Category: News

MOSCOW GAVE OK TO CONSTRUCTION OF IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE
PanArmenian News, Armenia
May 20 2004
“Gasprom” seemingly has submitted the fact that it will have to cede
a part of the Armenian market to Iranians.
The working visit of Robert Kocharian to Moscow is considered
productive both in Yerevan and Moscow. One of the main subjects
discussed during the visit was the energy cooperation. It is
interesting that the visit of Kocharian to Moscow coincided with
signing of an agreement on construction of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
in Yerevan. Hardly this happened by a pure accident.
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The subject was discussed at the meetings of Robert
Kocharyan with Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov,
President of the Gasprom Boris Miller, Head of the ITERA Victor
Makarov, President of the RAO EES Anatoly Chubays, Director of
the “Prometey” Company Senik Gevorkyan. Moscow’s opinion about the
project of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline construction can be judged from
the position of the Gasprom which was the first interested side as
it is the monopolist deliverer of the gas to the Southern Caucasus.
Boris Miller assured the journalists that they were not concerned
with the agreement.
General Director of the ArmRosGasprom Company Karen Karapetyan also
confirmed that the Iranians will not force out the Russians from the
Armenian market. He said that the main part of the Iranian gas will
be processed to electricity o be delivered again to Iran.
Evidently, the President’s visit has really solved the misunderstanding
concerning the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline. It is known that all the
exporters solve the disputable problems usually by starting talks about
increasing the tariffs. It is evident that is Moscow was dissatisfied
with the deal Boris Miller would not assure that it was not going to
change the tariffs. Besides, the Russian government would not sanction
the participation of the Russian company in the tender for laying the
pipeline. The fact of participation of the Russians in the tender
is confirmed by official sources. Probably it will be the Prometey
Company. The company constructs gas pipeline all over the Europe. Its
experience and technical resources allow it to receive the order.
For Russia Iran has always been a competitor in the European gas
market. However, Moscow has been convinced that the talks about the
possibility of the continuation of the gas pipeline through Georgia
by the Black Sea to Ukraine have no real basis. However, Armenia
should not forget about the possibility to become a transit country.
Two years ago the Russian Voce-Premier Victor Khristenko said that
though Iran is a competitor, “mutual concessions should be made”. It
is not excluded that soon the parties will have to discuss those
“mutual concessions”…

Turkish Parliament Speaker Defines His Meetings In Strasbourg Fruitful
Anadolu Agency
May 20 2004
ISTANBUL – Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said on Thursday
that his participation in the European Conference of Presidents of
Parliaments in Strasbourg was very beneficial to stress importance
Turkey attached to the Council of Europe (COE) and to explain Turkey’s
efforts on the road to European Union (EU) membership.
Arinc, who returned from Strasbourg, told reporters that three
sittings on “how democratic is our democracy?”, “modern technology and
democratic procedures” and “Co-operation for more democracy – National
Parliaments and European Assemblies” were held in the conference.
He delivered a speech on “how democratic is our democracy”, Arinc
stated.
Arinc said that he held bilateral meetings with his Greek, Georgian,
Russian and Armenian counterparts in Strasbourg.
He also met with Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (COEPA)
President Peter Schieder, Arinc noted.
Arinc said that he also visited the European Court of Human Rights
(ECHR), Arinc stated.
Arinc pointed out that he received information from ECHR Vice President
about functioning of the court and the ECHR Vice President welcomed
Turkey’s progress in human rights.
Arinc, who went to Strasbourg on Monday, attended on the same day
the meeting of Athens Working Group which was formed by parliament
speakers of European Union (EU) member and candidate countries. The
theme of the parliamentary summit was “Europe of citizens: parliaments
and participation of citizens”.
Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, who delivered a speech in
the conference on Tuesday, said that ruling parties should always
remember that they were representatives not only of majority that
they represented, but also representatives of whole nation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Euro recon bank ups investment in Armenia
Big News Network.com, Australia
May 20 2004
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is boosting its
investment in Armenia, the Moscow Times reported Thursday.
The ERBD is going to almost double its annual investment in the small,
former Soviet republic in the Caucasus this year to 10 million to
12 million euros ($12 million to $14 million), bank President Jean
Lemierre said at a briefing in the Armenian capital of Yerevan.
Lemierre also said the bank planned to further raise its investment
to 20 million euros, ($24 million) in 2005.
The EBRD planned to invest major resources in small- and medium-sized
businesses producing food products, Lemierre said. The bank was also
going to expand its branch office in Yerevan and increase the number
of staffers there dealing with small- and medium-sized businesses,
he said.

Gul In Moscow: There Have Been Worrying Developments In Palestine
Anadolu Agency
May 20 2004
MOSCOW – Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah
Gul has said there had recently been worrying developments in
Palestine, adding, “incidents there have been developing in a way
that worries whole world.”
Following his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in
Moscow where he had arrived under his meetings with the Middle East
Quartet (formed by European Union, United Nations, Russia and United
States) on the issue of Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
Ministers Delegation’s Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Gul answered
Turkish reporters’ questions.
Noting that OIC’s meeting with Russia was occurring during an important
period, Gul said that important incidents had happened in Palestine
especially in last few weeks and in last few days.
“These are really worrying incidents and they have been developing in
a way that worries the whole region and the world. The latest policy
of Israel was condemned by the UN Security Council yesterday,” he said.
Stating that OIC wanted the problem to end peacefully, Gul said,
“as the Middle East Quartet said in its statements the day before,
both sides should act under framework of the road map. Israel should
stop use of force against civilians and innocent people, besides it the
policy of destroying homes should end. Any attempt that would split the
sides by building wall should be prevented and it should withdraw from
the territories it occupied under the UN Security Council resolutions.”
Noting that also Israel’s security and safety in the region should be
provided, Gul said, “these are important issues. I am here to talk
about these issues. With this respect I want to say that there will
be a session on Iraq issue in the Turkish parliament on next Tuesday.
I am thinking of directly bringing also the issues related to Palestine
and Middle East problem.”
Gul said that he had expressed his opinions about Cyprus to UN
Security Council permanent representative Russia and they had discussed
bilateral economic and political issues under his meetings in Moscow.
Stating that he had asked Lavrov to immediately lift economic embargo
on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), immediately start
direct flights to the TRNC and remove obstacles that prevent vessels
carrying tourists and cargo from stopping by the TRNC, Gul said that
there would be concrete developments in line with the report that UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan would present to the UN Security Council.
Stating that Russia requested observer status in the OIC but there was
not such a status, Gul said that OIC’s regulations would be reviewed
at meeting in Istanbul and studies would start on granting Russia
such a status.
Replying to a question about Russia’s stance towards the Cyprus issue,
Gul said, “it is real that relations between Turkey and Russia have
been improving. Mr. President Putin proved it with multi-dimensional
partnership. Everything should enhance properly and appropriately to
this, of course.”
“While all relations are enhancing and getting deeper, common
opinions should emerge on regional issues and other problems and
Russia should review its policies, of course. Undoubtedly, these are
our expectations. However, we have to hold close consultations to
make these happen. We have to explain our issues in detail. We have
to clearly put forward our reasons. And it is what I am doing today,”
he said.
Stating that Lavrov had clearly told him that they supported lifting of
embargoes, establishment of commercial relations and lifting economic
isolation of the Turkish Cypriot side, which was the right thing,
Gul said, “they say that efforts could be exerted for a solution
in the future and everything should happen under the UN framework
and Annan’s plan should be taken as the basis. However, they say it
would be right to lift economic isolation. They clearly said that
they would not create any obstacle in front of Russian companies’
relations with the Turkish Cypriot side.”
Replying to a question, Gul said that opening of Turkish-Armenian
border could be possible only after Armenia withdrew from the
territories it occupied.
Asked about the Armenian President’s decision on not participating
in the NATO summit in Istanbul, Gul said, “it is a NATO meeting.
Armenia has a representation in Istanbul under the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation Organization. Should Armenia close it, too? I suppose
that it was a statement that targeted domestic politics.”
Asked whether Turkey had “plan B” in case the EU would not set a date
for opening of accession talks at its summit in December, Gul said,
“we don’t have such a plan. We all think of opening of negotiations
in December.”
“Besides, decision on opening of negotiations with Turkey was made
in 2002. At that summit, the decision was made and it was said that
negotiations with Turkey would immediately start in December of 2004
if it fulfilled political criteria,” Gul added.

Iran Seeks Inlets to Armenia’s New Energy Markets
Tehran Times
May 20 2004
TEHRAN (PIN) — A member of Sadid Saba Nirou Company’s board of
directors stated that Energy Ministry sought more cooperation with
Armenia in the field of wind energy.
Shahram Aminian told Petroenergy Information Network that Iran was
capable of exporting technical know-how to neighboring countries.
He noted that Iran – Armenia negotiations in this regard had not been
finalized, but the Energy Ministry is following up the issue.
“We cannot directly interact with other countries in the field of
wind energy and we are looking forward to Energy Ministry to take
measures,” he said.
The official said Iran enjoyed technical know-how to build wind
turbines and was capable of exported relevant services to other
countries.

Khamushi Called For Signing Free Trade Agreements
Tehran Times
May 20 2004
TEHRAN (MNA) — Chairman of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Ali Naqi
Khamushi attended the monthly session of the chamber on Wednesday in
which the organization’s budget was ratified, news reports said here
on Wednesday. Discussing the issue of free trade with neighboring and
Muslim countries, Khamushi said, “Bosnia is the entry gate to Europe,
Saudi Arabia has petrochemical products and, the republics of Armenia
and Azerbaijan are open markets for all types of goods. By signing
free trade agreements with these countries, the export of Iranian
merchandise would become more convenient.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, Khamushi called for the Ministry of Commerce
to seriously follow up and facilitate the inking of free trade
agreements with these countries or delegate authority to the Iranian
Chamber of Commerce to sign free trade agreements on their behalf.
Government representatives, economic bodies, and chambers of commerce
from townships all over the country participate in the monthly session
of the Iranian Chamber of commerce.

Azeri paper reports Armenian truce violation
Zerkalo, Baku
20 May 04
Text of unattributed report by Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo on 20 May
headlined “Truce violated”, subheaded “Positions of the Azerbaijani
army were fired in Qazax District”
The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry press service has reported that
positions of the Azerbaijani armed forces in the village of Bala
Cafarli in Qazax District were fired on by assault-rifles and machine
guns between 1630 – 1650 [1230 gmt – 1250 gmt] on 18 May.
The fire came from the village of Vazashen of Armenia’s Idzhevan
District.
The Azerbaijani side silenced the enemy with retaliatory fire. There
were no casualties.

US report on human rights abuses biased – Azeri pro-government MP
Ekspress, Baku
20 May 04
Text of Aqil Camal report by Azerbaijani newspaper Ekspress on 20 May
headlined “Is America breaking the rules intentionally?” and subheaded
“Gular Ahmadova: ‘Why have the actions of US soldiers in Iraq not
been included in that document?'”
As has been reported, the US State Department has circulated another
report on support for democracy and human rights in the world.
The section of the report on Azerbaijan notes the violation of
people’s voting rights, restrictions on freedom of assembly and
violence against those who demand their rights.
The member of the political council of the [ruling] New Azerbaijan
Party, MP Gular Ahmadova, thinks that looking through the document,
one can see that it is not objective.
“People who describe the USA as a cradle of democracy think that
all reports disseminated by the USA are objective. I doubt this
statement. If the point is about human rights violations, then they’d
better write at least a word about human rights violations by the
USA. US soldiers have trampled on human rights in Iraq. The US
president apologized to them for this,” she said.
The MP thinks that the events in Iraq and Azerbaijan are quite
different and the gravest crimes are being committed there. “If these
facts were reflected in the statement, then it could be assessed as
democratic,” she said.
The MP thinks that the statement was either prepared by unprofessional
people or was drawn up under pressure from the Armenian diaspora.
“For this reason, I do not regard the report as serious,” Ahmadova
said.

Institute of War & Peace Reporting (IWPR)
May 20 2004
Nakhichevan: Disappointment and Secrecy
Although the ‘Nakhichevan clan’ continues to run Azerbaijan, their
home region sees no benefits.
By Adalet Bargarar in Nakhichevan (CRS No. 234, 19-May-04)
Last week’s celebrations of the 80th birthday of Azerbaijan’s
autonomous republic of Nakhichevan were not much of an occasion for
joy for the people who live there. For most, the past decade has
been a story of poverty, emigration and authoritarian rule by local
strongman Vasif Talibov.
“We call him our own Turkmenbashi,” Abbasali, an unemployed man told
IWPR, referring to the dictatorial leader of Turkmenistan. “He is a
real despot in Nakhichevan. He is able to do whatever he wants, arrest
whoever he wants, seize any private property he takes a liking to.”
Talibov, who is related by marriage to Azerbaijan’s ruling family,
the Alievs, has been speaker of the local parliament and unchallenged
leader of the republic for the past seven years.
Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliev led the festivities on May 12-14
to mark the anniversary of the creation of Nakhichevan, an exclave
separated from the rest of Azerbaijan by the territory of Armenia and
Iran. It was Aliev’s first visit to his family homeland since he was
elected president last October.
If locals had been hoping that the 42-year-old president would bring
a breath of reform to the region, they were disappointed.
“We’re all fed up, it’s hard to live like this,” said Abbasali. “We
were hoping that President Ilham Aliev, as a young reformer, would
get rid of Talibov for us despite his family ties with him. But he
not only left him in his post but even gave him his support.”
None of the large group of journalists Aliev took with him from Baku
was able to interview any Nakhichevani officials. Local reporters
explained to their colleagues that any official who talks to the
independent media risks being sacked from his job.
Cut off from the rest of the country and with the border of its former
Soviet neighbour Armenia closed, Nakhichevan has suffered economic
collapse. A tiny border to Turkey provides a trade lifeline, while
the main access to Baku is by plane or else by a long and expensive
land route through Iran.
The region’s population is officially given as 364,000 people,
but independent experts say at least a third of that number have
emigrated in search of work, mainly to Turkey. “The scale of emigration
from Nakhichevan has increased markedly over the last few years,”
an independent analyst who wished to remain anonymous told IWPR. He
said that many trading outlets had closed over the past three years
and unemployment had rocketed.
“Emigration rates to Turkey are so high that most of the residents of
the Besler district in Istanbul are Nakhichevanis,” said the analyst.
With the republic forced to import most of its energy, the provision of
heat and light remains its biggest problem. “Last year the temperature
fell to 40 degrees below freezing and there were no natural gas
supplies,” said Elmar, a local teacher. “They put us on a ration of
three to four hours of electricity a day and confiscated our electric
heaters. In one village in the Sharur district, a five-year-old girl
froze to death.”
Almaz, a retired teacher, had tears in her eyes as she recalled how
she scraped the money together to buy just enough Iranian gas to cook
by. “Last year I sold the ring which my mother bequeathed to me and
which was a family heirloom. For more than nine generations my family
wore this ring and kept it for their children, and I sold it to buy
gas,” she said.
President Aliev promised that his government was working on a deal
where Iran would supply gas to the region on a regular basis. The plan
is to repay the debt in the future with gas or electricity produced
in the main part of Azerbaijan. “But Iran has other proposals,”
said Aliev.
Ilham Aliev’s father, the long-serving president Heidar Aliev, was
born in Nakhichevan and as a result, people from the republic have
dominated Azerbaijani political life since the Sixties. But the elite,
especially the younger generation, now spend little time back in
Nakhichevan, and they are a disappointment to those still living there.
“We are the real Nakhichevanis, not the people who live in Baku, who
have too much money to spend and are a disgrace to us,” said Almaz.
At the age of 70, she is selling potatoes in the market to make
ends meet.
Local Nakhichevanis said they were astonished at the amount of money
lavished on a new school that was opened during Aliev’s visit. The
Heidar Aliev School cost an astonishing 2.2 million US dollars to
build, is equipped with the latest technology and has 1,200 pupils.
The project was financed by Azerbaijan’s national oil company SOCAR.
Not far from the school, 15-year-old Allahverdi was selling fruit at
the market rather than attending classes. He said he worked a 12-hour
day, earning between two and four dollars.
“I have to do this, otherwise we wouldn’t have anything to eat in the
evening,” Allahverdi explained. “There’s no time for school. Every
day I go past the school and I feel envious looking at this lovely
building. I would like to go there too, but it’s only for the kids
of rich people.”
Allahverdi’s father is disabled and cannot support his family. In
theory he should be able to benefit from another new project opened
during Aliev’s visit to Nakhichevan, a treatment centre for the
disabled. Azerbaijan’s social welfare minister Ali Nagiev said that
the centre, which had received more than 300,000 dollars in government
funding, would offer free care to 17,000 invalids.
Imangulu, a disabled veteran of the Karabakh war, who gets a monthly
pension of 24 dollars, does not believe it. “It’s all lies,”
he complained. “It will all be for money, like in all the other
clinics in Nakhichevan. They ask for money even for the use of basic
equipment. An appendectomy costs 200 dollars. And I wouldn’t wish a
stay in hospital here on my worst enemy.”
News of what is going on in Nakhichevan barely gets out to the outside
world. The one independent newspaper, funded by the United States
media support organisation Internews, has a small print-run.
Most people watch Turkish television for their news, ignoring
Nakhichevan television, which broadcasts nine hours a day. “It’s
a propaganda vehicle for Talibov and the Alievs,” said a local
journalist. Like all other independent voices in this fearful part
of Azerbaijan, he asked for his name not to be used.
Adalet Bargarar is the pseudonym of an Azerbaijani journalist.

BBC says its reports from Karabakh “translated incorrectly” – Azeri TV
ANS TV, Baku
19 May 04
[Presenter in studio] The Azerbaijani embassy in Great Britain
has asked the administration of the BBC for an explanation over its
correspondent Steven Eke’s visit to the territory of Nagornyy Karabakh
without the official permission of the Azerbaijani government and
over the prejudiced reports prepared from there. In response, the BBC
administration claims that Eke’s reports were not translated correctly.
[Correspondent over video of Bush House, people sitting in front of
computers, views of Karabakh] The administration of the BBC World
Service is going to provide an explanation to the Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry over a visit by the BBC radio correspondent, Steven Eke,
to the occupied Azerbaijani territory, Nagornyy Karabakh, without the
permission of the official Baku. This has been said to us by the head
of the Foreign Ministry’s press service, Matin Mirza.
On the ministry’s instruction the Azerbaijani ambassador to Great
Britain, Rafael Ibrahimov, is also trying to deal with the issue.
[Spokeswoman for the Azerbaijani embassy in Great Britain S. Dadasova,
captioned, over phone] The Azerbaijani ambassador to Great Britain,
Rafael Ibrahimov, contacted the administration of the Eurasia service
of the BBC over this visit by a BBC correspondent, both in writing
and by phone, to express the discontent of the Azerbaijani side.
[Correspondent] The head of the Azerbaijani diplomatic mission in
London has also voiced the Azerbaijani side’s concern about the
pro-Armenian position of the BBC correspondent. The head of the
BBC’s Eurasia section, Behrouz Afagh, said that the visit at issue
was paid to Nagornyy Karabakh through the territory of Armenia
only for pragmatic reasons and did not bear any anti-Azerbaijani
undertone. Behrouz Afagh also expressed interest in Azerbaijan’s
entry regulations. It was stated to the senior BBC representative
that it is possible to enter the territory of Azerbaijan only with
the official permission of the Azerbaijani authorities and in line
with the established regulations. Behrouz Afagh said that the reports
prepared from Nagornyy Karabakh must have been translated incorrectly,
which, in its turn, led to this misunderstanding. According to the
BBC official, a letter will be sent to relevant Azerbaijani bodies
to clarify the issue.
Let me say again that this was said by the head of the BBC’s Eurasia
section, Behrouz Afagh.
Sevda Hasanova, ANS.
[Presenter] A short while ago the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry
received a letter from the BBC administration. According to the
ministry’s spokesman, Matin Mirza, in the letter the head of the
Eurasia section of the BBC, Behrouz Afagh, is justifying the fact that
a BBC correspondent went to Nagornyy Karabakh through the territory of
Armenia. The letter says that everyone is using this route. Asking
the Azerbaijani side not to introduce a political touch to the
issue, the BBC official said that all the necessary chronological and
statistical information is always obtained from Baku. It says further
that the Russian-language reports only represented an exchange of
opinion between people of different social categories. What is rather
illogical, however, is that the BBC administration says in its letter
to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry that it accepts all the complaints
and is ready to discuss the issue directly with representatives of
the Azerbaijani embassy in Great Britain.