South Ossetia split from the rest of Georgia during a civil war at the end of the Soviet era and now wants to join Russia. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has pledged to reunite his fractured country, by bringing South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another breakaway region, back under central authority. 5-NEWS BRIEFS Saakashvili Visits South Ossetia Conflict Zone TBILISI (ARMENPRESS)Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili made an unannounced visit to the South Ossetian village of Eredvi early on July 19. `I came here to observe the situation in the conflict zone. We are capable of dealing with the forces of breakaway South Ossetia, but now it is important to maintain peace,' Saakashvili told reporters. A special center that seeks to coordinate the Georgian government's activities in the breakaway region was recently established in Eredvi. `The President arrived here to encourage our soldiers,' Interior Minister Irakli Okruashvili, who also chairs the special center in Eredvi, told reporters. Speaking about the Georgian troops, President Saakashvili said, `despite shots fired from the South Ossetian side, our soldiers keep patience and did not respond by opening fire.' Court of Appeals Upholds Spy Verdicts YEREVAN (ARMENPRESS)On Monday, an Armenian court of appeals upheld a lower court's verdict, which found four Armenian citizens of Russian descent guilty of espionage. The court determined that the four, who were arrested in August 2002, had served as spies for Azerbaijan since 1993. Nina Shilina, who prosecutors targeted as the group's leader, was sentenced to a 15 years prison term. Shilina's husband, Edgar Filkov, received a 13 year sentence. Filkov's brother, Aleskandar Gasparian, and cousin, Ivetta Filkova, each received 10 year terms. In addition, the courts also found Shilina guilty for the attempted bombing of a Yerevan hotel in 1993an incident that security forces managed to avert. Another man, a former Armenian army officer, Arthur Oganezov, was sentenced to 18 months. 900 Karabagh High School Graduates Seek University Education STEPANAKERT (ARMENPRESS)Approximately 900 high school graduates from throughout Mountainous Karabagh will take Stepanakert University's entrance examination on July 20. The country houses only one university. The university, which has also received applications from students in Armenia, Russia, Turkmenistan, Belarus and Ukraine, provides full scholarships to two hundred of its incoming students. Students at Stepanakert University can choose from the thirty areas of concentration the school offers. Two Expeditions to Seek Noah's Ark MOSCOW (ARMENPRESS)A Russian group began an expedition of Mount Ararat last Saturday. The organizers hope to prove that an object nestled amid the snow and ice is Noah's Ark. The group will present the Turkish authorities an icon of George the Triumphant, who is thought to be the protector of Caucasian Mountains. The expedition marks Andrey Polyakov's second attempt at locating the ark. A joint US-Turkish team of 10 explorers also plan to tackle the mountain this summer in an attempt to uncover a mammoth structure of some 45 feet high, 75 feet wide and about 450 feet long that was partly exposed during last summer's European heat wave. Explorers have long searched for an ark on the high slopes of Mount Ararat, where the biblical account of the Great Flood places it. In 1957, Turkish air force pilots spotted a boat-shaped formation in the Agri province. The government did not pursue the sighting, however. The entire area, including Mount Ararat, was placed off limits to explorers, after the USSR accused them of serving as US spies. Armenia Takes Part in Rescuer/Medceur International Exercises VILNIUS (ARMENPRESS)Armenian rescuers joined some 400 military and civil agencies from 13 countries for the Rescuer/Medceur 2004 that began in the Lithuanian port city of Klaipeda on Monday. The exercises are organized under NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program and financed by the US armed forces in Europe. The program, which focuses on proper responses to human calamities, natural disasters and acts of terrorism, will come to an end on July 30. Crimea Authorities Promise to Restore Spendiarov's Museum YEREVAN (ARMENPRESS)The Armenian Foreign Ministry said that the ambassador to Ukraine, Armen Khachatrian, recently paid a visit to the Crimean Autonomous Republic to discuss the possible development of economic, agricultural, health and education cooperation with Armenia. The sides also arranged for the restoration of both Armenian composer Alexander Spendiarov's house museum and Yevpatoria's Armenian church. German Ambassador Bids Farewell to Karekin II ETCHMIADZIN (ARMENPRESS)The outgoing German ambassador to Armenia, Hans Wulf Bartels, visited Etchmiadzin on Monday to bid farewell to Catholicos Karekin II. In his remarks, Karekin II discussed the positive relations between Germany and Armenia and commended the ambassador for his contributions to their development. Armenian Nuclear Power Plant to Shut Down for Repairs METSAMOR (RFE-RL)The Metsamor Nuclear power plant will be shut down temporarily on August 1. The plant, which produces 35 percent of Armenia's energy, will be restarted on October 4. Metsamor is temporarily shut down once a year for prophylactic work. This time the reactor will be checked, a procedure that is conducted every four years. Gagik Markosian, the director of the plant, said that the state of the metal casing of the reactor will be checked. `The reactor will be unloaded and we will check the casing of the reactor' The operation will be performed by the Czech company, `Skoda.' `The International Atomic Energy Agency helped us evaluate the technical needs. And we invited bids [from international companies] according to those needs,' Markosian said. Armenian Tennis Players Shine at Davis Cup CHISINAU (ARMENPRESS)Last week, eight nations participated in the Davis CupBNP Paribas Europe/Africa Zone Group IVthat was held in Chisinau, Moldova. The tennis players representing Armenia defeated their competitors from Botswana, Malta, Mauritius, moving on to place the country first in its subgroup. Three Armenians Eligible to Compete for World Chess Cup YEREVAN (ARMENPRESS)At least three Armenian chess playersVladimir Hakobian, Levon Aronian and Karen Asrianwill be eligible to compete for the World Chess Cup. The Cup, expected to begin in 2005, is a newly designed contest organized by the World Chess Federation (FIDE). Depending on their rankings at next year's European chess championship, additional Armenian chess players may be included in the World Chess Cup. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

London Free Press, Canada
July 19 2004
‘No place to go’
An immigration official says political changes in Iraq reduce the
risk to the Christian couple.
TEVIAH MORO, Free Press Reporter
2004-07-19 03:31:17

An Iraqi couple that has called London home for a decade must return
to their turbulent war-torn country, Immigration Canada says. After
10 years of red tape, immigration officials have told Krikor Stephan,
68, and his wife, Sagheek Alexanian, 65, they must return to Iraq.
But as Armenian Christians, the married couple faces certain
persecution in Iraq, said son-in-law Tom Sada.
“The Christians, now they are more in danger than when it was Saddam
in power,” Sada said.
Sada, 38, an Assyrian Christian, fled Iraq in 1980 during the
Iran-Iraq war at the age of 14, and entered Canada as a refugee in
1985.
His wife Sylva Sada, 33, joined him in Canada in 1990, while her
parents fled Saddam Hussein’s regime in 1994, hoping Immigration
Canada would grant them refugee status, Sada said.
Since then, Stephan and Alexanian have made three applications to
Immigration Canada and been rejected all three times, he said.
After about $6,000 in legal fees and application costs, the last
rejection came three weeks ago. Sada is waiting for another letter to
find out when Stephan and Alexanian will have to pack up and go.
“We will receive a letter from immigration to prepare,” he said.
Sada, whose in-laws have helped raised his four children aged six to
12, said they have nowhere to go in Iraq.
Alexanian’s brother, who lives in a town about 50 kilometres south of
Baghdad, faces persecution as a Christian, he said.
Three weeks ago, Alexanian tried to call him, but there was no
answer. A contact in Baghdad told her Christians had been driven out
of town by insurgents, Sada said.
“They sent flyers to their houses, saying all Christians must leave
this town and if you don’t leave, you’ll be beheaded,” he said.
Stephan’s niece, Ashhik Varojan, was one of four Christian women
killed by masked gunmen in January, Sada said.
“The reason why they are killing them is that they’re blaming the
Americans for invading Iraq and in their mind, Americans are
Christians because they are Western,” Sada said.
Ironically, the couple’s son was able to stay in Canada five years
ago as a refugee.
But, according to research conducted by a pre-removal risk assessment
officer with Immigration Canada dated Feb. 4, 2004, there was
insufficient evidence Stephan and Alexanian would face personal risk
in Iraq.
“My research of trustworthy sources shows that since the applicant
and his wife left Iraq in 1994, the political situation has changed,”
the officer wrote.
Representing the couple is Toronto-based immigration lawyer Cecil
Rotenberg, who says Immigration Canada has been blind to their
plight.
Rotenberg said he will try to convince the government Stephan and
Alexanian should stay on humanitarian and compassionate grounds —
but that’s a claim that has already been rejected.
Now senior citizens with little money, they have few options in their
homeland.
“There’s no place for them to go. How the hell is that not
humanitarian and compassionate?”
Rotenberg, who has never heard of Iraqis being deported under similar
circumstances, said he is confident Immigration Canada, now led by MP
Judy Sgro (L — York West), will reconsider the couple’s case.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Interfax
July 19 2004
Azeri foreign minister to visit U.S., meet with Armenian counterpart
Baku. (Interfax-Azerbaijan) – Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov
is expected to visit the U.S. later in July. He also plans to meet
with his Armenian counterpart Vardan Oskanian in August.
“The foreign minister’s visit to the U.S. has been set for July 20-
21. Its goal is to promote relations between Azerbaijan and the
U.S.,” the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s press service told
Interfax.
“Mamedyarov plans to hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State Colin
Powell,” it said.
“And in August, Mamedyarov is expected to meet with his Armenian
counterpart. The exact date and place of the talks are still to be
negotiated. The talks will deal with ways to settle the Karabakh
conflict in the context of the latest visit to the region by the co-
chairmen of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s
Minsk Group,” the press service said.

Zaman, Turkey
July 19 2004
Erdogan Goes to Paris with EU Agenda
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will go to France today
on an official visit. On the first day of his three day visit,
Erdogan will meet with French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin.
Afterward, he will greet Turks living in France.
On the second day, after French President Jacques Chirac receives
him, Erdogan will convene with French Parliamentary Foreign Affairs
Commission President, Edouard Balladur, and other commission members.
Additionally, he will see political party leaders including Alaine
Juppe, the People’s Union Movement President, an opponent of Turkey’s
membership to the European Union (EU).
Armenian associations in France are preparing to protest Erdogan’s
visit. The French Armenian Committee called Armenians to join rallies
in Paris and Marseilles. On posters prepared by the Committee,
statements such as, “Erdogan comes to Paris for France to say ‘yes,’
we will be there to say ‘no’ to Turkey for Turkey’s acceptance of
Armenian genocide,” attract the attention. Another noteworthy
anti-Turk statement consists of photographs depicting hanged people
next to a Turkish flag.
07.19.2004
Ali Ýhsan Aydýn
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
July 19 2004
Erdogan heading to France

The Prime Minister’s visit is likely to be the target of
demonstrations by members of France’s Armenian community.

July 19 – Turkey’s Prime Minister is heading to France Monday as part
of Ankara’s campaign to boost its chances of being granted a date to
begin accession talks with the European Union.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be in France for three
days, during which he will meet with his French opposite number
Jean-Pierre Raffarin soon after his arrival Monday. On Tuesday, he
will meet with French President Jaques Chirac and deliver an address
entitled Turkey -France: New Perspective for Affective Partnership at
a conference.
Erdogan’s visit comes at a time when Paris is only lukewarm on
Ankara’s EU membership bid, having thrown out strong hints that
Turkey is not yet ready to open accession negotiations as yet.
The visit of the Turkish Prime Minister is likely to be met
with a number of protests, with Armenian groups announcing that they
would stage demonstrations against Erdogan.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EUbusiness, UK
July 19 2004
Turkish PM’s visit to France re-opens debate on EU membership

A three-day visit to France by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan starting Monday re-opened the debate as to whether Turkey, a
secular country with nearly 70 million Muslims, should be admitted
into the European Union.
Most French newspapers dedicated significant coverage to the visit
and examined the question, which has divided the political class.
President Jacques Chirac’s ruling conservative Union for a Popular
Movement (UMP) has come out against the idea, even though Chirac
himself favours Turkey eventually joining the EU but does not see it
as ready yet. The opposition Socialists are backing Ankara’s bid.
Erdogan’s visit is seen as a key opportunity to persuade an EU
heavyweight to back the accession bid before the European Commission
released in October a report on Turkey’s democratisation progress.
That report is to form the basis of a decision EU leaders will make
in December on whether to formally open membership talks with Turkey.
In a sign of the issue’s sensitivity, Chirac will not receive Erdogan
until Tuesday.
French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin will play host by greeting
Erdogan at his official offices after his arrival late Monday.
During his time in Paris, the Turkish leader will meet other
political leaders, business chiefs and representatives of France’s
Turkish community.
Liberation, a left-leaning daily, firmly planted the Turkish flag in
the EU in an editorial, saying that, while Turkey was historically
separate from Europe, its common adherence to secularity meant it
ought to join European institutions.
“There is no convincing reason to think that Islam is not by its
essence incompatible with democracy and secularity,” it said.
The right-leaning Le Figaro, however, listed reasons to doubt
Turkey’s readiness, among them cultural differences, “the reality of
the genocide of the Armenians” in 1915 during the disintegration of
the Ottoman Empire and the continuing “military occupation in the
north of Cyprus”.
It tempered that position a little by printing an essay by a
political science professor, Dominique Reynie, who noted that Turkey
was a member of NATO and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation
and Development, had a separation of religion and state, and allowed
women to vote.
“All of democratic Turkey has placed its hopes in an opening of
negotiations,” he wrote.
But a companion essay by a UMP deputy, Jacques Myard, warned of a
“utopian” vision of a vast “federal Europe” encompassing Turkey which
would fail because of “the clash of cultures and national realities”.
Chirac has taken a cautious stance on Turkey, at the risk of being
seen as blowing hot and cold.
In April, he said he wanted to Turkey eventually admitted, but —
just days before the bloc expanded to 25 states by taking in mainly
former Communist central European countries — he said conditions for
entry were still some way off.
Then last month, US President George W. Bush raised European hackles
by putting his weight behind Turkey’s bid in the hopes that it would
become an example for other Muslim states to follow.
“I will remind the people of this good country that you ought to be
given a date by the EU for your eventual acceptance into the EU,”
Bush said in Ankara on June 27 before attending a NATO summit in
Istanbul.
Chirac, who has maintained prickly relations with Bush since the
run-up to the US invasion of Iraq, shot back that the US leader had
gone too far.
“It would be like me telling the United States how to run its affairs
with Mexico,” he said.

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
July 19 2004
Alasgarov: Some Countries Use Double Standard Regarding Upper
Karabakh Issue
BAKU – Murtuz Alasgarov, the Chairman of the National Assembly of
Azerbaijan, said on Monday that some countries and international
organizations were using double standard regarding the Upper Karabakh
issue.
Meeting Turkish parliamentary delegation headed by Haluk Ipek, the
Chairman of Turkish-Azerbaijani Interparliamentary Friendship Group,
Alasgarov said that Armenia, who occupied a part of Azerbaijani
territory, should be qualified as ”aggressive”.
Recalling that co-chairmen of Minsk Group of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), who had undertaken the
role of mediation in settlement of Upper Karabakh issue, completed
their visit to the region a few days ago, Alasgarov said, ”they are
making meaningless speeches. We are not pleased with the position of
the co-chairmen.”
Alasgarov stated that the co-chairmen did not tried to find a
realistic solution to the issue and stood unjustly beside Armenia.
Defining this attitude as a double standard, the Azerbaijani National
Assembly Chairman said that his country would fight for justice
whatever it costs.
Noting that his nation lost its patience and demand that Azerbaijani
territory should be gained back by other means, Alasgarov said, ”we
will do this if UN doesn’t adopt serious measures to find a
solution.”
Alasgarov defined bilateral relations between Turkish and Azerbaijani
parliaments as perfect, but said that they were working to further
improve these relations.
Haluk Ipek, in his part, said, ”Upper Karabakh is always on Turkey’s
list of topics” and noted that according to international law Upper
Karabakh was Azerbaijani territory.
Ipek said, ”This is a globally accepted fact. Today’s situation is
temporary.”

U.S. Newswire (press release), DC
July 19 2004
Helsinki Commission Briefing Reviews Religious Freedom in the
Caucasus; Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia Examined by Expert Panel
To: Assignment Desk, Daybook Editor
Contact: Dorothy Douglas Taft of the Helsinki Commission,
202-225-1901, Web:
News Advisory:
The United States Helsinki Commission will hold a briefing on the
current state of religious freedom in the Caucasus due to recent
events in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia.
Religious Freedom in the Caucasus
11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
340 Cannon House Office Building
Panelists:
— Eric Rassbach, counsel, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty,
represents Azerbaijani Imam Ilgar Ibrahimoglu and the Juma Mosque
Community before the European Court of Human Rights
— Andre Carbonneau, attorney, Jehovah’s Witnesses, represents
Armenian and Georgian Jehovah’s Witnesses before the European Court
of Human Rights
— Dr. Paul Crego, senior cataloging specialist, Library of Congress,
is responsible for materials in Georgian and Armenian and recently
traveled to Georgia
On June 30, Azerbaijani authorities forcibly seized the independent
Juma Mosque, with police reportedly expelling worshipers before
taking control of the place of worship. The authorities imposed a new
imam appointed by the Muslim Board of the Caucasus, a Soviet-era
Muftiate backed by the government, to replace the community’s leader,
Imam Ilgar Ibrahimoglu. Other unregistered religious communities,
such as Adventists and Baptists, have also experienced repeated
harassment from authorities.
Armenian policy toward religious freedom also conflicts with the
government’s commitments to respect human rights. Government
registration restrictions make it more difficult for religious groups
to rent property, publish newspapers or magazines, or officially
sponsor visas of visitors. The approval system has proven extremely
problematic, as on June 17 when the government again refused to
recognize the Jehovah’s Witnesses as an official religion because of
their proselytizing activities. Other small religious groups,
including Hare Krishnas and many Baptist communities, are frequently
unable to attain the minimum number of members required by the
government and are barred from applying for registration. Armenia has
currently imprisoned 20 Jehovah’s Witnesses for their conscientious
refusal of military service — a principle of their religious
beliefs.
The situation for religious freedom in Georgia improved substantially
with the long overdue arrest on March 12 of renegade Orthodox priest
and mob leader, Basili Mkalavishvili, who instigated violent assaults
against religious minorities. But, Georgian authorities need to
investigate and prosecute others known to have perpetrated similar
criminal acts. Legal problems also persist, as some minority
religious communities are unable to obtain legal entity status or to
build new worship facilities. In addition, a concordat with the state
granted the Georgian Orthodox Church special privileges to the
detriment of other confessions.
An un-official transcript will be available on the Helsinki
Commission’s Internet Web site at within 24 hours
of the briefing.
The United States Helsinki Commission, an independent federal agency,
by law monitors and encourages progress in implementing provisions of
the Helsinki Accords. The Commission, created in 1976, is composed of
nine Senators, nine Representatives and one official each from the
Departments of State, Defense and Commerce.

Malaysia Kini, Malaysia
July 19 2004
Sharapova an Asian hero
Tony Law
The success of Maria Sharapova as a lesson for all youngsters who
work hard for their success has been nicely written in KS Paul’s
article. Allow me to add a different dimension to the story.
I declare Maria as an Asian hero, for my children and all youngsters
of Asia to emulate, not unlike Datuk Jimmy Choo, Datuk Michelle Yeoh,
Tan Sri P Ramlee, Andre Agassi (he is Armenian) and Tiger Woods (he
is Thai).
Maria hails from Russia, an Asian nation, just as Chow Yun Fatt and
Jackie Chan hail from another Asian nation, China. We Southeast and
East Asians seldom consider Russia as an Asian nation because many a
time we are guilty of seeing `Asian-ness’ from our own East Asian
lenses.
This is not unlike the West (I mean the Britons) viewing Asia from
their own warped lenses. Russians are Asians because they are Asians.
In the olden days, Russia was always considered Asian, until former
president Leonid Brezhnev decided to be part of Europe.
Here are some Asian heroes our kids should do well to emulate, though
they are seldom seen as Asians:
Freddie Mercury (Firdun Bulsara), the late Indian-British pop star.
Edward W Said, the late Palestinian American academic and freedom
fighter for Palestine.
Sir Peter Ustinov, the late Russian British producer and actor.
Dr Harold Abrahams, Lithuanian (USSR) British Olympic 100m champion
who was the subject of the film Chariots of Fire.
Ismail Merchant, Iranian British film maker.
Tony Shalloub, Lebanese Arab-American actor famous for the TV series
Monk.
Ralph Nader, Lebanese Arab-American consumer activist and third-party
presidential candidate.
Cherilyn Sarkassian (Cher), Armenian American film star and producer.
Sir Charles (Charlie) Chaplin, famous British producer, comedian and
actor. His grandmother was northern Indian.
Engelbert Humperdinck (Arnold Doorsey), Indian British pop star.