Category: News

Civil Georgia, Georgia
Oct 18 2004
U.S. Ambassadors Meet with Saakashvili

President Mikheil Saakshvili met with visitng US Ambassadors to the
South Caucasus states on October 19 and discussed the ongoing
political sitaution in the region.
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John M. Evans, Ambassador to Azerbaijan
Reno L. Harnish, Ambassador to Georgia Richard Miles, as well as U.S.
Department of State’s special representative for Eurasian conflicts
Steven R. Mann and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and
Eurasian Affairs Laura E. Kennedy discussed energy, conflict
resolution and border security issues.

VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
SALA STAMPA DELLA SANTA SEDE – OFICINA DE PRENSA DE LA SANTA SEDE
BUREAU DE PRESSE DU SAINT- SIÈGE – PRESSEAMT DES HEILIGEN STUHLS
HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE
10.19.2004
Fourteenth Year  – N.177
COMMISSION FOR RELIGIOUS RELATIONS WITH JEWS MARKS 30 YEARS
VATICAN CITY, OCT 19, 2004 (VIS) – Delegations of the Chief Rabbinate of
Israel, led by Rabbi Shar Yishuv Cohen and the Holy See’s Commission for
Religious Relations with Jews, headed by Cardinal Jorge Mejia, started three
days of meetings and dialogue on October 17 in Grottaferrata, Italy.
Participants have been discussing the theme, “A Common Vision of Social
Justice and Ethical Behavior.”
The following statement to the press was issued today after the meeting:
“1. We are not enemies, but unequivocal partners in articulating the
essential moral values for the survival and welfare of human society.
“2. Jerusalem has a sacred character for all the children of Abraham. We
call on all relevant authorities to respect this character and to prevent
actions which offend the sensibilities of religious communities that reside
in Jerusalem and hold her dear.
“3. We call on religious authorities to protest publicly when actions of
disrespect towards religious persons, symbols and Holy Sites are committed,
such as the desecration of cemeteries and the recent assaults on the
Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. We call on them to educate their
communities to behave with respect and dignity towards peoples and towards
their attachment to their faith.”
According to a communique published yesterday afternoon, Cardinal Walter
Kasper, president of the Commission for Religious Relations with Jews and
Riccardo Segni, chief rabbi of Rome, will analyze the state of
Jewish-Catholic dialogue during the first session today at 6 p.m. of a
seminar on Catholic-Jewish dialogue that has been organized by the
Pontifical Gregorian University.
Pope Paul VI established the Commission for Religious Relations with Jews
on October 22, 1974. In commemoration of that event. Cardinal Kasper,
accompanied by Cardinal Mejia and a delegation of the commission, will
visit Rome’s synagogue on Friday October 22 during which the Jewish
community will gather for the celebration of Shabbat.
…/JEWISH CATHOLIC DIALOGUE/KASPER:MEJIAVIS 041019 (330)
Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway
The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one’s belief or religion
The right to join together and express one’s belief
================================================
Tuesday 19 October 2004
ARMENIA: PROMISES BROKEN BY CONTINUING JAILING OF PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE
This month (October), five Jehovah’s Witnesses have been sentenced to jail
terms for their conscientious objection, on religious grounds, to military
service. A sixth prisoner of conscience has been given a lesser sentence,
Forum 18 News Service has learnt. The number of imprisoned Jehovah’s
Witnesses has been brought to thirteen by these sentences, with a further
two awaiting trial on the same charges. The continued sentencing and
detention of religious prisoners of conscience clearly violates Armenia’s
previous promises to free its religious prisoners, and to introduce
alternative civilian service. The Armenian Foreign Ministry declined to
explain to Forum 18 how these latest sentences matched Armenia’s previous
promises, claiming that the issue is “outside the competence of the
Foreign Ministry”.
ARMENIA: PROMISES BROKEN BY CONTINUING JAILING OF PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE
By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service
Five Jehovah’s Witnesses have been sentenced so far in October to two years
of prison each, for refusing military service on grounds of conscience. A
sixth prisoner of conscience has been given a lesser sentence, Jehovah’s
Witness lawyer Rustam Khachatryan told Forum 18 News Service from the
capital Yerevan on 19 October. Called up in May, along with other Armenian
young men, all six officially lodged a request to do alternative civilian
service, but were told that such an alternative did not exist.
“Technically these sentences are correct, as all the Jehovah’s
Witnesses were called up before the new alternative service law came into
force,” Stefan Buchmayer, human rights officer at the Yerevan office
of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) told
Forum 18 on 19 October. “However, they show a certain lack of goodwill
on the part of the authorities as everyone knew that the law was coming
into force on 1 July. Besides, the right to alternative service is an
important human right – that is why our office has been following
these cases.”
On 22 June, the Armenian Parliament’s deputy speaker Tigran Torosyan, who
heads the Armenian delegation to the Council of Europe, told Jehovah’s
Witness representatives at the Council of Europe parliamentary assembly in
Strasbourg that all conscientious objector prisoners would be freed once
the new law on alternative service came into force on 1 July (see F18News 3
August 2004 ).
Natalia Voutova, the Council of Europe representative in Yerevan, told
Forum 18 on 19 October that her organisation is monitoring the latest
developments. She pointed out that in 2001 Armenia committed itself to
adopting an alternative service law and freeing all imprisoned
conscientious objectors and said that these commitments have been closely
monitored since 2001. The Armenian Foreign Ministry declined to explain how
the latest sentences met Armenia’s commitments to the Council of Europe.
Vladimir Karapetian of the ministry’s Media Relations Division claimed to
Forum 18 on 19 October that the issue is “outside the competence of
the Foreign Ministry”.
This month’s new sentences bring the number of imprisoned Jehovah’s Witness
young men to thirteen, with a further two are awaiting trial on the same
charges. The continued sentencing and detention of religious prisoners of
conscience violates Armenia’s commitments to the Council of Europe, and
comes after the justice ministry finally registered the Jehovah’s Witnesses
as a religious community, after years of official obstruction (see F18News
12 October 2004 ).
Four of the new prisoners were sentenced by a court in the town of Armavir,
50 kilometres (30 miles) west of the capital: Karen Hakopyan on 7 October,
Arsen Sarkisyan on 8 October, Mher Mirpakhatyan on 13 October, and Artur
Manukyan on 14 October. Hovhanes Bayatyan was sentenced by Yerevan’s
Erebuni-Nubarashen court on 14 October. All were given the maximum sentence
under Article 327 part I of the criminal code, which reads: “Evading a
recurring call to emergency military service, or educational or military
training, without a legal basis for being relieved of this service, shall
incur a fine in the amount of 300 to 500 minimum [monthly] wages or arrest
for up to two months or imprisonment for up to two years.” They are
now being held in Nubarashen prison.
A sixth, Asatur Badalyan, was sentenced on 1 October to one and a half
year’s imprisonment by a court in Kotaik in central Armenia, but the judge
allowed him to remain at home because it was felt as a Jehovah’s Witness
his behaviour would be good. However, there are fears he will be arrested
on 20 October, Khachatryan told Forum 18. Two other Jehovah’s Witnesses
received two year prison sentences in August.
Meanwhile, the trial of Grisha Kazaryan, arrested on 17 September and being
detained in Nubarashen, is expected at the end of October. Nshan Shagiyan,
who is from Yerevan, was required to give a written undertaken on 16
September not to leave the city. His trial is due at Yerevan’s
Malatia-Sebastia court on 26 October.
Jehovah’s Witness lawyer Khachatryan told Forum 18 that all these young men
wrote to both the recruitment office, and the general public prosecutor,
explaining that they could not do military service because of their
religious beliefs (the Jehovah’s Witnesses are pacifists), but that they
were prepared to do alternative civilian service outside the control of the
armed forces. He said the recruitment office summoned each applicant, to
establish that they had actually written the application. Recruitment
office officials then told each one verbally that alternative service did
not exist and handed their cases to the prosecutor, after which criminal
proceedings were launched.
“The alternative service law has been adopted, but there is no
mechanism for doing alternative service yet,” Khachatryan lamented.
“Besides, it’s not clear that when it does come in whether it will be
genuinely civilian or not. The law doesn’t say it will be civilian.”
Khachatryan added that the autumn call-up is now underway. Four Jehovah’s
Witness young men have written to the recruitment office so far, indicating
that they cannot serve in the military on religious grounds and applying
for alternative civilian service. “Nothing has happened to them so
far,” he noted.
A printer-friendly map of Armenia is available at
;Rootmap=armeni
(END)
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F18News
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CENN – OCTOBER 19, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. EIA Report on the Improving of the Bakuriani Landfill, Borjomi
Regioin
2. Georgia is to Participate in World Tourism Exhibition in London in
November
3. Memorandum for Rehabilitation of Lake Gili Signed
4. Armavir Provinces to Raise $23 million from Land Sale
5. Armenia Selected One of Nine Pilot Countries for UNIDO-WTO Enhanced
Cooperation
6. Global Healing Sets its Sights on Gyumri
7. Online Course – Environmental Statistics
8. Call for Sessions: 6th Open Meeting of the HDGEC Research Community
1. EIA REPORT ON THE IMPROVING OF THE BAKURIANI LANDFILL, BORJOMI REGION
On October 19, 2004 at the conference hall of the Ministry of
Environment of Georgia was held public hearing of the EIA report on the
first category activity Improving of the Bakuriani landfill, Borjomi
Region submitted by the governance of Borjomi Region.
Representatives of NGOs, mass media attended the meeting.
The process of submitting suggestions concerning the EIA report on
Improving of the Bakuriani landfill, Borjomi Region is still on.
Interested stakeholders can analyze the document and present their
comments and considerations to the Ministry of Environment of Georgia.
The representatives of the Ministry, Department of Environmental Permits
and State Ecological Expertise encouraged audience to submit their
proposals.
EIA reports are available at the press-center of the Ministry of
Environment (68, Kostava Str., VI floor) and at the Department of
Environmental Permits and State Ecological Expertise (87, Paliashvili
Str., Tel: 25 02 19).
Prepared by CENN
Nino Tevzadze
2. GEORGIA IS TO PARTICIPATE IN WORLD TOURISM EXHIBITION IN LONDON IN
NOVEMBER
Source: Sarke, October 19, 2004
For the first time Georgia will introduce a stand at the World Tourism
Exhibition to be held in London on November 8-11, Saba Kiknadze,
chairman of the Tourism Department, has told Sarke. Five Georgian
companies will also participate in the exhibition.
3. MEMORANDUM FOR REHABILITATION OF LAKE GILI SIGNED
Source: ArmenPress, October 14, 2004
on October 15, 2004 the Minister of Nature Protection of Armenian, the
governor of Gegharkunik province and the UNDP Resident Representative in
Armenia signed a memorandum for rehabilitation of Lake Gili. The
rehabilitation project, worth $1 million, is to be implemented by UNDP
and Global Ecological Fund (GEF).
The main objective of the project is protection of rare and endemic
biodiversity already present in Lake Gili as part of the Lake Sevan
basin, and the provision of a first-best habitat for threatened wetland
biodiversity in Armenia (currently found in second-best habitats).
Nature protection minister Vartan Aivazian said some 560 hectares of
land belonging to residents of a nearby village of Norakert will be
covered by water. He said the residents would get new land plots from
state-owned reserve fund.
UDDP Resident Representative Lise Grande said the UNDO and GEF will help
the Norakert community to avoid the negative consequences of the project
by assisting it to solve its social issues and improve water supplies.
4. ARMAVIR PROVINCES TO RAISE $23 MILLION FROM LAND SALE
Source: ArmenPress, October 14, 2004
State subsidies to the province of Armavir rose from 29 million
Armenians drams in 1998 to 142 million drams in 2004, which, according
to the province’s governor, Albert Heroyan, is an apt illustration of
real economic growth. Another indication of the robust economic growth,
according to the governor, is a significant increase in teachers’ wages
that have risen to 30,000 drams (approximately $60).
Mr. Heroyan said the sale of some 14,000 hectares of formerly state
reserve lands in the province will bring some $23 million to the
provincial budget. He said more than 1,000 hectares of that land was
already auctioned and the raised proceeds, according to the law, will go
for improvement of local infrastructure facilities, health and education
sectors.
The governor also said many families that had chosen to leave the
provinces are now coming back. “We are planning to build three blocks of
apartments for them,” he said.
5. ARMENIA SELECTED ONE OF NINE PILOT COUNTRIES FOR UNIDO-WTO ENHANCED
COOPERATION
Source: ArmenPress, October 14, 2004
The UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), UN Development
Program (UNDP), World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Ministry of Trade
and Economic Development of Armenia held a joint seminar today to begin
implementation of the Doha Development Agenda. Seminar participants
included senior officials from the Government, donor community,
international organizations, business associations, as well as experts.
A press release from UNDP said the main aims of the Doha Development
Agenda, which was agreed in December 2001 by WTO members, are to ensure
that trade and industrial development enhance economic development and
to assist the integration of the developing countries and transition
economies into the global economy and the multilateral trading system.
In order to facilitate implementation of the Doha Agenda, UNIDO and WTO
will implement pilot activities in an initial group of nine countries,
including Armenia. The initial group also includes Bolivia, Cambodia,
Cuba, Egypt, Ghana, Jordan, Kenya and Mauritania. The aim of these pilot
activities is to identify priority sectors and products with high and
strategic export potential; address trade capacity weaknesses including
supply-side constraints, lack of conformity to market requirements and
standards; and support the implementation of multilateral trade
agreements.
Mr. Alexander Avanessov, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, noted:
“The fact that Armenia has become a member of the WTO indicates the
great progress made by the country since independence. The pilot
activities that are being launched by UNIDO and WTO at this seminar, in
combination with initiatives from UNDP and other donors, will assist
countries like Armenia to integrate further into the global economy and
multilateral trading systems.”
Armenia officially became the 145th member of the WTO on February 5,
2003. The country’s main trading partners include the European Union
(EU), Russia, USA, Iran and Georgia. A recent survey within the business
community on external trade and which was presented at the seminar
indicates that certification and standardization have had a serious
impact on external trade. Local companies involved in the survey
identified a number of obstacles to trade, including: corruption in
customs and taxes; complicated and fragmented tax and customs
legislation; and lack of cooperation between the customs and tax
administration bodies. Sixty-three percent of the respondents said that
they had lost export orders due to technical barriers to trade.
6. GLOBAL HEALING SETS ITS SIGHTS ON GYUMRI
Source:
GYUMRI–Cindy Basso Eaton is a long way from the manicured lawns of her
childhood town of Stockton as she surveys the “houses” that stretch
along the streets of Gyumri, the second largest city in Armenia. She
shakes her head in disbelief, shocked that nearly two decades after one
of the world’s most devastating earthquakes rocked this region to the
ground, nearly 15,000 residents still call makeshift metal “sea
container” like shelters home.
As the president of Global Healing, this scene only serves to give her
more incentive to pursue the California-based, non-profit organization’s
latest endeavor.
This year, Global Healing will embark on its 6th healthcare project
(Global Healing has four completed medical projects in Tbilisi, Georgia
and a current medical project in Roatan, Honduras). With the blessings
of the Ministry of Health of Armenia, Global Healing will construct and
oversee until self-sufficiency, Armenia’s first-ever blood banking
facility operating at international standards.
“Global Healing is a lifeline to those communities whose petitions for
help have fallen through the cracks of poverty, civil unrest or
environmental upheaval,” Basso Eaton explained. “We zero in on a need,
and supply the fix.
You won’t find us sitting in a boardroomwe have none? Our offices are
our computers, phones, cars, kitchens,” she explained.” We are a small
group of hardworking volunteers dedicated to bringing modern healthcare
to developing countries. We never say never.” The Armenia project is an
example of that attitude.
Although “blood stations” exist in Armenia, Basso Eaton explained these
centers lack national or international guidelines for operation and
safety. A large portion of the blood transfused in the regions of
Armenia is untested or not tested properly and risks contamination with
infectious diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C and syphilis. In
addition, there is no system in place for transporting blood products
throughout the region. This was a scenario Global Healing could not
ignore. “When completed, the Gyumri facility will have the technology
and functioning equipment to test all donor blood for infectious disease
as well as accurately type, process, store and cross match blood prior
to transfusion,” she explained. “We feel the people in the Shirak region
deserve no less than this,” she continued. The Gyumri blood bank will be
modeled after Global Healing’s Tbilisi, Georgia blood bank facility and
will include extensive training of Armenian staff by foreign medical and
administrative teams.
Basso Eaton’s pleas for help have been successful. “With just $7,000 in
donations we have done amazing things to realize the launch of this
important project,” she said.
In June, The United Armenian Fund in Los Angeles helped send a container
of equipment and supplies to the proposed site in Gyumri. The equipment
and supplies were donated by Baxter, Northern California. In addition,
Helmer Laboratories donated two vital temperature controlled blood bank
refrigeration units as well as a platelet incubator and agitator. Global
Healing received confirmation that Doctors Without Borders will supply
the blood bank with infectious disease kits and the Armenia Aids Program
will supply equipment for testing HIV as well as HIV test kits through
the Global Fund project. In addition, Becton Dickinson has donated over
one years worth of blood bank supplies. Major monetary donors to date
have been Alice Runge, Frank and Irene Garavano, Andy and Nora Armenian,
Stan Shore and two anonymous donors.
“Now we are looking for the angel, that special person or corporation
who can step in and give us the financial power to complete this promise
in Armenia,” Basso Eaton explained.
To fully begin and complete the blood bank, Global Healing needs to
raise $150,000. $30,000 will be used in the renovation of the existing
site. $60,000 will be used to procure the necessary equipment and
supplies not donated.
$60,000 will be used to cover the expense of sending foreign medical and
educator teams to Armenia to train locals. It will also be used to
implement a media campaign in Armenia to educate the public on the
merits of a “voluntary” blood donation system as opposed to the existing
“paid” programs. 100-percent of contributions will be used for the
Armenia Project. Global Healing is a US non-profit 501 (c) (3) and soon
to be a UK registered charity. Please send contributions to Global
Healing, PO Box 2166 Orinda, CA 94563.
Please visit the website at
7. ONLINE COURSE – ENVIRONMENTAL STATISTICS
Dr. Bryan Manly, author of `Statistics for Environmental Science and
Management,’ will be giving an online version of his `Environmental
Statistics’ short course Nov. 5 – Dec. 3 at statistics.com. The course
will cover standard and specialized statistical procedures, all from an
environmental perspective. Topics include regression, ANOVA, control
charts, bioequivalence, time series, risk assessment and more. There
will be four weekly sessions, focusing on (1) Sampling, (2)
Environmental Data Analysis, (3) Monitoring and Impact Assessment, and
(4) Spatial & Censored Data, and Risk Assessment.
Considerable material is covered; this course is ideal for someone who
has some background in statistics and needs more in-depth knowledge of
some of the techniques presented. Participants and the instructor
interact via a private discussion board; there are no set hours when you
must be online.
Exercises are provided. Details and registration at:
Peter Bruce
statistics.com
[email protected]
8. CALL FOR SESSIONS: 6TH OPEN MEETING OF THE HDGEC RESEARCH COMMUNITY
6th Open Meeting of the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change
Research Community
Global Environmental Change, Globalization and International Security:
New Challenges for the 21st Century
University of Bonn, Germany, 9-13 October 2005
Timeline and deadlines for applications:
Session submissions: September 15th – November 15th, 2004
Paper abstract submissions: February 1st, 2005 – March 15th, 2005
Poster submissions: February 1st, 2005 – March 15th, 2005
Pre-Open Meeting capacity-building training seminars: November 15th,
2005 – February 15th, 2005
More details, including information, application forms, timelines and
deadlines, are now available at the Open Meeting website,
This site is also accessible by going
to the IHDP website at and clicking on the 2005 Open
Meeting link.
Please understand that because of the large amount of interested
participants, we are only able to process applications, including
session and paper abstract submissions, through the Open Meeting
website.
Thank you, on behalf of the International Scientific Planning Committee.
Lis Mullin
Open Meeting Coordinator
I H D P
International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change
Walter-Flex-Strasse 3
D-53113 Bonn
Germany
Tel.: +49 (0) 228 739053
Fax.:+49 (0) 228 739054
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
—
*******************************************
CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:

Turkmen leader’s book of spiritual teachings to be published in Armenian
Turkmen TV first channel, Asgabat
18 Oct 04
Presenter A creative group of the Partev Armenian-Turkmen cooperation
centre in charge of the publication of Ruhnama in the Armenian
language has sent a message to Turkmen President Saparmyrat
Turkmenbasy the Great Nyyazow .
In the letter, they informed the Turkmen head of state that they were
preparing for the publication of the first volume of Ruhnama of our
esteemed leader Saparmyrat Turkmenbasy the Great in the Armenian
language. The authors of the letter say that when thinking of starting
the publication of Ruhnama in Armenian, that they were guided by the
followings words of Saparmyrat Turkmenbasy the Great: “Ruhnama is not
only for Turkmens! Ruhnama is also a book of other nationalities and
our brothers who live among us and share our joy and happiness and
create the Golden Age on this soil with us.”
Members of the creative group also wrote that the publication of
Ruhnama in Armenian would facilitate further understanding between the
peoples of Armenia and Turkmenistan and strengthen the cultural ties
of our countries.
“It will be a great honour for us to receive your approval for the
publication of Ruhnama in Armenian and hand you copies of the book
after its publication,” the message says.
Passage omitted: authors of the letter congratulate Turkmen president
and people on Independence Day
No video
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Russian official says terror fight top of agenda in talks with Azeri leader
ANS TV, Baku
18 Oct 04
Presenter in studio A Russian Foreign Ministry official has disclosed
the issues to be discussed by the Azerbaijani and Russian presidents
tomorrow 19 October .
Correspondent Russia is ready to stand by any agreement Azerbaijan and
Armenia may reach towards a Karabakh settlement. The Russian Foreign
Ministry spokesman, Aleksandr Yakovenko, has said that Moscow welcomes
the continuation of talks between Baku and Yerevan at different
levels.
We think that parties to the conflict have got to reach an acceptable
agreement, end quote.
Aleksandr Yakovenko confirmed the readiness of Russia, also as a
country co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group set up in 1992 to try to
achieve a solution to the Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and
Armenia and consisting of the USA, Russia and France , to assist Baku
and Yerevan.
Touching on other aspects of Russian-Azerbaijani relations, the
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said an exchange of opinions was
currently under way on the issue of the legal status of the
Caspian. He said the sides were studying the prospects for conducting
the second summit of Caspian littoral states. The summit is likely to
be held in Tehran.
Aleksandr Yakovenko added that the focus of attention in
Russian-Azerbaijani relations was on the contributions that Azerbaijan
and Russia could make to the fight against international terrorism. He
said discussions between Moscow and Baku centred on prospects for
stepping up economic cooperation between the two countries, expanding
contacts in the trade, energy, machine-building and transport
sectors. Special attention is being paid to cooperation between
different parts of the Russian Federation and Azerbaijan.
Yakovenko said further that Russia considers Azerbaijan its main
partner in the South Caucasus. Moscow is paying special attention to
bilateral cooperation with Azerbaijan and the implementation of
agreements signed during the official visit by Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev.
Passage omitted: details of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent
visit to Tajikistan

ARMENIAN OFFICIALS, BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY GROUP DISCUSS COOPERATION
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
18 Oct 04
Armenian Speaker Artur Bagdasaryan received a British parliamentary
delegation led by Gordon Marsden. Baroness Caroline Cox (the deputy
speaker of the British House of Lords) is also a member of the
delegation.
A wide range of issues of Armenian-British intergovernmental and
regional cooperation was discussed at the meeting. The sides stressed
the importance of (British) Links organization which is playing a
great role in the development of Armenian-British intergovernmental
relations. This organization creates great opportunities for
parliament members of three countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Georgia) to meet regularly and discuss regional issues. It was
mentioned that the UK can support Armenia within the framework of the
programme Expanded Europe: New Neighbours.
The secretary of the National Security Council under the Armenian
president and the Armenian defence minister, Serzh Sarkisyan, also met
the members of the United Kingdom-Armenia friendship group led by
Gordon Marsden. He said that military cooperation between the two
countries is moving forward slowly but steadily. Sarkisyan said that
Armenia is ready to settle the Karabakh conflict peacefully and only
through compromises.
Speaking about Azerbaijan’s bellicose statements, Sarkisyan expressed
hope that Azerbaijan would change its tune and take a more reasonable
stance on the Karabakh problem as a new war in the region could have
irreparable harsh consequences.
(Video shows the meeting)

ARMENIAN LEADER, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSS TIES
Mediamax news agency
19 Oct 04
YEREVAN
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan met Chinese Foreign Minister Li
Zhaoxing in Yerevan today.
The Chinese minister noted that Kocharyan’s recent official visit to
China had great significance for further strengthening and deepening
of bilateral relations, the Armenian presidential press service has
told Mediamax news agency.
Armenia and China have great potential for cooperation as there are no
political problems between the states and Yerevan and Beijing have
similar positions on a number of important international problems,
Kocharyan said.

CYPRUS TO SUPPORT ARMENIA IN ITS EUROPEAN INTEGRATION
Noyan Tapan news agency
18 Oct 04
YEREVAN
A delegation led by the president of the House of Representatives of
Cyprus, Dhimitrios Khristofias, is in Armenia on a two-day (18-20)
official visit at the invitation of Armenian Speaker Artur
Bagdasaryan.
The speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, Artur Bagdasaryan, met
the president of the House of Representatives of Cyprus, Dhimitrios
Khristofias, on 18 October. The sides said that strategic cooperation
is being established between the two republics which have no
disagreements in relations, but there is potential which has not yet
been fully used. They noted the importance of continued cooperation
through international structures and also support by Cyprus, as a
member of the European Union for Armenia as a country involved in the
programme Expanded Europe: New Neighbours. The speakers of the two
countries talked about future cooperation.
The members of the House of Representatives and also members of a
business delegation led by Dhimitrios Khristofias met Speaker of the
Armenian National Assembly Artur Bagdasaryan, the deputy speakers of
the Armenian parliament, Tigran Torosyan and Vaan Ovanesyan, and heads
of the faction-groups and commissions of the Armenian National
Assembly.
The press service of the Armenian National Assembly told Noyan Tapan
news agency that a number of agreements has been reached during the
meeting. They also noted the importance of interregional and
interparliamentary cooperation in international structures, Cyprus’s
support for the process of Armenia’s integration into Europe within
the framework of the programme Expanded Europe: New Neighbours.
It was also decided to set up a group which would tackle the
abovementioned issues. It was noted that the Cyprus government will
continue training Armenian students for the tourism industry. They
expressed concern about the fate of the Cyprus educational institution
named after Melkonyan. It was noted that the Cyprus government is
taking steps to preserve this educational institution. Special
attention was paid to deepening relations in the cultural-educational
sphere and to sharing experience. They also stressed the efficiency of
the Armenia-Cyprus interparliamentary cooperation commission.
Touching upon Turkey’s membership of the European Union (EU), the
sides noted that the application of double standards does not help
solve the problem and Turkey may join the EU if it fulfils all the
commitments.

CIS STATES BEGIN AIR-DEFENCE EXERCISES
ITAR-TASS news agency
19 Oct 04
MOSCOW
Over 70 aircraft and helicopters from seven countries are taking part
in a command and HQ exercise of the CIS joint air-defence system that
began today. “Over 1,500 servicemen from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are involved,” the head
of the Russian Air Force press service, Col Aleksandr Drobyshevskiy,
told ITAR-TASS.
“Mig-31, Mig-29, Su-27, Tu-22, A-50 and Su-24 aircraft and also S-300,
S-75 and S-125 SAM batteries are taking part,” he said. “Over 10
issues concerning improvement of the way the CIS’s airspace is
defended will be tackled.”
The exercise is being overseen by Lt-Gen Aytech Bizhev, deputy
chairman of the CIS air-defence coordination committee. The CIS joint
air-defence system has been in operation since 1995.