Category: News

Trilateral transport consortium may be based in Baku
Azer News, Azerbaijan
June 10 2004
The Azerbaijan State Railway Office told AssA-Irada that the
headquaters of the Azerbaijan-Russia-Iran consortium on the
Gazvin-Rasht-Astara railway may be based in Baku. The railway will
be part of the North-South transport corridor.
Working groups from the three countries are expected to establish the
consortium’s charter fund and work schedule by July 1. The location of
the entity’s headquarters may be determined in a meeting scheduled for
July in Baku. Funds totaling $15 million are required for Azerbaijan
to join the North-South transport corridor. The funds will be spent
on the construction of a 6-km railway connecting Azerbaijan with Iran
and a railway bridge over the Astarachay River.
Construction of the Tehran-Baku railway, which is to link up with
Russia’s railroads, may commence early in 2005. According to the
initial appraisal, $102 million is required for the implementation of
the project, under which 340 kilometers of railway lines in Iran and
Azerbaijan will be built and upgraded. Armenia may enter the project
on the construction of a new railway linking Russia, Azerbaijan and
Iran within the North-South international transport corridor. This
opinion was revealed by Vice Speaker of the Armenian parliament Vaan
Ovannisian, the co-chair of the Armenian-Russian inter-parliamentary
commission. Ovannisian said that along with Azerbaijan, India and
Oman are participating in the project. “It is common knowledge that
Azerbaijan is trying to make Armenia withdraw from all transport
and economic programs of regional importance. However, at present,
our partners Russia, Iran and India don’t plan to do so and Armenia
is likely to enter the program,” he noted.

Medina helping Abelyan prepare for Harrison bout Jun 10 2004
ic Lanarkshire, UK
June 10 2004
WBO World Featherweight title challenger William Abelyan has sought
the advice of the man who defeated Cambuslang champion Scott Harrison
in his bid to be crowned champion on June 19.
The Armenian hardman challenges Harrison for his title in the highly
anticipated clash at the Braehead Arena and for his final preparations
has drafted Manuel Medina into his training camp for advice and
tactics on how to beat him.
Medina, the tricky Mexican veteran, handed Harrison a shock defeat
last July to become a five-time World champion. Harrison later cited
illness as the cause of his loss and reversed the decision in the
rematch four months later to reclaim the title.
Abelyan said: “With Medina coming into the camp and giving me advice
it is the final piece in the jigsaw to beat Harrison. The training
has gone well and I’m in superb shape. All I need to focus on now is
fight tactics.
“Medina knows Harrison’s boxing style very well as he’s faced him
twice before and he’s also got a wealth of knowledge and experience
from being a five-time world champion which I am learning from.
“We’ve been watching Harrison fights on video, practising moves in
sparring and planning strategies for hours on end so by the time I get
in the ring with Harrison I will know him better than he knows himself.
“Medina gave Harrison a whupping but I’m looking to do a real job on
him and knock him out and I believe I can do it.”
The fight has been rescheduled for next week, due to an injury to
the Cambuslang ace, but tickets purchased for the original date of
May 29 will remain valid for the rescheduled date of June 19.
Tickets, priced at £30, £50, £75 & £125, are available from Keith
Prowse Ticketing on 0870 906 3839, Braehead Arena box office on 0870
444 6062 and online at

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
June 10 2004
AATA SUPPORT POSITION OF AZERBAIJAN IN SOLUTION OF NAGORNY KARABAKH CONFLICT
[June 10, 2004, 19:26:11]
As was informed, on 9 June at the International Press Center was held
a news conference of president of the American Assembly of Turkish
Associations (AATA), Mr. Ercument Kilic and his delegation.
Mr. Ercument Kilic said it is his second visit to the Republic. In the
passed period, there happened numerous democratic alterations in the
life of country. The goal of the visit was directly to familiarize
with the Country, development of links between Azerbaijan and the
Association, as well as play the role of bridge between Azerbaijan
and America. The president updated the audience on activity of the
Organization, stating that AATA was founded in 1979 and has done
a lot in expansion of links between America and Turkey. There are
over 300 thousand people of Turkish origin in the United States, he
stressed. AATA undertook significant steps to unite them and solve
their problems. Mr. Ercument Kilic, highly appreciating activity
of the national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev in development
of Diaspora organizations, unification of Azerbaijanis residing in
numerous world countries, and expressed satisfaction with successful
continuation of the said political line by President Ilham Aliyev. He,
in particular, stressed the activity of State Committee eon Work with
Azerbaijanis Living Abroad, aimed at joint activity of the Turkish
and Azerbaijani Diaspora organizations.
We are making numerous steps to fully unite the Turks and Azerbaijanis
residing in America, Europe and Asia, as well as in other world
counties, President of AATA stressed.
The problems the Turks and Azerbaijanis face do not remain out of
AATA focus. The Association is ready to bring to the notice of the
world community full information on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorny
Karabakh problem. On this purpose, we need visual aids, and also
appropriate literature, he said. Ercument Kilic expressed confidence
that the Azerbaijani side would present them this means.
Then, the guest answered questions of media representatives.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Atomic Energy Delegation Visits Turkey – Armenia Border
Anadolu Agency
June 10 2004
IGDIR – A delegation from the Turkish Atomic Energy Agency (TAEK)
visited Turkey-Armenia border.
The delegation headed by Ozer Ozerdem, the chief advisor to the TAEK
Chairman, came to northeastern Alican Border Gate which is very close
to the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant in Armenia and conducted radiation
calculation there and took soil and plant samples.
Ozerdem said that they would examine those samples to determine
whether there was any leak from the power plant.
Meanwhile, Mehmet Yilmaz, the deputy governor of northeastern province
of Igdir, said that residents were worried about ”radiation leak”
from the Metsamor which was only 20 kilometers from the city-center.

MP Owen bites own ass
Georgia Straight, Canada
June 10 2004
STEPHEN OWEN, THE federal public works minister and Vancouver Quadra
Liberal MP, appears to have talked himself out of a future cabinet
position if the Paul Martin Liberals form a government and he wins
his seat.
Owen did himself in, according to a federal Liberal source, when in a
June 4 Globe and Mail story he accused the Jean Chrétien government
of direct involvement in the $100-million sponsorship scandal. Owen
added that civil legal action against former government officials
could be launched “very soon”.
“There was clearly some political influence,” Owen said. “You’ve
got [former minister Alfonso] Gagliano already identified, [former
Chrétien chief of staff Jean] Pelletier already identified. So you
clearly have got political involvement at the highest levels.”
With Martin desperately trying to put the damaging sponsorship scandal
behind him and gain needed help from the Chrétien crew, Owen’s actions
might have been the last straw.
The sponsorship reminder, pounced on by Owen’s Conservative opponent,
Stephen Rogers, fits into an Owen pattern of poor political judgment.
On April 21, Owen strongly angered Martin and his cabinet colleagues
when he skipped a vote on a motion condemning the 1915 Turkish massacre
of 1.5 million Armenians.
The motion passed, but Martin had ordered all cabinet ministers
to vote against it, fearing it would harm relations with Turkey.
Environment Minister David Anderson voted against the motion, but
Owen was nowhere to be seen.
Meanwhile, when she voted for the resolution, Vancouver Centre Liberal
MP Hedy Fry didn’t improve her chances of returning to cabinet if
reelected.

Looking Back: From the front pages
Jerusalem Post
June 10 2004
65 years ago: On June 10, 1936,
The Palestine Post reported that two Arabs died and 26 Arabs and
Armenians were injured by a bomb which exploded inside the Jaffa
Gate on June 8. Mr. Ormsby Gore, the colonial secretary, told the
House of Commons in London that the Palestine government was taking
all possible action to protect life, property and communications in
the country. The Palestine government was granted further emergency
powers under the Palestine (Defense) Order in Council of 1931.

GEORGIAN PRIME MINISTER PROUD HIS MOTHER IS ARMENIAN
10.06.2004 17:39
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ My mother is Armenian and I will always speak
proudly about it, Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania stated
in the Parliament today in response to Deputy Gocha Pipia’s claim
that Government members report their and their parents’ national
and religious identity. As reported by Georgian sources, Pipia’s
address caused indignation among the leadership of the Parliament
and Government, who qualified such statements of the Deputy as
anti-constitutional. As a sign of protest members of the Georgian
Government left the conference hall. Zurab Zhvania stated he would
recall it “with shame that such a question was raised in the Georgian
Parliament.”

PACE OFFICIALS ARRIVE IN ARMENIA
ArmenPress
June 10 2004
YEREVAN, JUNE 10, ARMENPRESS: Gurgen Arsenian, the head of the United
Labor Party parliamentary faction told Armenpress that the overwhelming
majority of Council of Europe demands which Armenia has to respect lie
within the responsibility of the executive bodies. Commenting on two
senior officials from the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly
(PACE) commission monitoring the fulfillment of Armenia’s membership
commitments, Jerzy Jaskiernia and David Chupina, who are arriving
tomorrow in Yerevan to get first-hand information on the ground,
Arsenian said that with respect to PACE April resolution that came
after the crackdown on the opposition, a range of steps were taken,
particularly, many people arrested for participation in unsanctioned
anti-government rallies, were released.
Galust Sahakian, the head of the Republican Party faction argued that
on the whole Armenia is fulfilling these demands, particulalry, those
calling for amendment of criminal and administrative offences codes,
electoral code and constitutional reforms.
Levon Mkrtchian from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) noted
that the ongoing processes should not be linked to PACE resolution,
as almost all political forces underscored the need of dialogue and
acting within the frames set by the laws in order to diffuse the
stand-off between the authorities and the opposition.” This is not a
process imposed on us from outside, but rather an indication of the
level of our political maturity,” he said.
Council of Europe officials will confer with the chairman of the
Constitutional Court, parliament chairman, his deputy, leaders of
pro-government and opposition factions. They are also scheduled to
meet with president Kocharian, prime minister Margarian, foreign and
defense ministers, the chief of police and chief prosecutor.

KARABAGH WANTS INDEPENDENCE
ArmenPress
June 10 2004
YEREVAN, JUNE 10, ARMENPRESS: Manvel Sarkisian, an advisor to Nagorno
Karabagh leader Arkady Ghukasian, told a roundtable discussion today
on Nagorno Karabagh conflict that election of a new Azerbaijani
president and a bigger involvement of European organizations in
the regulation process have brought in a new situation that differs
significantly from what there was a year ago. He said resumption of
regular meetings of Armenian and Azeri presidents and the dialogue
between the two countries’ foreign ministers will become a serious
tool in search of a solution that would satisfy all conflicting sides.
Commenting on frequent trips of senior European officials to Karabagh,
Manvel Sarkisian argued it was the evidence of their realizing the
role of Karabagh authorities in the regulation efforts. He replicated
the official Yerevan’s position that involvement of new forces in the
ongoing diplomatic efforts around the conflict was not desirable. “The
main task of Armenia is to ensure the security of Armenians in Karabagh
while the latter’s task is to continue building its statehood,”
he said.

WORLD BANK TO REVIEW AND APPROVE NEW LOAN PROGRAM FOR ARMENIA
ArmenPress
June 10 2004
YEREVAN, JUNE 10, ARMENPRESS: The World Bank Board of Directors
is set to review and approve today a four year loan program for
assisting Armenia. WB Resident Representative Rodger Robinson is
to represent Armenia at the meeting. Armenian finance and economy
minister Vartan Khachatrian said earlier that the government expects
to receive around $200 million from World Bank in the four years to
come for implementation of strategic projects.
Vigen Sarkisian, a spokesman for World Bank Yerevan office, said
three additional projects, related to health, social security and
dam reinforcement, worth $30 million, will be also submitted to the
Board of Directors’ consideration.
World Bank has made available a total of $788 million to Armenia
for implementation of 33 projects since 1992, when Armenia joined
this organization.